Newspaper Page Text
4
THE REELECTOR.
VOL. l.
MILLTCDGEVILLE. G. TUB* ^AY, DECEMBER
9, 1817.
NO. g.
TOPOGHAPHICi
ALABAMA TERRITWN
■ public curiosity iu Alive to this
istimtal domain, theft can w well
Whilst the _
part of the national —,
authenticated facts with relation to it,** b will
he altogether uninteresting. One Oftoft *>cipal
enquiries made ate distance, is, wbat fcW*-
and its principal geaports ? From the
published in sortie of the newspapers, a
would be induced to believe that there »
some towns of magnitude and import**)
dv sprung into existence in the Alabama ritory,
The fact, however is, that it is only by -ay of
courtesy that we speak of aay towns in 1 * Ala
bama territory ; and it must depend ea tl. p«ne
tration, the judgment and exertions of th.-re Vba
are emigrating to the country to say when- torn*
shall be, and where flier ought to be. Mat of
business are more powerful than legislator The
general assembly of the Mississippi ter-ifccy,
which heretofore governed the preset)' tr. Ltrjr
*- »> -hi
XftTJSZC ». U u htiu :,K
sorely an object well
porta likewise can be t
sittf. ■fflS {sarara •»— r. ld b s t
be a great article of exBaSatmo. ia much endan- rnr not only as it respects the qua lty, but the
"ft. .«* some, q- f»dty of cotton, if Planters wouldpaymore
broken into Ami bv taswr ami the late) %> , tion to selecting their seed from those plants
months maybe luat in amomoot. r" w .* are most productive—there being,^among
The Pascagoula river lies west of the Mobile,
It ia not navigable for vessel* destined for distant
countries, The penile who nakfa on its waters
have been in the habit of trading to Mobile; it
will be more convenient to must of thaw to trade
to Shipping Port. Yet Shipping Pout itself, to
well aa Mobile, and the ideal town of Blakeley, is
certainly farther than could be wished f on any
too -others have, in their opinion, derived no
tl 1 plants of £otton, a very material difference
in oth these respeots. Much cotton is made in
th/ district by those who, from neeessity have
at I tituted the plough for the hoe. The land is
n< /only prepared by the plough, but the cultiva
tin' continued with little, in some instances, no
as, dance from the hoe. This mode of planting
is apposed by many to be as productive as the
pari of the country at present possessed of a nu-I ho’ culture. I cannot dismiss this article with-
merons population. But it isthe highest point of mticnig the great loss of this year scro|>,, oc-
elevated land below tb* juncion of tho Toqtblj^y
and Alabama rivet*; and 4hase rivurs lire too
crooked to render it advisably though prSctibli .
for a— Wnd* MWniadsUsVisw tamat durable
‘distance. Shipping Pert is about half way between
the town of Mobile, at the head of the bay, and
that part, of the country where something like a
compact population begius to shew itself. It
will after a while become perhaps the centre of
the richest settlementin the whole country. There
is probably a greater body of rich river low grounds
within three leagues of the spot than there is
within the same distance of any other spot on the
river. It. will be the centre of sugar cultivation,
should the cane be attempted with success. But
the lands on the eastern side of the river have not
yet been offered for sale.
The pine woods at the back of Shipping Fort
are high and rolling, and the fine springs and com
manding views on a range of hills between two
and three miles to the west Of it, will afford a va
riety of beautiful situations for those wjio may
wish to retreat from the river in the summer
season. No settlements as yet are mode, nor any
establishment in tne j r p >8ed town : for it was on
ly in July last that the lands in question were of
fered for sale. Shipping Port, therefore, like o-
ther places already mentioned, is at present a
mere paper town ; it does not even boast of legis
lative patronage ; this could be obfairted by ask
ing Tor it: but some of the proprietors have im
bibed the strange conceit, that they may rely
with greater confidence, on the patronage of
nature !
It is not the wish of the writer of this article to
bias the mind of any one, emigrating to the Ala
bama territory, in favor of any particular spot.
