Michigan News

Company (r. M. S. T., Jackson, has leased the old opera house for an armory and drllling pm-poses, and will have a drill room 44 by 80 feet. During January 127,339 barrels oí salt were inepeeted by the state inspector, against 53,310 barrels during January, 1S82. The iron Mast furnace at Elk Rapids, Antrim county, will be obliged to simt down Maren lst, beeause unable to get foei. It uses over 40,(KX cords of four-íoot wood a year. Elk Rapids, Antrin. eounty, has just Ünishcd one oí the flnest town halls in the state, and on Washington'6 birthday an eilort will be made to r;iis(' onmifWi moiicv fnr stap-n Rnnnp.rv hv a grand ball. Tlio Muskegon News Reporter says over $150,000 have beeu expended tuis winter in repairing the milis on Muskegon lake, putting in new maohinery, engines, etc., and when the sawing season opens business will boom all around the lake. There is no reasoa why the eea6on of 18S3 should not bc the most prosperous one in the history of the city. There will be over S00,000,000 feet of logs in the river to supply the miUf. January 27 the stamp mili of the 'W'olverinc eopper company in Houghton county was ca ara worKea gucccsslully. JSxploratlons were begun on this propcrty in 1881. In 1882 a compauv was organized with 40,000 shares, one half of which were set aside as a working capital. Only 5,000 of lts shares were sold before it was decided to put no more on the mark The erection of the stamp mili was begun three months ago. The mili now has a eapacity of 150 tons of rock per day. The company tlïinks it has made a fine strike. The present generation of the boys of Michigan uever before had such jol ly good skating as that of ;his weck. People ekated to Coldwater on the crust this week, coming in many instane.ps f rom live to ten miles "across lots." The Jaekson Patriot says Louis Viccary, formerly well known as the "boy soprano," is in the eást, where he soon expects to enter a professional career. The Erongon Baptist minister skated four miles to hll an engagement, Sunday. Amone; tbe musicians in the Tenth infantry band at Fort Wayne, near Detroit, is a young man uamed Esselstyn, a member of one of tbe best families of Lansing and a relativo of some of the dwellers on one of Detroit's principal avenues. He was for a time an opera singer, and was a favorite at home beforo be donned the blue. plaint to the authorities that she had been robbed of $-100. The pólice did not fiad the noney, but she did - in the bottoin oL an old trunk wherp she had hiddeii itandiorgotten all about it. Pioueers gonc : Ziah Benjamin, who settled n St. Jo county in 1835, died reeently, aged nearly 79 years. - David Thorp died at Joncsville, aged 77. - Almond Stevens, an old and respected Citizen of Plymouth, died a few days ago. Vhen the Eagle hotel burned at (rand ïapids a drummer sallied íorth ciad only in a night shirt and a frightened expression of countenance. In the halhvay he met one of he servant girls similarly clothed, and asked ier is she knew the wáy out. She said she did, and taking him by the hand 6he led himforth, and they sought refuge in another hotel. The drummer eubsequently evinced bis gratitude to he cool-headcd girl by buying her an outfit of clothing. Prof. Everett of Grand Rapids, has been eaching school 56 years. A man skated from Tecumseh to Jackson on he ernst, and after taking dmner pushed on to ..eslie. A. Jj. Clark, a prominent business man of iattle Creek, who has boen traveliug around he world, is now at Beunos Ayers, and is exjected home in the spring. Dr. Davis of Jackson, will brlug suit for 15,000 agaiust that city f or damages caused by upsettiug his carriage by striking upon a big tone in the street. Mrs. J. W. Bewitt will also bring suit for the same amount for upseting by running upon a sand hcap left in one of the streets. A girl named House, living flve miles north of Big RapiSs, being siek with diphtheria, lay or three days as one dead. When she recovered from her trance she believed she had died n another country and reappeared in life as inother person. Walter Whipple, treasurer of Monroe towuship, Newaygo eounty, who is under arrest on a charge of embezzling township funds, is lying ill with paralysla and is at the polnt oL Upper península folks llave been 6uffering froin long mail delays caused by the snow blockades. A gas vein lias been struck in the salt ivell now being bored at Jackson. Thereissupposed to be