The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-10-02
A TfiD TO Baldwin.

grained on Tuesday last, by a
brief visitt to Baldwin. Our man.
ner OF travelling was by the stage
which left Chase shortly after /
o'clock IN the afternoon, The
passengers, myself included, con-
sisted Of three ladies' and two
gentlemen, and together with the
necessary baggage made all the
load rho horses could well draw.
BY way of explanation I will say
at the outset that | design this
letter more particularly for those
readers WHO never have visited
Lake county, and not for those
who are familiar with it.
Directly after leaving Chase We
passed for some distance through
dense pine forest, which is in
striking contrast to tho abundant
beech, maple ard other lard wood
trees to be found on the entire
lcngtl'of road between Chase aud
Reed City. A ride Of some two
or three miles brought us to Sum-
mitville, which consists at present
Of a hotel, Postoflicc, lumber mill,
with three or four dwelling houses.
MIR. "A. Il ,ndall is we believe, the
proprietor Of the hotel and mill.
After halting for a few moments
t" allow tho changing Of mails VIC
again started, being assured by
the driver that from thence to
Baldwin We wouId have "good
roads," very agreeable inf"rma-
ton, surely, after the severe JOLT
ing experienced between our
point OF starting and the last men.
toned town, Another short ride
brought us to Nirvana. This
town is finely located, and al
though but little has rs yet been
accomplished by way OF buildings
and improvements, yet there was
considerable cvldeneu OF enter
prise, which will doubtless carry
it forward to become ono Of the
finest villages in the county. d.
Knighr, Esq. is one Of it not the
principal land owser here, and is
proprietor Of the Nirvana House
as also Il lslnber mill. Two stores
and dwelling houses combined are
now in process OF erection, and
there are besides two or three
dwellings already erected and &C.
cupled.
Leaving Nirvana, we proce ed
cd on our journey for a mile or 50
when We enter upon what is known
az the "Plains ! can hardly say
that l was surprised at the appear
ance Of this part of tho emmy,
for l really never had heari any
one give q desc UPTON of it. My
first thought was that the"P ains"
were like some vast and beautiful
park. The land, though compar-
atively level, ia yet sufficiently
"rolling'' to make it look has,T-
some and to prevent any accu-
mutation of water, If water could
accumulate in stagnant ponds on
the liz ut soil. The. soil is covered
with a species of wild grass, clos.
ely resembling, if not identical
with the grass found on our Yves.
tern prairies. With this we find
dwarf whortleberry bushes, most
Of them scarcely eight inches in
height, which during the past sea.
produce dan almost unlimited
amount Of fruit, of the largest and
finest kind. | also noticed many
patches of wild strawberries, bSa
The feature which adds most IL
the at,ractivcncss of the "Plaius'
at the present season of the year,
is the groves of shrub oaks and
small pines with scattering trees
OF the Same kinds. The leaves o!
the oaks have now all turned t6
the yellow and crimson bues' OIL
Autumn, and contrasting with the
deep green of the pines, present
a scene which nust be seen. to bt
fully appreciated. There is M
entire absence Of underbrnsh anC
decaying logs that usually mar,
the beauty Of any new country
where trees Of any sort abound
AS we approach nearer to Bald
win, keeping near the line Of the
+. Il p. M, Railway, we pass
several beautiful Lakes, Of grcatcl
or less extent, whose waters arc
clear and abouhding in bass. pcrcl,
and other varieties of excellcn,
fish.
As regards the farming quail.
ties Of the land Oh the "Pains'
| nm assured that il will produce
fair crops, althongh the prdfusior