Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1847-09-10
COM MERGE OF THE WESTERN
LAKES.

DaTlOf', Esq. OF DuilaiO. 10 the non. X.
McClelland, chairman Of the Committee
on Commerce, in the House of Repre-
seniatlNes, we can only give a few Of the
principal points but they are sufficient TO
show the wonderful growth of the north
western ountry within the few past years.
Prior TO the year 1882, the whole COM
mcrce west of Detroit was confined, al
most exclusively, to the carrying up pro-
visions and goods for the Indian trade,
and bringing back, in return, the furs and
other matters collected by that trade for
an eastern market, and the freighting up
of provisions and supplies for the troops
ut The different posts established around
! the upper lakes. All of which furnished
a limited business for few schooners.
"The breaking out of the Black Hawk
war, in 1882, first brought out knowl-
edge of the richness of the soil, and salu-
brity of the climate, of northern Illinois
and Indiana, and the Territory of Wis
consln, and exhibited the commanding po-
stion of Chicago, hitherto an isolated
place,) for commercial business. This
war being closed that Same se~e~n, and
Poa.u DeIng re-establIshed in all those
parts, strong emigration set in that d.
rectlon the next year, and the rich prai.
ries Of that country began to fill with
vigorous, hardy, and enterprising popula-
ton; and from that time only, the short
period of eight years, may it in truth be
said that there has been any commerce
west of Detroit,
| AS early as the year 1919, the ste am
boat Walk-in-th Water. twas built and
| first went on to Lake Erie in the month of
August, 1879 the only steamboat on
these lakes, made trip as far as Macki-
nae, to carry up the American Fur Com
pany's goods, and annually repeated the
same trip, until she was shipwrecked on
the b; ach near Buffalo, in the month of
November, 1921. Her place was then
supplied by the steamboat Superior, (now
the ship Superior,) which came out in
1922; this boat also made similar voya-
ges to Mackinac, which was then the Ul-
TINA Thule Of Western navigation.
In 1926 or '27, the majestic waters
of Lake Michigan were first plowed by
steam boat having that year made an
excursion with pleasure party to Green
Bay. These pleasure excursions were an
nually made, by two or three boats, until
the year 1892. This year, the necessi-
ties of the government requiring the
transportation of troops and supplies for
the Indian war then existing, steamboats,
were chartered by the government, and
made their appearance at Chicago, then
an open roadstead, in which they were ex-
posed TO the full sweep of northerly storms,
the whole length of Lake Michigan; and
even at this day, the slight improvements
made at that place, in a partially con-
structed harbor, afford them but a limited
protection.
at is wel-known that the steamboats,
navigating these waters have very fire.
fuentlv consolidated their interests and
made returns Of all their earnings to one
office, where their accounts have been an
nually settled.
| "In 1888 the first association was
formed by the steamboat owners, and, as
was then engaged in commercial bust
ness, | was appointed secretary to the
company and, as such, kept all the books
and received the return from each boat
For my own satisfaction | kept an ac-
count of the number of passengers who
passed over the lakes. This year there
were employed steamboats,, which cost
the sum Of S36O.O00 they carried to and
from Buffalo and other ports on the lakes,
that summer, GLASS passengers. OF this
number, Al 95S were taken from Buffalo
bound west the remaining 1869 were
all landed at Buffalo, excepting some few
distributed at the different ports along the
lake. There were made, that season,
three trips to the upper lakes two to
Chicago and one to Green Bay; the a
mount of receipts for which was 1895
uallv earned from business west of De-
troit, cannot say, as / did not, as now
wish had done, make this distinction
By way of contrasting the time employed
in making trips TO Chicago in those days
and the present. will state that one of
the boats left Buffalo on the 23d of June,
at 9 p. NJ, and returned on the 18th day
of July, at 10 P. NJ. The other left Buff
falo the 20 of July, at p. NJ, and re-
turned August the 18th.
'In lS34 The boats kept up the assccl-
alton, which was composed of Is boats,
costing 100000 some new ones having
come out that season. The same mode
of keeping and settling accounts was "a
dopted. with this exception kept no ac-
count of the number of passengers. This
wear. trro trips were made to Green Bay,
and three 10 Chicago. aud the amount OF
business done was S6,272 65; the great
est part of this sum was for business west
of Detroit, as the trips TO Chicago were
made by boat running from that place
= to Chicago"
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