TO THE HONORABLE,THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
The undersigned, citizens of the Counties of Calhoun, Eaton and Ingham, in the State
of Michigan, would respectfully represent, that a Mail Route is much needed from
Battle Creek, in the County of Calhoun, to Michigan, the seat of Government of said
State, in the County of Ingham; that a large proportion of the inhabitants of said
State labor under serious embarrassments for the want thereof, having no direct communication
with said Capital; that Battle Creek is the most feasible point for all the travel
from the West to leave the Central Railroad for said Capital, and also the most eligible
point for the travel from the Capital West to intersect said Railroad; that the distance
from Battle Creek to said Capital is inconsiderable, being only forty-four miles on
a State Road already laid out and most opened; that said Road passes through a rich
and productive country, mostly settled by a sober, industrious and reading community,
and also that it passes through the flourishing villages of Bellevue and Charlotte,
in the County of Eaton, the latter being the shire Town of said County; that Michigan,
aside from its being the seat of Government, is a place of extensive business and
of great importance; that Battle Creek contains a population of two thousand inhabitants,
and in point of business and prospective importance is second to no place in Calhoun
County. We would, therefore, in view of the foregoing facts. earnestly, but respectfully, solicit your Honorable Body to pass a law establishing
a Mail Route on said State Road, from Battle Creek through Bellevue and Charlotte
to Michigan, in the County of Ingham.
Dated the 1st day of Dec 1847.| NAMES. | NAMES. |
| John Cranson | |
| T. B. Cranson | John. S. Adams |
| George P Rugg | Wm C. Hicks. |
| K. E. Knight | S. L. French |
| David Young | |
| William C. Fonda | Joseph Young |
| Jason Evans | James. Harris |
| Barnabas Newton | John W Harris |
| Edwin Wilber | John Pearl |
| L W Simonds | Richard Dell |
| Wm Hicks | Henry Tripp |
| L B Holcomb | Garret Hall |
| Wm Brown | Richard Gilbert |
| E Dailey | |
| Rodney Simons | George W. Lovell |
| Robert Waldron | Mark Mc[Camly?] C |
| Osmer. P. Weston | Samuel Cook Jnr |
| John Y Hicks | D W Stone |
| Abel Holton | John Wag[er?] |
| Jesse Packer | Jacob McCollum |
Partially Printed Document Signed, 1 page(s), RG 233, Entry 367: Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents Which Were Referred to Committees, 1847-1849, NAB,