No man can safely select a situation for another ;
nor can any man safely select one for himself
when at a distance. He should endeavor to visit
of Alabama, seldom refiusd to pi**- % K j
LfeHslM inaHt-dbahH tawt* «,«/man.<Mwted
Sir it, they were ones on the point «T provid
ing by law fur thu election of a mayor-and cor
poration for the governmentarf a town in which
there was not a single inhabitant! These paper
towns, therefore, are by nu means scarce in the
Alabama territory.
In the first place there is the paper town of
Wakelfcld, now twelve or fourteen years of age,
and ceated by the legislative wisdom of the Mis
sissippi territory, in which it is said tlieie lives
the half, or perhaps the fourth part of one whole
family. There is then the paper town of Dum
fries, the old Sarum of the country tor its power
in filling the legislative assembly, which possesses
a court-house ami empty goal, and one family in
the suburbs. Then ceinea another legislative pa
per town called Bel I . something, (for I have not
the statute at hand in which its name-is recorded,
and which boasts of one whole family, who cer
tainly occupy one of the most beautiful spots in
nature.) And last of a!l is the town of Blakeley
(♦he rival of the ancient city of Mobile,) which
toe legislature decreed should be a town in the
year of our Lord, 1814, and which, if report be
true, although nu corporation is yet elected, there
is laid the foundation of one or more respectable
store houses. It does not, to be sure, possess the
same handsome view of the bay as the town of
Mobile * but it it said to possess a much better
harbor for vessels, which will probably be found to
be the fact when vessels shall visit the place; and
that its water is excellent,is already declared by
travellers, and will be ascertained to a certainty
by the inhabitants when the town shall possess a-
ny. That none are to be found there at present
may naturally enough be ascribed to the want of . ...... ...
2 w Weh-ir M .w^cted .a new countrv with h ( s mind open and disengag-
■■■ • ..... rs hv ™* But it is of vast importance to him lufciiww
would have been provided for it two years ago by
legi.dative foresight.
Strangers who have visited the Alabama terri
tory, ana others who have long resided there, have
been much struck with a situation about 40 miles
above the town and bay of Mobile, and the site of
toe proposed town of Blakeley. This situation
was pu,chased at the late public sales in St. Ste
phen’s, b} thirty or forty persons, who happened
to be present at tne sale. The shares did not cost
SO dullars each; but they presently rose to 4
and S500, and all the land adjacent to the site was
immediately entered. This place, which is nvw
called Shipping Port, occupies the ground where
Fort Stodilart formerly stood. It is about a league
below the junction of the Tombigby and A V a
rna, and about the same distance above tiial divi
sion of the river which occasions the formation of
one channel communicating with the bay on its
western side, near the town of Mobile, and
another which communicates with the eastern
siJe of the ba^ about three leagues distant
from the former, and below the town of Blake
ley. The river at Shipping Port is about 600
yards wide, and its depth is more than suf
ficient to allow any vessel which can come up the
bay, to unload close to the shore. The situation
of the ground is remarkably handsome and com
manding; and a natural terrace, running par
allel to the river, at toe distance of about 70
E les from it, will afford a variety of elegant sites
r the dwelling h iuses of families who will not
be compelled by their business to reside imme
diately on the river bank. River lots of 42 feet
in front are already estimated at 230 dollars each,
though no improvement has yet beeiupiade; for
the value and importance of the spot as a place of
deposit for St. Stephen’s, Jackson,Fart Claiborne,
toe proposed town of Alabama, and other esta
blishments on the Tur.'iigby and Alabama rivers,
as well as those adjacent to the Big-Bend of Ten
nessee, are fully understood in the upper coun
try. The navigation is good at all seasons of the
year. The depth of the water in the river, between
Shipping Port and the bay of Mobile is greater
than that of the bay itself; and as the river is on
toe whole remarkably straight, thp same wind
which will bringa vessel up toe bay, will bring it
up to Shipping Port. ‘
It is another circumstance of considerable im
portance with relation to this place, that there are
wot, and probably never will be, any settlements
of importance between Shipping Port and the sea
coast. Thg.land will not admit of them. Though
this is a cotton country, yet if the town of Mo
bile .orthe projected town of Blakeley, be taken as
a centre, and a circle be described, hawng a radius
of forty miles, it is probable that one hundred
acres of coVton would not be found within the
whole area of the circle. In fact, nothing would
be found of consequence. There is equally a
want of population and of soil. Hencer it is cer
tainly desirable, that the port of importation
which is to supply the upper country; should be
higher up the river than the head of the bay; and
if one, two or even three days tie consumed in
advancing with a cargo forty miles farther into
before hand what the points are which may merit
his attention. The preceding sketch may afford
some addition to the stuck of memorandums al
ready scattered through the public papers, in
this point of view it may be acceptable and useful.
