Telegram-herald., 1890-07-07
a TRIP 10 nIcnIaA1.
Grand RApaas sna ssuskeson Nsss u4sh-
a. speAeD Of

a. speksn 81
George Biawea, ths nutea auiRef u
.Forgng lis Chains, vao WAS IA
Grand Rapias NOT long ago Ia tas Ia
terast q Ms book. writes thas - tae
Hartford Da.s Nna
was familiar wta al that part II
the State ~ M.chaean ia which Those
olllos are situated. ~ bong SEo a. i>s9-
AIlsl "a absence of ue.e-s tatrif Years.
] have lusi returned fr2iA Aoatas
visit there. Ihe ch&nges arr extr4of-
Ulnary ana appeared 40 ace almost Ike
lue work oi q magician.
M0sl people aTe posted as g. tas WON
dergal growth oi OA.gAgo, winch les "a
the opposite snoro of Lake Michigan,
and Il vail bo sufficient Ia say tual
Grand Rapids and AUskegon have kept
equal pace wltb thai oii9
Grand Rapids De- beautifully situated
ia the Valley VI Grand kNeT, about
lhlriy miles from where il embouches
into Lake Michigan. la lN49 Il was
pretty town IF 3190 or 1000. New.
there Is a population of about seventy
thousand. It's inhabitants Justly clam
u Go be one oi tie handsOmest cities IA
the | nIted States. It's principal INDUS
Try Is the manufacture of furnltufes
FOR which Elany factories are IA opera
ton. some of them of immense SIZE.
Along the cOurse Of the Grand RIVER
were formerly scated hundreds Of saw
mills, but, as tlfe pine has been cut on,
these have decreased ia number until
very few are stlll working perhaps
dozen. Indeed, this Is tie iast year IN
which saw logs and lumber are 10 be
run on Grand RiVef-eVerything ia the
the way of p.ne that would cut four
inch board having made rs last Journey
down this stream.
Muskegon lies about thirty miles
north OF Grand Rapids, with which Il
Is connected by two railways. This
place has tor many years enjoyed ths
title of the Emporium for the lumber
trade. Ii occupies about the best site
for large city that ] have seen any
where.
MuskegOn and Mona Lakes are beau
| tiful sheets of transparent water about
| three or four miles apart, and i've or
SIX miles long and a mile wide, opening
into Lake Michigan. Between them, On
the shore of Muskeg0n Lake, lies the
beautiful city of Muskegon. Eventu-
ally i viii become a city bounded by
lakes on three sides, the new electric
car line being already in operation 90
the bank OF Lake Michigan. And such
lakes Mona Lake, filled With fish,
such as plckerel and black bass, and
having shores twenty feet above the
water level, which are rapidly being
taken for villa sites, is perfect sanl-
/ tarlum. In one months stay there /
gained fifteen pounds.
Strawberries, grapes and other fruits
are SO plent.lul that oftenumes the
price does not pay 10 send the surplus
| 10 Chicago.
At present the most interesting topic
| about Muskegon Is "the MuskcgOn I'M
/ pruyement Company" Ihis ls an as
sOciatlon OF capitalists, az which this
! cityabounds, who are using their means
10 get manufacturers 10 locate there.
They have purchased 500 acres of land
between the two lakes Mona and Mus
kegon) as sites for factories, business
blocks and residences. Twenty eight
/ hundred lots, 66 by l30 feet each. were
subscribed for Ia one dav on this new
addition. An electric sireet-car line is
being built through the property.
| Bricks are being made for factories
which are 90 be ~ operation this year,
and which are 20 employ 2000 work
men. This means an addition Of 5000
or TO- 600 10 the permanent population.
which at present Is about 10000. Tins
means openings IN business for a large
| number OF new cOmcrs.
Such are some OF the impressions
| formed by me after looking well lnto
the matter and gong over the ground.
1t being but twenty-four hours from
| Hartford 10 MuskogOn. the thought
| often recurs, "Nhy 20 20 many thou
sands Of miles away from ones friends.
when such a country, where 50 good
opportunities are found, lies within a
| reasonable distanceY