Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-17
WOULDCEOE MACK|NAC
Michigan Wants the Govern
ment to Take the Island.
RESTORING THE OLD FORT
Where the Manitous or Gods Of the
Northern Tribes Met.
MARQUETTE'S GREAT VOYAGE
Discovery Of the Mississippi and Trip
Down the River-His Death and
Burial and Disbursement.
MARQUETTE'S GREAT VOYAGE
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.


Special Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
MACKINAC ISLAND, September IL. 1907.
Twelve years ago. while Mr.. Cleveland
was President of the United States and
| Daniel g. Lamont was Secretary OF War a
| syndicate of Michigan capitalists was Or
| ganized to purchase Mackinac Island from
| the government of the United States for a
| million and a half Of dollars with the inten-
| ton of dividing it up into hotel and villa
| sites and making 1t the Newport of the
west. A number of mllionaires were
| pledged to build expensive chateaux and
| several hotels and places Of amusements
| were planned. But Senator Mcmillan op-
| posed the scheme and. with the assistance
| of Secretary Lamont and the Michigan del
egation in Congress got law passed turn
ing the island over to the state of Michigan
for park purposes only. If 1t is used for
anything else, the territory reverts to the
government The commission in char
! however has the right to lease lands Tor
villas. cottages and hotels to be construct
ed under their supervision.
The island has since been in charge of a
commission appointed by the governor OF
Michigan and consisting of Peter White.
Marquette, chairman: w A. Peren, De-
troit secretary and treasurer; Charles Mil
ler Henry Kauter and John II. Bailey. B.
F. Emery the superintendent lives at
Mackinac and has general charge. The
income of the state commission until this
year has been entirely derived from the
rental Of lots for summer homes and from
leasing the buildings in the fo-t. 1t has
averaged 5000 a year, and with that
amount beautiful park of Lila acres has
been maintained and fourteen miles Of
driveway have been constructed and kept
in order.
No land can b, sold. but any person can
lease a lot outside of the park on the gov
eminent reservation for 500 year. Last
winter the commissioners secure. from
the legislature of Michigan an appropriation
of $4,000, of which one-haf is to be eX-
pended in restoring and repairing the cd
! fort and the other half on the construction
| of new roads. The fort is now vacant, but
| is open to tourists. and there Is quite an
/ interesting museum of historical relics
there.
| Retrocession Now Proposed.
| 1t is proposed to turn back the island to
| the government of the United States and get
| the Secretary of War to send a garrison
| of two companies of artillery to the fort in
| order to enliven the community, band to
| furnish music for the entertainment of the
| summer residents and to serve as an adver-
| tisenent for the place The legislature of
| Michigan has already passed act
| thoriZing the transfer on tWenty-four
hours notice. and no further action on the
| part of the state is necessary. But the Sec
| rotary of War will have to make the recon-
! mendation. and Congress will have to au-
| thoriZe the President to accept a deed from
| the state ana restore the Island 10 us Oiu
| character as a frontier military post. The
| alleged reason for the restoration is the
| necessity of maintaining possession of the
| most important strategic point upon our
| northern borders. and the advocates of the
| transfer will tell you solemnly, with
| straight faces that, in the event of a war
| with Canada. there is not a gun to protect
| the great thoroughfare of commerce at the
| junction of the three lakes.
! Uncle Joe Cannon, Senator Hemenway,
Representative Mckinley of Illinois and
| Senator Smith of Grand Rapids were up
| here the other day, when the citizens and
| summer residents warmed them up to the
| support of the proposition. Senator Smith
promised to take charge of the movement.
| Senator Hemenway and Mr.. Mckinley
| agreed to help him, while Uncle Joe chewed
the end of his cigar and looked pleasant,
but didn't make any pledges. For sentl-
! mental reasons the island ought TO De
| under the care and the jurisdiction of the
| general government. although its value as
| strategic point in cas- OF a war with
| Canada is scarcely worth considering. The
| old fort ought to remain as 1t IS. 1t ranks
| with Fort Marion of st. Augustine as the
most interesting historical object in the
| country, and We are very snort OF that sort
| of treasure.
| Even if The United States does not accept
| the responsibility and expense of keeping
up the park, which is one of the most beau
tiful in the wortd-;-nd consists of more than
| a thousand acres of primeval forest, II
| might at least resume possession OF the old
| fort and the one hundred and four acres of
/
| oldest piece of military property In the
| United States. Fort Marion. at st. Angus
| tine, which was built by the Spaniards In
the sixteenth century, is older. but Mack
| mac dates back to the early part of the
| seventeenth century. There are two curious
| old block-houses built by the British IN
1870, and they are the only block-houses in
| the United States that were ever actually
| used for military purposes.
Meeting Place of the Manitous.
| JSl IN he
| tradition, the recreation ground. the
| resting place and the seat of the councils
of the Manitous, the gods of the northern
| tribes. According to the legends the Gitchie
| Manitou, finding no place suitable for these
purposes, raised the island from the lake,
| gave it to the spirits of the EARTH air and
water. and then sent messengers to notify
| all the gods that he had prepared place
where they could come and enjoy them
| selves, leaving their cares behind. The gods
| entered the island through a natural arched
| gateway which still remains, curious geo.
logical phenomenon at the northern end of
| the island. The Great Spirits wigwam was
afterward turned to rocky pyramid of ,
| stone and is now known the Sugaroaf.
Mackinac and the surrounding country are
| in the heart of the Hawatha country, made
sacred by Longfellow's immortal poem. |
Here Hiawatha and Minnehaha lived and
loved and played their parts in that beauti- |
Iul romance Of savage life The legendary
associations blend into historical events at |
the earliest period of our history. The
island was known to Champlain before 1912; |
! 1t was the home of good Fat Marquette
and the other black-robed pioneers. In 1854
John Nicoet stopped here on his journey
through the straits In 1870 Father Mar
quette established the first mission of the |
Jesuits across the passage at St Ignace !
from here Marquette and Joliet started on |
their voyage of discovery In 1873. On Au- |
gust N. 1879. Robert Cavalier de la Sale
and Father Hennepin arrived on the Gr,,-
ION. the hrst vessel that ever crossed the |
lakes, and Du L'Huth passed the winter of
Thus you will see that Mackinac u,.s nc
ISOLATED intimately with the earliest events
upon this continent, and for that reason
alone is worth retention by government |
Marquette's Great Voyage.
Marquette passed the winter of 1870 mo,