The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1865-01-17

ployment. to q large number Of men,
and thus increase the home demand for
our surplus products. ~ ~ i,' '',l
"A large portion of the territory Of
Michigan is underlaid by vast beds Of
mineral deposits; and in this descrip-
tion of wealth she is unsurpassed by
any State in the Union. Her copper is
OF great purity, and its mines-o un-
known extent-have already, alth ,ugh
in their infancy, reached an. annual
yield Of more than 10000 tons, equal in
value, at the point Of shipment, to the
sum Of ~ 100000. Her iron mines are
also Of great extent, and the ore is of
the richest and finest quality and al
though they have very recently been
opened, the first yield being only l,447
tons in the year 1855, yet during the
past year the shipments from Marquette
have reached the aggregate of24s,o0O
gross tons, besides %, 900 tons supplied
to the furnaces of Marquette, of the ag-
gregate value of more than two millions
of dollars. The immense increase ex-
hibited here, in commerce lust born,
as it were, renders it futile to attempt
an estimate Of its future Importance.
The prospective worth of these mines
is, in truth, almost incalculsblc.
Michigan has also extensive fields of
coal, containing q quantity sufficient TO
feed the furnaces of the world. Much
Of it is of good quality, and all Of it is
valuable for manufacturing and other
purposes. In the absence ofmanufac-
lures, and from the abundance of fuel
incident to a new woodland country,
little attention has heretofore been Civ
en- to this subject; yet the time is not
far distant when the coal fields of Mich
igan will be q source Of much wealth.
There are also extensive beds of gyp-
sum of unsurpassed richness and of
great value, not only to the farmer rs q
fertilizer, but to the State as an article
of commerce.
Numerous springs of saline waters
abound in the Saginaw Valley, as we'll
as in other sections of the State, which
it is believed will yield an inexhaustible
supply of the strongest brine. To aid
IN giving 4 more general idea of the
| great Importance and value of this in
terest, ! will state briefly few facts in
connection with the manufacture of salt
in that Valley for the year 1864:
Amount of salt produced bbls .... 4sS IS9
Amount OF wood consumed corJs.... 1872 047
Aggregate value Of wood. ......... $685., ,l75
Equal to land cleared, acres ........ 3,"5l
Average numi sr of men employed. TAI
Aggregate vulue Of barrels used. ..... $2l9.6e
Total amount Vt capital invested. $50. 2 100 QUO
Average value Of salt at shipping
| roiEt per burrel.... ............... 81 ~
Aggregate value Of salt At shipping
! point. ................... 81 ,O9S ,aa5
have no doubt the interest Of this
great staple would be materially bene-
fitted by the passage OF proper law
for its iaxpeefioa and as those engaged
in the business will undoubtedly ask for
some law on the subject, would rec
ommend such Legislation as will the
most effectually promote the interests
OF the manufacturers-and at the same
time protect the public from imposition
by the sale OF an impure article.
1t is also believed by many that rich
and productive springs Of oil will yet
be discovered within the limits of the
State, indications of which are found in
many places; and to aid in the more
speedy settlement Of this question, /
would suggest, for your consideration,
the passage Of law authorizing the
payment OF reasonable bounty on oil,
subject, however, to such restrict 'ons,
as to duration and amount, as would
/ xt has Il.
some, in the event of a success in the
discovery, similar to that Of salt in the
Saginaw Valley. H......
These are some Of the great natural
resources of Michigan, and which, when
properly developed, are destined to
make her one Of the most prosperous
aud popuious, as well as one ofthe rich
est States in this Union. Even now
she is advancing rapidly in wealth and
Importance, and must very soon-if
wisely governcd---occupy a proud pos
ition among her sister States. Her ge-
ographical position and natural advan-
tages cannot fail to secure for her q
prosperous future. / commend these
great interests to your fostering care
and to your favorable consideration,
and ask that such special and local, as
well as general laws may be enacted as
will tend to secure their speedy and
permanent development.
To attlin this important object two
things are essentially necessary,-the
acquisition of 'oJor and the introduction
Of capital; and to these ends should leg
islation be directed,
..,. IMMIGRATION. ...,..,
A very small portion of the State has
as yet been reclaimed and settled, and
/ apprehend it is safe to calculate that
nearly five-sixths of her entire territory
remains to day wilderness. We want
settlers. Those vast tracts of woodland,
however rich and fertile they may be,
are of no use to us until cleared and I'M
proved ; and nothing but labor can do
it. Our rich mines of copper, iron,
coal and gypsum our springs Of salt,
aud as we trust of oil /; our fisheries, and
our forests of valuable timber; ars all
of little consequence unless developed
and made productive by the hand ofia-
bor. say then again, most emphatic
ally, we w"nf men, zoe wast settlers, and
the true interest Of the whole State re-
quires that immigration should be en-
conraged and fostered by needful lcgis-
lation. A knowledge Of our agricultu-
raj resources, of our mineral wealth, of
the healthiness of our climate, and Of
/ al. - L n \