USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 42
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The rapid development of the beet-sugar industry in Michigan, has
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
created a demand for a new crop, for which Monroe county soil and climate is well adapted. The ideal belt for growing sugar beet seems to be, so far as temperature is concerned, determined by the summer iso- thermal line, where a mean temperature of seventy degrees Fahrenheit prevails. This line cuts diagonally across the county from southeast to northwest, and the entire county lies between the summer isotherms of 69° and 71º. The season opens early and the rainfall is sufficient for all requirements of the growing crop. Wiley, the American authority upon the subject, says: "In general, any soil which will give good crops of the cereals and other farm products, will produce good sugar beets." Monroe county produces two hundred and twenty- five to three hundred acres of beets according to the land commissioners. The price for beets varies somewhat in the state depending upon the amount of the saccharine contained and some other conditions. The price through the state representing the farmers profits has been for some years about $56 to $58 per acre, of which it is estimated about one- half is net profit to the grower.
STATISTICS FOR 1910
The following figures are taken from the United States census report of April 15, 1910.
All farm property, value $27,925,016
All farm property in 1900 17,694,164
Per cent increase 1900-1910 57.8
Cattle :
Total number.
29,343
Dairy cows.
17,532
Other cows.
1,941
Yearling heifers.
3,640
Calves. . .
3,830
Yearling steers and bulls
1,053
Other steers and bulls
1,347
Value.
$ 867,026
Horses :
Total number.
13,961
Mature horses.
12,688
Yearling colts.
1,006
Spring colts.
267
Value.
$ 1,513,208
Swine :
Total number.
39,274
Mature hogs.
21,236
Spring pigs.
18,038
Value.
.$
290,942
Sheep :
Total number.
17,737
Rams, ewes and wethers
11,611
Spring lambs. 6,126
Value. $ 71,263
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
Poultry and bees :
Number of poultry of all kinds.
328,490
Value.
$ 185,359
Number of colonies of bees
2,122
Value.
$
6,211
Farm and Field Products
Acres
Bushels
Corn (shelled).
58,008
2,059,087
Oats.
48,237
1,642,424
Wheat.
21,350
519,749
Barley.
2.608
66,220
Buckwheat.
2,865
42,868
Rye.
4,992
75,330
Clover seed.
2,023
Beans.
103
1,261
Peas
190
Potatoes.
5,414
472,718
Hay and forage.
107,158
145,520
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY
The following extract from "Progress of the Beet Sugar Industry," by C. F. Taylor, seems to offer great encouragement to those engaged in this branch of agriculture: "Thirty-four samples were received from the State of Michigan, showing a fine average weight, a satisfactory content of sugar, and a high purity. The results of the experimental work in Michigan last year were of such an encouraging nature as to justify the establishment of beet-sugar factories in Bay City, Laurin, Dundee, Owosso, Saginaw, etc. Other factories are now building, and Michigan gives promise of becoming a strong rival to California in beet- sugar production. Evidently all parts of the state are capable of pro- ducing high-grade beets, and the climatic and soil conditions are extremely favorable. The data of this and previous years show beyond question that Michigan is one of the best states of the Union for sugar- beet culture."
TIMBER GROWTH AND CONSERVATION
The general subject of Forestry and Forest Growth, has, in these days of vanishing timber supply, greater direct and general interest than at any previous period. The old and fallacious sentiment that the forest supply was inexhaustible, has received a decided shock, and the rapidly diminishing of the great forests in our land has awakened a feeling of apprehension, if not of alarm, which is responding to the activities of the nation in forest conservation. The former erroneous belief that the great pine forests reproduced themselves is now obsolete. It is a singular circumstance that no large growth of pine ever fol- lows a denudation of timber lands from any cause, fire, flood or axe- men, but instead, a growth of scrub oak, poplar or dwarf pine springs up. This has been explained in various theories. The author has been greatly interested in this phenomenon, and has investigated it in various directions. He recently addressed a letter of inquiry to the Forestry Division of the Agricultural Department of Washington, in the pur- suit of information on this point, and received the following reply :
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
"UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOREST SERVICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., November 2, 1911.
"Mr. John M. Bulkley, First National Bank Bldg., Monroe, Mich.
