St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-01-07

1t is impossible for us to determine
when, or at what age of the world
Michigan was first occupied by human
beings, but the ancient mounds and
many other kinds of earthworks, which
were scattered profusely over Michi-
numbers of human beings, of a much
higher order of endowments and intel
ligence than our Indians, occupied
Michigan at very early period and
for long time. At many places in
Michigan were clusters of well con-
structed garden beds. On the ground
now occupied by Kalamazoo, besides
some mounds, more than 20 acres were
covered with well preserved garden
beds, some being of fantastic forms
and finished with artistic skill, on
which was an oak tree Of several hun
dred years old.
Our Indians said they had no knowl-
edge of the authors of these mysteri-
GUS works. Having for about ten years
been we'll acquainted with the man
ners, habits and general characteristics
of those Indians, l am very confident
they never invented nor constructed
these marvellous works.
Michigan has more than 1000 miles
of sea or lake coast. There is more
business done on the st. Mary canal,
than on the Suez canal. The pOpula-
ton of Michigan in 1880, (then includ
ing wisconsin, was about 81, 900 and
it now has very near 2,0OO,O0O inhab-
itants. In 1881 found Detroit to be Il
struggling built town, of about 1000
inhabitants, and still having some of
the one-story French log houses in
use. 1t now has a population of about
10000. In 1882 Grand Rapids had
two families, and it now has $4,000 in
habitants. | can now readily call to
mind no less than SO other cities and
villages in Michigan having from 1000
to $4,000 inhabitants. In 1881 found
Kalamazoo with one log house and its
four inmates now the place has be-
tween 10000 and $4,000 Inhabitants.
Kalamazoo is the county seat or shire
town, midway between Detroit and
Chicago, on the Michigan Central rail
road, besides which the place has three
other important and prosperous rail
roads. The corporate limits of the
city covers an area of two and half
miles square. The streets are long,
straight and broad, and their sides are
adorned with a prOfusiOn of shade
trees, beautiful green lawns and ele-
CANT public and private buildings. The
Michigan female college, the Michigan
Baptist college and the state asylum
for the insane have all long been in
successful operation here.
The churches of this city are nu-
merous, elegant and costly, and the
literary institutions are of Il high or
der of excellence and very popular.
and all the public works arei upon an
extensive and most magnificent scale.
This city has all the modern cultured
retinements, piety, virtues, vices, gen
eral intelligence, social machinery, pa
rade, fuss and feathers, of larger cit
les. 1t has two theatres, three public
parks, five banks, several newspaper
offices, good markets, street railroads
and wide reputation of being a very
beautiful city.
This pen picture of Kalamazoo will,
with few variations, serve to repre-
sent scores of Michigan cities of about
the same size. While making the
above rough sketch, have not said
that Michigan is the best place in all
the world, nor even intimated that it
is half as good us some other places. If
Vermont is a good state to be born in
and to remove from, as was asserted by
S. A. Douglass, then it is as trne that
Michigan is good state to be born in,
and also to live and die in. 1t was
ga years ago that Michigan began
a written history, some OF
which was so remarkably strange that
those simple unadorued historical facts
appeared more like fiction than reali
ties. Michigan has passed through
many trying vicissitudes and now has
the honor and satisfaction of being a |
member of the great and glorious sis
terhoOd of states and may the pres
ent number, unity, stability, and
strength of that grand union of states
be perpetual. HENRY LITTLE.
Kalamazoo, December Is, 1885.