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Title: Old Mackinaw; Or, The Fortress of the Lakes and its Surroundings

Author: W. P. Strickland

Release date: September 9, 2007 [eBook #22550]

Language: English

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Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD MACKINAW; OR, THE FORTRESS OF THE LAKES AND ITS SURROUNDINGS *** 



[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected,
all other inconsistencies are as in the original. Author's spelling has been
maintained.



Page 312: The amount of barrels is obviously an error of the
typograph, but the proper amount not being know, it has been left in
place. "It is probable that they are now capable of manufacturing
1,25,000 barrels of flour annually, and this quantity would require
5,625,000 bushels of wheat."



The inconsistencies of the typographer or author for punctuation (or
lack of) in amount have not been corrected.]






An indian woman




OLD MACKINAW;


OR,


THE FORTRESS OF THE LAKES


AND


ITS SURROUNDINGS.


BY


W. P. STRICKLAND.



Philadelphia: James Challen & Son,


New York: CARLTON & PORTER. — Cincinnati: POE & HITCHCOCK.

Chicago: W. H. DOUGHTY. — Detroit: PUTNAM, SMITH & CO.

Nashville: J. B. McFERRIN.

1860.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year, 1860, by

JAMES CHALLEN & SON,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in
and for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.



PHILADELPHIA:

STEREOTYPED BY S. A. GEORGE,

607 SANSOM STREET.




(p. 003) PREFACE.




In the preparation of this volume a large number of works have been
consulted, among which the author desires to acknowledge his
indebtedness to the following: "The Travels of Baron La Hontan,"
published in English and French, 1705; "Relations des Jesuits," in
three vols., octavo; "Marquette's Journal;" Schoolcraft's works, in
three volumes; "Shea's Catholic Missions and Discovery of the
Mississippi" "American Annals;" "Lanman's History of Michigan;"
"Parkman's Siege of Pontiac;" "Annals of the West;" "Foster and
Whitney's Geological Report;" "Ferris' Great West;" "Disturnell's Trip
to the Lakes;" "Lanman's Summer in the Wilderness;" "Pietzell's Lights
and Shades of Missionary Life;" (p. 004) "Life of Rev. John Clark;"
"Lectures before the Historical Society of Michigan;" "Mansfield's
Mackinaw City;" "Andrews' Report of Lake Trade;" "Heriot's Canada;"
"Presbyterian Missions," &c., &c. He desires particularly to mention
the works of Schoolcraft, which have thrown more light on Indian
history than the productions of any other author. He also desires to
acknowledge his indebtedness to Wm. M. Johnson, Esq., of Mackinac
Island, for his valuable contributions to the history of that
interesting locality. The statistics in relation to that portion of
the country embraced in the work are taken from the most recent
sources, and are believed to be perfectly reliable.



We are indebted to J. W. Bradley, of Philadelphia, the publisher of
"The North American Indians," for the beautiful frontispiece in this
work. Mr. Catlin, the author, visited every noted tribe, and, by
residing among them, was initiated into many of their secret and
hidden mysteries. It is a valuable work.






(p. 005) CONTENTS.





CHAPTER I.


Mackinaw and its surroundings — Indian legends — Hiawatha — Ottawas and
  Ojibwas — Pau-pau-ke-wis — San-ge-man — Kau-be-man — An Indian custom — Dedication
  to the spirits — Au-se-gum-ugs — Exploits of San-ge-man — Point
  St. Ignatius — Magic lance — Council of peace — Conquests of San-ge-man.



CHAPTER II.


Indian spiritualists — Medicine men — Legends — The spirit-world — Difference
  between Indian and modern spiritualists — Chusco the spiritualist — Schoolcraft's
  testimony of — Mode of communicating with spirits — Belief in Satanic
  agency — Interesting account of clairvoyance.



CHAPTER III.


Marquette's visit to Iroquois Point — Chapel and Fort — Old Mackinaw — The
  French settlement in the Northwest — Erection of chapel and Fort — The
  gateway of commerce — The rendezvous of traders, trappers, soldiers, missionaries,
  and Indians — Description of fort — Courriers des Bois — Expedition
  of Marquette and Joliet to explore the Mississippi — Green Bay — Fox
  River — Wisconsin — Mississippi — Peoria Indians — Return trip — Kaskaskia
  Indians — St. Xavier Missions — Mission to "the Illinois" — Marquette's
  health declines — Starts out on return trip to Mackinaw — Dies and is buried
  at mouth of Marquette River — Indians remove his remains to Mackinaw — Funeral
  cortege — Ceremonies — Burial in the chapel — Changes of
  time — Schoolcraft on the place of Marquette's burial — Missilimackinac — Name
  of Jesuit missions.



CHAPTER IV.


La Salle's visit to Mackinaw — English traders — La Hontan's visit — Mackinaw
  an English fort — Speech of a Chippewa chief — Indian stratagem — Massacre
  of the English at the fort — Escape of Mr. Alexander Henry — Early
  white settlement of Mackinaw — Present description — Relations of
  the Jesuits — Remarkable Phenomena — Parhelia — Subterranean river.



(p. 006) CHAPTER V.


Island of the giant fairies — Possession by the English — Erection of government
  house — French remain at Old Mackinaw — Finally abandoned — Extent
  of the island — History — Description — Natural curiosities — Arch Rock — Sugar
  Loaf Rock — Scull Rock — Dousman's farm — Davenport's farm — Robinson's
  folly — The Devil's Punch Bowl — Healthful atmosphere — Transparency
  of the waters — Compared with Saratoga, Cape May, and
  Mt. Washington as a point for health and recreation — Description of a
  traveler in 1854 — Arrival of steamers and sailing vessels at the port during
  the year — Mr. Johnson's reminiscences — Indian name of island — Mythology — Three
  brothers of the great genii — Visit to the subterranean abode
  of the genii — Vision — Apostrophe of an old Indian chief — Old buildings — Door
  of Marquette's chapel — John Jacob Astor and the fur trade — Present
  support of the place — Fort Mackinaw — Fort Holmes — Fine view — Interesting
  localities — War of 1812 — Death of Major Holmes — Soil of the island.



CHAPTER VI.


Lake Superior — Scenery — Transparency of its waters — Climate — Isle Royale — Apostles'
  Islands — La Point — Thunder Cape — Cariboo Point — A wonderful
  lake — Romantic scenery — Pictured rocks — Rock Castle — The Grand
  Portal — The chapel — Fluctuations in the waters of Lake Superior — Curious
  phenomena — Retrocession of the waters — Mirage — Iron mountains
  and mines — Description of — Products — Shipments — Copper — Immense
  boulders — Produce of the mines for 1857 — Shipment of copper from the
  Lake for 1858 — Centre of the mining country — Iron mountains — Copper
  mines of Great Britain — Coal — Mackinaw a great manufacturing point — Key
  to the Upper Lakes — Commerce of lakes — Growth of cities.



CHAPTER VII.


Lake Huron — Eastern shore of Michigan — Face of the country — Picturesque
  view — Rivers — Grand — Saginaw — Cheboy-e-gun — Natural scenery — Fort
  Gratiot — White Rock — Saginaw Bay — Thunder Bay — Bois Blanc Island — Drummond's
  Island — British troops — St. Helena Island — Iroquois Woman's
  Point — Point La Barbe — Point aux Sable — Point St. Vital — Wreck
  of the Queen City — St. Martin's Island — Fox Point — Moneto pa-maw — Mille
  au Coquin — Great fishing places — Cross village — Catholic convent.



CHAPTER VIII.


Three epochs — The romantic — The military — The agricultural and commercial — An
  inviting region — Jesuit and Protestant Missions — First Protestant
  mission — First missionary — Islands of Mackinac and Green Bay — La
  Pointe — Saut St. Mary — Presbyterians — Baptists — Methodists — Revival at
  Fort Brady — Ke-wee-naw — Fon du Lac — Shawnees — Pottawatimies — Eagle
  River — Ontonagon — Camp River — Iroquois Point — Saginaw Indians — Melancholy
  reflections — Number of Indians in the States and Territories.



(p. 007) CHAPTER IX.


Indian name of Michigan — Islands — Lanman's Summer in the Wilderness — Plains — Trees — Rivers — A
  traditionary land — Beautiful description — Official
  report in relation to the trade of the lakes — Green Bay — Grand
  Traverse Bay — Beaver Islands — L'Arbre Croche — Boundaries of Lake
  Michigan — Its connections — Railroad from Fort Wayne to Mackinaw — Recent
  report of — Amount completed — Land grants.



CHAPTER X.


Mackinaw, the site for a great central city — The Venice of the lakes — Early
  importance as a central position — Nicolet — Compared geographically with
  other points — Immense chain of coast — Future prospects — Temperature — Testimony
  of the Jesuit fathers — Healthfulness of the climate — Dr. Drake
  on Mackinaw — Resort for invalids — Water currents of commerce — Surface
  drained by them — Soil of the northern and southern peninsulas of Michigan — Physical
  resources — Present proprietors of Mackinaw — Plan of the
  city — Streets — Avenues — Park — Lots and blocks for churches and public
  purposes — Institutions of learning and objects of benevolence — Fortifications — Docks
  and ferries — Materials for building — Harbors — Natural beauty
  of the site for a city — Mountain ranges — Interior lakes — Fish — Game.



CHAPTER XI.


The entrepot of a vast commerce — Surface drained — Superiority of Mackinaw
  over Chicago as a commercial point — Exports and imports — Michigan
  the greatest lumber-growing region in the world — Interminable forests
  of the choicest pine — Facilities for market — Annual product of the pineries — Lumbering,
  mining, and fishing interests — Independent of financial
  crises — Mackinaw the centre of a great railroad system — Lines terminating
  at this point — North and South National Line — Canada grants — Growth
  of Northwestern cities — Future growth and prosperity of Mackinaw — Chicago — Legislative
  provision for opening roads in Michigan — The Forty
  Acre Homestead Bill — Its provisions.



CHAPTER XII.


The Great Western Valley — Its growth and population — Comparison of Atlantic
  with interior cities — Relative growth of river and lake cities — Centre
  of population — Lake tonnage — Progress of the principal centres of
  population.



CHAPTER XIII.


Michigan Agricultural Reports for 1854 — Prof. Thomas' report — Report of
  J. S. Dixon — Products of States — Climate — Army Meteorological Reports.



(p. 008) CHAPTER XIV.


Agricultural interest — Means of transportation — Railways and vessels — Lumber — Vessels
  cleared — Lake cities and Atlantic ports — Home-market — Breadstuffs — Michigan flour — Monetary panics — Wheat — Importations — Provisions — Fruit — Live
  stock — Wool — Shipping business — Railroads — Lake
  Superior trade — Pine lumber trade — Copper interest — Iron interest — Fisheries — Coal mines — Salt — Plaster
  beds.



CHAPTER XV.


Desirableness of a trip to the Lakes — Routes of travel — Interesting localities — Scenery — Southern
  coast — Portage Lake — Dr. Houghton — Ontonagon — Apostles'
  Islands — Return trip — Points of interest — St. Mary's River — Lake
  St. George — Point de Tour — Lake Michigan — Points of interest — Chicago.






(p. 009) CHAPTER I.



Mackinaw and its surroundings — Indian
     legends — Hiawatha — Ottawas and
     Ojibwas — Paw-pau-ke-wis — San-ge-man — Kau-be-man — An Indian
     custom — Dedication to the spirits — Au-se-gum-ugs — Exploits
     of San-ge-man — Point St. Ignatius — Magic lance — Council of
     Peace — Conquests of San-ge-man.



Mackinaw, with its surroundings, has an interesting and romantic
history, going back to the earliest times. The whole region of the
Northwest, with its vast wildernesses and mighty lakes, has been
traditionally invested with a mystery. The very name of Mackinaw, in
the Indian tongue, signifies the dwelling-place of the Great Genii,
and many are the legends written and unwritten connected with its
history. If the testimony of an old Indian chief at Thunder Bay can be
credited, it was at old Mackinaw that Mud-je-ke-wis, the father of
Hiawatha, lived and died.



Traditional history informs us that away back in (p. 010) a remote
period of time, the Ottawas and the Ojibwas took up their journey from
the Great Salt Lake towards the setting sun. These tribes were never
stationary, but were constantly roving about. They were compared by
the neighboring tribes to Paw-pau-ke-wis, a name given by the Indians
to the light-drifting snow, which blows over the frozen ground in the
month of March, now whirling and eddying into gigantic and anon into
diminutive drifts. Paw-pau-ke-wis signifies running away. The name was
given to a noted Indian chief, fully equal in bravery and daring to
Hiawatha, Plu-re-busta, or Man-a-bosho.



The Ottawas and Ojibwas dwelt for a time on the Manitoulin Island in
Lake Huron. While the tribes dwelt here, two distinguished Indian
youths, by the name of San-ge-man and Kau-be-man, remarkable for their
sprightliness, attracted the attention of their particular tribes.
Both were the youngest children of their respective families. It was
the custom of the Indians to send their boys, when young, to some
retired place a short distance from their village, where they were to
fast until the manitoes or spirits of the invisible world should
appear to them. Temporary lodges were constructed for their
accommodation. Those who could not endure (p. 011) the fast enjoined
upon them by the Metais or Medicine-men, never rose to any eminence,
but were to remain in obscurity. Comparatively few were able to bear
the ordeal; but to all who waited the appointed time, and endured the
fast, the spiritual guardian appeared and took the direction and
control of their subsequent lives. San-ge-man in his first trial
fasted seven days, and on the next he tasted food, having been reduced
to extreme debility by his long abstinence, during which his mind
became exceedingly elevated. In this exaltation his spiritual guide
appeared to him. He was the spirit of the serpent who rules in the
centre of the earth, and under the dark and mighty waters. This spirit
revealed to him his future destiny, and promised him his guardianship
through life. San-ge-man grew up and became remarkably strong and
powerful. From his brave and reckless daring he was both an object of
love and fear to the Ottawas.



About this time, as the legend runs, the former inhabitants of the
Manitoulin Island and the adjoining country, who have the name of the
Au-se-gum-a-ugs, commenced making inroads upon the settlements of the
combined bands, and killed several of their number. Upon this the
Ojibwas and Ottawas mustered a war party. San-ge-man, (p. 012) though
young, offered himself as a warrior; and, full of heroic daring, went
out with the expedition which left the Island in great numbers in
their canoes, and crossed over to the main land on the northeast.
After traveling a few days they fell upon the war path of their
enemies, and soon surprised them. Terrified, they fled before the
combined forces; and in the chase, the brave and daring youth
outstripped all the rest and succeeded in taking a prisoner in sight
of the enemies' village. On their return the Ojibwas and Ottawas were
pursued, and being apprised of it by San-ge-man, they made good their
escape, while the young brave, being instructed by his guardian
spirit, allowed himself to be taken prisoner. His hands were tied, and
he was made to walk in the midst of the warriors. At night they
encamped, and after partaking of their evening meal, commenced their
Indian ceremonies of drumming and shaking the rattle, accompanied with
war songs. San-ge-man was asked by the chief of the party, if he could
che-qwon-dum, at the same time giving him the rattle. He took it and
commenced singing in a low, plaintive tone, which made the warriors
exclaim, "He is weak-hearted, a coward, an old woman". Feigning great
weakness and cowardice, he stepped up to the (p. 013) Indian to whom
he had surrendered his war club; and taking it, he commenced shaking
the rattle, and as he danced round the watch-fire, increasing his
speed, and, gradually raising the tone of his voice, he ended the
dance by felling a warrior with his club, exclaiming, "a coward, ugh!"
Then with terrific yells and the power of a giant, he continued his
work of death at every blow. Affrighted, the whole party fled from the
watch-fire and left him alone with the slain, all of which he scalped,
and returned laden with these terrible trophies of victory to join his
companions who returned to the Island.



San-ge-man having by his valor obtained a chieftainship over the
Ottawas, started out on the war path and conquered all the country
east and north of Lake Huron. The drum and rattle were now heard
resounding through all the villages of the combined forces, and they
extended their conquests to Saut St. Mary. For the purpose of
bettering their condition they removed from the Island to the Detour,
or the mouth of the St. Mary's river, where they occupied a deserted
village, and there separated, part going up to the Saut, which had
also been deserted, and the other portion tarrying in the above
village for a year.



(p. 014) At the expiration of this time San-ge-man led a war party
towards the west, and reached the present point St. Ignatius, on the
north side of the straits where he found a large village. There was
also another village a little east of Point St. Ignatius, at a place
now called Moran's Bay, and still another at Point Au Chenes on the
north shore of Lake Michigan, northeast of the Island of Mackinaw. At
these places, old mounds, ditches, and gardens were found, which had
existed from an unknown period. From this point a trail led to the
Saut through an open country, and these ancient works can be
distinctly traced to this day though covered with a heavy growth of
timber.



After a hard fight with the inhabitants of these villages, San-ge-man
at length succeeded in conquering them, and after expelling them
burned all their lodges with the exception of a few at Point St.
Ignatius. The inhabitants of this village fled across the straits
southward from Point St. Ignatius and located at the point now known
as Old Mackinaw, or Mackinaw City.



In the mean time, San-ge-man had returned to the Detour and removed
his entire band to Point St. Ignatius. In the following spring while
the Ottawas were out in their fields planting corn, a party of
(p. 015) Au-se-gum-ugs crossed over from Old Mackinaw, on the south
side of the straits, and killed two of the Ottawa women. San-ge-man at
once selected a party of tried warriors, and going down the straits
pursued the Au-se-gum-ugs to the River Cheboy-e-gun, whither they had
gone on a war expedition against the Mush-co-dan-she-ugs. On a sandy
bay a little west of the mouth of the river, they found their enemies'
canoes drawn up, they having gone into the interior. Believing that
they would soon return, San-ge-man ordered his party to lie in ambush
until their return. They were not long in waiting, for on the
following day they made their appearance, being heated and weary with
their marches, they all stripped and went into the Lake to bathe
previous to embarking for Mackinaw. Unsuspicious of danger they played
with the sportive waves as they dashed upon the shore, and were
swimming and diving in all directions, when the terrific yell of armed
warriors broke upon their ears. It was but the work of a moment and
one hundred defenseless Indians perished in the waters. When the sad
intelligence came to the remainder of the tribe at Mackinaw, they fled
towards the Grand River country.



The village now deserted possessing superior attractions to San-ge-man
and his warriors, the Ottawas (p. 016) crossed the straits and took
possession, and here he remained until after he unfairly succeeded in
obtaining the magic lance.



It was while here that a large delegation of Indians of the
Mush-co-dan-she-ugs from the Middle village, Bear River, and Grand
Traverse came to shake hands and smoke the pipe of peace with him.
They had heard of his fame as a mighty warrior. The occasion was one
of great rejoicing to the inhabitants of Mackinaw, and all turned out
to witness the gathering. San-ge-man and his warriors appeared in
council, dressed in richest furs, their heads decorated with eagle
feathers, and tufts of hair of many colors. Among all the chiefs there
assembled, for proud and noble bearing none excelled the Ottawa. A fur
robe covered with scalp-locks hung carelessly over his left shoulder
leaving his right arm free while speaking. As the result of these
deliberations the bands became united and thus the territory of the
Ottawa chief was enlarged.



It was from this point that he sallied forth every summer in war
excursions toward the south, conquering the country along the eastern
shore of Lake Michigan, extending his conquests to Grand River, and
overrunning the country about the present site of Chicago. It was here
that he received reinforcements (p. 017) from his old allies the
Ojibwas, and extended his conquests down the Illinois River until he
reached the "father of waters."



From this place he went forth to the slaughter of the Iroquois at the
Detour, and expelled them from the Island of Mackinaw and Point St.
Ignatius. From hence he went armed to wage an unnatural war against
his relatives the Ojibwas, and was slain by the noble chief
Kau-be-man, and it was to this place that the sad news came back of
his fate. Thus much for the Indian history of Old Mackinaw.



Equally romantic is the history of the early missionaries and voyagers
to this great centre of the Indian tribes. On the far-off shores of
the northwestern lakes the Jesuit Missionaries planted the cross,
erected their chapels, repeated their pater nosters and ave
marias, and sung their Te Deums, before the cavaliers landed at
Jamestown or the Puritans at Plymouth. Among the Ottawas of Saut St.
Marie and the Ojibwas and Hurons of Old Mackinaw, these devoted
self-sacrificing followers of Ignatius Loyola commenced their
ministrations upwards of two hundred years ago. They were not only the
first missionaries among the savages of this northwestern wilderness,
but they were the first discoverers and explorers of the mighty lakes
and rivers (p. 018) of that region. In advance of civilization they
penetrated the dense unbroken wilderness, and launched their canoes
upon unknown rivers, breaking the silence of their shores with their
vesper hymns and matin prayers. The first to visit the ancient seats
of heathenism in the old world, they were the first to preach the
Gospel among the heathen of the new.(Back to Content)






(p. 019) CHAPTER II.



Indian Spiritualists — Medicine men — Legends — The
     Spirit-world — Difference between Indian and Modern
     Spiritualists — Chusco the Spiritualist — Schoolcraft's
     testimony of — Mode of communicating with spirits — Belief in
     Satanic agency — Interesting account of Clairvoyance.



The earliest traditions of the various Indian tribes inhabiting this
country prove that they have practiced jugglery and all other things
pertaining to the secret arts of the old uncivilized nations of the
world. Among all the tribes have been found the priests of the occult
sciences, and to this day we find Metais, Waubonos, Chees-a-kees and
others bearing the common designation of Medicine men. In modern
parlance we would call them Professors of Natural Magic, or of
Magnetism, or Spiritualism. The difference however between these
Indian professors of magic and those of modern date is, that while the
latter travel round the country exhibiting their wonderful
performances to gaping crowds, at a (p. 020) shilling a head, the
former generally shrink from notoriety, and, instead of being anxious
to display their marvelous feats, have only been constrained, after
urgent entreaty and in particular cases, to exhibit their powers. The
Indian magicians have shown more conclusively their power as
clairvoyants and spiritualists, than all the rapping, table-tipping
mediums of the present day.



Numerous interesting and beautiful Indian legends show their belief in
a spiritual world—of a shadowy land beyond the great river. Whether
this was obtained by revelations from their spiritual mediums, or
derived from a higher source of inspiration, we know not; but most
certain it is, that in no belief is the Indian more firmly grounded
than that of a spirit-world.



The Indian Chees-a-kees or spiritualists had a different and far more
satisfactory mode of communicating with departed spirits than ever
modern spiritualists have attained to, or perhaps ever will. Forming,
as they did, a connecting link or channel of communication between
this world and the world of spirits, they did not affect to speak what
the spirit had communicated; or, perhaps, to state it more fully,
their organs of speech were not employed by the spirits to communicate
revelations (p. 021) from the spirit world; but the spirits
themselves spoke, and the responses to inquiries were perfectly
audible to them and to all present. In this case all possibility of
collusion was out of the question, and the inquirer could tell by the
tones of the voice as as well as the manner of the communication,
whether the response was genuine or not.



Chusco, a noted old Indian who died on Bound Island several years ago,
was a spiritualist. He was converted through the labors of Protestant
Missionaries, led for many years an exemplary Christian life, and was
a communicant in the Presbyterian Church on the Island up to the time
of his death. Mr. Schoolcraft in his "Personal Memoirs," in which he
gives most interesting reminiscences, running through a period of
thirty years among numerous Indian tribes of the northwest, and who
has kindly consented to allow us to make what extracts we may desire
from his many interesting works, says that "Chusco was the Ottawa
spiritualist, and up to his death he believed that he had, while in
his heathen state, communication with spirits". Whenever it was deemed
proper to obtain this communication, a pyramidal lodge was constructed
of poles, eight in number, four inches in diameter, and from twelve to
sixteen feet in height. These poles were (p. 022) set firmly in the
ground to the depth of two feet, the earth being beaten around them.
The poles being securely imbedded, were then wound tightly with three
rows of withes. The lodge was then covered with ap-puck-wois, securely
lashed on. The structure was so stoutly and compactly built, that four
strong Indians could scarcely move it by their mightiest efforts. The
lodge being ready, the spiritualist was taken and covered all over,
with the exception of his head, with a canoe sail which was lashed
with bois-blanc cords and knotted. This being done, his feet and hands
were secured in a like firm manner, causing him to resemble a bundle
more than anything else. He would then request the bystanders to place
him in the lodge. In a few minutes after entering, the lodge would
commence swaying to and fro, with a tremulous motion, accompanied with
the sound of a drum and rattle. The spiritualist then commenced
chanting in a low, melancholy tone, gradually raising his voice, while
the lodge, as if keeping time with his chant, vibrated to and fro with
greater violence, and seemed at times as if the force would tear it to
pieces.



In the midst of this shaking and singing, the sail and the cords, with
which the spiritualist was bound, would be seen to fly out of the top
of the (p. 023) lodge with great violence. A silence would then ensue
for a short time, the lodge still continuing its tremulous vibrations.
Soon a rustling sound would be heard at the top of the lodge
indicating the presence of the spirit. The person or persons at whose
instance the medium of the spiritualist was invoked, would then
propose the question or questions they had to ask of the departed.



An Indian spiritualist, residing at Little Traverse Bay, was once
requested to enter a lodge for the purpose of affording a neighboring
Indian an opportunity to converse with a departed spirit about his
child who was then very sick. The sound of a voice, unfamiliar to the
persons assembled, was heard at the top of the lodge, accompanied by
singing. The Indian, who recognized the voice, asked if his child
would die. The reply was, "It will die the day after to-morrow. You
are treated just as you treated a person a few years ago. Do you wish
the matter revealed." The inquirer immediately dropped his head and
asked no further questions. His child died at the time the spirit
stated, and reports, years after, hinted that it had been poisoned, as
the father of the deceased child had poisoned a young squaw, and that
it was this same person who made the responses.



(p. 024) Old Chusco, after he became a Christian, could not, according
to the testimony of Schoolcraft, be made to waver in his belief, that
he was visited by spirits in the exhibitions connected with the
tight-wound pyramidal, oracular lodge; but he believed they were evil
spirits. No cross-questioning could bring out any other testimony. He
avowed that, aside from his incantations, he had no part in the
shaking of the lodge, never touching the poles at any time, and that
the drumming, rattling, singing, and responses were all produced by
these spirits.



The following account of Chusco, or Wau-chus-co, from the pen of
William M. Johnson, Esq., of Mackinaw Island, will be found to be
deeply interesting:



"Wau-chus-co was a noted Indian spiritualist and Clairvoyant, and was
born near the head of Lake Michigan—the year not known. He was eight
or ten years old, he informed me, when the English garrison was
massacred at Old Fort Missilimackinac. He died on Round Island,
opposite the village and island of Mackinaw, at an advanced age.



"As he grew up from childhood, he found that he was an orphan, and
lived with his uncle, but under the care of his grandmother. Upon
attaining the age of fifteen his grandmother and uncle (p. 025) urged
him to comply with the ancient custom of their people, which was to
fast, and wait for the manifestations of the Gitchey-monedo,—whether
he would grant him a guardian spirit or not, to guide and direct him
through life. He was told that many young men of his tribe tried to
fast, but that hunger overpowered their wishes to obtain a spiritual
guardian; he was urged to do his best, and not to yield as others had
done.



"Wau-chus-co died in 1839 or '40. He had, for more than ten years
previous to his death, led an exemplary Christian life, and was a
communicant of the Presbyterian Church on this Island, up to the time
of his death. A few days previous to his death, I paid him a visit.
'Come in, come in, nosis!' (grandson) said he. After being seated, and
we had lit our pipes; I said to him, 'Ne-me-sho-miss, (my
grandfather,) you are now very old and feeble; you cannot expect to
live many days; now, tell me the truth, who was it that moved your
chees-a-kee lodge when you practiced your spiritual art?' A pause
ensued before he answered:—'Nosis, as you are in part of my nation, I
will tell you the truth: I know that I will die soon. I fasted ten
days when I was a young man, in compliance with the custom of my
tribe. While my body was feeble from long (p. 026) fasting, my soul
increased in its powers; it appeared to embrace a vast extent of
space, and the country within this space, was brought plainly before
my vision, with its misty forms and beings—I speak of my spiritual
vision. It was, while I was thus lying in a trance, my soul wandering
in space, that animals, some of frightful size and form, serpents of
monstrous size, and birds of different varieties and plumage, appeared
to me and addressed me in human language, proposing to act as my
guardian spirits. While my mind embraced these various moving forms, a
superior intelligence in the form of man, surrounded by a wild,
brilliant light, influenced my soul to select one of the bird-spirits,
resembling the kite in look and form, to be the emblem of my guardian
spirit, upon whose aid I was to call in time of need, and that he
would be always prepared to render me assistance whenever my body and
soul should be prepared to receive manifestations. My grandmother
roused me to earth again, by inquiring if I needed food: I ate, and
with feeble steps, soon returned to our lodge.



"'The first time that I ever chees-a-keed, was on a war expedition
toward Chicago, or where it is now located—upon an urgent occasion.
We were afraid that our foes would attack us unawares, and as we
(p. 027) were also short of provisions, our chief urged me
incessantly, until I consented. After preparing my soul and body, by
fasting on bitter herbs, &c., I entered the Chees-a-kee lodge, which
had been prepared for me:—the presence of my guardian spirit was soon
indicated by a violent swaying of the lodge to and fro. "Tell us! tell
us! where our enemies are?" cried out the chief and warriors. Soon,
the vision of my soul embraced a large extent of country, which I had
never before seen—every object was plainly before me—our enemies
were in their villages, unsuspicious of danger; their movements and
acts I could plainly see; and mentally or spiritually, I could hear
their conversation. Game abounded in another direction. Next day we
procured provisions, and a few days afterward a dozen scalps graced
our triumphant return to the village of the Cross. I exerted my powers
again frequently among my tribe, and, to satisfy them, I permitted
them to tie my feet and hands, and lash me round with ropes, as they
thought proper. They would then place me in the Chees-a-kee lodge,
which would immediately commence shaking and swaying to and fro,
indicating the presence of my guardian spirit: frequently I saw a
bright, luminous light at the top of the lodge, and the words of the
spirit would be (p. 028) audible to the spectators outside, who could
not understand what was said; while mentally, I understood the words
and language spoken.



"'In the year 1815, the American garrison at this post expected a
vessel from Detroit, with supplies for the winter—a month had elapsed
beyond the time for her arrival, and apprehensions of starvation were
entertained; finally, a call was made to me by the commanding officer,
through the traders. After due preparation I consented; the
Chees-a-kee lodge was surrounded by Indians and whites; I had no
sooner commenced shaking my rattle and chanting, than the spirits
arrived; the rustling noise they made through the air, was heard, and
the sound of their voices was audible to all.



"'The spirits directed my mind toward the southern end of Lake
Huron—it lay before me with its bays and islands; the atmosphere
looked hazy, resembling our Indian Summer; my vision terminated a
little below the mouth of the St. Clair River—there lay the vessel,
disabled! the sailors were busy in repairing spars and sails. My soul
knew that they would be ready in two days, and that in seven days she
would reach this Island, (Mackinaw,) by the south channel, [at that
time an unusual route,] and I so revealed it to the inquirers. On the
day I mentioned (p. 029) the schooner hove in sight, by the south
channel. The captain of the vessel corroborated all I had stated.



"'I am now a praying Indian (Christian). I expect soon to die, Nosis.
This is the truth: I possessed a power, or a power possessed me, which
I cannot explain or fully describe to you. I never attempted to move
the lodge by my own physical powers—I held communion with
supernatural beings or souls, who acted upon my soul or mind,
revealing to me the knowledge which I have related to you.'



"The foregoing merely gives a few acts of the power exhibited by this
remarkable, half-civilized Indian. I could enumerate many instances in
which this power has been exhibited among our Indians. These
Chees-a-kees had the power of influencing the mind of an Indian at a
distance for good or evil, even to the deprivation of life among them:
so also in cases of rivalship, as hunters or warriors. This influence
has even extended to things material, while in the hands of those
influenced. The soul or mind—perhaps nervous system of the
individual, being powerfully acted upon by a spiritual battery,
greater than the one possessed more or less by all human beings."



(p. 030) In Schoolcraft's "American Indians" an interesting account is
given of a woman-spiritualist, who bore the name of the "Prophetess
of Che-moi-che-goi-me-gou." Among the Indians she was called "The
woman of the blue-robed cloud." The account was given by herself after
she had become a member of the Methodist Church and renounced all
connection with spirits. The following is her narrative:—



"When I was a girl of about twelve or thirteen years of age, my mother
told me to look out for something that would happen to me.
Accordingly, one morning early, in the middle of winter, I found an
unusual sign, and ran off, as far from the lodge as I could, and
remained there until my mother came and found me out. She knew what
was the matter, and brought me nearer to the family lodge, and bade me
help her in making a small lodge of branches of the spruce tree. She
told me to remain there, and keep away from every one, and as a
diversion, to keep myself employed in chopping wood, and that she
would bring me plenty of prepared bass-wood bark to twist into twine.
She told me she would come to see me, in two days, and that in the
mean time I must not even taste snow.



(p. 031) "I did as directed; at the end of two days she came to see
me. I thought she would surely bring me something to eat, but to my
disappointment she brought nothing. I suffered more from thirst than
hunger, though I felt my stomach gnawing. My mother sat quietly down
and said (after ascertaining that I had not tasted anything), 'My
child, you are the youngest of your sisters, and none are now left me
of all my sons and children, but you four' (alluding to her two elder
sisters, herself and a little son, still a mere lad). 'Who,' she
continued, 'will take care of us poor women? Now, my daughter, listen
to me, and try to obey. Blacken your face and fast really, that the
Master of Life may have pity on you and me, and on us all. Do not, in
the least, deviate from my counsels, and in two days more, I will come
to you. He will help you, if you are determined to do what is right,
and tell me, whether you are favored or not, by the true Great
Spirit; and if your visions are not good, reject them.' So saying, she
departed.



"I took my little hatchet and cut plenty of wood, and twisted the cord
that was to be used in sewing ap-puk-way-oon-un, or mats for the use
of the family. Gradually I began to feel less appetite, but my thirst
continued; still I was fearful of touching the snow (p. 032) to allay
it, by sucking it, as my mother had told me that if I did so, though
secretly, the Great Spirit would see me, and the lesser spirits also,
and that my fasting would be of no use. So I continued to fast till
the fourth day, when my mother came with a little tin dish, and
filling it with snow, she came to my lodge, and was well pleased to
find that I had followed her injunctions. She melted the snow, and
told me to drink it. I did so, and felt refreshed, but had a desire
for more, which she told me would not do, and I contented myself with
what she had given me. She again told me to get and follow a good
vision—a vision that might not only do us good, but also benefit
mankind, if I could. She then left me, and for two days she did not
come near me, nor any human being, and I was left to my own
reflections. The night of the sixth day, I fancied a voice called to
me, and said: 'Poor child! I pity your condition; come, you are
invited this way;' and I thought the voice proceeded from a certain
distance from my lodge. I obeyed the summons, and going to the spot
from which the voice came, found a thin, shining path, like a silver
cord, which I followed. It led straight forward, and, it seemed,
upward. After going a short distance I stood still and saw on my right
hand the new moon, (p. 033) with a flame rising from the top like a
candle, which threw around a broad light. On the left appeared the
sun, near the point of its setting. I went on, and I beheld on my
right the face of Kau-ge-gag-be-qua, or the everlasting woman, who
told me her name, and said to me, 'I give you my name, and you may
give it to another. I also give you that which I have, life
everlasting. I give you long life on the earth, and skill in saving
life in others. Go, you are called on high.'



"I went on, and saw a man standing with a large, circular body, and
rays from his head, like horns. He said, 'Fear not, my name is Monedo
Wininees, or the Little man Spirit. I give this name to your first
son. It is my life. Go to the place you are called to visit.' I
followed the path till I could see that it led up to an opening in the
sky, when I heard a voice, and standing still, saw the figure of a man
standing near the path, whose head was surrounded with a brilliant
halo, and his breast was covered with squares. He said to me: 'Look at
me, my name is O-shau-wau-e-geeghick, or the Bright Blue Sky. I am the
veil that covers the opening into the sky. Stand and listen to me. Do
not be afraid. I am going to endow you with gifts of life, and put you
in array that you may withstand and (p. 034) endure.' Immediately I
saw myself encircled with bright points which rested against me like
needles, but gave me no pain, and they fell at my feet. This was
repeated several times, and at each time they fell to the ground. He
said, 'wait and do not fear, till I have said and done all I am about
to do.' I then felt different instruments, first like awls, and then
like nails stuck into my flesh, but neither did they give me pain,
but, like the needles, fell at my feet as often as they appeared. He
then said, 'that is good,' meaning my trial by these points. 'You will
see length of days. Advance a little further,' said he. I did so, and
stood at the commencement of the opening. 'You have arrived,' said he,
'at the limit you cannot pass. I give you my name, you can give it to
another. Now, return! Look around you. There is a conveyance for you.
Do not be afraid to get on its back, and when you get to your lodge,
you must take that which sustains the human body.' I turned, and saw a
kind of fish swimming in the air, and getting upon it as directed, was
carried back with celerity, my hair floating behind me in the air. And
as soon as I got back, my vision ceased.



"In the morning, being the sixth day of my fast, my mother came with a
little bit of dried trout. (p. 035) But such was my sensitiveness to
all sounds, and my increased power of scent, produced by fasting, that
before she came in sight I heard her, while a great way off, and when
she came in, I could not bear the smell of the fish or herself either.
She said, 'I have brought something for you to eat, only a mouthful,
to prevent your dying.' She prepared to cook it, but I said, 'Mother,
forbear, I do not wish to eat it—the smell is offensive to me.' She
accordingly left off preparing to cook the fish, and again encouraged
me to persevere, and try to become a comfort to her in her old age,
and bereaved state, and left me.



"I attempted to cut wood, as usual, but in the effort I fell back on
the snow, from weariness, and lay some time; at last I made an effort
and rose, and went to my lodge and lay down. I again saw the vision,
and each person who had before spoken to me, and heard the promises of
different kinds made to me, and the songs. I went the same path which
I had pursued before, and met with the same reception. I also had
another vision, or celestial visit, which I shall presently relate. My
mother came again on the seventh day, and brought me some pounded corn
boiled in snow-water, for she said I must not drink water from lake
or river. After taking it, I related my vision to her. She said it
(p. 036) was good, and spoke to me to continue my fast three days
longer. I did so; at the end of which she took me home, and made a
feast in honor of my success, and invited a great many guests. I was
told to eat sparingly, and to take nothing too hearty or substantial;
but this was unnecessary, for my abstinence had made my senses so
acute, that all animal food had a gross and disagreeable odor.



"After the seventh day of my fast (she continued), while I was lying
in my lodge, I saw a dark, round object descending from the sky like a
round stone, and enter my lodge. As it came near, I saw that it had
small feet and hands like a human body. It spoke to me and said, 'I
give you the gift of seeing into futurity, that you may use it for the
benefit of yourself and the Indians—your relations and
tribes-people.' It then departed, but as it went away, it assumed
wings, and looked to me like the red-headed woodpecker.



"In consequence of being thus favored, I assumed the arts of a
medicine-woman and a prophetess: but never those of a Wabeno. The
first time I exercised the prophetical art, was at the strong and
repeated solicitations of my friends. It was in the winter season, and
they were then encamped west of the Wisacoda, or Brule River, of Lake
Superior, (p. 037) and between it and the plains west. There were,
beside my mother's family and relatives, a considerable number of
families. They had been some time at the place, and were near
starving, as they could find no game. One evening the chief of the
party came into my mother's lodge. I had lain down, and was supposed
to be asleep, and he requested of my mother that she would allow me to
try my skill to relieve them. My mother spoke to me, and after some
conversation, she gave her consent. I told them to build the
Jee-suk-aun, or prophet's lodge strong, and gave particular
directions for it. I directed that it should consist of ten posts or
saplings, each of a different kind of wood, which I named. When it was
finished, and tightly wound with skins, the entire population of the
encampment assembled around it, and I went in, taking only a small
drum. I immediately knelt down, and holding my head near the ground,
in a position as near as may be prostrate, began beating my drum, and
reciting my songs or incantations. The lodge commenced shaking
violently, by supernatural means. I knew this by the compressed
current of air above, and the noise of motion. This being regarded by
me, and by all without, as a proof of the presence of the spirits I
consulted, I ceased beating (p. 038) and singing, and lay still,
waiting for questions in the position I at first assumed.



"The first question put to me was in relation to the game, and where
it was to be found. The response was given by the orbicular spirit,
who had appeared to me. He said, 'How short-sighted you are! If you
will go in a west direction, you will find game in abundance.' Next
day the camp was broken up, and they all moved westward, the hunters,
as usual, going far ahead. They had not proceeded far beyond the
bounds of their former hunting circle, when they came upon tracks of
moose, and that day they killed a female and two young moose, nearly
full-grown. They pitched their encampment anew, and had abundance of
animal food in this new position.



"My reputation was established by this success, and I was afterward
noted in the tribe, in the art of a medicine-woman, and sung the songs
which I have given to you."(Back to Content)




(p. 039) CHAPTER III.



Marquette's visit to Iroquois Point — Chapel and Fort — Old
     Mackinaw — The French Settlement in the Northwest — Erection
     of Chapel and Fort — The Gateway of Commerce — The Rendezvous
     of Traders, Trappers, Soldiers, Missionaries, and
     Indians — Description of Fort — Courriers des Bois — Expedition
     of Marquette and Joliet to Explore the Mississippi — Green
     Bay — Fox River — Wisconsin — Mississippi — Peoria
     Indians — Return Trip — Kaskaskia Indians — St. Xavier
     Missions — Mission to "the Illinois" — Marquette's Health
     declines — Starts out on Return trip to Mackinaw — Dies and is
     Buried at mouth of Marquette River — Indians remove his
     Remains to Mackinaw — Funeral Cortege — Ceremonies — Burial in
     the Chapel — Changes of time — Schoolcraft on the Place of
     Marquette's Burial — Missilimackinac — Name of Jesuit
     Missions.




In the year 1670, the devoted and self-sacrificing missionary, Jean
Marquette, with a company of Indians of the Huron tribe, subsequently
known as the Wyandots from the Georgian Bay, on the northeastern
extremity of Lake Huron, entered for the first time the old Indian
town on the northern (p. 040) side of the Mackinaw Straits. During
the time he was planting his colony, and erecting his chapel at
Iroquois Point, which he afterward designated St. Ignace, he resided
on the Mackinaw Island. In 1671, he furnished an account of the island
and its surroundings, which was published in "The Relations Des
Jesuits". He says:



"Missilimackinac is an island famous in these regions, of more than a
league in diameter, and elevated in some places by such high cliffs as
to be seen more than twelve leagues off. It is situated just in the
strait forming the communication between Lakes Huron and Illinois
(Michigan). It is the key, and, and as it were, the gate for all the
tribes from the south, as the Saut, (St. Marie) is for those of the
north, there being in this section of country only those two passages
by water, for a great number of nations have to go by one or other of
these channels, in order to reach the French settlements.



"This presents a peculiarly favorable opportunity, both for
instructing those who pass here, and also for obtaining easy access
and conveyance to their places of abode.



"This place is the most noted in these regions for the abundance of
its fisheries; for, according to (p. 041) the Indian saying, 'this is
the home of the fishes.' Elsewhere, although they exist in large
numbers, it is not properly their 'home,' which is in the neighborhood
of Missilimackinac.



"In fact, beside the fish common to all the other tribes, as the
herring, carp, pike, gold-fish, white-fish and sturgeon, there are
found three varieties of the trout—one common; the second of a larger
size, three feet long and one foot thick; the third monstrous, for we
cannot otherwise describe it—it being so fat that the Indians, who
have a peculiar relish for fats, can scarcely eat it. Besides, the
supply is such that a single Indian will take forty or fifty of them
through the ice, with a single spear, in three hours.



"It is this attraction which has heretofore drawn to a point so
advantageous, the greater part of the savages, in this country driven
away by fear of the Iroquois. The three tribes at present living on
the Baye des Puans (Green Bay) as strangers, formerly dwelt on the
main land near the middle of this island—some on the borders of Lake
Illinois, others on the borders of Lake Huron. A part of them, called
Sauteurs, had their abode on the main land at the West, and the
others look upon this place as their country for passing the winter,
when there are (p. 042) no fish at the Saut. The Hurons, called
Etonontathronnons, have lived for some years in the same island, to
escape the Iroquois. Four villages of Ottawas had also their abode in
this quarter.



"It is worthy of notice that those who bore the name of the island,
and called themselves Missilimackinac, were so numerous, that some of
the survivors yet living here assure us that they once had thirty
villages, all inclosed in a fortification of a league and a half in
circuit, when the Iroquois came and defeated them, inflated by a
victory they had gained over three thousand men of that nation, who
had carried their hostilities as far as the country of the
Agnichronnons.



"In one word, the quantity of fish, united with the excellence of the
soil for Indian corn, has always been a powerful attraction to the
tribes in these regions, of which the greater part subsist only on
fish, but some on Indian corn. On this account many of these same
tribes, perceiving that the peace is likely to be established with the
Iroquois, have turned their attention to this point so convenient for
a return to their own country, and will follow the examples of those
who have made a beginning on the islands of Lake Huron, which by this
means will soon be peopled from one end to (p. 043) the other, an
event highly desirable to facilitate the instruction of the Indian
race, whom it would not be necessary to seek by journeys of two or
three hundred leagues on these great lakes, with inconceivable danger
and hardships.



"In order to aid the execution of the design, signified to us by many
of the savages, of taking up their abode at this point, where some
have already passed the winter, hunting in the neighborhood, we
ourselves have also wintered here, in order to make arrangements for
establishing the mission of St. Ignace, from whence it will be easy
to have access to all the Indians of Lake Huron, when the several
tribes shall have settled each on its own lands.



"With these advantages, the place has also its inconveniences,
particularly for the French, who are not yet familiar, as are the
savages, with the different kinds of fishery, in which the latter are
trained from their birth; the winds and the tides occasion no small
embarrassment to the fishermen.



"The winds: For this is the central point between the three great
lakes which surround it, and which seem incessantly tossing ball at
each other. For no sooner has the wind ceased blowing from Lake
Michigan than Lake Huron hurls back the (p. 044) gale it has
received, and Lake Superior in its turn, sends forth its blasts from
another quarter, and thus the game is played from one to the
other—and as these lakes are of vast extent, the winds cannot be
otherwise than boisterous, especially during the autumn."



"Old Mackinaw," the Indian name of which is Pe-quod-e-non-ge, an
Indian town on the south side of the Straits, became the place of the
first French settlement northwest of Fort Frontenac, or Cadaraeque on
Lake Ontario. The settlement was made by father Marquette, in 1671.
Pe-quod-e-non-ge, as we have seen in a previous Chapter, with its
coasts and islands before it, has been the theatre of some of the most
exciting and interesting events in Indian history, previous to the
arrival of the "white man." It was the Metropolis of a portion of the
Ojibwa, and Ottawa nations. It was there that their Congresses met, to
adopt a policy which terminated in the conquest of the country south
of it—it was there that the tramping feet of thousands of plumed and
painted warriors shook Pe-quod-e-non-ge, while dancing their war
dances—it was from there that the startling sound of the war yell of
these thousands was wafted to the adjacent coast and islands, making
the peaceful welkin ring with (p. 045) their unearthly shouts of
victory or death. In process of time a Chapel and Fort were erected,
and it became a strong-hold and trading post of the greatest
importance to the entire region of the northwest, being the gateway of
commerce between the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi, and also the
grand avenue to the Upper Lakes of the north, and the rendezvous of
the traders, merchants, trappers, soldiers, missionaries and Indians
of the whole northwest. Villages of Hurons and Ottawas were located in
the vicinity of the Fort and Chapel. The Fort inclosed an area of
about several acres, and was surrounded with cedar pickets. The
remains of the fort and buildings can still be seen. On an eminence
not far from the fort, the Ottawas erected a fortification. Within the
inclosure of the Fort and adjoining the Chapel, the Jesuits erected a
College, the first institution of the kind in the Western country. It
was also the great depot for the Courriers des Bois, or rangers of
the woods, who, from their distant excursions, would congregate here.
The goods which they had brought from Canada, for the purpose of
exchanging for furs with the Indians of Green Bay and Illinois, and
along the shores of Lake Superior, and the region lying between that
and the banks of the Mississippi, had to (p. 046) be deposited here,
and they were usually on hand a long time before they could be
disposed of and transferred to the distant marts of trade.



In the year 1672, while Marquette was engaged in his duties as priest
at the Chapel, the site of which now bears the name of St. Ignatius,
and also employed in instructing the Indian youth of the villages, he
was visited by Joliet, a member of the same order who bore a
commission from Frontenac, then Governor of Canada, empowering him to
select Marquette as a companion and enter upon a voyage of discovery.
The winter was spent by these men in making preparations to carry out
the commands of their superiors. The specific object of their mission
was to explore the Mississippi, which was supposed to empty into the
Gulf of California. That all possible information might be gained in
regard to this unknown river, Marquette held conversations with all
the noted Indian explorers and trappers, as well as the rangers of the
woods within his reach. From the information thus gained he made out a
map of the river, including its source and direction, and all the
streams known to empty into it.



Spring at length came, and on a bright, beautiful morning in the month
of May, having bid adieu to his charge at his mission, and commended
his flock (p. 047) to God, Marquette and his companion, with five
others selected for the purpose, entered their bark canoes with
paddles in hand, and St. Ignatius was soon lost to the sight of the
devoted missionary forever. After sailing along the Straits they
entered Lake Michigan, and continued their voyage until they arrived
at Green Bay, passed the mouth of the Menominee River, finally
reaching that of the Fox River. On the 7th of June, having sailed
upwards of two hundred miles, the voyagers reached the mission of St.
Francis Xavier. They had now reached the limit of all former French or
English discoveries. The new and unknown West spread out before them,
and the thousand dangers and hardships by river and land, heightened
by tales of horror related to them by the Indians, were presented to
their imagination. Resolutely determined to prosecute the enterprise
committed to their charge, they knelt upon the shore of Fox River to
renew their devotions and obtain the divine guidance and protection.
Encouraged by past success, and urged on by a strong faith, they
launched their canoes upon the bosom of the Fox River, and breaking
the silence of its shores by the dip of their paddles, they sailed up
its current. When they reached the rapids of that river, it was with
difficulty (p. 048) they were enabled to proceed. There was not power
enough in the paddles of the two canoes to stem the current, and they
were obliged to wade up the rapids on the jagged rocks, and thus tow
them along. Having made the voyage of the Fox they arrived at the
portage, and taking their canoes containing their provision and
clothes upon their shoulders, they reached the Wisconsin and launched
them upon that stream. They had no longer to breast a rapid current,
as the waters of the Wisconsin flowed west. With renewed courage they
prosecuted their voyage, and after ten days their hearts were made
glad at the sight of the broad and beautiful river which they were
entering, and which they supposed would bear them to the far-off
western sea. They had reached the "father of waters." No sight could
be more charming than that which presented itself to their vision as
they beheld on either side, alternately stretching away to a vast
distance, immense forests of mountain and plain.



At length, on the 25th of June, as they were sailing along near the
eastern shore, they discovered foot-prints in the sand. At sight of
these they landed and fastening their canoes, that they might again
look upon the face of human beings, they followed an Indian path which
led up the (p. 049) bank. They were not long in finding two Indian
villages, which proved to be those of the "Pewa-rias" and
"Moing-wenas." In answer to a question proposed by Marquette, who
addressed them in Indian, and inquired who they were; they answered,
"We are Illinois." After an exchange of friendly greetings with these
peaceable Indians, the voyagers re-embarked and passed on down the
river. They continued on their downward passage until they reached the
mouth of the Missouri, which poured its turbid flood into the
Mississippi; and still further until they passed the mouth of the
Ohio, and then on down until they passed the Arkansas, and arrived
within thirty miles of the mouth of the Mississippi. It was not
necessary to proceed any further to satisfy the explorers that the
river entered into the Gulf of Mexico, instead of that of California.