"Dear Sir :- Your letter of October 25th to Mr. Maxwell has been referred to this office for reply. The usual explanation of the succession of pine by various hardwoods after a fire is that the hardwoods sprout rapidly from the roots while the pines, of course, do not. The scrub oaks are especially prolific in sending up root shoots in this way when the main stem has been killed, and the poplars and other hardwoods also repro- duce themselves in the same way. This, of course, gives the hardwoods a start over the pine, which, however, often seeds in from neighboring trees when any of them are left standing after the fire. Poplar and paper birch also frequently come in after fires from seed. The seed of both of these trees is very light and is often blown to great distances so that burned areas are not infrequently taken complete possession of by them. In almost every case, however, where the balance of nature has been destroyed by fire, there is a succession of types if the land is protected, and the trees naturally best suited to the situation eventually succeed in re-establishing themselves.
"Very truly yours, 'S. T. DANA,
"Acting Chief of Silvics."
We have the authority of Prof. Sherzer for the statement that the character and distribution of the timber is determined directly by the nature and distribution of the soils which we have described. Upon our heavy clay are found oak, ash, elm, beech, hickory, black walnut, maple whitewood, and along the water courses, sycamore. A notable belt of hickory about a mile wide by two or three in length extended originally in a northeast and southwest direction in the township of Milan, which district furnishes most of the beech found in the county. It has been noted that the regions of heaviest sand have but a scanty growth of timber, which consists for the most part of yellow, white and burr-oak -these form what are called the "oak openings." In the swampy regions "popple" or cottonwood and tamarack are common. North of the River Raisin chestnut is abundant, on the sand belts, and is found northward as far as Wayne county. It is a somewhat remarkable fact that this tree is seldom found south of the river, even upon the same class of soil and in similar environments, the Raisin apparently con- stituting a barrier to the southern progress of this tree.
Prof. C. F. Wheeler of the Michigan Agricultural College noted in 1890 the following long list of trees found in this county, which is a most interesting contribution to the statistics of our history.
Acer dasycarpum Silver maple.
A. rubrum
Red maple.
A. saccharinum Sugar maple.
A. saccharinum, var. nigrum. .Black maple.
Aesculus glabra Ohio buckeye.
Asimina triloba Papaw.
Amelanchier Canadensis Shad-bush.
Paper birch (rare).
Betula papyracea Carpinus, Americana
Ironwood.
Carya alba
Shagbark hickory.
C. amara
Bitternut.
C. porcina
Pignut.
C. sulcata
Big shell bark hickory.
Vol. 1-21
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
Castanea sativa. var. Americana. Chestnut.
Celtis occidentalis
Hackberry.
Cercis Canadensis Red bud.
Cornus florida Dog wood.
Cratœgus coccinea Red haw.
C. coccinea, var. mollis. Red haw.
C. crus-galli
. Cockspur thorn.
C. tomentosa
Black thorn.
Fagus ferruginea Beech.
Fraxinus Americana White ash.
F. sambucifolia . Black ash.
Gleditschia triacanthos Honey locust.
Hamamelis Virginiana Witch hazel.
Juglans cinerea Butternut.
J. nigra Walnut.
Lirodendron tulipifera White wood.
Morus rubra Red mulberry.
Negundo aceroides Box elder.
Nysa multiflora . Sour gum.
Ostrya Virginica
Water beech.
Platanus occidentalis
.Sycamore.
Populus balsamifera
Balsam poplar.
P. grandidentata
Large toothed aspen.
P. monilifera
Cottonwood.
P. tremuloides
Aspen.
Prunus Americana
Wild plum.
P. serotina
Wild black cherry.
P. Virginiana
Choke cherry.
Quercus alba
White oak.
Q. bicolor
Swamp white oak.
Q. coccinea var. tinctoria
Black oak.
Q. macrocarpa
Burr oak.
Q. palustris
Pin oak.
Q. rubra
Red oak.
Rhus glabra
Smooth sumach.
Salix amygdaloides
Western black willow.
S. nigra Black willow.
Sassafras officinale Sassafras.
Tilia Americana Basswood.
Ulmus Americana White elm.
U. fulva
Slippery elm.
U. racemosa
Corky white elm.
IMPROVEMENT OF SOILS
The subject of amelioration of soils is so important to the farmer that it should not be omitted from our pages because it possesses value greater than the mere tabulated results of observation.
