The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-06-30


Timber Land-GrOss ImpOsitions practlscd
on Travellers to the West.
Mr.. EDITOR
AS your paper has such wide circulation in Eu-
rope and America, and is so famous for literary and
original information, il would no doubt be matter
of great interest to your numerous readers, as well
as an act OF kindness on your part publish the fol-
lowing remarks on country comparatively little
known ANrcrs
we were apprised, in some measure, of the gross
lmposltlons with which emigrants TO the West had
to contend but we had not the most distant idea
that II was carried 10 such extent until our arri-
val in Albany. There we learned that a vast MANY
who had paid their passage in New York to Buffalo
had to pay 1t over again In Albany. The Captains
did not recognise the acts of the New York black
legs, and seli-constituted agents These agents have
runners IN boarding houses in the city, where
foreigners put up. Strangers therefore, should be
exceedingly cautious Of these prowling wolves, who
prey upon the pockets and purses of poor foreigners
Mr.: John Bradley, wife and child, paid twenty
dollars In the lower part OF Courtlandt street. for
passage TO Buffalo If they had gone to Albany il
would have cost them only four dollars. Mr. VIC
Leeke paid In the same Office eight dollars for pas
sage TO Buffalo IN the packet boat, as he imagined
but when IN Albany he had to take berth in a
luggage boat among number of filthy Germans,
who paid only 81 30 each An ignorant English
man and his wife paid twenty-five dollars in an Of
fee IN the lower part of Front street. for passage
70 Pittsburgh, the nearest way, as they were in
formed In the office to Michigan. Half the amount
wouldhave taken them there The only safe course
is to proceed to Albany and take the first boat going
to Buffalo. There are three ways by which they
can GO; one Is by the Line boats, which carry
freight; the other by the Railroads and the third il
by the Packet boats, whichtake passengers without
freight The latter in the end is cheapest and more
comfortable than the former, you cannot sleep in
the cars The boats go from Schenectady to Buffalo,
price 81 ,25, board included so that trip this way
to Niagara Falls would be about 1878. The price
to Detroit from Buffalo in the cabin is $3.50 with
board deck, $500 without board
The boats all touch at the various landing places,
such as Dunkrk, Erie, Huron, Cleveland Sandus-
ky, &c. They generally take twenty-sx hours to
cross the Lake. Detroit is fine city, with abun-
dance OF every thing but money. 1t was settled in
lo70-po3Puiation about $4,000. The American is
an excellent hotel, and very reasonable The Ca
NADIA shore Is on the east side of the river distance
about halt mile. II seems to be very thinly set
tied. The Queen has regiment Of runaway
their red coats and black faces No doubt SNUG
Cling Is carried on there to great extent as wool
len goods, &c. are as cheap In Detroit as in New
York There are two routes from Detroit to Chiea-
go-one by water, up Lake St. Clair and across
Lake Michigan, which is tedious and tiresome-
the other is through the State of Michigan The
distance is about 230 miles-S0 of this by railroad;
the remainder, through lovely country, is by
stages and steamboats,. The latter is the cheapest
and most pleasant way. There are runners all along
the canal from Albany to Buffalo and from the LAT.
ter to Detroit, the Lake. who tell the most fright
full stories of Michigan and represent Illinois, &c.
as perfect Paradise. his Is done TO prevent per-
sons from going through Michigan to Chicago as
that route would ruin Oh trade. The price from
Detroit to Chicago, on S route, Is about Sc 90
to Jackson, distance OF eighty miles, SO 90.
The railroad 10 Jackson Is high in its charges and
poor in accommodaton, as blacks and whites, rich
and poor, young and old. are all thrust INFO the
same car; thousands of laborers and working men
would go west if the steamboats, and railroads would
M hnl no Sanfn tf.b
The first pretty little town from Detroit is Dear
bom The government have fine arsenal and mill
tary station here. Ypsilant is the next place we
come to- itis beautiful spot situated on the river
Huron; population about fifteen hundred, with three
large flour mile and several saw mills. also large
woollena and carpet mandatory We saw the stee-
pies of several fine churches We then started for
Ann Arbor The cars stop in Ann Arbor about one
hour. AT the depot we had some fine coffee. cream,
PIES, custards, NC. We stayed here for the night
The Exchange is the only good hotel in the place
Ann Arbor Is really delightful town and very
healthy, especially for consumptvc persons II
stands on an eminence which gives you fine view
OF the surrounding country. There are some
beas;ltul cottages and country seats about here
Inc churchcs are large and the congregations re-
speciablc. But the State University and the pro-
tessors houses are credit to any country. Through
the poiteness of Professors Houghon andWllams
we, on our return. visited this institution There
is but one wing of the building completed, but when
the whole is finished it will be equal to any building
of the kind in the United States, except Girard's
College in Philadelphia The library is good, though
not large; the collection of minerals birds, AM
mails, NC, are equal to any in the country. The
whole state contributes to the support OF the Univer
slty, that, IN fact, tuition is cheaper here than in
any part of the world the whole course of classical
instruction tor the four years Is only ten dollars -
board can be had at 81 % per week, $40 therefore,
will bring young man through his whole classical
course in the University of Michigan.
The young editor must certainly be sent there
The population is about three thousand, with two
lney H.r lie Ill.
factory, and several other factories, and number
OF fine large stores. We spent part of our time
here most agreeably in the hospiable mansion of
Judge Thompson, who is exceeding kind and at
tcntivc 10 strangers.
We then left in The cars for Jackson, large town
with about 1000 inhabitants. situated on Grand Ri
yer. The State Prison is located here, fine,
large stone building, surrounded with high wall
There are about $50 convicts engaged in manufac-
turing the same as with ia. They broke out some
time since. Their leader shot dead the others
were retaken. This seems to be place of large
business There are several fine stores well filed
with all kinds of merchandise.
There are several large churches and hotels here.
The American Is the best and most select Here
we were rather surprised as well as amused at see
ing wild turkeys, geese, cranes, eagles quails and
grouse, or prairie hens domcscatsd One of the
latter we took fifty miles on our way home as pre-
sent for the young LII. d.. but unfortunately it got
killed on the road by a dog. We shall, however, in
July or August make another attempt to procure
We started from here in a North-westery direc-
ton On our way, we had fine view of the Oak
Openings. They present one OF the most delightful
and picturesque sceneres in the world. The beau
u lawns and lakes, hills and vaies the vast guam
THY of wild flowers in the fields and wild strawber-
mes, the murmuring streams of the Grand River
gliding gently along, and the tall cedars rising up ma
ies'cally along the banks, form most interesting
contrast. You would really imagine yourself pass-
ing through gentlemans domain in Europe.
From here we passed into the iimberland, where
our attention attracted with wild turkeys deers,
rabbits squirrels, partridges, grouse, quais wood
cocks, and snipe. We experienced some difficulty
in crossing the rail bridges. They are made of trees
laid down in length and in width across marshy
rround These artificial bridges arc exceed;n gIv