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A Table, shewing the quantity of water contained in the St. Lawrence,
and all its tributary Lakes and Rivers.
(From Darby's Tour.)
---------------------+-------+-------------------+--------------------
|_Medium| |
LAKES |depth._|_Superficial Area._| _Solid Contents._
---------------------+-------+-------------------+--------------------
| Feet. | Feet. | Feet.
---------------------+-------+-------------------+--------------------
Superior, | 900 | 836,352,000,000 | 752,716,800,000,000
Huron, | 900 | 527,568,000,000 | 501,811,200,000,000
Michigan, | 900 | 376,898,400,000 | 59,208,560,000,000
Erie, | 120 | 418,176,000,000 | 50,181,120,000,000
Ontario, | 492 | 200,724,480,000 | 98,756,444,160,000
St. Lawrence, and } | | |
other rivers and } | " | 41,176,000,000 | 83,520,000,000
smaller lakes, } | | |
---------------------+-------+-------------------+---------------------
| | 2,430,894,880,000 |1,742,757,644,160,000
---------------------+-------+-------------------+---------------------
Lake Superior, in its greatest length, is 381 miles; its breadth
is 161; and its circumference is little less than 1152 miles--it
is as remarkable for the transparency of its waters as for its
extraordinary depth.
Lake Huron, from west to east, is 218 statute miles long; at its
western extremity it is less than one hundred miles broad; and,
at about one hundred miles from its eastern shore, it is barely
60 miles broad; but near the centre it suddenly bends away to the
southward, and is a hundred miles in breadth; making a circumference
of little less than 812 miles.
Lake Michigan deepens into a bay of 262 miles in length, by
sixty-five in breadth; and its entire circumference is 731 miles.
_Slave Trade._--A letter from Sierra Leone, dated Dec. 14, states,
that there was more slave-dealing carried on at that period in
the neighbouring rivers, than when it was allowed by the British
government.
From the Boston Gazette.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES, &c.
The first Americans who are known to have visited the Western
country, were James M'Bride, and several others, who in the year
1754 descended the Ohio river, as far as the mouth of Kentucky river.
In 1769, Colonel Daniel Boon, and a few others, undertook to explore
this vast wilderness, then so little known. After many hardships and
fatigues, they reached the neighbourhood of Lexington, where they
remained until 1771.
In 1775, Colonel Boon, with a party of soldiers and emigrants, built
fort Boonsborough, which was the first settlement made in the state
of Kentucky.
Notwithstanding many obstacles, the inhabitants of Kentucky were
estimated, in 1784, at 12,000 souls.--No settlements were made north
of the Ohio, until three or four years afterwards.
On the 1st of March, 1786, the "Ohio Company" was formed at Boston,
consisting of officers and soldiers of the Revolution, who, by an
act of Congress, were entitled to a military grant of land, in the
territory northwest of the Ohio. This company completed a contract
with Congress for one million five hundred thousand acres, on the
27th of Nov. 1787. An association of 46 men, under Gen. Rufus
Putnam, proceeded to take possession of the purchase; and on the
7th April following, they pitched their camp and cleared the ground
where Marietta now stands.
In 1788, Congress passed an ordinance establishing a colonial
government over the Northwest Territory. Arthur St. Clair was
appointed governor.
Cincinnati was first called Losantiville, but Governor St. Clair,
in 1790, altered its name. In 1789, the population of this place
consisted of only eleven families.
In 1792, a Presbyterian church was erected at Cincinnati; and the
citizens were compelled by law, to take their fire arms with them,
when they attended church. The first school was also established
this year, and consisted of about 30 scholars.
In 1792, the small pox broke out among the soldiers at Fort
Washington, and one third of the citizens and soldiers fell victims
to its ravages.--[This was the same year it spread throughout
Boston.]
Since the above period, the western country has increased in a ratio
"truly astonishing."
In 1810, the population of Cincinnati was estimated at 2300; in
1813, at about 4000; and in 1819, at more than 10,000; "an increase
truly astonishing." The greatest part of the population are stated
to be from the middle and northern states; but there is also a mixed
assemblage of emigrants, "from almost every part of Christendom; and
it is not uncommon to hear three or four different languages spoken
in the streets at the same time."
In 1819, in Cincinnati, there were 1890 buildings, many of brick and
stone, of two stories and upwards; 10 places of public worship, a
college, five banks, court-house, jail, two market houses, several
manufactories, &c.
Some of the religious societies were formed in Cincinnati, with only
ten members; and all have been created within 16 years. There are
also several Bible societies, Sabbath school societies, a medical
society, humane society, &c.
Since the introduction of steam-boats, considerable attention has
been paid at Cincinnati to exportation; and from October, 1818, to
March, 1819, it amounted to $1,334,080, and consisted of flour,
pork, bacon, lard, tobacco, &c.; while the amount of imports, for
the same period, amounted to only $500,000. In 1817, the imports
amounted to $1,442,266, and in 1818, to $1,619,000! They seem to
be convinced that the only way to relieve the western states from
their "present embarrassments," is to _export more and import less_,
which will soon effect a rapid change in their affairs.
About 60 steam-boats, from 25 to 700 tons, and many of them finished
in a style of elegance and taste, are now in successful operation,
and most of them have been built within two or three years.
There are three auctioneers in Cincinnati, 25 attorneys, 22
physicians, 3 companies of "Independent Military," handsomely
uniformed, whose appearance is "nowise inferior to the Eastern
Military."
Three newspapers are now printed at Cincinnati, all upon an imperial
sheet.
It is estimated, that 120,000 bushels of salt are sold annually at
Cincinnati, which at $1.50 amounts to $180,000. The various kinds of
lumber sold are estimated at $150,000 a year.
We might enlarge these items, and several other articles worthy of
record, but our limits will not permit.