1869

July 18, 1869

In our last issue we gave notice of a Harbor Bee to commence the improvement of the navigation of Pine River between Pine Lake and Lake Michigan; and also that further notice would appear in this issue, we are authorized to say that the work will commence on Monday, July 26. Messrs. Fox and Reddington will visit the inhabitants of South Arm and Pine Lake during the coming week, and make arrangements as will be satisfactory to all who are earnest in the matter. It would be well for the people to assemble in groups on the banks of the lake and flag the tug-boats which will be sent to bring them down. Every man should bring, in addition to his axe, spade or pick, and a blanket with him.

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August 1, 1869

THE HARBOR BEE-The Harbor Bee which came off last Monday, was a great success. About nine o'clock, A.M. the Minnie Warren arrived here from the South Arm with no less than fifty-three as hearty, robust, muscular and determined set of men as could be collected anywhere. Before the excitement attending the arrival of the South Arm delegation had died away, the familiar whistle of the Commodore Nutt was heard, announcing his arrival from the head of Pine Lake. The number of men brought by the Commodore almost equaled the number brought by the Minnie and they looked and acted as courageous men always do. Thus the improvement of the navigation of Pine River (and, as a natural consequence, the drainage of the marsh lands at the head of Pine Lake) was begun in earnest by more than one hundred men, whose honest, sunbrowned hands and faces showed plainly the kind of men this country is made up of. Before the sun set in west on Monday evening, a space of 240 feet between Pine Lake and Round Lake was entirely cleared of all the trees and brush and a great portion of the stumps and roots removed.

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August 8, 1869

Harbor Improvement-The work at the bayou is progressing rapidly. Four teams are now kept scraping, and we believe it is the intention of Mr. Fox, under whose supervision the work is being done, to have the tug through during the month of September.

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August 15, 1869

Harbor Improvement-The Harbor meeting came off Tuesday evening. On motion, the jurisdiction of the company was extended over the upper river. The following named gentlemen were elected the directors of the company: Amos Fox, E. S. Reddington, J. S. Dixon, S. F. Mason, Wm. Laister, D. C. Nettleton, and Wm. Nelson. A committee on by-laws was also appointed consisting of Messers Dixon, Reddington and Green. The meeting adjourned to Tuesday evening, August 17, at which time it is hoped that there will be a general attendance of stockholders.

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August 15, 1869
What We Need

Editor Sentinel-While the inhabitants around Pine Lake are very anxious that the navigation of the rivers should be improved and many of them are laboring with a will to accomplish that very desirable object, there are other improvements that would be of equal advantage to them, that for the present, seem to be lost sight of; what is the most needed, or will be the coming fall by the inhabitants, is a good grist mill. There are a great many farmers who have grain enough growing to supply their families with bread through the coming winter, and even until another harvest, if they can only get it ground. But to get it to mill is the great difficulty. If they send it to any of the mills around bay by boat, it is uncertain whether they get it back again. Sometimes they get their bags filled with bran and but little flour, and others get but part of their grist, so it is very disagreeable as well as costly to get to mill in that way; and if they wait till winter and go with their own teams, or hire someone to go for them there is no certainty of their getting back till their grist is well nigh eat up. In view of these facts, and the fact that there is quite an amount of grain in the surrounding country, would it not be advisable for some of our enterprising neighbors to invest a little of their surplus capital in a mill at this point.

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October 10, 1869

A County Road-At the last meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Charlevoix County, held on the 12th day of May, A. D. 1869, Messers. Aldrich, Burns and Struthers were appointed a committee to consider and report on the October meeting, on the propriety and necessity of establishing a county road from corner of Township No. 32 north of Range 7 west.

Petitions are now being circulated throughout the county to ask the Board of Supervisors, at their meeting next Monday, to establish said road and to make an appropriation of such a sum of money as will be sufficient to defray the expenses of erecting a bridge over the Jordan River.

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October 17, 1869

Warehouse-A. Buttars & Co. have commenced the erection of a large and commodious warehouse on the west shore of Round Lake, just east of the Mammoth Store building.

