Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-12-03
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
How Chicago was Lost TO the State ut
wisconsin.

How Chicago Wa Lost TO the state of
wisconsin.
Chicago would have been aWiscon.
sin city II tn State had been allowed
to retain the territory which once right
fully belonged to her." said General
Hobart. In conversation with reporter
for the Sentinel.
THE story Is long one. and covers
nearly one hundred years OF the history
Of the territory out Of which Wisconsin
was formed. Not only was Wiscodsin
deprived Of all the territory which was
added to Illinois. but the Upper. Mich.
igan peninsula belonged 10 Wisconsin
by rights, and was added to Michigan
before Wisconsin was strong enough to
assert her rights. Wisconsin was the
last State composing the Northwest
Territory 70 be admitted into the Union.
and had to content herself by taking
what was left"
The words Of General Hobart sug-
gested an examination into the carly
settlement and organization Of the
States included in tho Northwest Terri.
tory. The first link In the claim OF
title Is to be found in the ordinance
OF 1887" an instrument adopted by
Virginia In tho year mentioned. by
which the territory northwest and west
OF the Ohio River. and east Of the Mis-.
sissippi River. known as Northwest
Territory. was ccded to the United
States. The ordinance stipulated that
In the settlement Of tho Territory It
might be divided into not less than
three nor more than five States The
western State was to be bounded "by
the Ohio and Wabash Rivers; q direct
line drawn from the Wabash and Post
vinccnts. due north to the Territorial
line between the United States and
Canada, and by tho said Territorial
line to the Lake Of the Woods and Mis-.
sissippi River" The middle State
shall 10 bounded by "the said direct
line. tho Wabash from Post Vinccnts TO
the Ohio; by tho Ohio, by direct line
drawn due north from the mouth OF the
Great Miami to the ,said Territorial
line" The boundaries for the eastern
State were to be "the aforementioned
direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania and
the said Territorial line"
Following tho designated boundaries
OF the three States was provision and
declaration that the boundaries OF these
three States should be subject 20 far to
be altered. that II Congress should
thereafter find 1t expedient 1t should
have authority to form ono or two
States in that part Of the Territory ly-
ing north OF an east and west line drawn
through the southerly bend or extreme
of Lake Michigan.
The first division Of the Northwest
Territory was In 1900. when part was
set of and known as Indiana Territory.
In 1909 Indiana was again divided, and
Illinois Territory was formed the
northern boundary being the east and
west line drawn through the southern
extremity Of Lake Michigan. Indiana
was admitted AS a State In 1916, and
its northern boundary was extended
ten miles north Of that line, thus en-.
croaching to that extent on tho future
State OF Michigan. On April IL, 1878.
illinois was authorized to form con.
stitution. and its boundary was contin.
ued northward to longitude forty de-
grees thirty minutes. thus curtailing
the future State OF Wisconsin to that
extent, and taking in tho present coun.
ties Of McIicnry and Cook. portion OF
Will County, and all the territory lying
westward Us far as tho Mississippi
River. While the boundaries thus made
were legally fixed by act Of Congress.
their establishment was manifest In.
Justice to the Territories Of Michigan
and Wisconsin. which had not then
been formed.
Ohio was the first State to be formed
from tho Northwest Territory. That
State was admitted into the Union in
1902; Indiana came next In 1916, and
Illinois followed In 1918. Thus the
whole Northwest Territory was formed
into States. except that part from
which Wisconsin and Michigan were
afterward formed The Territory OF
Michigan included tho present State OF
Wisconsin. which, including what Is
known as the upper Michigan PENN.
sula, was made into new Territory.
When Michigan applied for admission
into the Union. u controversy sprang
up between Michigan and Ohio in rela.
ton to the boundary line between
those States. which eliminated In what
is known as the Toledo war. So much
excitement prevailed that. both parties
sent military forces to the disputed
frontier Congress decided the dis
pute in favor Of Ohio, and assigned to
Michigan. In place Of the fertile strip
In dispute along her southern border.
about twenty-five thousand square
miles of barren, mountainous country
on the shores Of Lake Superior Thus
Wisconsin. which ut that time was but
sparsely settled. was deprived Of q
large portion Of the territory which
geographically belonged to her. and
which has since been found to be 10
markably rich In mineral resources.
Supposing that tho natural bounda-
rics formed by the great lakes on the
northwest and by the Mississippi and
ST. Croix Rivers on the west had re-
NAMED as tho boundaries Of Wiscon.
sin. and that the original southern
boundary provided In the ordinance Of
1887 had remained In force. Wiscon.
sins present wonderful resources
would have been largely increased, and
Wisconsin could by this time haye
been truthfully called the Empire State
Of tho West Milpaukee Sentinel.
Sir James Paget has been tracing