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

of this great and now pOpulous state
was settled SO recently that it's first
frame barn is still standing and in
good condition. In 1923 two families
made beginning at Ann ArbOr, about
40 miles west of Detroit, and in the
same year two other families begun at
Tecumseh, about 20 miles further
south. In 1925 the Erie canal was
completed to Buffalo, which gave new
and better facilities for western emf
grafton. At about 1926 Mark Norris
and Rufus CrOsman, both of Vermont,
came and located near Ann ArbOr.
A settlement was also begun at Ply
mouth, 90 miles west of Detroit, about
the same time as that of Ann ArbOr.
The above is a correct representation
of the few feeble settlements in Michi-
gan previous to 1925, and there were
but little additions to those settle
ments during the next five years.
Governor Cass soliciting information
respecting the lands of Michigan, to
which the Governor replied somewhat
lengthy, giving general description
of the different kinds of land in the
southeastern part of the territory, and
said that all the different tastes and
desires of farmers could there be salts
fed, but did not say one word about
that awful swamp, which was presided
over by evil genii, whose realms were
guarded against all human intruders !;
nor did he speak of the many beauti
full and productive prairies in the
southwest part of Michigan. That
very interesting letter of Gen. Cass'
was published in the "Christian Sol
der" paper printed in Boston and
widely circulated in New England.
A letter emanating from such high au-
thOrity as Governor Cass, who had
formerly been New Hampshire man,
vorable impressions upon the public,
especially upon the people of New
England, very many of whom became
residents of Michigan within the next
six years.
In 1881 Michigan received greatly
increased number of emigrants which +,
unfortunately, was mostly suspended
the next year by the Black Hawk war.
In 1888, the flow of emigrants was re-
newed by far greater numbers than
ever before. Then Michigan began
new experience, the dawning of new
era. New light was being widely diff
fused in regard to this unknown but
DETAINED country, and, matters and
things appertaining thereto were to
awake from the long sleep of ages and
witness new disclosures in the realms
of nature. Then a new history was
begun showing that after that time
the settlement of Michigan had been
more rapid and extensive than that of
any other country. 1t was in 1888
that the f1OOd-gates were opened. The
tide of emigration to Michigan rolled
EDWARDS, not only in an uninterrupted
stream, but year after year with much
increased volume and force until 1886,
when that great exciting land craze
influx reached its elimination but not
its termination until several years af-
ter. In 1886 the land office was at
Kalamazoo, where the great multitudes
of land-seekers month after month
were equal in magnitude to Fourth
of July or circus day. Nearly the
whole of southern Michigan from east
to west, and more than so miles wide
from south to north, was in possession
of the settlers before the end of 1888.
The part of Michigan referred to
was too attractive to be rejected by
the settler when he had once seen it.
The annual fires by the Indians had
always consumed all the fallen timber
and the small trees, bushes and under
brush, while all the ground was cover
ed with grass and somewhat sparsely
dotted over with medium sized oak
trees. These beautiful oak Openings
me of those elegant parks
belonging to nOblemen of ancient
lines. These prairies when arrayed
N all their magnificent beauty are in
grand and enchanting.
The prairie has no trees nor bushes,
)ut has thick rich covering of grass,
Ind plants bearing every conceivable
orm, size and color of flowers, which |
appear in bloom one after another dur
ng the whole season, from the early |
violet of spring to the killing
rost of autumn, all of which is very
of the tabled land presided
'ver by fairy queen with her train of
levotees. The sO-called "timbered
and" bearing beech, maple, white
wood, black walnut, ash, cherry, elm
md other varieties of timber, are found
q southern Michigan, all of which is
cry rich and productive farming land.
fuch of this part of Michigan is fur
her towards the south than Boston,
kalamazoo being in latitude 42o ~
Orth. The temperature on the east
ide of Lake Michigan in winter is usu-
lily several degrees higher than on
he west side. A mild climate, with
leasant lying land that is easily work.
d and very productive, was the secret
f the rapid continuous settlement of
lichigan.
Among the productions of Michigan
re the many different varieties of
ZOOd for most kinds of mechanical