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BOOKS  BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR 

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THE   NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

ASTOR,  LENOX 
TIL£FSN   FOUNDATIONS] 


SAGINAW    COUNTY     COURT    HOUSE,    ERECTED    1884-5 


HISTORY  of 
SAGINAW    COUNTY 


■v 


MICHIGAN 

Historical  Commercial 

Biographical 


Profusely  Illustrated  with  Portraits  of  Early  Pioneers, 

Rare  Pictures  and  Scenes  of  Olden  Times,  and 

Portraits  of  Representative 

Citizens  of  Today 


By  JAMES  COOKE  MILLS 

Author  of  "Our  Inland  Seas" 

"Searchlights  on  American  Industries" 

'Oliver  Hazard  Perrv  and  the  Battle  of  Lake  Erie' 


Saginaw,  Michigan 
Seemann  &  Peters,  Publishers 

Printers,  Binders,  Stationers 


1918 


i      .   ,    .  ./    YOiiK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS 
R  1919  L 


i  bpyright,  1018 
Seemann  &  Peters,  Saginaw 

All  rights  reserved 


Press  "i    Seemann  .N;  Peters 
Saginaw,  Michigan 

U.  S.  A. 


PREFACE 

SIXTY  years  ago,  when  the  whole  region  of  Saginaw  Valley  was  little 
mure  than  a  wilderness,  a  printer  by  the  name  oi  Fox  gave  the  scant 
population  a  "History  of  Saginaw  County."  It  was  a  small  pamphlet 
of  about  sixty  pages,  paper  bound,  set  up  and  printed  entirely  by  hand, 
but  it  contained  valuable  information  for  posterity.  Unfortunately  this  book 
has  become  very  scarce,  and  only  a  few  copies  are  known  to  exist.  In  1868 
Mr.  Fox  published  a  new  and  revised  edition  of  his  history,  containing  eighty- 
six  pages,  also  hand  made,  which  now  is  also  rare.  The  first  directory  of 
Saginaw,  published  in  1866,  contained  a  comprehensive  and  interesting  history 
of  early  Saginaw,  by  Thomas  Galatin ;  and  eight  years  later  W.  R.  Bates 
presented  his  "History  of  the  Saginaws." 

From  these  early  histories,  valuable  in  their  accounts  of  pioneer  days,  of 
persons  and  events;  from  the  tiles  of  early  newspapers;  from  scrap  hooks 
and  albums  of  settlers  who  preserved  records  of  primitive  times;  and  from 
interviews  with  many  old  residents  whose  recollections  were  still  keen,  the 
historian  has  gathered  materials  for  this  history.  It  is  the  first  work  of  the 
kind,  to  he  dignified  by  the  title  of  "1  [istory,"  published  in  thirty-seven  years; 
and  in  its  broad  scope  and  purpose  represents  many  months  oi  research 
and  study. 

The  fund  of  information,  containing  stories  of  border  lite,  narratives  oi 
personal  adventures  and  public  events,  is  almost  inexhaustible.  <  hie  might 
go  on  and  on  for  years  gathering  true  and  faithful  accounts,  often  musty 
and  dim  with  age,  but  with  plenty  of  color  and  atmosphere  to  lend  interest, 
and  filling  volumes  of  interesting  history.  The  human  element  never  is  want- 
ing in  Saginaw's  history.  Few  sections  of  the  country,  at  least  in  the  Middle 
West,  can  produce  such  material,  thrilling  and  often  startling,  and  replete 
with  heart  interest.  The  difficulty  experienced  by  the  historian  has  been  in 
the  selection  and  elimination  of  his  materials,  for  he  has  ever  had  in  mind  the 
use  of  that  which  casts  a  searchlight  on  human  events,  and  lends  the  most 
absorbing  interest.  Romance  is  not  lacking  in  the  stories  gathered,  and  pos- 
sibly some  of  it  may  be  reflected  in  the  historical  narratives. 

The  purpose  and  aim  of  this  History  of  Saginaw  County,  published  in 
nineteen  hundred  and  eighteen,  is  to  give  the  people  of  Michigan  a  reliable, 
comprehensive  and  interesting  story  of  our  past  and  present  life;  to  show  the 
development  of  this  industrial  and  agricultural  center  of  the  State  from  the 
once  primeval  forest;  and  to  hand  down  to  generations  to  come  the  facts  of 
early  history  from  which  may  lie  formed  a  proper  conception  of  what  pioneer 
settlers  and  others   suffered   in   laving  the   firm    foundation   upon   which   our 


prosperity  stands.  This  work  will  be  a  practical  basis  for  the  study  of  local 
history  in  the  public  schools,  both  in  city  and  townships,  ami  will  he  a  refer- 
ence book  in  public  libraries  here  ami  elsewhere.  This  has  been  constantly  in 
mind  si  >  that  a  proper  balance  between  personal  and  material  things  might 
be  maintained. 

Each  subject  has  been  treated  as  a  separate  and  distinct  monograph,  with 
events  and  things  arranged  in  chronological  order.  For  the  must  part  all 
matter  pertaining  to  one  general  subject  will  be  found  together  in  its  proper 
place,  although  in  some  instances,  such  as  the  romance  of  lumbering,  interest- 
ing; accounts  will  be  found  in  the  chapters  on  early  pioneer  life.  This  is 
because  logging  and  lumbering  operations  were  inseparably  linked  with  the 
daily  experiences  of  the  pioneers,  two  generations  literally  growing  up  in  the 
atmosphere  of  the  pine  forests,  in  the  hum  of  saw  mills,  and  the  wild  and 
reckless  life  of  the  frontier. 

The  logical  arrangement,  therefore,  necessitated  a  division  of  the  wdtole 
work  into  four  separate  books,  incorporated  and  bound  into  two  volumes. 
The  first  book.  Historical  —  comprises  fifteen  chapters  (from  I  to  XV,  in- 
clusive), and  deals  with  our  local  history  from  the  earliest  times  to  the 
present,  including  many  illustrations  of  town  and  river  scenes,  and  portraits 
of  early  pioneers.  The  second  book,  Industrial  History — (chapters  XVI  to 
XXV),  is  devoted  to  our  manufacturers,  mercantile  and  banking  interests,  in 
which  pictures  of  factories  (both  outside  and  inside),  wholesale  houses,  prom- 
inent buildings  and  street  scenes,  are  interesting  features.      These  two  1 ks 

are  bound  complete  in  Volume  I,  with  convenient  indexes  of  pioneer  biog- 
raphies and  subject  titles.  The  third  book — Biographies  of  Representative 
Citizens  —  gives  the  life  histories  of  the  men  whose  collective  efforts  have 
made  Saginaw  the  prosperous  city  it  is  today.  The  fourth  book  —  Town- 
ships anil  Towns  —  comprises  the  local  history  of  each  township  and  biog- 
raphies of  leading  pioneers,  merchants,  professional  men,  and  progressive 
farmers  who  have  developed  agriculture  in  this  county.  Books  three  and 
four  are  bound  complete  in  Volume  II,  with  proper  indexes. 

History  and  Biography  are  terms  identical  in  meaning  ami  purpose. 
They  are  words  expressing  practically  the  same  thing,  although  in  somewhat 
different  form.  History  is  a  record  of  human  events,  political,  economic  or 
industrial.  Biography  is  a  record  of  purely  individual  endeavor,  as  expressed 
in  the  form  of  a  life  history,  and  treats  of  the  more  intimate  affairs  of  a  man's 
life.  Both  History  and  Biography,  therefore,  are  essential  to  a  complete  and 
perfect  record  of  any  community  or  commonwealth.  As  treated  in  this 
History  of  Saginaw  County,  one  is  as  necessary  and  important  as  the  other. 
The  closer  and  more  intimate  relations  of  our  leading  manufacturers,  jobbing 
houses  and  banking  institutions,  as  found  in  their  individual  histories  appear- 
ing at  intervals  in  Volume  I,  pages  461  to  774,  are  essential  to  a  proper  under- 
standing of  our  commercial  advancement.  No  history  would  approach  com- 
pleteness without  them.     A  perusal  of  these  accounts  will  be  found  interest- 


c 


ing  and  instructive,  and  to  many  will  prove  a  surprise  in  the  revelation  of 
growth  and  importance  of  the  industrial  and  commercial  prosperity  of  this 
city.  A  summary  of  industries,  in  which  Saginaw  leads  the  State  and  in  some 
instances  the  Nation,  appears  in  Volume  I.  page  679. 

Likewise,  the  personal  element  interwoven  in  the  biographies  of  our  lead- 
ing- citizens,  contains  features  of  the  highest  interest.  Their  achievements  in 
business  and  professional  life  are  related  in  a  modest  and  unostentatious  style, 
befitting  the  character  and  lives  of  the  subjects,  yet  are  intimately  and  purely 
personal  in  treatment.  Much  of  the  most  vital  and  important  history  of  Sagi- 
naw County  is  told  in  these  biographies.  For  instance,  some  of  the  most 
interesting  history  of  lumbering  in  Michigan  is  incorporated  in  the  sketches 
of  Ammi  W.  Wright,  Charles  H.  Davis  and  other-  of  that  enterprising  group 
of  men,  whose  names  are  indelibly  stamped  on  the  history  of  the  Northwest. 
The  same  is  true  of  the  simple  yet  dignified  biographies  of  other  business  and 
professional  men,  a  reading  of  which  will  reveal  interesting  sidelights  on 
histor\  . 

While  this  history  has  had  the  endorsement  and  encouragement  of  our 
leading  ami  representative  citizens  and  townsmen,  a  few  have  assumed  a 
different  attitude  toward  it.  These  men  undoubtedly  regard  themselves  as 
deserving  a  place  among  progressive  men.  but  from  extreme  modesty  or  other 
reasons  have  refused  to  recognize  the  work  by  giving  any  information  con- 
erning  their  personal  affairs.  Generally  such  cases  are  forgotten.  In  some, 
however,  because  of  pioneer  antecedents  or  circumstances  of  importance,  the 
historian  has  felt  bound,  in  justice  to  those  who  have  identified  themselves 
with  the  work,  to  present  an  unbiased  account  of  a  man's  life.  Hut  without 
information  derived  first-hand,  it  has  been  necessary  to  resort  to  such  data  as 
could  be  obtained  from  outside  sources  and  which  seemed  true  and  reliable, 
but  the  veracity  of  which  could  not  be  substantiated.  It  is  hoped  that  noth- 
ing has  been  published  distasteful  to  the  persons  whose  affairs  are  thus 
related.  History  in  its  highest  form,  it  should  be  borne  in  mind,  is  selective 
and  critical. 

For  personal  interest  and  aid  in  his  researches  and  study,  in  the  loan  of 
old  histories,  scrap  books,  newspaper  clippings,  pioneer  portraits  and  views, 
the  historian  is  greatly  indebted  to  Fred  Dustin,  Mrs.  Aaron  T.  Rliss,  Mr-. 
S.  C.  J.  Ostrom,  Fred  J.  Buckhout,  Mrs.  Ferdinand  Brucker,  William  B. 
Mershon,  Fred  L.  Eaton,  Jr.,  John  A.  Co,, nibs,  William  1'.  Powell,  John  F. 
O'Keefe,  Benton  Hanchett,  Ezra  Rust,  Mrs.  James  B.  Peter,  Langley  S.  Foote, 
George  L.  Burrows,  Jr.,  Miss  Nellie  Brown,  William  S.  Linton.  John  Moore, 
George  W.  Wallis,  late  chief  of  the  lire  department,  Patrick  Rain,  chief  of 
the  police  department,  the  commissioner  of  park-  and  cemeteries,  W.  W. 
Warner,  superintendent  of  schools;  and  to  Miss  Harriet  H.  Ames,  and  her 
associate.  Miss  Blanche  Topping,  of  Hoyt  Library;  Miss  Dow  ,,|  the  Public 
Library;  Miss  Benjamin  of  the  Butman-Fish  Memorial  Library;  and  the 
Detroit  Public  Library;  and  the  Michigan  Historical  Commission.  To  all 
these,    and    many    others    who    have    rendered    incidental    aid.    the    historian 

extends  his  grateful  acknowledgements. 

R  C.  M. 


CONTENTS 

[LLUSTRATK  )NS 

CHAPTER   I  PA«E 

Pre-Historic    Races 1 

CHAP n  R   :  I 
The  !  ndians  c  if  Saginaw  Valley 21 

CHAP!  ER  111 
The  Advent  of  \\  hite  Men 34 

CHAPTER  [V 
The  Treaty  of  Saginaw 51 

CHAPTER  V 
The  I"'  lining  of  I  >e  T  icqueville,  i  ir  "A  Fi  irtnight  in  the  \\  ilderness"  .... 

CHAP1  ER  \  I 
!  'ii  meer    I  >ays    79 

CHAPTER  VII 
(  >rganization  i  if  the  i  '.i  unity 97 

CHAPTER  VIII 
I  he  Rise  and  Progress  of  Saginaw  City 117 

CHAPTER  IX 
Founding  of  East  Saginaw 137 

(  HAPTER  X 
Reminiscences  c  if   I  'ii  meer  ( Citizens 160 

CHAPTER  XI 
An   Era  of  Prosperity 185 

CHAPTER  XII 
Some   Municipal   <  irganizations 207 

CHAPTER  XIII 
The  Consolidated   Saginaws 237 

(II  \ITER  XIV 
Our    Educational    Development    274 

CHAPTER  XV 
Religious  and   Social    Life 313 


THE  INDUSTRIAL  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW 

CHAPTER  XVI  ''AGE 

The    Lumber    Industry 393 

(  HAPTER  XVII 
The  Salt   Industry 426 

CHAPTER  XVIII 

The    (  '  ial    Industry 447 

CHAPTER  XIX 
The  Beet-Sugar  Industry 466 

CHAPTER  XX 
Diversified  Industries    489 

CHAPTER  XXI 
Varied  Commercial   Interests    603 

CHAPTER  XXII 
Development   of  Agriculture 681 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
Transportation    703 

<   HAPTER  XXIV 
Banks    and    Banking 739 

CHAPTER  XXV 
The   Bench   and   Bar 775 


INDEX  OF  PIONEERS  AND  INDUSTRIAL  AND  COMMERCIAL 

IIISTt  )RV 


INDEX  (  >F  SUBJECT  TITLES 
( Sub  Headings  i 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 
VOLUME  II 


Biographies  of  Representative  Citizens 

Townships  and  Towns    

Index  of   Biographies 

General    Index    


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontispiece  page 

Heavy  Aboriginal  Implements 3 

Fragments  of  Ancient  Pi  ittery 4 

Flint   Implements  Used  by  Mi  mnd- 1  iuilders 6 

Primitive  Arrow-Points    9 

1  .cat-Shaped    Blades    11 

Arrow  and   Spear  Points 11 

(  in  en    Point    Mounds 14 

The  Andri  >ss  Urn   15 

Pipe  Made  of  Sandstone 18 

Fragmentary  Specimens  of   Pipes 19 

Primitive   '  Irnaments  and   Charms 20 

Semi-(  "\\  ilized  Indians  of  Saginaw  in  the  '60's 26 

Shop-en-a-gons    33 

"1  ,e  <  rriffi  m"  ?>7 

Pere  Marquette  at  St.   Ignace  in   1671,  about  to  start  on  his  journey  of 

discovery    of    the    Mississippi 41 

A  Map  of  the  Region  of  the  <  ire  at  Lakes,  1747 44 

Lewis    Cass    50 

( lid  Furl  Saginaw,  in  1822 61 

Morass  in  the   Wilderness 65 

The  Trail  to  Saginaw 7?> 

View  mi  Saginaw    River,  18X0 7^ 

Au-saw-wa-mic    83 

Eleazer   Jewett    85 

Gardner  D.  Williams  [  Qn 
Ephraim  S.  Williams  \ 

(  )n  the  Cass  River,  near  its  Mouth 96 

Judge  Elijah  N.  Davenport  |  QQ 

Captain  Joseph  W.  Maiden  \   yj 

Albert    Miller    101 

Airs.  James  Fraser  I  ]n9 

James  Fraser             l    '                                                                                               .  ■  .  l  )- 

Map  of  the  City  of  Saginaw,  1837 104-5 

I  In    Firsl  Court  lb iuse  i if  Saginaw  County,  built  in  1838-9 112 

lames  McCi  nmick             )  .  . 

William  R.  McCormidk  I     U 

Phineas  D.  Braley  I  .  -., 

Hiram   L.  Miller  "     \ ]"4 

Charles  H.  Richman             I  .  , 

Mrs.  Charles  II.  Richman  I     

X.  irman    Little    133 

A    (  amp  in   Winter 136 


PAGE 


Site  of  Present  City   Hall.   1849 141 

Curtis  Emerson 


If, 2 


Moses  B.  Hess  14fi 

Jesse   Hoyt    .151 

Colonel  W.  L.  P.  Little  )  ... 

Charles  D\  Little               )    154 

Saginaw  River  Front,  North  of  Johnson  Street,  in  the  Early  Hays 157 

Charles    W.    Grant ". 158 

W.   L.   P.   Little   Family 159 

Norman  L.  Miller     i 
Charles  T.  Brenner  i 

Obadiah   Crane    165 

William  A.  Crane  |  .    - 

Mrs.  William  A.  Crane  \ 

Adelaide  Delisle  Cushway   I 

Mary  Hubbard  Ide  ,-q 

George  Washington  Davis  i 

Thadeas  De  Lamorandiere  I 

( reorge  Streeb  )  \j~< 

Ji  fhn  W.  Richardson  \ 

Saginaw  City  in   1850 175 

John  Moore  I  ,js 

Joseph  A.  Whittier  |    

James  F.  Brown        \  ,(« 

Emil  A.  L.  Mm,, ,-e-  J    u 

Lumbering  on  the  Saginaw  in  the  Fifties 184 

James  S.  Webber  \  ,07 

John  F.  Driggs       \ 

Union    Hall    19] 

Faying  Nicholson  Pavement  in  (  ienesee  Street,  1868 193 

The  Bancroft  House  in  1865  ) 

The  Crouse  Block  on  Site  of  Eddy  Building  ,;i| 

Water  Street  at  Foot  of  Tuscola  (  ' ' 

East  Side  of  Water  Street  at  Tuscola,   1860   ) 

William  J.  Bartow      I  , , ,, , 

Solomon  Bond  Bliss  1 

William  H.  Sweet    1 

Myn  ,11  Butman  -,., , 

Newell  Barnard        ( 

I  laniel  L.  C.  Eaton  ) 

Hamilton  Street,  Looking  South  from  Cleveland  Street,  about  1875       I         ,,-,( 

View  on  Saginaw  River,  Looking  North  from  Mackinaw  Street.  1875  ) 

Genesee  Street,  Looking  East  from  Water  Street  \ 

Genesee  Street.  Looking  West  from  Washington,  about  1868  / 

Ruins  of  Jackson  Hall,  Burned  May  26,  1873  '  1(),, 

Genesee  Street,  Looking  East  from  Washington,  about  1872  , 

The  Great  Fl 1  of  1873,  Looking  Across  Genesee  Street  Fridge    V 

Mater  Street,  Looking  North  from  German  Street,  Flood  of  1873 

1  renesee  Avenue  between  Baum  and  Jefferson,  about  1860 212 

"Valley    City"    Boys,    1864 ' 214 


PACE 

Valley  City  No.  3   Fire  Station 217 

Valley  City   Boys,    1915 219 

Actn  e  I  lose,  1  look  and  Ladder  Company  No.  1 2_'l 

Hose  House  No.  13,  Harrison  and  Van  Buren  Street- 222 

(  )ld  Style  I  lose  Keel  and  Fire  Company,  about  1881 224 

The  Cities  of  Saginaw  at  Height  of  the  Lumber  Industry 227 

Loading  at  Holland's  Dock,  1879                                                       I  ?2g 
Saginaw  River,  Looking  North  from  Michigan  Central   Bridge  ( 

Miley   Mower 231 

Zack  Baskins,  James  P.  Walsh,  Patrick  Kain,  Rimer  E.  Bishop,  T.  McCoy  232 

Hamilton   Street    North   from   Court 235 

Second   Precinct    Police  Station,  Adams  Street 236 

From  the  Roof  of  the  Academy.  Looking  East,  1886           I  ,^, 
From  the  Roof  of  the  Academy,  Looking  Southwest,  1! 

The  Cit)    Hall 242 

Court    Street    Bridge 244 

Genesee  Avenue   Bridge    245 

Genesee  Avenue   1  hiring  Saengerfest,  in   1872 24/ 

Group  of  Old-Time  Mayors  of  the  Saginaws ;) 

Herbert    H.    Hoyt,   John   G     Owen,    John    Welch,    A.    K     R.    Braley,    Lyman    \\      Miss, 
Frank    Lawre John  S.    Estabrook,   Henry   M.    Yov 

\  i  :ws  in    I  loyt   Park 2?5 

es    in    Bliss    Park.                254 

Map  of  Ezra  Rust   Park 257 

Mershon-Whittier    Natatorium     25() 

Views  in  I  »akwood  Cemetery 261 

Views  in    Forest    Lawn  Cemetery .  .  262 

The   Auditorium    265 

Street  Scenes  During  the  Great  Flood  of  March,  1(XM 267 

Last  Council  of  the  City  of  Saginaw  under  Aldermanic  System,  1913.      .  269 

The  First  Council  under  the  Commission  Government,  January  1,  1914.  .  271 

Hilem  F.  Paddock,  Mayor  of  Saginaw,  1915-19 273 

(  ill  iup  of  West   Side   Sch(  ids 27tt 

The   John    Mo.  .re    School 279 

The  Arthur  Hill  Trade  School 280 

Si  ime  Sin  ips  in  the  I  till  Trade  Schi  iol 283 

Arthur  Hill                   |  2S4 
Wellington  R.  Burt  j 

The   (  lid    "Academy" 287 

The  (  dd  Central  School.  Erected  in   1866 290 

Group  of  East  Side  Schools    292 

The  Burt  Manual  Training  School 293 

I  uteri  or  of  Burt   Manual  Training  School 295 

The  New  ( icrmania  School,  Completed  in  1(|14 296 

Fac-Simile  of  Letter  Written  by  Norman  Little  in  1837 298  and  299 

The  Butman-Fish    Memorial    Library    301 

Interior  of  Public  Library,  East  Side 303 

The    Hoyt    Public    Library 306 


PAGE 

Members  of  the  Tuesday  Club  at  Mrs.  Buckhout's  Home,  1885 309 

The  Presbyterian  Church  at  Saginaw  Lily 314 

First   Presbyterian   Church.. 317 

Insert   Reverend  Harry   Rogers  Stark 

(  >ld  St.  John's  Church,  Erected  in  1853 318 

St.  John's  Episcopal  Church 319 

Reverend   Emil    Montanus 320 

Jefferson  Avenue,  North  from  Hayden  Street.  1886  |  -,-,■, 

Weadock  Avenue,  North  from  Thompson  Street        \ 

Father   Vanderhayden    325 

Ul<l  Methodist  Church,  German  Street  and  Washington  Avenue 328 

Jeffers  Fountain    329 

Portrait  Gallery  of  Residents  of  Saginaw  City,  1860-1875 330  and  331 

Old  St.  Paul's  Church,  Erected  in  1864   334 

Interior  of  St.  Paul's  Church 335 

The  First  Congregatii  mal  Church,  Erected  in  IS.  0 ^37 

(  in  nip  i  if  Saginaw  Churches 341 1 

Holy    Rosary  Church  and   School 343 

Church  of  the   Sacred    I  leart 344 

Some  of  Saginaw's   Benevolent   Institutions 347 

The  Xew  V.  VV.  C.    \.  Building,  Erected  in  1912 350 

The  Cafeteria  of  the   V.  W.  C.  A 352 

A    Group   of    Prominent    Citizens   and   Others   in    Front   of   the    Saginaw 

Club,    1907    333 

The  Xew  Y.  M.  C.  A.  Building  on  the  West  Side 335 

Swimming  Pool,  Y.  M.  C.  A 356 

Group  of   (  ierman   Citizens,    1865 357 

Some  Pioneer  Members  of  the  <  lermania  Society    3?(> 

The   First   Germania   School 360 

The   (lermania   Institute    362 

Members  of  the  Germania   Building  Committee 363 

The   First  Trustees  of  the  Schmitz  Endowment 364 

Franz  Dreier  and  Some  of  the  Turners,  1906 365 

The  Germania  Maennerchor,  1905   368 

The  Germania  Damenchor,   1905 369 

The  Teutonia  Hall   371 

Colonel   Thomas   Savior 373 

Enlisted  Men  of  Company  F,  Thirty-Third  Regiment,  M.  N.  G.,  1016 374 

The  Armory,   Erected  in    1909 376 

Saginaw  Naval  Reserves  on  Hoard  the  "Michigan."  1895 377 

The  East  Saginaw  Club 379 

Saginaw's  Grand  Old  Men  in   1907 381 

Henry  C.   Potter,  Joseph  A.   Whittier,   Thomas  Merrill  1  Ammi  W.   Wright 

The  Saginaw  ( Country  Club 3X2 

Thirteenth   Green    383 

Saginaw  Canoe  Club  on  <  >sakina  Island 384 

The  Elk's  Temple    385 


PAGE 

Pioneer  Residents  of  Saginaw  City 386 

William   Binder,  Mrs.  William  A.   Armstrong,   Harvey  Joslin,   Mrs.   Jennie  Paine, 

Lorenzo  Burrows,   Jr.,    Teresa   Junes,   George   L.    Burrows, 

Mis,  George   L.   Burrows,  Harry  Miller 

Masi  mic  Temple   388 

(  lid-Time  Portraits  of  Well  Known  Citizens 390 

Charles    R.    Penney,    John    Weller,    John   Jeffers,    Walter   Gardner,    Isaac    Bearinger, 

Mrs.    E.  J.   Ring,  Isaac    Parsons,   Mrs    C.   W.   Wells,    Frederick  H.  Herbert, 

Gurdon    Coining   and    Ida    C,    Nicholas    A.    Randall, 

Doctor  II.  Williams,  Judge  L.   C.   Holden 

Genesee  Avenue.  Looking  West  from  Jefferson,  1900  I  ^Q7 

Washington  Avenue.  Looking  North  from  Bancroft  House,  1900  \ 


THE  INDUSTRIAL   HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW 

'-  'hoppers  at  Work  in  Forest 395 

Loading  on  Sleighs  "1  -.no 

I  lauling  to  Skidway  J 
A  Log  Dump  I 

Rafting  Logs  j   oy 

Lumberjacks  at  Their  Noon  Meal  in  I  lepths  of  Forest 401 

"Snaking"  Logs  by  Ox  Team,  1860 404 

Interior  of  Bunk  House 406 

Tallies  Spread   in   "Chuck"   Shanty 40'' 

Business  Cards  of  Leading  Lumbermen,  about  1874 412 

Grinding  Axes  in  Camp        I  , ,  r 

I  (rawing  Water  at  Spring  I 

Record  Load  Hauled  by  One  Two-Horse  Team 418 

Loading  Long  Timber  for  Ship  Spars 421 

Saw  Mill  and  Lumber  Yard  in  the  Car  Trade 422 

Scaling  and  Sorting  Lumber  on  the  1  lock 424 

The  Tittabawassee  at  Riverside  Park 425 

Salt  Block  and  Mill  Boom— Log  End  of  Saw  Mill 428 

To  Whom  Honor  is  Due  for  the  Discovery  of  Salt 431 

Stephen  R.  Kirby,  Sanford  Keeler  and  George  W    Merrill 

Saginaw  River  in  the  Eighteen-Nineties,  at  F.  i\i  P.  M.  R.  R.  Bridge.  .  .  .   434 

Salt  Block,  Saw  Mill  and  Cooper  Shop  of  Charles  Merrill  &  Co.  . . 43S 

( :.    M.   Ireton    439 

Sectii  in  i  if  Settling  Tanks,  Salt  Wi  irks  of  Saginaw  Plate  ( rlass  Co 441 

One  of  the  Ten  Concrete  "Grainers,"  Salt  Works  of  Sag.  P.  G.  Co.      /  ,.-, 

Automatic  Rakes  Dumping  Salt,  at  Saginaw  Plate  Glass  Company    \ 

I  Idls  of  Salt  in  I  luge  Warehouse,  Saginaw  Plate  ( '.lass  Company 444 

Washington  Street  North  from  Janes,  1SSS  i 
Cass  Street  South  from  Tuscola,  1888  I 

The  First  ( J  ial  Mine  in  Saginaw  County,  1896 450 

Loading  Coal  in  Wagons  at  Caledonia  Mine  No.  1,  1('05   j  ,-, 

Socialist  Miners  Just  Up  from  the  Mine.  1905  \ 

Miners  Setting  Electric  Short  Wall  Cutter 456 

Electric  Continuous  Cutter  on  Truck,  Ready  for  <  Iperation 457 

Close-Up  View  of  Short  Wall  Cutter.  ) 

Sin  iwing  ( J  impactness  i  if  C  instructii  >n   • 459 

Electric  Chain  Cutter  (  )perating  in  Entry    \ 

Tipple  and  Power  House  of  \  .-, 

Wolverine  Mine  N<>.  2  of  Consolidated  Coal  Company    J 


PAG1 


Tipple  of  Bliss  Coal  Mine,  Swan  Creek 464 

John  T.  Phillips  and  Clarence  H.  Brand  at  Bliss  Coal  Mine 465 

Six  Hundred  Acre  Beet  Field  at  Prairie  Farm 469 

Beet  Wagons  Waiting  to  Unload  at  Merrill  Weigh  Station 472 

Carrollton  Plant  of  Michigan  Sugar  Company 475 

The  "Scroll."  or  Worm  Conveyor  at  Carrollton  Sugar  Factory ,   479 

The  Carbonators,  in  which  the  Impurities  in  the  Juice  are  Absorbed.  .  .  .   482 

Pressure  Filters,  which  Remove  all  the  Purifying  Agents 483 

Vacuum  Evaporators,  which  Reduce  the  Purified  Juice  to  a  Rich  Syrup  I       ,y- 
Syrup  Boilers  or  "Strike  Pans."  in  which  the  syrup  is  crystalized  \ 

"Osmogenes,"  which  purify  the  syrup  for  crystalization 487 

A  Portion  of  the  Plant  of  the  Saginaw  Plate  Glass  Company 488 

Wildman  Br.  ithers  B.  .iler  Works,  1885 492 

Maple  Flooring  Plant  of  S.  L.  Eastman  Flooring  Company 495 

Mammoth  Plant  of  the  Lufkin   Rule  Company 498 

Fac-Simile   of   Signatures    to   Original    Articles   of    Incorporation    of    the 

Board   of   Trade 501 

Prominent  Promotors  of  and  Donors  to  the  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade.  .  .  .    502 

What  Might  Have  Been  a  Familiar  Sight 5^:- 

Trustees  of  Merchants  and  Manufacturers  Association,  1909  to  1913....    507 

Plant  of  the  Erd  Motor  Company 509 

Extensive  Works  of  the  Saginaw  Manufacturing  Company 511 

Former  Shops  of  the  Saginaw    Sheet   Metal  Works 512 

Efficient  Plant  of  the  Saginaw  Sheet  Metal  Works 513 

Plant  of  the  Saginaw   Ladder  Company 514 

John  (i.  Wolfarth,  Founder  of  the  Wolfarth   Bakery 517 

The    Wolfarth    Bakerv 518 

Frank  J.  Wolfarth 519 

Hatches  of  Dough,  Mixing  Dough,  Mixing  and   Moulding,  Fresh  Bread 

fn  mi  Ovens,  Wolfarth   Bakery   520 

In  the  Office,  Retail  Sales  Department,  Wolfarth  Bakery 521 

Salesmen  of  American  Cash  Register  Company,  September,  1916 522 

Assembling  "American"  Cash  Registers 523 

Old  Employees  of  Wickes  Brothers  in  Front  of  Shop,  about  1873 525 

Erecting  a  "Wickes"  Gang  Saw ?2<> 

Punch  Erection  Floor 527 

The  Modern   Plant  of  Wickes  Brothers 528 

Group  of  Workmen  in  Wickes  Brothers  Iron  Works,  1914 ?2C) 

Present  Plant  of  Wickes  Boiler  Company  (  -,. 

The  Wickes  Water  Tube  Boiler  \    5>il 

Type  of  Fire  Tube  Boiler 532 

The  Pioneer  Iron  Works  of  A.  F.  Bartlett  &  Company 533 

Group  of  Mechanics  and  Moulders  at  the  Bartlett  Plant,  1879 534 

Pit  Eathe  in  Bartlett  Plant  Finishing  off  "Deck"  for  Saginaw  Plate  Glass 

Company 535 

The  New  Modern  Plant  of  the  Jackson  &  Church  Company 537 

Machine  Shop  of  Jackson  &  Church  Company 538 

Original  Shops  of  the   lackson-Church-Wilcox  Company,  and  New 

Modern  Plant  Completed  in   1917 539 

View  in  Jackson-Church-Wilcox  Plant    540 

The  "Jacox"    Steering   Gear 541 

Plant  of  Mitts  &  Merrill,  a  Business  Established  in  1854 543 


Foundry  and  Group  of  Moulders  at  the  Valley  Grey  Iron   Foundry 

( '<  impany   546 

.Machine  Shops  of  the  National  Engineering-  Company 548 

Grinding  (rank  Shafts,   National    Engineering  Company 549 

i  [ermann  Werner   5ol 

Machine  Shops  of   Werner  &  Pfleiderer 552 

'I  he  New  Foundry  and  Pattern  Shop,  Werner  &  Pfleiderer  Company.  .  .    553 

r  of  New  Foundry  of  Werner  ec  Pfleiderer  Company 554 

I   ni  .  ersal   Kneading  and    Mixing    Machines 555 

Machinery  and  (  ivens  Used  in  Baking  and  Macaroni  Industries 556 

Emil  Staehle 5?7 

New   Foundry  of  S.  Fair  &  Sun.   Ine 559 

Electric  Furnace  at  S.  Fair  e<  Son,  Ine 560 

The  Mammoth  Plant  of  the  Saginaw  Plate  Glass  Company 562  and  563 

<  Iriginal   Plant  of  the  United  States  Graphite  Company 564 

Mexican   Miners  and   1  Inge   Piles  of  Graphite  Ore 565 

Present  Plant  (if  United  States  Graphite  Company 566 

1  'lant  of  William    I  'i  ilsi  >n   &  C  impany 

John    Herzog    569 

Mammoth   Plant  of  the  Herzog  Art  Furniture  Company 570 

Making  "Sonora"  Phonograph  Cabinets  at  Herzog  Art  Furniture 

( ',<  impany    .  .   573 

Plant  of  William  I'..  Mershon  ,\:  t  ompany 574  and  575 

Edward   C.    Mershon 576 

New  Standard  60-inch   Band   Resaw 577 

Plant  and  Lumber  Yards  of  Germain   Manufacturing  Company 579 

'Jdie  East  Side  Business  (/enter  from  the  Top  of  Bean  Elevator 581 

Plant  of  Saginaw  Show   Case  Company .      -    582 

The  Saginaw    Mirror  Works .    .        583 

Flouring  Mill  and  Elevators  of  Brand  &  Hardin  Milling  Company.  585 

Putter  Making  at  Saginaw    Creamery  Company 586 

Clare   H.   Parker 5S7 

Koehler  Brothers   Iron  Works 589 

Where  Wolverine  Gloves  are  Made 590 

Bean   Elevator  with  Illuminated  Waxing  Flag 591 

Modern  Printing  Plant  of  Valley  Printing  Company 5'*2 

Printing,  Binding-.  Engraving  and  (  Iffice  <  )utfitting  Establishment  of 

Seemann  &   I  'eters 5'>5 

Making   Feather  1  lusters  at   Blind   Institution 598 

Blind  (  '<  ibblers  Making  Sin  ies  fi  ir  Inmates  i  if  Blind  Instituti'  ni 599 

Blind  <  iirl  at  Tapestry   Li  ■<  >m 600 

Washington  Street,  Looking  North  from  Genesee  Street,  about  1860.  ...    602 

(  fid-Time  Advertisements  of  Saginaw    Business  Men 605 

West    Side    Business   Section.    Looking    South    from    Court   House,   about 

1886 608 

Washington  Street.  South  from  Tuscola,  1887 611 

Franklin  Street,  South  from  Tuscola,   1887 611 

The  Saginaw  Naval  Reserves,  on  Eve  of  Departure  for  the  Atlantic  Coast, 

April,   1917    613 

The  Xew    Hotel   Bancroft,  (  Ipened  in  July.  1916 614 

Attractive  Lobby  of  Hotel    Bancroft 615 


1>AGE 

Magnificent  Ball  Room  of  Hotel  Bancroft         I  ,,- 

Cafe  of  Hotel  Bancroft,  Elegantly  Appointed  \ 

The  South  Side  Business  Center  at  Washington  and  Center  Avenues.  ...  620 

"Little  Jake"  Seligman    623 

The  Bearinger  Building,  Erected  in   1892 626 

i  harles  B.  Mott        |  6?g 

<  lharles  L.  Ortman  \ 

Wholesale  Grocer}    House  of  Symons  Brothers  &  Company 632 

The  Wholesale  Establishment  of  George  A.  Alderton  &  Company 635 

The  Modern  Structure  of  Lee  &  Cady,  Saginaw  Branch 636 

The  Extensive  Wholesale  House  of  Melze,  Alderton  Shoe  Company....   639 

Lewis   Cornwell   '41 

William  C.  Cornwell,  Charles  E.  Cornwell,  Elmer  J.  Cornwell  and  L.  VV. 

Cornwell     Ml 

The  Xew  Plant  of  the  Cornwell  Company 642 

Saginaw   Hardware  Companj    643 

The  Mammoth    Establishment  of  Morley  Brothers 644 

Silverware  and  Art  Section,  Morley  Brothers 646 

1  [ardware  and  China  Section.  Morley  Brothers 647 

George    l\    Lewis 64 

Perry  Joslin    650 

Fac-Simile  of  Notice  of  Meeting  to  Support  the  Daily  Courier,  1868 Ml 

E.  I).  Cowles,  in  1874 ". 652 

The  Home  of  the  Saginaw  Courier-]  terald 653 

Batter)  of  Six  Linotype  Typesi  tting  Machines 654 

The  J  lor   High-Speed    Press 655 

The  Certificate  of  Membership  in  the  Assi  iciated  I  'res- 656 

The  New  1  lomc  of  the  Saginaw  Daily  News 658 

Composing  R n — Battery  of  Linotypes — Four-Deck  Goss   High-Speed 

Press 659 

Newsboys'  Room  —  Managing  Editor's  (  iffice —  Business  <  Thee —  Edi- 
torial  Department  —  Library  and  Conference  Room 661 

1  'rinting  I  'lanl  of  the  Saginaw  I  Yess 663 

Alfred  M.  Hoyt  ' 665 

Si  in ie  i  >ld-Time  Postmasters  of  the  Saginaws 666 

James  A.   Hudson,  William  Moll,   Levi   P..   Kinsey,  George  G.   Hess,    I -   V   Gotee, 

Charles   P     Hess,   George    Lockley,    Dr.   .1.    S.    Rouse,    M     V.    Meredi 

The  Federal   Building  at  Saginaw ' 669 

Sam    ( I.    Clay (\72 

A  Saginaw  Made  Automobile,  1918 M5 

( )ffice  Building  at  <  ienesee  and  Jefferson  Avenues 676 

Interior  of  <  dice  <  (utfitting  Store,  The  H.  B.  Arnold  Company 677 

Emil  Schwahn  —  Charles  A.  Khuen  —  Curt  Schwahn 678 

<  lenesee  Avenue,  East  from  Washington,  1918 680 

Corn  is  a  Profitable  (  n  ip 683 

I  >airy   Farming  is  Increasing  in  Saginaw  County 684 

A  Typical  Farm  Scene 687 

An  Example  of  Successful  Fruit  ( rrowing 689 

I  larvesting  Grain  on  Low  Lands 692 

1  >redge  Building  Dikes  at  Prairie  harm 694 

<  rang  Plowing  by  Tractor  on  the  Prairie  Farm 695 

Harvesting  Grain  on  Large  Scale  at  Prairie  harm  i  „ 

Threshing  Wheat  on  Farm  in  Frankenmuth  Township  \ 


PAGE 

Home  of  the  Royal  Bred  Belgian  Draft  Horses —  |  ,QR 

the  Best  in  America  \      

Sans  Peur  de  Hamal,  No.  3446,  Owned  by  the  Owosso  Sugar  Company  I  x,q 
A  Granddaughter  of  Indigene  du  Fosteau  and  a  True  Production             ) 

Maconvale  Canary.  No.  153,622,  Saginaw  Valley  Stock  Farm,  Owner.  .  .  .  701 

Saginaw  the  Shipping  Center  of  the  Great  Lakes  Region 704 

Barge  Towing  Schooner  in  the  Old  Lumbering  I  )ays 707 

The  "Skylark"  loading  at   Saginaw 710 

Captain  William  Blyben  )  _   , 

Captain  Martin  Smith        \    /li 

Steambarge  "Maine"  ami    Tow  Barges 715 

Tlie    Popular  Steamer  "Wellington    I\.    Hurt"   enroute   from    Saginaw    to 

Bay  City,  about  1887 ' 717 

The  "\\  enema"  which  piled  between  Saginaw  and  Alpena 718 

A  Once  Common  Type  of  Steambarge,  called  "Rabbits" 719 

Peter  ( '.  Andre 721 

A  Pioneer  Engine,  "William  L.  Webber,"  F.  &  P.  M.  R.  R 724 

A   Way  Station  in  the  Forest  Wilderness 727 

Union  Station,  and  Depot  Car  Used  in  the  Eighties 750 

An  All-Steel  Electric  Train  on  the  Michigan  Railway 733 

Constructing  Stone  Road  through  Sand  Ridge 735 

Route  Map  of  Saginaw,  Michigan 756 

The  Saginaw  Telephone  Exchange  of  the  Michigan  State  Telephone  Co.  .  738 

<  >ld  Currency  of  the  Saginaw  City  Bank,  Circulated  in   1857 745 

Specimen  of  the  Uncirculated  Currency  of  the  Bank  of  Zilwaukee 746 

Script  of  the  City  of  Saginaw.  Circulated  in  the  Eighteen-sixties 750 

Note  Script  of  the  Tittabawassee  Boom  Company,  in  Eighteen-seventies  755 

East  Side  (  Mi'ice  ■  >f  the  Bank  of  Saginaw 756 

Spacious  and  Conveniently  Arranged   Banking  Office  at  510-12  Genesee 

Avenue    757 

The  West  Side  (  )ffice  of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw 75^- 

The  Second  National  Bank   Building 760 

The  Main  Banking  Oil  ice  of  The  Second  National  Bank 763 

The   Perfectly  Appointed  Office  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank 7o4 

Modern  Banking  House,  Erected  in  1909 766 

The  Conveniently  Arranged  Office  of  The  Commercial  National  Bank.  .  767 

Interior  of  East  Side  Office  of  American  State  Bank 768 

The  West  Side  Office  of  the  American  State  Bank 769 

The  Hill  Building  770 

Main  Office  of  the  Hill-Carman  Companies 771 

William  W.   Warner 772 

The   Well   Appointed  Office   Building 773 

Offices  of  the  People's  Building  &  Loan  Association 774 

Judge  Jabez  C.  Sutherland 777 

Prominent  Judges  of  the  Tenth   judicial   District,  DeWitt  C.  Gage,   John 

A.  Edget  ' 780 

Well  Known  Judges  of  the  Circuit  Court,  Chauncey  H.  Gage,  Robert  B. 

McKnight,   Eugene  Wilber   785 

Some  Successful  Lawyers  of  the  Formative  Period 788 

Timothy   B.    Tarsney,    Chauncey   Wisner,    C     Stuart    Draper,    William    M.    Miller 
Augustine  S.  Gaylord,  Daniel  P.  Foote,  John  J.   Wheeler,   Frederic  L.   Eaton,   Sr. 


HISTORY  OF 
SAGINAW  COUNTY,  MICHIGAN 

CHAPTER  I. 

PRE-HISTORIC  RACES 


The  Work  of  the  Mound-Builders  —  Earth-Works  in  the  Ohio  Valley  —  Finding 
Human  Remains — Antiquities  in  Michigan  —  Copper  Mining  on  Isle  Royal  —  Ancient 
Fortifications  Discovered  —  Unique  "Garden  Beds"  —  Village  Sites  in  Saginaw 
County  —  Mounds  and  Ancient  Relics —  Pottery  Exhumed  —  Caches  and  Workshops 
—  Aboriginal   Stone  Weapons  —  Ancient    Pipes  —  Ornaments  and  Charms. 

THROUGHOUT  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  abundant  evidence, 
often  of  the  most  interesting  character,  of  the  presence  in  by-gone 
ages  of  a  peculiar  race  of  men.  has  constantly  been  brought  to  light; 
and  numerous  and  well-authenticated  accounts  of  antiquities  dis- 
covered in  various  parts,  clearly  demonstrate  that  a  people  civilized,  and 
even  highly  cultivated,  occupied  this  broad  section  long  before  its  posses- 
sion by  the  Indians.  Our  own  State  of  Michigan,  from  the  low  monotonous 
shores  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  rocky  cliffs  of  Lake  Superior,  has  contributed, 
in  numerous  ways,  some  of  the  most  remarkable  relics  and  monuments  of  a 
people  whose  cranial  affinities  and  evidently  advanced  civilization  totally 
separate  them  from  the  North  American  Indian,  and  ally  them  to  some  race 
of  men  who  inhabited  another  hemisphere  in  the  remote  past.  But  the  date 
of  their  rule  of  this  continent  is  so  ancient  that  all  traces  of  their  history, 
their  progress  and  decay,  lie  buried  in  the  deepest  obscurity. 

Nature,  at  the  time  the  first  Europeans  came,  had  asserted  her  original 
dominion  of  the  earth;  the  forests  were  all  in  their  full  luxuriance  —  the 
growth  of  many  centuries;  and  nothing  existed  to  point  out  who  and  what 
manner  of  men  they  were  who  formerly  lived,  and  labored,  and  died  in  this 
land.  (  )nly  the  imperishable  implements  of  their  trades,  crude  and  tin- 
wiedy  though  they  be,  and  articles  of  domestic  utility,  together  with  the 
bones  of  the  dead,  has  Mother  Earth  preserved  to  us  through  the  ages. 
The  oblivion  which  has  closed  over  them  is  so  complete  that  only  conjecture 
can  be  indulged  in  concerning  their  mode  and  habits  of  life.  They  seem  to 
have  finished  their  work  on  earth  before  the  real  life-work  of  men  and 
nations  began,  and  left  their  monuments  behind  them  to  puzzle  us  with 
curious  investigations  and  strange  questions  never  perhaps  to  be  answered. 
This  race  of  men,  belonging  to  a  period  antecedent  to  that  covered  by 
written  history,  is  known  as  the  Mound-Builders,  from  the  numerous  large 
mounds  of  earth-works  left  by  them,  which  form  the  most  interesting  class 
of  antiquities  discovered  in  the  United  States.  Their  character  can  be  but 
dimly  perceived  and  only  partially  gleaned  from  the  internal  evidence  and 
the  peculiarities  of  their  mounds,  which  consist  of  the  remains  of  what  were 
apparently  villages,  camps,  fortifications,  gardens  and  burial  places.  Their 
habitations   must    have   been    tents,   structures   of   wood   or   other   perishable 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


material,  for  had  stone  been  used  in  their  construction  their  remains  would 
be  numerous.  They  built  their  fortifications  and  erected  their  monuments 
on  our  principal  rivers,  particularly  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi,  and  their 
tributaries;  but  they  left  not  a  word,  not  a  sign  —  nothing  to  betray  their 
origin,  nothing  to  reveal  the  secret  of  a  great  people  long  vanished  from  the 
earth.  The  scientific  and  educational  value  of  these  discoveries  is  far 
greater  than  our  present  knowledge  of  them  ;  but  in  the  past  decade  many 
of  the  antiquities  have  been  destroyed  by  road  building  and  less  laudable 
enterprises. 

At  what  period  this  race  came  to  this  country  is  likewise  a  matter  of 
speculation.  From  the  comparatively  rude  state  of  the  arts  among  them,  it 
must  be  inferred  that  the  time  was  very  remote.  Their  axes  and  hammers 
were  of  stone,  their  vessels  for  cooking  were  of  clay  baked  in  the  rays  of 
the  sun  ;  and  their  raiment,  judging  from  fragments  which  have  been  dis- 
covered, consisted  of  the  bark  of  trees,  interwoven  with  feathers.  Their 
military  works  were  such  as  a  people  would  erect  who  had  just  passed  to 
the  pastoral  state  of  society  from  that  dependent  alone  upon  hunting  and 
fishing.  Their  ancient  earth-works,  moreover,  are  far  more  numerous  than 
generally  supposed,  from  the  fact  that  while  some  are  quite  large,  the  greater 
part  of  them  are  small  and  inconspicuous.  Along  nearly  all  our  water 
courses,  that  are  large  enough  to  be  navigated  by  a  canoe,  mounds  are 
almost  invariably  found,  covering  the  base  points  and  headlands  of  the 
bluffs  which  border  the  narrower  valleys.  So  numerous  are  the  mounds 
that  when  one  stands  in  such  places  that  command  the  grandest  views  of 
river  scenery,  he  may  well  believe  that  he  is  in  close  proximity  to  some 
trace,  though  it  be  invisible  to  his  undiscerning  eye.  of  the  labors  of  an 
ancient  people. 

Earth- Works  in  the  Ohio  Valley 

At  Grave  Creek,  in  West  Virginia,  there  is  a  mound  seventy-five  feet 
high  and  a  thousand  feet  around  at  the  base:  at  Miamisburg,  Ohio,  there 
is  one  sixty-eight  feet  high  and  eight  hundred  at  the  base,  while  at  Cahokia, 
Illinois,  is  the  great  truncated  pyramid,  seven  hundred  feet  long  and  five 
hundred  wide.  Enclosures  are  often  protected  by  heavy  embankments, 
formed  of  earth  and  stone,  with  buttresses  and  gateways,  and  are  a  most 
interesting  subject  of  study.  Inside,  they  are  laid  out  into  squares,  circles 
and  parallelograms,  into  figures  of  serpents,  birds,  and  beasts,  and  often 
exhibit  some  degree  of  art.  An  enclosure  in  Adams  County.  Ohio,  contains 
a  huge  relievo,  in  the  shape  of  a  serpent,  a  thousand  feet  in  length,  in  grace- 
ful curves,  the  mouth  wide  open  in  the  act  of  swallowing  an  egg-like  figure, 
the  tail  coiled.  In  Ohio  alone,  ten  thousand  mounds  are  found  and  fifteen 
hundred  ramparts  and  enclosures.  In  Wisconsin.  Iowa.  Missouri  and  on 
the  upper  lakes,  many  remains  are  found  in  the  form  of  animals,  birds,  ser- 
pents and  men.  These  wonderful  works  of  past  generations  extend  along  the 
rivers  throughout  the  Southern  States,  marking  the  existence  and  departure 
of  a  great  people;    but  they  left  no  traces  in   New   England. 

It  is  curious  to  know,  moreover,  that  this  ancient  race  seems  to  have 
been  actuated  by  the  same  motives  and  governed  by  the  same  passions,  in 
locating  their  cities,  that  their  successors  were.  They  saw,  as  we  have  since 
seen,  having  trade  and  speculation  in  their  eye,  the  commercial  advantage 
of  such  physical  locations  as  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  and  Detroit.  They  appro- 
priated rich  \  alleys,  like  the  Scioto  and  the  Grand,  for  life  and  business; 
and  their  works  were  not  all  a  mere  labor  of  defense,  nor  their  occupation 
merely  that  of  a  soldier.  They  cultivated  the  soil  and  had  work-shops 
(quarries)    for  the  fabrication  of  useful  articles  and  ornaments. 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES 


Finding   Human   Remains 

The  Mound-Builders  were  early  pioneers,  for  the  banks  and  streams 
upon  which  they  built  declare  the  fact.  The  river  channels  have  been  cut 
deeper  since  they  laid  out  their  grounds  by  the  banks  and  built  their  cities 
thereon.  Terraces  have  evidently  been  formed  below  their  work  since  they 
passed  away,  for  it  may  still  be  seen  where  the  streams  have  destroyed  a 
portion  of  their  enclosures  higher  up.  Skulls  are  found  at  the  bottom,  show- 
ing that  mounds  were  raised  over  them,  and  that  the  body  was  not  after- 
ward buried  in  them,  although  subsequent  burial  remains  of  Indians  are 
found  nearer  the  top.  Almost  always  there  is  the  evidence  of  an  altar  hav- 
ing been  erected,  upon  which  the  body  was  laid  and  consumed,  with  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  over  some  great  chieftain,  now  forever  forgotten. 

It  is  through  these  skulls,  more  than  by  any  other  means,  that  physi- 
ologists have  been  able  to  determine  that  the  Mound-Builders,  whoever  they . 
were,  were  not  Indians,  the  shape  and  outlines  of  the  head  being  different 
and    indicating   an    entirely    distinct    race    of    people.     Although    the    cranial 
capacity  of  various  specimens  vary  greatly,  the  average  bulk  of  the  brain  is 


HEAVY     ABORIGINAL     IMPLEMENTS 

[from   the   Dustin   collection] 

From   left    to   right    (one-third   natural   sizei:     Grooved   stone   hatchet   of  fine   symmetric    form, 

broken  off  in  groove;     Stone   hatchet,   not   grooved;     Grooved   axe,    weight    1%    pounds;     Grooved 

maul,  weight  3Vi   pounds. 


close  to  the  average  Indian  cranium,  or  eighty-four  cubic  inches.  The  aver- 
age volume  of  brain  in  the  Teutonic  crania  is  ninety-two  inches.  Thus  it  will 
be  seen  that  while  the  relatively  large  brain  capacity  of  pre-historic  man  is 
indicative  of  power  of  some  sort,  it  does  not  imply  a  high  degree  of  civilization 
and  refinement,  since  it  is  exceeded  slightly  by  the  degraded,  brutal  North 
American  Indian.  Still  the  crania  of  the  Mound-Builders  present  some  char- 
acteristics, which,  in  the  language  of  Foster,  "indicate  a  low  intellectual 
organization."  And  the  tibiae  (the  inner  bone  of  the  leg  below  the  knee) 
present,  in  an  extreme  degree,  the  peculiar  flattening  or  compression  pertain- 
ing to  the  chimpanzee. 

Occasional  discoveries  of  the  skeletons  of  a  gigantic  race  puzzle  ethnol- 
ogists to  determine  to  what  race  they  belonged.  About  1875,  in  the  Town- 
ship of  Cayuga  on  the  Grand  River,  in  Ontario,  five  or  six  feet  below  the 
surface,  were  found  two  hundred  skeletons  in  a  nearly  perfect  state  of  preser- 


I  I  [S  I  <  iin     i  T      SACIXAW      I'i  T'N  I  \ 


vation.  A  string-  of  beads  was  around  the  neck  of  each,  stone  pipes  were  in 
the  jaws  of  several,  and  many  stone  axes  and  skinners  were  scattered  around 
in  the  dirt.  The  skeletons  were  gigantic,  some  of  them  measuring  nine  feet, 
and  few  were  less  than  seven  feet,  some  of  the  thigh  bones  being  six  inches 
longer  than  any  now  known.  The  place  had  been  cultivated  for  more  than 
a  century  and  was  originally  covered  with  a  growth  of  pine.  There  was 
evidence  from  the  crushed  hemes  that  a  battle  had  been  fought,  and  these 
were  the  remains  of  the  slain.  Decayed  remains  of  houses  had  been  found 
near  this  spot  many  generations  before,  indicating  that  the  region  had  at 
some  time  been  inhabited.  Who  and  what  filled  this  ghastly  pit?  Were  they 
Indians  or  some  other  race.' 

On  the  other  hand,  ornaments  and  implements  made  of  copper,  silver, 
obsidian,  porphyry  and  greenstone,  finely  wrought,  are  found  in  various 
mounds  in  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes.  There  are  copper  and  stone  axes, 
chisels  and  knives,  bracelets,  pendants  and  beads,  toys  of  bone  and  mica, 
elegant  patterns  of  pottery,  all  showing  a  people  not  deficient  in  art  and 
mechanical  ingenuity,  and  exhibiting  a  style  and  finish  beyond  anything 
furnished  by  the  modern  tribes  of  Indians  on  this  continent.  Porphyry  is  a 
hard  material  to  work  and  required  a  hard  tool  to  cut  it.  Did  the  Mound- 
Builder  know  how  to  temper  his  copper  tool  as  the  Egyptian  did?  Obsid- 
ian, or  volcanic  glass,  was  used  by  the  Mexicans  and  Peruvians  for  arrows 
and  instruments,  and  is  a  product  of  the  mountains  of  Cerre  Gordo,  in  Mex- 
ico, and  of  a  mountain  in  Yellowstone  National  Park  containing  a  vast 
weapon  and  implement  quarry.  I  Joes  this  indicate  a  communication  and 
reciprocity  between  people  wide  apart  —  between  that  mysterious  nation. 
whoever  they  were,  who  erected  those  wonderful  buildings  in  Central  Amer- 
ica ages  ago,  and  the  people  we  know  as  the  Mound-Builders?  <  >r  does  it 
lead  to  the  conclusion  that  these  artisans  and  mechanics  belonged  to  still 
another  race  of  men,  of  higher  intelligence  and  civilization,  who  dwelt  here 
before  or  after  the  other  race?  These  questions,  and  works  of  art  left  by 
an  ancient  people,  perplex  and  instruct  antiquarians.  They  examine  them, 
theorize  over  them,  soke  the  mystery  today,  upset  their  theory  tomorrow, 
believe  and  disbelieve,  and  finally  retreat  into  darkness  again  and  almost 
fancy  they  hear  the  chuckle  of  the  old   Mould-Builder  at  their  discomfiture. 


ppflf 


FRAGMENTS    OF    ANCIENT     POTTERY 
[from   the   Dustin   collection] 
Rims  of  vessels  showing  varying  ornamentation,  being  sections  of  tops  of  large  and  small  pieces. 
Two-fifths  natural  size. 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES 


Antiquities  in  Michigan 

The  Mound-Builders  were  also  early  pioneers  in  Michigan,  and  were 
the  first  miners  in  the  Upper  Peninsula.  But  how  they  worked,  whether 
as  members  of  a  joint  stock  company  on  a  percentage,  or  as  individuals, 
every  man  for  himself,  no  one  can  tell.  We  do  know,  however,  that  they 
went  deep  down  into  the  copper  ore,  and  dug,  and  raised,  and  probably 
transported  large  quantities  of  it,  hut  by  what  means  and  where  is  shrouded 
in  mystery.  Some  of  the  copper  from  these  ancient  workings  found  its  way 
into  the  mounds  of  the  <  >hio  and  Mississippi  Valleys,  and  the  chain  of  evi- 
dence by  which  this  is  determined  is  the  fact  that  the  copper  so  found,  or 
some  of  it,  has  little  globules  of  silver  attached  to  it,  which,  it  is  said,  dis- 
tinguishes no  other  copper  in  the  world.  The  silver  found  in  other  copper 
ore  is  associated  with  the  mass  rather  than  with  the  copper  itself,  and  is 
brought  out  only   by  lire. 

The  ancient  mining  at  Isle  Royal,  in  Lake  Superior,  has  excited  the 
wonder  and  amazement  of  the  scientific  world.  The  island  is  about  fifty 
miles  in  length,  from  five  to  nine  miles  in  breadth,  has  a  ragged,  rocky 
shore  cut  up  into  dee])  gorges,  and  is  covered  with  a  growth  of  timber.  The 
pits  are  from  ten  to  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  from  twenty  to  sixty  feet  in 
depth,  and  are  scattered  throughout  the  island  following  the  richest  veins  ol 
ore  with  marvelous  precision,  showing  that  the  pre-historic  miners  had  great 
knowledge  and  skill  in  the  art  of  mining.  The  pits  were  connected  under- 
ground, and  drains  were  cut  to  carry  off  the  water.  There  is  one  dee])  cut 
in  the  rock,  covered  its  entire  length  by  timbers  that  have  long  since  decayed, 
and  is  now  a  mass  of  rotten  wood.  At  McCargoe's  Cove  there  are  nearly 
two  miles  of  pits  very  closely  connected;  quantities  of  stone  hammers  ami 
mauls,  weighing  from  ten  to  thirty  pounds  have  been  found,  some  broken 
from  use  and  some  in  good  condition;  and  copper  chisels,  knives  and  arrow 
heads  have  been  discovered.  The  copper  tools  seem  to  have  been  hardened 
by  fire,  but  owing  to  corrosion  it  is  difficult  to  determine  their  original  work- 
manship, though  there  is  evidence  to  show  that  they  were  originally  of  care- 
ful artisanship  and  polished. 

'fhe  working  out  of  the  copper  was  no  doubt  done  by  heating  a  mass 
of  the  solid  ore,  and  then  pouring  on  water  —  a  very  slow  and  tedious  pro- 
cess. The  rock  being  sufficiently  disintegrated  they  then  attacked  and  sepa- 
rated it  with  their  great  stone  mauls.  Even  with  a  large  force  constantly 
employed  in  this  labor,  it  must  have  taken  a  long  series  of  years  to  accom- 
plish the  work  exhibited.  Although  two  hundred  men  with  their  rude  meth- 
ods of  mining,  it  has  been  estimated,  could  not  accomplish  any  more  work 
than  two  skilled  miners  can  at  the  present  day,  with  modern  pneumatic  drills 
and  high  explosives,  at  one  point  alone  on  Isle  Royal,  the  amount  of  labor 
performed  exceeds  that  done  on  one  of  the  oldest  mines  on  the  south  shore 
of  the  lake,  which  has  been  operated  with  a  large  force  for  more  than 
twenty   years. 

When  and  by  whom  were  these  pits  opened?  Who  can  tell?  Forests 
have  grown  up  and  fallen  and  mouldered  over  them,  and  great  trees,  three 
hundred  and  four  hundred  years  old,  stand  around  them  today,  counting  so 
much,  and  only  so  much  time  in  fixing  the  age  of  these  mines.  Some  of 
these  trees,  four  feet  or  more  in  diameter,  are  now  growing  in  the  pits,  on 
the  sides,  and  on  the  excavated  debris  which  surround  them.  In  one  case, 
the  partially  decayed  stump  of  a  red  oak  was  found  at  the  edge  of  a  pit. 
This  tree  had  not  been  blown  down,  but  had  grown  and  decayed  where 
the  stump  stood,  only  the  red,  interior  portion  of  the  stump  remaining 
sound.  A  careful  enumeration  of  the  annual  rings  composing  the  undecayed 
centre  of  the  tree,   gave   the   number  of   three    hundred   and   eighty-four,   to 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


PRE-HIST<  >RIC     RACES 


which  was  added  two  hundred  rings,  as  representing  the  decayed  outer  por- 
tion of  the  stump,  and  five  hundred  and  eighty-four  years  was  arrived  at  as 
the  period  of  its  growth.  Allowing  for  the  time  which  may  have  elapsed 
before  it  commenced  growing  on  this  peculiar  site,  and  for  the  number  of 
years  required  for  it  to  reach  the  stage  of  decay  exhibited,  it  is  probable 
that  from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred  years  would  not  be  far  from  the 
truth.  On  removing  this  stump  the  debris  beneath  was  found  to  consist  of 
fragments  of  cupper-bearing  rock,  thrown  out  from  the  adjoining  pit,  a 
large  number  of  stone  hammers,  some  perfect,  others  fractured  from  use, 
and,  more  interesting  still,  a  knife  made  of  copper.  This  only  proves  that 
the  pits  had  not  been  worked  within  the  time  mentioned,  and  does  not  pre- 
vent the  period  of  desertion  of  the  works  being  placed  back  twice  or  even 
three  times   that   distance. 

From  another  pit,  beneath  a  third  deposit  of  vegetable  matter,  the 
remains  of  a  skeleton  of  a  deer  were  exhumed,  the  bones  so  decayed  that 
they  crumbled  to  pieces.  Another  interesting  relic  discovered  was  a  sheet- 
like piece  of  copper,  which  had  apparently  been  exposed  to  the  action  of 
fire  and  then  hammered  into  a  bowl-shaped  utensil.  This  exhibits  the 
character  of  the  copper  generally  sought  by  the  primitive  miners.  It  is 
manifest  from  the  working  of  the  veins  that  they  followed  the  deposits  of 
sheet-like  copper,  which  varied  from  a  quarter  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  in 
thickness,  rejecting  as  unmanageable  the  fragments  of  rock  which  contained 
even  large-sized  nuggets  of  the  metal.  These  fragments  are  found  in  large 
quantities  in  the  rubbish  at  the  mouths  of  the  pits,  as  well  as  within,  they 
seemingly  having  been  pushed  behind  those  miners  as  the}'  advanced  in  the 
exploration  of  the  vein. 

With  all  these  evidences  of  industrial  activity,  no  hint  or  clue  remains 
as  to  how  and  where  the  ore  was  removed,  to  wdiat  purpose  so  much  of  it 
was  consumed,  or  where  the  laborers  received  their  support  in  their  work. 
No  bones  of  pre-historic  man  have  been  found  there  —  no  evidence  of  com- 
merce—  no  remains  of  vessels,  or  wharves,  or  houses,  and  yet  vast  amounts 
of  copper  have  been  taken  out,  not  only  there,  but  throughout  portions  of 
the  Upper  Peninsula,  and  the  treasure  no  doubt  exported  to  the  central  and 
southern  sections  of  our  continent.  It  must,  in  all  probability,  have  been 
conveyed  in  vessels,  great  or  small,  across  a  stormy  and  treacherous  sea, 
whose  dangers  are  formidable  to  us  now,  often  proving  the  destruction  of 
our  largest  craft.  This  gives  us  a  totally  different  conception  of  the  char- 
acter of  the  Mound-Builders,  and  dignifies  them  with  something  of  the 
prowess  and  spirit  of  adventure  which  we  associate  with  the  higher  races 
of  men.  Leaving-  their  homes,  these  men  dared  to  face  the  unknown  —  to 
brave  the  hardships  and  perils  of  the  deep  and  the  wilderness,  actuated  by 
an  ambition  which   we  today  would  not  be  ashamed  to  acknowledge. 

Ancient  Fortifications   Discovered 

Other  interesting  earth-works  in  this  State  are  the  pre-historic  forts  in 
Macomb  County,  which  were  discovered  by  the  early  settlers  along  and  near 
to  the  north  branch  of  the  Clinton  River.  Mounds  of  earth  and  stone  were 
first  noticed  and  evidences  of  once  cultivated  lands  of  considerable  area,  but 
when  three  structures  enclosing  from  one  to  three  acres  of  ground  were 
found,  there  was  much  speculation  as  to  what  purpose  they  were  designed 
to  subserve.  The  Indians  living  in  the  vicinity  had  no  traditions  of  their 
origin  or  by  whom  constructed;  all  was  garbed  in  mystery.  Except  for 
the  ravages  of  time  these  ancient  remains  were  in  the  same  condition  as 
when  left  by  a  once  industrious  race.  The  native  forests  had  covered  these 
works,  trees  of  large  size  were  growing  in  the  areas,  in  the  ditch,  and  on  the 
embankment.     The  earth  had  been  thrown  up  into  a  ridge  several   feet  wide 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


at  the  base,  and  about  four  feet  in  height  from  the  bottom  of  the  trench; 
and  there  were  gateways  or  openings,  ten,  twelve  and  fifteen  feet  in  width, 
in  the  embankments. 

Surveys  of  these  ancient  structures  were  made  as  early  as  1827  or  1828, 
before  the  axman  had  cleared  the  ground  or  the  plow  disturbed  their  out- 
lines. The  embankment  of  the  north  fort  measured  very  nearly  eight  hun- 
dred feet  in  length,  including  the  openings;  and  flat  land  to  the  southward 
showed  signs  of  cultivation.  A  few  rods  to  the  east  was  a  large  circular 
mound  of  a  height  to  overlook  a  considerable  stretch  of  country;  and  a  small 
brook   flowed   southeasterly   near  its  south   border. 

In  a  direct  line,  some  three  miles  to  the  southeast,  was  the  large  or  cen- 
tral fort,  situated  on  elevated  ground  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river.  This 
enclosure  was  twelve  hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet  in  circumference,  and 
had  an  area  of  more  than  three  acres,  aside  from  a  wing  wall  two  hundred 
feet  in  length.  Within  the  area  was  a  small  pond  evidently  to  supply  water 
to  the  garrison.  Three  openings  in  the  embankment  led  across  a  wide  ditch 
to  lower  ground,  and  were  protected  by  small  mounds  within  to  shut  off 
from  without  all  view  of  the  interior.  Between  this  fort  and  the  stream 
were  a  number  of  graves  in  an  irregular  cluster,  each  of  which  contained  a 
single  skeleton;  and  below  was  a  large  mound  surrounded  by  small  ones  in 
the  form  of  a  circle.  The  embankments  may  have  been  crowned  with  pali- 
sades, and  the  interior  mounds  served  for  observation,  as  well  as  for  defense. 
A  large  quantity  of  broken  pottery  and  other  relics  found  seem  to  indicate 
a  large  population  in  the  vicinity. 

About  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  southwest  was  found  the  third  fort  having 
a  circumference  of  eight  hundred  and  seventy  feet.  This  structure  had  four 
openings,  two  of  twelve,  one  of  fifteen,  and  a' large  one  of  eighty  feet,  which 
may  have  been  an  uncompleted  wall,  near  which  were  extensive' mounds  and 
areas  of  once  cultivated  ground.  The  erection  of  such  extensive  embank- 
ments, without  the  aid  of  any  tools  with  which  we  are  accustomed,  must 
have  required  thousands  of  workers  for  a  considerable  period  of  time. 

At  Climax,  in  Kalamazoo  County,  are  the  remains  of  a  pre-historic  for- 
tification which  occupied  the  crest  of  a  knoll  —  the  highest  ground  for  miles 
around.  When  the  first  settlements  were  made  in  this  section  in  1831.  the 
knoll  was  covered  with  oak  trees  of  good  size,  and  the  open  country  showed 
everywhere  the  evidences  of  former  cultivation.  Numerous  mounds  were 
found  near  by.  some  of  which  contained  bones  and  other  human  relics. 
Around  the  summit  of  the  knoll  was  a  ditch  two  or  three  feet  deep  and  ten 
or  twelve  feet  wide,  with  earth  banked  up  along  its  sides,  making  it  very 
easily  traced.  Its  form  was  that  of  a  perfect  ellipse,  enclosing  one  and  three- 
tenths  of  the  summit  of  the  hill:  and  its  longest  diameter  was  three  hundred 
and  thirty  feet.  On  the  Rifle  River,  in  Ogemaw  County,  and  in  Gilead, 
Branch  County,  are  other  so  called  fortifications,  with  numerous  earth-works 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  former,  some  of  which  are  still  undisturbed  by 
excavati<  ins. 

Unique  "Garden  Beds"  Found 

In  the  valleys  of  the  St.  Joseph  and  Grand  Rivers,  lying  principally  in 
the  counties  of  Cass,  Kalamazoo  and  St.  Joseph,  were  found  in  the  early- 
days  of  settlement  some  very  peculiar  works  of  the  Mound-Builders,  of 
unknown  age  and  origin,  which  have  received  the  name  of  "Garden  Beds." 
They  were  discovered  by  Verandrier,  who,  with  several  French  associates, 
explored  this  region  in  1748;  and  wrote  that  they  were  "large  tracts  free 
from  wood,  many  of  which  are  everywhere  covered  with  furrows,  as  if  they 
bad  formerly  been  plowed  and  sown."  Schoolcraft,  in  writing  of  his  obser- 
vations   made    in    1827.    recorded    the    fact    that    "garden    beds,    and    not    the 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACKS 


mounds,  form  the  most  prominent,  and,  by  far,  the  must  striking  and  char- 
acteristic antiquarian  monuments  of  this  district  of  country."  These  relics 
constitute  a  unique  feature  of  our  antiquities,  and  are  of  especial  interest  to 
us.  since  they  are  confined  to  our  State. 

The  garden  beds  occupied  the  most  fertile  of  the  prairie  land  and  burr- 
oak  plains,  and  consisted  of  raised  patches  of  ground,  separated  by  sunken 
paths,  and  were  generally  arranged  in  plats  or  blocks  of  parallel  rows.  These 
varied  in  dimensions,  being  from  five  to  sixteen  feet  in  width,  from  twelve  to 
more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  from  six  to  eighteen  inches  in  height. 
There  was  much  diversity  of  arrangement  of  the  plats,  some  being  in  groups 
of  two  or  more  at  right-angles  to  the  adjacent  plats;  others  in  blocks  and 
single  beds  of  varying  angles,  having  paths  of  the  same  width  as  the  rows. 
and  others  with  narrow  paths,  while  some  of  the  rows  terminated  with 
semi-circular  heads.  Wheel-shaped  plats,  consisting  of  a  circular  bed,  with 
beds  of  uniform  shape  and  size  radiating  therefrom,  all  separated  by  narrow 
paths,  formed  the  most  curious  gardens  of  all. 


A   f    ' 


PRIMITIVE     ARROW-POINTS 
[from    tht*   Dustin    collection] 
Flint,  agate  and    chalcedory    heads    (one-third   natural    siz--).     Top   row.    common    forms;     Middle 
and   bottom  rows,  eccentric   forms. 


The  tough  sod  of  the  prairie  had  preserved  very  sharply  all  the  outlines 
of  the  beds:  and  it  was  the  universal  testimony  of  the  pioneers  that  these 
gardens  were  laid  out  and  fashioned  with  a  skill,  order  and  symmetry  which 
distinguish  them  from  the  ordinary  operations  of  agriculture  pursued  by  the 
Indians.  On  this  point  Foster  observes,  that,  "they  certainly  indicate  a 
methodical  cultivation  which  was  not  practiced  by  the  red  men."  The 
principal  crop  of  the  Indians  is  maize,  and  this  was  never  cultivated  by  them 
in  rows,  but  in  hills,  often  large,  but  always  in  a  very  irregular  manner.  Nor 
do  these  beds  resemble  the  deserted  fields  of  modern  agriculture,  but  rather 
suggest  the  well-laid  out  garden  of  our  own  day,  while  the  curvilinear  forms 
point  quite  as  strongly  to  the  modern  "pleasure  garden." 

These  extensive  indications  of  ancient  culture  necessarily  imply  a  settled 
and  populous  community,  although  evidences  of  the  numbers  and  character 
of  the  people  are  almost  entirely  wanting.  Scarcely  any  of  the  usual  ab- 
original relics  are  found;  no  pottery;  no  spear  and  arrow  heads ;  no  im- 
plements of  stone;  not  even  the  omnipresent  pipe.  Burial  mounds  are  not 
uncommon  in  Western  Michigan,  but  such  as  are  found  have  no  recognized 


10  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


association  with  the  race  which  cultivated  these  garden  beds.  It  is  probable 
that  they  were  a  people  of  peaceable  disposition,  of  laborious  habits:  and  that 
they  lived  in  simple  and  patriarchal  style,  subsisting  on  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  rather  than  by  the  chase.  Their  dwellings  and  their  tools  were  of 
wood,  and  have  perished;  and  the  simple  record  of  their  labors  is  all,  it  may 
be,  that  will  ever  be  known.  It  seems  strange,  indeed,  that  these  garden 
beds,  suggestive  as  they  arc,  sin  mid  be  the  only  memorials  of  a  race  which 
left  such  an  evidence  of  advanced  agriculture,  and  was  worthy  of  more  endur- 
ing monuments. 

Village  Sites  in  Saginaw  County 

The  entire  territory  draining  into  Saginaw  River  and  along  the  shore  of 
Saginaw  Bay  is  rich  in  traces  of  a  considerable  habitation  by  pre-historic  man. 
\  illage  and  camp  sites,  burial  mounds,  workshops  where  implements  were 
made,  pits  for  the  storage  of  provisions,  and  caches  or  hoards  of  blades,  have 
been  discovered  in  this  section,  while  the  surface  is  strewn  with  various  ob- 
jects made  or  used  by  the  aborigines  long  before  the  advent  of  white  men. 
Village  sites  and  mounds  occur  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  from  its  mouth 
to  its  source,  and  on  its  tributaries,  and  are  located  at  frequent  intervals, 
often  less  than  a  mile  apart. 

From  close  observation  of  these  remains  of  a  primitive  people  it  is  evi- 
dent that  their  villages  and  camps  were  more  numerous  than  the  cities,  vil- 
lages and  hamlets  of  today,  though  the  actual  population  was  small  compared 
with  the  present.  During  the  hunting  season  they  roamed  over  a  large 
territory,  moving  their  camps  from  place  to  place;  but  in  winter  and  spring 
they  always  resorted  to  their  home  villages,  the  permanence  of  which  is 
attested  by  the  great  quantities  of  camp  refuse,  the  numerous  skeletal  re- 
mains, and  the  large  number  of  implements  and  weapons  continually  being 
brought  to  light.  Every  stream  was  dotted  with  permanent  villages  whose 
camp  tires  glistened  on  its  surface,  and  which  was  traced  by  countless  canoes. 

On  the  lower  river  the  first  village  to  be  noted  was  at  Crow  Island,  which 
derived  its  name  from  the  individual  reserve  of  Kaw-kaw-is-kou,  or  the  Crow. 
Directly  across  the  river  on  the  prairie  was  another  settlement,  where  the 
remains  of  corn  fields  were  to  be  seen  years  ago,  and  then  known  as  the 
Melbourne  Fields.  Four  miles  up  the  river  on  the  east  bank,  at  a  place 
called  Te-waw-baw-king,  or  "hickory  place,"  where  a  ridge  extended  south 
from  a  point  where  the  Federal  Building  now  stands,  many  unmistakable 
signs  of  primitive  life  were  once  plainly  discernable.  Another  ridge,  now 
designated  as  "The  Grove,"  extending  from  the  City  Hall  to  the  Belt  Line- 
tracks,  was  (.nice  the  location  of  an  ancient  village,  of  which  the  remains  are 
extremely  numerous.  South  of  the  East  Side  Water  Works  to  the  forks  of 
the  river  are  evidences  of  a  long-continued  habitation  of  an  extinct  race. 
Many  relics  have  been  gathered  at  this  place,  which  has  been  named  the 
Mowbray  Village. 

On  the  west  bank,  village  remains  have  been  noted  from  near  where 
Bristol  Street  crosses  the  river,  all  the  way  to  Shows-ko-kon,  or  Green  Point, 
and  many  relics  recovered  in  the  past  attest  to  the  fax  or  in  which  this  loca- 
tion was  held.  At  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  the  aborigines  held  their 
dances  and  corn  feasts,  and  their  camps  stretched  for  more  than  a  mile  along 
the  Tittabawassee,  which  for  untold  generations  was  a  favorite  dwelling 
place  of  the  ancient  race.  Along  its  banks  a  number  of  tire-places  have  been 
discovered,  buried  under  four  feet  of  hard-packed  sand  which  it  is  certain 
was  not  deposited  in  historic  times.  On  the  low  land  near  Cass  Cut  and  on  a 
cleared  held  a  mile  above  are  to  be  found  positive  evidences  of  village  life, 
while  at  the  east  approach  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  bridge  were  the 
Andrews    Workshops.      Nearly    opposite,   near    the    home    of   the   late   A.    B. 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES 


11 


<  . 


LEAF-SHAPED     BLADES 
[from   the   Dustin    collection] 
Symmetrical    forms    (about    one-third    natural    size)    of    unfinished    implements,    mostly    arrow 
points,   found  on   village  sites  in   Saginaw   County. 


i 


■■■v.  • 


%; 


ARROW    AND    SPEAR    POINTS 
[from    the    Dustin    collection] 
Fine   specimens  of  ancient   handiwork    (about   three-fourths   actual    size)    in   symmetrica]    forms. 
The  large  implement  was  probably  used  as  a  knife. 


12  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Paine,  and  half  a  mile  west  on  the  high  sand  bluff,  at  the  Frazer  homestead, 
were  once  the  camps  of  a  forgotten  people.  Further  up  the  Tittabawassee, 
(in  the  farm  of  E.  R.  McCarty,  at  Ure's  Island,  and  near  the  homestead  of 
the  late  William  Hackett  were  aboriginal  camps,  while  at  Freeland  was  the 
reservation  of  Black  Birds'  Village,  which  contained  six  thousand  acres. 

On  the  Shiawassee  River  at  Bear  Creek  is  one  of  two  settlements  in  the 
county  still  inhabited  by  red  skins:  and  at  Chesaning  are  extensive  remains 
of  a  large  village  on  the  high  bluffs  on  the  west  bank  of  the  stream,  while 
another  great  camp  was  on  the  east  side.  Near  Oakley  is  one  of  the  ancient 
lake  beaches,  and  on  a  bluff  the  evidences  of  a  large  settlement  may  still  be 
traced.  At  the  intersection  of  the  branches  of  the  Mad  River,  in  St.  Charles, 
numerous  remains  indicating  a  large  village  have  been  found,  and  the  high 
south  bank  of  Beaver  Creek  has  yielded  some  interesting  relics.  (  hi  Swan 
Creek,  at  a  point  a  mile  below  the  railroad  bridge,  the  ground  was  once 
strewn  with  curious  remains,  and  east  of  it  were  a  number  of  smaller  camps. 

The  Cass  River  is  noted  for  its  pre-historic  remains  at  and  above  Bridge- 
port, the  Andross  Village  yielding  many  valuable  relics,  while  at  Cook's 
Corners  and  at  Frankenmuth  large  settlements  were  located.  On  the  Flint, 
and  on  Misteguay  Creek,  a  tributary,  interesting  evidences  of  primitive  life 
have  been  uncovered  by  the  plow:  and  near  Fosters'  are  the  remains  of  a  vil- 
lage where  a  large  copper  knife  was  discovered.  At  Taymouth  is  the  other 
village  of  the  red  skins,  consisting  of  about  sixty  persons. 

Mounds  and   Ancient   Relics. 

To  Harlan  I.  Smith,  a  native  of  Saginaw  and  an  archaeologist  of  note, 
must  credit  be  given  for  having  explored  many  of  these  village  sites  and 
earth-works,  and  having  called  attention  to  the  remains  discovered.  In  the 
East  Side  High  School  there  is  an  interesting  collection  of  ancient  specimens 
which  he  brought  together,  with  various  notes,  maps  and  photographs,  and 
which  it  is  hoped  will  some  day.  not  far  distant,  form  the  foundation  of  a 
local  museum  which  would  be  of  great  value  to  students  generally  and  to 
posterity. 

It  was  Air.  Smith  who  first  discovered  the  group  ,,\  mounds  situated  in 
the  City  of  Saginaw,  on  what  is  now  a  part  of  Rust  Park.  The  first  mound 
seen  by  him,  in  1889,  was  not  large,  but  was  a  very  typical  example  of  the 
earth  structures  of  the  valley.  It  was  about  thirty-four  feet  in  diameter  and 
eighteen  inches  in  height,  although  it  was  evident  that  it  had  once  been  much 
higher,  having  since  been  slowly  reduced  by  natural  forces.  At  the  time  its 
character  was  discovered  it  was  covered  with  grass  and  flowers,  and  had 
much  the  appearance  of  a  neglected  flower  bed.  As  the  land  in  the  vicinity 
was  then  occupied  by  a  lumber  yard  and  the  location  likely  to  be  encroached 
upon  by  public  improvements,  he  deemed  it  advisable  to  explore  the  mound: 
and  the  relics  obtained,  together  with  a  photograph  of  the  mound,  were  care- 
fully preserved.  The  remains  consisted  of  implements  of  defense,  such  as 
arrow  and  spear  heads,  knives  and  stone  hatchets,  utensils  for  domestic  use, 
and  culinary  refuse  in  general. 

Si  mie  time  after,  workmen,  while  digging  for  the  foundation  of  a  salt 
block  on  the  premises,  about  three  hundred  feet  w-est  of  the  mound  and  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  from  the  bank  of  the  bayou,  came  upon  a  num- 
ber of  human  skeletons.  The  mound  within  which  they  lav  was  the  largest 
and  highest  of  the  group,  being  about  sixty  feet  in  diameter  and  three  feet  in 
height:  but  owing  to  its  being  covered  with  a  rank  growth  of  shrubs,  which 
also  surrounded  it,  its  true  character  was  not  realized  and  all  the  remains  were 
ruthlessly  destroyed,  none  being  saved  for  science  in  their  entirety.  They 
were  at  the  unusual  depth  of  four  feet,  which  possibly  was  due  to  the  accum- 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES  13 


ulation  of  soil  above  the  old  surface,  by  the  piling  up  of  the  light  sand  in  long 
dunes,  as  had  been  done  in  the  vicinity,  by  the  wind.  In  these  graves  bear 
teeth,  deer  bones,  and  remains  of  other  wild  animals  were  found  in  abund- 
ance. From  the  large  quantity  of  fish  bones  unearthed,  one  might  conclude 
that  the  ancient  people  took  advantage  of  the  resources  of  this  locality,  and 
that  much  of  their  subsistence  was  obtained  from  its  waters.  Soon  after  this 
discovery  Court  Street  was  extended  through  the  northern  end  of  the  prop- 
erty partially  obscuring  the  site. 

Early  in  1910  Mr.  Fred  Dustin,  to  whom  science  is  indebted  for  exhaus- 
tive research  of  pre-historic  remains  in  Saginaw  County,  made  a  rough  sur- 
vey of  this  locality  from  which  he  prepared  blue  prints  accurately  locating 
the  several  mounds.  From  his  detailed  description  of  these  earth-works,  to 
which  he  gave  appropriate  names,  and  which  were  officially  adopted  by  the 
Park  and  Cemetery  Board,  there  appear  to  be  four  mounds  in  the  group. 
The  first,  which  he  has  designated  as  Chippewa  Mound,  was  recognized  as 
being  of  ancient  origin  ten  or  twelve  years  ago,  and  the  attention  of  the 
public  was  called  to  it.  A  sugar  maple  tree,  about  four  feet  in  circumference, 
stands  on  the  apex  of  this  dome-shaped  mound,  which  is  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  east  from  the  shore  of  Lake  Linton,  and  fifty  feet  south  of  the 
south  curb  of  Court  Street.  In  the  fall  of  1908,  while  grading  the  slopes  to 
the  street  in  Rust  Park,  it >  original  form  was  inadvertently  destroyed,  a  por- 
tion of  it  being  leveled  cutting  a  foot  from  its  height,  and  revealing  its 
secrets.  The  ridge  at  this  point  is  alternate  layers  of  sand,  gravel  and  clay, 
the  mound  being  of  gravelly  sand  resting  upon  heavy  clay,  and  is  about 
fifty  feet  in  diameter.  Mr.  Dustin  carefully  examined  this  mound  and  deter- 
mined the  bones  unearthed  to  be  human  remains;  and  added  many  relics  and 
implements  to  his  collection. 

About  line  hundred  feet  southwest  from  the  center  of  Chippewa  Mound 
stand  three  oak  trees  nearly  in  line  with  the  center  of  the  large  mound  which 
Harlan  I.  Smith  mentioned  in  his  description  several  years  before.  It  is 
now  partly  covered  with  a  dense  growth  of  sumac  bushes  and  other  shrubs, 
but  its  western  edge  still  shows  where  it  was  cut  away  for  the  foundation 
of  the  salt  block  erected  on  its  site  in  the  early  nineties.  It  has  been  named 
Ash-a-tah-ne  Mound,  after  the  abbreviated  name  of  a  full-blooded  Indian  — 
a  relative  of  the  noted   Chippewa  chief.  O-saw-wah-bon. 

The  third  mound  is  near  the  intersection  of  Court  Street  and  Washing- 
ton Avenue,  and  was  fully  described  by  Mr.  Smith  as  the  one  he  first  dis- 
covered, and  has  been  named  after  him.  Close  by  the  Smith  Mound  is  the 
fourth  mound  of  the  group,  and  is  slightly  larger  than  the  other  being  about 
forty  feet  in  diameter  and  two  feet  high.  It  was  first  observed  by  Mr.  Dustin 
nearly  twenty  years  ago,  marked  by  a  large  bitternut  hickory  tree,  and  has 
been  named  Saug-e-nah  Mound  after  the  Chippewa  word  from  which  the 
name  "Saginaw"  is  derived. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  Tittabawassee,  on  the  favorite  camping  ground  of 
the  aborigines,  called  Shows-ko-kon  or  Green  Point,  are  two  very  large 
mounds  which  were  first  observed  by  W.  R.  McCormick  in  1836,  and  named 
Green  Point  Mounds.  They  are  situated  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  east  of 
Riverside  Park  and  \i\e  hundred  and  fifty  feet  north  of  the  river,  on  very 
low  ground  subject  every  spring  to  overflow.  When  opened  many  years  ago 
the  whole  interior  appeared  to  be  a  whitish  substance,  evidently  of  decom- 
posed human  bones,  which,  owing  to  the  lowness  of  the  land  and  flooding 
by  the  river,  had  crumbled  away  much  sooner  than  elsewhere.  These  mounds 
were  examined  and  photographed  by  Mr.  Smith,  who  also  described  them  in 
his  notes  on  archaeological  remains  of  the  valley.  The  larger  or  western 
mound  is  about  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  three  and  a  half  feet  high, 


14 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


while  the  smaller,  the  base  of  which  is  twenty  feet  east  of  the  other,  is  about 
ninety  feet  in  diameter  and  four  feet  high.  It  is  probable  that  originally 
they  were  at  least   five   feet   in   height,   but  being  composed  of  loam  mixed 

with  the  clay  wash  from  the  fl 1   waters,  the  erosion  in  time  of  overflow 

must  have  been  considerable. 