Having accomplished the end of the expedition, the company started out
upon their return trip on the 17th of July. When they reached the
mouth of the Illinois river, they determined on returning by that
route to Mackinaw. Arriving at the portage of that river they fell in
with a tribe of Indians who called themselves the Kaskaskias, who
kindly volunteered to conduct them to Lake Michigan, (p. 050) where
in due time they arrived. After sailing along the western shore of the
lake they again found themselves at Green Bay, and were heartily
welcomed by the brethren at the mission of St. Francis Xavier. Worn
down with fatigue, Marquette determined to remain here to recruit his
health before returning to his missionary labors. He spent his time at
this mission post in copying his journal of the voyage down the
Mississippi and back, which he accompanied by a map of the river and
country, and sent by the Ottawa flotilla to his superiors at Montreal.
The return of this flotilla brought him orders for the establishment
of a mission among the Illinois, with whom he had so friendly an
interview on his exploring voyage. Having passed the winter and
succeeding summer at the St. Xavier mission, he started out in the
fall for Kaskaskia. The difficulties of the journey were such, it
having to be accomplished by land and water, that his health, which
had been greatly enfeebled by his former voyage, was not sufficient to
enable him to endure the cold winds of winter which had set in before
the completion of the journey. On reaching the Chicago River it was
found closed, and he did not consider it prudent to undertake an
over-land journey. He therefore resolved (p. 051) to winter at that
point, and giving his Indian companions who accompanied him the proper
instructions and pious counsel, he sent them back to Green Bay. Two
Frenchmen made an arrangement to remain with him during the winter.
The nearest persons to their lodge were fifty miles distant. They were
French trappers and traders, one of whom bore the title of a doctor.
This latter person being informed of Marquette's ill-health paid him a
visit, and did what he could for his relief. He also received friendly
offices from the Indians in the neighborhood, a party of whom proposed
to carry him and all his baggage to the contemplated mission at
Kaskaskia. His health, however, was such that it did not allow him to
accept their kind offer, and he was obliged to remain in his camp
during the winter.



Spring at length returned after a long and dreary winter, and
Marquette, with some Indian companions, started out for the upper
waters of the Illinois River. In about two weeks he reached Kaskaskia,
and at once entered upon the duties of his mission. After having
instructed the Indians, so as to enable them to understand the objects
of his mission to them, he called them all together in the open
prairie, where he had erected a rude altar surmounted (p. 052) by the
cross, and adorned with pictures of the Virgin Mary. The chiefs and
warriors, and the whole tribe, were addressed by him in their native
tongue. He made a number of presents to them, the more effectually to
gain their affections and confidence, and then related to them the
simple story of the cross, after which he celebrated mass. The scene
was truly impressive, and the effect upon the sons of the forest was
all that the missionary could desire. Bright and cheering were the
prospects of converting the Kaskaskias to Christianity, but the
devoted missionary was doomed to disappointment. His former malady
returned, and assumed a type of so alarming a nature, that he was
satisfied his labors on earth would soon come to an end.



Thoughts of his beloved mission at Mackinaw, where he had spent so
many days in preaching to Ottawas and Hurons, and in teaching their
youth Christian science, filled his mind; and the Christian, not to
say natural, desire of his heart, was again to bow in the Chapel of
St. Ignatius, and again behold the parents and children of his former
charge. Having received the last rites of the church he set out to the
lake, accompanied by the Kaskaskias who sorrowed much at his
departure, but who were (p. 053) comforted by the dying missionary,
who assured them that another would soon be sent to take his place.
When they reached the shore of Lake Michigan the Indians returned, and
with his two French companions Marquette embarked in a canoe upon its
waters. As they coasted along the eastern shore of the lake the health
of Marquette continued to fail, and he at last became so weak that
when they landed to encamp for the night they had to lift him out of
the canoe. Much further they could not proceed, as the journey of life
with the missionary was rapidly drawing to a close.



Conscious of his approaching dissolution, as they were gently gliding
along the shore, he directed his companions to paddle into the mouth
of a small river which they were nearing, and pointing to an eminence
not far from the bank, he languidly said, "Bury me there." That river,
to this day, bears the name of the lamented Marquette. On landing they
erected a bark cabin, and stretched the dying missionary as
comfortably as they could beneath its humble roof. Having blessed some
water with the usual ceremonies of the Catholic Church, he gave his
companions directions how to proceed in his last moments. He
instructed them also in regard to the manner in which they were to
arrange his (p. 054) body when dead, and the ceremonies to be
performed when it was committed to the earth. He then, for the last
time, heard the confessions of his companions, encouraging them to
rely on the mercy and protection of God, and then sent them away to
take the repose they so much needed. After a few hours he felt that he
was about taking his last sleep, and calling them, he took his
crucifix and placing it in their hands, pronounced in a clear voice
his profession of faith, thanking the Almighty for the favor of
permitting him to die a Jesuit Missionary. Then calmly folding his
arms upon his breast with the name of Jesus on his lips, and his eyes
raised to heaven, while over his face beamed the radiance of
immortality, he passed away to the land of the blest.



In conformity with the directions of the deceased, in due time his
companions prepared the body for burial, and to the sound of his
Chapel bell bore it slowly and solemnly to the place designated, where
they committed it to the dust, and erected a rude cross to point out
to the passing traveler the place of his grave.



James Marquette was of a most ancient and honorable family of the city
of Laon, France. Born at the ancient seat of his family, in the year
1637, he was, through his pious mother, Rose de la Salle, (p. 055)
allied to the venerable John Baptist de la Salle, the founder of the
institute known as the Brothers of the Christian Schools. At the age
of seventeen he entered the Society of Jesus, and after two years of
study and self-examination had passed away, he was, as is usual with
the young Jesuits, employed in teaching, which position he held for
twelve years. No sooner had he been invested with the priesthood, than
his desire to become in all things an imitator of his chosen patron,
St. Francis Xavier, induced him to seek a mission in some land that
knew not God, that he might labor there to his latest breath, and die
unaided and alone. His desire was gratified. For nine years he labored
among the Indians, and was able to preach to them in ten different
languages; but he rests from his labors, and his works follow him. He
died, May 18, 1675.



The Indians of Mackinaw and vicinity, and also those of Kaskaskia,
were in great sorrow when the tidings of Marquette's death reached
them. Not long after this melancholy event, a large company of
Ojibwas, Ottawas, and Hurons, who had been out on a hunting
expedition, landed their canoes at the mouth of the Marquette river,
with the intention of removing his remains to Mackinaw. They had heard
of his desire to have his body interred in (p. 056) the consecrated
ground of St. Ignatius, and they had resolved that the dying wish of
the missionary should be fulfilled. As they stood around in silence
and gazed upon the cross that marked the place of his burial, the
hearts of the stern warriors were moved. The bones of the missionary
were dug up and placed in a neat box of bark made for the occasion,
and the numerous canoes which formed a large fleet started from the
mouth of the river with nothing but the sighs of the Indians, and the
dip of the paddles to break the silence of the scene. As they advanced
towards Mackinaw, the funeral cortege was met by a large number of
canoes bearing Ottawas, Hurons, and Iroquois, and still others shot
out ever and anon to join the fleet.



When they arrived in sight of the Point, and beheld the cross of St.
Ignatius as if painted against the northern sky, the missionaries in
charge came out to the beach clad in vestments adapted to the
occasion. How was the scene heightened when the priests commenced, as
the canoe bearing the remains of Marquette neared the shore, to chant
the requiem for the dead. The whole population was out, entirely
covering the beach, and as the procession marched up to the Chapel
with cross and prayer, and tapers burning, and laid the bark box
(p. 057) beneath a pall made in the form of a coffin, the sons and
daughters of the forest wept. After the funeral service was ended, the
coffin was placed in a vault in the middle of the church, where the
Catholic historian says, "Marquette reposes as the guardian angel of
the Ottawa missions."



"He was the first and last white man who ever had such an assembly of
the wild sons of the forest to attend him to his grave.



"So many stirring events succeeded each other after this
period—first, the war between the English Colonists, and the French;
then the Colonists with the Indians, the Revolutionary War, the Indian
Wars, and finally the War of 1812, with the death of all those who
witnessed his burial, including the Fathers who officiated at the
time, whose papers were lost, together with the total destruction and
evacuation of this mission station for many years, naturally
obliterated all recollections of the transaction, which accounts for
the total ignorance of the present inhabitants of Point St. Ignatius
respecting it. The locality of his grave is lost; but only until the
Archangel's trump, at the last, shall summon him from his narrow
grave, with those plumed and painted warriors who now lie around him."



The Missionaries who succeeded Marquette, at (p. 058) Mackinaw,
continued their labors until 1706, when, finding it useless to
continue the mission, or struggle any longer with superstition and
vice, they burned down their College and Chapel, and returned to
Quebec. The governor, alarmed at this step, at last promised to
enforce the laws against the dissolute French, and prevailed on Father
Marest to return. Soon after the Ottawas, discontented at Detroit, a
French post, which was served by the Recollects, and where the blood
of a Recollect had been shed in a riot, began to move back to
Mackinaw, and the mission was renewed. In 1721, Charlevoix visited
this mission, and this is the last we hear of it.



Nearly two hundred years have passed away since that event. The Chapel
of St. Ignatius has passed away, and with it the Chapel, and Fort, and
College at Old Mackinaw. Nothing is left but the stone walls and
stumps of the pickets which surrounded them, and which may be seen to
this day. To the Catholic, this consecrated spot, the site of one of
their first Chapels, and their first College in the great northwest,
must possess unusual interest. As there is a difference of opinion in
relation to the burial place of Marquette, whether it was on the north
or south side of the Straits, we give the (p. 059) following from
"Schoolcraft's Discovery of the Sources of the Mississippi." He says:
"They carried his body to the Mission of Old Mackinaw, of which he was
the founder, where it was interred. It is known that the Mission of
Mackinaw fell on the downfall of the Jesuits. When the post of
Mackinaw was removed from the peninsula to the island, which was about
1780, the bones of the Missionary were transferred to the old Catholic
burial ground, in the village on the island. There they remained till
a land or property question arose to agitate the Church, and when the
crisis happened the whole grave-yard was disturbed, and his bones,
with others, were transferred to the Indian village of La Crosse,
which is in the vicinity of L'Arbre Croche, Michigan."



There is a difference of opinion also as to the point from whence
Marquette and his companions started for the discovery of the
Mississippi. Schoolcraft says: "Wherever Missilimackinac is mentioned
in the Missionary letters, or in the history of this period, it is the
ancient Fort on the apex of the Michigan peninsula that is alluded
to." In his Introduction to the above work, he says, that "Father
Marquette, after laying the foundation of Missilimackinac, proceeded
in company with Sieur Joliet, (p. 060) up the Fox River of Green Bay,
and crossing the portage into the Wisconsin, entered the Mississippi
in 1673."



It is an established fact, that Marquette organized the Mission at Old
Mackinaw, in the year 1671, subsequently to that at the opposite
point, and that he remained there until the year 1673, when he
embarked with Joliet on his exploring tour of the Mississippi.
Charlevoix places the Mission of St. Ignace, on the south side of the
Straits, adjoining the Fort, and has made no such designation on the
north side, showing at least that this mission was more modern than
the other. Nearly all the Jesuit Missions bore the name of St.
Ignatius, in honor of their founder, as those of the Franciscans bore
the name of St. Francis. Ignatius Loyola and Francis Xavier were the
founders of these sects.(Back to Content)






(p. 061) CHAPTER IV.



La Salle's visit to Mackinaw — English traders — La Hontan's
     visit — Mackinaw an English fort — Speech of a Chippewa
     Chief — Indian stratagem — Massacre of the English at the
     fort — Escape of Mr. Alexander Henry — Early white settlement
     of Mackinaw — Present description — Relations of the
     Jesuits — Remarkable phenomena — Parhelia — Subterranean river.



In the summer of 1679 the Griffin, built by La Salle and his company
on the shore of Lake Erie, at the present site of the town of Erie,
passed up the St. Clair, sailed over the Huron, and entering the
Straits, found a safe harbor at Old Mackinaw. La Salle's expedition
passed eight or nine years at this place, and from hence they
penetrated the country in all directions. At the same time it
continued to be the summer resort of numerous Indian tribes who came
here to trade and engage in the wild sports and recreations peculiar
to the savage race. As a city of peace, it was regarded in the same
light that (p. 062) the ancient Hebrews regarded their cities of
Refuge, and among those who congregated here all animosities were
forgotten. The smoke of the calumet of peace always ascended, and the
war cry never as yet has been heard in its streets.



In Heriot's Travels, published in 1807, we find the following
interesting item:



'In 1671 Father Marquette came hither with a party of Hurons, whom he
prevailed on to form a settlement. A fort was constructed, and it
afterward became an important spot. It was the place of general
assemblage for all the French who went to traffic with the distant
nations. It was the asylum of all savages who came to exchange their
furs for merchandise. When individuals belonging to tribes at war with
each other came thither, and met on commercial adventure, their
animosities were suspended.'



Notwithstanding San-ge-man and his warriors had braved the dangers of
the Straits and had slain a hundred of their enemies whose residence
was here, yet it was not in the town that they were slain. No blood
was ever shed by Indian hands within its precincts up to this period,
and had it remained in possession of the French the terrible scenes
subsequently enacted within its streets would in all probability
(p. 063) never have occurred, and Old Mackinaw would have been a city
of Refuge to this day.



The English, excited by the emoluments derived from the fur trade,
desired to secure a share in this lucrative traffic of the
northwestern Lakes. They, accordingly, in the year 1686, fitted out an
expedition, and through the interposition of the Fox Indians, whose
friendship they secured by valuable presents; the expedition reached
Old Mackinaw, the "Queen of the Lakes," and found the El Dorado they
had so long desired.



The following interesting description, from Parkman's "History of the
Conspiracy of Pontiac," of a voyage by an English merchant to Old
Mackinaw about this time, will be in place here: "Passing the fort and
settlement of Detroit, he soon enters Lake St. Clair, which seems like
a broad basin filled to overflowing, while along its far distant verge
a faint line of forests separates the water from the sky. He crosses
the lake, and his voyagers next urge his canoe against the current of
the great river above. At length Lake Huron opens before him,
stretching its liquid expanse like an ocean to the furthest horizon.
His canoe skirts the eastern shore of Michigan, where the forest rises
like a wall from the water's edge, and as he advances onward, an
(p. 064) endless line of stiff and shaggy fir trees hung with long
mosses, fringe the shore with an aspect of desolation. Passing on his
right the extensive Island of Bois Blanc, he sees nearly in front the
beautiful Island of Mackinaw rising with its white cliffs and green
foliage from the broad breast of waters. He does not steer toward it,
for at that day the Indians were its only tenants, but keeps along the
main shore to the left, while his voyagers raise their song and
chorus. Doubling a point he sees before him the red flag of England
swelling lazily in the wind, and the palisades and wooden bastions of
Fort Mackinaw standing close upon the margin of the lake. On the beach
canoes are drawn up, and Canadians and Indians are idly lounging. A
little beyond the fort is a cluster of white Canadian houses roofed
with bark and protected by fences of strong round pickets. The trader
enters the gate and sees before him an extensive square area,
surrounded by high palisades. Numerous houses, barracks, and other
buildings form a smaller square within, and in the vacant place which
they enclose appear the red uniforms of British soldiers, the grey
coats of the Canadians, and the gaudy Indian blankets mingled in
picturesque confusion, while a multitude of squaws (p. 065) with
children of every hue stroll restlessly about the place. Such was old
fort Mackinaw in 1763."



La Hontan, who visited Mackinaw in 1688, says: "It is a place of great
importance. It is not above half a league distant from the Illinese
(Michigan) Lake. Here the Hurons and Ottawas have each of them a
village, the one being severed from the other by a single palisade,
but the Ottawas are beginning to build a fort upon a hill that stands
but one thousand or twelve hundred paces off. In this place the
Jesuits have a little house or college adjoining to a church, and
inclosed with pales that separate it from the village of the Hurons.
The Courriers de Bois have but a very small settlement here, at the
same time it is not inconsiderable, as being the staple of all the
goods that they truck with the south and west savages; for they cannot
avoid passing this way when they go to the seats of the Illinese and
the Oumamis on to the Bay des Puanto, and to the River Mississippi.
Missilimackinac is situated very advantageously, for the Iroquese dare
not venture with their sorry canoes to cross the stright of the
Illinese Lake, which is two leagues over; besides that the Lake of the
Hurons is too rough for such slender boats, and as they cannot come to
it by water, so they cannot approach it by land by reason of the
(p. 066) marshes, fens, and little rivers which it would be very
difficult to cross, not to mention that the stright of the Illinese
Lake lies still in their way."



As rivals of the French, the English were never regarded with favor by
the various Indian tribes. Constant encroachments by the English from
year to year, though they were lavish of their gifts did not tend to
soften the hostility of the tribes. Thus matters continued until
Mackinaw passed into the hands of the English, which event took place
after the fall of Quebec in the year 1759. This transfer of
jurisdiction from a people that the Indians loved to one that they
experienced a growing hate for during three-quarters of a century,
filled them with a spirit of revenge. Such was the dislike of the
Indians of Mackinaw to the English, that when Alexander Henry visited
that place in 1761, he was obliged to conceal the fact that he was an
Englishman and disguise himself as a Canadian voyager. On the way he
was frequently warned by the Indians to turn back, as he would not be
received at Mackinaw, and as there were no British soldiers there as
yet, he was assured that his visit would be attend with great hazard.
He still persisted, however, and finally, with his canoes laden with
goods he reached the fort, which, we have before remarked, was
surrounded (p. 067) with palisades, and occupied the high ground
immediately back from the beach. When he entered the village he met
with a cold reception, and the inhabitants did all in their power to
alarm and discourage him.



Soon after his arrival he received the very unpleasant intelligence,
that a large number of Chippewas were coming from the neighboring
villages in their canoes to call upon him. Under ordinary
circumstances this information would not have excited any alarm, but
as the French of Mackinaw as well as the Indians were alike hostile to
the English trader, it was no difficult matter to apprehend danger. At
length the Indians, about sixty in number, arrived, each with a
tomahawk in one hand and a scalping knife in the other. The garrison
at this time contained about ninety soldiers, a commander and two
officers. Beside the small arms, on the bastions were mounted two
small pieces of brass cannon. Beside Henry, there were four English
merchants at the fort. After the Indians were introduced to Henry and
his English brethren, their chief presented him with a few strings of
wampum and addressed them as follows:



"Englishmen, it is to you that I speak, and I demand your attention.
You know that the French (p. 068) King is our father. He promised to
be such, and we in turn promised to be his children. This promise we
have kept. It is you that have made war with this our father. You are
his enemy, and how then could you have the boldness to venture among
us, his children. You know that his enemies are ours. We are informed
that our father, the King of France, is old and infirm, and that being
fatigued with making war upon your nation, he has fallen asleep.
During this sleep you have taken advantage of him and possessed
yourselves of Canada. But his nap is almost at an end. I think I hear
him already stirring and inquiring for his children, and when he does
awake what must become of you? He will utterly destroy you. Although
you have conquered the French you have not conquered us. We are not
your slaves. These lakes, these woods and mountains are left to us by
our ancestors, they are our inheritance and we will part with them to
none. Your nation supposes that we, like the white people, cannot live
without bread, and pork, and beef, but you ought to know that He, the
Great Spirit and Master of Life, has provided food for us in these
spacious lakes and on these woody mountains.



"Our father, the King of France, employed our young men to make war
upon your nation. In this (p. 069) warfare many of them have been
killed, and it is our custom to retaliate until such time as the
spirits of the slain are satisfied. But the spirits of the slain are
to be satisfied in one of two ways; the first is by the spilling the
blood of the nation by which they fell, the other by covering the
bodies of the dead, and thus allaying the resentment of their
relations. This is done by making presents. Your king has never sent
us any presents, nor entered into any treaty with us, wherefore he and
we are still at war, and until he does these things we must consider
that we have no other father or friend among the white men than the
King of France. But for you, we have taken into consideration that you
have ventured among us in the expectation that we would not molest
you. You do not come around with the intention to make war. You come
in peace to trade with us, and supply us with necessaries, of which we
are in much need. We shall regard you, therefore, as a brother, and
you may sleep tranquilly without fear of the Chippewas. As a token of
friendship we present you with this pipe to smoke."



Henry was afterwards visited by a party of two hundred Ottawa warriors
from L'Arbre Croche, about (p. 070) seventy miles southwest of
Mackinaw. One of the Chiefs addressed him thus:—



"Englishmen: We, the Ottawas, were some time since informed of your
arrival in this country, and of your having brought with you the goods
we so much need. At this news we were greatly pleased, believing that,
through your assistance, our wives and children would be able to pass
another winter; but, what was our surprise, when a few days ago we
were informed the goods which we had expected were intended for us
were on the eve of departure for distant countries, some of which are
inhabited by our enemies. These accounts being spread, our wives and
children came to us crying, and desiring that we should go to the Fort
to learn with our ears the truth or falsehood. We accordingly
embarked, almost naked as you see, and on our arrival here we have
inquired into the accounts, and found them true. We see your canoes
ready to depart, and find your men engaged for the Mississippi and
other distant regions. Under these circumstances we have considered
the affair, and you are now sent for that you may hear our
determination, which is, that you shall give each of our men, young
and old, merchandise and ammunition to the amount of fifty beaver
skins on credit, and for which (p. 071) I have no doubt of their
paying you in the summer, on their return from their wintering."



The demands of the Indians upon the English, and their dissatisfaction
arising therefrom, had the effect to rouse the different tribes, and
they were noticed assembling from the surrounding country in great
numbers, and gathering in the vicinity of Mackinaw. One night four
hundred Indians lay around the Fort, evidently plotting mischief. A
Chippewa chief apprised Henry of the impending danger; but when the
suspicions were communicated to the Commandant of the Fort, Major
Etherington, he took no notice of it, supposing that the Indians only
resorted to this for the purpose of intimidation. The next day being
the King's birthday, the Indians proposed to celebrate it by a game of
baggatiway. It was played with bat and ball, and the contestants
were the Chippewas and Sacs. Major Etherington was present at the
game, and bet largely on the side of the Chippewas. In the midst of
the game, when all were in a high state of excitement, a warrior
struck the ball and sent it whizzing over the palisade into the Fort.
Instantly the Indian war yell was heard, and the savages rushed within
the gate, not however for the ball, but to tomahawk and scalp every
Englishman within the (p. 072) Fort. The French stood by as silent
spectators of the bloody scene, and were not attacked.



Henry witnessed the dreadful slaughter from his window, and being
unarmed he hastened out, and springing over a low fence which divided
his house from that of M. Langlade, the French Interpreter, entered
the latter, and requested some one to direct him to a place of safety.
Langlade hearing the request, replied that he could do nothing for
him. At that moment a slave belonging to Langlade, of the Pawnee tribe
of Indians, took him to a door which she opened, and informed him that
it led to the garret where he might conceal himself. She then locked
the door and took away the key. Through a hole in the wall Henry could
have a complete view of the Fort. He beheld the heaps of the slain,
and heard the savage yells, until the last victim was dispatched.
Having finished the work of death in the Fort, the Indians went out to
search the houses. Some Indians entered Langlade's house and asked if
there were any Englishmen concealed in it. He replied that he did not
know, they might search for themselves. At length they opened the
garret door and ascended the stairs, but Henry had concealed himself
among a heap of birch-bark vessels, which had been used in making
(p. 073) maple sugar, and thus escaped. Fatigued and exhausted, he
lay down on a mat and went to sleep, and while in this condition he
was surprised by the wife of Langlade, who remarked that the Indians
had killed all the English, but she hoped he might escape. Fearing,
however, that she would fall a prey to their vengeance if it was found
that an Englishman was concealed in her house, she at length revealed
the place of Henry's concealment, giving as a reason therefor, that if
he should be found her children would be destroyed. Unlocking the
door, she was followed by several Indians, who were led by Wenniway, a
noted chief. At sight of him the chief seized him with one hand, and
brandishing a large carving knife, was about to plunge it into his
heart, when he dropped his arm, saying, "I won't kill you. My brother,
Musinigon, was slain by the English, and you shall take his place and
be called after him." He was carried to L'Arbre Croche as a prisoner,
where he was rescued by a band of three hundred Ottawas, by whom he
was returned to Mackinaw, and finally ransomed by his Indian friend
Wawatam. At the capture of the place only one trader, M. Tracy, lost
his life. Captain Etherington was carried away by some Indians from
the scene of slaughter. Seventy of the English (p. 074) troops were
slain. An Englishman, by the name of Solomon, saved himself by hiding
under a heap of corn, and his boy was saved by creeping up a chimney,
where he remained two days. A number of canoes, filled with English
traders, arriving soon after the massacre, they were seized, and the
traders, dragged through the water, were beaten and marched by the
Indians to the prison lodge. After they had completed the work of
destruction, the Indians, about four hundred in number, entertaining
apprehensions that they would be attacked by the English, and the
Indians who had joined them, took refuge on the Island of Mackinac,
Wawatam fearing that Henry would be butchered by the savages in their
drunken revels, took him out to a cave, where he lay concealed for one
night on a heap of human bones. As the Fort was not destroyed, it was
subsequently reoccupied by British soldiers, and the removal to the
Island did not take place until about the year 1780.



Old Mackinaw, the theatre of so many thrilling scenes and tragic
incidents, has a history as a white settlement, reaching back to 1620,
the year of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. W. M. Johnson,
Esq., of Mackinac Island, in describing its history, says: "Mackinaw
City," for such has become (p. 075) the name of this wonderful point,
"with its coasts and the islands before it, has been the theatre of
some of the most exciting and interesting events in Indian history,
previous to the arrival of the 'white man.' It was the metropolis of a
portion of the Ojibwa and Ottawa nations. It was there that their
Congresses met, to adopt a policy which terminated in the conquest of
the country south of it; it was there that the tramping feet of
thousands of plumed and painted warriors shook Pe-quod-e-nonge—the
Indian name—while dancing their war dances, it was from thence that
the startling sound of the war yell of these thousands was wafted to
the adjacent coast and islands, making the peaceful welkin ring with
their unearthly shouts of victory or death.



"How remarkable, in reflecting upon the early and sound judgment of
the Indians in seizing upon the points commanding all the natural
avenues and passes of the Lakes, when it is considered that there
selections must necessarily have been the result of an intimate
knowledge with the geographical features of the country! This has been
yearly proved by the re-occupation of posts and places long neglected,
but the importance of which has become evident in proportion as we
have set a just value upon the Indian's judgment, with the (p. 076)
natural advantages of the country. Perhaps in no instance, is this
more strikingly exemplified than in Mackinaw City, the commanding
position of which, although always known to the Indians, Traders, and
Missionaries, and lately confirmed by Military Scientific Europeans;
but as yet not perceived by our Government. It is the only point
which can control the passage of the Straits of Mackinaw, and also the
Indians living in numerous villages south of the Straits. The Island
of Mackinac was merely occupied by the English to escape a second
massacre as in 1763; and which occupancy our Government has blindly
followed, believing it, as an evidence of English military skill and
judgment in the selection of commanding posts, while they at that
period did not make this selection with any reference to a future
hostile maritime power who might wish to pass, or force a passage
through the Straits.






Sugar Loaf—Mackinac.

Sugar Loaf—Mackinac.








Mackinac Island.

Mackinac Island.

1. Lover's Leap. 2. Harbor. 3. Village. 4. Fort. 5. Signal. 6. Sugar
Loaf. 7. Mission. 8. Robinson's Folly.





"The land rises gradually from the water at Mackinaw City, until it
reaches an elevation of seventy-five feet, from which beautiful and
picturesque views are obtained of the waters of the Straits, with the
numerous Islands sleeping on its bosom. The prospect from the City is
beautiful, beyond description—the Battery at New York can only be
compared to it, which is like it in its location. The (p. 077)
visitor will enjoy the view presented of the Islands, Points, and
adjacent shores; especially on a calm day, for the lake, and the green
woods upon isle and promontory, lie with a sleepy stillness before
him, enhancing the beauty of the prospect; and when the mind
contemplates the events of two hundred and fifty years ago, when
thousands of the red sons of the forest passed and repassed the site
upon which he now stands, he will appreciate more fully the rapid
strides of civilization.



"Two hundred and fifty years ago, bark canoes only dotted the surface
of the Lake; this spell of quiet was then broken a few years afterward
by the boisterous Canadian Voyageur with his songs, as he rowed or
paddled his bateaux and large northwest canoe. Now, the roaring
noise of the wheels of steamers, the shrill whistle of the propeller,
and the whitening sails of hundreds of vessels have succeeded to the
past age of darkness and quiet. Civilization and commerce have broken
the charm which beautified Indian scenery in years forever gone by."



A work, published under the auspices of the Canadian Government, in
three large octavo volumes, French, entitled "Relations of the
Jesuits," containing the most remarkable events that transpired
(p. 078) in the missions of the Jesuits in New France, furnishes
valuable information of the missions in the Mackinaw region. Among the
remarkable phenomena which came under the observation of the Jesuit
Fathers in Mackinaw, was the appearance of a parhelion on the 21st of
January, 1671. This remarkable phenomenon occurred about two hours
before sunset. It presented the form of a great crescent with its
points turned toward the sun. At the same time two other suns
appeared, equidistant from it, partly covered by a cloud having all
the colors of the rainbow, very luminous and dazzling to the eye. The
Indians said it was a premonition of great cold, which followed soon
after. On the 16th March the same parhelion appeared, and was seen
from three different places more than fifty leagues apart. The
observer at the Mackinaw mission saw three suns distant some half
league from each other. They were seen twice the same day, one hour
before sunrise and one hour before sunset. In the morning they were on
the south side of the true sun, and in the evening on the west side.
That on the south side was so accurate that it was difficult to
distinguish it from the true sun, excepting that it was partly
surrounded by a scarlet band on the side toward the sun. That on the
other side had more (p. 079) the appearance of an oval iris than a
sun, nevertheless it was an image like those which painters adorn with
golden rays, giving it a very magnificent appearance.



The same parhelion was seen on the island of Manitou in Lake Huron,
and accompanied by a very remarkable appearance. Three suns appeared
in the west, parallel with the earth. They were equal in size, but not
in beauty. The true sun was west-by-southwest, and the false sun on
each side. At the same time were seen parts of two circles parallel to
the horizon, having the colors of the rainbow, beside a fourth part of
the circle perpendicular to the horizon, having nearly the same color,
touched the false sun, which was in the southwest, and cutting the
half circle parallel to the horizon, was mingled and lost in its rays.
The false suns disappeared from time to time, and even the true sun.
Finally, a fourth sun was seen placed in a right line. When the false
suns disappeared they left after them two rainbows, as beautiful as
their own light. The Indians, who attributed all these signs to the
Genii, and who believe that they are married, wanted to know of the
missionary if these were not the wives of the sun. At this question it
occurred to him that a favorable opportunity was presented for
explaining (p. 080) to them the mysteries of the Trinity. On the next
day the Indian women, who before would not come to hear prayers, came
and presented their children to be baptized.



At the Saut St. Mary, seven false suns appeared around the true sun.
The true sun was in the centre of a circle formed by the colors of the
rainbow. On either side were two false suns, and also one above and
one below. These four were placed on the circumference of the circle,
and at equal distances directly opposite from each other. Beside this,
another circle of the same color as the first, but much larger, rested
the upper part of its circumference in the centre of the true sun,
while below and on either side were the false suns. All these eight
luminaries made a grand spectacle.



Auroras, even in midsummer, are of frequent occurrence, and exhibit a
brilliancy and extent rarely observed in lower latitudes. The
phenomena which most frequently occur are the following: A dark cloud
tinged on the upper edge with a pale luminous haze, skirts the
northern horizon. From this streaks of orange and blue colored light
flash up, and often reach a point south of the zenith. They rapidly
increase and decrease, giving to the whole hemisphere the appearance
of luminous waves and (p. 081) occasionally forming perfect corona.
They commence shortly after sunset and continue during the night. The
voyagers regard them as the precursors of storms and gales, and our
own observations have confirmed the result. Occasionally broad belts
of light are seen spanning the whole arc of the heavens, of sufficient
brilliancy to enable one to read. In the winter these phenomena are
much more frequent, and the ground appears tinged with a crimson hue.



We find in these relations of the Jesuits other matters of equal
interest. The fathers of the missions in and around the Straits of
Mackinaw gave it as their opinion, that the waters of Lake Superior
entered into the Straits by a subterranean passage, and in support of
it, mention the wonderful fact that the current floats against the
wind, and notwithstanding it drives furiously in one direction,
vessels are enabled to sail in a contrary direction as rapidly as
though the wind were not blowing. In addition to this, they refer to
the constant boiling up of the waters. Without admitting this theory,
they affirmed that it was impossible to explain two things. The first
is, that without such subterranean passage it is impossible to tell
what becomes of the waters of Lake Superior. This vast lake has but
one visible outlet, namely, the river of the Saut, (p. 082) while it
receives into its bosom the waters of a large number of rivers, some
twelve of which are of greater dimensions than the Saut. What then,
they ask, becomes of all these waters if they do not find an issue
through a subterranean river. The second reason for their belief in
this theory is the impossibility to explain from whence come the
waters of Lake Huron and Lake Michigan? But very few rivers flow into
these lakes, and their size is such as to justify the belief that they
must be supplied through the subterranean river entering into the
Straits.(Back to Content)






(p. 083) CHAPTER V.



Island of the Giant Fairies — Possession by the
     English — Erection of Government house — French remain at Old
     Mackinaw — Finally abandoned — Extent of the
     Island — History — Description — Natural curiosities — Arch
     Rock — Sugar Loaf Rock — Scull Rock — Dousman's
     Farm — Davenport's Farm — Robinson's Folly — The Devil's Punch
     Bowl — Healthful atmosphere — Transparency of the
     waters — Compared with Saratoga, Cape May, and Mt. Washington
     as a point for health and recreation — Description of a
     traveler in 1854 — Arrival of steamers and sailing vessels at
     the port during the year — Mr. Johnson's reminiscences — Indian
     name of Island — Mythology — Three brothers of the great
     Genii — Visit to the subterranean abode of the
     Genii — Vision — Apostrophe of an old Indian Chief — Old
     buildings — Door of Marquette's Chapel — John Jacob Astor and
     the fur trade — Present support of the place — Fort
     Mackinaw — Fort Holmes — Fine view — Interesting
     localities — War of 1812 — Death of Major Holmes — Soil of the
     Island.



The old fort having been deserted by the English, as we have noticed
in a previous chapter, and they having fled to the Island of Mackinaw,
which, in the (p. 084) Indian name, signifies Island of the giant
fairies, preparations were made for a settlement. Sir Wm. Johnston
called a grand council with those Indians who had been engaged in the
massacre at Old Mackinaw. By this council, which was held in 1764, the
spring following the siege, a way was opened for St. Clair to
negotiate for the island, and also for the grants previously made by
the Indians to the French for military purposes. The first thing done
after the island had been obtained was the erection of a government
house. The French and others who still remained at Old Mackinaw,
amounting only to about three hundred, continued a few years, when
they finally left, and everything was suffered to go into decay. A
desolation reigned over it for many years, and, on account of the
bloody siege, that point, which was the most attractive as well as the
most important to Indians, French, and English in all the Lake region
was, as if by common consent, abandoned.






Arch Rock.

Arch Rock.








Rock Castle—Pictured Rocks.

Rock Castle—Pictured Rocks.





The "New Mackinaw," as it is called, distant seven miles from the Old,
is on an island about nine miles in circumference, and covers an area
of six thousand acres. Its extreme elevation above the lake is about
three hundred and twelve feet. The village and fortress are situated
on the southeastern extremity of (p. 085) the island, where there
is a good harbor protected by a water battery. The island remained in
possession of the British until 1793, when it was surrendered to the
United States. It was retaken in 1812, but restored again by the
treaty of Ghent, in 1814. It is situated in North lat. 45° 54', West
lon. 84° 30' from Greenwich, being 7° 30' west from Washington. It is
three hundred and fifty miles north of Chicago and about three hundred
miles north from Detroit, and about two hundred and fifty miles west
of Collingswood, Canada. The fort stands on an elevated ground about
two hundred feet above the water. The town contains at present three
hotels, six boarding houses, eight dry-goods stores, and seven
groceries. Its public buildings are a Court House, Jail, Custom House,
Post Office, and Express Office. There are two Churches, the Roman
Catholic and Presbyterian.



The first thing we shall notice as a natural attraction on the island,
is what is called "The Arch Rock." This is a natural arch projecting
from the precipice on the northeastern side of the island, about a
mile from the fort, and elevated about one hundred and forty feet
above the level of the water. Its abutments are formed of calcareous
rock, and have been produced by the falling down of great masses of
(p. 086) rock, leaving a chasm of eighty or ninety feet in height,
and covered by the arch which spans it of fifty or sixty feet sweep.
The scene presented by cliff and chasm is one of wild grandeur. Like
the Natural Bridge of Virginia, it possesses an attraction to all fond
of natural curiosities, sufficient of itself to justify a visit to the
northern lakes. The view from the beach is particularly grand. Before
you is a magnificent arch suspended in mid air. Indian tradition says
that this wonderful arch was formed by the giant spirits who inhabited
this island. Geological tradition, however, indicates that it was
formed by the action of the waters, which were at a remote period much
higher than at the present time.



The next object which strikes the attention of the visitors is the
"Sugar Loaf Rock," a high, isolated, conical rock which, resting upon
the elevated plateau that forms the next highest point of the island
from that of Fort Holmes, exhibits a rise of some sixty to eighty
feet. This is but little less than the elevation of the ridge which
forms the crowning plan of the island, and upon which the dismantled
post of Fort Holmes is seen, being separated therefrom by a distance
not exceeding one hundred and fifty yards. By what violent throe of
nature it (p. 087) has become severed from the adjacent ridge, of
which it no doubt, formed a part, is matter of curious inquiry. Has
nature done this by gradual recession, or by the slow upheaval of the
land? On inspection, this rock is found cavernous, slightly
crystalline, with its strata distorted in every conceivable direction.
In its crevices grow a few cedars and vines. As the visitor approaches
it by the road side its effect is grand and imposing; still more so,
perhaps, when beheld from the top of the ridge, where its isolated
position with its bold form, breaking the outline of the island,
strikes the beholder with wonder and admiration.



Robinson's Folly is a high bluff, northeast from the village of
Mackinaw, half a mile from the mission house. Soon after the
settlement of the modern Mackinaw, Capt. Robinson, of the English
army, then commanding this port, had a summer house built on the brow
of this bluff, now called Robinson's Folly, for the purpose of
enjoying the prospect from that cool and elevated spot. Often he and
his brother officers resorted there during the summer days, to while
away lonely and tedious hours. Pipes, cigars, and wine, were brought
into requisition. No Englishman at that period was without them; in
fact, no hospitality or entertainment was complete without them.
(p. 088) They were indeed isolated; the nearest white settlements
being then Detroit, Green Bay, Saut St. Mary, and Chicago.
Communications with these places were not frequent.



A few years after, from the action of the elements, the brow of the
bluff, where Robinson's Folly stood, was precipitated to the base of
the rock, where the fragments can now be seen, which disastrous event
gave rise to its name.



The "Scull Rock," half a mile or three quarters northwest from the
rear of Fort Mackinaw, is chiefly noted for a cavern, which appears to
have been a receptacle for human bones, many of which were still to be
observed about its mouth a few years ago. The entrance is low and
narrow, and seems to promise little to reward the labors of
exploration. It is here probably that Alexander Henry was secreted by
the chief Wawatam after the horrid massacre of the British garrison at
Old Mackinaw.



Chimney Rock well repays the trouble of a visit, with the other points
of interest on the island.



Dousman's Farm, two miles west from the Village of Mackinaw, consists
of a section of land; the road to the English or British landing
passes through it, also to Scott's or Flinn's Cave, which is on the
northwestern portion of the farm. There are three (p. 089) springs of
cold delicious water on this farm, two of them are shaded by beech and
maple trees. This farm yields yearly from eighty to one hundred tons
of hay, besides a large quantity of potatoes and other farm produce.



Davenport's Farm, about one and a half miles from the village, is
situated on the southwestern portion of the Island. At the base of the
bluff, on the south part of this farm, is the Devil's Caves, and near
them is a beautiful spring of clear cold water, shaded by evergreens
and other trees. Half way up the bluff, which is nearly, if not fully,
three hundred feet high at this point; stands out, detached from the
limestone, an isolated rock, in appearance similar to the Sugar Loaf
Rock, which some persons have called the Lover's Leap; it is worth the
trouble of a visit, which a few minutes walk from the village
accomplishes. There are several points called Lover's Leap, so called
by romantic visitors, within the last few years. A gentleman from
Chicago, has purchased this farm, and report says that several
summer-houses are to be built upon it, which will enhance the beauty
of this locality.



Wm. M. Johnston Esq., furnishes the following tradition of Lover's
Leap:



"The huge rock called the 'Lover's Leap' is situated (p. 090) about
one mile west of the village of Mackinaw. It is a high perpendicular
bluff, one hundred and fifty to two hundred feet in height, rising
boldly from the shore of the lake. A solitary pine tree formerly stood
upon its brow, which some Vandal has cut down.



"Long before the pale faces profaned this island home of the Genii, a
young Ojibwa girl, just maturing into womanhood, often wandered there,
and gazed from its dizzy heights and witnessed the receding canoes of
the large war parties of the combined bands of the Ojibwas and Ottawas
speeding south, seeking for fame and scalps.



"It was there she often sat, mused and hummed the songs Ge-niw-e-gwon
loved; this spot was endeared to her, for it was there that she and
Ge-niw-e-gwon first met and exchanged words of love, and found an
affinity of souls existing between them. It was there she often sat
and sang the Ojibwa love song—



'Mong-e-do-gwain, in-de-nain-dum,

  Mong-e-do-gwain, in-de-nain-dum,

  Wain-shung-ish-ween, neen-e-mo-shane,

  Wain-shung-ish-ween, neen-e-mo-shane,

  A-nee-wau-wau-sau-bo-a-zode,

  A-nee-wau-wau-sau-bo-a-zode.'



I give but one verse, which may be translated as follows:



(p. 091) A loon, I thought was looming,

  A loon, I thought was looming:

  Why! it is he, my lover,

  Why! it is he, my lover;

  His paddle, in the waters gleaming,

  His paddle in the waters gleaming.



"From this bluff she often watched and listened for the return of the
war parties, for amongst them she knew was Ge-niw-e-gwon; his head
decorated with war-eagle plumes, which none but a brave could sport.
The west wind often wafted far in advance the shouts of victory and
death, as they shouted and sang upon leaving Pe-quod-e-nong (Old
Mackinaw), to make the traverse to the Spirit, or Fairiy Island.



"One season, when the war party returned, she could not distinguish
his familiar and loving war shout. Her spirit, told her that he had
gone to the Spirit-Land of the west. It was so: an enemy's arrow had
pierced his breast, and after his body was placed leaning against a
tree, his face fronting his enemies, he died; but ere he died he
wished the mourning warriors to remember him to the sweet maid of his
heart. Thus he died far away from home and the friends he loved.



"Me-she-ne-mock-e-nung-o-qua's heart hushed its (p. 092) beatings,
and all the warm emotions of that heart, were chilled and dead. The
moving, living spirit of her beloved Ge-niw-e-gwon, she witnessed
continually beckoning her to follow him to the happy hunting grounds
of spirits in the west—he appeared to her in human shape, but was
invisible to others of his tribe.



"One morning her body was found mangled at the foot of the bluff. The
soul had thrown aside its covering of earth, and had gone to join the
spirit of her beloved Ge-niw-e-gwon, to travel together to the land of
spirits."



Another point of interest and curiosity is the Devil's Punch Bowl,
situated south from the gateway, as you enter the farm of the late J.
Dousman, Esq.



This Island which rises like a gem on the brow of the lakes, is
favored by the clearest and most healthful atmosphere, and washed by
the purest and most transparent water in the world, imparting the most
pleasurable sensations imaginable. When this enchanting region shall
become fully known, Saratoga, Cape May, and Mount Washington will be
forgotten by those who fly from the heat and dust of our inland
cities, to breathe a pure air and drink health-giving waters.



(p. 093) A traveler in 1854, thus describes this interesting locality,
"Everything on the island is a curiosity, the roads or streets that
wind around the harbor or among the grove-like forests of the island,
are naturally pebbled and macadamized, the buildings are of every
style, from an Indian lodge to an English house, the island is covered
with charming natural scenery, from the beautiful to the grand, and
one may spend weeks constantly finding new objects of interest, and
new scenes of beauty. The steamers all call here on their way to and
from Chicago, and hundreds of small sail vessels in the fishing trade
have here their head quarters. Drawn upon the pebbled beach, or
gliding about the bay, are bark canoes, and the far-famed Mackinaw
boats, without number. These last are the perfection of light sail
boats, and I have often been astonished at seeing them far out in the
lake, beating up against winds that were next to gales."



We are indebted to Mr. Johnston for the following official list,
giving the number of sail vessels and steamers that have passed
through the Straits of Mackinaw during the day time, as reported to
the Revenue department, for six months, ending September 30th, 1859.



(p. 094)




    
    
    
    
    



 
Barques.
Brigs.
Schr's.
Steamers.




April,
14
9
101
47




May,
9
11
177
82




June,
15
13
221
194




Next 3 mon's,
98
61
764
353




 
—
—
——
——




 
136
94
1263
586




 




Total, 2079.






It would be a pretty correct estimate to add at least one-third more
of the total number for those that passed during the night,—which
would be a very low estimate of the shipping passing through our
straits.



But few of the vessels passing through the straits leave the main
channel, and go to the island some miles out of the way.



The lake traffic has of late years become perfectly enormous, the
increase of the western navigation being unprecedented. For example,
three thousand and sixty-five steamers passed up from Lake Erie to
Lakes Huron and Superior, by Detroit, in 1859, and three thousand one
hundred and twenty-one passed down. The greatest number up in a single
day was eighty-five—down seventy-three. Detroit statistics show that
five steamers, five propellers, four barques, seven brigs, and
eighty-five schooners have been more or less engaged in the Lake
Superior trade during the past season. Forty vessels left (p. 095)
during the season for European and seaboard ports, some of which have
returned, and one has taken her second departure. Navigation at
Detroit opened March 14th, and closed December 15th.



William Johnston, Esq., who has long resided on the island, says: 'The
Indians, from the earliest times, have always regarded the Island of
Mackinaw with veneration. The Indian name is
'Moc-che-ne-mock-e-nug-gonge,' which, as before stated, signifies
Island of Great or Giant Fairies.



"Indian mythology relates that three brothers of great or giant
Fairies, occupied different Islands in this section of the country.
The eldest occupied the Island Missilimackinac, the second lived on
the Island Tim-au Rin-ange-onge, in Lake Michigan, now called
Pottawattime Island, the youngest inhabited an Island called
Pe-quoge-me-nis, in Lake Huron. The heathen Indians, to this day, look
upon them with awe and veneration, and in passing to and fro, by their
shores, still offer to the Great Spirits tobacco and other offerings,
to propitiate their goodwill. The stories they relate of these Great
Fairies, are very interesting and worthy of record.



"The present southern gate of Fort Mackinac overlooks the spot, where
in olden times a door existed, to the entrance of the subterraneous
abode of (p. 096) these Giant Fairies. An Indian Chees-a-kee, or
spiritualist, who once encamped within the limits of the present
garrison, related, that some time during the night, after he had
fallen asleep, a fairy touched him and beckoned him to follow. He
obeyed and his spirit went with the fairy; they entered the
subterraneous abode, through an opening beneath the present gate near
the base of the hill. He there witnessed the giant spirits in solemn
conclave in what appeared to be a large beautiful wigwam. After being
there some time, lost in wonder and admiration, the chief spirit
directed one of the lesser ones, to show the Indian spirit out and
conduct him back to his body. This Indian could never be induced to
divulge the particulars of what he witnessed in his mysterious visit.



"An old Indian chief upon leaving this island, to visit his friends in
Lake Superior, thus soliloquized, as he sat on the deck of McKnight's
splendid steamer, the Illinois, while the darkness began dimly to
shadow forth the deep blue outlines of the island:



"'Moc-che-ne-mock-e-nug-gonge, thou Isle of the clear, deep-water
Lake, how, soothing it is from amidst the curling smoke of my opawgun
(pipe), to trace thy deep blue outlines in the distance; to call from
memory's tablets the traditions and stories connected (p. 097) with
thy sacred and mystic character, how sacred the regard, with which
thou hast been once clothed by our Indian seers of gone-by days; how
pleasant in imagination for the mind to picture and view, as if now
present, the time when the Great Spirit allowed a peaceful stillness
to dwell around thee, when only light and balmy winds were permitted
to pass over thee, hardly ruffling the mirror surface of the waters
that surrounded thee. Nothing then disturbed thy quiet and deep
solitude, but the chippering of birds, and the rustling of the leaves
of the silver-barked birch; or to hear, by evening twilight the sound
of the giant Fairies as they with rapid step, and giddy whirl, dance
their mystic dance on thy lime-stone battlements.'



"Several old buildings are now standing, the frames of which were
brought from old Mackinaw in the year 1764, which gives an odd and
venerable appearance to the village. Mr. Schoolcraft had the door of
Marquette's Chapel pointed out to him, which had been brought over
from Mackinaw, and hung to one of the edifices of the town.



"The village formerly received its greatest support from the fur
trade, when in the hands of the late John Jacob Astor, Esq., being, at
that time, the outfitting and furnishing place for the Indian trade.
His (p. 098) outfits extended then to the head waters of the
Mississippi, on the northwest, south to Chicago, southwest by the way
of Green Bay, to the Mississippi, and Missouri Rivers, in fact his
business was carried on throughout all the then northwest Indian
country. This trade became extinct in 1834, when Mr. Astor sold out
to Ramsey Crooks, Esq., of New York, and others, but it lacked the
energy and controlling influence which had been characteristic of Mr.
Astor's business, and after languishing a few years, the new company
became involved and their outposts were discontinued.



"The place since then has been mostly supported from the fisheries,
which are excellent and extensive. It is estimated that twenty
thousand barrels of white fish and trout are exported from this
country alone annually, estimated worth, at this point, about one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. A material support is also derived
from the immense amount of trade.



"The population is fluctuating, owing to the influx of strangers
seeking health, traders, and Indians; but the permanent inhabitants of
the village are about one thousand and fourteen, as per census of
1854.



"Fort Mackinac stands on a rocky eminence immediately above the town,
and is at present garrisoned (p. 099) by a company of United States
troops: a chaplain (Episcopalian) is attached to the garrison, and
services are held there every Sabbath. Fort Holmes occupies the
highest bluff of the island, and is not at present occupied: this
fortress was erected by the English, while they held possession of the
island, during the last war, and by them named Fort George. But after
the surrender of the island in 1814, the name was altered in
compliment to the memory of Major Holmes of the United States Army,
who fell in the unfortunate attack upon the island by Col. Croghan.
The gallant Holmes was killed a little below the rise of ground, as
you descend toward the Dousman farm-house, on your way to the British
landing. On Fort Holmes is a triangular station for the government
engineers, who have been at work some years in the straits.



"Visitors mounting the station on a still clear day, have a view of
this island, the straits with its curves, islands and points, and the
adjacent shores, which well repays them, especially on a calm day, for
the lake and green woods lie in stillness before them, taking the mind
for hundreds of years back, to the time when thousands of warriors
occupied the prominent points brought within view.



"Off to the northwest, some four or five miles, lies (p. 100) the
mixed Canadian and Indian settlement of Point St. Ignace and Moran
Bay, with a few farms, which give a more agreeable view to the
otherwise sameness of wood and water. There the Indians, called the
Au-se-gum-ugs, lived until driven away by the Ojibwas and Ottawas, as
they extended their conquests south and west. There also the Iroquois
were permitted to locate and live before the French reached and
settled on the St. Lawrence, there some of the Iroquois were massacred
and driven off by the Ojibwas and Ottawas. North of this can be seen
the outlines of the bluff called "Rabbit Sitting," northeasterly the
St. Martin Islands, the entrance of the Chenoux, and the dividing
ridge between this and the Saut St. Mary. On the northeast can be seen
the Detour, and to the south, Bois Blanc Light-House, and the
Cheboy-e-gun; and on the west the Straits of Lake Michigan, with
Waugoohance Point and Light-House.



"To the northwest of the ridge, where the woods slope by a gradual
descent to the shores of the Island, is the place at which the English
in the last war (1812), from six to eight hundred strong, composed of
a few English, Canadians, the majority being Indians, landed at night,
and having secured Michael Dousman's cattle, at his farm adjoining the
landing, (p. 101) and succeeded during the night in reaching the
hollow, which may be seen on the way from Fort Mackinac to Fort
Holmes, a little northwest of the present parade-ground, or nearly
opposite the northwest rear gate of the present fort, with their
cannon, which by daylight, was placed in battery on the knoll south of
the hollow before alluded to, which by its position completely
commanded the western gate and the garrison itself, took their
station.



"At dawn the citizens of the village were roused, and told to flee to
a place called the Distillery, west of the present village, as the
English troops were about to attack the American fort, and that the
English commanding officer had pledged his word for the safety of the
lives of those citizens who would flee to the place designated. This
was the first intimation the citizens had of war being declared
between the United States and Great Britain. Soon a cannon shot was
fired over the fort, its booming being also the first intimation the
American garrison had of the country being in a state of war. An
English officer appeared with a flag to summon the garrison to
surrender, stating the overwhelming force they had in command. The
American garrison, being short of one full company of men, was
surrendered, and the few troops taken and sent to (p. 102) Detroit on
parole. After this the English built and occupied Fort George, (now
called Fort Holmes) between the years 1812 and 1814. The English
government paid ten thousand pounds as prize-money to the volunteers
and soldiers, and merchandise and arms to the Indians. In the year
1836 I examined the list or pay-roll for this prize-money; the names
of all those who participated in the taking of Fort Mackinac were
there enrolled, the money was divided according to rank, and each
person receipted for his individual share.



