Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-04-22

Onsaal Paper a ChsboyBan Coonty.
SATURDAY. April %, 1876.
CHkDOYGAN HAitBoR APPRoPRil
f1Of.
We do not again refer to our harbt
matters, because we wish to complain {
the manner In which our claims wei
considered by Congress, but to call al
tention to certain inconsistencies IN come,
ton with this matter, which may be q
benefit to US in the future. That Oh.
boygan did not receive an appropriate
commensurate with its importance, or 1
propo- ion to the aid extended to som
other places, is evident. Just where th
fault lies we will not at present sa,
Neither do we wish to intimate that an,
one purposely overlooked this place. /
was doubtless the lack of information re
garding the size and importance Of Che
poygan that caused the trouble.
We are in the receipt of letter from
Hon. Geo. Durand, the Michigan
member Of the Conn., commis.ee
He says. II have done all 1 coulu 'or one
ooygan. 1 think / realize its full impor-
lance and have done my whole duty in
urging its claims" We will give Mr..
Durand credit for his good intentions
ana his labor in our behalf, but we can.
not think that he realizes the full impor-
tSnce of Cheboygan. or he never wou,d
nave consented for the bill to have been
reported in the shape it was. There are
several places which appear upon the list
with appropriations equal, and even
larger than Cheboygan, which do not
now, nor can they ever expect to do half
the business of Cheboygan. Most nota-
ole amorg these places is McCargoes
Cove, Isle Royals, Lake Superior.
Isle Royale is desolabe island of sixteen
or seventeen thousand acres in the center
OF Lake Superior, north of the peninsula
OF keweenaw. 1t has never been inhab-
ited until within a few years. The pop-
uiafon, according to the census of Mich
agan IN 1874 was four, although there is
q noating population of miners, who
Come there only for the purpose of min
ing. 1t has no commerce except that
which is created by the mining products.
There are no improved lands on the is
land, and, of course, no manufactures or
farm products. In 1874 two horses, six
oxen, six swine, and one mich COW COM
prised its live stock, and an acre of wild
strawberries its agricultural wealth. In
brief, it is simply and solely mining
colony. The mines are Immediately adj
jacent to McCargoe's Cove, and the ap-
preparation Of $4,000 of the public
money is intended to aid the owners of
these mines in getting out their ore.
1t Serves no public purpose whatsoever.
There Is Just as much reason why the
Government should appropriate fifteen
thousand dollars to aid them in opening
up their mines or putting up their ma |
chinery, as to appropriate money tor Nc
Cargoe's Cove. 1t is an improvement
Tor the mine and the mining company,
and it Is to be added to, and reckoned
among, the assets of the company.
Mr.. Durand thinks he fully realizes the
importance of Cheboygan, and vet he
will give the above described place $4,000
more than this; which is conclusive ev-
idence, in our opinion, that he knows
very little about Cheboygan at all. Char
leyoix received $4,000. We are glad OF
1T. 1t was needed there. But who will
say, that is at all acquainted with the
two places, that Charlevolx is equal in
Importance to Cheboygan. There are
other places where the difference is
equally great. No, the trouble was be-
cause the importance of Cheboygan was
not fully realized by those who;had influ-
encc in making up the report OF the COM
mittee. l'ai
MIR. Durand states further shat $40,
OOO 'cas all zoe could get and was more
than its proportion as compared with the
reductions in the general bill" Cheboy-
gan did not receive last year an amount
commensurate with the importance of
the Improvement. Last year the appro-
priations were extremely liberal, and yet
Cheboygan received only $4,000, when
places where improvements were not of
so much general importance received
double and treble the amount. What
Is the result this year? Even the
small allowance OF last year is arbitrari-
ly cut down one-third because of rule
adopted BY the dominant party to reduce
the appropriations. and apparently with
out careful examination into the needs
of the place, but taking it for granted
that Cheboygan received all it deserved
last year. 1t seems very clear to us that
1t was the ratio of reduction which was
looked at in deciding upon our appro-
priation more than the importance of the
place, and without an examination into
the needs of the shipping interests.
Perhaps taking everything into consid-
Grafton, Michigan has received all she
could reasonably expect, but Cheboygan
should have received the $4,000 set apart
for McCargoe's Cove. Mr.. Stone, a mem
Der OF the House from Missouri, is di-
rector Of the mining company at Isle
Royale, for whose benefit this $4,000 ap-
preparation was made. 1t has every ap-
pearance Of good sized "job" for the
personal benefit of Mr.. Stone and his