A New Guide for Emigrants to the West - John Mason Peck

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Superior.

      Extent. This great Valley is one of the largest divisions of the globe, the waters of which pass one estuary.

      To suppose the United States and its territory to be divided into three portions, the arrangement would be, the Atlantic slope—the Mississippi basin, or valley—and the Pacific slope.

      A glance on any map of North America, will show that this Valley includes about two thirds of the territory of the United States. The Atlantic slope contains about 390,000; the Pacific slope, about 300,000; which, combined, are 690,000 square miles: while the Valley of the Mississippi contains at least 1,300,000 square miles, or 833,000,000 acres.

      This Valley extends from the 29° to the 49° of N. latitude, or about 1400 miles from south to north; and from the 3° to the 35° of longitude west from Washington, or about 1470 miles from east to west. From the source of the Alleghany river to the sources of the Missouri, following the meanderings of the streams, is not less than 5000 miles.

      Population. The following table, gives a comparative view of the population of the Valley of the Mississippi, and shows the proportional increase of the several States, parts of States, and Territories, from 1790 to the close of 1835, a period of 45 years. The column for 1835 is made up partly from the census taken in several states and territories, and partly by estimation. It is sufficiently accurate for general purposes.

States, parts of States and Territories. 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1835
Western Pennsylvania and a fraction of New York.) 75,000 130,000 240,000 290,000 380,000 490,000
Western Virginia 45,000 75,000 100,000 147,178 204,175 230,000
Ohio [a]45,000 230,760 581,434 937,679 1,375,000
Indiana 24,520 147,178 341,582 600,000
Illinois 12,282 55,211 157,575 272,427
Missouri [b]20,845 66,586 140,074 210,000
Michigan 4,762 8,896 31,000 83,000
Kentucky 73,677 220,959 406,511 564,317 688,844 748,844
Tennessee 35,691 105,602 261,727 422,813 684,822 735,000
Mississippi [c]8,850 40,352 75,448 136,806 300,000
Louisiana 76,556 153,407 214,693 270,000
Arkansas Territory 14,273 30,608 51,809
[e]Wisconsin Ter. and New purchase [d]3,608 15,000
Total 229,368 585,411 1,418,315 2,526,741 3,951,466 5,381,080
a Including Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.
b Including Arkansas.
c Including Alabama.
d Included with Michigan in the census of 1830.
e The country west of the Mississippi, and north of the State of Missouri, was ceded by the Sauk Indians, Sept. 1832. It now contains about 6000 inhabitants.

      Probably there is no portion of the globe, of equal extent, that contains as much of soil fit for cultivation, and which is capable of sustaining and supplying with all the necessaries and conveniences, and most of the luxuries of life, so dense a population as this great Valley. Deducting one third of its surface for water and desert, which is a very liberal allowance, and there remains 866,667 square miles, or 554,666,880 acres of arable land.

      Let it become as populous as Massachusetts, which contains 610,014 inhabitants on an area of 7,800 square miles, or seventy-eight to every 640 acres, and the population of this immense region will amount to 67,600,000. The child is now born which will live to see this result. Suppose its population to become equally dense with England, including Wales, which contains 207 to the square mile, and its numbers will amount to 179,400,000. But let it become equal to the Netherlands,

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