"It is worth knowing, that by the treaty of Paris, of 1783,
acknowledging the independence of the United States, and fixing its
boundaries, Fort Mackinac fell under the jurisdiction of the United
States, and was surrendered, according to McKenzie, in 1794. In 1812
it was taken, as before stated, by the English and their Indian
allies. It resisted an attack from a strong detachment of the American
army and navy in 1814, under Col. Croghan, and was finally restored to
the United States by the treaty of Ghent.



"In 1814 Col. Croghan landed at the English Landing, under cover of
the guns of the American vessels. The troops moved from the landing,
and had reached Mr. M. Dousman's farm-house. The skirmishing (p. 103)
with the English and Indians had already commenced. East from the
house is a ridge over which the road lay. On this ridge and back of
it, also on each side of the road, the English were posted in force.
The gallant Major Holmes, on reaching the clearing near the house,
formed his men for a charge upon the enemy posted on the ridge. To
encourage his troops he led the charge. The English and Indians,
seeing the strong force, had commenced retreating, when an English
sergeant thought he might as well discharge the cannon before
retreating with his comrades, so accordingly applied the match. At
this instant, Major Holmes was either killed by a grape shot, or by an
accidental musket ball. His death threw the Americans into a panic,
and they immediately commenced a retreat, which ended in confusion.



"When the fleet first appeared before the island, there was only one
company of troops in the fort—had Col. Croghan then summoned it to
surrender, it would have been given up; but he sailed away, went and
burnt the trading-houses at Old St. Joseph's Island, and from thence
sent an expedition to the Saut St. Mary, under Major Holmes, who
burned the North West Fur Company Houses on the Canada side, and
carried away all the personal property of (p. 104) individuals on the
American side. Thus ten or twenty days were lost. In the mean time,
the Indians had come to the defense of Fort Mackinac, and, on the
second appearance of Col. Croghan, they were prepared, and our troops
shamefully defeated.



"This island, although the bluffs present the appearance of sterility,
is covered with a strong soil, which is continually renovated by the
spontaneous decomposition of calcareous rock. The common growth of
trees on the island are the sugar-maple, beech, birch, white and
yellow pine, white and red spruce, balsam fir, white cedar, iron wood,
and the poplar; the trees now seen are the second and third growth. On
the northwestern part of Mr. Dousman's farm, a few of the old
patriarchs of the forest are still standing."(Back to Content)




(p. 105) CHAPTER VI.



Lake Superior — Scenery — Transparency of its
     waters — Climate — Isle Royale — Apostles' Islands — La
     Point — Thunder Cape — Cariboo Point — A wonderful
     lake — Romantic scenery — Pictured Rocks — Rock Castle — The
     Grand Portal — The Chapel — Fluctuations in the waters of Lake
     Superior — Curious phenomena — Retrocession of the
     waters — Mirage — Iron mountains and mines — Description
     of — Products — Shipments — Copper — Immense boulders — Produce
     of the mines for 1857 — Shipment of copper from the Lake for
     1858 — Centre of the mining country — Iron Mountains — Copper
     mines of Great Britain — Coal — Mackinaw, a great
     manufacturing point — Key to the Upper Lakes — Commerce of
     Lakes — Growth of cities.



Lake Superior, though it possesses not all the vastness of the ocean,
is yet equal in sublimity. In gazing upon its surface, whether spread
out like a vast mirror reflecting the varying tints of the sky, or
ruffled by gently curling waves, or lashed into fury by the tempest,
one is impressed with the idea of the Infinite. It is known to be the
largest body of fresh water on the globe, being nearly four hundred
miles long from east to west, and one hundred (p. 106) and thirty
wide. It is the grand reservoir from whence proceed the waters of
Michigan, Huron, and Erie. It gives birth to Niagara, the wonder of
the world, fills the basin of Ontario, and rolls a mighty flood down
the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic.



This lake lies in the bosom of a mountainous region, where the Indian
yet reigns and roams in his wonted freedom. Except an occasional
picketed fort or trading house, it is yet a perfect wilderness. The
entire country is rocky and covered with a stunted growth of
vegetation such as is usual in high latitudes. The waters of this lake
are marvelously clear, and, even at midsummer, are exceedingly cold.
Mr. Charles Lanman, who has written a most admirable book, entitled
"Summer in the Wilderness," says, "In passing along its rocky shores,
in my frail canoe, I have often been alarmed at the sight of a sunken
boulder, which I fancied must be near the top, and on further
investigation have found myself to be upward of twenty feet from the
danger of a concussion. I have frequently lowered a white rag to the
depth of one hundred feet and been able to discern its every fold or
stain. The color of the water near the shore is a deep green; but off
soundings it has all the dark blue of the ocean."



(p. 107) Speaking of the climate, he says: "In midsummer it is beyond
compare, the air is soft and bracing at the same time. A healthier
region does not exist on the earth, an assertion corroborated by the
fact, that the inhabitants usually live to an advanced age,
notwithstanding the many hardships. The common diseases of mankind are
here comparatively unknown, and I have never seen an individual whose
breast did not swell with a new emotion of delight as he inhaled the
air of this northern wilderness."



The largest island in Lake Superior is Isle Royale. It is forty miles
in length and from six to ten miles in width. Its hills reach an
altitude of four hundred feet. During the winter season it is entirely
uninhabited, but in the summer it is frequently visited, particularly
by copper speculators. Near the western extremity of the lake are the
Apostles' Islands, which are detachments of a peninsula running out in
the same direction with Keweenaw, which is known as La Point. The
group consist of three islands, which rise like gems from the water.
There is a dreamy summer about them which make them enticing as the
Hesperides of the ancients.



The two most prominent peninsulas are Thunder Cape and Cariboo Point.
Thunder Cape is about fourteen hundred feet high. It looms up against
the (p. 108) sky in grandeur, and is a most romantic spot. Cariboo
Point is less lofty and grand in its appearance, but is celebrated for
its unknown hieroglyphics painted upon its summits by a race which has
long since passed away. In the vicinity of the bluff are found the
most beautiful agates in the world.



In the northeastern part of the lake is an island situated about
twenty miles from the Canadian shore, which has a wonderful lake in
its centre, about one mile in length. It is as beautiful as it is
wonderful. It is imbosomed in the fastnesses of perpendicular cliffs,
which rise to a height of seven hundred feet. It has but one outlet
and is impassable even to a canoe. At the opening of this narrow chasm
stands a column of solid rock which has a base of about one hundred
feet in diameter. The column rises, gradually tapering until it
reaches a height of eight hundred feet. A solitary pine surmounts the
summit of this wonderful column. There it stands like the sentinel of
this calm, deep lake, whose silence and solitude are rarely ever
broken, and whose tranquil bosom has never been ruffled by the
slightest breeze.






Rock Chapel.

Rock Chapel.








The Castles.

The Castles.





The scenery on the shores of Lake Superior is in some places of the
most romantic character. About one hundred miles west of Saut St.
Mary, a range (p. 109) of cliffs are to be seen, what has been
called the "Pictured Rocks." They are a series of sandstone bluffs
extending along the shore of the lake for about five miles, and
rising, in most places vertically from the water, from fifty to two
hundred feet in height. These towering cliffs have been worn away by
the action of the lake, which for centuries has dashed an ocean-like
surf against their base. The surface of these rocks has been, in large
portions, strangely colored by bands of brilliant hues, which present
to the eye of the voyager a singularly pleasing appearance. One of
these cliffs resembles so much the turreted entrance and arched portal
of some old feudal castle that it has been called "Rock Castle."
Beyond this is another architectural curiosity, denominated "The Grand
Portal," which consists of an arched opening in the rocks. The cliff
is composed of a vast mass, of a rectilinear shape, projecting out
into the lake six hundred feet, and presenting a front of three
hundred feet, and rising to a height of two hundred feet. An entrance
has been excavated from one side to the other, opening out into large
vaulted passages which communicate with the great dome, some three
hundred feet from the front of the cliff. The Grand Portal, which
opens out on the lake, is of magnificent dimensions, being one hundred
feet (p. 110) high, and one hundred and sixty-eight feet wide at the
water level. The distance from the verge of the cliff, over the arch
to the water, is one hundred and thirty-three feet, leaving three feet
for the thickness of the rock above the arch itself. The extreme
height of the cliff is about fifty feet more, making in all one
hundred and eighty-three feet. It is impossible, adequately, to
describe this wonderful scene. The vast dimensions of the cavern, the
vaulted passages, the rare combination of colors, the varied effects
of the light as it streams through the great arch and falls on the
different objects; the deep, emerald green of the water, the unvarying
swell of the lake, keeping up a succession of musical echoes; the
reverberation of one's voice coming back with startling effect, must
all be seen and heard to be fully appreciated.



Not far from this point is "The chapel" of the voyagers which nature
has cut out of the cliff thirty or forty feet above the lake. The
interior consists of a spacious vaulted apartment. An arched roof from
ten to twenty feet in thickness rests on four gigantic columns of
rock. These columns consist of finely stratified rock, and have been
worn into curious shapes. At the base of one of these pillars an
arched cavity or niche has been cut, access to which (p. 111) is had
by a flight of steps formed by the projecting strata. The arrangement
of the whole resembles very much the pulpit of a church, while the
arched canopy in front, opening out to the voluted interior, with a
flat tabular mass rising to a convenient height for a desk, and an
isolated block resembling an altar, all fashioned as appropriately as
if formed by the hand of man, constantly impresses one that he is
within the walls of a church.



In the Geological Report, made by Foster and Whitney, to Congress, we
find the following remark: "It is a matter of surprise, that so far as
we know, none of our artists, have visited this region, and given to
the world representations of scenery, so striking and so different
from any which can be found elsewhere. We can hardly conceive of any
thing more worthy of the artist's pencil, and if the tide of
pleasure-travel should once be turned in this direction, it seems not
unreasonable to suppose, that a fashionable hotel may yet be built
under the shade of the pine groves near the chapel, and a trip thither
become as common as one to Niagara now is."



Beyond the grand portal, the rock, being less exposed to the force of
the waves, bears fewer marks of their destructive action. The entrance
to Chapel (p. 112) river is at the most easterly extremity of a sandy
beach, which extends for a quarter of a mile, and affords a convenient
landing place, while the drift terrace elevated about thirty feet
above the level of the lake, being an open pine plain, affords
excellent camping ground, and is the most central and convenient spot
for the traveler to pitch his tent, while he examines the most
interesting localities in the series which occur in the vicinity,
particularly the Castle and the Chapel.



One who had resided upon the shores of Lake Superior for several
summers says, "Our attention has been directed to the fluctuations in
the level of its waters, and while we have failed to detect any ebb
and flow corresponding with the tidal action, we have on the other
hand noticed certain extraordinary swells, which appear to be
independent of the action of the sun and moon." The Jesuit Fathers in
1670-1, had their attention called to these extraordinary swells. In
their "Relations," they say, "We found at one time the motion of the
waters to be regular and at others extremely fluctuating. We have
noticed however, that at full moon and new moon, the tides change once
a day for eight or ten days, while during the remainder of the time
there is hardly any change perceptible. The currents set (p. 113)
almost invariably in one direction, namely toward Lake Michigan, and
they almost invariably set against the wind, sometimes with great
force."



Mackenzie who wrote in 1789, relates a very curious phenomenon, which
occurred at Grand Portage, on Lake Superior, and for which no obvious
cause could be assigned. He says, "the water withdrew, leaving the
ground dry, which had never before been visible, the fall being equal
to four perpendicular feet, and rushing back with great velocity above
the common mark. It continued thus rising and falling for several
hours, gradually increasing until it stopped at its usual height."



Professor Mather, who observed the barometer at Copper Harbor during
the prevalence of one of these fluctuations, remarks, "As a general
thing, fluctuations in the barometer accompanied the fluctuations in
the level of the water, but sometimes the water level varied rapidly
in the harbor, while no such variations occurred in the barometer at
the place of observation. The variations in the level of the water may
be caused by varied barometric pressure of the air on the water,
either at the place of observation or at some distant points. A local
increased pressure of the atmosphere at the place of observation would
lower the water level, where (p. 114) there is a wide expanse of
water; or a diminished pressure, under the same circumstances, would
cause the water to rise above its usual level."



In the summer of 1834, according to the report of Foster and Whitney,
made to Congress, in 1850, an extraordinary retrocession of the waters
took place at Saut St. Mary. The river here is nearly a mile in width,
and the depth of the water over the sandstone rapids is about two and
a half feet. The phenomenon occurred at noon. The day was calm but
cloudy; the water retired suddenly, leaving the bed of the river bare,
except for the distance of about twenty rods where the channel is
deepest, and remained so for the space of an hour. Persons went out
and caught fish in the pools formed in the rocky cavities. The return
of the waters was sudden and presented a sublime spectacle. They came
down like an immense surge, roaring and foaming, and those who had
incautiously wandered into the river bed, had barely time to escape
being overwhelmed. A similar event occurred in 1842, when the current
set back from the rapids, and the water rose upward of two feet above
the usual mark.



In 1845, Foster and Whitney, while coasting in an open boat between
Copper Harbor and Eagle River, observed the water rise up, at a
distance of a (p. 115) fourth of a mile to the northwest, to the
height of twenty feet. It curled over like an immense surge, crested
with foam and swept toward the shore. It was succeeded by two or three
swells of less magnitude, when the lake resumed its former
tranquillity. At the same time the mirage was beautifully displayed,
and imaginary islands were seen along the horizon. In 1849, they
witnessed at Rock Harbor, Isle Royale, the ebbing and flowing of the
water, recurring at intervals of fifteen or twenty minutes, during the
entire afternoon.



The difference between the temperature of the air and the lake, gives
rise to a variety of optical illusions known as mirage. Mountains
are seen with inverted cones, headlands project from the shore where
none exist. Islands clothed with verdure or girt with cliffs rise up
from the bosom of the lake. On approaching Keweenaw Point, Mount
Houghton is the first object to greet the eye of the mariner. In
peculiar stages of the atmosphere, its summit is seen inverted in the
sky long before the mountain itself is visible. On the north shore the
Paps, two elevated mountains near the entrance of Neepigon Bay, at one
time appear like hour glasses, and at another like craters, emitting
long columns of smoke, which gradually settles around their cones.



(p. 116) The mines and minerals of the northwest constitute the most
striking feature of the country, and at the present time one of the
great sources of its wealth.



The centre of the mining country is called the Superior country, or
the northern peninsula of Michigan, but there is no reason to believe
it is confined to this region. Coal and iron, the most valuable of all
minerals are found in various places in the northwest. The principal
and most valuable minerals found west of Mackinaw, are iron, copper,
and lead. A general view of the mineral region may be found in Owen's
Geological Survey of Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Superior. Great
beds of iron are found in ridges or cliffs, some of which rise up to
an immense height. Some of these ore-beds of Lake Superior are fifteen
feet in thickness, and one of them contains iron enough to supply the
world for ages. Above them are immense forests, suitable for charcoal.



The discovery of the iron mountains and mines of Lake Superior was
made in 1846, but they were not fully developed until the year 1855,
when the ship canal at Saut St. Mary was completed. The mines are from
three to sixteen miles from Marquette, a thriving village of upward of
one thousand inhabitants, overlooking the lake, about one hundred
(p. 117) and forty miles above the Saut. The mine nearest the lake is
about two and a half miles distant from Marquette, and bears the name
of Eureka. The ore is said to be of surpassing richness, and yields an
iron of the best quality, adapted to cutlery. The Jackson iron
mountain, and the Cleveland iron mountain, are fourteen and sixteen
miles distant. They send to Marquette an aggregate of one thousand
tons per week. These mountains rise gradually to the height of six or
seven hundred feet, and are a solid mass of iron ore, yielding from 50
to 60 per cent. of the best iron. The New England iron mountain is two
and a half miles beyond the Cleveland mountain, and abounds with ore
of equal richness. A mile or two further is the Burt mountain, and the
same may be said of this, both as it regards quantity and quality, as
of the others. A railroad has been constructed from Marquette to the
iron regions, and immense quantities of ore and iron are transported
over it daily.



All the hills and mountains surrounding Lake Superior, abound in
valuable minerals of which copper is the most abundant. It exists in
every variety of form. According to the opinion of the lamented
Houghton, this region contains the most extensive copper mines in the
known world. The native copper (p. 118) boulder discovered by the
traveler Henry in the bed of the Ontonagon river, and now in
Washington, originally weighed thirty-eight hundred pounds. A copper
mass of the same material, found near Copper Harbor, weighed twelve
hundred pounds. At Copper Falls, there is a vein of solid ore which
measures nine feet in depth, and seven and a half inches in thickness.
At Eagle river a boulder was found weighing seventeen hundred pounds.
The number of mining companies in operation on the American shore is
upward of a hundred.



The Minnesota mine, fifteen miles from Ontonagon, during the year
ending January 1, 1857, produced 3,718,403 pounds of copper. The Cliff
mine during the year, produced 3,291,229 pounds of copper. The Portage
Lake District, including Isle Royale, Portage, Huron, Quincy and
Pewabic shipped 539 tons of copper in 1857.



The Lake Superior miners estimate the total shipment of copper mineral
from the lake during the year 1858, at 6,008 tons, of an average
purity of 67 per cent—making the product of ingot copper about 4,000
tons, worth in the market at present $1,840,000. Estimating the
population of the copper region at 6,500 persons, this gives an annual
product of about $280 for each man, woman and child. The shipments
(p. 119) were as follows: From Keweenaw Point 2,180 tons; from
Portage Lake 1,152 tons; from Ontonagon District 2,676 tons; total
6,008 tons.



The extent and importance of the copper mines of Superior, in relation
to the general trade in that metal, may be estimated by the following
account of the amount of pure copper produced in other parts of the
world. The United Kingdom of Great Britain 14,465 tons, Norway 7,200
tons, Russia 4,000, Mexico 500, Hesse Cassel 500, Hartz Mountains 212;
Sweden 2,000, Hungary 2,000, East Germany 443; making a total, out of
America, of 30,820 tons. The single District of Ontonagon can produce
as much copper as the entire Kingdom of Great Britain. The copper
mines of the United States, are doing their part as effectually in
adding to the solid wealth of the country, as the gold mines of
California, or the silver mines of the Arizonia. The copper mining
countries are another illustration of the principle upon which success
is based, namely, that concentrated talent, effort and capital are
necessary to a development of the resources of a country.



When we look into the manufacture of this article, we shall find a new
element in the future growth of towns to arise in this region. At
present, a large portion of this copper is shipped abroad to be
smelted. (p. 120) But is there not every reason, as well of economy
as of material, for carrying on smelting, and all other manufacturing
processes, at the point of production? The cost of transporting the
raw material is greater than that of carrying the manufactured
product. But when all the elements of successful manufacturing exist
where the raw material is found, then the economy of the process is
doubled. Of metals, of navigation, of food, we have shown there is an
inexhaustible supply. But there is also coal near enough to supply the
last and only material which might be supposed wanting. Coal is found
in the Southern Peninsula of Michigan, in abundance and of good
quality. This coal is found at Jackson and at Lansing. This was a
matter of so much importance that Prof. Douglas, of the State
University, proceeded immediately to analyze it.



The following are the principal results of his analysis. It was made
chiefly in reference to the manufacture of gas:—



"The coal was of the bituminous variety, having a jet black color and
slaty structure. It was readily ignited, burning with a dull flame and
smoke, the fragments comminuting more or less by the heat. It had a
specific gravity of about 1.25.



"100 parts gave volatile matter 50.780, sulphur (p. 121) 4.028, iron
4.400, ash 8.400, carbon (not volatilized) 41.600.



"The value of coal for the manufacture of gas is usually estimated by
the amount of volatile matter it yields at a full red-heat."



Of ten samples of English coal, this had more volatile matter than
six. Of American coals, it had more of the burning principle than any,
except one. The quality of this coal is unquestionably good, and its
distance from Mackinaw is no objection, since access can be obtained
both by water and railroad. Both the coal and iron used in the
manufactures of Cincinnati are brought from places distant from one
hundred to five hundred miles; and yet scarcely any place in America
has prospered more by manufactures than the Queen of the West.
Mackinaw has more than the advantages of Cincinnati for manufactures.
It not only has iron and coal, but copper and lead, near enough for
all the purposes of successful manufacture. Favorable indications of
coal exist within fifty miles south of the Straits, and indications
also exist of lead. When we consider these facts, and the vast extent
of country, of inland oceans, and of streams around it, why should not
Mackinaw be a point of concentration for manufactures, as well as of
distribution for commerce?



(p. 122) Mackinaw is centrally situated in the mineral region, and
with coal and hard wood for charcoal in perpetual abundance, and the
cheapest possible mode of transportation, will become a great
manufacturing point, and be able to manufacture innumerable articles,
which are now made in Europe, and which our people have been compelled
to import for use, simply because the material hitherto employed has
been of a quality unsuitable for such purposes. Besides the healthful
and bracing temperature of this locality, when compared with Ohio and
Pennsylvania, whose summers are found to be exceedingly enervating,
especially to those employed in the manufacture of iron, affords
advantages, and offers inducements which cannot be overlooked, since
in the physical strength and comfort of the workmen, is involved the
all-important question of economy. If it should be asked, is the site
such that a great city can be built upon it, without imperial wealth,
like to that of St. Petersburg, or with the artificial foundations
like to those of Chicago, or bankrupting successive companies like
Cairo on the Ohio,—the answer is at hand and decisive. At Mackinaw
there are no marshes to fill up or drain, no tide sands, no
flood-washed banks, no narrow and isolated rocks or ridges, to
intercept the progress of commercial (p. 123) growth and activity. On
the contrary, the lake rises under the heaviest rains but little, and
breaks its waves on a dry shore rising gradually far above its level.
There is no better natural site for the foundation of a city in the
world, nor one possessing more inviting or beautiful surroundings, and
when we consider its available resources, it is evident that nothing
can prevent its rise and progress. The straits are so completely the
key of the Upper Lakes, Mackinaw must, as in the days of the fur
trade, unlock the vast treasures of the entire northwest. The shore of
Lake Superior, being but about fifty miles north of Mackinaw and
dependent on a canal navigation, annually navigable sixty days less
than the straits, on account of ice, to say nothing of breakage, it is
perfectly obvious that there can be no competing city further north.



The following from the Toledo Blade shows the immense importance of
this point as a key position:



"The immense commerce of the lakes, the growth of which has been
unparalleled by anything in the the history of the world, and the vast
mineral, timber and agricultural resources of their shores, which are
even now, only beginning to attract attention, may well awaken a
desire on the part of enterprise to get possession of the key position
which is to command (p. 124) and unlock the future treasures of this
vast empire. Already, six important commercial cities, with an
aggregate population of about 350,000 inhabitants, have sprung up on
these island waters, and are the most flourishing of any away from the
Atlantic coast. Others are struggling into notoriety on the borders of
Lake Superior, and must, at no very distant time, become important and
active places of business. But the place of all others, where we would
expect a city to spring up and grow rapidly into importance, is still
undeveloped.



"The Straits of Mackinaw, four and a half miles wide, make the only
natural ferry communication between the great peninsula, enclosed by
the lakes and the rich mineral region lying on the southern border of
Lake Superior; and must, hence, be the terminus of all the great
railroad lines that traverse Michigan longitudinally and compete for
the trade north of the straits, now rapidly growing up into
importance. It must therefore be the point of radiation, eastward,
through Canada; westward through the mineral region; and southward,
through Michigan. Canada has already made grants of land for several
important roads which must ultimately reach the straits; and lines are
also provided for by government grants, from the straits through the
Northern Peninsula, and from the straits southward to Fort (p. 125)
Wayne by the way of Grand Rapids, and to Toledo, through Lansing. The
culminating point being thus settled for several roads, all others
will naturally centre at the same crossing, even if the coast line had
not made such a thing inevitable.



"The point which projects northward into the lake, from the Michigan
Peninsula, to form this strait, is admirably located for a great city.
It is the site of old Fort Mackinaw, and in health and commercial
position, can have no rival in those southern waters. This point has
been selected by a company of capitalists, on which to plant the
commercial city of the north; the Venice of the Lakes, foreshadowed in
the extract which we have placed at the head of the article. This new
city is to bear the name of the ancient fort and strait, and to be
called Mackinaw. It will hold the key of all the northern lakes; and
should its growth be marked by energy and enterprise, will command the
trade of the greatest mining region in the world; be the chief depot
of the northern fisheries; the outlet of an immense lumber trade; and
the focus of a great network of railways, communicating with tropics
on the south, and stretching out its iron arms, at no distant day, to
the Atlantic on the east, and Pacific on the west.



"The proposed city will have the advantage of the (p. 126) most
salubrious climate to be found in the temperate zone, and will be the
resort of those seeking health, as well as those seeking wealth. It
has a northern position, being on the same parallel as Montreal; but
the winters are equable, and the summers though short, are mild and
pleasant, being modified by the great body of water which stretches
out on every side, except at the south. As a manufacturing point it
may well command universal attention. The Lake Superior iron is known
to be the best in the world, and coal and wood are at hand in the
greatest abundance; while communication by water is so wide as to
leave nothing to desire on that head. It should be as famous for
smelting as Swansea, in England, for it must have unbounded supplies
of iron and copper ore.



"But we have no space to speak of its commercial position. It must be
seen at a glance that, as all the produce which flows through Chicago,
Milwaukee, and the great West must sweep by on its way to the East,
and all the goods and merchandise of the East, must be borne by its
wharves on their way to the West, that it cannot fail to be a point
which must spring at once into importance. The government, too, must
have a fort, a light-house, and customhouse there, which with the
fisheries, must supply a large profitable business to its earlier
population."(Back to Content)




(p. 127) CHAPTER VII.



Lake Huron — Eastern shore of Michigan — Face of the
     country — Picturesque
     view — Rivers — Grand — Saginaw — Cheboy-e-gun — Natural
     scenery — Fort Gratiot — White Rock — Saginaw Bay — Thunder
     Bay — Bois Blanc Island — Drummond's Island — British
     Troops — St. Helena Island — Iroquois Woman's Point — Point La
     Barbe — Point aux Sable — Point St. Vital — Wreck of the Queen
     City — St. Martin's Island — Fox Point — Moneto pa-maw — Mille
     au Coquin — Great fishing places — Cross Village — Catholic
     Convent.



Lake Huron, which, with Lake Erie and St. Clair, washes the eastern
boundary of the southern peninsula of Michigan, is two hundred and
fifty miles long and its average width is about one hundred miles. Its
depth is about eight hundred feet. The southeastern shore of Michigan
presents a level surface covered with a dense forest, at points
meeting the edge of the bank. The trees of this heavily-timbered land,
with their massive shafts standing close together, "cast a gloomy
grandeur over the scene, and when stripped of their foliage appear
like (p. 128) the black colonnade of a sylvan temple." In advancing
into the interior, a picturesque and rolling country opens to view,
covered with oak-openings or groves of white oak thinly scattered over
the ground, having the appearance of stately parks. The appearance of
the surface of the country is as if it was covered with mounds,
arranged without order, sometimes rising from thirty to two hundred
feet in height, producing a delightful alternation of hill and dale,
which is sometimes varied by a rich prairie or burr-oak grove.



The principal rivers of the State are the Grand, St. Joseph's,
Kalamazoo, the Raisin, the Clinton, the Huron, and the Rouge. The
Grand is two hundred and seventy miles in length, and has a free
navigation for steamboats which ply regularly between Lake Michigan
and Grand Rapids, a distance of forty miles. The Saginaw empties into
Lake Huron and is navigable for sixty miles. These, with the others we
have named, interlock their branches running through different parts
of southern Michigan, and while they beautify the landscape they
afford water-power and fertilize the soil.



The river Cheboy-e-gun is the largest stream in the northern portion
of the lower peninsula and empties into the Straits of Mackinaw
opposite Bois (p. 129) Blanc Island. At its mouth is a village
containing two steam saw mills and one water saw mill. A light-house
stands a mile or two east from this point. Brook-trout, bass, pike,
pickerel, and perch, are caught at the entrance of the river. In the
fall and spring numerous water-fowl resort to the upper forks of the
river and to the small lakes forming its sources. These lakes also
abound with a great variety of fish, which can be taken by spearing.



The natural scenery of Michigan is imposing. The extensive tracts of
dense forests, clothed with the richest verdure, fresh as when it
first came from the hands of the Creator; the prairies and lakes which
abound, the wide parks, whose soil is entirely covered for miles with
large and rich flowers, present a striking and agreeable contrast. The
beech and black walnut, the elm, the maple, the hickory, and the oaks
of different species and large size, the lind and the bass-wood, and
various other kinds of forest trees, plainly indicate the fertility of
the soil from whence they spring. Grape vines often hang from the
branches a foot in circumference, clustering around their trunks, or
thickening the undergrowth along the banks of rivers; and, while the
glades open to the sun like cultivated grounds, the more
thickly-timbered forests, shut out from the sky by (p. 130) the mass
of vegetation, present in summer a gloomy twilight.



In traveling along the main roads of Michigan, splendid tracts of
park-like lawns sweep along the path for miles covered with flowers,
broken by prairies, thick forests, and lakes.



Fort Gratiot stands at the foot of Lake Huron and commands the
entrance to the upper lakes. Advancing along the western shore of this
lake the voyager sees a long, alluvial bank covered with a forest of
pine, poplar, beech, and hemlock.



On advancing further the banks become more elevated until they rise to
forty feet in height. About fifty miles from Fort Gratiot, a large
rock rises to the surface of the lake, a mile or so from the shore,
which is called the "White Rock." From the earliest period this rock
has been regarded as an altar or a landmark. It was to the early
voyagers a beacon to guide them in their course; but to the Indians it
was a place of oblation, where they offered sacrifices to the spirits
of the lakes.



Saginaw Bay is a large indentation of the shoreline like to that of
Green Bay in Lake Michigan, but not so large. Near its centre are a
number of small islands. Twenty miles from its mouth stands the
thriving town of Saginaw. From the northwesterly (p. 131) cape of
Saginaw Bay to Flat Rock Point, the shore of Lake Huron presents a
bank of alluvial soil, with a margin of sand along its border
intersected with frequent masses of limestone rock, in some places
ground to fragments by the surging of the waves.



Thunder Bay is also another indentation made by the Lake. It was thus
called from the impression that at this point the air was more than
ordinarily charged with electricity.



Bois Blanc Island, at the head of Lake Huron, stretches in the form of
a crescent between the Island of Mackinac and the lower peninsula of
Michigan. It is from ten to twelve miles in length by three or four in
breadth. The lower part of this island is sandy, but the larger
portion of it is covered with a fertile soil bearing a forest of elm,
maple, oak, ash, whitewood and beech. It has been surveyed and a
government light-house stands on its eastern point.



In the northern part of Lake Michigan are located Beaver Islands.
There are five or six of this group bearing different names. Big
Beaver is the most considerable, and contains perhaps forty square
miles. These islands all lie in the vicinity of each other, and within
a few miles northwest of Grand (p. 132) and Little Traverse Bays in
Lake Michigan. The Big Beaver was, up to July, 1856, in possession of
the Mormons, who claimed it as a gift from the Lord.



Another interesting locality is Drummond's Island, between the Detour
and the False Detour. It was taken possession of by the British troops
when they surrendered Fort Mackinaw in 1814. On this island they built
a fort and formed quite a settlement. Upon an examination of the
boundary line between the United States and Great Britain, it was
ascertained that this island was within the jurisdiction of the
former, and it was accordingly evacuated by the British in 1828. The
British subjects living on the island followed the troops, and the
place was soon deserted and became a desolation.



St. Helena Island is a small island near the Straits of Mackinaw, not
far from the shore of the northern peninsula, containing a few acres
over a section of land. It is a great fishing station, and enjoys a
good harbor protected from westerly winds. Its owner, who has exiled
himself a la Napoleon, spends his time in fishing, and other
pursuits adapted to his mind.



In addition to the numerous islands constituting the surroundings of
Mackinaw there are a number (p. 133) of interesting localities
denominated "Points", that we must not omit to mention. The first,
because the most important, and one which is connected with many
historic associations which we shall direct attention to, is the
"Iroquois Woman's Point," the Indian name for Point St. Ignatius on
the opposite side of the straits from Mackinaw, distant between three
and four miles, about the same as from the Battery at New York to
Staten Island. The original inhabitants with their descendants have
long since passed away. Its present occupants are principally
Canadians. It has a Catholic chapel.



Point La Barbe, opposite to Green Island Shoals and Mackinaw, is a
projection of the upper peninsula into the straits. It is four miles
distant from Gross Cape, and derives its name from a custom which
prevailed among the Indian traders in olden time on their annual
return to Mackinaw of stopping here and putting on their best apparel
before making their appearance among the people of that place.



About half way between Mackinaw and Cheboy-e-gun, a projection from
the lower peninsula into the straits, is Point aux Sable. Point St.
Vital is a cape projecting into Lake Huron from the southeastern
extremity of the upper peninsula. There is (p. 134) a reef of rocks
off this point where the steamer Queen City was wrecked. On a clear
day this point may be seen from Fort Holmes, and it presents an
enchanting view. The St. Martin's Islands are also in full view from
this point.



In the southwestern part of the straits, about twenty miles distant
from Mackinaw, is Fox Point. A light-house has been erected on a shoal
extending out two miles into the lake. Moneto-pa-maw is a high bluff
still further west, on the shore of Michigan, where there are fine
fisheries, and is a place of considerable resort. Further west, near
the mouth of the Mille au Coquin river which empties into Michigan,
there are also excellent fisheries, and to those who are fond of this
kind of sport apart from the profit connected with it, there is no
place in the world possessing half the attractions as Mackinaw and its
surroundings, while the "Mackinaw trout," with the "Mackinaw boat" and
the "Mackinaw blanket," are famous over the world.



Between Little Traverse and Mackinaw is the village of Cross, or La
Crosse. The following interesting account of a visit to that place is
taken from the Mackinaw Herald in 1859:



"The name of this village—'Cross,' recalls to one's mind, some
reminiscences connected with the early (p. 135) history of the Indian
Missions. Suffice it to observe, that it derives its name from the
circumstance of a large cross having stood for many years on the brow
of the hill, on which the present Indian village stands, planted there
by some of the followers of James Marquette, during their explorations
and missions in this part of the country. The old cross was of oak,
and was still standing about forty-five years ago. Recently it has
been replaced by another. An old Indian, called The Short-Arm, over
whose head some eighty winters had passed, was still living in 1836,
and who, when a little boy, recollected to have seen the last
Missionary of this place. 'I am old, my children,' said the aged
Missionary, 'and I wish to die among my own people—I must leave you.'
He left; and in the course of time the Arbre-Croche Indians relapsed
into Paganism. They continued in this state until a young Christian
Ottawa, named Aw-taw-weesh, who had just returned from among the
Catholic Algonquins in Canada, appeared among them and taught
religion. He became also, in some respects, what Cadmus was of old, or
Guess among the Cherokees—the first teacher of letters, among his
people. As writing paper was then scarce, at least among the Indians,
he taught them to write on birch bark, with sharpened sticks, instead
of pens. (p. 136) This man is still living. He is now old, poor,
almost entirely blind; and although having been a real benefactor to
his people, he may go down to his grave, unpitied, and unknown.



"But awakened by his teachings, the Indians afterward called loudly on
Missionaries to come among them, and they have had them during the
past thirty or forty years.



"At this day two Catholic Clergymen and a Convent of four Brothers and
twelve Sisters—being a religious community, of the Third Order of St.
Francis—are stationed at this place. But, to return: As rough
voyaging generally gives keen appetite, so the party did ample justice
to the eatables, which had been prepared by the Indians. Perhaps some
reader at a distance might suppose this supper to have been taken in a
wigwam; with the fire-place in the centre, a hole above for the
escape of smoke; and the party squatting down upon the ground, with
legs crossed in tailor fashion, around a single dish: no, no; but it
was prepared in a good, substantial house; on a table with a
table-cloth, with crockery, dishes, tea-cups and saucers, and knives
and forks, such as are used by common white folks. Then there stood
the waiters, ready to assist the double-handed manipulations going on
at the table. At a convenient hour, the party separated for the night;
(p. 137) the agent was put in possession of the clergyman's house,
then temporarily absent on a mission, by the Rev. Mr. Weikamp, the
Superior of the Convent.



"The next day, after the forenoon services of the church at the
village, the agent and party, according to previous invitation, went
to the Convent for dinner. Arrived there, they were introduced first
into a log cabin, situated at some distance in the rear of the
convent, occupied by the four Brothers, belonging to the order, and
the Rev. Superior. He occupies a single room, in real new-settler
style. This is his sitting-room, library, study and bed-room. He has
traveled in Europe, and some parts of Asia; he has various objects of
curiosity; and among these is a silver coin of about the size and
value of a Mexican quarter of a dollar, which he brought with him from
Jerusalem. This piece of money is said to be one of the kind of which
Judas received thirty pieces, from the chief priests and magistrates,
the price for which he sold his Divine Master. Another thing, is a
Turkish pipe, with its long, pliable stem, with which the lover of the
'weed' could regale himself without being annoyed by the smoke, as
usual; for the pipe, which is made somewhat in the shape and of the
size of a small decanter and half filled with water is so arranged
that while the wet tobacco is (p. 138) burning in the cup on the top,
the smoke, during suction at the stem, descends through a tube into
the water, and none of it escapes visibly, into the open air. The Rev.
Mr. Weikamp, the Superior, is a German, and speaks English fluently.
He is in the prime of life, and is full of energy and perseverance. He
is not one of those who, from the fact of belonging to a religious
order, may be supposed to be gloomy, with head bowed down, not hardly
daring to cast his eyes up into the beautiful light of the heavens;
but he converses with freedom, ease and assurance; and he relishes a
joke as well as any man, when it comes a propos. A fanciful
peculiarity, though nothing strange in it, attends his steps wherever
he goes, in the shape of a small black dog called "Finnie," with a
string of small horse-bells round his neck. "Finnie" has two black,
watery and glistening spots in his head for eyes, which seem ready to
shoot out from their sockets, especially when spoken to. When told in
German, to speak, 'Finnie' begins to tremble—he shakes his
head—jingles his bells; and utters a kind of guttural snuffling, and
half-suppressed growl or bark. But, as we are not acquainted with the
German language, we cannot say, that "Finnie" pronounces it well!



"Dinner being announced at the convent, the party (p. 139) went over
with the Superior to partake of it. Everything about the table was
scrupulously neat—an abundance of the substantial of good living had
been prepared by the Sisters. Some time after dinner the vesper bell
rang at the convent; and by special permission, the party were shown
into the choir usually occupied by the Brothers alone during the
services of the church. This was on one side of the altar; and on the
other, was a similar choir for the sisters. In the body of the church,
the Indians or others are admitted. For a few moments after entering,
all was silence;—but the priest having intoned the vespers, the sweet
tones of a large melodeon suddenly swelled through the sanctuary,
mingling with the voices of the sisters. This for a time had a
singular effect. To hear music in these wild woods, far away from
civilized society where instrumental music forms part of the ordinary
pleasures and amenities of life, served to recall to one's memory
other days and other climes. After vespers, the Superior of the
convent conducted the party through the building to view it. The
dimensions are: 160 feet long, 80 wide, and 28 feet high. There are
two court yards, each 40 by 40 feet, and the church also 40 by 40,
placed between them. When finished, this building will contain 108
bedrooms, a large schoolroom, (p. 140) carpenter and blacksmith
shops, dining-rooms, kitchen, store-rooms, halls, corridors, &c. It
will be separated into two parts; one to be occupied exclusively by
the Sisters, and the other by the Brothers. At the time of this visit,
there were some cultivated flowers yet in bloom in the court-yard. So
much for the material building: and now a hasty sketch of this
religious order may not be unacceptable to some of our readers.



"This religious community, is the Third Order of St. Francis, of
Assisi, instituted in Europe by this saint in 1221. It was established
for persons married or single living in the world, united by certain
pious exercises, compatible with a secular state. It soon spread over
all Europe, and even kings and queens on their thrones vied with the
poorest peasants in eagerly entering this order, to share the labors
of the mission within its sphere, and to participate in its spiritual
benefits. Among the persons of this order, who were expelled from
their cloister homes during the revolution which agitated Europe in
1848, was Sister Teresa Hackelmayer. This nun, at the proposal of a
missionary father in America, and by permission of her Superior, came
to New York in the winter of 1851, to establish a community of her
order in that State. But meeting (p. 141) with disappointment there,
she finally established a convent at Oldenburg, in the State of
Indiana. In 1851, a second convent of this order was founded at
Nojoshing, four miles from Milwaukee, on Lake Michigan. In 1853, the
Rev. J. B. Weikamp founded, in West Chicago, the third convent of this
order, and also formed a community of Brothers;—and in October 1855,
with the understanding of Bishop Baraga, then Vicar Apostolic of Upper
Michigan, he transferred those two communities to 'Cross Village'—his
present location.



"The company having ranged through the building, as observed, took a
walk outside. From the south side of the convent, a broad walk is laid
out reaching to an inclosure of some forty feet square, at the
distance of about fifteen rods. Another and narrower walk through the
centre of this inclosure leads to a small square building, on the
opposite side, having a four-sided roof meeting in a point, and
surmounted by a cross. On entering this building, a lounge or settee,
stands in front, and on the wall above it, hangs a piece of board or
canvass, painted black, on which are human skulls of different sizes,
each with two cross bones painted in white. A trap-door is raised from
the floor, and a deep, spacious vault is opened to view: this is the
place of burial for the Superior of (p. 142) the convent. On the
outside, the spaces on either side of the little walk are intended to
be the last resting-places of the brothers and sisters. It is a solemn
thought to see men thus prepare deliberately for Death! But as the
party retraced their steps in such cheerful, good humor, loitering
toward the convent, one might have supposed that the beautiful
weather, the bright sunshine, and the bracing air had, for the time,
scattered away all thoughts of death. Among the questions proposed to
the Superior was, 'Whether at any time the brothers and sisters were
allowed to have social, familiar intercourse with each other?' The
Superior answered, in substance, that they were not; nor even allowed
to speak to each other, without permission of the Superior. 'Then
according to your principle,' some one rejoined, 'the world would soon
come to an end!' The remark raised a general laugh, in which the
Superior himself joined heartily."(Back to Content)




(p. 143) CHAPTER VIII.



Three epochs — The romantic — The military — The agricultural
     and commercial — An inviting region — Jesuit and Protestant
     missions — First Protestant mission — First
     missionary — Islands of Mackinac and Green Bay — La
     Pointe — Saut St.
     Mary — Presbyterians — Baptists — Methodists — Revival at Fort
     Brady — Ke-wee-naw — Fon du
     Lac — Shawnees — Pottawatimies — Eagle River — Ontonagon — Camp
     River — Iroquois Point — Saginaw Indians — Melancholy
     reflections — Number of Indians in the States and
     Territories.



The history of this region, in the language of one, exhibits three
distinct and strongly marked epochs. The first may be properly
denominated the romantic, which extends to the year 1760, when its
dominion passed from the hands of the French to the English. This was
the period when the first beams of civilization had scarcely
penetrated its forests, and the paddles of the French fur trader swept
the lakes, and the boat songs of the voyageurs awakened the tribes
on their wild and romantic shores.



(p. 144) The second epoch is the military, which commenced with the
Pontiac war, running down through the successive struggles of the
British, the Indians, and the Americans, to obtain dominion of the
country, and ending with the victory of Commodore Perry, the defeat of
Proctor, the victory of General Harrison and the death of Tecumseh,
the leader of the Anglo-savage conspiracy on the banks of the Thames.



The third may be denominated the enterprising, the hardy, the
mechanical, and working period, commencing with the opening of the
country to emigrant settlers, the age of agriculture, commerce, and
manufactures, of harbors, cities, canals, and railroads, when the
landscapes of the forest were meted out by the compass and chain of
the surveyor, when its lakes and rivers were sounded, and their
capacity, to turn the wheel of a mill or to float a ship, were
demonstrated, thus opening up avenues of commerce and industry. Its
wild and savage character has passed away, and given place to
civilization, religion, and commerce, inviting the denizens of
over-crowded cities to its broad lakes and beautiful rivers, its rich
mines and fertile prairies, and promising a rapid and abundant
remuneration for toil.



We have alluded to the labors and sacrifices of the Jesuit
missionaries in the early period of the (p. 145) history of the
northwest, and it is right and proper that the labors of the
Protestant missionaries, though of a much later period, should not be
forgotten. The Jesuit fathers were not alone in sacrifice and toil in
introducing the Gospel among the tribes of the northwest. The first
Protestant missions established in this region, as far as we have been
able to learn, were those of the Presbyterian Church on the Island of
Mackinac and at Green Bay.



The first missionary who visited Mackinaw was the Rev. David Bacon,
father of the Rev. Leonard Bacon, D. D., of New Haven. He was sent out
by the Connecticut Missionary Society in 1800, and commenced his
mission in Detroit, where, after remaining a year or two, he
relinquished his field to a Moravian missionary, Rev. Mr. Denky, and
visited the Indians on the Maumee. From this he returned to Detroit,
and from thence went to Mackinac, where he remained until the
missionary society was compelled, from want of funds, to recall their
missionary.



The following interesting account was given by C. J. Walker, Esq.,
before the Historical Society of Detroit:



"The Connecticut Missionary Society is, I believe, the oldest
Missionary Association in America. It (p. 146) was organized in June,
1795, the General Association of Connecticut, at its annual meeting
that year, having organized itself into a society of that name. Its
object was 'to Christianize the heathen in North America, and to
support and promote Christian knowledge in the new settlements within
the United States.' For some years its efforts were principally
directed to sending missionaries 'to the new settlements in Vermont,
New York, and Pennsylvania,' and subsequently 'New Connecticut,' or
the Western Reserve of Ohio, became an important field of its
operations. The trustees, in June, 1800, determined 'that a discreet
man, animated by the love of God and souls, of a good common
education, be sought for, to travel among the Indian tribes south and
west of Lake Erie, to explore their situation and learn their feelings
with respect to Christianity, and so far as he has opportunity to
teach them its doctrines and duties.' A very sensible letter of
'Instructions' was adopted and a long message 'to the Indian tribes
bordering on Lake Erie' prepared, showing very little knowledge of
Indian mind and character. Mr. David Bacon presented himself as a
candidate for this somewhat unpromising field of labor. His son says
he was one of those men who are called visionary and enthusiasts by
men of more (p. 147) prosaic and plodding temperament. He had not a
liberal education, but was a man of eminent intellectual powers and of
intensely thoughtful habits, and beside a deep religious experience,
he had endeavored diligently to fit himself for a missionary life, the
self-denying labors of which he ardently coveted. On examination Mr.
Bacon was accepted.



"On the 8th of August, 1800, Mr. Bacon left Hartford on foot with his
pack upon his back, and on the 4th of September he was at Buffalo,
having walked most of the distance. On the 8th, he left on a vessel
for this city, which he reached after a quick and pleasant voyage on
the 11th. He was made welcome at the house of the commandant, Major
Hunt, where, I believe, his first religious services were held. Gen.
Uriah Tracy, of Litchfield, Conn., General Agent of the United States
for the Western Indians, was then here, and, together with the local
Indian agent, Jonathan Schieffelin, took an active interest in the
mission of Mr. Bacon. John Askin, Esq., the same liberal-minded
merchant, who so essentially befriended the Moravians twenty years
before, and Benjamin Huntington, a merchant here, formerly of Norwich,
Conn., rendered him valuable information and assistance. Learning from
these sources that the Delawares at Sandusky, were about (p. 148) to
remove, that the Wyandottes were mostly Catholics, and that there were
no other Indians 'south and west of Lake Erie,' among whom there was
an inviting field of labor, his attention was turned to the north,
and, with the advice of these judicious friends, on the 13th of
September, he took passage with General Tracy in a government vessel
bound for Mackinac, and went to Harson's Island, at the head of Lake
St. Clair, near which there was quite an Indian settlement. Although
only forty miles distant, he did not reach there until the 17th, being
four days upon the voyage. Jacob Harson or Harsing, as it was
originally spelled, the proprietor of this island, was an Albany
Dutchman, who, in 1766, on appointment of Sir Wm. Johnson, came to
Niagara as Indian blacksmith and gunsmith, and his original commission
or letter of appointment, written by Sir William, is now before me. On
the breaking out of the Revolution, finding Mr. Harson friendly to the
Americans, the British stripped him of his property and sent him,
sorely against his will, to this frontier. He established himself upon
the island as early as 1786, where his descendants now reside,
acquired great influence with the Indians, and lived in a very
comfortable manner. He received Mr. Bacon in this beautiful retreat,
with (p. 149) great kindness and hospitality, and he thanks the Lord
that he is provided a comfortable house, a convenient study, and as
good a bed and as good board as I should have had if I had remained in
Connecticut. I know of no place in the State of New York so healthy as
this, I believe the water and the air as pure here as in any part of
New England, and I have never been before where venison and wild geese
and ducks were so plenty, or where there was such a rich variety of
fresh-water fish. There were many Indians in the vicinity. Mr. Harson
encouraged the establishment of a mission, and Mr. Bacon deemed it a
most favorable opening. Bernardus Harson, a son of Jacob, was engaged
as interpreter. He returned to Detroit on the same vessel with General
Tracy, Sept. 30th, to attend an Indian Council which was held here on
the 7th of October, when he was formally introduced to the Indians by
General Tracy, and was most favorably received. He returned to the
island and remained until the Indians departed for their winter
hunting grounds, when he left for Connecticut, where he arrived about
the middle of December. He was soon ordained to the ministry, and I
believe married, for he returned with a young wife of whom nothing is
heard previously.



"Late in January 1801, Mr. Bacon commenced his (p. 150) return
journey with his wife and her brother, Beaumont Parks, Esq., now of
Springfield, Illinois, a young man who came with him to learn the
Chippewa language and to become a teacher. The sleighing leaving them
they remained at Bloomfield, Ontario county, New York, until spring,
and did not reach here until May 9th. Mr. Bacon's plan was to remain
at Detroit, until he became so familiar with the Indian language that
he could successfully prosecute his mission. He remained here until
the spring of 1802, holding regular religious services in the Council
House. For a time he preached twice upon the Sabbath, but the
afternoon attendance being thin, he accepted a call from the
settlement on the river Rouge to preach to them half a day. To aid in
defraying expenses he commenced keeping a school in the house where he
lived on St. James street, just in the rear of the Masonic Hall, and
in this he was assisted by his wife. One at least of our present
fellow citizens was a pupil of Mr. Bacon, and has pleasant memories of
that little school. Amid many discouragements the study of the
Chippewa was pursued by this missionary family, and although they made
'but slow progress' and it was 'hard work to commit their words to
memory' and 'extremely difficult to construct a sentence according to
the idioms (p. 151) of their language,' they 'hope and expect we
shall be able to surmount every difficulty.'



"While thus toilfully but hopefully preparing for his anticipated
work, getting acquainted with Indians, their life and character, and
as yet uncertain at what precise point to commence his mission, Mr.
Denhey, a Moravian missionary, desired to occupy the field upon the
St. Clair River, which Mr. Bacon in some measure occupied the year
before, and to this Mr. Bacon assented. His attention had been called
to Mackinac and L'Arbre Croche, but he resolved to visit the Indians
upon the Maumee, and ascertain by personal interviews and examination
what encouragement there was for a mission in that vicinity. For this
purpose, with his brother-in-law and a hired man, on 29th of April,
1802, he left in a canoe for the 'Miami,'as the Maumee was then
called. He found most of the Indian chiefs engaged in a drunken
debauch, and it was not until the 14th of May, and after repeated
efforts, that he succeeded in gathering a full council, and addressing
them upon the subject of establishing a mission among them. He felt it
his duty to have translated the message sent to the Indians by the
Missionary Society. The poor savages listened courteously to this long
piece of abstruse theological narrative and argument, but (p. 152)
they must have been terribly bored, notwithstanding Mr. Bacon's
efforts to 'express the ideas in language better adapted to the
capacity and more agreeable to their ways of speaking.' No wonder that
Little Otter was 'too unwell to attend in the afternoon.' After this
translation, Mr. Bacon made a well conceived speech of considerable
length, setting forth the advantages which the Indians would derive
from a mission. There was no little point in the polished reproof of
Little Otter, in the commencement of his speech, who said: 'Now
brother, if you will listen to us we will give you an answer. But it
is our way to be very short. Our white brothers, when they make
speeches, are very lengthy. They read and write so much that they get
in a great many little things. But it is not so with your red
brothers. When we go on any great business and have any great things
to say, we say them in a few words.' With no little ingenuity, but
with apparent courtesy, these sons of the forest declined a mission in
their midst. The gist of the reply is contained in the following
sentence: 'Brother, your religion is very good; but it is only good
for white people. It will not do for Indians, they are quite a
different sort of people.'



