Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-03-30
Correspondence.


ers of your paper little description of
Southern Michigan, and also of the Hoosier
State, the prosperity of which we look to
with much interest-especially those who
are connected with the lumber business.
Taking the cars at the Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern depot, we leave the"Vai
ley City with her population in the North.
After passing through sparsely settled
country for some 35 miles, we begin to no.
tice an improvement ia the farms and coun-
try, until we arrive at Kalamazoo, So miles
South from the former city. This is one OF
the finest villages in the State, containing a
bout 10, 900 inhabitants, aud surrounded by
as good farming country as can be found
on this Peninsula Several of the principal
streets have been laid with the Nicholson
pavement, during the last year. The I'M
provements speak well of her inhabitants,
which are seldom exceiled even in much larg-
er cities. Changing cars here we take the
Michigan Central, and after several hours
ride on one of the best roads in the State,
and passing through a very beautiful coun-
try, We are surprised to find ourselves at
Michigan City, s5 miles from Kalamazoo.
This city contains some 5000 inhabitants,
bounded on the North by Lake Michigan,
on the East and West by high Sand Bluffs.
Nothing very attractive to a stranger, in the
winter season, is observed in this place.
Some 10000, 900 feet of lumber was landed
at the harbor during the last season-most
of which was distributed through the coun-
try South.
Not making connection with the regular
passenger train, we took an accommodation
which, very fortunately fer US passengers.
had conductor who relieved the tedious
journey very much by his kind attentions
and information respecting the country
through which we passed.
On nearing the old Tippecanoe Battle
Ground, he called our attention to natural
| curiosity, an oak tree, about ~ inches in
| diameter. grown up abont feet high, turn
ed at right angle about l6 feet and grew in
TO another oak forming a complete arch
and one tree from the two trunks. 1t is
/ supposed to be an experiment Of the Indi-
ans at an early day For seventy miles
South OF this city We have an air line Rail
Road. More than half of this distance the
country presents one general appearance, low
swamp prarie, with only here and there a
| farm and few houses at the several Rail
Road crossings, looking at distance IKE
small islands on the great ocean.
Lafayette is the first place of Importance
after leaving Michigan City on the L. n A.
and C. r. r. A farming country surrounds
this city which, with her manufacturing es
adjustments, makes 1t quite place of bus
iness. have noticed some 90 large ice
hn,,sos LOi..s nilrd with Ice Tor the Southern
market-some being shipped to New Or
leans. The Wabash and Erie canal running
from Toledo to Terrc Haute passes through
this place.
Indianapolis, the next place o. import
anec, is one of the largest inland cities in
the West. Eleven Rail Roads centre here
in one depot, making it quite an important
| place from that fact aione Business pros
poets are moderately fair. and the city still
growing. Here obtained pass TO Louis
vile, Kentucky, by paying So 00--loS miles
distant
Louisville is place too we'll snown to at
tempt a description fit. However, it Uni .ht
be well to mention, there has not been time
siace the war that the Rail Road companies
have handled so much freight as they have
within the last few months. About one hun
dreG teams are used in transferring goods
across the river, and still the warehouses
were filed with freight waiting shipment
The new Rail Road bridge which has just
been completed, will make quite an improve
ment in shipping gods, and especially on
cotton, making its way to the Eastern mar
ket by rail- Steamboat men were also very
busy. More inquiry was made as to when
goods would reach their destination, than
Of the charge to take them.
After enjoying several days of this fuctu-
ating spring like climate-not altogether TO
my satisfaction, however, for [ had taken a
severe cold, and the first one | had this win
teri arranged my affairs to start for home
to enjoy the gradual growing warm temper
! ature of Michigan, where arrived in few
| days, by a circuitous route-having gone
down the river some two hundred miles to
Evansville, and returned via. Terre Haute.
At the latter place the snow had all disap-
peared, but on arriving at Grand Rapids, |
found the temperature had been so moder-
ate as to leave two feet of snow on the
ground and was reported to be 4 feet deep
40 miles North of this-a heavy snow hav-
ing fallen just the day refore my return.
The snow is. however, fast disappearing.
and we are looking for rise in our streams
The amount of lumber got to the streams on
the West shore will be about ] less than last
year; but on the East, with the logs left
over 1t will not fail much short of last year.
The arrivals at the different Hotels, foot
up several hunared per day. showing that we
are not altogether neglected by the travelling
| public. We have also been favored this
winter with several prominent Lecturers
among the number Theodore Tilton, Mrs.
Stanton, and Miss Anna Dickinson.
The latest sensation in this vicinity is the