Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-01-07
North Alpena %?

The few settlers who live i'm the eastern
part Of Alpena township, in the vicinity
of Grass Lake, will be surprised to know
that they have full grown city in their
midst. 1t is known as North Alpena,"
and comprises that portion Of land de-
scribed Us the S. Z. 4 of the n. w. ! of
section A, in town 81 north, Of II. east.
The plat is on record in the Office of the
Register Of Deeds for this county, and the
forty acres are beautifully laid out in
lots and streets on the plat. We did not
notice any park, but then Grass Lake,
near by can be used for park, provided
it can be drained.
North Alpena is owned by ID. b. Hines
OF Kansas, unless he has sold the lots,
and II he has, we would like to see the
face of the purchaser when he first gazes
on his North Alpena city lot.
The writer was once the unfortunate
owner OF the west half of the northwest
quarter of the same section, the southern
half Of which adjoins the 40 acre track
plated as North Alpena. 1t was home
stead, and we literally throw away five
years Of the best part of our life in trying
to make farm out of that terribly rocky
desolation, but we thank God we do not
own it now, having sold it for the timber
that was on it, and il it was offered to us
now for sale, in its present timberless
appearance, we would not give fifty cents
for the entire eighty acres. Our rcmem-
branccs Of those five years must be some
thing like the remcmbrances of a man
who has passed five years in a terrible
prison.
North Alpena is some eight miles dis
tant, measuring from tho business
part of the city of Alpena, and there is a
backwoods road leading to it, several
miles Of it being over stone which comes
to the surface and goes down to the CEN
ter Of the earth and probably further.
There is settler about one mile to the
east, and another about one mile to the
west. 1t is bounded on the north by des-
olation, and on the other three sides by
more desolation, real genuine, first class
desolation, burnt and dreary. II is a
fiourishing place for mosquitoes and
those terrible pests, black flies, in sum-
mer. In winter its inhabitants consists
OF few rabbits and an occasional part
ridge. The first and only bear we ever
saw at large was on the borders OF North
Alpena many years ago. Wewere armed
with a % calber revolver. Bruin looked
at us, we looked at bruin. Neither of us
appeared to appreciate the others COM
pany. We looked for tree to climb.
We had no faith i'm the 90 caliber The
bears dignity gave way before ours, and
he lit out for North Alpcna, and IL was
wonderful how the big brute ran rapidly
over the slashing. A few muskrats once
made their home on Grass Lake. ey.d no
doubt promcnaded on the avenues of
North Alpcna.
In conclusion we shall rejoice IL the
brilliant scheme of the Kansas man should
prove a success, and convert that wilder
ness into booming city, but great as is
our faith in the bright future of Alpena,
we must express our disbelief In the abili-
ty Of any mortal to create a city there or
even o good farm. We have travelled
over that piece Of ground many time be.
fore the timber was cut off, and fires had
sculpturcd first class desolation of It,
| but tho hriUhtaat f,,t,,ro xvo could .,ict,,ro
for IL was that 1t might make fair grass
farm.
The forty acres Of North Alpena is
] divided into eight blocks and each block