Newberry Library - DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

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Open book DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Title DeWitt, Elizabeth Anna Rich (half-sister), to Isaac Stevens Metcalf, Isaac Stevens Metcalf family papers, 1842-1851

Creator Metcalf, Isaac Stevens, 1822-1898

Date 1842-1851

Place United States

Subjects Bowdoin College, Brothers and sisters, DuQuoin Coal Company, Illinois Central Railroad Company

Format Business records, Correspondence, Diaries, Genealogies, Invoices, Manuscripts, Personal narratives, Records

User-Contributed Transcription Now I must describe this famous little city to you as well as I am able. It is right along the shore of the lake elevated 50 feet above, it gradually declining toward the north, where Root river, a deep stream, after winding gracefully along, through the midst of the plane, empties in, affording a fine and secure harbour for vessels, giving too, pleasing variety to the scenery, the banks of this river are high on one side covered with tall alder trees: it is about as large as Piscataquis at Dover; The village seems an almost perfect level, in the business streets there are brick sidewalks, elsewhere, they are bordered by smooth grass plats like Northfield in the new streets stumps are not unknownTen years ago, here were but one or two solitary huts in the midst of the oak opening, now it is a place of considerable business and fast increasing: lumber merchants carry on a profitable business, sending companies to Michigan in the winter for lumber, which bears a high value, because the country around is scantily supplied with timber: vast quantities of wheat are raised in this region and brought here and both wheat and flour shipped: men of business say there is room for two or three more merchants, business good - I wish I's E. and Samuel could be well stationed here: they would have less perplexity, and do more good. this is on the thoroughfare from Milwaukie to Chichago connected with the latter by telegraph & express and by that means, of course, with eastern cities: Chichago, has about 40,000 inhabitants, is the great pouring in place, connecting the South, North and East, by Mississippi, and great lakes: - eight or ten large steamboats are constantly running on the lakes from Buffalo, bringing crowds of emigrants and immigrants: there were on board with me, six different whole families, all of the better class, that came to my knowledge) all but one, settling in Wisconsin. In this place, are residents from six or seven European countries also families from the cities of Boston, New York, Albany, Troy, Hartford and Bangor, less planes of worship in five of them services are performed in a foreign tongue, all but one however, evangelical, Dutch, Welsh, & Germans. The weather is mild, warm, bright, the soil here a dark brown very fine grain and dry, the ground freezes a little at night but not muddy, magnificent oaks are scattered here and there, among the houses, which are most all cottages and enclosed in a neat yard: three or four miles back there is a beautiful rolling prairie dotted with clumps of trees and houses, and settlements extend west more than 50 or 60 miles the college of Beloit is situated due West 68 miles: to where the Furbers live in the 'pineries' at the N.W. would be a more difficult journey than to Buffalo.

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Isaac Stevens Metcalf papers, Midwest Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View finding aid | View record

Call Number Midwest MS Metcalf Box 1 Folder 14

BibID 821787

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 3360px × 4296px 82.63 MB

Filename 998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_01_fl_14_006_004.tif

Unique Identifier NL11FDNG

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