Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-07-13
selection of she Canal Lands.


Selection OF The Canal Lands.
Last week the steamer London brought over
from Chicago comfny Of picked men, from
the lumber regions ofhe State of Maine, eigh
teen in number, and now on an exploring expe-
ditiop through the Michigan pineries for the
purpose of looking up lands to be located by
the st. Mary's Canal Company. They left IS 81
Thursday, hale, hearty, and we'll accoutred,
on the sloop Flying Dutchman," bound for
Pier Marquette, some sixty miles northward,
where it was their design to commence explo-
rations. Thence they will proceed to the Manis-
tee. The selections will be made with sole ref
ence to securing as much valuable pine timber
as possible.
We have always been of the opinion that that
is poor policy which advocates the construc-
ton Of great national works like the st. Mary's
Canal, through these wholesale grants of land
by government in manner which cannot fail
to create a monopoly in favor of heartlcss spec
ulators. But now we are more than ever alive
to its mischievous tendency when we see the
most valuable pine in this portion of the PENN
sula likely to be made nothing else than means
of emoument for eastern capitalists, who may,
and probably will, impose serious obstacle to
the immediate settlement Of no inconsderabe
portion of the State.
The whole amount of land which the compa-
ny will receive is fraction over thirty-two
townships. This greatly exceeds the whole
area of Ottawa County in extent. The selec-
tions which will be made in as large bodies as
practicable while keeping the main object in
view, must consequently extend more or less
over quite number of counties. The lumber
ing business, rapidly reaching back from the
lake shore, is now being the means of opening
for settlement a large portion of the northern
woods. 1t draws thither crowds of hardy la
borers, and is fast creating good market for
such products as the fertile tracts Of the inte-
rior might be made to yield. But the future
progress of numbering operations, and the set
Element of the country attendant thereon, can
not otherwise than receive serious check in all
those counties where these locations are made
The land of course will be withheld from use
for long time. At some future day they will
bring almost any price the company may see fit
to demand. Eventually they will pay ten times
the amount expended in their acquisition, and
the fruits of this vast, one. sided speculation will
be drawn of, and expended in parts with which
we have at most a very slight connection. tits
easy to see thata great benefit, which may with
truth be called national in its characters is being
obtained at the ultimate expense altogether of
one particular section. We bid the great work
of building the canal hearty God-speed, but
we would rather the necessary funds for that
purpose had been drawn from the national treas
ury, and the 100000 acres of the public domain
been given to needy men who would dot those
acres over with happy homes than to see the
gloomy solitude of the wilderness fastened
thereon by the iron grasp of relentless cupdty
for at least good forty years to come.