[National Intelligencer.
AGRICULTURE.
rnOM Til* SOLTHMDI PITHTOT.
Without presuming I could communicate to
the public, through the medium of your useful pa
per, any information of much consequence, rela
tive to the best method of cultivating any of the
Staple Articles of our State ; I take the liberty
of requesting your insertion of a few remarks,
relative to such as are most usually cultivated in
my district.
It is much to be regretted, we had not in most
of our Districts, a Society for the promotion of
Agriculture, and by means of small premiums in
duce a competition among Farmers, to cultivate
a certain part of their land, in such a manner,
that some idea could be farmed of the method
best calculated to produce the greatest Crop of
any article. What appears in my humble opin
ion, to be most wanted in our State, is a set of
Agricultural Experiments, upon the plan of the
celebrated Arthur Young, of England, relative to
the distance and the quantity of seed which the
different articles require to produce the greatest
crops. We often hear of great crops of Cotton
Corn, &c. &c. having been made to the acre, but
they have been cultivated only in one way, and
no comparative trial has been made.# It is the
province of- the opulent part of the community,
to set the example, and, I feel satisfied, that the
lands in our districts would produce niach more,
if from any cause, a spirit of good husbandry
could be’ excited 1 among our Farmers. No meth
od could be better calculated to produce this, than
well authenticated accounts of great crops pro
duced, from peculiar methods of cultivating any
one article. I have in some instances, deviated
from the usual method of planting, sometimes
with suer, ss, at others with a loss, and always
regretted that I could not resort to (he experi
inents of some farmer of our own state.
Without a longer preamble, I slutfa commence
with Cotton :—There exists much d'vfrsity of o
'pinion upon the best method of cultivating this
plant; we often hear of great crops made by
some, who have planted cotton thin, not only as
it respects the distance of the beds, but the num
ber of plants left on the bed. Some great crons
of cotton have been made on land, which the
growth of cotton indicgjgdto be rich, when plan
ted in a manner which woBld be considered thick
planting, on land of moderate strength. A di
versity of opinion also exists, as to the most prop
er time to commence planting, for the season be
ing generally sufficiently long to mature short
cotton ; some prefer the last of April or begin
ning of May. From tea years experience I
should wish to plant by the 10th of April, and not
later than the 20tW if it could be availed.
Some planters, much approve *f topping cot*
c*j med by the _ rot. This disease, has iujured
th<- cotton, as well on the rich and manured lands,
as ' poor and exhausted. There u no doubt
tr * from e*« -y information ou this head, the
crop of this, year is reduced, at least one half,
caused, in some instances, by the rot—in odiCrs,
by the rains flowing the low lands. Some attri
bute this disease of the cotton to the influence of
heat aad moisture—others suppose some bug or
insect perforate the pod, of cotton, and produce a
destruction of the same. There are a number ot
animals in the rotted pod, such as small black
bugs with wings, small worms, and sometimes
large worms ; but whether these animals are the
consequence of putrefaction or in any way con
cerned in the production of the rot, is not suffi
ciently clear to form any thing like a decided o-
pinion ; I shall merely notice that it often hap
pens while,one part of the same field is much in
jured by the rot, other parts, similarly situated
escape with little or no injury. So great and
general a cause as heat and moisture, I would ex
pect to produce appearances of injury to the cot
ton plant, other than the destruction of the cot
ton pod, such as falling of the leaves, injuring
the growth of the plant, &c. 8tc. which does not
take place. I must not omit to state in this
dace, in corioboration of the statement you not
ong since gave in the Patriot, that much of the
produce of this district, such as cotton, corn and
lumber, are sent to the Savannah and Augusta
markets.
Your publishing these brief observations upon
the culture of cotton, I flatter myself will, at
least, have the effect of inducing spine experien
ced Planter to favor the public with a detailed
and approved method df cultivating cotton to the,
most advantage.
