Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-07-04
MICHIGAN In SUMMER.


Dear Reed:-School over, in common
with students, turned my back on the
old Institute on Friday morning, for a
short run among the Michi- gsnders, prior
to the meeting of our State Teachers As
sociation at Putin Bay The ride over
the A., Y. 6 P. and Mahoning Valley
roads was without interest, only as show
ing how much Ihe late rains have done
to advance vegetation.
Ate, P. NJ, went aboard the r. NJ
Rice, Capt. Mckay, bound for Detroit.
Nothing could be nicer than our rice
across the lake, that calm, beautiful night.
When daylight came, we found ourselves
fairly between the banks of Detroit River,
dotted with villages and home-like resi-
dences on either hand, surrounded as they
are with beautiful fields and forests. 1
was particularly interested in noticing the
TACT that while the Canada shore is con-
siderably steep and bluff like, the Ameri-
can rises but little above the water. On
the Canada side are many very beautiful
country seats. Fort Wayne interested me
most ofanything I noticed on our own
shore
After breakfast and run of an hour or
two in Detroit, at o'clock. found N.Y.
self booked for Hastings, 13O miles inland.
As expect to spend day or two in De-
troit on my return. have nothing to sa Y
of the past or present of the old city al
this time. Leaving on the Michigan Cen
trail, the first object of interest was the
wreck of freight train about five miles
out. On the Wednesday night previous,
some unknown parties broke into the
Junction shops and distracted tools with
which they tore up two rails-design
undoubtedly, the destruction of the Pacif-
ic Express, the next train due. An extra
freight, being in advance OF this, was
thrown from the track, five cars were
smashed, the engine and tender much
damaged and five sheep slaughtered This
Wanton attempt at wholesale sacrifice of
human life, is supposed to be the work of
band of ruff1ans, one of whose number
was shot by express messenger Heath on
the night of May 29th, in bold attempt
to rob the express safe, of which the fol-
ing is brief account:
One of the boldest attempts at express
robbery in the history of the Northwest,
was made on the Michigan Central R. R.,
Friday evening, May 29th, at about eight
o'clock resulting in the death of one of the
robbers, somewhat serious injury to the
express messenger and the loss of $2,7OO
in money. Just after the lightning ex-
press had passed New Buffalo, going east,
Mr.. 5. B. Heath, the messenger, sat in
front of his iron chest sorting money
packages ready for delivery at the proper
stations, with both doors of the car lock-
ed, when he suddenly perceived the foot
and leg of man standing at one end of
the chest. On attempting to look up, he
| was struck blow on the forehead, which
| felled him to the floor, when the man put
out the light, seized several money pack
ages and escaped by the front door, which
| had been pried open. AS soon as Mr.
Heath recovered sufficiently to rise, he
was attacked by another man, with whom
he had fearful struggle in the darkness,
| both men at last falling, Mr.. Heath under
meath. After much effort, Mr. Heath drew
his revolver from his pocket and shot the
man through the head, who at once rolled
| off and became insensible.
Mr.. Heath became insensible as he fir
| ed, and remained unconscious until he
reached Niles, when, being unable to rise,
he called for help, and the robber was
| found upon the floor, just breathing his
last A $1,000 package of money was
| found upon the floor, which the escaping
robber probably dropped in his fight, and
| $2,700 were missing. The dead robber
was left at Miles, but nothing was found
on his person to give any clue by which
to ascertain who he was, or his compeers
may be. Detectives are on the track of
the man who escaped, who is thought to
have jumped the train at once.
The county house and the outlying
farm, judging from extended appearance,
are in full accord with the humanitarian
ideas of the age, and show that Wayne
Co., the home of Cass, does not forget her
poor Many of the villages and towns
along the road, have very thrifty APP
pearance, and possess the essential ele-
ments of material growth. Of Ann Ar
Dor, l hope to speak after visit of day
or two. Foster, ON Huron River, has ex-
tensive woolen and paper factories. At
Delhi are situated the celebrated Gondell
Touring mills, whose shipments East are
very extensive. Grass Lake, named from
a small lake in whose waters grass grows
luxuriantly, is the site of hourlshins
water cure. Here arc some OF the miner
al springs for which the peninsula Is oe
coming celebrated. The principal ingre-
d;an,s in the water are 'sulphate OF soda,
snlnbate of potash, chloride oi SODIUM ana
b,corbonate of iron-enough TO spoil any
motor Here people come by the score to
- o,,rod of scrofula, rheumatism, dyspep-
=, and the thousand ills that flesh Is heir
70 Between Chelsea and Francisco, judg-
ing from appearances, the people are en-
gagged in raising Christmas trees, and
have already a sufficient number of most
magnificent ones to supply the world for
full generation. The inhabitants of the
latter place are mainly Germans, if the
n-"Kiemenschneide Grossenschmidt
Pickelschmelter s. Co.," can be relied on
as any index TO nationality.
Having to wait several hours at Jack
son, very thriving city, took occasion
10 visit tho Estate Reform College" To-
Gated at this place. The morning was
there, the professor who holds the lever
to the outer gate, told me that 700 stu
dents responded to roll call. The schoo'
is a mixed one, three women being IN az
tendance, The general attendance strap, Is rap,
idly increasing, having advanced severS, a.
hundred Iu a few years, The course ,, Of
study Is very thorough and practical, the
most So believe, OF any school l have
ever visited. The first class room I en-
tered, they were Tecidng In cabinet work.