In  July,  1910,  Mr.  Dustin  made  a  careful  surface  exploration  of  these 
mounds,  and  collected  fourteen  human  teeth,  three  perfect  and  two  mutilated 
arrow  heads,  two  bear's  teeth,  numerous  flakes  of  flint,  all  of  ancient  origin, 
and  also  a  rudely  moulded  musket  ball,  a  small  flat  silver  ring  and  one  blue 
glass  bead,  of  European  origin  but  of  use  by  the  savages.  On  August  30  of 
the  same  year  he  had  a  trench  dug,  commencing  at  the  northern  edge  of  the 
east  mound  and  running  to  the  center  due  south  by  compass,  about  eighteen 
inches  wide  down  to  the  original  surface  of  the  ground.  As  each  shovelful 
of  earth  was  removed  he  examined  it  carefully,  but   no  human  remains  in 


I       % 


GREEN      PCINT     MOUNDS 
[from  Photograph    by    Harlan    I.    Smith] 
These  mounds  are  situated  near  Riverside  Park,  and  were   first    described  by   W.    I:     McCormick 
in    1S36.     They   are    so    old    that    all    skeletal    remains    have    long    since    crumbled    into    dust 

entirety,  or  even  a  perfect  bone,  were  found,  nor  were  any  implements  or 
relics  brought  to  light.  It  is  his  belief  that  the  bits  of  skull  thrown  out  be- 
longed to  successive  generations,  the  remains  of  which  were  disturbed  by 
repeated  burials  and  the  implements  removed  or  scattered.  Having  care- 
fully refilled  the  trench,  the  exploration  of  the  second  or  larger  mound  was 
begun  by  digging  a  trench  west  from  its  eastern  edge;  and  a  hole  was  also 
sunk  in  the  center  of  the  mound.  The  results  were  as  meagre  as  from  the 
first  trench,  the  only  interesting  find  being  the  crumbling  remains  of  a  baby's 
lower  jaw  with  some  of  the  tiny  milk-teeth  still  clinging  to  it,  and  which 
was  returned  to  its  resting  place  and  carefully  covered.  From  the  surface 
of  this  mound  many  fragments  of  pottery  and  a  number  of  human  teeth  were 
picked  up. 

A  few  years  before  on  the  south  edge  of  the  east  mound,  the  skeleton 
of  a  squaw  was  turned  up  by  the  plow.  The  remains  had  evidently  been 
clothed  in  a  rich  robe  of  European  manufacture,  the  front  being  covered  with 
ornaments  consisting  of  thin  silver  rings,  bosses  and  scrolls,  sewed  on  in 
regular  patterns.  Around  the  neck  were  masses  of  beads,  of  various  colors, 
both  large  and  small,  the  former  being  strung  into  necklaces,  while  the 
small    ones    had    evidently    been    used    in    embroidery.     At    the    side    of    the 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES 


15 


skeleton  lay  a  rude  iron  tomahawk  of  the  pattern  furnished  the  savages  two 
or  three  hundred  years  ago  by  the  fur  traders;  and  a  small  copper  kettle, 
a  glass  bottle  and  other  trinkets  were  unearthed. 

At  a  point  four  miles  up  the  Tittabawassee,  on  the  land  which  James 
Fraser  settled  when  he  came  to  the  valley,  was  once  a  large  mound  thought 
to  have  originally  been  more  than  a  hundred  feet  in  diameter  and  five  or  six 
feet  in  height.  It  was  situated  on  a  large  knoll  where  the  river  washes  a 
high  bank  which  had  gradually  been  cut  way  by  the  spring  flex  ids  and  ice, 
so  that  human  bones  were  exposed  and  fell  into  the  river.  In  former  times 
a  brick  yard  was  in  operation  at  the  font  of  the  knoll,  and  the  clear  sand  of 
the  mound  was  removed  by  the  cart  load,  the  fragmentary  bones  being  cast 

aside  in  heaps,  and  the  relics  and  im- 
plements of  a  by-gone  race  of  men  col- 
lected by  the  hundred.  It  is  believed 
that  this  mound  was  the  burial  place 
of  many  generations  of  pre-historic 
man,  long  antedating  interments  of  the 
savages,  for  the  bones  found  were  in 
all  stages  of  decay.  This  mound  has 
long  since  been  entirely  destroyed  and 
its  site  obscured. 

About  six  mile-  from  Saginaw,  at 
the  bend  of  the  Cass  River  in  the  Vil- 
lage of  Bridgeport,  several  mounds 
have  been  discovered,  one  of  which 
rested  on  a  high  sand  km  ill  between 
the  cemetery  and  the  electric  power 
house.  This  mound  was  nut  promi- 
nent, as  it  had  many  times  been  dis- 
turbed by  the  plow,  but  curious  and 
interesting  relics  have  been  uncovered, 
among  them  several  bird  stones  or  gor- 
gets beautifully  finished,  one  of  which 
represented  an  otter.  A  pottery  urn. 
of  peculiar  interest,  is  three  feet  nine 
inches  in  circumference,  and  must  orig- 
inally have  been  over  two  feet  in 
height:  and  was  named  the  Andross 
Urn.  It  was  found  inverted  over  the 
head  of  a  skeleton,  and  was  well  pre- 
served for  so  large  a  pot,  and  one  from 
a  locality  where  nature  does  not  favor 
archaeologic  specimens,  but  rather 
sends  frosts  and  moisture  among  other 
elements  t"  d<  >  them  damage.  As 
late  as  April,  1912,  a  fragment  about 
f  a  piece  of  pottery,  was 
recovered  here  by  Mr.  Dustin.  Many  skeletons  were  removed  from  this 
mound,  mostly  in  an  advanced  state  of  decay. 

It  was  said  by  the  old  fur  traders  that  when  they  first  penetrated  this 
wilderness,  there  was  also  a  regular  earth-work  fortification,  comprising 
several  acres  in  extent,  below  the  hill  about  wdiere  the  center  of  the  village 
now  is.  The  Indians  then  living  in  the  neighborhood  told  them  that  these 
earth-works  had  been  built  by  another  race  of  men  long  before  they  came 
here,  and  that  they  were  more  like  the  "pale  faces."  and  they  made  kettles 
and    dishes   of   clay.     However    this    may    have    been,    civilization    has    now 


TCourtesy   of    American    Museum    of   Natural 
History,   New   York] 

THE     ANDROSS    URN 
A     rare     specimen     of    ancient     pottery     un- 
earthed  in   the  Village   of  Bridgeport.     Orig- 
inally was  about  two  feet  in   height. 


fifteen  inches  wide  and  twenty-four  inches  high 


16  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW     COUNTY 


obliterated  all  traces  of  the  mounds  and  fortifications,  the  human  remains 
have  been  scattered  to  the  winds,  and  only  the  relics  and  implements  of  a 
remote  age,  perhaps  of  an  ancient  race,  remain. 

On  the  Flint  River  mounds  are  numerous,  but  only  at  Taymouth  do 
they  occur  in  this  county.  On  the  old  Indian  fields  —  the  land  given  in  an 
early  day  to  the  old  pioneer,  James  McCormick,  by  the  Chippewa  chiefs,  are 
four  large  mounds.  They  are  situated  on  the  bluffs  at  the  bend  mi  the  left 
bank  of  the  river,  and  there  are  several  others  <>n  the  Hats  below.  The 
human  bones  unearthed  here  were  very  much  decomposed,  especially  those 
on  the  Hats;  and  a  great  variety  (if  stunt*  implements  were  plowed  up  at 
different  times  and  carried  "if  by  relic  hunters.  On  the  Shiawassee  River 
at  Chesaning,  and  at  the  links  of  the  Had  River  in  St.  Charles,  are  still  to 
be  seen  the  remains  of  several  mounds,  but  no  record  of  exploration  of  any 
of  them  has  been  made,  although  many  relics  have  undoubtedly  been  taken 
from  these  sites. 

Caches  and  Corn  Pits 

In  his  writings  mi  aboriginal  remains,  Harlan  1.  Smith  states  that  "it  is 
very  probable  that  there  exist  ancient  quarries,  where  chert  nodules  of  the 
sub-carboniferous  series  were  formerly  obtained,  as  this  ruck,  which  is  the 
material  of  which  chipped  implements  are  must  frequently  made,  outcrops 
in  many  places,  nut  only  along  the  bay  shore,  but  also  near  the  head  waters 
of  the  tributaries  of  the  river."  A  number  of  caches  have  been  discovered  in 
various  locations  of  which  records  are  preserved,  but  how  many  mure  have 
been  plowed  out  and  scattered  without  even  a  mention,  is  impossible  to 
estimate.  The  blades  found  in  caches  were  perhaps  made  at  the  quarries 
and  transported  to  the  villages  by  canoe,  since  most  caches  as  yet  found  have 
been  near  navigable  water.  They  were  there  stored  or  buried  in  moist  earth, 
which  kept  them  in  a  workable  condition,  where  they  could  easily  be  obtained 
and  worked  into  the  various  specialized  forms  as  such  implements  were 
required    for    use. 

(  In  the  north  bank  of  the  Tittabawassee  at  its  mouth  a  cache  was  found 
by  Edward  S.  Golson,  April  26,  IS' H.  It  was  at  a  point  where  a  sluggish 
brine  spring — from  time  immemorial  a  deer  lick,  and  since  the  advent  of 
white  men  resorted  to  by  their  stock  —  had  by  persistent  tramplings  caused 
the  bank  to  be  broken  further  and  further  back  from  the  river,  so  that  the 
high  water  of  spring  formed  a  continually  enlarging  blind  cut,  extending 
hack  into  the  prairie  fur  about  twenty-five  rods.  The  cache  was  found  in  the 
east  bank  of  this  cut,  about  four  feet  below  the  surface,  and  yielded  eighty- 
three  symmetrical  chipped  blades  of  chert,  which  were  later  presented  to  the 
Peabody  Museum  at  Cambridge.  Opposite  this  cache,  mi  the  east  bank  of 
the  Saginaw,  another  deposit  of  the  same  nature  was  unearthed  by  Mr. 
Golson  in  1X92.  The  remains  were  about  two  feet  below  the  surface,  and 
consisted  of  fifty-nine  blades  of  chert  now  preserved  by  the  family. 

Two  miles  above  Green  Point  another  collection  of  one  hundred  chipped 
blades,  known  as  the  Merrill  Cache,  and  at  the  Frazer  Mound  site  a  cache 
consisting  of  over  three  hundred  blades,  mostly  of  four  different  patterns, 
have  been  brought  to  light.  Among  the  latter  is  one  pattern  of  large  leaf- 
shaped  blades  about  eight  inches  long  with  delicate  notched  stems;  another, 
similar  implements  about  three  inches  long;  and  a  third,  small  blades  not  yet 
worked  up.  while  the  last  consists  of  a  few  of  the  three-inch  blades  specialized 
to  form  arrow  heads.  Only  a  few  feet  away  another  cache  yielded  one  large- 
black  leaf-shaped  implement  of  chert,  and  thirteen  rubbed  stones,  but  there 
is  no  record  of  their  shape  or  probable  use. 


PRE-HISTORIC     RACES  17 

Near  the  south  bank  of  the  Cass  River  two  miles  above  its  mouth,  a 
cache  was  found  very  near  the  surface,  consisting"  of  twenty-two  blades  of 
various  forms,  and  a  dozen  pieces  of  chert,  the  material  of  which  the  blades 
were  formed.  Nearly  opposite  this  cache,  in  the  marshy  ground  of  the 
vicinity,  another  deposit  was  found,  and  named  the  Wille  Cache.  It  com- 
prised one  hundred  and  seventy-five  triangular-shaped  blades  and  two  celts, 
the  blades  averaging  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length.  Three  miles  above  Bridge- 
port, on  the  north  bank  of  the  Cass  River,  seventy  blades  leaf-shaped  of  dark 
blue  chert,  and  numerous  chips  and  flakes,  have  been  unearthed;  and  was 
named  the  Cass  Cache  No.  1. 

The  Armstrong  Cache  was  discovered  while  plowing  in  a  level  held 
about  half  a  mile  north  of  the  Frazer  Cache,  and  not  far  from  the  little  settle- 
ment of  Shields.  The  implements  were  carefully  removed,  and  an  inventory 
showed  sixty-six  chipped  leaf-shaped  blades,  nearly  all  five  and  a  half  inches 
in  length  and  one  and  a  half  to  one  and  three-fourths  inches  wide,  remark- 
ably uniform  in  shape;  and  many  were  of  black  flint  or  chert,  while  others 
were  grey  in  color.  About  twenty  years  ago  Duane  Lincoln,  while  plowing 
in  James  Township  at  a  point  about  twenty  rods  back  from  the  St.  Charles 
road,  which  here  runs  east  and  west,  struck  with  his  plow  a  si,  ire  of  chert 
blades,  which  he  carefully  gathered  up  tilling  a  ten-quart  pail.  At  present 
only  one  specimen,  three  inches  long  and  one  and  a  half  inches  wide,  leaf- 
shaped  of  grey  chert,  remains.  This  is  practically  a  type  of  the  whole  lot, 
although  a  few  were  somewhat  specialized  by  slight  notches  at  the  base. 

'fhe  rapid  settlement  of  the  county  has  destroyed  nearly  all  evidence  of 
cultural  pits  used  by  the  aborigines  for  the  storage  of  corn,  smoked  meats 
and  provisions  in  general,  but  in  Taymouth  Township,  on  lands  owned  by 
S.  1'ettit,  may  be  seen  the  depressions  caused  by  the  sinking  of  the  old 
Structures.  They  were  simply  excavations  in  the  ground  from  five  to  ten 
feet  in  diameter,  which  were  carefully  lined  with  hark,  and  supported  by  a 
framework  of  poles  or  small  logs,  and  roofed  with  the  same  materials. 
Their  origin  undoubtedly  dates  from  a  pre-historic  period,  although  the 
remains  which  were  discovered  in  various  places  by  the  early  settlers  ma\ 
have  been  of  a  much  later  time,  since  the  bark  which  lined  the  pits  was 
often  still  intact,  but  crumbled  to  pieces  upon  being  touched.  It  is  evident 
from  the  structure  of  these  pits  that  they  were  used  by  the  aborigines  as  a 
winter  storage  of  provisions  and  such  game  as  they  put  away,  to  safeguard 
them   from    wild  beasts   and   stragglers  in   the    forest. 

Muring  the  hunting  seasons,  when  the  natives  left  their  camps  for  weeks 
at  a  time  in  cptest  of  game,  these  cultural  pits  which  they  built  with  such 
care  served  as  a  safe  place  in  which  to  conceal  their  rude  yet  useful  stone 
implements,  their  perishable  pottery  ware,  their  cooking  utensils,  and  such 
articles    as   they    wished    to   preserve    from    theft.      When    absent    from    their 

wigwams  or  cabins,  a  pole  or  piece  of  w 1  placed  against  the  door  signified 

the  fact  to  any  visitors.  Among  their  own  people  and  friendly  tribes,  this 
simple  notice  was  always  held  inviolate,  but  their  enemies  and  strangers 
generally  hail  no  regard  for  the  rights  of  private  possession,  and  would  often 
despoil  their  camps.  Consequently,  when  they  went  away,  it  was  their 
custom  to  conceal  in  the  ground  whatever  of  their  belongings  they  needed 
t' '  preserve. 

In  Section  twenty-one.  Albee  Township,  about  eighty  rods  from  a 
shallow  pond  near  Misteguay  (reek,  other  remains  of  this  character  may 
still  be  seen,  consisting  of  a  series  of  corn  pits.  West  of  the  Village  of 
Freeland,  on  land  owned  by  the  late  John  I'.  McGregor,  formerly  a  part  of 
the  Red  Bird  Reservation,  numerous  pits  discovered  at  different  times  have 
mm    become  almost  entirely  obliterated  by  cultivation  of  the  soil. 


18 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Workshops 

The  workshops,  or  quarries,  where  primitive  man  casually  made  his 
flint  implements,  are  referred  to  by  Mr.  Smith  as  the  "Andrews  Workshops" 
and  the  "Albee  Workshops."     From  these  places  it  is  supposed  most  of  the 

material  for  their  utensils  originated,  but  there  is 
nut  a  village  site  that  does  not  yield  more  or  less  of 
fragments  from  articles  made  there.  At  the  east 
side  entrance  of  Rust  Park,  am!  in  Albee  Township, 
near  Misteguay  Creek,  fragmentary  remains  were 
quite  numerous,  while  at  Peon-i-go-wink  and  again 
at  Me-no-quet's  Village,  hut  a  few  specimens  have 
been  observed.  There  is  little  evidence  that  the 
aborigines  specialized  in  the  simple  arts  practised 
by  them,  although  it  is  probable  that  individuals 
skilled  in  stone  cutting  may  occasionally  have  pro- 
duced implements  fur  trade  or  gift.  Early  records 
are  lamentably  deficient  in  description  of  the  pro- 
cesses "i"  their  handiwork,  and  much  has  been  lust 
by  lack  of  interest  in  observing  and  recording  simple 
facts.  The  remains  of  these  workships  consist  of 
finished  implements,  chipped  blanks,  broken  pieces 
oi  utensils  and  refuse.  Chert  nodules  have  been 
collected  from  these  sites  in  all  forms,  some  weigh- 
ing four  ur  fi\e  pounds.  In  James  Township,  on  a 
sandy  morainal  ridge  over  which  formerly  ran  an 
Indian  trail,  is  a  "blow-hole"  about  eighty  feet  long, 
forty  wide,  and  four  feet  deep,  which  has  revealed 
bushels  of  flint  chips,  arrow  and  spear  heads,  and 
other  relics.  This  place  was  examined  by  Mr. 
Dustin  in  the  summer  of  1914,  and  five  leaf-shaped 
blades,  five  broken  specialized  blades,  and  one 
peculiar  shaped  blade,  perhaps  an  unfinished  arrow- 
head, were  the  rewards  of  his  search.     The  sands  drift  at  the  lightest  winds. 

and  a  few  days  bed. re  his  visit,  four  g 1  arrow-points  and  a  spear-head  were 

picked  up  by  buys. 

Aboriginal  Stone  Weapons 
Ethnologists,  in  classifying  the  material  remains  of  aboriginal  races, 
separate  all  stone  articles  into  three  divisions;  flints,  celts,  and  miscellaneous. 
Under  the  term  "flints"  are  classed  all  implements  made  of  chert,  chalcedony, 
agate,  quartz  and  agatized  wood,  and  covering  such  articles  as  arrow-points, 
spear  heads,  knives  and  small  articles  used  for  piercing  and  cutting.  These 
have  been   treated  of  in  the  preceding  pages. 

Under  "celts"  are  heavier  articles  such  as  stone  mauls,  hammers,  axes, 
hatchets,  pestles,  chisels  and  skinning  stones.  These  implements  and  weapons 
were  usually  fashioned  from  sienite,  greenstone,  basalt,  granite,  or  volcanic 
rocks  brought  hither  by  the  glacial  ice  sheet,  and  thickly  strewn  along  the 
ancient  beaches  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  county,  or  cropping  out  in  the 
banks  of  the  Flint  River,  In  private  collections  in  city  and  county  are 
various  examples  of  weapons,  such  as  hammer  stones,  some  of  which  are 
pitted  so  as  to  be  grasped  more  firmly;  and  others  of  convenient  natural 
forms,  easily  handled,  and  which  would  be  impossible  to  identify  were  it 
not  for  the  battering  and  wear  they  show  from  long  use.  Then  "there  are 
skinning  stones,  scrapers  and  chisels,  worked  to  proper  shapes  and  rubbed 
and  polished  to  a  tine  finish:  heavy  grooved  stone  mauls,  fine  hatchets 
or  tomahawks  not  grooved,  and  grooved  axes,  some  of  unusual  forms.    Stones 


[Courtesy    of    Ameiican    Mu- 
seum of  Natural   1 1  istory, 

New    York] 
PIPE    MADE    OF    SAND- 
STONE 
Prom    Mowbray     Camp    si  t  o. 
natural    size 


PRE-H1STORIC     RACES 


19 


bearing  deep  grooves  are  sometimes  found,  which  it  is  evident  were  used  as 
rubbing  or  polishing  implements  in  finishing  arrow-shafts  or  ornamental 
articles.  Other  abrasive  stones  were  used  in  polishing  axes,  chisels,  and 
other  celts,  one  of  this  character,  nearly  two  inches  square  and  ten  inches 
long,  being  of  peculiar  form,  but  quite  symmetrical,  and  appears  to  be  of  hard 
sandstone  slightly  tinged  with  iron. 


t 


f      V 


FRAGMENTARY  SPECIMENS  OF  PIPES 
[from  the  Dustin  collection] 
From  li'ft  to  right  (about  one-third  actual  size).  Very  small  pipe  of  argillaceous  stone;  Typ- 
ical Micmac  pipe,  gray  sandstone;  Pipe  of  gray  sandstone;  Iroquois  pipe  of  pottery  war*-; 
Mound  pipe,  pottery;  Pipe  of  gray  conglomerate  sandstone;  Monitor  type  (stem  only);  Mo>li- 
iied  Micmac  type,  argillaceous  slum-;  Fragment  of  bowl  of  black  shale;  Unfinished  pipe  of 
yellowish   stone;     Stem  of  Atlantic  Coast  type,   pottery  ware. 

Ancient  Pipes 

Of  the  "miscellaneous"  group  there  are  pipes  fashioned  from  the  same 
materials  from  which  the  pottery  was  made,  one  collection  in  Saginaw  con- 
taining a  dozen  or  more  specimens.  Occasionally  a  catlinite  pipe  is  found, 
probably  of  Dakotan  origin  and  left  here  in  trade  or  captured  in  savage  war- 
fare. They  are  often  of  singular  form  and  beauty,  and  were  highly  prized 
by  their  owners.  The  pottery  pipes  are  usually  short  and  rather  clumsy  in 
appearance,  although  exhibiting  some  degree  of  skill  in  the  making.  In  the 
Dustin  collection  are  a  number  of  pipes,  bowls  and  pieces  of  stem,  repre- 
senting no  less  than  nine  distinct  types,  including  both  Mound  and  Micmac 
examples.  One  is  a  perfect  pottery  pipe,  without  ornamentation  of  any  kind, 
measuring  on  the  outer  curve  from  top  of  the  bowl  to  end  of  the  stem  five  and 
one-fourth  inches,  and  in  diameter  of  bowl  one  and  a  half  inches.  This 
interesting  specimen  was  found  in  the  summer  of  1913  lying  beside  the  skull 
of  some  old  warrior,  about  two  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  not  far 
from  Shields,  near  the  western  line  of  Saginaw  Township. 

Another  excellent  example  of  primitive  handiwork  is  a  bowl  from  which 
the  stem  has  been  broken,  of  the  Iroquoian  type.  The  bowl  tapers  to  the 
stem,  and  there  are  three  ornamental  lines  around  the  top  of  the  bowl,  which 
is  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  diameter,  and  an  inch  and  a  half  to  the  curve  of 
the  stem.  The  pottery  ware  is  rather  fine  in  texture,  and  appears  to  contain 
a  tempering  material.  A  third  specimen  is  only  the  lower  part  of  the  bowl, 
the  base  nearly  perfect,  but  the  keel  is  broken  off  through  the  thong  hole. 
The  material  is  grey  sandstone  of  fine  texture.  The  stem  hole  is  perfect,  and 
the  conical  base  of  the  tobacco  bowl  shows  the  marks  of  the  rude  drill  em- 
ployed in   fashioning  it. 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Ornaments  and  Charms 

Ancient  generations  of  Indians  wore  stone  ornaments  or  charms,  and  of 
these  there  arc  many  examples  in  this  section  of  the  State.  They  were 
usually  made  of  slate,  a  banded  variety  being  a  favorite,  and  took  various 
forms  such  as  a  shuttle,  a  butterfly,  <>r  other  curious  designs.  It  would  seem 
that  these  odd  forms  possessed  an  esoteric  significance,  and  may  have  been 
used  much  as  certain  societies  employ  symbols  to  convey  various  moral  and 
spiritual  lessons.  Among  other  curious  forms  are  those  known  as  bird 
stones,  well  finished  and  polished  effigies  of  sitting  birds,  perfectly  sym- 
metrical in  form.  It  is  quite  possible  that  these  animal  forms  were  the 
"totems"  or  symbols  of  the  various  clans,  of  which  the  Chippewas  had 
many. 


PRIMITIVE    ORNAMENTS    AND    CHARMS 

II tli.'    Dustin    collection] 

From  1'  ft  in  right  (about  two-thirds  actual  size)  Figure  of  bear  (totem)  "t  banded  slate;  Tablet 
of  same  material,  with  three  parallel  grooves,  .if  unknown  use  Figure  of  beaver  (totem)  of 
red   pipe-stone;    Tablet  of  banded    slate. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  INDIANS  OF  SAGINAW  VALLEY 


Aboriginal  Tribes  in  Michigan — Advent  of  the  Ottawas  —  Their  Assimilation 
with  the  Chippewas  —  Habits  and  Customs  —  Mode  of  Life  —  Spirit  of  Revenge  — 
The  Sauks  and  Onottawas  —  Derivation  of  "Saginaw"  —  Battle  of  Skull  Island  — 
Extermination  of  the  Sauks  —  Chippewas  Fear  Revenge  —  Legend  of  the  Lone  Tree 
—  Retributive  Justice  of  the  Savage  —  Anecdotes  of   Chippewa   Chiefs  and   Braves. 

LIKE  all  the  vast  territory  of  the  Northwest,  the  land  now  embraced  in  the 
State  of  Michigan  was  once  in  possession  of  native  Indian  tribes, 
_^  which  very  properly  belonged  to  the  third  race  inhabiting  North 
America,  but  distinct  from  the  former  races  in  every  particular.  The 
primitive  language  which  was  most  widely  diffused,  and  the  most  fertile  in 
dialects,  was  known  to  the  French  by  the  name  of  Algonquin;  and  was  the 
mother  tongue  of  those  who  greeted  the  colonists  of  Raleigh  at  Roanoke,  and 
of  those  who  welcomed  the  Pilgrims  to  Plymouth.  It  was  heard  from  the 
Bay  of  Gaspe  to  the  valley  of  the  Des  Moines;  from  Cape  Fear  to  the  land 
of  the  Esquimaux,  and  was  spoken,  though  not  exclusively,  in  a  territory  that 
extended  through  sixty  degrees  of  longitude,  and  more  than  twenty  degrees 
i  if  latitude. 

Of  the  Algonquin  nations,  as  fugitives  from  the  basin  of  the  magnificent 
river  whose  name  commemorates  them,  were  the  Ottawas,  who  fled  to 
Saginaw  Bay  and  took  possession  of  the  whole  mirth  of  the  peninsula  as  "I 
a  derelict  country.  To  the  south  of  them  were  the  Miamis,  whose  principal 
mission  was  founded  by  Allouez  on  the  banks  of  the  St.  Joseph.  They  were 
more  stable  than  the  Shawnees  in  the  valley  of  the  Cumberland,  wdio  con- 
nected the  southeastern  Algonquins  with  the  west:  and  their  traditions 
preserve  the  memory  of  their  ancient  limits.  "My  forefather,"  said  the 
Miami  orator.  Little  Turtle,  at  Greenville,  "kindled  the  first  fire  at  Detroit: 
from  there  he  extended  his  lines  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Scioto;  from 
thence  to  its  mouth  and  down  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth  of  the  Wabash;  and 
from  thence  to  Lake  Michigan.  These  are  the  boundaries  within  which  the 
prints  of  my  ancestors'  houses  are  everywhere  to  be  seen."  And  the  narra- 
tives of  the  French  explorers  confirm  his  words. 

The  forests  beyond  Detroit  were  at  first  found  unoccupied,  or,  it  may  be, 
roamed  over  by  bands  too  feeble  to  attract  a  trader  or  win  a  missionary. 
Between  the  lakes  the  Ottawas  found  a  dense  forest  wilderness  extending 
to  the  straits,  abounding  with  game  and  with  lakes  and  rivers  teeming  with 
fish.  Beyond  to  the  west  and  south  of  Lake  Superior  was  the  great  nation 
of  the  Chippewas,  or,  as  some  wrote,  the  Ojibwas,  the  Algonquin  tribes  of 
whose  dialect,  mythology,  traditions,  and  customs  we  have  the  fullest 
accounts.  They  held  the  country  from  the  mouth  of  Green  Bay  to  the  head 
waters  of  Lake  Superior;  and  adopted  into  their  tribes  many  Ottawas,  and 
were  themselves  often  included  by  the  early  French  writers  under  that  name. 
Thus  the  two  nations,  by  association  and  alliance,  gradually  -became 
assimilated,  and  occupied  the  same  territorv  along  the  upper  lakes.  As 
generations  passecl  and  they  multiplied  in  numbers  and  in  power,  the 
Chippewa  tribes  predominated  and  history  attached  their  name  to  the  united 
nation.     Two  hundred  years  after,  indeed,  in  our  State  papers  the  parties  to 


22  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


various  treaties  are  spoken  of  as  the  United  States  on  one  side,  and  the 
Chippewas  on  the  other,  although  there  appear  among  the  signatures  the 
names  of  chiefs  and  headsmen  who  were  of  Ottawa  descent. 

In  their  natural  environment  the  savages  were  proud  of  idleness,  and 
did  little  but  cross  their  arms  and  sit  listlessly  ;  or  engage  in  games  of  chance, 
hazarding  all  their  possessions  on  the  result;  or  meet  in  council;  or  sing; 
and  eat,  play,  and  sleep.  Their  greatest  toils  were  to  repair  their  cabins, 
fashion  a  boat  out  of  a  tree  by  means  of  lire  and  a  stone  hatchet,  and  make 
ready  the  instruments  of  war  and  of  the  chase.  Woman  was  the  laborer  and 
bore  the  burdens  of  life.  The  food  raised  from  the  earth  was  the  fruit  of  her 
industry.  With  no  implement  but  a  shell  or  the  shoulder-blade  of  a  buffalo, 
she  planted  the  corn  and  beans,  drove  the  blackbirds  from  the  held,  broke 
the  weeds,  and,  in  due  time,  gathered  the  harvest.  She  pounded  the  parched 
corn,  dried  the  buffalo  meat,  and  prepared  for  winter  the  store  of  wild  fruits. 
She  brought  home  the  game  which  the  warriors  killed,  she  bore  the  wood, 
drew  the  water,  and  spread  the  feasts.  When  the  chief  laid  the  keel  of  a 
birchen  canoe,  it  was  the  woman  who  stitched  the  bark  with  split  ligaments 
of  the  pine  root,  and  seared  the  seams  with  resinous  gum.  When  the  warrior 
prepared  the  poles  of  the  wigwam,  it  was  the  woman  who  built  it,  and  in 
journeyings  bore  it  on  her  shoulders.  The  Indian  squaw  was  his  slave,  and 
the  number  of  his  slaves  was  a  criterion  of  his  wealth. 

The  aborigines  depended  for  food  on  the  chase,  the  fisheries,  and  agri- 
culture. They  kept  no  herds  ;  and  never  were  shepherds.  The  moose,  the 
bear,  the  deer,  besides  smaller  game  and  fowl,  were  pursued  with  arrows 
tipped  with  harts-horn,  or  eagle's  claws,  or  pointed  stones.  With  nets  anil 
spears  fish  were  taken,  and  for  want  of  salt  were  cured  by  smoke.  Wild 
fruits  and  berries  in  abundance  were  found  in  their  season,  and  girls  with 
baskets  of  bark  gathered  the  fragrant  fruit  of  the  wild  strawberry.  Wheat 
and  rye  would  have  been  a  useless  gift  to  the  Indian,  since  he  had  neither 
plow  i  .r  sickle;  but  the  maize  sprang  luxuriously  from  a  warm,  rich  soil 
with  little  aid  from  culture,  oustripping  the  weeds  and  bearing,  not  thirty  or 
fifty,  but  a  thousand  fold.  Maize  was  gathered  from  the  field  by  hand,  with- 
out knife  or  reaping  tools,  and  when  dried  could  lie  preserved  for  years.  It 
became  nutritious  food  by  a  simple  roasting  before  a  fire,  and  a  little  of  its 
parched  meal,  with  water  from  the  brook,  was  often  a  dinner  and  supper. 
With  a  small  supply  of  it  in  his  leathern  girdle,  the  warrior,  with  his  bow 
ami  arrows,  was  ready  for  travel  at  a  moment's  warning. 

Famine  often  gave  a  terrible  energy  to  the  brutal  part  of  their  nature. 
What  could  have  been  more  miserable  than  the  tribes  of  the  north  in  the 
depths  of  winter,  suffering  from  want  of  food,  driven  by  the  intense  cold  to 
sit   huddled  in  the  smoke  around  the   fire  in  the  cabin,  and  to  fast  for  days, 

until,  compelled  by  faintness  to  reel  into  the  w Is  and  gather  moss  or  bark 

tor  a  thin  concoction  to  relieve  the  extremity  of  hunger?  Want  stiffled  their 
affections,  with  the  result  that  the  aged  and  infirm  met  with  scant  tenderness; 
and  the  hunters,  as  they  roamed  the  wilderness,  often  deserted  the  old 
warriors  to  their  fate.  If  provisions  failed,  the  feeble  dropped  down  by  the 
trail  and  were  lost,  or  life  was  shortened  by  a  blow.  The  fate  of  the  desper- 
ately ill.  and  those  wounded  in  battle  and  the  chase,  was  equally  sad:  and 
those  who  lingered,  especially  the  aged,  were  often  neglected,  and  sometimes, 
with  the  compassion  of  the  savage,  were  put  to  death. 

The  clothing  of  the  natives  was,  in  summer,  only  a  piece  of  skin,  like  an 
apron,  tied  around  the  waist,  but  in  winter  they  resorted  to  the  protection  of 
a  bear-skin,  or  robes  made  of  skins  of  the  fox  and  the  beaver.  Their  feet 
were  protected  by  soft  mocassins,  to  which  were  bound  snow-shoes,  on 
which   they  could  leap  like  a  roe.      Of  the  women,  a  mat  or  a   skin,   neatly 


THE    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW    VALLEY  23 

prepared,  tied  over  the  shoulders,  and  fastened  to  the  waist  by  a  girdle, 
extended  from  the  neck  to  the  knees,  leaving  the  head,  arms,  and  legs 
uncovered.  Their  summer  garments,  of  moose  and  deer  skins,  were  painted 
of  many  colors;  and  the  fairest  feathers  of  the  turkey,  fastened  by  threads 
made  of  wild  hemp  and  nettle,  were  curiously  wrought  into  mantles.  The 
claws  of  the  grizzly  bear  formed  a  proud  collar  for  the  war  chief;  a  piece 
of  an  enemy's  scalp,  with  a  tuft  of  long  hair,  glittered  on  the  end  of  his  war 
pipes.  The  skin  of  a  rattlesnake  worn  round  the  arm,  and  the  skin  of  a 
polecat  bound  round  the  leg,  were  emblems  of  noble  daring.  The  warrior 
was  also  tatooed  with  figures  of  animals,  of  leaves  and  flowers,  and  painted 
with  lively  and  shining  colors.  His  dress  was  often  a  history  of  his  deeds. 
The  wild  man  hated  restraint,  and  loved  to  do  what  was  right  in  his 
own  eyes;  and,  since  he  was  his  own  protector,  and  as  there  was  no  public 
justice,  every  man  became  his  own  avenger.  In  case  of  death  by  violence, 
the  departed  shade  could  not  rest  until  appeased  by  a  retaliation.  His  kindred 
would  go  a  thousand  miles  for  the  purpose  of  revenge,  over  hills  and  moun- 
tains; through  swamps  full  of  vines  and  briars,  over  broad  lakes,  rapid  rivers, 
and  deep  creeks,  and  all  the  way  endangered  by  poisonous  snakes,  exposed 
to  the  extremities  of  heat  and  cold,  to  hunger  and  thirst.  Blood  once  being 
shed,  mortal  strife  often  involved  tribe  against  tribe,  which  continued  for 
generations,  unless  peace  was  restored  by  atoning  presents  in  sufficient 
measure  to  cover  up  the  graves  of  the  dead. 

The  Sauks  and  Onottawas 

Such  were  the  nature  and  general  characteristics  of  the  Algonquins,  and 
of  those  tribes  which  inhabited  the  basin  of  the  Saginaw,  three  hundred 
years  ago.  Of  the  earliest  tribes  which  tradition  takes  into  account,  the 
Sauks  and  Onottawas  occupied  the  beautiful  country  from  the  bay  to  the 
upper  tributaries  of  the  river.  Along  the  Saginaw  the  Sauks  made  their 
homes,  built  their  camp  fires,  held  their  councils  and  smoked  the  calumet. 
They  roamed  the  forests  which  abounded  with  game,  they  paddled  their 
light  bark  canoes  on  its  clear,  smooth  waters,  and  they  fished  the  quiet  pools. 
Their  largest  village  was  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers  which  formed  the 
main  stream,  or  Green  Point  as  the  place  has  been  known  for  years;  and 
there  was  a  smaller  village  on  the  bluffs  of  the  Tittabawassee,  above  the 
present  settlement  at  Paines.  On  a  gentle  rise  of  ground  along  the  Saginaw, 
six  miles  from  its  mouth,  they  had  another  large  village  in  which  were 
enacted  some  of  the  most  stirring  scenes  in  their  traditional  history. 

The  Sauks  were,  indeed,  so  imperishably  identified  with  our  early  history, 
traditional  though  it  is,  that  their  name  has  became  indissolubly  linked  with 
our  own.  From  their  dialect  the  name  Saginaw  is  unquestionably  derived. 
It  is  a  perversion  of  "Sa-gin-a-we,  Sa-gin-a-gi,  or  Saug-e-nah,"  which  freely 
translated  means,  "land,  or  place,  of  the  Sauks."  According  to  tradition  the 
total  number  of  Sauks  living  in  this  valley,  at  the  beginning  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  was  about  sixteen  hundred,  a  considerable  population  for 
a  small  section. 

Along  the  Cass  and  Flint  rivers  to  their  head  waters  roamed  the 
Onottawas,  whose  warriors  found  the  forest  wilderness  a  delightful  hunting 
ground.  The  woods  were  full  of  game,  the  streams  teemed  with  fish,  while 
wild  fowl  filled  the  marshy  ground  or  flew  high  in  the  trees.  Their  principal 
village  on  the  Cass  was  at  the  Great  Bend,  near  the  present  town  of  Bridge- 
port, and  their  camp  fires  lined  the  stream  to  and  beyond  Tuscola.  On  the 
Flint  their  families,  though  more  scattered,  were  especially  numerous,  and 
they  spread  over  a  long  stretch  of  river  country.     Their  largest  village  was 


•24  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


situated  cm  the  bluffs  —  about  thirty  miles  above  its  mouth,  and  within  the 
present  City  of  Flint  —  a  spot  which  was  the  scene  of  mortal  strife  in 
Indian  history. 

The  Chippewas  Wage  Savage  Warfare 

But  these  friendly  tribes,  upon  whom  the  Great  Spirit  had  bestowed  a 
hunting  ground  so  plentifully  supplied  with  all  the  needs  and  desires  of 
their  savage  life,  were  not  destined  to  occupy  unmollested  this  favored 
country.  Far  t<i  the  north  the  warlike  Chippewas  had  heard  of  the  Sauks 
and  Onottawas  —  of  the  beautiful  country  and  rich  hunting  grounds  they 
possessed,  and  they  longed  to  gain  them  by  conquest.  The  spies  and  scouts 
sent  out  by  them  returned  with  glowing  accounts  of  the  beautiful  riyers  and 
valleys,  the  abundance  of  fish  and  game  found  there,  and  told  of  the  unpro- 
tected and  unguarded  state  of  the  occupants.  They  therefore  called  a  council 
of  their  tribes  and  allies,  to  be  held  on  an  island  in  the  straits  which  connect 
the  lake  of  the  Hurons  and  the  lake  of  the  Illinois  I  Lake  Michigan).  At  the 
appointed  time  the  warriors  from  the  Hurons  on  the  east,  the  Potawatomies 
on  the  south,  and  the  Menomonies  on  the  west  gathered  at  that  place,  and 
with  solemn  deliberation  decided  to  wage  relentless  warfare  on  their 
weaker  neighbors  toward  the  south.  Accordingly,  a  savage  conflict  was  soon 
begun  which  resulted  in  the  annihilation  of  the  Sauks  and  their  allies. 

The  traditional  accounts  of  the  predatory  incursions  of  the  Chippewas, 
as  handed  down  from  generation  to  generation  of  their  chiefs,  was  preserved 
by  an  early  settler  who  came  to  this  valley  in  boyhood.  In  later  years,  as  a 
furtrader,  his  associations  were  chiefly  with  the  Chippewas,  whose  language 
became  almost  as  familiar  to  him  as  his  own.  He  relates  that  there  were 
several  very  old  Indians  living  near  the  bay,  and  in  1834  he  sought  out  and 
questioned  one  of  them,  named  Putt-a-guas-a-mine,  who,  though  reputed  to 
be  more  than  a  hundred  years  old,  still  retained  his  mental  faculties.  He 
declared  that  the  unwritten  narrative  of  his  tribe  had  been  told  and  often 
repeated  by  his  grandfather,  who  lived  to  a  very  old  age,  and  who  had 
received  it  from  his  grandfather,  in  order  that  the  principal  events  in  their 
history  might  not  be  lost. 

When  asked  for  these  traditions  of  his  race,  the  old  Indian  said  that  the 
Sauks  occupied  the  whole  territory  of  the  Saginaw  and  its  tributaries,  ex- 
tending from  the  Au  Sable  River  on  the  north  to  the  head  waters  of  the 
Shiawassee,  on  the  south.  Their  main  village  stood  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
Saginaw  not  far  from  its  mouth,  from  which  they  frequently  sallied  forth  in 
warlike  incursions  on  the  Chippewas  about  Thunder  Kay.  They  were  also 
unfriendly  to  the  Potawatomies.  who  occupied  the  country  southwest  of 
them  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake  Michigan. 

When  the  council  of  the  Chippewas  and  their  allies  ended  they  fitted  out 
a  large  band  of  warriors,  which  soon  started  in  birch  bark  canoes  lor  the 
main  land.  They  came  down  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Huron,  and.  in  order 
to  mask  their  movements,  they  stole  along  the  shore  of  Saginaw  Bay  at 
night,  and  lay  concealed  in  the  bushes  on  shore  during  the  day.  At  length 
they  arrived  at  a  point  about  ten  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river  which 
they  called  "Pet-obe-gong,"  where  a  portion  of  their  band  landed,  while  the 
remainder  crossed  the  bay  under  cover  of  darkness,  and  landed  on  the  cast 
shore.  In  the  morning,  before  it  was  yet  day,  both  bands  crept  stealthily 
along  the  banks  of  the  river,  one  on  each  side,  to  attack  and  cut  off  the 
retreat  of  their   enemy. 

While  these  hostile  movements  were  taking  place,  a  great  festival  was 
being  held  by  the  Sauks  in  honor  of  the  young  chief  "Raven  Eye,"  who  had 
that  day  been  advanced  for  some  daring  feat  of  the  chase.     A  large  number 


THE    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW    VALLEY  25 

of  warriors  from  the  various  villages  and  camps  of  the  tribe  were  present, 
and  also  a  few  young  Onottawa  braves  who  had  been  invited  to  participate 
in  the  festivities.  The  day  was  a  most  delightful  one  in  early  autumn.  The 
old  chiefs  threw  aside  their  usual  gravity,  the  young  braves  their  fierceness, 
and  all  mingled  together  in  gaiety,  song  and  dance.  The  dark-eyed  Mimi 
was  there,  the  chieftain's  daughter,  to  whom  it  was  said  Raven  Eye  was 
bethrothed,  one  whom  many  a  young  warrior  would  have  suffered  torture, 
to  have  won  from  her  even  the  tribute  of  a  smile. 

Evening  came  on,  soft,  still  ami  delightful.  The  full,  harvest  moon 
arose  in  splendor,  and  cast  its  mellow  light  over  the  happy  scene;  and  the 
dim,  wild  wood  around  resounded  with  notes  of  merriment.  It  was  late 
when  the  festival  ended,  and  all  of  the  gay  throng,  wearied  with  pleasure, 
sunk  into  peaceful,  quiet  slumber.  The  night  wind  sighed  through  the  dark 
pines  in  mournful  cadence,  the  guardian  spirit  of  the  savage  hovered  over 
the  sleepers,  with  its  low  death  chant,  yet  its  warning  notes  were  unheard: 
the  sleeper^  slept  on.  Suddenly  a  wild,  unearthly  yell  broke  fearfully  upon 
the  still  night,  and  awakened  a  thousand  echoes.  Aroused  by  it.  the  Sauks 
sprang  to  their  feet,  bewildered  and  dismayed,  and  were  met  by  the  fierce 
Chippewas,  who  commenced  an  indiscriminate  slaughter.  Some  were  toma- 
hawked—  women  and  children,  and  aged  warriors  too  feeble  to  raise  an 
arm  in  defense,  not  being  spared — while  some  leaped  into  the  river  and 
were  drowned.  Others,  more  agile  and  fleet  of  foot,  escaped  and  took  their 
families,  or  wdiat  remained  of  them,  across  the  river.  On  some  high  ground 
(at  Portsmouth)  they  attempted  to  fortify  themselves,  believing  that  the 
enemy  would  follow   up  their  conquest. 

Battle   of  Skull   Island 

The  whole  valley  of  the  Saginaw  was  now  in  a  state  of  wild  commotion 
and  fear,  as  it  was  known  that  the  Chippewas  had  commenced  a  bloody  war 
of  extermination.  Their  band  that  had  crept  up  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
seeing  the  defenseless  condition  of  the  Sauks,  soon  came  up,  and  a  fearful 
and  desperate  battle  took  place.  Human  bones  of  those  killed  in  the  fight 
may  still  be  found  in  this  hill.  The  Sauks  were  again  defeated  at  this  place, 
but  the  remnants  of  their  once  happy  and  contented  band  recrossed  the  river 
at  night,  and  retreated  to  an  island  near  the  mouth  of  a  small  stream,  which 
was  afterward  named  Cheboyganing  Creek.  Although  the  land  was  low 
and  marshy  they  here  felt  secure  from  attack,  as  their  enemies  had  no  canoes 
in  the  river;  and  they  proceeded  to  fortify  themselves.  But  soon  after  the 
river  froze  over  with  ice  thick  enough  for  the  allies  to  cross,  which  they 
did  in  overwhelming  numbers,  and  another  massacre  ensued.  In  the  end 
the  Sauks  on  the  lower  river  were  practically  exterminated,  only  twelve 
squaws  being  spared.  On  account  of  the  great  quantity  of  skulls  and  bones 
found  there  in  later  years,  the  place  was  called   Skull   Island. 

The  Chippewas  and  their  allies  then  proceeded  up  the  river  to  its  head, 
where  they  divided  their  band,  some  warriors  going  up  the  Cass,  some  up 
the  Flint,  while  others  went  up  the  Tittabawassee  and  Shiawassee  and  their 
tributaries.  All  the  straggling  bands  of  their  enemies  were  located  and 
every  member  of  them  put  to  death,  leaving  none  to  contend  with  them  as 
to  the  possession  of  this  hunting  ground.  The  fiercest  battle  probably  was 
fought  on  the  bluffs  of  the  Flint,  at  the  village  of  the  Sauks,  in  the  present 
City  of  Flint,  in  which,  tradition  says,  a  reinforcement  of  their  allies  came 
from  the  vicinity  of  Detroit  and  met  them.  Mounds  filled  with  bones 
scattered  indiscriminately,  indicating  that  the  bodies  had  been  buried 
hurriedly  after  a  battle,  can  be  located  at  this  place  even  to  this  day.  The 
waring   Indians   then  came  down   the    Flint  and   fought   another  battle  on   a 


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THE    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW    VALLEY  27 


bluff  one  mile  above  the  present  town  of  Flushing,  where  mounds  filled  with 
bones  still  exist ;  and  soon  after  exterminated  a  small  remnant  of  the  Sauks 
at  a  point  sixteen  miles  below,  where  fifty  years  ago  the  farm  of  James 
McCormick  was  located. 

On  the  Cass  River  the  allies  came  upon  the  principal  village  of  the 
Sauks  at  the  Great  Bend,  near  Bridgeport,  the  inhabitants  of  which  they 
captured  and  put  to  death.  A  small  ridge,  or  earthwork,  supposed  to  have 
been  their  rude  fortification,  was  plainly  to  be  seen  here  as  late  as  1830.  The 
next  important  battle  was  fought  on  the  Tittabawassee  on  ground  just  below 
the  farm  on  which  James  Frazer  settled  when  he  came  to  the  valley  as  one 
of  its  early  pioneers. 

Having  completed  their  bl ly  work  of  conquest,  with  the  extermination 

of  the  Sauks,  excepting  the  twelve  squaws  spared  from  the  massacre  on  the 
lower  river,  a  council  of  the  allies  was  held  to  determine  the  fate  of  the 
survivors.  Some  of  the  warrior  chiefs  were  bent  on  torturing  them  to 
death,  others  wanted  to  spare  their  lives  and  set  them  free  to  go  wherever 
they  pleased,  while  still  others  advised  sending  them  far  away  beyond  the 
"Great  River."  At  last  it  was  decided  to  place  them  among  the  Sioux  ;  and 
a  compact  was  made  with  that  warlike  nation  that  the  tribes  should  not 
molest  them,  but  offer  them  protection,  an  agreement  which,  according  to 
tradition,  was  faithfully  kept. 

Having  assured  themselves  that  they  were  indeed  sole  masters  of  the 
beautiful  valley  of  the  Saginaw,  the  Chippewas  set  about  making  prepara- 
tions for  a  permanent  stay  there,  at  least  as  far  as  their  disposition  would 
admit.  Their  lodges  soon  rose  from  the  ruins  of  the  Sauk  and  Onottawa 
villages,  and  maize  waved  over  the  graves  of  the  disinherited  possessors  of 
the  soil.  The  Chippewa  hunter  pursued  the  wild  wolf  and  deer  through 
the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Sauks  without  fear  of  interruption,  and  made 
his  camp  beneath  the  very  trees  where  they  had  often  reveled,  or  met  in 
council.  Many  Indians  who  came  to  this  valley,  however,  never  returned 
to  their  tribes,  nor  were  they  ever  after  heard  of,  occurrences  which  filled 
their  relations  with  deep  dread  and  fear.  At  length  it  became  a  firmly  fixed 
belief  among  them  that  the  spirits  of  the  dead  Sauks  still  haunted  their 
favorite  hunting  grounds,  and  took  the  lives  of  their  enemies.  It  may  have 
been  that  a  few  Sauks  escaped  the  massacres,  and  still  lingered  around  the 
camps,  watching  for  straggling  hunters  and  killing  them  whenever  an 
opportunity  offered. 

Years  rolled  on  and  the  invaders  grew  in  strength  and  power,  and  in 
the  pride  of  their  hearts  boasted  of  their  conquests,  and  vainly  defied  the 
Great  Spirit.  For  a  long  time  the  Great  Spirit  bore  with  them;  but  a  day 
of  reckoning  was  hastening  on.  The  pale  faces  came,  bringing  with  them 
the  seeds  of  discontent  and  strife,  which  they  scattered  broadcast  through 
the  valley  of  the  Saginaw.  They  taught  the  Indians  to  quaff  the  deadly 
fire-water,  and  to  curse  and  yell  in  tolerable  English.  The  rich  hunting 
grounds,  which  their  forefathers  had  wrenched  so  fiercely  from  the  defense- 
less Sauks,  passed  from  their  hands;  and  villages  sprang  up  where  the 
Chippewas  had  often  tracked  the  bear  and  the  elk. 

Many  long  years  had  elapsed  since  their  ancestors  had  so  wrongfully 
taken  possession  of  the  favored  land,  and  sent  the  lonely  and  friendless 
squaws  far  away  among  strange  tribes.  The  Great  Spirit  had,  however, 
watched  over  them  and  directed  their  course  in  their  new  found  home 
toward  the  setting  sun. 


s 


28  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

A   Ghost  of  the  Sauks 

One  day  the  Chippewas  in  camp  at  the  head  of  the  Saginaw  were  sur- 
prised to  receive  a  visit  from  a  strange  Indian,  whose  dialect  and  dress 
differed  from  their  own.  By  signs  he  made  them  understand  that  he  came 
from  a  powerful  tribe  of  Sauks,  which  lived  many  miles  away  in  the  west, 
where  game  was  found  in  great  abundance,  and  in  whose  rivers  and  lakes 
all  kinds  of  fish  abounded,  lie  also  told  them  that  his  tribe  had  not  for- 
gotten the  great  wrong  that  his  ancestors  had  suffered  from  the  hands  of 
the  Chippewas,  and  that  they  burned  for  an  opportunity  to  avenge  the 
murdered  of  his  race.  He  had  come,  he  said,  to  tell  them  that,  although  his 
tribe  did  not  hope  to  reclaim  their  lost  hunting  ground,  in  an  hour  when 
their  enemies  least  expected  it,  the  avenging  warriors  would  be  upon  them. 
After  singing  a  wild,  exciting  song  in  his  own  tongue,  and  giving  a  fearful 
parting  whoop,  he  bounded  into  the  depth  of  the  forest  like  a  wild  deer,  and 
disappeared,   leaving  his  hearers  in  a   state  of  consternation  and  alarm. 

At  intervals,  since  this  event,  the  Chippewas  received  mysterious  visita- 
tions of  the  spirit  of  the  departed  Sauks.  Sometimes  during  sugar  making, 
they  would  lie  seized  with  a  sudden  panic,  and  leave  everything  —  their 
kettles  of  boiling  sap,  the  mokuks  of  sugar  standing  in  their  camp,  their 
ponies  tethered  in  the  woods,  and  flee  to  their  canoes  as  though  pursued  by 
their  ancient  enemy.  Not  unfrequently  opportunity  would  be  taken  of  the 
stampede,  bv  some  had  Indians  or  stragglers,  to  rob  the  poor  savages  of 
what  little  they  possessed.  This  led  to  the  firm  belief  among  them,  upon 
cautiously  returning  and  finding  their  camp  despoiled,  that  the  Great  Spirit 
was  visiting  the  sins  of  their  forefathers  upon  them. 

An  old  Indian  chief,  named  "Tong-do-gong,"  who  died  in  1X40,  told 
main-  times  of  having  killed  a  Sauk  while  hunting  when  a  hoy.  This  hap- 
pened probably  about  the  year  1785,  and  as  a  result  the  Indians  on  the 
Saginaw  to  within  fifty  years  ago  still  believed  that  there  was  a  Sauk  lurking 
in  the  vicinity  of  their  camps.  They  had  seen  the  place,  they  said,  where  he 
had  made  his  fires  and  slept.  For  days  at  a  time  they  would  keep  together 
in  bands,  and  not  leave  their  camp  to  hunt  because  they  believed  there  was 
a  Sauk  in  the  neighboring  woods,  for  some  one  of  their  band  had  seen  where 
he  had  slept.     Nothing  could  disillusion  them  of  this  fearsome  belief. 

Shop-en-a-gons'  Account 

<  Ither  old  Indians,  who  clearly  remembered  the  traditions  of  their  race, 
as  handed  down  from  their  grandfathers,  related  at  different  times  the  same 
story  of  the  extermination  of  the  Sauks,  varying  only  in  unimportant  details 
which  could  have  no  bearing  on  the  fact.  Later  old  chief  Shop-en-a-gons, 
who  was  so  well  known  to  some  of  our  citizens  of  today,  anil  who  passed  to 
his  happy  hunting  grounds  in  December,  1911,  told  substantially  the  same 
narrative.  In  his  account,  however,  as  related  in  his  ninetieth  year,  his  tribe, 
which  occupied  the  country  north  of  the  An  Sable  River,  had  suffered 
grievous  wrongs  from  straggling  bands  of  the  Sauks.  Their  camps  had 
been  pillaged  during  their  absence  on  the  hunt,  and  their  women  and  children 
had  been  abused.  These  crimes  they  had  borne  patiently  for  several  years, 
when,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  whole  Chippewa  nation,  they  gladly  joined  in 
the  savage  warfare.  The  band  to  which  his  tribe  belonged,  he  said,  crossed 
the  Alt  Sable  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Tittabawassee,  which  they  followed 
to  the  various  camps  of  the  enemy,  slaying  them  at  every  hand.  On  the 
bluff's  of  the  river  (at  Raines)  near  its  mouth,  they  fought  a  fierce  battle  in 
which    the    Sauks    were   all    killed    and    their   camp    laid    waste.      The)-    then 


THE    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW    VALLEY  29 

joined  another  band  in  their  incursions  up  the  Flint  River,  and  participated 
in  further  battles  on  that  stream.  The  memory  of  this  old  and  friendly  chief 
was  generally  very  clear  regarding  the  unwritten  history  of  his  race,  but.  like 
other  merely  traditional  history,  should  be  taken  as  probable  rather  than  as 
actual  facts. 

Legend  of  the   Lone  Tree 

Among  the  interesting  legends  told  by  Indian  chiefs  of  the  Saginaws, 
is  one  concerning  a  lone  tree  which  once  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
above  Portsmouth.  Alone  and  isolated  on  the  broad  prairie,  it  stood  majestic 
in  its  loneliness;  and  a  spirit  of  romance  lingered  about  it  —  a  whisper  of 
past  mysteries  breathed  through  its  spreading  branches.  A  peculiar  interest 
was  imparted  to  it  from  its  having  been  for  years  the  abode  of  a  white  owl. 
whose  dismal  screeches  fell  mournfully  on  the  night. 

The  Indians  had  a  great  reverence  for  this  tree,  and  believed  that  its 
occupant  was  a  spirit-bird,  or  guardian  spirit,  of  a  dead  warrior.  The  spirit- 
bird,  they  said,  sometimes  personifies  a  dove,  sometimes  an  eagle,  or  other 
species  according  to  the  disposition  of  the  deceased.  A  fearless,  ambitious, 
and  untamed  warrior's  spirit-bird  is  an  eagle;  a  blood-thirsty  chieftain's 
spirit-bird  is  a  hawk,  while  the  friends  of  a  gentle  maiden  who  lias  passed 
to  the  spirit  land,  know  that  she  is  hovering  near  them  when  they  hear  the 
cooing  notes  of  a  turtle  dove  at  morn  or  at  ewe. 

Many  years  ago,  before  the  coming  of  the  white  man  to  this  hunting 
ground,  so  the  legend  runs,  Ke-wah-ke-won,  a  noble  chieftain  of  the  Chip- 
pewas.  ruled  his  people  with  love  and  kindness.  He  was  a  patriarch  among 
them,  and  greatly  beloved  for  his  gentleness,  forebearance,  and  the  mildness 
of  his  rule.  He  had  been  a  great  warrior  in  his  day,  but  his  youth  had 
departed,  and  the  languid  pulse  and  feeble  footstep  told,  only  too  plainly, 
that  he  would  soon  pass  to  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Great  Spirit.  The 
good  old  chieftain  felt  that  he  was  about  to  die.  and  was  desirous  of  once 
more  seeing  his  tribes  in  council,  and  of  bestowing  upon  them  his  last  bless- 
ing. Around  him  quickly  gathered,  in  mournful  silence,  all  of  his  beloved 
people,  eager  to  catch  the  last  words  of  admonition  from  the  lips  of  their 
dying  chief — forming  a  melancholy  death  scene  in  the  wilderness.  At 
length  the  old  man  spoke,  while  the  fire  of  his  youth  seemed  rekindled  in  his 
dim  eve.  and  his  voice,  though  weak,  was  calm  and  clear. 

"My  children,"  said  he,  "the  Great  Spirit  has  called  me,  and  I  must  obej 
the  summons.  Already  is  the  tomahawk  raised  to  sever  the  last  cord  that 
binds  me  to  my  children;  already  my  guide  stands  at  the  door  to  convey  me 
to  the  hunting  grounds  of  my  fathers  in  the  spirit  land.  You  weep,  my 
children,  but  dry  your  tears,  for  though  1  leave  you  now,  yet  will  my  spirit- 
bird  ever  watch  over  you.  I  will  whisper  to  you  in  the  evening  breeze,  ami 
when  the  morning  comes  you  will  know  that  I  have  been  with  you  through 
the  night.  Rut  the  Great  Spirit  beckons  me.  and  I  must  hasten.  Let  my 
body  be  laid  in  a  quiet  spot  in  the  prairie,  with  my  tomahawk  and  pipe  by  ray 
side.  You  need  not  fear  that  the  wolf  will  disturb  my  rest,  for  the  Great 
Spirit.  I  feel,  will  place  a  watch  over  me.  Meet  me  in  the  spirit  land,  my 
children  —  Farewell." 

They  buried  him  in  a  lonely  spot  in  the  wide  plain,  near  the  beautiful 
river,  with  his  face  toward  the  rising  sun;  and  was  newer  disturbed  by  bird 
or  beast,  for  so  the  Great  Spirit  had  ordered  it.  Time  passed  on  and  a  tree 
arose  from  his  grave  and  spread  its  branches  over  it.  as  if  for  protection, 
while  the  great  white  owl  —  the  spirit-bird  sent  to  watch  over  it  —  came  and 


30  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

took  possession.  Though  the  tree  has  long  since  fallen  before  the  woodman's 
axe,  yet  the  spot  upon  which  it  stood  has  often  been  pointed  out,  and  where 
sleeps  Ke-wah-ke-won,  the  beloved  chieftain  of  his  race. 

Nay-o-kee-man  and  Pau-pem-is-kobe 

Long  years  ago  on  the  banks  of  the  Flint,  fifty  miles  from  Saginaw, 
there  could  be  seen  a  small  mound  under  the  branches  of  a  large  oak.  A 
Chippewa  hunter,  named  Pet-e-bon-a-qua,  in  passing  there  one  day  stopped 
to  rest,  and  upon  being  questioned  about  it  said  that,  before  the  pale  faces 
invaded  his  country,  two  braves  had  engaged  in  mortal  combat  upon  that 
spot,  and  that  one  brave  warrior  slept  beneath  the  mound.  One  of  these, 
named  Pau-pem-is-kobe,  was  the  favored  suitor  of  the  beautiful  daughter  of 
a  mighty  brave,  and  this  had  enraged  the  fierce  Nay-o-kee-man,  who  was  also 
enamored  of  the  dusky-eyed  maiden. 

One  day  the  two  young  warriors  came  together  in  the  forest,  and  words 
of  anger  passed  between  them.  Nay-o-kee-man  nursed  his  wrath  and  some 
time  later  while  hunting  he  saw  his  hated  rival  in  the  woods.  Secreting 
himself  he  laid  in  wait.  As  Pau-pem-is-kobe  passed  in  the  narrow  trail,  the 
whizzing  of  a  tomahawk  warned  him  of  an  unseen  foe.  With  characteristic 
agility  he  sprang  for  cover,  but  so  true  was  the  aim  of  the  skillful  Nay-o- 
kee-man  that  he  received  a  slight  scalp  wound.  For  some  time  there  was  the 
usual  dodging  and  feinting,  each  trying  to  get  the  advantage  of  the  other. 

At  length  the  assailant  exposed  his  person  unguardedly  for  an  instant, 
when  an  arrow  from  the  stout  bow  of  Pau-pem-is-kobe  struck  him  in  the 
neck.  Seeing  that  his  foe  was  partially  disabled,  Pau-pem-is-kobe  then 
rushed  out  to  finish  him  ;  but  the  latter  was  still  in  fighting  trim.  As  the 
two  braves  closed  both  drew  their  long  hunting  knives,  and  a  death  to  death 
struggle  ensued.  Nay-o-kee-man  was  the  more  powerful  of  the  two,  and, 
though  badly  wounded,  he  finally  succeeded  in  thrusting  his  knife  into  the 
vitals  of  his  antagonist,  thus  sending  him  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds. 
The  victor,  fearing  the  wrath  of  his  tribe,  fled  to  another  part  of  the  territory, 
while  the  spirit  of  the  dead  Pau-pem-is-kobe  haunted  the  spot  where  his  life 
went  out. 

Retributive  Justice  of  the   Savage 

In  one  of  the  revels  at  the  camp  of  the  Chippewas  on  the  Saginaw,  an 
Indian  who  had  quaffed  too  freely  of  the  white  man's  "fire-water,"  killed  his 
squaw,  and  in  order  to  conceal  the  crime  threw  her  body  into  the  lire.  After- 
ward recovering  from  his  drunken  stupor,  he  realized  that  the  signs  of  his 
guilt  were  still  present,  so  he  fled  and  took  refuge  in  the  camp  of  the  Ottawas 
near  by.  The  charred  remains  of  the  poor  squaw  were  discovered  soon  after, 
the  absence  of  the  Indian  noticed,  and  the  cry  for  revenge  was  raised.  The 
avengers  pursued  the  culprit  to  the  campfire  of  their  neighbors,  and  in  solemn 
council  doomed  him  to  the  death  which  in  the  stern  old  Indian  code  was 
reserved  for  those  who  shed  the  blood  of  their  kin.  It  was  a  slow  torturing, 
cruel  death.  Placing  a  hatchet  in  the  victim's  hand,  they  led  him  to  a  large 
log  that  was  partially  hollow  and  forced  him  to  dig  it  out  still  more  so  as  to 
admit  his  body.     This  done  he  was  taken  back  and  tied  to  a  tree. 

While  the  executioners  smoked,  and  drank  fire-water,  evening  came  on. 
and  they  kindled  fires  about  him.  Then  commenced  the  orgies  peculiar  to 
the  savage  on  such  occasions.  They  danced  and  sang  in  their  wild,  exciting 
manner,  chanting  the  dirge  of  the  recreant  brave.  The  arrow'  was  fitted  to 
the  ready  bow-string,  and  often,  with  its  shrill  twang,  it  was  sent  into  his 
quivering  flesh;  and  to  heighten  his  misery  his  nose  and  ears  were  cut  off. 
The  night  passed  in  this  fiendish  manner,  the  victim  still  bound  to  the  tree. 


THE    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW     VALLEY  31 

bearing  his  punishment  with  a  stoicism  which  nothing  mortal  could  shake. 
Seven  long  and  weary  hours  after  did  he  stand  there,  enduring  the  most 
cruel  torture,  before  his  proud  head  dropped  upon  his  breast,  and  his  spirit 
passed  to  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

Then  they  took  the  mutilated  body,  wrapped  it  in  a  clean  blanket,  and 
placed  it  in  the  log  coffin  the  victim  had  helped  to  hollow.  His  hunting 
knife  was  placed  by  his  side  that  he  might  have  some  means  of  defense,  his 
bottle  of  "fire-water"'  and  his  pipe  and  tobacco  that  he  might  find  cheer  on 
his  long  journey.  The  cover  was  then  put  on,  stakes  were  driven  on  each 
side  of  the  log,  and  the  space  filled  with  earth  and  brush.  The  murdered 
squaw  was  avenged  by  this  stern  act  of  retributive  justice,  and  quiet  reigned 
over  the  forest  once  mure. 

O-ke-mos 

"Old"  O-ke-mos,  a  nephew  of  Pontiac  and  once  the  chief  of  the  Chip- 
pewas,  was  born  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Shiawassee,  at  a  date  unknown. 
The  earliest  account  of  him  is  that  he  took  the  warpath  in  1796;  and  he  was 
active  in  the  battle  of  Sandusky,  in  1803,  which  gave  him  his  chieftainship 
and  caused  him  to  be  revered  by  his  tribe.  Afterward  he  settled  with  his 
people  on  the  banks  of  the  Shiawassee,  near  the  place  of  his  birth,  where  for 
many  years  he  engaged  in  hunting,  fishing,  and  trading  with  tine  white  men. 
In  1837,  when  small-pox  broke  out  in  his  tribe,  their  families  became  scattered, 
and  the  sound  of  the  tom-tom  at  council  fires  and  village  feasts,  were  heard 
no  more  along  the  pleasant  river. 

O-ke-mos  then  became  a  mendicant,  and  many  a  hearty  meal  did  he 
receive  from  his  friends  among  the  whites.  He  was  only  five  feet  four  inches 
in  height,  but  was  lithe,  wiry,  and  active,  with  the  usual  amount  of  Indian 
intelligence,  and  possessed  bravery ;  but  in  conversation  he  hesitated  and 
mumbled  his  words.  Before  the  breaking  up  of  his  tribe  his  dress  consisted 
of  a  blanket  coat,  with  belt,  steel  pipe,  hatchet,  tomahawk,  and  a  heavy,  long. 
English  hunting  knife,  witli  a  large  bone  handle,  stuck  in  the  front  of  his 
belt.  He  painted  his  cheeks  and  forehead  with  vermillion,  wore  a  shawl 
around  his  head  in  turban   fashion,  and  covered  his  legs  with  leggings. 

He  died  in  his  wigwam  near  Lansing,  and  was  buried  December  5,  1858, 
at  Shimnicon,  an  Indian  village  in  Ionia  County.  Though  his  coffin  was 
roughly  fashioned,  in  it  were  placed  his  pipe  and  tobacco,  hunting  knife,  and 
bird's  wings,  in  accordance  with  the  Indian  traditions. 

Nau-qua-chic-a-ming 
Nau-qua-chic-a-ming,  who  was  well  and  favorably  known  to  all  the  early 
white  settlers  of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  was  made  one  of  the  chiefs  of  his  tribe 
upon  the  death  of  his  father,  and  was  then  constituted  head  chief  of  the 
Chippewas.  His  honesty  and  friendship  to  his  white  neighbors  was  proven 
in  numerous  instances;  yet  he  often  declared  that  the  vices  of  the  Indian 
were  all  acquired  by  contact  with  the  white  race.  The  native  Indian,  he  said, 
did  not  lie  or  steal  and  would  not  do  a  dishonorable  act.  In  war  he  might 
be  cruel  and  vindictive,  but  in  peace  he  was  kind  and  just.  Before  the  pale 
faces  came  and  robbed  the  red  men  of  their  wits  with  "strong  water,"  and 
their  lands,  and  taught  them  the  vices  of  civilization,  the  Indian  was  brave 
and  honest.  No  Indian  ever  locked  his  cabin  lest  some  other  Indian  might 
break  in  and  steal.  When  the  owner  of  the  wigwam  or  cabin  went  forth  to 
war  or  on  the  hunt,  he  simply  placed  a  stick  against  the  door  or  entrance, 
as  a  sign  that  he  was  absent,  and  no  one  ever  disturbed  his  belongings.  The 
untutored  savage  believed  in  the  Great  Spirit,  and  was  superstitous  to  a 
degree,  but  his  native  honesty  was  a  firmly  fixed  trait  of  character,  and  in 
marked  contrast  to  the  Christian  pale  face. 


32  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

In  company  with  nthcr  chiefs  and  prominent  white  men  of  Saginaw, 
Nau-qua-chic-a-ming  went  to  Washington  in  1830,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying- 
out  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  negotiated  in  that  year.  He  passed  to  the 
happy  hunting  grounds,  October  26,  1874,  at  the  advanced  age.  it  was  be- 
lieved, of  more  than  ninety  years.  His  son,  "Jim,"  who  was  also  a  good  and 
respected  Indian,  died  about   1892. 

O-saw-wah-bon 

O-saw-wah-bon,  the  famous  chief  of  the  Chippewas,  was  born  in  an 
Indian  camp  on  the  site  of  Saginaw  City,  in  1798.  His  mother's  name  was 
Ke-no-wah-nah-ah-no-quay,  and  the  name  she  bestowed  upon  the  infant 
savage  was  Kay-pay-yon-quod.  While  bearing  this  peculiar  title  he  was 
generally  ill.  and  as  he  grew  older  lie  came  to  believe  that  its  change  would 
lead  to  improvement  of  his  health.  He  therefore  cast  it  aside  in  regular 
Indian  form  and  adopted  that  of  his  father,  <  >-saw-wah-pon.  He  was  always 
very  friend lv  to  his  white  neighbors  —  the  honest  traders,  and  was  particu- 
larly attached  to  General  Cass,  and  on  this  account  used  his  oratorical  powers 
in  behalf  of  the  government's  plans  for  the  settlement  of  his  country.  It 
was  even  said  that  lie  urged  Tecumseh  to  desist  from  his  purpose  of  opposing 
the  Americans.  He  died  in  Isabella  County  early  in  1859,  and  was  buried 
with  all  the  ceremony  attending  the  funeral  of  an  Indian  chieftain. 

Shaw-we-nos-se-ga 

Shaw-we-nos-se-ga,  a  noted  Chippewa,  was  also  well  known  to  the  early 
settlers  of  Saginaw.  At  a  very  early  age  he  took  rank  among  the  warriors  of 
his  tribe  as  a  mighty  hunter,  and  in  after  years,  when  the  new  settlers  offered 
a  bounty  for  wolf  scalps,  he  was  among  the  principal  holders  of  bounty 
certificates.  As  late  as  1857  he  produced  twelve  wolf  scalps  before  the  board 
of  supervisors,  and  in  addition  to  the  bounty  paid  him.  his  prowess  was 
handed  down  to  historic  fame  in  a  poetic  tribute. 

Ma-say-nos 

One  of  the  Chippewa  braves,  by  the  name  of  Ma-say-nos,  by  reason  of 
an  affair  at  heart,  in  which  he  became  enamored  of  a  beautiful  maiden  of  his 
tribe,  but  who  bestowed  her  affections  upon  another  hunter,  became  a  verit- 
able Indian  hermit.  He  lived  alone  and  avoided  the  association  of  the  tribe, 
being  seldom  seen  by  any  of  them,  or  by  the  trappers,  and  rarely  spoke  to 
anyone.  He  died  in  his  desolate  cabin,  alone  and  unattended,  a  circumstance 
which  shows  that  in  some  respects  the  red  man  was  not  unlike  bis  white 
brother. 

Oge-maw-ke-ke-to 

Oge-maw-ke-ke-to  was  not  a  chief  by  hereditary  title;  but  because  of 
the  high  order  of  his  accomplishments,  his  brother  Indians  conferred  on  him 
the  title  and  privileges  which  belonged  to  Miz-co-be-na-sa,  who  was  content 
to  lead  as  chieftain  of  a  band.  It  was  said  that  both  the  hereditary  and 
de-facto  rulers  were  Indians  of  the  most  noble  traits,  requiting  justice  with 
lasting  friendship  for  its  dispenser,  and  punishing  treachery  with  instant 
i  lea  th. 

Miz-co-be-na-sa 

Miz-ce-be-na-sa,  signifying  the  Red  Bird,  was  a  quiet,  unassuming  chief 
of  the  Chippewas,  and  possessed  n<>  desire  whatever  for  fame  —  no  aspirations 
after  greatness.  It  was  said  of  him  that  having  his  pipe  and  tobacco  pouch 
well  filled,  and  his  bottle  of  whiskey  at  his  side,  he  was  perfectly  contented 
and  cared  little  about  the  affairs  of  the  Indian  state.     He  bad.  however,  been 


THK    INDIANS    OF    SAGINAW    VALLEY 


33 


a  mighty  hunter  in  his  day,  but  the  fire  of  youth  had  passed  away,  and  with 
it  all  the  energies  of  a  youthful  spirit. 

It  is  a  melancholy  and  lamentable  fact,  that  as  the  country  became 
settled  by  the  whites,  the  native  energy  and  spirit  of  the  red  man  grew  less 
and  drooped,  for  he  beheld  the  broad  domains  possessed  by  his  fathers  in 
the  hands  of  the  pale  faces,  and  the  cherished  hunting  grounds  which  he 
called  his  own  melting  away  before  the  march  of  progress.  As  society 
advanced  the  red  man  receded  and  degenerated,  despite  the  efforts  made  to 
civilize  and  enlighten  him.  While  a  feeble  remnant  of  the  bold  and  warlike 
Chippewas  remain,  their  fate  is  not  unlike  that  of  the  Sauks,  in  that  they  have 
been  swept  from  the  face  of  the  earth  before  the  advancing  tide  of  civilization. 
The  zealous  cupidity  of  the  encroaching  white  man  has  driven  out  the  once 
proud  possessors  of  the  soil,  has  hewn  away  their  forests,  destroyed  their 
lodges,  and  with  ruthless  sacrilege  has  desecrated  the  resting  places  of 
their  dead. 


Chief  of  the  Chippewas,  a  native  of  Saginaw,  at  the  age  of  eighty-four  was  strong,  active  and 
keen-sighted.  His  father  fought  under  Tecumseh,  against  the  Americans,  and  received  from 
the  British  the  medals  which  "Shop"  wears.  The  silver  hat  band  was  inherited  from  his  wife's 
father.  Chief  Nau-gua-chic-a-ming,  who  had  it  from  his  forefathers. 


CHAPTER    III 

THE  ADVENT  OF  WHITE  MEN 


Early  French  Explorations — Discovery  of  the  Great  Lakes  —  Coming  of  the 
[esuits  — First  Christian  Mission  Established  in  Michigan  — Pere  Marquette  Founds 
First  Settlement  —  Did  the  Jesuits  Visit  the  Saginaw  River?  — Primitive  Maps- 
Earliest  References  to  .Saginaw — Advent  of  the  Eur  Traders  —  Jacob  Smith  (Wah- 
be-Sins)  Pioneer  Trapper  —  Louis  Campau,  the  First  White  Settler  —  Other  Early 
Pioneers. 

LITTLE  less  than  three   hundred  years  ago,  preceding  any   permanent 


Ml- 


lish  settlement  north  of  the   Potomac,  the   footsteps  of  the  white 


A- —  -  — ,_ „,,, 

Pilgrims  anchored  within  Cape  Cod,  Joseph  le  Caron,  an  unambitious 
Franciscan,  the  companion  of  Champlain,  had  entered  into  the  land  of  the 
Mohawks,  had  passed  to  the  north  into  the  hunting-grounds  of  the  Wyandots 
in  <  Intario,  and,  hound  by  his  vows  to  the  life  of  a  beggar,  had,  on  foot,  or 
paddling  a  bark  canoe,  gone  onward  and  still  onward,  taking  alms  of  the 
savages,  until  he  reached  the  rivers  of  Lake  Huron.  Wintering  with  the 
friendly  Indians  in  their  wandering  hunter  life,  enduring  all  its  hardships, 
and  learning  their  language  and  ideas,  he  came  at  length  to  their  palisaded 
tow  us  near  the  shores  of  Georgian  Bay.  Thus  was  Le  Caron  the  first  of  a 
civilized  race  to  behold  the  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes,  and  to  plant  the  cross 
on  their  shore--. 

In  the  summer  of  1615  he  set  up  his  altar  in  a  new  hark  lodge  he  had 
built  in  the  Huron  town  of  Caragouha,  which  was  situated  within  the  present 
boundaries  of  Medonte  Township  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  Simcoe 
County.  There  he  began  to  learn  a  new  and  strange  tongue,  to  study  the 
nature  of  the  savages,  so  as  to  teach  the  flock  around  him.  Soon  alter  he  was 
joined  by  Champlain,  on  his  return  from  the  expedition  against  the  Iroquois 
near  the  outlet  of  Lake  <  intario.  During  the  following  winter  they  extended 
their  observations  to  Lake  Huron  and  visited  the  neighboring  tribes,  of  whose 
habits  and  character  Champlain  made  diligent  study  and  wrote  out  the  results 
with  great  minuteness  and  detail.  In  the  spring  of  1616  he  returned  to 
Quebec  by  the  way  of  French  Fixer,  Lake  Nipissing  and  the  Ottawa  River, 
relinquishing  further  exploration  to  his  subordinates.  Le  Caron  continued 
his  labors  anion-  the  Hurons  until  the  fall  when  he,  too,  proceeded  to 
Quebec. 

Among  the  pioneers  of  the  wanderers  in  the  American  forests,  a  class  of 
men  hardy,  agile,  fearless,  and  in  habits  approximating  to  the  savage,  was 
Ltienne  Brule,  of  Champigny,  who  had  accompanied  Champlain  to  the  Huron 
villages  near  Georgian  Fay.  He  spent  three  years  in  roaming  through  the 
vast  forests  of  the  North;  and  Sagard,  in  his  Historic  du  Canada,  published 
in  l(o4,  mentions  this  bold  voyageur,  with  a  Frenchman  named  Grenolle,  as 
having  made  a  long  journey  and  returned  with  a  "lingat"  of  red  copper,  and 
with  a  description  of  a  great  inland  ocean  which  was  so  large  as  to  require 
nine  days  to  reach  its  upper  extremity.  This  body  of  fresh  water  was  named 
Lac  Superior,  ami  defined  as  discharging  its  waters  into  Lake  Huron  by  a 
fall,  first  called  Saut  de  Gaston,  and  afterward  Sault  Ste.  Marie.  To  him 
belongs  the  undisputed  honor  of  being  the  first  white  man  to  give  the  world 
a  knowledge  of  the  region  beyond  Lake  Huron. 


THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  35 

In  1618  Jean  Nicollet  came  from  France  and  entered  the  service  of  the 
"Hundred  Associates,"  a  French  fur  company,  under  the  direction  of  Cham- 
plain.  For  several  years  he  traded  with  the  friendly  Hurons,  and  on  July  4, 
1634,  was  at  Three  Rivers,  a  trading  post  but  recently  established.  Thread- 
ing his  way  in  a  frail  canoe  among  the  thousands  of  isles  which  extend  from 
Georgian  Bay  to  the  extremity  of  Lake  Huron,  he  skirted  the  northern  shore 
and  through  a  narrow  strait  discovered  a  large  Icily  .if  water,  which  after- 
ward received  the  name  of  Lac  Illinois  i  Lake  Michigan  I.  Turning  south- 
ward he  continued  his  explorations  and  scion  came  to  the  Grand  Bay,  an 
inlet  of  the  western  shore,  which  he  described  a--  impressive  by  its  length 
and  vastness,  and  the  dense   forests  that   lined  its  shores. 

More  than  lift}'  years  after  the  discovery  of  Lake  Huron,  or  in  1669,  the 
existence  of  a  fifth  large  lake  was  made  known,  probably  by  Joliet,  and 
named  Lac  des  Erie,  but  the  existence  of  the  straits  connecting  these.-  bodies 
of  water  was  then  a  mere  conjecture.  That  this  most  southerly  lake  of  the 
group,  extending  to  the  east  beyond  the  western  end  of  Lake  <  >ntario,  should 
have  been  the  last  to  be  discovered  by  a  civilized  race  was  due  to  its  lying 
in  the  recesses  of  a  country  guarded  by  the  hostile  Iroquois.  I  Mi  account  of 
the  treacherous  and  unyielding  character  of  these  savages,  which  were  veri- 
table tigers  of  the  American  Indian,  the  route  of  the  French  missionaries 
and  the  pioneer  fur  traders  from  Montreal  to  the  western  country  was  by  the 
way  of  the  (  )ttawa  River  to  Georgian  Bay.  and  was  followed  by  the  Hurons, 
with   whom  the   French  were  on   the  most   friendly  terms. 

(  Mi  the  tenth  of  August,  1679,  La  Salle  and  his  intrepid  followers  sailing 
on  Lake  Erie  in  the  Griffin,  the  first  vessel  to  unfurl  sails  to  the  winds  of  the 
inland  seas,  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  broad  river.  The  following  day  the 
explorers  entered  the  strait,  which  they  named  Detroit;  and  Hennepin  was 
so  much   impressed   with  the  beautiful  scenery  that  he  wrote: 

"The  straits  are  thirty  leagues  long  bordered  by  low  and  level  banks, 

and  navigable  for  their  entire  length;    that  on  either  hand  are  vast 

prairies    extending    back    to    hills    covered    with    vines,    fruit    trees, 

thickets,  and  tall   forest  trees,  so  distributed  as  to  seem   rather  the 

work    of    art    than    of    nature.      .      .      .      The    inhabitants    who    will 

have   the    good    fortune    to    some    day    settle   on    this    pleasant    and 

fertile   strait    will    bless    the   memory   of   those    who   pioneered    the 

way,  and  crossed  Lake  Erie  by  more  than  a  hundred  leagues  of  an 

unknown  navigation." 

But  their  progress  was  slow,  due  to  unfavorable  winds,  and  four  or  five  days 

elapsed  before  they  cleared  the  river  and  entered  a  small  lake.     The  calendar 

day  was  the  festival  of  Saint  Claire,  and  as  they  sailed  serenely  over  the  clear 

blue  waters.  La  Salle  named  the  lake  after  the  patron  saint,  as  also  the  broad 

river   which   flows   into  it. 

The   Coming  of  the  Jesuits 

About  1625,  finding  that  the  mission  field  in  New  France  required  an 
order  bound  to  less  scrupulous  poverty  than  the  Recollects,  the  office  of  con- 
verting the  Indians  to  Christianity,  and  thus  enlarging  the  borders  of  French 
dominion,  was  entrusted  solely  to  the  Jesuits.  In  that  year  Father  Enemond 
Masse,  with  Charles  Lallemand  and  John  de  Brebeuf,  and  others  filled  with 
apostolic  zeal,  came  to  America.  The  old  opposition  to  their  order  was  soon 
renewed,  and  the  Jesuits  found  themselves  homeless,  but  the  Recollects 
opened  the  doors  of  their  convent  to  them.  A  prouder  sympathy  was 
awakened  among  the  devotees  of  the  court  of  France,  and  under  the  patron- 
age oi  the  Duke  de  Ventadour,  a  nobleman  of  great  piety,  they  soon  began  to 
build,  and  brought  over  men  to  swell  the  settlement  and  cultivate  the  ground, 
while  they  revived  the  missions  which  had  been  founded  by  the  earlier  order. 


36  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Ilurons  were  the  first  nation  that  cordially  opened  their  hearts  to 
the  reception  of  the  christian  faith;  anil  to  their  villages  near  Georgian  Bay 
went  the  Jesuits  Brebeuf  and  Daniel,  soon  followed  by  the  gentler  Lalle- 
mand  and  others  of  their  order,  bowing  meekly  in  obedience  to  their  vows. 
Joining  a  party  of  barefoot  Hurons,  who  were  returning  from  Quebec  to  their 
country,  the}7  journeyed  by  way  of  the  Ottawa  and  the  rivers  that  interlock 
with  it,  for  three  hundred  leagues  through  dense  forests.  All  day  long  they 
handled  the  paddle  or  oar.  or  carried  the  canoe  on  their  shoulders  for  leagues 
through  the  thickest  woods,  three  score  times  dragging  it  by  hand  through 
shallows  and  rapids,  over  sharpest  stones.  At  night  there  was  no  food  but 
a  scanty  measure  of  Indian  corn  mixed  with  water,  while  their  couch  was  the 
earth  or  rocks.  Thus  swimming,  wading,  paddling,  or  bearing  the  canoe 
across  portages,  with  garments  torn,  with  feet  mangled,  and  weak  and  weary, 
yet  with  the  breviary  safely  hung  around  the  neck,  the  consecrated  envoys 
made  their  way  to  the  heart  of  the  I  [uron  wilderness,  and  settled  in  the  rough 
bark  cabin  which  had  been  erected  by  Le  Caron  eleven  years  before.  Here, 
in  the  Indian  village  of  Toanche,  they  founded  the  first  Jesuit  mission  in 
Upper  Canada. 

But  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  was  a  very  slow  process,  and  little 
progress  was  made  before  the  restoration  of  Canada  to  France,  by  the  treaty 
of  St.  Germain,  in  1632,  when  the  history  of  the  great  lesuit  missions  begins. 
For  sixteen  years  thereafter  they  continued  their  labors  in  the  Huron  villages, 
with  calm  impassive  courage  and  unwearied  patience,  in  the  midst  of  priva- 
tions, perils,  sufferings  and  contumely,  the  details  of  which  would  till  a 
volume  of  thrilling  interest. 

The  First  Christian  Mission  in  Michigan 

It  was  from  the  Huron  mission  that  the  first  missionary  explorers  were 
sent  forth  to  instruct  the  Indians  of  our  own  territory.  Early  in  the  summer 
of  1641,  at  a  feast  held  in  the  Huron  villages  there  was  present  a  company  of 
Chippewas  from  the  North,  who,  being  deeply  impressed  with  the  sacred 
character  of  the  black-robed  missionaries,  cordially  invited  them  to  visit  their 
homes  on  the  confines  of  a  great  lake,  the  charms  of  which  they  depicted  in 
glowing  colors.  The  missionaries,  ever  anxious  to  extend  the  dominion  of 
the  cross,  joyfully  accepted  the  invitation.  For  the  leader  of  this  first  inva- 
sion of  our  soil,  Charles  Raymbault,  who  was  thoroughly  versed  in  the  Algon- 
quin language  and  customs,  was  chosen;  and.  as  Ilurons  were  his  attendants, 
Isaac  Jogues  was  given  him  as  a  companion. 