"On the following day Mr. Bacon started for Detroit, (p. 153) and
remained here until June 2d, when, with his family, he removed to
Missilimackinac, then the great centre of Indian population in our
Territory. Here he remained until August 1804, perfecting himself in
the language, teaching, preaching and pursuing the other labors
incident to his mission. He very clearly saw that a successful Indian
mission involved no inconsiderable expenditure in establishing schools
and in educating the Indians in agriculture and the ruder arts of
civilization. These expenditures were too large for the means of the
Missionary Society, and in January, 1804, they directed the mission to
abandoned, and that Mr. Bacon should remove to the Western Reserve.
The intelligence of this reached Mr. Bacon in July, and in August he
removed and became the first founder of the town of Tallmadge, Ohio.
Thus ended this first Protestant effort to convert the Indians of
Michigan to the faith of the cross. It was while Mr. Bacon was
residing here that Rev. Dr. Bacon was born. We may therefore, with
pride, claim him as a native of our beautiful city."



Sometime after a mission was established at La Pointe near the
southern extremity of Lake Superior. The Mission at Mackinac was
subsequently revived and continued until 1837, when the population
(p. 154) had so entirely changed, and the Indians had discontinued
their visits for purposes of trade, that it was deemed best to abandon
it, which was done, and the property sold. The Rev. Mr. Pitezel, in
his "Lights and Shade of Missionary Life," who visited the island in
1843, thus speaks of this mission: "We visited the mission
establishment once under the care of the Presbyterian Church, but now
abandoned. It is a spacious building, and was once thronged with
native and half-bred children and youth, there educated at vast
expense. Little of the fruit of this self-sacrificing labor is thought
now to be apparent, but the revelations of eternity may show that here
was a necessary and a very important link in the chain of events,
connected with the Christianization of benighted pagans." During the
time of Mr. Pitezel's visit, a large number of Indians of different
tribes had assembled at the island, for the purpose of receiving their
annuity, among which were several Christian Indians, from Saut St.
Mary, Grand Traverse, and elsewhere. The Rev. Mr. Daugherty, a
Presbyterian minister, from the latter place, accompanied his Indians,
and had his tent among them for the purpose of keeping his sheep from
the hands of the wolfish white man, who (p. 155) would first rob him
of his religion, and then of his money.



In 1828, the Baptists established a mission at Saut St. Mary. This
mission was opened under the most favorable auspices by the Rev. A.
Bingham, and continued in a state of prosperity for many years. In
1843 it was still under the superintendence of the Rev. Mr. Bingham,
who for twenty years had been laboring to bring the Indians under
Christian influence. Indian children were boarded in the mission
establishment, and a school was kept up, which, in the language of
one, would have been a credit to any land. The Rev. Mr. Porter, a
Congregationalist missionary, also labored here. The labors of these
missionaries were greatly blessed, and numbers of officers and
soldiers at the fort and garrison, as well as Indians, were converted.



The Baptist missionaries extended their labors to various points on
the northern peninsula and on the shores of Lake Superior.



The Methodists commenced a mission at Saut St. Mary, under the labors
of "John Sunday," a converted Indian, soon after that established by
the Baptists. In 1831 a portion of the Oneida Indians removed to Green
Bay, and the Rev. John Clark was sent out as a missionary among them
the following (p. 156) year. In a report made by the missionary to
the Board, he thus describes his field of labor: "The white settlement
is located on the left bank of the Fox River, extending up the river
about five miles from the head of the bay. The population is about one
thousand, but greatly amalgamated with the Menominee Indians, over
whom it is said they have great influence. The Indian settlement is
about twenty-five miles from this place, on the left bank of the Fox
river." Mr. Clark preached at this settlement and at Green Bay on
alternate Sabbaths. Messrs. Marsh and Stevens, of the Presbyterian
church, were located here, laboring among the Stockbridge Indians and
kindly welcomed Mr. Clark among them. These Indians emigrated from
Stockbridge, Mass., and were at one time under the pastoral care of
Jonathan Edwards. While this distinguished divine was missionary among
these Indians, at Stockbridge, he wrote his famous "Treatise on the
Will." Mr. Clark was cordially received by the Indian agent, Mr.
Schoolcraft.



In 1833, he visited Saut St. Mary, and found a revival in progress.
Nearly all the officers, and thirty or forty soldiers, in Fort Brady
had been converted. The command was soon after removed to Chicago, and
was succeeded by another. A gracious revival (p. 157) followed his
labors at the fort, and officers and soldiers were seen bowing at the
same altar, happy in the enjoyment of a common salvation. Still
holding his connection with Green Bay, he visited that place and
preached in Fort Howard and also among his Indians who had removed to
Duck Creek.



At Ke-wee-naw, John Sunday commenced a mission among the Chippewas,
and in 1834 Mr. Clark visited that interesting field. He continued to
superintend the missions in this region, until he volunteered as a
missionary for Texas, and the superintendence of the Indian mission
was given to the Rev. W. H. Brockway. The Rev. Mr. Pitezel labored at
Ke-wee-naw with great success for several years, preaching at the
different mines on the shores of Lake Superior. The Methodists also
established a mission at Fon du Lac near the east shore of the
Winnebago Lake. In the year 1830, a branch mission was organized among
the Wyandottes and Shawnees on the Huron river, and also one among the
Pottawatimees at Fort Clark on the Fox river, at which place, in 1837,
upward of one hundred were converted.



In 1847 a mission was established at the Cliff Mine, on Eagle River, a
stream which empties into Lake Superior, about twenty miles west of
Copper (p. 158) Harbor. The Methodists have missions also at
Ontonagon and Carp River, all of which are more or less prosperous.



At present this church has maintained missions and schools among small
bands of Indians collected on reserves in Isabella and Oceana counties
in the lower peninsula of Michigan. The Indians at the old mission in
the vicinity of Saut St. Mary, are assembling at Iroquois Point at the
lower end of Lake Superior, and are supplied with a missionary. A
mission was also established in the Bay Shore Reservation, among the
Saginaw Indians, which still exists.



It is a matter of melancholy reflection, that the immense tribes, each
of which could muster thousands of warriors in this vast region, have
dwindled down to small and feeble bands. The same remark will apply to
all the tribes in North America. The race is rapidly passing away, and
the nation, like that of Edom, will at no distant day become entirely
extinct. The last report of the Secretary of the Interior, states,
that the whole number of Indians within the limits of the States and
Territories of the Union, does not now exceed three hundred and
twenty-five thousand.(Back to Content)




(p. 159) CHAPTER IX.



Indian name of Michigan — Islands — Lanman's Summer in the
     wilderness — Plains — Trees — Rivers — A traditionary
     land — Beautiful description — Official report in relation to
     the trade of the lakes — Green Bay — Grand Traverse
     Bay — Beaver Islands — L'Arbre Croche — Boundaries of Lake
     Michigan — Its connections — Railroad from Fort Wayne to
     Mackinaw — Recent report of — Amount completed — Land grants.



The Indian name of the State of Michigan, is Michi-sawg-ye-gan, the
meaning of which in the Algonquin tongue is the Lake country.
Surrounded as it is almost entirely by water, it possesses all the
advantages of an island. It has numerous streams which are clear and
beautiful, abounding in fish. The surface of the western half (we
allude now to the lower or southern peninsula) is destitute of rocks,
and undulating. In the language of Lanman in his "Summer in the
Wilderness," "It is here that the loveliest of lakes and streams and
prairies are to be found. No one who has never witnessed them
(p. 160) can form any idea of the exquisite beauty of the thousand
lakes which gem the western part of Michigan. They are the brightest
and purest mirrors the virgin sky has ever used to adorn herself. On
the banks of these lakes, grow in rich profusion, the rose, the
violet, the lily and the sweet brier.



"A great proportion of Michigan is covered with white-oak openings.
Standing on a gentle hill, the eye wanders away for miles over an
undulating surface, obstructed only by the trunks of lofty
trees,—above you a green canopy, and beneath, a carpet of velvet
grass, sprinkled with flowers of every hue and form.



"The prairies are another interesting feature of Michigan scenery.
They meet the traveler at every point, and of many sizes, seeming
often like so many lakes, being often studded with wooded islands, and
surrounded by shores of forests. This soil is a deep black sand. Grass
is their natural production, although corn, oats and potatoes flourish
upon them. Never can I forget the first time I entered White Pigeon
Prairie. Sleeping beneath the shadows of sunset, as it was, the effect
upon me was like that which is felt on first beholding the
ocean,—overpowering awe. All that the poet has said about these
gardens of the desert is true.



(p. 161) "Burr Oak Plains. The only difference between these and the
oak openings, is the character of the trees and the evenness of their
surface. The soil is a mixture of sand and black loam. They have the
appearance of cultivated orchards, or English parks; and on places
where the foot of the white man has never trod, a carriage and four
could easily pass through. They produce both wheat and corn.



"The wet prairies have the appearance of submerged land. In them the
grass is often six or seven feet high. They are the resort of
water-fowl, muskrats, and otters.



"But the best and most fertile soil in Michigan is that designated by
the title of timbered land. It costs more to prepare it for the
plough, but when once the soil is sown it yields a thousand-fold. And
with regard to their beauty and magnificence, the innumerable forests
of this State are not surpassed by any in the world, whether we
consider the variety or grandeur of their production. This timber is
needed for prairie States, Lake cities, and exports.



"A friend of mine, now residing in western Michigan, and who once
spent several years in Europe, thus writes respecting this region:



"'Oh, such trees as we have here! Magnificent, (p. 162) tall,
large-leafed, umbrageous. Vallombrosa, the far-famed Vallombrosa of
Tuscany, is nothing to the thousand Vallombrosas here! A fig for your
Italian scenery! This is the country where nature reigns in her virgin
beauty; where trees grow, where corn grows; where men grow better than
they do anywhere else in the world. This is the land to study nature
in all her luxuriant charms, under glorious green branches, among
singing birds and laughing streams; this is the land to hear the
cooing of the turtle-dove, in far, deep, cool, sylvan bowers; to feel
your soul expand under the mighty influences of nature in her
primitive beauty and strength.'



"The principal inland rivers of Michigan, are the Grand River, the
Kalamazoo, the St. Joseph, the Saginaw, and the Raisin. The first
three empty into Lake Michigan, and are about seventy miles apart.
Their average length is about two hundred and fifty miles, and they
are about thirty or forty rods in width. At present, they are
navigable about half their length for small steamboats and bateaux.
Their bed is of limestone, covered with pebbles. I was a passenger on
board the Matilda Barney, on her first trip,—the first steamer that
ever ascended the St. Joseph, which I consider the most perfectly
beautiful stream that I ever have seen. I remember (p. 163) well the
many flocks of wild turkeys and herds of deer that the 'iron horse'
frightened in his winding career. The Indian canoe is now giving way
to the more costly but less beautiful row-boat, and those rivers are
becoming deeper and deeper every day. Instead of the howl of the wolf,
the songs of husbandmen now echo through their vales, where may be
found many comfortable dwellings.



"The Saginaw runs toward the north and empties into Lake Huron,—that
same Huron which has been celebrated in song by the young poet, Louis
L. Noble. This river is navigable for sixty miles. The river Raisin is
a winding stream, emptying into Lake Erie, called so from the quantity
of grapes that cluster on its banks. Its Indian name is Nummasepee,
signifying River of Sturgeons. Sweet river! whose murmurs have so
often been my lullaby, mayst thou continue in thy beauty forever. Are
there not streams like thee flowing through the paradise of God?



"Notwithstanding the comparative newness of Michigan, its general
aspect is ancient. The ruin of many an old fort may be discovered on
its borders, reminding the beholder of wrong and outrage, blood and
strife. This was once the home of noble but oppressed nations. Here
lived and loved the Algonquin (p. 164) and Shawnese Indians; the
names of whose warrior chiefs—Pontiac the proud, and Tecumseh the
brave—will long be treasured in history. I have stood upon their
graves, which are marked only by a blighted tree and an unhewn stone,
and have sighed deeply as I remembered their deeds. But they have
gone—gone like the lightning of a summer day!



"It is traditionary land. For we are told that the Indian hunters of
old saw fairies and genii floating over its lakes and streams, and
dancing through its lonely forests. In these did they believe, and to
please them was their religion.



"The historian, James H. Lanning, Esq., of this State, thus writes, in
alluding to the olden times: 'The streams rolled their liquid silver
to the lake, broken only by the fish that flashed in their current, or
the swan that floated upon their surface. Vegetation flourished alone.
Roses bloomed and died, only to be trampled by the deer or savage; and
strawberries studded the ground like rubies, where the green and sunny
hillsides reposed amid the silence, like sleeping infants in the lap
of the forest. The rattlesnake glided undisturbed through its
prairies; and the fog which hung in clouds over its stagnant marshes
spread no pestilence. The panther, (p. 165) the fox, the deer, the
wolf, and bear, roamed fearless through the more remote parts of the
domain, for there were none to dispute with them their inheritance.
But clouds thickened. In the darkness of midnight, and silence of the
wilderness, the tomahawk and scalping knife were forged for their work
of death. Speeches were made by the savages under the voice-less
stars, which were heard by none save God and their allies; and the
war-song echoed from the banks of lakes where had never been heard the
footsteps of civilized man.'



"Then followed the horrors of war; then and there were enacted the
triumphs of revenge. But those sounds have died away; traced only on
the page of history, those deeds. The voice of rural labor, the clink
of the hammer, and the sound of Sabbath-bells now echo in those
forests and vales. The plough is making deep furrows in its soil, and
the sound of the anvil is in every part. A well-endowed University,
and seminaries of learning are there. Railroads and canals, like veins
of health, are gliding to its noble heart. The red man, in his
original grandeur and state of nature, has passed away from its more
fertile borders; and his bitterest enemy, the pale face is master of
his possessions."



From a report made, by order of Congress, by (p. 166) Israel D.
Andrews, in 1853, in relation to the trade of the great lakes and
rivers, we extract the following "Michigan is the second of the great
lakes in size, being inferior only to Lake Superior, and in regard to
situation and the quality of the surrounding soil and the climate is,
in many respects, preferable to them all. Its southern extremity,
rising south in fertile regions, nearly two degrees to the south of
Albany, and the whole of its great southern peninsula being imbosomed
in fresh waters, its climate is mild and equable, as its soil is rich
and productive. The lake is three hundred miles long by sixty in
breadth, and contains sixteen thousand nine hundred and eighty-one
square miles, having a mean depth of nine hundred feet. On the western
shore it has the great indentation of Green Bay; itself equal to the
largest lakes in England, being one hundred miles long and thirty
broad. It is well sheltered at its mouth by the Traverse Islands, and
has for its affluent the outlet of Winnebago and the Fox River.



"Grand Traverse Bay is a considerable inlet of Lake Michigan, which
sets up into the lower peninsula, one hundred miles south from the
Island of Mackinac. It is a good farming and lumbering country. There
are two mission stations and six or seven steam and water mills
located at this point. It is (p. 167) now an organized county called
Grand Traverse. The county seat is at Grand Traverse City, West Bay,
where they have a court-house and jail.



"L'Arbre Croche Village is an old Indian town, situated about
twenty-five miles southwest from Mackinaw, on the lower peninsula. It
is composed mostly of Indians. It has a Catholic Church and a Home
Mission Station, with a teacher and other assistants to instruct the
Indians in the English language. It has extensive clearings for miles,
along the banks of the lake shore, and extending from one to six miles
back into the interior, indicating that once a large population must
have inhabited this section of the country.



"The principal tributaries of Lake Michigan are the Manistee, Great
Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph's rivers, from the southern peninsula of
Michigan, the Des-Plaines, the O Plaines and Chee rivers, from
Indiana, Illinois, and from the northern peninsula, the Menominee,
Escambia, Noquet, White Fish and Manistee rivers. The lake is bounded
to the eastward by the rich and fertile land of the southern
peninsula, sending out vast quantities of all the cereal grains, equal
if not superior in quality to any raised in the United States. It is
bounded on the south and southwest by Indiana and Illinois, which
supply corn and beef of (p. 168) the finest quality, in
superabundance, for exportation. On the west it is bounded by the
productive grain and grazing lands and lumber district of Wisconsin,
and on the northwest and north by the invaluable and not yet
half-explored mineral district of northern Michigan.



"The natural outlet of its commerce, as of its waters, is by the
Straits of Mackinaw into Lake Huron, thence by the St. Clair River
down to the lower marts. Of internal communications it already
possesses many, both by canal and railroad, equal to those almost of
any of the older States, in length and availability, and inferior to
none in importance. First, it has the Green Bay, Lake Winnebago, and
Fox River improvement connecting it with the Wisconsin River, by which
it has access to the Mississippi River, and thereby enjoys the
commerce of its upper valleys, and its rich lower lands and prosperous
States;—and second, the Illinois and Michigan canal, rendering the
great commercial valley of the Illinois tributary to its commerce. By
railways, perfected and projected, it has, or will soon have,
connection with the Mississippi in its upper tributaries and lead
regions by way of the Milwaukee and Mississippi, and Chicago and
Galena lines. To the eastward, by the Michigan Central and Southern
(p. 169) Railroad, it communicates with the lake shore road, and
thence with all the eastern lines from Buffalo to Boston. To the
southward it will speedily be united by the great system of projected
railroads.



"A road is now in progress extending from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to
Mackinaw. From a recent report made of this road, which will prove of
vast importance in developing the immense resources of Michigan, we
extract the following:—



"The distance from point to point, as measured by the engineers, are
as follow:



"From Fort Wayne to the 'Air-line Railroad, Indiana, 28 miles; the
Air-line railroad, to Wolcottville, 6; Wolcottville to Lagrange, 10;
Lagrange to Lima, 5; Lima to Sturgis, Mich., 5-½; Sturgis to Mendon,
14; Mendon to Brady, 8; Brady to Kalamazoo, 12; Kalamazoo to Grand
Rapids, 47; Grand Rapids to Laphamville, 13; Laphamville to Little
Traverse Bay, 169; Little Traverse to the Straits of Mackinaw, 27.
Total; 344.



"The work of construction now performed, is mostly between
Wolcottville and Kalamazoo. Between Lagrange and Sturgis the
earth-work and bridges are nearly done—$1,500 will complete it for
the ties. About one-fourth of the earth-work, bridges and ties, of the
remainder of the line from Wolcottville (p. 170) to Kalamazoo, is
done. Between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, work to the amount of $8,000
has been done.



"The construction of the road bed, bridging, ties, ballasting, &c.,
from Kalamazoo to the north bank of the Muskegon River, one hundred
and three miles, is let to Daniel Beckel, Esq., of Dayton, Ohio. Near
two hundred hands are engaged on the work—on the twenty miles north
of Grand Rapids. It is the intention of the company, as we are
informed, to complete this twenty miles early the coming summer.



"We are informed by the annual report, that on July 21st, $216,316 18
had been collected and expended.



"The land grant made by Congress is of great value. The portion of the
road to which it attaches, extends from Grand Rapids to Little
Traverse Bay; the precise length of which is, as adopted by the proper
departments at Washington, one hundred and eighty-two miles and three
thousand and sixty-seven feet. Under the rules of adjustment adopted
by the department, the quantity of lands granted will be somewhere
from 600,000 to 674,161 acres.



"These lands are generally timbered farm lands—of the best quality,
in timber, soil and water. Some (p. 171) are pine lands, some pine
and hard wood mixed; and a small portion are cedar swamp lands. But
there is none too much of either description for the value of the
lands and the prosperity of the country. Nature has distributed and
interspersed them in such proportions as will best contribute to the
support of a populous and well improved agricultural country. The
great bulk of these lands are what are generally denominated 'beech
and sugar-tree lands.' The soil is generally rich sandy loam. The
estimated value of the lands, when the road is completed, has been
put, by different parties, from $4 to $10 per acre.



"The lands granted are the odd numbered sections within six miles of
the line; and if any such sections are sold or pre-empted, then the
company has the right to select other sections outside of the six
miles and within fifteen miles of the road, to make up such deficit.



"The odd numbered sections, outside of the six-mile limits, and within
the fifteen-mile limits, are set apart to this company, out of which
to select lands to make up any deficit that may occur in the six
miles.



"By those best acquainted with the value of these lands—and who are
familiar with that portion of the (p. 172) State—they are estimated
at $10 per acre, on the completion of the road. This will give the
company the sum of $6,600,000. And if the road when fully equipped
costs $30,000 per mile, then the gross cost will be $10,500,000; which
by the proceeds of the land grant will be reduced to the sum of
$3,900,000, and will reduce the actual cost of the road to $11,142,85
per mile. Anything like fair success in the construction of the road
will enable the company to do it, after applying the proceeds of the
land grant, for about eleven thousand dollars per mile. Such a
result will not only give to the country all the advantages of this
much-needed work; but when done the capital stock must prove to be a
good paying investment."(Back to Content)




(p. 173) CHAPTER X.



Mackinaw, the site for a great central city — The Venice of
     the lakes — Early importance as a central
     position — Nicolet — Compared geographically with other
     points — Immense chain of coast — Future
     prospects — Temperature — Testimony of the Jesuit
     fathers — Healthfulness of the climate — Dr. Drake on
     Mackinaw — Resort for invalids — Water currents of
     commerce — Surface drained by them — Soil of the northern and
     southern peninsulas of Michigan — Physical resources — Present
     proprietors of Mackinaw — Plan of the
     city — Streets — Avenues — Park — Lots and blocks for churches
     and public purposes — Institutions of learning and objects of
     benevolence — Fortifications — Docks and ferries — Materials
     for building — Harbors — Natural beauty of the site for a
     city — Mountain ranges — Interior lakes — Fish — Game.



Ferris, in his "States and Territories of the Great West," says: "If
one were to point out, on the map of North America, a site for a great
central city in the lake region, it would be in the immediate vicinity
of the Straits of Mackinaw. A city so located would have the command
of the mineral trade, the fisheries, the furs, and the lumber, of the
entire (p. 174) North. It might become the metropolis of a great
commercial empire. It would be the Venice of the Lakes." Mackinaw,
both straits and peninsula, was so naturally the key point of the
great system of northern lakes and their connection with the
Mississippi, that while the New England colonies were yet but infant
and feeble settlements, the Indians of the northwest, the Jesuit
missionaries, the French voyagers, all made Mackinaw the point from
whence they diverged—in all directions. When Philadelphia and
Baltimore had not begun, and when the sites of Pittsburg, Cincinnati,
and St. Louis were unknown places in the wilderness, Nicolet took his
departure from Quebec in search of the mysterious river of the west.
In passing to meet the Indians at Green Bay, he was the first to
notice the Straits of Mackinaw. About thirty years after, James
Marquette established, on the northern shore of the straits, the
Mission of St. Ignace. Here, amidst the wilds and solitudes of the
North American forests, and on the shores of its great inland seas,
Marquette and Joliet planned their expedition as we have already
described, and it was Mackinaw and not New Orleans or New York that
the lines radiated from to the earliest settlements of the west.



Mackinaw presents one of the most remarkable (p. 175) geographical
positions on the earth. Constantinople on the Bosphorus, the Straits
of Gibraltar, Singapore on the Strait of Malacca, and the Isthmus of
Panama, are the only ones which seem to present a parallel. The two
former have been for ages renowned as the most important in the
commercial world. Singapore has rapidly become the key and centre of
Asiatic navigation, at which may be found the shipping and people of
all commercial nations, and Panama is now the subject of negotiation
among the most powerful nations with a view to the exceeding
importance of its commercial position. Geographically, Mackinaw is not
inferior to either. From the northwest to the southeast, midland of
the North American continent, there stretches a vast chain of lakes
and rivers dividing the continent nearly midway. This chain of Lakes
and rivers is in the whole nearly three thousand miles long. At the
Straits of Mackinaw the whole system of land and water centres. The
three greatest lakes of this system, Superior, Huron, and Michigan,
are spread around, pointing to the straits, while between them three
vast peninsulas of land press down upon the waters until they are
compressed into a river of four miles in width. On the north is the
peninsula of Canada, on the south that of Michigan, and on the
(p. 176) west that of the copper region, all of which are divided
only by the narrow Straits of Mackinaw. Here are three inland seas of
near eighty thousand square miles and about five thousand miles of
coast. From coast to coast and isle to isle of this immense expanse of
waters, navigation must be kept up, increasing with the
ever-increasing population on their shores till tens of millions are
congregated around. Of all this vast navigation and increasing
commerce, Mackinaw is the natural centre around which it exists, and
toward which it must tend by an inevitable law of necessity. Superior,
Huron, and Michigan have no water outlet to each other but that which
flows through the Straits of Mackinaw, and its geographical position
is unrivaled in America. Whoever lives twenty years from this time
will find Mackinaw a populous and wealthy city, the Queen of the
Lakes.



If any serious objection be made to the site of a city at this place,
it can only be that the climate is supposed to be cold. But, what is
climate? Climate is relative and composed of many elements. The first
is temperature, as determined by latitude. The Straits of Mackinaw are
in the latitude of 45° 46'. North of this lies a part of Canada,
containing at least a million of inhabitants. North of this latitude
(p. 177) lies the city of Quebec in America; London, Paris,
Amsterdam, Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Moscow, and St.
Petersburg, in Europe; Odessa and Astracan, in Asia. North of it, are
in Prussia, Poland, and Russia, dense populations, and a great
agricultural production. The latitude of Mackinaw, therefore, is in
the midst of that temperate zone, where commerce, population, cities,
and the arts have most flourished. The climate, however, is actually
milder than the latitude represents. The isothermal line, which passes
through Mackinaw, also passes in Wisconsin, nearly as low as 43°, and
in the east also deflects south. This is the true line of vegetation;
and thus it appears that the actual climate of Mackinaw is about that
of 43° 30'. The same isothermal line, passes through Prussia and
Poland, the finest grain countries of Europe. The climate of the
straits is, therefore, as favorable as that of most civilized States,
either for the production of food or the pursuits of commerce.



The Marquette Journal gives some items relative to the winter of that
locality. The mercury was not below zero until the evening of January
8th, and then only 2° below. The highest point reached in January, was
20° above, and lowest 16° below zero. In February, the highest point
was 55° above, the (p. 178) lowest 20° below zero. The average
temperature for the three winter months had been about 15° above zero.
In the "Relations of the Jesuits," 3d. volume, 1671, it is stated that
the "winter in Mackinaw is short, not commencing until after Christmas
and closing the middle of March, at which time spring begins."



The Lake Superior Journal for February 23, 1859, says:—



"We are now within five days of the first spring month, and have
scarcely had a brush of winter yet. But very few days has the
thermometer been below zero, and but a single day as low as ten
degrees below. Most of the time it has been mild. For two weeks past,
there has been a blandness and mellowness in the atmosphere, which was
enough to cause the moodiest heart to sing for joy. There was a
flare-up, however, for a single day (the 20th), when the storm
descended, the wind blew, and there was great commotion in the
elements, but the next day all was calm and delightful as before. We
have quite a depth of snow on the ground, have had fine sleighing
since the 10th of November. But our bay has not been closed more than
a week at a time this winter, and but a few days in all. It is open
now, (p. 179) and 'the stern monarch of the year,' seems to be
melting away into spring.



"In regard to the healthfulness of Mackinaw, it may be remarked that
the northern regions of the earth are everywhere the most healthy. Yet
there are differences in situation and exposure which make differences
in health. Mackinaw has now been known and settled for two hundred
years, a period long enough to have both tested its healthiness, and
created a permanent reputation. The Jesuit Missionaries, the frontier
traders, and the French voyageurs, have lived and died there; yet we
have never heard of any prevalent disease, or local miasm. It seems to
have been the favorite resort of all the frontiers men, who inhabited
or hunted in the region of the Northern Lakes. In recent years, it has
been visited by men of science, and accomplished physicians, and their
report has been uniformly in favor of its superior healthiness. Dr.
Drake, who visited Mackinaw in 1842, for the express purpose of
examining the climate and topography, says, 'From this description, it
appears, that the conditions which are held to be necessary to the
generation of autumnal fever, are at their minimum in this place;
and when we consider this fact, with its latitude nearly 46°, and its
altitude above the sea, from six to eight hundred feet, we are
(p. 180) prepared to find it almost exempt from that disease; and
such from the testimony of its inhabitants is the fact, especially in
reference to the intermittent fevers, which, I was assured by many
respectable persons, never originated among the people, and would
cease spontaneously in those who returned, or came with it from other
places.'



"Speaking of this region as a place of resort for invalids, the same
writer says:



"'The three great reservoirs of clear and cold water, Lakes Huron,
Michigan, and Superior, with the Island of Mackinac in their
hydrographical centre, offer a delightful hot-weather asylum to all
invalids who need an escape from the crowded cities, paludal
exhalations, sultry climates and officious medication. Lake Erie lies
too far south, and is bordered by too many swamps to be included in
the salutiferous group.'



"'On reaching Mackinaw, an agreeable change of climate is at once
experienced.' 'To his jaded sensibilities all around him is fresh and
invigorating.'" Dr. Drake looked upon Mackinaw as one of the
healthiest portions of the whole Northwest, and to which, in time,
tens of thousands of persons, even from the furthest south, would
resort to be reinvigorated in body, refreshed in mind, and delighted
with the contemplation of the sublime and beautiful (p. 181) scenery
in that region of expansive waters, of rocky coasts, of forest-bearing
lands, and distant islands.



"Here the great currents, which are the natural lines of movement
for the people, commerce, and productions of half North America,
concentrate around a single point. No other place has the same
advantage of radial lines. Quebec is relatively on the Atlantic. The
upper end of Lake Superior is comparatively on an inhospitable land.
Chicago is at a lateral point on the south end of Lake
Michigan,—three hundred miles from the main channel of commerce. At
Mackinaw concentrate all the radial lines of water navigation in the
upper lakes. Which will be seen, if we take the following distances of
direct navigation from this point to the principal points on the upper
lakes:



"From Mackinaw to Fon du Lac (west end of Lake Superior), 550 miles;
to Chicago, 350; to east end of Georgian Bay, 300; to Detroit, 300; to
Buffalo, 700; to Gulf of St. Lawrence, 1,600.



"Here are two important points to be observed. Any city which, by
competition, or the rivalry of production, or the power of wealth, can
be supposed to interfere with the growth of Mackinaw, must arise on
Lakes Michigan or Superior; for there only can be any commercial
mart to receive and distribute (p. 182) the products around those
immense bodies of water. But in consequence of the form and surface of
those lakes, no lines of transit to the waters of the St. Lawrence can
be made so short or cheap as the water transit through the Straits of
Mackinaw. The concentration of products will, therefore, be ultimately
made at Mackinaw, for all that immense district of country which lies
around the upper lakes. Again, it will be seen that as the water
transportation to that point is the best, so the radial line from that
point to the Atlantic by water, is much the shortest. A steam
propeller, leaving any one of the principal points on the upper lakes
for either Buffalo or the Gulf of St. Lawrence, must, as compared with
Mackinaw, pass over the following lines of transit, viz., From Fon du
Lac (west end of Lake Superior) to Buffalo, 1,250 miles; Chicago,
Ill., 1,000; Mackinaw, Michigan, 700; Fon du Lac to the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, 2,150; Chicago to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 1,900; Mackinaw
to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 1,600.



"It must be granted, at once, that for any water communication with
the ports of the Atlantic, Mackinaw has greatly the advantage over any
commercial point in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Northern
Michigan, or Northwest Canada. How great this advantage is, we shall
see from the consideration (p. 183) of the surface drained by the
water current of Mackinaw. An inspection of the map will show that
from Long Lake, above latitude 50°, to the south end of Lake Michigan,
below latitude, 40°, and from the Lake of the Woods, longitude 95°, to
Saginaw Bay, longitude 83°, the country is entirely within the
drainage of lakes and river whose currents concentrate at the Straits
of Mackinaw. This surface comprehends a square of over six hundred
miles on the side, or nearly four hundred thousand square miles.
Deducting the surface of the lakes, it is enough to make eight States
as large as Ohio. In that whole surface, there is not a single point
which can rival Mackinaw as a point of distribution for the products
of that country. That the advantage by water lines is in favor of
Mackinaw, we have shown. That it will be equally so by railroad, is
evident, from the fact that Mackinaw city to Port Huron, and thence to
Buffalo, need not exceed four hundred miles, while that from Chicago
to Buffalo, in a direct line is five hundred and fifteen miles.



"From any other point of Lakes Michigan or Superior, where a city can
be built, it is further. Mackinaw is, therefore, the natural centre of
drainage and distribution for a surface equal to that of eight large
States, and whose products, whether of field, fruit, (p. 184) or
mines, are superabundant in whatever creates commerce, sustains
population, or affords the materials of industry.



"We are now considering Mackinaw in a state of nature, and must look
to its natural products as the first and greatest elements of success.
We have considered its climate, its water currents, its lines of
navigation, and the surface drainage for its support. The latter
within a space where there can be no competition, we have found to be
but little less than 400,000 square miles. Vast as this is, it could
not support a great commercial city, if that were a barren plain.



"Hence, we must now consider how far the products of the earth will
sustain the city, which such lines of navigation, such means of
commerce, and such an extensive, surface leads us to anticipate.



"The soil is the first thing to be examined. The peninsula of
Michigan—that of Wisconsin and the Copper region—of Minnesota and
Canada, which make up the larger portion of surface drained by the
currents of Mackinaw, has been supposed to be cold and wet. But is it
more so than northwestern Ohio or northern Illinois, which, but twenty
years since, were scarcely inhabited, but now are found to afford some
of the richest lands in the country? On this point, we have numerous
and competent witnesses, (p. 185) and whatever character they give to
the country, we shall adopt as the true criterion of its producing
resources.



"First of the Superior Country, the least agricultural portion of this
district, we have the concurrent testimony of geologists, miners,
settlers, and travelers, that it is one of the richest mining
districts in the world. But in the midst of it are found some fertile
sections. Of these, Mr. Ferris, in his account of the Great West,
says: 'The surveyors report some good agricultural lands (of which
many townships are specially enumerated), and these tracts of fertile
land will become of great value, when the rivers shall have been
opened and a mining population introduced, creating a sure and
convenient home market for the productions of the farm.'



"Disturnell, an accurate authority, speaking of the Superior region,
says: 'The traveler finds the whole district to within a few miles of
Lake Superior, abounding in every resource which will make a country
wealthy and prosperous. Clear, beautiful lakes are interspersed, and
these have plenty of large trout and other fish. Water and water
powers are everywhere to be found, and the timber is of the best
kind—maple groves, beech, oak, pine, etc. No thing is now wanted but
a few roads to open this (p. 186) rich country to the settler, and it
will soon teem with villages, schools, mills, farming operations, and
every industrial pursuit, which the more southern portion of our State
now exhibits.'



"Turning to the immense territory north and northwest of Superior and
the Straits, now constituting a portion of the British Dominions, and
every part of which must be tributary to Mackinaw, we find that it
affords, like Prussia and Poland, a fine agricultural region for all
the breadstuffs and vegetables which are raised in the northern part
of Europe. A writer in the Toronto Globe, exhibiting the value of a
canal from Georgian Bay to Toronto—(a canal, the whole commerce of
which coming from the northwest, must first have passed the Straits of
Mackinaw) says: 'Westward we possess vast and fertile countries
adapted to all the pursuits of agriculture life, countries susceptible
to the highest cultivation and improvement. Between Lake Superior and
the Lake of the Woods (above 49° of latitude), we possess a country of
this description, in soil and character inferior to no part of
Minnesota, and bordering upon this territory lies the valley of the
Assinibone, or the Red River, as it is sometimes called. As a wheat
growing country, it will rival Canada. It does so now in soil and
climate.' The writer is here speaking of British possessions north of
Lake Superior, and (p. 187) several degrees north of Mackinaw. He
says they are as fertile and grain-growing as Canada, and Canada we
know already produces not only its own breadstuffs, but large
quantities for exportation. The valley of the Assinibone, referred to,
and the whole region west of Superior to the Lake of the Woods and the
Red River, can have no market outlet except through Lake Superior, and
thence near the Straits of Mackinaw. The writer sees this, and says:
'The future products of these immense countries must seek the
seaboard, and all the canals and railroads which can be constructed
will scarce suffice to afford facilities for the products of the
West.'



"Let us next examine the Southern Peninsula of Michigan. If the
country far north of it is so productive, it can scarcely happen that
this can be very deficient, although not ranked among the most fertile
districts. On this point, we need only cite the same accurate
authority to which we have referred. He says: 'The numerous streams
which penetrate every portion of the peninsula, some of which are
navigable for steamboats a considerable distance from the lake, being
natural outlets for the products of the interior, render this whole
region desirable for purposes of settlement and cultivation.' Even as
far north as the Straits of Mackinaw, the soil and climate, together
(p. 188) with the valuable timber, offer great inducements to
settlers; and if the proposed railroads under the recent grant of
large portion of these lands by Congress, are constructed from and to
the different points indicated, this extensive and heavily timbered
region will speedily be reclaimed, and become one of the most
substantial and prosperous agricultural portions of the West.' After
speaking of the timber in that country, the same writer adds: 'But as
the timber is exhausted, the soil is prepared for cultivation, and a
large portion of the northern part of the southern peninsula of
Michigan will be settled and cultivated, as it is the most reliable
wheat-growing portion of the Union.'



"The Detroit Daily Tribune of 1857, says: "Michigan is greatly
undervalued because greatly unknown. The tide of emigration sweeps
past us to Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota, because the public
do not know—what is but the sober truth—that Michigan possesses
advantages unrivaled by any sister State in the Northwest, and an
undeveloped wealth that will far exceed any one of those named. This
is not a random statement, originating in State pride or
self-interest, but the simple truth which is slowly being found out by
the shrewd among men. We propose to speak of some of the advantages
(p. 189) which we possess in the northern half of our lower
peninsula, as yet almost uninhabited and unknown.



"'No other State can boast of such valuable forests of such perfect
timber. Already our lumber trade exceeds in value and importance that
in any other staple products, not excepting wheat, while if it were to
increase in the ratio of the past five years, in five years more it
would exceed all the other staples united, excepting only copper. But
such a rate of increase would exhaust the pine timber to a great
extent within ten years' time. Yet the demand for pine lumber is
absolutely unlimited, and cannot be met.



"Look for a moment at the vast region depending upon the pineries of
Michigan for its supply of lumber for building purposes of every
kind—houses, fence and shelter of every description. The great States
of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, and the Territory of Minnesota,
depend almost solely upon Michigan, and must do so. The present
season, lumber has been taken from the forest of southwestern New York
and northern Pennsylvania, and sold in the market of St. Louis, so
urgent is the demand and so entirely inadequate are the present or
prospective rates of supply for that demand. We have before us the
statistics of the lumber trade of the different (p. 190) States and
the principal markets in the country, but of what use is a parade of
figures when a simple fact will show that the value of the pine forest
of Michigan must be? Take the State Iowa alone. If every quarter
section were to be enclosed with a common post and board fence, it
would take every foot of pine on the soil of Michigan! Leave out of
sight the great Territory of Minnesota, which can find but a mere drop
of supply from the pineries of the Upper Mississippi. Leave out of
sight the great State of Illinois, which depends upon us wholly.
Forget entirely that villages are springing up like magic all along
the lines of a dozen railroads running from Lake Michigan to the
Mississippi; that cities are growing and spreading with unprecedented
rapidity—and that every town and village, and city, and farm, must
have its dwellings, and that the cheapest and best material for
construction is pine. Leave all these out of the calculation, and
remember only that one of these States would consume all our vast
forests of pine in fence boards alone, and the dullest comprehension
can perceive, with all these other demands of which we have spoken, in
all those other regions, the value of the pine region is as certain as
though it were a gold mine. And when we consider the pressing need for
material whereof to build (p. 191) over all the western prairies, the
wealth of northern Michigan cannot be put at any low amount. It must
be immense—untold.



"After the timber shall have been removed in obedience to the pressing
demands of a cash market and high prices, the value of northern
Michigan will just begin to be developed. The soil possesses riches of
which the heavy growth of timber is the outcropping. Rich as any
prairie land, even more substantial in the elements of fertility, with
a genial climate, southern Michigan, itself a garden, we predict will
have to yield the palm of productive wealth to this portion of the
State. Any one who will take the trouble to examine a map of this half
of the State, projected on an extended scale, cannot fail to be struck
with the superabundant water privileges that exist. It is literally
covered with navigable rivers, and their tributaries, large streams,
like the veins in the human system. These waters reach the remotest
part and thread every portion, affording unfailing supplies and
thousands of valuable sites for mills of every description and of all
magnitudes. The State is divided near its geographical centre by a
slight ridge, sufficient to divide the course of its streams. Two of
the largest rivers of the State, the Manistee and the Eastern Au
Sauble, rise within about three (p. 192) miles of each other, run
parallel, southward, for twenty miles or more, approaching then within
half a mile of each other, then turning abruptly almost due east and
west, emptying into Lakes Michigan and Huron respectively on almost
the same parallel of latitude.



"The Grand Traverse region, embracing the valley of the Manistee, is
also one of the finest agricultural regions of the State; lying in the
northerly portion, this region still has a mild climate, and the
finest grains and fruits are raised at the settlements, as far north
as the bay.



"Much might be said of other counties throughout this region. The
whole slope of the peninsula embracing the courses of the Muskegon and
Manistee Rivers, and from Grand River to Mackinaw, is a region of rich
soil, excellent timber of all kinds, good climate, and of easy access.



"The counties in the eastern part of the State, Alpena, Alcona, Iosco,
Arrenac, and others north of Saginaw Bay, well situated, having a
large extent of coast on Lake Huron, are not so well adapted for
agricultural purposes, there is much good farming land in them all;
but the forests of pine extending to within a few miles of the coast,
render them very desirable. Alcona county, watered by Thunder Bay
(p. 193) River, with some smaller streams emptying into Lake Huron,
is almost wholly a pine region. Some of the finest specimens of
yellow, or Norway pine, in the whole State are found in this country.
The white and yellow pine is nearly equally distributed in this
region, extending also into the counties south, and reaching Rifle
River in Saginaw and Arrenac counties, having an outlet on Saginaw
Bay.



"This part of the State, upon whose advantages we have not space to
particularize as we would like, will be very soon penetrated by
railroads.



"There are three roads contemplated by the Act of Congress granting
lands to this State at its last session. These, if built, will add
more to the development of the natural wealth of Michigan than
anything heretofore proposed in the way of public improvement.



"The different routes pass through some of the best counties in the
State, and the opening of such thoroughfares will induce a tide of
emigration, such as will soon render northern Michigan what it ought
to be, one of the most important points in the West.



"The State of Michigan is in all respects more favorably situated than
any of the Western States, being surrounded by the lakes and with
railroads extending in every direction, affording the most
extraordinary (p. 194) opportunities to reach markets of every class,
great or small.



"With these natural advantages of transportation considered with the
immense natural resources of this region (soil and timber) no one will
doubt the very great value of Michigan lands.



"Fruit of all kinds is abundant in every part of this State. All our
exchanges from the interior are acknowledging presents of luscious
peaches, plums, pears, apples, etc., etc. This is as it should be. May
they all, each succeeding year, be remembered in like manner.



"What is here said of the northern part of Michigan, is directly
applicable to Wisconsin, the northern half of which must contribute
directly to Mackinaw. Of the agricultural capacity of this new State,
we need say no more, than that it has already attained half a million
of inhabitants, and pours forth its surplus products though the ports
of Lake Michigan.



"Of Minnesota, and its productiveness, less is known. As three-fourths
of that rich and beautiful country, and the regions around the heads
of the Mississippi, must contribute to the commercial importance of
Mackinaw, let us glance at its agricultural capacity and prospects.
Minnesota, of which we heard but (p. 195) yesterday, has now two
hundred thousand inhabitants, produces this year two millions of
bushels of wheat. St. Paul, its principal town has fourteen thousand
inhabitants, and far to the northwest from St. Peters to the Red
River, and Assinibone, the settlers are crowding in to till farms and
create towns, where but recently the wild wolf and the wilder savage,
alone possessed the face of the earth. In latitudes higher than that
of Mackinaw, Michigan or Canada West, settlements are forming, and it
requires no flight of imagination to see that beautiful land of lakes,
rivers, forests, and prairies,—cold as it may be in winter—settled,
tilled, and civilized. The fact of its rapid progress in population,
is sufficient proof of its agricultural capacity; but we shall again
refer to the testimony of actual observers. Turning to Mr. Ferris's
first description of the Northwest, we find his summing of the
climate, and agricultural advantages of Upper Minnesota. 'Minnesota is
destined to become a great agricultural, and grazing region. Its
upland and lowland plains would support a dairy that would enrich an
empire. All the principal grains, and roots thrive there in great
vigor, as high toward the north as Pembina, below the dividing line
between the United States and British America. Latitude does not
always indicate the (p. 196) climate as has already been shown. The
character of the soil has great influence upon the temperature of the
air. A quick warm soil makes a warm atmosphere. The autumns of
Minnesota are greatly lengthened out by the Indian summer, that smoky,
dreary, balmy season, which protects the surface from frost, like a
mantle flung upon the earth. The cold nips the vegetation, about as
early along the Ohio, as along the St. Peters. The winters of
Minnesota are cold; but then they are still and calm, and the icy air
does not penetrate, as it does in a windy climate.'



"In the brief review of the agricultural advantages of that great
northwestern region, whose centre of commerce must ever be at
Mackinaw; we have arrived at the certain fact, that except small
portions of the Superior country, where mining and mines absorb all
other interests, no country in the northern part of America or Europe,
has greater advantages. It is filled with inexhaustible springs, and
streams; fertile in soil, rich in production, and only needs the
cultivating hand of man, to render it capable of sustaining such dense
populations as now inhabit the same isothermal parallel in Prussia and
Poland.



"Let us now turn to its forests, mines, fisheries and resources, which
though not bread, are those (p. 197) from which the implements,
conveniences, and much of the wealth of civilization is derived. Of
forests, furnishing almost illimitable quantities of timber and
lumber—this is the very centre. Of this, we have evidence in the
wharves of Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, and far down the lakes. The
testimony of actual observers on this point, is so strong as to seem
almost incredible. We shall cite but two or three unquestionable
authorities. The peninsula, of Michigan is at the present moment, one
of the greatest depositories of lumber in the world. Mr. Ferris says:
'On going toward the north, the lumber becomes more and more
plentiful. Beeches begin to mingle with the oaks, and in a day or two
beeches and maples will predominate over other varieties of timbers;
large white-woods and bass-woods will be seen towering above the
forest. The white ash, the shag bark, the black cherry, will have
become abundant. The woods will seem to have been growing deeper and
denser every mile of the way. Soon the traveler will doubt, whether
Omnipotence himself could have planted the trees larger, taller, and
thicker together, than they are.'



"Pressing still forward, the emigrant will enter the great pine woods
of the north. For a while, however, before reaching them, he will have
been (p. 198) wandering through groves of oak, and along the borders
of natural meadows, and through clumps of beech and maple. But soon,
as with a single step, the timber has become all pine—yellow pine,
moaning overhead, darkening all the ground, shutting out the sun,
shutting out the wind." The tall trunks support the dark green canopy
full fifty feet above the earth. This belt of pine woods, stretches
across the peninsula of Michigan from Saginaw Bay. After a while as
you proceed further to the north, the pine grows thinner, and is
succeeded by other timber. "The level lands again become covered with
beech and maple, of a full and convenient growth, with here and there
a gigantic Norway pine, six feet through without limb, till it begins
to stretch up half its length above the surrounding trees.



"In northern Wisconsin, we find another great pinery, in which, in one
year, was sawed not less than two hundred millions of feet of pine
timber. The same authority to which we have frequently referred, says:
"Still further north and northwest, is one of the finest tracts of
pine land in America, through which the streams tumbling down frequent
falls, afford an incalculable amount of water-power, just where it is
most needed for the manufacture of lumber. The Wisconsin forest of
evergreens is (p. 199) perfectly immense, covering one-third the
State. The prairies of the Upper Wisconsin and its tributaries, are at
the present most extensive, and those are distinguished still more for
the fine quality, than for the inexhaustible quantities of the
timber."



In the same manner, an immense forest extends over the upper part of
Minnesota, while far to the northwest in the British possessions,
extend deep forests of pine, spruce, and hemlock. It is evident,
therefore, that on the great current of the Straits of Mackinaw, there
will float for generations to come, all the timber and lumber, which
are necessary for the markets of commerce, or the uses of a growing
population.



Nor are the fisheries to be neglected, in any right estimate of the
natural resources of that region. Not only do the one hundred thousand
square miles of lakes and streams, furnish illimitable quantities of
fish; but they furnish varieties, which are nowhere else to be found,
and which an epicurean taste has long since pronounced among the
richest luxuries of the palate. The lake trout, the Mackinaw trout,
the Muskelunge, and the white fish, are celebrated throughout America.
Good fishing grounds occur all along the north shore of Lake Superior,
(p. 200) affording a bountiful supply. On the south shore, there are
fisheries at White Fish Point, Grand Island near the Pitcairn's Rodes,
Keweenaw Point, La Point, and Apostles' Islands, and at different
stations on Isle Royal, where large quantities are taken and exported.
Mackinac Island alone exports yearly a quarter million of dollars'
worth.



The site of Old Mackinaw, now the county seat of Emmet county, and its
surroundings, belonged to the Government of the United States until
the year 1853, when Edgar Conkling, Esq., of Cincinnati, realizing its
importance as a vast commercial centre, and one of the finest
positions for a great city, formed a company consisting of seven
persons, and entered at the Land Office in Ionia, Michigan, near one
thousand eight hundred acres. In 1857 that portion embracing the
ancient site of Old Mackinaw was surveyed and divided into lots. Mr.
Conkling has, recently, become the sole proprietor of the city, and
intends devoting his energies to its development. A pamphlet,
published some time since, describes it as follows:



"The streets of the city are laid out eighty feet in width, and the
avenues from a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet respectively. In
the deed of (p. 201) dedication to the public, of these streets and
avenues, provision is made for side-walks fifteen feet in width on
each side, to be forever unobstructed by improvements of any kind,
shade trees excepted, thus securing a spacious promenade worthy of a
place destined to become a principal resort for health and pleasure.
Provision is also made for the proper use of the streets and avenues
by railroad companies adequate to the demands of the business of a
city. The lots, with the exception of those in fractional blocks, are
fifty by one hundred and fifty feet, thus affording ample room for
permanent, convenient, and ornamental improvement."



The park, now laid off and dedicated to the city, embraces the grounds
of Old Fort Mackinaw, sacred in the history of the country. These
grounds, now in their natural condition, are unequaled for beauty of
surface, location, soil, trees, etc., by any park in any city in the
country, and when the skillful hand of the horticulturist has marked
its outline and threaded it with avenues and paths, pruned its trees,
and carpeted its surface with green, it will present the very
perfection of all that makes a park delightful. The character of the
soil, being a sandy loam, with sand and gravel underlying it, renders
it capable of the easiest and most economical improvement, (p. 202)
securing walks always dry, hard, and smooth. The park, with suitable
blocks and lots for county and city purposes, such as public
buildings, schoolhouses, etc., will be duly appropriated to those
uses, whenever the proper authorities are prepared to select suitable
sites; and lots for churches, institutions of learning, and charity,
will be fully donated to parties contemplating early improvements.
Thus the proprietor proposes to anticipate, by avoiding the errors of
older cities, the wants of Mackinaw city in perpetuity, and free
forever its citizens from taxation for any grounds required for the
public good. He also designs to place it in the power of the General
Government, to secure, by like donation at an early day, the grounds
necessary for such fortifications as the wants of the country and
commerce may require, on the simple condition of speedy improvement.
This liberal policy will best promote the true interests of the city
and country, and at the same time be productive of pecuniary profit to
the proprietors and all who may make investments at that point.



The proprietor intends also to expend a large portion of the income
from sales in providing for the public wants by the construction of
docks at the most important points, and the establishment of ferries,
for which he has purchased the land on (p. 203) the opposite side of
the straits. He intends to make loans also, as his means will justify,
to aid parties in the establishment of manufactories.



Building materials of great variety and in abundance are at hand.
Lumber can be had for the mere cost of preparation, and the soil, at
no distant point, is suitable for making bricks; while for immediate
use, Milwaukee can furnish the articles of the best kind in any
quantities. The shores of Lake Superior abound with exhaustless
quantities of granite, sandstone and marble; the limestone and sand
are on the spot.



Three fine harbors adjoin Mackinaw; the one on the east being the most
spacious, and the best protected. The new United States charts show
the depth of water sufficient for vessels of the largest size
navigating the lakes. As many as thirty vessels have been at anchor in
this harbor. The country in the rear of Mackinaw rises gradually
until, at the distance of a mile or two, it rises into an elevation of
high table land, from points of which there is a fine view of the
straits and surrounding islands. A mountainous ridge extends up to
within two miles of Mackinaw, covered with a dense forest of hard
wood. The southern extremity of this range reaches to the head waters
of the Grand and Saginaw (p. 204) rivers. From two to ten miles south
of Mackinaw are several beautiful lakes, surrounded by a rich, warm
soil of great fertility and covered with a heavy forest of hard wood,
some of which has attained a gigantic growth. These lakes abound with
fish of different varieties. Turtles have been taken from them,
measuring from one and a half to two feet in diameter. Almost every
kind of game can be found in the woods bordering upon these lakes,
such as the black bear, raccoon, martin, fox, lynx, rabbit, ducks,
partridges and pigeons.(Back to Content)




(p. 205) CHAPTER XI.



