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very best manure for the soil. These beds are inexhaustible; and some years hence, that portion of Missouri which is considered a sterile, mineral region, will be found as fertile as any portion of the state. Between the waters of the Osage and the Missouri, is a fine tract of country, cele brated for its fertility, agreeably diversified with woodland and prairie, and abounding with coal, salt springs, etc. The country north of the Missouri is emphatically a fine district. There is no part of the globe where greater extent of country can be traversed more easily when in its natural state. It has for the most part a surface delightfully rolling and variegated, some time rising into picturesque hills, then stretching far away into the sea of prairie, occasionally interspersed with shady groves and sparkling streamlets. Almost every acre of this fine region of country is susceptible of agricultural improvement, and is unusually productive. The products consist of tobacco, cotton, hemp, corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, and the grasses. All the garden vegetables thrive well. Large quantities of horses, mules, horned cattle, sheep, and hogs are raised annually for exportation.

The Mississippi meanders along the entire eastern boundary of the state, for a distance of 400 miles, receiving in its course the waters of the Missouri. Through the center and the richest part of the state the wild Missouri pours out its never ceasing currents, being navigable for steamboats far westward, for four or five months in the year. The Lamine, Osage, and Gasconade on the right, and the Grand and Chariton on the left, are the navigable tributaries of the Missouri. Salt River, a navigable stream, falls into the Mississippi 86 miles above the Missouri. Maramec River, also navigable, enters the Mississippi 18 miles below St. Louis. The White and the St. François drain the south-eastern portion, and the Six Bulls and tributaries the south-western part of the state. The climate of Missouri is remarkably serene and temperate, and very favorable to longevity.

The state is divided into 100 counties, and in 1850 contained an aggregate of 682,044 inhabitants, or one person to every 66 acres. The distribution of the population to the several counties was in the following proportions:

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The number of dwellings in the state in 1850 amounted to 96,805, and of families to 100,834; and hence each dwelling covered 7 persons, and each family consisted of 6.8 persons. The deaths during the year 1849-50 numbered 12,217, or in the ratio of 1 to every 55 persons. The mortality was greatest along the Mississippi; in St. Louis county it was 1 death in 22 persons, but here the mortality is greatly increased by the influx of diseased immigration.

Missouri is one of the richest states of the Union, and its resources have been rapidly developed. Mining is carried on with great success, and agriculture, nowhere finding more suitable climate and soils, yields vast amounts of produce for export. The crop of Indian corn is estimated at 35,000,000 bushels, and the crops of oats and wheat are also large. Flax and hemp, tobacco, etc., are staples of great and increasing importance. The amount of live stock is immense; and wool-growing and hog-fattening have become sources of great wealth to those engaged in such occupations. The whole number of farms and plantations in the state in 1850, was 54,458. Manufactures are carried on, but except at St. Louis there are few establishments of any extent. The number of factories in 1850 at which goods to the annual value of $500 and upwards were manufactured, amounted to 3,030, and of these, 1,309 were located in the city of St. Louis alone, and 100 more in the county.

The state has little direct foreign commerce, but its river trade is very great. St. Louis is perhaps the most important port on the line of the river

above New Orleans, and is the general depot for the whole extent of the upper valley of the Mississippi, as also of a great part of that of the Ohio. The shipping owned in the state amounts to 28,907 tons, of which 24,955 tons are navigated by steam, and all is employed in the river trade. The trade with the interior follows chiefly the courses of the larger streams. There are as yet no railroads, and the ordinary roads are none of the best. Efforts, however, are now being made to build railroads from the Mississippi westward, to accommodate the ever increasing population in that direction. The State Bank is the only incorporated banking institution in the state. The parent bank is located at St. Louis, but there are branch banks in other places. In June, 1850, its condition in the aggregate was as follows: Liabilities-Capital owned by state, $954,205; capital owned by individuals, $245,546; deposits, $988,220, and circulation $2,396,500, which with other items make up a total of $5,232,680. Assets-Specie, $1,452,886; discounts, $1,869,690; exchanges matured and maturing, $1,008,342; real estate, $117,980, and other items to a balance.

Missouri is well supplied with literary institutions in which the higher grades of learning are taught, but its common school system, although it is being gradually improved, is still very defective. There are probably 1500 common schools in the state, and there are also a number of academies. The oldest collegiate institution in the state is the University of St. Louis, established in 1832; Missouri University was founded in 1840; St. Vincent's College in 1843; Masonic College in 1834; St. Charles' College in 1839, and Fayette College in 1846. The condition of these in 1850 is exhibited in the following table:

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Medical schools are attached to the University of St. Louis and Missouri University; the first had in 1850, nine professors and 112 students, and the latter seven professors and 92 students. The Baptists and Methodists are numerically the strongest religious denominations, but the Presbyterians and Roman Catholics have numerous and large congregations. The Catholies form a large portion of the people of St. Louis. Other denominations have scattered congregations, but with the exception of the Protestant Epis copalians, have scarcely a recognized existence.

All citizens, 21 years of age, and who have resided in the state one year, and three months in the place where they vote, are electors. The General Assembly consists of a House of Representatives, the members of which are elected for two years; and a Senate, the members of which are chosen for four years, one-half going out every second year.

The Governor and Lieutenant-Governor, the latter of whom is, ex-officio, President of the Senate, must be 35 years of age, and natives of the United States. They are elected by a plurality of votes. The governor has the veto power, but the legislature may pass a bill by a majority of both houses, In case of the governor's death or disability, the lieutenant-governor, president of the senate, or speaker of the house, as the case may be, take his place; but if the term has more than 18 months to run before completion, three months' notice may be given, that a new election will take place.

The constitutional provisions in regard to slavery, are similar to those of Kentucky.

