East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-06-16

ders and Iniiaus--Fraui OF Surveyors
IN AZURE OF the soi', Crops, Fruits, Sc.
EAST SAGINAW, Men,
March, 1859.
Within dozen years the term Saei-
Jaw has been associated in the minds of
nearly every one with Indians, muskrats,
cramberries, Dogs and bull-frogs. Some,
little more enlightened, included in the
catalogue white fish, trout and shingles.
Even within the time spoken of, the Sag
NAV river was but little better known
than the Zambezi, and journey thither
from one of the adjoining counties was
considered rather hazardous undertake
ing. The inhabitants were said to sub
sist upon muskrats, frogs and fish, and
to use muslSrat skins and shingles as q
circulating medium.
In 1922 the government stationed some
troops on the spot where Saginaw City
is now built, and in 1924 the American
Fur Company established a trading post
on the present site of East saginaw
These, with few French, and Indians,
constituted the population of Saginaw
up to about 1886.
1t was the policy of the Fur Compa-
ny, the Indians, trappers aud hunters to
keep out settlers, who would, by clearing
up the country, invite in others, and
spoil hunting and trapping, and to gain
this end they always represented the
country as cold, unhealthy, and nearly all
swamp or wet prairies. Those who voy-
aged thither by water, found the land
bordering upon the Saginaw river gener-
ally low, with but little dry and no very
high land, with wet praries extending oil
into the rear for miles, with here and
there an island of timber. This was the
general character of the land bordering
; the river, and the impression usually
made upon those navigating the river
was unfavorable. They also confirmed
the stories of the hunters and trappers
and took it for granted that the whole
country was similar to that bordering the
Saginaw river,
The Surveyors employed by govern
ment to survey this region, taking adj
vantage of the want of knowledge or
the part of the departments, as well al
of disinterested individuals of the fac
and presuming that the misrepresenta
tons made by others, and the prejudice
existing against this section, together
, with its insulated position, would for {
long time prevent au investigation, com
mitted enormous frauds in the survey
Whole towns were returned as surveyed
in which the surveyor never set foot, an(
the plats and surveys made in their room
at Saginaw City. To carry out the popu
lar idea, the whole country with few
exceptions, was divided into wind-lalls
black ash swamps, marshes, lakes anC
crooked steams. This pretended survey
set the seal of truth upon former reports
and had the effect intended - that o
keeping out settlers, OF land hunters; TO
no man possessed of common sense woulC
think of moving to such a country as re
port and the survey showed this to be.
After a long time, however, govern
ment discovered the fraud, and a new
survey of some and re-survey of othe
portions of this section was ordered
This re-survey has only just been com
pleted. 1t puts very different face up
on the matter, and shows the country t
be well timbered and the soil rich.
Saginaw river proper is about twenty
, five miles long. The Cass, Shiawassee
Bad and Tittabawassee rivers nearly JOIN
at this point, and are fed by the Pine
Tobacco and other rivers, and numerou
small streams. The Saginaw is naviga
bic for "a miles by vessels drawing l.
feet of water. The rivers cmptying int
the Saginaw, drain hundreds of miles o
I country rich in timber and soil. Tn
country bordering upon the Saginaw riv
, err and for several miles inland, is gener
!, ally level, but is we'll timbered with oak
beach, maple, Eastwood, ash, butternut
} black walnut, hickory, &c. THERE'S n
pine or hemlock upon Saginaw river
Tho ground 10 undulating enough 70
perfect drainage, and the soil rich san
dy, gravelly loan. All kinds of crop
, grown in Western New York grow wei
here Winter wheat, corn, oats, 81
are good and sure crop. The soil i
) particularly fitted for grass and for gra4
. ing purposes. The climate is mild, til
> cold seldom being extreme, and the coun
try healthy. For the past eight year
tue SnoW HAS hOI bCcn INcHty ihSuc
deep on level. The average duration
of sleighing is about eight weeks. Ar
: pies, pears, peaches, plums, and in fac
: all the fruits raised in temperate eli
. mate are a sure and good crop here
The opinion is general that we are to
!. far north have a good climate or rails
J fruit, but such is not the fact. OWN,
to our proximity to the lakes, our bein!
: surrounded by water, or some other rea
:, son, frosts are not early, nor our winter
o extremely cold we are more favored il
= this respect than some portions of tn
: States much further south. l have NJ
| particular theory to advance as reason
h for this, but simply state it is fact.
t III.