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 9
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Since Michigan has been admitted as a State, there seems to have been a disposition on the part of the general gov- ernment to relinquish the construction of these roads ; but efforts have been made to obtain appropriations for the pur-
97
OF MICHIGAN.
MAIL ROUTES.
pose, and it is presumed a claim so just will meet with the favorable consideration of Congress.
The State roads, laid out by the State legislature in dif- ferent parts of the State, are too numerous to mention.
As a general remark, it may be said, that the roads from the castern, or rather south-eastern border of the State, a distance of 15 or 20 miles west, are not good, especially in a wet season. After passing over that distance the soil and surface are more congenial, and the roads are tolerable across the peninsula.
MAIL ROUTES.
There are sixty-eight different Mail Routes in this State, on which the United States Mail is transmitted at assigned intervals. A statement of only forty-two of them has been received. Of that number, the following exhibit shows the commencement and termination, and the distance between those extremes-the intermediate post offices-and the num- ber of mails per week, received at each respectively ; agree- ably to a statement from the General post office department dated Oct. 25, 1836.
1. Detroit and Lapeer Post Route-by way of Rochester, distance 70 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
2. Detroit and Utica Post Route-distance 24 miles- mail forwarded and returned once a week.
3. Detroit and Howell Post Route-distance 50 miles, by way of Redford, Livonia, Farmington, Novi, and Red- ville-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
4. Toledo and Adrian Post Route-by way of Blissfield and Palmyra, distance 32 miles-mail forwarded and re- turned three times a week.
5. Toledo and Blissfield Post Route-by way of Tremains- ville and Whiteford post offices, distance 25 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
6. Maumee and Jonesville Post Route-via Whiteford, Ba- kers, Unionville, Canandaigua, and Lanesville post offi- ces, distance 75 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
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MAIL ROUTES.
7. Ypsilanti and Plymouth Post Route-distance 15 miles -mail forwarded and returned once a week.
8. Saline and Grass Lake Post Route-via Columbia Lake and Richfield post offices, distance 27 miles-mail for- warded and returned once a week.
9. Saline and London Post Route-by way of York post office, distance 15 miles-mail transmitted once a week.
10. Clinton and Kent Post Route-by way of Napoleon, Jacksonopolis, and Eaton C. H. post offices, distance 120 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
11. Jonesville and Marshall Post Route-via Homer and Eckford post offices, distance 29 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
12. Coldwater and St. Joseph Post Route-via Centerville and Cassopolis post offices, distance 90 miles-mail for- warded and returned once a week.
13. Niles and New Buffalo Post Route-via Hudson post office, 29 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
14. Plymouth and Dexter Post Route-via Rider's, North- field, and Webster post offices, 28 miles-mails forward- ed and returned once a week.
15. Ann Arbour and Pontiac Post Route-by way of Northfield, Green Oak, Lyon, and Walled Lake post offices, 48 miles-mail transported back and forth once a week.
16. Ann Arbour and Ionia Post Route-via Dexter, Ster- ling, North Lake, and Unadilla post offices, 96 miles- mail transported back and forth once a week.
17. Jacksonopolis and Durham Post Route-by way of Spring Arbour, Concord, Homer, Tekonsha, and Good- winville post offices, 50 miles-mail transported to and from once a week.
18. Marshall and Coldwater Post Route-via Lyon Lake, Tekonsha, and Gerard post offices, 27 miles-mail for- warded and returned once a week.
19. Marshall and Centreville Post Route-by way of John- son, Athens, Durham, and Nottawa post offices, 43 miles -mail forwarded and returned once a week.
20. Pontiac and Ionia Post Route-by way of White Lake, Byron, Shiawassee town, and county seat of Clin- ton, 110 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
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OF MICHIGAN.
MAIL ROUTES.
21. Mount Clemens and Fort Gratiot Post Route-by way of Desmond post office, 66 miles-mail forwarded. and returned once a week.