The entrepot of a vast commerce — Surface
     drained — Superiority of Mackinaw over Chicago as a
     commercial point — Exports and imports — Michigan the greatest
     lumber-growing region in the world — Interminable forests of
     the choicest pine — Facilities for market — Annual product of
     the pineries — Lumbering, mining and fishing
     interests — Independent of financial crises — Mackinaw, the
     centre of a great railroad system — Lines terminating at this
     point — North and South National Line — Canada grants — Growth
     of northwestern cities — Future growth and prosperity of
     Mackinaw — Chicago — Legislative provisions for opening roads
     in Michigan — The Forty Acre Homestead Bill — Its provisions.



The physical resources of this region are of such a nature and variety
as to make Mackinaw city the entrepot of a vast commerce. This will
appear, if we consider that it is the nearest point of that extensive
district, including the entire north of the lakes inaccessible to
Chicago. When all the lines of internal communication are completed,
and the different points on the lakes settled down upon, (p. 206)
then the real limits of Mackinaw will drain a geographical surface of
three hundred thousand square miles; deducting the surface of the
lakes from which, there will remain two hundred and eighty thousand
square miles of country, with all the resources of agriculture and
mining in the most extraordinary degree. It will be nearly three-fold
that which can be drained by Chicago, and in point of territory,
whether of quantity or quality, Mackinaw is vastly superior, as a
commercial point. With the exception of a small portion of the mineral
region, the agricultural advantages of Michigan, Upper Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Canada West, and the Superior country, are at least equal,
at the present time, to the district shipping at Chicago, while it is
more extensive, and will have a large home market in a country
affording diversity of employment. Nothing can be more obvious, than
the superior advantages of Mackinaw, as a manufacturing point, over
any other on the lake coast.



The value of exports and imports which flow through the Straits of
Mackinaw and the Saut St. Mary was estimated a year or two since at
over one hundred millions of dollars. But, who can estimate a
commerce which every year increases in many fold? In 1856, there were
sent through the (p. 207) St. Mary Canal 11,000 tons of raw iron,
1,040 tons of blooms, and 10,452,000 lbs. of copper; and the
commercial value of what passed through the canal amounted to upward
$5,000,000. But perhaps the most correct idea of the rapid increase of
commerce in Lake Superior may be taken from the arrivals at Superior
City for the last three years, taken from the Superior Chronicle of
January, 1857.



In 1854 there were two steamboats and five sail vessels. In 1855 there
were twenty-three steamers, and ten sail vessels; and in 1856 forty
steamers and sixteen sail vessels.



We thus see that in three years the increase was seven-fold. It is
scarcely possible to imagine the limits of northwestern commerce on
the lake, when a few years shall have filled up with inhabitants the
surrounding territories.



According to the testimony of Senator Hatch, made on the floor of
Congress on the 25th of February, 1859, there were over one thousand
six hundred vessels navigating the northwestern lakes, of which the
aggregate burden was over four hundred thousand tons. They were manned
by over thirteen thousand seamen, navigating over five thousand miles
of lake and river coast, and transporting over six hundred millions of
exports and imports, being (p. 208) greater than the exports and
imports of the United States.



The State of Michigan is the greatest lumber-growing region in the
world, not only on account of its interminable forests of the choicest
pine, but in the remarkable facilities for getting it to market. With
a lake coast, on the lower peninsula alone, of over one thousand
miles—with numberless watercourses debouching at convenient distances
into her vast inland seas—she enjoys advantages which mighty empires
might envy. Her white-winged carriers are sent to almost every point
of the compass with the product of her forests, which, wherever it may
go, is the sign of improvement and progress, while by the large
expenditures involved in the manufacture, and the employment of
thousands of hardy laborers, the general prosperity is materially
enhanced, and a market opened within her own borders for a
considerable share of the surplus production of her own soil.



The annual product of the pineries alone amount to the sum of ten and
a half millions of dollars. The lumbering, mining, and fishing
interest combine to furnish by far the best home market in the Union,
and one which in seasons when a large surplus is not compelled to seek
a market, can boast its independence (p. 209) of the "bulls" and
"bears" of the great commercial metropolis. The dense forests in the
interior of the State have not yet been reached, and when the
contemplated roads are made, a field will be presented for the
investment of capital of a most remunerative character.



The government has already taken such steps as will soon make Mackinaw
the centre of a great railroad system. We need only refer to the
actual facts in order to make this clear. Congress, by an act passed
in 1855-6, granted to the State of Michigan a large body of land for
railroad purposes, designating four routes. 1. From Little Noquet Bay
to Marquette, in the Superior country. 2. From Amboy, on the
State-line of Ohio, through Lansing to or near Mackinaw. 3. From Grand
Rapids to Mackinaw. 4. From Grand Haven to Port Huron. It will be seen
that this plan is formed on the basis of a direct line from Lake
Superior through the mineral regions to Lake Michigan. The law
fortunately permitted the last two companies to make their lines at or
near Traverse Bay, and as Mackinaw is but comparatively a short
distance, both companies have wisely concluded to terminate their
lines at Mackinaw. It is at once evident that the Michigan line,
centering at Mackinaw, must be met there, by railroads (p. 210)
penetrating various sections of the northern peninsula. This is
evident, and we understand is already foreseen, and measures will be
adopted to accomplish that end. In the mean time, let us examine the
prospects and influence of the two long lines of Michigan railway
terminating at Mackinaw. The whole amount of land granted to the
Michigan railways is estimated to be about 3,880,000 acres. From this,
however, there will be some deduction in consequence of lands already
selected, and which may not be supplied by the quantity within the
limited distance. The deficiency will not be great, and we understand
that the amount estimated for the two Mackinaw roads will scarcely be
less than two millions of acres. Of the quantity and value of these
lands, we give the estimate made by these roads, as well as the cost
of construction. The estimate made by the Grand Rapids and Indiana
Railroad is as follows:



"The proximity to lake navigation; having several navigable rivers
passing through them, the abundance of hydraulic power, the
healthfulness of the climate, the fertility of the soil; and lying
immediately on the line of this road, are facts which contribute to
enhance the value of these lands.



"The length of this road from the Straits of Mackinaw (p. 211) to
Fort Wayne, will be about three hundred and fifty miles. If the
company meet with as good success as the merits of the enterprise
deserve, the entire cost of the road should not be over $25,000 per
mile, which makes an aggregate sum of $8,759,000."



On the supposition that the minimum amount of land is obtained and
sold, at half the price above stated, there will yet be broad enough
basis to secure the construction of the work.



The Amboy and Lansing Company are equally confident of success. They
have also located a large quantity of land, and expect their value to
be equivalent to the construction of their road. Accordingly, they
have put a portion of their road under contract, and have obtained
large local subscriptions.



Both these lines of railroad will terminate at Mackinaw, on the north,
and Cincinnati on the south; hence they will be carried south till
they terminate at Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah, and Pensacola, thus
forming the grandest and most extensive system of railroads on the
continent. Nothing in America equals it—nothing in Europe can compare
with it! When all the links shall have been (p. 212) completed, it
will stand out the greatest monument to human labor and genius which
the world presents.



The single line from Mackinaw to Pensacola has been looked upon as one
of the most important undertakings of the age. We extract from the
"Exposition of its Plan and Prospects," by E. D. Mansfield, Esq., some
of the facts, which exhibit its importance, and bearing, and influence
on Mackinaw City.



"To illustrate," says the Exposition, "the value of this North and
South National Line, by its power of producing commerce, mark, in a
tabular form, the natural products of each degree of latitude, thus:—





    
    
    
    
    



States.
Latitude.
Productions.




Florida,
31
deg.
 
Oranges.




"
31
"
 
Sugar.




"
31
"
 
Cotton.




Alabama,
32
"
 
"




"
33
"
 
"




"
34
"
 
Cotton, Corn.




Tennessee,
35
"
 
""




"
36
"
 
Cotton, corn, tobac., iron.




Kentucky,
37
"
 
Corn, tobac., coal, iron.




"
38
"
 
Corn, wh't, cat. tob. h'mp.




Ohio,
39
"
 
Corn, wh't, cat. h'gs, wine.
  (p. 213)




"
40
"
 
Wh't, c'rn, h'gs, cat., flax.




"
41
"
 
Wheat, corn, cattle.




Michigan,
42
"
 
Wheat, cattle, hay, wool.




"
43
"
 
Pine, cedar, coal.




"
44
"
 
Pine, cedar, coal.




"
45
"
 
Pine, hemlock, cedar.




"
46
"
 
Pine, copper, lead, fish.






"This statement is enough to show an extraordinary stimulus to
commerce, on a line of railway. The length of the entire line will be
less than half that which is proposed to be made from Cincinnati and
other cities to San Francisco; yet, will pass through varieties of
production, which that line cannot have. In two days, every inhabitant
on that line may be supplied, from their native source, with sugar,
cotton, corn, wheat, tobacco, iron, coal, lead, copper, pine, cedar,
with wool, flour, hemp, and fruits of every description; with fish of
the sea and fish of the lakes; with bread, and oil, and wine; in fine,
with everything that supports, clothes, or houses man; with everything
that supplies his wants, or contributes to his material happiness."



It is obvious, that such a line of railroad as this—peculiar in its
resources, vast in its comprehensions, and embracing in its grasp all
the products of tropic (p. 214) or of temperate climes—must, of
itself, rear, at its termini, commercial towns of great importance.
But, this is not all. The road from Grand Haven to Port Huron will
intersect the Amboy and Lansing line about midway, and then a railroad
will at once be made in the direction of the Canada lines and
Buffalo—completing the radii from the far northwest through
Mackinaw, to the eastern Atlantic. The natural point of termini for
the Northern Pacific and Canada Railroads is also at the Straits of
Mackinaw. The one giving financial strength and business to the other,
connecting Portland with the mouth of Columbia by the nearest possible
route.



Canada has already granted four million acres of land to railroads
running to Saut St. Mary. Those having the management of the Northern
Pacific railroad will do well to consider the propriety of
co-operating and uniting with the Canada and Pacific Railroad at the
Straits.



The following from the New York Daily News is valuable in this
connection. It is from the pen of E. Conkling, Esq.:—



"You will please excuse me for calling your attention, not to the
importance of a Pacific railroad, for that is conceded, and our
country is suffering from want of it, but to the mode of getting the
means to (p. 215) construct the Northern Pacific railroad. I don't
remember to have noticed as yet any allusion to this method, or any
other practical one, and I trust you will consider the suggestions,
and add thereto any other methods.



"The railroads now provided for and made to St. Paul, and Crow Wing
from Chicago and Milwaukee will have exhausted local means, State aid
and available land grants. However desirable it may be to sustain
those roads by a business beyond that, and to the country beyond that,
by extending the Northern Pacific Railroad, yet for want of means it
cannot be done, unless foreign capitalists can be induced by land
grants, at least to invest sufficient to make the road finally, and be
made to see that their present large unproductive investments in
Canada railroads can be made productive in the use of more of their
capital.



"Canada railroads lie too far North to receive any benefit in
business from railroads terminating from the northwest as far south as
Chicago, and but little from the railroads terminating at Milwaukee,
as the cost of transhipment and delay to cross by steam ferry eight
months yearly at Milwaukee with eighty-five miles ferriage, must
divert the trade and travel either to the north or south end of Lake
Michigan, (p. 216) and every year will render that delay and cost
more unpopular. And yet to get that trade the Great Western Railroad
of Canada have permanently invested $750,000, in the Detroit and
Milwaukee Railroad, and recently loaned a half a million more,
demonstrating the idea I shall advance, that to make good present
investments more means can be had. The State of Michigan itself will
furnish a good trade to roads through it and to roads east of it.



"The Straits of Mackinaw is the great natural ferry of about four
miles wide for roads of Michigan and Canada to centre, the point
necessarily for the passage of lake commerce, and for a large
population north of it to cross, naturally attracting and combining
elements of great importance to railroads.



"Land grants are now made to the straits from the south. The Grand
Trunk and Great Western Railroads of Canada can go to the Straits of
Mackinaw, aided by those grants. The Ottawa and Huron Railroad to Saut
St. Mary, may also go to the Straits, aided by land grants from Saut
St. Mary. From there the three Canadian railroads, aided by land
grants yet to be made, can go to Crow Wing or near there, and there
form a junction with the Chicago roads—thence to the Pacific, aided
by land grants.



"By affording the Canada interest a chance for a (p. 217) portion of
the Pacific trade, and thus making present Canada investments
profitable, it is made the interest of foreign capitalists to make our
Northern Pacific railroad.



"This protective interest to Canada railroads is the greatest
inducement to be offered them.



"They will not invest in the road beyond Crow Wing, simply for the
sake of grants of lands, made valuable only by the outlay of their
money; even should the lands finally redeem the previous outlay for
the road, that is no object, because the road will not pay more than
cost of running and sustaining it, and if it should some beyond that,
it will be frittered away by bad management and stealing. At least it
is fair to suppose so, and hence they must be assured of enough of
land grants to finally make the road, which of itself will pay
nothing, only in the way of affording the roads east of Crow Wing,
owned by them, fair dividends. This consideration will of itself
induce them to furnish capital to the Pacific, and it is in the power
of the government thus to interest them. No other proposed route can
claim foreign aid because of such good reasons. Our government can aid
only in lands; in valueless lands she is or may be wealthy. No bill
can pass Congress, only by affording equal aid in lands to the
Northern, (p. 218) Central and Southern routes, each standing on
their commercial merits before capitalists.



"The chance for us thus to enlist them, is but for a limited time.
Soon they will become committed to the North Canada Pacific Road,
north of Lake Superior, when they will not help ours, and thus
protract ours for want of means and competing road. At present, two of
the most important Canada roads can be enlisted in the above views,
because if the Canada road north of Lake Superior is made, it will
divert the trade from them, they being too far south to be benefited.
But by going to the Straits of Mackinaw, they secure a division of the
Western trade—among the three roads. The road through the mineral
regions will develop that country and afford a good market for the
produce of the country west of it.



"Chicago is no more on the direct route from the East to Iowa, than is
Mackinaw city on the direct route to the northwest from New York.



"Lake Michigan naturally forces such a division of the Western and
Northwestern trade, and the Strait of Mackinaw is most favorably
situated for crossing. Cars can be transferred by ferry boat from
point to point, without delay or cost of train shipment.



(p. 219) "That country is nearer to market than any other Western
State; cheaper lands and good soil, and healthy climate, and a
superior wheat country, affording employment in lumbering, fishing,
mining, manufacturing, &c., offering great inducements to foreigners,
and of interest to New York, to be settled."



The history of the West has presented some remarkable facts, contrary
to the ordinary experience of human progress. It is assumed, as an
historical fact, in European or Asiatic progress, that the growth of
towns and states must be slow. It requires generations to bring them
to maturity, and even imperial power has failed to create cities,
without the aid of time and gradual increase. But, this has been
reversed in America. We cannot take it for granted that because the
natural site of a town is now clothed with the forest, and remote from
habitations, that it will not become a prosperous city, within a
half-dozen years. For, we know that in the Northwest, cities have
arisen on a substantial basis, to a numerous population, in a space so
brief that history has no record of their existence, and the school
maps no name for the place of their being.



Chicago which commenced its growth in 1834, had a population in 1857,
of 100,000, Milwaukee in (p. 220) twenty-one years rose to 50,000,
St. Paul in fifteen years to 15,000; Keokuk in eighteen years to
15,000, Grand Rapids in twelve years to 8000; Saginaw city in
twenty-two years 4000, and Superior city in the short space of two
years to 4000.



We thus see, that, in the Northwest, cities do grow up, in the midst
of the wilderness, and the wilderness itself soon blooms as the rose.
To say, then, that a point affording every natural and commercial
advantage for the growth of a large city is not now a city, is to
say nothing against its position or prospects. Within the memory of a
generation the five great States, (which have heretofore been termed
the Northwest,) contained less then a half a million of people, and
Cleveland, Toledo, Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul, were not even
dots on the map of States. A mission or a military fort was all they
could boast. These States now contain six millions of inhabitants, and
the towns on the lake shore two hundred and fifty thousand. But to
present the point of growth, in the clearest point of view, let us
consider it dependent wholly on that of the surrounding country. This
we can tell almost precisely. We know the rate of growth in Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada West.



Canada West in 1840, had a population of 640,000, (p. 221) in 1850,
of 982,000, and in 1857, 1,100,000, Michigan in 1840, was 212,000, in
1850, 397,000, and in 1857, 700,000. The population of Wisconsin in
1840, was 30,000, in 1850, it was 305,991, and in 1857, it was
600,000. The increase in Minnesota in seventeen years was 200,000.



The annual increment from 1840 to 1850, was 50,000 per annum, or
about six per cent. The annual increment from 1850 to 1857, was
172,000, or about twelve per cent. The ratio of increase is,
therefore, increasing, and we may assume it will not be less than
ten per cent, per annum till 1860. This will give 3,380,000 for
1860, or fourfold the population of 1840! At a diminishing ratio the
territory round Mackinaw will contain 5,400,000 in 1870, and
(8,000,000) eight millions in 1880. The principal city of the
district (wherever it may be) must then contain about one hundred
thousand inhabitants.



Of the cities and towns we have above enumerated, the greatest and
most rapid in its development is Chicago, whose first warehouse lot
was sold in 1834, and which, in 1857, is said to contain near one
hundred thousand inhabitants. Let us, for a moment, compare the
material advantages and resources of that place, with those of
Mackinaw city. Dean Swift said, that a large city must combine the
resources of (p. 222) agriculture, commerce and manufactures. Cities
have risen, however, to large size almost exclusively on commerce.
Witness Tyre and Palmyra. But commerce, we concede, when left to
itself, is so fluctuating, that the cities it builds, like Tyre and
Palmyra, may, in the decay of commerce, be left to ruin and
desolation. Cities may, likewise, be built up almost exclusively on
manufactures, such as Birmingham and Sheffield; and it is quite
remarkable that the oldest and most stable cities have depended
largely on manufactures. Damascus, the oldest historical city—which
has resisted all the destructive influences of time and
revolution—has always been a manufacturing town. Paris, Lyons, Lisle,
the great interior towns of France, depend very largely on the
manufacture of fine and fashionable articles, distributed throughout
Europe and America. Of the great elements of civic success, we
consider manufactures the most important; but, to make a city of the
first magnitude, it is obviously necessary to have all the resources
of food, industry and commerce. Chicago is remarkable chiefly as a
grain city—like Odessa, on the Baltic. But, whence is the grain
derived? By the construction of railroads, at that point, from
Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Iowa, the whole mass of
surplus grain in that (p. 223) region—amounting to more than twenty
millions of bushels per annum—has been exported from Chicago. But,
this is the drainage of three hundred thousand square miles,
two-thirds of which will not export through Chicago when railroads
extend directly east to Milwaukee, Superior and Mackinaw, from
Wisconsin and Iowa, and connect, from the south, at Cairo, with
Missouri and Illinois. Reduced to its own proper limits, the
agricultural resources of Chicago must be confined to half the surface
of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, or about one hundred thousand square
miles. This is but little over one-third the surface drained of
agricultural products toward the Straits of Mackinaw. Will it be said
that this new region of the Northwest is less productive in
agriculture? The contrary, for the great element of breadstuffs, is
likely to be true. Attentive observers of agricultural production have
remarked, that the different grains produced most on the northern
edge of the belt, in which they will grow at all. Is it not so in
Europe? The isothermal line of Mackinaw passes in the midst of those
countries which alone produce the surplus grain of Europe, viz.,
Prussia, Pomerania, Poland, Southern Russia. As if to place this
beyond a doubt, the crops of Canada West have, in fact, failed much
less frequently than those of (p. 224) Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. In
regard to agricultural production, it will be difficult to show that
the country drained by Chicago, has any advantage over that which will
be drained by the Straits of Mackinaw.



In regard to commerce—the natural position of Mackinaw is far
superior to Chicago. Mackinaw is at the head of Lake
Michigan—Chicago, at the foot. Mackinaw is at the junction of
three great lakes; Chicago at the foot of one. Mackinaw will
concentrate the navigation of eighty thousand square miles of water
surface; Chicago of twenty-four thousand. Mackinaw is three
hundred and fifty miles nearer the Atlantic by water; three hundred
miles nearer the upper extremity of the lakes, and as much nearer any
of the Eastern Lake ports which are points of distribution. The
comparison need be made no further, for whoever looks upon the map
will see, that, while Chicago touches one end of a single lake, a
world of waters gather round Mackinaw. For an internal water commerce,
it has no equal.



It will be said, that railroads now carry commerce. This is true, but,
railroads do not carry commerce over the surface of lakes, and the
multiplication of vessels on the lakes proves that that commerce
will ever be great and increasing. But what railroad (p. 225)
commerce can be greater than that which will concentrate at Mackinaw,
when it connects, in a direct line, not only with the cities of the
Ohio Valley, but with those of the far South. To Cincinnati, to
Louisville, to Charleston, Savannah, and Pensacola, will the cars
move, laden with the people and products of the North. Lastly, neither
Chicago nor any other point can be superior to Mackinaw in the
elements necessary to support manufactures, the great support of
cities, these elements we have already exhibited in detail. Copper,
iron, lead, coal, wood, timber, bread, in fine, everything which can
feed machinery, give material for its work, or feed the people who
gather in the great workshops of industry, and distribute the products
of labor. Here materials all lie near enough for the purposes of
either work or distribution. Birmingham, Manchester, Lyons, and
Cincinnati, have their materials no nearer. There, if anywhere, is a
site peculiarly proper for a manufacturing town.



But, neither agriculture, commerce, nor manufactures are the only
things necessary to build up a large city. Healthiness is more
important than either. Here again, Mackinaw has more advantage over
Chicago. Mackinaw has been proved by two hundred years experience to
be one of the healthiest (p. 226) points in America. Chicago is
generally healthy, but is subject to more severe epidemics. The
cholera visited it in 1832 and in 1849, with fearful force; while its
very low position and muddy streets expose its inhabitants to those
diseases which arise from damps.



The Legislature of Michigan, recently passed a bill to provide for the
drainage and reclamation of the swamp lands of the State by a system
of State roads, accompanied by a lengthy and able report. The bill
provides among others, a road from Ionia north to the straits, and
thence to Saut St. Mary.



They also passed a bill entitled the "Forty Acre Homestead Act." This
act requires the commissioners of the State Land office to issue a
certificate of purchase to every settler on the swamp lands belonging
to the State, for forty acres of said lands, whenever such settler
shall have resided upon it for five continuous years, and when he has
drained the same so as to comply with the provisions of the Act of
Congress making this grant to the State. Before the settler can
acquire the right thus to occupy and drain any of the swamp lands, he
is required to file with the commissioner his application, accompanied
by an oath of his intention to settle upon and drain it for the
purpose of obtaining a title thereto. And (p. 227) he must also make
oath that he is not already the owner of forty acres of land in any
State of the United States. It is also expressly provided that he
shall not cut or carry away any timber from said land, unless it be to
clear it for cultivation, under such penalties as are now prescribed
for trespassing upon State lands. It will be seen, therefore, that the
object of the law is to provide homes for the homeless, and at the
same time promote the actual, permanent settlement of the northern
portion of the State. No man who possesses forty acres of land either
in Michigan or anywhere else, is entitled to the benefits of the act.
It is emphatically a law for the poor man. To all such it secures a
home, without money and without price. All it requires of him is to
settle upon and cultivate it. How many are there in Detroit and other
portions of the State, who will avail themselves of this beneficent
republican measure?(Back to Content)




(p. 228) CHAPTER XII.



The Great Western Valley — Its growth and
     population — Comparison of Atlantic with interior
     cities — Relative growth of river and lake cities — Centre of
     population — Lake tonnage — Progress of the principal centres
     of population.



The following chapter on the population and growth of the Great
Western Valley is taken from De Bow's Review:—



The westward movement of the Caucasian branch of the human family from
the high plains of Asia, first over Europe, and thence, with swelling
tide, pouring its multitudes into the New World, is the grandest
phenomenon in history. What American can contemplate its results, as
displayed before him, and as promised in the proximate future, without
an emotion of pride and exultation?



Our nation has the great middle region of the best continent of the
world, and our people are descendants from the most vigorous races.
Western Europe, (p. 229) over-peopled, sends us her most energetic
sons and daughters, in numbers augmenting with each succeeding decade.
Asia is beginning to send forth a portion of her surplus population to
our shores. Though of inferior race, the Eastern Asiatics are
industrious and ingenious cultivators and artisans. A large influx of
these laborers, though it may lower the average character of our
people, will, it is hoped, in a greater degree elevate theirs; and
thus, while adding to the wealth and power of a nation, do something
toward the general amelioration of the race. While, then, we
contemplate with patriotic pride the position which, as a nation, we
hold in the world's affairs, may we not indulge in pleasant
anticipations of the near approach of the time, when the commercial
and social heart of our empire will occupy its natural place as the
heart of the continent, near the centre of its natural capabilities?



New York has long been, and for some decades of years it will continue
to be, the necessary chief focal point of our nation. But, in all
respects, it is not the true heart. In its composition and dealings,
it is almost as much foreign as American. Located on our eastern
border, fronting the most commercial and the richest transatlantic
nations, and of easy access (p. 230) to extensive portions of our
Atlantic coast, it is the best point of exchange between foreign lands
and our own, and for the cities of the sea border of our Republic. As
Tyre, Alexandria, Genoa, Venice, Lisbon, and Amsterdam, in their best
days, flourished as factors between foreigners and the people of the
interior regions, whose industries were represented in their markets,
so New York grows rich as the chief agent in the exchange-commerce
between the ocean shores and the interior regions of our continent. As
our numbers have swelled, since we became a nation, from three and a
half millions to thirty millions, so New York, including Brooklyn and
other suburbs, has increased in population and wealth still more
rapidly, to wit, from twenty-five thousand to more than one million.
While the nation has increased less than tenfold, New York has grown
more than four times tenfold. In 1790 the city of New York contained
thirty-three thousand, and the State of New York three hundred and
forty thousand—the city having less than one-tenth of the people of
the State.



Believing that this most prosperous of the Atlantic cities will be
eclipsed in its greatness and glory by one or more of the interior
cities of the great plain, we have selected it as the champion of the
(p. 231) Atlantic border, to hold up its progress during the thirty
years from 1830 to 1860, the most prosperous years of its existence,
in comparison with the progress, during the same period, of the
aggregate cities and towns of the plain. The result of our
investigation, the summing up, will be found in the following table.
It will be seen that many of the items are put down in round
numbers—no document being accessible or in existence to furnish the
exact number of many of the new towns, in 1830. The estimate for 1860
may, in some instances, be above the figures which the census will
furnish, but the over-estimate for 1830 is believed to be in a larger
proportion to actual numbers at that time. Making a liberal allowance
for errors, the result of the aggregate cannot be materially varied
from that at which our figures bring us:





    
    
    
    



 
1830.
1860 Est.
Increase.




New York, including Brooklyn and other suburbs
234,438
1,170,000
5 times.




Cities and chief towns of the great plain
270,094
2,706,300
10 " nearly.






Leaving out the exterior cities of the plain, to wit, New Orleans,
Mobile, Galveston, Quebec and Montreal, the comparison between New
York and (p. 232) suburbs, and the interior cities of the plain will
be shown by the following figures:





    
    
    
    



 
1830.
1860 Est.
Increase.




New York and accessories
234,448
1,170,000
5 fold.




Interior cities and town of the plain
172,000
2,346,000
13 ".






The five largest cities of the Atlantic border exhibit a growth, as
compared with the five largest cities of the plain, as follows:





    
    
    
    
    
    



 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




New York and dependencies
235,000
 
1,170,000
 




Philadelphia
"
170,000
 
700,000
 




Baltimore
"
83,000
 
250,000
 




Boston
"
80,000
 
200,000
 




Charleston
"
31,000
 
60,000
 




 




 
599,000
 
2,380,000
 




 




Cincinnati and suburbs
28,000
 
250,000
 




New Orleans
"
47,000
 
170,000
 




St. Louis
"
6,000
 
170,000
 




Chicago
"
100
 
150,000
 




Pittsburg
"
17,000
 
145,000
 




 




 
98,000
 
885,000
 






This table shows the five Atlantic cities to have quadrupled, and the
five cities of the interior plain have increased nine times. Is this
relative rate of increase of the exterior and interior cities to be
changed, and, if it is to be changed, when is (p. 233) the change to
commence? We can foresee no cause adequate to that effect, or tending
toward it. On the contrary, it seems to us certain as any future
event, that the rate of growth of the interior cities, compared with
those on the Atlantic border, will be increased.



The proportion which their present numbers bear to the numbers of the
rural population does not exceed one to six, whereas the urban
population of the Atlantic border is not less than one to three of the
rural. This disproportion of city and rural population will hereafter
change more rapidly in favor of the interior than the Atlantic cities,
because of the greater fertility of soil producing more food from an
equal amount of labor; and also, by reason of the more rapid growth of
the general population, of which an increasing proportion will prefer
city to country life. Will it not be so? Will not the general increase
of population be greater in the interior States? Will not the
productions of the soil increase faster? And can there be a doubt that
the large disproportion in the distribution of the population between
city and country, in the interior, will be lessened, so that, instead
of being, as now, only one to five or six, they will rapidly approach
the proportion of one to two or three? Here, then, are (p. 234) the
sources of superior increase so obviously true, as to need only to be
stated to insure conviction.



Let us now compare the growth, for the thirty years since 1830, of the
five largest Atlantic cities, with the five largest cities of the
plain, and, by its side, extend the comparison to 10, 15, and 20 of
the largest city of each section:





    
    
    
    
    
    



 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




New York and accessories
235,000
 
1,170,000
 




Philadelphia
"
170,000
 
700,000
 




Baltimore
"
83,000
 
250,000
 




Charleston
"
31,000
 
60,000
 




 




 
599,000
 
2,380,000
 




 
Increase 4 times.




 




 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Cincinnati and suburbs
28,000
 
250,000
 




New Orleans
"
47,000
 
270,000
 




St. Louis
"
6,000
 
170,000
 




Chicago
"
100
 
150,000
 




Pittsburg
"
17,000
 
145,000
 




 




 
98,000
 
2,885,000
 




 
Increase 9 times.






Let us now compare the ten largest of each section.





    
    
    
    
    



 
Atlantic.




 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




The aggregate of the five largest as above
579,000
 
2,370,000
 




Providence
17,000
 
55,000
 




Lowell
6,500
 
40,000
 




Washington
19,000
 
60,000
 




Albany
24,000
 
65,000
 




Richmond
16,000
 
35,000
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
661,000
 
2,625,000
 




 
Increase 4 times.




 




 
Interior.




 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Aggregate as above
98,000
 
885,000
 




Buffalo
9,000
 
100,000
 




Louisville
10,500
 
80,000
 




Milwaukee
50
 
75,000
 




Detroit
2,000
 
80,000
 




Cleveland
1,000
 
70,000
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
120,550
 
1,290,000
 




 
Increase 10 7-10.






Aggregate of the ten, with five more of each section added, added, to
wit:





    
    
    
    
    



 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Aggregate as above
661,000
 
2,625,000
 




Troy
11,500
 
35,000
 




Portland
12,500
 
30,000
 




Salem
14,000
 
25,000
 




New Haven
10,000
 
30,000
 




Savannah
7,500
 
15,500
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
716,500
 
2,760,500
 




 
Increase 3 8-10 times.




 




 (p. 236)
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Aggregate as above
120,550
 
1,290,000
 




Toronto
1,700
 
65,000
 




Rochester
9,000
 
50,000
 




Mobile
3,000
 
30,000
 




Memphis
1,500
 
25,000
 




Hamilton
1,500
 
25,000
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
137,000
 
1,485,000
 




 
Increase 16 7-10 times.






Aggregate of the fifteen, with five more added in each section:





    
    
    
    
    



 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Aggregate as above
716,500
 
2,760,500
 




Springfield, Mass
7,000
 
24,000
 




Worcester,"
4,500
 
24,000
 




Bangor, Me.
3,000
 
23,000
 




Patterson, N. J.
5,000
 
22,000
 




Manchester, N. H.
50
 
22,000
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
736,500
 
2,875,500
 




 
Increase 3 8-10 times.




 




 
1830.
 
1860 Est.
 




Aggregate as above
137,250
 
1,485,000
 




Dayton
3,000
 
24,000
 




Indianapolis
1,500
 
22,000
 




Toledo
30
 
20,000
 




Oswego
3,200
 
20,000
 




Quincy
1,500
 
20,000
 




 
———
 
———
 




 
149,700
 
1,591,000
 




 
Increase 10 6-10 times.






From the above tables, we see that the city of (p. 237) New York,
with its neighboring dependencies, will have made in growth in thirty
years, between 1830 and 1860, increasing its population 5 times.
During the same period,





    
    
    
    



The 5 largest Atlantic cities and suburbs, including New York, increased
4
1-10
times.




The 10 largest Atlantic cities and suburbs, including New York, increased
4
 
"




The 15 largest Atlantic cities and suburbs, including New York, increased
3
8-10
"




The 20 largest Atlantic cities and suburbs, including New York, increased
3
8-10
"




 




And that the 5 largest cities of the great plain, during the same period, increased
9
 
"




And the 10 largest cities of the great plain, during the same period, increased
10
7-10
"




And the 15 largest cities of the great plain, during the same period, increased
10
7-10
"




And the 20 largest cities of the great plain, during the same period, increased
10
6-10
"






If the number of cities and towns of each section were increased to
twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five of each section, the disparity
would increase in favor of the interior cities, most of these to be
brought into comparison, having come into existence since 1830.



We commend the comparison between the old and the new cities so far
back as 1830, to give the (p. 238) former a better chance for a fair
showing. If a later census should be chosen for a starting point, the
advantages would be more decidedly with the interior cities.



In the article on the great plain, in the May number of this Review,
we gave prominence to the two great external gateways of commerce
offered to its people in their intercourse with the rest of the world:
that is to say, the Mississippi river entrance into the Gulf of
Mexico, and the outlet of the lakes through St. Lawrence and Hudson
rivers. These constitute the present great routes of commerce of the
people of the plain, and draw to the cities on the borders of the
great lakes and rivers the trade of the surrounding country. Between
the cities of the great rivers and lakes there has of late sprung up a
friendly rivalry, each having some peculiar advantages, and all, in
some degree, drawing business into their laps for the benefit of their
rivals. That is to say: river cities gather in productions from the
surrounding districts which seek an eastern market through lake
harbors; and lake cities perform the same office for the chief river
cities. Each year increases, to a marked extent, the intercourse which
these two classes of cities hold with each other; and it may be safely
anticipated that no long period will (p. 239) elapse before this
intercourse will become more important to them than all their commerce
with the world beside.



In comparing the interior cities of the great plain, situated on the
navigable rivers, with those located on the borders of the lakes, two
considerations bearing on their relative growth should be kept in
view. The river cities were of earlier growth, the settlement from the
Atlantic States having taken the Ohio river as the high-road to their
new homes, many years before the upper lakes were resorted to as a
channel of active emigration.



This gave an earlier development to country bordering the central
rivers, the Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, and Lower Missouri. The States of
Kentucky and Tennessee, also, had been pretty well settled, in their
more inviting portions, before any considerable inroad had been made
on the wilderness bordering on the upper lakes. Owing to these and
other circumstances, the river cities, Pittsburg, Cincinnati,
Louisville, and others of less note, were well advanced in growth,
before the towns on the lakes had begun, in any considerable degree,
to be developed. Another advantage the river cities possessed in their
early stage, and which they still hold; that of manufacturing for the
planting States bordering the great rivers. (p. 240) For many years,
in a great variety of articles of necessity, they possessed almost a
monopoly of this business. Of late, transportation has become so
cheap, that the planters avail themselves of a greater range of choice
for the purchase of manufactured articles, and the lake cities have
commenced a direct trade with the plantation States, which will
doubtless increase with the usual rapidity of industrial development
in the fertile West.



If we claim for the upper lake country some superiority of climate for
city growth over the great river region, we do not doubt that the
future will justify the claim. More labor will be performed for the
same compensation, in a cool, bracing atmosphere, such as
distinguishes the upper lake region, than on the more sultry banks of
the central affluents of the Mississippi, where are the best positions
for the chief river cities.



Refraining from further comment, let us bring the actual development
of the interior cities—on the navigable rivers and on the lakes—into
juxtaposition for easy comparison. As our comparison of Atlantic
cities with the cities of the plain has been made for thirty years,
from 1830 to 1860, we continue it here for the same period, between
the river cities and lake cities. We select twenty cities, now the
largest of (p. 241) each region, and put down the population in round
numbers as nearly accurate as practicable. That for 1860, is of
course, an estimate only, but it is certainly near enough to the truth
to illustrate the growth, positive and comparative, of our interior
cities.



This table exhibits a growth of the interior cities on the navigable
waters of the Mississippi and its affluents, which brings their
population, in 1870, up to 11-1-10 that of 1830. This is,
unquestionably, much beyond the expectation of their most sanguine
inhabitants, at the commencement of that period, being three times
that of the chief cities of the Atlantic border. Yet even this rapid
development is seen, by our figures, to fall far behind that which has
characterized the cities created by lake commerce during the same
period.





    
    
    
    



Interior River Cities
1830.
1860.




 




Cincinnati and dependencies,
25,500
250,000




Pittsburg,
"
15,500
155,000




St. Louis,
"
6,000
180,000




Louisville,
"
11,000
80,000




Memphis,
"
2,500
25,000




Wheeling,
"
6,000
20,000




New Albany,
"
1,500
20,000




Quincy,
"
1,000
19,000




Peoria,
"
800
18,000




Galena,
"
2,000
18,500




Keokuk,
"
50
16,000




(p. 242)Dubuque,
"
100
16,000




Nashville,
"
6,000
15,000




St. Paul,
"
 
15,000




Madison, Ind.,
"
2,500
13,000




Burlington, Ind.,
"
 
12,000




La Fayette, Ind.,
"
300
13,000




Rock Island,
"
 
8,000




Jeffersonville,
"
800
8,000




 




 
81,550
914,000




 




Lake Cities.
1830.
1860.




 




Chicago and dependencies,
100
150,000




Buffalo,
"
8,663
100,000




Detroit,
"
2,222
80,000




Milwaukee,
"
50
75,000




Cleveland,
"
1,047
70,000




Toronto, C. W.,
"
1,667
65,000




Rochester,
"
9,269
50,000




Hamilton, C. W.,
"
5,500
25,000




Kingston, C. W.,
"
2,500
20,500




Oswego,
"
3,200
20,500




Toledo,
"
30
20,000




Sandusky City,
"
350
14,000




Erie,
"
1,000
10,000




G. Rapids, Mich.,
"
300
10,000




Kenosha,
"
 
10,000




Racine,
"
 
10,000




St. Catharine's, C. W.,
"
400
10,000




Waukegan,
"
 
8,000




Port Huron,
"
100
8,000




Fon du Lac,
"
20
8,000




 




 
32,408
764,000






(p. 243) These, according to the table, exhibit a growth which makes
them, in 1860, more than twenty-three times as populous as they were
in 1830. This is double the progress of the river cities, and more
than five times that of the cities of the Atlantic coast. In the face
of these facts, how can intelligent men continue to hold the opinion
that New York is to continue long to be, as now, the focal point of
North American commerce and influence? Yet well informed men do
continue to express the opinion that New York will ever hold the
position of the chief city of the continent. Every one at all familiar
with the location and movement of our population, knows that the
central point of its numbers is moving in a constant and almost
unvarying direction west by north. An able investigator, now Professor
of Law in the University of Michigan, Thomas M. Cooley, five years
ago, entered into an elaborate calculation to ascertain where the
centre of population of the United States and Canadas was, at that
time. The result showed it to be very near Pittsburg. It is generally
conceded that it travels in a direction about west by north, at a rate
averaging not less than seven miles a year. In 1860, it will have
crossed the Ohio River, and commenced its march through the State of
Ohio. As our internal commerce is more than (p. 244) ten times as
great as our foreign commerce, and is increasing more rapidly, it is
plain that it will have the chief agency in building the future and
permanent capital city of the continent. If the centre of population
were, likewise the centre of wealth and industrial power, other things
being equal, it would be the position of the chief city, as it would
be the most convenient place of exchange for dealers from all quarters
of the country. But this centre of wealth and industrial power does
not keep up, in its western movement, with the centre of population!
nor, if its movement were coincident, would it be at or near the right
point for the concentration of our domestic and foreign trade, while
traversing the interior of Ohio. If we suppose our foreign commerce
equal to one fifteenth of the domestic, we should add to the
thirty-three millions of the States and Canadas, upward of two
millions of foreigners, to represent our foreign commerce. These
should be thrown into the scale represented by New York. This, with
the larger proportion to population of industrial power remaining in
the old States, would render it certain that the centre of industrial
power of our nation has not traveled westward so far as to endanger,
for the present, the supremacy of the cities central to the commerce
of our Atlantic coast. Until (p. 245) the centre of industrial power
approaches a good harbor on the lakes, New York will continue the best
located city of the continent for the great operations of its
commerce. That the centre of wealth and consequent industrial power is
moving westward at a rate not materially slower than the centre of
population, might be easily proved; but, as those who read this
article with interest must be cognizant of the great flow of capital
from the old world and the old States to the New States, and the rapid
increase of capital on the fertile soil of the new States, no special
proof seems to us to be called for. The centre of power, numerical,
political, economical, and social, is then, indubitably, on its steady
march from the Atlantic border toward the interior of the continent.
That it will find a resting place somewhere, in its broad interior
plain, seems as inevitable as the continued movement of the earth on
its axis. The figures we have submitted of the growth of the principal
lake cities plainly show great power in lake commerce, so great as to
carry conviction to our mind that the principal city of the continent
will find its proper home and resting-place on the lake border, and
become the most populous capital of the earth. A full knowledge of
the geography of North America will tend to confirm this conviction in
the (p. 246) mind of the fair inquirer. The lakes penetrate the
continent to its productive centre. They afford, during eight or nine
months of the year, pleasant and safe navigation for steam-propelled
vessels. Their waters are pure and beautifully transparent, and the
air which passes over them exceedingly invigorating to the human
system. Their borders are replete with materials for the exercise of
human industry and skill. The soil is fertile and very productive in
grains and grasses. Coal in exhaustless abundance crops out on or near
their waters, to the extent of nearly one thousand miles of coast. The
richest mines of iron and copper, convenient to water transport,
exist, in aggregate amount, beyond the power of calculation. Stone of
lime, granite, sand, and various other kinds suitable for the
architect and the artist, are found almost everywhere convenient to
navigation. Gypsum of the best quality crops out on the shores of
three of the great lakes, and salt springs of great strength are
worked to advantage, near lakes Ontario and Michigan. Timber trees in
great variety and of valuable sorts, give a rich border to the shores
for thousands of miles. Of these, the white oak, burr oak, white pine,
whitewood or tulip tree, white ash, hickory and black walnut, are the
most valuable. They are of noble dimensions, and (p. 247) clothe
millions of acres with their rich foliage. Nowhere else on the
continent are to be seen such abundance of magnificent oak, and the
immense groves of white pine are not excelled. Heretofore little
esteemed, the great tracts of timber convenient to lake navigation and
to the wide treeless prairies of the plain, are destined soon to take
an important place in the commercial operations of the interior.
Already, oak timber, for ship-building and other purposes, finds a
profitable market in New York and Boston. The great Russian steamship
"General Admiral," was built in part from the timber of the lake
border. A great trade is growing up, based on the products of the
forest. Whitewood (Diriodendron tulipifera), oak staves, black and
white walnut plank, and other indigenous timber, are shipped, not only
to the Atlantic cities, but to foreign ports. The lumber yards of
Albany, New York, Philadelphia, as well as those of Chicago,
Milwaukee, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo, receive large
supplies from the pineries bordering the great lakes. Cincinnati and
other Ohio river cities, receive an increasing proportion of pine
lumber from the same source. These great waters are also, as is well
known, stocked with fish in great variety, whose fine gastronomic
qualities have a world-wide reputation.



(p. 248) As before stated, these lakes penetrate the continent toward
the northwest as far as its productive centre. They now have
unobstructed connection with the Atlantic vessels of nine feet draft
and three hundred tons burden, by the aid of sixty-three miles of
canals overcoming the falls of the St. Mary, Niagara and St. Lawrence
Rivers, with a lockage of less than six hundred feet. By enlarging
some of the locks and deepening the canals, at a cost of a very few
millions, navigation for propellers of from one thousand to two
thousand tons may be secured with the whole world of waters. The cost
is much within the power of the Canadas and the States bordering the
lakes, and will be but a light matter to these communities when,
within the next fifteen years, they shall have doubled their
population and trebled their wealth. The increase of the commerce of
the lakes, during the last fifteen years, is believed to be beyond any
example furnished by the history of navigation. A proportionate
increase the next fifteen years, would give for the yearly value of
its transported articles, thousands of millions. According to the best
authorities it is now over four hundred millions. In 1855, that
portion of the tonnage belonging to the United States was one
fifteenth of the entire tonnage of the Union. During the same year the
clearances of vessels from (p. 249) ports of the United States to the
Canadas, and the entrance of vessels from the Canadas to ports of the
United States, as exhibited in the following table, show a greater
amount of tonnage entered and cleared than between the United States
and any other foreign country:



Clearances from ports in the United States to ports in Canada in 1855:





    
    
    



Number of American vessels
2,369
 




"Canadian"
6,638
 




 




Whole number
9,067
 




Tonnage American
890,017
 




"Canadian
903,502
 




 




Total cleared from the States,
1,793,519
 






The registered tonnage of all the States, the same year, was
2,676,864; and the registered and enrolled together, 5,212,000.



The value of lake tonnage was, in 1855, $14,835,000. The total value
of the commerce of the lakes, the same year, was estimated, by high
authority, (including exports and imports) at twelve hundred and
sixteen millions ($1,216,000,000.) This seems to us an exaggerated
estimate, though based principally on official reports of collectors
of customs. Eight (p. 250) hundred millions would, probably, be near
to the true amount. It will surprise many persons to learn that the
trade between the United States and Canadas, carried on chiefly by the
lakes and their connecting waters, ranks third in value and first in
tonnage, in the table of our foreign commerce; being, in value, only
below that of England and the French Empire, and in tonnage above the
British Empire.





    
    
    



American goods to Canada
$9,950,764
 




Foreign goods
8,769,580
 




 




 
$18,720,344
 




 




Canadian goods to the States,
12,182,314
 




 




 
$30,902,658
 






We here append a table showing the progress, from decade to decade, of
the principal centres of population of the plain since 1820. It has
been made with all the accuracy which our sources of information
enable us to attain. There are in it, no doubt, many errors, but it
will be found, in the main, and for general argument, substantially
correct. For future reference, it will be valuable to persons who take
an interest in the development of our new urban communities. Included
in each city are its outlying (p. 251) dependencies—such as Newport
and Covington with Cincinnati, and Lafayette with New Orleans.





    
    
    
    
    



 
1830.
1840.
1850.
1860.




 




New Orleans
46,310
90,000
130,565
180,000




Cincinnati
21,831
47,000
130,739
250,000




St. Louis
5,852
16,469
82,000
180,000




Chicago
100
4,650
29,963
150,000




Pittsburg
12,568
25,000
71,595
125,000




Buffalo
8,653
18,213
42,265
100,000




Montreal
30,000
40,000
55,000
90,000




Louisville
10,341
21,210
43,194
89,000




Detroit
2,222
9,162
21,019
80,000




Milwaukee
50
1,730
20,061
75,000




Cleveland
1,047
6,071
19,377
70,000




Toronto
1,677
13,500
27,500
70,000




Rochester
9,269
20,191
36,409
50,000




Quebec
26,250
32,500
41,200
55,000




Columbus, O.
2,450
6,671
17,882
40,000




Mobile
3,194
12,672
20,515
35,000




Hamilton, C. W.
1,500
4,200
13,000
25,000




Memphis
1,500
3,500
8,839
25,000




Nashville
5,566
6,929
10,478
25,000




Dayton
2,954
6,067
10,977
25,000




Indianapolis
1,000
2,692
8,034
22,000




Wheeling, Va.
5,221
7,885
11,435
20,000




Kingston, C. W.
2,500
5,500
10,000
20,000




Lockport, N. Y.
3,800
6,500
12,323
20,000




Oswego
3,200
4,665
12,205
20,000




Toledo
30
1,229
3,829
20,000




Zanesville
3,000
est.		
6,000
est.		
12,355
20,000




New Albany
1,500
est.		
4,000
est.		
9,895
20,000




(p. 252)Peoria
800
est.		
2,000
est.		
5,095
20,000




Quincy, Ill.
1,000
3,000
6,902
20,000




Galena
2,000
4,000
6,004
20,000




Dubuque
200
1,500
3,108
16,000




Keokuk
...
1,000
2,478
16,000




Davenport
...
500
2,478
12,000




Burlington, Ia.
...
1,000
1,848
12,000




Columbus, Ga.
1,000
4,000
5,052
10,000




Alton, Ill.
250
2,500
3,585
10,000




Steubenville
2,964
5,203
6,140
9,000




Chillicothe
2,840
3,977
7,100
9,000




Grand Rapids, Mich.
300
1,500
3,148
9,000




Huntsville, Ala.
1,200
1,500
2,863
6,000




Adrian, Mich.
200
1,800
3,006
9,000




Ann Arbor
200
2,000
4,868
9,000




Sandusky City
350
2,000
8,500
13,000




Fort Wayne, Ia.
100
1,600
4,282
13,000




Madison, Ia.
2,500
4,500
8,508
13,000




St. Paul
...
...
1,012
15,000




Lafayette, Ia.
200
2,000
6,129
13,000




Maysville, Ky.
1,800
2,741
4,256
9,000




Terre Haute, Ia.
600
2,000
4,900
9,000




Evansville, Ia.
300
1,500
3,235
9,000




Jeffersonville, Ia.
500
2,000
3,487
9,000




Portsmouth, Ohio
1,000
2,000
4,011
9,000




Marietta, O.
1,200
1,815
5,254
9,000




Springfield, Ill.
800
2,579
4,553
9,000




Rock Island City
...
400
1,711
8,000




Chattanooga, Ten.
500
1,000
3,500
8,000




Bytown, or
Ottawa, C. W.		
500
2,000
5,000
10,000




London, C. W.
500
2,000
5,000
10,000




St. Catharines, do.
200
800
4,000
10,000




Galveston, Texas
1,200
2,000
4,177
10,000




(p. 253)Houston,"
...
500
3,000
10,000




Erie, Pa.
1,260
3,500
5,858
10,000




Lexington, Ky.
4,500
6,997
9,180
10,000




Ogdensburg
1,500
3,000
6,500
10,000




Natchez, Miss.
2,000
3,000
4,434
9,000




Three Rivers, C. E.
800
2,000
4,000
8,000




Racine, Wis.
...
1,000
5,111
9,000




Waukesha
...
200
2,313
8,000




Marshall, Mich.
200
1,200
2,822
8,000




Pontiac,"
150
1,300
2,820
8,000




P't Huron"
100
400
2,313
8,000




Jackson"
150
1,000
3,051
6,000




Kalamazoo"
150
900
2,363
6,000




Mineral Pt., Wis.
500
800
2,584
6,000




Kenosha"
...
500
3,055
8,000




Fon du Lac,"
...
1,000
3,451
6,000




Janesville"
...
1,200
2,782
7,000




Beloit"
...
500
2,732
6,000




Madison"
...
100
1,500
7,000




Elgin"
...
100
2,359
5,000




Oshkosh,"
...
...
2,500
6,000




Monroe, Mich.
400
2,000
2,813
5,000




Lansing"
...
100
1,229
5,000




Columbus, Miss.
800
1,500
2,611
5,000




Jacksonville, Ill.
800
1,500
2,745
5,000




Waukegan"
...
800
2,949
6,000




Lasalle"
50
1,000
3,201
6,000




Joliet"
...
1,000
2,659
6,000




Jefferson City, Mo.
1,000
2,000
3,000
5,000




St. Joseph"
...
1,000
2,557
5,000




Independence"
...
500
3,500
6,000




Iowa City, Iowa
...
...
1,582
5,000




Muscatine"
...
400
2,540
6,000




Springfield, Ohio
1,080
2,094
5,108
8,000




Newark"
1,000
2,705
3,654
7,000




(p. 254)Hamilton"
800
1,409
3,210
7,000




Lancaster"
1,000
2,120
3,483
5,000




Akron"
800
1,664
3,266
6,000




Mt, Vernon"
800
2,363
3,711
7,000




Tiffin"
...
728
2,718
7,000




Urbana"
400
1,070
3,414
6,000




Massillon"
600
1,300
2,697
5,000




Lawrenceburg, Ia.
600
2,000
3,487
6,000




Richmond, Ia.
500
1,000
1,443
5,000




Knoxville, Tenn.
1,800
...
2,076
6,000






The preceding table is instructive, showing, as it does, the steady
and rapidly increasing tendency of the people of the plain to seek a
home in cities and villages, notwithstanding the great temptation
which fertile, cheap, and easily-improved lands hold out to become
tillers of the soil and growers of cattle. Stock farming is largely
remunerative, but our western people—wild and uncultivated as they
are supposed to be by those unacquainted with their true
character—prefer homes where the advantages of education and social
intercourse is a constant enjoyment. Nowhere in the world are
educational establishments on a better footing or more universally
accessible than in some of the new States of the centre, as in Ohio,
Michigan, Wisconsin and other States.(Back to Content)




(p. 255) CHAPTER XIII.



