The Lake County star., 1877-11-01
From the Real Esia . Exchange.
MICHIGAN.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF IT'S HISTORY
AND RESOURCES.

A BRIEF SKETCH OF ITS HISTORY
AND RESOURCES.
Michigan, although comparatively
. new State, has history that reaches
back far Into the dim aud shadowy
regions Of the past. 1t was visited by
French Missionaries IA early as l641, /,
and by white trader. at an earlier day.
In 1871 the French King took formal
possession Of the territory Of which
1t IL composed; aud retained control Of
It until l763, when 1t was ceded to
Great Britain. BY treaty Of peace of
1888 the territory, heretofore part Of
Canada, became part Of the United
States but was not actually surrender
ed until July 1706, at which time 1t
was formed into county called
Wayne. On the l1th Of January, 1905,
1t was made a separate territory, and
received the name of Michigan, by
Act of Congress, and admitted into
the Union by Statute, June 18th, 1885.
The name of the State is believed TO
have been derived from two words of
the Chippewa Indian language, Mitch
a,0, signifying great, and Sd0iegan,
lake, which name was applied former
ly to both lakes Michigan and Huron.
RESOURCES
No State has more varied and abun-
dant resources than Michigan. In
mineral wealth the State is unrivaled
salt, gypsum and coal. In the Lower
Peninsula, and iron and copper in the
Upper Peninsula. Iron lies near the
surface, and in quantity Is practically
inexhaustible.
UPPER OR NORTHERN PENINSULA.
The great lakes. Michigan and HUI
ron, divide the State into two PENN
sulas, the Northern of which lies most
ly between Lakes Michigan and Su-
perior, being 316 miles long and from
90 to l2O wide. The Upper or North
ern Peninsula. an empire by itself,
might properly be called Northern
Michigan, yet the expression as ordi-
narily used Is confined to the Lower
Peninsula, and Is applied to its north
ern portion.
The dividing ridge on the Upper
Peninsula is the Porcupine Mountains,
which on their western extremity rise
to the height Of 2, 900 feet, and running
eastward break up into hills and wide
valleys, gradually extending into high
table land ofa sandy nature, and slop-
ing north and south toward the two
lakes. The surface of these lands is
covered by vast and almost impenetra-
BILE forests Of pine. No other known
region, Of similar extent was ever SO
richly endowed by nature. This pen
insula contains about II 900. 900 acres,
more than one.half Of which is covered
with pine. In some localities it stands
densely on the streams and water
courses, and in many localities it is in
terspersed with hard wood. Pine thus
mingled Is of the choicest kind, and
the land of the best quality for agricul-
tural purposes.
SCENERY.
The scenery of this Part of the State
Is unsurpassed; pictured rocks. masses
of parti-colored sandstone, worn by
the waves into fantastic shapes, stretch
out along its shores many miles, rising
in some cases three and four hundred
feet above the surface of the water
their wonderful appearance and gro
tesque form have excited the attention
Of the travelling world. Resemblance
to castles, arches, colonades, temples,
old ruins etc., are most perfect. Cas-
cades are often found shooting over
the rocks so far that vessel may sail
between them and the falling water.
Futher inland high mountain peaks,
deep gorges, ravines and wonderful
formations Of stone and mineral, invite
the curious traveller.
| "A PRE-HIsTORIC PEOPLE.
In this Peninsula perhaps the most
interesting feature Is the remains of
very ancient mines I'm which have been
found mining tools Of antique make.
There was discovered in 1S47 near the
Minnesota mine, i'm an excavation,
stone hammers and an immense
mass Of native copper, resting on wood
en- supports, having been evidently
raised some FIVE feet and then aban-
doned. Since that many cases of a
similar nature have been discovered.
In some instances these pits have been
found containing tools and pieces OF
chsrred wood, with many feet of allu-
vial soil, and huge forest trees, appar-
emily Of u century's growth above
them, from which It cannot be doubt
ed that race of beings well advanced
In civilization aud art have ut some
time In the very remote ages past, oc-
cupied that section, II not this entire
continent. The Indians who inhabit-
Ell this country before the whites, knew
nothing Of the existence of copper, nor
had they any tools or Implements like
those found.
COPPER AND IRON.
The copper regions are found West
and North of the Porcupine Mountains
and mining Is now carried on In the
counties Of Houghton, Keweenaw,
and Ontonagon. The iron mines are
west and south of these mountains,
though what wealth Of minerals may
yet be discovered under that great
stretch of table land and broken hills
to the eastward, belongs to the future.
Iron was known to the Indians and
white traders who visited that locality
at an early day, since which time there
has been immense quantities taken out
and the supply Is unending. The
quality ofthe Lake Superior iron is by
actual taat tha heat In tho world Mich /.