mouth of Norris Creek, emptying at the head of Spring Lake, ob- 

 taining about eighteen feet head of water, and preparatory to 

 the erection of grist and saw mills and various manufactories. 

 This they intend to prosecute with vigor, until completed. This 

 will flow the water back on narrow bottom lands about three 

 miles, thus forming a large artificial lake, navigable for barges, 

 which will afford a ready outlet for fruit, produce, rail road ties, 

 lumber, wood, &c., from the lands adjoining, to the vessels at 

 the Fruitport docks. The Grand Rapids and Lake Shore rail- 

 road, which is progressing with the utmost rapidity, will run di- 

 rectly through Fruitport. 



It must be seen that these rail-road facilities, together with 

 one of the finest harbors of any country, must make Fruitport an 

 important business place. As soon as the rail-road is completed, 

 boats can make connections with trains, and Fruitport can com- 

 pete with Grand Haven in the freight and passenger business, 

 to Chicago and other lake cities. The position of Fruitport 

 speaks for itself, and needs no further comment. 



Information is now given on the leading features of the coun- 

 try, and on topics of the greatest importance to those seeking a 

 new home. The liberty has been taken to make extracts from a 

 very able paper and report by Prof Winchell, late State Geolo- 

 gist of Michigan, and now Prof, of Geology in Michigan Univer- 

 sity. 



CLIMATE. 



Prof Winchell in a paper on the "Fruit Belt of Michigan," says : 

 *' Lake Michigan being a body of water 350 miles long, and on an 

 average, 15 miles broad, with a depth of about 900 feet, is enabled 

 to preserve something of that uniformity of temperature, which 

 characterizes the oc(?an, and exerts a similar influence upon the 

 contigious lands. The temperature of the water never rises 

 above 45 "= or 50 ® , and probably does not sink below 35 => or 

 40°. The great body of the lake is never frozen over. The 

 wdnds moving over its surface are consequently warmed in cold 

 weather, and cooled in warm weather. As the prevailing direc- 

 tion of the wind, both summer and winter, is from the westerly 

 points of the compass, the influence of the lake is most extensively 

 felt along the Eastern or Michigan shore. The amount of this 

 influence diminishes toward the interior, but is distinctly felt in 

 extreme weather, in all parts of the State. The region of country 

 along the lake, however, for a distance inland which may be 

 about 40 miles, enjoys a climate of a decidedly local character. 

 During the prevalence of the severest cold of last winter, (1867) 

 the mercury stood from 15 ® to 20 ® lower at Milwaukee than at 

 Grand Haven, immediately opposite. A region defended, like 

 that along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, from the extreme 

 yicissitudes of our Northern winters, and preserved equally from 



