The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-12-09
RAVENNA. o Nov. 20. 1886

RAvENNA, o Nov. 80, 1856.
FRIEND HARRIS: Pursuant TO my
promise, / will now try and give a lit
tie pen picture of Gaylor and vicinity.
This town is laid out due east and west,
north and south. The streets are al!
very broad, think the main streets
are 100 feet wide. The buildings are
all of wood, mostly two stories high,
and as wood only is used for fuel, the
whole town looks white and clean.
The people are mostly " Yankees"
and it is all push and 60 ahead. There
are three good hotels, the Wells House
IA dollar day house, is kept by Mr..
Wells, former Clevelander. His son
keeps the Mansard House, which is
large, of modern style and finish, and |
would be suitable for a much larger
city. 1t is two dollar house. Really, |
each of these houses seems to have the |
care of both father and son, and in |
either house you may find as clean |
linen, as good tables, and as good &C.
as in the higher priced |
houses elsewhere. There are plenty
of dry goods and grocery stores, with
every variety of goods that can be
found in Ravenna. There are two hard
ware stores, the one kept by A. b. c.
Cemstock really contains everything
desirable in its line for the demands
of the surrounding country, and Mr..
ComstOck is a kind, attentive, live
business man. There is a Tue Touring
mill and a fine lumber mill here, and
in fact, Gaylord seems to he buzzing,
live town. The country all around is
very level, dry, black sand. and the
streets are rs fiue rs the fines.
trOtting tracks. A little to the north
of Gaylord we ascend hill, some so
feet higher than the town. This is
said to be the highest point of land in
the State of Michigan. Most of the
timber is hard maple, of a large growth
with here and there a rock elm 3 to 5
feet in diameter, and 60 to 40 feet to a
limb. There is also a sprinkling Of
lin, or Eastwood, and black birch mix
ed with the maple. Some of the birch
are three feet in diameter. The soil
of these hard wood lands is invariably
black sand from 6 to 12 inches deep,
underlayed with yellow sand in which
it is safe to say, there are thousand
pieces of lime stone, from the size of a
no. 4 shot to of an inch through, to
the bushel. This is said to be the DO
tato country of the world, and it costs
but trifie to raise them when fairly
cultivated they yield from 800 to 400
bushels per acre. Every man who has
a clearing in the woods is potato
grower, and for size aud quality their
potatoes surpass anything | ever saw.
f They are shipping them by the hun
dred car loads. To other States. The
!, price is now - cents per bushei, on
the car aud they say they can make
more money at that than We can in
Ohio at 35 cents. l must not omit tO
say, there are some hemlocks here
and the hemlock land is of little value
Most of the land here is held on r. r
grants, or owned by large speculators
excepting the hemlock lands, not in
the alternate railroad sections; these
poor hemlock lands are left to the
, State to make homestead grants to the
poor. Shame to the accused couIs Sc o
; legislation that robbed the poor settler
of these nice hardwood lands. These
| hard xunnI lanIls axn.allanf e.,
, growing wheat. Winter wheat does
well here then for grass lands, they
say, they are not surpassed i'll the
world. Timothy and red clover art
: the only varieties grown. When {
farmer here has sufficient of his lands
cleared he is really astock grower, anC
some of the finest cattle. short horns
, and Jerseys, L ever saw, are here. Fol
instance, you may see Is to 20 of the
finest Jersey cows in herd, in timo
thy and clover pastures, all nice and
fat. They look finely to me. The
people hele generally have fine horses
Owing to some cause to me unknown
/ the atmosphere is dry snd braciug Ii
Is said winter does not commence b.
early here by about two weeks ~ il
does with us, aud when it does come
4 1t comes to stay until the middle o
April, or first of May, when The great
body of snow vanishes in the balmy
winds of Spring, the ground is all
D Lhawed out, and Spring has come
? East from Gaylord about 81 miles
"they say" you find immense ledg,s
a of lime rock, and rough and broken
$ country.
: To those who wish to stand the fierce
blasts of long, cold winters, this is GER
f tainly al inviting country. Those who
= shall reside here thirty years hence
f will certainly be hardy, intelligent
and wealthy people. 1t Is new now
f but the great forests will vanish and
fine. fields blossom in the presence o.
g man. But remember, the winters are
e long and cold.
] l have now given you such facts al
best | could gather in my short jour
ney to Northern Michigan. Many
another might, from their better op
' portunities, say much more. One
thing / should add, in mountain, hill
j.. or dale, l have never found, better
=: purer water. S.D.N,