HORTICULTURE OF MICHIGAN. 15 



Upper Peninsula), as a separate territory, of which Creneral William Hull 

 was made Governor, the governor and judges exercising legislative power. 



On the lltli of June, 1805, five months after the passage of the act 

 •organizing the territory of Michigan, and previous to the arrival of the newly 

 ■constituted "governor and judges," a fire originated at midday in the midst 

 of the crowded town, and at night-fall the entire place had become a smolder- 

 ing ruin, presenting a truly calamitous spectacle to these uninaugurated offi- 

 •cials on their arrival. On July 2 the new government was organized and 

 Michigan entered upon her career as a territory of the United States. 



The destruction of Detroit had so far obliterated landmarks and bounda- 

 ries that Congress was induced to provide for a replattiug of the ground and 

 the re-distribution of the same to former owners, under the auspices of the 

 .governor and judges. 



General Hull retained the governorship, together with the command of 

 the troops at this point, after the breaking out of the second war with 

 •Great Britain, till his disgraceful snrrender of Detroit to General Brock on 

 the 17th of August, 1812, when martial law was again declared, which state 

 of affairs continued till after the victory of Commodore Perry, on Lake Erie, 

 •on the 10th of September of the following year, when, on the approach of 

 the army of General Flarrison, Detroit was again evacuated, and soon after 

 permanent safety was assured by his victory at the Thames. 



Col. Lewis Cass was appointed Governor on the 13th of October, 1813, and 

 in 1818 portions of the public land were brought into market. This, with 

 the introduction of steam navigation upon the lakes and the opening of the 

 Erie canal, inaugurated an extensive emigration to the territory. Hence, 

 from this era we may date the commencement of the more modern history 

 of the region, together with the knowledge and development of its horti- 

 •cultural capacities. 



In speaking of the first steamboat upon the upper lakes Bela Hubbard (in 

 Pioneer Collections, Vol. 1, page 407), says: The Walk-in the- Water in 

 1818, " came to Detroit, returned and started to come up again. Hard wind 

 ■compelled her to anchor at Point Avenue, some iwenty miles from Buffalo. 

 She sprung aleak, attempted to reach that point, but made the beach 

 instead. The crew were saved but the vessel went to pieces. She was too 

 weakly built for the rough seas of the lakes, being after the pattern of the 

 North River boats. Captain Harvey says the engine was a curious affair, 

 and had as many cogwheels as a gri-t mill. The engine was saved and after- 

 wards went into the Superior." 



