USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > Directory of the city of Detroit; and register of Michigan, for the year 1846. Containing an epitomized history of Detroit To which is added copious extracts from the state geological reports in relation to the rise and fall of the Great Lakes, etc > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14
310
55
17,050
S. W. and S. of Lake Superior, from St. Louis River to Desert Lake and Portage,
300
200
60,000
W. side Lake Michigan, from Portage to head Des Plaines River.
150
100
15,000
Peninsula between Lakes Michigan and Huron, and west end Lake Erie,
325
174
56,550
South of Lake Erie to Niagara,
300
35
10,500
Add area of Lake Superior,
32.000
Green Bay,
2,000
Lake Michigan,
22,400
66 Lake Huron
20,400
Lake St. Clair,.
360
Lake Erie,
9,600
335.515
The floods in Lake Ontario are generally the highest by about two feet, and for the obvious reason that it receives the successive accumulations of all the other Lakes from the Niagara to the head of the St. Louis river.
From the year 1814, we can speak with some degree of con- fidence of the rise and fall of these waters. During that year the upper lakes were full. This was the case in 1815 with the central and lower lakes. In 1819 and 1820, the water is said to have been at an unusually low ebb in the same lakes.
The difference in the time of the apparent rise between the up- per and lower division, may be accounted for on the principle that the largest bodies of water are on the upper level, and al
15
DIRECTORY.
these are discharged, the lower division would be comparatively high, while the upper would be reduced to low water mark.
From 1820, the water again began to rise and continued to in- crease until 1828, since which time A. E. Hathon, Esq. civil en- gineer of Detroit, has given the subject particular attention. His first observations were taken at the old hydraulic works at the time when the pipes were being laid for furnishing the city with water from the Detroit river ; he has since transferred it to the top of the water table of the tower at the new hydraulic works. The surface of the river at the time of the transfer, August 21, 1833, was 3.21 feet below that base ; this will serve as a refer- ence for the future.
It appears from his journal that the water was low in the spring of 1830, having fallen about two feet since 1828. In June fol- lowing, it had again risen two feet, or to the level of 1828 .- ยท From that time its rise was gradual until June 1836, at which time it was found to have attained the height of one foot and eight inches. In June 1837, it rose seven inches, in June 1838 nine inches, and on the 21st of August following, three inches, making the rise 3 feet 3 inches since June 1830, and 5 feet 3 inches since March in the same year.
Table showing the rise of water from March, 1830, to August, 1838.
| Feet. |Inches.| Rise.
June 1830,.
2,0
June 1836,
1
8
3,8
June 1837,
7
.4,3
June 1838,.
9
5,0
August 21. 1838.
3
5,3
Many conclude that the high flood in the latter year was great- er than had been known for at least a century, from the fact that orchards had been killed along the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, in consequence of the lands being overflowed.
On the 21st of August 1838, according to the above table the water had attained its maximum, and after continued fluctuations during the seven following years returned to the minimum of 1830.
16
DETROIT
Table showing the rise and fall of water from August 21, 1838, to July 1, 1315.
RISE.
FALL. Feet. : Inches. | Feet. (Inches.
from August 21, 1838, to July 31, 1839,
July 31, 1839, to July 4, 1840,
July 4, 1840, to August 2, 1841.
3
5
August 2, 1841, to June 1, 1842,
1
4
4
6. July 1. 1843, to July 1, 1844.
1
8
1
9
5
1
10
4
5
1
Total fall since 1838, 5
3
It is stated that in the month of February in the present year, (1846) the Detroit river fell three feet nine inches lower than it had done in the corresponding month for many years preceding, and that the like occurrence is not known to have happened but once before within the memory of the oldest inhabitants. This remarkable fall is attributed to the circumstance of a barrier be- ing formed by the ice at the foot of Lake Huron obstructing its passage.
In order to estimate the enormous accumulations of water du- ring the time of the highest flood, and which is discharged through the river, it will only be necessary to refer to the table where 5} feet appears to be the maximum of the rise. A transverse sec- tion of the river taken opposite Detroit where it is contracted to 52 chains 80 links, of this depth contains 18,018 cubic feet, and allowing the current a velocity of one mile an hour, which is known to be less than its ordinary current, there would be dis- charged 95,135,040 cubic feet per hour, or 1,585,558 cubic feet per minute, an amount sufficient to supply 58 canals of the di- mensions of the Clinton and Kalamazoo, or 35 of the Grand Erie canal, and more than 16 times the amount contained in the Cedar river, and Sycamore creek, Ingham county, Deer creek and Grand river, Eaton county, Shiawassee river, Livingston county, and Rabbit river, Allegan county.
