The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-08-20

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strikes upper Lake Michigan at tw,
points; one on Grand Traverse Ba,
aud the other on Little TravcrSe Bay
1t is to he extended soon to til,
northernmost point Of this southern
peninsula OF Mich. MANY ,raseler
aud tourists to Mackiaae. aud o,he
places north. prefer this route I,
making the entire journey by boat
Of its scenes and incidents ma,
have something To say hereafter
Just now ! will confine myself t,
some other matters.
! The western side Of Mich. from
Grand Haven north is given up al
most wholly to the lumber interest
| This is the home of the pine tree
! This is its native heath. One is re-
minded of this wherever he goes
At all the stations there are saw
mills, logs and lumber. The freigh,
trains are all loaded with lumber
Business men on the cars all tall
about lumber. The people general,
look to the proceeds of lumber fo,
their support. Saddest Of all, a,
present the numbering interest, like
every other manufacturing interest
10 suffering badly from the stringency
in money matters. There is general
drag in every department of the
business. Transactions are few and
on small scale. There is an univer.
sal and most daleful complaint oi
hard times. No extensive failures
have yet occurred. but the very best
of men and corporations are hard put
TO meet their Obligations. Inques-
tionably the farmers Of Iowa and all
others dependent on agricultural in
tere>ts, have comparatively little room
for complaint II am any Judge,
they have the long end of the lever
against manufacturers. | am indebt
ed to Col. Stewart Ives for facts bear
ing on the outlook of this important
industry. The Col. has established a
wide reputation as business MANS
well as brave soldier. and cauital
good fellow. He is a responsible
manager in one of the most extensive
and reliable corporations doing busi-
ness in this section His mill is a
noted one, but being off of Of my line
of travel was disappointed iii not
being able to visit il.
Transactions in lumber here last
season were unusually large, Under
the stimulus Of the Chicago fire and
the steady increase Of prices, which
had been prevailing for some time,
very large number OF logs were cut,
and for the same reasons were quite
generally brought to the mills, sawed,
and the proceeds thrown upon the
market. This OVERRIDING of the mat
ter, as well as the general financial
trouble tended to confuse the trade.
Prices soon became seriously low
Nevertheless. about all of that over
stock has now been sold. 1t was in
the hands of those obliged to SELL
Consumers have reaped the benefits.
And now the reaction, as the liability
always is, has gone too far. Probably
not over one-half, certainly not over
two-thirds Of the average amount OF
logs were cut this season. The mills
will be compelled to stop at least a
month earlier than usual for want OF
logs. This, remembering that some
of them cut as high as one hundred
and twenty thousand feet day, and
that their aggregate number reaches
into the hundreds, means good deal,
And as to next season. something can
be told; as some of the preparations
need to be made before now. From
this it is known that the supply Of
logs will be light. Few Of those
whose business it is to cut logs are in
situation to conduct their enterprise
on their usual scale. Those who are
able have not been disposed to do it
on account of the confusion in all
business matters. a goodly number
are not intending TO do anything
Some of course are SO badly crippled
as not to be able to do anything: and
it is a bad time for new men TO EN-
bark IN the business. Thus The mat
ter stands. With the constantly in
creasing demand in the cities and the
prairie States it is hard to see what
is to prevent a great scarcity of lum
Der within the next twelvemonth,
and a consequent rise in prices. 1t
seems evident that the bottom has
about been reached, and if SO, retail
dealers and consumers should take
notice and act accordingly. This is
the way it seems to me and | write
thus without fee or favor or improper
influence of any kind from any one.
There are IA great many thriving
towns and cities sprnging up
throughout this region. Grand Rap
ids is rather the metropolis Of the re-
gion. 1t is full OF enterprise and by
ac,ual count has increased from
$4,000 to $4,000 in the last three
years. 1t is situated on Grand Riv-
er, thirty-five miles from is mouth
at Grand Haven. Big Rapids, So
miles north Of Grand Rapids, is the
next more prominent inland city. 1t
is brisk and spirited as race horse.
It has the Holly system Of water
works, some fine churches and bust
ness blocks and has more than
doubled its population in three years.
Clam Lake, 40 miles still farther
north, is also place that promises a
good deal. It's situation. as its name
implies, on an inland lake Of consid-
erable size, is an attractive feature.
A little paint would greatly improve
the appearance of most of the vii
lagos one sees in this State.
Who, | would like to know, ever
got ahead of the editors, with their
attendant troop of "devils'? They
are in Mich. in full force. am in
debted for favors TO Charlie GAY
who, in addition to his duties as
county Clerk, edits the Big Rapids
Pioneer and, with his sixteen wei
filed, interesting pages, runs smart
race for popular esteem and favor
with his friend Rose of the Noguet.
Yours Truly, b.
Chinese MHxlms.
| l. Let every one sweep the snow
from his own door. and busy not him