State Encampment Grounds

As any good. sober, stralghtforward crow would fly, the si ate encampment ground is fltteen miles Boutheasl of Howell, and ten miles north ol Ann Arbor. On account of the devious wimlin.üs of the Toledo, Aun Ai-bor Je North Michigan rallroad 11 is severa! miles farther by rail. The lake is also reached by meana of the Michigan Air Line rallroad, a branch oí the Grand Trunk system, an Uly-kept, wanderIng path trom Jackson to Pontiac and back the neil day. Whltmore lake, named after the first white aettler in that neighborhood, is a handsome sheet of blue water, lyiiiir in a (leep hole about a mile aerciss. dug by the original architect accordlng to the most approved plans and speclflcations. Part of it is sitnated in the town of Green Oak. Livingston county. and part ol it i 11 Northfield township, in Waehtenaw, about two-thlrds of it lylng In the latter county. So lar from its being a iart of the "Winans rcservation or in anywlse attached to the governor's hen roost, it is uot, bul is at least séven miles from the guberoatoria] habitation at Hamburg. People havo boon living along the shorea of Whitmore lake and fishing for the roach and speckled base more than three score years and ï-n. and in poim of antiquity the placo Is surpassed by few settlements in central Michigan. The town itseH skirts the western shore ol the lake, and consista of two hotels, a hall dozen stores, and a number of summer cottages and farm resldences. In winter the town losos its vitallty to 'a certaln extent; but in the summor the Inhabltants wax fat upon fresh fisli and BUCCulent summer boarders. Ann Arbor people wlll tnake the place for thelr favorito holiday ground, and many a prodigious Hsh story lias been incubatod along the pebbly borders of the Ilmpid lake. F. M. Lombard, mingtrei and bard, famed throughout a lmndred townships, has roared his home upon the northern margin. The lake is surrounded by a shady road, and several steam and Balling crafts ply its waters, while rowboats innumerable can be seeured for a stipulated consideration from half-a-dozen boal houses. Pronting tliis pleasant sheet of ivaeer is the farm house of Frank Barker, upon Avhose land the state troops wlll pitch thoir tents during the coming state eucampment. Hack throngb a pleasani lane, across the railroad half a mlle, are the camp grounds. lloro are 'JO aeres of level meadow land. Doundod on the west by an inviting foreet. "Dead" lake lios to the south and west in convenient proximity to the encampment grounds. Opon the east are "pleasant fielda and pastures green," and on the north tho hlghway. The Spring Lake ice company has a mammoth ice house f uil to the ralters with the congealed product of more lake. It is convenlently located within 100 rods of the camp grounds. Water ïor cuJinary purposes will be piped from nn adjacent flowlng spring, and Dead lake furulshea a splendld beach for bathing. Adjutant General Fnrrer, Gen. H. B. Lothrop, C. 8. Hoag, quartermaster ol the First regiment, and other membera erf the state military board weiv on recently planning for the work of fitting the gronnds, which wort lias been commenced tlns werk. When locatlng the encampment grounds the military board visited Islüiul Lake, bnt concluded t Hat Whltmore offered'the best advantages generally. The faet that the Toledo & Aun Arbor road croases erery rast and west railroad In the state, and thereby rendersthe grounds more easy ol access to the people generally, was an Inducement to lócate the grounds there