Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-12-23
Correspondence of the Sentinel.

@1'e"ooA " ay OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, tney VIII
probably think them far between. But I
m ust wait my own convenience, and as
winter is upoL US. the mails across the lake
may be interrupted, and the land mail slow
Snow fell here last Saturday some 8 or 10
inches deep, since which the sleigh bells
have rung most merrily and constantly in
the streets. The lake craft have mostly
gone into winter quarters. Last week the
wharves were well lined with every sort of
lake and river craft, from the stately steam
boat, down to the little barge, and tne busy
hustle of loading and unloading of almost
every species of property produced or used
in this region, was cheering music. This
week the wharves, though lined With wa
ter craft, and loaded with many good things,
do not appear very lively with business op-
erations, but there is not much ice TO be
seen in the river yet. s.. ~
In my last mentioned the burning of
the Central Rail Road Depot. should
have said the Freight Depot, az the burnt
building was but small portion Of the De-
pot buildings. There is still passenger
Depot, 325 feet long, and rs feet broad,
and several large ware houses, engine house,
and any number of shops for the extensive
business Of the company. see it stated in
the Directory that the Depot covers II a.
cres of land, most of it reclaimed from the
river, and now making upwards Of l9 hun
dred feet Of dock front on the river, where
vessels can lie in water from IL to 20 feet
Deep A stroll through the Depot grounds
and shops, have found very interesting
There is vast business done on that road
now, and it is expected to increase yearly
as it has done in past years. 1t now ex-
tends only to New Buffalo on Lake Mich
J igan, near the South west corner of the State,
and to be continued to Chicaugs. The
burnt building will soon be rebuilt, as it is
in good state of forwardness Your typo
made me, in my other communication, put
the minimum estimate Of the loss by that
burning at 'ome thousand dollars l in
tended to say one hundred thousand, and
think did say so.
This must be good country. The soil
and face Of the country where the city
stands, and, as am told, in the interior,
is much like your land Of Cheesedom, except
that the rich soil of the surface has sub
soil Of clay and loan, with streaks Of lime
intermixed which makes it more peculiarly
productive, especially for the wheat crop.
The timber is, or was, sugar-tree, IRON
wood, ash, elm, &C., with some oak in
places, but no chestnut in this country -
The pine lumber country is considerable
distance North of this place.
This city is apparently well laid out and
generally we'll built. The streets generally
cross at right angles, and are of good width
The river here runs nearly west-perhap ps
about 10 degrees south Of west, SO that we
are on the north side Of a great chain of
water communication, the general current
Of which runs from west to east, but here
Canada is on the south side Of the great
chain, the current running westward. In
the Directory published here the present
year, the aggregate commerce of Michigan
is estimated for the year 1850, at 25 mill
ions of dollars, more than half Of which CEN
ters at Detroit. The population Of the city
increases rapidly, having nearly doubled in
the last six years, and amounts now to
more than FL thousand. Very laudable
efforts are making for the last two years
for the promotion Of education and intellec-
tual improvement, by the establishment Of
free schools and free lectures, on scientific
and other subjects, and by libraries. There
are many societies here for benevolent, So
cial, religious, and educational purposes, as
well as for pecuniary and business purposes.
Among them are the Detroit Young Mems
Society," which has just completed and O.
pened new and splendid Hall, for free
lectures and free discussion. Also the Board
of Education Of the city OF Detroit, the Me-
chanics' Society, the Mechanics Mutual
Protection, several Masonic Lodges, seve-
raj Lodges Of Odd Fellows, several Divis-
ions of Sons Of Temperance, Detroit Young
Mems Benevolent Society, an efficient Pc.
lice and Fire Department. Fg
There are some four Roman Catholic So
some Of them splendid buildings, also hos
pital served by the Sisters of Charity of st
Joseph. There are three byterian church.
es and one Congregational church and soei-
cites; four Episcopalian churches and socie-
ties, one Of them colored people, four Meth
odist churches and societies, one being col
ored people; also three Baptist churches,
and two German Lutheran and one Ger.
I man Reform church, and New Jerusalem
church.
There are four Banks in the city and one
Savings Institute. There are great num-
Der Of public buildings in the city for courts,
for county business, for the public business
of tie United States, and for educational
purposes.
Besides the Great Michigan Central Rail
Road, there is also Rail road from De-
troit to Pontiac, and four or Eve plank
roads verging in various directions from the
city, which, although but just opened alrea-
dy declare large dividends. '-..,