The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-07-29
Late Excursion TO Pe,e Marquette, The Western
;erm,nHs eff the Flat and Pere Marquette
Railroad Michigan.

the interest Of voyage Of discovery and
adventure; for no person, not even the
Captain, had ever seen Pere Marquette,
or was acquainted with the Michigan shore
at this part of Lake Michigan, which at
first appeared to be an unbroken and un
inhabited wilderness.
For some time the vessel wandered in It's
course, following here and there the remote
and doubtful SIGNS of Mans habitation and
improvement. But our approach to the
shore, with the aid of the Captains glass,
gradually revealed thin settlements and
cearings scattered for miles on the coast,
and rising column Of smoke and steam,
sent up from distant steam-mill as II to
signal us, told that we were not Tar from
the desired land. 4 considerable village
now disclosed itsefa few miles to the north
with a large pier extending into the lake,
which was reached about e o'clock A. NJ.
rs the pier was reared it seemed very
much like approaching an unknown coun-
try and people, and we were obliged some
what after the fashion of Nirgil's wander
ing hero in the Alnead, to hold party
with the population Of the village who had
rushed to the pier to greet us.
lis this Perc Marquette"
1HS.-" No.
What place is IT."
ms" Little Sable"
Where is Pere Marquette 2"
1ns.-"About three miles to the South
How much water is there at your pier:"
-'5as.-" Plenty for you-eleven feet
The steamer was soon made fast, and
this was the first vessel of It's character that
had ever visited this part of the Michigan
shore. SO, at least, said the inhabitants,
who seemed oyeUoyed at our arrival, and
some of whom responded to the music Of
the band, by dancing upon the pier, and IN
various other modes.
The village of Little Sable is mainly the
result Of the enterprise Of MeSsrs. Mears,
wealthy lumber merchants, who manufac-
ture lumber largely for the Chicago market
at this place, also few miles to tie north,
at Big Sable Point, where there is large
lake pier, and also three miles south, at
Pere Marquette. The population is be
tween two and three hundred. The vii
lace is handsomely situated at the mouth
of Little Sable river directly upon the lake,
from ten to fifty feet above it, and with its
neat, painted buildings. presented cheer
full sight, in striking contrast with the dense
forests which surround it.
A steam pile driver was at work. Mess
ers. Mears being now engaged in extending
one Of their piers, u~ing slabs for filling.
This is very cheap system Of pier building,
where slabs can be easily obtained, and
suggests an easy mode Of improving many
ofour lake harbors.
After a two hours stay at Little Sable
village, the steamer was put on her course
for pere Marquette There being no pier
at this place, party Of eight or ten was
sent ashore in the small boat, to make OBJ
servations.
The main settlement at Pere Marquette
consists Of a steam saw mill and six or sew
en- other buildings, situated at the northern
extremity Of Pcre Marquette lake, which is
formed by river Of the same name, Just
at its entrance into Lake Michigan. This
lake is about three and half miles long,
and averages about mile in width. For
about half its length, it lies parallel to lake
Michigan, and is separated from it by a
narrow sand wall or ridge, from ten to
eighty feet in height, and about two hun
dred feet through 1T the base. TIE en-
trance from lake Michigan into Pere Mar
quette lake is by narrow channel cut
drought the sand ridge, about $50 feet
long, 100 feet wide-may'easiIy be widened
to 800 or 400 feet--has depth often feet
and as we saw it, a current of five miles
per hour. The lake being entered is then
seen in all its parts, entirely surrounded
by hills OF highlands, and perfect lock up
against storms from every point of the
compass It has general depth of from
twenty to fifty feet, with deep water close
to its shores and, BY cutting off a small
sand bar in lake Michigan, may easily be
converted Into one Of the most perfect har-
bors we have ever seen. pere Marquette
river is about forty miles long. Logs are
floating down it for about thirty miles.
There are upon it several settlements, and
we were informed that about two-thirds of
the neighboring country is valuable for
farming lands and the balance for pine.
The people of Manitowoc and Central
Wisconsin. as also Minnesota, will natural
w look with great interest for the compile
ton of the Michigan railroad to this point,
which we are assured isssnow in rapid pro-
.sress, and will he flushed as far as Sagi
cav his present year. The Manitowoc
and Mississippi railroad being now almost
g,r,I ol ~ Ga. ,c Nnrosha vii! vrb.r con,