with all Western Michigan, and one of the most influential and 

 reliable business men of the State. He writes as follows : 



'• My attention was first directed to tlie advantages wliich Spring Lake had 

 over otlier points on tlie lake shore, in the Spring of 1867. I had often been at 

 Grand Haven and had, in view of tlie sand hills which surrounded it, formed a 

 very unfavorable opinion of all of the surrounding country. I knew it had the 

 best harbor on the coast, but was not aware that^here was such a magnificent 

 inland lake [Spring Lake] connected with its harbor, with a fruit and fariD 

 country surrounding, and in its vicinity, unequalled by any section of Michi- 

 gan. A friend who had visited the head of Spring Lake, first called my atten- 

 tion to its great natural advantages, and from his representations I became so 

 interested as to visit it, and must acknowledge that, having traversed the lake 

 shore from Michigan City to Manistee, I know of no locality that presents so 

 many advantages to the fruit-grower and agriculturalist, as Spring Lake. I 

 have often wondered why a point possessing so many advantages to the settler, 

 should be so long overlooked. I can account for it in no other way than this — 

 the attention of business men has been given only to the lumbering interests, 

 while travellers like myself, passing along the line of the Detroit & Milwaukee 

 rail-road, or through the swamps from Ferrysburgh to Muskegon, would judge 

 of the whole country by the portion seen along those routes. The facilities for 

 marketing fruit or produce at Spring Lake, are far the best of any point on the 

 shore — while the certaintj^ of growing a crop is equally as good as the best, 

 and much better than some of the localities lurther south. I have several times 

 visited the localities of St. Joseph, South Haven, Pier Cove, Saugatuck and 

 Holland, and have made inquiries as to the price of land, and this is the result 

 of such inquiries : I find land at Spring Lake, with double or treble the advan- 

 tages of reaching the markets of Chicago, Milwaukee and those of the East, can 

 be bought from one-half to one-third less per acre. This state of things cannot 

 long exist. The beautiful scenery, healthful climate, good society and fine fruit 

 lands of this section are beginning to attract attention, and a tide of emigration 

 is destined to set in towards this portion of our state, as will make it, as its nat- 

 ural advantages entitle it to be, the richest fruit-growing section of the West." 



Su^i are the statements of a prominent business man, and he 

 has no connection whatever with the "Fruitport Orchard & 

 Vineyard Company." 



Several gentlemen having their attention called to the extraor- 

 dinary natural advantages of this locality, and believing that by 

 judicious management, and a liberal and public-spirited policy, 

 a wealthy, populous and intelligent community could soon be 

 founded, secured a large tract of the choicest fruit lands, and 

 organized the "Fruiti)ort Orchard & Vineyard Company," for 

 the purpose of uniting their interests and labor, to facilitate their 

 business, and better enable them by combined and harmonious 

 efforts, to develop the marvelous resources of the country by ev- 

 ery available means. It is their aim and pui*pose to build up an 

 intelligent and refined community of actual and permanent set- 

 tlers, who will appreciate and cherish a high-toned, moral public 

 sentiment, and those invaluable religious and educational inter- 

 ests, which make the solid basis of a permanent prosperity. To 

 such, extraordinary inducements are offered, which, it is believ- 

 ed, no other locality presents. 



This Company are making preparations to build a dam at the 



