416 BEPOKT OF THE SECBETARY OF THE 



Let US see what are the marketing advantages of South 

 Haven. 



It will be noticed, by glancing at the map of Michigan, that 

 this town is located at the mouth of Black Elver. It is a vil- 

 lage of about two thousand inhabitants, — having increased to 

 that number from four hundred, within the last four years. 

 Four years ago she had no harbor, the shifting sands of Lake 

 Michigan blockading the mouth of her river, so that it was 

 accessible only to the smallest sailing craft. Now, by means 

 of piering, she has a harbor capable of accommodating the 

 largest vessels and steamers that ply the Great Lakes. 



Until within a year or so, her nearest railway station was 

 thirty-two miles distant, Avhile now she has a railroad running 

 in almost an air line to Detroit, with four trains per day, 

 under the auspices of that great and wealthy corporation, the 

 Michigan Central E. E. Co. 



It will thus be seen that the water and rail facilities are 

 Buch, that by tracing a line to Detroit, to Milwaukee, and Chi- 

 cago, from South Haven, gives her the least average distance 

 to those three great marts of the West of any port in the 

 fruit belt of Western Michigan : thus giving her the choice of 

 those three great fruit markets should any one of them, at 

 any time, become temporarily glutted. 



It is of the utmost importance, in the transporting to mar- 

 ket of peaches, strawberries, and other perishable fruits, that 

 they be put down at the door of the consumer in the quickest 

 and gentlest manner possible. The fruit of South Haven, 

 placed on board the steamer in the evening, is borne, by the 

 undulating motion of the boat, to Chicago, in eight hours, 

 through the cool of the night, and arrives as fresh and firm as 

 when gathered the afternoon before; presenting a marked 

 contrast with that shipped from Southern Illinois, which has 

 been jolted for twenty four hours over from two hundred and 

 fifty to three hundred miles of railroad; and, need I add, pre- 

 senting as equally marked a contrast in the price of the re- 

 spective fruits. 



