USA > Indiana > The state of Indiana delineated: geographical, historial, statistical, and commercial, 1838 > Part 3
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STARK COUNTY .- Recently formed, and unorganized ; contains 432 square miles ; bounded
.
39
SKETCHES OF EACHII COUNTY
north by Laporte and St. Joseph, east by Marshall, . south by Pulaski, west by Newton and Porter. Principal streams, the Kankakee and Yellow rivers. There are extensive marshes on the Kankakee.
STEUBEN COUNTY .- Recently organized ; contains 225 square miles ; bounded north by the state of Michigan, east by Michigan and Ohio, south by De Kalb, west by Lagrange, counties. Principal streams, Pigeon river, Crooked and Fish creeks ; there are many lakes. The Buffalo and Mississippi Rail-Road is located through the county. ANGOLA is the county seat.
SULLIVAN COUNTY .- Organized in 1S16; contains 430 square miles ; bounded north by Vigo, east by Clay and Greene, south by Knox, west by the Wabash river, The principal water courses are the Wabash on the west, and Furman's creek, Tur- tle creek, and Busserou in the interior. Surface, generally level-there are some rich prairies, but chiefly the land is timbered. MEROM is the county town.
SWITZERLAND COUNTY .- Organized in 1814 ; contains 216 square miles ; bounded north by Ripley and Dearborn counties, east by the Ohio river, south by the Ohio, west by Jefferson county. Some of the streams that flow into the Ohio are Log Lick, Indian, Plum, Brian's and Grant's creeks. Surface, various-bottom lands, level and rich, then a range of bluffs-table land, rolling. Much atten- tion is paid to the culture of orchards, gardens and vines, particularly on the Ohio river, and the county is rapidly increasing in wealth and population. VEVAY is the county seat.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY .-- Organized in
1
39
IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
1826; contains 504 square miles ; bounded north by White and Carroll, east by Carroll and Clinton, south by Montgomery, west by Warren and Jasper. Surface, gently undulating, with extensive level tracts-the prairies may be estimated at one half, the barrens one eighth, and the remainder heavy forest land,-the prairies and timber lands are very rich and fertile. The water courses are the Wa- bash, the Tippecanoe river, (which enters the Wa- bash in the northeast corner of the county, ) the Wild Cat, the Wea, Burnet's creek, &c .; these streams furnish numerous excellent mill sites, and the Wa- bash is navigable. LAFAYETTE, a large and flourish- ing town, possessing great advantages, is the county seat. There is a rail-road chartered from this town to Michigan City, and a Mac Adamized road to Crawfordsville and New-Albany, and another to Indianapolis. The Wabash and Erie Canal also passes through it.
UNION COUNTY .- Organized in 1821; con- tains 168 square miles ; bounded north by Wayne county, east by the state of Ohio, south by Franklin, west by Fayette, counties. Surface, undulating ; soil, good. The principal streams are the east fork of White Water river, Hanna, Richland and Silver creeks, all which afford valuable mill privileges. LIBERTY is the county seat.
VANDERBURG COUNTY .- Organized in 1818 ; contains 225 square miles ; bounded north by Gibson, east by Warrick, counties, south by the Ohio river, and west by Posey county. That portion which borders on the Ohio river is very fertile-but the largest portion of the county is high and rather hilly, with good timber and water, but of inferior scil,
40
SKETCHES OF EACH COUNTY
when compared to many other counties. In a com- ( mercial point of view, it possesses great advantages. Running into the Ohio from the interior, are Big Pigeon, Blue Grass, Little and Locust creeks. EVANSVILLE is the county seat. This place is new, but flourishing-increasing in population beyond al- most any other in the state. It has been expected that the Wabash, Erie and Central Canal would ter- minate here; but the Board of Internal Improve- ments, at its late session, finally located its termina- tion at Lamasco City, on Pigeon creek, about half a mile below Evansville. Doubtless these two places will be united, and become the most import- ant city in the state. There is a rail-road located from Evansville to Terre Haute.
