The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-23
NEWS FROM THE NORTHWEST.

NEWS FROM THE NORTHWEST.
The ssNOrthern WildGrnesso of
Michigan-Thes stGigantic WOrk''
of the Wisconsin Central R. R.
far OutdOne by Michigan Enter
'prise-The Grand Rapids & Indi-
ana RailrOad-Ten Thousand
Square Miles of Good Country
Opened to Settlement.
Correspondence of the Star.
PIERsoN, MICH, March 20, 1878.
Our little town is situated in the lum-
Der region, about twenty five miles north
of Grand Rapids, and about one hundred
and ninety-two south of Mackinac. Our
village has an ehterprising and indus
trious population of about eight hundred.
\ We are on the line OF the Grand Rapids
81 Ind. Railroad, and our town, like every
other one in the vicinity and north Of US,
has an existence of only five or six years.
The timber here is about half pine, the
balance mainly beech and maple. Sew
eral heavy mills here are cutting lumber
and shingles and shipping them south.
ward. Three passenger trains pass each
way daily, and halfa dozen freight trains.
Lalga quantities OF ice have been sent
over this road the past few weeks to
points in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.
Our winter, which during the proper
winter months has been very mild, has
lately set in in dead earnest. We have
u foot OF snow here at this date, and
more north OF us. Light sleighs are play
| ing In the streets, and lumDermen are
hauling logs upon runners.
Sometime since / saw an article going
the rounds of the newspapers, purport-
| ing to be from the pen of Hon. S. S.
Fideld in the Ashland Wis Press,
claiming great credit to the citizens OF
Wisconsin, tor pushing their Central
Railroad tifty-tiye miles into wilder
ness. Ha
1t is not my purpose to try to belittle
this enterprise OF the Badger State. But
it is due 10 the people OF Michigan to
say that work has been recently
achieved here, which, in magnitude of
undertaking, difficulties overcome, and
completeness of Workmanship, throws
this boasted achievement Of the Badgers
into the shade. mean the construction
of the Grand Rapids Il Indiana Railroad
tor Two hundred miles into the woods.
Some years ago a company was formed
and charter obtained from the States
of Indiana, Michigan and OHIO, for the
purpose OF opening continuous rail
road communication between Cincinnati
aud Mackinac in northern Michigan.
After years of untold labor and the ex-
penditure of millions of m oney the work
| has been completed to Petosky, within
thirty miles of the proposed northern
terminus. A branch has also been con-
structed from Motion, station on the
main line, To Traverse City, distance
OF tWeniy-siX miles. The work complete
will form Il continuous line OF more than
| five hundred miles in length. From Gin
cinnati to Richmond, Ind.,. trains run
| upon the road OF another company, leay-
ling over four hundred and twenty. five
| miles of road that this company have
actually built.
Now starting from Rockford, Is miles
north OF Grand Rapids, northWard, the
road for nearly The whole distance, POI
miles, has been laid down into a hithertu
almost unbroken wilderness. 1t is up-
necessary TO add that in the accom-
pliehment OF this. work, numerous
streams, gorges and valleys have been
| spanned, hills have been cut through,
jand low places graded up to make per.
iect track.
/ IL mas opened to easy settlement an
area of new country 5000 miles in ey,
tent, No less than fifty villages OF con.
siderable note have sprung into exist
ence along the line OF this road since
| the enterprise was planned. lChas dl.
rectly and indirectly added $1,000 inhab-
Iitants TO the population OF our State. Ii
| mas carried many millions OF dollars
worth Of lumber and manufactured arL.'
cles out of our State, and brought back
millions OF merchandise and uepOsited
| it in cur market places contiguous tc
this road. IL has opened to pleasure
seekers in summer, and to sporting men
at all seasons, one Of the most romantic
and interesting sections for pleasure re.
located q hardy and industrious popula
tion upon millions of acres OF fertile
virgin sol, and contributed to converting
| many square miles OF wilderness int
gardens and improved fields.
Tue result Of this great work Is no
vet complete. There are yet millions 0
acres Of rs finely timbered and fertile
lands open to settlement here AS can bt
found in any timbefed region In ou
whole country. BY far the creates
amount and choicest is owned by the
| Grand Rapids d Indiana Rllltold
Company. They offer it to actual set
tiers at low rates and on easy terms,
Some of the chief attractions of thi
i northern region are its healthy, bracini
atmosphere, it's mellow soil of rich
gruyclly loan, SO easy OF, tillage whel
once subdued, its cool springs and pure
crystal streams abUunding in specklet
TROUT, its beautiful little silver lake
that dot the country over, and the out
side,suFroundings of large;ane nayigabl
waters thai. temper the climate, an
make communicaLion.with all our grea
wants of commerce cheap and convent
ent. trs 84T
Tue snow is n foot deep with us tt
! day and the therm Jmeter several dt
J grees below zero. Last week the weatt
. er was warm, and we were greeted b
the songs OF the bluebird and the robir
while numerous and dense ilocks {
, pigeons were securing the SKY on thei
, way northward. Tie present storm ha
driven them temporarily from our sigh
, but the snow Will soon disappear, th
birds will come again heraldlns the al
proach of soft zephyrs, green held
fruits and flowers.
Yours, truly, .. l.. RAY.
A boy six years old, having been muC
5 lectured by his father on the boyishne'
OF crying when any calamity happene'
hn fba afhi