Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1878-08-31
COMPARB AND re WISE.

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continent are to the United States, such
are the inland lakes of Northern Michi-
gan to ChebOygan county. Take map
and look upon the greatest chain Of in
land lakes or seas in the world, reaching
from the sea clear into sthe center of
vast continent. Take history of the
country and read of the vast emigration
which has passed into the grain gardens
OF the Interior oyer these great lakes and
rivers. Take The statistics of this country
and read how vast has been the products
of the earth and the manufactures of the
country which have passed over them.
enriching both the East and West. Look
upon the great interior of this nation to-
day and compare it with what it was
generation ago and imagine what it
would have beeu to-day had it net been
for these lakes.
Take another map and look upon the
inland lakes of Northern Michigan. See
the great similarity which exists Letween
them and the great lakes of the CONT.
nent. They, are smaller, it is true, hard
ly to be compared in Size, but as large
and may be larger in proportion to the
country than the others. Look upon
this great similarity and see if you can
the great possibilities that lie in the
future for Cheboygan county i. and this
section of the state,
But we will not stop here. Nature did
much for this country in giving the lakes,
but the full advantage of them could not
be obtained without much being done ar
officially to improve nature. Navigation
from the sea into the great lakes could
not be had without the improvement i'm
the shape of canals and locks around
Niagara falls. Neither could The benefits
OF navigation into Lake Superior be OBJ
tanned without the canal and locks at
Sault Ste. Marie. These were not OBJ
tanned without years of labor and many
discouragements, but they came as the
people of tie country became convinced
OEtheir necessity.
So it is with our inland lakes. They
are not perfect without artificial help,
but can be made Approximately so with.
Navigation into Burt, Mullet and Crook
ed lakes has been Obained, but yet not rs
perfect rs is desirable, But still so that
great benefits can be seen. This has not
been without discouragements, but we
trust that that the people having now
seen the benefits and possibilities will
see that the improvements are not stop
ped until perfection rs near as possible
is reached
The great simillrity between the i'm
provements necessary to-secure nayiga-
ton into Black lake and those which
were necessary to secure navigation into
Lake Superior is obvious 10 any one who
will take the pains to look over the stu
alton OF each. Upon both rivers con-
Meeting them with other waters are rap
ills, around which must be constructed
locks and canal. But the similarity
does not end here. The benefits which
have been derived from the opening OF
navigation into Lake Superior, and what
may be expected from the opening of
navigation into Black lake are very much |
the same. Around Lake Superior are the
developed, adding greatly to the wealth
of the nation. Around Black lake is a |
rich farming country which will by
this be improved, adding much to the
wealth of the county, Back ard beyond
Lake Superior is the gre:test wheat
country in the world, the products OF |
which are made available to all the
nations of the earth through the medium
of the great inland water highway. Back
aud teyondfBlack lake is the best whea:
county of Michigan, which, by this I'M
provement. will be made available, AMI
will be to Michigan what the great north
western wheat region is to the United |
States.
1t seems to us that any one who will
examine the matter carefully will see
tine Importance of the completion OF this
improvement at a date as early as pos
sible. With this done, the future of Che
boygan is assured. Cities are nothing
more nor less than receiving and dis
tributing centers for sections of the
country. The larger the section of
country for which place acts as a re-
ceiying and distributing agent, the larger
will be the city. Improve the navigation |
of our lakes and rivers, in other words. |
embrace our opportunities, and Cheboy-
gan becomes the receiving and distrib-
uting center of very large and prOduc- |
tive section of our state, All the products |
OF the earth from this section must seek |
a market through Cheboygan. All the
supplies and manufactured goods which |
are necessary to the Well being of this |
section must be distributed through |
Cheboygan. If it were possible for any |
city in the country to occupy the relative
position upon the great lakes which Che
boygan does upon these inland lakes of
Michigan, it would be the greatest city
in the United States
1t would seem to us that If the citizens
of this place would look upon this mat
ter as its importance demands that they |
would come forward as a man. and see
that these avenues inland were opened as
perfectly and as soon as possible. We
hope that the few words we have hastily
penned will cause many of our citizens