VERMILLION COUNTY .- Organized in 1823 ; contains 280 square miles ; bounded north by Warren, east by Fountain and Parke, south by Vigo, counties, and west by the state of Illinois. Surface, high and gently rolling-some bluffs along the principal water courses-a good proportion of prairie and timber; the soil is rich and productive. Streams, the Wabash river flows along the whole length of its eastern border, Vermillion and Little Vermillion rivers-Spring, Brouillet's creeks, and others, run into the Wabash. NEWPORT is the county seat.
VIGO COUNTY .- Organized in 1818; con- tains 400 square miles ; bounded north by Vermil- lion and Parke, east by Clay, south by Sullivan, counties, and west by the state of Illinois. Surface, level or gently undulating, with forest and prairies interspersed ; soil, uniformly, excellent. The Wa- bash passes nearly through the county from north
41
IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
to south, and is navigable : Spring Coal, Otter, Lost, Sugar, Clear, and Honey creeks are the principal. TERRE HAUTE, the county seat, is a large and flour- ishing town, most delightfully situated on the Wa- bash river and National road. The Wabash and Erie Canal terminates here, and the Cross Cut Canal from this place connects with the Central Canal at Point Commerce, on White river. There is also located a rail-road to Evansville.
WABASH COUNTY .- Organized in 1832; contains 415 square miles ; bounded north by Kos- ciusko and Whitley, east by Huntington, south by Grant and Miami, and west by Miami counties. It presents a variety of soil and surface. Eel river passes through the northern part, and the Wabash below the centre of the county, besides numerous creeks flow into both these rivers, which make it a well watered county. WABASH is the principal town, and is the county seat-a healthy place ; im- proving rapidly, and is a desirable point for busi- ness. The Wabash und Erie Canal and the Cen- tral Canal unite at this place.
WARREN COUNTY .- In the northwestern part of the state, was organized in 1828 ; bounded on the north by Jasper county, west by the state of Illinois, south by Vermillion, east by Fountain and Tippecanoe counties; and contains about 350 square miles. The face of the country is generally level, and about one third of the whole county is prairie, embracing, on the west, a portion of the Grand Prairie. The soil is rich, and well watered. The Wabash runs along the eastern and south- eastern border of the county for 30 miles, and is navigable for steam-boats. The interior streams
C
42
SKETCHES OF EACH COUNTY
are Big and Little Pine creeks, Rock creek, and ~ Redwood, all of which are good mill streams. WIL- LIAMSPORT is the county seat. A rail-road is in contemplation, from Lafayette to Alton, Ill., which if completed will pass through this county.
WARRICK COUNTY .- Organized in 1813; contains an area of 360 square miles ; bounded north by Gibson, Pike and Dubois, east by Spencer, south by Spencer county and the Ohio river, west by Vander burg and Gibson counties. Surface, rolling, hilly near the river. Soil, produces well. The Ohio washes its southern border, and Little Pigeon its eastern-into these flow several creeks from the interior. BOONVILLE is the county seat.
WASHINGTON COUNTY .- Organized in 1813; contains an area of 540 square miles ; bounded north by Jackson, east by Scott and Clarke, south by Harrison and Crawford, west by Orange and Law- rence counties. Surface, greatly diversified. Al- though good farming land in general, the soil is not as rich and easy of cultivation as many other coun- ties. Streams-Muscatatack, on the north border, Blue river, Rush, Twin, Delaney, Elk creeks, &c., which afford mill privileges. SALEM is the county seat. The Mac Adamized road from New-Albany to Crawfordsville is located through the county.
WAYNE COUNTY .- Organized in 1810 ; con- tains 420 square miles ; bounded north by Ran- dolph county, east by the state of Ohio, south by Union and Fayette, west by Fayette and Henry counties. Surface, moderately hilly and heavily timbered. Soil, the very best quality. Streams- East and West branches of the White Water river, and numerous tributaries, which furnish abundant
43
IN THE STATE OF INDIANA.
water power. CENTREVILLE is the county seat. White Water Canal runs across the southwest corner of the county.