On  the  seventeenth  of  September.  1641,  a  birch  bark  canoe,  freighted  with 
the  holy  envoys  to  the  Chippewas,  left  the  Bay  of  Penetanguishene  for  the 
straits  that  form  the  outlet  of  Lake  Superior.  Passing  to  the  north  over  a 
wonted  track  to  the  French  River,  the}-  floated  onward  between  thickly  clus- 
tering islands,  beyond  the  Manitoulins,  and,  after  a  navigation  of  seventeen 
days,  came  to  the  Rapids  of  St.  Mary.  Flere,  in  the  forest  wilderness,  they 
found  an  assembly  of  about  two  thousand  souls,  who  had  never  known  Euro- 
peans, and  had  newer  heard  of  the  one  God.  The  missionaries  made  inquiries 
respecting  other  nations  to  the  West,  as  yet  unnamed  —  warlike  tribes,  with 
fixed  abodes,  cultivators  of  maize  ami  tobacco,  of  an  unknown  race  and  lan- 
guage. The  chieftains  of  the  Chippewas  cordially  invited  the  Jesuits  to  dwell 
with  them,  which  inspired  hopes  of  a  permanent  mission.  A  council  was 
held.  "We  will  embrace  you,"  they  said,  "as  brothers;  we  will  derive  profit 
from  your  words."  Thus  did  the  religious  zeal  id"  the  French  bear  the  cross 
to  the  banks  of  the  St.  Mary  and  to  the  confines  of  Lake  Superior,  and  clear 
the  way  for  the  first  permanent  European  settlement  within  the  borders  of 
our  State,  five  years  before  Eliot  had  addressed  the  tribe  of  Indians  that 
dwelt  within  six  miles  of  Boston  harbor. 


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38  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Having  fulfilled  their  chief  object,  Raymbault,  late  in  the  season,  returned 
to  the  Huron  mission,  wasting  away  with  consumption.  In  midsummer  of 
the  following  year  he  proceeded  to  Quebec,  and  in  <  (ctober  the  self-denying 
man,  who  was  the  first  apostle  of  Christianity  to  the  tribes  of  Michigan, 
ceased  to  live;  and  was  buried  in  the  "particular  sepulchre  which  the  justice 
of  that  age  had  erected  to  honor  the  memory  of  the  illustrious  Champlain." 
Father  fogues,  the  companion  of  Raymbault,  after  suffering  many  tortures 
from  the  hostile  Iroquois,  while  bearing  a  proposal  to  establish  a  permanent 
mission  among  the  Five  Nations,  received  his  death  blow-  at  the  hands  of  the 
Mohawks,  on  the  eighteenth  of  (  >ctober,  1646,  his  head  being  hung  upon  the 
palisades  of  the  village,  and  his  body  thrown  into  the  Mohawk  River.  Fathers 
Daniel.  Brebeuf,  Lallemand  and  other  faithful  apostle-.,  who  had  braved  the 
enmity  of  the  terrible  Iroquois,  also  suffered  a  martyr's  death  amid  scenes  of 
the  most  frightful  and  revolting  atrocity.  The  Huron  nation  was  vanquished, 
the  tribes  scattered,  their  villages  destroyed,  the  Christian  converts  mas- 
sacred,  and  by  1650  little  remained  in  evidence  of  the  labors  ami  sacrifices  of 
the  Jesuits  in    Upper  Canada. 

The  Iroquois  then  reigned  in  proud  and  haughty  triumph  the  whole 
region  from  Lake  Erie  b>  Lake  Superior.  Upper  Canada  was  a  desolate 
wilderness,  and  even  the  route  by  the  (  >ttawa  River  was  not  safe  from  the 
war  parties  of  these  bold  marauders.  Nevertheless,  in  the  summer  of  1660, 
a  large  company  of  <  Ittawas,  in  sixty  canoes  laden  with  peltry,  appeared  at 
(  (uebec  to  trade  with  the  French.  They  asked  for  a  missionary,  and  the  lot 
fell  to  Rene  Mesnard.  He  was  charged  to  visit  Lake  Superior  and  Green 
Bay,  and  on  a  convenient  inlet  to  establish  a  resident  mission  —  a  place  of 
assembly  for  the  surrounding  nations.  Powerful  instincts  impelled  him  to 
the  enterprise,  and  his  departure  was  immediate  with  few  preparations,  for  he 
trusted  —  such  are  his  words  —  "in  the  Providence  which  feeds  the  little 
birds  of  the  desert,  and  clothes  the  wild  flowers  of  the  forests." 

Behold,  then,  this  aged  priest,  obedient  to  his  vows,  entering  on  the  path 
that  was  red  with  the  blood  of  his  predecessors,  making  haste  to  scatter  the 
seeds  of  truth  through  the  wilderness.  At  every  step  subjected  to  the  coarse 
brutality  of  his  savage  companions,  he  is  compelled,  in  a  cramped  position, 
to  plv  the  wearisome  paddle,  to  drag  the  canoe  up  the  foaming  rapids,  and  at 
portages  to  carry  heavy  burdens.  Want,  absolute  and  terrible,  comes  in  to 
enhance  his  sufferings.  When  berries  and  edible  moss  are  exhausted,  the 
moose  skin  of  his  garments  are  made  to  yield  its  scant\-  nutriment.  Finally, 
with  his  breviary  lost  in  dee])  waters,  bare-foot,  wounded  with  sharp  stones, 
exhausted  with  toil,  hunger  and  brutal  treatment,  supporting  life  on  pounded 
bones,  he  reaches,  on  October  15.  Ste.  Theresa's  Hay.  probably  what  is  now 
Keweenaw  Bay.  Here,  amidst  everv  discouragement  and  privation,  and  with 
no  white  brethren  nearer  than  Montreal,  he  begins  a  mission  and  says  Mass, 
which,  he  notes,  "repaid  me  with  usury  for  all  my  past  hardships." 

Thus,  was  the  first  Christian  mission  established  in  the  Northwest,  on 
the  soil  of  our  commonwealth.  During  the  long,  bitterly  cold  winter  on  that 
inhospitable  shore  did  this  saintly  man  minister  to  the  native  Chippewas, 
baptizing  the  young  and  those  who  embraced  the  faith.  A  little  cabin  of  fir 
branches  piled  one  upon  another,  through  which  the  wind  whistled  freely, 
was  Ids  only  protection  from  the  storms  and  cold,  but  it  served  the  purpose, 
"not  so  much,"  he  wrote,  "to  shield  me  from  the  rigor  of  the  season  as  to 
correct  my  imagination,  and  persuade  me  that  I  was  sheltered."  Want, 
famine,  came  with  its  horrors  to  make  more  memorable  this  first  effort  to 
plant  the  cross  within  the  borders  of  our  State,  but  with  the  spring  came 
relief  from  suffering,  and  hopefully  did  he  labor  on. 


THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  39 


The  hand  of  partially  christianized  Hurons  who,  on  the  destruction  of 
their  nation,  had  sought  refuge  in  these  northern  fastnesses,  were  at  the  Bay 
of  Chegoimegon  and  sent  to  Father  Mesnard  to  come  and  administer  to  them 
the  rites  of  religion.  It  was  a  call  he  could  not  resist,  although  warned  of 
the  dangers  that  beset  his  path  ;  and  replied:  "God  calls  me  thither.  I  must 
go  if  it  cost  me  my  life."'  So  lie  departed  from  his  neophytes,  and  with  one 
companion  proceeded  westward  by  the  way  of  Portage  Lake.  On  the  twen- 
tieth of  August.  1661,  at  a  portage,  while  his  attendant  was  employed  in 
transporting  the  canoe,  he  wandered  into  the  forest,  became  lost,  and  was 
never  again  seen.  Whether  he  took  a  wrong  path,  or  was  struck  down  by 
some  straggling  Indian,  was  never  known. 

Undismayed  by  the  sad  fate  of  Mesnard,  and  indifferent  to  hunger  and 
cold,  to  the  wreck  of  frail  canoes,  and  to  fatigues  and  weariness,  in  August. 
1665,  Father  Claude  Allouez  embarked  on  a  fresh  mission,  by  the  way  of  the 
Ottawa,  to  the  Far  West.  Early  in  September  lie  passed  the  rapids  of  the 
St.  Mary's  River  and  entered  the  lake  which  the  savages  reverenced  as  a 
divinity.  Pressing  onward  beyond  the  Pay  of  Ste.  Theresa,  seeking  in  vain 
for  a  mass  of  pure  copper,  of  which  he  had  heard,  on  the  first  day  of  (  Ictober 
lie  arrived  at  the  great  Indian  village,  in  the  Bay  of  Chegoimegon.  On  the 
shore  of  the  hay,  to  which  the  abundant  fisheries  attracted  crowds,  a  chapel 
soon  rose,  and  the  mission  of  the  Holy  Spirit  was  founded.  Admiring 
throngs,  who  had  newer  seen  a  European,  came  to  gaze  on  the  white  man; 
and  during  his  sojourn  of  nearly  two  years,  he  lighted  the  torch  of  faith  for 
more  than  twenty  different  nations.  The  Chippewas  from  the  Sault  pitched 
their  tents  near  his  cabin  for  a  month;  the  scattered  Hurons  and  Ottawas 
from  the  North  appealed  to  his  compassion;  from  the  unexplored  recesses  of 
Lake  Michigan  came  the  Potawatomies,  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  travelled  on 
foot  from  the  country  which  abounded  in  deer,  beaver,  and  buffalo.  The 
Illinois,  too,  unaccustomed  to  canoes,  having  no  weapon  but  the  bow  and 
aiiow,  came  to  rehearse  their  sorrows.  Then,  at  the  very  extremity  of  the 
lake,  the  missionary  met  the  wild,  impassive  warriors  of  the  Sioux,  who  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  prairies  to  the  west  of  Lake  Superior. 

With  lu's  name  imperishably  connected  with  the  progress  of  discovery 
in  the  west.  Allouez  returned  to  Quebec  to  urge  the  establishment  of  per- 
manent missions,  to  lie  accompanied  by  little  colonies  of  French  emigrants. 
So  glowing  were  his  accounts  and  s<>  fervent  his  plea,  that  in  two  days,  with 
another  priest,  Louis  Nicholas,  for  his  companion,  he  was  on  his  way  back 
ti  i  the  mission  at  Chegoimegon.  Peace  favored  the  progress  of  French 
dominion;  the  fur  trade  gave  an  impulse  to  Canadian  enterprise;  a  recruit 
of  missionaries  arrived  from  France,  —  all  of  which  aided  fresh  exploration 
and  the  extension  of  christian   missions. 

Pere  Marquette  Founds  First  Settlement 

At  this  point  in  our  narrative  of  human  events  a  heroic  figure,  the 
illustrious  Marquette,  comes  upon  the  scene.  At  an  early  age.  imbued  with 
an  earnest  desire  to  devote  himself  to  a  religious  life,  he  renounced  the  allure- 
ments of  the  world,  and  entered  the  Society  of  Jesus.  For  twelve  years  he 
remained  under  the  remarkable  training  and  instruction  of  the  order,  and 
acquired  that  wonderful  control,  that  quiet  repose,  that  power  of  calm  endur- 
ance, that  unquestioning  obedience  to  his  superiors,  that  thirst  for  trial, 
suffering  and  death,  that  marked  the  Jesuits  in  this  golden  age  of  their 
power.  Taking  for  his  model  in  life  the  great  Xavier,  he  longed,  like  him. 
to  devote  his  days  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  and  to  die  in  the  midst 
of  his  labors,  alone,  in  a  foreign  land.  Accordingly,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
nine,  he  sailed  for  New   France,  and  arrived  at   Quebec  September  20,   1666 


40  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  first  year  and  a  half  he  spent  under  the  instruction  of  Father 
Dreuillettes  in  acquiring  the  native  language  ;  and  early  in  1668,  in  company 
with  Claude  Dablon,  he  repaired  to  the  land  of  the  Chippewas.  At  the 
rapids  of  the  St.  Mary's  River,  through  which  the  waters  of  the  upper  lakes 
rush  to  the  Huron,  and  which  had  been  so  admired  by  Raymbault,  Jogues  and 
Allouez,  on  account  of  its  woody  isles  and  inviting  bays,  they  stopped  and 
established  the  mission  of  St.  Mary.  The  Chippewas  received  the  religious 
teachings  of  Marquette  with  eagerness,  and  would  gladly  have  been  baptized, 
hut  the  wise  and  cautious  missionary  withheld  the  rite  until  he  could  clearly 
instruct  them  in  christian  duty.  In  the  following  year  the  first  christian 
church  in  the  western  wilderness  was  erected,  which  was  the  foundation  for 
the  oldest  settlement  begun  by  Europeans  within  the  present  limits  of  our 
State. 

But  he  was  not  long  to  remain  on  this  first  field  of  his  labors,  for,  in 
obedience  to  the  orders  of  his  superiors,  in  the  fall  of  1669,  he  left  for  the 
Bav  of  Chegoimegon.  For  a  whole  month,  defying  the  severity  of  the 
climate  and  constant  perils  of  life,  he  coasted  along  the  shores  of  the  lake, 
contending  with  tierce  winds,  ice  and  snow.  At  length  he  arrived  at  the 
village  of  the  Hurons,  many  of  whom  had  been  baptized,  and,  he  says,  "still 
preserve  some  Christianity."  It  was  here,  in  the  depth  of  a  northern  winter, 
surrounded  by  his  Indians,  talking  in  a  broken  manner  with  an  Illinois 
captive,  that  he  conceived  the  idea  of  a  voyage  of  discovery.  He  hears  of 
a  great  river  whose  course  is  southward,  and  rejoices  in  the  prospect,  if  the 
Indians  will  build  him  a  canoe,  of  seeking  its  outlet.  "This  discovery,"  he 
wrote,  "will  give  us  a  complete  knowledge  of  the  southern  or  western  sea." 

While  thus  employed  with  his  mission  and  plans  of  discovery,  the  fierce 
Dakotas,  those  Iroquois  of  the  West,  threatened  to  desolate  the  whole  region 
of  the  lake.  First  the  <  Ittawas  left,  then  the  Hurons,  and  without  a  spot 
they  could  call  their  own.  turned  their  faces  to  the  east.  The  devoted  mis- 
sionary longed  to  labor  in  that  field  made  sacred  by  the  blood  of  Daniel, 
Brebeuf.  Lallemand  and  others,  but  the  dreaded  Iroquois  were  too  near  and 
too  dangerous  for  such  an  experiment.  So,  with  the  faithful  Marquette  at 
their  head,  the  fugitive  tribes  selected  for  their  home  the  point  known  as 
St.  Ignace,  on  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw.  Bleak,  barren  and  inhospitable  as 
this  spot  was,  it  abounded  in  fish,  and  was  on  the  great  highway  of  a  grow- 
ing Indian  commerce.  Here,  in  the  summer  of  1671,  a  rude  church,  made 
of  logs  and  covered  with  bark,  was  built,  and  around  it  clustered  the  still 
ruder  cabins  of  the  Hurons,  inclosed  by  a  palisade,  to  protect  the  little  colony 
against  the  attacks  of  predatory  Indians.  Thus  did  Pere  Marquette  become 
the  founder  of  St.  Ignace,  as  he  had  before  been  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  thirty 
years  before  Cadillac  laid  the  foundation  of  Detroit. 

Further  narration  of  the  labors  of  this  illustrious  pioneer,  of  whom  we 
have  so  high  a  veneration,  his  discovery  of  the  Mississippi,  his  trials  and 
sufferings,  his  fatal  illness  and  heroic  death,  and  his  burial  at  the  mouth  of 
the  stream  in  our  State,  that  bears  his  name,  fill  the  most  glowing  pages  of 
our  early  history.  But  in  this  place  it  is  suffice  to  note  that  his  cultivated 
mind,  his  refined  taste,  his  warm  and  genial  nature,  his  tender  concern  for 
the  souls  in  his  charge,  as  well  as  his  calm  and  immovable  courage  in  every 
hour  of  danger,  and  his  cheerful  submission  to  the  bitter  privations  and  keen 
sufferings  of  the  missionary  life,  his  devotion  to  his  faith  and  to  the  truth, 
all  entitle  him  to  that  high  place  in  the  regard  of  posterity,  which  he  has 
been  slowly  but  surely  acquiring. 


42  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Did  the  Jesuits  Visit  the  Saginaw  River? 

The  early  writers  of  our  local  history,  almost  without  exception,  assert 
that  the  Jesuit  fathers  were  the  first  Europeans  to  visit  the  Saginaw  Valley. 
Si  ime  even  contend  that  they  established  a  christian  mission  near  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  and  that  they  lived  and  labored  here  many  years,  planting  apple 
trees  and  cultivating  the  soil.  For  the  most  part  these  writers  content  them- 
selves with  merely  making  the  statement,  as  of  fact,  as  if  the  plausibleness 
were  sufficiently  convincing,  and  let  it  pass  at  that.  One  writer,  however, 
has  undertaken  to  advance  si  .me  proof  that  our  earliest  pioneers  were  these 
black-robed  missionaries,  who  actually  planted  the  christian  faith  among  the 
Chippewas  of  this  valley.  The  short  paper  he  prepared  on  the  subject  was 
honored  by  publication  in  the  Michigan  Pioneer  Collections,  Volume  XXII., 
page  245. 

In  this  article  he  states  that  Captain  Whitmore  Knaggs,  in  a  talk  with 
John  and  Peter  Riley,  half-breed  natives  of  this  valley,  who  were  then  fifty- 
eight  and  sixty  years  of  age.  was  told  by  them  that  certain  apple  trees  then 
growing  mi  the  hanks  of  the  river,  and  mentioned  in  the  treaty  of  1819,  bore 
fruit  when  they  were  buys,  ami  that  their  chief.  Kaw-kaw-is-kaw  .  or  the 
"Crow",  said  they  were  brought  by  white  men  wearing  long  black  robes,  who 
were  known  as  Onetia.  He  also  states  that  Faillon,  in  his  History  of  Canada, 
refers  t<  >  the  Sag-ih-naw  country,  and  the  salt  springs  at  the  junction  of  two 
rivers,  where  Indians  came  from  all  parts;  and  also  that  in  1(>S4  a  large 
company  of  colonists  ami  artisans  came  from  France,  a  portion  of  whom 
were  sent  to  the  Sag-ih-naw  fixer,  and  that  there  were  five  Jesuit  fathers  who 
were  instructed  t<  >  found  missions  in  all  this  region.  The  information  is 
vouchsafed  that  in  1686  the  Jesuits  Engelrau  and  Perrott  established  mis- 
sions between  Cheboygan  and  Lake  Erie;  and  furthermore  that  Champlain 
in  his  map  of  bill  had  defined  the  safe  harbor  afforded  by  this  river  from  the 
storms  on  the  bay  connecting  tzvo  great  seas,  and  showed  the  river  with  some 
degree  of  accuracy. 

However  credible  these  statements  may  seem  to  the  casual  reader,  and 
however  satisfying  to  his  sense  of  historical  truth,  they  are  easily  and  quickly 
disproved  by  certain  undeniable  facts  directly  connected  with  them.  Any- 
one who  studies  this  subject,  and  attempts  to  verify  the  theory  of  the  earl}' 
ministrations  of  the  Jesuits  in  this  valley,  is  at  once  confronted  with  a  very- 
singular  refutation,  lie  will  quite  naturally  turn  to  the  Jesuit  Relations, 
those  wonderfully  complete,  concise,  and  interesting  narratives  of  the  devout 
missionaries,  for  accounts  of  their  labors  in  this  field.  But,  however  diligent 
and  careful  his  research  max  be.  however  thorough  his  study  of  every  manu- 
script, every  page  and  line,  of  the  original  writings  of  the  lesuit  fathers,  he 
xxill  find  nothing  —  not  a  word,  or  even  a  hint  that  they  ewer  labored  here  or 
that  they  even  visited  this  river.  Neither  does  the  word  Saginaw,  or  any  of 
its  derivatives,  appear  in  any  of  the  ancient  documents,  as  if  it  had  not  in 
those  times  been  coined.  The  word  Saguenay,  however,  appears  in  connec- 
tion with  the  founding  and  work  of  a  mission  on  the  river  of  that  name,  above 
Quebec,  which  max  have  confused  our  narrator  in  the  supposition  that  it  re- 
ferred to  the  Saginaw    River. 

Careful  translators,  historians,  librarians  and  students  of  the  early  history 
of  Michigan,  have  never  discovered  any  record  or  even  a  trace  of  missionary 
explorers  in  Saginaw  Valley,  or  at  any  point  on  the  western  shore  of  Lake 
Huron.  They  quite  generally  agree  that  the  Jesuits  could  not  have  had  a 
direct  knowledge  of  this  valley  or  its  inhabitants.  It  is  a  fact,  however,  that 
the  lesuit  Perrott,  about  1686,  was  sent  from  the  northern  missions  to  Lake 


THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  43 

Erie,  to  establish  missions  on  its  sin  ires.  Having  a  definite  purpose  and  zeal- 
ous to  fulfill  it,  it  is  hardly  probable  that  he  deviated  a  hundred  miles  from 
his  course  to  enter  a  storm-tossed  bay  to  visit  this  valley,  of  which  he  could 
have  had  hut  meager  knowledge,  and  that  derived  from  the  disconnected 
accounts  of  the  savages.  The  same  year  the  mission  and  fort  of  St.  Joseph 
was  established  at  the  head  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  on  the  site  of  Fort 
Gratiot. 

As  we  have  shown  in  the  preceding  pages,  the  pathway  of  the  early 
French  missionaries  to  the  Northwest  lay  up  the  Ottawa  and  connecting 
streams  to  Georgian  Bay,  and  while  missions  and  settlements  were  slowly 
being  established  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior,  Green  Bay  and  connecting 
waters,  the  whole  lower  portion  of  Michigan  remained  unknown  and  unex- 
plored. Only  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  did  the  early  ex- 
plorers plant  their  primitive  settlements,  and  only  in  one  instance,  the  St. 
[oseph's  River,  did  they  penetrate  the  interior.  Furthermore,  from  the 
middle  to  the  end  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  whole  region  of  lower  Mich- 
igan was  a  desolate  and  abandoned  wilderness,  rendered  inhabitable  to  the 
Ottawas  and  roaming  bands  of  Chippewas  by  the  hostile  incursions  of  the 
Iroquois.  Although  Detroit  was  founded  as  early  as  1701,  the  first  Jesuit 
mission  was  not  established  there  until  1732.  Cadillac,  though  a  zealous 
Catholic,  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  Jesuits,  and  it  is  improbable  that  any 
of  them  cut  their  way  through  the  unbroken  forest  to  the  wilderness  on  the 
Saginaw. 

Knowing  with  what  care  and  minuteness  of  detail  the  Jesuits  wrote  their 
narratives,  it  seems  strange,  if  they  did  establish  a  mission  on  this  river,  or 
merely  visited  the  shores  of  the  bay,  that  they  should  have  neglected  to  make 
an  authentic  record  of  their  explorations,  or  at  least  a  brief  mention  of  the 
fact.  In  the  Relations,  their  every  thought  and  action,  the  labors  and  diffi- 
culties of  their  ministrations,  as  well  as  the  results  accomplished,  are  set  down 
with  striking  fidelity.  With  all  this  before  us,  is  it  not  incredible  that  they 
ever  entered  the  Saginaw,  much  less  founded  a  mission  on  its  shores?  Is  it 
not  far  more  credible  that  the  story  told  Whitmore  ECnaggs  was  a  mere 
myth  —  the  thin  and  distorted  remnant  of  an   Indian   legend? 

Although  it  is  true  that  apple  trees  grew  along  the  river,  as  mentioned 
in  the  treaty  of  181'',  before  the  coming  of  the  first  fur  traders,  or  perhaps 
as  early  as  the  founding  of  Detroit,  there  is  nothing  to  associate  their  origin 
here  with  a  civilized  race.  It  is  known  that  fruit  trees  were  cultivated  by 
certain  Indian  tribes  east  of  the  lakes,  and  apple  trees  were  found  in  the 
Ohio  Valley  by  the  earliest  pioneers,  hence,  it  seems  more  likely  that  the 
trees  on  the  hanks  of  the  Saginaw,  since  they  were  set  out  in  a  very  irregular 
manner,  much  as  the  Indians  plant  their  maize,  originated  with  them  from 
seeds  carried  here. 

Moreover,  no  relics  or  remains  of  any  kind  to  indicate  a  residence  of  the 
Jesuits,  or  even  a  brief  sojourn  here,  have  been  found  in  the  valley,  although 
two  silver  crosses,  of  exquisite  workmanship  and  evidently  of  European  man- 
ufacture, have  been  unearthed,  one  at  Bay  City,  and  the  other  on  the  banks 
of  the  Shiawassee.  It  is  supposed  that,  could  they  he  traced  to  Jesuit  owner- 
ship, they  were  lost  by  some  Indian  or  early  fur  trader  to  whom  given.  The 
remains  of  pre-historic  races  and  of  Indian  tribes  are  everywhere  found  in 
Saginaw  Valley;  why,  may  we  ask,  if  the  Jesuits  came  here  at  an  early  date, 
should  they  have  vanished,  leaving  no  written  record,  no  relics,  no  trace,  not 
even  a  clue,  of  their  labors  and  ministrations. 


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THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  45 

Primitive  Maps 

Although  Parkman,  Bancroft,  Winsor  and  other  historians  deal  very 
thoroughly  with  the  explorations  of  the  Jesuit  missionaries  in  Michigan,  they 
all  are  silent  as  to  any  early  white  settlement  on  the  Saginaw.  Nowhere  in 
their  works  is  this  region  even  mentioned  in  connection  with  missionary 
labors,  for  the  reason,  we  believe,  that  the  Jesuit  fathers  never  came  to  this 
valley,  or.  indeed,  had  any  definite  knowledge  of  the  country  or  its  inhab- 
itants. The  primitive  maps  drawn  by  the  Jesuits  and  other  explorers  cast 
some  light  on  this  point,  and  in  a  measure  confirm  this  belief.  One  of  these 
very  old  maps  is  that  of  Jean  Boisseau,  which  accompanied  the  Relations 
published  in  1643.  Though  it  shows  the  St.  Lawrence  country  and  Lac  St. 
Louis  (Lake  Ontario)  quite  correctly,  other  sections  are  very  inaccurate, 
indicating  a  superficial  knowledge  of  the  lake  region.  Lake  Huron  and  Lake 
Ontario  are  connected,  not  by  a  large  lake  (Lake  Erie),  but  bya  series  of 
rivers  and  broad  straits  extending  from  west  to  east.  Lake  Huron  is  too  dis- 
torted to  be  of  any  value  as  determining  a  bay  or  river  which  could  have 
represented  the  Saginaw,  though  one  stream  with  tributaries  somewhat  re- 
sembling those  of  this  river,  is  made  to  flow  directly  into  the  lake.  Grand 
Lac  des  Nadoussian  (Lake  Superior)  is  defined,  but  Lake  Michigan  is  not 
shown. 

Another  old  map  which  appeared  in  1657  corrects  some  of  the  errors  and 
omissions  of  the  Boisseau  map.  In  this  more  elaborate  drawing  Lake  Erie 
is  denned  with  some  degree  of  fidelity,  and  the  straits  and  Lake  St.  Clair  are 
put  down,  but  not  named.  But  Lake  Huron  and  a  body  of  water  probably 
intended  to  represent  Lake  Michigan  are  made  to  run  together  at  a  point  in 
the  former  where  Saginaw  Bay  should  appear,  entirely  cutting  off  the  upper 
portion  of  the  State.  It  is  perfectly  evident  that  these  coasts  could  not  have 
been  explored  by  the  Jesuits  at  that  early  date,  and  what  knowledge  they 
possessed  of  their  contours  was  probably  obtained  from  straggling  bands  of 
Indians   that  came   to  the  northern   missions. 

The  ma])  of  the  Jesuit  Franciscus  Creaxius,  bearing  date  of  1660,  and 
published  in  his  Historia  <lu  Canadensis,  Paris,  1664,  is  fairly  accurate  respect- 
ing the  lower  lakes  and  the  St.  Lawrence.  It  shows  a  large  indentation  in  the 
west  coast  of  Lake  Huron,  which  was  probably  intended  to  represent  Sag- 
inaw Bay,  but  no  river  is  indicated,  and  it  is  certain  he  did  not  know  of  its 
existence.  Marquette's  map  of  l(>73-74,  the  original  of  which  is  preserved 
in  the  archives  of  St.  Mary's  College,  Montreal,  shows  only  lakes  Superior 
and  Illinois,  and  western  rivers  which  he  had  known  by  actual  explorations. 
Joliet's  map,  which  was  drawn  at  the  same  time  while  on  the  expedition  with 
Marquette,  though  greatly  distorted,  shows  all  the  Great  Lakes,  yet  with 
little  regard  to  proportion  or  true  location.  The  only  suggestion  of  a  bay  on 
the  west  coast  of  Lake  Huron  is  a  small  cove  or  indentation,  but  no  river  is 
shown,  indicating  that  he  had  no  information  as  to  the  existence  of  such  a 
river  as  the  Saginaw.  On  the  other  hand,  he  puts  down  Sault  Ste.  Marie, 
Mackinac,  Manitoulin  Islands,  Green  Bay  and  connecting  waters  with  fair 
correctness  and  minuteness  of  outline,  proving  that  he  had  full  knowledge  of 
all    parts  that   he  had  actually  explored. 

In  lo,X4  a  map  by  Jean  Baptiste  Franquelin  appeared,  a  reduced  facsimile 
of  which  was  made  for  Francis  Parkman,  and  is  now  in  the  Library  of  Har- 
vard University,  which  defines  the  (  ireat  Lakes  in  fair  proportions,  Lake 
Huron  having  an  indentation,  quite  distorted,  on  the  west  coast,  named  Bay 
du  Saginnam.  into  which  two  rivers  flow.  With  slight  imagination,  one  may 
be   made  to  represent   the   Saginaw,   while  the  other  may  be  the  Au  Sable, 


16  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


though  ii"  names  are  given.  Minet's  map,  of  date  1685,  shows  both  bay  and 
river,  but  far  from  their  true  form;  Coronelli  et  Tillemon's  map  of  1688 
defines  hay  and  river  flowing  into  it,  without  names,  while  Raffery's,  of  the 
same  year,  gives  neither  bay  nor  river,  and  the  coast  lines  are  much 
disti  irted. 

Hennepin's  efforts  to  outline  the  Huron  coast,  in  1683,  failed  to  show 
either  bay  or  river,  though  later,  in  1697,  he  put  down  a  river  flowing  directly 
into  the  lake,  very  likely  intended  for  the  Saginaw.  La  Hontan's  maps  of 
1703  and  1709  define  both  hay  and  river,  though  far  from  their  true  outlines, 
and  named  Bay  du  Sakinan.  Later,  in  1747,  a  map  accompanying  Colden's 
"History  of  the  Five  Nations,"  outlines  a  bay  very  inaccurately,  but  no  stream 
flows  into  it,  or  on  the  whole  coast  of  Lake  Huron.  In  1755  a  map  by  John 
Mitchell  describes  a  bay  named  "Saginnam"  with  fair  accuracy,  but  it  is 
difficult  tn  identify  the  one  small  stream  emptying  into  it  from  the  south- 
east, as   being  the  navigable   Saginaw. 

From  this  evident  lack  of  knowledge  displayed  by  the  Jesuit  explorers 
respecting  our  coast  line,  and  bay  and  river,  is  it  not  a  logical  conclusion  that 
they  never  visited  these  shores? 

Earliest  References  to  Saginaw 

The  materials  from  which  a  history  of  the  early  explorations  of  Saginaw 
River  and  its  tributaries,  prim-  to  1819,  can  be  compiled,  or,  in  fact,  references 
tn  this  valley,  are  very  few  and  very  meager.  From  what  little  data  and  in- 
formation can  be  gathered,  it  is  evident  that  until  the  close  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  the  whole  territory  west  ami  north  of  Detroit  was  an  impenetrable 
and  unbroken  wilderness.  What  settlements  existed  in  1X00  were  confined 
almost  exclusively  to  the  shores  of  the  lakes  and  connecting  straits;  and  only 
the  native  Indians  knew  or  cared  anything  about  the  country  to  the  interior. 
It  was  the  general  impression  of  settlers  at  Detroit  that  the  land  was  full  of 
swamps,  impassable  lakes  and  rivers,  wild  beasts,  poisonous  reptiles,  and 
worthless  for  agriculture,  tit  only  as  an  abode  for  savages  in  their  wild,  hunter 
state.  Even  the  official  reports  and  papers  of  the  period  touch  but  lightly 
the  unknown  territory;  and  in  only  one  instance  do  the  Haldimand  Papers, 
on  file  in  the  Dominion  archives  at  <  Ittawa,  refer  to  the  Saginaw  Valley. 

But  with  all  its  natural  wildness  it  was  the  paradise  of  the  animals  from 
which  the  choicest  of  fur  was  obtained,  such  as  the  beaver,  utter,  tisher, 
marten,  mink  and  muskrat,  also  deer,  bears  and  elk,  while  moose  were  found 
at  the  headwaters  of  the  streams  which  unite  t<  >  form  the  Saginaw.  Large 
thicks  of  wild  geese  and  ducks  resorted  to  the  streams  to  feed  on  the  wild  rice 
that  grew  in  great  abundance  on  their  borders;  and  the  waters  were  stored 
with  bountiful  supplies  of  the  choicest  varieties  of  fish.  The  fertility  of  the 
s<>il  was  such  that,  with  slight  cultivation  bestowed  by  the  Indians,  it  pro- 
duced abundant  crops  of  corn,  that  indispensable  article  of  food  fur  the  red 
man.  As  an  indication  of  the  extent  of  the  cultivation  of  corn  in  this  valley 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  we  find  a  letter  from  Major  De 
Peyster,  commandant  of  the  post  at  Mackinac,  dated  May  15.  1779,  written  to 
General  Haldimand,  commander-in-chief  of  the  British  forces,  the  concluding 
paragraph  of  which  is  herewith   transcribed,  verbatim: 

"The  Sakis  &  Reinards  seems  to  be  easy  about  the  matter  as  appears 
by  Gautier's  Letter  but  they  will  soon  open  their  eves  if  it  is  possible 
effectually  to  restrain  that  trade.  (  )n  that  head  as  well  as  how  1  am  to 
act  in  case  Detroit  is  taken  is  what  I  hope  1  shall  receive  your  full  in- 
structions about  by  a  light  canoe.  If  Detroit  shall  be  taken  it  is  evident 
we  have  but  a  dismal  prospect  however  what  can  be  expected  from  two 


THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  47 

Subdivisions  shall  be  done.  I  think  I  may  with  propriety  call  my  hand 
full  by  that  name  when  a  part  was  employed  at  this  Cannon  having  nine 
Pieces  of  <  Irdnance  &  only  two  Artillery  men. 

/  have  scut  to  Saguina  to  endeavor  to  secure  six  hundred  Bushels  of  Corn 
for  the  Indians  ■without  -which  our  flour  le'dl  run  short  by  the  fall  of  the  year. 

"I  have  the  honor,  &c. 

(signed)         A.  S.  De  Peyster." 

Years  afterward,  at  the  conclusion  of  our  last  war  with  England,  the 
reports  from  the  Indian  Department  cast  some  light  on  the  number  and 
temper  of  the  Indians  residing  on  the  Saginaw.  In  the  Michigan  Pioneer 
Collections,  Vol.  W '..  page  553,  we  find: 

"Thirteen  Indians  of  Xay  wash's  band  arrived  at  Burlington  on  the 
9th  of  May  from  Flint  River,  and  say  that  they  are  informed  that  two 
vessels  and  six  gun  boats,  with  about  300  men,  had  passed  the  River  St. 
Clair,  about  the  22d  or  23d  of  April  (1814),  for  Michilimackinac,  and 
that  not  more  than  about  250  men  remained  at  Detroit.  These  Indians 
report  that  there  are  about  500  men  at  Saguina  Bay,  who  were  ready  to  slwzv 
their  attachment  to  their  Great  Father,  whenever  his  troops  shall  return." 

During  this  war  the  Chippewas  were  allied  with  the  British,  and  made  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  for  the  white  settlers.  Before  the  seige  of  Detroit  a 
large  band  under  Kish-kau-kou  and  his  son,  Che-mick,  tramped  from  the 
Saginaw  Valley  and  joined  the  British  forces,  raiding  the  white  settlement'-, 
killing  men,  women  and  children,  and  burning  their  homes.  Their  savage 
warfare  was  chiefly  directed  against  the  weak  and  unprotected,  and  it  was 
not  until  after  the  treaty  of  1819  had  been  ratified  that  the  whites  in  the 
sparsely  settled  portions  of  the  territory  felt  secure  from  their  depredations. 
This  cowardly  old  chief  of  the  Chippewas,  who  lived  with  his  hand  along 
the  lower  stretches  of  the  river,  was  conspicuous  for  his  ugly  disposition, 
particularly  when  drunk  with  "lire-water."  lie  figured  in  many  tragedies 
of  the  early  days,  and  was  proud  and  boastful  of  the  number  of  scalps  he  had 
taken.  In  1X05  he  was  indicted  for  the  murder  of  a  white  man.  but  evidently 
the  capture  of  the  fierce  Chippewa  was  a  duty  which  the  marshal  neglected, 
for  a  second  warrant  was  issued  September  24,  1807.  It  was  drawn  by 
Augustus  B.  Woodward,  chief  judge  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  and 
directed  to  William  Scott,  marshal  of  the  territory,  and  was  the  first  case 
against  an  Indian  in  the  territorial  supreme  court.  This  interesting  docu- 
ment reads  as  follows: 

"You  are  hereby  commanded,  as  you  have  before  been  commanded, 
to  take  the  body  of  Kisk-kau-kou,  a  Chippewa  Indian,  late  of  Saguina, 
in  the  Indian  country,  in  the  territory  of  Michigan,  if  he  may  he  found 
within  such  territory,  and  him  safely  keep  so  that  you  may  have  his  body 
before  the  judges  of  our  supreme  court  at  Detroit  in  and  for  said  terri- 
tory of  Michigan,  on  or  before  the  next  ensuing  term,  to  answer  the 
United  States  on  a  bill  of  indictment  for  murder,  found  against  him  by 
the  grand  inquest  of  the  body  of  the  said  territory  of  Michigan.  And 
of  hi>  writ  make  due  return." 

The   return,   which    was  scrawled   on   the   back   of   the  paper,   reads: 

"I  have  taken  the  body  of  the  above  named  Kish-kau-kou,  an  Indian, 
in  obedience  to  this  capias,  on  Sunday,  the  31st  day  of  July,  and  in  bring- 
ing him  to  prison  he  was  rescued  from  me  by  an  Indian  named  Little 
Cedar,  and  his  son,  and  other  Indians  unknown." 

Omitting  some  of  the  verbiage  which  is  repeated,  the  true  bill  which 
the  grand  jury  found  against  Kish-kau-kou  sets  forth  his  crime  in  the  fol- 
lowing curious  manner: 


48  HISTORY    <  >F    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


"The  jury  upon  their  oath  present,  that  Kish-kau-kou,  a  Chippewa 
Indian,  not  having  the  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes,  but  being  moved  and 
induced  by  the  instigation  of  the  devil,  on  the  ninth  day  of  March  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  erne  thousand  eight  hundred  and  two,  with  force  and 
arms  in  and  upon  one  Antoine  Loson,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  of  the 
United  States  then  and  there  being,  did  make  an  assault,  and  with  a  cer- 
tain steel  knife  of  the  value  of  fifty  cents,  which  he  in  his  right  hand 
then  and  there  had  and  held,  felonously,  wilfully  and  by  his  malice  afore- 
thought did  hit.  strike  and  stab,  and  did  then  and  there  give  unto  him, 
one  mortal  wound  of  the  length  of  one  inch  ami  depth  of  three  inches  in 
and  upon  the  hack  part  of  the  neck  of  said  Antoine,  of  which  said  mortal 
wound  he,  the  said  Antoine,  did  languish,  and  si  i  languishing,  thereof, 
died." 

The   wily  old   chief,  however,   escaped   punishment    for   the   foregoing   crime. 

and  lived  until  after  the  first  settlements  were  well  started  in  Saginaw  Valley. 

Of   other   offenses   and   "deviltries"   that    he   committed    more    will    he    told    in 

the    following  chapter. 

Advent  of  the  Fur  Traders 

The  first  white  men  to  penetrate  the  wilderness  of  the  Saginaw  were 
probably  coureurs  de  hois  —  the  renegades  of  Canada,  or  possibly   voyageurs, 

a  class  of  men  described  in    English  accounts  of  Detroit  as.  "generally  | r 

wretches,  a  lazy,  idle  people,  depending  chiefly  on  the  savages  for  subsist- 
ence, whose  manners  and  customs  they  have  entirely  adopted."  While  this 
description  was  undoubtedly  applicable  to  many  of  the  rough  characters  seen 
about  the  settlements  in  early  days,  it  is  most  unjust  of  the  inhabitants  gen- 
erally. There  were  two  distinct  classes  of  these  habitants.  One  was  com- 
posed of  the  active,  intelligent,  honest  tradesmen  and  farmers,  some  ol  whom 
were  of  noble  birth  and  connections;  the  other  comprised  the  voyageurs  and 
coureurs  de  bois  shiftless  half-breeds.  Side  by  side,  these  two  classes  built 
their  abodes  and  lived  in  harmony;  yet  each  in  his  own  sphere  —  each  con- 
tented with  his  lot. 

The  voyageur  and  farmer  indulged  in  no  dreams  of  the  equality  of  man. 
and  ambition  never  embittered  his  heart,  while  the  land  owner  and  merchant, 
jeaf  ins  of  no  encroachment,  was  the  indulgent  and  kind-hearted  employer 
and  patron.  They  were  a  gay,  happy  people,  full  of  vivacity  ami  graceful 
hilarity,  honest  among  themselves,  generous  and  hospitable.  Surrounded  by 
danger,  they  were  of  undoubted  courage,  but  when  the  present  peril  had 
passed,  their  habitual  gayety  returned.  Sorrow  and  suffering  were  soon  for- 
gotten, and  privations  laughed  at,  or  cheerfully  endured.  Simple  and  frugal 
in  their  habits,  contented  with  their  place  in  life,  they  renewed  in  their 
forest  recesses  of  the  new  world,  the  life  of  the  old. 

Among  the  first  of  the  hardy,  adventurous  traders  to  visit  this  valley  was 
Jacob  Smith,  known  to  the  natives  as  "\\  ah-he-sins,"  who  for  some  years 
had  followed  the  occupation  of  trapper,  lie  came  here,  it  is  supposed,  about 
1810,  to  open  trade  with  the  Indians,  leaving  his  family,  composed  of  a  white 
wife  and  several  children,  in  Detroit.  With  the  gain  of  a  dollar  ever  before 
his  eye,  he  traversed  the  tributaries  of  the  Saginaw  and  entered  recesses  of 
the  forest  newer  before  trod  by  civilized  man.  in  quest  of  game  and  the 
Indian  with  furs  to  trade.  That  he  found  this  broad  valley  a  rich  field  for  his 
labors  is  manifest  by  his  having  dwelt  here  the  remainder  of  his  life.  By 
fair  dealing  and  kind  treatment  of  the  Indians  he  soon  won  their  lasting 
friendship,  and  for  a  long  period  was  regarded  by  them,  and  especially  their 
chiefs,  as  a  brother.  His  influence  over  them  was  very  marked,  and.  as  we 
shall  soon  see,  he  exerted  his  powers  to  the  utmost  to  his  own  gain.  Rut 
lie  was  brave  and  valorous,  as  he  was  kind  ami  generous,  and  newer  failed  to 
protect  the  weak  and  helpless,  as  the  folk  .wing  incident  shows. 


THE    ADVENT    OF    WHITE    MEN  49 

Soon  after  the  first  settlement  was  started  on  the  Saginaw,  the  United 
States  government  appointed  David  Henderson  to  fill  the  office  of  Indian 
Agent  for  this  portion  of  the  territory,  and  in  due  time  he  arrived  with  his 
family.  Scarcely  had  they  become  settled  in  their  forest  home  when  he 
found  it  necessary  to  go  to  Detroit  on  business.  1  luring  his  absence  the 
vicious  old  chief,  Kish-kau-kou,  appeared  at  his  cabin,  terrified  the  inmates, 
took  them  captive,  and  announced  his  intention  to  kill  them.  Jacob  Smith. 
who  was  then  at  the  settlement  on  the  Flint,  where  he  made  his  headquarters, 
hearing  of  the  capture  came  with  all  possible  speed  to  Saginaw,  hunted  up 
the  old  besotted  chief,  and  demanded  what  his  designs  were  regarding  the 
wife  and  children  of  Henderson. 

"I  am  going  to  kill  them,"  answered  the  blood-thirsty  chief. 

"What,"  said  Smith,  "will  you  kill  these  little  children  who  have  never 
done  you  or  anyone  harm?" 

Nervously  the  chief  replied.  "Take  them  away,  quick." 

"But,"  protested  the  trader,  "it  is  no  use  for  me  to  take  the  woman  and 
her  children  through  the  woods.  I  shall  meet  some  other  Indians  and  they 
will  take  them  away  from  me  and  kill  them.  You  must  give  me  some  men 
to  go  with  me  to  Detroit." 

Without  further  parley  the  chief  gave  Smith  six  of  his  braves  to  act  as 
an  escort  of  the  party  through  the  wilderness  to  civilization,  and  they  arrived 
safely  at  Detroit.  Here  the  Indians  were  made  prisoners  and  confined  in  the 
fort,  and  only  through  the  influence  of  Smith,  their  steadfast  friend,  were 
they  at  length  released,  supplied  with  rations,  and  sent  in  charge  of  a  file  of 
soldiers  beyond  the  reach  of  danger  from  the  settlers,  who  were  then  in- 
furiated by  the  recent   Indian  outrages. 

Louis  Campau,  the  First  Settler 

Another  of  the  early  fur  traders  on  the  Saginaw  was  Louis  Campau.  who 
came  to  its  shores  in  1816.  He  was  an  intelligent,  shrewd,  far-seeing  oper- 
ator, a  man  who  will  lie  remembered  by  posterity  as  the  first  pioneer  to  break 
ground  for  the  embryo  settlement.  <  )n  the  west  bank  of  the  river  on  ground 
which  is  near  the  foot  of  Throop  Street,  he  erected  a  massive  two-story 
structure,  of  great  strength  and  solidity.  It  was  built  of  squared  logs,  and 
was  evidently  intended  to  subserve  a  double  purpose  —  a  pleasant  residence 
overlooking  the  placid  river,  and  a  stronghold  to  afford  protection  to  an 
armed  and  plucky  family  from  an  assault  by  the  savages,  and  also  as  a  ware- 
house for  the  storage  of  furs  and  of  goods  for  trade.  For  many  years  this 
building  was  a  somewhat  cherished  landmark,  an  ancient  souvenir  of  the 
pioneer  age.  Long  after  it  had  been  abandoned  as  a  trading  post,  the  resi- 
dence portion  was  occupied  by  an  old  Frenchman,  J.  Baptiste  Desnoyers.  a 
relative  of  the  Campau's  and  who  was  intelligent,  voluble,  communicative, 
and  polite.  Many  of  the  early  pioneers  will  readily  recall  the  easy  grace  and 
refinement  of  manner  with  which  he  greeted  them,  proferring  a  pinch  of 
Maccaboy  from  his  well  filled  silver  snuff  box,  and  relating  some  tale  of 
pioneer  life,  of  Indian  warfare,  or  of  his  experiences  as  trapper  and  trader. 
Shortly  after  the  death  of  this  antique  French  gentleman,  which  occurred 
early  in  the  sixties,  the  old  house  fell  a  victim  to  the  flames. 

<  M  other  early  trappers  and  fur  traders  along  the  Saginaw  and  its  trib- 
utaries. Henry  Conner,  Whitmore  Knaggs,  (',.  Godfroy,  Archie  Lyons,  and 
John  Harson  were  the  most  prominent.  All  of  these  hardy,  intrepid  borderers, 
by  adopting  the  wild  life  and  habits  of  the  savages,  had  ingratiated  them- 
selves into  their  favor,  won  their  confidence,  and  by  kindness  and  friendly 
good  will  opened  the  way  for  the  first  treaty  for  the  grant  of  Indian  lands, 
which   was  soon    to   follow. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

THE  TREATY  OF  SAGINAW 


The  Territory  of  Michigan  —  Treaty  of  Detroit — Building  the  Council  House  at 
Saginaw — Opening  the  Council  —  Oge-maw-ke-ke-to  Speaks  —  The  Influence  of  Wah- 
he-sins  —  Transcript  of  the  Treaty — Military  occupation — Hardships  of  Frontier  Life 
—  The  Deviltry  of  Kish-kau-kou  —  The  Second  Treaty  of  Saginaw — The  Treaty  of 
1838  and   1855. 

BY  the  ordinance  of  1787  the  civil  authority  of  the  United  States  was 
extended  over  the  Northwest  Territory;  and  in  January,  1805,  a  part 
was  set  off  by  Congress  as  the  Territory  of  Michigan.  This  was  the 
first  designation  of  a  political  division  by  the  name  of  Michigan,  and 
it  embraced  the  southern  peninsula,  the  eastern  end  of  the  northern  penin- 
sula, and  a  strip  of  land  now  contained  in  (  )hio  and  Indiana.  The  old  North- 
west Territory  was  then  known  as  Indiana  Territory.  In  1809  the  Territory 
of  Illinois  was  formed,  which  included  a  portion  id'  the  upper  peninsula 
west  of  the  meridian  which  ran  near  the  present  city  id'  Menominee.  This 
left  the  part  situated  between  this  meridian  and  the  meridian  of  Mackinac 
as  Indiana  Territory,  and  the  northern  peninsula  belonging  to  three  ter- 
ritories. 

The  State  of  Indiana  was  admitted  in  1816,  and  the  State  of  Illinois,  witli 
its  present  northern  boundary,  two  years  later.  By  an  enabling  act  of 
Congress  the  remainder  of  the  old  Northwest  Territory  was  made  a  part 
of  Michigan  Territory,  which  then  included  the  present  States  of  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  the  part  id'  Minnesota  lying  east  of  the  Mississippi,  and  a  narrow 
strip  of  Northern  Ohio.  In  1834  Michigan  Territory  reached  its  greatest 
extent,  embracing  all  the  territory  of  the  United  States  west  of  the  Missis- 
sippi as  far  as  the  Missouri  and  White  Earth  River,  and  from  the  State  of 
Missouri  to  the  British  Possessions.  This  extension  included  the  present 
States  of  Minnesota,  Iowa,  and  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Dakotas. 

The  Treaty  of   Detroit 

The  first  treaty  of  importance  which  was  made  for  the  extinguishment 
of  Indian  title  to  the  soil  of  this  territory  was  entered  into  by  William  Hull, 
then  Governor  of  the  territory  and  Superintendent  of  Indian  affairs,  in  1807. 
This  treaty  gave  the  United  States  a  possessory  title  to  the  southeastern 
portion  of  the  State  of  Michigan,  as  at  present  constituted.  The  northern 
line  of  this  grant  was  a  trifle  north  of  the  southern  boundaries  of  what  are 
now  Lapeer  and  Genesee  Counties,  thus  leaving  the  valley  of  the  Saginaw 
and  its  affluents  in  possession  of  the  Indians,  with  the  rights  of  the  natives 
intact  and  unaffected.  Although  a  few  fur  traders  had  come  among  them 
as  the  scouts  or  advanced  guard  of  civilization,  their  favorite  hunting  grounds 
were  left  to  them  undespoiled  until  the  Treaty  of  Saginaw,  which  was  made 
in  1819. 

General  Cass,  who  had  won  renown  in  the  War  of  1812,  in  the  vigor  oi 
manhood  and  with  a  laudable  ambition  to  achieve  a  national  reputation, 
was  commissioned  to  negotiate  a  treaty  which  would  secure  to  the  United 
States    a    most    important    addition    to    its    territory.      In    this    treaty   we    are 


52  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW     COUNTY 


particularly  interested,  since  the  cession  of  lands  then  made  by  the  natives, 
with  the  reservations  therein  provided  for,  include  the  rich  and  prosperous 
valley  of  the  Saginaw  and  its  tributaries. 

With  his  staff  of  interpreter-  and  aids,  the  General  set  out  from  Detroit 
early  in  September,  1819,  journed  the  whole  way  to  Flint  River  through  the 
unbroken  wilderness  on  horseback,  and  thence  down  the  stream  to  the  little 
settlement  on  the  Saginaw.  The  land  along  the  Flint  was  an  Indian  reserva- 
tion of  Pe-won-ny-go-wingh  —  the  tribal  home  of  Chief  Ne-ome  and  his 
successor  T<  me-di  ik-ane. 

Building  the  Council  House  at  Saginaw 

(  hie  of  the  earliest  white  settlers  to  establish  trade  with  the  Indians  on 
the  Saginaw  was  Louis  Campau,  who  came  to  the  wilderness  in  1816.  He 
was  a  fine  representative  of  the  better  class  of  French  pioneers,  a  liberal, 
public  spirited,  and  worthy  citizen.  To  him  General  Lass  entrusted  the 
building  of  a  suitable  Council  House,  and  the  making  of  all  arrangements 
for  the  reception  of  the  Commissioner  and  his  numerous  company.  At  the 
same  time  the  General  despatched  two  government  vessels,  laden  with  stores 
for  the  subsistence  of  the  party,  around  the  lakes  St.  Clair  and  Huron  and 
up  the  Saginaw  to  the  frontier  post  in  the  wilderness.  On  one  of  these  vessels 
was  a  company  of  United  States  soldiery,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
i  ass,  a  brother  of  the  General,  which  had  been  ordered  to  the  place  of  meet- 
ing for  the  protection  of  those  in  attendance. 

Campau  and  his  workmen  thereupon  set  about  to  construct  the  Council 
House,  which  was  to  be  a  spacious  though  rough  edifice  with  open  sides  and 
ends,  extending  for  several  hundred  feet  along  the  bank  of  the  river.  It  was 
situated  on  a  slight  knoll  —  a  very  commanding  and  pleasant  place,  a  little 
east  of  what  is  now  Michigan  Avenue  and  north  of  Clinton  Street.  Trees 
conveniently  situated  furnished  the  columns  of  the  house,  while  their  boughs 
thickly  interlaced  above  with  other  branches,  and  bark  and  moss,  formed  the 
simple  roof  covering.  A  platform  made  of  hewed  logs,  and  elevated  a  foot 
above  the  ground.  to  hold  rustic  benches  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Com- 
missioner and  his  aids,  occupied  the  center  of  the  room.  Huge  logs  in  their 
natural  roughness  were  then  rolled  in  upon  the  remaining  space  to  serve  as 
seats  for  the  native  lords  of  the  wild  domain,  when  in  solemn  council.  The 
bordering  woods  were  dotted  with  wigwams  and  cabins  hastily  set  up  by  the 
Indians  for  the  comfort  of  themselves  and  families  during  the  pending  nego- 
tiations. 

Temporary  yet  convenient  additions  to  his  trading  post  were  made  by 
Campau,  to  afford  space  for  a  good-sized  dining  room  for  the  officials,  and 
also  comfortable  quarters  for  the  distinguished  Commissioner,  who  arrived 
with  his  company  on  the  tenth  of  September.  It  was  said  the  number  of 
Indians  present  at  that  time  was  not  large,  although  messengers  had  been 
sent  among  the  different  tribes,  some  quite  remote  from  the  place  of  meeting, 
to  notify  them  of  the  council.  When  it  was  apparent  that  some  tribes  were 
not  represented,  runners  were  sent  out  in  all  directions  to  urge  their  coming. 

Opening  the  Council 

The  negotiations  were  pending  for  ten  or  twelve  days,  and  three  councils 
were  held.  The  number  of  Indians  in  attendance  at  the  third  council,  which 
was  the  fullest  held,  was  variously  estimated  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two 
thousand.  At  each  formal  council  the  chiefs,  warriors,  head-men  and  braves 
were  called  and  admitted  into  the  Council  lb. use.  The  sides  and  ends  of  the 
house   being  open   the   squaws  and   young  warriors  gathered  in  timid   groups 


THE    TREATY    OF    SAGINAW  53 

close  by  as  interested  spectators  of  the  solemn  proceedings  within.  The 
negotiations  involved  no  less  than  a  full  and  final  surrender  of  the  ancient 
hunting  grounds  of  their  people,  the  fair  and  beautiful  heritage  of  forest  and 
corn  fields,  lake  and  river,  and  the  burial  places  of  their  fathers;  and  also 
provided  for  their  removal  beyond  the  Mississippi. 

The  eloquent  appeal  of  <  reneral  Lass,  made  known  to  the  natives  through 
experienced  interpreters,  failed  to  make  a  favorable  impression  on  the  native 
chiefs.  He  urged  them  to  keep  in  mind  the  paternal  regard  which  their 
Great  Father  at  Washington  held  for  them  and  their  welfare,  and  expressed 
the  hope  that  the  peaceful  relations  which  had  existed  between  them  since 
the  war  should  be  rendered  perpetual.  He  reminded  them  of  their  condition 
as  a  people,  the  swelling  of  the  wave  of  civilization  toward  their  hunting 
grounds,  the  growing  scarcity  of  game,  the  importance  and  necessity  of 
turning  their  attention  more  to  agriculture,  and  relinquishing  the  more 
uncertain  mode  of  living  by  the  chase,  and  the  better  condition  they  would 
ultimately  be  in  by  confining  themselves  to  reservations,  ample  for  the  pur- 
poses of  agriculture,  to  be  provided  for  them  in  the  proposed  treaty:  and  the 
cession  of  the  residue  of  the  territory  then  occupied  by  those  who  were  there 
represented,  upon  such  terms  and  guarantees  as  their  condition  required, 
including  therein  stipulated  annuities. 

He  was  answered  by  their  chief  speakers  with  a  gravity  and  eloquence 
peculiar  to  Indian  councils.  Three  chiefs  of  wide  influence,  Mis-hene-na- 
none-quet,  Oge-maw-ke-ke-to,  and  Kish-kau-kou  were  particularly  vehement 
in  the  treaty  negotiations.  The  latter,  however,  was  an  Indian  of  violent 
temper,  and  in  the  excitement  of  drink  was  reckless  in  the  commission  of 
outrage.  At  the  close  of  the  first  day  of  the  council  he  had  put  himself  out 
of  condition  for  parley,  and  it  was  found  that  he  was  less  dangerous  in  his 
wigwam  quietly  drunk  than  in  the  Council  House  tolerably  sober.  So  he 
remained  in  a  state  quite  unpresentable  as  a  speaker  for  his  tribe  until  the 
last  day  of  the  negotiations,  when  he  was  present  merely  to  affix  his  totem 
to  the  treaty,  after  it  had  been  engrossed  for  execution. 

Oge-maw-ke-ke-to  Speaks 

The  chief  speaker,  Oge-maw-ke-ke-to,  opposed  the  treaty  provisions  with 
indignation,  and  it  was  said  his  speech  was  a  model  of  Indian  eloquence.  He 
was  then  quite  young,  being  scarcely  twenty-five  years  of  age.  but  was  above 
the  average  height,  and  in  his  bearing  was  graceful  and  handsome,  llis  band 
lived  at  the  forks  of  the  Tittabawassee ;  and  like  the  famous  Seneca  chief, 
Sago-gewa-tha.  he  wore  upon  his  breast  a  superb  medal,  which  had  been  given 
him  by  the  United  States  government. 

He  addressed  the  Commissioner  as  follows: 

"You  do  not  know  our  wishes.  Our  people  wonder  what  has  brought 
you  so  far  from  your  homes.  Your  young  men  have  invited  us  to  come 
and  light  the  council  fire.  We  are  here  to  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace,  but 
not  to  sell  our  lands.  Our  American  Father  wants  them,  our  English 
Father  treats  us  better.  He  has  never  asked  for  them.  Your  people 
trespass  upon  our  hunting  grounds.  You  flock  to  our  shores.  Our 
waters  grow  warm.  (  )ur  land  melts  away  like  a  cake  of  ice.  (  )ur  pos- 
sessions grow  smaller  and  smaller.  The  warm  wave  of  the  white  man 
rolls  in  upon  us  and  melts  us  away.  Our  women  reproach  us.  Our 
children  want  homes.  Shall  we  sell  from  under  them  the  spot  where 
they  spread  their  blankets?  We  have  not  called  you  here.  We  smoke 
with  you  the  pipe  of  peace." 


54  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

To  this  clear  recital  of  their  opposition  the  Commissioner  replied  with 
earnestness,  reproving  the  speaker  for  arrogant  assumption;  that  their  Great 
Father  at  Washington  had  just  closed  a  war  in  which  he  had  whipped  their 
Father,  the  English  King,  and  the  Indians  too;  that  their  lands  were  forfeited 
in  fact  by  the  rules  of  war,  but  that  he  did  not  propose  to  take  their  posses- 
sions without  rendering  back  an  equivalent,  notwithstanding  their  late  act  of 
hostility;  that  their  women  and  children  should  have  secured  to  them  ample 
tribal  reservations,  on  which  they  might  live  unmolested  by  their  white 
neighbors,  where  they  could  spread  their  blankets  and  be  aided  by  agriculture. 

The  council  for  the  day  closed,  and  the  Commissioner  and  his  staff  of 
earnest  and  devoted  aids,  distinguished  in  Indian  councils,  retired  to  their 
lodgings  disappointed  and  anxious.  There  were  Henry  Conner,  known  to 
the  Indians  as  "Wah-be-sken-dip,"  Whitmore  Knaggs,  known  as  "Oke-day- 
ben-don,"  and  beloved  by  them.  Colonel  Beaufait,  G.  Godfrey  and  John 
Harson,  all  with  influence  with  the  Chippewas.  The  chiefs  and  head-men  of 
the  natives  retired  to  their  wigwams  in  sullen  dignity,  unapproachable  and 
unappeased.  It  was  certainly  an  unpropitious  opening  of  the  great  and  im- 
portant undertaking  and  trust  which  General  Cass  had  in  hand.  The  juncture 
was  a  critical  one,  and,  for  a  full  appreciation  of  it,  a  brief  allusion  to  the 
relative  status  of  the  contracting  parties  to  the  treaty,  but  whose  minds  had 
not  yet  met,  is  necessary. 

The  proposition  for  a  cession  of  the  Indian  title  came  from  the  Amer- 
icans, not  from  the  Indians.  Their  possessory  control  by  American  recogni- 
tion and  action  was  as  yet  perfect.  For  any  lawless  or  vindictive  act  upon 
the  treaty  grounds  there  would  have  been  immunity  from  immediate  punish- 
ment, and  probably  ultimate  escape.  The  whites,  comparatively,  were  few 
in  number.  The  military  company  on  board  the  schooner,  anchored  in  the 
stream,  was  quite  inadequate  to  successful  resistance  against  an  organized 
and  general  outbreak.  Sufficient  time  had  not  yet  elapsed  to  wash  out  the 
bitter  memories  of  border  fueds,  of  fancied  or  real  wrong.  Foot-prints  were 
vet  fresh  upon  the  war-path;  indeed,  only  the  fifth  summer  had  passed  since 
that  war  had  closed  which  had  laid  low  many  Chippewa  warriors.  The  Com- 
missioner and  his  staff  of  aids  had  placed  themselves  voluntarily  within  their 
stronghold  upon  the  Saginaw,  into  which  no  pale-face  had  penetrated  through- 
out the  war,  unless  as  a  pinioned  captive,  with  the  exception  of  a  single 
memorable  instance  wherein  a  daring  trader  had  rescued  from  captivity  the 
children  of  the  Boyer  family. 

Here,  within  a  half-dozen  summers,  the  Indians  had  trained  themselves 
to  war-like  feats  and  prepared  for  those  deadly  incursions  into  the  frontier 
settlements,  and  for  those  more  formidable  engagements  when  disciplined 
valor  met  their  wild  charge.  After  each  bloody  raid  they  looked  to  this  valley 
as  to  a  fastness,  and  to  it  returned  with  their  captives  and  streaming  trophies. 
And  here,  too,  had  been  for  generations  their  simple  altar  in  the  forests;  their 
festivals  where  thanks  went  up  to  the  Great  Spirit  for  the  yearly  return  of  the 
successive  blessings  of  a  fruitful  season,  following  to  its  source  with  direct 
purpose  and  thankful  hearts  the  warm  ray  which  perfected  their  slender 
harvest. 

Ne-ome,  the  chief  of  one  of  the  largest  bands  of  the  Chippewas,  occupied 
and  assumed  to  control  the  most  southerly  portion  of  their  then  national 
domain.  This  portion  lay  along  the  Flint  River  and  its  northerly  affluents 
which,  by  the  treaty  line  of  ISO/,  were  left  in  full  Indian  possession.  The 
river  was  called  by  the  natives  "Pe-won-o-go-wink,  meaning  literally  the  river 
of  Flint,  and  by  the  early  French  traders,  La  Pierre.  Trails  upon  the  Flint 
and  its  tributaries,  reaching  to  their  head  waters,  all  converging  to  the  main 


THE    TREATY    OF    SAGINAW  55 

stream  as  a  center,  f(  irmed  a  net-work  of  communication  which  gave  the 
Chippewas  access  by  land,  as  well  as  by  canoes  upon  the  rivers,  to  the  Com- 
missioner in  council.  The  advancing  wave  of  white  settlement  had  already 
approached,  and  in  some  instances  had,  with' nit  authority,  encroached  upon 
the  southerly  border  of  their  net-work  of  trails  upon  the  Flint.  In  point  of 
location  geographically  Ne-ome  and  his  powerful  hand  stood  at  the  door,  the 
very  threshold,  of  the  large  body  of  land  which  our  Government,  through  its 
faithful  and  earnest  Commissioner,  wanted.  Unless  well  disposed  toward 
the  treaty,  Ne-ome,  holding  the  beautiful  belt  of  land  lying  westerly  of  the 
River  St.  Clair  and  Lake  Huron,  stood  a  lion  in  the  path. 

But  this  chief  was  honest  and  simple  minded,  evincing  but  little  of  the 
craft  and  cunning  of  his  race.  He  was  sincere  in  his  nature,  by  no  means 
astute,  was  firm  in  his  friendships,  easy  to  be  persuaded  by  any  benefactor 
who  should  appeal  to  his  Indian  sense  of  gratitude:  and  was  harmless, 
generous,  and  kind.     In  stature  he  was  short  and  heavily  moulded.     He  was 

a  chief  of  patriarchal  g lness,  and  his  name  was  never  mentioned  by  any  of 

the  members  of  his  band,  even  at  a  remote  day,  except  with  a  certain  tradi- 
tionary  sorrow,  more  impressive  in  its  mournful  simplicity  than  a  labored 
epitaph. 

The  Influence  of  Wah-be-sins 

But  there  was  a  power  behind  the  throne-  of  native  chieftains,  which  was 
greater  than  the  throne  itself.     That  power  rested  in  the  hands  of  a  white 


s 


trader  with  the  Indians,  who  was  known  to  them  by  the  name  of  Wah-be-sins 
(meaning  a  young  swan),  and  to  the  border  settlers  as  Jacob  Smith.  So  far 
as  known  he  was  one  of  the  first  white  traders  to  penetrate  the  wilderness 
of  the  Saginaw.  It  was  supposed  that  he  came  to  the  valley  about  1810,  for 
he  had  traded  with  the  natives  there  before  the  War  of  1X12,  and  for  a  long 
time  after.  His  principal  trading  post,  which  he  afterward  made  his  perma- 
nent one,  was  at  the  Grand  Traverse,  or  fording  place,  of  the  Flint,  in  the 
first  ward  of  the  present  city  of  that  name. 

By  long  residence  among  the  native  tribe  he  had  assimilated  by  degrees 
their  habits  and  customs,  and  even  adopted  their  mode  of  dress.  He  spoke 
their  language  fluentlv  and  with  powerful  impressiveness,  and  was  generous, 
warm  hearted,  and  kind.  Though  small  of  stature  and  light  in  weight,  he 
was  powerful  as  well  as  agile  ;  and  was  intrepid  of  spirit.  Skilled  in  wood- 
craft, sagacious  and  adroit,  it  was  said  he  equalled,  if  not  exceeded,  the 
natives  in  many  of  those  qualities  which,  as  forest  heroes,  they  most  admired. 
Like  most  white  men  living  upon  the  Indian  frontier,  he  had  become  the 
father  of  a  half-breed  family,  of  which  one  was  a  daughter,  named  Mok-itch- 
en-o-qua. 

Brought  into  almost  daily  contact  and  intercourse  with  the  band  of 
Chippewas  upon  the  Saginaw  and  its  tributaries,  he  ingratiated  himself  into 
the  confidence  of  their  chief,  Ne-ome;  and  it  is  probable  that  of  the  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  chiefs  and  head-men  of  the  Chippewa  nation,  who 
were  present  at  the  council,  there  was  not  one  with  whom  he  had  not  at 
some  time  dealt,  and  to  whom  he  had  extended  some  act  of  friendship,  either 
in  dispensing  the  simple  hospitality  of  the  wilderness,  or  in  substantial 
advances  to  them  of  bread  or  of  blankets,  as  their  necessities  may  have  re- 
quired. By  kindness  and  fair  dealing  he  had  intrenched  himself  into  their 
lasting  friendship,  and,  at  the  time  of  the  treaty  negotiations,  so  closely  had 

he  identified  himself  with  the  g 1   old  chief.  Ne-ome,  that  each   hailed  the 

other  as  "brother."  Even  at  a  much  later  day,  Sa-gas-e-wa-qua,  daughter  of 
Ne-ome.  and  others  of  his  descendants,  when  speaking  of  Smith  and  the  old 
chieftain,   invariably    brought    their   hands   together   pressing   the    two    index 


56  HIST(  )RY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

fingers  closely  to  each  cither,  as  the  Indian  symbol  of  brotherhood  and  warm 
attachment.  Upon  the  treaty  ground  the  two  friends,  the  white  trader  and 
the  swarthy  son  of  the  forest,  acted  unitedly  and  in  perfect  unison. 

Although  Smith  was  personally  known  to  General  Cass,  he  evidently 
looked  with  distrust  upon  the  hardy  borderer,  as  no  position  as  aid  to  the 
negotiations,  either  as  interpreter  or  agent,  was  accorded  him.  For  days 
the  most  active  and  influential  interpreters  for  the  Government  were  in- 
effectual in  conciliating  Ne-ome,  <  >ge-maw-ke-ke-to,  and  the  other  chiefs. 
Not  a  step  of  progress  was  made  until  Knaggs  and  other  agents  assumed, 
but  with  what  authority  is  doubtful,  to  speak  for  the  Government  outside  the 
Council  House,  had  promised  the  faithful  Ne-ome  that,  in  addition  to  various 
and  ample  reservations  for  the  different  bands,  of  several  thousand  acres 
each,  there  should  lie  reserved  as  requested  by  Wah-be-sins  (Smith),  eleven 
sections  of  land  of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  each,  to  be  located  at  or  near 
the  Grand  Traverse  of  the  Flint.  Eleven  names  as  such  reservees.  all  Indian, 
were  passed  to  Knaggs  on  a  slip  of  paper  in  his  tent. 

Such  progress  having  been  made  in  the  parley,  due  to  surrender  to 
craftiness  of  the  white  trader  with  the  Indians,  another  council  was  called 
and  was  more  fully  attended  by  the  chiefs  and  warriors.  Many  points  of 
difficulty  had  been  smoothed  over,  and  the  storm  which  at  first  threatened 
to  overwhelm  the  best  efforts  of  the  Commissioner  and  his  aids  had  passed. 
In  its  place  a  calm  and  open  discussion  ensued  on  terms  and  basis  which  a 
just  and  honorable  treaty  should  be  concluded. 

There  was  one  more  general  council  held,  which  was  purely  formal,  for 
the  purpose  of  having  affixed  to  the  engrossed  copy  of  the  treaty,  the  signa- 
tures of  General  Cass,  the  witnesses,  and  the  totems  of  the  chiefs  and  head- 
men of  the  Chippewas  and  Ottawa--. 

One  great  obstacle  to  the  consummation  of  the  treaty  w:as  the  desire  of 
the  Government  to  remove  the  Chippewas  west  of  the  Mississippi,  in  addition 
to  the  cession  of  the  valuable  tract  of  land  lying  upon  the  Saginaw  and  its 
tributaries.  But  it  was  discovered  by  the  Commissioner  soon  after  his 
arrival  in  council  that  this  provision  endangered  the  treaty,  and  it  was  there- 
upon abandoned.  This  country  had  been  so  long  occupied  by  the  Indians, 
and  was  so  well  adapted  to  their  hunter  state  in  the  remarkable  abundance 
of  fish  in  the  rivers,  lakes  and  bays,  and  in  the  game  yet  left  to  them  in  the 
forest,  that  they  were  not   inclined  to  listen  to  any  proposition  of  removal. 

Transcript  of  the  Treaty 

Art.  1.  Tlie  Chippewa  nation  of  Indians,  in  consideration  of  the  stipulations  herein 
made  on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  do  herehy  forever  cede  to  the  United  States 
the  land  comprehended  within  the  following  lines  and  boundaries:  Beginning  at  a 
point  in  the  present  Indian  boundary  line,  which  runs  due  north  from  the  mouth  of 
the  great  Anglaize  River,  six  miles  south  of  the  place  where  the  base  line,  so  called, 
intersects  the  same;  thence,  west,  sixty  miles;  thence,  in  a  direct  line  to  the  head  of 
Thunder  Bay  River;  thence,  down  the  same,  following  the  course  thereof,  to  the 
mouth;  thence,  northeast,  to  the  boundary  line  between  the  United  States  and 
British  Province  of  Upper  Canada;  thence,  with  the  same,  to  the  line  established  by 
the  treaty  of  Detroit,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  seven;  thence  with 
the   said   line   to   the   place   of   beginning. 

Art.  2.  From  the  cession  aforesaid  the  following  tracts  of  land  shall  be  reserved, 
for  use   of  the  Chippewa  nation  of   Indians. 

One  tract,  of  eight  thousand  acres,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  An  Sable  near 
where   the   Indians   now   live. 

One  tract,  of  two   thousand  acre-.,  on  the  river   Mesagwisk. 

One  tract,  of  six  thousand  acres,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  Kawkawling,  at 
the   Indian   village. 

One  tract,  of  five  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  upon  the  Flint  River, 
to   include    Reaum's   village,   and   a   place    called    Kishkawbawee. 


THE    TREATY    OF    SAGINAW  57 

(  hie  tract,  of  eight  thousand  acres,  on  the  head  of  the  river  Huron,  which  empties 
into  the  Saginaw  River,  at  the  village  of  Otusson. 

One  tract,   of  two  thousand  acres,  where    Xabolask  formerly  lived. 

One  island  in  the  Saginaw  Bay. 

One  tract,  of  one  thousand  acres,  near  the  island  in  the  Saginaw  River. 

(  >ue   tract,   of  two  thousand  acres,  at  the  mouth   of   the   An   Gres   River. 

()ne   tract,  of  one  thousand  acres,  on  the  river  Huron,  at   Menoequet's  village. 

One  tract,  of  ten  thousand  acres,  on  the  Shawassee  River,  at  a  place  called  the 
Big    Kock. 

One  tract,  of  three  thousand  acres,  on  the  Shawassee  River,  at  Ketchewaun- 
daugenick. 

One  tract,  of  six  thousand  acres,  at  the   Little   Forks,  on  the   Tetabawasink   River. 

One  tract,  of  six  thousand  acres,  at  the  Black  Bird's  Town,  on  the  Tetabawasink 
River. 

One  tract,  of  forty  thousand  acres,  on  the  Saginaw  River,  to  be  hereafter  located. 

Art.  3.  There  shall  be  reserved  for  the  use  of  each  of  the  persons  hereinafter 
named  and  their  heirs,  which  persons  are  all  Indians  by  descent,  the  following  tracts 
of  land: 

For  the  use  of  John  Riley,  the  son  of  Menawcumegoqua,  a  Chippewa  woman,  six 
hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  beginning  at  the  head  of  the  first  marsh  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Saginaw  River,  on  the  east  side  thereof. 

F'>r  the  use  of  Peter  Riley,  the  son  of  Menawcumegoqua,  a  Chippewa  woman, 
six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land  beginning  above  and  adjoining  the  apple  trees  on 
the  west  side  of  the  Saginaw  River,  and  running  up  the  same  for  quantity. 

For  the  use  of  James  Riley,  the  son  (if  Menawcumegoqua,  a  Chippewa  woman, 
six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  beginning  on  the  east  side  of  the  Saginaw  River,  nearly 
opposite  to  Campau's  trading  house,  and   running  up   the   river  for  quantity. 

For  the  use  of  Kawkawiskou,  or  the  Crow,  a  Chippewa  chief,  six  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land,  on  the  east  side  of  the  Saginaw  River,  at  a  place  called  Menitsgow, 
and  to  include,  in  the  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  the  island  opposite  to  the  said  place. 

For  the  use  of  Xowokeshik,  Metawanene,  Mokitchenoqua,  Nondeshemau,  TJeta- 
bonaqua,  Messawwakut,  Checbalk,  Ritchegeequa,  Sagosequa,  Annoketoqua,  and  Taw- 
cumegoqua,  each,  six  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  land,  to  be  located  at  and  near  the 
grand  traverse  of  the  Flint  River,  in  such  manner  as  the  President  of  the  United 
States  may  direct. 

For  the  use  of  the  children  of  Bokowtonden,  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  on  the 
Kawkawling  River. 

Art.  4.  In  consideration  of  the  cession  aforesaid,  the  Cnited  States  agree  to  pay 
to  the  Chippewa  nation  of  Indians,  annually,  forever,  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars 
in  silver;  and  do  hereby  agree  that  all  annuities  due  by  any  former  treaty  to  the  said 
tribe,   shall  be  hereafter  paid   in  silver. 

Art.  5.  The  stipulation  contained  in  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  relative  to  the  right 
of  the  Indians  to  hunt  upon  the  land  ceded,  while  it  continues  the  property  of  the 
United  States,  shall  apply  to  this  treaty;  and  the  Indians  shall,  for  the  same  term, 
enjoy  the  privilege  of  making  sugar  upon  the  same  land,  committing  no  unnecessary 
waste  upon  the  trees. 

Art.  (J.  The  United  States  agree  to  pay  to  the  Indians  the  value  of  any  improve- 
ments wdiich  they  may  be  obliged  to  abandon  in  consequence  of  the  lines  established 
by  this  treat}-,  and  which  improvements  add  real  value  to  the  land. 

Art.  7.  The  United  States  reserve  the  right  to  make  roads  through  any  part  of 
the   land   reserved  by  this  treaty. 

Art.  S.  The  United  States  engage  to  provide  and  support  a  blacksmith  for  the 
Indians,  at  Saginaw,  so  long  as  the  President  of  the  United  States  may  think  proper, 
and  to  furnish  the  Chippewa  Indians  with  such  farming  utensils,  and  cattle,  and  to 
employ  such  persons  to  aid  them  in  their  agriculture,  as  the  President  may  deem 
expedient. 

Art.  9.  This  treaty  shall  take  effect,  and  be  obligatory  on  the  contracting  parties, 
so  soon  as  the  same  shall  be  ratified  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  by  and 
with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate  thereof. 


58  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


In  testimony  whereof,  the  said  Lewis  Cass,  Commissioner  as  aforesaid,  and  the 
Chiefs  and  Warriors  of  the  Chippewa  Nation  of  Indians,  have  hereunto  set  their  hands, 
at  Saginaw,  in  the  Territory  of  Michigan,  this  twenty-fourth  day  ni"  September,  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  one   thousand  eight   hundred  and   nineteen. 

(Signed)  Lewis    Cass 

and   one   hundred   and   fourteen    Indians. 
Twenty-three    witnesses 

The  execution  of  the  treaty  was  consummated  about  the  middle  of  the 
afternoon,  and  the  silver  that  was  to  be  paid  to  the  Indians  was  counted  out 
upon  the  table  in  front  of  the  Commissioner.  The  Saginaw  chiefs  and  head- 
men being  largely  indebted  to  Campau  for  goods  furnished  by  him,  had  put 
themselves  under  a  promise  to  him  that  lie  should  receive  at  least  fifteen 
hundred  dollars  of  the  amount  in  satisfaction  of  his  just  claims.  The  Com- 
missioner informed  the  Indians  that  all  the  money  was  theirs,  and  if  it  was 
their  will  that  Campau's  debt  should  be  first  paid  to  him,  to  so  signify  and  it 
should  be  done.  Three  other  traders  were  present  with  goods  for  sale,  and 
they  were  by  no  means  pleased  to  see  so  large  a  proportion  of  the  money  thus 
appropriated.  Wah-be-sins  (Smith)  was  one  of  the  three  traders.  He 
urged  the  turbulent  and  besotted  Kish-kau-kou  and  his  brother  to  object, 
and  they  addressed  the  Commissioner:  "We  are  your  children;  we  want 
our  money  in  our  hands."  In  accordance  with  this  wish  the  Commissioner 
directed  the  money  to  he  paid  to  them,  and  Campau  received  none  of  his 
pay  fr<  mi  that  fund. 

At  that  instant  Campau  jumped  from  the  platform  and  struck  Smith  two 
heavy  blows  in  the  face.  He  was  smart  as  steel  and  Campau  was  not  slow; 
but  Louis  Beaufait  and  others  got  between  them  and  stopped  the  fight. 
Campau  lost  his  money  and  was  thus  cheated  out  of  a  good  fight  besides. 
But  he  had  his  satisfaction  that  night.  Five  barrels  of  whiskey  were  opened 
by  the  United  States  Quartermaster,  for  the  Indians.  Campau  ordered  ten 
barrels  of  his  whiskey  opened  and  two  men  stationed  with  dippers  at  the 
open  barrels.  The  Indians  drank  to  fearful  excess;  and  at  ten  o'clock  the 
General  sent  Major  Robert  Forsyth  to  him  to  say:  "The  Indians  are  getting 
dangerous,  the  General  says  stop  the  liquor."  Campau  sent  back  word  to 
him,  "General,  you  commenced  it." 

A  guard  was  thereupon  detailed  to  surround  his  door.  Soon  after  some 
Indians  from  the  Bay  came  to  the  post,  and  the  guard  tried  to  keep  them  out 
with  the  bayonet.  In  the  scuffle  that  ensued  one  of  the  Indians  was  stabbed 
in  the  thigh.  The  war-whoop  was  given,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  the  building 
containing  the  store  room  and  the  General's  headquarters  was  surrounded 
by  excited  Indians  with  tomahawks  in  their  hands.  General  Cass  came  to  the 
door  of  his  lodgings  looking  very  grotesque,  with  a  red  bandanna  handker- 
chief tied  about  his  head,  and  exclaimed,  "Louis!  Louis!  stop  the  liquor, 
Louis!"  Campau  answered  him:  "General,  you  commenced  it;  you  let 
Smith  plunder  me  and  rob  me.  but  I  will  stand  between  you  and  all  harm." 
The  General  called  out  again,  "Louis!  Louis!  Send  those  Indians  to  their 
wigwams."  "Yes,  General,"  came  the  reply,  "but  you  commenced  it."  In 
recalling  this  incident,  which  is  so  illustrative  of  the  state  of  things  on  the 
treaty  ground,  Campau  said:  "I  lost  my  money;  I  lost  my  fight;  I  lost  my 
liquor;    but  I  got  good  satisfaction." 

The  trading  post  conducted  by  Campau  before  and  after  the  negotiation 
of  the  treaty  stood  on  the  east  side  of  Water  Street,  on  part  of  the  site  of 
Wright's  mill.  Many  years  after  this  event  it  served  as  a  residence,  its 
occupant  being  a  genial  old  Frenchman,  named  ].  Baptiste  Desnoyers,  who 
made  the  old  house,  with  its  rickety  stairs  and  lo  ise  flooring,  seem  cheerful 
with   his  cordial  welcome.      Lor  one   year,    1820,  Campau  also  had  a   trading 


THE    TREATY    OF    SAGINAW  59 

post  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  near  where  the  Methodist  Mission  House 
was  afterward  erected.  But  the  Indians  were  discontented  and  would  not 
trade  with  him  there,  saying,  "We  gave  you  the  other  side  for  trading,  go 
there."  So  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  this  post  soon  after.  In  June,  1826,  he 
turned  his  business  over  to  his  brother,  Antoine,  and  travelled  westward  to 
the  Grand  River  where,  at  the  rapids  nr  Grand  Traverse,  he  established  a 
trading  post. 

In  the  autumn  of  1819,  Jacob  Smith,  better  known  as  Wah-be-sins, 
whose  influence  over  the  Indians  was  ever  on  the  increase,  built  a  rough  log 
trading  post  on  the  Flint  River.  He  had  profited  much  by  his  friendship 
with  the  native  chiefs,  through  craftiness  being  granted  eleven  sections  of 
land  on  the  Flint,  where  the  City  of  Flint  is  situated.  For  several  years  he 
traded  there,  but  in  1825,  after  a  lingering  and  pitiable  sickness,  due  more, 
it  was  said,  to  neglect  than  disease,  he  died.  A  good  hearted  Frenchman,  by 
the  name  of  Baptiste  Cochins,  who  was  with  him  upon  the  trading  ground  in 
1819,  and  was  himself  a  fur  trader,  performed  for  the  brave  but  unfortunate 
man  the  last  sad  rites  of  humanity.  An  Indian  lad  who  had  lived  with  Smith 
for  several  years,  and  who  attended  him  faithfully  in  his  sickness,  was  the 
only  household  mourner.  A  few  Indians  gathered  in  mournful  groups  about 
the  grave  as  the  remains  of  the  unfortunate  trader  were  committed  to  the 
earth.  Ne-ome,  his  trusty  and  faithful  friend,  was  there  mute  with  grief. 
With  that  feeling  of  gratitude  which  is  characteristic  and  which  is  a  cardinal 
virtue  in  their  untutored  minds,  the  Indians  proved  true  and  faithful  through 
his  sickness  to  the  last. 

A  few  days  after  the  death  of  the  old  trader,  a  relative  came  from  Detroit 
and  gathered  up  most  carefully  the  few  remnants  of  the  stores  left  by  the 
hardy  frontiersman,  and  took  them  away.  Sa-gas-ewa-qua,  the  daughter  of 
Ne-ome,  expressed  herself  of  this  proceeding  with  sententous  brevitv. 
peculiar  to  the  Indian  : 

"When  Wah-be-sins  sick  nobody  come.  Him  sicker  and  sicker,  nobody 
come.  Wah-be-sins  die.  little  tinker  come  and  take  all  him  blankets,  all  him 
cattle,  all  him  things." 

Two  years  after,  Ne-ome  followed  his  friend  Wah-be-sins  to  the  spirit 
land.  He  died  at  his  tribal  home  a  few  miles  above  the  settlement  of  Sagi- 
naw, faithfully  attended  through  a  long  and  severe  sickness  by  his  children 
and  relatives.  He  was  enthroned  in  patriarchal  simplicity  in  the  hearts  of 
his  people,  beloved  and  mourned. 

Military  Occupation 

In  the  years  1821  and  1822  the  Chippewa  Indians  on  the  Saginaw  became 
restless  and  ill-tempered  to  such  a  degree  that  the  war  department,  in  the 
early  past  of  1822,  ordered  a  detachment  of  the  Third  United  States  Infantry, 
then  stationed  at  Fort  Howard.  Green  Bay,  to  proceed  to  the  Saginaw 
River,  under  the  command  of  Major  Daniel  Baker.  Shortly  after.  Doctor 
Zina  Pitcher,  having  been  appointed  an  assistant  surgeon  in  the  army,  was 
ordered  to  report  to  Major  Baker  who,  with  two  companies  of  infantry, 
would  arrive  at  Saginaw  about  the  twentieth  of  July.  He  therefore  left 
Detroit  with  Captain  Knaggs  as  guide,  followed  the  Indian  trail  through  the 
unbroken  forest  to  the  clearing  of  Oliver  Williams,  (which  is  now  the  pleasant 
little  town  of  WTaterford,  in  Oakland  County),  and  thence  by  way  of  Flint 
River  to  the  wigwam  of  the  old  chief  Kish-kau-kou.  which  stood  on  the  east 
side  of  the  Saginaw  River.  They  arrived  just  in  time  to  see  the  troops  dis- 
embarking on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  near  the  spot  now  occupied  by 
the  Michigan  Central  station. 


60  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  vessels  by  which  the  troops  were  transported  from  Green  Bay  did 
not  come  up  the  river  beyond  the  present  location  of  Bay  City,  where  the 
men  and  stores  were  transferred  to  canoes  and  flat-boats  and  conveyed  to 
the  landing  at  their  destination.  They  at  once  pitched  their  tents  along  the 
slope  of  the  hill  and  prepared  for  permanent  residence,  i  hi  the  site  of  the 
present  Hotel  Fordney  they  erected  a  block  house,  surrounded  it  with  a 
strong  stockade,  thus  raising  a  fortress  in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness.  Within 
the  stockade  were  the  company's  quarters,  the  officers  quarters  being  on  the 
north  side  of  the  quadrangle,  while  cm  three  sides  were  the  barracks  for  the 
soldiers  and  their  families.  There  were  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  en- 
listed men,  besides  women  and  children  —  all  told  perhaps  one  hundred  and 
fifty  persons,  including  the  surgeon,  the  sutler  and  his  clerks.  The  companies 
were  commanded  by  Captain  John  Garland,  company  K,  Lieutenants  Allen 
and  Bainbridge;  and  Captain  Stephen  H.  Webb,  of  company  I,  Lieutenants 
Brooks  and  Walker:  and  Adjutant  Nelson  11.  Baker,  a  brother  of  the  major 
commanding.  Thomas  C.  Sheldon,  Chauncey  Bush,  and  Elliot  Gray,  all  had 
business  connections  with  the  command.  Louis  Campau  and  family,  Antoine 
Campau,  Archibald  Lyons,  Indian  interpreter.  Air.  Provensal,  Indian  black- 
smith, Mr.  Corben,  and  l'atrice  Reaume,  comprised  the  civil  community.  The 
trail  from  Smith's  trading  post  on  the  Flint  River  to  Saginaw  was  blazed  in 
the  winter  of  1S22--.1,  by  a  detail  of  soldiers  commanded  by  Lieutenants 
Brooks  and  Bainbridge. 

