Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-06-21
PRESENT APPEARANCE OF THE CITY.

from the bay, the first time, will
not be very much impressed by the
scene before him, especially if he
be artistically inclined. The woods
on both sides of him have nearly
all been burnt by fires or cut down
by the energetic lumberman, and
the once beautifully wooded shores
are now spotted with gaunt, desc
late looking skeletons of dead trees.
The land on which the city is sit
uated is low, and not at all invi-
ting to one who is fond of high
mountains, bold crags, and similar
poetical, but impractical places.
The scene before the approaching
visitor will be a vision of houses,
mills, lumber piles, and vessels,
while prominently in view he will
notice the fine appearance of the
Central School building, and the
bold, commanding, yet graceful
appearance of the Fletcher House.
But to a practical mind the view,
as the boat steams up the river,
presents very different appear
ance, and such q mind will readily
recognize the signs of commercial
activity and prosperity that sur
rounds it. The singing of saws as
they rip up the logs; the noise of
the engines; the rattle of lumber
trucks; the log RATS slowly mean
dering down stream, and the ves-
sells, steamboats,, and sail-boats that
attract the attention, speak vol
umns for the business that is going
on in our lively, go-ahead city.
There is no Disgusting the fact that
most persons are unfavorably i'm
pressed with the first view they
have of the city, but Alpena is
like true friend, it improves with
acquaintance. 1t presents few at
fractions for the loafer or the lazy
individual, but to person Of en-
terprise and energy, it proves a
real friend aud gives back many
fold for labor invested.
The city extends on the bay
about a mile and back from the bay
along both sides of the river about
the same distance. 1t contains
numerous fine residences, which
have an air of comfort about them,
pleasing to behold, while the
grounds around them are, general
ly, tastefully arranged. Except in
business centers, almost every house
in town occupies lot of generally
about one-fifth of an acre, and
thus the city is spread over a large
extent of ground for the number
of inhabitants. The streets are
paved with sawdust, or pulverized
plank as they are jocosely termed,
and it tends in a great measure to
deaden the sound of vehicles as
they pass up and down the streets.
The greatest fault that is found
with the patent pulverized pave
ment is its great inclination for
visiting-its greatest desire being
to get on some other street, and ii
is nothing uncommon to see half
a dozen streets so badly mixed up
by the wind, that even the Street
Commissioner is unable to tell
which is which. Numerous trees
have been planted along the line of
the streets, and in the time to come
will aid considerably In beautifying
The city. The streets as a general
rule are hid out at right angles
with each other, but a few cut
across diagonally, notably among
which is Washington avenue which
Is laid out on a section line. The
generally,i lis very agreeable,
although we sometimes experience
q few hot days, but the nights are
almost always cool and refreshing.
The river divides the city into
two parts, and furnishes very con-
place for vessels to load in.
Vessels can go almost up to the
dam which is distant from the
mouth of the river about a mile.
Two bridges connect the two sides,
one, swing bridge, between Dock
and Second streets, and the other
where Chisholm street touches the
river. The dockage facilities can
be increased to great extent by
placing lock at the dam, and thus
the vessels to a level with
the waters above. There are four
docks outside the river which ex-
tends into the bay, viz: Campbell,