WELLS COUNTY .- Organized in 1837 ; con- tains 372 square miles ; bounded north by Allen, east by Adams, south by Blackford and Jay, west by Huntington and Grant counties. Population about 200. The Wabash runs through nearly the centre of the county, and furnishes many fine mill privileges.
WHITE COUNTY .- Organized recently, with a population of about 1800, as is supposed, and ra- pidly increasing ; bounded north by Newton and Pulaski, east by Cass and Carroll, south by Tippe- canoe, west by Jasper counties, and contains about 530 square miles. Near one half of the county is prairie-and mostly owned by govern- ment. Soil, well adapted to grass and grain. The Tippecanoe river is navigable for flat boats, and is a good mill stream. Besides this river, the county is watered by Big and Little Metamonong creeks, and Big, Spring, and Mootses' creeks. MONTI- CELLO, a very flourishing village, is the county seat. The rail-road from Lafayette to Michigan city is located through this county.
WHITLEY COUNTY .- Formed in 1838; is bounded north by Noble, east by Allen, south by Huntington and Wabash, and west by Wabash and Kosciusko counties. It contains 324 square miles, and about 100 inhabitants. Soil, good. Eel river runs through the county, and affords fine mill sites.
44
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The following statement, from the official report of the Board of Internal Improvements, abridged by R. D. Owen, Esq., will give the reader some idea of the magnitude of the works undertaken by the state :-
Indiana has undertaken a system of internal improvement on what, considering that she is still so young a state, may be consi- dered a magnificent scale. The present estimates for the comple- tion of the various state works, amount to about eighteen millions and a half of dollars; and it is the general opinion, that they will, when completed, considerably exceed that sum. Twenty-five mil- lions is probably nearer what will be the actual cost. When we reflect that the total amount of property, both real and personal, of the state was, by the assessment of 1837, under one hundred mil- lions, it must be conceded, that this young state has evinced no small degree of enterprise. The entire system of improvement is undertaken, and to be completed and to be owned exclusively by the state, without any association with private companies.
The amount of contracts entered into by the State Board of In- diana, since they commenced operations, (on the 1st of March, 1836, up to the present time, (January 1st, 1838,) amounts, at contract prices, to nearly four millions of dollars. The amount of labour actually performed under these contracts, up to the present time, somewhat exceeds two millions of dollars: and the ainount of la- bour necessary to complete existing contracts, is somewhat more than one million and three quarters.
It seems probable, that the state will proceed with these works, at the rate of from a million and a half to two millions of dollars annually. It will, of course, be some years before she can expect to receive a return over and above repairs, from any of the works.
The heaviest works undertaken by Indiana are, the Central Ca- nal, the White Water Canal, and the Madison and Lafayette Rail- Road. Yet these, perhaps, if completed, will ultimately yield as fair a profit as the less expensive portions of the undertaking.
The improvement of the Wabash, is a part of the duty confided to the State Board of Improvement. The upper portion, as far down as Terre Haute, is to be improved by canalling, the Wabash and Erie Canal connecting Terre Haute with the lake. The Grand Rapids nt Mount Carmel, just below the mouth of White river, are to be improved by slack water navigation, at the joint ex- pense of Indiana and Illinois. Contracts to the amount of $167,000 have been made for the construction of a dam and steamboat lock,
45
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
to effect this object. How the river is to be improved below that point, is yet undecided. The State Board, in their last report, (of 16th December, 1837,) express their doubts whether it can be effected except by partial eanalling; and we have given, on our map, the route of a projected Cross Cut Canal, to connect the Wabash above the Grand Chain with the Ohio, at or near Mount Vernon, as sur- veyed by an engineer of eminence, under the instructions of the citizens of Posey county.
If this improvement be completed, the connection of the upper Wabash country with the Ohio, by steamboat as well as canal boat navigation, will be effected.
An important and yet undecided question connected with the state works of Indiana is, whether she is entitled, from the Un ted States' government, to an extension of the Wabash and Erie Canal grant of lands; so that she shall receive the same for each mile of canal as far down as to Terre Haute. If this question should be decided in her favour, it will probably aid her in her present under- takings to the amount of two or three millions of dollars.
