Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/23

17 westerly direction, and passes through the State of Ohio to Limestone, in Kentucky. This road is the great thorough fare of people, in which there is incessant travelling from different parts to the Atlantic States, and from these States into the western country. The land through which the road passes from the Ohio to Zanesville, on the Muskingum, is uneven, but rich, pretty thickly settled and well cultivated. There are four thriving villages. St. Clairsville is the largest, containing a number of handsome houses and several stores of goods. It is the principal town in the county of Belmont.

Passing down the Ohio from Wheeling to Muskingum, there are only scattering settlements on the rich lands near the river.

The town of Marietta, situated at the confluence of the Muskingum with the Ohio, has greatly increased in population and wealth. Before the settlement commenced, the ground on the eastern side of the Muskingum was laid out in the form of a city, containing one thousand lots of 90 feet front and 180 feet rear. The squares were oblong, separated by spacious streets, which intersect at right angles. A large square was reserved for a market, and several others, in different parts of the city, for public uses, or pleasure ground* There are now, on the city ground, more than one hundred houses, and about one sixth part are built with brick, and stone. Many of the houses are large and 2*