Box 14, Folder 4: Climate

this unnatural connection. The boundary adopted along the St Croix river is not only objectionable for the reasons above stated but also for the additional reason that it actually divides a community which has an interest in common, placing one half in one state and the other half in another.

Bu there are other reasons of a more general nature which should have had their weight in deciding this question. If the whole of the valley of the St Croix had been thrown into the new territory of Minnesota she would have much If Wisconsin had been divided into two states she sooner become a state., and ^ we should then have four members of the United States Senate instead of two.

1

The State of Wisconsin, as her boundaries were finally established by the act of congress, extends from Lake Michigan on the east to the St. Croix river on the west, and from the state of Illinois on the south to Lake Superior on the north. The area embraced within her limits, without reckoning the great Lakes and Green Bay as near as can now be ascertained is fifty five thousand square miles ; about twenty eight thousand miles having been taken from her territorial limits to constitute the new territory of Minnesota. About three fifths of the state lies in the "basin of the Mississippi", the remainder is drained by the streams tributary to the waters of the Great Lakes, Superior and Michigan. That portion of the state drained by the Mississippi is naturally divided into five great valleys, to wit, that of the St Croix, of the Chippewa, of Black river,

of the Wisconsin river, and of Rock river. That portion drained by the lakes may be considered as forming three similar divisions, to wit: that drained directly into Lake Michigan; the basin of Green Bay, and of Lake Superior.

These great valleys occupy about the followj [following] proportionate area -

St Croix river 4800 square mils

Chippewa 8.300

Black river 3.000

Wisconsin river 10.000

Rock river v 5.550

Smaller tributaries Miss 5.500

Lake Michigan 4.400

Green Bay 9 200

Lake Superior 2 700

55.000

valley of Pishtaka 945 sq. m

These several basins or valleys will indicate the general topography of the state. The dividing grounds ridges between the several valleys attains usually but a slight elevation above the surrounding country, so that it frequently happens that a lake or marsh is drained in two opposite directions and send their waters towards the ocean at widely different points. These ridge attans [attains] its greatest elevation about the sources of the Montreal river where is a continuation into Wisconsin of the Porcupine mountains of Lake Superior mining region. At one point near this place the ridge is about 1150 feet above the level of Lake Michigan; The dividing ridge diminshes [diminishes] either way from this point until in elevation as we go west along the elevation at the western boundary of the state it is only about 500 feet above the same level, and at the "Wisconsin Portage" it is only about 223 feet.

The In general the surface of the state may be said to be even, or gently rolling, except along the banks of the Mississippi and the lower portion of some of its principal tributaries where it is more broken, and abounds in steep rocky cliffs and precipitous hills. There are also a number of conical hills or peaks in this part of the state which tower above the general surface so as to form conspicuous objects in the Landscape - Of these the Blue Mounds are most elevated being about 1170 feet above the level of Lake Michigan.

No part of the U.S. not excepting the [worldrenowde?] Hudson can exceeds the valley of the Upper Miss in beauty of scenery. From Dubuque the south line of our state to the Falls of St [anthny?], is one continued series of fine [Moturerque?] bluffs of constantly varied form and features. Their bold characters at some points is softened down to gently sloping [launs?] at others. These hills are also the locale of many an interesting romance of Indian life, tending to excite the imagination and fancy of persons travelig [traveling] along this portion of the noble "Father of Waters"