Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-01-04
To the Editor of the Post and Tribune /:


For the purpose of obtaining means of
& intcrcommunication between the Pro-
. vince OF Quebec and the maritime Pro-
vince of the Dominion of Canada, the
e government has built The Intercolonial
Road from the eastern termination of the
Grand Trunk to Halifax. 1t runs
through country as unsettled as the
r Upper Peninsula of this state from Mar
, Quette TO Mackinac.
There Was no means Of communica-
" ton between them, except by water.
The means of communication We're so
5 important that the government expend-
ed many millions to build the road. The
United States loaned their credit to the
amount of great many millions to Sc
cure land route, by rail to California.
These things were a necessity. and the
money and credit were we'll used, even
though the respective governments
should loose the entire amounts OF both
money invested and credit lent.
What citizen OF the United States
would consent that the railroad to Cal
ifornia be broken up. even though the
Government might be compelled. 10 pay
the bonds lent to aid its constructions :?
The loss OF the money would not be
felt. The loss OF the railroad If 1t could
|
ly the business OF the country, aud dis
turb all the relations between the Pacific
aud the Atlantic states.
On a smaller scale the situation be-
. twcrn the Upper and Lower Peninsula
: of Michigan are relatively, as in either OF
, the cases alluded to above. Once let the
railroad be built and its advantage, come
! to he tilt and fully known by experience
f In the business aud progress of the state,
, and every one would realize its value.
:, and feel that no amount OF aid, within
the reasOnabl3 means of the state. could
haFe been used unwise)y in securing its
obstruction. Were not the stale re-
ricted by its constitution from SO doing,
lere can hardly be imagined case
bere, as it could not be accomplished
herwise, direct appropriation OF
oney TO secure the Object. WAS more
ecss Try, or could be so wisely made.
De means OF intercOmmunicatiOa by
ilway, between the two sections OF the
ate, is an absolute Necessity. both Tor
public convenience OF each, aud for
cir mutual development and progress.
But enough has been said both of the
vantaees and necessity ot the rOa,i, and
Mil notice some of the objections
lch have been made TO such action as
II secure the Land grant, for The pur-
sc OF building it.
First. II is said The land shoIlI bc
town open to settlers. This has been
u,lcd to in my first article. There has
eu shown no disposition by settlers 10
upon any OF it, except ut and in the
Unity of the Sault, in Chippewa cOun-
There, there have been more indica-
us of a wish by immigrants 10 settle
On some Of these lands, and has been
ne Inconvenience because they are n,'i
en- to settlement. But This has been
all, and does not. as it seems to me.
'nish any argument which ought to
.vail. to induce change or distur-
nee OF the appropriation Of all that
ID to aid in the building Of the road.
Iced the true w'sy to settle all that
Intry is to secure that first. Let that
done anI there will be thousand
I'd settlers along lis line aud in the
per part nf the Lower Peninsula.
ere one is now put TO Inconvenience
sause particular quarter section Is
in the market, which he may want.
all the lands Tor the thousand con-
Iue to be worthless and inaccessible
cause the one now cannot acquire
Q to The land he may want
second. 1t is suggested in some and
haps many quarters, that the land b.
Into the market aud the proceeds
,t to build or aid in building the road.
lit is stated in this connection thai
NY OF these lands might be sold
ere is no doubt that some OF them
best OF them. might be sold. The
Ie lands, perhaps. ms ght be sold and, il
tas sure the road would be built, some
ne hard wood lands. Admit this fOi
ment, and let US ask, at what price
would be sold by the state, and
at would be realized for them? There
warrants ont which are worth in
market about 60 cents on the dollar
sc are brought up by specula' ors
wish to buy any lands belonging tt
state, and with them the lands ART
ght at about doll ,r and qulrter
able in land warrents., They cOsl
speculatOr. there. ore, about 65 cent.
kcre.-T Thr0W open these lan,ls Tor ell
AND sale and they will 20. when sold
II, at about that rate and be paid for il
smanner. How much money would
sta,e realize with which 10 aid il
lding the MackiBac 81 Marquett,
i? Even with such sales it wOult
be the choicest lands which would
.rtered and taken, and for the sake
.etting i'm land warrants, which arr
debts against the state, and for wha
s the speculstOr about IS or I'd cent!
acre. select lands, which might b,
tth five or ten dollars, with the roat
It, are to be taken from the fund, ant
only fund which the state has, will
ich it can possibly aid i'm building
road. There might be sold few
o. Thousand acres OF land in this way, bu
IA think il would be entirely safe to sa,
=, that for every thousand acres sold. will
4 xyh ctaf1 A h<,,,
)O and dollars would be lost TO the fund.
Of The truth is, that while few Lands il
the grant might thus be sold, il is in th
main, the whole OF it, of no value with
"a out the road. If the lew thousand acre
I'd which might be sold, dould be sold TO
cash, at the highest prices the State coul,
~ get tor them, The amount realized woul,
be but small. The construction OF the roa,
through the middle OF tfIe Upper Pen
2t insula, would give value to all OF them
and what is now, and tor forty years ha
IS. been wholly worthless, and will remai
so in the maiir; would then become
valuable fund. TO open the lands 70
ed sale, therefore, even It they could be al
sold: instead of the choicest lots, wOul
be the sure way to destroy all possibl
he hope OF the con structi0n of road S
ct important and vital TO the future pro:
us perity OF the whole state. As they reall
at ly would be sold, the state wonid realiz
nd nothing except land warrants. Ther
lin would not be even the small cOnsOlatio
Is. that our state tax would be lessened
tie the ten-thousandth part of mill by III