USA > Michigan > Gazetteer of the State of Michigan, in three parts with a succinct history of the State, from the earliest period to the present time with an appendix, containing the usual statistical tables, and a directory for emigrants, &c > Part 7
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This District embraces the entire counties of Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Branch, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, and Van Buren, together with the counties of Allegan and Barry, save the northern tier of townships in each, which are in the Grand River Land District.
The Saginaw Land District is bounded on the east by the line commencing at the south-west corner of township 6 N., range 12 east, and running north with said line to
73
OF MICHIGAN.
LAND DISTRICTS .- GRAND RIVER.
Saginaw Bay, on the south by the division line between townships 5 and 6, north of the Base line, ranges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 east ; also by the northern boundary line of townships 10 north, ranges 1 and 2 west; on the west by the Principal Meridian, commencing at the S. W. corner of township 6 north, range 1 east and running north with said Meridian, to the south west corner of township 11, N., range 1 east ; also, by the line commencing at the S. W. corner of township 11 north, range 2 west, and running due north, to the northern extremity of the Penin- sula ; and on the north-east, by lake Huron, and Saginaw Bay. This district embraces the entire counties of Sagin- aw, Midland, Gladwin, and Arenac, all of Sanilac west of the division line between ranges 11, and 12, east, likewise the four north eastern townships of Gratiot-all of Lapeer, save the four eastern townships, and of Genesee, save the two southern townships, and of Shiawassee, save the four southern townships, together with all of Mackinac County, in the Peninsula, not included in the Grand River Land District.
The Grand River Land District, is bounded by the line beginning on the shore of Lake Michigan, between town- ships 3, and 4 north, and running east on said line to the line between ranges 6 and 7, west of the Principal Meridian ; thence on said range line, south to the Base line, thence on said line, east to the Principal Meridian line : thence N. on said Meridian to the north boundary line of township 10 N., thence west on the line between townships 10 and 11, N. to the western boundary of range 2, west ; and thence north, following the line between ranges 2, and 3, W., so as to include all that portion of the Peninsula lying west of the last mentioned line. This District embraces the counties of Ottawa, Oceana, Kent, Montcalm, Ionia, Isabella, Clin- ton, Eaton ; the western half of Ingham ; the eight western, and four South-eastern townships of Gratiot ; and the nor- thern range of townships in the counties of Barry and Al- legan. It likewise includes all the surveyed country in Mackinac, north of the aforesaid counties. 7
74
GAZETTEER
PUBLIC LANDS.
(1.)
The following table exhibits the names of the several land districts, the time and place of the location of the land offices and the names of the Register and Receiver of each respectively.
Land Districts.
When estab- lished.
Offices where Located.
Registers.
Receivers.
Detroit,
1801* 1823
Detroit,
Olmsted Hough,
Monroe,
Monroe,
G. T. Bulkley,
Jonathan Kearsley, D. B. Miller,
Kalamazoo, Saginaw,
I836
t lint,
Abraham Edwards, Michael Hoffman,
Chas. C. Hascall,
Grand River,
1836
Ionia,
Benjamin Sherman,
Wm. A. Richmond
(II.)
By certificate of the Clerk of the United State's Land Of- fice, we have the following statement of the sale of the Pub- lic Lands in the Detroit Land District, from the year 1820, to 1836, both inclusive.
Year.
Acres. 100th
Dollars. Cts.
1820
2,860.82
3,575,40
1821
7,444.39
9,305,53
1822
20,068.01
25,718,95
1823
30,173.71
37,717,23
1824
61,919.15
77,770,09
1825
92,332.55
116,920,72
1826
47,125.13
58,906,60
1827
34,964.45
43,713,11
1828
17,433.72
21,792,21
1829
23,409.48
29,261,93
1830
70,441.12
88,051,65
1831
217,943.51
272,444,49
1832
177,635.27
222,374,59
1833
771,503.76
214,389,77
1834
136,598.69
170,759,22
1835
405,331.88
506,761,56
1836
1,475,725.59
1,845,207,16
* The establishment of the Detroit Land Office, in 1804, seems to have been merely for the adjustment of land titles, as none of the public do- main in this territory had been sold previously to 1818, when the public lands were first brought into market by Proclamation of the President.
t The Land Office of this District was first located at White Pigeon, where it continued till the Spring of 1834, when it was removed to its present location.