The following are the works undertaken or pro- jected by the state. They are laid down and can be traced on the map without a more detailed de- scription.
The Wabash and Erie Canal .- Commencing at the Ohio line in Allen county. Running up the Maumee river to Fort Wayne; thence down the Wabash to Terre Haute; thence by a Cross Cut Canal, to the Central Canal in Greene county. The Canal is now finished from Fort Wayne to Logans- port, a distance of 76 miles, and the work is pro- gressing at Logansport and Lafayette.
Central Canal .- Commencing at Lamasco city on the Ohio river. Runs north, crossing the White river near Petersburgh in Pike county ; thence up the west fork of White river to the centre of Madi- son county ; thence northwardly to Marion in Grant county, where it divides into two routes, one to Peru, the other to Wabash. There is also projected a Side Cut Canal from Madison county to Muncie-
c*
46
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
town. The Central Canal is rapidly progressing from various points.
The White Water Canal .- Commences at Law- renceburgh on the Ohio river. Continues up the White Water river to Cambridge city in Wayne county. From this point there is a canal proposed to Muncietown. The White Water Canal is so far advanced that it is expected that the navigation from Brookville to Lawrenceburgh may be commenced early in the autumn of the present year.
The Northern Canal .- From Fort Wayne on the Wabash river, to Michigan city on Lake Michigan, and from a point above Michigan city to the line of Illinois. This route is not yet permanently settled.
New-Albany and Vincenne; Mac Adamized road. A portion of it from the Ohio will be ready for use, it is expected, the present season.
The Mac Adamized road from New-Albany to Crawfordsville. On the division of this road, from New-Albany to Jeffersonville, the grading is nearly completed.
A rail-road from Madison to Indianapolis. Con- tinued from thence as a Mac Adamized road to La- fayette, and from Lafayette to Michigan city con- tinued a rail-road. This road is so far advanced between Madison and Vernon, that it is expected locomotives with their trains can commence running next autumn or winter.
The Buffalo and Mississippi Rail-Road, proposed to connect the Atlantic states with the Mississippi river, has been surveyed across the northern part of the state, and will be seen on the map.
Besides the above enumerated canals and roads, there are several rail-roads chartered to private companies.
47
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
One called " The Ohio and Indianapolis Rail- Road," commencing at Jeffersonville ; passing through Vienna, Rochford and Columbus to India- napolis, 108 miles. Six miles of the road from Jeffersonville is now under contract.
Another rail-road is chartered from Evansville to Terre Haute, to pass through Princeton and Vin- cennes.
Another rail-road is chartered from Lafayette to the state line of Illinois, in a direction to Danville.
Another rail-road is chartered and located from Lawrenceburgh to Indianapolis, running through Greensburg and Shelbyville.
The routes of other roads proposed are not known to the author of this book, and therefore can not be traced.
These are truly vast and expensive undertakings ; and there are not wanting those who, in view of the infancy of the state, are incredulous about their com- pletion. The following is an extract from the inaugu- ral address of Governor Wallace, which is well cal- culated to allay these apprehensions. He inquires :
" What assurances have we that these prosperous circumstances are to continue, or, that the sources of our revenue are to expand in proportion to the increased demand that, we know, must be made upon us from year to year, to defray the interest upon our rapidly accumulating debt ? In finding an answer to these questions, I am happy to say, that, we are not left to the uncertain guidance of mere conjecture. We have at our command, facts and data, as undoubted in their character, as those upon which we have just been com- menting. By referring to the reports of the Commissioner of the General Land Office, for a series of years back, we ascertain from them, the precise number of acres of the public land that have been sold each year within the limits of the state, and, consequently, the exact annual additions that will constantly be making to the present amount of our taxable land, as far in advance as 1841. For the sa- tisfaction of my fellow-citizens, I here furnish them with these im- portant results. The quantity of public land sold, for instance, in 1832, amounted to 546,444 acres- these, as a matter of course, be- came taxable the present year; in 1833, 555,000 acres were sold,
48
TABLE OF ALTITUDES
which became taxable in 1838; in 1834, 535,000 acres were sold, which become taxable in 1839; in 1835, 1,586,904 acres were sold, which become taxable in 1840; in 1836, 3,249,210 acres were sold, which become taxable in 1841; making altogether a sum total of 6,522,958 acres, which, in 1841, is to swell the tax list of that year over and above the tax list of 1836; that is, instead of the five mil- lions of acres and upwards subject to taxation in 1836, we shall have twelve millions and upwards subject to taxation in 1841. Is not this a most animating result ? Could our prospective advancement in all the substantial elements of wealth be presented in bolder relief ?
