Western portraiture, and emigrants' guide: a description of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa; with remarks on Minnesota, and other territories

Front matter

CINCINNATI PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Gift of a Friend of the Ciiicinnati Public Library

AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Contents

PREFACE, 11.

INTKODUCTION: Western Emigration, Difficulty of Early Traveling, The Puritans, East and West, Rochester and Chicago, compared, O'Rielly's Book, Harbor and River Convention, Routes from the Atlantic to the Lakes, 16.

TRIP UP THE LAKES : Dunkirk, Erie, Cleveland, Monroe, Toledo, Detroit, Fort Gratiot, Lake Huron, Mackinaw, 33 — Sunsets, Sports, Islands, Door County, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, 38 — Washington County, Ozaukee, Milwaukee, Railroad, 39 — City and County, Plankroad, Real Estate, 41 — Racine, Kenosha, 43 — Waukegan, 44.

Preface

Most persons who design emigrating to The Wkst — whether Americans or Foreigners — have but a limited, and often incorrect, knowledge of that region — its lands, resources, facilities, and business — of the distinguishing features of different sections ; hence, they cannot easily determine which way to direct their course ; so that they are anxious to make inquiries, and elicit fiicts, from those who are acquainted with tliat country ; which, at most, is a limited means of information. It would be convenient and advantageous to emigrants, to have, before starting, some general and reliable statements, respecting the distinct characteristics of the various Western States, or of the diflfereut portions of each of those states ; it might save them much travel and expense.

There have been published several very useful and interesting Guides and Gazetteers of the West— /or times past — but the transformations, the improvements, are so rapid and extensive, that those books give only slight and imperfect knowledge of that progressive region, as the present finds it. So quick and niimerous are the changes in the West, that the traveler of the spring, returning by tlie same route in autumn, scarcely knows his whereabouts; and the pioneer who makes a summer's visit to his old home-place, is equally surprised, on liis return, at the changes which have taken place, the advancement made there, and he hardly recognizes the locality of his new home, after tlie short absence of one season. Immigrants have " located," new shantees have been stuck up, and they even succeeded by new houses, new fences have been made, new roads laid, and new ditches dug.

Tlic enchanting power of industry, in a genial clime, on a fertile 8oil, has done this; but it is not illusory enchantment.

Thus, the descriptive book of the earlier days, is but a dim volume now ; and another is wanted nearly as much as if the first were not written.

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To try to supply this want, to that enterprising class, is the object of the writer in preparing this little volume — in a plain and faithful narrative of facts, in regard to appearances, prospects, and statistics, of the Great West.

"While traveling several years, on business connected with newspapers and telegraph lines, through the states of Wisconsin, II- LiNoisf and Iowa, spending some time in nearly all of the principal towns and cities, the writer made examinations of the soil, and collected fiicts of business and progress, which enable him to give, generally correct and familiar descriptions of the great and various resources of those states — their lands, mines, improvements, conveyances, markets, etc., the peculiarities of the different tracts of land — from personal inspection ; and all contrasted with the facts and condition a few years previous.

Some general remarks are also given upon the character and prospects of Minnesota, though but briefly, as the writer is less acquainted with that territory than with the three states named.

It is not pretended, in this little Emigrant Manual, to furnish extended and detailed accounts of the discovery and early trials and settlement of the West, as that is more the sphere of the historian, than of the traveling delineator, whose aim is to portray present scenes and aspects, yet some brief items of history are given.

Still, the more fully and forcibly to convey some adequate knowledge of the rich resources and proud progress of the New Country, the writings of several interesting Tourists, in 1833, 1837, and 1846, have been freely examined, and extended extracts copied from them, that the present may be more clearly appreciated, as viewed in contrast with the past.

The extensive system of Railroads and other Improvements which the Western States have recently projected — and are engaged in, soon to be completed — have excited at the East a lively and increased interest in the destiny of the New States, eliciting more earnest attention to them, and inducing more numerous emigration from among tlic wealthy and business classes of tlie older states.

Besides, millions of the surplus means of Eastern capit-alists have, within a short period, been invested in the Internal Improvements of the New states, Avhich also tends to enlist curiosity and attention toward the West, creating greater earnestness for knowledge in regard to that region, as to its operations and natural resources.