1831+
Kalamazoo,
Thos. C. Sheldon.
75
OF MICHIGAN.
PUBLIC LANDS.
(111.)
Exhibit of Sales made at the Kalamazoo Land Office, up to the first of Jan. 1838.
Years.
Acres.
100ths.
Dollars.
Cts.
1831
93,179 36
117,128 26
1832
74,696 17
98,060 23
1833
95,980 25
123,465 25
1834
128,244 47
160,321 85
1835
745'661 34
932,076 64
1836
1,634,511 82
2,043,866 87
1837
313,855 15
394,316 77
3,086,128 56
3,869,235 87
Vacant public lands in this district subject to entry at the above date were 449,056.15 acres. The amount of School Lands, was 95,662.60. University Lands, 35,014.84. In- dian Reservations, 83,001.69 acres.
(Iv.)
Exhibit of the state of the lands in the several counties in this district.
County.
Lands Subject to entry.
School Lands.
University Lands.
Indian Reserves.
Allegan,
122,932.88
11,140.34
Van Buren,
90,003.39
11,471.45
Barry,
66,901.69
7,638.92
Calhoun,
39,609.55
12,726.70 4,993.85
Berrien,
33,914.61
12,264.14 9,136.83 18,525.68
Branch,
29,694.88
10,186.51 3,860.44
Cass,
27,036.76
9,923.08
Kalamazoo,
22,520.87
10,171.80 9,559.45 31,777.19
St. Joseph,
16,441.52
10,139.66 7,464.27 32,788.82
From a communication received from the clerk of the Receiver's Office of the Grand River Land District, the fol- lowing general statement is collected.
The whole amount of land sold since the first com- mencement of sales in this district, 20th Sept. 1836, up to the first Oct. 1837, was 568,317.56 acres, amounting at the prices at which it was sold, to $714,253.85. The quanti- ty of lands remaining unsold, and which was then subject to sale, as near as could be ascertained, was about 1,100,000
76
GAZETTEER
PUBLIC LANDS.
acres. The whole number of acres then surveyed in this district, including the lands sold and those remaining un- sold, was upwards of 2,300,000 acres.
(v.)
The annexed table shows the amount of lands sold and moneys received at the Land Offices, for the sale of Public Lands, in the several States and Territories, within the year 1836, so far as returns have been received, as appears from a document sent to Congress.
Ohio,
1,282,991.80
$1,663,116 56
Indiana,
3,245,344.13
4,061,492 68
Illinois,
3,199,708.64 4,000,294 36
Missouri,
1,655,687.66
2,071,204 35
Alabama,
1,901,409.00
2,375,771 47
Mississippi,
2,023,709.69
2,531,282 59
Louisiana,
879,456.06
1,099,323 58
Michigan,
4,189,823.12
5,241,228 70
Arkansas,
963,535.12
1,204,544 20
Wisconsin Terr'y, 646,133.73
808,932 3:2
Florida, Territory,
87,071:97
108,839 94
Total,
20,074,870.92
$25,167,833 06
(v1.)
The following statement of the progress of sale of the public lands in the Western Land District, which then included all of the Peninsula west of the meridian, was made by Col. Abraham Edwards in 1832.
" Public lands within this district which have been offered for sale at the minimum price, and which remained unsold and subject to private entry on the 31st Dec. 1831, were 3,843,930 acres. Lands that have been sold in the settled counties, and that were subject to entry in each, on the 31st Dec. 1831, as follows :
Sold.
