The Huron River

Araong the many advantageS given by nature to the County of Wasntefiaw perhaps none exceeds in value that -afforded by the Huron river. This county is surpassed by none in the State for fertility of soil and number of arable acres, and already ranks fourth in wealth and iniportanco in Michigan. Tho Huron river, rnnning almost through the entire length of tho county, and having a swift and steady current, affords power for 'iiuiiufacturing purposos not excelled by any stream in the State. Unlilce many strearas, it does not get bawling mad in the spring freshets, and overdoing its business, sweep away all tho restraints that rendered it uscful, nor on the other hand does it " play out " when the summer sun dries up other streams, but rising, ttmong a number of small lakes, it keeps up a steady current all tho time. Much advantage has already been taken of tho resources thus afforded, and many milis and manufactories already line its shores. A large maiority of these, wc belicve, are flouring milis. The wheat grown in this county is probably as good as that grown anywhere, and the flour made by the miilcrs ot' tlic Huron justly stands high in the market. What better brands are there than those of Dover, Peninsular, Dexter, Scio, Delhi and Hirou milis. ïo ïnention some of the uses to which tno power of the Huron has been put, we begin at Dover, where Mr. Thomas Birkott is running the Dover flouring milis, and descending the river about a mile we find his other mili at Hudson, devoted niostly to custom work, also a piaster mili and saw mili run by Gcorgo Walz & Co. Next we come to the dam of the Peninsular mili of C. S. Qregory & Co., which furnishes power for their large flouring mili and the woolen mili and Baw mili of L. Palmer & Co. Here, on Mili Creok, a tributary of the Huron, is located tlie flouring mili and piaster mili of J.JI. Evarts fc Co. Three miles down tho river at Scio, is the flouring mili of X. W. Briggs, and about a mile further is Delhi, where are the two flouring milis of J. Honly & Co., and the woolen mili of H. & D. McColl. Not move than a milo fui-ther is anothcr flouring mili, and a little further on we como to Foster's, whcre there is a large woolen mili and an extensive paper mili. Then comes Ann Arbor, with its woolen mili, flouring milis, and agricultural works. A few miles down the stream is Geddes and a large paper mili, and perhaps other milis. Then Ypsilaiiti hus made large use of this economical power to build up quite a nianufacturing interest, and there are paper milis, flouring milis, planing milis, a chair factory, etc. What there may bo beyond Ypsilanti, we cannot say, but in the distance we have passed over, about 25 miles, there are not les than one mili to each mile of river. But the full power of the stream is not nearly used up and there are many pointe where dams might be eonstructed, and various kinds of manufacturing enterpiises carriod on. It wauld hurdly be an exaggeration to say that the river will bear damming every mile. "We think wc are correct in saying that no point on the river presents botter opportunities for engaging in manufacturing enterprises than Dexter. A factory of almost any description, that can make use of water power, would find a favorable opening here and plenty of business. Whfli a erfat Ímpetus would be given business alo i. t'i i river, by tho opening up 01 another route to the east, by a railroad line, say from Toledo, to strike the valley at Ysilanti, and run up as far as Dover, ana thence north to Owosso, East Saginaw, or Luusing, can readily be calculated by any o::e, and wc live in the hope that this important section may yet cnioy the advantage oi' thai competition which enables a Grand Kapids iniller to send his flour east - 200 miles further - -for about ï'l cents less tin n a Dexter or Ann Arbor iniller. Let Ypsilunti, Ann Arbor and Dexter lay aside their jtalousy and striko hands for er route to the cast.