Michigan Agricultural Reports for 1854 — Professor Thomas's
Report — Report of J. S. Dixon — Products of States — Climate — Army
Meteorological Reports.



From the Agricultural Reports of the State of Michigan we take the
following:—



"From old Fort Mackinaw to the Manistee River, the land immediately
upon the lake shore, and not unfrequently extending back for many
miles, is considerably elevated, and occasionally rises very abruptly
to the height of from one hundred to three or four hundred feet. The
country (more particularly the northern portion) continues to rise as
we proceed into the interior, until it attains an elevation equal to
any other portion of the peninsula.



"This is more particularly the case in the rear of Traverse Bay, where
this elevation continues for many miles into the interior, giving to
the landscape a very picturesque appearance when viewed from some of
the small lakes, which abound in this as well as in the more southern
portion of the State.



(p. 256) "The tract of country under consideration is based on
limestone, sandstone, and shales, which are covered, excepting at a
few points, with a deposit of red clay and sand, varying in thickness
from a few inches to more than four hundred feet. The interior of the
northern portion of the peninsula, west of the meridian, is generally
more rolling than that on the east. It is interspersed with some
extensive cedar swamps and marshes, on the alluvial lands, and in
the vicinity of heads of streams and some of the lakes. The upland is
generally rolling, has a soil of clay, loam and sand, and is clad with
evergreen timber, intermixed with tracts of beech and maple, varying
in extent from a few acres to several townships. Several of the most
extensive of these tracts are in the vicinity of the Cheboygan and
Tahweegon rivers, their lakes and tributary streams. There are also
large tracts of beech and maple timber lying between the head of Grand
Traverse Bay, and the Manistee and Muskeegon rivers.



"The elevated portion of land on the shore of Lake Michigan, known as
the 'Sleeping Bear' as well as Manitou Island, (see latitude 45)
which, when viewed from a distance, has the appearance of sand, is
found to be composed of alternate layers of highly marly clay and
sand. The clay is of (p. 257) a deep red color, and in many places
its strata are much contorted.



"The hilly region, to which allusions have been made, is mostly
heavily timbered with beech, maple, bass, oak, ash, elm, birch, etc.,
interspersed with an occasional cedar swamp. In the vicinity of Grand
Traverse Bay, this character of country extends into the interior for
many miles, bordering on a series of small and beautiful lakes, which
vary in length from two to eighteen miles, and are generally free from
marsh and swamp. This country, as also that in the interior from
Little Traverse Bay, is well adapted to the purposes of agriculture.



"Passing south of this rolling district, the country becomes less
elevated and more variable, the soil assuming a more sandy character,
and being generally clad with evergreen timber. There are, however,
exceptions to this in some fine tracts of beech and maple near the
lake coast, also, in the vicinity of some of the streams in the
interior.



"It is nevertheless true, that there are many extensive swamps and
marshes in this part of the peninsula, but it is doubted whether, upon
the whole, they exceed the quantity or extent of those of the more
southern part of the State.



"In point of soil and timber, this portion of the (p. 258) State is
not inferior to the more southern—and such are the advantages it
offers to the settler, that the day is not distant when it will be
sought as a place of residence by the agriculturist.



"The beauty of its lakes and streams is not anywhere surpassed. Such
is the transparency of their waters as to permit objects to be
distinctly seen at the depth of more that thirty feet.



"That part of the peninsula situate north of Grand River is usually
regarded by many of the inhabitants of the more southern part of the
State, as being either an impenetrable swamp, or a sandy barren waste,
and as possessing too rigorous a climate to admit of its successful
application to purposes of agriculture.



"This is an erroneous opinion, and one which will most certainly be
corrected, as the facts with regard to this part of our State come
more fully to be known. The inhabitants of Flat, Royale, Muskegon and
White Rivers, and the Ottawa Indians, living on the Grand and Little
Traverse Bays, and on the Manistee River, have extensive cultivated
fields, which uniformly produce abundant crops.



"The country on Flat and Royale Rivers is generally rolling,
interspersed with level and knobby tracts; but none is so rough as to
prevent it from being (p. 259) successfully cultivated. The timber in
the vicinity of the streams consists of black, white, and burr oak,
which is scattering, and forms what is denominated openings and
plains; small tracts of pine barrens, beech, maple and oak lands,
interspersed with tracts of white pine.



"Settlements are rapidly advancing in this part of our State, and much
of the land under cultivation produces excellent crops of wheat, oats,
corn, potatoes, etc., and so far as experience has been brought to the
test, is not inferior to, or more subject to early frosts in the fall,
than more southern counties of the State.



"The soil varies from a light sand to a stiff clay loam.



"The country on the Muskegon is rolling, and may be considered as
divided into beech and maple land, pine lands, pine barrens, oak
openings, plains and prairies. Small tracts of the latter are situated
near the forks of the river, about forty-five miles from its mouth,
and between thirty and forty-five miles north of the Grand River.



"Crops of corn, oats, wheat, etc., were here as flourishing as those
of the more southern part of State. The soil of the prairies and
openings is (p. 260) sandy, while that of the beech and maple lands
is a sand and clay loam.



"The Indians on Grand and Little Traverse Bays and vicinity, also
obtain good crops of corn, potatoes, squashes, etc. Some of the most
intelligent Indians informed me that they were seldom injured by
frosts in the fall or spring. They also have many apple trees which
produce fruit in considerable quantities.



"The soil is strictly a warm one, and, exposed as the whole country,
bordering on Lake Michigan, is to the influence of the southern winds
during summer and parts of spring and fall, it seldom fails to be
productive."



Professor Thomas, Geologist, has placed in our hands the following
report of the Geology of Mackinaw, Michigan:



"From the site of old Fort Mackinaw, at the very extremity of the
peninsula, south to the Manistee River, a direct distance of about one
hundred and forty miles, the immediate shores of the lake are almost
invariably considerably elevated, sometimes rising abruptly to a
height of from three to four hundred feet.



"The soil of the vicinity, in consequence of the large amount of
calcareous matter which enters into (p. 261) its composition,
possesses a fertility that a superficial observer would scarcely
ascribe to it.



"The limestone chiefly consists of an irregular assemblage of angular
fragments united by a tufaceous cement. These fragments usually appear
at first sight to have a compact structure, but a more minute
examination shows them to contain minute cells, sufficiently large
to admit water, which, by the action of frost, subjects the rock to
rapid disintegration. Portions of the rock may, nevertheless, be
selected partially free from this difficulty, and which are possessed
of sufficient compactness to render them of value as a coarse building
stone; horn-stone, striped jasper (imperfect); hog-toothed spar,
calcareous spar, and fluor spar, are imbedded in the rock, although
the latter is of rare occurrence.



"Lime rock again occurs at the Straits of Mackinaw, and in the
vicinity, it appears upon the Island of Mackinac, together with the
Bois Blanc, Round, and St. Martin's Islands, as also upon the northern
peninsula north from Mackinaw.



"Gypsum occurs on the St. Martin's group of islands, and also upon the
northern peninsula between Green Bay and Mackinac.



"Mackinaw Limestone.—The rock is of a light color, and the fragments
of which it is composed (p. 262) frequently contain numberless minute
cells. These were undoubtedly once filled with spar, which has been
washed out of the exposed part of the rock by the action of water. The
upper part is unfit for building purposes, but the lower is more
compact, and has marks of regular stratification.



"Coal.—The coal is highly bituminous, a character in common with all
that has been seen in the State, and it may safely be said, that none
other may be looked for in the peninsula.



"From the facts now before me, I am led to hope that coal will be
found in the elevated hills of the northern part of the peninsula,
easterly from Little Traverse Bay, a circumstance which, should it
prove to be the case, will add much to the value of that portion of
the State."—Houghton Geological Reports of Michigan.



"Foster and Whitney, United States Geologists, in their Reports to the
Government, laid down the Onondago Salt Group of rocks as extending
over a portion of the southern part of the northern peninsula of
Michigan, not a great distance from Mackinaw, and also as existing on
the St. Martin's and Mackinaw Islands.



"Onondaga Salt Group.—As a whole, it is an immense mass of
argillo-calcareous shaly rocks, (p. 263) inclosing veins and beds of
gypsum; hence this has been designated by some as the 'gypseous
shales.'



"Four divisions have been distinguished in the description of the
Onondaga Salt Group, though the lines of separation are by no means
well defined.



"1. Red and greenish shales below.



"2. Green and red marl, shale, and shaly limestone with some veins of
gypsum.



"3. Shaly, compact, impure limestone, with shale and marl, embracing two
ranges of plaster beds with hopper-shaped cavities between.



"4. Drab-colored, impure limestone with fibrous cavities; the
'magnesian deposit of Vanuxem.' Of these, the third is the only one
that has yielded gypsum in profitable quantities. The included masses
of gypsum, though, for the most part, even-bedded at their base, are
usually very irregular at their upper surface, often conical. The
plaster beds are supposed to be separations by molecular attraction
from the marl.



"This third division contains not only the gypseous beds, but is most
probably the source of all the salt so extensively manufactured at
Onondaga, Cayuga, and Madison; at least Vanuxem informs us that,
except in these gypseous beds, there is no evidence (p. 264) of salt
existing in the solid state in any of the other divisions of the
Onondaga Salt Group.



"The fourth division is remarkable for a fine columnar structure, or
needle-formed cavities, dispersed through the mass.



"In the middle counties of New York, the entire thickness of the
Onondaga Salt Group must be from six hundred to a thousand feet.
Notwithstanding its great thickness, this formation is very barren in
fossils. The corals and shells of the Niagara group suddenly ceased to
exist, perhaps, as Hall suggests, being overwhelmed by a sudden
outbreak of a buried vulcano at the bottom of the ocean, by which the
waters became surcharged not only with argillaceous sediment, but
became contaminated, either with free sulphuric acid, or sulphate of
magnesia and soda.



"The country through which the Onondaga Salt Group extends, is usually
marked by a series of low, gravelly hills, and clayey valleys, on
which a stunted growth of timber prevails, known by the name of 'Oak
Openings.' Small portions of sulphate of strontia, galena, and blende,
with rhomb spar, occur in the upper portion of the group. Gypsum and
salt are, however, the only minerals of economical value: of the
former many thousand tons are excavated. Several acidulous springs
issuing (p. 265) from these deposits, have been found to contain free
sulphuric acid."—D. D. Owen's Review of the N. Y. Geological
Reports.



Jules Marcou, in his Geology of the United States, places the northern
portion of the southern peninsula of Michigan in the Terrain Devonian.



Report of J. S. Dixon and others, on Grand Traverse Bay, p. 523, in
Michigan Agricultural Reports for 1834, says:



"The atmosphere is moist and wholesome—no disease, and healthy as any
portion of country. It is a well established fact, that water cools
first on the surface, then sinks while the warm water rises, and
consequently ice never forms till the whole body of water has been
cooled to thirty degrees. Now, from this fact, the philosopher will at
once deduce the climate of this region. Traverse Bay is from one
hundred to nine hundred feet deep and the water never cools to
thirty-two degrees till the middle of February, and in Lake Michigan
in the middle never, and so long as the water in these continuous
reservoirs is warmer than the air, the former must obviously warm the
latter.



"It is accordingly well known that in England, on the east side of the
Atlantic 7° or 8° farther north than Traverse Bay, the climate, as it
regards (p. 266) cold in winter, is about equal to that of Washington
City, and so it is on the east side of the Pacific ocean, in Oregon.
Hence it is evident that the seasons on the east side of Lake Michigan
must be uniform.



"Around Traverse Bay the frost seldom kills vegetables till in
November, and seldom occurs in spring later than the 1st of May. In
November it gets cold enough to freeze. The vapors arising from the
lake and bay fall in snow and cover the ground before the frost has
penetrated it at all; it accumulates several months till it is two
feet deep, sometimes deeper, and remains till April; and when it goes
off; cattle find enough to eat in the woods. This region is much more
sunny between the middle of March and December than southern Michigan,
and every vegetable physiologist will at once state that the influence
of this on vegetation must be very great, and accordingly spring crops
grow with such rapidity that corn is fit to be cut by the 1st of
September. From December to March, as above, the atmosphere is hazy,
cloudy, and frosty, though the thermometer never sinks so low as in
the south of Michigan by ten or twelve degrees (8 or 10 degrees below
zero, being the lowest yet known), and a winter thaw is unknown here.
Hence we never have mud in winter, and but little at any season.



(p. 267) "With the very defective cultivation hitherto used here,
yield of crops are as follows:—Potatoes, free of rot, 150 to 300
bushels to the acre; oats 25 to 60; corn 25 to 50; wheat (spring) the
largest yet raised 27 bushels. Wheat raised here is much more plump
than in southern Michigan, and there is no instance of its being
smothered or injured by snow, because the snow never thaws and
alternately freezes into a hard crust, or ice, so as to exclude the
air from the wheat, as in other places.



"We confidently predict that this will become the most prolific wheat
region in the west; rust and insects are unknown. All experience goes
to prove that this will be a great fruit country. The Indian apple and
peach trees, although few in number bear well every year; and as to
wild blackberries and raspberries, both as to size and flavor, there
is absolutely no end. They serve all the inhabitants and millions of
pigeons for several months."



United States census, 1850, shows products of States.





    
    
    
    
    
    



 
Average per acre of




 
Wheat.
 
Oats
Corn.
Potatoes.




Michigan
10
Bushels
26
32
140




Illinois
11
"
29
33
105




Indiana
12
"
20
33
100




Iowa
14
"
36
32
100




(p. 268)Ohio
12
"
21
36
 




Wisconsin
14
"
35
30
 




Pennsylvania
15
"
 
20
 




New York
12
"
25
27
 






Climate.—Council Bluffs is in latitude 41-½°, Dubuque 42-¾°,
Green Bay 43-½°, and Mackinaw City about 46°. By reference to the
following tables of temperature, it will be seen that these points are
about on the same isothermal line, practically removing, by these
tables, the prejudices generally existing against the climate of
northern Michigan—see Blodgett's Climatology and Army Meteorological
Reports of United States.





    
    
    



Quebec, Canada.
average in January above zero,
13°




Montreal,"
"""
16




Hampden, Maine
"""
17




Portland,"
"""
21




Cannel,"
"""
15




Burlington, Vt.
"""
19




Deerfield, Mass.
"""
21




Granville, N. Y.
"""
22




Potsdam,"
"""
18




Plattsburgh,"
"""
20




Gouverneur,"
"""
20




Lowville,"
"""
22




Oneida,"
"""
22




Buffalo,"
"""
23




Silver Lake, Pa.
"""
22




Concord, N. H.
"""
22




(p. 269)Boston, Mass.
"""
28




Albany, N. Y.
"""
24




Chicago, Illinois
"""
24




Ottawa,"
"""
23




Muscatine, Iowa
"""
20




Detroit, Michigan
"""
27




Pittsburgh, Pa.
"""
29




Philadelphia,"
"""
32




Cincinnati, Ohio
"""
30




Green Bay, Wis.
"""
19




Dubuque, Iowa
"""
20




Council Bluffs
"""
19




Mackinaw City
"""
19






These extremes of latitude of Philadelphia and Mackinaw include the
principal agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and commercial
interests of America, elements naturally pertaining to Michigan, and
second in their variety and extent to no State of the Union.





    
    
    



Archangel, Russia,
average in January above zero,
6.60°




St. Petersburg,
"""
15.70




Christiana, Norway,
"""
21.30




St. Bernard, Switzerland,
"""
14.40




Moscow, Russia,
"""
13.60




Erzeroum, Turkey,
"""
18.00




Taganwa, Sea of Azof,
"""
20.70




Astracan, Caspian Sea,
"""
21.30




Kasow (Volga) Russia,
"""
  3.50




Stockholm, Sweden,
"""
24.30




Cracow, Poland,
"""
23.40




Pekin, China,
"""
26.00




Odessa, S. Russia,
"""
25.20




Berlin, Prussia,
"""
27.70






(p. 270) Extremes below zero, 1835.





    
    
    
    



Bangor, Maine
January 4,
below
40°




Bath"
"
"
40




Portland,"
"
"
21




Boston, Mass.
"
"
15




Salem,"
"
"
17




Chicago, Ill.
February 8,
"
22




St. Louis, Mo.
"
"
22




Cincinnati, O.
"
"
18




Lexington, Ky.
"
"
20




Nashville, Tenn.
"
"
10




Huntsville, Ala.
"
"
9




Philadelphia, Pa.
"
"
6




Lancaster, Pa.
"
"
22




Washington City
"
"
16




Clarksville, Geo.
"
"
15






Army Meteorological Reports for 1854.





    
    
    
    
    
    



 
January.
Mean.		
Range.
above
mean.		
below
mean.		




 
Max'm.
min'm.




 




Fort Hamilton, N. Y.
31.49°
50.
12.
18.5
19.5




Fort Niagara,"
25.04 
48.
  6.
23.  
19.  




Alleghany, Pa.
29.08 
64.
  5.
34.9
24.1




Fort Delaware, Md.
32.38 
54.
10.
21.6
17.4




Cincinnati, Ohio
31.78 
54.
  1.
22.2
32.8




Fort Snelling, Min.
 1.30
45.
36.
43.7
37.3




" Leavenworth, Kan.
24.68 
67.
  8.
32.3
32.7




" Mackinaw, Mich.
13.09 
34.
15.
10.9
28.1






Blodgett's and Army Rain Charts, showing rain and snow in inches for a
series of years.





    
    
    
    
    
    



 
Jan.
Feb.
M'ch.
Dec.
Total in year.




Mack'w Island, Mich.
1.25
  .82
1.14
1.24
23.87




Fort Kent, Maine.
3.73
2.60
1.77
3.36
36.46




Portland,"
3.37
3.39
2.92
4.17
45.25




(p. 271)Charleston, Mass.
2.66
2.22
4.08
2.27
35.83




Montreal, Canada
2.84
1.84
2.69
2.58
47.28




Fayetteville, Vt.
3.93
3.91
4.07
3.55
53.99




Cincinnati, Ohio.
3.35
3.51
3.93
4.29
46.89




Green Bay, Wis.
1.19
0.87
1.70
1.30
34.65




Detroit, Mich.
2.18
1.38
2.86
1.30
30.07




St. Louis, Mo.
1.93
3.37
3.82
1.99
41.95




Fort Hamilton, N. Y.
2.98
3.67
3.65
3.84
43.65




Pittsburgh, Pa.
2.18
2.17
2.70
3.13
34.96




Philadelphia, Pa.
3.09
2.94
3.43
4.03
43.56



(Back to Content)



(p. 272) CHAPTER XIV.



Agricultural interest — Means of transportation — Railways and
     vessels — Lumber — Vessels cleared — Lake cities and Atlantic
     ports — Home-market — Breadstuffs — Michigan flour — Monetary
     panics — Wheat — Importations — Provisions — Fruit — Live
     stock — Wool — Shipping business — Railroads — Lake Superior
     trade — Pine lumber trade — Copper interest — Iron
     interest — Fisheries — Coal mines — Salt — Plaster beds.



We copy from the Detroit Tribune of 1860, a somewhat elaborate and
lengthy article containing recent and highly important information in
regard to the industrial interests of Michigan. Though there are
portions of this article which we have to some extent anticipated in
some of our previous chapters, we consider it highly important to
extract largely from it, because of its more recent date. To all
interested in the development and future growth of the Northwest, it
will prove most valuable. The writer, Mr. Kay Haddock, commercial
editor of the Tribune, says:—



(p. 273) "We know of no similar extent of country on the globe so
highly favored by nature as our own State, which but twenty-three
years since emerged from the chrysalis condition of a territory, but
which to day, by the quickening influence brought to bear upon her
natural advantages by an enterprising and enlightened people,
possesses elements of wealth and greatness that might well be coveted
by empires. The characteristics for which she is pre-eminent are
neither few in number nor ordinary in character. She occupies the very
front rank in respect to important minerals, as well as in the extent
and quality of her forest products, while her fisheries are altogether
unrivaled, and, like her mines and forests, are the source of
exhaustless wealth. With regard to the extent and diversity of her
natural resources, it would indeed seem difficult to over-estimate
them. Predictions that seem visionary to-day, are to-morrow exceeded
by the reality, as some new treasure is revealed. A glance at the map
is of itself the most eloquent commentary that could be presented with
reference to her geographical position. As nature does nothing in
vain, the shipping facilities afforded by the noble inland seas that
clasp our shores, are a sign and promise of the commercial greatness
that awaits us in the future. We may well be proud of the (p. 274)
condition of our agricultural interest—that great interest which
underlies every other; which alike gives to the wealthy his opulence
and the beggar his crust. Our farmers have unmistakably indicated
their determination to accept of no secondary position in the quality
of their wheat, and their wool is not only rapidly gaining the first
rank as respect the amount produced, but is sought for with avidity
for its superior quality by all the principal manufacturers of the
country. Pomona, too, has thrown her influence in the scale. The
region that has thus far been devoted to the culture of fruit, in
proportion to its extent, cannot be surpassed in the Union, if indeed
it can be equaled. Such is a faint picture of the 'Peninsular State.'



"The snail-like progress hitherto made in the settlement of a large
share of the State, is an enigma to those not versed in our early
history. While occupying the position of a dependent of the central
power at Washington, we were so unfortunate in some instances as to
have men placed over us with whom personal interests were paramount to
the great interests of the territory, which, at the critical period
when the seeds of prosperity should have been planted, was fatal to
our advancement. Next came the era of Utopian projects of internal
improvement, by which (p. 275) our people were saddled with an
onerous load of debt. In the mean time immigrants were misled by false
reports concerning the character of the soil in the interior of the
State, and there were no roads by means of which they could satisfy
themselves of the true character of the country. They therefore passed
on to find homes upon what then seemed the most attractive prairies of
the far West. But there is at last a great change in the tide of
affairs. The value of our timber is justly regarded as greatly
overbalancing the doubtful advantage of settling upon prairie land,
and the active demand that has recently sprung up for it must
constantly make a still greater difference in our favor. Lands long
held in the iron grasp of speculators are rapidly coming into the
possession of actual settlers. Our State is being intersected by a
system of roads, which will ere long demonstrate the necessity of an
extension of the system. Our course is indeed onward and upward.



"Having seen a statement, given upon the authority of some gazeteer,
to the effect that about six million dollars were invested in this
State in manufacturing, which we felt assured was a libel upon the
State, we have taken steps to procure statistics of the more important
industrial establishments throughout the entire State. We find that in
the manufacture (p. 276) of pine lumber alone, there are about seven
million dollars invested, exclusive of the standing timber of
proprietors, which perhaps might properly be included as part of the
capital."



Such indications of thrift, enterprise, and prosperity in a region
that twenty-four years ago was a howling wilderness, it may be safely
said, is without a parallel. The other counties, we are tolerably safe
in estimating, will swell the amount to $10,000,000, making, with the
lumber manufactories, and the $2,148,500, invested in the iron
manufacture, more than twenty million dollars!



The apathy of the citizens of Detroit in availing themselves of the
magnificent advantages possessed by the city for prosecuting
manufacturing upon an extensive scale, is wholly inexplicable. There
is a mine of unproductive wealth in our midst that might at once be
placed at compound interest. It now lies dormant in the sinewy arms of
men and the nimble fingers of women and children. There is thus a
moral aspect in this question that addresses itself with peculiar
earnestness to the philanthropic. But it were a philanthropy that
would lay up treasures on earth. Daily, almost hourly, raw material
takes its departure from our city destined to be received at eastern
manufactories, there to be worked up and (p. 277) returned to us for
our consumption, by which we are taxed with the freight both ways, in
addition to losing the profit of the manufacture. Every property
holder has a direct interest at stake. If a liberal sum were to be
subscribed to-morrow for investment in this important branch of
enterprise, the direct benefit that would accrue to the real estate of
the city would be at least double the amount invested.



The Western States look with deep interest to the Grand Trunk Railway,
and are hopeful that it may prove a great benefit to them in enabling
producers to reach the markets of European consumers at a cheap rate
for carriage. Unquestionably great benefits will grow out of the
opening up of the great thoroughfare. At the same time there are
questions of grave importance to shippers which will soon have to be
met, and nothing can be lost, while something may be gained, by
meeting them at the outset.



We set out, then, with the proposition that the bulky products of the
West must be carried by water and not by rail, and will state a few
facts that in our humble opinion will place this proposition beyond
all cavil. So for as figures can be obtained, and correct calculations
made, it has been demonstrated (p. 278) that freight cannot be moved
on American railroads for less than one cent per ton per mile. This is
actually the first cost, even in the coal regions of Pennsylvania.
It is therefore fair to presume that the Grand Trunk, with conceded
advantages of superior and economical management, cannot move freight
at a less cost, and that the figure named will yield nothing to the
stockholders in the shape of dividend. It is true that freight has
been carried at an actual loss, and, as we are about to show, the same
thing will to some extent be done again, but if persevered in this can
only result in ruin, and no one will assert that it ought to be taken
as a legitimate basis for future calculations. It follows, then, that
$8,80 is the lowest sum for which a ton can be moved from Detroit to
Portland, the distance between the two cities being eight hundred and
eighty miles. This showing may not be relished by those most
immediately interested in the Grand Trunk Railway, nor may it be
palatable to the producers of the West, who have built high hopes on
this road as an outlet to the Atlantic, but it is useless to attempt
to shut our eyes to obvious facts. The West has for years possessed
shorter and consequently cheaper routes to the seaboard, and in winter
the cost of reaching-the Atlantic cities has always been and now is
from 100 to (p. 279) 200 per cent, greater by rail than during the
navigation season by the cheaper mode. This is easily proved. Let us
look at the distance by the old route by the way of Suspension Bridge:



Detroit to Suspension Bridge, is 232 miles; the Bridge to Albany, 300;
Albany to Boston 200; total 732.



Thus we see that the whole distance from Detroit to Boston is seven
hundred and thirty-two miles, or one hundred and forty-eight less
than from Detroit to Portland. As regards shipments from Detroit to
Boston, via the Grand Trunk, the matter is worse, for we have to add
one hundred and three miles from Portland to Boston, making the old
route two hundred and fifty-three miles shorter to that point than by
the newly opened road. It is evident therefore, that the West is not
likely to gain anything permanently by the new route, except in so far
as it may open up some local trade, which, inconsiderable at first,
may eventually assume considerable importance. Of course, what is true
regarding Detroit, is also true with respect to every point west of
us.



Every one conversant with trade must admit that goods can be carried
as cheap from any port in Europe to New York as to Portland. The
distance from New York to Detroit, via Albany and Suspension
(p. 280) Bridge, is six hundred and eighty-two miles, or one hundred
and ninety-eight miles less than from Portland to Detroit. Goods ought
certainly to be carried cheaper from New York to Detroit than by a
route near two hundred miles further.



We learn that the New York Central Railroad Company are now perfecting
a plan for ticketing passengers and goods from any point in the
Western, Southern, and Southwestern States, and vice versa. Thus at
least one important advantage to the West is already apparent, growing
out of the comprehensive action of the Grand Trunk managers, while the
action of the New York Central is the sure precursor of a momentous
era in railroad annals. The present year is likely to witness the
first battle in a war for the European and domestic trade of the West,
that may in the end turn the entire current into other channels. It
will be a strife of giants, and the prize the most magnificent ever
battled for, either in the tented field or in the nobler contests of
nations for commercial supremacy. That prize is the carrying trade of
an empire fast rising into manly vigor, and destined to attain to a
point during the present generation that will dazzle the world with
its vastness and grandeur. On one side will be arrayed the Grand Trunk
Railway, with its sixty (p. 281) million dollars of capital, backed
by the government of Canada, and sustained by every merchant of the
British North American colonies, aided by powerful friends in
Europe—men of character, standing and capital, who will strain every
nerve to supply their darling road with business, in which they will
have the sympathy of the whole English people—for in both England and
Canada the Grand Trunk is looked upon as a great triumph of national
engineering skill, while at the same time it gratifies the national
pride, as it gives the world one more convincing proof of that
indomitable pluck that is the chief secret of the great celebrity
attained by the merchants of the "fast anchored isle" for commercial
enterprise.



On the other side will be marshaled the forces of the "Grand Trunk"
lines of railroad leading to the Western States from the Atlantic
seaboard. The most prominent on the list is the New York Central
Railroad, with her natural allies, the Great Western of Canada, the
Hudson River Railroad, and the Western Railroad of Massachusetts. Next
in order, as parties in the struggle, are the New York and Erie, the
Pennsylvania Central, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, not to
speak of the local (p. 282) roads in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan,
that will be affected more or less in the contest for supremacy.



The Grand Trunk will fight under one banner, and that banner will
carry on its broad folds the commercial prestige of the British
Empire, and will have the sympathy of the British people. This, which
will probably carry with it, as a coincident, plenty of the "sinews of
war," will be decidedly a vantage ground to stand upon.



The American interests will come into the field under different
leaders, having no unity of action, and hating and fearing each other;
who have never had confidence in each others' words or actions; who
have never displayed any generosity toward each other; whose dealings
with each other have been marked by cheating and bad faith, as the
breaking of all convention treaties has proved. Under such a load of
demoralization, all of them combined are perhaps not more than a match
for the Grand Trunk. One of the American roads will have to stand in
the van and sustain the first onset, and the elected one will be the
New York Central. In every point of view it is the one best able to do
so. It is managed and controlled by men of large experience and iron
will—men who do not know (p. 283) what defeat is, and who, come what
may, will show that their metal has the true ring.



The result of such a contest none can foresee; albeit after the smoke
of the battle is cleared away, the wreck will only show that it has
been a costly and useless fight for the stockholders, and the
conviction that God's highways are superior to man's will gain
strength, insomuch as to assume far more practical importance than it
has hitherto attained. The only method of carrying on a successful
trade between the Western States and the seaports of Europe, is by
water, and to this conclusion all must come, in the end, on both sides
of the Atlantic.



In order to make the trade productive of substantial benefit to all
interested in it, the West must have free course down the St.
Lawrence, and an enlargement of the Canadian canals, so that vessels
of say eighteen hundred tons can pass down to the ports of Montreal
and Quebec without unloading, and continue on their way to Europe
without breaking bulk. A depth of fourteen feet water, with locks of
corresponding capacity on the canals would accomplish this important
end. The multifarious and rapidly increasing products of the Great
West, her timber, flour, wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, pork, beef,
butter, lard, cheese, meal, and every (p. 284) description of
agricultural produce could then be laid down in the ports of England
so cheaply that it would greatly reduce the cost of the necessaries of
life, and give a new impetus to the manufacturing interest of Great
Britain. At the same time it would directly tend to cheapen every
article that the West requires to import, thus proving of double
advantage to our producers. In both cases the producer and consumer
would be brought face to face, to the obvious advantage of all
concerned. The manufacturing prosperity of England depends upon an
unlimited supply of cheap labor, and that supply cannot be had unless
she can supply such laborers with an unlimited supply of cheap food.
The West has the capacity not only to furnish an inexhaustible
quantity of cheap food, but it can purchase and consume a larger
amount of the productions of English skill and labor than any other
section of the world. Why, then, cannot both parties hit on some
scheme that will bring them more closely into the fellowship of trade?
It can be done, if both will unite to obtain an unimpeded outlet via
the St. Lawrence for vessels and steamers of heavy burden. So far as
Quebec and Montreal are concerned, it is very difficult to say whether
the consummation of the proposed enlargement would redound most
(p. 285) to their benefit, or to that of our Western lake cities. In
both cases the gain would be beyond computation. The two important
Canadian cities named would become at once important seaports. They
would become two of the depots for the vast commerce of two
continents, and would derive great benefits from the opening up of a
local traffic with the West, which at present amounts to but very
little, so far as they are concerned. Our lake cities would all become
large commercial centres, and would supply the population of the
region tributary to them, respectively, with dry goods, crockery,
hardware, paints, oils, and all kinds of imported merchandise, at a
cheaper rate by a considerable per centage, than they could be
purchased at New York, or any city on the Atlantic. Detroit would be
much nearer Liverpool than Buffalo now is by the usual route, and
Chicago and Milwaukee would be almost as near, practically.



A few figures will show the decided advantage of water over rail as a
medium of transporting the bulky products of the West to market.



It has already been shown that a ton of any kind of freight cannot be
laid down at Portland from Detroit, by rail, under $8.80, without a
loss to the stockholders, nor to Boston under $9.65, except (p. 286)
with the same result; nor at New York via the Great Western, New
York Central, and Hudson River roads under $6.82, without actual loss
to those roads, so that the case would stand thus:—Detroit to
Portland, per ton, via G. T. R., $8.80; Detroit to Boston, do. do.,
$9.85; Detroit to New York, $6.82. Add $4.00 per ton for ocean
freights, and we have in each case respectively, $12.80, $13.85, and
$10.82 per ton to Liverpool.



Now we maintain that a screw steamer of 1800 tons burden, costing,
when completed, $150,000, can carry much cheaper than a road like the
Grand Trunk, costing $60,000,000, or the New York Central and its
connections. A steamer of that capacity would carry 1,500 tons of
freight; 600 tons of coal would run her across the Atlantic, and she
could coal from Chicago or Detroit to Newfoundland, and from the
latter point to Liverpool. By doing this, she could carry 300 tons
more freight than if she coaled for the entire voyage from Chicago to
Liverpool. All the principal exports and imports of Michigan, Indiana,
Western Ohio, Kentucky, &c., would find their way to Detroit, and this
point would of necessity become the great centre of the direct trade
between Europe and the States above mentioned.



(p. 287) Two steamers per week could be run with profit on the route
during the season of navigation; each steamer would make two round
trips and a half per season of seven months' navigation, allowing two
months for each round trip. At this rate sixteen ocean steamers would
be required to make up a semi-weekly line, and were the Canadian
canals enlarged and ready for use by the middle of next April, there
would be at once sufficient trade to sustain them, at much cheaper
rates for freight and passage than is now charged by any route or
combination of routes in existence, as the following will show
conclusively:



Each round trip would give the following sums for freight and
passage:—1500 tons of freight at $6 per ton, $9,000; 40 cabin
passengers at $50 each, $2,000; 50 steerage do. do. $25 each, $1,250.
Total for the trip out, $12,250. Inward bound:—600 tons freight at
$6, $3,600; 75 cabin passengers at $60, $4,500; 300 steerage do. do.,
$30, $9,000—$17,100. Add outward receipts, $12,250. Total, $29,350.
The total cost of the trip, including insurance, would not exceed
$14,000. Total net profits, $15,250.



It will be seen by the above figures that our staple products can be
carried to England in the (p. 288) right kind of vessels, at one half
the cost that railroads and connecting steamers can perform the same
service, even when the latter carry at a rate that brings no profit to
the shareholders, while the former would pay large dividends. At the
rates named for passage (but little more than one-half the present
cost of going from Detroit to England) crowds of the European settlers
in this country would flock to the mother country to see dear friends
and relatives, and tens of thousands of the American people would
embrace the opportunity to behold the tombs and temples and wonders of
the land from whence their ancestors came. A feeling of friendship of
the true stamp would spring up spontaneously between the Anglo-Saxon
races on each side of the Atlantic that never could be severed, and
which would alternately shed the blessings of Christianity and
civilization to every corner of the world. Such free intercourse would
show that to be appreciated by each other they only need to be better
acquainted. And it is our firm belief, that the day that beholds the
commencement of direct trade between the old world and in the inland
seas of the Great West, by vessels of the class named, will see a day
of glory and promise brighter and greater than has ever yet dawned on
any efforts put (p. 289) forth to subdue the world by human means, to
peace and universal brotherhood.



Our readers are aware that a trade of great importance has sprung up
within two or three years between Detroit and other lake ports, and
the leading seaports of Europe. The particulars of its inauguration
are already familiar to the public. Of the vessels which cleared hence
in this trade in 1858, one was owned and sent out by a merchant of
this city; another was loaded by a Cleveland house; the others were
all owned or chartered by Capt. D. C. Pierce, the enterprising pioneer
of the trade. His first venture on the Kershaw, notwithstanding some
few incidental circumstances that worked to his disadvantage, was
productive of some direct profit, but a much greater profit inured to
himself, and those who followed him in this important commerce, by his
becoming well versed in the European trade, insomuch as to be enabled
to avail himself of the peculiar advantages offered by each market, as
well as in determining the character of freight most profitable to
carry. The cheapest, best and safest means of transporting the
diversified products of the West, and particularly the region of which
Detroit is the centre, to the European markets, returning with foreign
fabrics in exchange, had long challenged the attention of capitalists,
(p. 290) who saw in it the germ of a mighty commerce, but seemed to
lack the practical knowledge and tact to put the ball in motion. Last
year twenty-one vessels cleared from the different lake ports, mostly
from Detroit.



Another important point which is now in a fair way to be gained, is
the making of European consumers acquainted with the fact that their
wants can be supplied to any desired extent. When this information
becomes general the consumption must be vastly stimulated, affording
one of the most inviting fields for enterprise known in the commercial
annals of the world. The resources of the State are amply sufficient
to afford employment for half a century to a tenfold larger number of
vessels than have yet engaged in it. By a carefully compiled estimate,
it has been ascertained that in prosperous times the annual product of
our pineries is hard upon TEN MILLION DOLLARS. Large as this sum is,
it is the opinion of those who are well qualified to form an estimate,
that it may easily be surpassed by the product of our hard timber.
Take for example the region around Saginaw Bay, which is perhaps the
most remarkable locality in the world as respects the quality and
variety of hard wood timber. Here, for near a hundred miles in extent,
(p. 291) upon streams debouching into the bay, are dense forests of
the choicest oak, with a profusion of hickory, black walnut, white
ash, whitewood, and other desirable varieties. The manufacture of
agricultural implements, as well as many other articles that afford
employment to the toiling millions of the old world, must receive a
new impetus when it is found that wood admirably adapted to their
construction can be had direct from our forests at the moderate rate
at which it will bear transportation. So of birds-eye maple for
cabinet ware, red elm for carriage hubs, and other varieties
applicable to specific uses. We have designated only such as abound in
great plenty. The profusion of the growth is in fact equaled only by
its accessibility, the whole country being so permeated by streams
that it can be floated off with very little trouble.



The Saginaw District, important and extensive as it is, comprises but
a small portion of our hard-wood lumber region. In addition to
numerous almost interminable forests in the north, equally accessible
and almost equally valuable, there are extensive regions in the
interior where timber abounds of such choice quality as to abundantly
warrant railroad transportation hither. Although some of the shipments
last season were of the far-famed Canada oak, (p. 292) shippers all
concur in assuring us that the Michigan timber was held in as high
estimation, if not higher, than any other offered in the foreign
market. A most significant fact, coming right to the point, came under
our observation a few months since. In the summer of 1858, five
passenger cars for the Michigan Southern Road were built at Adrian,
which unprejudiced judges pronounced the finest ever built in the
United States. Every foot of timber in them—as well as every pound of
iron—was of Michigan production. Last spring, after being in use some
twenty months, these cars were for the first time overhauled for
repairs, along with a number of eastern cars which had been in use for
a like period of time, when it was found that the latter, owing to the
inferior quality of timber, cost for repairs nearly as many dollars as
the Michigan cars did cents! We have the authority of gentlemen of the
highest respectability for stating this as a literal fact.



The following is a complete list of the vessels which cleared for
European ports the past year, together with the character of their
cargoes, respectively, and the port to which they sailed:—





    
    
    



Bark D. C. Pierce,
Staves,
Liverpool.




"Allies,
Lumber and staves,
Cork.




"W. S. Pierson,
Lumber and staves,
Greenock.




(p. 293)Bark Massillon,
Lumber and staves,
Liverpool.




Brig J. G. Deshler,
Staves,
Glasgow.




"Caroline,
Lumber and staves,
Liverpool.




"Black Hawk,
Staves,
London.




Schr R. H. Harmon,
Staves,
Liverpool.




"J. F. Warner,
Staves,
Liverpool.




"Gold Hunter,
Staves,
Cork.




"Dousman,
Staves,
London.




"Valeria,
Lumber and staves,
Liverpool.




"Vanguard,
Staves,
Liverpool.




"Grand Turk,
Lumber,
Hamburg.




"St. Helena,
Lumber and staves,
Cork.




"Chieftain,
Lumber and staves,
London.




"C. H. Walker,
Lumber and staves,
Liverpool.




"M. S. Scott,
Lumber,
Hamburg.




"E. Bates,
Lumber and staves,
Liverpool.




"H. Barclay,
Staves,
London.




"Republican,
Lumber and staves,
Cadiz.




"Messenger,
Staves, &c.
Calais.






Of the above, Messenger cleared from Buffalo; the Pierson and
Republican hailed from Milan, Ohio; the Massillon and Valeria from
Cleveland; the Scott loaded at St. Joseph, and was sent out by a
Milwaukee house; all the others either loaded at this port, or were
owned or chartered here. Eight of the number were chartered by Messrs.
Aspinwall & Son, and two of the others were owned here.



The following is the aggregate amount of lumber and staves shipped to
Europe the past year, exclusive of the cargoes from Cleveland, Milan,
and Buffalo:—



(p. 294)





    
    



West India staves No.
692,057




Standard pipe staves, No.
142,662




Lumber, feet
474,693






[A Quebec standard pipe is equal to four West India staves.]



The Lily of Kingston, was the first vessel that ever passed down from
the lakes to the ocean, bound to an European port. Her destination was
Liverpool. This was about the year 1847. She afterward sailed in the
Quebec and Liverpool trade, but was lost, we believe, on her third
ocean voyage.



As collateral to this trade, an important commerce has sprung up
between the lake cities and the Atlantic ports which promise to
increase rapidly. Prior to 1857, the passage of vessels from the
Welland Canal to the ocean was of very rare occurrence. As a matter of
curiosity, we present a complete statement of the vessels which have
passed through the canal bound for Atlantic or European ports, with
the year of sailing, avoiding a repetition of the list above given.
The Dean Richmond, and those clearing in 1857 and 1858, all sailed for
Europe. Those designated in this list as having sailed in 1859, all
cleared for Atlantic ports:





    
    



1847
American steam revenue cutter Dallis.




"
Canadian barque Arabia.




1848
American barque Eureka.




1850
Canadian schooner Scotia.




(p. 295)1854
Canadian schooner Cherokee.




1855
Canadian bark Reindeer.




1856
American schooner Dean Richmond.




1857
American bark C. J. Kershaw.




"
English schooner Madeira Pet.




1858
American brig Black Hawk.




"
American schooner R. H. Harmon.




"
American schooner Col. Cook.




"
American schooner Correspondent.




"
American bark D. C. Pierce.




"
American schooner D. B. Sexton.




"
American schooner John E. Warner.




"
American bark C. J. Kershaw.




"
American schooner C. Reeve.




"
American schooner Harvest.




"
American bark Parmelia Flood.




1859
American bark Magenta.




"
American brig Sultan.




"
American brig Indus.




"
American brig Kate L. Bruce.




"
Canadian schooner Union.




"
American schooner Kyle Spangler.




"
American schooner Muskingum.




"
American schooner Adda.




"
American schooner Clifton.




"
American schooner Metropolis.




"
American schooner Energy.




"
American schooner W. B. Castle.




"
American schooner Alida.




"
American tug Uncle Ben.




"
American tug Cushman.




"
American schooner Typhoon.




"
American schooner Sarah Hibbert.






(p. 296) Presuming that those who may hereafter become interested in
this commerce, would like the benefit of the experience of those who
have already embarked it, we have procured some valuable information
for their benefit. First, as to the kind of timber most profitable to
ship: Although black walnut appears to be growing in favor, and where
once it has been used is again inquired for, yet a decided preference
is given to oak, with the qualities of which all are entirely
familiar. Choice, selected oak commands more money for cabinet
purposes in all the foreign markets than the same quality of black
walnut. Contrary to previous expectation, it is not likely that the
latter can ever be brought into general use in Great Britain. It is
the greatest mahogany market in the world, and that wood is in
universal use, particularly the common or cheap kind. If ever so
common, it is not liable to warp, which cannot be said of black
walnut, although, as we have before intimated, those who have worked
it, praise it very highly. Beech, elm and ash, are used for a great
many purposes, and are in good demand, but oak commands more money
than either of them, and is therefore the most profitable to ship at
present.



The fact is not generally known, but the information has been
purchased at a dear rate, that the purchase (p. 297) of lumber for
the foreign market by board-measure, instead of cubic, involves a
heavy loss. In European markets all lumber is sold by the cubic foot,
so that the cost of sawing is completely thrown away. Black walnut,
for example, cannot be laid down in Detroit, or any lake port, under
$18 to $20 per M., while the lumber can be obtained for $125 to $150
per M. cubic feet, 1,000 feet cubic measure being equal to 12,000 feet
board measure. Thus in purchasing by cubic measure, the buyer pays
only $125 to $150 for an amount that by board measure would cost $216
to $240, making a clear difference of ninety dollars upon only one
thousand cubic feet, equal to $900 upon a cargo of some of the vessels
engaged in the trade last year. The same rule would apply
substantially to other kinds of lumber. Independent of this, a decided
preference is given to lumber in the log, owing to the good condition
in which it can be delivered. There is one more point which
manufacturers as well as shippers should bear in mind. The value of
much of the lumber sent out was greatly impaired by being attached to
the heart, which is the most porous part of the tree, and therefore
most liable to crack. To obviate this objection the saw should pass
upon each side of the heart, thus leaving the whole of it attached to
a (p. 298) single piece of timber, instead of one or more pieces, and
thereby making only one cull. By observing this rule a difference will
be made in the market of thirty or forty per cent.



Are staves or lumber the more profitable to ship? This depends upon
circumstances. Last year it was very dull for both. For staves
especially the season could not, for various reasons, have been more
unfavorable. In the first place, the grape crop was a very short one,
not only in France, but in all the vine countries, including the
Canaries. This, of course, greatly lessened the demand for staves, and
there were consequently very few taken from England to France,
although French vessels are in the habit of taking them for ballast at
a merely nominal rate, owing to the difficulty they experience in
procuring return freights from England. The short crops in Canada and
the great scarcity of money, forced an unusual number of laborers in
that country into the stave and lumber business. Under advices that
heavy shipments were in prospect, coupled with the general check upon
business on account of the war, prices became depressed.
Notwithstanding all this, the shipments hence, being early in the
market, sold to advantage, and may therefore be considered as a signal
success, under the circumstances. The (p. 299) smallest vessel going
out from here netted a freight of $3,500.



The most striking feature with regard to Detroit, in a commercial
point of view, is her admirable location, which constitutes her the
metropolis of a vast region, than which no city off the seaboard can
boast one equally grand or important. The region embraces a circuit of
some three thousand miles, composed of land and water, which both seem
to vie with each other in contributing to the material prosperity of
our city, while every interest involved is benefited in some degree by
her. In the far north, where the rugged coast of the upper peninsula
is lashed by the waters of the monarch of lakes, Detroit enterprise
assists in redeeming the hidden treasures of the earth from their
state of profitless inertion. There is not a hardy delver in the mines
who is not familiar with the skill of Detroit machinists, nor an echo
in all the majestic wilds skirting that noble expanse of waters, that
has not been awakened by Detroit steamers. Further down upon the
limpid waters of Lake Huron, where the army or rather the navy of
fishermen set their nets for the capture of the finny tribes, here,
too, our city possesses an interest almost as direct as if the canvas
of their tiny crafts were spread within sight of her (p. 300) spires,
the product comprising one of the most important staples in her
multiform commerce. Last, but not least, is the great lumber region
with which the prosperity of Michigan is so largely identified. The
population of this region, as well as of the others we have referred
to, raise almost literally nothing for their own consumption, their
respective pursuits being inconsistent with that of tillers of the
soil, so that in addition to the usual stores required by farmers,
they have to purchase their breadstuffs and similar supplies. The bulk
of these are bought of our dealers, this being not only the most
convenient, but the cheapest and best market, as is amply proven by
experience.



Under the appropriate head will be found a complete and authentic
statement of the commerce of the Saut St. Mary Canal, by which it will
be seen that the aggregate value of the upward-bound freight is
estimated at $5,298,640. The up-freight nearly all carried by
steamers, of which the number running the entire season was seven,
three from Detroit, one from Chicago, and three from Cleveland. The
Detroit boats have generally been loaded to their utmost capacity,
while we have the word of the Cleveland captains to the effect that
two-thirds of their cargoes are usually taken on at this port. We
(p. 301) must therefore be clearly within bounds in claiming that
three-fourths of the above amount is part and parcel of the commerce
of our city which would show our Lake Superior exports to be
$3,960,000. In seasons in which the crops of our Canadian neighbors
partially fail—a common occurrence within the past few years, but
which we hope may never occur again—they naturally become our
customers; and since the partial destruction of the wheat crop in Ohio
last summer by frost, there have been considerable shipments of
breadstuffs to Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky, etc., which may very
properly be included in the home traffic.



The shipments of flour and grain for the supply of our home trade by
lake craft, from the opening of navigation for the year 1859, as
appears by the books of our Custom House, are as follows:





    
    
    
    



 
Flour.
Wheat.
Corn.




Port Huron
10,885
253
6,916




Saginaw
3,790
30
 




Cleveland
6,155
28,057
1,146




Thunder Bay
106
 
 




Green Bay
175
 
 




Northport
175
 
 




Sandusky
705
 
 




Huron, O.
660
 
 




Toledo
665
616
 




Lake Superior
11,321
 
 




(p. 302)Other American ports
245
 
 




Malden
1,289
160
14,548




Chatham
3,671
1,736
 




Wallaceburg
705
 
 




Goderich
 
318
1,274




Saugeen
168
 
 




Bayfield
 
200
 




Other Canadian ports
1,330
95
749






There were also 7,446 bushels oats to Port Huron, and 588 bushels do.
to other ports, beside 3,400 bushels corn, and 11,962 bushels oats
which were included in the heavy shipments to Lake Superior. We give
the places for which vessels cleared; many of the shipments were for
intermediate ports. Besides the flour and grain there were large
shipments of pork, butter, lard, meal, etc., etc.



The above were all by water. There were in addition large local
shipments to various points on the Great Western, the Detroit and
Milwaukee, and other roads, that may with equal propriety be regarded
as pertaining to the home trade.



The article of corn is one to secure customers, for in Canada it is
not essential there should be short crops there. Large amounts are
taken for the supply of the numerous distilleries on that side. A
single house in our city has sold the past year 100,000 bushels for
that purpose.



(p. 303) During the year commodities have been interchanged by lake
craft between Detroit and no fewer than sixty-three lake and river
ports, to say nothing of the hundreds of towns and cities on the
various railroads that are daily trading with us. We have not included
those ports to which the bulk of our surplus produce is forwarded, but
only such as come strictly within the scope of our subject. There are
few places where trade develops statistics of similar character, or
anything approximating thereto, while there are plenty of cities of no
inconsiderable pretensions, and even great advantages, that would
think themselves made if they possessed one-fourth the commercial
facilities we enjoy.



Within the past year, by the opening up of new and most important
channels of railway communication, our position with respect to the
great railway system of the continent, is rendered all that could be
desired. In that regard it is indeed difficult to point out how any
improvement could be made. With respect to our local advantages,
however, admirable as they are, there is yet much in store for us. The
signs are far more favorable than at any former period for the rapid
settlement of the State, as well as for the more adequate development
of her resources. We are constantly receiving intelligence (p. 304)
that some new source of wealth has been revealed within our borders,
or that one previously discovered is likely to surpass the
expectations at first entertained. These events must not only tend
directly to hasten the settlement of the State, but also add in a
still greater ratio to her commercial importance and her wealth.



If we were to fail to refer, in this connection, to the law passed by
our legislature last winter, providing for the reclamation of the
"swamp lands," technically so called, and inaugurating an admirable
system of State roads throughout all the upper portions of the State,
we should be ignoring decidedly the most pregnant of the signs of
promise. In adopting so well-timed and beneficent a measure, our
law-givers have proved themselves worthy guardians of a commonwealth
whose interests so plainly bespeak a much greater degree of wise
legislation than has heretofore been wielded for her benefit. Next in
importance to these wholesome measures, is the law providing for the
appointment of Commissioners of Emigration—one resident here, and the
other stationed in New York. Those seeking homes in the West have only
to be made aware of the unequaled inducements presented by (p. 305)
our State, to secure immense accessions to our population.



