Mobile, Alabama, USA
1854 - Mobile

Mobile, a city and port of entry of Alabama, and capital of Mobile county, is situated on the W. bank of Mobile river, immediately above its entrance into the bay of the same name, 30 miles N. from the Gulf of Mexico, 330 miles by water S. W. from Montgomery, 106 miles E. by N. from New Orleans, and 1033 miles from Washington. Lat. 30° 41' 48" N., Lon. 87° 59' W. It is by far the most considerable town of the state both in population and commerce, and, next to New Orleans, is the greatest cotton market in the United States. Population in 1840, 12,072 ; and in 1850, 20,515. The site is a level sandy plain, sufficiently elevated for the purpose of convenient drainage, being about 15 feet higher than the bay. The streets are wide, and mostly run N. and S. and E. and W. Much attention has recently been paid to planting shade-trees, and the city is supplied with spring water brought from the distance of several miles. It is not compactly built, excepting the portion occupied by the commercial houses. On the S. and W. side of the town there are dry sandy pine-hills, which afford agreeable and healthy retreats during the hot season. Mobile is the seat of Spring Hill College, founded by the Catholics, having a library of 7000 volumes. It also contains an institution for the blind, a city hospital, a United States marine hospital, 2 orphan asylums, a theatre, 2 or 3 banks, and 6 newspaper offices. There are churches of six denominations, and several academies. The health of the place has recently been improved by draining and filling in the low grounds on the N. side of the town. The entrance of the bay is defended by Fort Morgan, formerly Fort Brower, and a light house has been erected in the same vicinity. Mobile has an advantageous position for trade, being the natural outlet of the greatest cotton region in the South. Steamboats ply regularly, at all seasons, between this port and Montgomery and Tuscaloosa. Another line keeps up a daily communication with New Orleans via Lakes Borgne and Pontchartrain. A regular line of sailing vessels is established from Mobile to New York. A railroad about 450 miles long is in course of construction from Mobile to the mouth of the Ohio river, connecting with the Central railroad of Illinois. This road, when finished, will form part of the direct route from the Gulf of Mexico to the great lakes, and must materially promote the prosperity of Mobile. More than 30 miles of it are now in operation. Another railroad is in progress, which will connect this city with Columbus, in Georgia. The exports of cotton for the year ending September 1st, 1852, amounted to 549,499 bales. In 1851, 6,810,054 feet of lumber were shipped from Mobile. The tonnage of the port, June 30th, 1852, amounted to an aggregate of 7412 tons registered, and 21,120 tons enrolled and licensed. Of the latter, 20,245 tons were employed in the coast trade, and 16,225 tons in steam navigation. The foreign arrivals for the year were 150 — tons, 87,289, of which 61 — tons, 21,630 were by American vessels. The clearances for foreign ports were 252, — tons, 163,135, of which 91,007 were in American bottoms.

A New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States: Giving a Full and Comprehensive Review of the Present Condition, Industry, and Resources of the American Confederacy ... Thomas Baldwin (of Philadelphia.) Joseph Thomas January 1, 1854 Philadelphia : Lippincott, Grambo & Company 1854.

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