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THE LIFE OF HON. RIX ROBBINSON A PIONEER OF
WESTERN MICHIGAN BY GEORGE H. WHITE
The food was set before them. Robinson said, '"Loosen your belts, " It disappeared in a minute; they called for more, the girls brought it, the landlord rushed distracted to the door, but no stages were driving up, nor were there any signs of any; more food was the call; all that was cooked was brought up, then the cold meats and everything eatable were brought and
eaten up; finally their appetites were satisfied, but the famine in that house was awful. Mr. Robinson stepped up to the landlord and counted out one half a dollar a head. "That will not pay me one quarter of the cost of the raw material. " "I can't help it, sir; you set your own price when we were here before, and that is it; and look here friend, would it not be well to not play tricks on travelers?" "Well, sir, you shan't go until you pay me my charges. " "Sir, don't you know that at a word from me, you and every man about here would be killed in ten minutes? It will not look well for you to attack them or attempt to keep them. " The coachmen were called and were quickly on hand. The whole secret of the matter was, Mr. Robinson had penetrated the innkeeper's secret and overbid him with the drivers.
At the formation of the state he was appointed one of the first board of commissioners of internal improvements, who were to expend the five million loan, which the state had made for the formation of a grand railroad system, a grand canal system, and a grand system of river improvements, and, for several years gave almost his entire personal attention and services to the performance of its duties.
Col. Andrew T. McReynolds, then (183G to 1848) a resident of Detroit (which was then virtually Michigan) and, at that time, one of the most prominent of her business men, and a large factor in the politics of the state, describes the standing and the personal appearance of Mr. Robinson thus: "I knew Rix Robinson from 1834, long before he went into the senate.
Michigan
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