Detroit does not alone reap the benefit of her advantageous position.
It is shared by all interests, but perhaps by none others to so great
an extent as the tillers of the soil. It is a most significant fact
that breadstuffs and provisions not unfrequently bring as high prices
here as in New York, giving producers all the advantages at home of a
seaboard market, and virtually putting the cost of shipment into their
pockets. Thus a farmer whose land possesses a nominal value of ten or
twenty dollars per acre, can enjoy all the pecuniary advantages of a
location near one of the largest eastern cities, where farms are
valued at one to two hundred dollars per acre. This fact alone should
go very far toward transforming our northern wilderness into
cultivated fields.



As a matter of interest, and to some extent of curiosity, we present a
comparative statement exhibiting the ruling prices of extra Michigan
flour twice a month throughout the year, in Detroit, New York and
Liverpool, and also the prices in the latter market, for the
corresponding dates in the year 1858:



(p. 306)





    
    
    
    
    



 
Liverpool, '58.
Liv'L, '59.
N. York, '59.
Detroit, '59.




Jan. 1st.
5 76a6 74
4 80a5 04
4 95a5 15
5 00a5 12




" 15th.
5 76a6 24
4 80a5 04
5 60a5 85
5 00a5 12




Feb. 1st.
5 76a6 24
4 80a5 04
5 90a6 40
5 75a6 00




" 15th.
5 52a6 00
4 80a5 04
5 90a6 25
6 25a6 50




Mar'h 1st.
5 52a6 24
4 80a5 04
6 30a6 50
6 25a6 50




" 15th.
5 52a6 24
4 80a5 04
6 50a6 75
6 50a6 75




April 1st.
5 28a5 52
4 80a5 04
6 30a6 75
a6 75




" 15th.
5 28a5 76
4 80a5 04
6 00a6 60
a6 50




May 1st.
5 28a5 52
5 04a5 28
6 25a6 75
a6 50




" 15th.
5 28a5 52
6 00a6 24
7 30a7 85
a8 00




June 1st.
5 04a5 28
a5 76
7 00a7 40
a7 50




" 15th.
5 04a5 28
a5 76
6 70a7 05
7 12a7 25




July 1st.
5 04a5 28
a 
6 00a6 50
a7 25




" 15th.
5 08a5 40
5 04a5 28
5 45a6 00
7 00a7 12




Aug. 1st.
5 28a5 40
4 80a5 52
4 90a5 50
4 75a4 87




" 15th.
5 04a5 28
5 04a5 52
4 30a4 65
4 50a4 75




Sept. 1st.
5 16a5 40
5 04a5 52
4 40a5 00
4 62a4 75




" 15th.
5 16a5 40
4 80a5 52
4 65a4 85
4 25a4 50




Oct. 1st.
5 04a5 28
5 28a5 76
4 75a5 10
4 62a4 75




" 15th.
5 04a5 28
5 28a5 76
4 80a5 20
a4 75




Nov. 1st.
5 04a5 28
5 52a6 00
5 00a5 30
a5 00




" 15th.
4 80a5 04
5 76a6 24
5 24a5 45
a5 12




Dec. 1st.
4 80a5 04
6 76a7 00
5 45a5 65
a5 12




" 15th.
4 80a5 04
6 76a7 00
5 48a5 65
a5 12






The Detroit mills manufacture excellent flour, and it is to be
regretted that they are not capable of making a much larger quantity
of their well-known brands. There are six flouring mills of different
capacities in the city, and although they are generally at full work
such is the demand for flour they make, that they are very often not
able to (p. 307) supply their customers. These mills ought to be
enlarged, or others built. Detroit, the commercial metropolis of a
great wheat-growing State, should be capable of manufacturing an
immense quantity of flour. The increased expenditure of money, in the
purchase of wheat, would be very beneficial to the trade of the city.



For the last fifteen years, the exports of breadstuffs from the United
States have fluctuated very much. In 1846 they amounted to nearly
twenty-eight millions of dollars, and rose in 1847 to sixty-nine
millions. In 1848 they fell to thirty-seven, and in 1852 to twenty-six
millions. In 1853 they amounted to nearly thirty-three millions, and
in 1854 they rose to about sixty-millions, but fell in 1855 to about
thirty-nine millions, and again rose in 1857 to seventy-seven
millions. In 1858 they again declined to about fifty millions. We
cannot accurately detail the exports of 1859, but they have been very
light on account of fall in the European market, after the termination
of the war in Italy. During these years there were various causes for
the remarkable fluctuations which we have noted; namely, famine in
Ireland, the Crimean war, and the failures of the harvest at home and
abroad, nor have these exportations been regularly divided or
(p. 308) spread over the various months of each year. They have
increased or diminished according to the European demand, governed by
the supply at home and regulated by advices from the other side of the
Atlantic. It is likely that the export of breadstuffs in 1860 will be
very considerable.



Michigan possesses many advantages over her sister States, and these
enable her to bear up against monetary panics better than they. Her
immense length of lake coast is indented with excellent harbors, which
invite commerce from every quarter, and furnish excellent outlets for
her surplus produce or mineral wealth. The great and diversified
resources of the State support her in the evil day, and bring her
through a commercial crisis in safety. From the ushering in of the
year to the close, there is not a day in which the marts of commerce
are not enlivened by the contributions of grain or live stock from our
fields, fish from our lakes, lumber from our forests, or ores of
various kinds from our inexhaustible mines.



According to the census returns of 1840, the State of Michigan
produced 2,157,108 bushels of wheat, there were 190 flouring mills at
work, employing 491 hands, and producing 202,880 barrels of flour
annually. In 1853 this State produced (p. 309) 7,275,032 bushels of
wheat, there were 245 flouring mills at work, employing 604 persons,
and manufacturing 1,000,000 barrels of flour in a year. It will be
seen that the flouring mills have increased greatly both in number and
capacity since 1840, and that very large quantities of flour are now
manufactured in the interior of the State, a circumstance which partly
accounts for the comparatively small quantity of wheat that is now
exported. The number of flouring mills have doubtless increased since
1853, and as steam power has been applied in many instances their
manufacturing capacity must now be very great. Farmers are beginning
to understand the importance of disposing of their produce near home,
and having the surplus exported in a manufactured state, instead of
sending away the raw material; the bran and "shorts" being very
valuable for mixing with the food of horses, cattle, and swine. A
flouring mill is a great benefit in a rural district, it furnishes the
farmer with a home market, and when he receives the price of his
produce, there are many domestic wants which must be supplied, and on
this account we always see stores and mechanics' shops clustering
around a mill, and villages springing up in places where the solitude
of the forest was, until lately, unbroken by a sound. (p. 310) It is
evident that the mill power of Michigan is increasing rapidly, and
that in future the greater part of the surplus grain crop will be
exported in a manufactured state.



In former years the prices of grain in the United States were
controlled by the European markets, and consequently the grain trade
of the Western States was governed by the produce merchants in the
Atlantic ports, but lately the whole order of things seems to have
been reversed, as breadstuffs of every kind were dearer in the Western
than in the Eastern markets. There were several reasons for this
anomaly. On account of the ravages of insects, and other causes which
we have alluded to, farmers were induced to place very little reliance
on the wheat crop, and many were driven into other branches of
husbandry, and in some places wheat became scarce. Add to this the
rapid increase of the population which created a local demand for all
kinds of food, and caused immense quantities of breadstuffs to be
required in places where a few years before there was no market for
anything. The rapid and extraordinary growth of Detroit and all the
Western cities, and the formation of new settlements, created a home
market for Western produce, for the population of cities being
consumers (p. 311) of the fruits of the land, instead of producers,
have always a wonderful effect on the markets of their localities, and
the pioneers in the forest or prairie must for a time depend on the
older settlements for subsistence.



From a defective system of agriculture the soil of the old States has
been deteriorating for several years. In Massachusetts the hay crop
declined twelve per cent. from 1840 to 1850, notwithstanding the
addition of 90,000 acres of mowing lands and the grain crop
depreciated 6000 bushels, although no less than 6000 acres had been
added to the tillage lands of that State.



In 1840 the wheat crop of New York was about twelve and a quarter
millions of bushels, and only nine millions in 1850, a decrease of 25
per cent., while the Indian corn in the same State increased during
the same period from about ten to twenty millions of bushels. The
harvest of 1859, found several parts of the country entirely destitute
of flour, and the farmers with a fixed and firm determination never
again to allow themselves to run out of the staff of life.



The number and capacity of the flouring mills have increased
considerably since 1853, so that it is probable that there are at
present more than three hundred (p. 312) of them at work in the
State, and the number of hands employed by them cannot be much less
than twelve hundred. It is probable that they are now capable of
manufacturing 1,25,000 barrels of flour annually, and this quantity
would require 5,625,000 bushels of wheat. Add to this the large
quantity of seed required for sowing an increased breadth of land, and
the portion of the crop kept for domestic use, and the result will be
sufficient to explain the reason why so little wheat has been exported
from Michigan this season. There are about 50,000 families in this
State who depend on agriculture for subsistence; all of these had
suffered more or less inconvenience from failure of the wheat crop,
and the high price of flour for the last few years, and it is no
wonder that they should endeavor to secure a full supply of wheat or
flour of the produce of the late harvest, and a very large portion of
the crop was disposed of in this way.



Since the Reciprocity Treaty came into operation, there has been
considerable exportation of flour from Detroit to Canada on account of
the repeated failures of the wheat crop in that country, and thus a
new market for Michigan produce has been opened near home.



Some of these sources of demand are trifling when (p. 313) standing
alone, but the aggregate makes a very large amount. It is considered
that about half the produce of the wheat crop still remains in the
hands of the farmers and may be expected to reach the market
gradually.



Michigan wants woolen and cotton, and various other factories to
provide employment for the over-crowded population of her cities and
villages, and to open a market for all her produce. The farmers of
Great Britain and Ireland could not pay the high rents and taxes which
are imposed on them, were it not for their proximity to the great
manufacturing cities of England. The cotton factories of Manchester,
the woolen factories of Leeds and Huddersfield, the hardware works of
Birmingham and Sheffield, and the potteries of Staffordshire, employ
hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children, who consume the
fruits of the soil, and create a steady demand for the farmer's stock
and grain. All these manufactures were fostered by protective laws
until they had attained a magnitude and importance which enabled them
to protect themselves by the wealth of their proprietors and the
excellence of their products. Large cities always afford a market for
farm produce, and on this account exert a very beneficial influence on
agriculture. The population of (p. 314) London is about two and a
half millions, and they are possessed of so much wealth, and are so
fastidious in their requirements, that almost every part of the world
contributes to supply them with the necessaries or luxuries of life.
The rapid growth of the cities of Michigan afford a home market for
the fruits of the the soil. A great deal of land in the old
settlements of this State has been exhausted by a too frequent
repetition of the wheat crop, and is now being employed as pasture for
sheep and cattle. After remaining in grass for a few years, this land
will be in excellent condition for producing wheat, especially when
fertilized with that plentiful supply of barn-yard dung which the
raising of stock always produces.



There are some varieties of wheat which are much better suited to the
climate and soil of Michigan than others, as they are in a great
measure able to withstand the combined attacks of wheat insects and
the various diseases to which the plant is liable. These are now fast
supplanting the worn out grain, and as every malady has its cure or
preventive, it is probable that the introduction of the best kind of
seeds, the alternation between grass and tillage, and the supply of
rich manure which the raising of stock creates will have a very great
tendency to improve the wheat crop of this State.



(p. 315) It is remarkable fact although the wheat crop has rather
declined in the majority of States, the corn crop has steadily
increased in all of them. Thus in 1840, the entire corn crop of the
United States amounted to 400,000,000 of bushels; in 1850 it was
nearly 600,000,000, of bushels. The crop of 1855 was between 7 and
800,000,000 and that of 1858 was fully 800,000,000 of bushels.
Taking into consideration the large breath of land planted in 1859 and
the damage by frost, we might with safety set down the crop as
amounting to 800,000,000 bushels.



Last year our importations from Indiana were large, but since the new
crop came in, that State has been shipping largely toward the Ohio
river, and we get comparatively little. The immense distilleries of
Cincinnati consume a very large quantity of corn annually, and Indiana
is beginning to find a good market in that quarter. The demand for
Michigan corn is always active on account of its excellent milling
qualities, and on this account it generally sells from wagons as high,
or a shade higher than the outside figure for Western corn from store.
The corn crop of Illinois has been much injured by the frosts of June
and July, and on this account the receipts in Chicago up to this date
have been much (p. 316) lighter than usual. The European potato crop
has been greatly damaged by rot, and it is probable that a large
export of corn will take place from this country in order to supply a
deficiency occasioned by this failure. It is said that several New
York capitalists have gone west and purchased corn and provisions,
storing them up until next spring, anticipating at that time a
considerable advance in price. The generality of farmers have sorted
their corn carefully this year and used up the unripe and inferior
part for feeding hogs and cattle: there is a large quantity of very
good corn in the country, which will no doubt command a good price in
the spring.



Indian corn is one of the staple productions of Michigan, and can be
raised with success in any suitable soil in the lower peninsula.
According to the statistics of 1850 this State produced nearly
6,000,000 of bushels that year. It is probable that the census of the
present year will show a vast increase in the amount. In 1850 the
value of this crop in all the States amounted to nearly $300,000,000,
being about equal to the united values of the wheat, hay, and cotton
crops, and it has perhaps doubled since that date. In fact the value
of the corn crop to Michigan and all the other States can not
(p. 317) be estimated, as it is much used for the food of man and all
the domestic animals, and to it the American farmer is indebted for
much of his prosperity, for without it he would not be able to bring
his cattle and hogs into the market at the right time and in proper
condition.



Heretofore the amount of pork packed has always been insufficient to
meet the demand, and the deficiency has been supplied by importations
from other cities, chiefly from Cincinnati. This season not only has
there been a considerable increase in the number packed, but the
market opens a great deal duller than last year, when the Canada trade
and the building of the Detroit and Port Huron link of the Grand Trunk
Railway induced a fair demand.



Cincinnati is the greatest provision market on the continent or in the
world. At that place speculation has been quite rife for the past two
or three years, operators obtaining a controlling interest in the
stock for the purpose of putting up prices. Last year the plan did not
work well, owing to various causes, one of which was the small number
of works in progress, such as railroads, etc., the supply of the
laborers upon such works, being the life of the provision trade.
Heavy losses were sustained, but it is said (p. 318) that the
sufferers were a different class from that regularly engaged in the
trade. This season the speculative fever has again prevailed. The
issue has yet to be revealed.



Last year nearly 1,000 head of cattle were slaughtered here, all of
which were forwarded to Lake Superior as soon as packed. The price of
mess beef has ranged from $8.50 to $12.00. About the first of July
prices reached their highest point. During the fall the range has been
from $8.50 to $10.00.



When the marshy lands, skirting our watercourses in St. Clair, Macomb,
Wayne, and Monroe counties, shall have been drained, (which will, no
doubt, be consummated at no distant day,) a large tract will be
rendered available for grazing, which will prove equal for that
purpose to any in the Union. Butter and cheese will then become a
leading article in our commerce.



Potatoes constitute another of our staple products, and, in seasons of
scarcity elsewhere, large purchases are made for shipment, but being
generally based on present demand, they can hardly be called
speculative. The crop of 1857 was rather meagre, and last spring and
summer prices ruled high, going up to $1.20 for a short time in June.
Last year we had an abundant crop, since which, under a limited
(p. 319) export demand, prices have ruled low. The receipts at this
point, from all sources, did not vary greatly from 175,000 bushels, of
which 80,500 bushels were exported, chiefly to Ohio and the upper
country.



It is claimed, that southern Michigan produces more fine fruit than
any other locality of the same extent in the United States, if not on
the globe. At the same time almost every quarter of the State is
constantly improving both in quality and quantity. This fact is
creditable to the sagacity of our agriculturists, for probably in
nothing else can an equal amount of profit be realized with the same
outlay.



Our market is not an important one for live stock, much of the greater
share of the receipts by rail being through freight. Our wholesale
market is mainly governed by that at the East, buyers for shipment are
always on the look-out, and whenever anything can be purchased that
affords even a moderate margin, it is promptly taken. Extra cattle are
always sought for by our butchers, and command full rates. A spirit of
emulation on the subject of fine stock is pervading the minds of our
farmers, and, as a consequence, its quality is rapidly improving. At
the last State Fair, the display of cattle was such as to elicit the
admiration of good judges from abroad. (p. 320) There are so many
interests claiming the attention of our agriculturists, that the idea
of becoming famous as to quantity, is perhaps precluded; if so, they
may well rest content in the attainment of high rank in point of
quality.



The raising of fine sheep is constantly attracting more and more
attention, and from the progress already made by our State, she bids
fair at no distant day to take a position in advance of all her sister
States.



The year 1859 opened with rather flattering prospects for
wool-growers. The last year's stock was nearly exhausted before the
new clip came into the market. Prices of woolen fabrics were
advancing, and bid fair to rule high. On the eve of the wool season
prices declined in the Eastern markets, although there was no
particular reason for this unfavorable turn. It was considered at the
time, that the fall in prices was occasioned by a regular combination
among buyers to break down the market. The news of the passage of the
Ticino by the Austrians, and the actual commencement of hostilities in
Italy, arrived in this country before the wool was brought into the
market, and this circumstance was seized on as a pretext for lowering
the price of the new clip. Buyers were very industrious in circulating
(p. 321) reports that a general European war was commencing, and, as
it was not known how affairs would terminate, it would be unsafe for
American buyers to make investments in the wool trade, except at
prices that would leave a large margin for profit. It was fortunate
that farmers did not take the same view of transatlantic
complications, for they refused to sell except at remunerating prices,
a decision which caused some of the Eastern buyers to retire from the
market in disgust. Almost the entire press of Michigan supported the
views of the farmers on this occasion, and declared that they could
see no reason why the war in Italy should affect the prices of wool in
America, especially as all the domestic clip, and a very large
quantity of foreign wool would be manufactured in this country.
Michigan produces excellent wool. There are numerous flocks of French,
Spanish, and Saxon Merinos in this State, which have been selected or
bred with the greatest care, and the wool produced by them cannot be
surpassed in any of the Western States. There are also flocks of
coarse-wooled sheep which produce heavy fleeces, and when fattened for
the butcher make excellent mutton. In 1840 the wool clip of this State
was about 150,000 lbs., in 1850 something over 2,000,000 lbs., and
1859 it (p. 322) amounted to nearly 4,000,000 lbs. It will be seen by
these figures that it has nearly doubled during the last nine years.
There are but few woolen manufactories in Michigan, and the most of
the wool clip of this State is purchased by Eastern manufacturers. A
considerable portion of it goes to Boston and other parts of
Massachusetts. We want a large woolen factory in Detroit, where
everything that is necessary for its operation can be easily procured.
We want more manufactories of every kind in Michigan.



Our city is largely interested in the shipping business, and its trade
gives employment to a larger number of side-wheel steamboat lines than
any other three cities on the entire chain of lakes. During the last
season, the following regular lines of steamers were in successful
operation:





Two of the above routes sustain opposition lines, and to the list
might be added the line of lake steamers to Buffalo, and the line to
Goderich, which though not run last year, will probably be in
successful (p. 323) operation the coming season, making in all
sixteen lines. It is significant that the late financial revulsion,
which fell with such crushing weight upon the shipping interest all
over the country did not occasion the withdrawal of any of our
steamboat lines, save one. As a still more striking fact, we may state
that until last season none of the cities located in the vast region
between the foot of Lake Michigan and the foot of Lake Erie, has for
many years past supported a single line of steamers that did not make
Detroit a terminus. Last year a line was put in successful operation
between Buffalo and Cleveland, and another between the latter place
and Toledo, but it ought to be added that both of these were
established by Detroit enterprise.



In addition to the line above enumerated, we have daily lines of
propellers to Ogdensburg, Buffalo, Dunkirk and to the Upper Lakes,
which do an immense freighting business.



We are indebted to Captain J. H. Hall, the public-spirited proprietor
of the Detroit shipping-office for following statement of the number
of vessels that passed Detroit in 1859:



(p. 324) Number of Vessels passing Detroit, 1859.





    
    
    
    
    



 
No. Times.
 
No. Times.




Steamers passed up,
194
 
Steamers passed down,
195




Propellers,"
492
 
Propellers,"
503




Barks,"
273
 
Barks,"
284




Brigs,"
295
 
Brigs,"
314




Schooners,"
1,811
 
Schooners,"
1,825




 
———
 
———




Total number up,
3,065
 
Total number down,
3,121






Greatest number passed up in one day, eighty-five; greatest number
down, seventy-three.



The number of entries and clearances reported at the Custom House
during the year is as follows:





    
    
    
    
    
    
    



 
Arrived.
Cl'd.
 
Arrived.
Cl'd.




Jan.
48
70
 
July
403
597




Feb.
49
71
 
Aug.
461
519




March
161
288
 
Sept.
316
481




April
334
375
 
Oct.
288
319




May
438
586
 
Nov.
294
316




June
458
568
 
Dec.
45
71






During the past year the amount of total losses has been light, not
greater, probably, than the number of vessels built, so that although
the classification is slightly changed, there is no material change so
far as concerns the aggregate tonnage. Detroit owns, therefore,
nearly one-sixth of the entire tonnage of the lakes.



As a matter of some interest we present a comparative statement
showing the tonnage, steam, and (p. 325) total, of a number of the
more important maritime places in the country, taken from the report
of the Register of the Treasury on Commerce and Navigation:





    
    
    



 
Steam tonnage.
Total tonnage.




New York
118,638
1,432,705




New Orleans
70,072
210,411




Philadelphia
22,892
219,851




Baltimore
18,821
194,488




Pittsburg
42,474
56,824




Cincinnati
23,136
26,541




Chicago
8,151
67,001




St. Louis
55,515
61,266




Boston
9,452
448,896




Buffalo
42,640
73,478




Detroit
35,266
62,485




Charleston, S. C.
8,230
60,196






The following exhibits the number and tonnage of vessels owned in this
district—nearly all of them in this city—on the 31st of December,
1859:





    
    
    
    



 
Number
Tons.
95ths




Steamers
73
29,175
02




Propellers
32
6,090
81




Barks
4
1,337
08




Brigs
7
1,877
75




Schooners
131
19,671
56




Scows and all others
136
4,322
68




 
——
———
—




Total
383
62,485
05




In 1857
301
52,991
50




 
——
———
—




Increase in two years
82
9,493
50






(p. 326) The following was the aggregate tonnage of the lakes in
December 1858:





    
    
    
    
    



American.




69
 
Side-wheel steamers register
tons
44,562




110
 
Propellers
do.
45,562




70
 
Tugs (propellers)
do.
6,880




46
 
Barks
do.
18,788




79
 
Brigs
do.
22,558




711
 
Schooners
do.
166,725




109
 
Scows
do.
11,848




——
 
 
do.
————




1194
 
Total
 
316,923




 




Canadian.




67
 
Side-wheel steamers register
tons
25,966




16
 
Propellers
do.
4,631




4
 
Tugs (propellers)
do.
388




19
 
Barks
do.
5,697




16
 
Brigs
do.
2,988




186
 
Schooners
do.
19,311




13
 
Scows
do.
609




——
 
 
do.
————




321
 
Total
 
59,580






The Michigan Central was the first railroad built in the State, and
since its completion has been known as one of the best managed in the
West. Its beneficial effects to the region of country through which it
passes, is incalculable. On its line, have sprung up a number of
beautiful towns and villages as if by magic, while many of those that
had an existence prior to its construction have grown into flourishing
cities. Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Marshall, (p. 327) Battle
Creek, Albion, Kalamazoo, Niles, and others that might properly be
included, all located upon this road, are beautiful places, noted for
their thrift and enterprise as well as for their rapid advances in all
that pertains to well-regulated cities. Their commerce is rapidly
increasing and the country along the entire route will vie with that
traversed by the great thoroughfares of any of the older States along
the seaboard.



The Central was commenced and partially built by the State, but in
1844, passed into the possession of the company now owning it, who
completed it to Chicago. A telegraph line has been in use for some
years past along the entire line of the road, with an office at each
station, by which means the exact position of each train may be at all
times known at each and every point. To this admirable system may be
attributed in a very great degree the extraordinary exemption of the
road from serious accidents, while its advantages are very great in
every point of view respecting the general management. The eastern
terminus of the road being at Detroit, it has the full advantages of
the numerous connections at this point, the Great Western and Grand
Trunk Railways, the important steamboat route from Cleveland, the
lines of Detroit and Buffalo propellers with their immense (p. 328)
freight traffic, as well as the numerous other steamboat routes of
which our city is the nucleus. At Chicago it has the advantages of
connection with all the roads radiating from that flourishing city.
Freight is now taken from Chicago to Portland without breaking bulk
but once. An important "feeder" is the Joliet Cut-off, by means of
which it has a direct connection with St. Louis, via the Chicago,
Alton, and St. Louis Railroad. An important arrangement was
consummated last summer with the latter road, for the direct
transmission of freight between this city and St. Louis. Fifty cars
have been diverted to this route, under the name of the "Detroit and
St. Louis Through Freight Line." The time between the two cities is
thirty-eight hours. The advantages of this line to shippers are very
considerable, and the arrangement is adding, and will continue to add,
materially to the commerce of our city.



A commendable progressive spirit has latterly been evinced by the
managers generally, of our railroads, in the transmission of freight,
especially live stock and grain. The improvement is a most grateful
one to shippers, who have ordinarily quite enough anxiety and vexation
to suffer in the fluctuations of the market and subjection to unlooked
for and (p. 329) onerous charges, without having superadded
unreasonable exposure and deterioration of their property while en
route to market. In this movement the management of the Central has
fully sympathized. Their stock and grain cars have received high
commendations from those for whose benefit they were intended. The
entire equipment of the road is such as to comport with them; the
safety, comfort and convenience of the public, being constantly kept
in view, regardless of the cost incurred.



The three staunch and magnificent steamers belonging to the company,
the Plymouth Rock, Western World and Mississippi, owing to the hard
times have been laid up at their dock since the fall of 1857, to the
great regret of the public generally, as well as to the detriment of
the business interest of our city. With the return of a more
prosperous era they will doubtless be again placed in commission. The
line formed by these boats is the most pleasant and expeditious medium
of communication between the East and the West and Southwest, and
cannot fail to be well patronized, especially now that the Dayton and
Michigan Railroad is completed, which will bring a large amount of
both freight and passenger traffic by way of Detroit that formerly
sought other routes.



(p. 330) The rolling stock now on the road consists of ninety-eight
engines, seventy first class passenger cars, twelve second class cars;
twenty-nine baggage cars, and two thousand seven hundred and
seventy-eight freight cars, making a total of two thousand eight
hundred and eighty-nine cars and all of which were built in the
company's own shops.



This road is one hundred and eighty-eight miles long, and has been in
operation throughout its whole extent since November, 1858. It is
deserving of the distinctive appellation of the Back Bone Road of
Michigan, having been of incalculable value in developing the
resources of the region through which it is located, decidedly one of
the richest and most important in the West. The principal towns and
cities upon its line are Pontiac, Fentonville, St. Johns, Ionia, Grand
Rapids and Grand Haven. The growth of these places has received a
great impetus since its completion, while numerous villages have also
sprung into being as if by magic at various points along the line.
These changes are plainly visible in the improved trade of our city,
and the increase from the same cause, must continue to be strongly
marked. Last season over one-fourth of the wheat and wool received
here was by this new route, and a number of (p. 331) vessels loaded
at the company's noble and spacious wharf for European ports direct.



Within the year past, the company have completed one of the finest
railway wharves in the world. It is 1,500 feet long by 90 broad, the
west end of which is occupied by the freight house, the dimensions of
which are 450 by 132 feet.



One of the most important events to Detroit and the entire West, that
has transpired for many years, is the completion of this great
thoroughfare. The link from Port Huron to this city was opened to
traffic on the 21st of November, since which date the businesses
crowding upon it has fully equaled its capacity. It is the Minerva of
railways, having reached at a single bound a condition of prosperity
outrivaling many of the oldest established roads on the continent.



It possesses important advantages over any other road both for freight
and passenger traffic. Being of uniform gauge, no change of cars will
be necessary from Sarnia to Portland; and being also under the
management of one corporation, it affords better facilities for the
protection of passengers and the preservation of their baggage than
where they are required to pass over lines under the control of
different and perhaps conflicting corporations. Having (p. 332) only
one set of officers quartered upon its exchequer, it can afford to do
business at lower proportionate rates, than a number of shorter lines,
each having a different set to salary, while the delay and vexation
which not unfrequently arise from short routes, being compelled to
wait upon each other's movements, will all be avoided, which is
certainly no small consideration both to passengers and shippers.



The harbor of Portland is one of the finest and most eligible in the
world, and our immediate connection with a point of such importance is
of itself a matter deserving particular mention. Portland district, as
appears by the official statement of the tonnage of the United States,
made to June, 1857, then owned 145,242 tons of shipping, being the
ninth port in the Union in point of tonnage; she is very largely
interested in the West India trade, her annual imports of molasses
exceeding those of any port in the United States. She offers,
therefore, to the Western States, peculiar facilities for procuring at
a cheap rate the products of the West Indies. The harbor is without
any bar, and so easy of access that no pilots are required, and
strangers, with the sailing directions given in the American Coast
Pilot, have brought their ships into it with safety. (p. 333) There
are no port charges, harbor dues, or light-house fees, excepting the
official custom house fees.



The Grand Trunk Railway is likely to become the avenue through which
an immense tide of immigration will pour into Michigan. It will be a
favorite route for emigrants, who will thus avoid the rascally
impositions of the swindlers and Peter Funks of New York, who have
given that city an unenviable notoriety throughout the world. It is
predicted that more immigrants will hereafter come by the new route
than by all others put together. There is no valid reason why this
prediction should not prove strictly true. This is therefore a matter
likely to be of vast importance to our State, with a large share of
her territory as yet an unbroken wild, offering tempting inducements
to the hardy settler.



The completion of this stupendous bond of connection between the
Eastern and Western States, Canada and Europe, will render markets
available which were before difficult of access, and enable
far-distant countries to exchange their products at all seasons. The
Grand Trunk may be called the first section of the Pacific Railroad,
as it already communicates with the Mississippi through Michigan,
Illinois and Wisconsin Railroads, and we expect to see the line
completed from the Mississippi (p. 334) to California. It is not easy
to form an estimate of the amount of traffic and intercourse that the
1,150 miles of Grand Trunk Railway will bring to Michigan and the
neighboring States. A junction has been already formed with that model
of western lines the Michigan Central by which freight and passengers
reach Chicago and the numerous lines which diverge from that great
commercial city. It is probable that another junction will be made
with the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway by means of a branch from Port
Huron to Owasso. In this case there will be a direct line across
Michigan connecting with the Milwaukee railroads by the ferry across
the lake, and penetrating into Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Oregon
by lines which have not yet been traced on the railway maps of the
United States.



The ostensible western terminus of this road is at Windsor, opposite
our city, but it is practically as much a Detroit road as any that can
be named. The connections with the other routes centering here is made
by a number of ferry boats of the most staunch and powerful
description. The receipts by this route of general merchandise
consigned to the cities and points westward of us is immense, and it
enjoys a large and growing local traffic.



(p. 335) The main line of the Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana
Railroad, which taps a rich and important portion of Michigan, is 461
miles in length. The business on this line has recently shown a
decided improvement.



The D. and T. Road, which is 65 miles in length, was opened to traffic
in January 1857. It was built by the "Detroit, Monroe, and Toledo
Railroad Company," who leased it to the Michigan Southern Road. It is
now an important link in the great railway system extending from the
East to the Great Southwest, of which system, Detroit, from its
favorable position, has become the centre and soul. Since the opening
of the Grand Trunk, in November, a large amount of freight has passed
through, billed for Liverpool direct, a species of freight which must
steadily increase.



L. P. Knight is agent at Detroit. The office is in the depot building
of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway.



The Dayton and Michigan Railroad was completed last fall, placing us
within a few hours' ride of the Queen City of the West. This is justly
regarded as a most important route to our city, and will develop new
features to some of our leading business interests. The consumer of
our State will have the (p. 336) benefit of lower prices for the
products of Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, and the West Indies. The
want of direct communication between Detroit and New Orleans has long
been felt. Sugars and molasses can now be laid down here for fifty
cents per 100 lbs., including all charges from New Orleans, via the
Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and D. and M. Railway, giving us, in a
word, the benefits of as low freights in winter as in summer. With the
cost of transportation thus reduced to a merely nominal standard,
prices of Southern products will be upon an average no higher here
than in Louisville. It is more than probable, nay, quite certain, that
the advantages which must ultimately accrue to the State from our
connection with Cincinnati per se, if not so general, will be even
more marked and important than those to which we have above referred.
The prices of provisions will be equalized, giving our lumbermen and
miners the benefit of reduced rates throughout most of the year, and
when speculation is rampant, and the price of pork, the great staple
of our neighbors, reaches an extreme figure—as has been the case for
two successive seasons, and will be the case again—our farmers will
reap the benefit of the movement. The growth of Cincinnati is
altogether without parallel in the world, taking into account
(p. 337) the character of that growth—its quality, so to speak.
All its great interests, particularly its manufactures, have kept pace
with its numerical increase. It is indeed difficult to determine
whether manufactures or commerce is most intimately identified with
its prosperity. The connection with her will give us new and desirable
customers for some of our surplus products, particularly our choice
lumber.



The entire line of the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad, as located,
is 172-½ miles; track laid and completed, 7-¾ miles; additional
length graded 24-½ miles, the ties for which have all been
delivered.



It is thought that hereafter twenty miles per year will be completed
without difficulty until the whole is completed. This road will be
important in developing the resources of a very rich tract of country.



On the line of Amboy, Lansing, and Grand Traverse Railroad, the entire
distance from Owasso to Lansing, twenty-six miles, is ready for the
iron, except three miles. On the division from Lansing to Albion,
thirty-six miles, the work of grading and furnishing ties is
progressing, and some one hundred men at work. Between Owasso and
Saginaw, thirty-three miles, arrangements are nearly completed to
start the work. The work of grading and preparing (p. 338) for the
iron is done by local subscriptions, of which $3,000 per mile has been
subscribed and is being paid.



The existence of copper on the shores of Lake Superior appears to have
been known to the earliest travelers, but it has been only a few years
since it has entered largely into Western commerce. But the country
had long been a favorite resort for fur traders, and as long ago as
1809, and perhaps still further back, the Northwest Company (British)
owned vessels on Lake Superior. This organization was at that period
the great trading company of the region in question, the operations of
the Hudson's Bay Company being confined chiefly to the region further
north. At the period of which we speak, the bulk of the trading was
done by means of birch canoes, some of them large enough to carry two
or three tons. With these, the traders passed up to the Indian
settlements in the fall, with goods, provisions, and trinkets, usually
returning to the trading posts during the month of June with the furs
which they had procured in exchange. Mackinac and the Saut were
trading posts at an early day. At a somewhat later period, the
Northwest Company had an agency on an island in Lake Huron, not far
from the month of Saut river. The formation of the (p. 339) American
Fur Company was of more recent date, that company dating its origin
during the war of 1812, or soon after.



Prior to the building of the canal, a number of steamers had been
taken over the portage to Lake Superior, but so far as our knowledge
extends, only one or two craft larger than a canoe were ever taken
over the rapids, one of which was the schooner Mink. She was built of
red cedar, on Lake Superior, about the year 1816, and was of some
forty tons burden. She became the property of Mack & Conant, who had
her brought down the rapids. In making the descent she suffered some
injury by striking against a rock, but, notwithstanding this mishap,
she lived long enough to ride out many a stormy sea, running for
several years in the trade between Buffalo and the City of the
Straits. Shubael Conant, Esq., at this day an honored citizen of
Detroit, was one of the firm that purchased the Mink.



In the spring of 1845, the fleet on Lake Superior consisted of the
schooner White Fish, belonging to the Hudson's Bay Company, the
Siscowit, belonging to the American Fur Company, and the Algonquin,
owned by a Mr. Mendenhall. The same year the schooners Napoleon,
Swallow, Uncle Tom, Merchant, (p. 340) Chippewa, Ocean, and Fur
Trader, were all added. In 1845, the propeller Independence, the first
steamer that ever floated on Lake Superior, was taken across the
portage, and the next year the Julia Palmer followed her, she being
the first side-wheel steamer. In the winter of 1848-9, the schooner
Napoleon was converted into a propeller. In 1850, the propeller
Manhattan was hauled over by the Messrs. Turner, and the Monticello in
1851, by Col. McKnight. The latter was lost the same fall, and Col.
McK. supplied her place the next winter with the Baltimore. In 1853 or
1854, E. B. Ward took over the Sam Ward, and Col. McKnight took the
propeller Peninsula over in the winter of 1852 or 1853.



In the spring of 1855, the Saut Canal was completed, since which date
the trade with that important region has rapidly grown into commanding
importance. It will be seen by the table below that the importations
of machinery, provisions, supplies, and merchandise, for the past year
amounted to $5,298,640, while the exports of copper, iron, fur and
fish amount to $3,071,069.



The following are the names of the steam craft now regularly employed
in this trade:





    
    



S. B. Illinois.
Prop. Mineral Rock.




S. B. Lady Elgin.
Prop. Montgomery.




(p. 341)S. B. North Star.
Prop. Northern Light.




Prop. Marquette.
Prop. Iron City.






A number of other steam-craft made occasional trips last year, and
next season it is expected that another line will be placed on the
route permanently. The Detroit shipping-office has published the names
of ninety-six sail vessels that have been engaged in the iron trade
the past year.



Rapid as this trade has increased, it is destined, no doubt, to yet
undergo a still greater transformation. The latent resources of the
Upper Peninsula are of a character and magnitude that defy all
estimates of their future greatness. With regard to the importance of
the trade to our city, and the steps to be taken to retain it, ample
comments have already appeared in the Tribune, both editorially and
in the form of communications, to which we can add nothing.



The aggregate amount of tolls collected in May, July, August and
September, was $10,374.18, a large increase over the corresponding
months last year. Including the probable amount for the months not
reported, and we have at the lowest not less probably than $16,000, as
the tolls for 1859.



Number of passengers: May, 2,493; June, 1,764; July, 2,116; August,
2,617; September, 1,538; October, 1,015.



(p. 342) It is now almost universally admitted that the State of
Michigan possesses in her soil and timber the material source of
immense wealth. While in years past it has been difficult to obtain
satisfactory information concerning the real condition and natural
resources of a large portion of the surface of the Lower Peninsula,
the re-survey of portions of the government land, the exploration of
the country by parties in search of pine, the developments made by the
exploring and surveying parties along the lines of the Land Grant
Railroads, and the more recent examinations by the different
commissions for laying out the several State roads under the Acts
passed by the last Legislature, have removed every doubt in reference
to the subject. The universal testimony from all the sources above
mentioned, seems to be that in all the natural elements of wealth the
whole of the northern part of the Peninsula abounds.



The pine lands of the State, which are a reliable source of present
and future wealth, are so located and distributed as to bring almost
every portion of the State, sooner or later in connection with the
commerce of the lakes. The pine timber of Michigan is generally
interspersed with other varieties of timber, such as beech, maple,
white-ash, oak, cherry, etc., and in most cases the soil is suited to
agricultural (p. 343) purposes. This is particularly the case on the
western slope of the Peninsula, on the waters of Lake Michigan and
along the central portion of the State. On the east and near Lake
Huron, the pine districts are more extensively covered with pine
timber, and generally not so desirable for farming purposes. There are
good farming lands, however, all along the coast of Lake Huron and
extending back into the interior.



A large proportion of the pine lands of the State are in the hands of
the Canal Company, and individuals who are holding them as an
investment, and it is no detriment to this great interest, that the
whole State has been thus explored and the choicest of the lands
secured. The developments which have thus been made of the quality and
extent of the pine districts, have given stability and confidence to
the lumbering interest. And these lands are not held at exorbitant
prices, but are sold upon fair and reasonable terms, such as practical
business men and lumber men will not usually object to.



It is a remarkable fact that almost every stream of water in the
State, north of Grand River, penetrates a district of pine lands, and
the mouths of nearly all these streams are already occupied with
lumbering establishments of greater or less magnitude. (p. 344) Those
lumber colonies are the pioneers, and generally attract around them
others who engage in agriculture, and thus almost imperceptibly the
agricultural interests of the State are spreading and developing in
every direction. The want of suitable means of access alone prevents
the rapid settlement of large and fertile districts of our State,
which are not unknown to the more enterprising and persevering
pioneers, who have led the way through the wilderness, and are now
engaged almost single-handed in their labors, not shrinking from the
privations and sufferings which are sure to surround these first
settlements in our new districts.



The Grand Traverse region, with its excellent soil, comparatively mild
climate, and abundance of timber of every description, is attracting
much attention, and extensive settlements have already commenced in
many localities in that region. The coast of Lake Michigan, from Grand
River north, for upward of one hundred miles to Manistee River,
presents generally a barren, sandy appearance, the sand hills of that
coast almost invariably shutting out from the view the surrounding
country.



North of the Manistee, however, this characteristic of the coast
changes, and the hard timber comes out to the lake and presents a fine
region of country extending (p. 345) from Lake Michigan to Grand
Traverse Bay and beyond, embracing the head waters of the Manistee
River. This large tract of agricultural land is one of the richest
portions of the State, and having throughout its whole extent
extensive groves of excellent pine timber interspersed, it is one of
the most desirable portions of the Peninsula. Grand Traverse Bay, the
Manistee and the River Aux Becs Scies are the outlets for the pine
timber, and afford ample means of communication between the interior
and the lake for such purposes. The proposed State roads will, if
built, do much toward the settlement of this region.



A natural harbor, which is being improved by private enterprise, is
found at the mouth of the River Aux Becs Scies, and a new settlement
and town has been started at this point. This is a natural outlet for
a consideration portion of the region just described.



The lands here, as in other localities in the new portions of the
State, are such as must induce a rapid settlement whenever the means
of communication shall be opened.



The valley of the Muskegon embraces every variety of soil and timber,
and is one of the most attractive portions of the Peninsula. The pine
lands upon this (p. 346) river are scattered all along the valley in
groups or tracts containing several thousand acres each, interspersed
with hard timber and surrounded by fine agricultural lands.



The Pere Marquette River and White River, large streams emptying into
Lake Michigan, pass through a region possessing much the same
characteristics. This whole region is underlaid with lime rocks, a
rich soil, well watered with living springs, resembling in many
features the Grand River Valley. Beds of gypsum have been discovered
on the head waters of the Pere Marquette.



The unsettled counties in the northern portion of the State, the
northern portion of Montcalm and Gratiot, Isabella, Gladwin, Clare and
a portion of Midland, are not inferior to any other portion. There is
a magnificent body of pine stretching from the head of Flat River in
Montcalm county to the upper waters of the Tettibiwassee, and growing
upon a fine soil well adapted to agriculture.



This embraces a portion of the Saginaw Valley, and covers the high
ground dividing the waters of Lakes Huron and Michigan. The eastern
slope of the Peninsula embraces a variety of soil and timber somewhat
different in its general features from other portions of the State.
The pine lands of this region (p. 347) are near the coast of the
lake, and lie in large tracts but with good agricultural land
adjoining. There are in the Lower Peninsula, in round numbers, about
24,000,000 acres of land.



Taking Houghton Lake, near the centre of the State, as a point of
view, the general surface may be comprehended as follows: The Muskegon
Valley to the southwest following the Muskegon River in its course to
Lake Michigan. The western slope of the Peninsula directly west,
embracing the pine and agriculture districts along the valleys of
several large streams emptying into Lake Michigan. The large and
beautiful region to the northwest embracing the valley of the Manistee
and the undulating lands around the Grand Traverse Bay. Northward, the
region embraces the head-waters of the Manistee and Au Sauble, with
the large tracts of excellent pine in that locality, and beyond, the
agricultural region extending to Little Traverse Bay and the Straights
of Mackinaw. To the northeast, the valley of the Au Sauble, and the
pine region of Thunder Bay. To the east, the pine and hard timber
extending to Saginaw Bay. To the southeast, the Saginaw Valley; and to
the south, the high lands before described in the central counties.



That portion of the State south of Saginaw and (p. 348) the Grand
River Valley is so well known that a description here would be
unnecessary.



Thus we have yet undeveloped over half the surface of this Peninsula,
embracing, certainly, 12,000,000 to 15,000,000 of acres, possessing
stores of wealth in the timber upon its surface, reserving soil for
the benefit of those, who, as the means of communication are opened,
will come in and possess it, and thus introduce industry and
prosperity into our waste places.



We have not the figures at hand, but it is probable that at least
one-tenth of the area north of the Grand River is embraced in the pine
region. The swamp lands granted to the State will probably cover
nearly double the area of the pine lands proper. The remainder for the
most part is covered with a magnificent growth of hard timber suited
to the necessities of our growing population and commerce.



The statistics herein furnished will give some idea of the importance
and value of the lumber traffic in this States. The trade in pine
timber, lumber, shingles and other varieties of lumber, with the
traffic in staves form one of the most important branches of
manufacture and commerce in our own State, and this trade alone is now
accomplishing more for the (p. 349) development and settlement of the
country than all other causes in operation.



The lumber manufactories in Detroit and its suburbs are eleven in
number. The following are the names of the proprietors and the amount
cut last year by each:





    
    
    



 
ft. lumber.
pcs. lath.




H. A. & S. G. Wight
6,500,000
2,220,000




Samuel Pills
3,500,000
482,000




— Moffat (est)
1,500,000
 




H. B. Benson
3,254,029
 




W. Warner & Co.
194,370
 




Brooks & Adams
3,800,000
 




Baughman, Hubbard & Co.
3,378,080
1,043,300




Kibbee, Fox & Co.
3,000,000
800,000




N. Reeve
800,000
20,000




Davis & David
2,000,000
 




Copeland
1,000,000
 




 
—————
—————




Total
29,426,479
4,745,300






The aggregate of capital employed by these mills is $1,440,000. The
above amount is no criterion of their capacity. The same mills cut
46,000,000 feet in 1856, and nearly the same in 1857, and their
probable capacity is 54,000,000. Warner & Co., run their mill only
about five weeks last year, and are now about retiring from business.
One of the others sustained a temporary loss of business by fire. The
product will in the aggregate be doubled next season.



The logs sawed in Detroit are procured from St. (p. 350) Clair River,
Black River, Mill Creek and, Belle River. As a large share of that
sold here has been on contract, there has been no great fluctuation in
the market at this point. On the first of July the rates by the cargo
were $25a$26 for clear and $19a$20 for second clear; on the first of
October, $24 for clear, and $18 for second clear.



Last winter and spring were very unfavorable for lumbering. Owing to
the small quantity of snow, but few logs were got out, and many of
them being on small streams, owing to the failure of the usual spring
freshets, were not sawed, so that upon the whole the mills of the
State turned out only about half the amount of their capacity.



The market opened in the spring with flattering prospects. Buyers from
a number of important points in the Eastern States, previously
deriving their supplies from Maine, visited our State, anxious to
secure contracts for choice lumber, and the opinion prevailed that the
demand would exceed the supply. The prospect encouraged manufacturers
to make unwonted exertions in turning out all the stock that could be
rendered available, which involved increased expense. In some places,
as was the case at Saginaw, a very large amount was got out in the
early part of the summer. About (p. 351) the close of June, the market
experienced a sudden and unlooked-for depression, after which prices
tended speedily downward, falling to such a low point before the close
of the season that manufacturers on the west coast generally suspended
their shipments. Those on the east coast continued to ship, but their
shipments to a very great extent still remain unsold. We are cognizant
of 7,000,000 feet held in that way by only four manufacturers.



The accounts this winter are very favorable, but the idea that
obtains, fixing the amount at a very high figure, is vague and
erroneous. The true state of the case is, that manufactures, as a
general thing, in view of the depressed condition of the trade, have
been making calculations to do a light business, and got out their
logs sooner than they expected, and will on the whole do rather more
than they had anticipated, having gone into the woods lighthanded. The
most experienced judges concur in fixing the amount of logs got out
this winter on River St. Clair, at Port Huron and Saginaw Bay, but not
including the rivers above, at 175,000,000 feet. In the Saginaws, it
is ascertained that about 100,000,000 will be got out. Taking the
entire east coast, it is thought the logs this winter would exceed
those of last by fifteen to twenty per cent.



(p. 352) By Custom House statements of shipments, added to actual
receipts at one of the receiving points—Chicago—it will be seen
below that for 1859 a little over 269,000,000 feet is the amount of
shipments arrived at. These figures, taken in connection with the
estimates of those competent to judge, render it certain that the
actual amount shipped out of the State did not vary materially from
400,000,000 feet. There being no penalty involved in the failure of
masters of vessels to report, there is great carelessness in the
matter. The Cleveland, Toledo and Sandusky shipments, are at the
outside, not more than half reported. Those reported to Buffalo,
Oswego, etc., are a little nearer the truth, but they fall
considerably below the mark.



The amount made in 1859, did not vary materially from that shipped. In
the district embracing the River St. Clair, Port Huron and the Lake
Shore, 6,000,000 feet more were wintered over last year than this. On
the west coast it was different generally, so that the variation in
the aggregate cannot be much either way. The capacity of the mills in
the pine lumber region is 900,000,000 feet, or possibly a little more.



As regards the amount of shingles made, even dealers are much in the
dark. To add 50 per cent. to the Custom House returns would certainly
be (p. 353) within bounds for the eastern coast. This would give
120,000,000 as the amount. For the west coast, if we take the amount
received at Chicago, say 165,000,000, with an additional twenty-five
per cent. for that received at Milwaukee, and then estimate that
two-thirds of the whole amount were from the west coast of Michigan,
which is doubtless true, we have 137,500,000 as the amount shipped by
the coast, making 267,500,000 for the whole State.



The improved demand for staves has greatly stimulated the production,
and in localities where the production of pine lumber is decreasing,
that of staves is taking its place. At Saginaw 2,500,000 were got out
last year, and this year there will be full as much, or more. The
greatest activity prevails, and dressing by machinery has been
started. At Lakeport, Burchville, Lexington, Port Sanilac, Forester,
Point aux Barque, and Foresterville, 850,000 were got out last year;
from Port Huron and St. Clair 750,000. The amount turned out in the
whole State could not have been short of 20,000,000.



An immense amount of lath were turned out. A mill that can turn out
three millions of lumber, generally makes one million of lath. On this
basis about 133,000,000 must have been turned out. The supply
generally exceeds the demand.



(p. 354) The lumber on the east coast is worth at the mills $9 per M.;
that on the west coast $7. At the average of $8, the amount made last
year would be worth $3,200,000. The value of shingles at $2 per M.,
was $515,000, and the lath at $1 per M., are worth $133,000.



We are enabled to present a nearly complete list of names of owners,
with the amount of capital respectively, which will be of some
interest, both at home and abroad. So far as the east coast is
concerned, the figures are in the main entirely reliable, being upon
the authority of one of the best men in the State who knows whereof he
advises. Those for the west coast, thought not perhaps so strictly
correct as the others, will as a general thing be found within bounds.
We hope the statistics will prove an incentive to lumbermen to be more
particular hereafter in furnishing information:





    
    
    
    
    



black river.




 




Name.
Capital.
 
Name.
Capital.




 




J. & J. Bayard
$15,000
 
Davis' mill
8,000




Sweetser & Bayard
7,000
 
R. Wadham's mills
10,000




Comstock mill
7,000
 




 




mill creek.




 




Bunce's mill
4,000
 
John H. Westbrook
4,000




L. Brockway 2 mills
5,000
 




 




(p. 355)port huron.




 




G. S. Lester
24,000
 
Avery
75,000




Haynes & Baird
24,000
 
Bunce
24,000




Howard & Bachelor
15,000
 
Hibbard
40,000




Fish, two mills
35,000
 
Black River mill
35,000




Welles
24,000
 




 




lockport.




 




Farrand
10,000
 




 




burchville.




 




Woods, two mills
30,000
 
John S. Minor
7,000




 




lexington.




 




Hubbard
8,000
 
Stevens & Davis
10,000




Jenks & Co.
20,000
 
Hitchcock & Co.
30,000




 




bark shanty.




 




Oldfield
10,000
 




 




forester.




 




Emely
50,000
 




 




gibraltar.




 




Colin Campbell
10,000
 




 




algonac.




 




Daniels & Ripley
15,000
 
Smith
24,000




 




newport.




 




E. B. Ward
20,000
 
B. S. Horton
10,000




Rust
10,000
 




 




st. clair.




 




Moore & Scott
20,000
 
Oaks & Holland, two mills
40,000




W. Truesdale 2 mills
60,000
 
St. Clair
30,000




E. Smith
15,000
 




Smith & Chamberlin
5,000
 




 




(p. 356)forestville.