Hillsdale,
2,450
Remaining unsold. 433,395
Branch,
8,873
289,867
St. Joseph,
44,814
226,487
Cass,
44,312
260,154
Berrien,
18,899
290,017
77
OF MICHIGAN.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
*Jackson,
15,479
247,543
Calhoun,
15,357
413,863
Kalamazoo,
38,318
267,259
" The first land offered for sale in the counties of Hills- dale, Branch, and St. Joseph, was in Oct. 1828; in Cass and Berrien in June 1829 and 1831; fifteen townships in Calhoun in June, 1831; Kalamazoo in 1830 and '31; and a part of Jackson in 1831.
" The lands, with very few exceptions, have been sold to actual settlers. A few hundred acres only have been sold in Van Buren and Barry."
By act of Congress, approved June 23, 1836, proffering certain public lands to the State, on compliance with cer- tain conditions therein contained, and which were accepted by the State the 25th of July, 1836-section No. sixteen of every surveyed township is granted to the State for school purposes-seventy-two sections, equal to two townships of land, are granted for the support of a university-five entire sections of public land, to be selected and located under the direction of the legislature, for the erection or comple- tion of public buildings of the State-all salt springs within this State, not exceeding twelve, with six sections of land adjoining, or as contiguous as may be to each, for the use of the State-five per cent. of the net proceeds of the sale of the public lands, lying within the State, which have been or shall be sold by Congress, from and after the first day of July, 1836, to be appropriated to make public roads or canals in the State, as the legislature may direct.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Public works, calculated to facilitate internal communi- cation and commercial intercourse, are either those con- structed or to be constructed under the auspices of the State, or those to be constructed by incorporated companies ;
* " 12 townships, that part attached to this district .??
7*
78
GAZETTEER
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS, BY THE STATE.
and they consist of rail-roads, canals, and the larger rivers improved for slack-water navigation.
The State has taken upon itself the construction of sev- eral of the most important projected works, and has adopt- ed measures to ensure their vigorous prosecution. To the end of forwarding these and other State improvements most judiciously, the legislature, at its session in March, 1837, appointed a board of commissioners consisting of seven members, called the " Board of Commissioners on Internal Improvement," who are constituted supervisors and overseers of all public works belonging to the State, and who have the care and superintendence of all rail-roads, canals, and other State improvements.
The legislature authorized this board to cause surveys to be made for three several rail-road routes across the Pen- insula, (viz. ) the Southern route, Central route, and North- ern route ; likewise, for the survey of the Clinton and Kal- amazoo Canal route, and the Saginaw or Northern Canal; the Havre Branch Rail-road, and of the St. Mary's Ca- nal ; and of the Grand, Kalamazoo, and St. Joseph rivers ; to each of which the requisite appropriations were made. The board were also authorized to purchase the rail-road and improvement of any incorporated company, where the same would be infringed upon, by the location and construction of State works.
Under the direction of the board, and during the summer of 1837, competent engineers were appointed, and surveys made of the several works designated by the legislature. These surveys have extended over two thousand miles, and levels have been taken for almost an equal distance, at an expense in the aggregate of nearly sixty thousand dollars.
The survey of the Southern and Havre Branch rail- roads were entrusted to the charge of Joseph S. Dut- ton ; the Central route to J. M. Berrien ; the Northern to Tracy McCracken; the Clinton and Kalamazoo canal to Jarvis Hurd ; the Northern canal, the St. Joseph, and Bad rivers, to Charles F. Smith; the Maple river to H. S. Miles ; and the St. Mary's canal, the Grand and Kalamazoo rivers to John Almy : all of which works were surveyed by the respective engineers, and, without excep- tion, favorable reports have been made for the contemplated improvements.
It is to be remarked that the surface and soil of the Pen-
79
OF MICHIGAN.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- SOUTHERN AND HAVRE BRANCH RAIL-ROADS.
insula are unusually well adapted to the construction of ca- nals and rail-roads, and superior for these purposes to most other sections of country.