Hardships  of  Frontier  Life 

The  winter  of  lS22-J,i  was  very  cold  ami  much  snow  fell.  When  spring 
came  the  rapid  solution  of  the  ice  and  snow  caused  a  great  flood  in  the 
Tittabawassee  and  other  tributaries  of  the  Saginaw,  so  that  most  of  the 
prairie  between  the  post  and  Green  Point  was  under  water.  The  succeeding 
summer  was  very  warm,  with  the  natural  result  that  it  proved  very  sickly  to 
the  inhabitants.  As  early  as  July  a  very  aggravated  form  of  intermittent 
fever  became  the  universal  malady,  and  only  one  of  the  officers  escaped  an 
attack  of  more  or  less  severity.  Among  the  sufferers  by  the  disease  was  the 
surgeon.  Dr.  Pitcher,  who  for  stweral  days  was  carried  from  his  quarters  to 
the  bedside  of  his  patients,  and  for  whom  he  was  the  only  person  to  prescribe. 
During  this  state  of  things  Lieutenant  Allen.  Mrs.  Baker,  wife  of  the  com- 
manding officer,  his  daughter  and  a  young  son  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  and 
Lieutenant  Nelson  Baker,  died,  and  one  enlisted  man  only.  Major  Baker 
himself  being  on  the  sick  bed,  Captain  Garland,  next  in  command,  made  a 
requisition  on  Quartermaster  Samuel  Stanton  for  a  surgeon  to  relieve  Dr. 
Pitcher. 

On  the  twenty-ninth  of  August.  Dr.  J.  L.  Whiting,  at  a  great  personal 
sacrifice,  mounted  his  horse  in  Detroit,  and  under  the  guidance  of  a  soldier 
set  his  face  towards  the  pestilential  swamps  on  the  Saginaw.  (  )n  the  morn- 
ing of  the  second  day  after,  he  sat  down  to  a  bountiful  breakfast  at  the 
quarters  of  Captain  Garland,  with  whom  he  stayed  for  about  three  weeks. 
He  was  then  taken  sick  with  the  same  disease  and  removed  to  the  officers' 
mess-house,  where  he  spent,  as  he  afterward  declared,  three  of  the  most 
harassing  weeks  of  his  whole  life,  but  through  a  kind  Providence  recovered 
sufficiently  to  leave  the  valley  with  the  other  members  of  the  command. 

Thoroughly  disheartened  and  discouraged  with  their  innumerable  hard- 
ships and  sufferings.  Major  Baker,  reported  to  the  Department  that  the 
climate  was  so  unhealthy  that  "nothing  but  Indians,  muskrats  and  bull-frogs, 
could  possibly  subsist  here."  and  requested  removal  of  his  ill-conditioned 
troops  to  another  post.  In  the  midst  of  a  howling  wilderness,  surrounded  by 
untamed    savages,    whose    nightly    whooping    and    infernal    pow-wow    orgies 


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62  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

were  far  more  appalling  than  even  the  cries  of  wild  beasts,  and  exposed  to 
the  rigidity  of  a  northern  climate,  together  with  its  vicissitudes,  they  hailed 
with  delight  the  order  for  the  abandonment  of  the  fort  on  the  Saginaw,  and 
their  removal  to  Detroit.  About  the  twenty-fifth  of  October  the  weakened 
command  embarked  on  the  schooner  Red  Jacket,  Captain  Walker,  and  another 
vessel  commanded  by  Captain  Keith,  and  sailed  for  Detroit  wdiere  they 
arrived  safely  on  the  thirtieth  of  the  same  month. 

The  Deviltry  of  Kish-kau-kou 

While  the  troops  were  stationed  at  the  fort  on  the  Saginaw,  besides  suf- 
fering many  privations  and  inconveniences,  they  were  subject  to  petty  annoy- 
ances and  insults  from  some  of  the  Indians,  who  looked  upon  them  as  tres- 
passers. The  savages  did  not  dare,  however,  to  make  any  advances  towards 
hostility,  for  they  knew  full  well  that  the  troops  were  prepared  to  meet  any- 
thing of  that  nature  with  prompt  retaliation.  Still  the  "red-skins"  lost  no 
opportunity  of  reminding  them  that  they  were  not  at  home  upon  ground 
claimed  by  themselves.  (  >ld  Chief  Kish-kau-kou  in  particular,  whose  wigwam 
was  close  under  cover  of  the  fort,  was  exceedingly  annoying,  at  least  to  the 
soldiers,  but  more  so  to  the  sentry.  Every  night  as  he.  on  his  accustomed 
round,  would  give  the  hour,  with  the  usual  "all's  well,"  this  rascally  chief 
would  mockingly  reiterate  the  watchword,  together  with  a  taunting  shout  and 
whoop,  making  the  very  welkin  ring  again,  and  startling  the  inmates  of  the 
fort,  who  not  unfrequently  imagined,  upon  being  si  i  unceremoniously 
awakened,  that  an  attack  was  at  hand. 

The  old  chief  had  repeated  this  trick  a  number  of  times,  when  the 
soldiers  determined  to  punish  him  a  little,  and  at  the  same  time  enjoy  some 
sport  at  his  expense.  .Accordingly  they  loaded  an  old  swivel  to  the  muzzle, 
with  grape  and  canister,  and  mounted  it  upon  the  pickets,  pointing  it  in  the 
direction  of  the  savage's  wigwam,  but  in  such  a  position  that  the  shot  would 
merely  rattle  over  his  head,  with  no  other  effect  than  that  of  frightening  him 
into  silence,  if  nothing  else.  Night  came  ami  all  was  still,  the  heavy  tramp 
of  the  sentinel,  ami  the  distant  howl  of  hungry  wolves  alone  being  heard. 
The  men  were  lying  quietly  behind  the  gun,  while  a  match  was  ready  to  apply 
at  the  signal,  which  the  old  chief  himself  was  unwittingly  to  give.  At  length 
twelve  o'clock  came,  the  hour  usually  selected  by  the  Indian  for  his  echo. 
"Twelve  o'clock  —  all's  well,"  sang  out  the  sentry.  "All  well,"  echoed  the 
savage,  "ke-whoop-ke-kee-who-whoop,"  making  at  the  same  time  a  grand 
flourish  after  the  war  style  of  his  forefathers  —  •  "ye-ye-ye-yeep-ke-who." 

At  this  instant  a  bright  gleam  of  fire  shot  from  the  walls  of  the  fort 
accompanied  by  a  report  so  loud,  so  deafening,  that  the  buildings  shook  with 
the  concussion,  wdiile  the  grape  and  canister  rattled  fearfully  over  the  wig- 
wam and  tore  through  the  branches  of  the  trees  overhanging  it.  The  old 
chief  thought  his  end  had  indeed  come,  and  called  lustily  upon  all  the  gods  in 
his  unlettered  vocabulary,  and  the  medicine  men  of  his  nation,  to  save  him. 
After  this  salutary  rebuke  no  papoose  in  the  tribe  was  more  humble  or 
deferential  to  the  troops  than  this  same  Indian.  lie  probably  thought  it 
advisable  to  keep  on  good  terms  with  the  men  who  repaid  insult  with 
thunder,  lightning  and  iron  hail. 

During  the  epidemic  of  fever  in  the  garrison,  a  great  Indian  council  was 
held  at  Green  Point,  according-  to  Indian  law,  at  which  the  old  tyrant.  Kish- 
kau-kou.  was  present.  A  Delaware  Indian,  intermarried  with  a  Chippewa 
woman,  was  on  trial  for  the  killing  of  a  Chippewa  Indian  in  a  drunken  brawl. 


THE    TREATY    OF    SAGINAW  63 

The  offender  had  compromised  the  matter,  and  bought  his  life  by  paying  the 
relatives  a  certain  amount  of  furs,  skins  and  money.  But  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  Chippewa  tribe,  it  was  necessary  that  the  pardon  should  be 
confirmed  by  a  council.  In  this  proceeding  the  delinquent  was  required  to 
walk  around  in  a  circle  on  the  ground,  formed  by  the  assembled  red-skins, 
and  if  unmollested  by  any  of  the  relatives  of  the  murdered  man,  the  matter 
was  to  be  considered  as  finally  settled,  and  not  to  be  reopened  forever  after. 
He  had  quietly  passed  all  the  relatives,  near  ami  remote,  and  was  therefore 
restored  to  his  former  standing  in  the  tribe;  but  in  passing  the  old  tyrant, 
Kish-kau-kou,  he  rose  and  struck  the  offender  dead  at  his  feet.  The  whole 
circle  was  amazed  at  this  audacious  act.  and  the  usual  "W'augh"  was  uttered 
by  the  council.  The  hereditary  chief,  Min-non-e-quot,  said:  "What  does  this 
mean?  It  is  contrary  to  Indian  law."  Old  Kish-kau-kou  deigned  only  the 
reply  :  "The  law  is  altered."  The  council  then  hroke  up,  and  the  old  rascal 
took  the  body  of  the  slain  Indian  into  his  canoe,  covered  it  with  skins  and 
furs,  and  paddled  away  to  his  village  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  it 
was  buried. 

When  on  the  way  to  Maiden,  to  receive  their  annual  presents  from  the 
British  government,  Kish-kau-kou.  who  was  in  the  habit  of  travelling  with 
thirty  or  forty  blood-thirsty  warriors,  took  advantage  of  the  sparseness  of  the 
settlements,  and  levied  contributions  upon  the  poor  settlers.  If  his  demands 
were  not  readily  complied  with  he  would  take  what  he  wanted  by  force,  such 
as  cattle,  hogs,  anil  corn,  thus  subjecting  the  poor  settlers  to  great  suffering 
and  continual  fear.  On  one  occasion,  after  his  arrival  at  Detroit  which  hap- 
pened a  few  days  before  payment,  his  men  being  very  hungry,  he  applied  to 
some  of  the  authorities  for  food,  saying,  "Unless  my  young  men  get  some- 
thing to  eat.  it  will  be  impossible  for  me  to  restrain  them  from  robbing  the 
settlers  along  the  route."  To  this  threat  General  Cass  replied:  "If  your 
young  men  commit  any  depredations  upon  the  settlers.  I  will  send  my  young 
men  to  punish  them."  Notwithstanding  this  admonition,  depredations  were 
occasionally  committed  with  impunity  upon  the  helpless  pioneers. 

Kish-kau-kou  at  length  came  to  his  end  in  a  manner  strikingly  in  keeping 
with  his  cowardly  career.  In  April.  1825,  while  encamped  at  a  place  a  little 
above  Detroit,  known  as  the  Chene  farm,  he  got  into  a  drunken  brawl  mi 
Water  Street,  on  the  site  of  the  Grand  Trunk  Railway  Station,  and  killed  an 
Indian.  The  dead  savage  was  taken  to  "Uncle"  Harvey  William's  hlack- 
smith  shop,  directly  across  the  street,  and  an  inquest  was  held,  while  Kish- 
kau-kou  and  his  son  were  conveyed  to  the  fort.  Feeling  assured  from  con- 
templation of  his  past  conduct  that  he  need  expect  no  mercy  or  lenity,  from 
the  hands  of  those  whom  he  had  so  often  outraged,  he  anticipated  the  action 
of  the  law  by  drinking  the  hemlock  in  his  prison,  and  died  before  the  trial 
was  concluded.  It  was  supposed  that  the  poison  was  provided  him  by  one 
or  more  of  his  numerous  squaws.  1 1  is  son,  who  was  no  party  to  the  crime, 
escaped. 

The  successive  chieftain  of  the  Saginaw  tribe  was  Oge-maw-ke-ke-to, 
whose  name  signified  the  "Chief  Speaker."  Me  was  in  every  respect  anti- 
podal to  Kish-kau-kou.  being  a  high-minded  and  honorable  Indian,  and 
was  an  eloquent  orator.  Although  he  was  not  the  head  chief  by  birth,  he 
was  a  great  favorite  with  the  white  settlers,  on  account  of  the  loftiness  of 
his  style,  the  beauty  of  his  expression,  and  his  powerful  and  commanding 
eloquence  which  always  carried  conviction  with  it.  The  place  upon  which 
the  settlement  of  Saginaw  was  built  was  called  by  the  Indians  Ke-pay-sho- 
wink,   meaning  "the  great  camping  ground." 


64  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The   Second  Treaty  of  Saginaw 

In  1836  Henry  R,  Schoolcraft,  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  drafted 
for  the  government  a  second  treaty  which  was  presented  before  an  Indian 
council  the  same  year.  The  friendliness  and  spirit  of  gratitude  of  the 
Indians,  t<  >  those  white  settlers  who  were  kind  and  generous  to  them,  is 
well  illustrated  by  an  incident  in  connection  with  the  making  of  this  treaty. 
James  McCormick,  who  was  then  settled  among  the  bands  on  the  Indian 
fields,  received  from  his  aboriginal  neighbors  a  tract  of  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land  in  recognition  of  his  kindness  to  them  during-  the  prevalence  of 
the  small-pox  epidemic.  This  valuable  grant  had  gone  into  the  possession  of 
McCormick;  but  in  the  treaty  presented  by  Schoolcraft  there  was  no  men- 
tion made  of  it.  (  )ne  of  the  Indian  counselors  demanded  why  this  important 
item  was  omitted,  merely  gaining'  the  laconic  answer:  "It  can't  be  done." 
'Aery  well,"  said  the  Indian  orator,  "we  will  not  sell  our  lands  unless  our 
white  brother  is  provided  for.  We  will  not  sign  the  treaty."  The  assembled 
Indians  thereupon  dispersed  and  the  Commissioner  was  left  to  ponder  over 
a  new  phase  of  the  nature  of  the  savage,  in  the  deserted  wigwam. 

In  January  of  the  following  year  the  Commissioner  invited  the  Indian 
counselors  to  meet  him  at  Detroit,  and  on  the  fourteenth  of  that  month  they 
assembled  in  council.  Schoolcraft  then  assured  them  that  the  treaty  papers 
as  presented  contained  full  provision  that  McCormick  would  be  continued 
as  lessee  of  the  lands  in  question.  With  this  assurance  mi  the  honor  of  an 
officer  of  the  L'nited  States  Government,  the  children  of  the  forest  deeded 
away  their  hunting  grounds,  and  also,  as  a  few  years  proved,  their  muni- 
ficent gift  to  their  "white  brother."  The  Commissioner  never  inserted  an 
article  guaranteeing  the  title  of  the  land  to  McCormick,  and  as  a  result  he 
was  evicted  from  a  home  and  farm  which  he  had  improved,  which  he  well 
merited,  and  which  was  endeared  to  him  by  many  associations.  By  this 
treaty  the  Indians  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  the  reservations  mentioned 
in  the  first  treaty  of  1819. 

This  treat}'  provided  for  the  sale  of  these  lands,  ami  the  sum  so  derived 
after  deducting  the  expenses  of  survey  and  treat}',  was  to  be  invested  under 
direction  of  the  1 'resident,  in  some  public  stock  and  the  interest  thereof  to 
be  paid  annually  to  the  Indians.  Certain  sums  were  also  set  apart  for  the 
payment  of  their  valid  debts,  and  for  depredations  committed  after  the  sur- 
render of  Detroit,  in  1812.  The  Indians  agreed  to  remove  from  Michigan  to 
some  point  west  of  Lake  Superior,  or  locate  west  of  the  Mississippi  and 
southwest  of  the  Missouri,  to  be  decided  by  Congress.  A  supplementary 
article  provided  for  the  erection  of  a  lighthouse  on  the  Na-bo-bish  tract  of 
land,  lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  Saginaw  River;  and  a  subsequent  article  to 
this  treaty,  concluded  at  Saginaw,  changed  the  location  of  the  lighthouse 
to  the  fort}1  thousand-acre  tract  of  land,  on   the  west  side  of  the  river. 

The  Treaty  of  1838 

A  treat}'  was  concluded  at  Saginaw,  January  23.  1838.  with  the  several 
bands  of  the  Chippewa  nation,  comprehended  within  the  districts  of  Sagi- 
naw, in  which  the  chiefs  represented,  that  at  the  sale  of  lands  for  their  use 
a  combination  was  formed  and  the  prices  per  acre  greatly  reduced.  The 
treaty  then  provided  that  all  lands  brought  into  market  under  the  authority 
of  the  previous  treaty,  of  January  14,  1837,  should  be  sold  to  the  register 
and  receiver  for  two  years  from  date  of  commencement  of  sale,  at  $5  per  acre, 
which  sum  was  declared  the  minimum  price;  provided,  that  should  any 
portion  of  saiil  lands  remain  unsold  at  the  expiration  of  the  two  years,  the 


THE  TREATY  OF  SAGINAW 


65 


minimum  price  was  to  he  reduced  to  $2.50  per  acre,  at  which  price  the 
remaining  lands  were  to  he  disposed  of;  and  after  five  years  from  date  of 
ratification  of  the  treaty,  if  any  lands  then  remained,  they  were  to  he  sold 
for  the  sum  they  would  command,  but  none  less  than  seventy-five  cents 
per  acre. 

The  Treaty  of  1855 

On  August  2,  1855,  a  treaty  was  concluded  at  Detroit,  between  George 
\Y.  Manypenny  and  Henry  C.  Gilbert,  Commissioners  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  Chippewa  Indians  of  Saginaw,  Swan  Creek  and  Black 
River,  in  which  the  United  States  agreed  to  withdraw  from  sale  six  adjoining 
townships  of  land  in  Isabella  County,  and  townships  17  and  18  north,  ranges 
3,  4  and  5  east;  agreed  to  pay  the  Chippewas  the  sum  of  $220,000,  to  be  used 
for  education,  agriculture,  building  material;  to  build  a  saw  mill  at  some 
suitable  water-power  in  Isabella  County,  at  a  cost  of  not  exceeding  $8,000; 
to  test  the  claims  and  pay  the  just  indebtedness  of  said  tribe  of  Chippewas; 
to  provide  an  interpreter  for  said  Indians  for  five  years  and  longer  if  neces- 
sary; and  said  Chippewas  ceded  to  the  United  States  all  lands  in  Michigan 
heretofore  owned  by  them  as  reservations;  and  that  the  grants  and  pay- 
ments provided  in  this  treaty  were  in  lieu  and  satisfaction  of  all  claims  legal 
and  equitable  on  the  part  of  said  Indians,  jointly  and  severally  against  the 
United  States,  for  land,  money,  or  other  thing  guaranteed  to  said  tribes  or 
either  of  them,  by  the  stipulation  of  any  former  treaty  or  treaties;  the  entries 
of  land  made  by  the  Indians  and  by  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E. 
Church  for  the  benefit  of  the  Indians,  in  townships  14  north  and  4  east,  and 
10  north  and  5  east,  were  confirmed  and  patents  issued. 


MORASS   IN   THE  WILDERNESS 
Typical    of   the    Saginaw   Valley    in    the    Early   Days   of    its   Settlement 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  COMING  OF  DE  TOCQUEVILLE 

or 
"A  Fortnight  in  the  Wilderness" 


Voyage  across  Lake  Eric  to  Detroit —  Follow  Trail  to  Pontiac  —  Pioneer  Life 
in  the  Wilderness  —  Taking  Trail  toward  the  North  —  Encounter  with  Indian  —  Lost 
at  Night  in  Forest  —  They  Reach  Flint  River  —  Penetrate  the  Virgin  Forest —  Hard- 
ships of  the  Journey  —  Arrival  at  Saginaw  River —  Picture  of  Early  Saginaw  —  They 
Shoot    Wild    Ducks — Return    to   Civilization. 

ALEXIS  DE  TOCQUEVILLE,  a  distinguished  French  statesman  and 
traveller,  who  explored  much  of  this  western  country  in  1831,  was 
probably  the  first  European  to  penetrate  the  wilderness  of  the 
Saginaw.  In  his  memoirs,  which  were  translated  and  published  in 
I.iiiKlcin  thirty  years  after,  he  states  that  he  was  most  curious  to  visit  the 
extreme  limits  of  civilization,  and  even  some  of  the  Indian  tribes  which  had 
preferred  flying  to  the  wildest  depths  of  the  forest,  t<i  accommodating  them- 
selves t"  what  the  white  man  calls  the  enjoyments  of  social  life.  With  this 
object  he  traversed  places  celebrated  in  Indian  history,  he  reached  valleys 
named  by  them,  he  crossed  streams  still  called  by  the  names  of  their  tribes; 
but  everywhere  the  wigwam  had  given  way  to  the  log  lint,  and  the  log  hut 
to  the  house  —  the  forest  had  fallen.  Where  there  had  been  solitude  there 
was  now  life;    still  he  seemed  to  he  treading  in  the  steps  of  the  aborigines. 

With  a  trusty  companion,  named  Beaumont,  he  set  forth  from  Buffalo 
on  the  steamboat  Ohio  at  10  A.  M.  on  July  19,  enroute  to  Detroit,  a  strong- 
northeast  breeze  giving  to  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie  the  appearance  of  ocean 
waxes.  After  skirting  the  southern  shore  of  the  lake  and  touching  at  Erie, 
they  bore  straight  across  the  expanse  of  fresh  waters  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Detroit;  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  arrived,  without  unusual 
incident,  at  the  town  of  that   name. 

Detroit  at  that  time  was  a  town  of  from  two  to  three  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, occupying  a  site  cut  out  of  the  forest,  and  contained  many  French 
families.  Although  the  settlement  was  mi  the  frontier  of  civilization,  it  had 
ahead)-  assumed  the  life  and  customs  of  the  east.  Almost  everything  could 
he  Found,  even  French  fashions  and  caricatures  from  Paris;  and  the  shops 
seemed  as  well  supplied  with  goods  as  those  of  New  York.  The  looms  of 
Lyons  worked   for  both  alike. 

"Where  you  see  that  church,  yonder,"  some  one  said.  "1  cut  down  the 
first  tree  in  the  forest  hereabout."  "Mere,"  said  another,  "was  a  scene  of  the 
conspiracy  of  Pontiac  and  of  Mull's  surrender.  But  the  Indians  have  gone 
beyond  the  Great  Lakes,  the  race  is  becoming  extinct;  they  are  not  made 
for  civilization  —  it  kills  them."  Other  settlers,  sitting  quietly  by  their  fire- 
sides, said:  "Every  day  the  number  of  Indians  is  diminishing;  it  is  not  that 
we  often  make  war  upon  them,  hut  the  brandy  we  sell  to  them  at  a  low  price 
carries  off  every  year  more  than  our  arms  could  destroy.  God,  by  refusing 
to  these  first  inhabitants  the  power  of  civilization,  has  predestined  them  to 
destruction.  The  true  owners  of  the  continent  are  those  who  know  how  to 
turn   its  resources  to  account." 


THE   COMING   OF    DE   TOCQUEVILLE  67 

This  only  whetted  the  curiosity  of  the  adventurous  De  Tocqueville,  to 
satisfy  which  he  must  cross  almost  impenetrable  forests,  swim  deep  rivers, 
encounter  pestilential  marshes,  sleep  exposed  to  damp  air  in  the  woods,  and 
perhaps  encounter  wild  beasts.  To  subject  oneself  to  such  hardships  if  a 
dollar  is  to  be  gained,  the  early  pioneers  conceived  worth  while;  but  that  a 
man  should  take  such  a  journey  for  the  mere  satisfaction  of  curiosity,  they 
could  not  understand.  That  the  travellers  should  admire  huge  trees,  or  wild 
scenery,  was  to  them  incomprehensible. 

Upon  inquiry  of  Major  Biddle,  the  United  States  agent  for  the  sale  of 
wild  lands,  they  were  informed  that  the  country  beyond  was  covered  by  an 
almost  impenetrable  forest,  which  extended  uninterrupted  toward  the  North- 
west, full  of  Indians  and  wild  beasts.  The  government  was  opening  a  way 
through,  he  said,  but  the  road  stopped  at  Pontiac ;  and  they  must  not  think 
of  fixing  themselves  further  off.  On  the  contrary,  the  travellers  were  over- 
joyed at  the  prospect  of  finding  a  place  which  the  torrent  of  civilization  had 
not  yet  invaded. 

Follow  Trail  to  Pontiac 

On  the  twenty-third  of  July,  therefore,  they  hired  two  horses,  bought  a 
compass  and  some  provisions,  and  set  forth  with  guns  over  their  shoulders 
to  make  their  way  to  the  settlement  on  the  far  distant  Saginaw.  A  mile  from 
the  town  the  road  entered  the  forest  and  never  left  it.  They  observed  that 
the  ground  was  perfectly  flat  and  often  marshy.  Now  and  then  they  came 
upon  newdy-cleared  lands,  the  approach  to  which  was  usually  announced  by 
the  sound  of  a  little  bell  hung  around  the  neck  of  cattle,  and  a  few  minutes 
later  by  the  strokes  of  an  axe.  As  they  proceeded,  traces  of  destruction 
proved  the  presence  of  man;  lopped  branches  covered  the  path,  and  trunks 
half  calcined  by  fire,  or  slashed  by  steel,  still  stood  in  the  way.  A  little 
further  on  the  wo.  ids  seemed  struck  with  sudden  death,  and  in  midsummer 
the  branches  looked  wintry.  This  was  a  settler's  first  measure  to  prevent 
the  thick  foliage  overshadowing  the  Indian  corn,  which  he  had  planted 
under  the  branches. 

Next  they  came  upon  the  settler's  hut  standing  in  a  plat  more  carefully 
cleared  than  the  rest,  but  in  which  he  sustained  an  unequal  struggle  with 
nature.  Like  the  littered  field  around  it,  thus  rustic  dwelling  bore  evidences 
of  new  and  hasty  work.  Its  dimensions  were  about  twenty  by  thirty  feet, 
and  fifteen  feet  high,  with  its  walls  and  roof  composed  of  half-hewn  logs,  the 
interstices  being  filled  with  moss  and  mud.  At  the  sound  of  their  footsteps 
a  group  of  children,  who  had  been  playing  in  the  dirt,  jumped  up  hastily  and 
fled  beneath  the  paternal  roof;  whilst  two  half-wild  dogs  came  out  of  the 
hut,  and  growling,  covered  the  retreat  of  their  young  masters.  The  pioneer 
himself  then  appeared,  called  off  his  savage  dogs,  and  stepped  forward  to 
meet  his  visitors,  holding  out  his  hand  in  compliance  with  custom;  but  his 
countenance  expressed  neither  kindness  nor  joy.  He  spoke  only  to  question 
them,  to  gratify  his  curiosity.  Hospitality  to  him  was  one  of  the  painful 
necessities  of  the  wildnerness,  a  duty  of  his   position. 

Pioneer  Life  in  the   Wilderness 

Within  the  log  hut  they  noticed  a  single  window',  before  which  hung 
a  muslin  curtain,  while  on  the  hearth,  made  of  hardened  earth,  a  fire  of 
resinous  wood  lighted  up  the  interior  better  than  the  sun.  Over  the  rustic 
chimney  hung  trophies  of  war  or  of  the  chase,  a  long  rifle,  a  doeskin,  and 
eagles'  feathers.  (  In  a  rough  shelf  were  a  few  old  books,  including  a  bible 
and  Milton's  poems.  Beneath  this  in  a  darkened  corner  were  rude  bunks, 
chests  for  use  instead  of  wardrobes,  and  some  rustic  seats,  all  the  product  of 


68  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

the  owner's  industry.  In  the  middle  of  the  room  was  an  unsteady  tabic,  with 
its  legs  still  covered  with  leaves,  upon  which  were  an  English  china  tea  pot, 
spoons  of  pewter  ami  wood,  a  few  cracked  cups,  and  some  newspapers. 

"The  pioneer,"  wrote  De  Tocqueville,  "despises  all  that  most  violently 
agitates  the  hearts  of  man;  his  fortune  or  his  life  will  never  hang  on  the 
turn  of  a  die,  or  the  smiles  of  a  woman;  but  to  obtain  competence  he  has 
braved  exile,  solitude,  and  the  numberless  ills  of  savage  life,  he  has  slept  on 
the  bare  ground,  he  ha-  exposed  himself  to  the  fever  of  the  woods  and  the 
Indians'  tomahawk.  Many  years  ago  he  took  the  first  step,  lie  has  never 
gone  back;  perhaps  twenty  years  hence  he  will  lie  still  going  on  without 
desponding  or  complaining.  Can  a  man  capable  of  such  sacrifices  be  cold 
and  insensible?  Is  he  not  influenced  by  a  passion,  not  of  the  heart  but  of 
the  brain,  ardent,  perserving,  and  indomitable!-' 

"llis  whole  energies  are  concentrated  in  the  desire  to  make  a  fortune, 
and  he  at  length  succeeds  in  making  for  himself  an  entirely  independent 
existence,  into  which  even  the  domestic  affections  are  absorbed.  He  may 
be  said  to  look  upon  his  wife  and  children  only  as  detached  parts  of  himself. 
Deprived  of  human  intercourse  with  his  equals,  he  has  learned  to  take 
pleasure  in  si  ilitude. 

"Look  at  the  young  woman  who  is  sitting  on  the  other  side  of  the  fire, 
preparing  the  supper.  This  woman  is  in  the  prime  of  life;  she  also  recollects 
an  early  youth  of  comfort.  'Idle  remains  of  taste  are  still  to  be  observed  in 
her  dress.  But  time  has  pressed  heavily  upon  her;  in  her  faded  features  and 
attenuated  limbs  it  is  easy  to  see  that  life  to  her  has  been  a  heavy  burden. 
And,  indeed,  this  fragile  creature  has  already  been  exposed  to  incredible 
suffering.  To  devote  herself  to  austere  duties,  to  submit  to  unknown  priva- 
tions, to  enter  upon  an  existence  for  which  she  was  not  fitted  —  such  has 
been  the  employment  of  her  best  years,  such  have  been  the  delights  of  her 
married  life.  Destitution,  suffering,  and  fatigue  have  weakened  her  delicate 
frame,  but  have  not  dismayed  her  courage. 

"Round  this  woman  crowd  the  half-clothed  children,  glowing  with  health, 
careless  of  the  morrow,  true  children  of  the  wilderness.  The  log  hut  shelters 
this  family  at  night;  it  is  a  little  world,  an  ark  of  civilization  in  the  midst  of 
a  green  ocean.  A  few  steps  off  the  everlasting  forest  extends  its  shades,  and 
solitude  again  reigns." 

Continuing  their  journey  the  travellers  reached  Pontiac  at  sunset,  and 
found  there  about  twenty  "very  neat  and  pretty  houses,  forming  so  many 
well  provided  shops,  a  transparent  brook,  a  clearing  about  a  square  half-mile 
in  extent  surrounded  by  the  boundless  forest."  The}-  were  taken  to  the  inn 
and  introduced  into  the  bar  room,  where  all  assembled  to  smoke,  think,  and 
talk  politics  on  a  footing  of  the  most  perfect  equality.  The  owner  was  a 
very  stout  gentleman,  "whose  face  had  about  as  much  frankness  and  sim- 
plicity as  that  of  a  Norman  horse  dealer."  For  fear  of  intimidating  them  lie 
never  looked  them  in  the  face  when  he  spoke,  but  waited  until  they  were 
engaged  in  talking  with  someone  else,  to  consider  them  at  his  leisure.  They 
were  looked  upon  with  surprise  and  interest,  as  their  travelling  dress  and 
guns  proved  that  the}-  were  not  traders;  and  travelling  for  curiosity  was  a 
thing  newer  heard  of. 

De  Tocqueville  told  the  landlord  that  they  came  to  the  region  ti  >  buy 
land;  thereupon  they  were  at  once  taken  into  another  room,  a  large  candle 
lighted,  and  a  map  of  Michigan  spread   before  them. 

"This  country  is  not  like  France,"  said  the  host,  "with  you  labor  is  cheap 
and  land  is  dear.  Here  the  juice  of  land  is  nothing,  but  hands  cannot  be 
bought.      One    must   have   capital    to   settle   here,   only   it    must    be   differently 


THE    COMING   OF   DE   TOCOUEVILLE 


employed.  An  acre  in  Michigan  never  costs  more  than  four  or  five  shillings, 
when  the  land  is  waste.  This  is  about  the  price  of  a  day's  work.  In  one 
day.  therefore,  a  laborer  may  earn  em  >ugh  to  purchase  an  acre  of  land,  but 
once  the  purchase  is  made  the  difficulty  begins.  The  settler  betakes  him- 
self to  his  newly  acquired  property,  with  some  cattle,  a  salted  pig,  two  barrels 
of  meal,  and  some  tea.  He  pitches  his  tent  in  the  middle  of  the  wood  which 
is  to  be  His  field.  His  first  care  is  to  cut  down  the  nearest  trees:  with  them 
he  quickly  builds  a  rude  log  hut.  The  keep  of  the  cattle  costs  nothing,  as 
they  brouse  in  the  forest,  not  often  straying  far  from  the  dwelling. 

"The  greatest  expense."  he  continued,  is  in  the  clearing  which  costs  four 
or  live  dollars  an  acre;  but  the  ground  once  prepared  the  settler  lays  out  an 
acre  in  potatoes  and  the  rest  in  wheat  and  maize.  The  latter  is  a  providential 
gift  of  the  wilderness;  it  grows  in  our  marshes,  and  flourishes  under  the 
shade  of  the  forest  better  than  when  exposed  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  Mai/e 
saves  the  settlers'  family  from  perishing,  when  poverty,  sickness,  or  neglect 
has  hindered  his  reclaiming  sufficient  land  in  the  first  year.  The  great  diffi- 
culty is  to  get  over  the  first  years  which  immediately  succeed  the  first  clear- 
ing.    Afterward  comes  competence,  and  later  wealth. 

"Cultivation,  at  first,  of  the  soil  of  the  forest  is  always  a  dangerous 
undertaking,  and  there  is  scarcely  an  instance  of  a  pioneer  and  his  family 
escaping  the  forest  fever  during  the  first  year.  Sometimes  all  the  occupants 
of  a  hut  will  be  attacked  by  it,  who  resign  themselves  and  hope  for  better 
times.  There  is  little  prospect  of  help  from  neighbors  many  miles  away,  and 
the  nearest  doctor  may  be  lift}-  or  sixty  miles  off.  They  do  as  the  Indians 
do,  theyr  die  or  get  well,  as  it  pleases  God. 

"In  the  wilderness  men  are  seized  with  a  hunger  for  religion.  Almost 
every  summer  some  Methodist  preacher  comes  to  visit  the  new  settlements. 
News  of  his  arrival  spreads,  and  on  the  day  of  meeting  the  settlers  and 
families  flock  from  fifty  miles  around  towards  the  place.  The}-  meet  in  the 
open  air  under  the  arches  of  the  forest  trees,  rough  logs  serving  as  seats 
in  the  rustic  temple.  The  pioneers  camp  close  by  for  three  or  four  days,  and 
scarcely  intermit   their   devotional   exercises." 

After  receiving  some  other  valuable  information,  the  travellers  thanked 
the  landlord  for  his  counsels,  and  assured  him  that  someday  they  would  profit 
by  them,  adding.  "Before  leaving  your  country  we  intend  to  visit  Saginaw, 
and  we  wish  to  consult  you  on  that  point." 

At  the  name  of  Saginaw  a  remarkable  change  came  over  the  features 
of  their  host.  It  seemed  as  if  he  had  been  suddenly  snatched  from  real  life 
and  transported  to  a  land  of  wonders.  His  eves  dilated,  his  mouth  fell,  and 
the  most  complete  astonishment  pervaded  his  countenance. 

"You  want  to  go  to  Saginaw."  he  exclaimed:  "to  Saginaw  Bay!  Two 
foreign  gentlemen,  two  rational  men  want  to  go  to  Saginaw  Bay!  It  is 
scarcely7  credible." 

"But  why  not?"  they  asked. 

"Are  you  aware,"  continued  their  host,  "what  you  undertake?  Do  you 
know-  that  Saginaw  is  the  last  inhabited  spot  towards  the  Pacific,  that  be- 
tween this  place  and  Saginaw  lies  an  uncleared  wilderness?  Do  you  know- 
that  the  forest  is  full  of  Indians  and  mosquitoes,  that  you  must  sleep  at  least 
one  night  under  the  damp  trees?  Have  you  thought  about  the  fever?  Will 
you  be  able  to  get  on  in  the  wilderness  and  to  find  your  way  in  the  labyrinth 
of  our  forest--  ?" 

"All  that  may  be  true,"  replied  the  travellers,  "but  we  start  tomorrow 
for  Saginaw."     By  the  way,"  they  resumed,  "have  you  never  been  there?" 

"Yes."  he  replied.  "I  have  been  so  unlucky  as  to  go  there  five  or  six 
times,  but  I  had  a  motive  in  going,  and  you  do  not  appear  to  have  any." 


70  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


They  vouchsafed  no  explanation  to  this  observation,  whereupon  the 
landlord  took  a  candle,  showed  them  a  bed  room,  and  left  them  after  giving 
each  a  truly  democratic  shake  of  the  hand. 

Taking  the  Trail   Toward  the   North 

At  dawn  tlie  next  day  they  arose  and  made  ready  for  the  start,  their 
host  lending  his  aid  and  often  reflecting  in  an  undertone:  "1  do  not  well 
make  out  what  can  take  two  strangers  to  Saginaw."  Until  at  last  De 
Tocqueville  said  to  him,  "we  have  many  reasons  for  going  thither,  my  dear 
landlord,"  and  with  a  wave  of  the  hand  they  trotted  off  as  East  as  they  could. 

Among  the  directions  given  them  they  had  been  advised  to  apply  to  a 
settler,  named  Oliver  Williams,  as  he  had  long  dealt  with  the  Chippewa 
Indians,  and  had  a  son  established  in  Saginaw.  (This  early  pioneer  was  a 
great-grandfather  of  A.  I'..  Williams,  a  resident  of  the  West  Side.)  After 
riding  some  miles  in  the  forest,  they  saw  an  old  man  working  in  a  little 
garden.  They  spoke  to  him  and  found  that  he  was  the  person  they  sought. 
He  received  them  with  much  kindness,  and  gave  them  a  letter  to  his  son. 
They  asked  him  if  they  had  anything  to  fear  from  the  Indians.  "No.  no," 
he  replied,  "you  may  proceed  without  fear.  For  my  part,  I  sleep  more  fear- 
lessly among  Indians  than  among  white  persons." 

After  leaving  Mr.  Williams  they  pursued  their  way  through  the  woods; 
from  time  to  time  a  little  lake  shone  like  a  white  table  cloth  under  green 
branches.  "The  charm  of  these  lonely  spots,"  wrote  De  Tocqueville,  "as 
yet  untenanted  by  man.  and  where  peace  and  silence  reign  undisturbed,  can 
hardly  lie  imagined.  The  solitude  is  deep,  but  the  feelings  produced  are 
tranquil  admiration,  a  soft  melancholy,  a  vague  aversion  to  civilized  life,  and 
a  sort  of  savage  instinct  which  causes  one  to  regret  that  soon  this  enchant- 
ing solitude  will  he  no  more.  Already,  indeed,  the  white  man  is  approaching 
through  the  surrounding  woods,  and  in  a  few  years  he  will  have  felled  the 
trees  now  reflected  in  the  limpid  waters  of  the  lake,  and  will  have  driven 
to  other  wilds  the  animals  that   feed   on   its  banks." 

Encounter  With  Indian 

Still  travelling  on  they  at  length  reached  a  country  of  a  different  aspect. 
The  ground  was  no  longer  flat,  hut  thrown  into  hills  and  valleys.  They 
noted  with  delight  the  rough  grandeur  of  some  of  these  hills,  and  in  one  of 
the  picturesque  parses  they  saw  close  to  them,  and  apparently  following  step 
by  step,  an  Indian  warrior.  He  was  about  thirty  years  of  age,  tall  and 
admirably  proportioned.  llis  black  and  shining  hair  fell  down  upon  his 
shoulders,  and  his  face  was  smeared  with  black  and  red  paint.  He  wore  a 
sort  of  very  short  blue  blouse,  and  his  legs  were  covered  with  a  loose 
pantaloon  reaching  only  to  the  top  of  the  thigh;  and  his  feet  were  encased 
with  mocassins.  At  his  side  hung  a  knife,  and  in  his  right  hand  he  held  a 
long  rifle,  while  in  his  left  were  two  birds  that  he  had  just  killed. 

To  seize  their  guns,  turn  around  and  face  the  Indian  in  the  path,  was 
the  movement  of  an  instant.  lie  halted  in  the  same  manner,  and  for  half 
a  minute  all  were  silent.  Thev  could  see  that  in  the  deep  black  eyes  of  the 
savage  gleamed  the  fierce  nature  of  his  tribes.  llis  nose  was  acquiline 
slightly  depressed  at  the  end,  his  cheek  bones  were  very  high,  and  his  wide 
mouth  showed  two  rows  of  dazzling  white  teeth,  proving  that  the  savage, 
more  cleanly  than  the  American,  did  not  pass  his  day  chewing  tobacco 
leaves,  lie  stood  their  scrutiny  with  perfect  calmness  and  with  steady  and 
unflinching  eye.  When  he  saw  that  the  travellers  had  no  hostile  intentions, 
he  smiled,  probably  because  he  perceived  that  thev  had  been  alarmed.  They 
then    addressed   him    in    English   and   ottered    him    brandy,    which    he   readily 


THE    COMING   OF   DE   TOCOUEVILLE  71 


accepted  without  thanking  them.  Making  signs  they  asked  him  for  the  birds 
which  lie  carried;  and  he  gave  them  for  a  little  piece  of  money.  They  soon 
bid  him  adieu  and  trotted  off. 

"At  the  end  of  half  an  hour,"  continued  the  narrative,  "of  rapid  riding, 
on  turning  round,  once  mere  1  was  astounded  by  seeing  the  Indian  still  at 
my  horse's  heels.  He  ran  with  the  agility  of  a  wild  animal,  without  speak- 
ing a  Mn^ie  word  or  seeming  to  hurry  himself.  We  stopped;  he  stopped: 
we  went  on;  he  went  on.  We  darted  at  full  speed;  the  Indian  doubled  his 
pace;  I  saw  him  sometimes  on  the  right,  sometimes  on  the  left,  jumping 
over  underwood  ami  alighting  on  the  ground  without  the  slightest  noise. 
The  sight  of  the  strange  figure,  now  lost  in  the  darkness  of  the  forest,  and 
then  again  appearing  in  the  daylight,  and  seeming  to  fly  by  our  side,  caused 
us  to  fear  that  he  was  leading  us  into  an  ambush." 

They  were  full  of  forebodings  when  they  discovered,  right  in  front  of 
them  in  the  wood,  the  end  of  another  rifle.  They  soon  came  alongside  the 
bearer,  and  at  first  took  him  for  an  Indian,  lie  was  an  upright  and  well- 
made  figure,  his  neck  was  bare,  and  his  feet  were  covered  with  mocassins. 
Coming  close  to  him  he  raised  his  head,  and  they  stopped  short.  He  came  to 
them,  shook  them  cordially  by  the  hand,  and  entered  into  conversation.  The 
Indian  rested  nearby,  ami  the  settler  observing  him  and  being  told  of  his 
having  followed  the  white  men,  said:  "He  is  a  Chippewa,  or  as  the  French 
would  call  him  a  'sautier.'  I  would  wager  that  he  is  returning  from  Canada, 
where  he  has  received  the  annual  presents  from  the  English.  His  family 
cannot  lie  far  off." 

As  De  Tocqueville  and  his  companion  resumed  their  journey,  the  pioneer 
called  to  them:  "When  you  pass  here  again,  knock  at  my  door.  It  is  a 
pleasure  to  meet  wdiite  faces  in  this  place." 

Some  miles  further  on  one  horse  lost  a  shoe,  but  not  far  off.  happily, 
they  met  another  settler  who  put  it  on  again.  He  advised  them  to  make 
haste,  as  the  daylight  in  the  forest  was  beginning  to  fade,  and  they  were  at 
least  five  miles  from  Flint  River.  Soon,  indeed,  they  were  enveloped  in  dark- 
ness, but  were  forced  tip  push  on.  The  night  was  line,  but  cold;  the  silence 
of  the  forest  was  so  deep,  the  calm  so  complete,  that  the  forces  of  nature 
seemed  paralyzed.  Now  and  then  they  saw  the  distant  gleam  of  a  fire, 
against  which  they  they  could  trace,  through  the  smoke,  the  stern  and 
motionless  profile  of  an   Indian. 

Lost  at   Night  in  the   Forest 

At  the  end  of  an  hour  they  came  upon  a  place  where  the  path  separated, 
two  trails  opening  in  different  directions.  One  led  to  a  stream  they  could 
not  tell  how  dee]),  the  other  to  a  clearing.  Which  to  take  was  a  difficult 
thing  to  decide.  The  moon  just  rising,  however,  showed  them  a  valley  of 
fallen  trees,  and  farther  on  the  dim  outline  of  two  huts.  In  order  not  to 
lose  their  way  at  such  an  hour  they  decided  that  Beaumont  should  remain 
to  take  care  of  the  horses,  while  De  Tocqueville  with  gun  over  his  shoulder. 
should  descend  into  the  valley. 

He  soon  perceived  that  lie  was  entering  a  little  settlement.  Immense 
trunks  of  trees  and  branches  yet  unlopped  covered  the  ground,  which  neces- 
sitated his  jumping  from  one  to  another  to  reach  the  stream.  Happily,  its 
course  was  impeded  at  this  place  by  some  huge  oaks  that  the  pioneers  had 
doubtless  thrown  down  to  form  a  sort  of  rustic  bridge.  By  crawling  along 
these  fallen  trees  he  at  last  reached  the  other  side.  He  warily  approached  the 
huts,  which  he  could  see  but  indistinctly,  fearing  they  might  prove  Indian 
wigwams.  They  proved  to  he  unfinished  dwellings  with  doors  open;  and 
no  voice  answered  his  calls. 


72  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Returning  to  the  edge  of  the  stream,  he  admired  for  a  few  minutes  the 
awful  grandeur  of  the  scene.  'Idle  valley  seemed  a  vast  amphitheater  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  by  dark   w Is  as  if  by  a  black  curtain.     In  its  center 

the  moonlight  played  among  the  shattered  remnants  of  the  forest,  creating 
a  thousand  fantastic  shapes.  No  sound  of  any  kind,  no  murmur  of  life,  was 
audible. 

"At  last  I  remembered  my  companion,"  writes  De  Tocqueville,  "and 
called  loudly  to  him  to  cross  the  rivulet  and  join  me.     The  echo  repeated  my 

voice  over  and  over  again  in  the  solitary  w Is,  but  I  got  no  answer.     The 

same  death-like  stillness  reigned.  I  became  uneasy  and  ran  by  the  side  of 
the  stream  till  I  reached  the  place  where  it  was  fordable. 

"When  T  got  there  I  heard  in  the  distance  the  sound  of  horses'  feet,  and 
soi  m  after  Beaumont  appeared.  Surprised  by  my  long  absence,  he  had  pro- 
ceeded toward  the  rivulet,  and  was  already  in  the  shallow  when  I  called 
him.  lie  told  me  that  he,  too.  had  tried  by  every  means  to  make  himself 
heard,  and  as  well  as  I,  had  been  alarmed  at  getting  no  answer.  If  it  had  not 
been  for  this  ford,  which  had  served  as  a  meeting  place,  we  should  probably 
have  been  looking  for  each  other  half  the  night." 

They  Reach  Flint  River 

They  resumed  their  journey  and  in  three-quarters  of  an  hour  came  upon 
a  settlement,  consisting  of  two  or  three  huts,  and,  what  was  still  more  agree- 
able, a  light.  A  line  of  water  in  the  valley  proved  that  they  had  arrived  at 
Flint  River.  Soon,  a  loud  barking  echoed  in  the  woods,  and  they  soon  found 
themselves  close  to  a  log  hut,  with  a  fence  between  them  and  shelter.  As 
they  prepared  to  climb  over  it,  they  saw  in  the  dim  moonlight  a  great  black 
figure  rise  before  them,  almost  within  reach  of  their  arms,  having  wild,  fiery 
eyes,  its  hot  breath  fanning  their  faces,  showing  as  clearly  as  anything  could 
its  intention  to  give  them  a   fraternal   embrace. 

"What  an  infernal  country  is  this,"  exclaimed  De  Tocqueville,  "where 
they  keep  bears  for  watch  dogs.  If  we  attempt  to  get  over  the  fence  it  will 
be  difficult  to  make  the  porter  listen  to  reason." 

They  halloed  at  the  top  of  their  voices,  and  at  length  a  man  appeared 
at  the  window,  who.  after  scrutinizing  them  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  opened 
the  door  and  welcomed  them. 

"Enter,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "Trink,  go  to  bed.  To  the  kennel.  I  say. 
They  are  not  robbers." 

The  bear  waddled  off,  and  the  travellers  got  in  almost  dead  with  fatigue. 
They  asked  the  settler  if  they  could  have  some  oats  for  their  horses. 

"Certainly,"  he  replied,  and  at  once  went  out  and  began  to  mow  the 
nearest  field  as  if  it  were  noon  day.  Meanwhile,  they  settled  themselves  as 
comfortably  as  they  could  and  slept  soundly. 

A  wilderness  of  forty  miles  separated  Flint  River  from  the  settlement  on 
the  Saginaw,  and  the  trail  was  a  narrow  and  hardly  perceptible  pathway. 
It  was  therefore  necessary  to  procure  guides,  and  two  Indian  boys  who 
could  be  trusted  were  employed  to  show  them  the  way.  <  >ne  was  only  twelve 
or  fourteen  years  of  age.  and  the  other  about  eighteen.  The  latter,  though 
he  had  attained  the  vigor  of  manhood,  gave  the  idea  of  agility  united  with 
strength.  He  was  of  middle  height  and  slendor,  his  limbs  were  flexible  and 
well  proportioned,  and  long  tresses  fell  upon  his  shoulders.  He  had  daubed 
his  face  with  black  and  red  paint  in  symmetrical  lines:  a  ring  was  passed 
through  his  nose;  and  a  necklace  and  ear  rings  completed  his  attire.  His 
weapons  consisted  of  a  tomahawk,  which  hung  at  his  side,  and  a  long,  sharp 
knife   used  by  the  savages  to  scalp   their   victims.     Round  his   neck   hung   a 


THE   COMING   OF    DE   TOCQUEVILL] 


73 


cow  horn  containing  powder,  and  in  his  right  hand  lit-  carried  a  rifle.  His 
eye  was  wild,  but  his  smile  was  friendly  and  benevolent.  At  his  side  trotted 
a  dog,  more  like  a  fox  than  any  other  animal,  with  a  look  so  savage  as  to  be 
in  perfect  harmony  with  his  master. 

They  asked  him  hi--  price  fur  the  service  that  he  was  about  to  render, 
and  the  Indian  replied  in  his  native  tongue,  the  trader  informing  them  that 
what  he  asked  was  about  equivalent  to  two  dollars.  They  thereupon  gave 
him  the  money  and  the  Indian  picked  nut  from  the  stores  a  pair  of  mocassins 
and  a  pocket  handkerchief,  worth  perhaps  half  the  amount,  but  he  appeared 
perfectly  satisfied  with  the  bargain.  The  trader,  however,  was  ready  to  do 
justice  tn  the  savages,  who  were  i  ndy  beginning  ti  i  understand  the  value  of 


i$l 


/t 


THE   TRAIL  TO   SAGINAW 

things.  "Trade  with  them  becomes  every  day  less  profitable,"  he  said.  The 
Indian  in  his  ignorant  simplicity  would  have  said  that  he  (the  trader)  found 
it  every  day  mure  difficult  to  cheat  his  neighbor;  but  the  white  man  finds 
in  the  refinement  of  language,  a  shade  which  expresses  the  fact,  and  yet  saves 
his  conscience. 

They    Penetrate   the    Virgin    Forest 

All  being  read}*,  they  mounted  their  horses,  wadded  the  river  which 
formed  the  boundary  of  civilization,  and  entered  the  real  forest  wilderness. 
The  guides  ran,  or  leaped  like  wild  cats,  over  the  impediments  of  the  path, 
a  fallen  tree,  creek  or  bog,  while  the  travellers  groped  blindly  on,  incapable 
not  only  of  treading  the  labyrinth  unaided,  hut  even  of  finding  in  it  the  means 
of  sustenance.  At  the  top  of  the  loftiest  tree  under  the  densest  foliage,  the 
children  of  the  forest  detected  the  game,  close  to  which  an  European  would 
have  passed  one  hundred  times  in  vain. 


74  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

As  they  proceeded  they  gradually  lust  sight  of  the  traces  of  man,  and 
soon  even  proofs  of  savage  life  disappeared.  Before  them  was  a  scene  that 
they  had  long  sought  —  a  virgin  forest.  "Growing  in  the  middle  of  the  thin 
underbrush,  through  which  objects  are  perceived  at  a  considerable  distance, 
was  a  single  clump  of  full  grown  trees,  almost  all  pines  and  oaks.  Confined 
tn  so  narrow  a  space,  and  deprived  "I  sunshine,  each  of  these  trees  had  run 
up  rapidly  in  search  of  light  and  air.  As  straight  as  the  mast  of  a  ship. 
the  must  rapid  grower  had  overtopped  every  surrounding  object;  only 
when  it  had  attained  a  higher  region  did  it  venture  to  spread  out  its  branches, 
and  clothe  itself  with  leaves.  <  )thers  followed  quickly  in  this  elevated  sphere, 
and  the  whole  group,  interlacing  their  boughs,  formed  a  sort  of  immense 
canopy. 

"Underneath  this  damp,  motionless  vault,  the  scene  is  different.  Majesty 
and  order  are  overhead  —  near  the  ground,  all  is  chaos  and  confusion.  Aged 
trunks,  incapable  of  supporting  any  longer  their  branches,  are  shattered  in 
the  middle,  and  present  nothing  but  a  sharp,  jagged  point.  <  'titers,  loosened 
by  the  wind,  have  been  thrown  unbroken  to  the  ground.  Turn  up  from  the 
earth,  their  roots  from  a  natural  barricade,  behind  which  several  men  might 
find  shelter.  Hugh  trees  sustained  by  the  surrounding  branches  hang  in 
mid  air,  and  fall  into  dust  without  reaching  the  ground.  In  this  solitude 
of  America,  all  powerful  nature  is  the  only  instrument  of  ruin,  as  well  as  of 
production.  Here,  as  well  as  in  the  forests  over  which  man  rules,  death 
strikes  continually,  but  there  is  in  me  to  clear  away  the  remains." 

Hardships   of  the   Journey 

They  had  been  riding  for  six  hours,  and  the  sun  was  already  high,  when 
the  Indians  stopped  short,  and  the  elder,  named  Sag-an-cu-isco,  traced  a 
line  in  the  sand.  Showing  them  one  end  he  exclaimed,  "Michi-conte-minque," 
meaning  Flint  River,  and  pointed  to  the  other  as  the  end  of  their  journey; 
then,  marking  a  point  in  the  middle,  he  signed  to  them  that  they  had 
travelled  half  the  distance,  and  that  they  must  rest  awhile.  They  asked  by 
signs  if  water  was  near,  whereupon  their  guides  showed  them  a  spot,  thirty 
paces  off  in  the  forest,  where  in  the  hollow  formed  by  an  uprooted  tree,  there 
was  a  little  reservoir  of  rain   water. 

At  this  place  they  ate  a  scanty  lunch  ami  drank  of  the  brackish  water; 
but  they  minded  more  other  discomforts  of  the  dense  woods.  "Add  to  this 
a  cloud  of  mosquitoes,"  wrote  De  Tocqueville,  "attracted  by  the  vicinity  of 
water,  which  we  were  forced  to  fight  with  one  hand  while  we  carried  our 
bread  to  our  mouths  with  the  other,  and  an  idea  may  be  formed  of  a  rustic 
dinner  in  the  virgin  forest." 

When  they  began  to  think  of  continuing  their  journey,  they  were  dis- 
mayed to  find  that  their  horses  had  strayed  from  the  path,  and  it  was  with 
some  difficulty  that  they  traced  them,  blessing  the  mosquitoes  that  had 
forced  them  to  quickly  resume  the  trail.  The  path  soon  became  more  difficult 
to  follow,  and  frequently  their  horses  had  to  force  their  way  through  thick 
brush w 1.  or  to  leap  over  large  fallen  trees  that  barred  the  way. 

At  the  end  of  two  hours  of  extremely  toilsome  riding  they  at  length 
came  to  a  stream  which,  though  shallow,  was  deeply  embanked.  At  this 
spot  (which  was  probably  on  the  Cass  River  about  a  mile  south  of  the  present 
village  of  Bridgeport),  they  waded  across  and  saw  a  field  of  maize  and  what 
looked  like  two  log  huts.  As  they  approached,  the  huts  proved  to  lie  Indian 
wigwams;  but  the  silence  in  the  deserted  camp  was  no  less  perfect  than 
in  the  surrounding  forest. 

Sag-an-cu-isco  stopped  and  examined  attentively  the  ground  and  every- 
thing   around   him.      He    laid    down   his    rifle    and    indicated    in    the   sand    that 


THE   COMING   OF   DE   TOCQUEVILLE  75 


they  had  travelled  about  three-fourths  of  their  journey.  Then  he  arose  and 
pointed  to  the  sun  which  was  quickly  sinking  into  the  woods;  next  he 
looked  at  the  wigwams  and  shut  his  eyes.  This  sign  language  was  easy  to 
understand,  but  the  proposal  astonished  and  annoyed  De  Tocqueville  and 
his  companion.  The  solemn  grandeur  of  the  scenes,  their  utter  loneliness, 
the  wild  faces  of  their  guides,  and  the  difficulty  of  communicating  with  them, 
all  conspired  to  take  away  their  confidence. 

"There  was  a  strangeness,  too,"  relates  De  Tocqueville,  "in  the  conduct 
of  the  Indians.  The  trail  for  the  last  two  hours  had  been  even  more  un- 
trodden than  at  the  beginning,  and  everyone  had  assured  us  that  we  could 
go  in  one  day  from  the  Flint  River  to  Saginaw.  We  could  not,  therefore, 
imagine  why  our  guides  wanted  to  keep  us  all  night  in  the  desert. 

"We  insisted  on  going  on,  but  the  Indian  signed  that  we  should  be  sur- 
prised by  darkness  in  the  forest.  To  force  our  guides  to  go  on  would  have 
been  dangerous,  so  I  had  recourse  to  their  cupidity.  The  Indians  have  few 
wants  and  consequently  few  desires." 

Sag-an-cu-isco  had  paid  particular  attention  to  a  little  wicker-covered 
bottle  that  hung  from  De  Tocqueville's  belt,  a  thing  he  had  a  sense  to 
appreciate  and  admire.  They  at  once  signed  to  their  guide  that  they  would 
give  him  the  bottle  if  they  would  take  them  on  to  the  Saginaw.  At  this  he 
seemed  to  undergo  a  violent  struggle,  looking  at  the  sun  and  then  on  the 
ground:  but  at  length  he  came  to  a  decision,  seized  his  rifle,  exclaimed  twice 
with  his  hand  to  his  mouth.  "(  )uh !  ouh !"  and  darted  off  through  the  bushes. 
They  followed  at  a  quick  pace  for  two  hours  even  faster  than  before. 

Still  night  was  coming  on  ami  the  last  rays  of  the  sun  had  disappeared 
behind  the  trees,  and  the  travellers  began  to  fear  lest  their  guides  would  quit 
from  fatigue  and  want  of  food,  ami  insist  on  sleeping  under  a  tree.  At  last 
darkness  overtook  them.  The  air  under  the  trees  became  damp  and  icy  cold. 
and  the  dense  forest  assumed  a  new  and  terrible  aspect.  The  only  sign  of 
life  in  the  sleeping  world  was  the  humming  of  mosquitoes,  and  now  and  then 
a  fire  fly  traced  a  luminous  line  upon  the  darkness.  The  gloom  became  still 
deeper,  but  they  pushed  resolutely  on  and  in  the  course  of  an  hour  came  to 
the  edge  of  a  prairie. 

Arrival   at    Saginaw   River 

Their  guides  then  uttered  a  savage  cry  that  vibrated  like  the  discordant 
notes  of  a  tam-tam.  It  was  answered  in  the  distance,  and  five  minutes  later 
they  reached  a  river;  but  it  was  too  dark  to  see  the  opposite  bank.  They 
dismounted  and  waited  patiently  for  what  was  to  follow.  In  a  few  minutes 
a  faint  noise  was  heard  and  a  dark  object  approached  the  bank.  It  was  an 
Indian  canoe,  about  ten  feet  long,  formed  of  a  single  tree.  A  man  crouched 
in  the  bottom  who  wore  the  dress  and  had  the  appearance  of  an  Indian.  He 
spoke  t<>  the  guides  who  took  the  saddles  off  the  horses,  and  placed  them 
in  the  canoe. 

As  De  Tocqueville  was  about  to  step  in,  the  supposed  Indian  touched 
him  on  the  arm.  and  said  with  a  Norman  accent,  which  made  him  start:  "Ah, 
you  come  from  <  )ld  France.     Stop,  don't  be  in  a  hurry." 

"If  my  horse  had  addressed  me,"  wrote  De  Tocqueville,  "I  should  not 
have  been  more  astonished." 

Looking  intently  at  the  speaker,  whose  face  shone  in  the  dim  moon- 
light like  a  copper  ball,  he  said:  "Who  are  you  then?  You  speak  French, 
but  you  look  like  an  Indian." 

He  replied  that  he  was  a  "bois-brule,"  which  means  a  son  of  a  Canadian 
and  an   Indian  iv  iman. 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


I  )e  Tocqueville  seated  himself  in  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  and  kept  as 
steady  as  possible.  His  horse,  whose  bridle  he  held,  plunged  into  the  water, 
and  swam  by  his  side.  By  this  means  they  at  length  reached  the  west  side 
of  the  stream,  and  the  canoe  returned  for  Beaumont.  They  then  proceeded 
to  a  log  hut.  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the  river,  that  had  just  become 
visible  in  the  moonlight,  and  which  the  Canadian  assured  them  would  afford 
shelter.  They  contrived,  indeed,  to  make  themselves  fairly  comfortable  with 
the  meager  and  rough  furnishings  of  the  place.  The  myriads  of  mosquitoes, 
however,  that  filled  the  house,  annoyed  them  greatly,  but  fatigue  at  last  pro- 
cured for  them  an  uneasy  and  broken   sleep. 

"These  insects  called  mosquitoes,"  wrote  De  Tocqueville,  "are  the  curse 
of  the  American  wilderness.  They  render  a  long  stay  unendurable.  1  never 
felt  torments  such  as  those  which  1  suffered  during  the  whole  of  the  expedi- 
tion, and  especially  at  Saginaw.  In  the  day  they  prevented  us  from  sitting 
still  an  instant;  in  the  night  thousands  of  them  buzzed  around  us,  settling 
on  every  spot  on  our  bodies  that  was  uncovered." 

Picture   of   Early   Saginaw 

The  travellers  went  out  at  sunrise  for  their  first  daylight  view  of  the 
village  of  Saginaw,  which  they  had  come  so  far  to  see.  A  small  cultivated 
plain,  bounded  on  the  south  by  a  beautiful  and  gently  flowing  river,  on  the 
east,  west,  and  north  by  the  forest,  constituted  at  the  time  the  territor}  of 
the  embryo  city.  The  house  in  which  they  had  passed  the  night  was  at  one 
end  of  the  little  clearing,  and  a  similar  dwelling  was  visible  at  the  other  end. 

Met  ween   them   on   the  outskirts  of  the   w Is,   were  two  or   three  log  huts, 

half  hidden  in  the  Foliage.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  stretched  the 
prairie,  from  which  curled  a  column  of  smoke.  Looking  whence  it  came 
they  discovered  the  pointed  forms  of  several  wigwams,  winch  scarcely  stood 
out  from  the  tall  grass  of  the  plain.  A  plow  that  had  upset,  its  oxen  gallop- 
ing off  by  themsleves,  and  a  few   half-wild  horses,  completed  the  picture. 

"The  village  of  Saginaw."  continued  De  Tocqueville,  "is  the  farthest 
point  inhabited  by  Europeans  to  the  Northwest  of  a  vast  peninsula  of  Michi- 
gan. It  may  be  considered  as  an  advanced  post,  a  sort  of  watch-tower, 
placed  by  the  whites  in  the  midst  of  the  Indian  nations. 

"Sometimes  an  Indian  stops  on  his  journey  to  relate  some  sad  realities 
of  social  life:  sometimes  a  newspaper  dropped  from  a  hunter's  knapsack,  or 
only  the  sort  of  indistinct  rumor,  which  spreads  one  knows  not  how,  and 
which  seldom  fails  to  tell  that  something  strange  is  passing  in  the  world. 

"Once  a  year  a  vessel  sails  up  the  Saginaw  to  join  this  stray  link  in  the 
great  European  chain  which  now  binds  the  world.  She  carries  to  the  new 
settlement  the  products  of  human  industry,  and  in  return  takes  away  the 
fruits  of  the  soil. 

"Thirty  persons,  men,  women,  old  people  and  children,  comprised  this 
little  society,  as  yet  scarce!}'  formed  —  an  opening  seed  thrown  upon  the 
desert,  there  to  germinate.  Chance,  interest,  or  inclination  had  called  them 
to  this  narrow  space,  no  common  link  existed  between  them  and  they  dif- 
fered widely.  Among  them  were  Canadians.  Americans,  Indians  and  half- 
castes." 

After  breakfast  they  went  to  sec  the  principal  fur  trader  in  the  village, 
named  Carder  D.  Williams,  to  whom  they  had  a  letter  of  introduction. 
They  found  him  in  his  trading  post  selling  to  the  Indians  small  articles,  such 
as  knives,  glass  necklaces,  ear-rings  and  the  like.  His  cordial  welcome  and 
open  countenance  showed  immediately  a  taste  for  social  pleasures,  and 
careless  indifference  to  life.  In  many  respects  he  had  the  appearance  of  an 
Indian.     Forced  to  submit  to  savage  life,  he  had  willingly  adopted  its  dress 


Till".    L'oMINt!   ()F    DE   TOCQUEVILLE  77 

and  its  customs.  He  wore  mocassins,  an  otter-skin  cap,  and  carried  a 
blanket.  To  flv  to  the  wilderness  he  had  broken  every  social  tie,  though 
he  loved  his  own  fireside;  but  his  imagination  was  fired  by  novel  scenes  and 
he  was  seized  with  an  insatiable  desire  for  violent  emotions,  vicissitudes  and 
perils.  He  had  become  almost  a  worshipper  of  savage  life,  preferring  the 
savannah  to  the  street,  the  fur  trade  to  the  plow. 

Encamped  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  the  Indians  from  time  to  time 
ca^t  stoical  glances  on  the  habitations  of  their  brothers  from  Europe. 
They  admire  neither  their  industry  nor  envy  their  lot.  Tin  nigh  for  nearly 
three  hundred  years  civilization  has  invaded  and  surrounded  the  American 
savages,  they  have  not  yet  learned  to  know  or  to  appreciate  their  enemy. 
In  vain,  in  both  races,  is  one  generation  followed  by  another.  Like  two 
parallel  rivers  they  have  flowed  for  three  centuries  side  by  side  towards  the 
same  ocean,  only  a  narrow  space  divides  them,  but  their  waters  do  net 
mingle. 

"From  the  interior  of  his  smoky  hut,  wrapped  in  his  blanket,  the  Indian 
contemplates  with  scorn  the  convenient  dwelling  of  the  European.  He  has 
a  proud  satisfaction  in  his  poverty;  his  heart  swells  and  triumphs  in  his 
barbarous  independence.  He  smiles  bitterly  when  he  sees  us  wear  out  i  un- 
lives in  heaping  up  useless  riches.  What  we  term  industry  he  calls  shame- 
ful subjection.  He  compares  the  workman  to  the  ox  toiling  on  in  the  furrow. 
What  we  call  necessaries  of  life,  he  terms  childish  play  things  or  womanish 
baubles.  He  envies  us  only  our  arms.  If  a  man  has  a  leafy  hut  to  shelter 
his  head  by  night,  a  good  fire  to  warm  him  in  winter,  and  to  banish  the 
mosquitoes  in  summer,  if  he  has  good  dogs  and  plenty  of  game,  what  more 
can  he  ask  of  the  (Ireat  Spirit?" 

They  Shoot  Wild  Ducks 

After  their  visit  to  the  trading  post  the  travellers  went  a  short  distance 
up  the  Saginaw  to  shoot  wild  ducks.  A  canoe  left  the  reeds  and  its  Indian 
occupants  came  to  them  to  examine  their  double-barreled  gun.  A  fire  arm 
that  could  kill  two  men  in  a  second,  could  be  fired  in  the  wet  and  damp, 
was  to  them  a  marvel,  a  masterpiece  beyond  price.  They  asked  whence  it 
came,  and  the  guide  replied  that  it  was  made  <  m  the  other  side  of  the  great 
water,  an  answer  that  did  not  make  it  less  precious  in  their  eyes. 

When  evening  approached  they  returned  to  their  canoe  and,  trusting 
to  the  experience  acquired  in  the  morning,  they  rowed  alone  upon  an  arm 
of  the  Saginaw,  of  which  they  had  had  a  glimpse. 

"The  sky  was  without  a  cloud,"  relates  De  Tocqueville,  "the  atmosphere 
was  pure  and  still.  The  river  watered  an  immense  forest,  and  flowed  so 
gently  that  we  could  scarcely  tell  the  direction  of  its  current.  The  wilder- 
ness was  before  us  just  as  six  thousand  years  ago,  it  showed  itself  to  the 
father  of  mankind.  It  was  a  delicious,  blooming,  perfumed,  gorgeous  dwell- 
ing, a  living  palace  made  for  man,  though,  as  yet,  the  owner  had  not  taken 
possession.  The  canoe  glided  noiselessly  and  without  effort:  all  was  quiet 
and  serene.  Under  the  softening  influence  of  the  scene  our  words  became 
fewer,  our  voices  sank  to  a  whisper,  until  at  length  we  lapsed  into  a  peace- 
ful and  delicious  reverie. 

"The  report  of  a  gun  in  the  woods  aroused  us  from  our  dream.  At 
first  it  sounded  like  an  explosion  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  the  roar  then 
grew  fainter  till  it  was  lost  in  the  depth  of  the  surrounding  forest.  It 
sounded  like  the  prolonged  and  peaceful  war  cry  of  advancing  civilization." 

The  next  day  De  Tocqueville  and  his  companion  shot  over  the  prairie 
which  extended  below  the  clearing.  The  prairie  was  not  marshy,  as  they 
had   expected,   and    the   grass   was   dry,   rising  to   a   height   of   three   or   four 


I 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


ire  there  rattlesnakes 


feet.  They  found  but  little  game  and,  as  the  heat  was  stiffling  and  the 
mosquitoes  annoying,  they  soon  started  on  their  return.  On  the  way  they 
noticed  that  their  guide  followed  a  narrow  path,  and  looked  very  carefully 
w  here  lie  placed  his  feet. 

"Why  are  you  so  cautious,"  asked  Beaumont,  "are  you  afraid  of  the 
damp?" 

"No,"  he  replied,  "but  when  1  walk  in  the  prairie  I  always  look  down 
lest    I   tread  on  a  rattlesnake." 

"I  liable."  exclaimed    De  Tocqueville  with  a  start, 
here  ?" 

"Oh   yes,  indeed,"  answered  their  guide,  "the  place  is  full  of  them." 

At  five  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  travellers  resolved  to  start  on  the 
return  to  civilization.  Every  Indian  had  disappeared  and,  as  the  settlers 
were  busily  engaged  in  the  harvest,  they  were  obliged  to  retread  the  wilder- 
ness without  a  guide,  So  they  bid  their  friends  good  bye,  recrossed  the 
Saginaw,  received  the  farewell  and  last  advice  from  their  boatman,  and, 
turning  their  horses'  heads  toward  the  southeast,  were  soon  in  the  depth  oi 
the  forest.  It  was  not  without  a  solemn  sensation  that  they  began  to  pene- 
trate its  damp  recesses.  The  unbroken  forest  stretched  behind  them  to  the 
Pole  and   to  the   Pacific. 

"We  asked  ourselves,"  observed  De  Tocqueville,  in  a  prophetic  mood, 
"by  what  singular  fate  it  happened  that  we,  to  whom  it  had  been  granted 
to  look  on  the  ruins  of  extinct  empires  of  the  East,  and  tread  the  deserts 
made  by  human  hands,  we  children  of  an  ancient  people,  should  be  called 
upon  to  witness  this  scene  of  the  primitive  world,  and  to  contemplate  the 
as  yet  unoccupied  cradle  of  a  great  nation. 

"These  are  not  the  more  or  less  probable  -peculations  of  Philosophy. 
The  facts  are  as  certain  as  if  they  had  already  taken  place.  In  a  few  years 
these  impenetrable  forests  will  have  fallen;  the  sons  of  civilization  and 
industry  will  break  the  silence  on  the  Saginaw;  it>  echoes  will  cease;  the 
bank-  will  be  imprisoned  with  quays;  it>  current  which  now  flows  on 
unnoticed  and  tranquil  through  a  nameless  waste,  will  be  stemmed  by  the 
prows  of  vessels.  More  than  a  hundred  miles  sever  this  solitude  from  the 
great  European  settlements,  and  we  were,  perhaps,  the  last  travellers 
allowed  to  see  its  primitive  grandeur.  So  strong  i-  the  impuls 
the   white   man   to   the  entire   conquest   of  the   New  \\  orld.' 


that  urges 


VIEW  ON    SAGINAW   RIVER 


CHAPTER    VI 

PIONEER    DAYS 


Retarded  Settlement  and  Its  Causes  —  The  Fur  Trade — Treaty  Reservations  to 
the  Rileys  —  Indian  Payment  Days  —  Customs  and  Habits  of  the  Indians  —  Character 
of  Au-saw-wa-mic  —  William  McDonald,  the  "factor"  —  Doctor  Charles  Little  — 
Eleazer  Jewett  —  "Uncle  Harvey  Williams"  —  The  Williams  Brothers — Encounter 
with    Wah-be-man-ito  —  Story    of    the    fearless    Neh-way-go  —  Other    early     Pioneers. 

ALTH<  >UGH  the  treaty  of  Saginaw,  which  was  negotiated  with  the  Chip- 
pewas  in  September,  1819,  granted  to  the  United  States  a  large  por- 
^  tion  of  the  territory  lying  between  Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Huron, 
and  the  land  was  opened  fur  settlement  mi  very  favorable  terms, 
immigration  to  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  slow  in  starting.  The  people  of  the 
East  had  still  in  mind  the  horrors  of  warfare  and  the  barbarities  and  out- 
rages suffered  by  the  early  settlers  in  Ohio  ami  mi  the  Detroit,  and  were 
reluctant  to  leave  their  homes  and  seek  fortune  in  the  western  wilderness 
(  >nly  the  most  daring  and  adventurous  spirits  thought  it  worth  while  to  risk 
life  on  the  distant  frontier,  and  nearly  all  settled  along  the  Detroit  and  St. 
Clair  rivers. 

The  withdrawal  of  the  United  States  troops  from  Fort  Saginaw  in  the 
fall  of  1823,  by  reason  of  the  extreme  unhealthful  climate,  as  had  been 
widely  circulated,  also  deterred  many  emigrants  from  penetrating  the  in- 
terior; and  De  Tocqueville,  in  his  memoirs,  makes  note  of  the  fact  that  the 
land  agents  and  others  interested  in  the  sale  of  lands  directly  west  of  Detroit, 
exerted  every  influence  to  discourage  a  permanent  settlement  on  the  Saginaw, 
and  to  direct  immigration  westward.  Then,  too.  the  fur  traders,  who  were 
the  only  white  inhabitants  of  the  valley,  with  the  future  of  their  trade  ever 
in  mind,  also  opposed  any  settlement  of  the  country  which  would  inevitably 
exterminate  or  drive  away  the  wild  animals,  upon  which  their  trade  was 
based.  As  a  result  of  these  conditions,  for  more  than  ten  years  after  the 
treaty  was  ratified,  the  number  of  white  settlers  in  this  valley  could  not  have 
exceeded  thirty;  and  there  were  only  three  or  four  hamlets  between  Sag- 
inaw and  Pontiac. 

Nearly  all  the  early  settlers  were  engaged  directly  in  the  fur  trade,  the 
profits  (if  which  were  large  and  was  simply  an  exchange  of  commodities. 
An  Indian  would  bring  in  rich  furs,  to  him  scarcely  of  any  value,  but  worth 
perhaps  ten  dollars  in  London  or  Paris.  He  would  receive  in  exchange  a 
strong,  keen-edged  knife,  worth  in  European  cities  about  a  half  dollar,  hut 
to  him  worth  ten  times  the  furs.  His  joy  was  great  as  he  showed  the  keen 
rutting  tool  which  shaved  down  his  bows  and  arrows  so  smoothly,  in  con- 
trast to  the  laborious  use  of  his  hard  stone  implements.  Imagine  the 
delight  with  which  an  Indian  woman,  for  the  first  time  in  her  life,  hung  a 
stout  iron  kettle  over  her  cabin  tire.  Would  she  not  induce  her  "brave" 
to  give  up  his  scant)-  supply  of  furs  in  exchange  for  it? 


80  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


From  the  "Voyage  <>t  Captain  Richard  Lode"  a  clear  insight  into  the 
terms  upon  which  exchanges  were  made  with  the  Indians,  is  derived.  Beaver 
skins  were  then  the  standard  currency  employed  in  trade,  and  values  were 
based  on  them.     The  Indian  gave  in  exchange  for  — 

1  gun  10  beaver  skins 

|   pound   of   powder  1    beaver  skin 

4  ] ii mnds   of   shot  1    beaver  skin 

I  axe  1    beaver  skin 

I I  knives  1   beaver  skin 
1  pound  of  glass  beads  1   beaver  skin 

1   laced  coat  6  beaver  skins 

1   laced   Female  dress  5  beaver  skins 

1  pound  tobacco  1   beaver  skin 

1  comb  and  looking  glass       -  2  heaver  skins 

Treaty   Reservations  to  the  Rileys 

Among  the  reservees  in  the  treaty  of  1819  were  John,  James  and  Peter 
Riley,  who  were  the  suns  of  James  V.  S.  Riley  and  Me-naw-cum-ego-qua, 
a  Chippewa  woman.  According  to  early  accounts  of  pioneer  life  the  father 
by  heritage  came  from  excellent  stock,  and  was  a  most  fearless  man  of  great 
strength  and  resolution.  It  is  related  of  him  that  upon  coming  to  Detroit 
in  his  youth,  he  refused  to  work  on  the  King's  highway,  as  ordered,  and  a 
file  of  soldiers  was  drawn  up  to  flog  him.  but  he  dared  them  to  do  it.  This 
defiant  challenge  was  borne  to  Major  Antrim,  in  charge  of  the  British  forces, 
who  was  s,  i  dazed  by  the  Herculean  mould  and  courage  of  the  young  fron- 
tiersman that  he  released  him. 

The  sons  inherited  much  of  their  father's  physical  strength  and  intrepid 
spirit,  and  were  of  great  aid  to  the  Americans  in  the  war  of  1812.  i  In  one 
occasion  one  of  them,  probably  John,  guided  General  Cass,  Judge  Moran  and 
others  in  repelling  hostile  Indians  in  the  suburbs  of  Detroit,  and  shot  a 
fierce  warrior  in  the  advance.  The  aid  the  Rileys  gave  the  government  was 
no  doubt  the  cause  of  the  generous  reservations  of  land  for  their  individual 
use  in  the  treaty  of  Saginaw.  The  location  of  John  Riley's  land  was  within 
the  corporate  limits  of  Bay  City;  James  Riley's  grant  formed  a  part  of  the 
site  of  Fast  Saginaw,  while  that  of  Peter  Riley  was  on  the  west  side  of  the 
river.  None  of  the  Rileys  ever  took  up  a  permanent  residence  here,  their 
tribal  homes  being  near  the  head  of  the  St.  Clair  River.  In  1836  lames  and 
Peter  sold  their  lands  here  to  Andrew  F.  McReynolds  and  F.  II.  Stevens, 
when  their  connection  with  local  history  ceased. 

Indian  Payment  Days 
<  hie  of  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  provided  that  in  consideration  of  the 
cession  of  the  territory  named  in  the  treaty,  the  United  States  should  pay  to 
the  Chippewa  nation  of  Indians,  annually,  forever,  the  sum  of  one  thousand 
dollars  in  silver,  and  to  pay  all  annuities  due  on  former  treaties  to  the  said 
tribe  in  the  same  coin.  Indian  payment  days  of  that  olden  time,  long  before 
the  settlement  mi  the  Saginaw  had  attained  any  importance,  was  an  interest- 
ing and  picturesque  event.  About  twelve  hundred  Indians  of  all  sorts  and 
conditions,  from  the  papoose  strapped  to  a  piece  of  birch  bark  to  the  swarthy 
savage,  were  assembled  early  in  the  morning  upon  the  lawn  which  sloped 
gently  toward  the  river  in  front  of  the  council  house.  Groups  of  Indian 
boys,  some  exercising  with  the  bow  and  arrow,  others  wrestling,  racing  and 
making  the  woods  ring  with  their  gladsome  meniment,  were  collected  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  tents.  The  river  was  covered  with  canoes  in  which  many  a 
dusky   maiden  demonstrated  her  dexterity  in  the  use  of  the  paddle. 


PIONEER    DAYS  81 


The  money  to  be  paid  the  Indians  was  placed  on  a  table  in  the  council 
room,  in  piles  of  ten  and  twenty  dollars,  each  in  American  half-dollar  pieces. 
Around  the  table  sat  the  Indian  superintendent,  interpreter  and  clerks.  A 
list  of  all  the  names  of  the  heads  of  Indian  families  also  lay  upon  the  table. 
Commencing  at  the  top  of  the  list,  the  names  were  called  off,  the  Indians 
presented  themselves,  were  paid  off,  and  stepped  aside  to  make  room  for 
others.  Each  Indian  invariably  had  a  large  number  of  friends  on  these  occa- 
sions, and  too  often,  the  money  soon  disappeared.  There  was  generally 
plenty  of  "fire  water"  to  be  obtained,  despite  the  vigilance  of  the  authorities, 
and  drinking,  rioting  and  carousing  were  characteristic  features  of  this  annual 
event. 

Customs  and  Habits  of  the  Indians 

The  Indians  of  the  Chippewa  tribe,  as  they  appeared  ninety  or  one 
hundred  years  ago,  were  well  built,  exceedingly  swarthy,  with  prominent 
cheek  bones,  coarse  black  hair,  but  with  no  whiskers;  and  were  not  at  all 
attractive  in  their  personal  appearance.  They  were  usually  attired  in  a  calico 
shirt,  w'l  ilen  <  >r  buckskin  leggings,  and  wore  heavy  mocassins.  In  the 
early  days  they  wore  no  head  covering  whatever,  but  in  later  years  they 
adopted  the  cap  of  the  white  man.  The  warriors  at  first  wore  feathers  in 
their  hair,  and  the  chiefs  were  elaborately  decorated  in  their  councils  and 
festivals.  On  the  war  path  they  painted  their  faces  with  red.  black  and 
yellow  colors,  in  hideous  and  often  diabolical  manner,  a  custom  which  was 
also  practiced  on  occasions  of  councils,  feasts  or  other  ceremonies. 

The  squaws  were  almost  without  exception  ugly  in  appearance  and  care- 
less in  their  personal  habits,  although  there  were  exceptions,  and  some  of  the 
half-breeds  were  quite  pretty.  The  women  usually  wore  calico  dresses  and 
mocassins,  a  very  plain  and  simple  costume,  but  one  which  answered  the 
requirements.  The  papooses  were  strapped  to  narrow  shingle  boards  or 
stout  bark,  and  when  travelling  were  carried  on  the  backs  of  their  mothers. 
In  camp  the  boards  were  placed  against  a  tree  or  post,  a  practice  which 
caused  the  infants  to  grow  straight. 

It  was  a  universal  habit  among  the  Chippewas  to  loiter  around  the  trad- 
ing posts,  staring  at  everything,  and  asking  for  anything  that  pleased  them 
such  as  bread,  pork,  tobacco  and  whiskey.  They  did  not  steal,  and  were  not 
quarrelsome  unless  crazed  by  drink,  and  altogether  were  as  inoffensive  as 
they  were  worthless.  It  was  the  contamination  of  the  white  men  that 
blighted  the  character  of  the  savages.  They  lived  chiefly  by  hunting  and 
fishing,  in  season  picking  berries  for  sale  to  the  whites,  and  making  baskets 
anil  mocassins.  The  painting  of  their  baskets  with  gay  colors,  and  the  em- 
broidery of  their  mocassins  and  leggings,  were  their  only  attempts  at  a 
crude  though  interesting  art.  They  lived  in  wigwams,  log  cabins  and  bark 
shacks:  and  their  only  cultivation  of  the  soil  consisted  of  planting  and  weed- 
ing a  little  corn,  a  work  which  was  done  entirely  by  the  squaws. 

The  Character  of  Au-saw-wa-mic 

A  mighty  hunter  of  the  Chippewas  was  the  chief  Au-saw-wa-mic,  who 
bitterly  opposed  the  treaty,  and  refused  to  attach  his  totem  to  the  inscribed 
document.  He  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Sibi-way-ink,  the  Sebewaing  of  the 
present  day,  but  afterward  moved  to  a  point  about  six  miles  from  Saginaw; 
and  was  noted  for  his  prowess  as  a  hunter,  having  killed  many  a  bear  single- 
handed,  and  had  run  down  a  deer.  His  figure  was  the  personification  of 
physical  strength  and  manhood  —  the  ideal  aborigine,  such  as  J.  Fennimore 
Cooper  immortalized  in  his  Leather-Stocking  Tales,  or  as  the  poet  drew  with 
Ins  magic  pen  in  Hiawatha.     He  was  always  attired  with  great  care,  and  in 


82  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

the  strictly  native  garb,  consisting  of  deerskin  wampus,  leggings  and  mocas- 
sins, all  ornamented  in  the  must  elaborate  fashion.  A  broad  belt,  artistically 
colored,  encircling  his  waist,  tall  eagle  feathers  adorned  his  head,  while  his 
face  was  painted  with  as  much  care  as  that  of  a  fashionable  belle.  His  long 
rifle  rested  across  his  arm  with  unstudied  grace. 

After  the  treaty  had  been  consummated  Au-saw  wa.-mic  isolated  him- 
self from  his  tribe  to  a  great  extent,  and  never  failed  to  taunt  them  for  hav- 
ing bartered  away  their  birthright.  For  years  after  he  would  present  him- 
self to  the  paymaster  to  receive  his  share  of  the  annuity,  and  to  show  his 
contempt  of  his  people  and  the  general  government,  he  would  take  his 
allotted  stipend,  walk  majestically  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  contempt- 
uously hurl  the  shining  coins  into  the  stream.  The  old  chief  never  became 
contaminated  with  the  vices  of  the  whites,  and  infinitely  more  than  any  living 
member  of  the  various  tribes  did  he  manifest  a  spirit  of  dignity,  independence, 
and  pride  which  never  forsook  him. 

William  McDonald,  the  "factor." 

In  August,  1824,  the  American  Fur  Company  established  a  post  at  Sag- 
inaw City,  with  William  McDonald  as  "factor",  or  agent.  This  post  was 
located  within  the  stockade  and  log  houses  of  Fort  Saginaw,  which  stood  on 
the  present  site  of  the  Hotel  Fordney  and  adjoining  buildings  on  Court 
Street  and  the  old  First  National  Bank  building.  McDonald  was  known 
among  the  dusky  hunters  as  "White  Cloud",  and  was  probably  more  trusted 
and  beloved  by  the  red  men  than  any  of  the  early  traders  in  Saginaw  Valley. 
His  life  from  early  manhood  had  been  spent  in  the  service  of  the  American 
and  Hudson  Bay  companies;  and  he  spoke  with  fluency  many  dialects  of 
the  various  tribes  with  whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  his  mind  was  well 
stored  with  the  legendary  lore  of  the  tribes  which  roamed  the  vast  region 
to  the  north.  For  years  after  his  retirement  from  trade,  late  in  the  40's.  he 
was  well  known  to  all  the  pioneer  settlers,  whom  he  often  entertained  with 
recitals  of  the  many  stirring  scenes  which  he  had  passed  through  during  his 
life  in  the  forests  and  among  the  untutored  children  of  nature.  Interspersed 
with  his  tales  of  border  days  were  occasional  incidents  illustrative  ot  the 
inquisitive  nature  of  the  savages. 

