Rock Island Argus., 1902-09-06

sociation and their wives were enter
tanned recently by the newspaper men
and the citizens of Benton Harbor, and
they were given such an exceedingly
cordial reception that their visit will
always be pleasantly remembered
and they will feel under lasting OBJ
legations to the good people of that
pretty and bustling Michigan city.
The editors and their ladies were
met at the Graham & Morton dock
in Chicago by the clever editor and
publisher of the Benton Harbor Pal
ladium, Z. r. Gibson, who made the
trip across the lake with the party
and busted himself in getting ac-
quainted and assuring everyone of
the party of n hearty welcome to
Michigan shores. j. y. Reed, another
of Benton Harbor's genial editors,
extended the glad hand upon the
arrival of the party in that city, and
from that moment until they left
for home the editors and their wives
were the recipients of the greatest
kindness and consideration, and moth
ing was left undone to make their
stay pleasant, profitable and indeed
thoroughly enjoyable. Notable
among the many entertainments
provided was n reception given by
Mr.. and Mrs.F. r. Gibson and Mr.. and
Mrs. j. n. Reed at the home of the
former. This was a truly delightful
affair. Then there were drives,
steamboat rides, a visit TO the Chau-
tauqHa, theater parties, a sail around
Paw Paw lake and entertainment at
dinner at the beautiful summer re-
sort trolley parties. etc.
About forty years ago there was
established n postOffice in what is
now known as Benton Harbor. At
that time there was no railroad near
er than Niles. The original thor
Oughfare from Detroit, west, was
the government stage over what is
now known as the terminal road.
The sand was so deep and the fieas
so numerous that the point was call
ed in iustifiable derision, Sand
Town. Flea Town." and later (when
bungs were made here) '.Bung Town"
\ few struggling houses, small and
inconvenient, marked the course of
the road through the oak grubs,
and a corduroy road led to the st.
Joseph river. This condition of
things prevailed until the ship canal
was built and the fruit industry,
inaugurated, when substantial
growth and improvement was mani
tested, which has steadily contin-
ued until the present time. This con-
ditiOn is due largely to two impor-
tant facts, viz: the adaptability of
the soil and climate for fruit growing
and the shipping facilities afforded.
by steamers to Chicago. Prior to
ha TO-
Joseph was by means of ferry in
summer and stage in winter.
Efnulating its neighbor city, Chi
cago, the city of Benton Harbor has
nearly doubled its population in the
last ten years; from 1862, in 1890, it
has jumped to 6,562, in 1900. But
Immediately ajacent to our city linn
its are thickly settled districts,
which, if taken into our city, as they
soon will be, will increase the popu-
lation to from 10000 to 10000. One
finds a reason for the remarkable
increase in population in the admir-
able situation possessed by this city,
on the east shore of lake Michigan,
sixty miles northeast of Chicago,
communication with which city is
carried on by the aid of four
fallfOdQ systems anu TWO lines OF
splendid lake steamers.
In 1884 there was organized a com
pany for a horse car line from
Britain avenue in Benton Harbor to
Broad street in st. Joseph, equipped
with three second hand bobtaiI
closed horse cars for winter and two
of the same quality for summer. This
road was purchased by the Benton
Harbor &5 st. Joseph Electric Rail-
way S5 Lighting Co., in 1889. The
present company is equipped at the
power station with three $50 III. p.
engines, three water tube boilers,
two large railway generators and a
capacity for 5000 incandescent lights,
$50 arc lights. eleven miles of newly
relaid track, rails 62 feet long, :
inches high, 73 pounds per yard.
There are now 30 cars with large
motors that are capable of making
% miles per hour. The run between
Benton Harbor and ST. Joseph is
made every or minutes, while in
1898 it took 20 minutes by horse
car.
There have been built during the
past fourteen months % miles of
concrete sidewalk. Contracts under
headway with the Barber Asphalt
company, when completed, Will
give a total of $4,000 square yards
of asphalt paving for the past two
years Whe water department, val
ued at 100000, is owned by the city,
while the Benton Harbor S st. JOS
eph Gas company, under capital
stock of SOS 900, supplies gas for both
Benton Harbor and st. Joseph. Work
on the new $4,000 Carnegie library
will be taken up shortly, as the con-
tract was let within the past ten days
to responsible parties