Southern Rail-road. This road has been located in a manner that supersedes the "Maumee rail-road route," pass- ing through the southern tier of counties, (viz.) Monroe, Lenawee, Hillsdale, Branch, St. Joseph, Cass, and Berrien, established by the Maumee rail-road company, chartered in 1835, with a capital stock of $1,500,000. The Southern rail-road was located by the commissioners, to commence on the navigable waters of the river Raisin, and to pass through the city of Monroe, through, or as near as may be, to the villages of Adrian, Hillsdale, Coldwater, Mason, Branch, Centreville, Constantine, Mottville, Adamsville, Edwardsburgh, crossing the St. Joseph at Bertrand, and terminating at New Buffalo .*
The road, when finished, will pass near some of the high- est lands in the Peninsula. These are in the county of Hillsdale, about 12 miles east of Jonesville. The summit level of the road is about two miles west of Hillsdale, and 631 feet above Lake Erie. Lake Michigan, at New Buf- falo, is found to be 14 feet above Lake Erie. The super- structure, adopted for this, as well as for the other rail-roads in this State, is of wood. The maximum grade or inclina- tion adopted by the engineer, is 40 feet per mile, and the maximum radius of curvature, 2000 feet. The grades are 20 miles at the rate of 40 feet per mile, and 26 3-5 miles at the rate of between 30 and 40 feet per mile. The aver- age inclination per mile for the whole distance, is 15 3-4 feet. The entire length of the road is 183 miles; and the estimated cost of construction, $1,496,376, or $8,176 92 per mile. The amount appropriated in 1837 and 1838,- $450,000.
Havre Branch Rail-road. The Havre Branch Rail-road Company was incorporated in 1836, with a capital of $100,000. All its chartered rights have been assigned to the State, and the commissioners have located the same to
* There was a local variation in some portion of the Southern route, made by the legislature at its session in 1827 and '28, but not of material general niterest.
80
GAZETTEER
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- CENTRAL RAIL-ROAD.
commence at the village of Havre, running a few degrees north of west, to intersect the Erie and Kalamazoo rail- road about two miles north of the Ohio State line.
The estimated expense of construction is $82,043, or about $6,360 per mile. Its length is 13 miles. Amount appropriated to construct it, $20,000.
Central Rail-road, or Detroit and St. Joseph Rail- Road. This work commences at the city of Detroit, and is to cross the Peninsula through the second tier of coun- ties, viz : Wayne, Washtenaw, Jackson, Calhoun, Kalama- zoo, Van Buren, and Berrien, and to pass through, or as near as may be, to the villages of Dearbornville, Wayne, Ypsilanti, Ann Arbour, Dexter, Leoni, Michigan Centre, Jackson, Barry, Albion, Marshall, Battle Creek, Com- stock, Kalamazoo, Lafayette, Mason, and Waterford, ter- minating at the village of St. Joseph.
A private company was chartered in 1831, with a capi- tal of $1,500,000, to construct this work. In had been commenced, and was in progress, when in 1837 the State purchased the road and the chartered rights of the compa- ny. The company had expended thereon $116,902 67. The road is in progress of construction, and from Detroit to Ypsilanti, 30 miles, it was completed and cars com- menced running in the month of January, 1838.
The cost of constructing this section of the road, includ- ing purchase of locomotives and cars, erection of depot buildings, &c. &c. was about $400,000
The estimated expense of constructing the bal- ance of the road from Ypsilanti to St. Joseph, 1,528,195
Making the total estimated expense of con- structing the road from Detroit to St. Joseph, 1,928,195 or nearly $10,000 per mile.
The length of the road is 194 miles, and the amount of appropriations to construct it, $750,000.
By certificate of the collector of tolls at Detroit, ap- pears the following exhibit of freight and receipts for 30 miles of the Central Rail-road, from Detroit to Ypsilanti, during its first operation, four months and eleven days, commencing Jan. 10, and ending May 20, 1838 :
81
OF MICHIGAN.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS -NORTHERN RAIL-ROAD.
