The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-26
|0RR|S VILLAGE
IN FOR A BOOM
(dustrial Expansion in Hamtramck
District Revives Interest in
Visionary Metropolis.

Industrial development OF Ham
annex In the last two years holds a
fomise to investors in the somewhat
sionary village OF Norris that they
|ay get back part OF the money they
lid for city lots In 1874.
The village OF Norris appears ON
map as a close network of streets
II, in reality, is a collection Of mar.
t gardens. Ii Is one of the results
boom in 1873, when all Detroit
ent land mad, and several villages
PRE- plotted around the outskirts
hich never have been heard of since.
Norris has claim on history, be.
use II was founded by Col. Philetus
brris, the man who secured for the
vernment, the land for Yellowstone
rk and had 1t made into a govern
ent reservation. In appreciation Oh
work, he was made the first over
fer of the park, and has a geyser
med for him.
Col. Norris purchased several thou.
nd acres OF land in Hamtramck
wnship, about 1865. The land had
BIT one high spot in it, known as
airie Mound, and here Col. Norris
lit a large residence. He spent
busands of dollars on plank 10.
the city OF Detroit, and had a big
ch constructed TO carry off the wa
OF the swamp lands 10 Connor' S
eek. Then he plated the property
o village lots and advertised II
badcast.
Dne of the advertisements is To b
|ind in a plat-book in G. NJ. Burton S
Ice. Ii describes the congestion OF
|troit and the undesirability OF life
q big metropolis. The drawback OF
In Detroit, says the prospectus. is
bit one cannot see any highlands,
ile in Norris, one can gaze at the
jestic profile OF Prairie mound. The
vertisement was printed in the form
newspaper, like the mining ad-
easements OF today, and was circu-
ed all over the United States ana
EN- in Europe Some OF the pur-
hsers were English people, who ex-
tted to reap great harvest. me
lage OF Norris never materialized
Eond a few houses. Scarcely any
the streets were opened, and re-
htly many Of the lots have been
d for market gardening purposes.
A Detroit man not long ago re-
we'd a letter from a widow In Eng
id. asking him TO negotiate sale
some city lots, which she said her
sband had purchased 80 years ago,
b which she thought must be valu'
by this time. The man followed
her description and found that the
Is were located in the village OF
iris, with a ditch l5 feet deep be
cen them and the highway; that q
N was running a chicken farm on
I'm. his chicken house being located
the line of one of the avenues that
b been described In the circulars,
b his horse grazing over three or
tr blocks.
The strange part OF II Is that the
lage has a chance to come back 70
own. The outer belt line. alon
ich the manufacturing develop
mt of Detroit's suburbs Is expected
follow, runs squarely through the
lage. The oil dWagner tool plant
villages one manufacturing plant
ich has been through a receiver
-, was purchased short time age
Walter Russell, of the Russell Wheel
Foundry Co., and Is operated by the
ssel Axle Co. On the southern edge
Hamtramck township, not more
hn two miles away, Is large plants
We been established within com
-atively few months, calling, 80 the
bmoters declare, for city OF $4,000
habitants outside of Detroit. AS the
Ia on one side, the expansion
st all be northward; and those VIII
We been willing to sell their lands
Norris for a song are hanging to