Preface, p.6

[library marks MAR 14 1952
A 11602]

PREFACE.

THIS WORK is now given to the public with the hope not only
of furnishing the thousands of new comers, who are annually
flocking to our Territory, and to others, in a cheap and conven-
ient form, a large amount of useful information, which it would
be difficult for them to obtain from any other source; but also
to preserve for the future historian many interesting facts which
might otherwise soon be forgotten and lost. The author is fully
sensible of its defects and omissions, but hopes that due allow-
ance will be made, when it is considered that this is the first at-
tempt of the kind relative to a country more than twice the ex-
tent of the great State of New-York, which has been made
public. Many parts of the country are but thinly peopled, and
but little communication exist between them and other settle-
ments, so that it is difficult to ascertain what are their extent,
population, improvements, &c. New settlements are commenced
almost every day, and soon grow into important places without
any notice being taken of them by the public. Towns and villa-
ges spring up so rapidly that one has to "keep a sharp look out"
to be informed even of their names and location, to say nothing
about their population, trade, buildings, &c. The building of a
town has in a great degree ceased to be a matter of much interest
— as much so as an earthquake formerly did in some parts of
Missouri, where a traveller having stopped at a log cabin, was
much concerned to hear the dishes begin to rattle on the shelves,
and make a disagreeable kind of music, at which the chairs and