GRAND RAPIDS.

Grand Rapids is located on Grand river-the largest inland stream in the State-about forty miles from its mouth, and at the head of navigation. Its site is one of great natural beauty, lying on both sides of the river, between the high bluffs that stand nearly two miles apart, and from whose summits the eye takes in a beautiful panorama of hill, vale and river, with all the streets of the busy city laid out like a map at the feet of the beholder.

Grand Rapids contains a population (August, 1873) of 23,000, and it is the county seat of Kent county, which county was organized in the year 1836. In point of population it is the second city in size next to Detroit, in this State, and is to Western Michigan, in point of location, business and influence, what the City of the Straits is to the eastern part of the State.

It was incorporated in 1850, and its growth has been healthy and vigorous. The city is located on both sides of Grand river-which is 900 feet wide at this point, running over a fall in one mile of twenty feet of rocky bed-from which rapid current its name is derived.

The river at this point runs nearly south, but soon after leaving the city resumes its general westerly direction On the west side of the river the ground is nearly level back to the bluffs; on the east side there were smaller hills between the bank and the bluffs, the leveling of which has cost, and is yet to cost, large sums of money. These bluffs, which nearly surround the city, are being rapidly covered with elegant residences and substantial homes, from which beautiful views of the city are obtained and at a score of points. Speaking of the locality of Grand Rapids, a writer, as far back as 1837, in one of our city-then village-papers, used the following language:

Though young in its improvements, the site of this village has long been known and esteemed for its natural advantages. It was here that the Indian traders long since made their grand depot. It was at this point that the missionary herald established his institution of learningtaught the forest child the beauties of civilization and inestimable benefits of the Christian religion. This has been the choicest, dearest spot to the unfortunate Indian, and now is the pride of the white man. Like other villages of the west, its transition from the savage to a civilized state has been as sudden as its prospects are now flattering.

"Who would have believed, to have visited this place two years since, when it was only inhabited by a few families, most of whom were of French origin, a people so eminent for exploring the wilds and meandering rivers, that this place would now contain its twelve hundred inhabitants ? Who would have imagined that this rapid would have been the improvement of this romantic place. The rapidity of its settlement is beyond the most visionary anticipation; but its location, its advantages, and its clime, were sufficient to satisfy the observing mind that nothing but the frown of Providence could blast its prospects!

"The river upon which this town is situated is one of the most important and delightful to be found in the country-not important and beautiful alone for its clear, silver-like water winding its way through a romantic valley of some hundred miles, but for its width and depth, its susceptibility for steam navigation, and the immense hydraulic power afforded at this point.

"We feel deeply indebted to our Milwaukee friends for their lucid description of the advantages to be derived from a connection of the waters of this river with those of Detroit, by canal or railroad. A canal is nearly completed around the rapids at this place sufficiently large to admit boats to pass up and down with but little detention. Several steamboats are now preparing to commence regular trips from Lyons, at the mouth of Maple river, to this place, a distance of sixty miles, and from this to Grand Haven, a distance of thirty-five or forty miles; thence to Milwaukee and Chicago.

"Thus the village of Grand Rapids, with a navigable stream-a water power of twenty-five feet fall-an abundance of crude building materials -stone of excellent quality-pine, oak and other timber in immense quantities within its vicinity, can but flourish-can but be the Rochester of Michigan! The basement story of an extensive mill, one hundred and sixty by forty feet, is now completed; a part of the extensive machinery is soon to be put in operation. There are now several dry goods and grocery stores, some three or four public houses, one large church.erected and soon to be finished in good style, upon the expense of a single individual, who commenced business a few years ago by a small traffic with the Indians. Such is the encouragement to western pioneers! The village plat is upon the bold bank of a river, extending back upon an irregular plain, some eighty to a hundred rods, to rising bluffs, from the base and sides of which some of the most pure, crystal-like fountains of water burst out in boiling springs, pouring forth streams that murmur over their pebbly bottoms, at once a delight to the eye and an invaluable luxury to the thirsty palate.

"New England may surpass this place with her lofty mountains, but not with her greatest boast, purity and clearness of water. The soil is sandy

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and mostly dry. The town is delightful, whether you view it from the plain upon the banks of the river, or from the bluffs that overlook the whole surrounding country. To ascend these bluffs you take a gradual rise to the height of a hundred feet, when the horizon only limits the extent of vision. The scenery to an admirer of beautiful landscape is truly picturesque and romantic. Back east of the town is seen a widespread plain of burr oak, at once easy to cultivate and inviting to the agriculturist. Turning westward, especially at the setting of the sun, you behold the most enchanting prospect-the din of the ville belowthe broad sheet of water murmuring over the rapids—the sunbeams dancing upon its swift gliding ripples-the glassy river at last losing itself in its distant meanderings, presents a scenery that awakes the most lively emotions.

"It is from this point, too, that you can see in the distance the evergreen tops of the lofty pine waving in majesty above the sturdy oak, the beech and maple, presenting to the eye a wild, undulating plain, with its thousand charms. Such is the location, the beauties and the advantages of this youthful town. The citizens are of the most intelligent, enterprising and industrious character. Their buildings are large, tasty and handsomely furnished-the clatter of mallet and chisel-the clink of the hammer—the many newly raised and recently covered frames—and the few skeleton boats upon the wharves of the river, speak loudly for the enterprise of the place! Mechanics of all kind find abundant employ, and reap a rich reward for their labor. Village property advances in value, and the prospect of wealth is alike flattering to all! What the result, of such advantages and prospects will be, time alone must determine.

"But a view of this place and vicinity, where we find a rich and fertile soil, watered with the best of springs, and enjoying as we do a salubrious climate, a healthful atmosphere, and the choicest gifts of a benign Benefactor, would satisfy almost any one that this will soon be a bright star in the constellation of western villages. Such, gentle reader, is a faint description of the place from which our paper hails-from which we hope will emanate matter as pleasing and interesting as the town is beautiful and inviting."

Thirty-six years have passed away since the foregoing was written, and the visitor now beholds a lively, bustling and active city, full of energy and enterprise and doing an amount of manufacturing and mercantile trading truly surprising. There are three daily newspapers, the Eagle, Democrat and Times, representing the Republican and Democratic parties, and the latter Independent. There are also several weekly papers, one of which is printed exclusively in the Holland language. There are twentythree organized churches, and some of the edifices are of a superior kind

in point of architectural design. The First Congregational is a gothic building, elegant in finish, costing $65,000. St. Marks, Episcopal, one of the old church edifices in the city, has lately been enlarged and improved at a cost of $30,000, and is one of the largest gothic edifices west

HENRY M LOOK was born at Hadley, Michigan, October 27, 1837. His ancestors were from Scotland, and settled on the island of Martha's Vineyard, in 1758. They removed thence to Massachusetts, while it was yet a province of Great Britain, and bore an active part in the war of the revolution, two members of the family losing their lives in that struggle-one while leading a charge at the battle of Bennington, the other while a prisoner of war.

His parents were both natives of New York, and settled in the (then) Territory of Michigan in 1834. Having received a thorough education, including an extensive course of historical and classical reading, he began the study of law in 1857, and was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of Michigan, in November, 1859, and to the Circuit Court of the United States, in 1867. He is still in the active and successful practice of his profession.

He was a member of the legislature of Michigan in 1865 and 1866; prosecuting attorney for Oakland county in 1871 and 1872; city attorney