Until the unwelcome truth is forced upon their attention probably most farmers look upon their land as an inexhaustible source of wealth, requiring only so much sunshine and moisture and so many hours of physical labor. Their farms to them are like the mythical hen which laid golden eggs without having to be fed upon bullion. In a state of nature the materials drawn from the soil by vegetation are sooner or later returned to it, with a high rate of interest in the form of organic matter. It is impossible for this to occur when the land is under culti- vation, otherwise there would be no advantage in such cultivation. A
323
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
drain upon the soil is at once started, the nature and amount of which depends upon the care and attention exercised by the farmer himself, who must understand that no business on earth will successfully run itself, nor will nature or natural laws operate to the benefit of mankind unless they are intelligently studied and an effort made for co-operation.
In the southern part of Summerfield township the late Mr. Ezra Lockwood observed that his usually sandy soil had been very much improved through the agency of crayfish. These creatures, it seems, constructed long subterranean passages about an inch in diameter and many feet in length, finally terminating at the surface. Over this sur- face entrance to the tunnel they frequently built up a chimney of clay, for which it is difficult to assign any particular use, unless it could be the accumulation in removing the soil excavated or for ventilation. A considerable number of burrowing animals exercise a similar effect, cases of which have been noted by observers in passing through wooded sections of the county, which were known to have been produced by gophers, woodchucks, muskrats, moles, rabbits, mice, etc., all of which, with some birds, excavate burrows, mix the soil and subsoil and intro- duce beneath the surface more or less organic matter. This is a very in- teresting study as connected with Mr. Lockwood's observations.
Mr. Ezra L. Lockwood was an extensive and prosperous farmer liv- ing for many years upon a farm in the township of Dundee. He was a native of Connecticut, and came to Michigan in 1850. He, in connection with Mr. M. Parker, owned and operated a water power and mills on the River Raisin in 1855. He was one of the most highly respected citizens of the county. He was the father of Ex-Judge Harry A. Lock- wood, now living in Detroit.
NATURAL GAS AND OIL
Considerable interest has, in the past, been aroused in the county, at various points, on the subject of natural illuminating and fuel gas and petroleum, in the hope and expectation that a valuable industry might be developed and form no inconsiderable part of the economic products of the county. The foundation for this was the scientific investigation of the conditions under the supervision of the Michigan Geological Survey. The report by this board was exhaustive and important. It brought disappointment to people living in townships whose hopes ran high, and offered encouragement to others. As a paper of present and future value, an extract from it is given below: "Covering the north- western part of Monroe county, there was an area over which there are strong surface indications of oil and natural combustible gas. This area covers Milan, London, Dundee, Western Raisinville, nearly all of Summerfield, and the northwestern corner of Ida townships. The oil impregnates the rocks, and forms a scum over the water of ponds, streams and wells, giving off sometimes a very offensive odor. The gas bubbles up through the water, sometimes in a continuous stream, but usually only as occasional bubbles. Still more of it escapes into the air without being noticed. When found abundant in wells it burns when ignited, giving a hot but not luminous flame. It has, comparatively, but little odor, which distinguishes it from the offensive hydrogen sul- phide gas found in wells imparting to the water the odor of very bad eggs. There is not necessarily any connection between this surface gas and oil, and the deeper seated deposits so eagerly sought for by means of deep borings since both may have been separately produced. At ten different places in the county deep wells have been drilled at heavy expense with the hope that some such deposits would be discovered as those which
324
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
made northwestern and eastern Ohio famous. Six of these wells have penetrated the Trenton limestone, the productive horizon in Ohio, but without adequate returns. From data thus obtained, it is apparent, now, why these wells have failed and there can be no justification for further expenditure to secure oil and gas from the Trenton within the limits of Monroe county. Upon this interesting subject of gas and oil, Professor W. H. Sherzer, of the Geological Survey, writes :
"Gas and oil have had a common origin which is now generally be- lieved to have been from the decomposition of organic matter, animal or vegetable, or both, which was originally deposited in the sedimentary rocks. There is a divergence of opinion as to whether the gas and oil were produced from the original partial decay of the organic matter at the time of its deposition, or later as a product of slow spontaneous dis- tillation. Probably the view that now receives widest acceptance is that these products have resulted from the decomposition of organic matter, at normal temperatures, either at the time the rocks were formed or later. The oil and gas may still be associated with the original beds in which it was formed or it may have escaped upward until its progress was arrested by impervious beds of suitable shape to confine it. In case no such beds existed it would escape to the surface and be lost. As might be expected from their method of formation limestones and shales would be the only beds with which any considerable amount of organic matter would be associated and in such beds oil and gas are believed to have originated. The organic matter of limestones was in the main of animal origin and gave rise to a dark heavy offensive oil containing a relatively large quantity of sulphur and nitrogen. It is oil of this nature that is found in Ohio and western Ontario. Oil derived from shale is in the main of vegetable origin and is lighter in color, contains less sulphur and nitro- gen and has not the offensive odor of the limestone oils. Most of the oils of the Pennsylvania region are of this nature. Fissured limestones, sand- stones and conglomerates serve as reservoirs for oil and gas, usually with an arched capping of shale. Where salt water, oil and gas all occur they are arranged in the order of their specific gravities; the gas would first be reached in the boring, would escape, give place to oil eventually and lastly to salt water. It is thus apparent why the crests of anticlines and of domes are so productive of oil and gas and why the slopes may prove barren, or yield a small quantity of oil or salt water only."