22. Mount Clemens and Lapeer Post Route-by way of Macomb, Washington, Romeo, Bruce, and Bristol, dis- tance 48 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
23. Adrian and Jonesville Post Route-by Rollin and Ad- ams, a distance of 35 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
24. Adrian and Defiance ( Ohio) Post Route-by Canan- daigua, distance 53 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
25. Michigan City ( Indiana) and Grand Haven Post Route -by New Buffalo, St. Joseph, and Saugatuc, distance 115 miles-mail transported back and forth once a week.
26. Battle Creek and Eaton C. H. Post Route-by Verona and Bellevue, distance 28 miles-mail transported back and forth once a week.
27. Black Creek and Kent Post Route-by Geloster and Middle Village, distance 63 miles-mail forwarded back and forth once a week.
28. Battle Creek and Schoolcraft Post Route-by Climax Prairie, distance 30 miles-mail carried back and forth once a week.
29. Kalamazoo and Saugatuc Post Route-by Allegan, distance 46 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
30. Kalamazoo to the mouth of South Black river Post Route-distance 36 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
31. Kalamazoo and Kent Post Route-by Plainville and Grandville, distance 55 miles-mail forwarded and re- turned once a week.
32. Saginaw and mouth of Saginaw river Post Route-dis- tance 18 miles-mail transported to and from once a week.
33. Cassopolis and Elkhart ( Indiana) Post Route-by Ed- wardsburgh and Adamsville, distance 25 miles-mail transported back and forth once a week.
34. Lapeer and Grand Blanc Post Route-by Farmer's
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Creek and Davison's mills, distance 32 miles-mail for- warded and returned once a week.
35. Howell and Kent Post Route-by Saranac post office, 96 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
36. Kent and Grand Haven Post Route-distance 33 miles -mail forwarded and returned once a week.
37. Centreville and Michigan City (Indiana) Post Route -by Constance, Mottville, Bristol, Elkhart, Mishawaul- kie, South Bend, and Laporte post offices in Indiana, distance 100 miles-mail transported to and from once a week.
38. Northfield and Howell Post Route-by Hamburgh, dis- tance 17 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
39. Ionia and Saginaw Post Route-by Maple river, dis- tance 75 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
40. New Buffalo and Laporte ( Indiana) Post Route-dis- tance 15 miles-mail forwarded and returned once a week.
41. Bellevue and Middle Village Post Route-by Hastings post office, distance 37 miles-mail forwarded and return- ed once a week.
42. Eaton aud Ionia Post Route-distance 35 miles- mail forwarded and returned once a week.
NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
Michigan, considering her insular position, and her facil- ities for internal and external communication, possesses commercial advantages, unequalled perhaps by any other inland State. The Upper Peninsula, having Lake Superior on its northern, and Lake Michigan and Green Bay on its south-eastern buundary, has a navigable lake coast estima- ted at more than 700 miles. This estimate includes the whole distance from the mouth of the Montreal to Point de Tour, and from thence to the mouth of the Monomonie river. Besides this, it enjoys singular advantages for inter- communication by means of numerous streams, small lakes,
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OF MICHIGAN.
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and portages. It has been estimated, that five sevenths of this portion of Michigan can be visited by such vessels as commonly navigate the lakes.
The Peninsula Proper is not the less favored portion of the State. Having Lake Michigan upon one border, and Lakes Huron, St. Clair, and Erie, together with the Straits of St. Clair and Detroit on the other, it cannot, agreeably to the other estimates, possess less than 800 miles of navi- gable coast. To this may be added the facilities of pene- trating the interior by means of the various navigable rivers discharging into the lakes. The whole coast navigation of Upper and Lower Michigan may therefore be estimated at not less than 1,500 miles.
