The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-01-11


Returning from the South short
time ago. l noticed neat little depot at
Rome City, Ind, and was curious to
know what made the demand for such
building, as it looked out of proportion
to what could see OF the town. So l
asked the agent how large town they
had. He replied, about 800 now, but
during the summer We have about
3,000.' As the train pulled out, saw
tho cause, for we crossed a beautiful
lake-an artificial one at that-the same
In size as the one contemplated here,
the shores of which are lined with cot
tages and summer homes, over $50 of
them. The assessed value learned was
nearly $4,000. In addition to this there
are seven large hotels. There are over
300 boats on the lake, consisting Of steam
boats. launches, rowboats owned by the
cottagers and the several boat liveries.
1t is needless to say Rome City is
growing. The kneipp santorium is
located there, and extensive additions
have lately been made to it, The West
ern chautauqua assembly is held there
and lasts about three weeks.
This artificial lake at Rome City must
be given credit for all this. Were it not
for the lake, Rome City would be sim
ply spot on the map, way station on
the c. r. & l. railroad, where trains
would occasionally stop to take on or
let off some of it's own citizens.
IL lake will do so much for Rome
City, what would it do for us? Their
nearest town is FIT Wayne, and it is out
of the question for Chicago people to
go there on account Of the lack of rail
road facilities, while we have Kalamazoo
near by and two, and il our trolley line
materializes, we will have three lines
direct to Chicago. We have quite
colony Of Chicago people in this vicinity
already, and with attractions and accom-
modations such as a lake would afford,
it would be doubled many times. We
have beautiful village to start with
and the best of gravel roads lined with
naples leading out in every direction
into what has been demonstrated to be
the best fruit and farming country in
the state of Michigan.
Now, L have no personal interest what
ever aside from what every citizen
should have, aud that is in wanting to
see the town do as well as it may and to
make life worth living within its borders.
To get better transportation we must
furnish more passengers. Either the
M. G. or the L. M. would run a train
every hour 10 the day to Chicago or any
other place il there were passengers to
carry. To get the people we must at.
tract them. 10 attract them we must
have the lake.
am not blaming our present council,
for believe they did the proper thing
in dropping it when they did. think
the fault is with the property owners
whose land would be flooded by the
lake, and also whose land bordering on
the lake would be enhanced in value. In.
stead of asking twice what their river
bottoms are worth, they should be will
ing to sell them for what they are worth.
and to deduct from that a part of the
benefit which their upland would derive
from bordering on the lake. 1t should
not be necessary to hold anyone to make
them take something that is going to be
OF tirancial benefit to them.
If the lake is not built, every foot of
land that the lake would have flooded
will be taxed to help dig the Paw Paw
river drain, and the owners will find it
will amount to several hundred dollars
and at the same time will be of little
benefit until the drain is extended into
the corporation, which would mean sew
eral thousand dollars.
Now, all together and have the lake.
w. G.. WILDEY.