Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-06-09
WORK OF THE COMMISSIONERS Of
IMMIGRATION.
Pine 3arrens Of Northern Michigan
for Growing sugar Cnne.


: for Growing sugar Cune.
From the Detroit Free Press.
The Office of Commissioner of Immi-
grafton for Michigan is constantly ex-
tending the scope of its operations. and
it may now justly be regarded as one of
the most important and useful depart
ments of the state government. The
late Commissioner Morley did large
amount of effective work during his in
cumbency, and Comm, ssiOner H. N.
Walker administers e. the office In the
spirit of a man with broad views and
comprehensive prophecy, so to say, OF
the future of the state.
A new edition of the pamphlet en-
titled Resources of Michigan is in press.
1t contains a large amount of pertinent
and ready information on all subjects
likely to specially concern persons who
intend to emigrale to Michigan. and will
DO ready for distribution SEINE time in
July. ~ Ct ~ AAo y sclJ
In the course of an interview with
Commissioner Walker on Saturday, that
gentleman invited the attention of a
reporter Of the Free Press to a letter
from Professor Kedzie (recently publish
ed in this jOurnaD on the subject Of
sugar culture in Michigan He also
exhibited sample of brown sugar made
from cane grown in Michigan, and ex-
pressed the conviction that cane culture
Is certain TO become, within few years,
one of the leading industries of Mich
igan.
"There's nothing more certain" said
the Commissioner. why, look at il a
moment. There are, in the north center
of Michigan, thousands OF acres OF these
sO-called pine barrens, on which cane
can be raised, according to Professor
KedZie, at the rate of two and One-half
tons per acre. That will find a ready
sale at $40 ton, so there you have. $2o
an acre. But the point is yet to be seen.
Those lands can be bought for fifty cents
an acre. They have been abandoned by
their owners. who didn't care to bother
with them after the pine was cut off,
and so they have been put up again and
again by the state for delinquent taxes.
Nobody could be found to bid for them,
but suppose now that they can be made
profitable as sugar plantations, they
will no lOnger-at least not much long
er-be dead weight"
This is one of the latest facts that
will be brought out in the new edition
of Resources of Michigan. ~ M .
OOuluISSlOuoL WdlhCl wac aloo oohVu
about immigration, to which inquiry he
replied that there was steady influx of
immigration from New York, Pennsyl-
vania, and some of the New England
States, while the demand for Resources
is steadily increasing. He has already
Issued nearly $4,000 copies, and only a
day or two ago there had come from the
Austrian capital request for 1000
copies of the German edition. Those
printed in Dutch were also fast dis
appearing, and there was serious
thoughts of printing an edition in the
Swedish language. He thought it was
happy condition, and one of which the
people of the state ought to be proud
that while no effort was made to per-
suade immigration, il waS largely and
steadily growing. Northern Michigan
is one of the most promising regions in
the United States, and in Commissioner
Walkers Opinion (Which is enthusiast
ically shared by all who have knowledge
on the subject) it will within decade
be the garden of the state, center Of
solid wealth and influence and next to
Detroit, the pride of the whole state.