|
MICHIGAN CHAPTER 15 The Old French Habitants and their Ways
So the people indulged in the pomps and vanities of dress and showed their fondness for amusements to quite as great extent as did those in France or elsewhere, who might be presumed more able to do so.
Isaac Weld, an Irish gentleman of some literary prominence, visited Detroit in 1795. He describes the place and the people at some length. He says, speaking of the town, that it "consists of several streets which run parallel with the river which are intersected by others at right angles. They are all very narrow and not being paved, dirty in the extreme whenever it happens to rain. For the accommodation of passengers, however, there are footways in most of them formed of square logs laid transversely close to each other. About two-thirds of the inhabitants of Detroit are of French extraction and the greater part of the inhabitants both above and below the town are of the same description. The former are mostly engaged in trade, and they all appear to be much on an equality. The stores and shops in the town are well furnished and you may buy fine cloth, linen, etc. and every article of wearing apparel as good in their kind, and nearly on as reasonable terms as " you can purchase them in New York or Philadelphia. The country round Detroit is uncommonly flat, and in none of the rivers is there fall sufficient to turn even a grist mill. The current of Detroit river itself is stronger than that of any others, and a floating mill was once invented by a Frenchman which was chained in the middle of the river where it was thought the stream would be sufficiently swift to turn the water wheel. The building of it was attended with considerable expense to the inhabitants, but after it was finished it by no means answered their expectations.
MICHIGAN
Page 7
|
|
Please consider making a donation to help offset expenses to keep this site online.
Thank you
|