MINERAL SPRINGS
The mineral springs which numerously abound in the county, are of special interest among the economic products, in connection with the topic of artesian wells. It has been found that three belts of artesian water strike across the county in a northeast and southwest direction- an eastern, a central and a western belt. Within these areas, where the rock is penetrated a short distance, the water generally rises to the sur- face and flows, thus saving the expense of windmills and the trouble of pumping for stock and for irrigation. This water is very generally charged with compounds of calcium, magnesium, iron and sulphur, de- rived from the limestone, dolomite and shale through which it has passed. The iron and sulphur are derived from the decomposition of the pyrite and marcasite, which are very commonly present in these rocks. Hydro- gen sulphide gas produced which is readily absorbed by the water to which it imparts the odor of very ancient eggs. Upon exposure to the air, this gas is decomposed and the sulphur is precipitated as a white mealy precipitate over troughs, stones and vegetation. When in quan- tity, and after standing, it begins to assume a slight sulphur yellow
325 ·
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
color. The iron present in the water mostly as a carbonate and upon standing it it oxidized and deposited as a yellowish brown coating over objects, this being the hydrated oxide. This is soluble in water and is readily distinguished by its color, from the sulphur. A number of wells of this character are met with in the county although the water of a given locality usually contains one or the other of these substances alone. In some instances artesian water is derived directly from sand and gravel layers in the drift and is reported as soft. Continued drouth makes no perceptible impression upon many of these wells while with others the flow may be reduced and almost or quite stopped. The opening of new wells has been found to affect the flow of others in the neighborhood and the areas over which artesian water may be secured are becoming more and more contracted. Wells which formerly flowed in the southern part of Erie township, three miles back from the lake, have now ceased, although the water rises to near the surface. The opening of the Woolmith quarry in Exeter township had a noticeable effect upon the water in the wells to the southeast. The deep well to the eastern part of the city of Monroe so seriously interfered with the action of wells in other parts of the city that it at one time had to be plugged. The most western artesian area covers nearly the northwestern half of Milan township, to the west of Arkona Beach. It is a portion of a belt which extends from Lenawee county northeastward into Washtenaw county. The artesian water is derived from the rock and from layers of the drift which varies in thickness from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet. The water does not always flow throughout this entire area, lacking nine feet of reaching the surface in Milan village. The water rises from a few inches above the surface to fourteen feet at Thomas Welch's, as observed in 1899. The middle or central belt con- sists of three detached patches extending in a northeast direction across the county; Bedford township just east of Lambertville, contains a narrow area about three miles long by half a mile broad. The highest rise noted is five to six feet on claim No. 472, south River Raisin. The eastern artesian belt lies near the lake shore and consists of four detached areas, one small one in eastern Erie, a second near the mouth of the Raisin and extending southwestward into Erie, a third in eastern Berlin and a fourth irregular one in Ash township.
At the Greening nurseries south of Monroe, the water reaches the surface with force sufficient to supply sprinklers and when compelled to do so will rise twelve feet. Eastward, on the Lotus Hotel grounds at Monroe Piers, there are two flowing wells which will rise twenty feet above the surface or twenty-five above the lake level. The water of the wells in this lake region is mildly charged with sulphur or iron (seldom both) and is quite palatable and found very satisfactory for domestic uses. The heaviest flow of artesian water known in this part of the state was struck in September, 1899, upon the south bank of Otter creek, about two and a half miles from La Salle, on the prop- erty of Edward Sharkey, six miles south of Monroe. The well is fifty-one feet deep and extends six to eight feet into the rock, having been drilled with a three inch drill. Water was struck on September 4th, and began to flow, moderately at first, and then with great strength. A wooden pump-stock was driven into the hole and projected four feet above ground. Through this the water was thrown with force and to a considerable distance, latterly through ten one and one-half inch holes bored in the side. Thus prevented from escaping freely the water began to rise through the clay around the mouth of the well and at a distance of twenty-five to thirty feet from it, forming a shallow lake about one hundred feet across. By this time Mr. Sharkey became
326
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
alarmed for the safety of his house and the pump-stock was withdrawn, an eight inch pipe being inserted in its place. At the time of the writer's visit a very rapid stream two feet broad and four inches deep was flowing from the well to Otter creek.
