Box 23, Folder 6: Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin 1855, Third Edition

4.

The work was originally 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 convenient 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 allowance will be made, when it is considered that this is the first attempt of the kind relative to a country more than twice the extent of the great state of New York, which has been made public. Many parts of the country are but thinly peopled, and little communication exists between them and other settlements, 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 villages spring up so rapidly that one has to "keep a sharp lookout" 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 traveler 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 other furniture set up an unnatural and very alarming kind of dance! The good lady of the house attempted to allay his fears by saying, "Don't be afraid, Sir!-it's only an earthquake!!" Hence it may be expected that some towns are not as fully noticed in this work as their importance would seem to deserve; and others even entirely omitted.

It is proper to add here, that the Author has made free use of such publications as he could find, containing anything to suit his purpose-whether in books, magazines, or newspapers; but has been careful to admit nothing unless entitled to the fullest credit.

Milwaukee,

5. Chapter 1. Boundaries-disputed boundaries settled. Superficial area-topographical features of the state.

6.

Wisconsin.

The boundaries of the State of Wisconsin as finally adopted may be described as follows: commencing in the middle of Lake Michigan at the north east corner of the state of Illinois, in Latitude 42.30' north, thence (following the boundary line of the state of Michigan to the middle of Lake Superior) north along the middle of Lake Michigan to a point opposite the main channel or entrance of Green Bay thence through said channel and Green Bay to the mouth of the Menomonee river thence through the middle of the main channel of said river to the Brule river; thence up the channel of the Brule river to Lake Brule; thence along the southern shore of that lake [to] in a direct line to the middle of the channel between middle and south islands in Lac Vieux Desert; thence to the source of the Montreal river; thence through the middle of the main channel of that river to its mouth; thence with a direct line across Lake Superior (towards the point said lake northwest) to the middle of the lake; thence along the middle of that lake to the mouth of the St. Louis river; thence up the

[Data Table-Area of the Counties.]

[Newspaper Clipping-Data Columns of Populations of Counties in 1850, 1855, and 1860.]