Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1875-08-14

SATURDAY, AUGUST IA, 1876.
OUR INLAND NAyIGATION.
Next to the railroad. the most impor-
tant thing Tor Cheboygan to2provide for
is her inland navigation. There is.prob.
ably no town in Michigan, certainly none
in the northern part Of the state, which
has the natural advantages In this respect
that has Cheboygan. Let look ct the
Cheboygan River at the smouth Of
which Il situated Cheboygan, Il nayiga-
BILE its entire length. (six miles), its source
being Mullett Lake, the largest and hand
soonest Inland lake IN the state. This
lake is twelve miles long, and is fed by
Mullet or Indian River. This is between
foafand fivemiles long, and the outlet Of
Burt Lake, another beautiful lake nearly
as large tat Mullett; andabout ten miles
in length. BurtsLake is fed by Crooked
River which is six miles long and Is the
outlet of Crooked, Lake. which IS about
nine miles in length, the head of which
Is only six and q half miles from Petos-
key, the present terminus Of the Grand
Rapids and Indiana Railroad. This gives
us fofty-scven miles of inland river and
lake navigation, provided, Of course, that
the entire line was in "a condition to allow
n - 81
The advantages that would accrue to
this place from having navigation estab-
lished ON 8 these y lakes and riv.
ers are many, both present and pros
pective. There are many settlements
along the line of the route. This would
give them; means of direct communities
ton with this place, and would draw all
their trade here as well as be the market
for their products. 1t would have ten
dency to develope this county faster
than anything else which could be done,
and thus incidentally and prospectively
add to the growth of this place. 1t
would be the means of bringing a large
amount of travel through this way to
Mackinaw, which would otherwise find
some other means of reaching that point.
This of itself would bring in a single
season enough money into the place to
more than pay the expense of opening
up, the route. It would do more than
any other one thing towards making this
place a popular summerresort,5 opening
up, as it would, a much more convenient
route to railroad connections than we
now have. Last, but not least. it would
enable us to procure daily mail. With
all these advantages, and we have not
mentioned nearly all that might be, it
would seem that no time should be lost
in pushing this matter through.
What is there to do, and whst win it
cost to make the route practicable one?
This is pertinent question. As above
stated, boats can at present run as far as
the head Of MuAett Lake. Mullett or
Indian River is navigable to within about
eight hundred feet of Burt Lake, where
2 sand bar iinpedes the running of boats.
This is the most difficult place on the line
to make "a channel sufficiently deep.
Upon this bar the water has been from
eighteen inches to two feet deep. A year
ago, we understand, this subject was con-
siderably agitated and a good deal Of in
terest manifested by our citizens So
important did this work seem that Mr..
Thompson Smith,. Macarthur, Smith &
Co and Mr.. Frank Summons commenced
late last fall, and on their own response
bility did alarge amount of necessary
and permanent work there. Fourteen
hundred spiles were driven, forming a
breakwater and channel for the outlet
of the lake, and to prevent the channel
when once dredged deep enough from
again filing up. This cost the parties
engaged in it above $4,000. The work
that now remains to be done at this
point is to deepen the channel so as to-
allow the passage of vessels, and to make
an,embankment on the outside of the
spies to prevent the sand from again fill
ing in. The estimated cost of this will
bese1O00I The firms interested in the
completion Of the work have already
done, at their own expense, two-thirds
oflthe work required. Z Is it any more
than right that the citizens of the place.
who will be so largely benefited there
by, should arrange for its completion?
Stu, Notwithstanding the large expense
they have already been to, we under
stand that those who have been instru-
mental in pushing the work thus far
would join in the expense of complet-
ingit. After this is done, the channel is
nayigable to within about mile and a
half Of the outlet of Crooked Lake, and
this part of the river has only shoal spots
and would be very easily, and with COM
paratiyely little expense, opened up.
less amount, w0d1d open 5ilfs- 'cFfsfrc
route, when our inland navigation would
be established. a
1t seems hardly necessary to enumerate
the benefits that this would be to the
place. 1t would make all this vast coun-
try south of us tributary to Cheboygan
for the present and the future. The
sooner that the work is done the greater
will be the advantages derived. If Che
boygan would be the business metropo-
lis of the north, it must let no opportu-
nifty pass of opening up communication
with the interior, and making itself felt