Within these artesian areas not infrequently natural openings have been made to the surface through which the water escapes and flows as a mineral spring. These are more common in the central and eastern part of the county, back from the river to a distance of two to three miles. Some of them sometimes occur outside of the artesian areas, for instance the sulphur springs near the foot of Ottawa lake upon the farms of Harmon Branch and William Bell. A strong natural flow of sulphur water, with some iron, occurs at Christopher Nichols' claim 685, south River Raisin. This would fill a five inch pipe and is but slightly affected by drought, never drying up. Upon land belonging to Catherine Sorter, claim 673, south River Raisin, there is a strong sulphur spring which feeds Sulphur creek. This has been known to stop flowing but twice, in 1875 and 1895.
South of Monroe, one and three-fourths miles, is located the once celebrated "Shawnee Spring," upon claim 160, south River Raisin, just east of the Michigan Central tracks. From 1860 to 1879 or 1880, the place secured some note as a resort. The water is said to retain prac- tically the same temperature throughout the year and to be unaffected by drought. An examination of the water was made in 1864 by Prof. S. H. Douglass, then of the University of Michigan, who reported that the water contained free carbonic acid, magnesia, and abundance of lime, chlorides and sulphates and that hydrogen sulphide would probably be found in the water at the spring. The spring has formed a large mound of sphagnum moss and calcareous tufa over five hundred feet across and eight to ten feet high, through which the water escapes by numerous mouths. Quite large masses of this tufa are loose in the field and ledges of it occur in position. The water tastes and smells of hydrogen sul- phide and is depositing sulphur. Similar springs are found on other farms in the vicinity notably one on the Peter Cousineau farm, near the Sharkey well, described. Another larger spring occurs in the marsh near Erie, (Vienna). It can be reached by boat, by punting half a mile through a natural channel.
THE MARL BEDS
The marl beds of Monroe county are not very numerous nor exten- sive. The largest deposit known occurs on claim 422 north of La Plaisance creek, two and one-half miles south of Monroe, with an area of six to eight acres, there is a layer of black spongy muck, containing many fossil shells. Beneath this is found a bed of marl varying in thickness from one to three feet. The marl is so free from grit that, after washing, it has been found to produce a good polishing powder for gold, silver, nickel, brass, etc. It was boxed and sold for this pur- pose some years ago under the name Paragon Polishing Powder, being prepared by the La Plaisance Manufacturing Co., of Monroe, of which John M. Bulkley was president and Robt. Flemming, secretary. This novel use for the marl was found to be very successful and a large busi- ness was built up and afterwards sold to P. H. Mathews, Esq., who con- ducted a fine business for a few years, but finally closed it out. The marl contains some shell but appears to have been in the main precipitated from the water of a small lake charged with lime carbonate. Such a deposit may now be seen in process of formation over the bottoms of the series of lakes through which the Huron river flows in Washtenaw
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
county. Upon claim 161, about one mile west of the Asam deposit at the place of Eli P. Duval, there is said to be a black deposit with white clay. The latter is undoubtedly marl and a similar reference to a ten inch layer of "whitish dirt" was obtained at W. J. Kelley's, claim 520, South Otter creek, where it is overlain by two and one-half feet of yellow sand and one foot of black sand. Beneath the sand layer is one foot of yellowish-white clay, one and one-half inches of gravel and then common clay to the rock. Judging from these deposits we have here a former lake site. At the cranberry marsh (S. E. 1/4, Sec. 24, Summerfield), more or less marl occurs, but the maximum thickness is said to be but six or eight inches. It is quite probable that thicker deposits occur towards the center of the marsh, possibly of consider- able extent. In his early report Hubbard reported marl as occurring on Sec. 7 of Exeter and Sec. 9 of Ash township. A very extensive marsh occurs in Sec. 9 of London and probably contains marl beneath the surface.
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