The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1860-05-16
For the Grand Haven News.

meSSfS. DAhNss AL atSio oPPo"NN
in late issue Of the Muskegon Reporter,
addressed to the Honorable Governor and
State officers comprising the State Board
of the State of Michigan, stating that
they had just learned that an effort is be-
ing made to alter the road now laid by
the State Commissioner, from Ferysburg
to Muskegon, and that they demonstrate
against it, giving five different reasons for
so doingi
1. Because the road, as now laid, is
in accordance with the views of those who
drafted the bill, and in accordance with
the letter and spirit of the law, and that
il would be three and half miles short
or than the proposed route.
AS 10 the views of those who drafted
the bill, in the spirit and letter of the law,
l have only this to say--that if the pro-
posed road can be built with cost of
some thousands of dollars less than the
other and be road that will accommo-
date the public generally, and on arriving
at Muskegou, one of the points desgna-
ted in the road bill, it will not increase
the distance over half a mile, it does seem
that il can not affect the esprit and let
Ter of the law, or the "drafters of the
BILL" very seriously.
2. That there Is more swamp land on
each side of the road, as now laid, than
on the proposed altered road.
That is true and always will be, so far
as the building of the road would drain
it. What water tho bitches would hold
would be all the drainage-hcre being no
outlet to the bitches. According to the
survey bill there is five miles Of swamp,
and within the five miles one mile of
windfall. From Ferrysburg to Black
Lake il is seven miles, and that is swamp,
|
with the exception of one mile at each
end. The proposed road runs on a ridge
of dry land, within threc-fourths of mile
of Little Black Lake; there it takes the
marsh and runs on n direct line to the
west shore of Little Black Lake. The
bitches formed on each side of the road
will drain the marsh into the lake. The
road then follows the beach half a mile
to the outlet of the Lake, then runs on a
direct line to the section corners, so, 81,
25 and SO, on the town limo between
towns 0, range II, and town range 8,
running nearly parallel with the creek,
half a mile, with fall Of eight feet.
The necessary bitches to make the road
will lower the lake three or four feet, and
drain some seventeen hundred acres Of
swamp land, and largo amount Of
government land which the lake flows in
| IllD ii NuJOIs hJ JlO SCCllOu SOIuOIo IO-
ferrcd to it takes road now laid and cut
out three rods wide, or nearly so, half the
distance cleared and now in use. The
distance from the section corners to Black
Lake is nearly three miles, and is the on
ly land that is now capable of cultivation,
on either route, unless it is the plains or
swamp, some five sections being hard tim
bered land. From Black Lake to Mus
kegon the routes are about the same eli
Their way.
l will only add, that if the road bill
: stands on such slender foundation rs tc
be brought in disrepute, by so altering tho
road TO accommodate the public, that il
7 is time it should be known.
AS for the Fourth and fifth reasons
they are purely imaginary and without
cause. SURVEYOR.