Telegram-herald., 1888-04-26
PIONEER PROGRESS
Or. sssRy's rms TO GRAND nAsss

KAxay Tsnss - 0s< cisyss nzssssy-
Dr. Z Berry. . Pioneer 81 fS4A
Caves . B1x 81 Me kxDsstsnoa
Or. Sidney Berry IN conversation with .
TklEszAx-HEzAIDzs reporter dsy or svo
sinos. related the story Of bis hEst trip 70
Grsnd Haven. In NSFeb. lS45, hs said.
while the fpxin. d9od sss or. four Of u.s.
Wilder childs. Mr. Delsry. Mr.. Dsiong and
myself-sssrsed M Tor ride in . smsli row
boat 10 Grand H4ssa and back pleasure
trip mainly. We procured boat in the
caasl. drsw IL over The bank and launched
IL in the east channel below. near where ale
now the Police Headquarters. From there
ve started. and when down about where
the present steam boat landing 10 We saw
lodged against the willows tso fins sswiogs-
l suggested to the boys that We pick them
up aud gather as many more ss We could
find. and take them with Us 10 psy our ex-
penses. They all fell IL with the idea al
once So We placed board across the logs.
and one went aboard the little rsft while
two did the rowing and another the steer
ing. We reached Sand Greek about sun.
down. and staid over night with Bethnei
Church. The next morning. about two
miles below, We found John Bars Two
Sisters queer craft with her
upper works resting on two large canoes
| furnished with q small cabin, wish which
John Was running mp and down and trad
ing along shore between Grand Rapids and
the Clay Banks. Among those aboard the
Two Sisters Was Mort. Smith. who. when
We told him what We we're doing. said We
didn't understand the numbering business.
| that We should have men 90 along the
banks TO roll in the logs. Oh Barr We pro-
| cured . bottle of something TO take and
amused ourselves Is NO went along by
| rowing toward the logs at the landings and
| inviting them 10 come and take drink,
| and when. impelled by the motion OF the
| water caused by our paddles they began TO
| roll toward the boat we would row quickly
| to the middle of the stream, lest We should
| be swamped. In this way We secured and
| attached to our raft q goodiy number OF
| logs. The second night we stopped al John
| Robinsons on the south bank, and the
next day about noon reached the mouth
| OF Bass River. where We met pole boat
| coming up, with Andrew Robbins
in command. II was loaded with
merchandise for Grand Rapids.
| Those pole boats were quite service
able, but to run them up the river was a
laborious business Usually the boat was
| an old-fashioncd scow, square al both bow
and stern. and along each 81. was plank
walk for the patrolmen 10 traverse. The
| men would range themselves in about equal
| numbers on either side, and with long
pole one end OF il against his shoulder al d
| the other planted firmly on the bottom of
the river. Then they would walk, pushing
| the boat and as fast as one reached the end
he would take up his pole, go round to the
rear and brace on" again. Ii was rather
| slow and monotonOus labor, but they car
RED heavy loads. and they alw- got
there" Reaching the marsh Al .,attle
| Point, the historic or traditionary Indian
| battle ground, we saw just ahead q large
bayou. as We thought, running out into the
pine timber, and it looked as though we
were at the end of the river, but found on
reaching the point that the stream there
turned sharply TO the west. We reached
Nortonville. Two miles below Battle Point.
that night There We tied our raft, and
sold the logs to Mr.. Norton for
a little over S.. The next morn
ing We went 10 Mill Point, and
DeLong collected some money to
pay a debt to his comrads, who was going
to Chicago, Thence we proceeded to Grand
Haven, and then went over aud climbed the
high sand hall On the north side. in which
large red cedar trees were SO deeply buried
that only the topmost branches protruded.
Picked some twlgs to bring home, Is they
were the FIRST red csdars | had seen since
coming here from the East. We saw on
tho marsh near there the remains of the
fint river steamboat, the Governor Mason
| abandoned; also the stranded wreck OF .
lake schooner. Next morning We began
our return trip. Aoovs Nortouville We bad
fair wind. and Childs, who was q sailor
rgged . square sail-ran about two miles
when a squal struck US and nearly
capszed US. filling our boat half full OF
water We ran ashore, bailed the water
out and rigge jib, which worked better
than the other sail. Toward noon. as We
| began tn grow hungry, We came to ditch
| cut through a marsh. on the north side
| forming a narrow canal for loe running
| Tied our boat and walked along its bank to
hard land, where we found q lumber
cabin aud large pile OF logs.
There We took dinner. and then
reembarked. Just at dark, about a mile
below Grandvilie. we saw light through
the willows tied our boat and vent ashore
and staid that night. II was at Farmer
Gridleys. IL was in the sugar season and
they were just 'sugsring of-" Had warm
maple sugar and good supper, and spent a
Jolly evening with the family, visiting
Joking and telling stories. Early in ii
morning we proceeded to Grandville. a. {
al McC.uers got a nice breakfast timely
gsrnished with "leaky" butter. At thai
time houses along the river were few
There were, in addition to those already
mentioned. three at Steele's Landing. (uow
I.amoni); Stoddard's, d little above; below
tensions, on the other side. was the Boyn