New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-13
MICHIGAN.
nee Of The n. Y. Trievns.


sfMiehgan, or rather that southern half Of its lower
peninsula TO which its settlement and populstion
have mostly been thus far confined. The northern
half Of this peninsula is colder, and in good part
uDinyiting to the cultiystOr, being diversified By
vast swamp,, by sterile, grayelly knobs, and by
Sepss forers Of but moderate valuable and not yet
readily accessible timber, that its settlement is
hkeIyt De slow, and population sparse orgeners-
tons. The facts that portion Of the pioneers oi
th, northern region have just been compelled TO aP
neal. for the second time, to the charity Of tneh
fellow. citizens, and that the new Governor urges
hat State aid in some form be granted
them. are not calculated TO commend that
resiou 70 future immigranv. But the
Michigan known 70 most traveler,, and con-
t.;nino seyen.eighths of the population and pro-
ductiye industry Of the State, stretches north
apudred miles or 50 from the north line Of Indiana,
reaching from Toledo in the east 10 within iOIne
fifty miles of Chicago on the west, embracing
sene 20 600 square miles Of mainly arabic land hay-
pg the average climate Of New. York or ConnectI-
cut and Rhode Island, with about the area OF Yer
mon. and New Hampshire combined. 1t Is TO this
area that ny recent observations have been re-
stncted.
At frat view, Michigan would seem far less IN
yiting to farmers in quest Of location than her
more western listers, and accordingly her growth
has for the last teeny years been far slower than
theirt Her soil is, in the average, not nearlyso
rich as that Of the prairies, and is generally coV-
cred with heavy timber, while her untlmeered
lands are apt to be swampy. There are some e1-
ceptions near her southern border; but In general
her low levels are covered with bOggrass, or with
growth of black ash or low spruce, and cannot
be made productive of grain nearly so soon, 20
sheaply, nor 10 abundaDtly as can the prairies OF
Illinois or Iowa. Hence il is but natural that the
great majority Of Eastern farmers in quest of new
lands should push on to the prairie States, there to
secure lands that are readily made broadly and
generously productive.
There is, however, another side TO the picture,
less obvious but not less real. It's outlines are as
follows:
/. Michigan is considerably nearer to market
than Illinois, Wisconsin or Iowa, insuring to her
farmers better average prices for their products,
while she is so surrounded and permeated by nsvga-
BE waters that sbe will always enjoy superior ia.
cilities for the expectation Of her produce.
2. She has great abundance and variety Of val
sable timber, including the choicest White Pine,
which Illinois and Indiana, as well as more East
ern States, must buy of her, not only for building,
but often for fencing.
3. She has the benefit of three completed lines
of Railroad each running directly across her terri
tory, or along her southern border in the direction
which her travel and transportation would natu-
rally with to take, 10 that scarcely any point within
The area above indicated is more than thirty miles
from a railroad, while most Of her smart villages
are directly upon one. These railroads have been
40 built as not to involve either the State or her
several Cities and Counties in debt while such
land. grants have been obtained from Congress in
aid transverse OF north south roads as insure
the construction of two or three within the next
half dozen years-al without tax or sensible bur-
den on The people.
4. Her climate is mider and more eqaa-
bic, because of the vast bodies of deep water
which nearly surround her, than that OF the
prairie States, while her dense woods check the
force Of the harsher winds, rendering the growth
Of Apples and other Fruits far easier here than on
or near the great northern prdlrles.
8. Her population, ow0g 70 she psuoity of re-
cent immigration, is more American and homo
geneous than that of the prairie States, aud sssimi
lates more readily and completely with ne@ set
a tlers from New-York and New-England
6. Speculation has not since 1896 ragged here as
IL ha. done further West hence the prices of lands
and lots have not been so wildly inflated, and the
people are not now SO generally in debt. Those
who hold lands are able 10 sell them at moderate
prices without losing 80 much on them as the
holders of choice locations further West often
required TO do.
Il do not say that theee considerations render
Michigan mere advantageous location than ILL.
nois or any other Western State, for this is point
on which every one interested must be bis own
Judge; but do say that the matter is by no means
80 one-sided as has been generally supposed Other
.<hings being equal, there can be little doubt that
location including timber aud prairie so ss TO build
in the edge Of and obtain tiuber and fuel from the
former, while cultivating mainly the latter affords
the best chance for the pioReer intent on making
nesy homestead. Yet the miles of just such loca.
lions through which passed on the Western bor-
Der Of the Illinois bottoms jest aboge Naples did
not seem nearly thrifty as the settlements more
recently hewn from the wilderness which passed
in kalamazoo, Alegan and Kent Counties iG West
ern Michigan. Pleasantly as the dwellings were
nestea in along the edge Of the Illinois bluff, they
we're seldom framed and almost never painted
while The large herds of cattle at work or corn.
stalks around them were rarely provided with any