Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-02-04

QUICK WORK.
The Detroit Mackinac md Marquette
Railroad.
From the Detroit Post and Tribune.
The recent completion of the Detroit,
Mackinac and Marquette railroad and
the almost immediate establishment Of
a good local and through business over
it has illustrated very fOrcibly the re-
markable change which can be made
by energetic men, backed by capital, in
very short time. 1t is difficult to re-
alize that one year ago the most OF the
country between Point st. Ignace and
Marquette was an untraveled wilder
ness, while to-day the line Ofsteel which
connects the two places is punctuated
all along with rapidly growing villages;
these facts very fOrcibly impressed by
reading report made by the chief en-
gineer of the road, Mr.. Thomas McKeOwn,
to President James Mcmillan, less than
year ago. The observation trip which
it describes was made exactly year ago
the present month, and dogsleds were
the nearest approach to trains that &C
cOmpanied the party. That
was not long ago. Yet
a talk with Mr.. McKeOwn disclOses
the fact, if it were not known before,
that instead of being the leader of an
exploring party about to depart into a
wilderness he is the general superintend-
ent of well-equipped line of railroad,
passing through very promising cOun-
try. Such are the marvellous transform
atiOns wrought by the companion wiz
ards Time and Tell, when inspired by
intelligence and aided by energetic
men of means, like the Detroit gentle
men who built the Detroit, Mackinac q
Marquette.
The description of the journey through
the woods in the snow, contained in MIR.
McKeown's report, is an interesting one,
when compared with the prOsaic ac-
count of a six hours journey as now
made by rail. 1t says: "the party con-
sisted of transitman, leveler, rOdman,
chainmen, axemen, packers and nine
teams of dogs. 1t was necessary to take
three weeks provisions, and tents,
blankets, etc., for camping out. l ac-
companied the party, being anxious to
get thorough knowledge of the whole
country. Starting on the 4th we travel
Gu NY rail- w NUN IlNol anu Wy eltlSHS
from there to Nunising. Next morning
we started early, moving four miles
south and eight miles east. The
whole country from Au Train river to
this point is covered with splendid
beech and maple. This belt of hard
wood extends some miles to the south
and to the north as far as lake Superior
Tn, 10 70 Of har In
are already built, and i'm good condition
for burning. These kilns were built for
the Munising furnace about 1872, and
are close to the line of the railway.
They will most assuredly be placed in
operation as soon as the track reaches
them. The whole country will be GER
and charcoal" In this prediction the
clear headed general superintendent
was correct, as even the present has be-
gan to demonstrate.
After describing an uneventful trip
on the following day, Mr.. McKeOwn says:
Here we took leave of such civilization
as che northern peninsula affords, Sc
lected our camp grounds near another
branch Of the ubiquitous ManistiQue,
cleared the grounds Of snow for the
tents, pitched the latter, cut brush for
beds, unpacked sleighs, packed all train
eaus possible that night, and tried to
organize and get things in trim for the
tramp that was before u.s."
Those who have experienced the pleas
ures of camping out in the north
woods will recognize the fidelity OF Mr..
McKeOwn's brief description of the pro-
cess. This is hardly as comfortable as
even the much abused sleeping car; and
yet it is the first recorded run" made
over the line Of the Detroit, Mackinac
" Marquette. That was labOriOus trip,
not made at 80 mile gait. The chrOn-
icler says: "The difficulties to be en-
cOuntered were considerable and the
men and dogs unaccustOmed to the
work. Therefore the progress made
was slow, and night found us with only
five and One-half miles accomplished"
A running description of the country
traversed follows. The report says:
"The branch of the Manistique on which
we camped on the night of the eth is a
good sized stream, and If cleaned out
would answer for running logs. / no
ticed considerable quantities of pine to
the north along the stream. We are to
have station at this point, and have
no doubt we shall get considerable
traffic in lumber, ties, cedar posts, tele-
graph poles, ETC." Truly this Thomas
was not doubling one.
Passengers on the the new road have
noticed that on part of the line are broad,