We are not prepared to say that there are 16 times as many rivers (as those above enumerated) at the north, which have changed their course, and discharge in directions contrary to their
-
2
5
9
66 June 1, 1842, to July 1, 1843,
66 July 1, 1844, to July 1, 1845,.
17
DIRECTORY.
former ones, thus filling the basin of Lake Superior, and causing the periodical rise of the lakes, nor is it reasonable to suppose that rivers discharging so great a quantity, can be found in that region. We must therefore look for the cause to the quantity of rain which has fallen, and to the melting of the snow in spring upon the immense surface drained by these lakes.
RIVERS.
Streams receiving the appellation of rivers in the State are numerous. This name, however, is applied to none unless of sufficient magnitude to be considered worthy of meandering on both sides; accordingly instructions to that effect have been given by the Surveyor General to his deputies in the prosecution of the government surveys. The Grand Muskego and St. Joseph will bear a comparison in length with many of the western and no small number of the eastern rivers of the first and second class. Their width and depth are not in proportion to their length, arising from the fact of their uniform descent. This character- istic will apply to all the other streams on the peninsula. They are unbroken by cateracts, and but little obstructed by rapids .- The number in the surveyed part, and discharging into the lakes, is twenty-of these the Grand river is the largest.
This river rises in Hillsdale and the south part of Jackson counties, in a cluster of more than fifty lakes that interlock with the Kalamazoo and St. Joseph, each emptying into Lake Michi- gan on the west; and with the Raisin, which empties into Lake Erie on the east. These, with the Little St. Joseph, St. Joseph ot Maumee, and Tiffins, or Bear Creek, running south have their sources on the highest table land in the southern half of the peninsula, being an elevation of 646 feet above Lake Erie. From its source in a northerly direction to Jacksonburgh is 25 miles, its level here being 325 feet above Lake Michigan. From Jack- sonburgh it is 53 miles to Red Cedar river, 30 to Looking Glass river, and 18 to the Maple river. At this point its elevation is 56 feet above the lake, where it takes a westerly course of 50 miles to Grand Rapids, and 40 more to its mouth-making its 2*
18
DETROIT
entire length 216 miles. It conveys the surplus water of 2,949,- 120 square acres. There are many other large tributaries besides those above mentioned, which it receives from the north-among these are the Flat and Rogue rivers, no inconsiderable streams. Its width the first 40 miles from its mouth is 800 feet, and for 50 miles further to Lyons, on the Maple, it is 500 feet. In spring, floods raise the river about ten feet, overflowing and enriching its valley, which is densely covered with a heavy and beautiful growth of forest trees.
The St. Joseph has for its source more than 25 lakes, and as before mentioned, has its origin in Hillsdale and Branch counties, it runs a northerly course, afterwards passing to the south-west, and crossing the south boundary of the State, enters Indiana, again curving northwardly it re-enters this State, and falls into Lake Michigan, receiving many large tributaries, among which are the Paw Paw, the Dowagiac, Elkhart, Prairie, Pigeon and Fawn rivers.
From its mouth to the line of Indiana, the distance is 48} miles, at a level of 68} feet, after running 43 miles in Indiana, and at an elevation of 99 feet, it re-crosses the State line, the distance to Three rivers is 233 miles; rising 35 feet, thence 26} miles to Sturgeon lake, and 20g to Union City, making the whole distance 160 miles from its mouth to this place, and its height above Lake Michigan 285 feet; the entire length of the river is 208 miles-its width is 900 feet at its mouth, and carries the surplus waters of 2,327,040 square acres.
The Kalamazoo river drains nearly all the remainder of the surface on the western declivity, (situate between the Grand and St. Joseph rivers above described,) or about 1,332,400 square acres. Its tributaries are not many or large; its average width is about 200 feet; its source is in a group of 20 lakes. Farwell's lake is six feet above the source of Grand river, though hardly 40 rods distant; and so near do the rivers rising on this plateau approach each other that the waters flowing east, west and south inight easily be made to mingle at this point. Its course is more direct than either of the others mentioned.
19
DIRECTORY.
