83 

 A Harbor at the South End of Lake Michigan. 



By J. L. Campbeli,. 



The northern boundary intended for Indiana by the act of Congress, 

 July 13, 1787, and also the boundary designated in the act introduced De- 

 cember 27, 1815, by Mr. Jennings, the territorial delegate for the admission 

 of Indiana as a State, was an east and west line through the southern 

 extreme of Lake Michigan. 



But an amendment to the original bill was adopted removing this 

 boundary line ten miles to the north, and in this form the act was passed 

 April 19, 1816. 



This ten-mile line was marked on the early maps of the State, and has 

 been the subject of curious inquiry by many who are ignorant of this item 

 of State history. 



By this amendment there was added to the territory of the State 

 nearly one-half of the present counties of Steuben, Lagrange, Elkhart, 

 St. Joseph and Laporte. 



By the original line the State Avould have been cut off entirely from 

 the great northern chain of lakes, and Michigan and Illinois would have 

 cornered at the extreme southern limit of the lake. 



The ten-mile strip gives to the State a lake front of forty miles between 

 Michigan and Illinois, and makes Lake, Porter and Laporte counties parts 

 of the border of our great inland sea. 



I do not know who deserves the honor of securing the ten-mile strip, 

 but I would be glad to erect two monuments to his memory, one where 

 our shore line touches Illinois and the other to mark the line between this 

 State and INIichigan. 



From the period of the admission of the State in 1816 until the present 

 our wisest statesmen and best engineers have manifested great interest 

 in the improvement of our lake front. 



Michigan City Avas laid out in 1831, and in 1886 Congress made an 

 appropriation of $20,000 for the beginning of a harbor at that place. 



The site is a good one— the growth of the city has been satisfactory, 

 a fair degree of liberality has been shown by the general government for 

 the harbor, and the results prove that the expenditures have been wise. 



It merits and should continue to receive the most generous support. 

 But the new conditions around the head of Lake Michigan require im- 



