The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-12-03
TriD 10 the Capitol and Beyond.

Baldwin at 10 n. III. Monday, on
the mixed train over the Flint II
Pcrc Marquette Railway, in charge
OF that courteous, oblisi"g Con-
duc,or, Charlie Sugars, we reached
Reed CRY in ample time to board
tho train south ON the Grand Rap
ids II Indiana Railway, at 1926 p.
M, for Howard City. Being rush.
ed along with the speed ofthe wind
they do SNAKE time" On this road)
there was no difficulty in arriving
at the above last mentioned point
in time to step into one OF the com.
Portable coaches OF Che Detroit,
Lansing & Lake Michigan Railway,
bound for the State capitol direct.
1t had been storuing IA snow
storm since morning, Lut such M
occurrence iRterfered slightly with
our comfort, for the luxurious coach
Is on our railways Of to-day are
far different from the stages Of days
gone by, and the bowling Of storm
is scarcely heard, and its effects are
unroticcd within their confines.
For quite number ct miles at
ter leaving Howard City, the d.,
l.. T. l.. NJ. Railway passes through
comparatively "new" country,
with dense forests just beginning t"
feel the real effects If civilization.
Farther on We passed through the
beautiful and thriving towns of
Grcenvillc, Ionia and Portland, sur
rounded with an excellent farming
country, thickly dotted with i'm
proved farms. OF course, every
thing out of doors bore the snmbre
aspect Of Winter, but the neat and
tasty tarm houses, commotlious
barns, ETC., were sufficient evidence
Of thrift, enterprise and prosperity
Of the inhabitants, Gliding swiftly
along, early evening found ua a,
the capitol, where We alishted to
spend the night, before resulning
our journey eastward. Stopping
ut the first hotel we cane to, which
proved to be very good one, We
made ourselves comfortable indoors.
leaving our stroll to stake a Look at
the town" till the morrow. In the
morning we walked ont npon the
principal streets, visiting the site "f
the new capitol building, which will
he a massive and imposing struct.
urs. we found under way, mp to the
height of the first story. The work
Of dressing stone still progress about
the sheds erected within the yard.
hut active progress upon the build
ing has been postponed till Spring.
Ii the beginning is a fair sample of
tho cnd, the new capitol building
will he one of which the people of
Michigan may well feel proud. As
a rule, the buildings Of Lansing are
Of u common order, although hand
some and costly business blocks and
dwellings, are completed and in
process tf reconstruction. We should
place the present population at four
or five thousand.
Having completed our ramhle,
transacted the business which had
called us there, at about 10 o'clock
We again embarked on the d., l..
u l.. M. Railway for Detroit, arriv.
ing there at 2 p. IN. On setting
ont upon our return the following
day, we found il clear, pleasant, but
cool, and before VIC had reached
Howard City snow was falling; and
at Reed City, there was very good
sIeighing. At Baldwin it had
sturrned almost the entire time OF
our absence, and there was more
snow than at the points farther east
Before we close, we feel like say
ing word or two in regard to the
d., L. e L. NJ. Railway, and the
country through which it passes
The road is excellently equipped
as regards rolling stock, and seems
to havo rs gentlemanly a set Of
employees as one can meet with or
Railway lines. One thing, how
ever, we did notice, and that is, &
deficiency in the brakes, and con-
sequent tardiness in checking
trains. From all we were able tc
observe tho road is al present doing
a good business, both in the passen
ger and freight lines. We certain
Iy see no reason why 1t should no
be a pa. ing road, passing as it doe
through some Of the very best farm
ing lands in M chigan, throuel
many handsome aud prosperou
villages = among tho most inpor.
tant "f which, in addition to thes,
above named, we not, Williamson
Howell, Plymouth and o. ers. Fol
the most par, the surface of th,