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many other western cities, probably in consequence of the scanty settle- 

 ment of the heavy timbered country immediately around, and the un- 

 usual proportion of villages throughout the rest of the State. The 

 Central Railroad to Chicago (commenced by the State, but now owned 

 by a Boston company) begins here, and will shortly connect with the 

 Great Western Railroad, running from Niagara Falls, through southern 

 Canada to the Detroit River, and forming a united line from Chicago to 

 New York city. The chief business of Detroit is forwarding, ship- 

 building, foundries, steam-engine shops, saw-mills — the logs being pro- 

 cured from St. Clair and Saginaw — tanneries, together with the usual 

 stores of a prosperous city. Some wholesale business is done, but not 

 as much as might be expected, the communication Avith the east by 

 means of the lakes and the New York Canal and railroads being so 

 easy and cheap. A railroad also runs to Pontiac, about thirty miles 

 N. W., and several plank roads are completed, the longest of which is 

 about one hundred and thirty miles. The best of these pay dividends 

 not exceeding ten per cent, per annum on the cost, besides reserving a 

 sinking fund for repairs ; but every year the stock is becoming more 

 valuable. The city is lit with gas, and supplied with water by a steam 

 apparatus owned by the corporation. The hotels are numerous in pro- 

 portion to the population, and the best of them are fine buildings, bear- 

 ing a high reputation. Three daily papers, two agricultural, several 

 weekly, secular and religious, and two monthly magazines, are pub- 

 lished here. 



From the first organization of the State, peculiar and anxious atten- 

 tion has been paid to popular education ; and perhaps no new State in 

 the Union has greater reason to feel proud of its progress in this respect. 

 Michigan was the first State to establish a constitutional officer, under 

 the name of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The system is 

 wide and comprehensive, founded on the Prussian scheme, and may be 

 described as follows: — A general supervising head of the Department 

 (a Superintendent,) a University in which education is free, governed 

 by a President, who is appointed by a Board of Regents, the latter be- 

 ing elected by the people ; branches of the University in various parts 

 of the State, to act as feeders, at present in abeyance ; and a system of 

 primary schools under the management of certain township officers, 

 with a large fund sufficient to afford three months, at least of education 



