Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-10-21

UucA, Oct, 1883.
The traveller from Ohio, especially from the
Reserve, is surprised At tie great oonirsa. OF
the Bnckeyc farmers this fall with those in this
part Of Michigan. While King Frost ruled
with an iron sway in Northern Ohio, he seems
to have been milicr IN Eastern Michigan, and
the farms present quite luxuriant growth and
the times are not considered "harI by the in
habitants of these regions Goo Of the great
c,uscs Of tho activity OF business here at pres
ent is the completion Of two RAILROAD lines, the
Detroit and Milwaukee aud the Port Heron and
Detroit The latter is a branch Of the Grand
Trunk Railway OF Canada, and both roads are
largely represented and controlled BY English
interests. The j.. & NJ Railway connects at
Detroit with the Grrat Western Hallway Of
Upper Canada, and the whole line is doing
heavy amount Of through business for the
Northwestern Statcs, but the westward passen-
ger travel will always meet with ono obstacle,
the change from rail TO boat from Grand Haven
TO Milwaukee. The company have undoubted-
| ly paid all due attention TO the comfort Of pas
sengers by this route, but people ,oM shrug
their shoulders at the thought Of the turbulent
waters of Lake Michigan, and this con'idera'
tion leads many to take the circuitous route Via
Chicago.
Railroads are constructed az a comparatively
low cost-tho land is level, requiring but little
grading, timber plenty, and the main features
of the country of such character as to IN
courage capitalists to invest their money in
various branches Of business. One of the
great inducements for business Investments is
the unlimited amount Of water power in Ma
comb, st Clair and adjoining counties that find
a ready market Tor their commodities in the
city of Detroit. .
Long years ago, when Michigan was strug
Cling throcgh infancy, youthful Governor
became ambitious to establish lasting fame by
erecting State Works, and pursued the matter
with more energy than discretion, and one Of
the results of his labor was the making of the
Clinton aud Kalamazoo Canal, designed 10 con-
meet Lakes Michigan and ST. Clair, by way OF
the St. Joseph River, and like many State en-
terprises il was the source Of abundant frauds,
and those who had the contract for excaVating
dug gold as well as earth The State became
buTdcned with heavy debts, and the great canal
enterprise was 3 dead set"
A company bought OF the State the right OF
way from the Clinton hlNer 70 v icht macOAu U
county, where Touring and saving mills were
erected and did heavy business. A few years
! ago the mills and property passed into the hands
of Messrs. Butterficld & Weston, the present
enterprising plopIietors, and the Inhabitants oi
the little village Of Utica a.c putting foIth great
exertions to make the place prosperous. The
above firm nave also added machinery for man
ufac'uring barrel slaves, and are able to turn
cut $4,000 pc day. They are also about add
ing machines for the manufacture of heading
shingles, &C. DC One interesting feature
of tue works here is the plaster mill, the pro
prietors importing large quantities of Ohio
white plaster direct from Sandusky, and grint
it for use. The water power here is 80 great
; and TO be obtained under so peculiarly favora'
bic circumstances, that there can be but LITTLE
doubt thst capitalists will engage largely in the
manufacturing business in Utica and along the
line of the canal.
One fact pertaining 10 the farmers, worthy oi
notice, is the large amount of wheat sowod
this fall Many who were discouraged by pre-
vious failures, have this fall made another effort
aud nearly every f5nmcr, without exception
has put in moro wheat than for several years
past.
The reports of buckwheat in this localisy are
favorable, and corn looks really substantial
The Chinese sugar cane has been cultivated
successfully this year, and the good yield
coupled with past experience in making the
syrup, will have a tendency to sweeten the
Wolverines 10 considerable extent. p. b.