gas enough to furnish fuel for making salt wken they begin pumping briue. A gentleman visited the Battle Creek school library, and while there a nine-years-old boy of an inquisitive and mechanieal turn of niind stole a model of a patent savv frora his pocket. The lad has been suspended froni school. The Saginaw & Sand Beach división of the Port Huron & Northwestern railway has been blocked for a few days past, and no trains have arrived at Port Huron. lt will probubly be opened shortly. John W. Hopkins, formerly a heavy lumberman aad prominent eharacter in New Haven, is very il], and there are little hope of his recovery. James II. Spencer of Richmond, recently marketed a load of wheat containing 105 bags, weighing 230 bushels, drawn by a small team weighing 2,200 pounds. It was purchased by N. Mclntyre, proprietor of the Ridgeway steam elevator. Gen. Innes, railroad eommissioner, has been to Adrián to see what shall be done about stationing ilagmen at various railroad crossings in tliat city.. ïhere is now telephonic communication between Ridgeway and Richmond and the outside world. Dr. II. C. Harrison, druggist at Richmond, has charge of the exchange, whicli bos 16 instrumenta in town and nore to be added. From 4,000 to 5,000 bushels of grain are bought daily at Ridgeway, Macom'b couuty. jvu-.j vj. au í-j lili i Li vil 11 Ulll JJriLO 'JJ : 1 1 1 1 away. Peter Gravett and wifc ofTalmadge, Ottawa county, drove to Grand Kapids, and upon arriving they were shoeked to fmd that their three months otd babc, whioh Mrs. Gravett carried in her arms, was dead, having been suffocated by being too closely wrapped up. JohnW. Hopkins, a prominent lumberman, oí Grand Ilaven, died recently of inflammation oí the bowels. He was one of Grand Haven's pioneers, having lived tliere einee the settlement oí the place. The fcwo railroad boats are y et in the ice, one about six miles west and the other ten mileti northwest of Ludington harbor, both made vain attempts to niake the harbor asd four passengers and two hands went ashore afoot on the ice, arriving in the evening. The ice is slowly making tothe northward, and if the present favorable wind continúes both boats will probably make port soon. Everything is rport ed safe and no immediate dangcr is leared. The house of G. W. Bacon of Portage, burned recently with all its contents; loss $3,000, insured for L2,200. The house of Weslcy Merman, in Ross, was also destroyed ; loes $2,000. A man named Lenhart is under arrest at Kalamazoo on a charge of murdcr said to haye been committed in Newaygo county. The Martel furnaco company, of St. Igu;icf, lost a $400 team of horses through the ice at that place a few days ago. The steamer Michigan and tug Aretic, which has been stuck in the ice pack off Grand Haven for several days, has made port safely at Mus-, kegon. T!)e Wisconsin is now fast in the iee five miles off Grand Haven, havingleft Milwaukee Sunday morning. E. Page Finney, who got away from Ionia sotne two weeks ago and was captured and imprisoned at Cadillac, broke jailby tearingdown a section of the chimney, ïurnishing an exit through the roof. Tiic Milwaukce & St. Paul ISuiMin tnto ."tlolilgmi. The St. Paul Pioneer Prcas says: "Rumor has it that the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul people have given up all endeavors to obtain control of the Wisconsia & Michigan Road, owing to the price demanded by the owners of the latter road, and the St. Paul will make an efEort to reach that section of country through the Milwaukee, Lakc Shore & Western Railway. It is said that the Chicago, Milwaukee & fet. Paul owns a largo amouut of the Milwaukoe, Lake Shore & Western stock, and will make an effort to push its construction north to the State line, and thence east along the Meuomonee Range. The latter road has lately purchased seventy miles of steel rail and has 250 choppers at work clearing land, in order that the rails mav be laid froin Antigo iu the spring. This wUl carry the road tñrenty-íive miles iuto MicJiigau. J. O. Thayer, general land agent of tl) e road, said yesterday that a6 soon as clearing is eompleted the grading will commenee if the wcather is favorable, and fifty miles of track wil! be laiil. The other twenty-üve rnilcs of rail purchased will be used for relay. The tiraber that is being removed at Antieo is mostly pine, maple, birch, clm, basswood and hemlock, and in the swamps, eedar and tamarock. Sawmills