Under the head of Internal Improvement, is exhibited the various works of internal communication, by which eve- ry portion of the southern half of the State is to be united. The amount of these prospective improvements, to be made by the State and by incorporations, is 2,065 miles, of which 557 miles of Rail-road, 231 miles of Canal, and 321 miles of slack water navigation, amounting to 1,109 miles, are constructing by the State, and 956 miles of rail-road and canal by chartered companies. At the expiration of five years hence, should the country return to its wonted finan- cial prosperity, the most important at least, of these works will undoubtedly be completed, and many of them before that period, or half that period expires.
The pre-eminent advantage which Michigan is destined to possess, in a commercial point of view, is her eligi- ble situation with respect to the principal markets, New York, Philadelphia, and New Orleans. With the former she is already connected by direct communication, and with the two latter, she will soon be connected by the in- ternal thoroughfares and improvements making in the ad- jacent States. The contemplated improvement through Wisconsin, uniting the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and through Illinois, uniting Lake Michigan with the Illinois river by canal, and through Indiana, connecting the wa- ters of Lake Michigan with the Wabash river, is calculated to open a direct channel from the western part of the State to New Orleans. The canal now constructing to unite Lake Erie with the Wabash, through Ohio and In- diana, and the rail-roads and canals made and making
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NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
from Lake Erie to the Ohio river through the State of Ohio, will furnish other avenues to the southern and south- western markets. The improvement making from Cleve- land to Pittsburg, through Ohio, and the rail-road con- structing from Erie to Philadelphia, by way of Sunbury, . through Pennsylvania, will open a new market to this State. The Great Western Rail-road constructed in part, and con- structing from Boston through Massachusetts, New York, and Upper Canada, will, when completed, give Michigan an expeditious route to the eastern markets.
At present, the great flow of emigration here gives an ample market within the State. But after the State be- comes more settled, and emigration subsides, these several improvements will be completed, and then will be perceiv- ed the great advantage of being placed, as it were, midway between the three principal markets in the Union. To the farmer and the merchant, no local advantage can be superi- or to that which gives a choice in markets, while others are mostly confined in their purchases and sales to the fluc- tuations of only one market.
The lake navigation is now quite extensive, and the com- merce upon the lakes is fast increasing. The obstruction to the navigation of the St. Mary's, is about being removed by the construction of a ship canal around the falls, and for which purpose $50,000 have been appropriated by the State. This will extend the commerce of the lower lakes into Lake Superior.
From four to five months in the year, the navigation is entirely closed by ice. From various causes, it opens and closes at different points at different periods. The south- ern portion of Lake Michigan, the western extremity of Erie, and the Detroit strait, clear their ice much sooner than other portions of the lakes. Navigation opens at De- troit, Maumee Bay, and as far east as Cleveland, on an aver- age, from the 20th of March to the 1st of April ; at Macki- nac, sometimes the 15th of April ; at Sault St. Mary and Buffalo, on an average, from the Ist to the 10th of May, though sometimes sooner or later. St. Clair breaks up long before Huron, and the southern part of Michigan two or three weeks before the northern part. The ice shuts up the lakes, and puts a final stop to all navigation at St. Mary, by the 20th of November, and at Buffalo, and on all
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OF MICHIGAN.
NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
the lake waters, generally, by the 1st or the 15th of De- cember. Ice freezes to a various thickness, from two to four feet on and near the shore. The continual action of the waters prevents their freezing across. Floating hil- locks of ice, or ice-berges, sometimes accumulate and rise to the height of 15 or 20 feet.
The following, from authentic sources, shows the open- ing of navigation at different ports, for several years.
Lake opened at Buffalo, Lake opened at Buffalo,
1807, June 1.
1818, April 21.
1809, May 26. 1819, May 6.
1810, April 30.
1820, 6.
1811, June 4.
1821,
19.
1814, April 19.
1822, April 16.
1816, May 16.
1823, 66 27.
1817, April 29.
1824,
29.
Average, 6th May.
Since the mole was built,
Lake opened, Canal opened at Buffalo, Canal opened at Albany,
1826, May 23. .