 




E. B. Ward
50,000
 
Breckinridge
2,000




 




vicksburg.




 




Williams & Mills, three mills
55,000
 




 




cheboygan.




 




Three mills
100,000
 




 




cherry creek.




 




Peninsular Bank
15,000
 




 




huron county.




 




Luddington
12,000
 
Smith & Co.
50,000




Hubbard & Co.
50,000
 
W. R. Stafford
15,000




Donahue
30,000
 
Pt Austin Company
100,000




Armstrong & Co.
10,000
 
Crawford & Co.
10,000




 




bay city.




 




Clark, Ballou & Co.
35,000
 
McEwing & Brother
30,000




Moore & Smith
30,000
 
Bangor mills
35,000




Geo. Lord & Co.
24,000
 
Drake mills
24,000




Saml. Pitts
30,000
 
Henry Raymond
30,000




Beeson & Wheeler
24,000
 
Catlin & Jennison
10,000




Beebe & Atwood
10,000
 
Miller & Butterfield
14,000




Henry Doty
35,000
 
Frost & Bradley
35,000




 




portsmouth.




 




J. J. McCormick
10,000
 
Partridge mill
24,000




Portsmouth mill
15,000
 
H D Braddack & Co.
14,000




Budd's mill
14,000
 
Watson & Southard
14,000




 




zilwaukee.




 




J. J. Westervelt
35,000
 




 




carrollton.




 




Name Unknown
35,000
 




 




(p. 357)east saginaw.




 




Garrison & Co.
24,000
 
Cushing & Co.
36,000




I. Hill
20,000
 
L. B. Curtis
24,000




Holland
10,000
 
Wm. Gallagher
14,000




Copeland & Co.
10,000
 
Atwater mill
30,000




 




saginaw city.




 




V. A. Payne
30,000
 
G D Williams & Son
20,000




Curtis & King
30,000
 
D. Rust & Brother
50,000




New mill
20,000
 




 




tittibiwassee, pine river and swan creek.




 




Eight mills
65,000
 




 




cass, bad, and shiawassee rivers.




 




Seven mills
50,000
 




 




lapeer.




 




D. Farrer
8,000
 
N. H. Hart
21,000




W. Williams
15,000
 
Rogers & Jenness
24,000




Crofoot & Baldwin
15,000
 
Smith & Jenness
15,000




Manwaring & Co.
21,000
 
Smith
14,000




Wm. Peters
14,000
 
J. B. Wilson
14,000




Thorp's mill
14,000
 
James Farrell
10,000




H. D. Torner
8,000
 
White & Peter
10,000




Lawrence & M'Arthur
7,000
 
W. H. Crapo
60,000




Wm. Peter
30,000
 
H. L. Hemingway
6,000




Sixteen small mills
85,000
 




 




pine run.




 




McFarren
20,000
 




 




montrose.




 




Name unknown
30,000
 




 




alpena and vicinity.




 




G. N. Fletcher & Co.
35,000
 
Smith & Chamberlain
15,000




Lockwood & Miner
25,000
 
D. D. Oliver
5,000




Harris & Co.
35,000
 
Whitmore & Co.
25,000




 




(p. 358)sanilac county.




 




J. L. Woods & Co.
5,000
 
Stevenson & Davis
20,000




Mason & Luce
17,500
 




 




au sauble highlands.




 




Harris's mill
24,000
 




 




rifle river, saganin, coqualin, and sand beach.




 




Six mills
85,000
 




 




tuscola county.




 




A. Watson
10,000
 
Edmunds & North
14,000




W. A. Hart
10,000
 
Richardson & Bro.
14,000




Perry
5,000
 
Holmes
5,000




Others
30,000
 




 




flint and vicinity.




 




Eleven mills
715,000
 




 






There are also others on the east slope of the lower peninsula,
representing a capital of say—$120,000.



Beyond the lower peninsula, there are some very heavy manufactories,
particularly around Green Bay, (Michigan) generally estimated at
$1,000,000, but which it would be safe to put at—$750,000.



Total capital, including Detroit,— $5,360,000





    
    
    
    
    



western slope—ottawa county.




 




Name.
Capital.
 
Name.
Capital.




 




Ferry & Co.
50,000
 
Plugger & Nyn
24,000




W. M. Ferry, Jr.
50,000
 
Howard & Co.
14,000




Joseph Weld & Co.
30,000
 
Ryerson & Morris, 2 mills
65,000




T. W. White & Co.
50,000
 
Chapin, Marsh & Foss
50,000




Becker & Spoons
40,000
 
Smith, Forbes & Co.
35,000




Richard Roberts
24,000
 
Trowbridge, Way & Son
65,000




Jno. Haire
24,000
 
E. Jewitt
15,000




(p. 359)J. B. Bailey
14,000
 
L. G. Mason & Co.
35,000




Porter & Slyfield
14,000
 
Beidler & Co.
40,000




C. Davies & Co.
50,000
 
Mears & Co.
24,000




Durkee, Truesdell & Co.
40,000
 
Hill & Co.
24,000




George Ruddmain
40,000
 
Colgrove & Co.
18,000




Lewis & Davis
24,000
 
Wm. Thompson
14,000




Eldridge & Co.
24,000
 
Harris & Co.
8,000




Carleton & Co.
24,000
 
Jno. Ford
8,000




Ferry & Son
40,000
 
Denton & Co.
14,000




Lind & Slater
50,000
 
Carleton & Co.
10,000




Young, Savedge & Co.
30,000
 
Jos. Dalton & Bro.
10,000




Amos Norton
40,000
 
S. Lawrence
12,000




Benj. Smith
30,000
 
Edward Dalton
8,000




Rhodes, Cloyn & Co.
24,000
 
E. W. Merrill & Co.
14,000




Hatch & Merritt
15,000
 
Reed & Co.
10,000




C. Hart
10,000
 
Brown & Grist
8,000




 




kent county.




 




Jennison & Bro.
14,000
 
Reed & Plum
5,000




W. T. Powers
2,000
 
N. H. Withey
5,000




Seymour
24,000
 
Knickerbuck
4,000




Gooch & Webber
5,000
 
Robert Konkle
10,000




A. McFarland
4,000
 
A. Roberts & Son
25,000




Thos. Myers
21,000
 
White, Worden & Co.
25,000




George Funck
8,000
 
C. C. Comstock
9,500




S. Lapham
5,000
 
D. Porter
5,000




A. House
5,000
 
Chase, Harris & Co.
8,000




Farrell & Sons
10,000
 
C. W. Taylor
6,000




J. C. Clements
15,000
 
D. Caswell
12,000




T. Spencer
8,000
 
Hubbard, Hitchcock & Co.
16,000




Dewey & Co.
14,000
 




 




newaygo county.




 




Newaygo Company
80,000
 
J. M. Wood, 2 mills
25,000




Name unknown
24,000
 
James Botchford
10,000




(p. 360)R. P. Mitchell
5,000
 
Amos Bigelow,
4,000




Weaver
3,000
 




 




stony creek, oceana county.




 




Campbell, Wheeler & Co.
25,000
 




 




pere marquette, black creek and big sauble.




 




C. Mears & Co., 3 mills
95,000
 




 




spring creek.




 




Hopkins & Co.
24,000
 




 




manistee.




 




Coles
80,000
 
John C. Haines
55,000




McVicker &Ingleman
24,000
 
John Stranch
40,000




One near Manistee
24,000
 




 




grand traverse.




 




Hanna, Lay & Co.
32,000
 
A. S. Wadsworth
15,000




 




white river.




 




Amos Rathbone
24,000
 




 




mecosta.




 




Leonard, Ives, & Co.
20,000
 




 




montcalm county.




 




Bruce
10,000
 
E. Gregory & Co.
20,000




Slaght
14,000
 




 




lelanaw county.




 




Averill & Son
2,000
 




 




bec scie's river.




 




R. Gardner
15,000
 
Name unknown
2,000




Chamberlin & Co.
20,000
 
Harris & Co.
10,000




 




ionia county.




 




Estimated Aggregate
100,000




All others, on West Slope, estimated
350,000




Capital Western Slope
2,669,500




Total Capital of State
$8,029,500






(p. 361) An intelligent gentleman who, at our instance, visited all
the establishments around Saginaw, and procured statistics, reports
the amount of lumber manufactured as follows:





    
    
    



Place.
No. of Mills.
Feet.




Bay City
11
20,000,000




Portsmouth
4
5,000,000




Zilwaukee
1
3,000,000




Carrollton
1
2,800,000




East Saginaw
8
19,750,000




Saginaw City
4
14,000,000




Bad River
2
4,500,000




Rafted Lumber
 
4,000,000




 
 
—————




Total
 
73,050,000






Valuation, at $8.50 per M. $620,925



Of the above lumber, 63,000,000 has been shipped; the rest is now on
the docks.





    
    
    
    



Shingles manufactured
25,000,000
at $2.50
$62,500




Lath"
5,000,000
at 1.00
5,000




Oak Staves and shipped
2,000,000
at 30.00
60,000




Add Lumber
 
 
620,925




 
 
 
————




Total
 
 
$748,425






The supply of pine in some few localities is becoming exhausted, and
some few mills have ceased operating. This is the case at Lexington,
but the machinery and capital have been taken elsewhere. At the
present ratio of consumption, the supply of (p. 362) pine must
rapidly become diminished, but profitable employment will then be
found in the manufacture of hemlock and hard-wood. Some little has
already been done in the way of turning out hemlock. The manufacture
of hard-wood lumber is increasing very rapidly.



The copper interest of Michigan was first brought into public notice
by the enormous speculations and the mad fever of 1845. The large spur
of country which projects far out into the lake, having its base
resting on a line drawn across from L'Anse Bay to Ontonagon, and the
Porcupine Mountains for its spine, became the El Dorado of all
copperdom of that day. In this year the first active operations were
commenced at the Cliff Mine, just back of Eagle River harbor. Three
years later, in 1848, work was undertaken at the Minnesota, some
fifteen miles back from the lake at Ontonagon.



The history of the copper mines on Lake Superior shows that even the
best mines disappointed the owners in the beginning. We give the facts
relative to the three mines at present in the Lake Superior region to
illustrate this. The Cliff Mine was discovered in 1845, and worked
three years without much sign of success; it changed hands at the very
moment when the vein was opened which proved (p. 363) afterward to be
so exceedingly rich in copper and silver, producing now on an average
1,500 tons of stamp, barrel, and mass copper per annum.



The Minnesota Mine was discovered in 1848, and for the first three
years gave no very encouraging results. The first large mass of native
copper of about seven tons was found in a pit made by an ancient race.
After that discovery much money was spent before any other further
indications of copper were found. This mine yields now about 2,000
tons of copper per annum, and declared, for the year 1858, a net
dividend of $300,000. The dividends paid since 1852 amount to upward
of $1,500,000 on a paid-up capital of $66,000.



The same has been experienced at the Pewabic Mine. That mine commenced
operations in the year 1855, with an expenditure of $26,357, which
produced $1,080 worth of copper; the second year it expended $40,820,
and produced $31,492 of copper; in 1857 $24,484 of expenses produced
$44,058 worth of copper; 1858, the amount expended was $109,152, and
the receipts for copper $76,538; the total expense amounts to
$235,816, and the total receipts for copper to $153,168, leaving an
excess of expenses amounting to $82,648, which is, however, (p. 364)
amply covered by the extensive works established above and below
ground at the mine.



The Pewabic will undoubtedly take its place among the dividend-paying
mines of the present year.



It is scarcely ten years that mining has been properly commenced in
that remote region. At that time it was difficult, on account of the
rapids of St. Mary's River, to approach it by water with large craft.
Being more than a thousand miles distant from the centre of the Union,
destitute of all the requirements for the development of mines; every
tool, every part of machinery, every mouthful of provisions had to be
hauled over the rapids, boated along the shores for hundreds of miles
to the copper region, and there often carried on the back of man and
beast to the place where copper was believed to exist. Every stroke of
the pick cost tenfold more than in populated districts; every disaster
delayed the operations for weeks and months.



The opening of the Saut Canal has changed all this and added a
wonderful impetus to the business, the mining interests, and the
development of the Lake Superior country. Nearly one hundred different
vessels, steam and sail, have been engaged the past season in its
trade, and the number of (p. 365) these is destined largely to
increase year by year, an indication of the growth of business and the
opening up of the country. For the growth in the copper interest we
have only to refer to the shipments from that region year by year.
These, in gross, are as follows:





    
    
    



1853
2,535
tons.




1854
3,500
"




1855
4,544
"




1856
5,357
"




1857
6,094
"




1858
6,025
"




1859
6,245
"






The same facts of development would hold generally true, with regard
to the other industrial interests of that vast country.



It remains yet almost wholly "a waste, howling wilderness." At
Marquette, Portage Lake, Copper Harbor, Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, and
Ontonagon, and the mines adjacent, are the only places where the
primeval forests have given place to the enterprise of man, and these
in comparison with the whole extent of territory embraced in this
region, are but mere insignificant patches. What this country may
become years hence, it would defy all speculations now to predict, but
there seems no reason (p. 366) to doubt that it will exceed the most
sanguine expectations.



The copper region is divided into three districts, viz., the
Ontonagon, the most northern, the Keweenaw Point, the most eastern,
and the Portage Lake, lying mostly below and partially between the
range of the two. In the first are situated the Minnesota, the
Rockland, the National, and a multitude of other mines of lesser note,
profit, or promise. In the Cliff, the Copper Falls, and others. In the
last are the Pewabic, Quincy, Isle Royale, Portage, Franklin, and
numerous others. Each district has some peculiarities of product, the
first developing the masses, while the latter are more prolific in
vein-rock, the copper being scattered throughout the rock.



There have been since 1845 no less than 116 copper-mining companies
organized under the general law of our State. The amount of capital
invested and now in use, or which has been paid out in explorations
and improvements, and lost, is estimated by good judges at $6,000,000.
The nominal amount of capital stock invested in all the companies
which have charters would reach an indefinite number of millions. As
an offset to this, it may be stated that the Cliff and Minnesota mines
have returned over (p. 367) $2,000,000 in dividends from the
beginning of their operations, and the value of these two mines will
more than cover the whole amount spent in mining, and for all the
extravagant undertakings which have been entered upon and abandoned.
While success has been the exception and failure the rule in copper
speculations, yet it must be admitted that these exceptions are
remarkably tempting ones. Doubtless there is immense wealth still to
be developed in these enterprises, and this element of wealth in the
Lake Superior region is yet to assume a magnitude now unthought of.



The copper is smelted mainly in this city, Cleveland, and Boston, the
works in this city being the largest. There is one establishment at
Pittsburg which does most of the smelting for the Cliff Mine, we
believe; one at Bergen, N. Y., and one at New Haven, Conn. There are
two at Baltimore, but they are engaged on South American Mineral. The
Bruce Mines on the Canada side of Lake Huron have recently put
smelting works in operation on their location. Prior to this the
mineral was barreled up and shipped to London, being taken over as
ballast, in packet ships, at low rates.



The amount of copper smelted in this city we can only judge by the
amount landed here, but this will (p. 368) afford a pretty accurate
estimate. The number of tons landed here, in 1859, was 3,088. The
copper yield of Lake Superior will produce between 60 and 70 per cent,
of ingot copper, which is remarkably pure. The net product of the
mines for 1859, is worth in the markets of the world nearly or quite
$2,000,000. This large total shows the capabilities of this region and
affords us some basis of calculation as to the value and probable
extent of future development.



Beside the amount already noticed as landed here there were 1,268 tons
brought to this city from the Bruce Mines, and sent on to London. The
mineral of this location is of a different quality from that of Lake
Superior and not near so productive of pure copper. The price of ingot
copper in New York the past season has arranged from 20-½ to 23-½
cents per pound, averaging full 22-½ cents.



There are indications that Michigan is slowly but surely taking the
rank to which she is entitled in the manufacture as well as production
of iron. The first shipment of pig iron of any consequence was made by
the Pioneer Company in the fall of 1858. Dr. Russell, of this city, is
turning out large quantities. His works went into operation about two
years and a half ago, but were burned after running sixty days.
(p. 369) They were immediately rebuilt by the enterprising
proprietor.



The Lake Superior iron has been proclaimed the best in the world, a
proposition that none can successfully refute. Its qualities are
becoming known in quarters where it would naturally be expected its
superiority would be admitted reluctantly, if at all. It is now sent
to New York and Ohio, and even to Pennsylvania—an agency for its sale
having been established in Pittsburg. For gearing, shafting, cranks,
flanges, and, we ought by all means, to add, car-wheels, no other
should be used, provided it can be obtained.



A large amount of capital is invested in the iron interest in
Michigan, as the following figures prove:





    
    



Pioneer
$150,000




Jackson
300,000




Collins
150,000




Cleveland
300,000




Lake Superior and Iron Mountain R. R. Co.
700,000




Northern Michigan Iron Company
110,000




Wyandotte Rolling Mills
236,000




Eureka Iron Company
117,000




Dr. G. B. Russell's
60,000




Ford & Philbrick's Steam Forge
25,000




 
—————




 
2,148,000






Marquette is the only point on Lake Superior (p. 370) where the iron
ore deposits have been worked. There are deposits of iron in the
mountains back of L'Anse, but this wonderful region leaves nothing
more to be desired for the present. At a distance of eighteen miles
from the lake, are to be found iron mountains named the Sharon, Burt,
Lake Superior, Cleveland, Collins, and Barlow, while eight miles
further back lie the Ely and St. Clair mountains. Three of these
mountains are at present worked, the Sharon, the Cleveland, and the
Lake Superior, and contain enough ore to supply the world for
generations to come. The mountains farther back embrace tracts of
hundreds of acres rising to a height of from four to six hundred feet,
which, there is every reason to believe, from the explorations made,
are solid iron ore. The extent of the contents of these mountains is
perfectly fabulous, in fact, so enormous as almost to baffle
computation. The ore, too is remarkably rich, yielding about seventy
per cent. of pure metal. There are now in operation at Marquette three
Iron Mining Companies, and two blast furnaces for making charcoal pig
iron, the Pioneer and Meigs. The Pioneer has two stacks and a capacity
of twenty tons of pig iron per day; the Meigs one stack, capable of
turning out about eleven tons. The Northern Iron Company is building a
large bituminous coal (p. 371) furnace at the mouth of the Chocolate
River, three miles south of Marquette, which will be in operation
early in the summer.



Each of the mining companies, the Jackson, Cleveland and Lake
Superior, have docks at the harbor for shipment, extending out into
the spacious and beautiful bay which lies in front of Marquette to a
sufficient length to enable vessels of the largest dimension to lie by
their side and to be loaded directly from the cars, which are run over
the vessels and dumped into chutes, which are made to empty directly
into the holds. The process of loading is therefore very expeditious
and easy.



The amount of shipments of ore for 1859, from Marquette to the ports
below, reaches 75,000 gross tons in round numbers, and the shipments
of pig iron, 6,000 gross tons more. To this must be added the amount
at Marquette when navigation closed, the amount at the mines ready to
be brought down, and the amount used on the spot. This will give a
total product of the iron mines of Michigan for the past year of
between ninety and one hundred thousand tons. These mining companies
simply mine and ship the ore and sell it. Their profit ranges between
seventy-five cents and one dollar per ton.



The quality of the iron of Lake Superior is conceded (p. 372) by all
to be the best in the world, as the analysis of Prof. Johnson, which
we reproduce, shows. The table shows the relative strength per square
inch in pounds.





    
    



Salisbury, Conn., iron
58,009




Swedish (best)
58,184




English cable
59,105




Centre county, Pa.
59,400




Essex county, N. Y.,
59,962




Lancaster county, Pa.
58,661




Russia (best)
76,069




Common English and American
30,000




Lake Superior
89,582






The manufacture of pig iron at Marquette will probably be carried on
even more extensively as the attention of capitalists is directed to
it. The following may be considered a fair statement of the cost of
producing one ton of pig iron at the Pioneer Iron Co.'s works:





    
    



1-½ tons iron ore, at $1.50 per ton
$2 50




125 bushels charcoal at 7 cents per bushel
8 75




Fluxing
50




Labor
2 50




Incidental expenses
1 00




 
——




Cost at the works
15 00




Freight on R. R. and dockage
1 37




 
——




Cost on board vessel
$16 36






The quantity of wood required for charcoal for (p. 373) both
furnaces, is immense. The pioneer furnace requires 2,500 bushels of
coal in twenty-four hours; and in blast as they are, day and night,
for six months, and at a yield of forty bushels of coal to a cord of
wood, it would require 15,000 cords of wood to keep them going. The
company has had 120,000 cords chopped this season. This vast
consumption of wood will soon cause the country to be completely
stripped of its timber. Coal will then come into use. The business of
manufacturing pig iron may be extended indefinitely, as the material
is without limit, and the demand, thus far, leaving nothing on hand.



These facts exhibit the untold wealth of Michigan in iron alone, and
point with certainty to an extent of business that will add millions
to our invested capital, dot our State with iron manufactories of all
kinds, and furnish regular employment to tens of thousands of our
citizens, while our raw material and our wares shall be found in all
the principal markets of the world.



The superior fish, found in such profusion in our noble lakes and
rivers, while they afford a highly-prized luxury for immediate
consumption, from one of our leading articles of export, and are very
justly regarded as constituting one of our greatest interests.



It is estimated by men of intelligence that the (p. 374) value of our
yearly catch of fish is greater than that of all taken in fresh waters
in the thirty-two remaining States of the Union. This may at first
blush seem like a broad assertion, but it is no doubt strictly within
bounds. If the claim be not too much of the nature of a truism, we may
add that so far as quality is concerned the superiority of our finny
tribes is even more strongly marked than in regard to quantity. In the
sluggish streams that abound in "ten degrees of more effulgent clime,"
the fish partake of the slimy properties of their native element; it
is only in the limpid waters of the North that they are found of
flavor so unexceptionable as to please an epicurean taste, or exalt
them to the dignity of a staple of commerce. Fish possess peculiar
qualities to commend them as an article of food, independent of the
arbitrary preference of the epicure. They are universally esteemed as
a wholesome and nutritious diet. In that pleasant work, Irving's
"Astoria," a tribe of Indians are described who subsisted entirely on
fish, whose rotund appearance contrasted strongly with the physique of
their brethren of the forest. The profusion with which the finny
tribes propagate their species is a peculiarity said to be imparted to
those who partake freely and regularly of them for food, a supposition
which would seem to be strongly (p. 375) supported by facts.
Fishermen are proverbial for the number of their descendants. One of
the tribe who dries his nets in Sarnia, is the happy father of
nineteen children, and we can cite numerous proofs almost equally
striking in support of this theory.



The fisheries have always been a leading subject in the government
policy of seaboard nations. They are a prime source of revenue, and
have been the cause of numerous wars. The serious controversy between
the United States and Great Britain concerning the Newfoundland
fisheries, is still fresh in the memory of our readers. Recently the
earnest attention of the French government has been directed to
propositions for the artificial propagation of fish, as a means of
affording good and cheap food to the people at a merely nominal cost.
The gradual diminution of the species, as well as the ultimate
extinction of the large birds and quadrupeds, is everywhere a
condition of advanced civilization and the increase and spread of an
industrial population. To provide a remedy for the evil, the science
of pisciculture has latterly attracted no small degree of attention,
and, at this time, gentlemen prominently identified with our fishing
interest have it in contemplation to stock lakes in the interior of
Michigan with a view to the prosecution of the science.



(p. 376) Most of the fish packed on Lake Huron, and rivers St. Clair
and Detroit, find their way into the Ohio market. The trade with that
State has rapidly increased, but in its early stages it had some
difficulties to contend with, to one of which we will briefly allude.
Some twelve or fourteen years ago, a large quantity of fish, not less
than 8,000 to 10,000 barrels, which had been caught in Lake Superior,
were in the possession of a single dealer, who had them stored in the
large warehouse recently torn down at the Detroit and Milwaukee
Railway depot. He had opportunities to dispose of them at $8 per
barrel, but refused to sell them for less than $10, and the result was
that they were kept so long that many of them spoiled. They were
complained of as a nuisance, and 1,500 barrels were turned out into
the river at one time. Part of the lot was, however, sent to Ohio, and
the effect was, for a time, extremely prejudicial to our trade,
requiring a great deal of explanation before the Cincinnati dealers
could be again induced to stand in the position of customers. But when
confidence once more became fairly restored, the circumstance seemed
to have the effect to precipitate the trade between the two cities. At
least it grew rapidly from that day, our neighbors purchasing freely
of our staple articles and sending us sugar and (p. 377) molasses in
return. Thus, as in Samson's time, honey was gathered from the carcass
of the dead lion. Ohio has become a very large consumer of our fish,
and her influence is being extended rapidly into Indiana.



The habits of fish are as interesting as anything in the animal
economy, constituting a beautiful study for the lover of nature; but
this branch does not come within the scope of our article, and we must
content ourselves with a brief description of the principal varieties,
particularly such as are held in highest repute for packing, with such
statistics as we have been able to procure.



Whitefish are more highly prized than any other kind found in our
waters, being decidedly the most delicious in a fresh state, and when
packed command a higher price than any other by $1 per bbl. They are
found in the Straits and all the Lakes. They spawn in the fall, in the
Straits, and in shoals and on reefs about the Lakes. They are caught
in seines, gill nets, trap nets, and with spears; never with hooks.
Those found in Detroit river come up from Lake Erie regularly in the
fall to deposit their spawn. They were found in our lakes and rivers
in vast quantities when the white men first visited their shores. They
constituted, with other kinds, the principal food of the white and
Indian voyagers as they coasted (p. 378) around the lakes, and were
invaluable to the first settlers of the country, who, perhaps in some
cases, but for the assistance they afforded, would have been compelled
to relinquish their settlements. They could catch a supply at any
time, and they then had an unfailing resort when their crops failed.
Whitefish were a great favorite with the Indians. They would give many
times their weight in trout or any other species in exchange for them.
It is said that a person can subsist longer upon them than upon any
other kind.



Their ordinary weight is from 3 to 5 lbs, length 15 inches, though
some have been caught weighing not less than 18 lbs. They are a
beautiful fish, and when first taken out of the water and struggle and
flounder in the sun, they exhibit all the colors of the rainbow, but
they soon expire, and when dead they are of a delicate white color.
The trout, pike, and muscalonge devour them without mercy. Some of
these voracious kinds have been caught with the remains of six
white-fish in them.



The Detroit River white-fish are more juicy and better flavored than
those caught in the upper lakes, probably from the fact that they feed
on more delicate food, but those found in Lake Superior surpass all
others in size. They were once so numerous (p. 379) that eight
thousand were taken at a single haul. At present a haul of one or two
thousand is thought a very good one. In all the rivers they are
growing scarce very gradually, but surely. The ratio of decrease
cannot be arrived at with any degree of precision. A few years ago
they were mostly taken with gill nets, and when they fell of in one
place, a corresponding increase would be found in another. Now they
are taken with trap nets along the shore. The trap nets are a decided
advantage over gill nets. They allow the fish to be kept alive, and
they are taken out at leisure; they are therefore of better quality.



Pickerel are also held in high esteem. They are good either fresh, or
salted and dried, and for packing, rank next in value to white,
although held nominally at the same price as trout when packed. They
generally run up the rivers and lakes in the spring to spawn, where
they are caught in considerable numbers. Average weight, 2 lbs; large,
20 lbs; common length, 15 inches.



Lake or Mackinaw trout are as voracious as pike. They are chiefly
caught on Lake Huron with gill nets and hooks. Saginaw Bay appears to
be a favorite resort with them. Some winters large quantities are
caught in the Bay through the ice, (p. 380) with a decoy fish and
spear. They spawn in the fall, generally in the bays and inlets.
Average weight 5 lbs; large 75 lbs.



Siscowits are mostly found in Lake Superior, and are preferred by some
to any other kind. They are of the trout family, and for fat are
unequaled; they are mostly taken in gill nets. They spawn in the fall,
and are very superior for packing. They are also of some value for
their oil. Common weight 4 pounds, length 16 inches.



Large herrings are very good fish, found only in the straits and large
lakes. They spawn in the fall; but few are caught. Average weight
1-¾ pounds; common length 10 inches.



In addition to the above the muskelonge—a large and delicious
variety—black and white bass, rock bass, perch, sturgeon, and at
least twenty other kinds, abound in our waters; a minute description
of which we are compelled to forego. Whitefish are taken both spring
and fall, chiefly the latter; spring is the season for pickerel; trout
are taken at all seasons.



Something over a year since some excitement was occasioned by a mode
of fishing adopted by a party of fishermen on Detroit river, who
stationed nets over a mile and a half in extent across the mouth of
the (p. 381) stream, a proceeding that was not only calculated to
destroy the value of the seine fisheries above, but which would
ultimately have driven the fish out of the river altogether. A
formidable opposition was of course arrayed against this unusual and
unwarrantable proceeding, and the party found it expedient to desist,
but the Legislature, which met shortly after, failed to pass an
inhibitive measure. This action, or rather want of action, would have
been considered extraordinary in a State less favored by nature.



We have fortunately been able to procure estimates of the amount of
the catch at all the various fisheries, together with other leading
statistics; and with the view of imparting to the subject a more
general interest, we include two or three points beyond the limits of
the State. The estimates are furnished by gentlemen of intelligence
and experience, and may be relied on as substantially correct:





    
    
    



Sandusky fisheries, catch mostly sold fresh:




 
Whitefish, valuation
$50,000




 
Pickerel, bass, etc
40,000




 
Value of seines and fixtures
16,000




 
Paid for wages
37,000




 




Maumee River, pickerel, white bass, etc., etc., mostly sold fresh:




 
Valuation
$50,000




(p. 382) 
Seines and fixtures
15,000




 
Paid for wages
12,000




 




Maumee Bay and Monroe County, Michigan, white fish and pickerel:




 
Valuation
$20,000




 
Pounds, seines, and fixtures
9,000




 
Paid for wages
10,000




 




Detroit River, nearly all white:




 
Valuation
$75,000




 
Seines, fishing grounds, and fixtures
40,000




 
Paid for wages
20,000




 




St. Clair River and Rapids, mostly pickerel:




 
Valuation
$11,000




 
Cost of fixtures
2,000




 
Paid for wages
1,200




 




Port Huron to Point au Barque, 3,000 barrels, mostly white:




 
Valuation
$25,000




 




Au Sauble 6,000 barrels, ¾ white, the rest trout:




 
Valuation
$50,000




 
Boats, nets, etc.
13,000




 
Paid for wages
7,000




 




Thunder Bay and vicinity, above Sauble River, 6,000 barrels, mostly
white:




 
Valuation
$50,000




 




Saginaw Bay and River, 2,000 barrels pickerel and 1,500 white and
trout:




 
Valuation
$32,000




 




Tawas, 600 barrels, mostly white:




 
Valuation
$5,000




 




(p. 383) Between Thunder Bay and Mackinac, 500 barrels, mostly
white:




 
Valuation
$4,500




 




Mackinac, including all brought there, 7,500 barrels, ¾ or 7/8
white:




 
Valuation
$62,000




 




Beaver Islands and neighborhood, 7,000 barrels, nearly all white:




 
Valuation
$59,000




 




Green Bay in Michigan, 3,000 barrels, all white:




 
Valuation
$25,500




 




Island between De Tour and the Saut, 1,000 barrels, 2/3 white, the
rest trout:




 
Valuation
$8,000




 




Green Bay in Wisconsin, 2,500 barrels white and 500 barrels pickerel,
all packed:




 
Valuation
$25,000






Of the catch of Lake Huron, only an inconsiderable amount are sold
fresh. On Detroit River about 4,000 barrels were packed last year.



Having procured specific information of the cost of outfit and amount
paid for wages at the Sauble fisheries, we have taken such
expenditures as the basis for those of all the upper lake fisheries in
proportion to the catch, which in the main will doubtless prove
substantially correct. At the Sauble last (p. 384) season there were
sixteen boats employed for two months, and eight for the rest of the
season. The value of the boats was $200 each, and the nets, etc., cost
an additional sum of $600 for each, making the aggregate value of the
boats and their outfit about $13,000. About forty men were employed on
an average during the season, receiving a probable aggregate of $7,000
for wages. Taking these outlays, etc., as a fair average, and we have
the following result:



From Port Huron to the Beavers, inclusive, together with Green Bay in
Michigan, and the Saut Islands:





    
    



Cost of outfit
$83,500




Amount paid for wages
45,000




Average number of men
300






The amount shipped from Lake Superior, as appears from the report of
the Superintendent of the Saut canal is 4,000 barrels. This is
probably not a tithe of what might be done. The mouth of almost every
stream in that region affords good fishing grounds, which is also true
of most of the islands, particularly Isle Royale, where the siscowit
is very abundant.



The fisheries on the east coast of Lake Michigan have for about six
years past increased very rapidly (p. 385) in importance, some years
gaining 100 per cent, on the year preceding. A few years since a party
of Norwegians came on and embarked in the business, which they have
prosecuted ever since with advantage and profit. Trained in the severe
school of their rugged northern home, they exhibit the greatest
daring, going out in their tiny craft during the heaviest gales. They
frequently venture out twenty-five miles from shore, almost meeting
their countrymen from the Wisconsin side of the lake, who are engaged
in the same hazardous calling. We have the following returns:





    
    
    



Little Traverse, 600 barrels:




 
Valuation
$4,000




 
300 nets and 6 boats, worth
1,800




 
Paid for wages
575




 




Big Point Sauble, 1,500 barrels:




 
Valuation
$12,000




 
600 nets and 8 boats
3,600




 
Paid for wages
1,700




 




Little Point Sauble, 2,000 barrels:




 
Valuation
$16,500




 
750 nets and 10 boats
4,500




 
Paid for wages
2,000




 




White Lake, 1,500 barrels:




 
Valuation
$12,000




 
500 nets and 5 boats
3,000




 
Paid for wages
1,600




 




(p. 386) Grand Haven, 4,000 barrels:




 
Valuation
$32,800




 
800 nets and 8 boats
4,000




 
Paid for wages
5,000




 




Saugatuck, 2,000 barrels:




 
Valuation
$16,000




 
600 nets and 6 boats
3,600




 
Paid for wages
2,500




 




South Haven, 2,100 barrels:




 
Valuation
$16,800




 
600 nets and 6 boats
1,200




 
Paid for wages
2,500




 




St. Joseph's 3,500 barrels:




 
Valuation
$28,000




 
1,200 nets and 9 boats
7,500




 
Paid for wages
 




 




New Buffalo, 300 barrels:




 
Valuation
$3,000




 
400 nets and 5 boats
2,600




 
Paid for wages
450




 




Michigan City, 3,000 barrels:




 
Valuation
$30,000




 
1,020 nets and 18 boats
8,000




 
Paid for wages
4,400






Showing an aggregate of 21,000 barrels, of which about 18,000 barrels
are salted; valuation $169,800; value of fixtures $43,600; estimated
amount paid for wages, $22,000.



The fishing grounds of Michigan City are almost (p. 387) entirely
within our State. The number of barrels include those sold fresh as
well as salted, there being a considerable quantity of the former, in
some of the fisheries last named, Michigan City and New Buffalo
especially, from whence they are sent packed in ice to the different
towns in Michigan; also to Lafayette and Indianapolis, Indiana, to
Louisville, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, and also to Chicago, where they
are repacked in ice, and some of them find their way to St. Louis,
Cairo, etc. From St. Joseph and Grand Haven there are large quantities
sent fresh to Chicago and Milwaukee, where they are repacked in ice.



At a fair estimate for the few small fisheries on this coast from
which we have no return, together with those on the west coast of Lake
Michigan, they are worth at least $60,000, but we have no data by
which to form an estimate of the proportion packed.



The number of men employed, and the consequent expense, varies
according to the method employed. With seines the occupation is very
laborious, and requires a much stronger force than pound nets. One set
of hands can manage a number of the latter. Some of the fisheries on
Detroit and St. Clair rivers use seines altogether, to draw which,
horse-power is brought into requisition in some cases. A double
(p. 388) set of men are employed, working alternately day and night,
and the exposure is a most disagreeable feature of the business,
particularly in bad weather. The great bulk of the aggregate catch
continues to be taken with seines or gill nets, but pound (or trap)
nets are on the increase. They have been in use below Lake Huron more
or less for the past four or five years, but it is only about two
years since their introduction in the upper lakes. With these nets 100
barrels of white-fish have been taken at a single haul. Of course
their general use must produce a material diminution in the supply.



As regards capital invested, there is in particular instances a wide
difference. George Clark, Esq., nine miles below Detroit, has $12,000
invested in his grounds, owing mostly to the cost of removing
obstructions. But this is an exception.



The barrels for packing constitute no inconsiderable item of this vast
and important trade. Their manufacture is a regular branch in Port
Huron, but most of them are made by the fishermen when not engaged in
their regular vocation. They are made at all the villages and fishing
stations on Lake Huron, pine being generally easy of access. The
barrels are worth 62-½ cents each; half-barrels, 50 cents. Over
two-thirds of the packages used are (p. 389) halves, but our
estimated totals of the catch represent wholes.



Formerly the nets used also to be made almost entirely by the
fishermen, who usually procured the twine from Detroit. Latterly, many
of them have been brought from Boston already made.



Salt is another large item. For packing and repacking, about
one-fourth of a barrel is used to each barrel of fish. For the amount
packed, therefore, in the fisheries we have described, about 20,000
barrels are used.





    
    



Total proceeds of Michigan fisheries
$620,000




Total proceeds of all enumerated
900,000




Total capital invested
252,000




Paid for wages
171,000




Aggregate of barrels salted, say 80,000 bbls.
 




Cost of packages
70,000




Cost of salt
22,000






The catch at the Sauble and Thunder Bay showed a falling off last
season, owing not to the want of fish, but to the unfavorable weather.
At these points they congregate only from October to the close, and
the weather being very rough last fall, the catch was comparatively
light.



Mackinac has been famous as the greatest fishing point on the lakes.
Gill nets are mostly in vogue. The work in that locality is mostly
done by half-breeds, (p. 390) in the employ of the merchants, the
latter furnishes the salt, and paying them in trade, of which the
outfit generally constitutes a part. But with the late general
depression, prices declined some thirty or forty per cent., and
consequently the business, previously quite lucrative, lost its
attraction for the time being. The merchants advanced the means in
summer, and could not realize until the ensuing year. Small holders
were obliged to sell, some of the time by forcing the market, and this
added to the difficulty experienced by large holders in obtaining
returns.



Much has been said in reference to the coal fields of Michigan, and
within the past two or three years, explorations, with a view of
developing these deposits, have been conducted in different portions
of the State. There is no longer any doubt of the existence of a
valuable field of coal in central Michigan. There have been openings
at different points in the State; at Jackson and Sandstone, in Jackson
county; at Owasso and Corunna in Shiawassee county; at Flint in
Genesee county, and at Lansing, coal has been found deposited in veins
of from twenty inches to four feet in thickness. Most of the openings
have been upon veins outcropping at the surface of the ground, and
there has been little difficulty in (p. 391) procuring samples of
coal from these veins in many localities in the State. These deposits
of coal found at, and near the surface, are producing coal in limited
quantities in different localities, but no works have been prosecuted
with a view to supplying any but a limited local demand. From the
surface evidences of a coal field on the line of the Detroit and
Milwaukee Road near Owasso, and from explorations and developments
already made, some specimens of the coal having been produced and
shipped to Detroit, it has been determined to prosecute the work at
that point.



In Jackson county, however, the matter of mining has become an
enterprise of some magnitude, and we are enabled to give some facts
and figures which exhibit in some measure the importance to the State
of this new branch of industry. There are several "workings" of coal
in the vicinity of Jackson, and several companies have been formed for
the purpose of mining coal. Considerable coal has been mined and sold
from these different workings and mines. The principal mine, and one
which in all its arrangements and provisions is equal to any mine in
the country, is that of the Detroit and Jackson Coal and Mining
Company. The works of this Company are at Woodville station on the
line of the Michigan (p. 392) Central Railroad, about three and a
half miles west of Jackson city.



The mine is situated on the north side of the Railroad and about half
a mile from the main track. The Coal Company have built a side track
from the Central Road to the mouth of their shaft. The shaft from
which the coal is taken is ninety feet deep, and at the bottom passes
through a vein of coal about four feet in thickness. This vein has
been opened in different directions for several hundred feet from the
shaft, and with a tram-road through the different entries the coal is
reached and brought from the rooms to the shaft, and then lifted by
steam to the surface. This coal has been transported to different
points in the State and is rapidly coming into use for all ordinary
purposes, taking the place of many of the Ohio coals and at a reduced
cost. The mine to which reference is made is within four hours' ride
of Detroit, on the Central Road, and a visit of two hours (which can
be accomplished any day, by taking the morning train, leaving the city
at 9 45 and returning so as to reach here at half past six in the
evening,) will repay any one for the trouble. The station is called
Woodville, and is only three and a half miles west of Jackson.



(p. 393) Michigan, hitherto a heavy importer of salt, is in a fair way
not only to have amply sufficient for her own wants, but something
perhaps to spare. To aid in developing our saline resources, the
Legislature wisely provided a bounty upon the production, which has
already brought forth good fruits. At Grand Rapids, salt water has
been discovered much stronger than that of the Syracuse springs,
requiring only twenty-nine gallons to produce a bushel.—Arrangements
have been almost perfected for commencing the manufacture upon a very
extensive scale.



At Saginaw, within a few days, at the depth of 620 feet, copious
volumes of brine were revealed. This is also stronger than any in New
York. From some cause, it is sought to keep this information a secret,
but it is fair to presume it would soon have leaked out. The salt both
at Grand Rapids and Saginaw, is a beautiful article, of great purity.



When Nature formed the Grand River and Saginaw valleys, she seems to
have been engaged in an animated contest with herself. The
developments are such as to warrant the conviction that other and
perhaps equally valuable salt springs lie hidden in the intervening
space between those valleys. These and other discoveries plainly
indicate that the employment (p. 394) of a large amount of capital in
developing the latent resources of Michigan would amply "pay."



The inexhaustible plaster beds of Grand Rapids constitute one of the
prime sources of prosperity of that enterprising metropolis of the
Grand River Delta. Our whole State has also a great interest in the
trade, the material being, it is admitted, a better fertilizer than
the imported article.(Back to Content)




(p. 395) CHAPTER XV.



Desirableness of a trip to the Lakes — Routes of
     travel — Interesting localities — Scenery — Southern
     coast — Portage Lake — Dr. Houghton — Ontonagon — Apostles'
     Islands — Return trip — Points of interest — St. Mary's
     River — Lake St. George — Point de Tour — Lake Michigan — Points
     of interest — Chicago.



A trip to the northern lakes, for variety and beauty of scenery to
such as are seeking enjoyment and pleasure, possesses advantages over
every other route of travel in the United States, and with the
exception of the works of art and the classical associations of the
old world, is unsurpassed by any on the globe. To such as are in quest
of health, no comparison can be instituted, as it has been
demonstrated that the Northwest, especially in the region of the
lakes, possesses the most invigorating climate in the world. A
reference to the mortuary tables removes all doubt on this point. In
the town of Marquette, on Lake Superior, containing a population of
over three thousand, there were during the last year but eight
(p. 396) deaths, and only a portion of that number was from disease.



Our object in this chapter is to notice the various routes of travel
to the interesting localities in the Northwest. During the summer
months the most pleasant mode of conveyance is by water. The Hudson
River boats, compared with which no inland steamers are superior,
leave, every day, the foot of Courtland street for Albany. By taking
passage on an evening boat, after a quiet night's rest the traveler
will find himself at Albany the next morning, where he can take the
cars for Buffalo, at which point he will be able to take a steamer for
Detroit. From thence he can take a steamer for Superior City, passing
through Lakes St. Clair and Huron, and up the Saut St. Mary to Lake
Superior. On the route from the Saut he will pass the following
points, Point Iroquois, White-Fish Point, Point Au Sable, Pictured
Rocks, Grand Island, Marquette, Manitou Island, Copper Harbor, Eagle
Harbor, Eagle River, Ontonagon, La Point, Bayfield and Point De Tour.
The usual time occupied in passing over this route is about
twenty-four hours. In leaving the Saut above the Rapids the steamer
enters Lequamenon, passing Iroquois Point fifteen miles distant on the
southern shore, while Gros Cap, on the Canada shore, (p. 397) can be
seen about four miles distant. The porphyry hills, of which this point
is composed, rise to a height of seven hundred feet above the lake,
and present a grand appearance. North of Gros Cap is Goulais Bay, and
in the distance a bold headland named Goulais Point can be seen.
Indeed the whole north shore presents a scene of wild grandeur. Near
the middle of Lequamenon Bay is Parisien Island which belongs to
Canada; opposite to this island on the north is seen Croulee Point, an
interesting locality in the vicinity of which are numerous islands.
Still further on the steamer passes Mamainse Point, another bold
headland once the seat of the works of the Quebec Copper Mining
Company, but now abandoned in consequence of their unproductiveness;
some fifteen or twenty miles further north, is located the Montreal
Company's copper mine. The traveler has now fairly entered the vast
mineral region of Lake Superior, and passes along a coast hundreds of
miles in extent, "abounding in geological phenomena, varied mineral
wealth, agates, cornelian, jasper, opal, and other precious stones,
with its rivers, bays, estuaries, islands, presque isles, peninsulas,
capes, pictured rocks, transparent waters, leaping cascades, and bold
highlands, lined with pure veins of quartz, spar and amethystine
crystals, full to repletion with mineral (p. 398) riches, reflecting
in gorgeous majesty the sun's bright rays, and the moon's mellow
blush; overtopped with ever verdant groves of fir, cedar, and mountain
ash, while the back ground is filled up with mountain upon mountain,
until, rising in majesty to the clouds, distance loses their
inequality resting against the clear vault of Heaven."



On the southern shore, beyond White Fish Point, immense sand hills can
be seen rising from four hundred to one thousand feet in height. After
passing Pictured Rocks, which we have elsewhere described, the steamer
approaches Grand Island, the shores of which present a magnificent
appearance. This island is about one hundred twenty-five miles from
the Saut and is about ten miles long and five wide. It is wild and
romantic. The cliffs of sandstone broken into by the waves form
picturesque caverns, pillars, and arches of great dimensions.
Forty-five miles further is the town of Marquette one of the most
flourishing places on the borders of the lake, and the entrepot of the
vast mineral wealth in that region. Near this place are the Carp and
Dead rivers, both which have rapids and falls of great beauty. Sailing
in a northwestern direction the steamer passes Standards Rock, a
solitary and dangerous projection, rising out of the lake at the
entrance (p. 399) of Keweenaw Bay. At the head of this bay stands the
harbor of L'Anse a short distance from which are located a Roman
Catholic and Methodist mission house and church, both of which, on
each sides of the bay where they are located, are surrounded by Indian
tribes and settlements.



Passing along, the steamer enters Portage Lake an extensive and
beautiful sheet of water extending nearly the entire breadth of the
peninsula of Keweenaw Point, which is a large extent of land jutting
out into Lake Superior, from ten to twenty miles wide and sixty in
length. This whole section abounds in silver and copper ores. After
passing Manitou Island, Copper Harbor, one of the best on the lake is
reached. At this place there is a flourishing village. The next points
are Agate Harbor, Eagle Harbor, and Eagle River Harbor. It was at this
point that the lamented Dr. Houghton was drowned in October 1845. He
was the State Geologist of Michigan, and while coming down from a
portage to Copper Harbor, with his four Indian companions du voyage,
the boat was swamped in a storm about a mile and a half from Eagle
River. Two of the voyageurs were saved by being thrown by the waves
upon the rocks ten feet above the usual level of the waters.



(p. 400) The next point, three hundred and thirty-six miles from the
Saut, is Ontonagon situated at the mouth of a river of the same name.
A flourishing town is located here having several churches. In its
vicinity are the Minnesota, Norwich, National, Rockland, and several
other copper mines of great productiveness; silver is also found
intermixed with the copper ore, which abounds in great masses. La
Point, four hundred and ten miles from the Saut and eighty-three from
Superior City, which is next reached, is situated on Madeline Island,
one of the group of the Twelve Apostles. It was settled at an early
day by the Jesuit Missionaries and the American Fur Traders. The
population is mixed, consisting of Indians, French, Canadians and
Americans. It has long been the favorite resort of the "red man" as
well as the "pale face," and possesses a historic interest to
travelers. The adjacent islands of the Twelve Apostles grouped
together a short distance from the main land, present during the
summer months a most lovely and beautiful appearance. Cliffs from one
to two hundred feet, may be seen rising above the waters, crowned with
the richest foliage. Passing Rayfield, a village on the mainland, and
Ashland, a settlement at the head of Chag-wamegon Bay, and the Maskeg
and Montreal Rivers, the steamer, after rounding (p. 401) Point de
Tour, enters Fon du Lac, a noble bay at the head of Lake Superior,
twenty miles in width and fifty miles in length, on the shore of which
stands Superior City, near the mouth of St. Louis River. This is a
flourishing place, possessing great commercial importance, and which,
at no distant day, must be connected with the mouth of the Columbia
River and Puget Sound. On the return trip coasting along the
northwest, the steamer passes numerous points of interest. At the
extreme west end of Lake Superior, seven miles northwest from Superior
City, stands the village of Portland. Along the shore northward are
bold sandy bluffs and highlands which are supposed to be rich in
mineral wealth. Encampment, the name of a river, island, and village,
is a romantic spot. Immense cliffs of greenstone are to be seen rising
from two hundred to three hundred feet above the water's edge;
northward along the shore porphyry abounds in great quantity. This
point is noted for the singular agitation of the magnetic needle.
Hiawatha, Grand Portage, Pigeon Bay, Pie Island, Thunder Cape, and
Thunder Bay, surrounded by grand scenery; Isle Royale, Fort William, a
strong post of the Hudson Bay Company. Black Bay, Nepigon Bay, on the
extreme north of the lake. St. Ignace Island, State Islands, Pic
(p. 402) Island Michipicoten Island, formerly the seat of Lake
Superior Silver Mining Company of Canada. Montreal Island, Carabon
Island and other points of interest.



Re-entering the Saut the steamer shapes her course for Mackinaw. The
Garden River settlement, an Indian village ten miles below the Saut,
is on the Canada shore. A mission church and several dwellings
occupied by Chippewa Indians may be found here. The St. Mary's River
presents the finest scenery. A traveler in describing it says, "There
is a delicious freshness in the countless evergreen islands that dot
the river in every direction from the Falls to Lake Huron." The next
point is Church's Landing on Sugar Island, opposite to which is
Squirrel Island belonging to the Canadians. Lake George twenty miles
below the Saut is an expansion of the River which at this point is
five miles wide. The steamer soon enters the Nebish Rapids, after
passing Lake George, and the main land of Canada, stretching out to
the north in a dreary wilderness, is lost sight of. Sugar Island which
is a large body of fertile land belonging to the United States, near
the head of St. Joseph's Island is next reached, and then in
succession, Nebish Island, Mud Lake, another expansion of the river,
Lime Island, Carltonville, St. (p. 403) Joseph's Island, a large and
fertile body of land belonging to Canada, once the site of a fort;
Drummond Island, belonging to the United States, and Point De Tour, at
the mouth of the river, the site of a light-house and settlement. The
other points of interest are Round Island, Bois Blanc, at the head of
Lakes Huron and Mackinac, all of which we have elsewhere described. At
east the steamer enters the Straits of Mackinaw, and the site of the
old fort and town heave in view. These straits are from four to twenty
miles in width, and extend east and west about twenty miles.



Lake Michigan now spreads out its beautiful sheet of water, second in
size to Superior, and invites the traveler to sail along its shores
and among its islands. The points of interest are, La Gros Cap, a
picturesque headland; Garden and Hog Islands, Great and Little Beaver
Islands, Fox Island, on the west of which is the entrance to Green
Bay, and on the east the entrance to Grand Traverse Bay, the Great or
north Manitou, and the Little or south Manitou Islands, Kewawnee, Two
Rivers, Manitoulin and Sheboygan, Port Washington, Milwaukee, Racine,
Waukegan and other places of minor importance. After passing the
localities on the western shore, at length Chicago is seen in the
distance, (p. 404) stretching along for miles and presenting a fine
appearance. From this point the traveler can return to New York, by
way of Detroit, through Canada on the railroad, or he may if he
chooses take a southern route. Such are the facilities for travel that
the tourist will be at no loss during the entire season in finding
excellent steamers and good accommodations. Steamers of the first
class leave Cleveland on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays of
each week, for Lake Superior, touching at the various ports on the
route. Persons in the West or South, who may desire to visit the lakes
can thus be at any time accommodated.



Should the tourist prefer taking another route from Buffalo, instead
of passing over Lake Erie and up the Detroit River, he can go direct
to Collingwood at the foot of Georgian Bay, and from thence can take
steamer for Saut St. Mary, Chicago or any other point he may desire in
the Northwest.(Back to Content)




THE END.