are erected along the line of proposed construction as f ast as the timber is chopped. Mr. Thayer says that three years ago there were nothing but wigwams at Antigo, and at the next rating the Antigo postofflee will be made a Presidential office. Judging f rom tuis f act, he eays, new towns will uouotedly spring up and grow rapidly all alonji the new line as soon as it is in running order." Wlat i:aslcrn Feople Xliink of "Jly Mlolilgan." The Brooklyn Eagle has these timely words of advice to give iramigrants : If one prelers a colder elimate, in Michigan, uorth of (jrand Rapids, tlierc are scvoral milHons of acres subject to homestead cntry. These Michigan lands are vcry fertile ; the soil is a saudy loam. Persons might distrust it, not lmowing its capabilities, but it is really Têry fertile and produces twenty-five bushcls of wheat to the acre. The winters in Northern Michigan are severe, but the timber shelters the settler from the wind, and the heavy fall of snow in the laKe región líeeps the crops of wlieat protected from frost, and leaves the soil, on the melting of the snow in April, free and mellow. The farmer can plovv as soon as the snow melts. A poor man who goes to Michigan to settle needs but little money beyond what is neeessary to transport him thenee anti support bis family for a short time. lie can obtain cmployment, if he be at all expert with an ax, at all seasons of the year. The lumber woods iu the winter seasou emloy thousands of men iu various capacities, and boys even are able to earn fair wages as cooks or to do various things about the camps. Suppose a man and wife with five ehildren reach Northern Michigan, secure a picce of government land, and there begin the life of a new settler.' If they have found a quarter man ncecls about ?20 to deíray the necessary expense of getting his papers for the entry. He can easily obtain shelter íor his faraily during ,he few days he spends building a log eabin, íor Michigan people are very cordial to new corners, and vill do all possible to aid them, be ;hey poor or othenvisc. The men will be sure ;o turn out and help raise the log house that is destined to be the subsequent abode of the new neighbors, and every kindness will be.extended. When the house i's ready and the íámily ie will find that one neighbor wants a field cleared of standing timber, or a pieee oí a wood eut lown to make way ior cultiration. }r, if a railroad be near by, he can ent wood or the engincs ; an expert man with a crosscut saw and an ax can earn good wages at this eort of work. Saw-logs in the winter furnish employment íor a host of men : besides the freat lumber camps, where as many as 300 men are employed in eawing, every small mili owner will pay living wages ior logs cut by the housand feet ; sometimea a great deal of moncy can thus be made during a winter by the iew-eomcr. Shculd he be willing to leave his amily and enter a lumber camp ior the winter montns, he can earn from $18 to $30 per nionth at the various duties required there by luinbermen. Some 6aw down timber and cut it into saw ogs; some drive teams, some cook, some clear away the underbrush standing amid the trees designed for lumber, and some cut out road.s or the teams. Thus it is that thousands of men enter the ■ast pine región of Northern Michigan everv vinter and earn sufficient to clothe and feed ■ ■ r ■ X A I í í '. L - 11.1 ■ ■ ' I 1 '. W 1 II f If the settler prefer to remata at home during he winter season, he can always secure work of neighbors cutting saw logs, clearing new land or eutting stove wood; he may not earn quite as much as could be obtained in the lumber amps, but if he is willing to take provisions, rneat, etc., t.s pay he can earn a considerable amount during such odd times throughout the vinter as could be spared íroni bis own affairs. There is not the slightest chance of a poor man's family ever coming to want in Northern Michigan, if he be industrious and they frugal ; vork in the woods eau always be obtaiued; and f money cannot be earned, provisions cm always in this way be had. When spring comes the s'ettler can always ;et a team long enough to do what little plownghe needs by exchanging work - doing odd obs of work for neighbors, and taking the serice of the team for pay. In this rnanner ,housands of people, who have frorn time to lme settled in Michigan, have acquired a comortable position iu lire, and are now prosperous citizens of