Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1904-05-06
WONDERFUL CHANGES MADE.
Former Resident OF Oratlot
County Visits His Old Friends
and Tells OF the Impression
Made Upon Him.

EDITOR ALMA RECoRD:-
Having been away from the state OF
Michigan for twenty-seven years. D."
snrnrised at the wonderful changes
made in that time. To go back hi'y
wears ago we find that the FIRST settlers
were beginning to come into "ra.io'
comfy and instead of the well graded
sosds Won have now, there were only
trails cnt through the woods and crooked
An ayarv direction to shun the swanps:
Vet those pioneer people were fnii OF
vim and energy and soon so FAR cleared
The Majestic forest as to have comioit-
ahIa homes. but the progress OF puphc
;nnrovement was necessarily SLOW Us
.hara we're no railroads short OF 81
Iohns Since the arrival or the rail-
roads a ouarter Of century ago, there
has been a phenomenal growth IN Dotn
town and country Improvements.
especially attracts my atseh.lon ~ VIC
country is the comfortable houses'ia'k1'
rice harms and best OF all, tue won
rounded roads and systemauc o5ainaso
whereby the once waste Ianus Nv
blossom as the rose. While l.naoa an1
81. Louis have made grand strlues "na
their business men are OBSERVING ~
great credit, yet l am speciahy era'i'
fed 20 take off my hat TO Alma.
When look back little owe! 'hiiv
wears and think Of Alma a. NUS nam
let, struggling for very eSls'ehoe; anu
now behold her factories nhe pu ;,1
blocks and pretty residences simply
say grand, but the best Is not toiu' D.r
Forty.five years ago vlsiyeu Da
vile, n. Y, and saw III. mn -
Health Resort on the Deautiiui M NC
It was neat simple structure auu One
~ the first of it's kind. What change
s,roa them The old school physician
had not vet left off his blood letting and
oaiomei bnt through such men as JACK
son Trail Graham and others OF that
aoa and many eminent men OF later
date of which DR.. J. II. Kellogg oe-
serves snecisl mention, there mas peeh
grand strides in the treatment OF uis,
eases Sanitariums have sprung up al
over the land. some of which are mag
nificent buildings like the Phelps ana
Rattle Creek Sanitarium, OF BATTLE
Greek. Mich. am surprised, however
that Alma should have two health re-
sor.s either of which would be an or
nament in a more populous TOWN..
These institutions speak well Tor the
taste and business quality OF Alma. IL
NAV please some of the people OF Alma
10 know that one Of her sons, born over
thirty-seyen years ago, Is now physician
in charge of a large sanltarium near
Lincoln, Nebraska.
While this is an age OF educatiohai
effort I Judge Alma must be IN the ieau !;
Her college and dormitory are spienulu
buildings and would grace well eown
of five times the population. II the eH-
terror Of the business houses OF Aim
an index of the interior there must DC
an excellent display OF all the olueren'
kinds of goods handled.
Being kindly treated by my old frlends
I would be glad to make special mention
of all, but space forbids; yet canno'
refrain from personal mention OF MT
S. Messenger, who so kindly lelt MS
place of business and showed me over
the Mace. His large and well-hlleo
clothing store would do credit TO such q
town as Lincoln, Neb. (Which by the
way. is a city OF 900 inhabitants ano
one of the cleanest in the Y nited states.
In conclusion permit me to REFER &c
the first years of Gratiot county from
soldier's standpoint. served bnret
wears in Vermont regiment Iratio,
countv. ONLY q few years organized hno
only eight years after her first settle
ment on Pine river, furnished Gao SOL
diers from 1861 TO 1865. and OF sucf
Quality that made them first among then
comrades. There were twenty-six com
missioned officers, six field ofilcers, nV'
captains, five lieutenants-and SIX Heu
tenants not mustered-and while tn'
regiments in which the Gratiot county
soldiers served were in many hare
fought battle, all the commissioner
officers. save one, lived to be mustered
ont of service. OF the number had
personal acquaintance with, SIX are SUI
alive, four of whom / have met on III.
visit here.
While have enjoyed meeting all tn
old comrades, the best OF all was vlsi
with Rev. Lafayette Church and his ex
cellent wife, old neighbors forty-nln
years ago. My wife aud l enjoyed .
much to meet these old soldiers OF tn
Gross aud comrade in arms, and tai
over old times. When we separate
Mr.. Church invoked Gods blessing
May God grant them many days
come. OF the commissioned of1cel
that went from Gratiot county, Aim
furnished FIVE and Arcadia four, all
section eleven.
On my return home / shall ever r.
member the kindness shown us from Of
neighbors and most cordially extend q
invitation to visit us to any one WI
may visit Lincoln, Nebraska.
LYNDON A. GEORGE.
Collage View. Neh.