One  bright  afternoon  in  May,  while  enjoying  a  quiet  smoke  in  front  of 
the  store  of  William  H.  Sweet,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  this  valley,  the 
giant  figure  of  an  Indian  chief,  with  the  customary  salutation,  "bon-jour", 
uttered  in  the  deep  guttural  ejaculation  of  the  native,  entered,  bestowing 
upon  the  proprietor  a  keen  glance  as  if  mentally  interviewing  him.  Without 
further  notice  he  proceeded  to  ransack  the  drawers,  shelves  and  cases,  tak- 
ing from  them  in  the  course  of  a  hall-hour  a  variety  of  articles  which  seemed 
to  invite  his  fancy.  Having  examined  them  very  carefully  his  curiosity  was 
apparently  satisfied,  for  he  replaced  everything  and  departed,  exchanging  a 
few  words  in  his  own  tongue  with  McDonald  as  he  passed  out. 

Naturally,  this  peculiar  proceeding  of  the  Indian,  as  well  as  his  physical 
proportions  and  racial  characteristics,  which  were  unlike  any  of  his  race, 
aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  storekeeper,  and  he  enquired  of  McDonald  the 
name  which  he  bore.  It  was  old  chief  Au-saw  wa  mic  the  renowned  hunter 
of  the  Chippewas.  To  further  satisfy  his  inquisitiveness  he  had  inquired  of 
McDonald  the  name  of  the  storekeeper,  how  long  he  had  been  in  the  \  alley. 
and  other  things  he  desired  to  be  informed  of.  The  old  fur  trader  further 
stated  that  it  was  a  habit  of  the  Indian  chief  to  enter  the  cabin  of  any  settler, 
particularly  a  new  comer,  and  make  a  thorough  inspection  of  the  chattels  and 
personal   belongings   therein,  and  that   he  might   be  expected  to  make  a  call 


PIONEER    DAYS 


83 


at  Sweet's  house.  It  would  be  well,  he  said,  for  the  storekeeper  to  inform  his 
wife,  so  that  she  might  not  be  alarmed,  as  the  Indian  was  perfectly  harmless, 
merely  seeking  to  gratify  his  curiosity. 

The  surmise  of  McDonald  was  soon  verified,  for  one  pleasant  afternoon 
the  shadow  of  the  chief  appeared  at  Sweet's  threshold.  His  wife  was  sew- 
ing as  the  strange  visitor  glided  noiselessly  into  the  cabin,  hideous  in  feathers 
and  paint,  and  all  the  tawdry  trappings  of  the  native.  For  a  moment  she 
was  startled  at  the  sudden  apparition,  who  without  a  word  of  greeting  gave 
her  a  scrutinizing  glance,  and  took  a  look  at  the  sleeping  babies  with  appar- 
ent pleasure.  This  brief  interview  was  followed  by  a  personal  examination 
by  Au-saw  wa-mic  of  all  the  settler's  property,  including  a  number  of  colored 
lithographs  of  Indian  chiefs,  drawn  by  an  artist  named  Catlin,  who  had 
visited  many  of  the  western  tribes. 
'Die  inspection  of  these  pictures 
afforded  him  great  pleasure,  which 
he  evinced  by  various  guttural  ex- 
clamations which  could  not  be  mis- 
interpreted. One  in  particular,  the 
likeness  of  a  chief  of  the  Menominee 
tribe  across  Lake  Michigan,  an  old 
friend  of  Au-saw-wa-mic,  excited 
his  wonderment,  the  recognition 
being  so  unexpected  as  to  be  a 
mystery  the  like  of  which  he  had 
never  experienced.  It  was  a  revela- 
tion and  delight  to  him  to  gaze  upon 
the  face  of  his  savage  friend,  whom 
he  never  again  expected  to  see.  As 
lie  was  about  to  leave  he  plucked 
from  his  crest  an  eagle  feather  and 
handed  it  to  Mrs.  Sweet,  gave  the 
sleeping  babies  and  the  pictures  a 
parting  glance,  and  quietly  de- 
parted. 

Soi  m  after  this  incident  Mc- 
Donald informed  the  storekeeper 
that  the  old  chief  had  told  him  of 
his  discoveries  in  the  settler's  cabin, 
and  that  he  wanted  the  picture  of  his  old  friend  —  the  chief  who  lived  far 
away  to  the  west.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  Au-saw-wa-mic  was  duly  pre- 
sented with  the  portrait  of  his  red  brother,  and  for  years  it  hung  as  a  precious 
gift  in  his  wigwam.  To  the  settler  the  bestowal  of  the  picture  was  a  real 
pleasure;  to  its  new  possessor  a  delight,  which  manifested  itself  in  the  stead- 
fast friendship  of  the  native  lord  of  the  forest.  For  years  after  he  remem- 
bered his  white  friend  with  many  offerings  of  venison,  duck,  bear  meat  and 
other  trophies  of  his  skill  as  a  huntsman.  Long  after  Au-saw-wa-mic  had 
passed  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds,  his  rude  though  noble  virtues  were 
recalled  by  those   who  recorded  the  chronicles  of  the  race. 

In  those  early  days  the  Chippewas  were  quite  numerous  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  little  settlement  on  the  Saginaw;  and  there  was  a  large  village  at 
Swan  Creek,  another  at  Taymouth,  one  at  St.  Charles,  and  one  on  Cheboy- 
ganing  Creek  in  Buena  Vista  Township.  It  was  then  a  common  occurrence 
to  see  numbers  of  Indians  in  town  trading  their  peltry,  sugar,  baskets,  fish 
and  other  game  with  the  whites  for  such  articles  as  their  rude  tastes  fancied. 
Despite  their  characteristic  stoicism   some  were  "wags"  in   their  way.     One 


AU-SAW  WA-MIE 


84  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Chippewa  brave,  having  given  a  trader  some  annoyance,  was  told  that  if  he 
was  ever  again  seen  with  a  buttle,  it  would  be  taken  from  him  and  thrown 
into  the  fire.  A  few  days  later  the  Indian  appeared  at  the  trader's  cabin, 
with  his  pint  flash  in  his  blanket  as  usual.  The  trader  thereupon  demanded 
the  bottle,  which  the  savage  rather  reluctantly  yielded  up  and  started  for 
the  door.  The  trader  threw  the  flask  into  the  stove,  when  there  was  a  sudden 
eruption,  the  stove  and  windows  being  blown  out,  and  the  trader  making  a 
hasty  exit  through  the  largest  opening.  From  this  experience  he  learned 
that  it  was  advisable  before  burning  an  Indian's  wdiiskev  flask  to  ascertain 
that  it  did  not  contain  gun  powder. 

Doctor  Charles  Little 

A  sturdy  pioneer  who  laid  the  foundation  for  early  settlement  on  the 
Saginaw  was  Doctor  Charles  Little,  wdio  for  forty-two  years  practiced  his 
profession  in  Avon,  Livingston  County.  New  York.  As  early  as  1822,  hav- 
ing formed  a  favorable  impression  of  the  resources  of  this  section  of  Mich- 
igan, he  deposited  the  necessary  funds  t <  >  secure  lands  by  government  entrv. 
He  had  passed  over  the  site  of  Rochester,  New  York,  at  a  much  earlier  day, 
when  it  was  a  sylvan  waste,  and  had  seen  that  and  other  localities,  which 
could  have  been  purchased  at  nominal  prices,  converted,  as  if  by  magic, 
into  busy  marts  of  trade.  In  the  summer  of  1822  and  1823  he  visited  the 
Saginaw  Valley  and  traced  all  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  main  stream, 
and,  acting  upon  a  practical  theory  which  had  been  impressed  upon  him, 
and  with  a  foresight  eminently  wise,  he  made  his  entries  which  embraced  the 
site  of  almost  the  entire  East  Side  of  the  City  of  Saginaw,  and  other  desirable 
lands. 

These  entries  extended  for  several  miles  along  the  east  bank  of  the 
river,  from  a  point  near  Crow  Island  all  the  way,  with  occasional  exceptions, 
to  Green  Point,  including  the  site  of  the  Milage  of  Salina.  On  the  west  bank 
of  the  stream  the  entries  extended  from  the  embryo  settlement  to  the  Titta- 
bawassee  and  along  that  stream  for  some  distance;  and  vears  after  his  de- 
scendents  realized  and  appreciated  his  far-seeing  sagacity.  After  a  life  of 
great  usefulness  Doctor  Little  died  at  his  homestead  in   1X42. 

Eleazer  Jewett 

Eleazer  Jewett,  the  first  surveyor  to  trace  lines  in  Saginaw  Valley,  was  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire  and  came  to  the  little  settlement  in  the  western 
wilderness  in  the  summer  of  1826.  Attracted  by  the  beautiful  surroundings 
at  the  head  of  the  Saginaw,  he  and  Asa  L  Whitney,  who  had  preceded  him  to 
the  valley,  built  a  comfortable  log  hut  on  the  bank  of  the  Tittabawassee  at 
the  place  known  as  Green  Point.  Here  they  passed  the  winter  of  1826-27,  in 
the  employ  of  the  American  Fur  Company.  Whitney  was  accidentally- 
drowned  in  the  river  near  their  camp  in  April  of  the  following  spring.  That 
year  Jewett  succeeded  McDonald  as  factor  for  the  company,  and  at  once 
established  a  post  at  the  forks  of  the  Tittabawassee.  near  the  present  site  of 
the  town  of  Midland.  This  proceeding  somewhat  displeased  the  Indians,  and 
he  was  threatened  by  them  with  death  if  he  continued  business  there.  This 
threat,  however,  he  treated  lightly,  not  believing  that  the  chiefs,  with  whom 
he  had  sustained  the  most  cordial  relations,  would  permit  their  young  men 
to  molest  him. 

One  day  he  saw  more  than  a  hundred  blood-thirsty  warriors  approach- 
ing the  post  along  the  narrow  trail,  the  only  thoroughfare  through  the  woods 
in  those  days.  They  were  all  attired  in  full  war  dress,  and  the  afifair  had  a 
serious  aspect.     Jewett,  however,  was  made  of  stern   stuff  and  did  not  pro- 


m 


E     JEWETT 


86  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


pose  to  be  bluffed  into  abandoning  the  business  at  this  place.  He  appeared 
at  the  ili  Mir  with  presents  of  tobacco  to  the  chief,  the  stoical  and  savage 
Oge-maw-ke-ke-to,  who  refused  to  accept  the  gift.  Being  well  conversant 
with  the  Indian  character,  he  at  mice  realized  the  gravity  of  the  situation, 
and  hastily  retired  within  his  stout  cabin,  bolted  the  door,  and  made  ready 
for  defense.  He  had  a  half-breed  assistant  with  him  and  a  large  number  of 
guns  and  plenty  of  ammunition.  While  the  Indians  were  holding  a  confab 
outside,  the  occupants  of  the  post  loaded  the  guns  and  made  ready  to  give 
the  redskins  a  hut  fight.  Before  a  shut  was  fired,  however,  more  than  a 
scute  nt  tomahawks  were  launched  against  the  heavy  door  of  hewed  planks 
in   which  they   were  half-buried. 

The  moment  fur  action  having  arrived,  Jewett  fired  several  shuts  over 
the  heads  of  the  savages,  as  he  did  not  want  t<>  kill  any  of  them  if  it  were 
possible  to  avoid  it:  and  then  sent  a  few  charges  of  tine  shot  into  the  legs 
of  the  red  men,  taking  care  not  to  inflict  much  harm,  his  object  being  to 
intimidate  them.  He  knew  that  if  one  of  the  savages  was  killed  they  would 
become  infuriated,  and  with  the  odds  so  overpowering  in  their  favor  they 
would  speedily  find  a  way  to  enter  the  post  and  slaughter  the  inmates.  See- 
ing that  the  trader  meant  business  and  did  not  intend  to  give  up  the  post 
without  a  tierce  fight,  the  chief  finally  called  off  his  braves,  and  made  no 
further  attempt   to  take  possession  of  it. 

The  old  savage  was  always  known  to  place  high  esteem  upon  personal 
bravery,  and  he  was  convinced  that  Jewett  was  no  coward.  The  next  day 
Oge-maw-ke-ke-to  visited  the  post  alone,  was  admitted  anil  given  a  hearty 
meal  which  was  always  appreciated  by  the  Indian.  His  visit  was  soon  after 
repeated  and  a  similar  reception  given  him.  (  >n  the  third  day  he  came  again, 
and  was  given  a  howl  of  his  favorite  soup.  After  his  appetite  had  been 
appeased  and  he  bad  enjoyed  a  smoke  with  tobacco  which  the  trader  had 
furnished  him,  the  old  chief  for  the  first  time  spoke,  addressing  lewett : 
"My  pale  face  friend."  he  said,  "I  did  wrong  in  seeking  your  life,  but  now  it 
is  all  over  and  you  and  I  are  friends  forever."  And  the  red  man  was  true 
to  his  word,  and  proved  his  sincerity  by  acts  of  kindness  to  his  white  friend. 

On  October  22,  1831,  Mr.  Jewett  was  married  to  Miss  Azubah  L.  Miller, 
a  sister  of  Albert  Miller  who,  in  after  years,  was  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Saginaw  and  Hay  City.  She  was  born  at  Ilartland.  Vermont,  of 
parents  who  belonged  to  an  old  Puritan  family  of  that  State.  In  the  spring 
of  1831,  having  resigned  her  position  as  school  teacher  in  her  native  town, 
she  came  with  her  mother  to  Michigan,  and  settled  at  Grand  Blanc.  Her 
wedding  trip  from  that  place  to  Saginaw  took  one  week,  the  first  part  of  the 
journey  to  the  grand  traverse  of  the  flint  being  by  wagon,  and  the  remainder 
by  caime  fashioned  from  the  trunk  of  a  huge  tree.  In  those  days  the  Flint 
River  was  choked  in  several  places  with  driftwood,  and  at  times  it  was  neces- 
sary  to  call  in  the  aid  of  Indians  to  get  them  over  the  portages.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jewett  settled  at  Green  Point,  hut  a  few  years  after  they  built  a  hotel 
in  the  town,  which  they  kept  until  1859.  In  an  interesting  account  of  her 
experiences,  Mrs.  Jewett  gives  a  vivid  description  of  pioneer  life  from  which 
the   following  paragraph   is   taken: 

"When  I  contemplate  my  social  privileges,  in  the  midst  of  a  population 
of  fifty  thousand,  containing  hundreds  of  friends  and  acquaintances,  that  I 
can  visit  any  day  I  choose — for,  if  they  are  too  distant  for  a  walk,  street 
cars  will  carry  me  to  their  residences  or  near  them. —  I  wonder  at  my  con- 
tentment then  with  mv  nearest  neighbor  two  miles  and  a  hall  away,  and  with 
no  means  oi  travelling  except  by  river,  either  on  the  ice  or  in  a  canoe:  often 
many   weeks  would   pass   without   seeing   a   female    friend.      We   lived  in   a    log 


PIONEER    DAYS  87 


house,  and  nearly  every  stranger  that  visited  Saginaw  would  come  to  our 
cabin  for  entertainment.  There  were  very  few  conveniences  for  cooking; 
no  cookstove,  coal  range,  gasoline  stove,  only  an  open  fireplace  with  but  few 
cooking  utensils.  Men  always  came  in  groups;  one  or  two  would  seldom 
come  through  the  woods  from  Flint  to  Saginaw  by  themselves.  Our  life 
began  to  grow  wearisome  from  entertaining  people  under  disadvantages,  and 
concluding  that  we  could  as  well  keep  a  hotel,  in  1837  Air.  Jewett  built  one 
sufficiently  large  to  accommodate  the  travelling  public,  fur  a  number  of  years. 
When  the  plank  road  was  built  from  Flint  t<>  Saginaw,  in  1850,  and  steam- 
boats came  up  the  river,  and  a  bridge  was  put  across,  only  a  small  portion  of 
the  travelling  community  could  be  accommodated  in  the  first  public  house 
that  was  built  in  the  place." 

For  a  number  of  years  Mr.  Jewett  kept  a  ferry  and  owned  the  only  boat 
that  would  carry  a  horse  across  the  river.  He  was  the  first  surveyor  in  this 
county,  and  tilled  other  positions  of  honor  including  the  office  of  probate 
judge,  of  which  he  was  the  second  incumbent.  About  1860  the  family  re- 
moved to  a  farm  in  Kochville  Township,  where  he  died  in  February,  1875. 
Mrs.  Jewett  was  an  energetic  woman  of  keen  intellect  whose  generous  and 
kind  impulses  were  proverbial.  In  the  early  days  she  extended  innumerable 
kindnesses  to  those  who,  as  young  men  in  the  wilderness,  were  laying  founda- 
tions for  the  business  which  made  many  fortunes.  She  was  the  mother  of 
four  children,  Mrs.  X.  I ).  Lee,  Alonzo,  Oscar  and  Wallace  Jewett.  The 
daughter  was  born  in  the  log  house  at  Green  Point,  in  February,  1834,  and 
excepting  one  born  when  the  United  States  troops  occupied  the  fort  at  Sag- 
inaw, was  the  first  white  girl  born  in  Saginaw  Valley.  Mrs.  Jewett  died  at 
Saginaw,  June  8,  1889,  in  her  eighty-fourth  year. 

"Uncle  Harvey  Williams" 

Another  of  the  early  pioneers  to  Saginaw  Valley  was  "Uncle  Harvey 
Williams",  the  eldest  son  of  Alpheus  Williams  who  emigrated  from  Concord. 
Massachusetts,  to  Detroit  in  1X15.  As  far  as  Buffalo  the  journey  was  made 
by  wagon,  but  from  there  to  the  mouth  of  Detroit  River  on  a  schooner  of 
forty  tons  burden,  called  the  Salem  Packet,  commanded  by  Captain  Flier 
Ward,  Senior,  the  voyage  requiring  thirteen  days.  Detained  by  contrary 
winds  the  little  vessel  could  not  stem  the  current  of  the  river,  and  Mr. 
Williams  was  compelled  to  cart  his  goods  to  Windsor  and  ferry  over  in  a 
"dug  out."  In  those  days  the  rate  for  passage  across  Lake  Erie  was  fifteen 
dollars,  and  five  dollars  a  barrel  for  merchandise. 

In  the  same  year,  1815,  Harvey  commenced  blacksmithing  on  the  ground 
where  the  Russel  House  stood  for  many  years,  making  steel  traps,  axes,  and 
doing  regular  custom  work  for  the  inhabitants.  His  business  increased 
rapidly,  and  he  soon  added  a  small  furnace,  using  charcoal  for  melting  the 
iron,  ami  a  single  horse  to  do  the  blowing.  He  commenced  casting  plows 
and  was  verv  successful,  his  product  soon  increased  to  three  plows  a  day, 
when  the  fact  was  published  broadcast  as  an  "evidence  of  the  great  progress 
Detroit  is  making  in  her  manufactories."  The  business  grew  from  year  to 
year  until  it  exceeded  $100,000  annually.  He  purchased,  set  up,  and  used 
the  first  stationary  steam  engine  in  the  territory  of  Michigan;  he  built  the 
first  steam  engine  used  in  a  saw  mill  in  the  territory,  and  his  last  work  in 
Detroit,  in  his  simp  located  on  the  triangular  lot  at  Cass  Street,  Jefferson 
Avenue  and  Woodbridge,  was  the  building  of  the  twin  steam  engines  for  the 
steamboat  Michigan. 

Late  in  the  fall  of  1X22,  the  military  authorities  at  Detroit  found  it  neces- 
sary to  transport  supplies  overland  to  the  troops  stationed  at  Saginaw,  and, 
knowing  the  determination  ami  indefatigable  perseverance  of  Uncle  Harvey, 


88  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

they  exerted  every  influence  to  persuade  him  to  undertake  the  expedition. 
With  reluctance  he  consented  to  make  the  attempt,  and  calling  to  his  assist- 
ance John  Hamilton,  of  Genesee  County,  the  arduous  journey  was  begun. 
After  eight  days  of  exceeding  hard  labor,  in  which  they  suffered  every 
privation  of  the  wilderness  through  which  no  road  existed,  they  succeeded 
in  carrying  four  tons  of  supplies  from  Detroit  to  the  little  fort  on  the  Sag- 
inaw. In  making  this  journey  they  were  obliged  to  ford  the  Clinton  River 
five  times,  and  the  Thread,  Flint  and  Cass  Rivers,  as  well  as  the  Pine  and  the 
Elm,  once  each.  It  was  indeed  fortunate  for  the  soldiers  that  the  trip  was 
successful,  for  when  the  supplies  arrived  the  garrison  was  nearly  famished, 
having  been  on  greatly  reduced  rations  for  two  days. 

From  his  own  observations  and  from  conversations  with  the  officers  of 
the  post,  he  formed  the  opinion  that  at  some  future  time  the  Saginaw  Valley 
would  become  one  of  the  important  points  in  Michigan.  For  twelve  vears 
thereafter  he  thought  much  of  this  place,  and  in  1834  the  inducements  were 
sufficient  to  tempt  him.  with  all  his  courage,  to  try  living  in  a  wilderness 
forty  miles  from  the  nearest  habitation  of  white  men.  On  arriving  here  his 
first  labor  was  the  erection  of  a  steam  saw  mill  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw 
Street,  the  first  steam  mill  operated  in  the  Saginaw  Valley.  Afterward  a  run 
of  stone  was  added  to  the  mill  for  grinding  corn.  In  1836-37,  he  built  for 
Mackie  &  Company,  of  New  York,  of  which  he  had  a  one-fifth  interest,  the 
first  steam  saw  mill  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  south  of  what  is  now  Bristol 
Street,  and  afterward  known  as  the  Emerson  mill.  This  was  the  mill  of 
its  day.  and  was  operated  by  Uncle  Harvey  until  the  disastrous  crash  of  1837. 
'I  Ins  was  a  time  when  Saginaw  became  almost  depopulated,  but  his  faith  in 
the  ultimate  prosperity  of  the  valley  was  not  shaken,  though  he  went  down  in 
the  general  crash.  In  the  following  year  his  well  known  integrity  of  char- 
acter resulted  in  his  being  employed  by  the  State  in  the  opening  of  new 
roads.  He  constructed  the  road  from  Flint  t.>  Saginaw,  through  Bridgeport 
Center,  and  in  various  enterprises  for  the  improvement  of  communication  to 
the  valley,  he  was  among  the  foremost  advocates.  Through  his  influence  the 
light  house  at  the  mouth  of  the  Saginaw  was  established,  and  for  the  first 
year  was  under  his  charge. 

About  1N44  Uncle  Harvey  and  his  genial  wife,  who  was  Miss  Julia 
Tourniaid  before  their  marriage  in  1819,  removed  to  a  new  home  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Kaw-kaw-ling,  which  he  called  the  "Ogah-kah-ning",  on  Sag- 
inaw Bay,  where  he  resided  for  twenty  years.  He  was  extensively  engaged 
in  the  fisheries  along  the  shores  of  the  bay  in  the  months  of  the  spring,  and 
in  the  summer  and  fall  his  operations  were  extended  down  the  shore  of  Lake 
Huron.  During  the  winter  his  trading  with  the  Indians  was  extensive, 
amounting  to  the  aggregate  to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  So  fair 
and  upright  was  he  in  all  dealings  with  the  natives  that  he  secured  to  him- 
self the  unchanging  regard  of  all.  no  man  ever  possessing  a  firmer  con- 
fidence of  the  Chippewas  than  he. 

Those  of  the  white  settlers  who  sometimes  shared  the  hospitality  of  his 
house  upon  the  bleak  shore  of  the  bay,  particularly  in  midwinter,  when  the 
winds  from  the  north  blow  in  wrath,  learned  to  know  and  appreciate  the 
warmth  of  his  welcome  at  the  threshold;  the  savory  board,  the  profusion  of 
which  was  only  equalled  by  its  neatness;  the  luxurious  bed  for  tired,  chilled 
limbs;  and  last,  always  grateful,  that  barrel  of  pure,  crystal  water  from  the 
bay,  with  its  remarkably  line  flavor,  soft  and  palatable. 


IMoNEKR    DAYS  89 


The  William  Brothers 
Among  the  names  which  will  go  down  to  posterity,  of  pioneers  who 
developed  the  early  resources  of  this  valley,  that  of  Williams  Brothers 
occupies  a  prominent  place.  The  father.  Major  Oliver  'Williams,  a  descend- 
ant of  Roger  Williams,  was  horn  at  Roxbury,  Massachusetts,  May  6,  1774. 
He  came  to  Detroit  in  1808  and  soon  after  established  a  mercantile  business, 
purchasing  his  goods  in  Boston,  carting  them  overland  in  covered  wagons  to 
Buffalo  and  shipping  thence  by  water  to  Detroit.  During  the  winter  of 
1810-11  lie  built,  at  the  River  Rouge,  a  large  sloop  which  he  named  Friends' 
Good  Will,  and  in  the  summer  of  1812  made  a  voyage  to  Mackinaw.  There 
his  vessel  was  chartered  by  the  government  to  take  military  supplies  to  the 
garrison  at  Chicago,  then  a  small  military  and  trading  post,  and  to  bring 
back  a  cargo  of  furs  and  peltry.  Upon  his  return  to  Mackinaw  he  was 
decoyed  into  the  harbor  by  the  British,  who  had  captured  the  fort  during 
his  absence,  by  their  flying  the  American  flag,  and  he  and  the  crew  made 
prisoners  of  war.  The  vessel  and  cargo  were  taken  possession  of  for  the 
benefit  of  the  British  government,  the  name  of  the  vessel  changed  to  Little 
Belt,  and  it  formed  a  part  of  the  squadron  captured  the  following  year  by 
Commodore  Perry  at  the  battle  of  Lake  Erie.  Mr.  Williams  was  paroled, 
sent  to  Detroit  under  charge  of  British  officer-.;  was  there  at  the  surrender 
of  the  fortress  and  town  by  General  William  Hull,  and,  with  other  citizens, 
he  was  marched  through  the  province  to  Kingston,  as  a  prisoner  oi  war.  In 
due  time  he  was  exchanged,  and  made  his  way  to  rejoin  his  family  at  Con- 
cord, Massachusetts. 

In  the  fall  of  1815  Mr.  Williams  removed  with  his  family  to  Detroit,  and 
found  his  business  and  personal  property  scattered  to  the  winds.  The  town 
then  contained  from  five  to  six  hundred  white  inhabitants,  and  was  overrun 
with  eastern  people,  so  he  opened  a  hotel  in  his  homestead  at  the  corner  oi 
Jefferson  Avenue  and  Bates  Street,  and  gave  it  the  name  of  Yankee  Hotel, 
with  the  sign  of  a  golden  pumpkin.  Three  years  later  he  disposed  of  all  his 
property  and  purchased  a  half  section  of  land  about  thirty  miles  northwest 
from  Detroit,  in  the  heart  of  the  wilderness  of  Oakland  County,  at  a  place 
now  known  as  Waterford.  The  land  was  beautifully  situated  in  the  vicinity 
of  a  large  body  of  crystal  water,  which  he  afterward  named  Silver  Lake. 
In  a  little  clearing  he  built  a  comfortable  house  of  hewed  logs  carefully  laid 
up,  fifty  feet  long  anil  twenty  feet  wide,  erne  and  a  half  stories  high,  with  a 
shake  roof.  Here  the  family  commenced  to  make  a  farm  among  the  Indians, 
mosquitoes,  snakes,  wild  game,  and  fever  and  ague.  He  used  to  say,  when 
asked  if  they  had  the  ague.  "Yes,  we  have  a  little  about  thirteen  months  in 
the  year." 

The  first  years  of  pioneer  life  in  the  wilderness  were  full  of  dangers  and 
hardships,  and  they  suffered  much  from  sickness,  privations,  and  lack  of  com- 
forts to  which  they  had  been  accustomed  in  their  eastern  home.  The  Indians, 
however,  were  very  friendly  and  kind  during  their  sickness,  bringing  them 
wild  game  and  berries  of  the  choicest  kind.  So  remote  were  they  from  civil- 
ization that  six  months  would  sometimes  pass  without  the  mother  and 
daughters  seeing  the  face  of  a  white  woman.  In  this  wild  life  of  the  Mich- 
igan forests  the  sons,  Gardner  D.  and  Ephraim  S.  Williams,  were  reared, 
and  where  they  attained  to  man's  estate.  Oliver  Williams  died  on  the  farm 
at  Silver  Lake,'(  )ctober  11,  1834,  in  his  sixty-first  year.  Mrs.  Mary  Williams, 
the  mother,  was  a  native  of  Concord,  Massachusetts,  born  January  11,  1777, 
and  died  in  Pontiac,  April  1,  1860,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three.  She 
was  survived  by  seven  children  (of  a  family  of  fourteen),  forty-two  grand- 
children, and  sixteen  great  grandchildren. 


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PIONEER    DAYS  91 


In  1828  a  Frenchman,  named  Reaume,  an  old  Indian  trader,  was  "factor" 
of  the  American  Fur  Company  at  the  post  in  Saginaw.  Between  him  and  the 
Campaus  there  had  existed  personal  difficulties  of  long  standing,  which  had 
become  an  inveterate  feud,  creating  unprofitable  divisions  among  the  Indians 
amounting  with  them  to  fierce  partisan  hatred.  The  current  of  savage 
animosity  finally  turned  against  Reaume,  and,  his  personal  safety  becoming 
endangered,  the  trading  post  was  kept  closed  too  much  of  the  time  to  be 
profitable  to  the  company.  To  add  to  their  difficulties,  Dequindre,  an  active 
young  Frenchman,  who  was  sub-agent  at  the  branch  post  at  the  forks  of  the 
Tittabawassee,  had  been  driven  away  by  a  vicious  Indian,  named  Wah-be- 
man-ito,  or  the  "White  Devil",  and  barely  escaped  with  his  life.  Taking  to 
the    woods    he    became   lost    in    the    labyrinth    of    forest,    roaming   about    for 

several  days  with  scanty  supply  of  f 1.  but  at  length  reached  the  settlement 

with  frozen  feet.  Judge  Abbott,  the  company  superintendent  at  Detroit, 
thereupon  displaced  the  Frenchman,  and  appointed  the  Williams  Brothers 
their  successors  on  the  Saginaw  and  its  tributary. 

Gardner  1).  Williams,  in  assuming  the  duties  of  factor  for  the  fur  com- 
pany, arrived  in  Saginaw  in  the  spring  of  1828,  and  thereafter  made  this 
place  his  home.  With  consummate  tact  and  skill  he  proceeded  to  place  the 
business  on  a  firm  basis,  in  order  to  recover  the  valuable  trade  which,  since 
the  abandonment  of  the  post  on  the  Tittabawassee,  had  been  left  wholly  to 
the  Campaus,  who  also  had  a  small  post  there.  He  was  born  September  9, 
1804,  at  Concord.  Massachusetts,  wdiere  his  boyhood  was  spent  and  his 
earlv  instruction  received  in  the  district  school.  Coming  to  the  western 
wilderness  with  his  parents,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  he  was  reared  among 
the  friendly  Indians,  and  trained  to  endure  without   flinching  the  hardships 

and  privations  of  rough,  frontier  life.     As  he  grew  to  manh 1  he  learned  to 

speak  with  ease  and  fluency  the  dialects  of  the  various  tribes  in  this  section: 
and  understood  perfectly  the  Indian  character.  Owing  to  his  dignity,  his 
strength  of  will,  and  his  taciturn,  self-collected  manner,  his  power  over  them 
was  absolute;  and  in  all  his  dealings  he  was  honorable,  just  and  liberal, 
traits  of  character  which  even  the  untutored  savages  quickly  recognized  and 
understood.  Among  all  classes  of  inhabitants  he  exercised  a  wide  influence 
through   his   kindly   nature   and   the   extent   of  his   business   in   the   valley. 

In  the  fall  of  1828  he  was  joined  by  his  elder  brother,  Ephraim  S. 
Williams,  who  was  born  in  the  homestead  at  (Uncord,  Massachusetts,  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1X02,  and  came  to  Michigan  with  the  family  in  1815.  In  early  man- 
hood he  acquired  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Chippewa  dialects,  which  he 
spoke  with  ready  fluency,  and  had  much  influence  with  the  Indians.  lie  was 
a  frontiersman  of  splendid  physical  proportions,  being  tall  and  erect,  and 
with  a  commanding  presence ;  and  his  mind  was  well  stored  with  practical 
and  useful  information  as  a  result  of  his  observations  and  experience. 

I'pon  arriving  at  the  trading  post  within  the  stockade  of  the  old  fort,  one 
of  his  first  duties  was  to  reopen  and  restock  the  branch  post  on  the  Titta- 
bawassee, and  he  chose  for  his  assistants  Jacob  Graveradt  and  the  two 
younger  Roys.  Although  prudent  friends  endeavored  to  dissuade  him  from 
embarking  in  an  enterprise  so  fraught  with  danger,  even  though  the  com- 
pany's interests  required  the  venture,  he  soon  after  set  out  with  his  assistants 
and  re-established  the  post  without  serious  interference  of  the  savages. 
<  Inly  a  short  time  elapsed,  however,  before  the  old  warrior,  Wah-be-man-ito, 
resumed  his  attitude  of  hostility,  and  only  by  the  exercise  of  his  native  in- 
trepidity and  resolute  spirit  did  the  trader  subdue  the  fiery  temper  of  the 
Indian,  and  win  his  friendship. 


92  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Si  i 


One  day,  while  on  his  way  with  his  outfit  to  the  trapping  around, 
mewhat  loaded  with  "fire  water".  Wah-be-man-ito  stopped  at  the  door  of 
the  little  trading  post  in  the  depth  of  the  forest,  and  in  an  insolent  and 
defiant  manner,  which  only  a  half-drunken  Indian  can  assume,  he  demanded, 
"Mish-sha-way,"  (William's  name,  meaning  Big  Elk),  "give  me  whiskey." 
It  was  refused.  He  placed  his  hand  upon  the  handle  of  his  tomahawk,  and 
repeated  the  demand  more  fiercely  than  at  first,  and  was  met  by  another 
refusal  as  defiant  as  the  demand.  The  infuriated  savage  then  sprang  at 
Williams  with  his  tomahawk  uplifted  and  aimed  a  blow  at  his  head,  which 
hail  it  not  been  dexterously  avoided  would  doubtless  have  been  fatal.  With 
a  well-seasoned  hickory  club  the  trader  defended  himself,  knocking  his 
savage  assailant  to  the  ground.  He  was  about  to  continue  the  punishment 
when  the  discomfitted  red  skin  begged  for  mercy.  Upon  getting  to  his  feet 
and  recovering  somewhat  from  the  effects  of  the  stunning  blow,  he  walked 
out  of  the  trading  house  and  sat  down  in  front  of  it.  apparentlv  in  deep 
thought.  He  soon  called  to  the  determined  and  resolute  trader  and  very 
humbly  expressed  great  sorrow  and  mortification  over  the  outrage  he  had 
attempted;  and  to  attest  his  sincerity,  he  promised  that  he  would  bring  his 
next  furs  to  his  new  friend  Williams.  This  promise  he  kept  faithfully,  and 
became   the   fast   friend  of  the  man   at   whom   lie  had  aimed   a  deadly  blow. 

The  Williams  Brothers  soon  after  took  over  the  business  of  the  American 
Fur  Company,  which  was  growing  to  large  proportions,  and  the  following 
year  purchased  the  trading  post  of  the  Campaus,  the  elder,  Louis  Campau, 
having  gone  to  the  Grand  River  in  1826.  These  moves  quieted  the  danger- 
ous  spirit  of  rivalry  that  had  alreadv  culminated  in  some  serious  affrays 
between  the  Indians  and  those  who  had  become  parties  to  the  feud,  and 
peace  once  more  prevailed  in  the  valley.  Thus  the  brothers  controlled  the 
fur  business  of  a  large  portion  of  Michigan;  and  about  1830  and  for  several 
years  thereafter  occupied  the  red  warehouse  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street. 

Personally,  Gardner  D.  Williams,  like  others  of  the  family,  was  generous 
and  hospitable,  as  many  of  the  old  residents,  who  have  sat  at  his  table  and 
refreshed  themselves  after  a  long  journey  through  the  woods  or  by  the 
river,  have  testified.  As  a  husband  and  father  he  was  kind  and  considerate, 
a  thought  fulness  which  he  extended  to  relations  and  kindred  who  sought  his 
aid.  His  influence  in  the  community  was  considerable,  and  was  exercised 
with  judgment  as  consistent  with  his  views  of  justice  and  right. 

During  his  useful  life  he  held  many  public  offices,  both  under  the  federal 
and  State  governments,  in  all  of  which,  as  well  as  those  of  a  local  character, 
he  acquitted  himself  with  honor.  At  different  times  he  held  the  office  of 
Indian  farmer  and  interpreter,  for  the  duties  of  which  he  was  well  fitted. 
He  was  a  commissioner  of  the  first  board  of  internal  improvements, 
appointed  March  21,  1837;  was  county  judge  of  Saginaw  County  for  several 
years,  was  elected  senator  from  the  Sixth  district,  in  November,  1844;  and 
received  the  office  of  circuit  court  commissioner  of  this  county  during  the 
same  year.  In  1X40  he  was  appointed  to  the  office  of  postmaster  which  he 
held  for  many  years.  Mr.  Williams  died  at  his  residence  in  Saginaw  City, 
December  11,  1858,  in  his  fifty-fifth  year.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Beach  Williams, 
wddow  of  G.  D.  Williams,  died  September  27,  1862. 

Ephraim  S.  Williams,  who  also  occupied  a  conspicuous  place  in  the 
business  and  social  history  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  for  a  number  of  years, 
was  closely  associated  with  his  brother  in  all  trading  operations,  and  lent  his 
aid  in  developing  the  resources  of  the  country.  In  addition  to  the  extensive 
fur  trade  conducted  by  the  brothers  for  about  twelve  vears,  lumbering  in 
the  virgin    forests   contiguous   to  the   Saginaw  occupied   much   of  their  atten- 


PIONEER    DAYS  93 


tion,  and  they  were  the  pioneers  of  that  industry  in  this  valley.  In  1834 
they  caused  to  he  erected  the  first  saw  mill  on  the  river,  their  cousin.  "Uncle 
Harvey  Williams",  installing  the  machinery  and  putting  it  in  running  order. 
Fur  several  years  this  mill  was  of  more  than  sufficient  capacity  to  supply  all 
local  needs  in  building  material,  and  some  of  the  lumber  cut  here  was  shipped 
in  sailing  vessels  to  the  market  in   Chicago. 

Mr.  Williams,  like  his  brothers,  was  a  life-long  Democrat  of  the  Jack- 
sonian  school;  and  in  1834  was  appointed  the  first  postmaster  of  Saginaw 
City.  This  office  he  held  until  1840  when,  upon  removing  with  his  family 
to  Flint,  in  Genesee  County,  he  resigned  the  office  to  which  the  brother, 
Gardner  D.,  was  then  appointed.  He  was  also  prominent  in  Masonic  affairs, 
being  a  Knight  Templar.  Socially,  he  was  peculiarly  affable,  with  fine  con- 
versational powers;  and  his  knowledge  of  Michigan  history  was  often  said 
to  be  encyclopedic  in  volume  and  accuracy.  For  many  years  he  was  an 
active  member  of  the  Michigan  Pioneer  Society,  to  whose  archives  he  con- 
tributed some  of  the  most  valuable  historical  papers. 

On  March  13,  1825,  he  was  married  at  Auburn,  Oakland  County,  to  Miss 
Hannah  M.  Gotee,  who  was  born  at  Aurelius,  New  York,  June  5,  1809.  She 
came  to  Michigan  from  Buffalo  on  the  first  trip  of  the  steamer  Superior1  in 
May,  1822.  After  rearing  a  family  of  six  children,  three  sons  and  three 
daughters,  she  died  in  Flint,  on  February  12.  1874.  Mr.  E.  S.  Williams, 
after  leading  a  life  of  high  integrity  and  usefulness  in  his  home  town,  died 
in  Flint,  on  July  20,  1890,  in  his  eighty-ninth  year. 

Among  the  agents  employed  by  the  Williams  Brothers  who  at  different 
times  lived  at  Saginaw  or  the  immediate  vicinity,  was  Sherman  Stevens. 
To  a  recognized  ability  he  united  a  rare  vein  of  romance  and  sentiment 
which  made  him  a  genial  companion  and  a  real  acquisition  to  the  social  set. 
He  was  a  master  of  the  Chippewa  dialects  and  spoke  the  language  fluently. 

Another  trusted  agent,  who  was  identified  with  the  history  of  the  valley 
before  the  treaty  of  1819,  was  Archie  Lyons.  He  was  a  fine  penman,  well 
educated,  and  was  a  musician  of  skill,  playing  the  violin  very  effectively. 
He  lived  at  the  Little  Forks  of  the  Tittabawassee,  now  known  as  Midland, 
and  in  skating  down  on  the  ice  one  winter's  day,  for  the  purpose  of  playing 
for  a  dancing  party,  he  was  drowned.  His  tracks  were  found  upon  the  ice 
next  day,  to  the  edge  of  a  hole  into  which  he  had  plunged.  His  widow,  a 
bright  and  agreeable  woman  of  French  and  Indian  extraction,  who  formerly 
had  an  almost  unpronouncable  name  of  Ka-ze-zhe-ah-be-no-qua,  afterward 
married  Antoine  Peltier,  of  Pine-ne-con-ning,  again  freeing  herself  from  a 
remarkable  Indian  name. 

Me-je-au,  an  Indian  of  quarter  blood,  was  one  of  the  successful  traders 
employed  by  the  Williams  Brothers,  and,  although  he  could  neither  read  nor 
write,  he  was  an  accurate  clerk  in  keeping  the  simple  accounts  of  the  time. 
Thousands  of  dollars  passed  through  his  hands  yearly  without  loss.  His 
system  was  very  simple.  A  straight  mark  symbolized  one  dollar:  one  O 
a  muskrat  skin  or  a  quarter  of  a  dollar;  two  O's  a  half  dollar.  Instead  of 
the  name  of  the  Indian  with  whom  he  traded  being  put  down,  his  totem  was 
drawn,  sometimes  in  fantastic  fashion,  at  the  top  of  the  page  which  recorded 
the  transactions.  The  totem  of  Oge-maw-ke-ke-to  was  a  long  fish,  like  a 
spotted  pickerel,  which  he  made  with  some  skill;  another's  was  a  beaver, 
other's  were  a  bear.  deer.  elk.  moose,  and  various  kinds  of  birds. 

The  Fearless  Neh-way-go 

In  the  history  of  the  Chippewas  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  character 
so  magnificently  stoic,  or  so  rashly  courageous,  as  that  of  Xeh-way-go,  the 
young  brave  whose  name  was  immortalized  by   Ephraim   S.  Williams.     Fie 


94  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


was  described  as  a  model  of  native  strength  and  grace;  and  in  early  life 
made  his  camp  at  Green  Point.  About  1829,  while  engaged  in  an  altercation, 
he  killed  the  son  of  Red  Bird  who  lived  on  the  Tittabawassee  reservation, 
and  the  relatives  demanding  a  forfeit  of  his  life,  he  went  to  the  mourner's 
wigwam,  where  the  warriors  of  the  family  had  assembled,  for  them  to  strike 
at  his  heart.  He  bared  his  bosom,  and  took  a  position  for  the  selected 
number  to  pass  by  him  and  inflict  the  knife  thrusts.  Having  imposed,  as 
they  Imped,  the  mortal  wounds,  Indian  custom,  according  to  their  laws,  was 
satisfied,  and  he  was  allowed  to  depart.  While  making  his  way  as  fast  as  he 
could,  with  his  streaming  wounds,  to  his  own  wigwam,  he  was  struck  in  the 
hack  by  a  cowardly  Indian,  receiving  a  severe  stab,  hut.  like  the  others,  not 
fatal.  He  was  yet  able  to  reach  his  wigwam,  some  distance  off,  where  his 
young  squaw  was  waiting  scarcely  expecting  to  see  him  alive.  She  dressed 
and  hound  up  his  wounds  and.  after  frightful  suffering,  he  was  partially 
restored  to  strength.  Soon  after  this  incident  he  moved  his  camp  to  the 
ni'  mtli  of  Kaw-kaw-ling. 

<  in  one  occasion,  when  he  had  come  tip  the  river  with  his  squaw  to  trade 
with  the  Williams  Brothers,  some  unfriendly  Indians  sent  word  to  O-saw- 
wah-hon's  hand,  then  camping  at  Green  Point,  that  he  was  at  the  trading 
post.  The  Williams  were  well  aware  that  if  they  and  Neh-way-go  met 
there  would  he  a  dreadful  tragedy.  They  therefore  placed  a  watch  for  any 
Indians  coming  from  that  direction.  It  was  not  long  before  O-saw-wah-bon 
and  two  braves  were  seen  approaching.  While  Neh-way-go  was  still  stand- 
ing by  his  canoe,  leaning  on  his  paddle  for  support,  he  was  told  to  get  into 
his  canoe  and  make  away.  This  he  indignantly  refused  to  do,  saying  he  was 
no  coward,  hut  would  await  the  expected  attack.  <  )-saw-wah-bon  had  mean- 
while been  met  by  E.  S.  Williams,  and  told  that  he  must  go  inside  the  post. 
as  he  wanted  to  see  him.  When  he  was  inside,  the  door  was  closed  and 
barred,  and  he  was  told  that  they  knew  his  business,  and  that  he  must  now 
give  up  his  knives. 

After  some  parley  the  wily  old  chief  reluctantly  drew  a  long  knife  from 
its  sheath  and  handed  it  to  Williams,  who  immediately  demanded  his  other 
knives,  lie  then  pulled  out  another  which  he  had  concealed  in  his  back. 
When  they  asked  him  if  he  had  any  more,  he  said  "No."  E.  S.  Williams 
then  said  they  would  have  to  search  him.  which  he  refused  t<>  submit  to. 
Although  O-saw-wah-bon  was  a  very  powerful  savage,  Williams  clinched 
him,  and  with  the  assistance  of  his  brother.  Benjamin,  and  some  others,  they 
threw  him  on  the  floor.  Holding  him  fast,  Williams  commenced  the  search, 
and  inside  one  <>f  his  leggings  found  a  still  larger  knife,  a  very  formidable 
weapon,  ami  almost  as  keen  as  a  razor.  As  it  was  being  drawn  out  very 
carefully  the  Indian  caught  it  by  the  blade  and  refused  to  give  it  up;  and 
before  they  could  wrench  it  from  his  grasp  it  had  nearly  severed  his  hand. 
They  then   let   him   up  ami   dressed   his   wound. 

While  this  was  transpiring  others  slipped  out  the  back  door,  found 
Neh-way-go  still  standing  on  the  shore  leaning  on  his  paddle,  while  his 
squaw  wa>  sitting  in  the  canoe  crying.  Taking  him  up  by  main  force  they 
put  him  into  the  canoe,  shoved  it  off  from  the  shore,  and  ordered  the  woman 
to  paddle  him  home,  and  not  to  come  back.  Returning  to  his  home  on  the 
Kaw-kaw-ling  he  soon  after  fully  recovered  from  his  old  wounds. 

Some  time  afterward  finding  upon  his  hunting  grounds  the  cowardly 
Indian  who  had  inflicted  upon  him  the  wound  in  the  back,  he  visited  him 
summarily  with  savage  vengeance,  death.  <  hi  Indian  payment  day.  when 
the  braves  were  assembled  in  large  numbers  at  Saginaw,  an  altercation 
ensued    between    Black    Beaver,   an    Indian    of   considerable    note   with    the 


PIONEER    DAYS  H5 


various  tribes,  and  the  fiery  Neh-way-go.  The  former  reproached  him  with 
the  outrage  upon  the  Indian  who  had  struck  him  in  the  back,  whereupon 
Neh-way-go  defended  his  act  as  brave  and  just;  the  reproof  was  repeated, 
and  upon   the  instant  he  slew   Black   Beaver. 

This  tragedy  took  place  in  the  camp  of  Black  Beaver  and  his  band, 
which  was  near  where  the  old  "middle  bridge"  crossed  the  river  (now 
Bristol  Street),  and  near  the  old  Emerson  mill,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  present 
City  Building.  (  )n  the  west  side  of  the  river,  in  the  open  plains,  near  where 
the  residence  of  Clark  Ring  now  stand-.  Neh-way-go  and  his  hand  were 
encamped. 

After  his  bloody  deed  Neh-way-go  crossed  to  the  west  side  of  the  river 
among  his  own  tribe.  A  warrant  was  at  once  issued  by  Colonel  Stanard  for 
his  arrest,  acting  as  justice.  Upon  hearing  of  this  action  Neh-way-go  fled 
to  the  east  side,  and.  accompanied  by  a  trusted  friend,  secreted  himself  in 
the  dense  woods  which  stood  upon  a  part  of  the  business  section  of  the  East 
Side.  He  preferred  to  trust  himself  to  the  fury  of  the  tribe  whose  leading 
warrior  had  been  struck  down  by  his  hand,  rather  than  to  endure  the  morti- 
fication of  arrest  and  punishment  by  the  wdiite  man's  laws.  At  nightfall  he 
sent  to  his  wdiite  friends.  Antoine  Campau  and  Ephraim  S.  Williams,  asking 
them  to  come  to  the  woods  in  which  he  was  hiding,  when  by  giving  a  signal 
he  would  come  to  them.  This  they  did  and  he  soon  appeared.  He  said  he 
had  sent  for  them  for  advice;  that  the  white  man's  punishment  was  only 
lit  for  cowards;  death  by  the  hands  of  his  own  race  was  glorious  in  com- 
parison, if  any  relative  of  his  last  victim  should  choose  to  make  it  cause  for 
vengeance. 

They  advised  him  to  cross  back  to  his  own  camp,  present  himself  to  his 
people,  and  let  the  affair  take  the  course  warranted  by  Indian  usage.  The 
arrest  by  the  officer  was  waived,  and  the  undaunted  brave  appeared  at  his 
i  iwn  camp  i  ipenly. 

ddie  hour  for  the  burial  of  Black  Beaver  arrived;  and  a  great  number 
of  Indians,  from  two  to  three  thousand,  the  old  narrative  relates,  assembled 
as  mourners  and  spectators.  The  place  of  burial  was  just  below  the  old 
Campau  trading  post  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  very  near  the  present  residence 
of  Benton  Hanchett,  and  almost  within  the  encampment  of  Neh-way-go  and 
his  band.  The  body  of  the  slain  Indian  had  been  placed  in  a  rude  coffin; 
and  the  relatives  with  their  faces  streaked  with  black  paint  had  gathered 
anmnd  it.  The  few  white  settlers  then  in  the  valley  were  there  as  specta- 
tors, as  the  fearful  outrage  so  near  their  own  doors  had  absorbed  and 
engrossed   the  attention   of   all. 

While  the  solemn  Indian  rite  was  in  progress  over  the  remains  of  their 
favorite  warrior,  Neh-way-go  was  seen  approaching  from  his  camping  ground. 
He  was  dressed  in  full  and  careful  costume,  tomahawk  ami  knife  in  his  girdle, 
and  a  small  canteen  of  whiskey  at  his  side,  his  whole  appearance  imposing 
and  gallant.  He  made  his  way  with  a  lofty  and  majestic  step  to  the  center 
of  the  mourning  group,  even  to  the  side  of  the  rude  casket.  With  perfect 
composure  he  placed  upon  it  his  tomahawk  and  knife,  filled  his  calumet  with 
kin-a-kan-ick.  lighted  it,  and  after  taking  a  few  whiffs  himself,  he  passed  it  to 
the  chief  mourner.  It  was  disdainful!)  refused.  He  passed  it  to  the  next, 
and  the  next,  with  the  same  result.  lie  then  passed  his  canteen  of  whiskey 
with  the  same  formality,  and  received  a  like  refusal.  Each  and  all  declined 
to  partake. 

He  then  unloosed  the  collar  of  his  hunting  shirt,  and  bared  his  bosom, 
seating  himself  with  calm  dignity  upon  the  foot  of  the  coffin.  Turning  his 
face  full  upon  the  chief  mourners,  he  addresed  them: 


96 


HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


"You  refuse  in)'  pipe  of  peace.  You  refuse  to  drink  with  me.  Strike 
not  in  the  back.  Strike  not  and  miss.  The  man  that  dues,  dies  when  1  meet 
him  i m  nur  hunting  ground." 

Not  a  hand  was  raised.  Upon  the  dark  and  stoical  faces  pf  that  throng 
of  enemies  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  no  feeling  found  expression  except 
that  of  awe;    no  muscle  moved. 

He  rose  from  his  seat  on  the  foot  of  the  rude  coffin,  and,  towering  to 
his  full  height,  exclaimed  in  thundering  tones:  "Cowards!  Cowards! 
G  wards !" 

As  composedly  as  he  had  taken  them  out,  he  restored,  unmolested,  the 
tomahawk  and  knife  to  his  girdle,  and,  with  his  canteen  at  his  side,  he  walked 
away  from  the  strange  scene  as  lordly  as  he  came.  He  had  awed  his 
enemies,  and  evidently  was  master  of  the  situation.  Away  from  the  scene 
of  his  feuds  anil  fearful  exploits,  he  soon  after  fell  upon  the  hunting  ground, 
in  a  personal  encounter  with  a  relative  of  one  of  his  victims.  They  sat 
down  and  drank  together,  talked  over  old  times,  and  then,  to  see  which  was 
the  better  man,  drew  their  knives  and  struck  each  other  to  the  death;  both 
fell. 

Thus  ended  the  brave  Neh-way-go,  a  forest  hero,  as  fearless  as  Rob 
Roy,  as  chivalrous  as  Rhoderick  Dhu,  and  worthy  the  pen  of  a  Sir  Walter, 
a  J.  Fennimore,  or  the  epic  verse  of  Whittier  or  Longfellow. 


ON   THE   CASS    RIVER.    NEAR   ITS    MOUT» 


CHAPTER  VII 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY 


Some  Features  of  the  <  )lden  Time  —  To  Whom  Honor  is  Due  —  Elijah  N. 
Davenport  —  Alhert  Miller —  lames  Fraser  —  Organization  of  the  Township  —  Organ- 
ization of  Saginaw  County — Proclamation  and  Legislative  Act  —  Locating  the  Seat 
of  Justice  —  Building  the  First  Court  House  —  The  First  County  Bond  —  The  First 
Criminal    Trial  —  The    First    Probate    Case  —  Official    Proceedings. 

FR(  )M  the  earliest  period  of  colonization  pioneering  has  been  the  chief 
occupation  of  the  American  people;  and  the  experiences  and  actual- 
ities of  pioneer  life  proved  a  liberal  education  without  parallel  to  any- 
thing the  present  affords.  The  pioneer  was  a  man  with  a  purpose. 
It  may  have  been  the  love  of  adventure,  to  better  his  condition,  to  make  a 
new  home,  or  to  achieve  an  ideal;  or  an  aversion  to  social  shams  may  have 
impelled  him  to  seek  the  more  agreeable  environment  of  a  new  country.  For 
two  centuries  settlements  moved  slowly  westward.  Land  was  the  attrac- 
tion, as  from  it  all  sustenance  and  wealth  is  derived.  The  soil  must  produce 
before  a  people  can  contrive  to  live. 

Glance  at  some  of  the  features  of  the  olden  times,  eighty  or  ninety  years 
ago,  when  men  had  time  to  live  and  die  in  their  own  homes.  The  epoch  of 
haste  had  not  come;  the  saddle  was  the  emblem  of  speed;  the  canvas- 
covered  wagon  was  the  ark  of  progress,  and  the  turnpike  was  the  leading 
artery  of  trade.  The  stage  coach  was  a  swift  inland  means  of  travel,  and  a 
day's  journey  was  a  short  distance.  From  east  to  west  was  the  pilgrimage 
of  a  lifetime:  from  north  to  south  was  a  voyage  of  discovery.  Before  the 
steam  saw  mill  had  begun  to  devour  the  forests,  no  one  ever  dreamed  that 
the  screech  of  the  locomotive  would  disturb  the  solitude  of  the  wilderness. 
When  the  land  was  lighted  with  tallow  candles  after  nightfall,  domestic  or 
household  industries  were  the  rule,  and  the  spinning  wheel  hummed  the 
tune  of  prosperity  in  every  thrifty  farmer's  home.  No  house  had  a  sewing 
machine,  but  nearly  all  were  full  of  children.  Brain  and  brawn  were  united 
in  the  same  person,  the  toiler  was  the  thinker;  and  the  man  who  owned  a 
half-section  of  land  was  the  foremost  citizen. 

Young  persons  of  the  present  day  can  form  no  adequate  idea  of  the  self- 
sacrificing  life  of  the  pioneers,  nor  realize  the  hardships  and  privations  which 
their  grandparents  suffered  in  laying  the  foundation  of  our  prosperity.  Every- 
thing is  changed.  Ox  yokes  and  ox  "gads",  axes,  axe-helves,  beetles  and 
wedges  for  rail  splitting,  hand  spikes  for  log  rolling,  harrows  made  from 
crotches  of  trees,  sap-troughs  and  neck-yokes  have  long  since  disappeared  as 
implements  of  husbandry  in  Saginaw  County.  Log  houses  with  shake  roof- 
ing and  split  flooring,  a  vast  improvement  on  the  bark  wigwams  of  the 
native  Indians,  are  of  the  past.  There  is  more  civilization,  and  with  it,  bolts 
and  bars,  locks  and  keys,  vices  and  crimes,  than  when  the  buckskin  string, 
tied  to  the  wooden  latch  on  the  inside  and  passing  through  a  hole  in  the 
door  to  the  outside,  was  pulled  to  gain  admission  to  houses  and  their  hospi- 
tality. There  was  less  schooling,  but  no  lack  of  education  in  the  practical 
object  lessons  of  nature  and  life,  during  the  pioneer  period.  For  those  who 
do  right,  life  is  better  worth  living  now  than  then;  while  for  those  whose 
bent  is  evil  the  opportunities  for  wrong  are  greater  now. 


98  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

<  If  the  agonies  of  the  past  are  born  the  blessings  of  the  present,  and 
from  the  difficulties  of  the  present  spring  the  hopes  of  the  future. 

To  Whom  Honor  Is  Due 

It  was  great  to  have  been  a  pioneer.  The  name  itself  is  the  synonym 
of  western  progress;  and  we  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  our  inheritance. 
The  early  settlers,  who  laid  the  foundations  of  civilization  in  this  wilderness, 
except  a  very  few  whose  silver  hairs  and  feeble  footsteps  remind  us  of  pass- 
ing years,  have  passed  from  the  scenes  of  their  activities.  Among  those 
who  were  here  in  the  early  30's,  aside  from  those  previously  mentioned, 
were  David  Stanard  and  Charles  McClean,  who  came  in  the  winter  of  1828. 
The  former  settled  on  the  old  Court  farm,  and  owned  a  run  of  stone  for 
grinding  corn,  which  was  operated  by  horse  power.  McClean  settled  on  a 
tract  of  forty  acres  adjoining  the  Bacon  farm,  and  was  the  first  man  to  sow 
wheat  in   the  county. 

In  1829  Lauren  Riggs  and  John  Brown,  natives  of  Avon,  Livingston 
County,  New  York,  came  to  the  valley  and  settled  on  land  one  mile  above 
Green  Point,  on  the  banks  of  the  Tittabawassee.  A  son  of  the  former,  named 
John  Riggs,  was  born  in  November,  1829.  and  was  said  to  have  been  the  first 
white  boy  born  in  Saginaw  County.  The  father  owned  the  first  two  horse 
lumber  wagon  ever  brought  here,  and  conducted  a  trading  post  at  Green 
Point.  Stephen  Benson  came  at  about  this  time  and  located  on  the  banks 
of  the  Saginaw,  opposite  from  the  Bacon  farm.  Edward  McCarty  and  son 
Thomas  arrived  in  August,  1830,  and  settled  on  the  Tittabawassee,  several 
miles  from  its  mouth. 

Another  of  the  prominent  settlers  was  Grosvenor  Vinton,  who  came 
from  Avon,  New  York,  early  in  1830,  and  settled  on  land  in  recent  years 
owned  by  Benjamin  McCausland.  The  first  summer  he  worked  for  Riggs 
&  Stanard,  going  on  to  his  own  land  in  the  fall,  where  he  continued  to  live 
until  December,  1834.  At  different  times  during  these  years  he  made  trips 
to  Pontiac  to  mill,  that  being  the  nearest  point,  by  ox  team,  the  journey 
taking  nine  days.  In  the  winter  of  1831  the  territorial  legislature  organized 
the  Township  of  Saginaw,  and  at  the  first  meeting  in  April  there  were 
fifteen  voters,  of  which  Vinton  was  one.  He  was  married  August  25,  1831, 
to  Miss  Harriet  Whitney,  sister  of  Abram  and  Asa  L.  Whitney;  and  were 
the  first  white  couple  married  in  this  county.  Their  first  child,  Sarah  Vin- 
ton, afterward  Mrs.  Samuel  Dickinson,  was  born  May  9.  1833. 

Thomas  Simpson,  better  known  as  "Elixir  Boga",  who  was  a  witness  to 
the  totems  of  the  Indian  chiefs  in  the  treaty  of  Saginaw,  was  a  conspicuous 
figure  among  the  early  settlers.  He  came  to  this  territory  at  an  early  day 
and  settled  at  Pontiac,  where  in  1830  he  commenced  the  publication  of  the 
Oakland  Chronicle,  the  first  newspaper  in  Michigan,  north  of  Detroit.  After 
a  precarious  existence  in  the  struggling  settlement  it  was  discontinued, 
probably  from  want  of  sufficient  patronage.  About  1832  he  came  to  Sagi- 
naw and  took  up  his  epiarters  in  a  small  log  house  within  the  old  fort.  He 
was  a  man  of  talent,  though  addicted  to  the  excessive  use  of  whiskey,  and 
when  under  its  influence  his  belligerent  propensities  were  greatly  increased. 
The  peculiar  soubriquet  was  given  him  on  account  of  a  phrase  used  by  him 
when  threatening  an  assault:     "I  will  give  him  the  Elixir  Boga." 

He  was  intensely  Democratic  in  his  politics,  and  during  an  election  at 
Lower  Saginaw,  in  1836,  while  acting  as  clerk,  his  morning's  libations  hav- 
ing taken  effect,  he  struck  George  W.  Bullock,  one  of  the  Whig  delegation, 
a  stunning  blow  in  the  face.  Bullock  was  a  quiet  man.  and  considering 
where  the  blow  came  from,  passed  quickly  out  of  reach.  He  had  apparently 
given   no  offence,  but  his   assailant   probably   thought  he   was  preparing   to 


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100  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


say  something  of  a  partisan  nature.  A  severe  wind  and  snow  storm  pre- 
vailed that  day,  and,  although  the  polls  were  kept  open  the  time  required 
by  law,  only  five  votes,  two  Whig  and  three  Democratic,  were  cast.  After 
supper  at  the  Globe  Hotel,  which  had  recently  been  opened  as  a  public  house 
by  S.  S.  Campbell,  the  parties  started  on  the  return  trip.  The  only  house  on 
the  way  was  one  built  of  logs  at  Carrollton,  then  occupied  by  Joseph  Holts- 
lander  and  family,  where  the  whole  party  stopped  to  warm  before  a  rousing 
fire  in  a  clay  fire-place  with  a  mud  and  stick  chimney.  Everyone  was  in 
good  spirits  and  jokes  freely  passed.  Another  pull  brought  them  to  their 
homes  about  midnight.  The  next  day  finished  the  election,  between  one  and 
two  hundred  votes  being  cast  in  Saginaw,  of  townsmen  and  farmers,  the 
Democrats  being  fairly  beaten,  no  one  on  that  ticket  being  elected  except 
Elijah  N.  Davenport  for  sheriff.  In  1847  Simpson  kept  the  lighthouse  at  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  He  died  in  Saginaw  a  few  years  later,  leaving  one  son, 
]olm  Simpson,  who  lived  here  a  long  time  after. 

Elijah  N.  Davenport 

E.  N.  Davenport,  who  for  many  years  bore  the  title  of  "Judge",  in  this 
county,  came  to  Michigan  in  1831  and  settled  oh  an  eighth-section  at  Grand 
Blanc,  in  Genesee  County.  Later  he  went  to  the  crossing  of  the  Flint,  on 
the  site  of  the  present  City  of  Flint,  purchased  two  hundred  acres  of  land 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  built  a  small  log  house  near  Hamilton's 
saw  mill.  Soon  after  he  left  this  place  and  returned  to  his  farm  at  Grand 
Blanc.  In  1834  he  removed  his  family  to  Saginaw.  Packing  his  household 
effects  and  stock  into  two  flat  boats,  he  and  his  family  floated  down  the 
river,  every  few  miles  finding  their  progress  impeded  by  floodwood,  which, 
owing  to  the  narrowness  of  the  stream,  completely  filled  it.  To  pass  the 
obstruction  he  was  compelled  to  hitch  his  oxen,  with  which  he  was  for- 
tunately provided,  to  the  boats  and  draw  them  over  the  land  to  where  the 
river  was  clear  again,  and  relaunch  them  in  the  river.  For  seven  long,  weary 
davs  did  they  pursue  their  way  before  reaching  the  settlement  on  the  Sagi- 
naw, each  day  being  fraught  with  difficulties  that  required  no  ordinary  degree 
of  perseverance  and  hardihood  to  surmount. 

Soon  after  landing  here  he  commenced  keeping  tavern  in  an  old  block 
house,  which  stood  on  what  is  now  the  northeast  corner  of  Court  and  Hamil- 
ton Streets,  at  present  occupied  by  the  Bauer  Block.  It  was  a  long,  roughly 
built  structure,  formerly  used  by  the  soldiers  in  1822,  while  they  were  build- 
ing the  fort,  and  afterward  for  the  officer's  mess.  The  only  sleeping  apart- 
ment was  in  the  low  attic,  which  was  reached  from  below  by  a  steep  ladder. 
Through  the  entire  length  of  the  center  was  a  passageway  between  rows  of 
beds,  barely  wide  enough  for  persons  to  pass  in  going  to  the  beds  they  were 
to  occupy.  If  there  were  any  women  guests  they  had  to  go  to  bed  first. 
(  )pposite  this  rough  log  house  was  the  old  stockade  fort,  which  occupied  the 
ground  on  which  the  Hotel  Fordney  now  stands  and  a  part  of  the  block  east, 
including  a  section  of  Hamilton  Street.  At  that  time  it  was  quite  an  eleva- 
tion, but  with  the  laying  out  of  streets  to  take  the  place  of  the  roads  and 
trails,  it  was  graded  down  and  brick  blocks  now  cover  the  spot. 

For  four  years  following  1836  Mr.  Davenport  filled  the  office  of  sheriff, 
and  afterward"  was  elected  county  judge.  He  died  October  10.  1863.  Mrs. 
Davenport,  who  was  Miss  Martha  Cronk.  before  her  marriage  in  Niagara 
County,  New  York,  in  1828,  continued  a  resident  of  this  city  for  a  period  of 
fifty-six  years,  or  until  her  death  on  February  24,  1890.  She  was  the  mother 
of  George  Davenport,  an  ex-State  senator,  Porter  Davenport,  Julia  Daven- 
port, and  Mrs.  II.  R.  Hardick.  Mrs.  J.  E.  Wells.  Mrs.  P.  S.  Heisrodt,  Mrs. 
Henry  Moiles  and  Mrs.   1  >.  W.  Gooding. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY 


101 


Albert  Miller 

Albert  Miller,  an  early  settler  of  Saginaw  Valley,  was  born  at  Hartland, 
Windsor  County,  Vermont,  May  10,  1810,  and  was  descended  from  the  old 
Puritan  stock  of  New  England.  His  childhood  and  youth  were  spent  in  his 
native  town,  where  he  had  the  meagre  advantages  of  a  pioneer  school  educa- 
tion. Being  but  seven  years  of  age  when  his  father  died,  he  had  to  make  his 
way  in  the  world;  and  in  his  twenty-first  year  he  came  west,  arriving  in 
Detroit.  September  22,  1830.  Saginaw  was  his  destination,  but  at  Grand 
Blanc  he  met  acquaintances  from  his  native  town  wdio  persuaded  him  to  pur- 
chase a  farm  in  the  vicinity  and  remain  there.  In  May,  1831,  his  mother  and 
his  two  sisters  joined  him  in  the  new  home  in  the  wilderness.  In  (  )ctober 
of  the  same  year  his  younger  sister  was  married  to  Eleazer  Jewett,  and  re- 
moved to  Saginaw. 

On  Mr.  Miller's  first  visit  to  Saginaw  in  1832,  he  formed  a  very  favor- 
able impression  of  the  place.  In  his  broad  view  of  the  wilderness  lay  the 
tranquil  river,  skirted  by  dense  forests  and  beautiful  prairies  with  rich,  fer- 
tile soil,  with  the  waters  teeming  with  fish,  the  banks  swarming  with   wild 

fowl,  and  the  forests  abounding  with 
game.  This  entrancing  reality  ex- 
actly corresponded  with  the  imagin- 
ary picture  he  had  previously  formed 
of"  the  locality,  and  he  decided  to 
have  a  home  on  the  hanks  of  the  Sag- 
inaw. In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  ac- 
cordingly sold  his  farm  at  Grand 
Blanc,  and,  in  preparing  for  a  new 
home,  bought  a  plot  of  ground  from 
the  government  on  the  east  side  of 
the  river  at  the  junction  of  the  Shia- 
wassee and  Tittabawassee  Rivers. 
In  February,  1833,  he  removed  the 
family  to  the  new  locality;  and  for 
m  a  n  y  years  he  lived  at  different 
points  within  a  short  distance  of  the 
beautiful  stream. 

In  the  w  inter  of  1834-35  he 
taught  school  in  a  portion  of  the  old 
barracks  erected  by  the  soldiers  in 
1822,  h  a  v  i  n  g  in  attendance  from 
twelve  to  twenty  scholars,  some  of 
whom  were  half-breeds.  This  was 
the  first  school  taught  in  Saginaw 
County.  It  was  quite  in  contrast  with  the  present  elaborate  system,  if  one 
can  imagine  the  little  dingy  room,  made  of  hewed  logs  with  mud  and  moss 
filling  the  crevices,  and  with  oiled  paper  covering  the  window's,  where  were 
gathered  all  the  children  within  two  or  three  miles  around,  instructed  by  one 
teacher,   tor  a    few    weeks   in   winter. 

Upon  the  organization  of  Saginaw  County,  in  1835,  Mr.  Miller  was 
appointed  Judge  <>f  Probate  and  a  justice  of  the  peace,  which  offices  he  held 
for  many  years,  lie  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1*47,  and  held  other 
offices  of  honor  and  trust  in  township,  county,  and  State.  He  was  the  first 
president  of  the  Michigan  Pioneer  Society,  elected  February  3,  1873;  and 
in  the  following  years  contributed  a  number  of  interesting  and  valuable 
papers  to  its  archives. 


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ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY  103 


Early  in  life  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Daglish,  a  native  of 
England,  who,  on  coming  with  him  to  the  wilderness,  shared  the  hardships 
and  compensations  incident  to  pioneer  life.  She  was  a  devoted,  carefnl 
mother,  a  true,  sincere  friend,  an  excellent  worker  with  the  needle,  and  was 
ever  courteous  and  kind.  Upon  removing  to  Bay  City,  in  later  life,  she  and 
her  husband  were  among  the  founders  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  and 
for  many  years  were  staunch  supporters  of  its  good  work.  Mrs.  Miller  died 
at  the  residence  of  her  daughter,  Mrs.  C.  L.  Collins,  at  Bay  City,  April  23, 
1904.  at  the  age  of  ninety-one. 

After  rounding  out  a  life  of  great  usefulness  and  helpfulness  to  others, 
Mr.  Miller  died  at  his  home  in  Bay  City,  September  19,  1893,  in  the  eighty- 
fourth  year  of  his  life. 

James   Fraser 

In  the  early  part  of  1833  James  Fraser,  having  purchased  some  land  on 
the  banks  of  the  Tittabawassee  not  far  from  the  settlement  on  the  Saginaw, 
concluded  to  remove  his  family  there.  He  had  recently  married  Miss  Busby. 
a  native  of  London,  England,  who  had  come  with  her  father's  family  to 
Detroit  in  1830.  Her  father  kept  the  Eagle  Tavern,  on  Woodward  Avenue 
just  below  what  is  now  Grand  Circus  Park,  but  was  then  only  a  mud  hole 
filled  with  water  after  a  heavy  shower.  As  the  location  was  unhealthy  and 
cholera  raging  fearfully  in  the  town,  the  elder  Busby  was  prevailed  on  to 
move  to  the  newer  country.  He  therefore  sold  out  his  business,  and  accom- 
panied the  Frasers  to  their  forest  home.  In  the  party  was  Joseph  Busby, 
one  of  the  sturdy  settlers  of  this  county. 

They  drove  a  small  herd  of  cattle  and  a  few  horses,  and  so  rough  was 
the  trail  through  the  woods  that  they  were  three  days  in  covering  the  dis- 
tance of  seventy  miles  to  the  Flint  River,  camping  out  at  night  on  the  damp 
ground.  At  the  crossing  of  the  Flint  they  stopped  with  John  Todd,  who  had 
the  only  house  in  the  place,  and  proceeded  the  next  day  to  the  Cass  River, 
where  they  arrived  after  dark.  An  old  Frenchman,  who  lived  on  the 
opposite  bank  of  the  stream,  took  them  across  in  his  canoe  and  provided  a 
hot  supper,  when  they  were  glad  to  lie  down  on  the  rough  floor  in  front  of 
a  good  fire  and  sleep  until  morning.  After  breakfast  they  recrossed  the 
river,  found  the  horses  and  cattle  browsing  near  by,  as  they  had  been  too 
tired  to  stray  far,  and,  swimming  them  across,  resumed  their  journey. 

Toward  noon  of  the  fifth  day  they  came  to  the  broad  Saginaw,  at  a  point 
opposite  Green  Point:  and  here  they  met  Albert  Miller  and  his  brother-in- 
law,  Eleazer  Jewett,  who  helped  them  in  getting  their  stock  across  the 
stream.  Miller  was  then  quite  a  young  man  and  lived  with  his  mother, 
whose  kindness  of  heart  and  hospitable  welcome  to  new  comers  was  well 
remembered  and  highly  appreciated.  Having  secured  their  cattle  they  pro- 
ceeded on  their  way,  and  arrived  at  their  destination  before  nightfall.  The 
Busby  family  soon  after  settled  on  the  place  opposite  the  Fraser*s,  so  that 
the  families  could  be  near  each  other. 

The  following  year  James  Fraser  went  back  to  Detroit  to  purchase 
some  stock  for  his  farm  on  the  Tittabawassee.  While  driving  in  from  Flint 
to  Saginaw,  on  his  way  home,  the  cattle  became  confused  and  would  not 
keep  to  the  narrow  trail.  He  chased  them  about  in  the  thick  underbrush 
which  lined  the  path  on  either  side,  until  he  was  tired  out,  when  he  took 
off  his  coat  and  after  carrying  it  awhile,  and  getting  near  the  trail,  as  he 
supposed,  he  hung  it  on  the  lower  branch  of  a  tree.  He  then  started  to 
head  off  some  of  the  cattle,  and  in  doing  so  lost  the  location  where  he  had 
left  his  coat,  and  could  never  find  it.  He  used  to  say,  in  after  years,  that 
this  was  the  greatest  loss  he  ever  had,  as  all  the  money  he  possessed,  about 


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INAW,     1837 
Abstract   Co. 


106  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


five  hundred  dollars,  was  in  a  pocket  of  that  coat.  There  was  a  great  hunt- 
ing for  the  coat,  but  it  never  was  found.  It  was  supposed  the  wolves,  which 
infested  the  country,  pulled  it  down  and  tore  it  to  pieces. 

Murdock  Fraser,  who  was  born  at  Iverness,  Scotland,  in  1812,  and  came 
to  Detroit  with  his  parents.  John  and  Elizabeth  Fraser,  in  April,  18.34.  soon 
after  set  forth  on  horseback  to  explore  the  Saginaw  Valley  with  the  view  of 
locating  some  lands.  He  passed  the  Flint  River  in  safety  and  crossed  Pine 
Run  Creek,  when  he  became  lost  in  the  wilderness.  For  seventy  hours  he 
traversed  the  forest,  hungry,  fatigued  and  anxious.  He  lost  his  horse,  which 
made  his  situation  more  desperate,  and  packs  of  gaunt  wolves  threatened 
him.  yet  he  pushed  onward  toward  the  north,  and  finally  reached  the  prim- 
itive dwelling  of  a  settler  named  Kent,  located  on  the  Cass  River.  After 
resting  and  repairing  his  torn  clothes,  he  resumed  his  journey  to  Saginaw. 
Later  he  returned  to  Detroit,  and  in  June,  1835,  married  Miss  Isabella 
Goulding,  a  native  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  who  was  born  August  17,  1817. 
They  then  made  their  way  to  Saginaw  on  Indian  ponies,  and  for  a  time- 
lived  at  James  Fraser's  house,  on  land  which  in  after  years  was  known  as 
the  A.  B.  Paine  farm.  Soon  after  they  settled  on  a  piece  of  land  on  the  banks 
of  the  Tittabawassee,  which  had  been  located  by  Duncan  McLellan,  and 
where  they  lived  fur  many  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  highest  reputation 
for  cordial  hospitality,  which  was  a  feature,  and  a  pleasant  one,  among  many 
trying  scenes  of  pioneer  life.  Mr.  Fraser  died  in  1876.  His  widow,  after 
a  residence  in  this  count}-  of  fifty-three  years,  died  April  30,  1889,  survived 
by   nine  children. 

Organization    of   the   Township 

These  were  the  sturdy  pioneers,  together  with  those  mentioned  in  a 
foregoing  chapter,  who  created  the  township  of  Saginaw,  and  afterward 
were  instrumental  in  organizing  the  county.  Oakland  County,  lying  to  the 
south,  was  organized  in  181'),  and  in  1824  the  territorial  government  em- 
powered that  county  to  levy  a  sufficient  tax  to  defray  the  expenses  of  that 
county.  As  yet  the  settlement  on  the  Saginaw  had  not  known  a  tax  col- 
lector. In  the  same  year,  the  unorganized  counties  of  Saginaw,  Lapeer, 
Sanilac  and  Shiawassee,  were  attached  to  Oakland  for  judicial  purposes. 

In  1830  an  act  was  established  organizing  the  township  of  Saginaw,  em- 
bracing within  its  limits  the  entire  county.  This  act  took  effect  April  4, 
1831,  when,  at  a  meeting  of  the  settlers  held  in  the  block  house  of  the  old 
fort,  Gardner  D.  Williams  was  elected  to  represent  the  township  on  the 
(  <  unity  Board  of  Oakland;  Ephraim  S.  Williams  was  elected  township  clerk  ; 
A.  W.  Bacon  treasurer;  and  David  Stanard.  Eleazer  Jewett  and  Charles 
McClean,  overseers  of  the  three  districts  of  Saginaw,  Green  Point  and  Titta- 
bawasaig.  Eleazer  Jewett  was  appointed  deputy  surveyor  of  Oakland 
County.  In  the  same  year  an  act  establishing  a  seat  of  justice  at  Saginaw 
City  was  passed,  and  Gardner  D.  Williams  and  David  Stanard  were  ap- 
pi  linted  justices. 

An  act  defining  the  boundaries  of  the  enmity  was  also  adopted,  within 
which  were  thirty-two  townships,  embracing  portions  of  Gladwin,  Midland 
and  Tuscola  Counties.  The  modest  township  board  administered  the  civic 
affairs  of  a  territory  larger  than  some  of  the  eastern  states,  and  accomplished 
its  duties  so  efficiently  that  within  four  years  the  Territorial  Legislative 
Council  organized  the  district  into  a  county. 

Organization  of  Saginaw  County 

On  January  28.  1835,  an  act  was  passed  organizing  this  county,  provided 
that  the  township  board  sit  and  act  as  a  county  board  until  such  time  as 
there  should  be  three  organized  townships  in  the  county  to  elect  a  board  of 


ORGANIZATION  OF   THE  COUNTY  107 

supervisors,  and  conferred  upon  said  board  authority  to  transact  all  business, 
as  by  law  was  conferred  upon  boards  of  supervisors.  Embraced  within  the 
limits  of  Saginaw  County  was  a  territory  now  known  as  Bay  County.  For 
the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  county  did  the  local  authorities  impose  a 
tax  upon  its  inhabitants.  No  record  exists  of  the  levying  of  any  prior  tax. 
The  proclamation  of  Lewis  Cass,  Governor  over  the  Territory  of  Mich- 
igan, and  the  legislative  acts,  organizing  the  county,  are  herewith  transcribed  : 

"And  I   have  thought  it  expedient  to  lay  out  the  following  county,  that  is  to  say: 

"All  the  country  included  within  the  following  boundaries:  beginning  on  the 
principal  meridian,  where  the  line  between  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  townships 
north  of  the  base  line  intersects  the  same,  and  running  thence  south  to  the  line  be- 
tween the  eight  and  ninth  townships,  north  of  the  base  line;  thence  east  to  the  line 
between  the  sixth  and  seventh  ranges  cast  of  the  principal  meridian:  thence  north  to 
the  continuation  of  the  line  between  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth  townships  north  of 
the  base  line:  thence  west  to  the  place  of  beginning,  shall  form  a  county,  to  be  called 
the   county   of   Saginaw. 

"And  I  hereby  declare  that  the  county  herein  'laid  out',  to-wit:  the  county  of 
Saginaw,  shall  be  organized  whenever,  hereafter,  the  competent  authority  for  the  time 
being  shall  so  determine,  and  that  until  then  the  said  county  shall  be  attached  to. 
and   compose   part  of  the   county  now  organized,   in   the  following  manner: 

"The  county  of  Saginaw  shall  he  attached  to  and  compose  a  part  of  the  county  of 
Oakland. 

"In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  caused  these  letters  to  be  made  patent,  and  the 
great  seal   of  the  said  territory  to   be  hereunto  affixed. 

"Given  under  my  hand,  at  Detroit,  this  tenth  day  of  September,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  twenty-two,  and  of  the  Independence  of 
the   United   States    the   forty-seventh. 

"LEW.   CASS." 
By   the    Governor: 

Secretary  of  Michigan  Territory. 

"Be  it  enacted  by  the  Legislative  Council  of  the  Territory  of  Michigan: 

"Section  1.  That  the  county  of  Saginaw  shall  be  organized  from  and  after  the 
taking  effect  of  this  act,  and  the  inhabitants  thereof  entitled  to  all  the  rights  and 
privileges  to  which  by  law  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  counties  in  this  Territory  are 
entitled. 

"Section  2.  That  all  suits,  prosecutions,  and  other  matters  now  pending  before 
the  courts  of  record  of  Oakland  County,  or  before  any  justice  of  the  peace  of  said 
county,  shall  he  prosecuted  to  final  judgment  and  execution;  and  all  taxes  hereto- 
fore levied  and  now  due  shall  be  collected  in  the  same  manner  as  though  the  said 
ci  mnty  of  Saginaw  had  not  been  organized. 

"Section  3.  That  the  circuit  court  fur  the  county  of  Saginaw  shall  he  holden  on 
such  days  as  shall  be  provided  by  law. 

"Section  4.  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  sheriff  of  the  county  of  Saginaw 
(until  public  buildings  are  erected  in  said  county),  to  provide  a  convenient  place,  at 
or  near  the  county  site,  for  the  holding  of  said  court. 

"Section  5.  That  the  township  board  for  the  township  of  Saginaw  shall,  until 
there  be  three  townships  organized  in  said  county,  sit  as  a  county  board  for  said 
county,  and  are  hereby  authorized  to  transact  all  business  now  incumbent  on  the 
board  of  supervisors  in   the   respective  counties  in   this  territory. 

"Section  6.  That  this  act  shall  take  effect  and  he  in  force  from  and  after  the 
second  day  of  February  next. 

"Approved  January   28,   1835." 

Platting  the  Town 

As  early  as  September,  1822,  James  McCloskey,  son-in-law  of  Gabriel 
Godfroy  who  aided  in  negotiating  the  treaty  of  1819.  anil  his  associate. 
Captain  John  Farley,  entered  a  portion  of  the  land  on  which  Saginaw  City 
was  liuilded.  Other  entries  were  made  the  same  month  by  Doctor  Charles 
Little,  Jonathan  Kearsley  and  Louis  Campau  ;  and  Justin  Smith  entered  land 
in  1823.  The  lands  entered  by  McCloskey  and  Farley,  comprising  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  acres,  were  surveyed  by  John  Mullet,  the  State  surveyor, 
who  platted  a  portion  under  the  name  of  "Town  of  Sagana." 


108  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

This  town  on  paper  comprised  twenty  blocks  with  the  river  lots  on 
Water  Street,  extending  four  blocks  from  the  river,  with  its  southeast  corner 
near  the  foot  of  what  is  now  known  as  Clinton  Street.  It  embraced  the 
ground  upon  which  Louis  Campau  in  1816  erected  the  first  trading  posl  on 
the  river,  and  also  the  council  house  where  the  first  treaty  with  the  Indians 
was  negotiated.  James  McCloskey  soon  after  sold  his  undivided  half-interest 
to  A.  G.  Whitney,  of  Detroit,  who  later  sold  it  to  Doctor  Charles  Little. 
Only  six  lots  of  the  original  town  plat  were  sold  by  Farley  &  Company,  of 
which  lot  No.  77  was  sold  May  8,  1X23,  for  twenty-five  dollars.  Near  the 
northern  limits  of  the  town  was  a  street  named  Farley  Street,  which  years 
after  became  known  as  Bristol  Street.  When  the  town  prospered  and  became 
well  settled,  some  of  the  lots  of  this  original  plat  were  purchased  by  promi- 
nent citizens,  who  erected  pretentious  residences  thereon. 

The  second  platting  of  the  town  was  made  by  Samuel  W.  Dexter,  on 
I  lecember  3,  1830,  and  comprised  all  the  land  which  he  had  entered  in  1825, 
extending  west  from  the  river  at  Cass  Street  to  Harrison,  and  north  on  that 
street  to  Jefferson  (now  Cleveland  Street),  and  thence  east  to  the  river.  Of 
the  lots  represented  by  this  plat  only  eight  were  sold  that  year.  On  July 
IX,  1X35.  he  disposed  of  all  his  interests  to  Doctor  Abel  Millington,  of  Wash- 
tenaw County,  excepting  twenty-four  lots  previously  sold  by  him,  and  the 
public  square  which  had  been  located  as  the  seat  of  justice.  The  following 
year,  having  lost  faith  in  the  prospects  of  the  valley,  the  doctor  transferred 
his  property,  on  April  26,  to  a  company  composed  of  Norman  Little,  John  T. 
Mackie,  Samuel  Oakley  and  William  Jennison,  Junior,  for  the  sum  of  fifty- 
five  thousand  dollars. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  new  proprietors,  who  were  enterprising  men 
with  ample  capital,  an  entirely  new  platting  of  the  town  was  made,  and  named 
the  Currier  Plat.  This  plat  was  a  very  extensive  one,  and  embraced  lands  on 
the  east  as  well  as  the  west  side  of  the  river,  showing  four  hundred  and  seven 
blocks,  and  bore  the  date  of  February  1.  1X37.  Streets  on  the  west  side  of 
the  river  were  laid  off  and  named,  a  comprehensive  map  was  drawn  and 
printed  for  circulation  throughout  the  eastern  States,  and  an  elaborate  plan 
of  improvements  was  prepared.  As  a  result  about  nine  hundred  persons 
were  attracted  to  this  place  before  the  close  of  1837.  Then  the  crisis  came, 
and  by  1X41  only  three  entire  blocks  and  fifty-eight  single  lots  had  been  sold; 
and  on  April  9  of  that  year  all  their  property  was  s,ilil  to  James  Hunt,  for  a 
consideration  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

Locating  the  Seat  of  Justice 

In  the  selection  of  the  village  of  Saginaw  as  the  seat  of  justice  for  the 
county,  there  hangs  a  tale  which  illustrates  the  fact  that  the  acts  of  public 
officials  in  pioneer  days  were  not  always  free  from  the  curse  of  personal  gain. 
The  story  was  told  many  years  ago  by  Thomas  A.  Drake,  a  member  of  the 
Legislative  Council  of  Oakland  County,  who,  with  an  associate  commissioner, 
named  Frost,  came  to  the  Saginaw  to  locate  a  site  for  the  county  seat.  Here 
they  found  Judge  Dexter,  and  an  engineer  and  surveyor  by  the  name  of  Ris- 
don,  engaged  in  platting  Saginaw  City.  Dexter  approached  the  commis- 
sioners with  his  skeleton  map  in  hand,  designated  one  of  the  lots  as  the 
"court  house  lot",  and  very  abruptly  informed  them  that  if  they  located  the 
site  for  the  seat  of  justice  on  that  lot,  he  would  donate  it  to  the  comity,  and 
would  give  to  each  of  the  commissioners  one  lot,  perhaps  two.  The  third 
commissioner  was  entirely  satisfied  with  this  proposition,  and  from  that 
moment  looked  at  nothing  but  the  lots  Dexter  proposed  to  give  him.  Drake. 
however,  was  inclined  to  treat  Dexter's  proposition  with  contempt,  and  for 
a  time   Frost  took  the  same  view,  and  together  they  looked  at  other  places. 


