Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-02-24

The perusal of the communication, published
in the Tribune yesterday, from Shiawassee, led
us nvoluntarily to reflect on the unsurpassed
natural facilities possessed by almost every part
of Michigan, for the easy and cheap shipment
of her surplus produce by natural water-com-
munication with the Eastern markets, and more
particularly the advantage of these to the future
for the Northern part of Michigan.
To say nothing fthe Upper Peninsula of our
State-which of itself is mine of wealth to
the enterprising and Industrious of all classes
there is no State in the Union that offers richer
rewards, in the development and Improvement
of a new country, than lower Michigan, to which
we now confine ourselves. The idea, common
at the East, that because we have grown, from
dependent infancy to staunch manhood, with
population Of 100000, in the short space Of
some fifteen years, that therefore we are full
grown, and that the cream of every thing invit-
ing in our State has been taken off, is all wrong
Michigan IS not one tenth Developed The great
bulk of her population and improvement is in
the Southern portion Of the State. The centre
of the State (the lower Peninsula) can hardly
be said to be settled. The line of the Central
Road" is commonly called the centre of Michi-
gan. This is q material error. The Central and
Southern Railroads both pass through the two
Southern tier of counties only of the State, and
good portion Of the way, are confined to the
extreme South, North Of both of these, as
glance at the map will show, lies far the great
lively unimproved. To that portion we invite
the attention of the emigrant and capitalist
The peculiar advantages offered by that Sec
ton of our State are, the contiguity, by natural
water-courses to market places and shipment
ooot e curnluc prnduco Focilitias for ipuracc
and egress and easy access to market, are, after
health the first and most important considera-
tons in locating future and permanent home,
with all settlers in new country. On these
depend the realization ofthe advantages and rec
ompense, for the hardships and deprivations nec-
essarily involved to greater or less extent, in
the settlement Improvement, and cultivation of
new land. With numerous and large rivers
all Of which are sufficiently rapid to forbid their
being source of unhealthness to the country
adjacent to them-fowing through almost every
part, the mouths of which offer safe and conven-
lent harbors, with triiling Improvement, and lake
communication at convenient distances on every
side, we claim that the Northern part of Michi-
gan offers advantages, in this important respect
not to be found in any other new State in the
West.
The soil of Northern Michigan is as rich and |
diversified, and the climate as salubrious as any |
other portion Of the State. 1t is common opin-
ion, among our eastern friends that Northern
Michigan is frigid uninhabtable region Moth
ing is farther from the truth. We are told by
those who have spent considerable time in ex-
ploring that section, that the climate is much
the same as that Of Central and Western Now
York, in summer and winter,-the winter never
as severe as in nearly all of the New England
States.
But the industrious pioneer settler in North
ern Michigan need not depend alone on the slow
returns of cultivating the soil for surplus pro-
ducts with which to provide himself and family
with the comforts and luxuries of life. The re-
for lumber are unsurpassed and almost
inexhaustible. The unculled forest offers the
industrious man the means of making his first
labor upon his new home bring him ample re-
turns and provision for his wants, in the clear
ing" his land. Afterwards, by cultivation and
clearing, he soon realizes the Independent posi-
ton of having enough and to spare" This is
no picture of the imagination. Millions of acres
Of government land, in that part of Michigan,
present thousands of opportunities for locating |
new homes, possessing all these advantages, and {
lar more than we have pictured. The develop ,,
nent and Improvement of these rich natural re- ,
sources, IN lumber, Agriculture, and Commerce, {
md the consequent settlement Of that extensive
section of our State, will make Michigan one of :
he largest, weathiest Agricultural and CONNER
al States in the Union. {
"But," says the reader, if the Northern part {
IT Michigan possesses so many advantages, why t
it that so little progress has been made in set
lement and improvements One cause for this !
3 that Southern Michigan, being more on the
inc Of direct communication between the East d
nd West, the energies of our State, have been a
cry properly directed to securing the business
nd travel of that great route to the State.
Detroit Tribune II
BE KIND TO THE OLD.-Be kind to those who r
re In the autumn of life, for thou knowest not u