The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-11-02
NORTH MICHIGAN CORES
PONDENCE.
BAD AXE. Oct. "a. 1884.

vi VIC greatest cACitclucnt.
Yesterday morning, as left the
hotel and walked to the postoffice,
| saw young man brandishing a
short pinstick with one hand and
holding an open bottle in the other.
"We've got it; we've struck it," he
shouted. ':Struck what ?" asked sew
eral bystanders. "We've struck oil, {"
he replied. Gust you look ahere !"
and with that he stuck the pinstick in
to the bottle, pulled it out and touch
ing lighted match to it, it burst in
to flames. "We've got oil, that's what
we've got; just smell of it," And
surely enough it had the unmistaka-
BILE oder of coal oil.
"Whoop la Sing Hey Our for
tunes made, the woods are full of it."
l soon learned that traces of oil
had been discovered in some newly
opened bitches draining the swamps
around Bad Axe its presence has
been suspected for some years past,
but it has never appeared in any APP
probable quantities until within the
past few days. Hence, as / said be-
fore, Bad Axe hugs herself with joy,
and is boistrously happy, seeing in
her imagination flowing wells of oil
and large refneries in her midst, and
herself town of 10000 inhabitants.
But speaking seriously, Bad Axe
is very thriving town. Two years
ago the place was nearly swept cut
of existence by the great fire that
run over this part of the state. Now
it is rebuilt and larger than ever.
Has two large, finely furnished no.
tells that would be an ornament even
to Owosso, Notwithstanding the fact
that her hotel accommodations have
a state reputation.
New firms are continually starting
in business, the country around is
rapidly being settled. Improved
farms, partially cleared by the for
est fires, are spreading their broad
acres in every direction.
Our old townsman, II. 5. Chip.
man, is one of the oldest settlers of
Bad Axe, in fact the house that he
built is now the oldest dwelling in
the town. Hiram is looking hale
and hearty and is enjoying a good
practice in his profession-the law.
A farm that he owns is situated in
the coil district" and Owossoites
need not be astonished if he is some
day President of corporation that
will rival the famous Standard Oil
Company. But even if the oil specu-
lation turns out to be salts, as did a
similar one in Bennington not many
years ago, the success of the town is
assured, and, although its name is
Bad, we predict it will some day
make a city good, both in size and
business.
Speaking of goodness, think it
must be very moral town now.
counted no less than five churches
lifting their spires cheerfully heaven
ward. / didn't count the saloons,
but think that five will cover the
number at the outside, and in an
even handed race with the Devel,
we'lr trust the Lord to come out
ahead every time.
Perhaps you are curious concern
ing the origin of its name. The site
of Bad Axe use to be lumber camp.
AS the men were leaving one year,
an old axe was struck into a stump
to mark the spot and it was called
from that circumstance Bad Axe
camp, and when the settlement COM
menced, the name still chung to it.
A few years ago an effort was made
by some of the citizens to have the
name changed, but majority of the
people preferred the old name, partly
because of its oddity, and farther be-
cause of the reputation acquired by
the town during the great fires, and
so say l. And when the smoke from
her great reiinerys shall darken the
sky, enveloping in clouds the lofty
spires of her three-score of churches,
whose influence shall have frozen out