Receipts for this period,
$23,963 54
From May 20, to July 18th,
Passengers,
9,796
Lbs. Merchandise,
2,086,980
Bbls. Flour,
1,123
M. feet Lumber,
67
M. Shingles,
233
--- 18,908 61
Total receipts up to July 18th, $42,872 15
There were at the last date, four locomotive engines in operation, five passage and ten freight cars. The business was increasing upon the means of transportation. The average weekly receipts for the six or eight weeks pre- ceding the first of July, was about $2,500. Up to the 24th of May, 4,500 persons had been transported from Detroit to Ypsilanti, mostly emigrants, and about 1,600 to inter- mediate places, making 6,100. An extension of the road is making from the depot in Detroit, to the river, through Woodward Avenue, extending 1,000 feet in the lower street, each side of it. The road is constructing from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbour, and both improvements will be complete by the first of October, 1838.
Northern Rail-road. This road is located to commence at Port Huron, at the mouth of Black river, near the outlet of Lake Huron, and, passing through the counties of St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee, Shiawassee, Clinton, Ionia, and Kent, and through, or as near as practicable, to the villa- ges of Lapeer, Flint, Owasso, Corunna, to Lyons, at the mouth of the Maple river, thence on the south side of the Grand river, to the village of Grand Rapids. This road, as located, falls within, and will form a connecting link of the contemplated "Great Western Rail-road," from Boston, passing through Massachusetts, New York, Upper Canada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, to the Mississippi river.
The summit level is 300 feet between the head waters of Mill creek and Flint river, 352 miles from the St. Clair. The maximum grade is 30 feet per mile, and least radius of curvature, 5,000 feet.
The estimated cost of the road from Port Huron, extend- ing by survey to Grand Haven, 201 miles, is $1,310,361, or about $6,504 per mile, exclusive of depot, locomotives, &c.
82
GAZETTEER
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- CLINTON AND KALAMAZOO CANAL.
The distance from Port Huron to Grand Rapids is 167 miles, and the amount of appropriations for its construc- tion, $110,000.
Clinton and Kalamazoo Canal. This work is to com- mence at Mount Clemens, on the Clinton river, in Macomb, and pass across the Peninsula through the counties of Ma- comb, Oakland, Livingston, Ingham, Eaton, Barry, and Allegan, terminating at the mouth of the Kalamazoo river. It will connect Lakes Michigan and St. Clair. Its length, by survey, is estimated at 216 miles. The summit level, commencing at Pontiac and extending a distance of more than 42 miles, is 344.61 feet above the surface of Lake St. Clair, and 336.11 feet above Lake Michigan. The eleva- tion of Lake Michigan above Lake St. Clair, is eight and a half feet.
Amount of lockage on the eastern declivity, 349.61 feet ; on the western declivity, 341.11 feet, giving a suitable dis- tance between the locks. The six longest levels are (in whole numbers,) one of 42 miles; one of 28; one of 27; one of 18; one of 17, and one of 12 miles. The requi- site amount of water to supply the canal for its entire length, is 27.313 cubic feet per minute. The ascertained available amount receivable from Deer and Sycamore creeks, and the Cedar, Rabbit, Thornapple and Grand rivers, is 98,846 cubic feet per minute. The requisite amount upon the summit level is 4,833 cubic feet per minute, and the ascertain- ed available amount is 8,915 cubic feet per minute, exclusive of several streams and lakes not included in the estimate. The surface and soil on the surveyed line of this work is reported more than ordinarily favorable to the construction of a canal.
Estimates have been made for the construction of 61 miles of the canal, from L'ance Creus Bay in Lake St. Clair, to Ore Creek. Cost of construction for this distance, $1,000,701 ; average per mile, $16,404. From Mount Clemens to Ore Creek, distance 59 miles, total estimated expense of construction, $990,550 ; average per mile, $16,- 890. Total expense, by substituting timber locks, for 61 miles, $662,231 ; average per mile, $10,856. Total ex- pense for the 59 miles, substituting timber locks, $658,020; average per mile, $11,153.
The detailed expense for the remainder of the work is
83
OF MICHIGAN.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- SAGINAW CANAL .- ST. MARY'S CANAL.
not estimated, but taking every tenth mile as a basis, the engineer estimates the entire expense of constructing the canal between the termini at $2,250,000.
Appropriations made for its construction, amounted in 1838 to $245,000.