PREFACE. Xiii

It is hoped and intended that this work shall, to some satisfactory degree, gratify that desire, and thus secure for it a ready sale among those interested.

Those great and popular national enterprises— a line of Telegraph, with stockades of armed and m(tunte<l mail-carriers, and a Railroad to the Pacific — arc becoming carne.stly-tulked-of projects, demanding the special attention of the General Government, living enlisted the lively exertions of many Senators and Representatives in Congress.

Under these circumstances, the great Mississippi Valley country becomes invested with a more vast importance than any otlier equal section of our nation, an<l must be so regarded by tlie peop^le generally ; hence, every source of information in regard to it will be useful and sought after by tlie wliole community, and even by large capitalists beyond the Atlantic.

Most of my facts and descriptions are given from personal observation and inspection; but where not, the best authorities have been consulted, such as accredited Gazetteers, Books of Travel, Surveyors' Reports, Correspondence, Colton's late maps, and others ; so that it is believed the statements are reliable, at least in all essential matters.

It is believed, too, that the information contained in this books is made so plain, complete, and explicit, that it may be serviceable to Emigrants and Emigration Companies in Europe ; so as to enable tliem to set out for the new lands in America more intelligently than they otherwise could do.

As matter which will be interesting to readers generally, for the- facts wliich they contain, and for the grapliic descriptions which they present, of some features and locations in the West, I have inserted several letters written by Rev. J. P. Thompsox, of New York, who made a tour through some of the Western States, during the past summer, which may be relied upon. Of the necessity of reliable portraitures and statistics of the West, Mr. Thompson says :

*' One of the most necessary accouterments for a journey Westward is a good set of maps and guide-books. Tlicse enable you to keep your whereabouts while shifting from place to place. I have found Dinsmore's Railway Guide for the United States entirely reliable, so far as railroads are concerned ; but in a journey of thousands of miles in a new country this of course answers only for part of the way. The IVesltrn Tourist and Emii^raufs Guide, by J. H. CoLToiv, together with his new series of pocket maips of 2

XIV PREFACE.

the Western States, has been of much service to me in fixing localities."

" The Tourist, though published last year and therefore somewhat imperfect as regards the newer routes and also as to statistics of population — being based upon the census of 1840 — nevertheless contains much information important to the traveler, and expressed in a clear and concise manner. Its tabular view of distances on the main routes of travel is especially valuable."

By the many questions which have been addressed to him, together with the requests of many good friends, he is induced to hurry out this work at this time ; as a guide to the emigrant westward, whether farmer, mechanic, merchant, or professional man.

It is also believed that such a book would oftentimes be an advantajre and convenience to merchants and other business men in the Atlantic cities, as a matter of reference, respecting the business and prospects of Western towns ; as much care is taken that the statement of facts shall be correct.

Our Great West is a fertile, healthy, and beautiful country, whose bountiful products reward toil and enterprise more liberally than any other part of the world ; and already begins to number its millions of industrious and intelligent population, with millions more turning their thoughts and faces thitherward.

The schemes of Internal Improvements there are liberal and extensive; and many routes, in various sections, are being prosecuted with great activity and progress ; being works of such palpable utility as to have secured large and sufficient amounts of the surplus capital of the Eastern States and England, for their construction, without embarrassing the New States with onerous debts.

Our Canals are dug and doing a large business ; portions of our Railroads ai*e built and in operation ; and the whole are under safe and speedy advance toward completion ; so we have no grounds to fear the suspensions and confusions which took place a few years ago — for want of funds to proceed with ; they are provided for from the rich coftcrs of the millionaires in the older settled countries. So tliat there never was a more auspicious season for purchasing and settling in the West, tlian the present; and if this little volume shall prove beneficial to any — either those who wish to buy, or tliose who want to sell — my efforts will not have been in vain, in this undertaking.

Tlic writer's home is in The West, a country with which lie has been more and more pleased, as he became bettor acquainted with it; and to all for whose happiness he feels interested, he could

PREFACE. XV

scarcely give them more kindly counsel, than to advise them fairly to consider the claims and prospects of tho "West, then remove there and enjoy them.

The work will be accompanied hy a superb Map of tho three states, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the territory of Minnesota, prepared in accordance with the latest authorities.

D. S. C.

Chicago, A'ovembcr, 1851.

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