Box 27, Folder 1: Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin, 1844

Public Lands

By a law of Congress approved Sept. 4. 1841 every person of 21 years citizens of U.S. or having declared his intention to become a citizen who shall make a settlement in person on public land & erect a dwelling are authorized to enter a quarter section at the minimum price before the public sale, and thus secure the name from competition.

If any person [sell?] upon & improve land subject to private entry, i.e. a land that has been once offered at public sale & not sold, he shall within thirty days notify the register of the Land office of his intention to claim such land, and shall within one year after such settlement make proof of his right and payment at the minimum price. If he fails the land becomes again subject to private entry.

This is about equvalent to selling the land upon a years credit.

By the latest reports it is stated that 2,380.547 acres have been offered for sale in Wisconsin & 602.100 sold now subject to private entry 1778447.

Newspapers in Wisconsin

Milwaukee 2 daily. 3 weekly English 1 weekly German

Southport 2 weekly

Madison 2 weekly

Racine 1 "

Janesville 1 "

Elkhorn 1 "

Mineral Point 1 "

Lancaster 1 "

Prairieville 1 "

Platteville 1 "

Sheboygan 1 "

The navigation of Lake Michigan between Milwaukee & Grand river is seldom obstructed by ice in the winter, and there is no doubt but that with good harbors at the two ports steam boats especially, propellers with submerged wheels, will continue to run across all winter. The steamboats U.S. made a trip in January 1845 from Detroit to Buffalo, thus showing that such things are not impossible.

483

La Pointe near south end of Madeline Island (12 m long, 3 to 6 wide) 300 inhabitants-$60,000 worth of fur shipped from L P in 1845 Fine potatoes grow-timber mostly birch In 1835 Capt Charles C. Stannard discovered a rock in L. Sup 30 miles S. Easterly from Manatou Island 5 ft out of water, 15 to 20 ft wide 30 ft long- water shoal on the N & W for great distance- on the other side rock nearly perpendicular

The following A Table showing the number of acres & value of the taxable lands, and the value of other taxable property in the different acounties [for in the Territory] in the year 1845 is from the [auditors] annual Report of the auditor of the Territory.

[Table].