The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-12-23
MICHIGAN.
Marvellous I'rOductivemcss and Re
sources Of the State.


From the Detroit Free Press.l
The act passed by the Legislature last
summer, for the purpose of encourag-
ing immigration to Michigan" has be-
gun to bear fruit. In pursuance of the
act Commissioner Morley has prepared
and just completed pamphlet in which
he has embodied careful. accurate and,
as far MS possible, full statement of the
resources of the State, and of the attrac-
tons it presents to foreigners and the
residents of other States seeking for
homes.
This pamphlet is mine of interesting
information, and much of its contents
will be as new to the people of Michigan
"a to those for whose enlightenment it
has been specially prepared. Some of
the interesting facts are: The State is
the ninth in the order of population;
it is larger than either Pennsylvania,
New York, Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois. 1t
has a coast line of 800 miles and its
northern boundary is the largest body
of fresh water in the world; the second
largest its western, and. except these
two, there are no lakes in Europe. Asia,
or America larger than that which
washes its eastern borders. II has ports
on two others. Lying in the embrace
of these immense seas, its climate has
on equal in the moderation of it's temp
erature in any State or Territory situat-
ed on the same degree of latitude east of
the Rocky mountains. Most of the
| 1at
same lines of latitude as the State of
New York. The shore line of its Upper
Peninsula on Lake Superior is mostly
south of the latitude Of Quebec. No
part of the State is as far north as Paris.
1t has more than A, 600 miles of railroad,
and these are so we'll distributed that
only seven of the sixty-seven county
seats in the Lower Peninsula are with
out outlet by rail or water and not one
of these twenty miles distant from a
railroad.
Michigan stands first among the States
in the growth and manufacture of lum-
ber in salt, in copper and in its fresh
fisheries. 1t is second in iron and
fourth in wheat 1t has the largest iron
mine and the largest copper mine In the
world. Seven tenths of oil the wheat
raised in the country Is grown in nine
States, and only three excel Michigan
in this crop. 1t is one of the best fruit
producing States in the Union, and ranks
among the highest in its yield of wool.
The reports of the United States De-
partment of Agriculture show that in a
series of i've years, previous to and in
Guiding 1879, the average cash value per
acres of eight leading production OF the
farm, taken together, in twelve of the
principal farming States of the Union.
was greater in Michigan than in any
other Stale, and a map which accom-
panies Commissioner Morley pamphlet
shows that wheat can be grown success.
fully and profitably in every county of
the State.
The school system is on broad and
generous foundation, and furnishes ed
ucation free to all.
The State is practically free from
debt, the resources of the sinking fund
being, ample to extinguish every dollar
of its obligations as soon as they mature.
Its public buildings are paid for. The
rate of taxation is low. And there are
several millions of unoccupied farming
lands suitable to almost every variety of
husbandry, some of them open to settle
ment under United States and State
| homestead laws, aud all of them within
reach OF moderate means.
These facts, and many more, are pre-
scented, not merely III summary, but
wherever that is appropriate, in tabular
and detailed form. There is very in
teresting detailed showing, for instance,
as to the county and municipal indebt-
edness, the aggregate Of which for the
whole State is less than $4,000, 900, a
fact which will be new TO most Michigan
people, and which was furnished to
Commissioner Morley in advance of
the official publication by Spe-
cial Agent Porter, of the Census Bu-
reau. The full meaning of this fact can
best be appreciated by a comparison
which the Commissioner makes with the
States of New York, New Jersey and
Ohio. This comparison shows that the
amount of local debt per capita in Ohio
is S13. 90; in New Jersey, $47.59; in
New York. $4S. SO, and in Michigan only
$5.7l. When the comparison Is made
on the basis of property valuation, the
result is equally striking in favor of
Michigan. In Ohio the amount of local
debt per dollar of property valuation is
and eight-tenths cents in New York
it is 8 and nine-tenths cents in New
Jersey it is 10 and three-tenths cents;
while in Michigan. it is only cent and
one tenth. 1t is worth noting in this
connection that these facts as to munic-
ipal Indebtedness in Michigan
should have been accessible ut
some point in the State. Ii investors
could by inquiry at some public Office in
Lansing learn at any time the gross
amount of the municipal indebtedness OF
the State and of the several municipali-
ties they would comprehend better the
value of Michigan securities and be
even more favorably disposed toward
them than they now are. Provision
should be made by the Legislature at
the uext SESSION for putting the evidence
of municipal indebtedness in some such
accessible place as that suggested.
Other tables show the cereal and other
products Of the States by counties; the
flora of the State and the statistics as TO
/ health onaoiol fohlo