April 21.
April 21.
1828, April 1.
66
1.
1.
1829, May 10.
66
25.
66
29.
1830, April 6.
66
15.
20.
1831, May 8.
16.
66
16.
1832, April 27.
18.
25.
1833, 66 23.
22.
22.
1834, 8.
66
16.
66
17.
1835, 8.
15.
66
15.
Average, 26th April.
The following is a statement made by the collector of the port of Cleveland.
1829, first arrival from Detroit to Cleveland, April 10. 66
Buffalo " 66
May 23.
1830,
66
Detroit "
April 3.
1831,
66
Buffalo " 60
May 12.
1832,
Detroit "
Mar. 28
" Buffalo " 66
May 8.
1833,
Detroit "
April 2.
Buffalo "
17.
66 66
Buffalo "
17.
Detroit "
Mar. 29.
1827, 1.
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NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
"'This statement continued to the present time, stands thus :
1834, first clearance for Detroit, Feb. 1.
66 arrival from " 15.
Lake opened at Buffalo, April 6.
1835, arrival from Sandusky, March 20.
Lake opened at Buffalo, May 8.
1836, cleared for Detroit, April 14.
arrival from Buffalo, 30.
From these facts, the difference in favor of early naviga- tion from Cleveland to Detroit, over that from Cleveland and Buffalo, was, in
1829, 42 days. 1833, 15 days.
1830, 17 1834, 66
1831, 44
1835, 49
1832, 40
1836, 14
Being for a period of the eight preceding years, an aver- age of a little under 36 days, as shown by actual arrivals and departures. The lake, as stated above, is often open many days before voyages are made between Detroit and Cleveland." This will account for two or three discrepan- cies between this and the former statement. " Although there is no uniformity in the differences shown, a period of four weeks might be relied on as available for business pur- poses, on the western section of the lake, previous to the opening of the eastern. An examination of the custom house files discloses the fact, that actual navigation from Cleveland up the lake, commences earlier now than for- merly."
Of the history of the commercial increase of the imports and exports, and navigation upon these lakes, less satisfac- tory information is possessed than is desirable. The ex- ports, for many previous years, consisted mostly of fish, furs, and peltries. The latter trade is on the decline in this region, but the former is increasing. The imports have increased with the increase of emigration to consume them.
It appears the first vessel that ever navigated the lakes, was the " Griffin," built at Erie, in 1679, for the expedi- tion of the celebrated La Salle. The first steamboat navi- gating the lakes, was of 338 tons burthen, built in 1818, and
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OF MICHIGAN.
NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
called the " Walk-in-the-Water." The amount of ton- nage on Lake Erie for this year, is stated at about 1,000 tons. From that period to the present, it has constantly in- creased. In 1836, October 1st, the total amount of the re- gistered tonnage of this lake, reckoning vessels of every description navigating the lakes, was 24,045.76 tons, con- sisting of 45 steamboats, with an aggregate tonnage of 9,016.56 tons ; 2 ships, 7 brigs, 1 barque, 47 sloops, 144 schooners, and 10 schooner scows, amounting in number to 256.
The Buffalo District had registered 13 steamboats, 2 ships, 3 brigs, 1 barque, 41 schooners, 1 sloop, and 10 schooner scows. Detroit District had 17 steamboats, 3 brigs, 43 schooners, and 37 sloops. Cleveland District had 4 steamboats, 1 brig, 39 schooners, and 3 sloops. The Sandusky District had 4 steamboats, 9 schooners, and 6 sloops. The Presque Isle District had 4 steamboats, and 7 schooners. The Miami District had 3 steamboats, and 5 schooners.
The aggregate steamboat tonnage for the Buffalo Dis- trict was 2,769.61; for the Detroit, 2,694.93; for the Cleveland, 1,488.26 ; for the Presque Isle, 1,105.37 ; for the Sandusky, 986.67; and for the Miami District, 571.72 tons.