The distance from its mouth to Allegan is 38 miles, with a current of three miles an hour; thence 25 miles to Kalamazoo, where it is 148 feet above the lake; thence to Albion, at the Forks, 13 miles, rising 9 feet, making a distance of 116 miles, and at an elevation of 345 feet. From the Forks to its source is 34 miles; its entire length is therefore 150 miles.
The rivers discharging on the eastern coast of the State within the surveyed district, have a less volume, and may be described together as having similar features, or if there be an exception, it is in the length. The length of all is abridged, however, by having a space to traverse only of about 40 to 60 miles, the dividing ridge being so much nearer the eastern than the western side of the peninsula.
The river Raisin heads in a series of 50 lakes, the nearest of which is but a few rods from the head of Grand river. Its whole length may be computed at 85 miles.
The head waters of the western branches of the Huron also rise near those of Grand river, while its eastern sources inoscu- late with the Clinton. This river and the Clinton have their sources in, by far, the greatest number of lakes-they are no less than 200, and some of them large, embraced in the area of Oak- land, Livingston and Washtenaw counties.
The Saginaw river receives the discharged waters of the Cass, Flint, Shiawassee and Tittabawassee rivers, 25 miles from its mouth. These rivers, with their tributaries, descend from every point of the compass-the Tittabawassee from an unsurveyed district in the north, the Shiawassee from the western declivity of the summit in Oakland county in the south, the Flint and Cass from the summit of the same swell in Lapeer and Sanilac coun- ties on the east and south-east. Their average length is 90 miles.
The table which follows will show at once the vertical rela- tion of almost every important point throughout the State in- cluded in the surveyed portion when this report was made. The surface of Lakes Huron and Michigan is made the plane of refer- ence; these are 578 feet above tide water.
20
DETROIT
By a reference to the heights, it appears that there is a swell of land which may be called the true water shed, running from Point aux Barques south 45 degrees west, and passing out of the State into the north-east corner of Indiana, about equi-distant from Lakes Erie and Michigan. It attains its greatest elevation in Hillsdale county, seven miles east from Jonesville, where it is 633 feet above the plane of reference. Its summit on the Central Railroad, at the division line between Jackson and Washtenaw counties, 14 miles east of Jacksonburgh, is 437 feet. In the vil- lage of Pontiac, in Oakland county, on the summit level of the Clinton and Kalamazoo canal, it is 336 feet. It then again rises, and at the head waters of Belle river, in Lapeer county, is 414 feet. From this point it gradually falls off, and with a few rills descending on its north and eastern slope, sinks to the level of the beach of the lakes. This swell will present but few eleva- tions above the actual surveyed lands exceeding 50 feet, and these knobs, where present, are located without design and without uniformity of range.
On the line between Oakland and Livingston counties a branch diverges to the north-west, giving rise to the Red Cedar, Look- ing Glass and the Maple rivers on its western declivity, while the Shiawassee rises at the point of divergence, and runs northwardly parallel to its eastern side. The lowest pass across this swell is 95 feet above Lake Huron. Leaving this point and ascending to township 10 north, of range 5 west, its course is changed to the north, and it rises to its greatest elevation at the sources of the Muskego river, in Lake Otisco, in town 22 north. From an in- spection of the map, an apparent design appears to have marked the future communication between Lakes Huron and Michigan, from the broad and deep indentation of Saginaw Bay over this narrow and low pass.
From the dividing swell, the country lies in one plane on each side, inclining gently and uniformly to the margin of the lakes, with the exception of a slight corresponding elevation on the western side of the State. This may be traced from the great bend of Grand river to where it crosses the Kalamazoo, west of
21
DIRECTORY.
that village, thence curving with the shore of the lake, terminates at the South Bend, where it diverts the St. Joseph river, through a part of Indiana. Its average height at Grand river is 80 feet; 200 feet at Kalamazoo and 75 at South Bend above the level of the surrounding country. It need not be stated that the interior peninsula lakes partake of the highest elevation, when reference is had to their being situated at the sources of all the rivers; and that the summit in Oakland and Livingston counties abounds with the greatest number.
From tables in which the elevation of places have been collated, a few remote from each other have been selected, which may serve to show the uniformity of the surface generally. Conclu- sions from this table cannot be drawn, however, in detriment to the healthy and rapid, and not unfrequently precipitous flow of all our streams.
Table showing the vertical relation of the several points referred to-the sur- face of Lakes Huron and Michigan being made the plane of reference.
