Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1883-02-15

and local knowledge could make IL
and in all instances where assistanc,
was sought, the individual applied I,
was known either personally or by re
pute To possess an established charac
ter for fairness and good Judgment
1t is u a'terof genuine satisfaction
to be able to state that many of til,
reports thus obtained ore names o.
some OF the most enteligent, influential
aud best known citizens Of Michigan
ToineargNtonyenient classification
of the information sought, and to fac
ilitate its complication, blanks were
prepared during the spring months
and forwarded from time to time as
correspondents could be induced to
undertake the work of filling them.
which set forth in the following order
the topics to be treated:
Topography of the territory descrb.
ed, stating whether level hilly. or
rolling, how watered, whether contain
ing much swamp or sand plains. il the
swamps are reclaimable. and il there
is any available water power"
Character OF soil and subsoil I'm differ
ent portions.
Prevailing varieties of timber.
The successful crops, and general
inform mation as TO the results of cult
walton of farm crops and garden vege-
tables.
Fruits and their cultivation, variet-
les grown, with general, and places of
marketing for surplus yield
Cost OF clearing timbered lands.
Inquirer as To character and avail
ability of United States, State, and
railroad lands, where such are found
Inquiries concerning other unimprov-
ed lands now in market, range of
prices, general description of soil and
timber, etc.
Similar inquiries in regards to
''stunnp lands"
Condition of highways and State
roads, where the latter have been 90 l.
structed
Character of water used for house
hold purposes and average depth of
wells.
Information regarding climate and
seasons.
General character of population and
origin of settlers.
Charater aud condition of public
schools.
Prevailing diseases.
Local industries bes d farming.
Demand for and prices of labor.
General miscellaneous information
useful to people seeking new homes.
AT the present d.tte one hundred
and twenty-thrc4 statm-nts have been
received from seventy.eight out of 79
counties composing the State, Neway-
go being the only county Which re-
mains entirely unrcportel. a few
Others require supplementary reports
Ii has become possible now TO furnish
general answers to inquiries almost ey-
cry portion OF the Stute involving the
subjects enumerated above. If the
plans projected shall be carried into
full effect, the State will possess, in
an accessible form, valuable und min.
ute Information Of the character and
resources of its various subdivisions.
To ensure the largest ani punt of use
fulnsss TO this accumulation it will be
necessary, however, to persist in con
tinual research. By this means the
records Of the Office will not only be-
come richer in details, but will keep
fully abreast CT the developments (
Michigan, and its people will enjoy the
advantages of bureau unlike in scope
and character any that is known to ex-
list in other States. The work is al
ready we'll advanced, aud it needs only
intelligent and appreciltive labor TO
carry it TO Il most desir .ble result.
LOCAL CORRESPONDENTS AKD
REFERENCES.
The process OF organization has
brought the otfics into communication
with large class of correspondents
representing all the counties of the
ptu'u hii manly VI It's more minute
subdivisions. OF these a record has
been kept, and knowledge of their
personal character, BUSINESS pursuits.
and local relations has been of great
advantage in the acquisition of infor-
nation and in furnish 'ng judicious ref
erences to persons making inquiries.
This list, increased as opportunity off
ers, has been made largely available
in the service of tho public.
sCRAP-BooKs.
The newspapers of Michigan. which
compare favorably in enterprise and
intelligence with those of any State i'm
the Union, contribute largely to the
public information concerning the de-
velopment of its various sections, and
much local intelligence derived from
these sources, properly classified in
scrap-books, has been added TO the
of the Office.
LARGE CORRESPONDENTS.
The correspondence of the Office has
necessarily involved much research.
An attempt has been made to answer
all inquiries coming within it's scope as
fully as practicable, and in the earlier
stages of organization this dutv. NJ is