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October 17, 1869

A Sensation-On last Thursday, as Dr. Lewis rode up from A. Fox & Co.'s dock in a single buggy, quite a sensation was produced among the inhabitants of this village as they beheld for the first time a buggy in the streets of Charlevoix.

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October 17, 1869

New Postoffice-Another new postoffice named Boyne, has been established in Charlevoix county at the head of Pine Lake on section number twenty-six in township number thirty-three, north of range six west. Mr. John Miller has the honor of being the first postmaster.

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October 17, 1869

Physician in Charlevoix-L. Lewis, M.D., a graduate of the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati, Ohio, and with an experience of nearly eight years as a practitioner, has located in our village. Dr. Lewis has been practicing his profession for the last three years in the counties of Macomb and St. Clair in this state. We are pleased to make this announcement and hope the people of Charlevoix will extend a hearty welcome to the Doctor.

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October 24, 1869

Debating Society-At the close of the lecture on last Monday evening, a strong feeling was manifested for the formation of a debating Society of some kind in this village. Mr. Robert Miller moved that a committee of three be appointed to draught a constitution and by-laws for the regulation of a Society, said committee to report next Monday evening at seven o'clock. The chair appointed Robert Miller, Wm. Millsom, and Willard A. Smith as such committee. Let there be a large attendance next Monday evening.

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October 24, 1869

Cost of our Harbor Improvement-From the proceedings of the Board of Directors of the Charlevoix Harbor and River Improvement Company, published elsewhere, it will be seen that the money thus far expended is $1,423.92. This of course does not include the work done by the "bees," and other voluntary labor, which added to the $1,423.92 would not equal two thousand dollars. We call the attention of our home readers to these facts for the purpose of showing what has been accomplished with a small amount of money, and also for the purpose of disproving the arguments advanced by those who profess to be skilled in the art and science of digging canals, and a few who asserted that to cut a canal between Round Lake and Pine Lake would cost from five to ten thousand dollars; and to open a new entrance into Lake Michigan near the mouth of Pine River would cost an immense amount of money. Doubtless those knowing individuals founded their calculations upon the unjust report made by the United States Engineer who surveyed this harbor last year, and who, for some reason, better known to himself than to the good people of Charlevoix, reported that it would cost $200,000 to make a channel of twelve feet of water between Round Lake and Lake Michigan. The Charlevoix Harbor and River Improvement Company have made a new entrance into Lake Michigan, and have dredged out a channel in which there is not less than six feet of water between Round Lake and Lake Michigan and the whole cost of which did not exceed seven hundred dollars.

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November 14, 1869

Charlevoix Literary Society-Pursuant to adjournment, the society met at the school room on last Monday evening, and was called to order by the President, Robert Miller, the minutes of the previous meeting read and approved, after which the following question was discussed: Resolved that the election franchise should be extended to the female sex.

The affirmative was supported by Wm. Millsom, Wm. Laister, A. Buttars, and B. F. Bisbee. The negative by Henry Morgan, Hon. Philo Beers, and Dr. Lewis. The President's decision on the merits of the argument was in favor of the affirmative. A number of new members were admitted. Geo. Miller tendered his resignation as secretary which was accepted and W. A. Smith elected to fill the vacancy.

W.C. Newman was elected to fill the office of Vice-President. The following is the question for discussion on the next Monday evening:

Resolved, that the moderate drinker does more harm to society than the habitual drunkard.

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November 21, 1869

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November 21, 1869

Charlevoix Literary Society-Agreeable to adjournment, the Society met at the usual time and place, Robert Miller in the chair. The resolution that the moderate drinker does more harm to society than the habitual drunkard, was argued on the affirmative by Messrs. Henry Morgan, Archibald Dougherty and Hon. John S. Dixon, and on the negative by E. H. Green, and Hon. Philo Beers. The President's decision was in favor of the affirmative. Hon. John S. Dixon was the critic for the evening, and performed the duties in a masterly manner. The following is the resolution for next Monday night, viz;

Resolved, That the slanderer does more harm than the thief. Messrs. A. Dougherty and W. C. Newman are chief disputants.