Saginaw or Northern Canal. The object of this work is to connect the navigable waters of the Saginaw and Grand rivers, by canal. It is to commence at the forks of the Bad river, 15 miles above Saginaw, and terminate at the bend of the Maple, 32 miles from its confluence with the Grand river. Its length will be about 14 miles.
Estimate for improving Bad river for small canal boats, with towing path, a distance of about seven miles, $60,- 000; for steam navigation, $57,829.
Estimate for small canal connecting the Bad and Maple rivers, a distance of 14 miles, $121,830; for large canal, $148,731.
The estimate for improving the Maple, 32 miles from the bend to Lyons, by clearing its channel, removing timber from its banks, cutting new channels across short bends, construction oflocks, dams, &c. $31,680.
The total estimated expense of improving the navigation of the Bad and Maple rivers, and the construction of the aforesaid canal for steam boats, $238,240 ; and the appro- priations for this purpose amounted in 1838, to $62,000.
St. Mary's Canal. By this improvement it is intended to obviate the obstruction to the navigation from Lake Hu- ron to Lake Superior, caused by the falls in the Strait of St. Mary, by the construction of a ship and steam boat ca- nal around the rapids.
The proposed dimensions of the canal are 4,560 feet in length, and where the excavation is to pass through rock, 50 feet in width upon the bottom, and 75 feet upon the surface of the water, and a depth of 10 feet ; the residue of the canal 100 feet wide upon the surface of the water.
Estimates are made for three locks, each 100 feet long in the clear, and 32 feet wide. The amount of fall to be over- come by lockage is 18 feet.
The entire cost of construction is estimated at $112,- 544 80. The amount of appropriations made for the pur- pose, $50,000.
+
84
GAZETTEER
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- RIVERS, GRAND AND KALAMAZOO.
Grand River. It is found by survey, that from the mouth of this stream to the Rapids, the distance is 40 miles; the average width, 800 feet; amount of fall, 10 feet ; the width of the rapids, 1000 feet ; fall, 15 feet; distance from the rapids to Lyons, at the mouth of the Maple, 50 miles ; ave- rage width, 500 feet ; fall, 31 feet. The amount of fall from Lyons to Grand Haven, a distance of 90 miles, 56 feet. This stream is unusually free from the common ob- structions to navigation. For 20 miles from the mouth, the depth of water is not less than eight feet, and the remain- der of the distance to the rapids, variable, from eight to four feet. The rapids are caused by a stratum of lime rock which shows itself in the bed of the river, and in the banks, for a distance of a mile and a half. Its inclination is re- markably uniform, causing the water to descend without noise or commotion. A canal, owned by the Kent compa- ny, eighty-one feet wide and four and a half feet deep, is now cutting around them.
The estimates for the improvement of this stream, are- From its mouth to the rapids, $9,000
For cutting a canal around the rapids, 43,751
For improving and clearing the channel proper for
navigation from the rapids to the mouth of the Maple, 14,558
The total amount of expense of improving the river, $67,309 Amount appropriated, 30,000
Kalamazoo River. It is proposed to improve this river from its mouth to the village of Kalamazoo, a distance of 75 miles, by clearing its channel to the village of Allegan, a distance of 38 miles, and by erecting 21 dams, removing obstructions, &c. to create a slack-water navigation from Allegan to Kalamazoo, a distance of 37 miles.
The average depth of water for eight miles from its mouth is 12 feet-for the next four miles, five and a half; average width of channel, 200 feet, with a current flow- ing at the rate of one and a half miles per hour.
From Kalamazoo to Allegan, the average fall is about three feet per mile, or 111 feet for the whole distance, re- quiring, according to estimate, for slack-water, 21 dams of an aggregate height of 75 feet.
85
OF MICHIGAN.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS .- RIVER ST. JOSEPH.
Estimate for improving the Kalamazoo river,-from its mouth to the village of Allegan, $7,799
For constructing locks, dams, &c., and removing obstructions from Allegan to Kalamazoo, 118,125
Total estimated expense of improving this river, $125,924 Amount appropriated, 8,000
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