" But, again. In looking forward to the increase of taxation, it is quite natural that we should inquire how this burthen is to be dis- tributed? Whether equitably or not? Whether it is so arranged that those who are most benefited shall be required to pay most ? Prompted by curiosity, I was led to a somewhat minute examina- tion of these points, and I found, first, that of the 81 counties that appear upon the tax list of the present year, 52 of thein are directly and immediately interested in the prosecution of some one of our public works, and 29 that are not; secondly, that the sum of all the taxables returned by the 52 connties this year, amounts to near seventy-six millions of dollars, while the same returned by the 29 counties, amounts to but twenty-two and a half millions-establish- ing the fact, to the satisfaction of the most scrupulons, that the for- mer counties, even, of the burthens and expenses of the present year, pay near three and a half times as much as the latter. And I take it, that it needs but a moment's reflection to decide that, this ratio, great as it is, must continue to increase for years to come : for not less, perhaps, than eight tenths of the six and a half millions of acres of land, which we have seen are to become taxable in 1841, lie in some one of the 52 counties, or in the north. And there is the north too, with her port of entry and harbour on the lake; her shipping list, strange as it may sound to our ears; her one hundred thousand dollars worth of exports-her three hundred arrivals and departures of vessels, of various descriptions, the present year; her iron foun- dries; her numerous manufacturing establishments ; her enterprising population-her flourishing towns and villages-the north, I say, holds out to us these most flattering indications that she, too, will be forthcoming at the hour of need-perhaps, by '41, certainly by '45- with her taxable list of thirty or forty millions of dollars."
The following table of ALTITUDES IN INDIANA, was prepared for the General Assembly in January, 1836, by Messrs. Stansbury and Williams, Engi- neers :-
TABLE OF ALTITUDES IN INDIANA.
Elevation with reference!
to bottom of canal at
Indianapolis, in feet.
Elevation with reference
to high water mark in
the Ohio river at head
of Falls, in feet.
Elevation with reference
to LakeErie, in feet.
Height above tide water in the Hudson river, in
feet.
Canal Survey along the White Water Valley.
Surface of White Water at mouth of Nettle creek, ..
262
a
530
a
396
a
960
a
Surface of
do. at National road, ..
218
a
486
a
352
a
916
a
Do. of ground in Milton, ...
228
a
496
a
362
a
926
A
Do. of ground in Connersville, ..
125
a
393
a
259
a
8:23
8
Do.
of White Water at Conwell's Dam-miles below Connersville
80
a
348
a
214
a
778
a
Do.
of White Water at Somerset, ..
100
b
168
a
34
a
598
a
204
b
64
a
70
b
494
a
22L
b
47
a
87
b
477
a
High-water mark at Lawrenceburgh, ..
216
b
52
a
82
b
482
a
Rail-Road Survey from Indianapolis to Lawrenceburgh.
Pleasant run at crossing of Michigan road, ..
45
a
313
a
179
a
743
a
Lick creek at do. do. do. .
87
a
355
a
221
a
785
a
Belle's Inn on Michigan road, between Lick creek and Big run,. . .
152
a
420
a
286
a
850
a
49
IN INDIANA.
a
134
a
698
a
Do. of White Water at Brookville,.
Do. of White Water at Harrison, ..
Bottom of canal at Elizabethtown,. .