ORGANIZATION   OF   THE   COUNTY  109 


\\  here  East  Saginaw  was  afterward  located  there  was  an  uninhabitable 
forest,  and  it  was  said  that  the  whole  country  hack  from  the  river  was  a 
morass  and  utterly  impassable.  They  resolved,  nevertheless,  to  inspect  it 
for  themselves,  and,  with  Eleazer  Jewett  for  a  guide,  they  traversed  the 
country  up  and  down  the  river,  and  back  from  the  stream,  until  they  were 
satisfied  they  had  found  the  best  place  for  a  court  house.  Drake  and  Frost 
fixed  upon  a  site,  drove  a  stake  to  indicate  the  spot  selected,  and  took  meas- 
urements from  different  points  on  the  river,  with  such  bearings  as  would 
enable  anyone  to  find  it.  They  agreed  to  meet  the  next  morning  and  make 
their  report.  Drake  then  went  to  Jewett's  house  at  Green  Point  to  spend  the 
night,  while  Frost  went  to  the  block  house  inside  the  fort,  where  he  would 
find  their  associate  commissioner. 

The  next  morning  it  was  learned,  to  the  great  surprise  of  Drake,  that 
during  the  night  Frost  had  been  overcome  by  drink,  demoralized,  and  in- 
fluenced by  the  third  commissioner  to  sign  a  report  locating  the  site  on  the 
lot  selected  by  Dexter.  Through  the  love  of  whiskey  by  Frost,  and  the  love 
of  gain  by  the  other  commissioner,  the  county  seat  was  located  at  Saginaw 
City,  and  the  first  court  house  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  present  county 
building. 

Building  the  First  Court   House 

The  first  sessions  of  the  circuit  court  in  Saginaw  County  were  held  in 
the  old  school  house,  which  then  served  as  town  hall,  church,  lecture  room, 
and  as  a  place  for  social  gatherings.  But  after  the  increase  in  population  in 
1836,  and  public  improvements  had  been  begun,  it  was  thought  by  the  lead- 
ing men  that  it  was  incumbent  on  the  county  officials  t<>  erect  a  court  house 
that  would  he  an  ornament  to  the  city,  that  it  was  expected  would  soon  rise. 
In  January,  1838,  the  county  board  consisted  of  Ephraim  S.  Williams,  town- 
ship clerk;  Jeremiah  Riggs,  supervisor;  and  Albert  Miller  and  Andrew  Ure. 
justices  of  the  peace,  four  public-spirited  men  who  laid  the  plans  for  the 
building  that  served  the  county  for  nearly  fifty  years.  In  determining  the 
plan  the  board  was  largely  influenced  by  Judge  Riggs,  in  adopting  the  plan 
of  the  court  house  in  Livingston  County.  New  York,  in  which  he  had  sat  as 
an  associate  judge.  He  obtained  a  plan  of  that  structure,  specifications  were 
made  and  proposals  for  its  construction  advertised  for. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  board  held  March  2.  1838,  a  resolution  that  a  build- 
ing for  the  use  of  county  officials  he  constructed,  was  introduced;  and  the 
bids  for  the  construction  of  the  building  were  then  opened.  There  were  four 
in  all,  and  the  amounts  ranged  from  eleven  to  twelve  thousand  dollars.  As 
the  lowest  bid  exceeded  the  amount  appropriated,  and  all  the  bidders  were 
present,  it  was  decided  to  let  the  contract  then  and  there  to  the  lowest  viva 
voce  bidder.  After  some  spirited  bidding  it  was  struck  off  to  Asa  Hill,  a 
brother-in-law  of  Ephraim  S.  Williams,  for  $9,925,  reducing  the  amount  of 
his  written  proposal  nearly  sixteen  hundred  dollars.  (  hi  March  3,  the  con- 
tract was  signed  for  the  erection  of  the  building,  which  was  deemed  suitable 
for  the  needs  and  requirements  of  the  public  and  its  officials  for  a  long  time 
to  come,  and  a  structure  of  which  all  could  feel  proud.  Accustomed  to 
meeting  in  private  houses,  or  in  small,  inconvenient  halls,  it  was  natural 
that  thev  should  regard  the  plans  and  specifications,  and  not  long  after  the 
building  which  grew  out  of  them,  with  a  considerable  degree  of  satisfaction. 

The  First  County  Bond 

From  the  dim  and  dusty  records  of  the  township  board  it  appears  that 
the  Saginaw  City  Bank,  which  had  recently  been  organized  under  the  general 
banking  law,  proposed  to  loan  the  county  on  its  bond  the  sum  of  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  with  which  to  build  the  court  house.     In  the  preceding  January 


110  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


the  county  board  had  convened  in  the  township  clerk's  office  (which  was 
also  the  postoffice).  on  the  upper  floor  of  a  two-story  building  on  Water 
Street  (now  Niagara),  north  of  Mackinaw,  and  signed  a  county  bond  in  that 
amount,  payable  in  ten  years,  with  interest  payable  annually.  It  was  given 
to  the  bank  and  the  bank  officials  negotiated  it  with  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction,  and  obtained  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars. 

The  contract  for  the  building  of  the  court  house  stipulated  that  all  the 
money  advanced  should  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  material  and  in  the 
payment  for  labor,  and  that  all  material  purchased  should  become  the  prop- 
erty  of  the  county.  A  building  committee  was  appointed  to  see  that  the 
terms  of  the  contract  were  complied  with,  and  the  collecting  of  the  material 
proceeded  with  energy  until  midsummer,  when  Hill,  the  contractor,  was 
prostrated  with  a  malarial  disease  and  died  in  the  following  October.  As 
a  result  of  this  unfortunate  occurrence,  and  the  failure  of  the  bank  soon  after, 
together  with  the  general  financial  depression,  all  operations  on  the  build- 
ing were   suspended   for   some   time. 

Meanwhile,  the  material  collected  for  the  building  lay  on  the  ground 
and  likely  to  go  to  waste,  so  something  had  to  be  done  to  save  it.  Many 
discussions  were  held  by  the  settlers  in  reference  to  reducing  the  cost  of 
construction,  and  it  was  proposed  to  dispense  with  the  columns  on  the  east 
end  of  the  building.  At  that  time  there  was  but  one  house  east  of  the  site 
of  the  court  house,  and  it  was  contended  by  others,  who  opposed  any  change 
of  plans,  that  it  would  be  unfair  to  the  owner  of  this  house  to  deprive  him  of 
a  view  of  the  ornamental  columns.  At  length,  Eliel  Barber,  a  reliable 
mechanic,  was  hired  by  the  county  board  at  two  dollars  a  day  to  take  charge 
of  the  material  and  prosecute  the  work,  so  far,  at  least,  as  to  save  the  mate- 
rial from  waste.  He  hired  carpenters  at  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents 
a  day,  and  laborers  at  a  dollar  a  day,  and  went  on  with  the  building  opera- 
tions until  the  outside  was  finished  and  all  the  rooms  on  the  lower  floor  were 
made  ready  for  occupancy.  A  large  room  intended  for  the  grand  jury  was 
used  for  a  long  time  as  a  court  room;  and  it  was  not  until  fifteen  years  after 
the  contract  had  been  let  that  the  court  room  on  the  upper  floor  was 
finished.  It  was  said  that  when  first  occupied  the  members  of  the  Saginaw 
County  bar   were  justlv  proud  of  the   fine   appearance  of  their  court   room. 

Before  the  county  bond  for  ten  thousand  dollars  became  due,  the  man- 
agers of  the  state  finances  claimed  from  the  county  the  full  amount  with 
interest,  but  the  county,  having  received  only  a  portion  of  the  money,  while 
willing  to  pay  that  sum.  refused  to  acknowledge  any  further  liability  on 
account  of  the  bond.  It  was  contended  that  the  bond  was  only  a  guaranty 
on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the  board  individually  that  the  county  would 
pay  the  bank  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  However  it  may  have  been, 
in  1842.  the  cashier  of  the  bank  which  was  still  defunct,  proposed  to  turn 
over  a  certain  tract  of  land  at  five  dollars  an  acre,  to  pay  its  indebtedness 
to  the  county,  provided  the  amount  was  agreed  upon  and  a  settlement  soon 
made.  Evidently  this  proposal  w^as  not  accepted,  for  on  January  19,  1844, 
the  county  board  adopted  a  preamble  reciting  in  substance  that  the  bank 
was  indebted  to  the  county  in  the  sum  of  $4, 667. 25  ;  that  it  repudiated  the 
claim:  that  by  a  recent  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  it  appeared  that 
collection  could  not  be  enforced;  and  that  the  bond  for  ten  thousand  dollars 
was  held  by  the  commissioner  of  the  State  land  office;  and  the  board 
appointed  a  committee  to  negotiate  with  the  commissioner  on  the  subject 
of  the  bond.  On  March  4th  following,  this  committee  reported  that  they 
had  agreed  upon  a  settlement,  by  which  the  county  should  give  a  bond  pay- 
able in  four  annual  installments  for  $5,257.75.  and  also  interest  to  July  1. 
1844,  amounting  to  $1,208.25,  which  was  ratified  by  the  county  board. 


ORGANIZATION  OF   THE  COUNTY  111 

It  was  claimed  by  some  persons  that  exhorbitant  charges  were  made 
against  the  county  by  some  of  the  parties  who  were  authorized  to  make  a 
settlement,  for  their  services  in  effecting  it.  No  records,  however,  exist  to 
substantiate  any  accusation  of  this  nature,  and,  judging  from  the  usual  com- 
pensation granted  to  public  officials  of  that  time,  they  were  not  paid  more 
than  the  service  warranted.  It  would  be  impossible  at  the  present  day  to 
ascertain  what  the  sums  paid  on  account  of  the  bond,  and  for  finishing  the 
court  house,  amounted  to,  but  it  was  the  belief  of  Albert  Miller,  who  made 
record  of  the  above  facts,  that  it  was  not  so  largely  in  excess  of  the  con- 
tract price,  as  was  generally  supposed. 

The   First   Criminal  Trial 

The  first  intimation  in  the  records  of  the  commission  of  crime  in  this 
county  was  in  November,  1838,  when  the  sheriff  informed  the  board  that 
he  had  a  prisoner  in  custody  and  did  not  know  how  to  keep  him,  no  place 
having  been  provided  for  that  purpose.  After  some  discussion  he  was 
authorized  to  lease  of  A.  Butts  the  blockhouse  for  one  year,  with  the 
privilege  of  erecting  two  cells  therein.  The  prisoner  was  probably  held  on 
some  minor  charge,  as  he  was  never  brought  to  trial,  so  far  as  the  records 
show.  The  first  criminal  trial  in  the  circuit  court  was  not  called  until  nearly 
three  years  later. 

In  1841  William  McDonald,  who  traded  in  furs  in  the  old  red  ware- 
house, received  a  cargo  of  goods  in  a  vessel  commanded  by  Captain  West. 
The  mate  who  had  charge  while  in  port  was  a  young  man  very  well  con- 
nected in  the  State,  while  the  sailors  were  Willard  Bunnell,  a  young  married 
man  who  had  lived  here  for  several  years,  a  Frenchman  named  Dezalia,  and 
a  young  Englishman  whose  name  is  forgotten.  While  unloading  the  cargo 
the  sailors  had  free  access  to  the  cellar  of  the  warehouse  where  the  goods 
were  stored,  and  particularly  Bunnell,  who  was  well  known  and  trusted  by 
the  trader. 

(  )n  the  last  day  the  vessel  was  at  dock,  Bunnell  made  a  discovery  in  an 
old  barrel  partly  filled  with  rubbish,  of  a  box  of  silver  coins  that  McDonald 
had  hidden  away  for  safe  keeping.  Taking  his  companions  into  his  con- 
fidence, Bunnell  made  an  errand  into  the  cellar  late  in  the  evening,  and 
placed  the  box  of  money  on  the  ledge  of  the  window,  which  was  protected 
on  the  outside  by  a  grating  of  oak  stripes  an  inch  square.  Late  at  nighl 
when  all  was  quiet  they  cut  the  grating,  took  the  money  on  board  the  vessel, 
and  proceeded  to  divide  it  by  having  the  Englishman  pass  a  certain  number 
of  coins  to  each  in  succession.  But  Bunnell  and  Dezalia.  during  the  time  of 
division,  frequently  put  their  hands  into  the  box,  to  ascertain,  as  they  said, 
how  the  money  was  holding  out,  with  the  result  that  in  the  final  count  the 
Englishman  and  the  mate  had  but  $130  each  of  the  $800,  the  amount  stolen. 

The  robbery  was  soon  discovered  and  suspicion  rested  upon  the  parties 
responsible  for  it,  but  no  arrests  were  made  until  the  following  winter,  when 
the  Englishman,  having  brooded  over  the  trickery  of  two  of  his  companions 
in  crime,  went  before  Justice  Williams,  at  Detroit,  and  made  oath  to  the 
facts  concerning  the  theft.  The  mate  of  the  vessel  and  Dezalia  were  soon 
apprehended  and  lrtld  for  trial,  but  Bunnell,  who  was  one  of  the  first  in 
Saginaw  to  hear  tme  news  of  the  confession,  at  once  disappeared.  He  was 
suspected  of  lurking  in  the  vicinity,  and   a  sharp  watch  was  kept  for   him. 

Late  one  winter's  night  the  culprit  was  seen  in  the  neighborhood,  the 
sheriff  was  informed,  and  a  posse  of  resolute  men  determined  on  capturing 
him,  quickly  gathered  at  McDonald's  store,  and  started  out  before  daybreak. 
At  a  place  on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  near  what  is  now  the  foot  of  Emer- 
son Street,  there  was  a  deserted  wood  cutter's  shanty,  in  which  Bunnell  had 
taken  refuge  for  the  night.     Just  at  break  of  day  he  had  kindled  a   fire  and 


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ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY  113 


was  thawing  out  his  mocassins  preparatory  to  putting  them  on,  when  he 
heard  his  pursuers  close  upon  him.  He  eluded  them  for  a  time  by  quickly 
passing  out  of  the  door  with  his  mocassins  in  his  hand,  and  an  exciting  chase 
ensued.  Being  fleet  of  foot  he  would  probably  have  escaped  had  not  a  sharp 
crust,  which  had  formed  on  the  snow,  lacerated  his  feet  so  as  to  cripple  him. 
and  he  was  forced  to  surrender. 

As  there  was  yet  no  jail  in  the  county  the  prisoner  was  taken  to  Jewett's 
tavern,  where  his  feet  were  dressed  and  cared  for  by  his  father.  Dr.  Bradley 
Bunnell,  who  pronounced  them  in  very  bad  condition,  and  kept  them  band- 
aged for  some  time.  Henry  Pratt  was  sheriff  and  acted  as  guard  at  the 
hotel,  while  waiting  for  his  prisoner  to  improve  so  that  he  could  be  taken  to 
the  Genesee  County  jail  at  Flint.  At  length  he  was  pronounced  conval- 
escent, though  apparently  in  great  pain  and  unable  to  stand.  The  day  for 
his  departure  was  set,  and  the  evening  before,  after  all  his  friends  had  taken 
leave  of  him.  his  brother  and  sister  (Mrs.  Lester)  and  wife  were  admitted 
to  his  room  for  a  final  interview.  The  sheriff  occupied  a  room  the  door  of 
which  opened  directly  opposite  that  of  Bunnell's,  so  that  he  could  watch  all 
the  movements  of  the  prisoner. 

About  nine  o'clock  Mrs.  Lester  passed  out  of  the  room  leaning  heavily 
on  the  arm  of  her  brother,  bowed  and  stricken  with  grief  at  parting  with  a 
brother  under  such  painful  circumstances.  A  short  time  after,  Pratt  called 
at  the  door  to  terminate  the  interview  between  the  husband  and  wife.  The 
door  was  opened  and  he  saw  the  sufferer  tossing  his  sore  feet,  and  heard 
him  groan.  The  wife  begged  for  a  longer  interview  which  was  rather  re- 
luctantly granted.  At  midnight  Pratt,  being  tired  of  his  vigils,  knocked  at 
the  door  which  was  quickly  opened.  Instead  of  groans  from  his  footsore 
prisoner,  he  was  greeted  with  a  merry  laugh  by  Mrs.  Lester,  who  told  him 
that  her  brother  had  been  gone  three  hours,  mounted  on  the  fleetest  horse  in 
the  town. 

As  the  sequel  showed,  Bunnell  went  first  to  Lower  Saginaw,  where  he 
secreted  himself  for  a  time,  and  then  sought  refuge  in  the  depths  of  the 
forest,  living  at  the  Indian  camps  until  summer,  when  he  made  his  way 
around  the  lakes  and  across  Wisconsin  to  La  Crosse.  Later  he  was  joined 
by  his  wife,  and  they  lived  there  respectably  for  many  years. 

Sheriff  Pratt  was  greatly  chagrined  at  the  ruse  which  had  spirited  away 
his  prisoner,  and  in  order  that  the  law  might  lie  vindicated,  he  caused  the 
arrest  and  examination  of  Mrs.  Lester  on  a  charge  of  assisting  a  prisoner  to 
escape.  The  examination,  which  was  before  three  justices  of  the  peace,  as 
the  law  then  provided,  excited  considerable  interest  in  the  community  and 
the  court  room  was  crowded.  "When  it  was  adjudged  that  Mrs.  Lester  must 
give  bonds  for  her  appearance  for  trial  before  the  circuit  court,  every  gentle- 
man in  the  room  offered  to  be  her  bondsman.  The  bond  was  made  accept- 
able and  she  was  discharged  ;  but  was  never  called  upon  to  appear  for  trial, 
and  so  the  matter  ended. 

The  real  culprits  who  had  been  apprehended  did  not,  however,  escape 
so  easily.  The  young  Englishman  turned  State's  evidence,  and  after  he  had 
testified  in  the  case  there  was  no  doubt  as  to  the  guilt  of  the  prisoners.  In 
giving  sentence  Judge  Whipple  spoke  feelingly  to  the  mate,  but  as  he  had 
had  charge  of  the  vessel,  and  could  have  prevented  the  theft,  he  said  he  con- 
sidered him  the  most  culpable  of  all,  and  gave  him  three  years  at  hard  labor. 
After  a  few  month's  imprisonment,  however,  the  convicted  prisoner  was 
pardoned.  Dezalia  stood  up  and  received  his  sentence  with  perfect  com- 
posure, but  soon  after  was  seen  weeping  bitterly.  Being  asked  if  he  con- 
sidered the  sentence  too  hard,  he  replied,  "Oh,  no!  but  the  disgrace  of  being 
tried  by  such  a  hard-looking  jury,  is  what  grieves  me." 


114  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  First  Probate  Case 

The  old  territorial  law  under  which  Saginaw  County  was  organized, 
required  that  some  learned  person  sin  mid  be  appointed  in  each  county  to  the 
office  of  Judge  of  Probate.  At  the  time,  Albert  Miller  was  teaching  the 
first  and  only  school  in  the  county,  and  in  order  that  the  requirements  of 
the  law  might  be  fulfilled,  he  was  appointed  to  that  office;  for,  as  his  friends 
said.  "Who  could  be  a  learned  person  if  the  school  teacher  was  not?" 
Ephraim  S.  Williams  was  recommended  for  county  clerk  and  register  of 
deeds;  and  Andrew  Ure,  Gardner  U.  Williams  and  Albert  Miller  for  justices 
of  the  peace. 

While  balloting  for  justices,  an  old  Frenchman  very  pertinently  ex- 
claimed: "1  throw  all  the  pape  for  justices  of  the  peace  in  the  fire;  I  don't 
want  any  in  this  county.  I  once  lived  on  Connor's  Creek,  where  all  was 
peace  and  harmony  till  they  got  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  the  settlement,  and 
then  they  began  to  sue  each  other  and  quarrel,  and  then  there  was  no  more 
peace."  But  notwithstanding  his  protest  justices  were  appointed,  and  he 
had  a  great  deal  of  litigation  before  them. 

The  first  business  transacted  in  the  Probate  Court  for  this  county  is  of 
more  than  passing  interest,  as  it  involved  some  very  peculiar  circumstances. 
In  the  summer  of  1833  a  young  sailor,  named  Charles  Cater,  came  to  this 
valley  and  purchased  land  at  the  forks  of  the  Tittabawassee ;  but  instead 
of  remaining  to  cultivate  it,  he  returned  to  his  occupation  on  the  high  seas. 
The  following  year  Abram  Cater,  a  brother  of  Charles,  came  and  settled  in 
the  vicinity  of  Saginaw,  and  married  here  in  1835.  Not  long  after  he  re- 
ceived news  that  lbs  brother  had  been  cast  away  and  had  died  at  sea.  In 
due  time  he  was  appointed  administrator  of  the  estate  of  his  brother  Charles, 
but  before  the  estate  was  fully  settled  Abram  Cater  died.  Charles  had  lived 
in  Ohio  before  proceeding  on  his  last  voyage  and  had  left  personal  property 
there.  His  estate  was  administered  in  Ohio  and  converted  into  cash,  which 
was  remitted  to  the  Judge  of  Probate  for  Saginaw  County,  to  be  paid  to 
Abram  Cater's  widow,  who,  in  the  absence  of  any  other  heirs,  was  con- 
sidered the  person  best  entitled  to  it. 

The  manner  of  remitting  funds  in  pioneer  days  was  very  cumbersome 
compared  witli  the  methods  of  today,  when  exchanges  are  so  easily  effected. 
The  bills  were  cut  in  halves,  one  half  remitted  by  mail,  and  the  other  half 
retained  until  notice  of  the  safe  arrival  of  the  first  half  was  received,  when 
the  other  halves  of  the  bills  were  sent.  In  the  Cater  case  the  letter  con- 
taining the  first  half  of  the  bills  was  mis-sent  and  went  to  Mackinaw  by  the 
winter  mail,  causing  considerable  delay,  but  it  finally  reached  its  destination, 
and  in  due  time  the  other  halves  of  the  bills  were  received;  and  all  was 
paid  over  to  Mrs.  Abram  Cater,  who  in  the  meantime  had  taken  another 
husband. 

So,  ,n  after  the  payment  of  the  money  to  Abram  Cater's  widow,  a  letter 
from  the  administrator  of  Charles  Cater's  estate  in  Ohio  was  received  by  the 
court,  expressing  some  anxiety  about  the  matter,  as  Charles  Cater  had 
appeared  there  and  demanded  his  property.  The  Judge  of  Probate  for  Sag- 
inaw County  could  do  nothing  in  the  matter,  except  to  forward  the  receipt 
tor  the  money  which  he  had  paid  over  according  to  directions.  Upon  investi- 
gation it  proved  that  Charles  Cater's  land  and  the  estate  of  Abram  Cater 
were  in  the  part  of  the  Township  of  Saginaw  that  remained  in  Oakland 
County,  after  the  boundaries  had  been  changed  upon  organization  of  the 
county.  Charles  Cater  thereupon  took  out  letters  of  administration  in  Oak- 
land County  on  Abram's  estate,  and  the  tables  were  turned  in  respect  to 
heirship,  Charles  Cater  becoming  the  heir  of  Abram. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  COUNTY  115 


Official  Proceedings 

The  history  of  human  events  in  the  early  days  of  the  county  would  not 
be  complete  without  some  mention  of  its  official  proceedings,  the  dusty 
records  of  which  disclose  the  way  in  which  the  foundation  of  civil  govern- 
ment was  founded,  and  upon  which  its  future  super-structure  —  civilly  and 
morally  —  was  reared.  A  portion  of  the  record  of  township  and  county  is 
therefore  presented  : 

First  meeting  of  the  board  October  2,  1835,  at  the  house  of  Elijah  N. 
Davenport,  in  the  village  of  Saginaw.  Present,  G.  D.  Williams,  supervisor: 
Albert  Miller,  A.  F.  Mosely,  justices  of  the  peace;  and  E.  S.  Williams,  town 
clerk. 

Board  allowed  in  payment  of  officer's  fees  $71.60,  included  in  which  was 
the  sum  of  fifteen  dollars  for  attorney's  services  for  the  year  1835. 

For  township   expenses  $93.94 

For  building  bridges  100.00 

For  collector  fees  9.69 

Total  -  $203.63 

1836.  Amount  voted  to  be  raised  for  the  year  was  S2. 400.62,  which 
included  an  item  for  building  jail,  $1,570.59. 

1837.  Amount  voted  to  be  raised  for  all  purposes,  $2,279.04.  At  an 
election  held  the  people  voted  to  issue  bonds  in  the  sum  of  $10,000  for  the 
purpose  of  building  a  court  house. 

1838.  Jeremiah  Riggs  succeeded  G.  D.  Williams  as  supervisor,  other- 
wise the  board  remained  as  at  its  first  meeting.  Board  met  February  20th 
and  adopted  a  plan  for  the  court  house,  and  advertised  for  bids  for  its  con- 
struction. The  board  allowed  the  sum  of  $<>.20  for  making  the  census  of  the 
county,  "being  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  for  every  one  hundred  persons." 
(This  shows  that  the  population  of  the  county  at  this  time,  assuming  the 
statement  to  be  correct,  was  920.) 

At  the  (  ictober  session  of  the  board  the  following  sums  were  voted  to  be 
raised,  viz. : 

For  wolf  bounties       -  $28.80 

For  interest  on  court  house  bonds  700.00 

For  State  tax  1,709.00 

For  support  of  poor  100.00 

Town  expenses  646.81 

Total  -  - $3,184.61 

November  19,  1838,  Duncan  McLellan,  Cromwell  Barney  and  James  Fraser 
were  elected  board  of  county  commissioners  to  hold  office  for  three  years. 

1839.  At  a  meeting  held  October  9,  the  board  appointed  three  superin- 
tendents of  the  county  poor.  On  October  12.  the  board  made  appropriations 
as  follows : 

Ti  i  pay  expenses  of  the  February  term 

the  Circuit   Court     - 
To  pay  expenses  of  July  term 
To  pay  for  school  expenses     - 
To  pav  township  exp  ns:s 
Total 


)f 

$77.06 

241.07 

80.64 

512. 7i 

$91 1 

50 

116  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Fur  the  first  time  the  records  disclose  the  fact  of  an  assessment  of  property, 
the  valuation  of  real  and  personal  property  being  then  given  at  $621,052.75. 
At  this  session  of  the  board  bids  were  solicited  for  making  a  copy  of  the 
assessment  roll  of  the  county;  several  bids  were  submitted  and  the  job  was 
let  for  $24.50  to  Timothy  Howe,  the  lowest  bidder.  The  bids  ranged  from 
that  amount  to  $35. 

1840.  Commissioner's  meeting  July  15.  Board  appropriated  $40  to  pay 
year's  salary  of  prosecuting  attorney. 

October  9,  board  made  appropriations  as  follows: 

For  expenses  of  Town  of  Saginaw  $673.64 

For  State  tax  604.50 

For  county  expenses  -       544.63 
For  making  assessment  roll  30.00 

Total  '  $1,852.77 

The  board  rejected  the  assessment  roll  of  the  township  of  Tuscola  for 
irregularities,  doubtless  to  the  great  relief  of  the  citizens  of  that  township. 

At  this  session  of  the  board  license  was  granted  to  Gardner  D.  Williams 
to  operate  a  ferry  at  any  point  within  one  mile  north  or  south  of  Mackinaw 
road,  at  the  following  rates: 

Each    foot   passenger  12' S  cents 

(  )ne  man  and  horse  -       2?  cents 

One  man,  wagon  and  horse  ?>7 '  J  cents 

One  man,  wagon  and  two  horses  50  cents 

Cattle  and  horses,  each  10  cents 

Sheej)  and  swine,  each  6%  cents 

1841.  Jul}-  12,  the  board  held  its  first  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  equal- 
izing the  assessment  rolls,  three  townships  having  been  organized,  namely, 
Saginaw,  Tuscola  and  Tittabawassee. 

1842.  Taymouth  appears  as  a  township.  <  >n  July  6,  the  board  equalized 
the  township  assessments,  as  follows: 

Value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Saginaw,  S125.190.50 

Value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Taymouth,  27,791.25 

Value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Tuscola,  13,090.04 

Value  of  real  and  personal  property  in  Tittabawassee.    57,259.86 

Total  -  S223.241.o5 


CHAPTER    VIII 

THE  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  SAGINAW  CITY 


The  McCormick  Family  —  Joseph  Busby  —  Difficulties  and  Privations  of  Pioneer 
Life  —  Benjamin  Cushway — Phineas  D.  Braley  —  Hiram  L.  Miller  —  The  First  Steam- 
boat on  the  Saginaw  —  Extract  from  Mrs.  Richman's  Diary — Charles  H.  Richman  — 
Saginaw  City  in  L837  —  The  Northern  Canal  Project  —  The  Enterprise  of  Norman 
Little  — The  Old  Webster  House  — The  Bubble  Bursts  —  Anthony  R.  Swarthout  — 
Horace    S.    Beach. 

A  sturdy  pioneer  of  Saginaw  Valley,  who  aided  very  materially  in  the 
development  of  its  resources,  was  William  R.  McCormick.  He  was 
born  at  Bethlehem,  New  York,  August  16,  1822,  and  spent  his  early 
boyhood  on  the  homestead  farm.  As  early  as  1832  his  father,  James 
McCormick,  emigrated  with  his  family  to  this  territory,  landing  in  Detroit  on 
the  first  of  August,  after  a  voyage  across  Lake  Erie  in  the  steamboat  Superior. 
By  the  advice  of  John  R.  Williams,  a  former  resident  of  Albany,  New  York, 
then  living  in  Detroit,  he  decided  to  go  to  Saginaw,  and  soon  after  set  out 
with  his  two  elder  sons  to  traverse  the  northern  wilderness.  At  the  crossing 
of  the  Flint  they  stopped  to  rest,  ami  were  so  impressed  with  the  rustic 
scenery  of  the  place  that  the  father  purchased  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
acres  of  land,  a  half-breed  title,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  and  east  of  what 
is  now  Saginaw  Street,  comprising  at  present  a  portion  of  the  first  ward  of 
the  City  of  Flint,  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.  They  soon  built  a 
log  house  near  where  the  north  end  of  the  bridge  now  is,  and  moved  the 
family  from  Detroit  to  their  new  home  in  the  forest  wilderness.  At  that  time 
there  were  but  two  other  houses  at  this  place,  one  being  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river  and  west  of  the  trail,  and  occupied  by  John  Todd,  while  the  other 
was  the  old  trading  post  of  Jacob  Smith,  known  to  the  native  Indians  as  Wah- 
be-sins,  and  located  about  forty  rods  below  on  the  north  bank  of  the  river, 
then  the  home  of  Judge  Stowe. 

After  getting  his  family  settled,  the  lather  started  out  to  secure  provi- 
sions for  the  winter.  There  was  plenty  of  venison  to  be  hail  from  the  Indians. 
but  there  was  no  pork  in  that  vicinity,  so  lie  and  George  <  diver  paddled  down 
the  Flint  in  a  canoe  for  the  settlement  on  the  Saginaw.  After  several  day- 
spent  in  reaching  their  destination,  he  purchased  what  meat  was  needed; 
and  on  the  return  trip  up  the  river  they  camped  on  the  old  "Indian  field," 
about  seven  miles  south  of  the  bend  in  the  Cass,  now  known  as  Bridgeport, 
and  about  fourteen  miles  from  Saginaw  by  the  present  road.  Tie  took  a 
great  fancy  to  this  field,  which  contained  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres 
without  a  stump  or  a  stone,  and  ready  for  the  plow,  where,  he  believed,  he 
could  raise  enough  crops  to  support  his  family.  The  Indians  had  abandoned 
the  land  years  before,  because  grub-worms  had  destroyed  their  maize;  and 
it  was  their  belief  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  sent  them  as  a  curse  on  the  land. 

In  the  fall  of  1832  Rufus  W.  Stevens  moved  with  his  family  from  Grand 
Blanc  to  Flint;  and  James  Cronk  built  a  log  house  about  half  way  between 
the  Flint  and  Thread  Rivers.  In  the  log  house  which  had  been  built  by 
Elijah  N.  Davenport,  and  later  abandoned  by  him  on  his  return  to  Grand 
Blanc,  the  first  school  in  Cenesee  County  was  started,  and  was  attended  by 
William  R.  McCormick,  his  three  sisters,  and  the  children  of  the  other 
settlers. 


118  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 


James  McCormick  soon  sold  his  place  at  Flint  to  a  son  of  Jacob  Smith, 
the  Indian  trader,  for  six  hundred  dollars,  thinking  he  had  made  a  great 
speculation.  Yet,  so  great  have  been  the  strides  in  the  development  of  the 
country  that  at  the  present  time  this  property  collectively  is  probably  worth 
a  million  dollars,  or  more,  an  increase  in  eighty-odd  years  from  one  dollar 
an  acre  to  eight  thousand  or  possibly  ten  thousand  dollars.  He  then  moved 
his  family  down  the  river  to  the  Indian  field,  where  they  arrived  at  sun- 
down of  the  second  day,  and  camped  for  the  night  with  only  a  tent  made  of 
blankets,  to  shelter  the  mother  and  little  children.  In  two  or  three  days 
they  had  put  up  a  comfortable  shanty  to  live  in  while  building  a  log  house, 
which  they  soon  commenced  and  had  finished  by  the  time  winter  set  in,  and 
where  they  lived  for  many  years. 

The  first  year's  crop  was  excellent,  and  the  second  year  they  sold  one 
thousand  bushels  of  corn  to  the  American  Fur  Company,  for  the  Indians 
beyond  Lake  Superior.  The  greatest  difficulty  of  their  rough  pioneer  life 
was  in  getting  to  the  grist  mill  on  the  Thread  River,  to  have  their  grain 
converted  into  flour.  They  had  to  take  the  grain  in  a  canoe  up  the  river 
about  thirty-five  miles,  get  it  drawn  one  and  a  half  miles  to  the  mill,  and 
back  to  the  river  and  thence  by  the  river  home.  This  trip,  requiring  the 
hardest  kind  of  labor,  usually  took  four  days,  camping  out  every  night,  and 
the  work  always  fell  to  James  J.  and  William  R.,  whose  feet  became  very 
sore  from  walking  in  the  winter  over  sticks  and  sharp  stones,  in  getting 
their  heavily  laden  canoe  over  the  rapids  of  the  stream.  When  winter  set 
in  they  could  not  go  to  the  mill,  as  there  was  no  road  through  the  unbroken 
wilderness,  so  in  the  long  evenings  the  boys  took  turns  pounding  corn  in  a 
home-made  nmrtar.  fashioned  by  hollowing  out  the  end  of  a  three-foot 
section  of  a  log,  similar  to  that  used  by  the  Indians  for  the  same  purpose. 

There  was  nothing  but  a  trail,  or  bush  road,  between  Flint  and  Saginaw 
in  those  days,  and  part  of  the  year  it  was  impassible,  and  nearly  always  so 
for  women,  consequently  most  of  the  travel  went  up  and  down  the  river  in 
canoes  or  skiffs,  though  it  was  a  very  laborious  and  tedious  journey. 

In  the  fall  of  1837  William  R.  was  sent  by  his  father  to  Saginaw  to 
attend   school,  boarding   with    Major   Mosley   who  kept   a   sort   of   tavern   in 

one    of    the    old    blockhouses    inside    the    stockade.      The    school    house    st 1 

near  the  location  of  the  old  jail,  and  the  teacher  was  Horace  S.  Reach,  lie 
was  a  kind-hearted  man,  but  very  linn  and  determined,  qualities  which  were 
necessary  in  the  conduct  of  that  school,  as  he  had  a  hard  lot  of  boys  to 
manage.  He  was  equal  to  every  emergency,  on  one  occasion  requiring 
Walter  Cronk  and  William  R.  McCormick  to  saw  and  split  seven  cords  of 
wood,  instead  of  administering  the  usual  flogging  as  punishment  for  fighting. 
That  winter  Mr.  [leach  kindly  offered  to  teach  his  pupils  to  sing,  if  they 
would  form  an  evening  class.  This  they  glady  did.  and  six  boys  and  six  girls 
met  regularly  for  singing  lessons. 

The  McCormick  family  continued  to  live  on  the  old  Indian  field,  which 
they  called  the  "Garden  of  Eden."  until  1841,  when  the  father  and  son  James 
J.  bought  an  interest  in  the  old  Portsmouth  steam  mill  and  removed  to  that 
place.  They  soon  commenced  the  manufacture  of  lumber  in  this  mill,  the 
second  built  on  the  river,  and  shipped  the  first  cargo  of  lumber,  consisting 
of  forty  thousand  feet,  that  ever  went  out  of  the  Saginaw  River.  It  ran 
sixtv  per  cent,  uppers,  and  was  sold  in  Detroit  to  James  Busby,  a  brother-in- 
law  of  James  Fraser,  for  eight  dollars  a  thousand  feet,  one-third  down  and 
the  balance  on  time.  Lumbering  did  not  produce  fortunes  in  those  days,  hut 
it  opened  the  way  for  those  who  came  later  to  accummulate  riches.  James 
McCormick,  the  father  of  James  I.  and  William   R.  McCormick.  died  in   1X47. 


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120  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

As  years  passed,  William  R.  McCormick,  who  had  grown  to  manhood, 
assumed  the  management  of  the  ever  increasing  lumber  business  established 
by  bis  father  and  brother,  and  became  one  of  the  leading  progressive  citizens 
of  Bay  City.  He  erected  a  commodious  and  pretentious  home  on  a  slight 
knoll  near  the  river  at  Portsmouth,  which  for  many  years  was  a  landmark 
of  the  olden  times. 

Joseph  Busby 

In  the  earl}-  part  of  1833  there  arrived  at  the  trading  post  on  the  Sagi- 
naw, a  young  man  named  Joseph  Busby,  who  was  born  in  London,  England, 
April  26,  1812.  llis  father  was  a  dairyman  and  kept  a  store  in  London  for 
the  sale  of  butter,  cheese,  eggs  and  milk;  but  in  1830  he  sold  out  his  busi- 
ness, bid  farewell  to  the  friends  of  a  lifetime,  and  sailed  for  America  in  a 
packet  ship  of  five  hundred  tuns  burden  —  a  large  vessel  in  those  days.  From 
New  York  they  travelled  westward  to  the  Michigan  wilderness,  by  the  way 
of  the  Erie  Canal  and  lake  steamboat,  a  journey  of  two  weeks  duration. 
After  engaging  in  the  hotel  business  in  Detroit  for  two  years,  they  removed 
to  Saginaw  and  settled  on  land  bordering  on  the  Tittabawassee,  opposite  the 
present    1'aines    farm. 

At   that  time   the  only  habitation   nearer   than   Green    Point,    was  a   log 

house  on  land  adjoining  theirs,  which  was  occupied  by  a  family  named  Tuft, 
with  whom  they  lived  while  putting  up  a  house  of  their  own.  James  Busby, 
a  brother  of  Joseph,  who  was  a  mechanic  by  trade,  came  from  Detroit,  and 
assisted  in  cutting  logs  for  the  house,  which  was  to  be  twenty  by  thirty  feet 
in  size,  and  hewed  them  on  two  sides.  They  then  invited  the  neighbors 
for  miles  around  (and  it  took  all  there  were)  to  the  raising,  and  they  got 
the  walls  up  that  day.  The  shingles  were  brought  from  Detroit  by  water, 
and  were  laid  on  split  oak  ribs,  and  nailed  fast,  so  the)-  had  a  good  tight 
roof.  The  floors  were  made  of  heavy  planks  cut  from  green  pine  with  a  saw 
brought  from  England,  Allien  Miller  being  the  lower  portion  of  the  human 
machinery,  or  the  "pitman,"  while  Joseph  Busby  was  the  other  half,  or  the 
"topsawver"  ;  and  was  said  to  have  been  the  only  saw  running  in  the  valley 
at  that  time.  When  the  house  was  completed  the  family  had  a  regular 
old-time  house-warming,  with  music  and  dancing:  and  they  felt  some  secur- 
ity, and  pride,  too,  in  the  possession  of  a  home,  though  a  rustic  one,  in  the 
depths  ( if  the  wilderness. 

While  living  at  Tuft's  (who  was  a  very  superstitious  man),  they  were 
awakened  one  night  by  him  in  great  alarm,  ami  called  to  get  up  as  the  world 
was  coming  to  an  end.  They  at  once  got  up  and  went  out  doors  and  wit- 
nessed a  very  beautiful  sight,  the  meteoric  shower  of  1833.  They  watched 
the  grand  display  until  daylight,  afterward  declaring  that  it  was  a  spectacle 
never  to  be  fi  irgi  itten. 

Soon  after  they  were  settled  in  the  new  house  there  was  a  happy  event 
in  the  family,  the  marriage  of  James  Busby  and  Miss  Susan  Maiden,  eldest 
daughter  of  Joseph  W.  Maiden.  lie  was  formerly  a  sea  captain,  but  from 
1835  to  1838  he  kept  a  log  tavern  in  Saginaw,  afterward  receiving  the  appoint- 
ment of  lighthouse  keeper  at  the  Island  of  Mackinac.  The  young  couple 
were  married  by  Judge  Albert  Miller,  an  associate  at  all  their  social  gather- 
ings, and  was  the  third  marriage  ceremony  performed  in  the  county.  As 
the  iudge  was  not  very  familiar  with  the  proper  ceremony  for  such  occasions, 

the  family  produced  a  prayer  1 k  of  the   Episcopal  Church,  and  the  service 

was  read  by  Mr.  Miller,  much  to  his  relief.  Mr.  Busby  and  his  young  wife 
then  went  to  Detroit  where  they  lived  for  several  years,  but  in  later  life 
returned  to  Saginaw  City  where  they  died,  survived  by  Thomas  W.  Busby. 


THE  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  SAGINAW    CITY  121 

In  1835,  when  the  father  moved  into  town,  Joseph  Busby  took  the  farm 
to  run  nn  his  own  account.  The  following  spring  he  had  some  very  promis- 
ing crops  on  the  low  bottom  lands,  but  the  water  rose  and  overflowed  the 
banks  thus  destroying  them.  Waiting  until  the  ground  became  dry  enough 
to  work,  he  replanted  everything,  but  soon  after  the  water  rose  a  second 
time  so  that  he  could  paddle  with  his  canoe  all  over  the  ground.  This  dis- 
couraged him  and  he  gave  up  farming,  and  came  into  the  village  to  engage 
in  other  business. 

Difficulties  and  Privations  of  Pioneer  Life 

At  times  they  were  much  annoyed  by  wolves  and  often  kept  awake  at 
night  by  their  bowlings.  Sometimes  it  seemed  that  there  must  lie  fifty  or 
more  of  them,  generally  after  they  had  been  chasing  deer.  The  bears  also 
were  troublesome  at  times,  their  chief  depredations  being  the  killing  of  hogs. 
I  hie  of  their  neighbors  one  night  heard  a  great  commotion  among  his  hogs, 
and  upon  going  out  to  ascertain  the  cause,  saw  in  the  moonlight  a  huge 
bear  making  off  with  a  fat  hog  weighing  about  two  hundred  pounds.  Upon 
being  pursued,  the  bear  dropped  the  bog  which  he  had  killed,  and  made  off 
in  the  woods. 

Among  their  other  troubles  was  the  great  pest  of  blackbirds,  which 
destroyed  the  crops,  especially  the  corn  just  when  it  was  soft  and  milky. 
They  would  flock  in  the  fields  by  the  thousands,  requiring  all  the  farmers' 
time  and  attention,  until  the  corn  got  hard,  to  keep  them  off.  Day  after 
day,  for  several  hours  after  sunrise  and  again  for  two  hours  before  sunset, 
they  had  to  run  up  and  down  the  field  firing  at  and  hallooing  at  them  t<> 
keep  them  from  alighting,  and  by  so  doing  would  drive  them  over;  but  they 
would  come,  one  flock  after  another.  The  fanners  finally  built  stages  some 
distance  apart,  and  beat  with  a  stout  stick  on  a  barrel,  a  tin  pan,  or  anything 
to  make  a  great  noise,  thus  keeping  the  birds  on  the  wing  so  they  would 
pass  over  to  the  wild  rice  fields  until  towards  evening.  Another  great  pest 
was  the  mosquitoes,  which  were  so  thick  and  troublesome  that  the  farmers 
had  to  keep  fires  burning  around  the  house  to  keep  them  off  by  the  smoke. 
Imt  often  it  seemed  that  the  insects  could  stand  as  much  smoke  as  they  could. 
Thev  had  to  cover  the  door  and  windows,  screen  their  beds,  and  even  cover 
the  fireplace  with  a  sort  of  netting,  to  live  in  any  degree  of  comfort. 

They  also  suffered  many  privations  in  those  days,  when  all  supplies  had 
to  be  brought  from  Detroit  by  water,  and  there  was  only  one  small  sailing 
vessel  available.  Late  in  the  season  it  would  get  frozen  in  the  ice  on  the 
bay  or  river,  and  then  they  would  have  to  wait  until  the  ice  would  bear  a 
team,  to  haul  the  goods  to  town.  Meanwhile,  they  would  be  without  flour, 
meal,  and  other  necessaries  of  life,  but  those  who  had  food  cheerfully  divided 
with  those  who  had  none.  At  such  times  the  small  grist  mill,  which  was 
attached  to  the  Williams  Brothers  saw  mill,  would  be  run  to  grind  the 
wheat,  corn  and  buckwheat  that  was  raised  by  the  farmers  in  the  vicinity. 
But  this  means  of  obtaining  food  supplies  sometimes  failed  by  breakdowns 
of  the   crude   machinery,   and   the   settlers   would   be    without    bread    for   days. 

Although  the  Indian  camps  were  very  numerous  along  the  Tittabawassee 
for  several  miles  above  Green  Point,  the  pioneer  settlers  were  seldom 
molested  by  the  red  men,  with  whom  they  were  on  friendly  terms;  and  they 
often  traded  with  them  for  venison,  fish,  cranberries,  and  the  skins  ,,f 
animals  they  had  killed.  Sometimes  the  Indians  would  pitch  their  wigwams 
near  the  log  houses  of  the  settlers,  and  then  they  would  get  little  sleep. 
The  braves  would  hold  a  pow-wow  and  keep  it  up  all  night,  with  a 
monotonous  drumming  and  singing,  after  their  fashion;  but  beyond  this 
annoyance   they   were  not   troublesome.      At   one   time   two   big  braves   came 


122  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


to  the  Busby  house  late  at  night,  and  asked  for  some  whiskey,  saying  one 
of  them  had  a  little  papoose  at  his  wigwam.  Although  they  seldom  let  the 
Indians  have  liquor,  this  seemed  a  special  occasion  so  they  gave  them  some, 
whereupon  they  seemed  in  no  hurry  to  go  home,  but  stretched  themselves 
on  the  floor  and  slept  until  daylight.     They  then  left  very  quietly. 

On  Sunday  Joseph  Busby  usually  went  from  the  farm  to  town  to  get 
the  mail,  which  came  on  horseback  from  Flint  once  a  week.  The  mail 
carrier  used  to  cross  the  river  at  Green  Point,  the  only  crossing  at  that  time. 
(  >n  one  occasion,  when  Mr.  Busby  met  him  at  the  Point,  he  had  some  errand 
to  a  settler  up  the  river,  and  not  wanting  to  carry  the  mail  bag  back  and 
forth,  he  tossed  it  into  the  bushes  until  he  should  return  and  proceed  to  town. 
At  that  time,  1834,  the  mail  was  seldom  heavy,  as  the  population  of  the 
county  did  not  exceed  one  hundred  persons. 

Benjamin  Cushway 

Many  of  the  older  residents  of  the  valley  still  remember  one  of  the 
pioneer  mechanics,  Benjamin  Cushway.  who  was  appointed  by  General  Cass, 
then  Territorial  Governor  of  Michigan,  as  United  States  blacksmith  for  the 
Chippewa  Indians.  He  was  born  at  Grosse  Point,  Detroit,  February  7, 
1810,  and  was  a  son  of  John  B.  Cushway,  a  native  of  Canada  and  of  French 
parentage.  During  his  boyhood  Benjamin  worked  on  his  father's  farm,  his 
early  education  being  obtained  by  attending  night  schools  in  Detroit.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  the  blacksmith's  trade  with  "Uncle  Harvey 
Williams,"  who  was  afterward  prominently  identified  with  the  lumber  in- 
dustry in  Saginaw  Valley,  and  continued  this  work  for  seven  vears. 

In  1S.54  he  received  the  official  appointment  as  Indian  blacksmith,  and 
came  to  Saginaw,  making  his  headquarters  in  a  block  house  within  the  old 
fort.  lie  was  removed  by  the  treaty  of  1837  to  Bay  City,  where  he  held  the 
same  position  until  1844.  While  there  he  purchased  large  tracts  of  land 
and   other  property,  and  acquired   a   competence. 

About  1848  he  returned  to  Saginaw  City  and  built  a  house  on  the  lot 
where  the  Miller  block  was  afterward  erected,  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Court  and  Hamilton  Streets.  He  lived  there  until  1866,  when  he  purchased 
the  Wendall  farm  near  the  city  on  the  Mackinaw  road,  where  he  resided  for 
several  years.  At  one  time  he  owned  the  Brockway  farm  and  other  parcels 
o|   land  in  different  parts  of  the  State. 

On  July  15,  1833,  Mr.  Cushway  was  married  to  Miss  Adelaide  Delisle, 
who  was  born  at  Detroit  in  1812,  and  was  a  cousin  of  the  Campaus,  the  first 
white  settlers  in  Saginaw  Valley.  Her  first  visit  to  this  place  was  in  1827. 
when  the  settlement  consisted  of  only  two  block  houses.  Fourteen  children, 
nine  boys  and  five  girls,  were  born  to  them.  Mrs.  Cushway  died  in  1878 
at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years.  After  an  active  and  useful  life  Mr.  Cushway 
died  at  his  home  in  Saginaw  City  on  May  25.  1881,  in  his  seventy-second 
year,  lie  was  well  known  and  respected  for  his  sterling  qualities  and 
In  ispitable  nature. 

Phineas   D.  Braley 

In  an  account  of  pioneer  life  in  the  thirties,  Mrs.  Eleazer  Jewett  relates 
that  at  a  late  hour  one  night,  when  alone  in  her  cabin  at  Green  Point,  there 
was  a  call  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  some  man  wanting  to  come 
across.  She  informed  him  that  there  was  no  one  to  set  him  over.  He  then 
said  he  hail  ridden  all  day.  was  utterly  exhausted  and  sick,  and  unless  aid 
reached  him  he  would  lie  down  and  die.  This  appeal  touched  the  heart  of 
Mrs.  Jewett,  and  although  she  had  never  paddled  a  canoe  across  the  river 
and  tlie  night  was  very  dark,  she  resolved  to  make  an  attempt  to  get  him 
over.      Putting  a  candle  in  the  window    for  a  beacon  in  coming  back,  she  took 


THE  RISE  AND   PROGRESS  OF  SAGINAW   CITY  133 

a  canoe,  and  after  stemming  the  current  and  often  calling  to  know  where  to 
land,  she  at  length  succeeded  in  reaching  the  opposite  shore.  There  she 
found  a  traveller  who  had  been  taken  with  fever  and  ague,  and  was  so  ill 
that  he  could  scarcely  get  into  the  canoe.  By  leading  his  horse  by  the  side 
of  the  little  boat,  they  finally  reached  the  west  bank  of  the  stream  at  the 
In  ittr  of  midnight. 

This  early  pioneer  who  arrived  here  in  such  an  unfortunate  plight  was 
Phineas  D.  Braley,  who  afterward  was  one  of  the  best  known  lumber  jobbers 
in  the  valley.  He  was  born  in  Berkshire  County,  Massachusetts,  April  17, 
1811,  and  came  with  his  parents  to  the  Michigan  wilderness  in  1835.  Thc_\ 
settled  on  a  tract  of  land  on  the  Tittabawassee  where  T.  C.  Ripley  after- 
ward lived,  the  family,  including  that  of  an  uncle,  Ephraim  Braley,  number- 
ing seventeen  persons.  The  wagon  by  which  they  had  travelled  the  greater 
part  of  the  long  journey  from  New  England,  was  one  of  the  first  wheeled 
conveyances  brought  to  this  place. 

The  first  winter  Phineas  lived  there  he  cut  two  hundred  cords  of  wood 
and  put  it  on  the  bank  of  the  river  for  "Uncle  Harvey  Williams,"  at  thirty 
cents  a  cord.  He  often  told  an  amusing  incident  in  connection  with  his 
wagon.  "Harvey  Williams  came  and  hitched  his  ox  team  to  it  one  day,  and 
refused  to  return  it,  saying  he  wanted  to  buy  it ;  but  I  refused  to  sell.  He 
paid  no  attention  to  what  I  said,  but  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket  and  drew 
out  a  handful  of  bank  notes,  and  gave  it  to  me  without  counting  it,  remark- 
ing as  he  left  that  if  it  was  not  enough  he  would  give  me  some  more.  I 
counted  the  money  and  found  there  was  just  one  hundred  and  seventy 
dollars  in  currency." 

In  August,  1833,  Mr.  Braley  was  married  to  Miss  Rebecca  Hubbard; 
and  to  them  three  children  were  born.  Mrs.  Braley  died,  and  some  times 
after  he  married  Miss  Jane  Blewer.  After  her  death  he  married  on  December 
18.  1842,  Mrs.  Olive  Hubbard  Grout,  who  was  born  at  Oxford.  (  (ntario, 
December  28,  1819.  Her  parents  came  to  Saginaw  in  1831.  being  among 
the  early  settlers  here.  About  1867  Mr.  Braley  built  a  comfortable  home  on 
Washington  Street,  Saginaw  City,  and  at  that  time  was  one  of  the  most 
pretentious  houses  in   the  town. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Braley  lived  to  rear  a  family  of  nine  children,  and  were 
survived  by  Phineas  J.,  Fred  J.,  Mrs.  Henry  Snider,  Mrs.  G.  W.  Bennett, 
Mrs.  Charles  A.  Lee,  and  Mrs.  F.  A.  Farmer.  Having  spent  a  useful  and 
well  regulated  life,  Mr.  Braley  died  December  9,  1887,  Mrs.  Braley  surviving 
him  until  April  17.  18''0.  when  she  died  at  the  home  of  her  daughter,  Mrs. 
G.   W.   Bennett. 

Ephraim  Braley,  who  came  to  this  valley  with  his  brother  Phineas,  in 
1S55,  was  born  in  Berkshire  County,  Massachusetts,  March  29,  1813,  and 
died  at  his  home  in  Saginaw  Township  October  11,  1886. 

Hiram  L.  Miller 

Another  of  the  early  pioneers  who  left  the  stamp  of  their  individuality 
upon  the  dim  memories  of  the  past  was  Hiram  L.  Miller,  one  of  the  first 
ordained  preachers  to  impart  Christianity  among  the  settlers.  He  was  born 
in  January,  1804,  obtained  his  early  education  at  Morristown  ami  Basking 
Ridge  academies,  and  took  a  three  years'  theological  course  at  Auburn,  New- 
York.  His  first  pastorate  was  at  Buffalo,  New  York,  whence  he  went  t<> 
Lockport  and  later  to  Avon,  in  the  same  State.  In  1830.  while  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Avon,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Adaline  Little,  the 
fourth  child  of  Doctor  Charles  Little,  one  of  the  early  explorers  of  Saginaw 
Valley.  She  was  born  November  30,  1810;  and  was  educated  at  the  Ontario 
Female  Seminary,  founded  in  1825  at  Canandaieua,  New  York. 


THE   RISI-:   ANT)    PRnCRESS  (»F  SAGINAW   CITY  125 


Mr.  Miller  removed  with  his  family  to  Saginaw  City  in  1836,  at  a  time 
when  there  was  a  great  accession  to  the  population  of  the  place.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year  a  Presbyterian  congregation  was  organized,  which  was  pre- 
sided over  by  him  as  pastor  for  about  two  years,  and  a  marked  improvement 
was  made  in  the  religious  and  social  status  of  the  inhabitants.  A  Christian 
mission  was  also  established  among  the  Indians,  many  of  whom  were  con- 
verted to  the  white  man's  religion.  Albert  Miller  relates  that  in  looking 
pine  lands  in  1846,  far  up  on  the  Tittabawassee,  he  started  from  camp  one 
morning  at  daybreak,  and  while  paddling  his  canoe  down  the  river  his  ears 
were  greeted  with  familiar  music  wafted  from  the  recesses  of  the  forest.  He 
was  never  more  charmed  than  while  listening  to  the  sweet  notes  of  a  hymn 
tune  sung  in  the  wilderness  by  a  family  of  Indians  at  their  morning 
devi  itions. 

Besides  the  ministrations  of  Christianity  to  his  fellow-men,  Mr.  Miller 
evinced  a  deep  interest  in  the  material  side  of  life  and  in  civic  affairs  in 
general,  and  exerted  a  powerful  influence  for  the  upliftment  of  the  com- 
munity. At  different  times  he  served  the  county  in  official  positions,  was 
one  of  the  first  justices  of  the  peace,  and  was  collected  with  the  first  news- 
paper printed  here.  He  was  chairman  of  the  first  board  of  supervisors, 
organized  in  1X42,  and  was  twice  a  member  of  the  legislature,  in  1841  and  in 
1844,  and  served  on  the  State  Board  of  Education.  Familiarly  known  as 
"Priest"  Miller,  he  was  long  looked  upon  as  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  the 
county.  The  offices  of  register  of  deeds,  county  treasurer,  and  county  clerk 
were  held  by  him  at  different  times.  In  later  years  he  expressed  regret  that 
his  life,  though  a  long  and  useful  one,  had  been  so  diversified,  his  preference 
being  a  life  devoted  to  a  single  object. 

Mr  Miller  lived  to  the  venerable  age  of  ninety-two  years,  going  to  his 
reward  on  May  16.  1896,  after  a  residence  here  of  sixty  years.  He  was 
preceded  by  Mrs.  Miller  who.  after  a  long  life  marked  by  decision  of 
character  and  fidelity  to  principle,  and  unostentatious  generosity,  died  July 
27,  1S89,  in  the  seventy-ninth  year  of  her  life.  They  left  one  son,  Norman  L. 
Miller,  and  three  grandchildren,  Mrs.  John  |.  Spencer,  Frank  Miller  and  Mr--. 
H.  L.   Brintnall. 

With  E.  S.  Williams  and  Albert  Miller  he  completed  the  trio  of  illus- 
trious men  who  bore  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  early  pioneer  days,  and 
whose  influence  for  good  extended   far  beyond  their  lives. 

The   First  Steamboat  on  the  Saginaw. 

Not  all  the  early  pioneers  in  coming  to  the  wilderness  on  the  Saginaw 
broke  through  the  dense  forest,  a  journey  always  attended  with  innumerable 
dangers  and  hardships.  Some  preferred  to  brave  the  perils  of  lake  naviga- 
tion and  took  passage  in  the  frail  and  incommodious  vessels  of  the  period, 
for  a  voyage  across  Lake  Huron  and  Saginaw  May.  In  1836  a  small  party 
of  prospectors  arrived  here  in  the  first  steamboat  that  ever  plied  the  waters 
of  the  Saginaw,  an  event  of  surpassing  interest  to  the  settlers  and  natives  of 
the  forest. 

It  was  in  the  month  of  July  that  Albert  Miller  and  James  Fraser,  accom- 
panied by  Eleazer  fewett,  then  county  surveyor,  and  an  assistant,  were 
making  a  preliminary  survey  of  a  tract  of  land,  upon  which  the  town  of 
Portsmouth  was  afterward  built,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  plat  of  it. 
While  at  dinner  one  day  at  Leon  Tromble's  place,  a  small  log  house  on 
John  Riley's  Reserve,  near  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Water  Streets,  Louis 
Tromble,  then  a  boy  about  ten  years  of  age,  came  running  in  greatly  excited 
crying,  "A  steamboat!  A  steamboat!"  They  all  went  out  to  see  what  the 
boy  had  mistaken  for  a  steamboat,  and  were  greatly  surprised  and  delighted 


126  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

to  behold  the  vessel  slowly  making  headway  against  a  south  wind  and  the 
current  of  the  river.  They  hailed  the  steamboat,  which  proved  to  be  the 
Governor  Marry,  commanded  by  Captain  Gorham  and  piloted  by  Captain 
Rhodes,  and  chartered  by  Norman  Little  in  behalf  of  himself  and  Mackie, 
Oakley  and  Jennison,  who  proposed  to  invest  in  and  built  up  the  town  of 
Saginaw.  The  surveying  party  went  out  to  the  steamboat  in  their  canoe. 
and  with  some  difficulty  got  on  board,  Mr.  Jewett  losing  his  compass  staff 
in  the  effort.  They  then  steamed  up  the  river,  when,  for  the  first  time,  the 
white  owds  on  the  Lone  Tree,  the  wild  ducks  on  the  river,  and  the  fishes  in 
the  stream  were  disturbed  by  the  noise  of  steam  propelled  machinery. 

The  settlers  at  Saginaw  were  greatly  elated  at  the  arrival  of  the  first 
steamboat  at  their  town,  and  the  next  day  an  excursion  was  run  up  the 
Tittabawassee  to  test  those  waters  for  steamboat  navigation.  Nearly  every 
person  in  the  place  turned  out  and  the  boat,  which  was  a  logy  old  tub  of 
only  sixteen  tons  burden,  steamed  up  the  river  about  two  miles  bevmid 
Green  Point,  when  its  progress  was  impeded  by  overhanging  branches. 
Among  those  on  the  boat  were  Doctor  Charles  Little,  who  was  then  visiting 
his  daughter.  Airs.  Hiram  L.  Miller,  and  George  W.  Bullock,  who  for  many 
years  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  business  circles  of  Saginaw. 

A  few  days  after,  the  Governor  Marcy  left  for  Detroit,  and  continued  to 
make  regular  trips  between  Buffalo  and  Saginaw  during  the  remainder  of 
the  season,  and  during  the  season  of  1837  and  a  part  of  1838.  Her  first  com- 
mander. Captain  Gorham,  was  a  perfect  dandy  who  dressed  in  fantastic  style, 
and  was  known  to  have  changed  his  clothes  three  or  four  times  after  entering 
the  river,  before  reaching  the  landing  at  Saginaw.  He  would  perch  himself 
on  the  wheelhouse  and  motion  with  his  arms  in  a  most  grotesque  manner. 
as  if  piloting  the  vessel,  Captain  Rhodes,  the  pilot,  who  was  an  old  navigator 
of  the  river,  paying  not  the  least  attention  to  him,  or  to  his  commands. 

In  passing  the  rapids  at  the  head  of  the  St.  Clair  River,  the  utmost 
power  of  the  little  steamboat  was  steadily  employed  for  a  time.  There  was 
a  big  stump  on  the  Canadian  shore  opposite  the  strongest  current,  which 
passengers  were  accustomed  to  watch  in  ganging  the  progress  made.  The 
boat  would  push  boldly  forward  for  a  few  rods  and  get  ahead  of  the  stump, 
then,  through  some  slight  deviation  from  a  direct  line,  the  current  would 
cause  her  to  fall  back,  and  the  stum])  would  be  ahead.  But  by  repeated  trials 
and  perseverance  the  steamboat  always  won  out,  and  left  the  rapids  and  the 
stump  on  shore  far  behind. 

There  were  no  tugs  in  those  waters  at  that  time,  and  sailing  vessels 
often  had  to  lay  to  and  wait  for  a  favorable  wind  to  help  them  over  into  the 
lake.  I'n  one  occasion,  when  the  steamboat  was  about  to  stem  the  rapids, 
the  captain  of  a  vessel  hailed  her.  came  on  board,  and  gave  her  captain  one 
hundred  dollars  for  a  tow  into  Lake  Huron.  Some  passengers  on  the  vessel 
stepped  on  board  the  steamboat  for  a  short  ride,  and  the  towline  had  just 
been  made  fast,  when  a  fresh  breeze  sprang  up,  the  vessel  hoisted  sail,  the 
line  was  cast  off,  and  she  sailed  proudly  through  the  rapids  into  the  lake, 
leaving  the  steamboat  to  struggle  with  the  swift  current.  After  getting  into 
the  lake,  the  vessel  hove  to  and  waited  for  the  steamboat  to  come  up,  for  her 
passengers  to  get  on  board. 

Extract  From  Mrs.  A.  M.  Richman's  Diary 

Among  other  hardy  spirits,  who  arrived  on  the  Governor  Marcy.  in  1836, 
were  Charles  L.  Richman  and  family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  one  son, 
Charles  H.  Mrs.  Richman.  a  daughter  of  James  Sibley,  one  of  the  earliest 
settlers  of  Ontario  County,   Xew  York,  was  born  at  Canandaigua,    January 


THE  RISE   AXD   PRnCRESS  <  >F   SA(iINAW   CITY  127 


9,  1807.  She  was  one  of  the  noble  pioneer  women  of  the  west,  and  mie  of 
the  best  known  and  must  highly  esteemed  residents  of  Saginaw  City.  A 
graphic  account  of  what  this  place  was  when  she  came  here  is  imparted  by  an 
extract  from  her  diary  of  early  date: 

"We  arrived  at  old  Fort  Saginaw  on  Saturday  morning  October  1,  1836, 
in  a  drizzling  rain,  amid  the  cheers  of  the  settlers  and  the  waving  of  a  table 
cloth,  which  to  ns.  who  on  the  last  day  of  the  voyage  were  on  an  allowance 
of  pork  and  hard  tack,  was  at  least  suggestive.  We  were  very  kindly  and 
hospitably  received  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  L.  Miller,  who  had  been  here  a  short 
time,  having  come  down  the  Flint  River  in  a  canoe.  Things  in  general 
seemed  the  newest  of  the  new,  and  the  prospect  was  dreary  in  the  extreme, 
but  then  we  reflected  on  poor  'Robinson.'  and  took  heart.  I  went  into  the 
store  to  write  back  my  'first  experience,'  and  met  my  old  friend  Peyton  R. 
Morgan,  of  Avon,  Xew  York,  who  suggested  that  I  wait  until  morning;  but 
I  didn't.     That  letter  was  preserved  in  the  family  as  a  gem  of  the  west. 

"The  question  now  arose,  where  were  we  to  find  shelter?  Very  for- 
tunately a  kind  and  over-ruling  Providence  sent  us  to  the  'old  block  house," 
and  to  the  unwearied  attention  of  Major  Mosely  and  his  dear  wife.  The 
morning  after  our  arrival,  which  was  Sunday,  a  good  portion  of  our  colony 
met  at  the  house  of  H.  L.  Miller,  who  was  a  Presbyterian  minister,  to 
return  thanks  to  our  loving  Father  for  our  safe  passage  after  our  many 
perils  of  the  lake. 

"The  old  block  house  stood  inside  the  fort  stockade,  partially  sur- 
rounded by  the  original  pickets.  But  few  buildings  were  left  of  the  old  fort, 
and  this  was  the  best.  They  were  all  occupied,  as  was  every  nook  and 
corner,  even  to  standing  boards  from  the  pickets,  as  we.  when  children,  made 
play  houses.  One  of  the  buildings  was  used  as  a  hotel,  kept  by  Mr.  Tibbetts, 
with  the  modest  name  of  Saginaw  City  Exchange.  That  same  old  block 
house  has  welcomed  many  a  pleasant  gathering,  for  they  were  the  very  souls 
of  hospitality,  and  how  we  feasted  on  wild  game,  on  trout,  sturgeon  and 
white  fish,  which  was  brought  from  the  bay  corded  as  they  do  wood.  Cran- 
berries were  so  plentiful  that  vessels  on  their  return  trips  were  ballasted  with 
them.  Neither  did  we  sweeten  them  with  Indian  sugar  —  ah!  no.  During 
the  ever  remembered  and  pleasant  winter  we  passed  in  the  old  block  house, 
there  were  many  arrivals  in  town,  so  that  our  society  was  good  and  intel- 
ligent: and.  as  in  our  isolated  condition,  we  were  dependent  upon  each  other 
for  our  mutual  comfort  and  happiness,  the  memory  of  that  winter  is  a  green 
spot.' 

"On  the  first  of  (anuarv.  1837,  we  introduced  the  eastern  style  of  calls, 
with  'hot  coffee  and  cake.'  The  calls  were  so  numerous  as  to  be  oppressive; 
the  constant  repetition  gave  a  sameness.  The  gentlemen  had  a  sleigh,  and  as 
they  laughingly  expressed  it.  they  'called  and  returned  it.'  Some  thought 
they  were  called  for.  but  the  finale  was  at  a  place  of  pleasant  memories,  the 
old  block  house  of  1836." 

Long  after  Mrs.  Richman  had  beheld  and  endured  the  sufferings  and 
privations  of  early  settlement,  and  had  witnessed  the  subsequent  growth 
and  prosperity  of  the  place,  she  died  at  her  home  on  March  16,  1877,  at  the 
age  of  seventy  years. 

Charles   H.   Richman 

Captain  Charles  H.  Richman,  for  forty-seven  years  a  resident  of  Saginaw 
City,  who  came  here  with  his  father,  Charles  L.  Richman,  in  1836,  was  born 
at  Canandaigua,  New  York,  September  28.  1828:  but  his  boyhood,  and.  in 
fact,  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  was  spent  in  this  valley. 


128  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  civil  war  he  raised  a  company  of  soldiers,  called 
the  "Saginaw  Rangers,"  which  were  attached  to  the  Tenth  Regiment  of 
Volunteer  Infantry,  designated  as  Company  B,  of  which,  upon  being 
mustered  into  service  on  October  1,  1861,  he  was  made  captain.  He  served 
with  his  regiment  in  the  held  until  February  6,  1865,  when  ,  having  con- 
tracted acute  neuralgia  while  in  line  of  duty,  he  was  mustered  out.  During 
this  lung  service  he  saw  much  hard  fighting,  his  regiment  being  engaged  in 
several  severe  battles.  For  some  months  during  the  winter  of  1863-64  he 
was  attached  to  the  staff  of  General  J.  D.  Morgan,  commanding  the  First 
Brigade,  Second  Division  of  the  Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  as  Inspector  Gen- 
eral, and  participated  in  that  capacity  in  the  action  at  Tunnel,  Mill,  near 
Dalton,  Georgia,  on  February  25,  1864.  His  conduct  on  that  occasion  was 
such  that  he  was  complimented  in  the  official  report  by  his  commanding 
officer.  After  Sherman's  march  to  the  sea,  in  which  he  participated,  he 
proceeded  to  Sister's  Ferry,  Georgia,  fifty  miles  from  Savannah,  where  over- 
come by  illness,  he  was  sent  back  to  that  city,  mustered  out,  and  sent  home. 

In  1871  he  removed  to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  the  hotel  business,  but 
eight  weeks  after  was  burned  out  in  the  memorable  fire  of  that  year,  and 
thereupon  returned  to  Saginaw.  Afterward  he  leased  the  Rust  House  at 
Farwell,  which  he  conducted  for  two  years.  Returning  to  Saginaw  he  joined 
the  staff  of  the  old  Courier,  as  Saginaw  City  reporter,  a  service  which  he 
performed  faithfully  anil  acceptably  for  several  years.  About  1880  he  leased 
the  Jewell  I  louse  at  Vassar,  where  he  remained  for  a  year,  but  his  health 
failing  he  removed  to  a  farm  on  the  Bridgeport  road,  near  East  Saginaw. 
Surrounded  by  every  comfort,  and  with  all  the  care  and  medical  skill  of  the 
time,  he  gradually  failed,  and  it  was  soon  seen  that  restoration  was  hopeless. 
He  was  a  man  of  genial,  happy  temperament  which  made  him  friends  in  all 
circles,  and  there  were  many  sincere  and  saddened  regrets  at  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  17,  1883,  in  his  fifty-fifth  year. 

Mrs.  Charles  11.  Richman,  who  was  of  the  highest  type  of  womanhood, 
of  tine  motherly  qualities,  and  purity  of  every  thought  and  action,  was  born 
in  (  )swego  County,  New  York,  January  28.  1838,  and  came  to  Michigan  with 
her  parents  when  quite  young.  They  first  settled  at  Northville,  but  in  1847 
removed  to  Saginaw,  where  she  was  married  to  Mr.  Richman.  She  died 
March  7,  1891,  at  the  age  of  fifty-three;  and  was  survived  by  two  daughters, 
Mrs.  James  II.  Norris,  and  Miss  Kate  Richman,  who  afterward  married 
William   C.   Phipps,  of  this  city. 

Saginaw  City  in  1837 

<  )n  the  nineteenth  of  June.  1837,  E.  L.  Wentz,  in  company  with  Alfred 
Hovey,  left  Binghamton,  New  York,  with  a  view  of  rinding  employment  in 
the  west.  After  a  journey  of  twelve  days  filled  with  varying  experiences 
they  arrived  at  Detroit  on  July  1st.  There  they  saw  some  flaming-red 
posters  advertising  low  fares  to  Saginaw  City  by  the  steamboat  Governor 
Marry,  which  was  a  temptation  to  further  adventure,  so  they  took  passage 
to  this  port  arriving  on  July  3,  1837.  Their  first  view  of  the  struggling 
settlement  was  a  disappointment,  as  they  had  expected  to  find  a  city  of  at 
least  ten  thousand  inhabitants,  whereas  they  had  landed  in  a  little  hamlet  of 
scarcely  fifteen  buildings,  and  not  over  one  hundred  persons  residing  therein. 

"At  the  extreme  south  end  of  the  town,"  writes  Mr.  Wentz,  "on  the 
bank  of  the  river  was  a  steam  saw  mill,  with  one  upright  saw  that  if  closely 
watched  might  have  cut  one  thousand  feet  of  lumber  in  twenty-four  hours. 
A  short  distance  from  the  mill  and  a  hundred  yards  from  the  river,  was  a  red 
building  where  the  Millers  kept  store.  Gardner  1).  Williams  had  a  residence 
about  a  thousand  feet  back  from  the  river  at  the  extreme  south  end  of  town. 


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130  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Near  the  red  store  were  two  or  three  small  buildings,  in  one  of  which  was  the 
postoffice.  At  that  time  the  mail  came  to  Saginaw  but  once  a  week  on 
horseback  by  way  of  Flint  and  the  did  Indian  trail.  About  a  thousand  feet 
from  the  postoffice  down  the  river  and  immediately  on  the  bank  was  a  ware- 
house, directly  back  of  which  at  the  foot  of  the  bluff  was  a  small  building, 
in  which  someone  kept  a  stcpck  of  Indian  goods,  and  still  further  back  on  the 
tup  n!  the  bluff  was  the  old  government  stockade.  Two  hundred  feet  north 
of  the  stockade  was  the  old  log  tavern,  kept  by  an  Englishman  by  the  name 
of  Maiden.  Six  or  eight  hundred  feet  further  north,  and  a  hundred  feet 
further  back  from  the  river,  was  a  small  building  where  Henry  Pratt  kept 
a  shoe  shop,  and  still  further  north  was  Richman  and  Lyon's  store,  a  little 
north  of  which  and  immediately  on  the  bluff  was  a  dwelling.  At  the  extreme 
north  end  of  town  Mr.  Jewett  had  a  nice  residence  in  which  he  kept  a  hotel. 
There  was  also  a  very  nice  residence  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  town  occu- 
pied by  Mr.  Little. 

"The  prospect  of  finding  employment  in  this  place  was  not  very  cheer- 
ful, but  we  went  to  an  old  log  tavern  and  engaged  board  at  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  a  day  each.  The  sleeping  room  was  overhead,  entrance  to  which 
was  up  a  ladder  through  a  hole  in  the  Hour;  ami  it  contained  about  thirty 
single  beds  with  the  numbers  chalked  on  the  logs  at  the  head.  After  getting 
our  baggage  stowed  away  we  went  back  to  the  river,  and  followed  the  bank 
to  the  saw  mill  and  sat  down  on  a  log  to  talk  over  the  situation.  Mr.  Hovey 
counted  his  money  and  found  he  had  just  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents.  1  bad 
no  money  to  count.  We  were  perplexed  to  know  what  to  do.  I  suggested 
that  we  could  cut  wood,  as  there  was  plenty  of  it  in  the  country.  Hovey 
said,  'yes:,  but  there  are  no  people  here  to  burn  it,'  which  was  indeed  a  fact. 

"While  we  were  further  debatting  the  matter,  we  saw  a  large  canoe  like 
craft  coming  down  the  river,  propelled  by  twelve  oars,  and  when  it  got 
opposite  to  us  it  turned  in  and  landed  directly  in  front  of  where  we  were 
sitting.  The  first  man  to  step  out  of  it  was  Charles  I7.  Smith,  the  chief 
engineer  of  the  Northern  or  "Had  River'  (anal,  then  being  projected,  lie 
had  come  down  from  the  woods  at  Bad  River,  bringing  his  whole  corps  of 
engineers  and  camp  equipage  to  celebrate  the  Fourth  of  July.  I  had  worked 
with  Smith  for  some  time  on  the  New  York  ami  Erie  Railroad,  and  knew 
him  intimately.  lie  soon  told  me  that  he  had  work  for  both  of  us,  and  we 
took  hold  with  a  will  and  helped  to  pitch  the  tents  on  the  bank  of  the  river 
near  the  northeast  corner  of  the  old  government  stockade;  and  my  first  night 
in  Saginaw  1  spent  in  a  tent  with  the  engineer  corps.  The  party  was  held  in 
Saginaw  several  days  to  allow  some  of  the  men  to  sober  up  from  their 
celebration;  and  we  were  then  sent  to  the  woods  at  Bad  River.  In  travel- 
ling to  ami  from  the  canal  work  we  were  compelled  to  use  canoes,  there  being 
no  roads  i,r  trails,  and  the  country  was  low,  fiat  and  wet,  with  numerous 
streams  and  bayous  to  cross  that  made  it  almost  impossible  to  yet  there 
except  by  the  rivers." 

The   Northern   Canal  Project 

The  first  constitution  of  Michigan,  adopted  in  1835,  made  it  the  duty  qi 
the  government  of  the  State  to  encourage  internal  improvements,  and  oi  the 
legislature  to  make  provision  by  law  for  determining  the  proper  objects  of 
improvements  in  relation  to  roads,  canals  and  navigable  waters,  and  also  to 
provide  for  an  equal,  systematic  and  economical  expenditure  of  all  funds 
appropriated  for  these  objects.  Among  the  various  improvements  projected 
during  the  formative  period  of  our  State,  was  the  Northern  or  "Bad  River" 
Canal,  intended  to  connect  the  waters  of  the  Bad  River  with  those  of  the 
Maple,  and  by  improving  the  rivers  to  open  a  waterway  from  Lake  Huron 
by  way  of  the  Saginaw  and  Grand  Rivers  to  Lake  Michigan  at  Grand  Haven. 


THE  RISE  AND  PROGRESS  OF  SAGINAW  CITY  131 

The  settlers  of  Saginaw  Valley  anticipated  great  results  from  this  im- 
provement, by  its  opening  up  a  waterway  west  into  a  portion  of  the  interior 
of  the  State  that  was  known  to  contain  some  of  its  richest  lands  for  agricul- 
tural purposes,  and  would  also  furnish  a  shorter  route  across  the  peninsula 
than  by  the  course  of  the  lakes.  Early  in  1837  surveys  of  the  canal  were 
made  and  specifications  prepared  for  the  first  section  extending  west  from  the 
forks  of  the  Bad  River.  The  report  of  the  survey  was  regarded  as  exceed- 
ingly favorable,  showing  the  existence  of  a  remarkable  depression  extending 
westward  from  the  waters  of  the  Saginaw  to  those  of  the  Maple,  and  that 
these  waters,  flowing  in  opposite  directions,  were  only  three  miles  distant 
from  each  other  at  one  point,  and  that  between  them  the  highest  elevation 
necessary  to  be  crossed  was  only  seventy-two  feet  above  Lake  Michigan.  It 
was  along  this  valley  and  across  this  low  summit  that  the  engineers  located 
the  route  for  the  canal,  with  certain  slack-water  improvements  to  be  made 
east  and  west  of  it. 

Contracts  for  grubbing  and  clearing  of  the  route  were  let  in  1838,  and 
work  was  commenced  in  that  year.  The  contract  for  excavating  the  site  was 
let  soon  after  to  Norman  Little,  of  Saginaw,  and  another  part  of  the  work 
was  undertaken  by  Alpheus  Williams.  Great  expense  and  hardship  attended 
the  prosecution  of  the  work,  as  it  was  located  in  a  wilderness  fifteen  miles 
from  any  white  settlement,  thereby  adding  to  the  difficulties  of  transporting 
materials  and  supplies.  But  under  the  management  of  the  energetic  con- 
tractor, it  was  continued  with  vigor,  about  one  hundred  Irishmen  being- 
employed  in  excavating;  and  a  large  quantity  of  timber  was  cut  and  lumber 
brought  in  for  the  construction  of  coffer-dams.  The  canal  as  projected  was 
to  be  twenty  miles  long,  ninety  feet  wide,  with  nine  feet  depth  of  water. 

The  work  on  the  canal  continued  until  July.  1839,  when  it  was  suspended 
and  the  project  abandoned.  The  immediate  cause  of  the  failure  was  the 
inability  of  the  State  to  meet  the  monthly  estimates  of  the  contractor, 
according  to  the  terms  of  the  contract,  for  the  reason  that  the  Morris  Canal 
and  Banking  Company,  which  hail  taken  the  S3. 000.000  State  loan,  had  failed 
before  the  whole  amount  had  been  paid  over.  The  timber  intended  for  the 
construction  of  the  locks  and  dams  remained  to  rot  on  the  ground,  and 
remnants  of  some  of  them  were  plainly  visible  within  the  last  twenty-five 
years  in  Chapin  Township. 

When  the  payment  of  wages  and  materials  stopped,  and  the  Irishmen 
were  dismissed  from  the  job  without  their  last  wages  being  paid,  they  came 
to  town  and  for  two  or  three  days  paraded  the  streets  threatening  all  those 
who  had  had  anything  to  do  with  the  canal.  Timid  persons  feared  mob 
violence,  but  when  the  matter  was  fully  explained  so  that  the  laborers  under- 
stood the  cause  of  the  non-payment  of  their  wages,  they  left  without  doing 
any  damage  to  anyone. 

The  sums  expended  on  the  canal  project,  and  which  were  a  total  loss 
to  the  State,  were,  in  1838,  $6,271.12;  in  1839,  $15,985.69;  a  total  of 
$22,256.81. 

Ten  years  after  the  abandonment  of  the  canal  project  by  the  State,  the 
legislature  of  Michigan,  by  act  approved  March  30,  1849,  incorporated  a  com- 
pany composed  of  Gardner  D.  Williams,  James  Fraser,  D.  J.  Johnson,  of 
Saginaw,  and  other  parties  in  the  State,  "to  enter  upon  the  canal  commenced 
by  the  State,  as  their  property,  at  the  forks  of  the  Bad  River,  and  upon  lands 
on  either  side,  and  through  which  the  said  canal  may  pass,  to  the  bend  of 
the  Maple  River,  a  tributary  of  Grand  River,  and  so  far  on  that  river  as  may 
be  thought  proper;  to  construct  a  tow  path  and  concentrate  the  water  for 
canal  use.  and  to  dig,  construct  or  excavate  the  earth;  to  erect  or  set  up 
any  dams,  locks,  waste-weirs,  sluices,  feeders  or  any  other  device  wdiatsoever, 


132  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

to  render  the  same  navigable  with  boats,  barges  or  other  craft."  The  com- 
pany was  duly  organized  under  the  name  of  Saginaw  and  Grand  River  Canal 
Company,  with  a  capital  of  $200,000,  and  its  stock  was  offered  for  sale. 

The  revival  of  the  project  reawakened  hopes  that  the  Maple  River  was  at 
last  to  become  part  of  a  navigable  waterway  between  the  two  great  lakes, 
and  the  people  indulged  in  the  most  visionary  and  impracticable  notions  in 
regard  to  the  water  courses  of  the  State.  Having  no  railroads  or  even  wagon 
roads  leading  to  the  interior,  the  Indian  trails  being  the  only  means  of  com- 
munication between  the  scattered  hamlets,  it  was  perhaps  natural  that  they 
should  have  held  greatly  exaggerated  ideas  of  the  value  of  their  rivers  as 
highways  of  commerce.  No  work  on  the  old  canal  was  ever  done  by  the 
company  organized  here,  and  finally  the  enterprise  was  definitely  abandoned. 
never  to  lie  again  revived.  With  a  better  understanding  of  the  economics 
of  transportation,  the  impractical  schemes  of  visionaries  today  meet  with 
little  encouragement  or  support,  particularly  in  an  age  when  the  facilities 
for  communication  to  the  remotest  parts  of  the  State  are  entirely  adequate 
to  the  needs  of  commerce. 

The  Enterprise  of  Norman  Little 

*  >l  all  the  energetic  and  progressive  men  who  came  to  this  valley  at  an 
early  day,  Norman  Little  must  be  regarded  as  having  been  the  most  enter- 
prising. Partaking  of  the  public  spirit  of  his  father.  Doctor  Charles  Little, 
he  came  here  with  him  in  1822-23,  but  with  others  of  the  party  returned  to 
New  York  State  after  their  exploration-,  were  completed.  In  1836,  having 
enlisted  the  financial  support  of  Mackie,  (  >akley  and  Jennison,  of  New  York 
City,  in  a  project  for  the  building  up  of  the  village  of  Saginaw,  he  took  up 
his  permanent  residence  here.  He  thereupon  chartered  the  steamboat  Gover- 
nor Marcy  and,  with  a  party  of  prominent  citizens  of  Detroit  and  a  number 
of  emigrants,  made  the  first  voyage  by  steam  power  to  the  Saginaw,  and 
proudly  steamed  up  the  river  to  this  place.  Soon  after  this  important  event 
he  established  a  regular  steamboat  line  between  Buffalo  and  Saginaw,  and, 
by  extensive  advertising  in  eastern  cities,  started  the  tide  of  emigration  to 
tlie  then   remotest  point  on  the   western   frontier. 

I  lis  broad  scheme  of  exploitation  embraced  the  erection  of  a  number 
of  costly  buildings,  and  the  making  of  certain  public  improvements;  and 
the  expenditures  of  Mackie  &  Company,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  in 
carrying  out  their  designs,  amounted  to  a  large  sum.  They  first  purchased 
the  military  reservation,  comprising  the  old  fort  and  adjacent  land,  which  is 
now  the  center  of  the  business  section  of  the  West  Side,  and  proceeded  to 
improve  it.  After  the  United  Stales  troops  had  been  withdrawn  from  the 
fort  in  the  fall  of  1823,  this  property  was  sold  to  Samuel  Dexter,  of  Wash- 
tenaw County,  the  consideration  being  seven  thousand  dollars.  In  1832 
Eleazer  Jewett  surveyed  and  platted  the  land  for  Mr.  Dexter,  who  then 
gave  the  place  the  name  of  Saginaw  City.  That  portion  south  of  Cass  Street 
was  then  owned  by  Gardner  D.  Williams  and  Ephraim  S.  Williams,  and  they 
had  it  platted  at  about  the  same  time. 

Mr.  Dexter  designed  to  exploit  the  advantages  of  this  village  as  a  busi- 
ness center  of  a  large  territory  rich  in  natural  resources,  and  to  build  it  up 
for  a  desirable  place  of  residence.  But  his  efforts  in  this  line  were  not  very 
successful,  and  in  1835  he  sold  his  interests  here  to  Doctor  Millington.  of 
Ypsilanti.  for  eleven  thousand  dollars.  The  following  year,  when  the  more 
progressive  men  from  the  east,  with  abundant  capital  at  their  command, 
arrived  to  exploit  its  wonderful  resources,  the  value  of  this  property  had 
apparently  risen  over  night  to  an  unheard  of  figure  in  the  history  of  settle- 
ment of  the  wilderness,   for  they   paid   fifty-five  thousand   dollars   for  it. 


NORMAN     LITTLE 

The   projector  of   Saginaw    City   and    founder   of 
East    Saginaw. 


134  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Upon  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Little's  extensive  plan  of  improvements, 
and  the  expenditure  of  large  sums  of  money,  there  was  a  great  change  in  the 
appearance  of  Saginaw  City.  A  large  influx  of  population  soon  commenced, 
and  a  speculative  mania  seized  all  the  ardent,  enterprising  men  (as  it  did 
adventurous  spirits  throughout  the  United  States  between  1835  and  1838), 
and  an  era  of  speculation  set  in  which  was  unequalled  in  the  history  of  the 
State.  Property  here  changed  hands  from  day  to  day  at  fabulous  prices, 
and  the  pioneers  began  to  think  that  the  consummation  of  their  hopes  of 
seeing  the  Saginaw  Valley  a  rich  and  populous  country,  was  near  at  hand. 
Some  lots,  so  the  records  show,  sold  as  high  as  two  thousand  dollars,  while 
an  eighty  acre  plot  of  ground,  within  a  mile  of  the  river,  brought  eighty 
thousand  dollars.  Nearly  the  entire  section  of  the  county,  bordering  on  the 
cast  side  of  the  Saginaw  and  Shiawassee  Rivers  to  the  south  side  of  the  Cass 
River,  and  extending  a  mile  or  more  along  the  north  hank  of  that  stream, 
was  platted  and  offered  for  sale.  Some  of  these  plats  covered  acre  upon 
acre  of  land  submerged  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  the  only  occupants  being 
the  muskrat,  bull  frog,  and  wild   fowl. 