The aggregate tonnage for each District, including lake boats and vessels of every description, was as follows, (viz.)
Buffalo,
-
-
-
-
8,541.09
Detroit,
-
-
-
-
6,703.73*
Cleveland,
-
-
-
-
4,518.33
Sandusky,
-
-
-
-
1,792.75
Presque Isle
-
-
-
-
1,562.29
Miami,
-
-
.
-
927.57
Total,
-
-
-
24,045.76
To this, add 5,950 tons for seventeen steamboats build- ing at different ports on Lake Erie in 1837, averaging 350 tons each, and the tonnage is increased to 29,995.76 tons,
* This statement was published at Buffalo, in 1837, as the accurate tonnage of this district; but there appears to be a great discrepancy be- tween it and the one below for the same year.
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without making any account for sloops and schooners building at the same time in different ports. The number of men employed on these vessels was estimated at over 5,000.
The following shows the name, tonnage, and district where owned, of 19 of the larger steamboats navigating the lakes in 1836 and '7 :
Districts. Detroit,
Steamboats.
Tonnage.
Michigan,
472 tons.
66
Monroe,
341
Uncle Sam,
220
66
Niagara,
210
66
Sandusky,
Sandusky,
377
U. States,
366
Buffalo,
De Witt Clinton,
413
Daniel Webster,
358
66
New York,
325
Chas. Townsend,
312
Sheldon Thompson,
241
Miami,
Oliver H. Perry,
352
Cleveland.
Columbus,
391
66
N. America,
368
66
Presque Isle,
Thomas Jefferson,
428
Pennsylvania,
305
Wm. Penn,
251
But since that period the steamboat tonnage has much increased, and boats are constructed of much larger dimen- sions, and many with a beauty, elegance, and strength, unrivalled by either the Eastern or Mississippi boats.
¿ The returns for the present year are very imperfect, and the notice respecting them must consequently be limited. The largest boat yet constructed upon the lakes, is the Illi- nois, 755 tons, built at Detroit. Some of the other large boats are, the James Madison, stated by the proprietors at 720 tons ; Erie, 650 tons ; Cleveland, 580 tons; the Great Western, Buffalo, Milwaukie, Anthony Wayne, Constitu- tion, Constellation, Wisconsin, Bunker Hill, Rochester, and New England, will range from 400 to 600 tons.
In 1819, the shipping owned in this territory was about
Gen. Porter,
342
66
Robert Fulton,
368
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OF MICHIGAN.
NAVIGATION AND COMMERCE.
600 tons. The vessels were of the smaller size, varying from 10 to 60 tons burthen.
The following is a statement of the aggregate tonnage belonging to the Detroit district in each year, from 1830 to 1837, both inclusive, as given by the clerk of the custom house in that district.
Year.
Tons.
Year.
Tons.
Year. 1836
Tons.
1830
995
1833
2,575
5,066
1831
1,105
1834
4,009
1837
6,994
1832
2,740
1835
4,652
The tonnage for 1838, it is estimated will exceed 8,000 tons.
From 1795, the time of cession of this territory to the United States, to the commencement of the last war, the supply of a garrison at Detroit, and goods for traffic in the fur trade, constituted most of the commerce. After the war, it began to increase, and has continued to keep pace with the progress of emigration ever since.
A statement of the imports and exports of the territory for 1819, has been prepared from an exhibit published at the time, and is here presented ; although a like statement for the present year could not be procured for comparative reference, as was originally intended.
The imports for the fur trade in that year, were estimated at $150,000; but the exports, including furs and peltries, were much greater.
The coasting trade, carried on with Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York, consisted of salt, pork, beef, flour, corn, butter, cheese, lard, whiskey, &c. which were trafficked for cider, apples, fish, &c. Furs were transported to Buf- falo, Albany, and New York markets in large quantities. The value of the fur trade has never been made known by those engaged in it, at any period.