Outlet of Grass Lake, Jackson county,
377
Village of Barry, Jackson county,
362
Head of Spectacle Lake, Calhoun county.
Head of Mill Creek, St. Clair county, 373
Kalamazoo River at Albion, Kalamazoo county,
351
Sandstone Creek, Jackson county.
347
Ontlet Gillet's Lake, Jackson county,.
354
Village of Newberry, St. Clair county.
284
West end Prairie Ronde, Kalamazoo county, 278
Rice Creek near Marshall, Calhoun county, 280
Honey Creek, Washtenaw county, .. 266
North Branch River Raisin, Lenawee county,
276
Hasler's Creek, Lapeer county,.
265
Geddes do Washtenaw county, 220)
Flint River at Lapeer, Lapeer county ..
238
Huron River, Dexter, Washtenaw county, .
232
Kalamazoo river near Augusta, Kalamazoo county,
187
Kalamazoo River, Kalamazoo village,. .
154
Shiawassee River at Owasso, Shiawassee county, 145
Fort Mackinaw, Mackinaw,. 150
Cliff, Robinson's Folly, Island of Mackinaw, 129
Ypsilanti, Washtenaw county,
130
Bank of Lake Michigan, New Buffalo, Berrien county,
100
Huron River at Ypsilanti, Washtenaw county,.
Paw Paw River, Lafayette Village, Van Buren county,.
106
Stony Creek, crossing Northern Railroad, Ionia county,
Mouth of Maple River, Ionia county, . 56
St. Joseph River at Bertrand, Berrien connty, 53
Half Way House, Wayne county, .. 51
Brush Creek near Mason, Van Buren county,. 76
Feel .
363
E Old Fort Holmes, Mackinaw, .
219
22
DETROIT
NATURAL WOODS OF MICHIGAN.
The arrangement which this subject calls for, properly belongs to the department of botany. Nevertheless without attending to the details which should accompany a catalogue of an entire flora, it will be sufficient to exhibit generally the geographical boundaries of such of the larger productions as are required for constant use, either in farming, building or for the market.
Oak is the predominant growth of the peninsula. Among the varieties, the white is in the greatest abundance. The shingle or laurel oak and the red oak are next abundant. And the burr oak, though not usually found intermixed in common with the other varieties, abounds, notwithstanding, over extensive areas not unfrequently to the exclusion of other kinds.
The surest indication of a good soil accompanies the last men- tioned, and the finest and largest crops of wheat are there pro- duced, for the reason that the soil contains a larger amount of calcareous matter.
Dividing the peninsula by an east and west line, nearly corres- ponding to that of the line of the Northern Railroad, a botanical map would represent the northern portion as having, by far, the greatest burthen of timber possessing a proportionable quantity of the different varieties found elsewhere in the State.
Marked limits may be given to those districts in the southern portion, where a few groves of pines are found. Their localities are in the vicinity of the water courses of Kent and Ottawa counties, and among the timbered lands of Allegan, extending in comparatively small tracts along the borders of Lake Michigan nearly to New Buffalo, in Berrien. In crossing the State through the interior counties, none are met until reaching the central parts of Genesee, Lapeer and St. Clair. Here they are again found in the same range of northern townships, where they first occur in the counties before mentioned.
North of this belt or zone, which is the natural boundary bo- tween the oak openings and plains of the south, the forest abounds promiscuously with the white, yellow and Norway pine, white cedar, tamarac, ash, oak, birch, sugar maple, sycamore, beech, lynn, elm, white wood, black walnut, &c. &c.
23
DIRECTORY.
There are, however, extensive districts nearly continuous from Ottawa, Kent and Ionia counties northward, of openings and small prairies, particularly a few miles inland from White river, and from Great and Little Sable points. But on ascending the Muskego river, until reaching its source, thence north on both sides of the principal meridian, extensive tracts occur, in many instances free from a mixture of other timber, while in other places the sugar maple and beech are not unfrequently found, commingling with pines of immense girth.
The fact of the white wood and black walnut accompanying the sugar maple and beech, as seen occupying the districts inland from the Sable points, in towns 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 north, of ran- ges 14, 15,16, 17 and 13 west, would, to the most ordinary agricul- turist, demonstrate the superiority of the soil; and when taken in connection with the limited tracts of oak openings, and the great amount of the most valuable timber, it seems difficult to determine any preference of the southern over the northern por- tions of the State.