that commonwealth, not above elling strangers how they began. The winters of Michigan are long and prpttv Bevere, but vhen people become aceustomed to the climate -hey relish it exceedingly. The summer eason is delightful ; the soil produces abundant crops with very little exertion on the part of the farmer ; for wheu once the timber and debris is removed, the soil is 60 loose that much cultivation is not needcd. Ferry's Fraud. Great cxcitement prevails in Grand Haven over the further developments of the Ferry ailure. For the past few days creditors have been investigating the Ottawa iron works of hat city of whieh Scuator Ferry owns a conrolling interest. Some of the creditors have discovered that there have been fraudulent notes to an enormous amount iS6ued in the ïame of the iron works and indorsed by the "erry Bros. One creditor f rom Boston was in ,he city a feiv days aan with notes amounting o $35,000 on the Ottawa iron conipany, eigned )y T. White and indorsed by Ferry Bros. When ie disoovered that they were fraudulent and vere in the handivriting of Senator Ferry, he eft on the first train f or Washington to sëe the etiator. He said that unless the senator settled at once he would institute criminal proceedings against him. This matter completely ruius the Ottawa iron works, and thcir paper is now vorthless. They have contracta ahead for a ear's work, and if not closed by creditors will ay tbeir honcst debts dollar for dollar. They ire still open and running. The works are cnown as the Ottawa Iron Works and not eomlany. _ Explosión at Cliarlotte. The boller in Benjamin J. Grier's largesaw nill at Charlotte, exploded with terrifle forcé on the morning of the 9th inst., at seven o'clock, wreeking the mili and instantly killing Air. Grier, the proprietor, and Wm. Gordon, he engineer. Grier had j ust laid bis hand upon he whistlc rope to blow the seven o'clock whistle, which is blown to summon tlie cmiloyes. Engineer Gordon's head was blown off. The only othér man present beside Gorlon and Grier was Thomas Sadler who cscaped without injury, though standing within 10 feet oí the boiler wlien it exploded. Mr. Grier, the iroprietor, is one of the best known lumbernen in this section, and one of the most popular and prominent men in the city. He leaves a wife and flve children. Had it not been for he fact that the most of the employés were ate in getting to the mili the loss of lifc would indoubtedly have been muchheavier. ft irvl.n 1 i v t ■ 1 findill ji 1 ii 1imrAit m V L ft 11.1 feil M 4 ■ OVVlVilva M WW VUJII VllEIVIll The Michigan state association of agricilltural soeieties oponed its lOtli animal convention n Lansingon the 8th inst., with representaives froii the following soeieties in attendance: Michigan State Agricultura], Central Michigan, Ilubbardston Central, St. Joseph, Calamazoo, Gratiot, Wostern Michigan, Ionia, Clinton, Jackson, Eastern Michigan, Calhoun, Jnion of Plainwell and Van Buren. The agri cultural college was re rcsented by Secretary i. O. Beard, and the jecretary of Btate's ofttce by R. L. Hewitt. The topics of rhemberships, exhibitors, admissions, ticket, etc, were fully discuBsed. R. j. Hewitt read a paper on Crop Reports. The next topic was Viewing (Joinmittees, Awards, Appeals, etc. Under this head was diseussed ,he question of publishiug names of committees on premium lists, aml thé llability of eollusian jetween cominiltees aud exhibitors. The gencrul sentiment was unfavorabif to printiug tlie namrs of the committees. A resolution favorng the plan of having but bue wrson on a committee at fairs was adoptcd aiter mach (ilscussion. President Ball of Hamburg delivered an able address on "Agricuitural Exhibitions- Their Character and Scope." An interesting paper on the subject of agriculture and its iinportanee as the prime factor of existence. and vcaltli, national and individual, aud iniiuenees which tend to promote its progress wu rcad by Secretary Little of Kalamazoo. The convention very wisi-ly adopted the following resoution : Resolved, That in tbc seuse oí the assoeiation, all bootlis, beverages, gaming devices, tent shows and side entcrprises oí an inmoral or intempcrate eharacter ought to be excluded f rom the fairgrounds of every society u this state. After the. election of ofiiecrs for the ensuing year, and the transaction of some other business the convention adjourned to meet in Lansing on the last Wednesday in January, 1SS4.