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

level expanses of land. These are the
"Grass Marshes" A journey on foot over
them could not have been very enjoyable
Mr.. McKeOwn says, when we got fair.
ly out into these marshes anything
more dreary than their appearance
could scarcely be imagined. AS far as
the eye could reach stretched the same
level expanse of snow, broken only Occa-
siOnally by sandy knobs rising like
islands out of lake, and covered by a
few stunted Norway pines, which from
their scant number, small size, and soil
tary look, made the scene only more
utterly lonely and desolate." But this
was not the most difficult portion of the
journey by any means. The historian
on that march says: Moving through
dense cedar and tamarac swamps, it was
frightful travelling. We were COMPEL
ed to cut our way through the bush the
whole distance. Camped in the middle
OF swamp, sand and bushy timber
the same as yesterday"
Then Mr.. McKeOwn laughably de-
scribes the journey of Sunday. 1t was
necessary to push on, or possibly run
short of provisions; for the way was
very much more tedious than he had ex-
pected and slower progress was made.
The party was Overtaken by storm
in the wilderness, and the thermometer
went down to % below zero. The next
day they struck one of the branches of
the TOnquamenOn river, and tried their
fortunes on the ice. One of the axe-men
was on this day seized with inllamatOry
rheumatism, and had to be rolled uD in
blankets and drawn on a traineau till
till night, when they camped in the hard
wood on the bank of the stream. The
report says: "We placed our invalid
with his back against tree in front Of
fire in the open, while the tents were
being pitched; and having some good
Hennessy brandy in my flask gave him
glass of it to keep the cold out. This
man had to be drawn on a traineau every
day during the rest of the march.
Ludicr0us enough now to look back at
must be the little episodes Of that march.
The leader Of the party describes the
joy of the men when, after being nearly
two weeks out, they met Mr.. Armstrong;
party from the other end of the line, and
obtained some fresh provisions. "The
bread we had been eating" he says, WAS
of the heaviest possible kind, and could
have been plastered against and remain
ed there by its own adhesiveness If there
had been any walls to stick it to, it hav-
been made in the most primitive man
ner in a frying-pan. over a fire."
This would hardly compare we'll with
even railroad eating house. But such
was the experiences Of the men who
made that trial trip, so very different
from the trip made a few months later
when the track had all been laid, and
the owners of the road passed over it.
Enough of this admirable and sketchy
account of that journey across the upper
peninsula has been quoted to give the
reader general idea of what it was.
Mr.. McKeOwn continues his detailed de-
scriptiOns of the quality of the timber,
the land, ETC., which he finds very good
in most places. He then describes the
situation at the Sault, with reference to
the projected crossing there; the cOndi-
ton of things at Point st. Ignace, and
the probabilities of an open way being
kept across the straits in winter, which
is now being tested.
Since the report of that journey was
filed away Mr.. McKeOwn's hopes and
predictions have many of them been
realized. He said to the writer day or
or two ago that since the first day it was
opened the road had done good local
business, and up to the present time the
earnings have exceeded $1,000 week.
The ore hauled to the Martel furnace at
st. Ignace averages over 500 tons week,
and from 200 to 300 loads of logs are
taken out of the wilderness each week.
With the opening Of spring the traffic
will increase many fold. The heat of
summer will make it favOrite and
uick route for those wishing to escape
the oppressive days and sweltering
nights of this climate; and each day will
see its usefulness and profit grow and
increase. .,t-
Such are the changes of year. Such
is the power welded by the men inter-
ested in the road, who by the investment
Of their capital and the exercise of their
intelligence, have in few days, prac-
tically speaking, supplanted the dog
train with the railroad train, and sub
stituted for the weary march through
thicket and over marsh the sweeping,
rushing progress Of that great institu-
ton which makes the long distances
of field and forest between the two ex-
tremities of the state the journey of a
single day. rrr..