In  1837  a  new  plat  of  Saginaw  City  was  made  by  Mr.  Little,  which 
embraced  all  the  smaller  plats  previously  drawn,  including  the  "Town  of 
Sagina"  and  the  Dexter  plat,  and  spread  itself  into  magnificent  distances 
taking  in  a  great  deal  of  territory.  However  extravagant  such  a  plat  may 
now  seem,  the  entire  land  then  platted,  after  a  lapse  of  fifty  years,  was 
covered    with    stately    edifices    and    beautiful    homes.     Afterward    Yates    and 

V\ Iruff  acquired  a  considerable  portion  of  the  platted  territory,  and,  being 

men  of  wealth,  they  commenced  improvements  which  could  only  have  been 
inaugurated  under  the  influence  of  a  mania  of  speculation.  Attracted  by  the 
beauty  of  the  location  and  of  the  surrounding  country,  with  its  bountiful 
forests  and  water  communication  to  the  east,  these  men  sought  to  build  up 
.i  I  leautiful  city. 

The  Old  Webster  House 

Among  the  improvements  made  by  this  syndicate  was  the  building  of 
the  Webster  House,  a  large  hotel  located  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Jefferson  Streets,  the  site  of  the  present  residence  of  Mrs.  George 
Grant,  Jr..  the  streets  now  being  known  as  Michigan  Avenue  and  Cleveland 
Street.  Like  other  structures  projected  by  these  speculators,  this  hotel  was 
of  spacious  proportions,  three  stories  in  height,  having  a  Grecian  portico, 
with  fluted  columns  sustaining  the  entablature,  and  broad  verandas,  a  fine 
basement,  and  was  of  sufficient  size  to  accommodate  the  ordinary  hotel 
necessities  of  a  town  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  For  a  long  time  it  was 
the  most  pretentious  and  best  conducted  public  house  of  any  in  Michigan, 
anil,  as  the  center  of  the  social  life  of  the  town,  it  helped  to  spread  its  fame 
in  other  sections  of  the  State.  The  projectors  also  constructed  a  capacious 
warehouse,  about  one  hundred  feet  in  length  by  sixty  feet  in  width,  having 
three  floors,  on  the  margin  of  the  river  at  what  is  now  the  foot  of  Cleveland 
Street. 

Soon  after  the  Webster  House  was  opened  to  the  public,  in  1838.  E.  L. 
Wentz,  who  during  the  previous  year  hail  lived  at  Maiden's  log  tavern, 
moved  over  to  the  new  hotel,  and  at  times  assisted  Mr.  Harring,  the  pro- 
prietor, in  the  office.  In  this  capacity  he  became  well  acquainted  with  the 
people  who  stayed  there;  and  many  years  after  told  an  amusing  incident 
illustrating  a  peculiar  custom  of  the  time. 

"1  have  a  vivid  recollection,"  said  he,  "of  a  high  lark  that  Henry  Pratt 
and  I  had  at  the  Webster  House  a  short  time  after  it  was  opened.  There 
was   some  doings   that  brought  all   the  people   of  the  country  into  town,   and 


1 1 


THE  RISE  AND   PROGRESS  OF  SAGINAW   CITY  135 


they  all  stopped  at  the  Webster  House.  The  country  guests  all  took  off 
their  boots,  shoes  and  stockings  in  the  office  and  left  them  there,  going'  up 
stairs  bare-footed  to  bed.  After  all  were  in  bed  and  the  house  quiet,  Pratt 
and  I  went  to  his  shop,  got  some  shoe  brushes  and  blacking,  returned  to  the 
hotel  and  blacked  one  of  every  pair  of  boots  and  shoes  we  could  find  in  the 
house.  We  worked  at  it  until  daylight,  then  blacked  one  of  our  own  in  the 
same  way,  and  went  to  bed  for  about  an  hour.  I  came  into  the  office  early  to 
see  the  effect  of  our  night's  work. 

"When  the  people  began  to  come  down  the  fun  commenced.  Everyone 
tried  to  get  a  pair  of  polished  boots  or  shoes,  some  didn't  know  their  shoes 
and  looked  half  an  hour  for  them,  some  accepted  the  joke  and  laughed,  while 
others  cursed  a  blue  streak,  threatening  to  kill  the  person  who  blacked  their 
boots,  if  they  could  find  out  who  did  it.  During  the  day  nearly  every  man 
to  be  met  on  the  streets  had  on  one  polished  boot  or  shoe,  and  that  was 
evidence  that  he  was  a  guest  of  the  Webster  House.  Pratt  and  I  kept  very 
still  and  had  our  laugh  all  to  ourselves.  Saginaw  at  that  time  was  very 
dull,  and  anything  that  created  a  little  excitement  was  enjoyable." 

The  Bubble  Bursts 

'fhe  general  inflation  of  values  caused  by  speculative  mania  finally  pro- 
duced an  abnormal  condition  of  affairs  throughout  the  country.  In  1838 
the  huge  bubble  of  speculation  collapsed.  But  few  banks  in  the  United 
States  survived  the  disaster,  and  those  that  did,  suspended  specie  payments. 
Then  followed  several  years  of  broad-spread  commercial  and  mercantile  de- 
pression. For  a  long  time  the  business  of  the  country  was  paralyzed,  finding 
but  little  relief  until  the  passage  of  the  bankrupt  law  by  Congress,  in   1842. 

For  several  years  after  the  collapse  very  little  progress  was  made  in  the 
valley  of  the  Saginaw.  Evidently  the  projectors  of  the  realty  boom,  and 
of  the  improvements  referred  to,  had  anticipated  a  large  influx  of  population 
and  a  corresponding  increase  in  trade,  lor  they  were  strong  in  the  faith  of 
ultimate  success,  a  quality  indispensable  to  the  pioneer,  and  men  of  ideas 
and  energy.  Put  with  the  suspension  of  the  Saginaw  City  Bank,  a  "wild- 
cat" concern  organized  by  Norman  Little  and  others,  and  of  all  construction 
work,  many  mechanics  and  laborers  were  thrown  out  of  employment,  and 
a  large  number  returned  to  the  East.  Instead  of  speculating  as  to  the 
quickest  way  of  making  a  fortune,  the  people  had  to  turn  their  attention 
to  the  best  means  of  obtaining  bread.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  abundant 
resources  of  the  country,  many  who  remained  might  have  come  to  want; 
but  with  plenty  of  game  in  the  forests  and  the  choicest  iff  fish  in  the  waters, 
and  a  productive  soil  on  the  alluvial  bottom  lands,  all  that  stayed  here 
managed  to  obtain  a  livelihood.  Many  who  had  been  in  other  business  \J 
resorted  to  farming,  which  hastened  the  clearing  of  the  land,  and  aided  in 
the  development  of  the   country. 

Anthony   R.   Swarthout 

Captain  A.  R.  Swarthout,  who  gained  his  title  in  the  Pottawatomie  and 
Black  Hawk  wars,  was  born  in  Seneca  County.  New  York,  in  September, 
1796.  He  was  of  Dutch  descent,  some  members  of  the  family  being  noted 
for  longevity,  his  great  grandmother  having  attained  to  the  remarkable  age 
ot  one  hundred  and  seventeen  years.  His  boyhood  was  passed  in  his  native- 
place:  and  in  1816  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hannah  Rose,  and  removed  to 
Steuben  County,  New  York.  In  1826,  having  heard  much  of  the  opportun- 
ities of  settlement  in  the  territory  of  Michigan,  he  made  a  tedious  journey 
to  the  then  "Far  West";  and  in  the  following  year  moved  his  family  to 
lamp   he  had   located  near  Ypsilanti. 


136 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 


After  the  Indian  wars,  in  which  he  was  enrolled  in  a  company  of  rifle- 
men known  as  "minute  men,"  were  ended,  Captain  Swarthout  ventured  the 
journey  through  the  almost  unbroken  wilderness  to  the  trading  post  on  the 
Saginaw,  arriving  here  on  September  2o,  1835.  At  the  first  township  meet- 
ing held  in  the  spring  of  1836,  there  were  seventeen  votes  polled,  and  he 
was  elected  one  of  the  township  officers  —  that  of  highway  commissioner, 
which  he  held  for  sixteen  years.  In  this  capacity,  with  the  aid  of  Abram 
Butts,  another  early  settler,  he  laid  out  and  established  most  of  the  public 
highways  of  this  and  adjoining  counties  then  embraced  within  the  limits 
of  Saginaw  County,  lie  also  served  a  term  as  supervisor,  and  was  town- 
ship  clerk   for   fourteen   years    without   intermission. 

A  man  of  unquestioned  integrity  and  generous  hospitality,  Captain 
Swarthout  always  commanded  the  respect  of  his  fellow  townsmen.  He  died 
in  1881  at  the  age  of  eighty-five,  survived  by  four  sons  and  three  daughters. 

Horace  S.  Beach 

One  of  the  oldest  and  most  respected  of  the  pioneers  of  this  count)-  was 
Horace  S.  Beach,  who  was  horn  in  New  York  City,  January  lo,  1806.  Most 
of  his  young  manhood  was  passed  in  his  native  State,  hut  in  1X37  he  came 
to  Saginaw.  During  that  and  the  following  year  he  taught  the  first  school 
opened  in  the  county,  being  preceded  as  master  only  by  Albert  Miller.  As 
a  surveyor,  a  profession  which  he  soon  after  adopted,  he  made  many  of  the 
early  survevs.  and  was  engaged  in  this  work  until  1855.  In  184''  he  moved 
to  a  farm  in  Tittabawassee  Township,  on  which  he  lived  and  died. 

His  first  vote  was  cast  for  John  Quincy  Adams,  but  in  late  years  he 
became  a  firm  and  consistent  advocate  of  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party.  He  served  the  county  in  several  official  positions,  in  1842-43-44  as 
register  of  deeds.  In  1840  he  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  Maiden,  sister 
of  Mrs.  James  Bushy,  of  Saginaw  City;  and  to  them  four  sons  were  born. 
Firm  in  his  convictions  he  had  the  iron  will  of  a  strong  man,  yet  preserved 
the  tender  sympathy  of  a  woman,      lie  died  in   1881. 


A    CAMP    IN     WINTER 


CHAPTER   IX 

FOUNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW 


Convivial  Habits  of  the  Pioneers  —  "Uncle  Jimmy",  the  Fiddler  —  Anecdote  of 
Major  Mosely  —  Plague  of  Blackbirds  —  Primitive  Settlement  on  the  East  Side  — 
Original  Plat  —  Curtis  Emerson  Comes  upon  the  Scene  —  His  Eccentricities  —  Lays 
out  Village  of  Buena  Vista — Norman  Little  Founds  East  Saginaw  —  Builds  Plank 
Road  to   Flint  —  His  other  Enterprises  —  William   L.   P.  Little  —  Charles   David   Little. 

CHRISTMAS  aim  mt;-  the  pioneers  of  the  West,  especially  those  of 
French  extraction,  was  always  observed  as  a  holiday,  to  be  celebrated 
in  a  manner  congenial  to  their  ideas  and  tastes.  This  generally  took 
the  form  of  carousals  among  the  rougher  element,  and  milder 
champagne  parties  among  the  "select",  and  in  our  frontier  settlement  this 
was  no  exception.  Liquor  flowed  freely  on  all  occasions  of  jollity  and 
merry-making,  drinking  being  one  of  the  chief  recreations  of  the  male  portion 
of  the  inhabitants.  So  abundant  was  the  supply  that  in  unloading  a  cargo 
of  supplies  at  the  dock,  it  was  observed  that  there  were  about  four  barrels 
of  whiskey  to  two  barrels  of  flour  and  one  of  pork;  and  some  persons  used 
to  wonder  where  so  much  flour  and  pork  went  to.  In  those  early  days  they 
were  wont  to  say  that  strong  drink  was  a  necessity  to  life,  and  considering 
the  wet  and  marshy  condition  of  the  ground  and  the  malarial  tendencies  of 
the  climate,  they  were  probably  right  about  it. 

In  New  England,  whence  a  number  of  our  prominent  residents  hailed, 
but  little  attention  was  paid  to  the  Christmas  festival,  Thanksgiving  day 
being  the  great  holiday  of  the  year;  therefore  many  who  had  emigrated 
from  those  States  kept  steadily  at  their  work  or  business,  as  on  any  other 
day.     And   they   resented   any   interference   in    their   established   custom. 

On  one  Christmas  day  in  the  olden  time  Albert  Miller,  in  company  with 
his  brothers-in-law,  Eleazer  Jewett  and  Harvey  Rumrill,  who  were  natives 
of  Vermont  and  New  Hampshire,  after  working  until  near  the  close  of  the 
day,  took  a  large  canoe  and  paddled  down  the  river  from  their  homes  at 
Green  Point  to  the  "Fort",  where  they  had  business  at  the  trading  post  of 
G.  D.  &  E.  S.  Williams.  On  entering  the  store  they  were  confronted  with 
the  rough  and  boisterous  element  of  the  little  settlement,  the  door  was 
quickly  locked  and  guarded  to  prevent  their  leaving,  and  they  saw  that  they 
were  in  for  a  hot  celebration.  Jewett,  at  once  taking  in  the  situation,  gave 
his  companions  the  wink  to  be  ready  to  escape  the  moment  an  opportunity 
offered.  On  looking  through  the  crowd  they  found  that  nearly  all  the  male 
population,  after  carousing  all  day,  had  gathered  at  the  store  to  have  a  night 
of  it.  The  New  Englanders  thereupon  entered  into  their  sport  with  such 
pretended  zeal,  that  their  captors  soon  relaxed  their  vigilance  over  them, 
when,  upon  edging  toward  the  door,  it  was  suddenly  opened  and  they  darted 
out  and  ran  for  their  canoe. 

In  an  instant  a  dozen  or  more  stalwart  men  were  after  them,  making 
in  all  haste  toward  the  river,  and  the  foremost  oik-  was  about  to  grasp  the 
prow  of  their  canoe  as  they  shoved  off  from  shore.  Being  determined  to 
prevent  their  escape,  he  waded  into  the  water  until  it  reached  his  waist, 
which  at  that  season  of  the  year  was  not  very  enjoyable  holiday  sport.  Fail- 
ing in  their  first  attempt,  they  quickly  manned  a  large  batteau  and   started 


138  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


in  pursuit,  and  it  was  stated  that  no  water-craft  ever  before  passed  over  the 
two  miles  to  the  Point  in  a  shorter  time  than  those  two  canoes  on  that 
Christmas  night.  It  was  an  even  race  all  the  way;  and  when  they  landed, 
instead  of  going  to  their  cabins.  Miller  and  his  companions  ran  to  the  woods 
where  they  concealed  themselves  in  the  thicket.  The  racket  soon  raised  by 
their  pursuers  around  their  houses,  and  a  boisterous  threat  to  tear  down  one 
of  them,  frightened  their  families,  so  they  came  out  of  the  woods  and  faced 
them.     The  roisterers  then  attempted  to  force  them  into  the  canoe  to  carry 

them    back    to   finish    the   night   in    revelry,   but   they   began   a   g l-natured 

scuffle  with  them,  which,  with  their  exertions  of  paddling  their  canoe, 
partly  sobered  them,  so  that  they  were  soon  willing  to  take  to  their  canoe 
and  return   home   alone. 

Besides  these  carousals  there  were  more  select  parties  whenever  there 
seemed  occasion  for  them,  the  arrival  of  some  friend  of  a  resident,  or  some 
person  contemplating  settling  here,  an  advantageous  sale  of  property  or  any 
family  event,  being  considered  an  apportune  time  for  convening  a  champagne 
party.  These  parties  were  entered  into  for  the  desire  for  social  enjoyment, 
ami  for  keeping  up  the  reputation  of  the  village  for  hospitality  and  good 
cheer,  which  was  proverbial.  The  How  of  champagne  soon  loosened  the 
tongue-  for  song,  anecdote  and  smart  speeches,  the  conviviality  continuing 
until  morning  when  the  company  dispersed,  some  with  "sair  heads."  The 
last  one  of  these  participated  in  by  Albert  Miller  was  in  February,  1838, 
soon  after  his  marriage,  and  was  gotten  up  for  the  purpose  of  "laying  him 
out",  as  he  expresses  it.     The   incident   is  told  in   his  own   words: 

"i  )n  the  morning  after  a  night  spent  in  social  enjoyment  with  a  large 
party  at  the  opening  of  the  Webster  I  louse,  I  was  awakened  by  a  number 
oi  voices  calling  to  me  from  outside  of  my  house.  Suspecting  what  was 
intended.  I  was  too  well  acquainted  with  the  company  to  think  of  shirking 
the  ordeal.  I  quickly  rose  and  met  the  company  of  about  a  dozen  men  at 
the  door,  when  they  took  me  into  Jewett's  Hotel,  which  was  next  door,  and 
presented  me  with  a  bottle  of  champagne;  not  waiting  to  uncork  the  bottle 
I  broke  the  neck  of  it  on  the  stove  and  put  it  to  my  mouth  and  allowed  the 
contents  to  run  down  into  my  boots.  I  told  them  that  if  they  would  allow 
me  to  finish  dressing    1   would  go   with   them   wherever  they  desired. 

"We  started  in  sleighs  and  drove  to  every  place  in  town  where  liquor 
could  be  obtained.  I  generally  took  the  lead,  called  for  the  bottle,  and 
prepared  myself  with  a  bumper  of  cold  water  to  drink  with  them  when  they 
had  their  glasses  filled.  I  feigned  drunkenness,  which  I  could  easily  do 
for  1  had  plenty  of  patterns  before  me.  and  in  the  afternoon,  when  I  went 
with  the  company  to  my  own  house  to  partake  of  some  choice  wines  that 
I  had,  my  wife  and  mother  were  greatly  shocked  at  my  apparent  condition 
of  inebriety,  but  were  not  more  surprised  a  short  time  after  when  I  returned 
without  a  show  of  liquor  about  me.  I  had  scarcely  swallowed  a  drop  of 
liquor  during  the  day.  and  was  not  in  the  least  under  its  influence,  but  my 
companions  were  all  ready  to  retire  from  the  field  before  night.  I  became 
convinced  of  the  folly  of  such  actions,  and  as  the  hard  times  came  on,  after 
the  general  financial  crash  of  1838,  the  people  generally,  if  they  had  the 
disposition   to  do  it.  had  not   the  money  to  spend   foolishly." 

"Uncle  Jimmy",  the   Fiddler 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  drinking  bouts,  or  Saginaw  "trains" 
as  they  were  usually  termed,  were  the  only  form  of  conviviality  indulged  in 
by  the  early  settlers.  During  the  long  months  of  winter  they  often  had 
dances,  and  when  one  was  all  arranged  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  (1.  1). 
Williams,   Mrs.   E.   N.   Davenport,    Mrs.   James   Fraser.   Mrs.    Eleazer  Jewett, 


FOUNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW  139 


or  ctliers,  a  messenger  was  dispatched  through  the  woods  some  thirty  miles 
to  the  cabin  of  James  W.  Cronk,  t <  ■  notify  him  that  his  services  as  "fiddler", 
were  required  at  such  a  time.  There  were  other  persons  nearer  by  who 
could  supply  the  music  for  such  occasions  very  acceptably,  but  the  old 
citizens  of  Saginaw  were  too  aristocratic  to  have  any  one  play  for  them  but 
their  old  friend  and  pioneer,  "Uncle  Jimmy",  who  always  at  the  appointed 
time  put  in  an  appearance  with  a  fiddle-box  under  his  arm  and  his  rifle  over 
his  shoulder.  These  were  the  only  parties  the  old  fellow  would  condescend 
to  play  for,  but  he  never  failed  his  old  friends,  and  no  one  contributed  so 
much   to   the  enjoyment  of  the   evening  as   he. 

James  W.  Cronk  afterwards  volunteered  in  the  Mexican  war  and  re- 
ceived a  captain's  commission.  lie  died  some  time  after,  together  with  his 
son.  Norton,  of  yellow  fever,  at  Vera  Cruz.  Mexico,  deeply  regretted  by  all 
the  early  pioneers.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  one 
of  the  most  genial  of  companions,  as  well  as  a  great  favorite  among  his 
assc  iciates. 

Anecdote  of  Major  Mosely 

In  the  days  of  the  fur  trade  the  American  Fur  Company  had  a  small 
sloop  named  the  Savage,  which  brought  in  goods  for  trade  with  the  Indians. 
and  provisions,  clothing  and  sundry  articles  for  the  settlers,  and  carried  away 
the  quantities  of  furs  which  had  been  collected.  This  little  sloop  of  only 
twenty-eight  tons  burden  would  leave  Detroit  and  touch  at  several  points  on 
the  St.  Clair  River,  taking  on  such  goods  as  were  needed  in  trade,  including 
some  demijohns  of  very  line  whiskey,  brandy  and  rum. 

There  was  at  this  time  an  old  lawyer  named  Major  Mosely,  who  lived 
in  one  of  the  block  houses  inside  the  stockade  and  kept  a  sort  of  tavern,  who 
had  been  appointed  custom  house  officer.  When  the  little  sloop  arrived  at 
her  dock,  the  old  major  would  go  aboard  with  all  the  pomposity  imaginable, 
and  in  going  down  into  the  diminutive  cabin,  he  would  say  in  an  authorita- 
tive manner:  "Nothing  must  lie  touched  until  I  examine  the  cargo."  Then 
the  captain  would  give  him  a  glass  of  brandy,  and  he  would  go  on  deck  and 
tell  the  owners  "It  is  all   right;    no  smuggled  goods  aboard." 

(  )ne  night  just  after  the  vessel  came  in.  the  old  major  said  to  William  I\. 
McCormick,  then  a  boy  who  lived  at  the  tavern  while  going  t«>  school,  "I 
don't  want  you  to  go  to  lied  very  early  tonight.  Something  will  be  left  for 
me  at  the  back  door,  and  when  you  hear  a  knock,  you  and  Amanda  (the 
servant  girl)   go  and  get   it  and  carry  it  up  stairs." 

Sure  enough,  about  eleven  o'clock  they  heard  a  knock  at  the  back  door, 
and  on  going  there  found  three  sailors  with  as  many  demijohns  of  different 
kinds  i if  liquors,  which  they  carried  up  into  the  garret.  This  was  repeated 
every  time  the  little  sloop  arrived,  until  at  the  close  of  navigation  the  major 
had  twenty-one  demijohns  of  "good  things",  the  very  choicest  liquors.  What 
became  of  all  this  was  told  by  Mr.  McCormick  many  years  after. 

"About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  sleigh  would  drive  up  to  the 
back  door  of  the  old  block  house  occupied  by  the  major,  and  the  driver 
would  knock  and  go  in,  saying:  'I  want  a  demijohn  of  whiskey,  one  of  rum. 
and  one  of  gin,  for  the  party  at  so  and  so's  place  tonight.'  One  day  when 
he  came  the  major  was  out,  and  1  told  him  1  had  no  authority  to  give  any, 
and  that  he  must  see  the  major.  'That  is  all  right,'  he  said,  'the  major 
furnishes  all  the  liquor  for  the  parties,  and  what  is  left  is  always  brought 
back  in  the  morning.'  So  1  went  out  ami  found  the  major,  and  he  said: 
A  es  :    only  tell  them  to  firing  back  what  is  left  in  the  morning.' 


140  1 1  [story  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


"The  next  week  there  would  be  another  party  at  the  house  of  some 
other  pioneer,  when  the  sleigh  would  come  around  again  for  the  supply  of 
liquid  refreshment.  All  the  major's  friends  knew  how  lie  got  his  liquor, 
and  as  they  were  all  one  social  circle  it  was  no  more  than  right  that  it  sin  mid 
be  equally  distributed.  Such  enjoyment  at  parties  I  have  never  seen  since; 
whether  it  was  owing  to  the  kindly  feelings  that  existed  among  those  few 
families,  isolated  from  the  world,  or  the  good  effects  of  the  excellent  liquor 
of  the  major's,  or  everything  combined,  I  am  unable  to  saw  I  am  inclined 
to  think  it  was  owing  to  the  kindly  feelings  that  existed  among  the  early 
pioneers,  and  will  continue  to  exist  as  long  as  memory  lasts." 

The  Plague  of  Blackbirds 

As  previously  mentioned,  blackbirds  were  a  great  pest  in  the  primitive 

days  of  agriculture  in  this  valley,  and  they  came  in  flocks  of  thousands. 
The  Williams  Brothers  had  a  small  field  of 'oats  hack  of  the  fur  company's 
store,  which  they  had  cradled  and  were  about  to  get  it  in  to  save  it  from 
the  birds,  when  another  brother  and  some  friends  came  to  visit  them.  The 
oats  were  forgotten  for  the  time  being,  but  the  birds  came  heavily  reinforced 
that  day  to  finish  them.  As  they  kept  coming  by  the  store,  one  of  the 
party  proposed  that  they  see  how  many  birds  they  could  kill  with  one  shot. 
Ephraim  S.  Williams  had  a  fine,  large  single-barreled  duck  gun  which  he 
loaded  with  mustard  seed  shot,  and  commenced  firing  from  the  door,  as  the 
other-  drove  them  from  the  oats.  After  firing  ten  shots  and  his  brother  one 
shot,  the  boys  picked  up  the  dead  and  wounded  birds  and  put  them  in  a 
pile  in  front  of  the  store.  As  the  result  of  eleven  shots  they  gathered  five 
hundred  and  forty-five  birds,  and  for  days  after,  in  the  road  and  at  the  edge 
of  the  river,  there  were  hundreds  that  had  crawled  to  the  river  for  drink  and 
died   there.     This   story  is  given  as   a   strictly  true  one. 

About  1836  the  board  of  supervisors  passed  a  law  giving  a  bounty  of 
two  cents  per  head  for  blackbirds.  The  heads  were  taken  to  any  justice  of 
the  peace,  whose  duty  it  was  to  destroy  them  and  give  a  certificate  which 
could  be  exchanged  for  a  county  order.  These  orders  were  worth  in  those 
days  about  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  redeemable  only  in  store  pay. 
There  was  one  old  justice  who  lived  in  one  of  the  block  houses  inside  the 
fort,  and  to  him  the  boys  used  to  take  their  bird  heads,  for  a  very  good 
reason.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  throwing  the  heads  into  his  back  yard, 
after  counting  them,  for  the  hogs  to  eat.  instead  of  destroying  them  accord- 
ing t«>  law.  After  the  boys  would  get  their  certificate,  they  would  ask  the 
old  fellow  to  go  down  to  Captain  Maiden's  and  take  a  drink,  which  he  was 
never  known  to  refuse,  when  another  of  the  boys  who  had  kept  out  of  sight 
would  slip  into  the  justice's  back  yard,  pick  up  the  heads  and  put  them  into 
a  bag.  By  the  time  he  got  back  again  to  his  office,  the  boy  would  have  the 
same  heads  at  his  door  to  get  another  certificate  from  him.  The  boys 
exonerated  themselves  by  saying  that,  since  county  orders  were  worth  only 
fifty  cents  on  the  dollar,  they  hail  to  sell  the  birds  twice  to  get  what  the  law 
contemplated  they  should  have.  The  consequence  was  that  this  old  justice 
got   all   the   business    in    blackbird    heads,    and    numerous   drinks   thrown    in. 

Primitive  Settlement  on  the  East  Side 

The  first  habitation  of  white  men  on  the  east  side  of  the  Saginaw  River 
was  the  branch  trading  post  established  by  Louis  Campau  in  1820.  It  was  a 
rough  log  cabin  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  Methodist 
Mission  House  was  afterward  erected.  This  was  near  the  northeast  corner 
of  Water  and  Fitzhugh  Streets,  so  long  occupied  by  the  residence  of  Norman 
Little.      But   the  Indian-   would  not    trade   with   the  enterprising  Frenchman 


142  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


at  this  place,  and  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  post  the  following  year. 
No  further  efforts  at  settlement  were  made  for  several  years,  and  the 
solitude  of  the  wilderness  was  unbroken  save  by  the  howling  of  wolves  and 
the  occasional  whoop  of  the  red  men. 

In  lS.ii  Albert  Miller,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  sister,  Mrs.  Eleazer  Jewett, 
located  land  at  the  junction  of  the  Shiawassee  and  Tittabawassee  Rivers, 
opposite  Green  Point.  On  a  beautiful  spot  along-  the  gently-sloping  bank  of 
the  stream,  he  erected  a  comfortable  log  house;  and  in  the  following  spring 
was  joined  by  his  mother  and  sister,  who  moved  from  Grand  Blanc.  For 
several  years  they  lived  in  this  primitive  fashion,  hut  amidst  the  must  attrac- 
tive surroundings,  being  the  first  white  settlers  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Saginaw   River. 

The  first  attempt  to  form  a  permanent  settlement  was  made  in  1836, 
when  "Uncle  Harvey  Williams.,'  in  association  with  Mackie,  Oakley  and 
fennison,  of  New  York  City,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  south  of  what  is  now 
Bristol  Street,  and  erected  thereon  a  saw  mill,  a  stable,  and  two  or  three 
dwellings.  At  the  time  this  enterprise  was  regarded  by  the  settlers  on  the 
west  side  as  one  of  doubtful  utility,  since  the  capacity  of  the  mill  far  exceeded 
the  consumption  of  lumber  in  the  village,  and  shipping  it  to  other  markets  at 
a  distance  was  not  dreamed  of.  The  promoters,  however,  had  broader  plans 
than  the  mere  creation  of  a  single  industry  in  the  unbroken  wilderness.  They 
had  virions  of  a  large  and  prosperous  city  springing  up  along  the  east  side 
of  the  river;  and  they  proceeded  to  survey  and  lay  out  an  elaborate  plat, 
embracing  no  less  than  one  hundred  and  five  blocks. 

The   Original  Plat 

The  original  plat  was  published  in  the  "Map  of  the  City  of  Saginaw", 
dated  February  1,  1X37,  a  reproduction  of  which  appears  on  pages  106  and 
107;  and  covered  all  the  land  along  the  river  for  a  space  of  nearly  a  mile, 
and  extended  back  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile.  Beginning  at  the  southern 
limits,  which  was  about  at  the  northern  entrance  to  Hoyt  Park,  there  was 
a  street  named  "First  Street"  running  east  and  west  and  intended  to  cross 
the  low,  marshy  ground  ( now  a  pari  of  Hoyt  Park)  to  the  high  ground 
beyond.  The  next  street  to  the  north  was  "Second  Street",  the  lines  of 
which  are  probably  followed  quite  closely  by  Holland  Avenue;  and  then  came 
"Third  Street",  now-  called  Bristol  Street.  Continuing  toward  the  north 
were  ten  other  streets,  bearing  numerical  names  in  consecutive  order  until 
"Thirteenth  Street"  was  reached  at  the  northern  limits  of  the  town.  The 
lines  of  this  street  were  probably  staked  very  near  the  present  location  of 
Hayden  Street.  Each  block  was  three  hundred  feet  long  north  and  south. 
and  the  streets  were  sixty-six  feet  wide:  and  the  total  length  of  the  plat 
was  forty-four  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet. 

The  first  street  along  the  river,  beginning  at  "Third  Street"  (Bristol  i. 
was  named  "Water  Street",  and  the  next,  which  was  two  hundred  and  forty 
feet  to  the  east,  was  named  "Pearl  Street",  each  of  which  was  sixty-six  feet 
in  width.  Then  came  "Broad  Street"  ninety-nine  feet  wide,  which  corre- 
sponds to  our  Washington  Avenue,  and  followed  by  "Marshal",  "Clay", 
"Calhoun",  "Branch",  "Barry",  "Eaton",  and  "Ingham"  to  mark  the  eastern 
limits.  About  where  "Branch  Street"  was  laid  out.  or  twelve  hundred  and 
forty  feet  east  of  the  center  line  of  "Broad  Street",  now  runs  Jefferson 
Avenue,  but  the  present  lines  would  not  coincide  with  those  of  the  old  plat, 
which  was  never  adopted  or  its  streets  opened  up. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  projectors  had  in  mind  the  laying  out 
of  a  Public  Square,  which  was  to  be  on  either  side  of  "Broad  Street'  at 
"Sixth    Street."      Had    their  plans   materialized   this   square    would    have   been 


F(  )UNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW  143 

located  cm  our  Washington  Avenue  very  near  to  McCoskry  Street.  All  of 
the  blocks  now  occupied  by  the  City  Hall  and  the  gas  works,  were  reserved 
by  the  proprietors  for  their  saw  mill  and  allied  industries.  But  in  1838, 
following  the  collapse  of  the  speculative  bubble,  with  the  consequent  shrink- 
age of  capital  and  credit,  the  whole  enterprise  fell  flat,  the  saw  mill  was  shut 
down,  and  the  well  formulated  plans  of  founding  a  city  on  this  site  were 
temporarily  abandoned. 

The  inscription  at  the  foot  of  the  map  of  1X37  reads  as  follows; 

"The  City  of  Saginaw  lies  in  the  heart  of  Michigan,  at  the  head  of 
steamboat  navigation  on  the  Saginaw  River,  which  is  formed  by  the 
confluence  of  the  Flint,  Cass,  Shiawassee  and  Tittabawassee  Rivers,  all 
diverging  into  a  rich  farming  country,  and  navigable  for  small  craft. 
The  Shiawassee  may  easily  and  doubtless  soon  will  be  connected  by  a 
short  canal  with  the  Grand  River,  by  which  the  trade  of  all  that  country 
and  much  from  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  will  center  at  Sag- 
inaw. It  will  open  a  water  communication  from  Chicago  and  Michigan 
City  to  Lake  Erie,  500  miles  shorter  than  the  dangerous  navigation 
through   the   northern   parts   of    Lakes    Michigan    and    Huron.      Building 

materials  of  every  description,  w 1,  brick  and  stone,  may  be  procured 

on  the  spot,  a  great  advantage  over  most  other  places.  Many  buildings 
are  now  being  erected,  a  Court  House.  Gov't  Land  Office,  and  it  is 
expected  a  Lank  also  will  be  located  here  this  season.  The  large  number 
of  mechanics  and  others  employed  in  the  improvements  of  the  place,  will 
create  a  brisk  business  and  afford  a  ready  market  for  the  surplus  pro- 
duce of  the  surrounding  country.  In  short,  Saginaw  possesses  advan- 
tages superior  to  any  other  new  place  in  the  State,  and  promises  to 
become  one  of  the  most  important  cities  of  the  West." 

As  we  look  at  the  location  of  this  prospective  city,  after  a  lapse  of 
seventy-five  years,  and  compare  the  high,  dry  ground  to  the  east  and  south 
of  the  City  Hall,  with  the  low,  unsightly  and  malarial-breeding  ground  upon 
which  very  much  of  East  Saginaw  was  originally  built,  we  cannot  but  feel 
that  the  section  from  Holland  Avenue  north  to  Holden  and  east  as  far  as 
Warren  Avenue  should  have  been  the  site  of  the  business  section  of  the 
East  Side.  It  is  true  that  the  narrow  strip  of  ground  east  of  Washington 
Avenue  would  have  presented  some  objection,  but  of  scarcely  more  conse- 
quence than  those  of  the  bayou  which  once  crossed  Genesee  Avenue  at 
fiaum  Street,  and  which  are  still  in  evidence.  In  the  former  site  the  ground 
on  all  sides  is  much  higher  than  the  level  of  the  present  site  of  the  business 
section,  and  is  above  the  reach  of  the  highest  floods.  The  selection  of  the 
site  of  East  Saginaw  in  a  bayou  and  marsh  ground  shows  that  the  location 
oi  village  sites  in  a  new  country  is  often  largely  a  matter  of  circumstance 
and  enterprise,  rather  than  of  consideration  of  the  natural  advantages  and 
ci  mvenience. 

Curtis  Emerson  Comes  Upon  the  Scene 

For  ten  years  following  the  financial  panic  of  1837-38,  the  village  of 
Saginaw  City  suffered  all  the  after  effects  of  a  speculative  boom,  and  little 
was  done  in  building  or  improvements.  Many  mechanics  and  laborers,  who 
had  found  employment  in  the  various  enterprises  inaugurated  by  the  pro- 
jectors and  land  owners,  left  the  valley  and  the  village  settled  down  to  a 
quiet,  dormant  existence.  About  the  only  residents  that  remained  were 
those  who  had  invested  interests  in  the  place,  in  the  way  of  land  holdings 
which  could  not  be  sold,  or  in  stocks  of  goods  the  demand  for  which  was 
largely  curtailed.  All,  however,  shared  the  earnest  conviction  that  event- 
ually the  place  would  again  prosper  and  become  one  of  the  important  cities 
of  the  States 


144  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

About  the  time  that  conditions  began  to  improve  there  came  to  Saginaw 
City  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Curtis  Emerson,  who,  of  all  the  queer 
characters  who  ever  resided  here,  was  the  queerest.  <  >ld  citizens  still  grow 
loquacious  when  relating  his  sayings,  and  smile  and  laugh  with  reminiscental 
glee  over  his  grotesque  eccentricities,  witty  expressions,  violent  prejudices, 
monumental  profanity,  and  crackling  humor.  In  person  he  was  diminutive 
and  slight,  being  not  more  than  five  feet  two  inches  in  height,  and  weighing 
about  one  hundred  pounds,  with  a  complexion  midway  between  swarthy 
and  sallow,  keen,  fierce,  gray  eyes,  which  glared  with  resentment  or  twinkled 
with  fun,  according  to  his  ever  changing  moods.  He  was  a  plucky  little 
fellow,  full  of  energy  and  vitality,  and  when  engaged  in  an  altercation  would 
tackle  a  man  twice  his  size,  but  was  not  vindictive,  and  when  worsted  in 
wordy  debates  or  fisticuffs  would  promptly  extend  his  hand  to  his  antag- 
onist, and  invite  him  and  all  the  bystanders  to  liquid  refreshments.  He  was 
always  well  dressed  in  the  pink  of  fashion,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  just 
stepped  from  a  band  box. 

"Curt",  as  he  was  generally  called,  was  born  at  Norwich,  Vermont, 
February  4,  1810.  His  boyhood  was  spent  in  his  native  town  and  in  Wind- 
sor, the  same  State;  and  he  was  educated  in  the  best  schools  of  New 
England.  His  father,  Thomas  Emerson,  who  was  a  leading  merchant  and 
banker  of  Windsor,  was  a  man  of  eccentric  character,  of  violent  temper,  of 
kindest  heart  and  bitterest  prejudices,  of  unbending  integrity  and  purpose, 
while  his  mother  was  a  meek,  quiet,  pious  and  uncomplaining  woman,  who 
bore  the  crosses  and  burdens  of  life  but  a  few  years.  But  she  blended  in  the 
son's  nature  many  of  her  virtues  and  tine  feelings,  which  offset,  through 
his  life,  the  peculiar  and  unpleasant  traits  of  the  father.  Entering  into 
business  under  his  father's  patronage,  dislikes  and  personal  quarrels  soon 
rose  between  them,  and  "Curt"  came  west,  arriving  at  Detroit  on  May  11, 
1836. 

As  agent  of  a  large  eastern  land  company,  he  travelled  extensively  for  a 
time  through  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  even  west  of  the  Mississippi,  but 
made  his  home  at  the  Michigan  Exchange  Hotel.  Afterward  he  went  into 
the  manufacture  of  malt  liquors,  investing  his  father's  capital  in  the  first 
brewery  in  Detroit,  situated  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Congress  and  First 
Streets,  the  firm  name  being  Emerson,  Davis  &  Moore.  He  continued  in 
this  business  until  1845,  when  he  went  into  copper  mining  enterprises,  which 
were    a    speculative    furore   in   those   days. 

His  Eccentricities 

While  living  in  Detroit  he  was  always  surrounded  by  a  group  of  friends, 
who  laughed  at  his  eccentricities  and  profited  by  his  liberality.  Utterly 
unconventional,  he  joined  in  any  conversation  he  might  overhear,  and  vented 
his  ideas  with  freedom  and  emphasis.  If  he  did  not  like  the  appearance  of 
either  acquaintance  or  stranger,  he  would  without  ceremony  abuse  him  to 
his  face.  In  the  early  '40s.  during  the  Washingtonian  temperance  move- 
ment, when  the  evils  of  strong  drink  was  a  leading  topic  in  all  circles  of 
society,  a  lecturer  named  Hyde  delivered  an  open-air  lecture  on  the  subject, 
from  a  dry-goods  box.  when  "Curt",  who  was  among  the  auditors,  exclaimed 
in  a  h  aid  v  'ice  : 

"You're  a—  —liar."  adding  an   extremely   insulting   epithet. 

Hyde  was  not  a  meek  and  lowly  character,  and  descending  from  the  box, 
knocked  him  down.  Emerson  wa.s  a  little  dazed,  but  rising  up.  came  to 
Hyde  with  his  hand  extended,  saying: 

"You're  a  good  man,  sir.  Shake  hands.  You'll  get  along  in  this  wide 
world  of  sorrow  and  tears.      Let's  take  a  drink." 


FOUNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW  145 


He  fraternized  with  the  Irish  element  partly  because  they  appreciated 
his  witty  sayings,  and  also  because  they  were  mostly  strong  Democrats  like 
himself.  <  hi  a  St.  1'atrick'-.  day  he  turned  out  in  the  procession  with  an 
abundance  of  green  ribbons  in  his  coat  and  hat,  and  ordered  a  supper  in  the 
evening  at  the  Michigan  Exchange.  When  Curt  went  into  the  dining  room 
he  thought  it  was  not  worthy  of  the  occasion,  and  mounting  the  table  he 
went  from  one  end  to  the  other  knocking  off  all  the  dishes  in  his  progress, 
and  then  held  the  supper  in  a  restaurant.  It  was  certainly  a  big  affront  to 
Dibble  the  landlord,  but  he  didn't  complain,  for  Curt  always  settled  for  the 
damages. 

(  hie  day  his  father,  who  was  generally  called  the  "Deacon",  came  to 
Detroit  to  see  how  his  sons,  Curt  and  John,  w-ere  getting  along,  lie  learned 
that  they  had  gone  on  a  jamboree,  and  started  out  in  search  of  them.  At 
Dan  Whipple's  saloon  on  the  west  side  of  Bates  Street,  between  [efferson 
Avenue  and  Larned  Street,  he  heard  a  tremendous  racket,  and  looking  in  saw 
his  two  sons  endeavoring  to  outdo  each  other  in  destroying  the  bar  room. 
There  was  no  light  or  quarrel,  but  pictures  were  being  broken,  mirrors 
smashed,  glasses  and  decanters  dashed  to  pieces,  while  Curt  was  making  a 
Frantic  effort  to  over-turn  the  bar.  The  old  gentleman  smiled  at  this  evidence 
of  recklessness,  and  poking  his  head  in  the  door,  said: 

"Co  to  it.  Curt!  Go  to  it,  John  1  I'm  proud  of  you.  Landlord,  thai 
will  be  all  right." 

Curt  was  a  great  friend  of  Alfred  Williams,  always  dubbed  "Salt" 
Williams,  because  he  was  interested  in  the  salt  works  at  Syracuse.  Xew 
York,  and  agent  of  its  business  in  the  West.  At  one  time  he  engineered  a 
successful  corner  in  salt  in  this  State  and  Wisconsin,  gathering  in  nearly 
slHi.UUO  in  profits.  He  also  was  an  eccentric  character,  of  medium  size  and 
elegant  in  carriage,  witty,  fond  of  fun.  and  an  inveterate  joker.  On  one 
occasion  when  the  two  friends  left  for  Buffalo  on  a  steamboat,  another 
steamboat  forged  up  to  them  and  an  exciting  race  ensued.  "Salt"  knew  the 
other  boat  and  offered  to  bet  one  hundred  dollars  that  it  would  arrive  at 
Buffalo  first. 

"Done,"  cried  Curt.      "No  boat  afloat  can  beat  the  boat  I'm  sailing  on." 

In  a  little  while  the  other  boat  drew  ahead.  Curt  consulted  with  the 
captain  and  learned  that  there  was  a  consignment  of  hams  and  bacon  on 
1"  lard. 

"Put  them  down  below,"  he  said.  "I'll  pay   for  them." 

The  captain  objected  to  this,  but  Curt  finally  had  his  way,  and  several 
thousand  pounds  of  perfectly  good  meat  went  under  the  boiler.  Curt  helping 
as  stoker.  The  safety  escape  valve  was  fastened  down,  and  the  boat 
trembled  under  the  increased  speed,  but  when  Curt  emerged  from  below  the 
rival   steam   boat   was  a  mile  behind. 

"Salt"  didn't  like  to  be  beaten,  so  he  offered  to  bet  another  hundred 
dollars  that  he  could  pick  out  the  homeliest  man  on  the  boat.  Curt,  whose 
sporting  spirit  was  thoroughly  aroused,  promptly  took  it,  and  each  produced 
his  man.  Both  were  fellow  passengers  who  entered  into  the  fun.  A  jury 
was  empanelled,  and  while  they  were  examining  the  men  it  soon  became 
apparent  that  Curt  had  won  again.  "Salt's"  choice  thereup  began  making 
diabolical  grimaces  to  influence  the  jury,  when  his  Packer,  who  had  an  im- 
pediment   in    his    speech    and    stuttered,    exclaimed: 

"You,  you  n-n-needn't  sc-sc-screw  your  urgly  face.     God  has  s-s-s-saved 
i  <u  the  tr-tr-tri  luble." 

When  the  boat  reached  Buffalo  all  on  board,  captain,  crew  and  pass- 
engers  were   in   an   advanced  state  of  alcoholic   sprightliness. 


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FOUNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW  147 


Lays  Out  Village  of  Buena  Vista 

As  early  as  1839  Curtis  Emerson  visited  the  Saginaw  River,  and  in 
December,  1846,  he  became  a  permanent  resident  of  Saginaw,  being  identified 
with  its  rise  and  progress  for  a  period  of  thirty-four  years. 

He  at  once  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  but  not  prospering  in  that 
to  his  expectations,  he  removed  in  1847  to  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and 
erected  a  building  near  the  foot  of  Bristol  Street.  On  the  property  which  he 
purchased  at  that  time  there  was  a  saw  mill,  one  dwelling,  one  boarding 
house,  a  barn  and  a  small  blacksmith  shop,  which  had  been  built  eleven  years 
before  by  "Uncle  Harvey  Williams." 

In  the  spring  of  1848.  Charles  W.  Grant,  another  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  the  East  Side,  brought  some  workmen  from  Flint,  and,  with  Emerson, 
commenced  the  manufacture  of  lumber  in  the  old  saw  mill  which  ever  after 
was  known  as  the  "Emerson  mill."  That  year  Curt  consigned  to  C.  P. 
Williams  <!v  Company,  of  Albany,  New  York,  the  first  full  cargo  of  clear 
lumber  ever  shipped  from  Michigan.  A  store  was  soon  opened  and  a  per- 
manent settlement  begun,  to  which  he  gave  the  romantic  name  of  Buena 
Vista,  in  honor  of  General  Taylor's  then  recent  victory  over  Santa  Anna, 
in  the  Mexican  war.  A  town  was  organized  in  April.  1849,  and  at  the  first 
election  held  in  Emerson's  house,  nineteen  votes  were  cast,  Curtis  Emerson 
being  chosen  supervisor,  Charles  W.  Grant  township  clerk,  Stephen  Lytle 
treasurer;  and  .Andrew  Evart,  <  leorge  Oliver  and  Stephen  Lytle  were  elected 
justices  of  the  peace.  The  commissioners  or  highways  were  Aaron  K. 
Penney,  C.  W.  Grant  and  Sylvester  Webber;  the  school  inspectors  were 
A.  M.  Hoyt  and  A.  K.  Penney;  while  the  constables  named  were  Archibald 
Campbell,  David  Joslin,  George  Miner  and   Erastus  Vaughn. 

In  1850  Mr.  Emerson  built  a  two-story  house,  which  he  facetiously 
called  the  "Halls  of  the  Montezumas",  in  which  he  made  his  bachelor  home 
and  was  the  scene  of  man}-  rollicking  assemblies  during  which  his  con- 
viviality and  profanity  attained  a  local  celebrity.  Me  was  the  leader  of  the 
hardy  pioneers,  and  many  are  the  traditions  of  "good  old  times"  that  were 
witnessed  in  his  house.  It  was  burned  in  1866,  and  Emerson  mourned  the 
loss  perhaps  more  sincerely  than  any  other,  except  the  death  of  his  favorite 
dog  "Caesar." 

The  old  saw  mill  was  dismantled  in  1854,  and  two  years  after  he  closed 
up  his  lumbering  operations  and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  in 
which  he  prospered  and  in  1863  was  rated  a  wealthy  man.  On  July  4,  1864, 
he  made  a  demonstration  in  honor  of  the  day  by  setting  fire  to  the  ruins 
of  his  old  mill  which,  it  was  said,  made  a  very  imposing  bonfire. 

During  the  Civil  War  he  was  what  was  termed  a  "copperhead",  and  a 
very  emphatic  denouncer  of  the  "nigger  war."  One  day  Zachariah  Chandler 
came  to  Saginaw  to  address  a  political  meeting,  and  when  he  stepped  from 
his  carriage  at  the  Bancroft  House  there  was  a  crowd,  in  which  was  Curt 
and  his  dog  Caesar.  The  canine  was  short  in  stature  and  long  in  body,  and, 
like  his  master,  had  an  explosive  temperament.  Emerson  and  Chandler  knew 
each  other,  but  the  former  did  not  speak,  merely  addressing  his  dog: 
"Caesar,  if  you   wag  your  tail  at   that  man,   I'll  disinherit  you." 

Although  Curtis  Emerson  was  of  peculiarly  slight  physique,  he  was  a 
man  of  wonderful  energy,  vital  power,  and  physical  and  mental  activity. 
His  fondness  for  the  social  glass  was  his  most  serious  fault,  and  that  was 
not  acquired,  but  was  inherited.  His  command  of  language  was  remarkable, 
and  under  the  influence  of  liquor  he  became  a  volcano  of  mingled  wit, 
sarcasm,  vituperation  and  blasphemy.  In  politics  he  was  a  strong  Democrat, 
despising  the  "d —  -  black  Republicans"  as  he  called  those  of  the  oppos- 


148  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

ing  party;  and  many  of  the  early  conventions  in  this  State  were  witnesses  of 
his  fitful  outbursts.  When  he  was  in  easy  circumstances  he  was  a  prince  in 
his  lavish  expenditure  of  money;  but  in  his  later  years  he  was  involved  in 
litigation  and  law  suits  about  hi--  property,  and  met  with  severe  losses  which 
in  the  end  left  him  a  poor  man.  Mis  last  years  were  eked  cut  in  poverty, 
yet  under  all  adversity  there  arose  the  strong  individuality,  the  masterly 
spirit  of  independence  and  defiance,  the  untamed  demon  of  inherited  habit 
and  desire.  Full  of  quick,  hateful,  uncontrolled  desires,  eccentricities  and 
faults,  he  fairly  overflowed  with  charity,  kindness,  and  warm  hearted  affec- 
tion fur  his  friends.  No  one  who  ever  knew  him  could  hud  in  their  inmost 
being  a  single  trace  of  unforgiving  hate;  yet  he  was  shunned,  dreaded, 
despised,  and  in  turn  petted,  honored,  and  loved  by  all.  A  demon  now,  and 
in  an  In  air  a  man  of  sense,  humor  and  business,  his  character  was  penciled 
in  finer  lines  of  light  and  shade  than  any  other  of  our  early  pioneers. 

J  lis  final  illness  came  gradually,  with  the  least  pain,  and  his  quiet  and 
easy  death  February  11,  1880,  was  the  complete  calm  that  follows  life's 
fiercest  tempests.  Not  a  relative  was  present  to  smooth  his  pillow,  hut  true 
friends  stood  by  his  bedside,  and  the  last  breath  brought  no  struggle.  Thirty- 
five  years  have  passed,  hut  his  memory  is  still  green  with  those  who  knew 
him   and   yet   remain. 

Norman  Little  Founds  East  Saginaw 

Norman  Little,  whose  enterprise  in  the  palmy  days  of  speculation 
effected  such  development  and  improvement  in  Saginaw  City,  may  well  be 
.ailed  the  projector  and  "father"  of  East  Saginaw.  Disappointed,  but  not 
discouraged,  at  the  set-hack  to  hi--  fortunes  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  promoting  and  building  up  an  entirely  new  town  on 
the  east  side.  In  promoting  his  landed  interests  here,  he  started  the  early 
settlement  upon  the  site  selected  more  than  twenty  years  before,  and  as  it  by 
magic  a  flourishing  town  soon  rose  in  a  bayou  and  marsh,  which  was  a  glow- 
ing  tribute  to  his  undaunted   nerve  and   progressive  spirit. 

In  1850  he  induced  James  M.  Hoyt,  of  Eli  Hoyt  &  Company,  of  New 
York  City,  and  his  son  lesse  Hoyt,  to  become  interested  with  himself,  each 
one-third,  in  the  site  and  business  of  promoting  settlement  of  the  lands 
originally  entered  by  his  father.  The  I  loyts  had  been  business  acquaint- 
ances and  old  friends  .if  his  family  for  many  years,  and  came  to  know  his 
worth  and  integrity  of  character.  To  consummate  the  enterprise  two  hun- 
dred ami  twenty  acres  of  land  upon  the  original  site,  and  other  property 
amounting  to  twenty-four  hundred  acres,  all  on  the  east  side  of  the  river, 
were  purchased  by  the  partners.  Part  of  this  land  had  previously  been 
purchased  by  a  man  named  Carroll  and  others,  from  Doctor's  Little's  estate, 
and  some  had  passed  to  the   Farmer's  and   Mechanic's  Bank,  oi    Detroit. 

From  this  enterprise  inaugurated  by  Norman  Little,  backed  by  the 
capital  of  the  Hoyts,  East  Saginaw  entered  upon  its  era  of  remarkable 
growth  and  development.  The  valley  of  the  Saginaw  was  the  natural  outlet 
for  the  vast  timber  resources  of  a  wide  territory  extending  in  all  directions; 
and  when  this  fact  became  generally  known  and  recognized  by  ambitious 
people  in  the  Fast,  immigration  flowed  to  this  western  frontier  in  increasing 
volume.  Capital  in  turn  was  also  attracted  by  the  lure  of  riches  easily 
gathered,  and  freely  opened  its  treasure  house  to  the  expenditure  of  millions 
to  reap  the  harvest  that  was  ready,  but  the  -ad-  of  which  it  had  not  sown. 
The  great  pineries  to  the  West  and  North  were  soon  teeming  with  logging 
camps,  the  streams  became  choked  with  logs,  long  rafts  filled  the  river  and 
bayous,  and  the  whirring  saws  completed  the  transformation  of  the  standing 
timber  to  merchantable  lumber.       Idle  saline  resources  of  the  earth   were  soon 


FOUNDING  OF  EAST  SAGINAW  149 

tapped  and  the  refuse  and  wastes  of  the  saw  mills  were  utilized  through  the 
medium  of  steam  to  convert  the  brine  into  salt.  At  every  hand  there  was 
industrial  activity;  and  in  due  course  agriculture  gradually  assumed  an  im- 
portant part   in  the  general  prosperity. 

In  1849  the  only  sign  of  habitation  on  the  site  of  the  primitive  settle- 
ment was  a  shake-roofed  log  cabin  built  by  the  American  Fur  Company,  for 
the  use  of  <  >ne  of  its  agents,  Captain  Leon  Snay.  It  stood  on  part  oi  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  Bancroft  House,  and  in  1851  was  used  as  a 
private  school.  A  small  clearing  was  made  in  the  vicinity  of  this  log  house, 
the  work  being  dune  by  Seth  and  Thomas  Wiley  ami  their  associates, 
including  Otto  H.  (i.  Moores  ami  Adoniram  Dann;  and  the  lands  were 
surveyed  and  platted  immediately  after  the  choppers  passed  over  the  ground. 
The  first  rude  buildings  of  the  little  village  sprang  up  mi  the  hank  of  the 
river  along  what  is  now  Water  Street,  between  Tuscola  and  Germania'. 
There  was  a  steam  saw  mill,  a  boarding  house,  an  office,  a  rough  building 
called  "the  store",  and  a  barn,  together  with  a  few  board  shanties,  one  story 
and  an  attic,  used  fur  dwellings,  to  form  the  nucleus  of  the  settlement. 

An  unbroken  forest  extended  mi  three  sides  of  the  clearing,  which  was 
bounded  by  Washington,  Tuscola  and  German  Streets,  and  the  river,  but 
here  and  there  were  to  be  seen  evidences  of  settlement  in  the  smoke  of  a 
lonely  hut  in  the  woods,  <  <r  burning  brush  heaps.  A  short  distance  below 
was  another  small  clearing  made  by  Gardner  I).  Williams,  called  the  "farm", 
which  was  purchased  about  that  time  by  Norman  Little  for  agricultural 
purposes.  It  was  not  long  before  the  ground  was  cleared  as  far  as  the  bayou 
which  crossed  the  Plank  Road  (Genesee  Avenuei  near  the  present  location 
of  Baum  Street,  and  wooden  buildings  began  to  appear  for  the  use  of  stores 
in  the  block  between   Washington  Street  and  the  river. 

The  original  plat  of  East  Saginaw,  known  a--  the  ''Hoyt  Plat",  was  sur- 
veyed by  A.  Alberts  for  Alfred  M.  Hoyt,  and  published  December  12,  1850. 
The  streets  running  east  and  west,  beginning  south  of  the  twelve  river  front 
lots,  at  the  north  limits,  were  named  Astor,  .Miller,  Carroll,  Fitzhugh,  John- 
son, Tuscola.  Plank  Road  (Genesee  Street  I.  and  continuing  south  German, 
Williams,  Hayden,  Millard,  Thompson,  Hoyt  and  Emerson.  The  streets 
running  ninth  and  south,  parallel  with  the  river,  were  named  Water.  Wash- 
ington, Franklin,  Cas--.  Jefferson,  Warren.  Webster.  Clay  and  Rockwell.  It 
will  he  noted  that  only  a  few  changes  of  name--  have  been  made  in  sixty-five 
years,  and  w  ere  rendered  necessary  in  order  to  avoid  duplication  of  names 
by  the  consolidation  of  the  twin-cities  of  Saginaw,  which  took  effect  in  IS'  0. 
Miller  Street  was  changed  to  Carlisle:  Williams  to  Janes;  Cass  to  Baum; 
Webster  to  Weadock;  ('lay  to  Park;  and  Rockwell  to  Second  Street.  At 
the  same  time  a  few  changes  were  made  in  the  names  of  streets  mi  the  West 
Side,  to  avoid  confliction  with  streets  bearing  the  same  names  mi  the  East 
Side.  Franklin  Street  (the  first  north  of  Court)  was  changed  to  Hancock: 
Jefferson  to  Cleveland:  Water  to  Niagara;  and  Farley  to  Bristol  Street. 
The  additions  to  hast  Saginaw  since  the  date  of  the  original  plat  have  been 
made  by  well  known  citizens,  some  of  which,  though  comparatively  insig- 
nificant in  area,  are  valuable  on  account  of  their  central  location  and  the 
large  and  important  buildings  erected  thereon. 

Norman    Little    was    a    man    of   great    foresight.      He    was    also    a    | 1 

advertiser.  The  latent  wealth  of  the  valley,  its  productive  s,  ,il  and  its  great 
forests  of  timber,  which  had  attracted  him  in  former  years,  he  now  exploited 
throughout  the  East,  and  drew  to  its  confines  many  a  hardy,  ambitions  man 
with  the  true  stuff  of  the  pioneer.  It  is  related  by  William  II.  Sweet,  a  well 
known  lawyer,  now  deceased,  that  in  February,  1850,  he  crossed  the  river 
from  the  west  side  with   Mr.   Little,  at  the  site  of  the  present   Bristol   Street 


150  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

bridge,  and  walked  down  on  the  middle  ground  from  that  point  to  the  little 
village  of  East  Saginaw,  the  trail  being  through  an  almost  unbroken  forest. 
In  his  journey  from  Detroit  to  Saginaw,  in  January  of  the  same  year,  he  was 
not  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  the  country  hereabout,  as  it  seemed  to  be 
a  vast  swamp.  It  was  a  wet.  open  winter,  and  the  passage  from  Flint  was 
made  in  a  big  uncomfortable  wagon,  sometimes  through  water  and  deep  mud, 
but  a  part  of  the  way  between  Pine  Run  and  Saginaw  was  over  corduroy 
mads.  In  his  walk  with  Mr.  Little  he  spoke  of  the  unfavorable  impression 
he  had  formed  of  the  country,  and  expressed  doubts  respecting  the  future  of 
Saginaw. 

Mr.  Little  thereupon  drew  from  his  pocket  a  map  of  Michigan,  spread 
it  out  upon  a  fallen  tree,  and  pointed  to  the  various  rivers  rising  on  all  sides 
in  the  interior.  "Those  rivers,"  he  said,  "are  all  tributary  to  Saginaw.  When 
the  great  wealth  of  valuable  timber  growing  adjacent  to  said  streams  shall  be 
brought  to  Saginaw,  when  the  salt  and  coal  underlying  the  valley,  and 
agriculture  shall  be  developed  and  become  important  factors  in  the  business 
of  the  valley,  then  you  will  know  that  my  confidence  in  the  ultimate  growth 
of  the  valley  is  not  misplaced.  These  rivers,  like  the  ancient  roads,  'all  lead 
to  Rome,"  and  if  you  live  the  ordinary  life  of  man.  you  will  see  this  valley 
occupied  by  a  hundred  thousand  people."  To  Mr.  Sweet  this  seemed  like  a 
prophetic  vision  of  a  speculative  enthusiast.  Time,  however,  has  demon- 
strated the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Little's  prediction. 

He  Builds  a  Plank  Road  to  Flint 

One  of  the  earliest  and  most  important  improvements  inaugurated  by 
Mr.  Little  was  the  construction  of  a  plank  road  to  Flint,  a  distance  of  thirty- 
two  miles.  In  1S48  he  applied  to  the  legislature  for  a  charter,  but  the  scheme 
was  considered  a  visionary  one.  and  only  after  much  opposition  did  he  finally 
secure  it.  "There  certainly  can  be  no  harm,  one  way  or  the  other,  in  voting 
for  a  charter,"  the  members  at  length  agreed,  "for  it  will  never  amount  to 
anything.  The  idea  of  building  a  plank  road  through  that  swampy  country 
is  ridiculously  absurd  —  might  as  well  talk  of  building  a  plank  road  to  the 
moon."  But  through  the  untiring  efforts  of  Mr.  Little  the  road  was  put 
through  and  completed  at  considerable  outlay.  It  opened  up  a  direct  high- 
way of  communication  with  the  outside  world,  the  value  of  which  was  at 
once  apparent  in  the  rapid  increase  in  immigration  and  settlement. 

As  a  result  oi  this  enterprise  a  post  office  was  soon  established,  and  a 
coach-and-four  brought  in  and  carried  out  a  daily  mail,  while  every  day  the 
cry  everywhere  heard  was  "still  they  come."  At  the  lower  clearing  a  large 
steam  flouring  mill,  called  the  Mayflower  Mills,  with  four  run  of  stone,  was 
built,  which  many  conservative  persons  thought  a  Aery  rash  expenditure. 
Soon  a  large  warehouse  made  its  appearance  on  a  substantial  dock,  and 
steamboats  and  sailing  vessels  began  to  visit  the  town.  The  only  tavern 
then  in  the  place  was  the  Valley  City  Hotel,  built  in  1851  by  William  F. 
Glasby  on  Water  Street  about  midway  between  I 'lank  Road  and  Tuscola 
Street'. 

As  the  village  began  to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  thriving  and  pros- 
perous town,  a  pretentious  hotel  was  deemed  a  public  necessity,  and  soon  a 
three-Story  frame  building  arose  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Plank  Road  and 
Water  Street,  covering  nearly  half  of  the  square  along  the  road,  and  was 
given  the  name  of  Irving  1  louse.  Another  grist  mill  was  erected  at  about 
this  time  on  the  west  side  of  the  bayou  on  the  site  of  the  store  now  occupied 
hv  Woolworth  ;  new  docks  were  built  along  the  water  front,  and  a  ferry  was 
put  in  operation  at  the  foot  of  Plank  Road.     The  demand  for  village  property 


JESSE    HOYT 


152  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

then  became  clamorous,  and  lot  after  lot  was  taken  up,  fenced  off,  and  a  home 
or  business  house  erected  thereon.  Business  continued  to  increase,  people  to 
flock  in,  and  houses  sprang  up  almost  mysteriously;    yet  no  reaction  set  in. 

The  man  to  whose  enterprise  and  unceasing  efforts  this  promising  state 
of  affairs  was  primarily  due  was  Norman  Little.  lie  was  born  at  Avon, 
Livingston  County,  New  York,  March  21,  1806;  and  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Doctor  Charles  Little,  who  made  the  first  entry  of  government  land  on  the 
Saginaw,  llis  earl}'  boyhood  and  school  days  were  spent  in  his  native  town, 
where  he  received  a  good  education  in  the  practical  affairs  of  life.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  he  came  west  with  his  father  to  prospect  for  lands  suitable 
for  town  sites,  ami  was  with  him  in  his  memorable  visit  to  the  Saginaw  River 
in  1822-23.  But  the  time  had  not  arrived  for  the  unfolding  of  their  plans  of 
settlement,  and  they  returned  to  New  York  State.  In  1836,  when  the  spirit 
(if  --peculation  swept  the  country.  Doctor  Little  came  to  Saginaw  on  a  visit 
to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Hiram  L.  Miller,  and  was  followed  in  July  by  Norman 
and  a  party  of  emigrants,  among  whom  were  Charles  L.  Richman  and 
wife.  They  arrived  on  the  first  steamboat,  the  Governor  Marry,  to  traverse 
the  Saginaw  River.  Doctor  Little,  who  was  born  September  12,  177d,  passed 
his  declining  years  in  Saginaw,  where  he  died  September  1(>,  1841,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five. 

Having  enlisted  the  financial  support  of  Mackie,  Oakley  &  Jennison,  oi 
New  York  City,  in  the  project  of  building  up  a  prosperous  city  on  the  Sagi- 
naw. Norman  Little  proceeded  to  carry  out  an  elaborate  plan  of  improvements 
on  a  new  plat  embracing  all  the  previous  plats  on  the  west  side  of  the  river, 
ami  including  an  original  plat  on  the  east  side  in  the  vicinity  of  what  is  now 
Bristol  Street.  Something  of  In-  remarkable  enterprise  and  achievement  in 
promoting  the  upbuilding  of  Saginaw  City,  before  the  collapse  of  the  specula- 
tive bubble  in  1838,  is  narrated  in  the  preceding  chapter.  In  1852,  when  his 
efforts  in  building  up  a  new  town  on  the  east  side  gave  promise  of  success, 
he  removed  his  residence  to  East  Saginaw,  and  settled  in  a  new  house  on 
the  northeast  corner  of  Water  and  Fitzhugh  Streets,  where  he  lived  the 
remainder  <  if  his  life. 

To  all  the  multiple  business  affairs  of  Jesse  Hoyt,  Air.  Little  applied  his 
genius  as  an  organizer  and  promoter,  and  very  much  of  the  wealth  that  after- 
ward accrued  to  the  former  was  directly  due  to  the  enterprise  and  progressive 
spirit  of  the  latter.  While  it  was  the  capital  of  Mr.  Hoyt  that  made  possible 
the  early  improvements,  including  the  laying  of  the  plank  road  to  Flint  and 
the  building  of  substantial  structures,  thereby  declaring  his  confidence  in  the 
future  of  the  place,  it  was  the  indomitable  courage  and  energy  of  Mr.  Little 
in  directing  the  enterprises  inaugurated,  and  the  handling  of  the  infinite 
details,  that  insured  the  success  of  their  ventures.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  Mr.  Hoyt  never  look  up  a  permanent  residence  in  Saginaw,  nor  did  he 
ever  linger  long  in  his  periodical  visits  to  the  town;  therefore,  it  seems 
eminently  proper  that,  having  left  an  enduring  monument  to  himself  in  the 
splendid  library  which  bears  bis  name,  the  greater  measure  of  credit  and 
praise  should  be  bestowed  on  bis  able  lieutenant,  who  lived  here  and  bore 
all  the  hardships  and  privations  of  pioneer  life.  All  honor  to  him  who 
builded  so  well,  even  better  than  he  knew. 

The  people  who  now  enjoy  the  fruits  of  bis  far-seeing  wisdom,  especially 
when  they  call  to  mind  the  struggles  and  sacrifices  through  which  be  labored, 
should  cherish  the  memory  of  Norman  Little  with  tender  care.  The  courage 
with  which  he  carried  out  his  plans  and  the  perseverance  by  which  he 
brought  them  to  a  glorious  fruition,  should  always  be  held  in  grateful  re- 
membrance. To  great  energy  of  character  and  physical  endurance  he  united 
a  mild  and  benevolent  disposition,  and  was  blessed  with  a  truly  social  nature 


FOUNDING  OF   EAST  SAGINAW  153 

which  rendered  him,  to  the  last  moment  of  his  life,  an  object  of  affectionate 
regard  to  those  who  were  his  juniors,  and  of  uninterrupted  attachment  to  his 
friends  and  associates  of  past  years.  To  these  he  ever  remained  constant, 
for  true  friendship  and  a  spirit  of  universal  hospitality  belonged  to  his  nature 
and   became  substantia]   characteristics. 

After  spending  the  best  years  of  his  life  in  founding  our  prosperous  city, 
.Mr.  Little  suffered  a  tragic  death  by  drowning  in  the  Saginaw  River,  this 
unhappy  event  occurring  on  the  morning  of  November  X.  1859.  Though 
scarcely  fifty-four  years  of  age,  he  left  a  name  intimately  associated  with 
every  pioneer  movement  in  Saginaw  Valley. 

William  L.  P.  Little 

W.  L.  1'.  Little,  better  known  t>>  the  early  settlers  'if  Saginaw  as  "Colonel 
Little",  was  born  at  Avon,  New  York,  November  26,  1814.  lie  was  the 
second  son  of  Doctor  Charles  Little,  and  spent  his  childhood  and  youth  under 
the  paternal  roof,  receiving  such  education  as  was  afforded  l>v  the  schools  ol 
his  native  town.  In  early  life  he  developed  to  a  remarkable  extent  the 
indomitable  energy,  rare  financial  capacity,  and  mathematical  exactness  in 
matters  of  trade  and  negotiation,  which  were  distinguishing  characteristics 
throughout  a  lout;  and  active  business  life,  lie  came  to  Saginaw  City  in 
1836  and  for  four  years  was  actively  associated  with  his  brother,  Norman 
Little,  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  town.  After  the  financial  collapse  we  find 
him  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  with  his  brother-in-law,  Hiram  L. 
Miller,  in    which  he  continued    for   ten   years. 

In  1851  Colonel  Little  removed  to  the  east  side  and  entered  into  partner- 
shin  with  Jesse  Hoyt  in  general  merchandising,  occupying  the  premises  at 
the  foot  of  Genesee  Street  later  covered  by  the  Commercial  Block.  Their 
stove  was  destroyed  lay  fire  on  July  5.  1854,  when  they  closed  up  the  business. 
At  this  time  the  needs  of  the  growing  town  for  banking  facilities  became 
urgent,  and  cm  January  1,  1X55,  Mr.  Little  opened  the  hanking  office  of 
\Y.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company  on  the  second  floor  of  Hoyt's  Block  (now  known 
as  the  Exchange  Block),  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Genesee  and  Water 
Streets.  For  the  first  year  he  attended  without  great  inconvenience  to  all 
the  duties  of  the  bank,  but  in  1856  James  F.  Brown  came  from  New  York 
and  assumed  the  position  of  cashier.  Three  years  after.  Douglas  Hoyt 
became  an  employee  in  the  office:  and  in  the  fall  of  1X59  the  bank  was 
removed  to  the  Bancroft  I  louse  Block,  in  the  room  on  Genesee  Street  so  long 
occupied  by  the  billiard  room,  ddie  original  vault  for  the  safe-keeping  of 
the  specie  and  valuable  papers  of  the  old  bank  may  still  be  seen  in  this  room. 
On  December  31,  lXd4,  this  bank  went  out  of  existence,  its  business  being 
taken  over  by  the  Merchant's  National  Bank,  which  was  then  founded  with 
Mr.  Little  as  its  president. 

During  these  years  Mr.  Little  devoted  a  part  of  his  time  to  real  estate 
and  general  commercial  transactions,  to  the  development  of  the  salt  industry, 
and  to  the  manufacture  of  lumber  in  which  he  became  one  of  the  heaviest 
dealers.  To  the  many  local  improvements,  both  of  a  public  and  private 
character,  then  being  promoted,  he  also  lent  his  aid  and  encouragement.  I  lis 
principal  business,  however,  and  the  prime  object  of  his  ambition  was  the 
bank  which  bore  his  name,  and  which,  from  his  ability  as  a  financier  and 
unswerving  integrity  in  every  business  relation,  he  was  peculiarly  fitted  to  be 
the  head. 

At  the  first  charter  election  under  the  act  incorporating  East  Saginaw 
as  a  city,  held  in  March.  1859,  Colonel  Little  was  elected  to  the  Mayoralty  by 
a  large  majority,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  Democratic  party,  with 
which  he  was  always  allied,  was  then  in  the  minority.  The  duties  of  his 
position    he  discharged  with   zeal  and   fidelity,  and   to  the  entire   satisfaction 


a  »  _  -s 


>  n-;5 

>  *  V  -  = 


ilj-c    . 


FOUNDING  OF   EAST  SAGINAW  155 

of  all  the  people.  In  1857  he  was  appointed  Receiver  of  the  United  States 
Land  Office,  Muses  B.  Hess  being  the  Register;  and  it  was  mainly  through 
their  efforts  that  the  transfer  of  that  office  from  Flint  to  East  Saginaw  was 

effected. 

About  1854  he  built  a  commodious  residence,  pleasantly  arranged  with 
luxurious  appointments,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Water  and  Johnson 
Streets.  The  house  was  of  frame  construction  of  a  prevailing  style  of  the 
period,  with  a  large  wing  on  the  south  side,  and  was  painted  a  glistening 
white.  It  altogether  was  one  of  the  pretentious  residences  of  the  town. 
Water  Street  north  from  Tuscola  in  those  days  was  the  most  exclusive 
residence  section,  and  the  west  side  of  the  street  between  Johnson  and  the 
Mayflower  Mills  was  an  attractive  little  park  slopping  gradually  to  the 
water's  edge.  The  fortunate  residents  thus  had  an  unobstructed  view  of 
the  river  and  its  activities:  and  their  back  yards  and  stables  faced  cm 
Washington  Street,  where  are  now  sonic  of  our  attractive  residences.  North 
of  Colonel  Little's  house  were  the  homes  of  Solomon  B.  liliss,  Charles  B. 
Mott  and  Norman  Little,  all  of  which  have  disappeared  excepting  the  old 
Mott  House,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Water  and  Fitzhugh  Street--,  so  long 
occupied  by  Emil  Moores,  and  now  the  home  of  William  Glover  Gage. 

When  past  the  meridian  of  life,  in  full  possession  of  every  comfort  and 
luxury  wealth  could  provide,  which  came  of  years  of  unwearying  toil,  sur- 
rounded by  associates  ever  read}-  to  yield  an  unquestioning  assent  to  the 
suggestions  of  his  ripe  judgment  and  well-tried  experience,  happy  in  the 
possession  of  an  affectionate  family  and  a  devoted  circle  of  friends,  a  dread- 
ful malady  seized  his  overworked  brain,  and  in  an  instant  of  temporary 
hallucination  his  great  energy  of  mind  was  turned  to  self  destruction.  On 
the  morning  of  December  9,  1867,  he  died  in  his  bed  from  a  bullet  wound, 
self  inflicted.  In  this  tragic  event  which  closed  his  earthly  career  the  ruling 
instincts  that  had  swayed  his  life  were  all  apparent,  and  he  died  as  he  had 
lived,  fearless  and  with  that  unconquerable  spirit  of  a  man  of  intense  action. 

Charles  David  Little 

Another  well  known  member  of  the  Little  family,  who  came  here  at 
the  beginning  of  the  remarkable  expansion  .if  our  industries  and  who  lived 
here  the  remainder  of  his  life,  was  Charles  1).  Little,  the  third  son  of  Doctor 
Charles  Little.  He  was  born  at  Axon,  New  York,  March  5,  1822,  and  passed 
his  boyhood  in  acquiring  a  schooling,  and  later  received  a  classical  education 
with  the  intention  of  following  his  father's  chosen  profession.  But  his  elder 
sisters  had  fretted  over  the  strenuous  life  of  their  father  in  his  efforts  to 
relieve  the  physical  ailments  of  the  little  community  in  which  they  lived, 
ami  persuaded  their  brother  not  to  follow  in  their  father's  footsteps.  Aban- 
doning his  original  plan  of  life  work,  when  yet  a  boy  he  visited  Saginaw 
with  his  brothers  in  1836,  but  soon  after  returned  to  his  native  State  and 
later  began  the  stud}-  of  law  in  the  office  of  Walter  I.  Hubbell,  at 
Canandaigua. 

In  1842  he  came  to  Michigan  and  settled  at  Flint,  where  he  completed 
his  legal  preparation  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  He  then  entered  into 
partnership  with  E.  H.  Thompson  of  that  town,  and  in  1846  was  elected 
Judge  of  Probate  of  Genesee  County.  At  the  close  of  his  term  he  came 
to  Saginaw  City,  and  followed  the  practice  of  law  for  twelve  years.  In  1862 
he  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-third  Michigan  Infantry,  of  which  he  was  appointed 
quartermaster,  but  upon  going  to  the  front  he  was  made  assistant-adjutant 
general  on  the  staff  of  General  R.  S.  Granger.  On  account  of  impaired 
health  he  was  compelled  to  resign  in  1863,  and.  upon  being  honorably  dis- 
charged, returned  to  Saginaw  and  engaged  in  farming  and  in  dealing  in  real 
estate. 


156  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Aside  from  his  personal  affairs  Mr.  Little  always  evinced  a  deep  interest 
iii  public  matters,  from  1864  to  1870,  being  chairman  of  the  board  of  super- 
visors. In  1868  he  was  elected  to  the  State  legislature,  and  was  again 
honored  in  1870  and  later  in  1878,  and  was  one  of  the  prominent  Democrats 
among  the  law  makers  of  the  period.  He  was  a  fine  parliamentarian,  and 
his  suavity  ol  manner,  his  ready  command  of  language,  his  dignity  and 
uniform  courtesy  made  him  a  distinguished  member  of  any  body  of  men 
with  which  he  was  associated.  For  years  he  was  ,  me  of  the  leaders  in  the 
business  ami  social  circles  (if  Saginaw  City,  to  which  his  circumstances  of 
comparative   leisure  eminently   fitted    him. 

Fraternally.  Air.  Little  was  prominently  identified  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  was  instrumental  in  founding  Achilles  Lodge  in  this  city  in 
1874.  Upon  the  surrender  of  its  charter  in  1889  he  associated  himself  with 
Wolverine  Lodge,  No.  94,  of  which  he  was  a  member  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  In  1901  he  attended  the  meeting  of  the  grand  lodge  at  Battle  Creek, 
when  he  had  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  past  grand  chancellor  present. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  J.  N.  Penoyer  post.  No.  90,  G.  A.  R.,  of  which  he- 
was   past   commander. 

(  >n  November  29,  1853,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Pamela  W. 
Webster,  of  Hartford,  Connecticut.  Four  children  were  born  to  them. 
Charles  11..  recently  deceased,  Mrs.  S.  C.  J.  Ostrom,  Mrs.  Gilbert  M.  Stark! 
and  William  EC.  Little  also  deceased.  For  mam-  years  the  family  home,  in 
the  stately  residence  at  1019  Gratiot  Avenue,  built  by  Mr.  Little  in  1866,  was 
a  haven  oi  hospitality,  which  a  courteous,  considerate  gentleman  and  his 
highly  intelligent  and  charming  wife  presided  over  to  the  enjoyment  of  their 
numerous   friends. 

During  his  long  life  of  nearly  eighty-one  years.  Mr.  Little  was  a  close 
ol. sC,-ver  of  the  progress  of  the  nation  in  the  century  which  was  the  most 
remarkalde  in  the  world's  history.  Even  when  lading  energies  made  close- 
study  and  reading  irksome,  no  subject  of  passing  interest  escaped  his  notice, 
and  he  was  well  informed  on  the  current  events  of  the  time.  On  fanuary 
27,  1903,  he  laid  down  life's  burdens,  the  last  of  a  prominent  family  of  hardy 
pioneers,  who  will  he  remembered  as  long  as  records  of  human  events 
exist. 

Charles  Wesley  Grant 

Charles  W.  Grant,  who  came  here  in  a  canoe  as  early  as  1X4C>  and  built 
the  first  frame  house  on  the  East  Side,  was  horn  at  Smithfield,  Chenango 
County,  New  York,  March  15.  1818.  His  father,  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
was  born  in  1774  ard  served  in  the  War  of  1812,  holding  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  died  at  the  age  of  ninety-two  in  Clinton  County,  this  State,  where  he  had 
lived  for  fifty  years.  The  mother  died  when  Charles  was  only  seven 
years  old. 

Mr.  Grant  came  to  Michigan  in  1839  and  settled  at  Ionia,  where  he 
owned  and  operated  a  saw  and  grist  mill,  one  of  the  first  in  that  county. 
In  the  spring  of  1840  he  removed  to  Flushing,  where  he  started  in  operation 
the  first  circular  saw  in  that  section,  and  was  also  employed  in  a  shingle 
mill  for  some  time.  The  same  year  he  went  to  Flint,  where  he  lived  until 
1849,  when  he  came  down  the  river  to  this  primitive  settlement  in  a  canoe. 
His  first  work  here  was  placing  a  circular  saw  in  the  Emerson  mill,  which 
stood  a  little  south  of  Bristol  Street  and  west  of  the  present  City   Hall. 

In  the  spring  of  1850  he  formed  a  partnership  with  Alfred  M.  Hoyt,  and 
they  erected  the  "Blue  Mill"  at  the  foot  of  German  Street,  and  also  a  wooden 

building  which  was  the  first  frame  residence  built  in   East  Saginaw.      It  st 1 

at    the   corner  of   William    i  now    Janes)    and    Mater   Streets.      This   mill    cut 


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HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


plank  for  the  northern  division  of  the  Saginaw  and  Flint  I 'lank  Road.  Later 
Mr.  Grant  sold  his  interest  in  the  mill  business  to  his  partner,  Mr.  Floyt, 
and  then  purchased  a  saw  mill  at  Lower  Saginaw  (Bay  City),  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  1860.  In  1S65  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Chicago 
mill,  and  operated  it  in  association  with  Thomas  Savior,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Grant  iv  Saylor.  The  panic  of  187.1  brought  reverses  and  nearly  all  the 
property  of  Mr.  Grant  was  swept  away. 

By  the  power  of  an  indomitable  will  and  perseverance  he  gradually 
recovered  his  fortunes,  and  in  January,  1880,  in  association  with  a  nephew, 
purchased  the  Callam  mill  below  Carrollton,  which  was  operated  many  years 
uinler  the   firm   name  of  C.    L.   Grant   &  Company.     A  salt   works  was  also 

operated  in  connection  with  the  mill. 
In  1897  Mr.  Grant  retired  from  active 
business. 

In  his  prime  Charles  W.  Grant 
was  a  wonderfully  vigorous  and  active 
man,  and  during  his  eventful  life  wit- 
nessed the  transformation  of  a  dense 
wilderness  into  a  prosperous  and  pop- 
ulated metropolis  of  all  this  section  of 
Michigan.  When  he  came  here  the  log 
hut  of  Leon  Snay,  a  pioneer  trapper, 
was  still  standing  on  the  site  of  the 
Bancroft,  with  native  forest  trees  all 
round,  and  a  swale  or  marsh  extend- 
ing to  the  very  door.  The  little  settle- 
ment centured  on  what  is  now  <me  of 
the  busiest  thoroughfares  of  a  pros- 
perous city,  was  then  tranquil  in  its 
primeval  simplicity. 

At  the  first  township  meeting  held 
May  1.  1850,  the  township  of  Buena 
Vista  was  organized,  and  he  was 
elected  township  clerk  and  commis- 
sioner of  highways,  and  afterward  he 
served  as  supervisor.  From  1856  to 
1860  he  was  deputy  United  States 
Marshal,  and  was  also  deputy  collec- 
tor i  if  customs  for  one  term.  In  1885 
he  was  elected  sheriff  of  Saginaw 
County,  an  office  he  held  tour  years.  Covering  a  long  period  he  was  secre- 
tary of  the  Board  of  Trade,  and  was  actively  identified  with  every  move- 
ment for  the  upbuilding  of  the  city.  For  many  years  he  was  corresponding 
secretary  for  Saginaw  County  of  the  Michigan  Pioneer  Society,  and  con- 
tributed many  biographical  sketches  of  our  representative  citizens  to  its 
historical  archives. 

Mr.  Grant  was  a  generous  man,  and  an  excellent  citizen,  who  did  his 
share  in  promoting  the  advancement  of  Saginaw  Valley,  and  in  laving  the 
foundation  of  a  flourishing  city.  Personally,  he  was  genial  and  companion- 
able, and  helil  the  cordial  respect  of  all.  In  the  autumn  of  1861,  he  was 
married  in  Genesee  County  to  Flecta  Curtis,  a  native  of  Onondaga  County, 
New  York,  and  through  all  the  changing  years  "they  lived  and  loved 
together."  Having  finished  his  life's  work,  he  died  July  11,  1903,  at  his  home 
at  1663  South  Washington  Avenue.  The  passing  of  this  kindly  old  gentle- 
man of  the  "old  school",  caused  profound  regret  and  sorrow'  in  the  hearts  of 
those  who  knew  him  well  and  loner. 


CHARLES    W.    GRANT 


w. 


P.     LITTLE     FAMILY 


The   child    at    thi 
years.    Tin-  young 


lefl    was   Minnie    Little,    who    died    at     the    age    of    sixteen 
er  girl  was  Alice,  afterward   Mrs.    \V.    H.   Coats,   well  known 
in    Saginaw. 


CHAPTER    X 

REMINISCENCES  OF  PIONEER  CITIZENS 


Recollections  of  Norman  L.  Miller  —  Oscar  Jewett  Located  Old  Business  Houses 
William  A.  Crane  Experienced  I  lardy  Pioneer  Life  —  Mary  Hubbard  Ide  Came  in 
is:;:,  —  William  A.  Williams  Told  of  Lumber  Days  —  John  W.  Richardson  Once  Lived 
in  the  Old  Fort  —  George  Streeb  Was  One  of  the  First  Merchants  —  What  John  Moore 
Found  Here  in  1851 — Joseph  A.  Whittier  Paid  Tribute  to  Jesse  Hoyt  —  James  I 
Brown  Was  the  First  Bank  Cashier —  Emil  A.  L.  Moon  -  Was  Here  in  Pioneer  I ' ; i \  -  - 
Fast  Saginaw  in  ts:,-i 

T;<  >  have  come  to  the  place  that  is  now   a  prosperous  city  of  sixty  thou- 
sand people,  when  tiiat  place  was  a  forest  wilderness,  abounding  with 
swamps,  reptiles  ami  wild  beasts,  to  have  seen  deer  chased  by  wolves 
along  trails  that  are  new.  and  have  been  fur  many  years,  modern  city 
streets,  ti  >  have  shot  deer  where  line  residences  and  well-kept  lawn--  new   line 

the  way,  and  to  have  lived  to  a  g 1  old  age  possessing  memories  that  charm 

and  please  those  who  may  listen,  has  been  the  experience  of  a  number  of 
entertaining  "tellers  of  old  tales."  The  first  recollections  of  a  few  of  these 
pioneer  citizens,  of  the  primitive  settlement  on  the  Saginaw,  began  in  the 
thirties,  and  like  other  young  boys,  the  novelty  of  their  early  life  made  an 
indelible    impression    upon    their   minds. 

The  great  woods,  the  winding  rivers,  and  the  denizens  of  the  wilder- 
ness—  a  hear  sniffing  the  air  with  curiosity  as  he  detected  the  newcomers, 
and  tlie  howl  of  wolves  at  night,  close  to  their  doors,  producing  sensations 
of  dread  —  were  vividly  recalled,  as  also  the  dense  flocks  of  wild  pigeons  that 
darkened  the  skies,  and  the  myriads  of  wild  ducks,  the  sound  id'  whose  wings 
as  they  arose  being  like  distant  thunder,  and  the  great  schools  of  fish  which 
were  so  numerous  that  they  literally  crowded  each  other  in  their  watery 
retreats.  In  those  times  every  man  was  a  hunter  and  fisher,  and  every  boy. 
as  soon  as  he  could  shoulder  a  musket,  emulated  his  elders  in  feats  of  the 
chase. 

Besides  the  great  abundance  of  game  and  fish,  there  were  other  inhabi- 
tant-- of  the  dead  waters,  some  with  voices  of  amazing  depth  and  power.  An 
amusing  incident  of  the  olden  time  is  related  in  regard  to  them.  An  eastern 
young  lady  was  visiting  here  and  was  struck  with  the  number  of  cattle  that 
ivere  owned  by  so  few  persons,  for  on  arising  in  the  morning,  the  first  alter 
her  arrival,  she  told  how  in  the  night  she  had  heard  them  bellowing,  first 
far  up  the  river,  again  directly  across  the  stream,  then  far  down  the  river 
As  there  were  very  few  cattle  then  owned  by  the  settlers,  the  family  enjoyed 

a  g 1  laugh  at  her  expense  before  explaining  that  the  supposed  cattle  were 

the  huge  bull-frogs  that  populated  the  bayous.  The)-  would  commence  their 
concert  in  Green  Bayou,  roar  for  awhile  and  subside.  The  chorus  would 
then  be  taken  up  in  the  Emerson  Bayou  I  Lake  Linton)  and  brought  to  a 
proper  pause;  and  it  would  be  completed  in  the  Davenport  Bayou  north  ql 
the  town. 