There were two collector's districts, Detroit and Macki- nac; but the coasting trade was principally connected with the former. In 1818, there were entered at the port of De- troit, 3,501 bbls. flour, 2,843 bbls. salt, 1,948 bbls. whiskey, 888 bbls. pork, 295 bbls. fish, 693 firkins butter, 5,062 bush. corn, 1,042 head beef cattle, 1,435 fat hogs.
There were cleared from the same port during the same year, bound principally to the military stations on Lake
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Huron and Michigan, 2,024 bbls. flour, 1,282 bbls. salt, 753 bbls. cider, 1,478 bbls. fish, 105 bbls. pork, 394 bbls. beef, 453 bbls. whiskey, 153 firkins butter, 1,280 bush. corn.
Merchants then, as they do now, supplied themselves with European goods mostly from the city of New York. But the mercantile interest has ever been much impaired, and the revenue of the United States defrauded, by the illicit trade which is continually carried on with the neighboring province.
The present trade is very great, and in the absence of custom house reports, we may suppose its increase com- mensurate with the increase of tonnage, and that there is a common ratio between the value of trade the present year and 1818, and the amount of tonnage at these two separate periods. (Vide farther Detroit, Third Part, and for the fish trade, see Article Rivers and Lakes.)
From a statement published at Buffalo, in 1836, the capi- tal invested in steamboats was estimated to exceed $1,000,- 000. The expense of running those boats which perform regular trips through the lake, including wages of men, wood, provisions, and ordinary contingencies, was from $100 to $150 per day each.
The amount of wood consumed by a steamboat during a trip through the lake and back, from 100 to 300 cords, averaging probably 150 cords. Each boat performs from 30 to 35 trips in a season, and of course consumes 5,000 cords of wood. The whole amount consumed by 24 boats, the number usually engaged in regular trips through the lake, would be 120,000 cords. The smaller boats, and those employed upon the rivers, use probably 30,000, which would make the whole amount consumed 150,000 cords. The price of wood varies in different ports from $1 50 to $2 per cord-average $1 75; making the average cost of wood consumed by steamboats over $250,- 000 a year.
The number of hands employed on steamboats running through the lakes, is from 20 to 30 each. The smaller boats employ from 8 to 15 each. The whole number of men engaged in conducting the steamboat navigation was about 1,000.
Wages of men are various.
The Captain, per year from $600 to $1000
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OF MICHIGAN.
MANUFACTURES.
First mate,
per month, from $36
to $40
Second mate,
18
28
Steward,
25
35
Engineer,
50
90
Wheelman,
66
15
20
Fireman,
18
Sailors,
16
1st Cook,
25
2d
18
3d
10
Other hands
10
15
MANUFACTURES.
Both Upper and Lower Michigan possess almost unlim- ited facilities for manufacturing. Several large, and many considerable streams, with innumerable branches, rise in every part of the State, and furnish any desirable amount of hydraulic power.
From diligent inquiries on the subject, it is found to be in a measure universal, although some sections are, from the various declivity in the surface of country, better pro- vided than others. The Raisin, the Huron, the St. Joseph, the Little St. Joseph, Clinton, and the branches of each, have a large amount of water power. There can be no doubt, if, in the course of time, the interest of the State should require a more especial attention to this particular source of national wealth, but that manufacturing might be carried to any assignable extent. The Clinton canal, when constructed, will furnish an additional source of hydraulic power. The rapids of Grand river, and of the Maskegon, have individually a large supply.
Steam mills are not unfrequent, and steam power is some- times used where hydraulic power might be easily substi- tuted. The present application of steam and hydraulic power, is in the manufacture of flour, lumber, and in card- ing and cloth-dressing. Manufactures in Michigan, as well as in all new States, are in an incipient condition, and
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GAZETTEER
GOVERNMENT .- SYNOPSIS OF THE CONSTITUTION.
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