The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29
THE STATE OF INDIANA
A GOOD ACCOUNT OF ITS STAGE OF
DEVELOPMENT IN THE YEAR 1884.
Its Natural Advantages Set Forth I'm a
SettIers-Land of Milk and Honey.
chambers's Edinburgh Journal, January,

Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, January,
1884
The next State that properly comes under
observation is that of Indiana, which lies
Immediately west from the State of Ohio,
and, like it, has the Ohio river for its south
ern boundary. On the north it has the
Michigan Territory and the lake of the same
name. and on the west the State of Illinois.
The length of this State is $50 miles, it's
breadth 49, and it lies between the thirty
seventh and fiftieth degrees of north lati-
tude, wherefore its climate is generally Of
medium temperature The whole of this
State belongs to the valley Of the Ohio or
Lake Michigan, and is for the greater pro-
portion covered with timber and adapted
for settlement. Indiana is one of the more
recently established States of the Union,
and has attracted somewhat less attention
than other States adjacent; nevertheless the
settlement of immigrants within it's boun-
daries has gone on gradually and is still in
creasng. It's population now amounts to
about 400, 600.
The south front Of this fine State, on the
borders of the Ohio river, is skirted with
the usual belt of river hills, bluffs and
knobs occupying greater or less distance
from the river. The eye of the traveller in
ascending the stream never tires in survey
ing those beautiful bluffs, especially in the
spring, when their declivites are crimsoned
with the red bud whitened with the bril-
liant blossoms of the dogwood or rendered
verdant with the beautiful May apple
There are in different parts of the State
large tracts of country of a billy nature,
but the greater portion of the land is one
vast level the prairies being here, else
where, OF that fiat character For a wide
of toto bo
tween the Wabash and Lake Michigan the
country is generally an extended plain, al
ternately prairie and timbered land, with a
great proportion of swampy land and small
lakes and ponds. This division, therefore,
is not to be preferred by settlers. But the
prairie lands highly spoken of. They
are large level, fertile plains, broader than
can be measured by the eye intersected by
streams whose borders marked by belts
of timber. Every traveller has spoken with
admiration of the beauty and fertility of the
prairies along the course of the Wabash,
particularly those in the vicinity of Fort
Harrison; indeed, competent judges
prefer the prairies on this part of
the river to those of Illinois and the upper
Mississippi. Perhaps part of the western
world can show greater extentS of rich
land in one body, than that portion of White
river country of which indianapolis is the
center. remarkable popularity in the
great features of this State is the variety
of the prairieS. Besides the large plains
just mentioned, there many of long
and narrow, and also of a small and com
pact form, available to the purposes of the
agriculturist Our authority Timothy
Flint, informs us that there are hundreds
farms; while the islands, he calls them,
of timbered lands, dot the scene, and add
much beauty ang to the territory The mixture
and the happy distribution of springs and
rivers, have been prevailing causes of the
rapid increase of the population of the
State; though the circumstance of it's be-
ing nonslaveholding State. and next in po-
sltio n beyond Ohio; SO as to have arrested
the tide OF emigration that set towards the
West from thence, may likewise be given
as good reasons for it's speedy rise into
This State generally produces Indian corn,
rye oats, barley and wheat in abundance
Such is the exuberant richness of some Of
the prairieS and bottoms that they cannot
produce crops of wheat until reduced or i'm
povershed to sufficient extent by crop
ping in other products. No country can ex-
coed this in it's adaptation for rearing the
finest fruits and fruit-bearing shrubs. Wild
berries in many places are abundant; and
on some of the prairies the strawberries are
large and fine. For all the objects of farm
ing, and raising grain. flax, hemp, tobacco,
cattle, sheep, swine, and horses, emgrantS
could not desire better country than may
be found in Indiana
THE WATERWAYS
The southern shore of this State is washed |
by the Ohio from the mouth of the Big
Miami to that of the Wabash, distance |
Of nearly five hundred miles, by the mean |
ders of the river. Between the Miami and |
the Wabash a number of lesser streams fall |
into the Ohio, many of which afford excel |
lent mill seats. The Wabash is the chief |
river Of this State; and after the Tennessee, |
one of the most considerable tributaries of |
the Ohio. Rising in different branches, and |
in hOdx
of the State, it waters a wide extent of |
country, and is of great service for other
purposes. White river is the most consider |
able tributary of the Wabash, which it en- |
ters on the eastern side, sixteen miles below |
V1ncenneS. 1t waters a large extent of fer |
tile country, in lateral direction to the |
main stream. On all these rivers and most
of their branches there is ample scope for
the settlement of emigrants. The northern |
front of the State, bordering on Michigan |
and its lake, is likewise copiously watered |
by rivers that empty into lakes Michigan |
and Erie. Many of the rivers of the State |
are navigable by boats and steam vessels;
altogether, the State is said to possess an
inland navigation of not less extent than |
five thousand miles.
Indiana contains number of thriving
towns and villages, chiefly situated on the |
banks of the Ohio, the Wabash, White river
and other large streams. Madison Jeffer-
sonville, Vincennes, Richmond and Indian
apolis are the principal. Madison, the most |
populous and one of the most thriving
nearly at an equal distance between Louis
vile and Cincinnati. Vincennes, a town of
French origin, is situated on the Wabash $50 |
miles from its mouth, and is one of the most |
beautifully situated and pleasing towns in
this part of the United States. New Har-
mony, place at which Mr.. Robert Owen,
of New Lanark, in Scotland, endeavored to
establish his social system, is also situated
on the Wabash, in Indiana, fifty-four miles |
below Vincennes. This part of Western
America was visited by Mr.. Stuart in the |
course of his travels, and he remarks that
besides possessing many good settlements, |
it has much beautiful rich land fit for the
selection of emigrants. While at Princeton.
a town or village situated in an elevated
fine waving country about ten miles from
the Wabash, and where there are many
nice looking plantations, he visited gen.
tleman, whose story may be advantageously
alluded to- After breakfast" says he, II
paid a visit to Mr.. Phillips, who has very
fine plantation, the best in the neighbor-
hood. about a mile from the town. Mr..
Phillips is an Englishman and was con-
tractor for the mail coach establishment in
Edinburgh. in Scotland, where he made a |
fortune. His farm is of excellent soil, beau
tifully situated, commanding a delightful
were fed with peaches and apples. In short
he is living as the proprietor of a place so
comfortable in appearance in all respects
and so much improved tn the British sense
of the term that If it were in Scotland it
would be envied by many; but he is OBJ
viously not altogether satisfied with his
til