‘The Western World”

Date

10-25-1811

Newspaper

Farmer’s Repository

Page and Column

Page 1, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Charlestown, West Virginia.

Serial Number

1222

Abstract

Account of the Western country with reference to the area around Natchez. Notes that Zadock Cramer is visiting the area for his health. Cramer is the author of the “Navigator” which was a guide to the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.

Transcript

THE WESTERN WORLD. MISSISSIPPI TERRITORY, &c.-From a friend at Natchez, one of the editors was lately favoured with a long and interesting letter, dated the 8th of August, some particulars of which may be useful and amusing to our readers, both eastward and westward of the mountains. The writer had been a man of a dentary and industrious habits, which threatened him with incurable consumption,--was debilitated in body and dejected in spirits; when he tried a change of climate, by descending the Ohio and Mississippi to Natchez. The transition was favourable, and he indulged the hope of recovery: "I am of opinion, says he, that this climate is favourable to pulmonary complaints and generally healthful-to those at least who conform their mode of living to its percularities. I see as many and as active, old men here in proportion in population as I ever saw in the northern states. The women are more exempt from disease than the men; this may arise in part from their greater regularity in living; as the men are apt to be intemperate, and their excesses frequently occasion sudden deaths. "Your friend, Mr. ZADOCK CRAMER, is here, in a predicament exactly like my own. Being an active man, he has long been casting about various projects of business in his mind, and at length determined on a pursuit, which I think will please himself and friends and benefit our country; it is, the establishment (on a huge & liberal scale), of a Domestic Warehouse and Commission Store, for the deposit and sale of all kinds of domesic manufactures, to the complete exclusion of everything foreign. I think, an establishment of this sort, in this quarter, will promote the manufacturing interests of the U. States in no inconsiderable degree at this important period. Hitherto, the inhabitants have been accustomed to look across the seas for almost everything they wanted, hominy and cotton excepted! The activity and integrity of Mr. Cramer, must create confidence and bring the scheme to maturity.-His industry and economical turn are not surpassed by any. "As well as the productions of the anvil and loom, those of the plough are not to be neglected. For this purpose arrangements are making to receive on consignment western country produce, flour, whiskey, &c. of which the states of Kentucky, Ohio, and the western parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia thrown into this marked vast quantities, together with other articles, which when brought here, are frequently sold at a considerable sacrifice; owing to the want of some established mode of doing business between the citizens and traders. One thing particularly operates against traders [who descend the river,] at this port-they all flock down at one season of the year, (spring generally) and overstock the market with every thing-thenno person wants to buy even at half price; they get tired of waiting,--fearing the approach of warm weather, and anxious about home, frequently sell to very great disadvantage; whereas, could they wait three or four months longer, their industry would be amply rewarded by obtaining a fair price for their product, and the citizens hereto better supplied at regular and reasonable rates. I do think this evil may be remedied by the establishment of proper state houses and faithful agents for the transaction of business-the profits, if any, would then accrue to the persons who best deserve them, the farmers and first adventurers. "I have travelled a good deal over this territory, and am much better pleased than I expected to be, from what I heard of the country before I visited it. It is in fact a fine country, and too little known through the U. States. Vegetables and animals flourish here, the soil is rich and the climate salubrious; locally, somewhat unhealthy, but by no means generally so. Planters are wealthy and hospitable, though many are much in debt for negroes, &c. Labour of all sorts is well paid for. Great fortunes have been made here, but the times are now very dull-the staple of the country has fallen a hundred per cent lower than two years ago, when indeed every man was making a fortune-too rapidly for the general good of the country. Some of the candid planters say, the fall in the price of cotton was a fortunate circumstance; for if this had not have happened, say they, we should have been ruined with extravagance and luxury! "Natchez is thriving fast, and must become a place of considerable commercial consequence. It is finely situated on the bluff which is about 150 feet above the level of the river, among a dozen of small hills, and has much the appearance of a town built on a forest; shady trees of various kinds being numerous in the streets and in every yard. One call the pride of China forms a delightful shade; its bark and berries (which it bears in clusters hardly the size of the wild cherry) are poisonous-no other animal than a hen will touch these berries and horses will not disturb the trunk. "A more delightful country for fruits cannot be found-the peach is much superior to those of Pennsylvania, but the apple decays as it ripens-Figs are abundant and delicious-Nectarines are very fine, so are pears. Cattle thrive well, but cows give little milk; the beef is indifferent, from what cause I know not, but mutton is excellent. "The soil in Louisiana is fertile beyond description, an hundred bushels of corn are frequently raised from an acre, and of cotton generally two thousands pounds in the seed, one fifth of which is turned out from the gin as good and clean cotton-it is nearly as fertile on this side of the river. I many of the Pennsylvania farmers who are delving among swamps and high hills, on those of Maryland and New Jersey, who plow among sand for a bare subsistence, knew the advantages of this country over others, they would certainly try to remove to a soil more generous, and which would [unreadable] them well for their labour-but, the vote of an old uncle or aunt, the veto of a wife, or the doubts and cowardice of a husband keep men from generation to generation in [unreadable text]." Whig.

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