The Morehouse clarion., 1881-10-07
LETTER FROM MICHIGAN.
KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, !
September 26, 81.

all DtlSliieSS - ilSSistly odopeiAA~@f
will improve my unoccupied mo-
ments by penning you the long
promised lines.
/ For the past week every thing
and every body has worn the ap-
pearance of grief and sadness; the
very air feels as if impregnated
with a feeling of awe and gloom at
the nations loss and the horrible
manner of the act that caused it.
Memorial services were held here
to-day in one of the principal
churches, but owing to the crush of
the multitude I could not gain ad-
mittance, when our clever manager
of the Telephone Exchange, a Mr..
Ayers, came to my relief. He call
ed me to the telephone and invited
me to listen to the services over the
telephone, as he had connected the
church with the central office. So
he switched my telephone in and [
participated in the full enjoyment
of the services, addresses, choir,
solos and all.
The country feels a little reas-
sured regarding President Arthur $
probable course, whose dark sides
| only were brought before public
scrutiny Immediately upon the
| wounding of the lamented Garfield.
Mr.. Arthur would be less than hu-
man had he not seen from the tone
cf the united press and public
demonstrations what the people OF
the country expect; nay, demand,
at his hands, and he cannot afford
to ignore the wishes of nation,
/ heartily regret to see from your
columns. as indeed from the papers
generally, that crops in your sec
ton, and almost the entire south
are almost total failure, and
sincerely sympathize with the peo
pie among whom I lived 50 long
and among whom [ still coun
many dear friends, as many WI
probably have to undergo actus
hardships.
1 Here, too, we have had a terribl
hot summer, and drouths almos
unprecedented. All crops are short
wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, fruits
t beans, indeed every thing grow
here. Every thing is very mgl
. Potatoes, which usually sell at !
! and 35 cents per bushel, are no
held at $1.OO and $1.1O by farme
! and many persons predict that e
, spring they will command sl.5o
s1.75. Strangest Of all, howeve
notwithstanding scarcity Of all col
modities of life and increased COS
this country is highly prosperou
Business in every department b
heen and continues frst-class; n
:, do people feel at all gloomy as
ID the future.
Some two weeks ago | made
trip about $50 miles north OF Il
noint and near the shores OF La
IL Michigan, in what you would te
a sspoor, sand-hill country I
Iwas struck with the fertility a
verdure of the ''hills. In appe
= ance. as regards the shape OF
ground, it is impossible to conee
.. it rougher, hundreds upon ~
dreds of knolls and hillocks 20
!. acre, and there are prooaolV
10 fifty acres perfectly level grouno
the county, but every foot OF 0,
land is carefully TILED, lncluo
spots having an elevation OF tn
to forty degrees. The Land d, IS r
!, black, loamy soil, and while
and other vegetation upon low
level lands appeared scorched
hort dried, in the hills every thing
in fine growing condition. altho
no more rain fell there than :
where. One of the best PROD
H., in these hills is fruit-apl
peaches, pears, grapes cue
while all peaches in the ln1ef'o
'r's the State we're killed by tfoS'