The soil is not considered of so good a quality on the eastern side of the peninsula, immediately along the shore of Lake Huron, owing to its low, level and sandy qualities, consisting chiefly of the debris of sand rock; consequently the timber is generally stunted, and consists in great proportion of birch, tamarac and cedar. Where pine occurs, it is mostly too small to be profitably made use of. But at every advance inland both improve.
The face of the country throughout the northern interior, is high and rolling or undulating, and appears to one acquainted with the southern part of the peninsula to bear a close resem- blance in its general contour.
It may be considered then as a question fully decided that more than one-half of the State is heavily timbered in that part lying above the line of the Northern Railroad-that the sugar maple and pine are here the most common, as well as the most valuable timber-that the other kinds are found in situations equivalent to their occurrence farther south, upon streams and bottom lands, or upon plains and openings. No tree is held in
24
DETROIT
higher estimation by the Indians than the sugar maple, and no source of complaint is more grievous than a separation from it by removal to places were it is not found.
The pine, if not wasted or wantonly destroyed by fire or oth- erwise, will furnish an abundant supply for a long time to come.
DECREASE OF ELEVATION IN THE WATERS OF THE LAKES.
The State Topographer, S. W. Higgins, Esq., from whose reports the publisher has compiled the foregoing article, remarks in 1840 in relation to " the decrease of elevation in the waters of the lakes" as follows: " It is a question I believe satisfactorily determined at the present time, that there exists no perceptible tide in them which can be referable to planetary influence; yet for a long time to come, it is presumed the ordinary fluctuation produced by atmospheric agency will be considered a tidal wave, nor will the persuasion be easily dismissed, that so great an ex- panse of water can remain unaffected, at least to some degree.
The question is also as fully determined as to their general rise for a succession of years, and then their general subsidence to a certain minimum, the actual degree of which, as well as the maximum, were not recorded previous to the year 1800."
CHANGE OF ELEVATION IN THE WATERS OF THE GREAT LAKES.
When the importance of the above subject is duly considered, the publisher of the Directory trusts the following additional ar- ticle in relation to it, will not be unacceptable to his friends and patrons, seeing especially it is from the pen of one so eminently qualified to treat thereon, as the late lamented State Geologist, Dr. Douglass Houghton. It is extracted from the State Geolo- gist's report, dated February 4, 1839:
" Intimately connected with the geological changes which are taking place from the deposite of detrital matter, at the mouths of streams, and in the deeper portions of the lakes, together with the degradation of the lake and river coasts, are the changes in the relative level of the waters of the lakes, a subject to which
25
DIRECTORY.
the attention of our citizens has been more particularly called, within the past two years.
The great interest which this subject possesses, in connection with our lake harbors, as well as with those agricultural inter- ests, situated upon the flat lands bordering the lakes and rivers, may be a sufficient apology for the introduction in this report, of the accompanying facts and reflections upon the subject. An ac- curate and satisfactory determination of the total rise and fall of the waters of the lakes, is a subject, the importance of which, in connection with some of our works of internal improvement, and harbors, can at this time scarcely be appreciated.
Much confusion is conceived to have arisen in the minds of a portion of our citizens, in consequence of a confounding of the regular annual rise and fall to which the waters of the lakes are subject, with that apparently irregular elevation and subsidence which only appears to be completed in a series of years-changes that are conceived to depend upon causes so widely different that while the one can be calculated with almost the same certainty as the return of the seasons, the other can by no means be calcu- lated with any degree of certainty.
It is well known to those who have been accustomed to notice the relative height of the water of the lakes, that during the winter season, while the flow of water from the small streams is either partially or wholly checked by ice, and while the springs fail to discharge their accustomed quantity, the water of the lakes is invariably low.
As the spring season advances, the snow that had fallen during the winter is changed to water; the springs receive their accus- tomed supply, and the small streams are again opened, their banks being full in proportion to the amount of snow which may have fallen during the winter, added to the rapidity with which it has been melted.
The water of the lakes,in consequence of this suddenly increased quantity received from the immense number of tributaries, com- mences rising with the first opening of spring, and usually attains its greatest elevation, (at least in the upper lakes,) sometime in
3
26
DETROIT
the month of June or July. As the seasons advance, or during the summer and a large portion of the autumnal months, evapo- ration is increased, and the amount of water discharged by the streams lessened, in consequence of which, the water of the lakes falls very gradually, until winter again sets in, when a still greater depression takes place, from the renewed operation of the causes already mentioned.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.