The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1900-07-20
a Lakeside Letter.
Callander, Ontario;
On Lake Nipissing,
IulV Nth 100O

July l4th, 1900.
Editor Expositor: Before leaving
Michigan, | spent couple of hours eX-
aiming the stone crusher working
and the stone road being built in the
vicinity of the Tunnel Junction. OF
course l was interested in this bus
mess, because of the fact that our
town has an investment of $500, that
so far only serves as a curiosity, and is
left to rot on Francis hill. If our
crusher does its work, as we'll as this
one at Port Huron, it ought to be set
grinding at once, and give it a fair
trial, If no good send it to the junk
store. The Port Huron crusher does
its work well. Three men with help
erS to load are kept busy with wheel
showing the bOulderS into and between
the crushers, where they are quickly
reduced into three sizes, being carried
by endless buckets into the cylinder,
| from whence they come out at the side
onto flaps, and from thence let down
into the wagons underneath. The
road itself, so far as completed, looks
as if it would last for ages. Making in
quiry found that there was first
layer of sand or 3inches thick. Then
same thickness broken stone, over
which heavy steam roller is driven,
and the stone pressed down into the
sand until quite solid. Then another
3-inch layer of stone, treated i'll the
same way with the roller, then top
coat of the fine stone and stone dust,
also about inches thick, rolled down
until it becomes as hard as rock, the
| heaviest wagons loaded to their utmost
not making the slightest impression on
| it. A little enterprise, little sand in
the crop, mixed with fair mOdicum
of brains, and our idle machine put to
work, our old town may yet be redeem
ed from the Justly earned Odium of
owning the worst roads in The country.
Passing along through Canada from
! Sarnia to Toronto, noticed that Can
adian farmers, at least along the line
have not very much to boast of in the
way of crops, poor to middling would
be about right describing them, good
being an exception, especially the Oat
and hay crops. Some fields of hay
were cut and ricked up, Tommy
! Clyne's summer hat would cover any
of them, don't mean any reflection on
| Tommy's hat, but on the Smallness of
hay ricks, Mrs, Brown and Carl join
ed me at Gravenhunt, and we came on
here to Callander, arriving Wednesday
night. This is q small village of 600
inhabitants, owing its existence and
its present life to numerous saw mills.
The same may be said of many of tie
little towns along the line of the Grand
Trunk north of Toronto, especially in
the neighborhood of lakes of which
there are many.
This town is situated on the south
east corner of Lake Nipissing. The
lake itself, outside of money making,
is the only attraction for tourists. 1t is
an indian name meaning "big water"
and is very beautiful sheet of water,
many islands dotting its surface.
Some of them very beautiful places,
covered down to the waters edge with
the greeneSt of green trees and foliage,
making delightful resorts for those
seeking pleasure and recuperation. |
am almost afraid to mention fish, be-
cause fish stories don't go down with
the average land lubber without salt
shrinkage, but / am told in good au-
thority that pike has been caught
weighing AZ pounds. | caught one
myself last night that came within 40
pounds of it, but to be real honest
about it, | caught it after some one
else caught it and brought it to shore
and made me a present of it.
l was agreeably surprised and pleas
ed to find still here Rev. Mr.. Smith,
Presbyterian minister, companion
on several fishing excursions of . years
ago-besides being a fisher of men, he
loves the sport of fishing for fish. He
is q very agreeable gentleman and has
promised to show me some of the good
fishing holes next week, and if l catch
one of those AZ poGnders, l will express
it to the Expositor force for Sunday
dinner.
This is a very rough country, the
farms being rough and rocky, tillable
land just patches here and there be-
tween the rocks, each patch from one
half an acre or less to several acres in
extent. l have been told that back
/ from he railroad are many good farms
and prosperous farmers, but they are
not in sight-passing ,nssough Dy rail-
What soil there is, is good aiia rich,
and raises pretty good crops usually.
Times are said to be good up here,
everybody seeming to be contented
and prosperous. The mills running
night and day. Lumber being higher
than usual, and in great demand.
Next week we are going to begin pic
mic life out amongst the Islands, and
whatever of interest l can catch onto
will reserve for another weeks report.
Yours truly,
| James Brown