The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-05-04
Correspondence.


ED. TIMEs:-From my office window,
where I am sitting, csn look out over
| the broad expanse OF Lake Michigan.
Would you like me to describe (tsough
| poorly, fear) ST. Joseph where l liver
| think the idea prevalent abou, this place
| is. that it is old and dead, something like
| Shnwasseeiown only on II larger scale |
| is very great misla axe; though not boom
ing like Owosso AID many other towns in
northern Michigan yet il is by no means
dead, neither the town or the people.
Business is not SD active here in
winter as in suaimer, as q matter of course
being lake port town, but there is knit.
ting factory which employs from two to
three hundred hands, aud the larges, bas-
ket making establishment in the United
| States
Bukwhst find st. Joseph notcd for is
as "A summer resort. Like Ann Arbor-
only changed about-Ann Arbor, which
| is dead" in summer and alive in winter,
so -. Joseph, when the summer months
come, throws off her shell and tie clryral-
is becomes a butterfly. l do not wonder
| at it for she has many attractions to call
people here, and then being near Chicago
makes il easy Of access to people OF that
city. ST Joseph has lake and river
front, with a high bluff bank running
around. The lake front, which l wish to
describe. is very beautiful They call ii
''The Bluffs" aud it is in fact long mar
row park, with shade trees. rustic seats,
and bridges across gorges, flights of steps,
| and long, slunting. side-ralled walks lead
ing down to the train depot, and wharf;
and last but not least, band stand, where
inspiring music is discoursed to prone
naders enjoying the cool lake breezes of
the summer evenings. -. ...,-
The streets are finely kept, for here every
| evening the fine horses show their spec
and everything is merry at st. Joseph in
summer time. The Boulevard is the
modern cognomen of this gay thoroughfare,
though common people. and especially
when talking business call it Font ST."
Here at the corner of Front and Pearl SITS.
is situated my modest dwelling, and exactly
opposite long rustic bridge over gorge,
called the Suspension Bridge"
From northern and western windows
can watch the ever varying changes of the
lake, now blue and shimmering like sum-
mer sky, now leaden and gray like a
weary life, now dark and purple, porten-
tous OF the storm brewing, and now tossing
high The whitecaps and roaring madly like
a Gagged beast
At night as ] look out of my window
the 'pier-ligh." cleaning out in the dark
ness is the first object seen. It. Is beyond
the signal Sci vice station, across and out
at the entrance of the river. The station
itself Is across the river ont towards the
lighthouse.
But there ID more than scenery TO offer
those who come for rest and recreation.
Although artists find here great variety of
scope for pen and pencil; sandy beach and
woodland gorge, fishermen's cottages and
the retired lake captains preten tious
mansion, the stranded wreck even is not
wanting, for that was one of the first oh.
jects to meet my gaze--its bare masts
dressed high with frozen foam. The fish.
ing is very fine either in lake or liver, or,
II you are not ambitious enought TO fish by
boat. the pier offers good place for a
bite" Boats Of all kinds are kept TO let
at reasonable rates, by the day or season,
There goes the whistle of the .Lora,,
starting tonight on her first trip of the
season TO Chicago. Two steamers each
day 90 over to the "citY" and In the fruit
season from sixteen to twenty thousand
crates OF fruit are shipped over. The pas
senger fare Is cheap making the transit and
q day In Chicago of easy accomplishment.
Just outside the town. we do not call ST.
Joseph "ihe CITY," begin the fruit farms
fruit, fruit. fruit. healthy. cooling, refresh
ing fruit. Such drives; one, the lake. shore
road. lake on one side and fruit on the