The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-12-28
From the Allegan Journal.
SURVEY OFTIIE ALLEGAN, Mis-
KEGON AND TRAVERSE BAY
STATE ROAD---SURyEYOR
MIX'S STATEMENT.
MANLrus, Dec. 10Th 1860.

10 my promise made TO you While at Iray-
erso City to write statement Of our
Survey Of the Allegrn, Muskegon aud
Traverse Bay State Road, ] will now try
to fulfill my part and give rough sketch
from my minutes.
We left Allegan the first of last May
and started our survey on the west side.
Of Sec. 2S T. 2 N. r. 13 w. and follow
cd nearly on n line of the River Road
west until we came TO the junction of the
Bee Line Road with tho River Road, then
followed the Bee Line Road in north
westerly direction through tho towns of
Allegan, Heath, Overisel and Fillmore
until VIC came to Holland. The road
running nearly n. Al deg. w. from Over
isel to Holland village, through beech
and maple timber, cleared farms, swamps,
&c.
AT Holland we cross the head Of Black
Lake, which will require bridge ! mile
long. From this point we run nearly on
line with the old road, and / doubt
whether better place could be found in
that locality, rs we run between two
swamps all the way from Holland to the
once famous City of Port Sheldon. On
this road we endcavored torln rs straight
as possible and cut off some of the an
giles, but it being SO wet we made but lit
tic improvement.
At Port Sheldon we cross the head of
Pigeon Lake, requiring bridge 21 chains
long. From this point we run a little
west of north for Little Pigeon Greek,
through level sandy country, covered
with small black pines and few hcmlocks,
and then to Grand Haven. We run
through some good farming country, set
tied mostly by Hollanders; il is some
what rolling and sandy, and the timber is
beech and hemlock with some scattering
naples.
AT tho village of Grand Haven we
run down Washington street to Third
street, down Third street TO Grand River.
AT this point we cross Grand River to
Ferrysburg-the river requiring bridge
( of mile long. From Third street in
Grand Haven To- Fcrrys Slip in Fcrrys-
burg, we run up the Slip 20 Pine street,
/ up Pinc TO Second street, stIien on Second
street west TO quarter post on section line
between sec. l6 IL II in Il. N. r.. I6 w.
Here our first troubles commenced as
it was mostly beech and hemlock swamp
for nearly miles, and it was not until
we had gone over the whole distance
three times that we found n practicable
route for the road. But with the assist
ance of Mr.. VIM. NJ. Ferry, Jr., aud Mr..
Thomas Merrill we went through on the
section line, and with the exception of a
mile and half of wind fall and some 3
miles of swamp, found nothing TO OBJ
struct the survey. Six miles and half
from Ferrysburg we cross Black Lake, re-
quiring bridge ! of mile long. From
this point 10 Muskegon the road runs n
10 deg. w. through fair quality of pine
land with sandy soil and level, and in look
ing over my minutes for the last / 0 miles
i can sec nothing but wet ground, swamp,
level with hard sand bottom, beech and
hemlock and then dry sandy level with
pine and oak timber.
AT Muskegon village we run our sur
vey into Tcrrais street TO Western Ave
nuo, east on this Avenue 10 near the head
of the Lake, and in crossing this lake we
require bridge 4 miles long-this be-
ing the narrowest point we could find.
After crossing the lake Mt Muskcgon
we run nearly N. 81 deg. w. for White
Lake, then N. 0 Geg. +. for Cartoons
mill-the whole distance being level
sandy plains, with tho exception Of u few
low wet places, then would be hcmlock
and some large scattering pines.
The Commissioners at this point ORDER
ed a re-survey of a portion of the road
from what is called the Wheat Settle
ment 10 miles north of Muskegon), to
run more west and strike the village of
Mears and cross tho White Lake at this
point to the Clay Banks. This is more
feasible routc and is on direct line with
our survey this fall. White Lake will re-
quire bridge ! mile long.
The distances run in this survey arc as
follows: From Allegan to Holland is 23
miles; from Holland TO Grand Haven is
2I miles; from south side Grand River
to Terrais street, Muskegon is II miles;
from Muskegon to White River, near
Cartons mill, is 15 miles; from White
River to Cartons mill, in Muskegon Co.,
is q miles, making the whole distance
run in May, 1850, 734 miles.
The soil along the line of this survey
is mostly of sandy nature with the ex-
ception of that portion from Rabbit Riv-
es, in Allegan county, which is nearly all
heavy beech and maple sand and clay
loan. The balance in Ottawa county is
sand and swamp with little bottom land
fit for farming purposes.
At Cartons mill we recommended our
survey Oct. 4th 1859. From Cartons
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