Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-08-04

b6Ch VI AtFcIaS oHA AZ 49, -
Of the shore ports. save only
Huntsville and Chehoygan, was
the next thing 10 worthless for
agricultural purposes, that when
the reports began 10 circulate that
farm operations of some magnitude
had commenced and were proving
successful on what are known as
the "burnt lands fourteen miles
"as the crow flies and eighteen
miles by the road, little north OF
west from Alpena, they were bu;
little credited, even in that city,
and we doubt whether a fair esti-
mate, either Of the extent or the
importance Of the improvements,
had ever been made by any citizen
Of that place. We have certainly
never seen such an estimate in
print, neither have we ever heard
any oral suggestion to that effect.
With entirely vague ideas as to
what we should probably discover,
We took advantage Of a recent op-
portunity to visit this burnt land
district; we interviewed several Of
the farmers, saw as much Of the
territory as the little time al our
command would admit, explored a
limited range Of lands as yet IN
developed that we might more &C.
curately understand the present
situation and in that brief journey
found more TO assure Us of the
strength and solidity, the perna-
nent resources, sure progress and
Intimate importance Of the north
ern portion of the lower peninsular
than We have seen in any one year
since We have lived in Michigan.
JEN EhAL ALAAAhN-
Before introducing the few de-
tails which We collected concerning
the burnt lands, gathered in nearly
every instance from the parties
mentioned, whose names and local
tiles are given that any curious
reader may with little trouble as
certain how near correct are the
figures published. we propose to
say something Of the general agri-
cultural development Of the interior
country tributary to ''the shore
from East Tawas north 20 Cheboy-
gan. Back of East Taras are
several townships upon which are
large tracts of burnt land similar
10 that near Alpena, formerly
hard wood country from which the
timber has been nearly obliterated
by fire. having clay subsoil and
mold, light or heavy according to
the situation, on the surface, and
upon these are many farm improve
ments, all Of which are proving
successful. Immediately in the
vicinity Of Harrisville are extern
sive farms, made 10 the timbered
lands. and all ventures of this char
acter ia the vicinity have proved
remunerative; further inland in
the vicinity Of Hubbard lake are
large tracts Of the burnt clay lands,
and they are now being successfully
developed. The interior country
all the way from Alpena to Cheboy-
gan is being rapidly settled by
homesteaders and others who have
gone into the wilderness TO make
farms; and the business Of the
State and Government Land Offices
shows that there have been more
bona tide entries for the purpose OF
settlement and Improvement with
in the past year and half than
for the fifteen years before. Che
boygan is fast becoming an agri-
cultural district, and with the pre-
sent ratio Of progress in this
direction il viii not be five years
before grain and produce will he
exported 10 considerable quantities
from Cheboygan, Alpena, Harris
vile and East Tawas.
THE FIRST BREAK
In the wilderness back of Alpena
was not made on the burnt lands,
bnt in the heavy timbered region
OF town 81 north OF range 6 east.
Sylvester & Flanders have, upon
sections %, 20 and 80 Of this town,
800 acres improved; Of which $50
acres have been in crops for three
years, they have GO acres in grass,
60 acres in oats, 8 acres in barley.
SIS acres in potatoes, and the bal
apce ia other crops, all looking
well. The buildings, substantially