A Farmer of Barmctll District.
ORCHARDS.
*♦ Ou- ancestors erred greatly in planting trees
in orchards too close ; twenty feet was thought by
them to be a proper distance. But they seemed
not to consider that in a tew years the branches of
each tree would touch the next, and. thus by inter
fering with each other, prevent them from bring
ing blossoms and fruit. At that distance a plan-
tation of trees must in a few years become like a
wood, and prevent either grass or vegetable# from
being cultivated under them. Nor in such a sit
uation will three trees produce as much as one, if
at the distance of 40 or 50 feet. planting an
orchard, care should always be taken to fix on a
situation sheltered as much as possible against the
violent north west & north east winds. Plant the
largest growing trees, such as Priestly’s, on the
north side, and so descending towards the south
thst there may be a regular gradation of height,
■mil that the tall tiecs may not overshadow the
smaller. Apples and pears for an orchard ought
not to be planted at less distance than in rows at
about forty feet, and each tree in the row at 30 or
35 feet apart. Pears alone may be 30 by 25, and
these in general, spread less and grow more erect
than apples. Cherries the largest growing sorts
at 80 by 20. Peaches, apricots and nectarines,
at 15 feet. Nothing in tne various parts of agri
culture and gardening is so little understood and
consequently neglected, as the planting of trees.
The root is generally forced into a small hole, anil
afterwards left to chance, without the slightest
attention either to pruning or manuring. The
ground designed for an orchard should be in til
lage one year at least before planting; and if well
manured so much the better for the trees. The
holes should be dug a foot deep, and at least five
feet over, and left to lie a few days to receive the
influence of the atmosphere. If you are to buy
the trees, procure them at the nearest nursery
you can, for the sooner trees are planted, after be
ing out of the ground, the better. If the small
fibres are not dried, they need not be cut off,* but
if dried, as they almost always are in carrying a
distance, they should be trimmed off, otherwise
they will mould and do certain injury to the tree,
ami often entirely destroy it. Always keep the
roots*as long as convenient, which will give them
a disposition to run horizontally, from which the
roots being more under the influence of the sun,
the sap is richer and produces the sweetest, fairest
fruit. Nursery men, in taking up trees, are, in
general, not sufficiently attentive to give them a
good spread of root. All bruised and broken
roots—all suoh as are irregular and cross each o-
ther, and all downright roots, should be pruned
smooth off. As to the top, the small branches should
be pruned close to where they are produced, as
also the irregular ones, which cross each other ;
and all such as have by any means been broken
or wounded, should be cut down to the next goud
eye, but by no means take off the main leading
snoots, which are necessary to attract ihe sap
from the roots, and thereby promote the growth of
tlie tree. Observe the utmost cart not to place
the tree too deep in the earth. More mischance
to a new nlantation of trees arises from this source
than all tne others combined. The Best rule is
to place the tree in the hole so that the roots may
be about the same depth as they were before taken
up. Place all the roots in their natural position
as near as may be, but rather horizontally than
otherwise, break the earth fine, and scatter it in
the hole so that it may fall betwaen every root,
that there mar be no hollowness. Thus fill up
the hole, ana gently tread down the earth with
your foot, but not too hard, which is a great fault,
especially if the ground be strong and wet. New
ly planted trees should be well staked and
defended from cattle; and it is best to keep thn
land continually in tillage till the trees have nearMB"
ly attained their full growth. But great car^^f
must be taken that the roots be not disturbed by
« ing, nor the bark of the trees wounded.—
ound near the tree, which the pleHgh leaves,
should be mellowed with.a spade for two or three
year? before the roots have far extended.”
FCME1GN.
Another Revolution at Algiers.*-The account
of a Revolution in Algiers is confirmed by the
arrival at Boston on Sunday morning last, of the
Urlg <! Prt«*4faLCiirt. Janes, in 40 days from Gib
raltar. AgXKbr paper, brought by toe Or
leans tnfiMHMRne event in the following man
ner :—■“ On we"sth of September, a auniber of
Jannissaries assembled round the palace of the
Dey, called upon him to descend,-a» it Was their
intention to put him to death, his reign having
been a series of -disasters both by sea and land/
The Dey, being obliged to comply, was taken by
the soldiers to the house of the Kishna-Aea
where lie was strangled, and a man named Ali
Cogia, a retired merchant, was declared his suc
cessor ; the Ministers of the late Dey have been
exiled to different cities of the regency.” Cap
tain Jones confirms also the account of the arri
val of the American squadron at Gibraltar.—
They arrived oq the 3d of October, and were ly
ing at quarantine, when the Orleans sailed.
