The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-01-12

mary schools placed upon the tax payers OF
each district 1t would quicken and keep
strong their sense OF accountability in school
management
FIRE RELIEF.
called the attention OF the last Legisla-
ture, at its special session held in February
and March, TO the disastrous forest fires
which for the second time in ten years had
devastated, in the month of September pre-
vious, the Huron peninsula. Three thousand
buildings had been destroyed, IL, 900 persons
had been deprived of the means of support,
and between 200 and 500 lives had been
swept away in this awful calamity. Only
the benevolence and cooperation of the
public at large had prevented death by
starvation. Committees had been organized
in Detroit, Port Huron, Flint, East Saginaw,
Saginaw and Bay City to gather and dis
tribute supplies, and they had been aided in
obtaining contributions by those OF other
places IL became evident, however, that "a
central head had become necessity, and, ut
the request of the committees representing
the places above named, l designated n
State Commission to act as central organi-
zation consisting of ex-Gov. H. p. Baldwin,
Chairman, United States Senator Omar ID.
Conger Hon. Charles Il. German Gen. Il. W.
Swift, Alexander II. Dey, ID. G. Wildwood
and George C. Codd, Esquires.
Immediately after this action, the local
committees, with one exception, became
subordinate to the commissioner their work,
or turned over their funds to be distributed
by the central head, as is shown by the de-
tailed reports submitted by them, and made
part of the report of the commission.
The Port Huron committee continued to
act Independently, and was active in the
distribution of large amount of money and
many supplies intrusted TO IL by the donors
OF their action l have no report
L Issued an appeal to the people of the
United States, stating the magnitude OF the
disaster, the appointment OF the commission,
and requesting aid.
In response TO this and the appeals made
very generally through the press, most
liberal contributions continued to be made
from not only the people in our own State,
but from almost every State and Territory
in the Union. Contributions also came from
Canada, from Great Britain, from France
and from South America. While all were
liberal, those made by the cities of New York.
Boston and Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleve-
land, Hartford, Newark, Albany, Baltimore
Rochester, Lancaster and Charleston g. c.
were muniiicent
The commission continued the work with
rare energy and discretion, and, with the
means contributed, the sufferers were cared
fairly we'll In the last days OF January
s., IL became apparent that their wants
could not be met by private methods until
the harvest would bring relief. After full
consultation with many citizens, decided
10 convene the Legislature in extraordinary
session, 10 consider the situation and TO pro
vide means to relieve these sufferers and
tor other important state matters. On the
23d of February the Legislature convened,
and, after considering the facts presented
as TO the necessities OF these people, an ap-
preparation was made of $1,000 or SO
much as might be needed, and eli, 900 ad-
ditional for the rebuilding of the school
houses destroyed. The distribution of the
appropriated funds was placed in the hands
flna Gfafr
mission rs above.
The commission received and disbursed
contributions in cash amounting to SAG
49, 20. and in merchandise estimated at
$500, coo.
OF the amount appropriated by the State
sliS,9O0 has been used for supplies. leaving
in the State treasury undrawn of the appro-
priation 81, 100 The $4,000 appropriated
for school houses has been drawn and is
substantially exhausted. IL will all be used
for the purpose for which it was appro-
priated.
The aid thus rendered by contributions
and by the State sustained these sufferers
until the late harvest was gathered, which,
from its abundance, placed them again in an
independent condition, with "A bright and
prosperous future before them
After the above appropriation was made
issued proclamation thanking the generous
donors in behalf of the State, and adding
future, individual contributions were no
longer necessary
The transportation free of donated goods
by most of the railroads, the same generous
action on the part of express companies, and
the free use OF the wires OF the Western
Union Telegraph Company, as well as the
generous and efficient action on the part of
the press III carrying on the great work of at
fording relief, calls for kindly remembrance
and acknowledgment.
Acknowledgements are also due TO the
composing the State Fire Relief
Commission for the gratuitous, long con
tinued and laboriOus task performed. Refer
ence il made 60 the very complete report
of the commission printed in pamphlet
form.
IMMIGRATION AND THE GROWTH OF THE STATE.
In my opening message to the Legislature
of 1881 invited attention TO the large NUN
Der of acres of unoccupied lands which were
open to settlement and cultivation and
asked authority to appoint a Commissioner
of immigration and an appropriation to
carry his work into execution Both were
granted. the appointment OF an
efficient officer was made, and IL Is believed
to be largely through the work OF the office
thus established that upward of $4,000
settlers have been added TO the agricultural
class of our population during the past year.
The most important agency in this labor
has been the publication and distribution OF
inc DunlDuitl cllblblttl mltDlRuD anu llS
about 81, O0D copies of which have
gone abroad through the United States and
Europe, together with more than 1000
copies of pamphlets in which its substance
war translated into the languages of Ger
many and Holland
The wealth of the state has been materially
augmented by this action, and the sales of
its unoccupied farming lands exceed in
quantity those of any former year This
office, during the eighteen months of It's
existence, has greatly broadened and
deepened the public appreciation of the re-
sources of Michigan. 1t has defused through
other communities and countries more
accurate knowledge of the greatness of the
State than ever before existed, thus holding
out attractions of the most substantial
character to the best class of seekers after
new homes No less important has been its
work in impressing upon the people of
Michigan the realities of the development in
which they have shared and whose benefits
they are enjoying The keeping within the
State by this means of many citizens who
were inclined 10 look elsewhere for places of
permanent settlement has been one of the
especially valuable results of the Commits
sioner's labors The plan of this office con-
templates making it "A central bureau of in
formation concerning Michigan and its great
interests, whose publications shall keep fully
abreast with the growth of. the common
wealth. and those constantly augmenting
stores of information shall he accessible at
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