268
Big run at crossing of Michigan road,
116
3
384
250
814
Buck creek do.
do.
do.
61
a
329
a
195
a
759
a
Sugar creek do. do.
do.
46
a
314
a
180
a
190
a
754
757
a
41
a
309
a
175
a
739 757
a
99
a
367
a' 233
a
797
a
Summit between Big Flat Rock river and Clifty creek, ..
196
a
464
a'
330
a
894
a
Clifty creek, ....
161
a
429
a 295
a
859
a
Muddy fork Sand creek, ..
206
a
474
a
340
a
904
a
Greensburgh, ....
246
a
514
a
380
a
944
a
Main Sand creek, ..
215
a
483
a
349
a
913
Summit between heads of Sand creek and heads of Salt creek,.
359
a
627
a
493
a 1057
a
213
a
481
a
347
H
911
a
303
a
571
a
437
a 1001
a
297
a
565
a
431
a
995
a
Head of Tanner's creek, .. .
315
a
583
a
449
a 1013
a
Main-street, Lawrenceburgh,.
225
b
43
a
91
b
473
a
Rail-Road Survey from Indianapolis to Madison.
Surface of Pleasant run, ..
15
b
253
a
119
a
683
Do.
Lick creek, ..
13
a
281
a
147
a
711
a
Do.
Buck creek, ..
43
a
311
a
177
a
741
a
Do.
second fork of Pleasant run,.
77
a
345
a
211
a
775
a
Do.
Pleasant run, .. . ..
99
a
367 433
a
299
a
863
a
Surface of Sugar creek, ..
38
b
230
a
96
a
660
a
Do.
Blue river, ...
58
b| 210
a
76
al
640
50
Little Sugar creek do. do.
56
a
59
a
327
a
193
a
ยท
Big Blue river
do.
do.
.
Shelbyville
do.
do.
59
a
327
a' 193
a
Big Flat Rock river
do.
do.
TABLE OF ALTITUDES
Summit of ridge between east and west forks of White river, ..
165
a
a
233
a
797
a
324
a
Brandywine creek
do. do.
a
744
Main Laughery creek, ...
Summit between Laughery and heads of Ripple creek, ..
Sources of Hogan creek, ..
Town of Edinburgh,. Surface of Flat Rock river, ..
Do. of Haw creek, ...
96
172
a
38
a
602 a
Do.
of Clifty creek, .. .
102
b
166
a
32
596
a
Do.
of Little Sand creek,.
92
b
176
a
42
a
606
a
Do. of Big Sand creek,. .
104
b
164
a
30
a
594
a
Do.
of the town of Vernon,. .
59
b
209
a
75
a
639
a
Do.
of Muscatatack at Vernon, ...
99
b
169
a
35
a
599
a
28
b
240
a
106
a
670
a
27
a
295
a
161
a
725
a
35
a
303
a
169
a
733
a
180
a
448
a
314
a
878
a
248
b
20
a
382
a
450
a
Canal Survey from Indianapolis to Madison.
Surface of White river at Port Royal,.
84
b
184
a
50
a
614
a
Do.
of White river at mouth Bean Blossom,.
169
b
99
a
35
b
529
a
Do.
of do. at Bloomfield, ...
231
b
37
97
b
466
a
295
b
27
b
161
b
403
a
Do.
of Driftwood, one quarter mile above above its mouth,.
308
b
40
b
174
b
390
a
Do.
of gap in the ridge between Patoka and White river, ..
240
b
28
a
106
b
458
a
Do.
of Patoka at crossing of canal line, ...
310
b
42
b
176
b
388
a
Do.
of ground on summit between Patoka and the Ohio 7 miles east of Princeton,. ..
251
b
17
a
117
b
447
a
Rail-Road Survey from Terre Haute to Evansville.
Terre-Haute, southern part of town,.
215
b
53
a
81
b
483
a
Honey creek, surface of low water, ..
233
b
35
a
99
b
465
a
Prairie creek, surface of low water, ..
215
53
a
81
b
483
a
51
43
b; 225
a
91
a
655
96
b
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