Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-05-04
AS OTHERS SEE US.
This Section as a Farming Country
Cheb0ygan and its Advantages as
veeyyed by an ssOutsidcrs,

veewed by an sOutsider.''
The following extracts we take from
the editorial correspondence of the
Michigan Farmer of April 25th which
contains two letters occupying over
three columns OF the paper, over two of
which are devoted to Cheboygan and its
surroundings. The first letter bears
date April 18th. After describing tie
trip from Detroit on the TFodntlia CITY.
the editor says:
The fog kept us from arriving at Che
boygan before halt past ten. This place
Iis quite IA village of some importance.
and as soon as the Jackson. lansing
s. Saginaw railroad is completed, will at
once rise to the dignity of city. Be
hind it are lands of the most desirable
description for settlement by farmers.
and with Il temperature more even and
nilder thanathat OF more southern coun
ties. The vegetation and the trees are
as far advanced rs we found them in
Washtenaw County last week. The port
of ChebOygan is easily entered. and ad
mitted the Fountain City with draft of
water equal to thirteen feet
= = x
Here we are at the Spencer House, a
very good hotel, kept by Mr.. Spencer,
a most attentive and gracious b0niface,
and ready at all times TO furnish correct
| intelligence to the travellers who resort
here tor business. and waiting the arrival
of every boat, with sotue of the old eager
ness with which we have seen often and
often about half century ago the old
stage coach welcomed as it ratified up
with splurch 10 the hoStelry at which
it was t" stop for the night.
With Caps, John Mckay we made a
short excursion into the country. Here
we found piece of land that was being
worked into a farm by Mr. Nelson and
which had been cleared of stumps and
turned over for the first time. This soil
struck us as peculiarly promising. We
noticed it particularly as croppi"g out
every where aS The subsOil of the country.
1t is a reddish brown in color, has the.
text ure of II loany clay. cracks when eX-
posed to the atmosphere and crumbles
when burnt. IC is rich appareltly in
lime and is filled to some extent with
! gritty gravel that renders it light to
Work. Ii is evidently Il rich. strong soil
that will bear a good deal of rough treat
ment, and onght to make generous re-
turns To the sIilful cultivator. We were
shown by Mr.. Mcdonald some spring
wheat. sample OF crop that yielded 73
bushels from two acres samples of peas,
beans, potatoes aud corn We're presented
To us. Close to tie City Of Cheboygan
Mr.. Mcdonald had Il farm of some extent
which lad large dairy and where he
| IV-ns f. -,..~l s-s,- ,-tl-
j amongst which we nOIiced some rood
black faced Sheep. Along the Clleboygan
for eight or ten miles up TO the lakes,
there are Il series OF splendid farms that
will compare in beauty Cf location and
streng!.i of soil with any in the State.
In climate the past season it has been
even more temperate in this upper cnun
trv than ut Detroit. At Cheboygan there
had not been day i'm which sleigh
could be run. while at Detroit there had
been quite periol during which snow
fell In quantities to afford good run for
sleighs. There are but few orchards
planted here as yet. but where there are
anv fruit trees the buds SHOW no Jury
!, from change OF temperature. Generally
we might say that vegetation was about
from six TO ten days slower than Or the
best cultivated farms along the line of
the central and southern railroads. We
say, '.best cultivated" for cultivation
would alone make that difference iii the
soil. as the effects of draining, manurinr
and the working the soil. Here ut Cheboy-
gan we see the soil only just begins TO be
stirred on the surface. and the cold. dead,
sour earth that has been lying undiSiUrb-
ed for ages, has not yet had time TO be
sweetened by the tempering effects of
winter or summer winds. or by the
! CHEEKY influence OF the light and heat of
the summer sun. This advantage must
not be unconsdered when comparing
districts that have been opened up for
half century to the ameliOrating intlu-
ences Of cnltivatatiOn. and those sections
: which have only been cleared partially
for some three to five years.
Cheboygan itself has all the air of a
business town. and lis position is 50
favorable that it clnno. be otherwise
than one of the most important CONNER
cial cities OF the district by which it is
surrounded. II possesses the only har-
Dor along that coast, that is accessible to
large steamers with draft of water of 1;
or 13 feet. The Fountain City came ur
to the docks here without any difficulty
=, though these visits were her first to this
> place,
1 The objective point for the Northern
: terminus of the Jackson Lansing s. Sagi
e nav railroad, now working iIs way
e northward, is of necessity this place
S Here also is line of communication by
river and inland lakes that gives thC
q command of the business OF the rich. fer
/; tile and attractive lands of all that par
! OF Michigan which has heretofore beei
v living idle for want of settlers, and tn
+ agricultural richueSs and resources o
= which are just beginning to be under
stood. Then again, ChebOygan com
mands large numbering interest. Her
within a mile or two is Duncan City, OF
banks of river and bay. which has beel
/ made by the energy ana business fore
e sight of Mr.. Thompson Smith. Th
= docks the mills, the arrangement of .h
Il buildings and structures tor the acc0mo
u dation of the vast lumber interests, tn
o tenement houses for the use of the work
e men-al bespeak a comprehensive an,
. judici0us foresight that elicited our admi
ration.
We were pointed out one firm in Che
), boygan that during the last season ha,
;e done business of Sl25,000 in turnishin!
~ supplies for the interior OF this part of tn
State. Cheboygan must also be tn
u point where the trade with all that sec
d ton of country around the Straits, ric
i in lumber and agricultural resources
I must for many years resort for supple
Tor the fisheries. the lumber camps and tn
farms. There is ihe coast of the Lowe
t. Peninsula from Presque Isle to Mackina,
~ Point. and of the upper Peninsula froI
W Detour TO Point st. Ignace. whose reopl
must necessarily reSOrt TO Chehoysa ~