Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Niles' Weekly Register ~ Saturday, July 19, 1817

Mississippi and Alabama. 
Nashville, June 10. — We are gratified in being able to state that the division of this territory made by the last congress is very generally approved of by the people. The election for the convention to frame a state constitution took place in the western part last week, where in most cases gentlemen of respectable talents were expected to be elected. It is anticipated it will not be very long before the people of the eastern section will also be permitted to elect a convention. It will settle faster than any new country ever did. Gen. Coffee is now surveying one hundred townships adjoining Madison county, lying on both sides of the Muscle Shoals, which is believed to be the flower of the Alabama territory, and has recently been laid off into three counties. All west of Madison county, north of Tennessee river, and south of the state of Tennessee is made one county, and is called Elk county, the seat of justice for which is at Fort Hampton. All south of Tennessee river, east of the Chickasaw boundary line, north of the highlands that divide the waters of the Tennessee from the waters of the Mobile, and west of the Cherokee boundary line, is made another county, called Blount county, the seat of justice of which is at Milton's Bluff All south of Blount county, to the east of Tombigbee river, to the north of Clark county, and west of the highlands that divide the waters of the Alabama from the waters of the Tombigbee, is made another county, called Sevier county, the seat of justice of which is at the falls of the Black Warrior.* These counties are settling very fast, and by the time the land can be sold, will contain a dense population.It is expected the sale of those lands will come on at Huntsville, in Nov. next, and they will sell higher per acre than any public land ever offered by the United States. It is supposed the hundred townships now surveying will produce nine millions of dollars, when sold; but from the short time al lowed by law, to keep the office open, it is apprehended that only a small part can be exposed to sale this fall. The consequence of which will be that many who are now vesting their funds in scrip, expecting to purchase lands, will be disappointed in their calculations; as they will probably have to wait until another law is passed to continue the sales.

* This is the highest point of navigation of the waters of Mobile, is surrounded by good laud, and, is only 70 miles from Huntsville, of course we may soon expect to see. a large thriving town at this place.

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