The Judiciary consists of a Supreme Court, and Circuit Courts; the Common Pleas and Criminal Courts of St. Louis, and the Common Pleas Court of the city of Hannibal. The judges of these courts are appointed by the governor. The jurisdiction of the county courts is limited to matters of probate and local affairs, as roads, &c. The judges of these are elected by the people, and hold office for four years. Appeal lies from these to the circuit courts.

JEFFERSON CITY, the capital, is situated souri River, near the centre of the state. tude 920 8' west. The state-house and Population in 1850, 3,721.

on the south bank of the MisLatitude 38° 36′ north-longipenitentiary are located here.

ST. LOUIS, the commercial emporium of the west, and the largest city in the state, was founded in 1764, by the French. It is situated on the Mississippi, below its junction with the Missouri, and 1,200 miles above NewOrleans. The city consists of two parts, built on different elevations. The lower part, or that on the margin of the river, is laid out in narrow streets, and is chiefly occupied by those engaged in business. The more elevated portion is different in appearance, and is laid out regularly in broad, handsome streets, lined with the splendid mansions of the rich. A variety of public buildings beautify this locality. The population is composed of men of all nations, but the predominant races are Americans, French, and Germans. In 1840, it numbered 16,469; but in 1845, had increased to 34,140; and, in the year 1850 it had swelled to 97,860. The city is supplied with water from the river, which is raised to a reservoir by steampower, and thence distributed through iron pipes to every part. The streets are lighted with gas. St. Louis is the principal depôt of the American Fur Company. Jefferson Barracks are 11 miles below the city. Upwards of 2,800 steamboats arrive at St. Louis annually, conveying to and fro vast quantities of merchandize.

ST. CHARLES, formerly the capital of the state, lies on the Missouri, about 20 miles from its junction with the Mississippi, and is a considerable town. The inhabitants, numbering in 1850, 4,102, are chiefly of French origin. INDEPENDENCE, on the south side of the river, near the western boundary, is the starting-point or rendezvous for the Santa Fé traders and emigrants to Oregon. The other towns of importance are New Madrid, Jackson, St. Genevieve, Herculaneum, Hillsborough, Bowling-Green, Hannibal, Palmyra, St. Francisville, &c., on the Mississippi; Hermona, Boonesville, Franklin, Fayette, Brunswick, Lexington, &c., on the Missouri; Warsaw, Oseola, &c., on the Osage; Platte City on the River Platte; &c.

Missouri was originally a portion of the extensive Territory of Louisiana, as purchased by the United States in 1803. Settlements had been made at St. Louis, St. Genevieve, and elsewhere, about the middle of the last century, but the population never counted more than a few hundreds. In 1804, the Territory of Orleans, now Louisiana, was separated from the bulk of the new purchase, and a separate territorial government erected for each, the latter successively bearing the title of Territory of Louisiana and that of Missouri. In 1821, the portion of this vast territory within the present limits of Missouri, was erected into an independent state, and became a member of the American Union. The remaining portions of

this territory have since become the states of Arkansas and Iowa, and Minesota Territory, and there are yet some immense districts not appropriated.

THE STATE OF IOWA.

Iowa, formerly a portion of the Missouri Territory, lies immediately north of the state of that name, and is geographically situated between the latitudes of 40° 30′ and 43° 30′ N., and between the meridians of 90° 20 and 96° 50′ W. longitude. This large and fertile state is bounded on the north and west by the Western Territories; east by the Mississippi River; and south by the State of Missouri and the lower course of the Des Moines River. It is 270 miles long, and about 200 miles in breadth, having an area of 46,428 square miles, or 29,913,920 acres.

The general features of this state present much of what is called "rolling," without being mountainous or even hilly. An elevated table-land or plateau, however, extends through a considerable portion of the country, dividing the streams which flow respectively into the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The margins of the rivers and streams are thickly timbered, but the rest of the state is open prairie, with alternations of woodland of some extent, which diversify and enliven the scenery. The varieties of the prairie lands are endless: some are level and others rolling; some clothed in thick grass, suitable for grazing farms, while hazel thickets and sassafras shrubs invest others with a perennial verdure, and in spring and summer they are superbly decorated with flowers. The soil of Iowa is universally good, being of a rich black mould; and in the prairies this is sometimes mixed with sandy loam, and sometimes with red clay and gravel.

The Mississippi River borders the east of this state, and is navigable for the entire distance. The Des Moines waters the southern section of the country, and falls into the Mississippi, after forming, for some distance, the south-western boundary of the state. It is navigable for 100 miles from its mouth. The Iowa River, a navigable stream, also traverses a large portion of the state. Besides these, there are numerous minor rivers and streams falling into either the Missouri or Mississippi, and which are highly beneficial to the fertility and productiveness of the land, as well as being available for transportation and internal communication.

The buffalo, which formerly roamed over the flowery prairies, is now almost extinct, but the elk, though much diminished in numbers, is still hunted in the recesses of the state. Panthers and wild cats are sometimes seen, and the grey wolf still lurks about the remote settlements. The common prairie wolf is a denizen of these regions, and proves mischievous among the sheep and hogs. In the wooded districts the black bear is found. Foxes, raccoons, opossums, gophars, porcupines, and squirrels of various kinds, are also numerous. The otter and bear still inhabit the unsettled parts about the rivers and lakes. Deer are also quite numerous-the flesh affording food and the skins clothing to the pioneer of the wilderness.

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'A review of the resources and capabilities of this country," says Dr. Owen, "induces me to say with confidence, that ten thousand miners could find profitable employment within its confines." The lead mines alone afford as much of that metal as the whole of Europe, excepting Great Britain, and their capabilities are unbounded. Zinc occurs in fissures along with the lead. It is chiefly in the form of electric calamine, and is found in the form

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