File:Appleton's illustrated hand-book of American cities; (1876) (14780770851).jpg

Identifier: appletonsillustr00newy (find matches)
Title: Appleton's illustrated hand-book of American cities;
Year: 1876 (1870s)
Authors:
Subjects: Cities and towns
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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)le stream or rather strait 20 rn. long, connecting Lakes Erie andSt. Clair, and affording the best harbor on the entire chain of the Great Lakes. Theriver varies in width from i to 1 m., has a current of from 2 to 3 m. an hour, and isnoted for the clearness and purity of its deep, fish-teeming waters. The city extendsalong the bank for about 7 m., and is built up for about ^^ m. from the water. Forat least 6 m., the river-front is lined with mills, dry-docks, ship-yards, founderies,grain-elevators, railway-depots, and warehouses. For a short distance from theriver-bank the ground rises gradually, and then becomes perfectly level, furnishing DETROIT. 81 an admirable site for a large city. Detroit is laid out upon two plans: the one thatof a circle with avenues radiating from the Grand Circus as a centre; the other thatof streets crossing each other at right angles. The result is a slight degree of intri-cacy in certain localities, which inconvenience is more than compensated by a num-
Text Appearing After Image:
Detroit. ber of little triangular parks which diversify and ornament the place. The avenuesare from 100 to 200 ft. wide ; the streets vary in width from 50 to 100 ft., and aregenerally shaded by an abundance of trees. The site of Detroit was visited by theFrench as early as 1610; but no permanent settlement was made until 1701, whenFort Pontchartrain was built. In 1763 it passed into the hands of the English, andimmediately afterward was besieged for 11 months by Pontiac in his attempt toexpel the whites from that region. In 1783 Detroit was ceded to the United States,but the Americans did not lake possession of it till 1796. During the war of 1812it fell into the hands of the British, but was recaptured in 1813. It was incorporatedas a city in 1824, when its population was less than 2,000, and in 1870 had 79,577inhabitants. The manufactures of the city are numerous and important, includingextensive iron-works and machine-shops, 8 railroad-car factories, flour-mills, brew-eries, and i

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