The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-31
More about Michigan.

MANIsTEE, Mich, Dec. I'D, 1881.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Grand Rapids is the second city in Michigan
for population and commercial Importance. 1t
has about 10000 people, and in its architecture
and IN the general appearance of its streets re-
sembles an old rich city of 100000 inhabitants.
The stores are in heavy blocks, IN massive style
like those of Boston and New York, indicating
much wealth among the people and an exten-
sive business. The streets are broad, well kept,
and are lighted with electric burners as many
of the great shops are, in addition to the gas
jets.
The rich men of the city are particularly en-
terprising in establishing industries Of many
kinds to give employment to the people and to
increase the wealth of the town. The largest
and most flourishing industry there is the man
ufaoture of furniture of every descrip-
ton and grade, from the plain and cheap
goods required to meet the wants Of light
purses, to the most elaborate styles in the cost.
liest woods, in exquisite workmanship and in
the highest possible finish. both in the uphol-
stery and in the polish The products of the
furniture factories of Grand Rapids, L was told,
were one-ffth of the entire product of the coun-
try. Their goods not only go all over this coun-
".
most every country in Europe, especially to
England and to the British colonies, undersell-
ing English goods in British markets.
The clay of this State produces only white
bricks OF fine appearance and excellent quallty,
and when newly built of this material, the
stores and dwelling houses are very handsome.
In few years, however, they become dirty and
smoky, when they are not so handsome as our
bright red brick structures. In some parts OF
the State there is the finest building material
10, io a macmillan qaud9tOna
easily wrought, being sayn like marble, but 1t
hardens rapidly on exposure to the air and the
weather. This stone is striped and splashed in
the most extraordinary manner with various
tints, among which light rose, and gray and
very light Turkey red predominate. Fine
houses built of this material are very much
more beautiful than those OF any other have
ever seen.
Manistee is in the very heart Of the great
pine region of Michigan, and its many steam
saw mills turn out daily an immense amount
of lumber of every description that goes by the
lake, mostly to Chicago, and thence to every
country where palaces or shantles are Dullt.
Many of these lumbermen are millionaires, and
one of them in this place allows his wife, the
President of the Women's Christian Temper
ance Union, to spend as much money as she
likes-a large sum annually-in promoting
temperance work. This busy, bustling town is
the centre of active work for the procurement
of an amendment TO the Constitution forever
prohibiting the manufacture and sale OF intox-
icating liquors.
Eighty thousand petitioners asked this Of the
last Legislature, but the measure failed by one
vote only, while one member voted against it
who was elected as pledged man in its favor,
and another concealed himself in the cloak
room who had been pledged in writing to vote
for it. Brewers and distillers' agents were
many and busy about the State House while
the measure was up with lots of money Ito
place where it would do the most good" But
with all this, the two representatives 1 have
mentioned were the only ones who are believed
to have sold themselves.
The agitation in favor of such constitution
81 amendment is very active throughout the
State and is sure to succeed as the Republicans
favor it and the Democrats do not oppose it as
party. Constitutional prohibition in Kansas,
and the certainty of its adoption in Iowa, as as
sured by the last elections there, give great
force to the movement in Michigan and stimu-
late the people to very active work in that di-
rection The temperance people have regarded
this as a more important political question
than any other-indeed more important than
all others that are now up before the people,
either in State or national affairs.
NEAL Dow.