Dreadful Hurricane—Arrived at Norfolk on
the 17th ult. captain Williams, of the brig Louisa,
from Antigua, we learn that a dreadful hurrican*
arose on the 2tst ult. in the West-Indies, the vio
lence of which was particularly felt at St. Lucie,
Barbadoes, Dominque and St.‘ Vincent’s, where
considerable damage was sustained by the ship
ping and the estates generally. At St. Lucie the
gale was more severe. All tlie vessels in that port
were entirely lost; the government house was
blown down,and all its walls, comprising the go
vernor, his lady and child, his staff, secretaries,
servants, &c. amounting in all to about 50 persons
were buried in its ruins. Not one survived 1 the
dreadful catastrophe. And, still more horrible to
relate, the officers and soldiers’ barracks were by
the same pitiless blast demolished, and all witliiu
them at the time, about 200 souls, were precipat-
ed into eternity; and the estates- of tlie island
rendered a heap of ruins. At Dominique nearly
the whole town was inundated, and the destruc
tion of property immense. Some few lives were
lost; the island nearly desolated. At Martin
ique about 50 sail of vessels were driven out to
sea from St. Pierrre’s, (principally Americans)
and having no ballast, provisions, or other neres*
series for a voyage, have probably been lost. On
ly one of the above vessels have been heard of, a
French ship, which got into St. Eustatia. The es
tates here are also greatly damaged. At St. Vin
cent’s ten sail of vessels went on shore, and were
nedrlyall lost. Capt. VV. could not with certain
ty recapitulate all the horrors which marked this
awful visitation ; at Dominique and St. Vincent’s
as well as St. Lucie, the devastation was so com
plete as to amount almost to annihilation. It will
be many years, at least, before those islands can
be restored to their former condition. It was re-
portid at Antigua, that his majesty’s ship Ante
lope, of 50 guns, rear admiral Hervey, was lost in
the gale. She sailed from Pigeon Island for Bar
badoes the night previous to tne gale.
Oihraltar, Sept. 27.—We are sorry to learn
that intelligence has been recieved of the arrival
at Fez, about the 1st of a Caravan, with merchan
dize, direct from Algiers. The number of deaths
in Algiers, according to official intelligence have
amounted to 150a day; but the disease has sub
sided to about 40 deaths daily.
October 4.—At Oran, and on the frontiers of
the kingdom of Morocco, not the smallest pre
caution is taken against tlie plague ; notwith
standing this, the disease has not yet shown it
self to tho westward of Algiers. Caravans pass
daily from Algiers to different towns in Morocco.
The Msors at Telemzen, and other cities of this
Province, communicate with the kingdom of Mo
rocco as formerly. At Bona the disease is said
to have subsided : at Constantia the daily num
ber of deaths amount to about 100.
Baltimore, J\Tov. 18.—Some further particu
lars have been'recicved, by the way of Havana,
of the siege and evacuation of the fort at Cama-
jua r which place is situated about one hundred
leagues north westerly from the city of Mexico.
After having been besieged twenty-one days, by
the royalists under Gen. Linau, the garrison of
the fort under the command of Gen. Moreno, one
of Mina’s officers, finding themselves closely
pressed, successfully fought their iwaythrough
the royal troops in the night, in which desperate
act they are said to have lost a considerable num
ber of men. Their object was to proceed to join
Gen. Mina’s corps, which was not far distant,
and which, it was supposed, 4as not sufficiently
strong to have afforded relief to the garrison.—
This event look place on the night betweeu the
19th and 20th of August.
.4#
Cornwall, U. C. Oct. 30.—The board of com
missioners for carrying into execution the 6th and
7th articles of the Treaty of Ghent, after an un
remitted occupation in the performance of its
duties since th« beginning ot May last, held Its