Recollections  of  Norman  L.  Miller 

'  i'ie    of    the    most    versatile    and    entertaining    conversationists    oi    our 

pioneer  citizens,  especially  when  in  a  reminiscent  m 1.  was  the  late  Norman 

L.  Miller,  who  came  to  the  primitive  settlement  in  1836. 


REMINISCENCES  OF   PI<  >NEER  CITIZENS  161 

"My  father  and  family  arrived  here,"  said  Mr.  Miller,  "when  I  was  only 
four  years  of  age.  It  was  a  delightful  day  of  early  spring,  and  the  river 
seemed  like  a  mirror,  so  unruffled  was  its  surface,  while  all  nature  was  garbed 
in  her  brightest  green.  That  day  is  one  of  the  pleasantest  memories  of  my 
boyhood.  Our  first  night  in  Saginaw  was  spent  at  a  lug  house  located  within 
the  old  fort  stockade,  which  had  been  abandoned  by  the  military  force  only 
twelve  rears  before.  Later  we  lived  in  a  house  on  Hamilton  Street,  about 
four  blocks  north  of  the  fort. 

"On  the  north  side  of  Madison  Street,  about  forty  feet  from  the  curb 
line  of  Hamilton  Street,  stands  a  bitternut  hickory  tree  over  two  feet  in 
diameter,  which  in  my  youth  was  a  sapling  three  or  four  inches  through  at 
the  base.  At  the  foot  of  this  tree  was  a  spring  from  which  the  few  settlers 
in  the  neighborhood  secured  their  water  for  cooking  and  drinking.  A  short 
distance  south  and  west,  on  ground  now  occupied  by  the  residence  of  Mrs. 
\Y.  P.  Morgan,  was  quite  a  sand  hill,  where  during  the  day  the  children 
played.  At  night  it  had  other  visitors,  and  the  howling  of  the  wolves  i-. 
another  distinct  recollection  of  my  boyhood.  In  the  morning  their  tracks 
could  be  plainly  seen  in  the  soft  sand. 

"The  Indians  were  so  numerous  that  they  were  scarcely  noticed,  and 
therefore  created  little  comment  or  observation.  Some  of  them,  however, 
impressed  themselves  on  my  memory,  and  especially  Tawas.  a  chief  from 
whom  the  'Tawases'  took  their  name.  He  was  a  red  man  of  mild  character 
and  demeanor,  and  was  a  common  caller  at  my  father's  house,  always  being 
ready  to  partake  of  the  hospitality  of  the  settlers.  He  seemed  to  be  possessed 
of  an  insatiable  appetite,  for   he   was  always   'buck-a-tay',  meaning  hungry. 

"Another  well-known  Indian  was  Yellow  Beaver,  who  was  sometimes 
observed  to  be  in  mourning,  with  his  face  blackened  in  token  of  sorrow  or 
dejection.  Paints  were  much  used  by  the  redskins,  yellow  and  red  being  the 
popular  colors,  and  were  laid  on  the  face  in  blotches  and  stripes.  They  were 
picturesque  figures  in  their  mocassins  and  blankets,  bare-headed,  occasionally 
with  a  hawk"s  or  eagle's  feather  twisted  into  their  black  hair.  Their  names 
were  a  variegated  assortment  of  Bears,  Beavers.  Birds,  Fishes  and  Frogs,  to 
say  nothing  of  the  beautifully  poetic  and  descriptive  names,  such  as  'Almost- 
Touches-The  Clouds',  'The-River-of-Stones',  or  'The-Great-Rock.' 

"Deer  and  bears  were  frequently  seen  in  what  is  now  Michigan  Avenue, 
while  the  wild  pigeons  were  so  plentiful  as  to  be  nuisances  to  those  who 
might  sow  a  little  wdieat.  Saginaw  was  a  great  fur-trading  point  then,  and 
had  been  one  of  the  stations  of  the  American  Fur  Company.  In  fact,  every 
merchant  was  a  fur  trader.  'While  in  the  employ  of  W.  L.  P.  Little,  who  ran 
the  store  known  as  'The  Red  Warehouse'.  I  have  seen  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars' worth  of  valuable  pelts  hanging  in  that  place  awaiting  shipment.  About 
1848  muskrats  brought  eight  to  ten  cents;  coons,  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents; 
mink,  sixty  t<  >  seventy-five;  marten,  one  dollar  to  a  dollar  and  a  quarter; 
fisher,  one  dollar  and  a  half;  beaver,  one  dollar  per  pound,  and  Indian  tanned 
deer  hides,  the  same  price. 

"There  were  also  red  and  gray  fox.  bear,  lynx  and  other  fur  which  went 
to  provide  the  Chippewas  with  blankets,  beads,  firewater,  powder  and  other 
necessities,  real  and  imaginary. 

"At  this  time  I  was  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  I  well  remember  the 
Indians  used  to  gather  in  hundreds  for  the  payment  of  their  treaty  annuities. 
I  have  seen  not  less  than  twenty-five  hundred  here  at  one  time,  occupying 
the  river  front  of  what  is  now  Rust  Park  in  hundreds  of  their  temporary 
wigwams,  their  canoes  lining  the  shore,  and  the  night  rendered  indescrib- 
ably weird  and  picturesque  by  the  reflected  light  of  their  camp  fires. 


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REMINISCENCES  OF  PIONEER  CITIZENS  163 

"Houses  were  very  few  at  that  day  and  the  must  prominent  buildings 
were  the  old  fort,  the  'Red  Store'  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street,  which  was 
the  American  Fur  Company's  establishment,  the  'Red  Warehouse'  at  the  foot 
of  what  is  now  Cleveland  Street,  and  Campau's  trading  post  near  the  site  of 
Wright's  mill.  The  residence  of  E.  S.  Williams  was  on  the  high  ground  now 
occupied  by  my  own  house,  while  Gardner  D.  Williams  had  a  residence- 
further  south  in  the  block  now  covered  by  the  Hill  Trade  School.  The  old 
cellar  of  this  house  was  plainly  visible  a  few  years  ago,  and  marked  the  site 
of  the  home  of  a  man  who  in  the  early  days  contributed  much  to  the  life  and 
prosperity  of  Saginaw. 

"During  primitive  times  a  creek  crossed  Michigan  Avenue  at  Cass  Street, 
and  was  spanned  by  a  bridge  from  which  boys,  including  myself,  were  wont 
to  fish.  This  little  stream  entered  the  river  at  about  the  foot  of  Adams  Street, 
and  it  formed  quite  a  gully  at  that  point,  which  flanked  the  fort  on  the  south, 
and  gave  a  measure  of  protection  to  that  frontier  post. 

How  He  Shot  His  First  Bear 

"It  was  a  part  of  my  duties  to  bring  down  the  cows  from  a  pasture  in  a 
small  clearing  near  where  the  pail  and  tub  factory  now  stands,,  and  on  these 
daily  trips  I  always  carried  my  gun  and  was  accompanied  by  my  dog  which 
was  very  active  in  the  pursuit  of  game,  both  large  and  small.  (  hie  afternoon 
in  the  fall,  while  attending  to  this  duty,  the  dog  began  a  great  barking,  which 
was  always  indicative  of  game  being  near.  At  that  time  the  road  was 
approximately  where  Michigan  Avenue  is  at  present,  and  when  I  came  out 
upon  it  I  was  met  by  my  father,  who  said  the  dog  had  treed  a  bear.  We  made 
haste  to  follow  the  direction  of  the  furious  barking,  and  soon  came  up  with 
the  dog  where  indeed  he  had  a  bear  'up  a  tree.'  The  exact  spot  was  near 
where  Stewart  B.  William's  house  stood  on  South  Michigan  Avenue. 

"My  gun  was  a  small  bore  weapon,  having  been  a  rifle  which  had  been 
re-bored  for  shot,  and  was  so  loaded.  As  quick  as  my  father  said  'bear'.  I 
began  searching  in  my  pockets  for  something  heavier  than  shot,  and  found  a 
slug  made  for  a  different  gun,  but  by  chewing  it  into  shape  I  made  it  tit  my 
own  weapon,  so  that  by  the  time  the  game  was  sighted  the  gun  was  'loaded 
for  bear.'  My  father,  fearing  the  result,  wished  to  do  the  shooting,  but  I 
could  not  see  it  in  that  light,  and  took  a  very  deliberate  aim  at  the  bear's 
head,  fired,  and  down  came  Mr.  Bruin,  dead  as  a  hammer.  He  was  not  very 
large,  weighing  perhaps  a  hundred  pounds,  but  it  was  a  pretty  good  exploit 
after  all  for  a  boy. 

"As  I  grew  older  I  often  hunted  deer,  and  even  after  the  Civil  War  these 
animals  were  killed  within  the  limits  of  the  present  city.  The  land  from  the 
River  Road,  now  the  extension  of  Michigan  Avenue,  to  the  Brockway  Road 
was  nearly  all  covered  with  a  dense  forest;  and  on  our  farm,  now  the  Morgan 
fruit  farm,  a  deer  runway  crossed  from  north  to  south.  <  )ne  day  while  hunt- 
ing on  this  tract  I  struck  a  deer  trail  and  began  to  follow  it.  Soon  noticing 
the  print  of  mocassins  following  it,  I  concluded  that  the  Indian  was  first  in 
the  held  and  thus  entitled  to  the  game,  so  I  struck  out  for  the  Brockway 
Road  with  the  intention  of  going  home.  I  had  not  gone  far  when,  near  the 
Steltzriede  clearing,  f  came  upon  another  deer  trail  and  followed  it  for  a 
short  distance,  when  a  tine  buck  sprang  up  in  front  of  me  and  was  promptly 
shot.  I  had  tied  the  heatl  and  legs  together  and  made  ready  to  drag  the 
carcass  out,  when  an  Indian  appeared,  following  the  trail.  He  glanced  at  the 
dead  buck,  then  at  me.  gave  an  expressive  'ugh'!  and  turning  quicjdy  away, 
disappeared  in  the  forest,  ft  was  the  same  deer  that  he  had  followed  for 
hours  and  had  tired  down  to  the  [mint  of  causing  it  to  lie  down  to  rest,  when 
it  fell  a  victim  to  me  who  had  so  easily  earned  it. 


164  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

"In  tin isc  days  the  favorite  method  of  deer-hunting  was  still-hunting.  As 
si  ii  m  as  the  snow  fell  in  the  fall,  the  hunter  would  search  for  tracks,  and  find- 
ing one  would  quietly  follow  it.  If  he  was  unable  to  come  up  with  the  game 
unawares,  lie  still  patiently  followed  the  trail.  When  the  deer  became  tired 
it  would  lie  down,  and  if  the  wind  was  not  unfavorable,  the  hunter  stood  a 
got  id  chance  of  getting  a  shut  when  the  animal  started  to  its  feet.  On  one 
occasion  I  tracked  a  deer  fur  two  days,  taking  up  the  trail  in  the  morning 
where  I  left  it  at  night,  and  at  last  get  a  single  ineffectual  shut,  when  I  gave 
up  the  chase  in  disgust.  Another  time,  when  crossing  a  •-mall  clearing  or 
'slash',  a  young  deer  came  bounding  through  at  a  range  of  only  four  rods. 
Although  the  gun  I  carried  was  an  English,  double-barrel  shot-gun,  16-gauge, 
cap  lock.  I  tired  and  brought  him  down,  the  pellets  completely  penetrating 
the  small  body,  and  hanging  in  the  skin  mi  the  opposite  side. 

"Here  hangs  a  tine  buck  head,"  continued  Mr.  Miller,  "a  trophy  of  a  hunt 
near  YVahjamega  in  Tuscola  County.  On  that  occasion  I  was  armed  with 
two  guns,  the  double-barrel  shot-gun  and  a  repeating  Spencer  carbine,  the 
latter  being  of  a  kind  used  by  some  of  the  cavalry  in  the  Civil  War.  A  deer 
was  started  and  1  opened  a  rapid-fire  with  the  Spencer,  which  proved  in- 
effectual. I  then  seized  my  old  standby  —  the  shot-gun  —  aimed  and  fired, 
ami  the  buck  dropped  in  his  tracks,  death-stricken. 

"One  of  the  party  named  Powell  coming  up.  called  out:  'Did  ye  git 
him?'  He  was  told  yes.  'Well,  I  thought  so,  fer  I  heard  ye  emptyin'  yer 
arsenal!'  I  felt  greatly  chagrined  to  have  wasted  seven  shots  from  the 
Spencer,  hut  as  the  operation  of  working  the  mechanism  was  new  to  me,  I 
was  excused  for  shouting  wild. 

"In  the  early  days,  wolves  and  bears  were  very  plentiful,  but  appeared 
much  shyer  than  the  deer,  and  I  newer  more  than  once  or  twice  saw  a  wolf 
running  wild,  one  (if  these  occasions  being  when  a  wolf  was  seen  pursuing 
a  deer  through  wdiat  is  now  the  heart  of  the  business  section  of  the  West 
Side  " 

Oscar  Jewett  Located  Old  Business  Houses 

Another  of  those  men  closely  associated  with  the  settlement  of  the 
county,  was  the  late  Oscar  Jewett.  son  of  Fleazer  Jewett  the  first  permanent 
white  settler  in  this  valley.  For  many  years  Mr.  Jewett  lived  on  a  farm  not 
far  from  the  northwestern  limits  of  the  city,  and  a  few  months  before  his 
death  gave  a  glimpse  of  early  affair--  mi  the  West  Side. 

"I  was  Imrn  November  3,  1837,  in  Jewett's  Hotel,  located  at  what  is  now 
the  corner  of  Throop  and  Niagara  Streets.  This  was  the  first  hotel  ever  built 
in  Saginaw,  and  was  put  up  by  my  father  in  1833.  He  moved  into  it  from  the 
former  home  at  Green  Point,  where  Riverside  Park  is  now.  Father  came 
here  in  1826,  and  my  sister,  Mary  Jewett,  who  became  the  wife  of  Doctor 
X.  I).  Lee,  was  the  first  white  girl  born  in  Saginaw  County,  which  then  ran 
clear  up  toward  Mackinaw. 

"The  hotel  was  a  popular  place  at  that  time,  and  in  1839  every  man, 
woman  and  child  in  the  vicinity  of  the  little  settlement,  gathered  there  for 
the  Fourth  of  July  celebration.  A  cannon  had  been  packed  up  from  Detroit 
i  m  horseback  lor  the  occasion,  and  was  fired  off  between  speeches;  and  a 
great  dinner  was  served.  The  other  hotels  as  I  remember  them  were,  the 
Webster  House,  situated  on  Washington  Street,  with  Lester  Cross  as  pro- 
prietor: the  Saginaw  City  Exchange,  on  Ames  and  Water  Streets,  conducted 
by  Horace  Douglass;  the  Shakespeare  Hotel,  kept  by  C.  T.  Brenner,  at  the 
corner  of  Adams  and  Hamilton;  the  Aetna  House,  by  George  Beeman.  at 
the  corner  of  Van  Buren  and  Water:  and  C.  F.  Esche's  Sylvan  Retreat  on 
G  inrt  Street. 


REMIN1SCEXCF.S  <  >F   I'loNEER  CITIZENS 


165 


"Michael  Dougherty's  shipyard  was  located  on  Water  Street;  A.  C. 
Paine's  livery  stable  at  the  corner  of  Cass  and  Water;  C.  Wider's  tannery  at 
Stevens  and  Water,  and  John  W.  Richardson's  harness  shop,  the  steam  spoke 
factory,  and  A.  Fisher's  cabinet  and  chair  factory  on  Water  Street. The  dry 
goods  houses  were  those  of  D.  II.  Jerome  &  Company,  in  the  Jerome  Block; 
George  W.  Bullock.  (1.  T.  Zschoerner,  in  the  Woodruff  Block;  Ferin  and 
Flathau  and  F.  C.  Andre,  on  the  dock.  The  grocery  trade  was  represented 
by  J.  Dow  ling,  A.  Andre,  Myron  Butman.  George  Streeb,  William  Binder. 
Jacob  Vogt,  on  Water  Street;  and  Michael  Redman  kept  a  restaurant  at  the 
corner  of  Hamilton  and  Jefferson  (Cleveland)  Streets.  Mrs.  Rice  and  Mrs. 
Hamilton  supplied  the  needs  of  the  women  with  millinery;  and  the  tailors 
were  John  Mullcahy,  M.  Rathke  and  F.  A.  Leasia.  Such  was  Saginaw  City's 
business  circle  sixty  years  ago." 

In  his  declining  years  Mr.  Jewett  retained  to  a  remarkable  degree  the 
vigor  and  strength  of  his  early  youth.  He  was  a  man  of  powerful  frame, 
broad  shouldered,  deep  chested,  and  in  his  prime  stood  six  feet  four  inches, 
weighing  more  than  two  hundred  pounds. 


William   A.   Crane   Experienced   Hardy   Pioneer   Life 

The  name  of  Crane  is  a  well  known  and  honored  one  in  Saginaw 
County,  for  there  is  an  ex-Probate  Judge,  a  prominent  lawyer  and  real  estate 
man.  two  physicians  and  a  prominent  farmer,  all  the  descendants  of  a  pioneer 
boy  whose  father,  <  (badiah  Crane,  settled  on  the  Tittabawassee  River  in  1831. 

The  log  cabin  that  first  sheltered  this  early 
pioneer  stood  a  little  east  of  the  Hackett 
Ravine,  and  it  soon  gave  way  to  a  substan- 
tial house  of  square-hewed  logs,  in  which  the 
first  "town  meeting"  in  Tittabawassee  was 
held.  This  pioneer  boy  was  William  A. 
Crane,  who  was  born  in  the  "block-house" 
in  bS.i.S.  and  whose  earliest  recollections 
were  of  Indians,  wild  beasts,  and  all  the  wild 
surroundings  of  pioneer  life.  Directly  across 
the  river  was  the  large  Red  Bird  Reserva- 
tion, so  called  after  the  chief,  Red  Bird;  and 
here  the  family  lived  until  1843.  In  those 
times  there  were  many  feasts  and  dances  in 
the  Chippewa  villages,  and  thrilling  exper- 
iences and  occasional  tragedies  which  made  a 
lasting  impression  on  the  mind  of  the  little 
hoy.  Deaths  by  violence  were  by  no  means 
rare,  falling  trees,  gunshot  wounds,  drown- 
ings or  other  casualties  making  a  long  list  of 
deaths  in   the  aggregate. 

"One  of  my  earliest  recollections,"  said 
Mr.  Crane,  "was  the  tragic  death  of  a  par- 
ticular friend  of  my  boyhood,  Eli  Benson,  who  was  about  my  age.  I  was 
playing  with  him  one  afternoon,  and  on  his  return  home  to  the  west  side  of 
the  river,  was  called  by  his  father  to  drive  a  cow  away  from  the  vicinity  of 
the  place  where  he  was  felling  a  tree.  By  some  mischance,  the  little  fellow- 
got  directly  in  the  path  of  the  falling  tree,  and  was  killed.  This  happening 
made  a  deep  impression  upon  my  mind,  and  one  which  will  never  be  effaced. 


OBADIAH    CRANE 


166  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

"Among  the  Indians  who  frequently  visited  my  father's  house  was  Green 
Bird,  win  i  evinced  a  particular  fondness  for  me,  and  made  for  me  hows  and 
arrows,  and  brought  eagle's  feathers  to  stick  in  my  hair  and  paint  to  daub 
my  face.  <  >ne  day  (  rreen  Bird  engaged  in  a  friendly  scuttle  with  another 
Indian  back  of  our  house,  and  close  to  the  water's  edge.  He  got  his 
antagonist  down  and  held  him  in  such  a  maimer  that  he  drowned.  From 
that  time  my  Indian  friend  was  an  object  of  terror  to  me  who  had  been  his 
favorite.  <  >n  another  occasion,  when  an  Indian  pow-wow  was  being  held,  a 
savage  who  had  secured  some  of  the  white  man's  rum  became  drunk,  and  in 
some  manner  discharged  a  gun  in  the  crowd,  killing  a  squaw.  The  shoot- 
ing  was  purely  accidental,  the  gun  being  loaded  for  the  purpose  of  tiring  a 
salute,  and  the  woman  was  killed  by  the  wad.  which  was  heavy  enough  to 
do  the  mischief. 

"It  often  became  necessary  fur  my  father  to  be  away  from  home  for  a 
day  i  >r  two.  and  on  such  occasions,  my  mother  would  pile  the  firewood 
against  the  door  at  night  to  keep  the  Indians  from  entering,  for  like  most  of 
the  settler's  wives,  she  stood  in  fear  of  them.  Still  they  were  very  friendly, 
and  many  were  the  choice  pieces  of  game  that  came  from  their  hands.  Their 
clothing  in  winter  was  more  or  less  of  deer  skins,  and  they  wore  mocassins 
and  used  paint  freely  on  their  faces.  Their  canoes  were  familiar  sights  as 
they  passed  up  and  clown  the  river,  bareheaded,  save  for  an  occasional 
feather.  They  managed  their  cockle-shell  craft  with  the  utmost  grace  and 
skill.  At  times  their  rich  voices  were  heard  in  the  wild  songs  of  the  forest, 
and  perhaps  the  boom  of  the  drum  rolled  out  across  the  stream,  and  at  night 
their  camp  fires  twinkled  through  the  gloom. 

"One  of  the  things  the  pioneer  craved  after  providing  a  comfortable 
shelter  for  his  family,  was  some  means  of  educating  his  children.  My  father 
had  built  a  log  house  for  his  sister  across  the  ravine,  and  immediately  on  its 
banks,  where  for  a  time  she  and  her  husband  lived.  Later  it  was  abandoned, 
and  as  there  were  now  several  families  with  children,  scattered  up  and  down 
the  river,  some  rude  benches  were  constructed  and  placed  in  the  log  cabin, 
a  teacher  named  Elmore  secured,  and  school  begun.  Mr.  Elmore  did  not 
teach  very  long  and  was  succeeded  by  Miss  Agnes  Ure,  who  is  held  in  lov- 
ing memory  by  the  few  living  who  went  to  her  school.  The  log  cabin  was 
soon  after  superseded  by  a  more  pretentious  structure  in  a  different  locality. 

"1  recall  an  incident,"  added  Mr.  Crane,  "which  occurred  while  my  aunt 
was  living  in  the  school-house  cabin  across  the  ravine.  One  evening  the 
family  dog,  a  fine  large  animal,  began  making  an  outer}-  in  the  hollow,  when 
my  uncle,  hearing  the  noise,  shouted,  'Shake  him,  Keep!  Shake  him!'  From 
the  sounds  he  knew  it  was  a  wolf  that  the  dog  was  grappling,  and  believing 
that  his  dog  was  a  master  of  any  wolf,  shouted  to  encourage  him.  But  it 
was  the  wolf  that  was  doing  all  the  shaking,  and  when  they  came  to  the 
rescue  poor  Keep  was  dead.  This  ravine  was  a  favorite  runway  for  wild 
animals  of  all  kinds,  as  it  afforded  them  a  covered  passage  to  the  water's 
edge  and  led  far  back  into  the  timber." 

Mr.  Crane,  who  has  passed  his  eightieth  year,  was  married  in  1857  to 
Miss  Purchase,  a  native  of  Xew  York  State,  who  came  to  this  valley  with 
her  father's  family  at  an  early  day.  In  April.  1915,  they  celebrated  the 
fifty-eighth  anniversary  of  their  marriage,  rejoicing  that  their  five  sons  and 
two  daughters  are  living.  William  E.  Crane  and  Riley  L.  Crane  are  prom- 
inent members  of  the  Saginaw  County  liar.  Doctor  B.  F.  A.  Crane  is  widely 
known  as  a  surgeon.  Doctor  Mil«>  A.  Crane  is  practicing  in  Chicago,  while 
Ambrose  crane  is  a  farmer  and  business  man  of  Midland.  There  are  sixteen 
grandchildren  and  one  great  grandchild. 


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168  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

William  A.  Williams  Told  of  the  Lumber  Days 

The  last  member  of  that  sturdy  family  of  pioneers,  which  was  such  an 
important  factor  in  the  upbuilding  of  this  county,  was  William  A.  Williams. 
He  was  burn  here  March  12,  1X34,  and  had  the  distinction  of  being  the  first 
white  male  child  born  in  the  county.  I  lis  father  was  Gardner  D.  Williams, 
a  prominent  fur  trader  and  lumberman  of  the  early  days,  and  was  afterward 
the  first  mayor  of  Saginaw  City.  For  years  William  was  a  member  of  the 
lumber  linn  of  George  S.  Williams  &  Brothers,  and  later  owned  and  con- 
ducted a  large  farm.  His  eventide  of  life  was  spent  in  a  cozy  home  with 
ample  garden  spot  in  the  outskirts  of  the  West  Side. 

"In  1834,  the  year  I  was  horn,"  he  said,  "my  father  and  Uncle  Ephraim 
built  the  first  saw  mill  on  the  river,  and  it  was  located  at  the  foot  of  Mack- 
inaw Street.  There  was  not  much  demand  for  lumber  then,  and  they  sold 
better  lumber  for  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  thousand  feet  than  you  can  buy 
now   for  twenty  dollars.      Mill  culls,  they  called   them,  hut  a  man  could  get 

as  g 1  lumber  as  he  wanted  to  put  into  a   house  out  of  mill  culls.      If  an 

end  of  a  hoard  was  a  little  shaky,  it  was  graded  as  cull,  even  though  the 
other  end  might  be  clear  stuff.  With  all  the  wealth  of  standing  timber  in 
those  days,  I  never  thought  I  should  see  the  time  that  we  would  use  lumber 
in   Saginaw  shipped   here  from   California. 

"About  1850,  when  Norman  Little  began  t<>  build  up  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  my  brother  George  and  I  took  lumber  on  a  lighter  from  our  mill  for 
the  first  frame  building  put  up  there.  Jesse  I  loyt  had  some  sort  of  an  office 
building  then,  but   I  don't  think  it  was  of  frame  construction. 

"You  must  remember  our  old  house  which  stood  on  the  corner  of  Mich- 
igan Avenue  and  Mackinaw  Street.  All  the  lumber  in  that  house  was  whip 
sawed,  except  the  siding  which  was  brought  from  1 'ort  Huron.  That  seemed 
a  long  distance  to  firing  boards,  farther  away  than  California  is  now.  You 
will  be  surprised  when  I  tell  you  that  in  the  main  chimney  of  that  house 
there  were  nine  thousand  brick.  It  had  five  fire  places  and  a  hake  oven  con- 
nected with  it.  We  didn't  have  any  stoves  in  those  days.  My  mother  did 
all  the  cooking  in  an  open  fire  place.  We  boys  would  haul  in  the  wood  on  a 
sled,  and  put  on  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  cord  to  build  a  fire. 

"When  a  boy  I  have  seen  my  father  load  eighteen  thousand  bushels  of 
cranberries  into  the  hold  of  a  vessel,  lie  bought  them  from  the  Indians 
who  gathered  them  in  the  marshes,  and  they  were  worth  about  a  dollar  a 
bushel.  They  were  good  berries,  too,  and  found  a  ready  market  in  the  larger 
pi  irt--  along  the  lakes.  There  were  great  times  here  seventy  years  ago,  and 
the  fur  business  was  immense. 

"When  I  notice  Saginaw's  prosperous  citizens  riding  by  here  in  their 
automobiles,  I  think  of  the  style  that  prevailed  in  the  early  days.  I  remem- 
ber how  1  used  to  put  straw  and  blankets  into  a  dump  cart,  put  the  old  pacing 
mare  into  the  shafts,  and  then  my  mother,  Mrs.  Norman  Little,  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Richman,  and  perhaps  some  other  member  of  their  social  circle,  would  get 
into  the  cart  and  drive  out  to  the  home  of  my  uncle,  Alpheus  Williams.  He 
lived  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Vogt  farm.  They  would  get  dinner  there 
and  then  go  across  the  river  to  the  house  of  Albert  Miller,  where  they  gen- 
erally stayed  for  supper.  They  enjoyed  life  just  as  much  as  people  who  ride 
in  their  motor  cars  today;  but  the  old  cart  would  look  rather  queer  alongside 
some  of  the  car--  that  pass  here. 

"In  1X50  I  accompanied  Uncle  Alpheus  and  his  family,  including  the  --mi 
Gardner,  to  Pontiac  when  they  started  fur  California.  They  went  through 
with  horse--  and  wagon.      When  we  got  to  Pontiac  they  urged  me  to  sell  my 


REMINISCENCES  OF   PIONEER  CITIZENS  169 

conveyance  and  go  along  with  them.  Maybe  I  would  have  been  better  off 
if  I  had,  but  1  am  well  satisfied  to  be  right  here  in  the  place  where  I  was  born 
and  reared.'' 

George  Washington  Davis 

One  nf  the  early  postmasters  of  Saginaw  City,  who  followed  Ephraim  S. 
and  Gardner  D.  Williams,  in  the  early  fifties,  was  George  W.  Davis,  a  sturdy 
pioneer  who  is  still  remembered  by  our  older  residents.  He  was  burn  April 
20,  1819,  and  was  one  of  eleven  children,  his  father,  Josiah  Davis,  being  an 
owner  and  operator  of  canal  boats  on  the  Erie  Canal.  They  removed  fr<  mi 
Schnectady,  New  York,  to  Michigan  as  early  as  1837  and  settled  at  Oxford, 
where  the  father  entered  government  land  as  a  pioneer  settler  and  engaged 
in  clearing  the  ground  and  cultivating  the  soil. 

In  1X49  George  W.  Davis  came  to  Saginaw  City  and  opened  a  general 
store  in  the  "old  red  store,"  which  stood  at  the  corner  of  .Mackinaw  and 
Water  Streets.  This  business  he  conducted  until  1855,  when,  upon  the 
death  of  Mrs.  Davis,  lie  sold  out  and  later  operated  a  small  packet  on  the 
river  between  here  and  St.  Charles.  The  rivers  at  that  period  formed  the 
only  means  of  communication  between  the  two  places.  About  1865  he  went 
into  the  grocery  business,  under  the  firm  name  of  Davis  &  Harrington,  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  Water  and  Franklin  (  Hancock)  Streets,  directly  opposite 

the  water  pumping  station.     Two  years  later  he  put  up  a  w len  building 

on  Water  Street  opposite  the  freight  house,  but  it  soon  burned  down  and  he 
built  a  brick  block  in  which  he  kept  a  grocery  store  for  some  years.  In  1870 
he  established  a  dray  and  freight  cartage  business,  in  which  lie  continued  to 
the  time  of  his  death  which  occurred  February  11,  1890. 

Thadeas  de  Lamorandiere 

An  old  French  gentleman,  familiarly  known  in  the  old  days  as  "Teddy," 
win  i  it  was  believed  came  of  an  old  and  distinguished  family  in  their  native 
land,  was  Thadeas  de  Lamorandiere.  He  was  born  about  1823,  and  came 
from  Canada  to  this  valley  in  1845,  engaging  in  the  fur  business.  When  the 
fur  trade  declined  he  entered  the  employ  of  Daniel  L.  C.  Eaton,  in  the  insur- 
ance business,  the  office  being  in  the  Bernhard  Block  at  the  corner  of  L'nurt 
and  Water  (Niagara)  Streets.  He  died  in  1900  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
seven,  survived  by  two  daughters  who  reside  at  820  Cass  Street. 

Mary  Hubbard  Ide  Came  to  the  Wilderness  in  1835 

Mary  Hubbard,  who  in  later  life  was  Airs.  Mason  Ide,  mother  of  Frank 
Ide.  was  a  little  girl  seven  years  old  when  in  1835  her  family  removed  from 
Lockport,  New  York.  The  trip  from  Buffalo  to  Detroit  was  made  by  boat, 
and  thence  to  Saginaw  by  wagon.  The  leader  of  the  party  was  the  late 
I'hineas  D.  Braley,  and  consisted  of  seventeen  persons  of  whom  the  Hub- 
bards  counted  seven.  All  of  the  party  could  nut  ride  at  one  time,  and  even 
the  children  who  were  old  enough  t<  >  walk  took  their  turns  in  picking  their 
way  among  the  stumps  which  covered  the  path  through  the  forest.  It  was 
so  obstructed  in  places  with  fallen  trees  and  brush  that  the  men  of  the  party 
had  often  to  use  their  axes  t <  >  clear  the  way.  The  party  was  more  than  a 
week  on  the  road  from  Detroit.  At  the  Cass  River  they  had  the  good 
fortune  to  meet  the  road  crew  that  was  cutting  a  way  through  to  Saginaw, 
and  were  ferried  across  the  stream  in  a  large  scow. 

"Just  before  reaching  the  scow."  relates  Mrs.  Ide,  "my  mother,  who  had 
been  walking,  fell  utterly  exhausted,  and  was  picked  up  by  a  man  of  the 
party  and  carried  like  a  child  mi  board  the  scow.  She  was  very  slight  and 
the  extreme  fatigue  of  the  unusual  trip  had   worn  her  out.      I   well  remember 


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THADEAS     DE     LAMOR AN Dl  E  RE 


REMINISCENCES  OF  PIONEER  CITIZENS  171 

that  the  hickory  nuts  were  falling,  and  think  it  must  have  been  late  Septem- 
ber or  early  October.  After  leaving  the  Cass  at  Bridgeport  Center,  the  road 
followed  the  Indian  trail  (now  the  extension  of  South  Washington  Avenue) 
to  the  present  Mackinaw  Street  bridge,  where  there  was  a  scow  ferry  by 
which  we  were  taken  across  the  river.  At  that  time  there  was  a  building 
known  as  the  'Little  Red  House',  near  the  corner  of  Niagara  and  Mackinaw 
Streets,  in  which  we  spent  <>ur  first  night  in  Saginaw,  the  children  sleeping 
on  the  floor  upstairs,  while  the  men  of  the  party  sought  shelter  elsewhere. 

"Afterward  my  father  and  Mr.  Braley  located  on  the  Tittabawassee 
River,  the  latter  building  a  house  which  I  think  is  still  standing  on  the  East 
River  Road,  on  a  knoll  a  little  west  of  the  Shattuck  Creek  and  on  the  south 
side  of  the  road.  My  lather  located  on  the  river  flats  south  of  the  Braley 
place,  where  he  built  a  frame  house  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  Here  we  had 
numerous  neighbors,  some  of  whom  were  occasionally  troublesome.  The 
Indians  were  frequent  callers,  while  bears,  deer  and  wolves  were  so  common 
that  they  soon  ceased  to  be  novelties.  At  night  the  howling  of  the  latter 
was  quite  terrifying  to  the  young  children. 

"One  day  a  big  bear,  that  had  gained  the  idea  that  fresh  pork  would  be 
an  agreeable  change  of  diet,  was  observed  making  preparations  to  enter  the 
pig  sty  where  were  several  young  pigs.  My  brother  and  another  boy  with 
their  guns  sallied  forth  and  interrupted  the  feast.  Bruin  making  oft'  in  haste, 
unhurt,  however,  except  in  his  feelings.  Incidents  of  this  kind  were  of  com- 
mon occurrence,  and  many  were  the  adventures  told  in  front  of  the  great 
fireplaces  or  around  the  old  'revolving  stove.'  This  curious  utensil  of  daily 
use  was  a  treasured  possession  of  the  family,  and  was  so  arranged  that  the 
pots  and  kettles  and  pans  could  be  severally  brought  over  the  fire  by  turn- 
ing the  top  of  the  stove,  which  revolved  on  a  pivot.  The  stove  had  no  oven. 
the  want  of  which  was  supplied  by  an  arrangement  consisting  of  an  iron 
ring  with  suitable  covers  which  was  placed  on  top  of  the  stove,  thus  making 
a  portable  oven  in  which  we  baked  our  bread  or  roasted  meat. 

"The  first  year  of  my  childhood  pioneer  life  I  well  remember  was  one  of 
privation,  as  there  was  but  little  to  be  obtained  in  the  way  of  shoes,  hats 
and  clothing;  and  the  mother  was  obliged  to  make  shift  as  best  she  could  in 
clothing  her  family.  Some  leather  was  finally  obtained  and  the  children 
were  shod  with  a  sort  of  mocassin   of  her  own   manufacture. 

"It  was  not  long  before  my  father  found  that  he  had  made  a  mistake  in 
locating  on  the  flats,  for  after  the  country  began  to  be  settled  up  the  streams 
were  cleared  of  floodwood  which  held  back  the  freshest  waters,  and  the 
obstructions  to  boat  and  canoe  navigation  in  the  smaller  branches  were 
removed.  This  allowed  the  floods  to  come  out  with  a  greater  rush,  with 
attendant  high  water  on  the  lower  courses.  <  >ur  place  was  flooded  out,  and 
we  lost  pigs,  chickens,  and  a  horse,  and  my  father  moved  away  from  this 
original   location." 

In  young  womanhood,  Mrs.  Ide  taught  school  for  several  terms,  her 
first  school  being  located  on  the  present  site  of  the  Thomastown  cemetery, 
above  the  State  Street  Bridge  on  the  West  River  Road.  She  was  united  in 
marriage  with  John  Mason  Ide  in  1849  at  Flint,  where  they  lived  until  1858 
when  they  removed  to  Flushing.  .Mr.  Ide  died  April  5,  1871,  and  two  years 
later  Airs.   Ide  came  to  Saginaw,  where  she  resided  until  her  death   in    1915. 

John  W.  Richardson  Once  Lived  in  the  Old  Fort 

It  is  not  given  to  many  to  round  out  four-score  years,  and  when  we  find 
a  person  still  older  who  has  passed  almost  his  entire  life  here,  we  realize  that 
he  is  a  true  pioneer  and  feel  a  quickening  interest  in  him.  This  was  partic- 
ularly  true  of   ]<>hn    VV.    Richardson,    who   came   here   in   early   boyhood  and 


172  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

lived  a  useful  and  eventful  life  covering  a  period  of  seventy-eight  years  in 
this  community.  He  was  born  on  the  island  of  Cape  Breton,  June  23,  1833, 
ami  two  years  after  came  with  his  parents  to  America,  locating  first  at 
I '.i 'Stun.  Later  they  spent  a  year  in  Detroit,  and  came  to  Saginaw  in  the 
fall  of  1S37.  He  obtained  an  education  such  as  the  common  schools  of  that 
day  afforded;  and  in  1851  was  apprenticed  to  the  late  Cole  Garrett,  then  the 
only  harness  maker  in  Saginaw.  Throughout  his  active  business  career,  he 
always  evinced  a  broad  public  spirit;  and  he  possessed  a  keen  memory  which 
enabled  him  to  relate  many  incidents  of  the  early  days  in  this  valley. 

"On  New  Year's  day.  1838,"  said  Mr.  Richardson,  "we  were  living  in 
the  old  barracks  of  the  fort  stockade,  which  stood  on  or  near  the  corner  now- 
occupied  by  the  Miller  Block,  at  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets.  It  wasn't 
exactly  that  corner  for  the  streets  were  not  laid  out  when  the  log  barracks 
were  built,  and  the  building  probably  stood  partly  on  what  is  now  the  inter- 
section of  the  streets. 

"No,  there  are  not  many  people  here  who  were  residents  as  long  as  I 
can  remember.  William  A.  Williams,  ( )scar  Jewett,  Norman  L.  Miller  and 
William  A.  Crane  were  schoolmates  of  mine.  Miss  Beach,  afterwards  Mrs. 
Samuel  Shattuck,  was  my  first  teacher.  She  was  an  aunt,  I  think,  of  Emmett 
L.  Beach,  an  ex-Circuit  Judge.  As  long  as  I  can  remember  there  were  only 
three  German  families  here,  so  you  see  the  pioneers  of  that  nationality  are 
generally  junior  to  myself. 

"After  learning  the  harness  business  very  thoroughly,''  he  continued,  "I 
opened  a  shop  of  my  own  in  1854.  It  was  located  on  Water  Street  where 
nearly  all  the  business  houses  were  then  situated,  and  when  they  lined  both 
sides  of  the  street  from  Jefferson  I  Cleveland )  Street  to  Mackinaw.  I  was 
a  maker  and  dealer  in  harnesses,  which  was  largely  that  demanded  by  the 
lumbering  industry,  and  also  in  saddles,  martingales  and  trunks,  a  business 
1  conducted  for  fifty  years.  When  the  lumber  business  fell  off,  ray  trade  was 
affected  somewhat  and  I  felt  out  of  touch  with  the  newer  conditions,  so  I 
gave  it  up  several  years  ago. 

"At  different  times  during  my  active  life  1  kept  the  books  for  certain 
lumber  jobbers  and  attended  to  their  business  here,  and  some  of  them,  on 
going  to  the  woods  for  several  months  at  a  time,  made  a  practice  of  leaving 
their  money  with  me  for  safe  keeping,  rather  than  entrust  it  to  a  bank.  This 
sounds  rather  queer  in  these  days,  when  the  solidity  of  our  banks  is  unques- 
tioned, but  the  conditions  were  very  different  then.  The  people  had  not 
gotten  over  their  distrust  of  moneyed  institutions,  and  the  disasters  attend- 
ing the  period  of  wild  speculation  and  of  the  'wild  cat'  bank  days,  were  still 
fresh   in   their   memory." 

In  the  late  sixties  Mr.  Richardson  built  the  business  block  at  115-117 
South  Hamilton  Street,  and  his  faith  in  the  ultimate  prosperity  of  Saginaw 
was  shown  in  his  investing  at  times  in  other  parcels  of  real  estate.  In 
politics  he  was  a  staunch  Democrat,  and  served  the  city  and  count}  as 
alderman  and  supervisor.  He  was  the  last  city  treasurer  of  Saginaw  City, 
concluding  his  second  term  when  the  consolidation  of  the  Saginaw's  was 
effected.  <  >n  municipal  and  State  affairs  he  was  very  well  informed,  and  he 
acquired  a  general  knowledge  of  world's  events  by  extensive  reading  and 
study. 

(  )n  (  ictober  9,  1872,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mary  Kelley, 
of  Belleville.  <  Intario ;  and  was  the  father  of  William  J.  Richardson  and  .Miss 
Alice  Richardson.  There  is  also  one  grandchild.  He  was  a  devout  Roman 
Catholic  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  February  13.  1915,  was  the  oldest 
living  member  of  St.  Andrew's  parish,  of  which  he  was  one  of  its  most  liberal 


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174  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

supporters.  He  was  also  the  projector  (if  "St.  Andrew's  Cemetery,  and  was 
its  treasurer  for  many  years.  In  his  views  he  was  very  tolerant  and  was 
highly  regarded  by  all  who  knew  him. 

George   Streeb   Was   One  of  the   First   Merchants 

Very  few  of  our  pioneer  merchants  now  living  have  attained  to  such  a 
venerable  age  and  rounded  out  so  many  years  of  active  business  as  George 
Streeb,  the  "veteran  grocer  of  North  Webster  Street.  Though  bis  eyesight 
and  hearing  have  been  somewhat  impaired  of  late  years,  his  heart  is  still 
merry  with  the  spirit  of  youth.  The  keynote  of  his  life  has  been  activity, 
and  even  in  bis  advanced  years  he  is  always  busy.  He  has  been  engaged  in 
the  grocery  business  on  the  West  Side  for  sixty-two  years,  and  speaks  enter- 
tainingly of  his  life  and   work. 

"I  was  born  in  Nurnberg,  province  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  February  28, 
1822,  where  my  boyhood  and  youth  was  spent,  but  in  1850  I  came  to  Amer- 
ica. Soon  after,  I  was  married  in  New  York  to  my -childhood  sweetheart, 
Margaret  Beck,  who  had  preceded  me  to  this  country  about  three  years. 
We  came  direct  to  Saginaw,  where  my  wife  found  employment  in  the  Web- 
ster House,  while  I  went  to  the  woods  and  chopped  wood  at  forty  cents  a 
cord.  After  three  years  we  had  saved  a  little  money  and  decided  to  estab- 
lish a  grocery  business,  which  we  located  first  on  Water  Street,  as  that  was 
the  only  business  section  of  the  town.  The  first  permanent  sidewalk  in 
Saginaw  was  laid  in  front  of  my  store. 

"After  working  up  a  good  business  we  moved  to  our  present  location 
where  for  forty-four  years  I  have  continued  the  trade.  At  first  it  was  the 
onlv  store  west  of  Washington  (Michigan)  Street,  but  since  then  the  whole 
neighborhood  has  been  built  up  with  residences.  I  can  well  remember  when 
the  Emerson  mill  and  office  and  boarding  house  were  the  only  buildings  on 
the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  when  the  Indians  and  dog  trains  carried  the 
mail  to  and  from  the  northern  settlements,  long  before  the  river  became 
choked  with  logs,  and  the  hum  of  the  lumber  industry  was  heard  at  every 
band. 

"No,  I  can't  see  to  read  any  more,  but  my  daughters,  Margaret,  Johanna 
and  Catherine  read  the  newspapers,  both  German  and  English,  and  I  am  still 
interested   in   world's  events,  even   though    1    am  in   my  ninety-fourth   year. 

What  John  Moore  Found   Here  in   1851 

Among  the  enterprising  men  who  came  to  this  valley  at  the  beginning  oi 
its  prosperity  is  John  Moore,  the  father  of  the  Union  School  System.  In  the 
sixty-fifth  year  of  his  residence  here  he  is  one  of  the  few  remaining  links 
connecting  the  past  with  the  present,  and  occupies  the  somewhat  unique 
position  ("if  one  whose  counsel,  for  the  last  thirty-five  years,  has  been 
esteemed  because  of  the  high  place  lie  attained  in  legal  and  municipal 
matters  during  his  active  life.  His  reminiscences  of  early  days  are  always 
entertaining,  and  his  clear,  keen  memory  in  the  ninetieth  year  of  his  life 
brings  out  interesting  incidents  of  long  ago,  and  clothes  the  leading  figures 
of  our  history  with  life  and  action,  often  picturesque  and  humorous. 

"I  first  came  to  Saginaw  in  May,  1851,"  relates  Mr.  Moore,  "to  look  over 
the  ground  and  to  meet  J.  ( ',.  Sutherland,  afterward  circuit  judge,  who  had 
been  admitted  to  the  liar  in  the  same  class  with  me  three  years  before,  and 
with  whom  I  was  considering  a  partnership.  There  was  then  no  railroad 
to  these  parts,  but  there  were  stages  running  from  Detroit  to  Pontiac,  Pon- 
tiac  to  Flint,  and  Flint  to  Saginaw.  The  Mackinaw  Road  which  the  State 
had  been  constructing,  with  Mackinaw  as  its  objective  point,  then  stopped 
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REMINISCENCES  OF  1'IONEER  CITIZENS  177 

"'The  trip  to  Saginaw  was  a  tedious  and  tiresome  one  as  1  came  by  my 
own  conveyance,  but  I  arrived  safely  and  put  up  at  the  Webster  House, 
then  the  leading"  hotel  of  the  place.  It  was  located  on  the  northwest  corner 
of  what  are  now  Michigan  Avenue  and  Cleveland  Street,  and  was  the  gather- 
ing place  for  the  crowd.  The  following  day  was  Sunday,  but  there  was 
little  religion  here  then,  and  the  office  and  liar  room  of  the  hotel  was  a  lively 
place.     Drink  was  distributed  freely  and  pleasantly. 

"It  was  Sutherland  who  suggested  that  we  visit  the  Halls  of  the  Monte- 
zumas.  I  didn't  know  to  what  he  referred,  but  he  said  Curt  Emerson  lived 
there,  and  we  started.  We  took  a  canoe  and  paddled  across  the  river  to  the 
Emerson  property,  which  was  where  the  City  Hall  now  stands.  It  was  a 
frame  building,  much  like  the  other  frame  houses  of  the  place  and  well  kept. 
Air.  Emerson  1  found  ti  >  be  of  medium  height,  slim  and  sharp  featured.  I 
afterward  came  to  know  him  very  well,  lie  was  an  educated  man  and  very 
gentlemanly  when  sober.  Unfortunately  he  could  not  resist  temptation  and 
a  little  liquor  seemed  to  upset  him.  It  was  unfortunate  for  him  and  for  the 
city  that  he  was  so  intemperate. 

"I  was  introduced  to  him  on  this  occasion  and  as  was  his  custom  he 
quickly  offered  us  liquor.  The  sideboard  was  covered  with  bottles.  I  de- 
clined, however,  and  asked  to  be  excused,  as  I  did  not  use  liquor.  He  had 
been  drinking  a  little,  although  he  was  not  intoxicated,  and  he  made  a  demon- 
stration as  though  about  to  force  me  to  take  it.  when  Mr.  Sutherland  inter- 
fered and  told  him  that  he  knew  I  did  not  drink.  Mr.  Emerson  straightened 
up. 

"  'Do  you  think  of  coming  here  to  practice  law  and  not  drink  whiskey  ,J' 
he  asked. 

"  'I  think  so,'  I  said. 

"'Huh!'  he  snorted.  'You  come  here  and  we'll  have  you  drunk  as  a 
fool  in  sixty  days.' 

"Nevertheless  I  transacted  his  business  for  him  from  the  time  I  came 
here,  and  when  a  friend  chided  him  for  employing  me,  when  I  took  no  part 
in  his  convivial  gatherings,  he  said: 

"  '(  )ne  d fool's  enough  in  business.      I  can  do  that  part.' 

"I  came  to  know  him  very  well.  When  he  was  sober  he  was  quiet, 
refined,  gentlemanly,  big-hearted  and  courteous.  He  was  a  man  of  fine 
ability,  of  energy  and  courage.  But  a  little  liquor  affected  him.  When  he- 
had  been  drinking  he  liked  to  make   speeches  ami   to  quote   Latin. 

"Conditions  here  were  different  in  tho.se  days.  This  was  the  frontier 
and  the  men  were  of  the  'hail  fellow  well  met'  kind.  I  found  in  Saginaw 
when  I  came  men  of  great  ability,  young,  eager,  energetic,  capable  —  men 
who  did  things.  It  is  always  those  of  the  greatest  energy  ami  hardihood 
who  lead  in  the  frontier  work.  And  they  were  all  a  convivial  set.  Every- 
body drank.  There  was  a  great  deal  more  liquor  consumed  in  those  days 
than  now.  I  sometimes  think  it  curious  as  1  look  back  at  some  of  the  lead- 
ing figures  of  those  clavs,  able,  dignified,  honored,  and  yet  they  drank  freely 
and  enjoyed  the  conviviality  of  the  times.  They  were  not  necessarily  intox- 
icated;   but  they  became   mellow. 

"Alfred  M.  Hoyt  was  here  developing  the  East  Side  when  I  came,  and 
for  a  year  after  my  arrival  he  made  his  home  at  the  Webster  I  louse.  There 
was  little  enough  of  the  East  Side  then.  It  is  hard  for  the  eastsider  today 
to  realize  what  it  looked  like  then,  when  it  was  solid  forest  from  the  river 
back   to   the   bayou.     The   only   road   to    Saginaw    was   the    Mackinaw    Road, 


178  HISTORY  <  >F  SAGINAW   COUNTY 

coming  into  what  is  now  the  South  Side,  but  already  they  were  working  on 
the  plank  road  from  Bridgeport,  which  came  into  Fast  Saginaw  by  what  is 
new  known  as  Genesee  Avenue. 

"Norman  Little  was  the  man  at  the  head  of  the  East  Side  development. 
Back  in  1836  he  had  been  associated  with  three  or  four  other  men  in  a  com- 
pany that  platted  a  part  of  Saginaw  City,  and  altogether  carried  on  an  im- 
portant work  expending  over  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  by  1840,  when 
they  failed.  There  was  nothing  more  done  until  1849,  when  Mr.  Little  in- 
terested the  Hoyts  in  building  u]>  a  city  on  the  Saginaw.  Jesse  Hoyt  had 
some  difficulty  with  the  promotors  on  the  West  Side  and  announced  his 
intention  to  develop  an  entirely  new  town  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  then 
only  a  forest  and  swamp.  Alfred  M.  Hoyt  came  on  and  was  engaged  in 
clearing  oft'  the  land  there  when  I  came.  I  don't  know  what  arrangements 
Norman  Little  had  with  the  Hoyts,  hut  he  was  the  man  of  push  and  energy 
in  the  work.  The  Hoyts  were  behind  him  and  furnished  the  capital.  With 
the  completion  of  the  plank  road,  the  East  Side  began  to  grow  rapidly,  and 
it   soon  developed  into  a  thriving  city. 

"Saginaw  was  only  a  small  town  in  1851.  The  census  of  1850  showed 
that  there  were  between  two  and  three  thousand  persons  in  Saginaw  County, 
which  included  what  are  now  Bay,  Tuscola,  the  east  half  of  Gratiot,  Midland, 
Isabella  and  Gladwin  Counties,  and  extended  north  on  the  bay  shore.  On 
the  west  side  of  the  river  1  suppose  there  were  four  hundred  or  five  hundred 
persi  ms. 

"Curt  Emerson  had  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  laud  extending  from 
where  the  City  Hall  now  stands  to  Emerson  Street,  and  it  was  cleared  back 
to  the  bayou.  Alfred  M.  Hoyt  owned  the  property  north  of  that.  It  is  a 
somewhat  curious  fact,  illustrating  conditions  in  those  days,  that  the  winter 
mail  used  to  be  brought   down   from    Lake  Superior  by  dog  train." 

Joseph    A.    Whittier   Paid    Tribute    to   Jesse    Hoyt 

Coming  to  this  State  when  it  was  still  undeveloped,  and  helping  mate- 
rially in  its  making,  and  prospering  thereby,  Joseph  A.  Whittier,  an  honored 
citizen,  was  one  of  the  prominent  figures  in  our  early  history.  The  rugged 
honesty  and  Quaker-like  simplicity,  which  marked  his  long  life  of  usefulness 
ami  broad  purpose,  are  among  the  pleasantest  memories  of  those  who  knew 
him  best,  and  found  expression  in  a  letter  he  wrote  several  years  before  his 
death.  It  tells  of  the  early  days  of  Saginaw  and  other  interesting  facts,  and 
should  be  preserved  in  enduring  form. 

"I  came  to  Saginaw  in  October,  1856,"  wrote  Mr.  Whittier.  The  rail- 
road terminus  was  at  Holly,  thence  by  plank  road  to  Saginaw.  The  road 
between  Holly  and  Flint  was  not  completed.  The  first  sight  of  Saginaw  was 
after  one  emerged  from  the  woods  but  a  short  distance  east  of  Jefferson 
Street.  Across  the  bayou  front  Jefferson  to  Franklin  was  an  embankment  of 
earth  not  much  wider  than  was  necessary  for  two  teams  to  pass.  There  were 
two  taverns  at  the  corner  of  Genesee  and  Washington  Streets,  and  one 
church —  Methodist  —  which  stood  on  German  Street,  just  back  of  where  the 
Vincent  Hotel  now  stands.  The  residence  part  of  the  town  was  on  Wash- 
ington and  Water  Streets.  The  stores  were  mostly  on  Water  Street;  a  few 
on  Genesee  and  a  few  sh<  >ps  on  the  bayou,  with  long  plank  approaches  to 
them.  lefferson  Street,  north,  did  not  exist.  South  of  Genesee  it  was  an 
unmade  road  winding  through  the  trees,  with  two  or  three  small  cottages  on 
it.  It  terminated  at  the  Hoyt  Street  school  house,  where  a  long  elevated 
plank   walk  across  the  bayou  connected   with    Washington   Street. 

"The  largest  stores  as  I  recollect  them,  were  kept  by  Beach  and  Moores, 
John  F.  Driggs,  Curtiss  and  Bliss,  Copelands,  and  W.   II.  Beach.     The  mills 


REMINISCENCES  OF   PIONEER  CITIZENS  179 

were  the  Mayflower  flour  mill,  Williams.  Miller,  Paine  &  Wright,  the  Chi- 
cago mill,  owned,  I  think,  by  Whitney,  a  mill  opposite  the  center  of  the 
town,  afterward^  bought  by  James  Hill;  Charles  Merrill  &  Company,  and 
the  Westervelt  mill  at  Carrollton.  A  mill  just  below  the  F.  &  P.  M.  was 
bought  by  D.  <  i.  Holland,  who  ran  it  for  many  years:  and  a  mill  built  by 
[esse  Hoyt,  was  afterwards  owned  by  C.  II.  Garrison.  The  Gallagher  mill, 
which  was  bought  and  run  for  man)-  years  by  Sears  and  Holland;  the  old 
yellow  mill  worn  nut  and  condemned,  was  built,  1  think,  by  Curt  Emerson. 
Curtis  &  King  had  a  mill  at  Salina.  now  South  Saginaw.  There  may  have 
been  one  or  two  more  mills,  but  they  do  not  occur  to  me. 

"The  product  of  lumber  was  small;  most  of  the  logs  were  cut  on  the 
lower  waters  of  the  Flint  and  Cass  Rivers.  The  quality  of  the  lumber  was 
verv  good,  but  the  manufacture  was  poor,  mostly  done  with  upright  saws. 
Miller,  Paine  &  Wright  had  a  round  log  gang,  and  the  winter  of  1856-57  C. 
Merrill  &  Company  put  in  a  flat  gang,  which  sawed  boards  from  cants. 

"But  few  logs  had  been  cut  on  the  Tittabawassee  and  its  branches.  If 
I  recollect  clearly,  Thomas  Merrill  cleared  the  Pine  River  in  the  winter  of 
1856-57  from  the  Horse  Race,  a  short  distance  above  Midland,  to  St.  Louis, 
so  that  loys  could  be  driven,  and  that  he  cut  some  timber  near  St.  Louis  that 
winter.  Two  or  three  years  after  he  cleared  the  Chippewa  River,  ddie 
Tittabawassee  had  logs  driven  out  of  it  from  where  the  Gerrish  dam  now 
stands.      The  quality  of  the  timber  on    Pine  River  was  equal  to  that  of  the 

Cass  and  Flint;   that  on  the  Chippewa  not  quite  so  g 1.     The  Tittabawassee 

afforded  a  large  quantity  of  sound  desirable  timber.  One  has  but  to  look 
Over  the  statements  of  the  annual  production  to  ascertain  the  immense 
quantity  of  timber  that  was  cut  on  Saginaw  waters.  As  the  business  in- 
creased, the  manufacture  improved,  until  Saginaw  lumber  was  acknowledged 
the  best  for  quality  of  timber  and  nicety  of  manufacture. 

"As  the  years  passed  and  the  business  increased  Saginaw  grew  and  be- 
came a  place  of  note.  No  town  ever  had  a  better  set  of  men  to  guide  and 
to  help  its  destiny,  and  first  of  all  I  wish  to  speak  of  Jesse  Hoyt,  who  pro- 
jected the  town,  bought  the  land  when  it  was  a  forest,  and  with  just  dis- 
cernment saw  the  opportunity  to  build  a  city.  His  large  means  were  lib- 
erally used  in  building  mills  and  vessels.  He  had  one  of  the  finest  fleets  on 
the  lakes.  He  built  the  plank  road  to  Flint,  the  Bancroft  House,  the  May- 
flower Mill,  a  planing  and  saw  mill,  and  many  other  enterprises  to  help  the 
city.  His  bequest  to  us  of  park  and  library  will  ever  be  a  reminder  how 
much   we  owe  to  his  strong,   forcible  character." 

James  F.   Brown  Was  the   First  Bank  Cashier 

An  almost  unbroken  residence  of  fifty-seven  years  in  Saginaw  was  the 
record  of  James  F.  Brown,  who  first  arrived  in  August,  1853,  and  with  the 
exception  of  one  year,  when  he  went  west  for  Mrs.  Brown's  health  and  was 
glad  to  get  back,  he  had  resided  here  continuously.  In  1856  he  entered  the 
employ  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company,  Bankers,  in  the  capacity  of  cashier, 
a  position  he  held  for  many  years.  When  this  private  bank' of  which  fesse 
Hoyt  was  a  partner,  was  succeeded  by  the  Merchants  National  Hank,  Mr. 
Brown  was  elected  cashier  and.  upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Little,  in  lf;f>7,  he  was 
made  president.  A  short  time  before  his  death    Mr.    Brown   talked   enter- 

tainingly of  the  old  days  and  pioneers. 

"The  first  year  when  it  was  all  w Is  where  my  office  is  now,   I   tell  you 

we  had  to  rough  it  and  I  became  very  lonesome  for  the  more  enlivening  times 
of  New  York,  whence  we  had  come.  But  in  time  that  wore  off.  Then  there 
were  only  about  three  hundred  persons  in  Last  Saginaw.  The  Irving  House, 
at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Genesee  Streets,  was  the  first  hotel.     It  was  built 


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REMINISCENCES  OF  PIONEER  CITIZENS  181 

by  Jesse  Hoyt  and  run  by  Menzo  C.  Stevens.  In  the  spring  of  1854  we  were 
a  hamlet  in  the  township  of  I'.nena  Vista,  and  we  got  sixty-four  votes  towards 
organizing  a  village.  There  wasn't  a  brick  building  here  then.  The  town 
extended  only  to  Cass  (Baum)  Street;  and  there  were  a  few  buildings  on 
Water  Street,  and  nothing  on  the  hank  of  the  river. 

"In  July,  1S54,  a  lire  burned  our  -.tore  and  other  buildings,  and  the  first 
brick  block  on  the  east  side  was  put  up  on  the  site  of  the  Irving  Mouse. 
It  was  called  the  Buena  Vista  Block,  and  --till  stands,  the  property  of  the 
Hoyt  Estate.  The  Bancroft  House  was  built  in  1858-59  and  opened  to  the 
public  September  7,  1859. 

"It  was  anything  but  a  fashionable  life  in  those  days.  We  had  to  get 
our  provisions  from  boats  that  came  in  from  Cleveland  and  Detroit.  Besides 
the  dense  woods  which  surrounded  the  town,  there  were  bayous  and  it  was 
very  unhealthy.  Every  second  man  was  continually  shaking  with  the  ague. 
We  used  to  cross  the  bayou  at  Baum  and  Genesee  on  a  bridge  that  was  made 
by  felling  three  big  oak  trees  for  stringers,  then  nailing  plank  to  them  with 
wooden  pegs,  and  piling  up  small  branches  for  railings. 

"But   in  the   winter  we  had  a   jolly  g 1   time,  the   few  of  us  that  were 

here.  The  young  fellows  would  hire  the  hotel  dining  room  for  the  evening, 
then  go  around  and  get  their  girls  and  until  \2  o'clock  there  would  be  a  good 
time.  Tom  Willey  was  the  tiddler  and  Joe  Hatzel  the  harpist.  Those  who 
came  from  the  other  side  crossed  the  river  by  means  of  a  scow,  pulled  by  a 
rope  with  an  old  German,  named  Fritz,  as  the  man  power.  A  pioneer  of 
those  days  can  recall  any  number  of  interesting  events  of  early  Saginaw." 

Emil  A.  L.  Moores  Was  Here  in  Pioneer  Days 

One  of  our  oldest  residents,  who  was  associated  with  the  Hoyts  at  an 
early  day.  was  Emil  A.  L.  Moores.  He  came  here  in  1X4'*,  at  the  very  be- 
ginning of  the  settlement  on  the  east  side,  did  some  hard  work  for  a  time, 
and  then  secured  employment  in  the  store  of  W.  L.  I'.  Little  &  Company. 
For  many  years  he  lived  in  the  Mott  homestead  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Water  and  Fitzhugh  Streets;  and  was  manager  of  the  Mayflower  Mills. 
He  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  history  of  the  Little  Company, 
which  was  backed  by  the  Hoyts,  and  years  after  was  wont  to  eulogize  Jesse 
Hoyt  when  speaking  of  the  early  days. 

"The  site  of  East  Saginaw  was  picked  out  by  Norman  Little,  who 
was  acquainted  with  James  M.  Hoyt  and  Son.  of  Xew  York.  The  old 
gentleman  wanted  to  invest  for  his  son,  Alfred  M.  Hoyt.  and  purchased  a 
large  tract  of  land  here  from  parties  in  Detroit.  Seth  Willey  took  the  contract 
for  clearing  about  two  hundred  acres  of  land  along  the  river.  Alfred  didn't 
like  the  country  very  well,  and  when  his  brother  Jesse  came  here,  he  returned 
to  the  East.  Jesse  then  took  control  of  affairs,  and  always  kept  it  though  he 
newer  lived  here  permanently.  He  was  a  fine  man.  East  Saginaw  began  to 
grow  and  then  to  boom  after  he  built  a  saw  mill,  a  flouring  mill,  a  plank 
road  to  Flint,  and  made  other  improvements  in  the  place,  lie  delighted  in 
bringing  in  people  to  the  new  town  in  the  wilderness;  and  he  got  W.  L.  1'. 
Little  interested  in  running  a  general  store,  and  used  to  come  out  here  fre- 
quently to  visit  us.      He  was  a  hands. .me  man  and  a  kind  one. 

"When  I  arrived  here  the  settlement  was  very  small,  but  the  west  side 
of  the  river,  or  Saginaw  City  as  it  was  then  called,  was  well  built  up,  was 
high  and  dry,  and  had  several  hundred  permanent  residents.  There  was 
practically  no  business  district  on  the  east  side,  and  the  country  was  largely 
water  and  swamps.  Five  years  later,  or  1854,  in  the  block  where  the  Tower 
Block  now  stands,  between  Plank  Road  (Genesee)  and  what  is  now  Lapeer 
Street,    at   Jefferson,    there    was    only    one    house,   owned    by   a    man    named 


1S2  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Godard,  and  a  lime-kiln  operated  by  a  Scotchman.  The  entire  block  and 
property  could  have  been  purchased  for  five  hundred  dollars.  There  was  no 
Lapeer  Street,  and  the  land  to  the  north  was  nearly  all  bayou.  Where  the 
Anchor  I  louse  now  stands  was  the  toll  gate,  which  was  the  end  of  civilization. 
"The  only  streets  regularly  laid  out  at  that  time  were  Water,  Washing- 
ton. Franklin,  Tuscola  and  German,  besides  the  Plank  Road  to  Flint,  with 
which  Saginaw  was  connected  by  a  stage  line.  There  were  no  railroads 
then  north  of  Holly,  hut  the  steamer  Huron,  a  freight  and  passenger  boat, 
made  occasional  trips  between  here  and  Detroit.  There  were  only  a  few- 
stores  then,  and  some  roughly  built  houses;  hut  there  was  plenty  of  timber, 
and  game  and  wilderness. 

"(  >ne  day  I  was  dealing  with  a  customer."  continued  Mr.  Moores,  "and 
not  having  enough  change  I  told  him  '1  will  have  to  owe  you  a  sixpence." 
A  gentleman  standing  near  by  heard  me  and  said.  'I'll  loan  you  a  sixpence.' 
That  was  my  first  sight  and  introduction  to  Jesse  Hoyt.  Some  time  passed 
and  I  had  forgotten  the  incident,  but  he  had  not,  for  one  day  he  said  to  me. 
'Young  man.  you  owe  me  a  sixpence.'  and  I  had  to  pay  it. 

"Jesse  Hoyt  was  something  of  a  musician,  and  was  much  interested  in  a 
singing  society  we  had  in  the  early  days.  Among  his  many  enterprises,  he 
had  sailing  vessels  built  here,  and  were  named.  Sunshine.  Quickstep,  H .  C. 
Potter,  Sunlight  and  others  I  have  forgotten.  I  lis  main  object  was  to  keep 
men  employed.  In  the  store  we  kept  everything  from  a  needle  to  a  crowbar, 
and   shipped  goods  to  remote  points  in  the   State. 

"Yes,  there  were  many  Indians  here  then,  and  they  comprised  two  tribes 
which  roamed  this  section;  but  we  did  not  have  any  trouble  with  them. 
They  generally  behaved  themselves  unless  drunk  with  the  white  man's  'fire- 
water'; and  the  troubles  were  due  to  the  loafers,  sailors,  raftsmen  and 
w  i  m  idsmen." 

East  Saginaw  in  1854 

A  most  interesting  document  relating  to  the  earl)-  days  is  a  letter  written 
by  Anson  Rudd,  when  East  Saginaw  was  only  four  years  old.  He  was  a 
farmer  in  Pennsylvania,  and  came  here  in  1854,  the  letter  being  written  soon 
after  his  arrival.  The  property  for  which  he  paid  six  hundred  dollars  is  at 
the  corner  of   Washington  Avenue  and  Tuscola  Street.     The   letter  follows: 

"East  Saginaw,  Vienna,  Mich.,  1X54. 

"Worthy  and  Honorable  Sir — After  my  best  respects  to  you  and  family 
I  would  inform  you  1  have  bought  a  house  ami  lot  in  the  village  of  Sag- 
inaw, on  the  second  street  from  the  water,  near  the  center  of  the  town.  The 
town  is  about  lour  year's  growth  and  covers  an  area  ol  not  far  from  three 
miles:  is  the  most  nourishing  and  enterprising  place  I  ever  saw  for  the  time. 
I  paid  six  hundred  dollars  for  the  house  and  lot:  the  house  is  not  quite 
finished.  We  started  the  next  Wednesday  after  Edwin  and  Marthy  did. 
We  came  as  far  as  Detroit  by  water;  from  thence  we  sent  some  of  the 
heavy  boxes  to  this  place  and  came  from  there  by  land  with  the  family 
wagon  and  horses,  and  drove  the  two  cows  on  the  way.  We  went  a  day's 
drive  tip  Cass  River  to  look  lor  laud;  found  a  very  tine  country.  Thought 
we  were  getting  too  far  from  market.  From  thence  we  turned  about  and 
came  to  Bridgeport,  where  we  hired  two  rooms  about  a  week.  Hid  not  like 
that  part  of  the  country  as  well  as  many  other  parts.  The  mosquitoes  were 
confounded  bad.  now   mind.   I    tell  you. 

"While  there  we  came  clown  here  to  the  wharf  to  get  our  boxes,  calcu- 
lating to  go  to  some  place  to  buy  a  farm,  but  on  arriving  here  I  was  so  well 
pleased  with  the  place,  and  while  here  I  inquired  lor  a  house  and  lot  for  sale 


REMINISCENCES  OF  PIONEER  CITIZENS  183 

and  found  this,  which  I  have  since  bought;  exactly  suits  my  notion,  as  it  is 
one  street  north  of  the  plank  road  running  to  Flint,  a  distance  of  not  far 
from  thirty  miles,  and  one  street  east  of  the  street  that  run-,  along  the  river. 
I  went  to  Bridgeport  and  informed  Lure)-  of  the  circumstances  and  situation 
of  the  place;  wanted  her  to  come  down  and  examine  the  place  for  herself, 
hut  she  declined.  Told  me  to  suit  myself;  therefore  Albert  and  I  came  down 
and  bargained  for  the  place.  We  calculate  when  we  will  get  our  addition 
finished,  which  is  now  in  a  state  of  progression,  as  I  finished  putting  on  the 
roof  yesterday,  and  the  joiners  are  making  the  doors  and  window  frames 
(the    addition    is   20x28),   to    keep   a    boarding   house. 

"I  think  the  village  is  as  handsome  a  place  as  ever  1  saw  for  the  age  of  it. 
It  is  allowed  to  be  the  second  best  place  of  market  in  the  State.  There  are 
forty-one  steam  mills  in  the  distance  of  seventeen  miles,  mostly  run  night 
ami  day.  Such  immense  sights  of  pine  lumber  on  the  wharfs.  The  pine 
logs  are  rafted  down  the  tributaries  that  come  in  to  Saginaw,  a  distance  of 
from  seventy  to  one  hundred  miles.  There  is  but  one  log  house  in  the  town. 
As  handsome  looking  land  as  ever   I   saw   in  any  country. 

"There  are  two  steamboats  coming  in  here  daily,  and  vessels  and  raft-  oi 
almost  every  description  running  to  and  from  up  and  down  the  river,  also 
hundred-  of  rafts  of  pine  logs.  There  are  two  daily  stages  running  from  this 
to  Pontiac  —  a  distance  of  sixty  miles.  Albert  drives  team  from  this  to 
Flint,  a  distance  of  thirty-two  miles;  he  generally  has  a  load  both  ways. 
Loduski  is  at  work  at  a  tavern  in  this  place  for  two  dollars  a  week,  and  is 
liked  first-rate. 

"Provisions  of  all  kinds  are  very  high.  Flour  is  ten  dollars  per  barrel; 
corn  one  dollar  per  bushel;  oats  six  shillings;  pork  one  shilling  a  pound; 
beef  eight  cents;  hams  about  the  same;  butter  eighteen  pence;  and  pota- 
toes six  shillings  per  bushels.  Crops  of  hay  and  grain  to  all  appearances 
are  coming  in  first-rate;  for  that  matter  crops  of  every  description  look  well. 
Read  this  and  send  to  Sarah:  tell  her  I  want  her  to  write  directly;  also  I 
want  you  to  answer  this  as  soon  as  possible  after  you  get  this.  Don't  forget 
it.  Lurey  sends  her  love  and  respects  to  you  all.  Tell  me  where  Edwin  and 
Marthy  are.      I   want  you  to  understand  this  is  a  lively  place. 

"Ti  i  Ji  ibish  Sawdy." 

"Anson  Rudd." 

It  is  important  that  the  reminiscences  of  our  pioneers,  who  have  seen  a 
panorama  of  scenes  and  events  covering  three-fourths  of  a  century  and  more, 
should  be  preserved  in  enduring  form  for  the  enlightenment  of  future  gen- 
erations, as  well  as  our  own.  Beginning  with  savages  and  wild  beasts,  a 
frontier  fort,  fur  traders,  hunters  and  explorers,  followed  by  permanent 
settlers  with  their  farms  chopped  out  of  the  primeval  forest;  then  the  saw 
mill  with  its  yellow  cubes  of  pine  lumber  on  the  docks,  and  the  salt  block 
with  cargoes  of  snow-white  crystals,  this  panorama  spread  itself  before  them 
in  a  kaleidoscope  of  human  endeavor.  From  the  day  of  the  tallow  dip,  or 
pine  splinter  lighted  with  flint  and  steel,  to  the  day  of  the  electric  light  pro- 
duced at  the  touch  of  a  finger  —  all  this  has  been  accomplished  in  the  span  of 
one  life.  It  is  not  possible  that  each  individual  may  develop  and  be  rounded 
out  in  a  fullness  of  life  and  accomplishment  equal  to  the  material  change  that 
these  old  pioneers  have  witnessed.  Only  a  few  still  living  have  seen  this 
magic  transformation.  May  they  live  out  their  century  in  honor  and  peace, 
for  they  and  their  fathers  built  well,  and  we  of  another  generation  and  those 
to  follow  have  profited  and  will  profit  by  their  works. 


LUMBERING    ON    THE    SAGINAW    IN    THE     FIFTIES 

Familiar    scenes    that    remind    the    pioneer   of   by-gone   days 
in  the  woods,  at   camp  and  of  the  activities  along  the  river. 


CHAPTER   XI 

AN  ERA  OF  PROSPERITY 


Advent  of  Enterprising  Men —  Some  [terns  of  Interest  —  Early  Conflagrations  — 
Extracts  From  the  Diary  of  James  S.  Webber — Incorporation  of  the  Village  and  City 
—  Incorporation  of  the  Village  of  Salina  —  The  Commercial  Interests  of  East  Saginaw 
in  1858 — Incorporation  of  Saginaw  City — William  Binder — Myron  Butman  —  William 
H.  Sweet  —  The  Commercial  Interests  of  Sagmaw  City  —  The  Fish  Trade  —  Summarj 
of  Trade  in    1853  —  The   Extensions  of  Trade  to   Hamilton   Street. 

IX  the  eighteen-fifties  a  new  life  was  infused  into  the  business  <>f  the  valley 
by  the  advent  of  enterprising,  courageous  men  of  public  spirit,  generous 
and  forceful,  possessing  capital  for  the  development  of  its  industries. 
Among"  them  were  Aninii  \Y.  Wright,  (Jbel  A.  Brockway,  Timothy  ami 
David  H.Jerome,  Thomas  Merrill,  John  Moore.  Frank  Sears.  Myron  Butman, 
Joseph  T.  Burnham,  David,  John.  Amasa  and  Ezra  Rust,  and  Newell  Bar- 
nard, who  settled  at  Saginaw  City:  and  Moses  I'..  and  George  Hess,  W.  L.  P. 
Little,  Michael  Jeffers,  Jefferson  Bundy,  James  Hill,  Byron  B.  Buckhout, 
James  S.  Webber,  lames  L.  T.  Fox.  Chester  B.  Jones,  Alexander  Ferguson 
and  others,  at    East   Saginaw. 

The  political,  social,  moral  and  business  structure  which  the  early 
pioneers  of  the  valley  had  before  reared,  though  of  somewhat  infantile  pro- 
portions, was  the  deep-laid  foundation  upon  which  the  newcomers  reared  a 
substantial  superstructure,  and  the  foundation  thus  laid  stands  an  imperish- 
able monument  to  the  foresight,  prudence  and  wisdom  of  the  early  pioneers. 

It  would  seem  that  these  daring  and  hardy  spirits,  in  spite  of  every 
difficulty  that  arose  to  dishearten  and  discourage  them,  were  gifted  with  a 
sort  of  divination  in  their  determination  to  make  the  valley  a  prosperous 
place  of  abode.  They  must  have  foreseen  Saginaw  a  great,  flourishing  city, 
teeming  with  life  and  busy  animation,  and  her  bright  river  agitated  with 
vessels  and  noisy  steamboats.  Some  of  these  men,  indeed,  lived  to  realize 
their  most  extravagant  anticipations,  and  doubtless  felt  amply  repaid  for 
their  toil,  trials  and  difficulties.  Of  the  newcomers,  however,  who  builded 
on  the  foundation  already  laid,  many  were  better  adapted  to  the  effeminate 
and  luxurious  life  of  the  city  than  to  the  hardships  and  stern  realities  of 
border  life.  But  to  their  credit,  be  it  said,  they  went  to  work  with  resolute 
and  determined  will  of  true  pioneers,  ami  deserve  greater  credit  for  their 
enterprise. 

Early  in  the  fifties  all  was  bustle  and  activity  in  the  valley  of  the  Sagi- 
naw, and  the  sound  of  the  axe.  the  hammer  and  the  saw  rang  merrily  over 
the  waters  of  the  river,  or  echoed  in  the  green  woods  around.  (  )ne  or  two 
steamboats  plied  regularly  between  Saginaw  and  Detroit,  barks  and 
schooners  came  up  the  river  to  the  towns,  and  more  docks  were  built  to 
accommodate  them.  The  demand  for  lumber  began  to  increase,  and  in 
every  direction  saw  mills  appeared  along  the  banks  of  the  stream.  As  early 
as  October,  1853,  there  were  twenty-three  saw  mills,  some  of  small  capacity 
it  is  true,  in  operation  on  the  river,  and  twenty-one  others  in  course  of 
ci  instruction. 


186  HISTORY   OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 


Nor  was  agriculture  neglected.  The  dense  forest  which  surrounded 
the  primitive  settlements  began  to  melt  away,  and  lands  previously  chopped 
off  were  cleared,  fenced  in.  and  dwellings  erected  thereon.  Farming  lands 
in  the  immediate  vicinity  were  quickly  located  and  settled  upon,  and  tilled 
fields,  fruit  trees,  and  cattle  soon  gave  evidence  of  rural  industry.  The 
eastern  states  were  awakening  to  a  realizing  sense  of  the  growing  importance 
of  the  new  country.      Everything  gave  promise  of  great   thing-.. 

Some  Items  of  Interest 

The  ferry  established  by  Elijah  N.  Davenport  in  1851,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Plank  Road,  now  Genesee  Avenue,  became  a  paying  enterprise  the  following 
year.  The  entire  outfit  consisted  of  a  primitive-looking  scow,  propelled  by 
pole--,  ami  attended  by  a  curiously-fashioned  "dug-out"  to  escape  by  in  case 
the  scow  went  under.  Afterward  a  large  rope  was  stretched  across  the  river, 
as  a  better  means  of  propulsion,  and  the  operation  of  the  scow  then  became 
more  certain  and  safe,  especially  in  times  <>t  heavy  ice  and  flood.  The  course 
of  this  ferry  was  a  line  upon  which  the  piers  of  the  Genesee  Avenue  bridge 
now  stand.  Later  a  steam  ferry  was  run  at  irregular  intervals  between  the 
two  towns.  It  was  not  until  1864  that  the  first  bridge,  operated  by  a  com- 
pany of  citi/ens  as  a  toll  bridge,  was  completed  and  opened  for  traffic  at 
(  ienesee  Street. 

School  was  first  taught  in  1850  by  Dr.  C.  T.  Disbrow,  in  the  upper  story 
ol  Morgan  L.  Gage's  residence,  which  stood  on  the  north  side  of  Plank 
Road,  between  Water  and  Washington  Streets.  The  following  year  Miss 
(  arrie  Engersoll  opened  a  school  in  the  log  house  which  stood  on  the  site  of 
the  Bancroft  1  louse.  In  1852  Truman  B.  Fox  established  a  select  school  in 
a  small  building  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Hoyt  Streets,  and  soon  had 
eighty-three  scholars  in  attendance.  The  same  year  the  "Old  Academy" 
was   built   on   the   site  of  the   present    Hoyt    School. 

Alfred  M.  Hoyt  was  the  first  postmaster  at  East  Saginaw  ;  and  Moses 
I'..  Mess  was  the  first  mail  carrier,  having  settled  here  in  1850.  lie  succeeded 
Morgan    F.   Cage  as  postmaster  in   1853. 

The  first  church  was  organized  in  1852,  and  the  first  edifice  used  for  re- 
ligious  services  was  a  shanty  near   Emerson  ami  Water  Streets. 

The  Saginaw  Valley  House,  a  pioneer  hotel  of  East  Saginaw,  situated 
on  Water  Street,  was  completed  and  opened  to  the  public  in   1851. 

'fhe  organization  of  the  first  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  effected 
in  1852,  with  Reverend  A.  C.  Shaw  as  pastor;  and  soon  after  a  church  edifice 
was   erected   <>n    the    southeast    corner    of    Washington    and    German    Streets. 

The  first  telegraph  (the  Snow  Line)  was  in  working  order  between  De- 
troit and  Saginaw  on   February   17.  1S5S.  with   Alexander   Ferguson  as  local 

operator.      The   office   was   in    Mr.    Ferguson's    jewelry,   1 k    and   stationer) 

store  on  (ienesee  Avenue  between   Washington  and  Water  Streets. 

<)n  March  JO,  1853,  ice  broke  up  in  the  river  and  passed  out  into  the 
bay;  and  on  the  28th  the  steamer  /.  Siwzi.'  ran  up  the  river,  the  first  of  the 
seas!  m. 

A  saw  mill  and  half  a  million  feet  of  lumber  at  Carrollton,  owned  by 
Yolncv  Chapin,  was  burned  on  fune  9,  1853,  with  a  loss  of  thirteen  thousand 
dollars. 

On  September  4.  1853,  a  camp  meeting  of  Chippewa  Indians  was  held 
at  Swan  Creek,  about  seven  miles  from  Saginaw  City,  Rev.  George  B. 
Bradley  presiding. 


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188  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

A  quarterly  meeting  of  the  M.  E.  Church  was  held  October  29,  1853, 
in  the  "<  >ld  Academy,"  services  commencing  at  "earlv  candle-light." 

The  steamer  Huron  struck  a  rock  in  the  lower  river,  on  a  late  trip  No- 
vember 2(>,  1853,  and   was  seriously  damaged;    but  no  lives  were  lost. 

In  December,  1853,  the  first  newspaper  in  East  Saginaw,  "The  Saginaw 
Enterprise,"  was  established  by  F.  A.  Williamson  and  A.  J.  Mason,  and 
edited  with  "tolerable  ability." 

St.  Mary's  Church  (Roman  Catholic)  was  organized  here  late  in  1853 
by  Father  Shultz. 

Early  Conflagrations 

Scarcely  had  the  village  of  East  Saginaw  assumed  any  importance  before 
it  was  visited  by  several  disastrous  fires,  the  first  of  which  was  on  November 
li',  1853.  It  was  in  the  frame  building  of  Burt  and  Iiayden,  on  North  Water 
Street,  and  entailed  a  heavy  loss  though  it  did  not  spread  to  adjoining 
pr<  iperty. 

The  first  big  tire,  however,  which  still  lingers  in  the  memory  of  the 
oldest  residents,  occurred  on  March  Jo.  1X54.  It  raged  for  hours  in  the 
block  bounded  by  Washington,  German,  Williams  (Janes)  Streets  and  the 
river,  and  destroyed  the  steam  saw  mill  erected  by  Jesse  Hoyt,  and  about 
three  million  feet  of  lumber  with  considerable  dock.  This  property  was 
situated  on  ground  now  occupied  in  part  by  the  warehouse  of  Morley 
Brothers,  at  the  foot  of  Germania  Avenue.  A  number  of  dwelling  houses 
were  also  burned,  including  the  hotel  on  the  southeast  corner  of  German 
and  Water  Streets,  which  was  kept  by  the  father  of  William  Barie.  He 
vividly  recalls  the  excitement  at  this  fire  and  the  heroic  efforts  of  the 
citizens  to  stay  the  flames,  with  no  other  means  than  the  primitive  bucket 
brigade  taking  water  from  the  river.  This  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  infant 
village;  yet  its  motto  was  "never  despair,"  and  soon  business  went  on  as 
befi  ire. 

Rebuilding  had  scarcely  commenced  when  another  and  far  more  de- 
structive lire  broke  out  in  the  very  heart  of  the  village,  and  swept  every- 
thing in  the  direction  of  the  previous  fire.  Before  it  had  burned  itself  out, 
as  the  means  of  fighting  lire  were  then  entirely  inadequate  to  check  the 
flames,  two  entire  blocks  of  buildings,  including  the  Irving  House,  the  ex- 
tensive wholesale  warehouse  and  dock  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company,  and 
several  grocery  stores  and  dwelling  houses  were  burned.  The  principal 
buildings  destroyed  stood  on  the  south  side  of  Blank  Road  (Genesee)  at  the 
corner  of  Water  Street,  and  for  a  time  there  was  grave  fear  that  the  whole 
village  was  doomed.  The  scenes  at  this  tire  were  very  graphically  drawn 
in  the  diary  of  James  S.  Webber,  which  has  been  preserved,  an  extract  from 
which  folk  iws  : 

"1854.  July  5th  : 

"This  morning  I  was  awakened  by  a  person  rapping  at  my  door  at  about 
two  o'clock,  saying  that  the  'Irving  House'  was  on  fire.  As  my  store  was  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  I  was  not  long  in  dressing  and  getting  there. 
I  had  a  load  of  wood  on  my  wheelbarrow  standing  at  the  door,  and  I  turned 
it  over  as  the  quickest  way  to  unload  it  and  took  it  with  me.  A  large  com- 
pany was  already  there.  I  unlocked  my  door  and  emptied  the  contents  of  the 
safe,  as  several  persons  had  effects  and  books  in  it,  into  the  wheelbarrow  and 
started  for  home.  Enjoining  Mrs.  Webber  not  to  leave  the  house,  1  went 
back   to   the   store,   but,   it   being   very   still,   it    was   not   then    thought   the   lire 


AN  ERA  (  )F  I'K(  iS'PERITY  189 


would  cross  the  street  north;  it  was  going  south  rapidly.  A  small  building 
just  west  of  my  store  was  covered  with  carpets,  blankets  and  so  forth,  and 
kept  wet.  My  store  being  in  a  double  building  and  a  part  of  it  occupied  by 
.Morgan  L.  Gage's  family,  we  were  in  danger  if  the  lire  got  into  this  small 
building,  which  was  occupied  by  Seth  Willey.  Mr.  I".  B.  Jones  and  my  son 
had  their  offices  oxer  my  store.  They  had  emptied  their  offices  at  first,  but 
by  the  lively  use  of  pails  and  dishes  in  wetting  these  two  buildings,  the  fire 
was  kept  out  and  the  wind  veering  a  little  to  the  south  about  the  time  the 
frame  of  the  'Irving  House'  fell,  the  most  of  the  danger  was  past.  T  re- 
turned the  goods  to  the  store  again;  and  after  sunrise  the  fire  had  stopped. 
Many  boarders  at  the  'Irving  House'  were  now  at  the  mercy  of  the  citizens, 
as  well  as  Mr.  Stevens  and  family,  for  breakfast.  I  sent  word  to  Mrs.  Web- 
ber to  prepare  extra  and  took  a  number  with  me  for  breakfast.  Bv  dinner 
time  all  had  some  place  to  go  to.  I  have  been  thus  particular  in  my  state- 
ment, as  this  and  the  fire  of  March  26th  were  my  first  experience  in  fires,  and 
the  first  that  East  Saginaw  had  suffered  by." 

This  fire  was  indeed  a  public  calamity,  and  for  a  time  everybody  stood 
aghast,  but  not  in  despair.  Before  the  embers  had  ceased  smoking,  work- 
men began  clearing  away  the  debris,  and  rebuilding  was  quickly  begun. 
Soon  a  fine  brick  building,  called  the  Buena  Vista  Block,  occupied  the  site 
of  the  Irving  House,  and  was  the  first  brick  block  built  in  East  Saginaw. 
It  still  stands  at  the  corner  of  Genesee  Avenue  and  Water  Street,  the  upper 
floors  within  recent  years  having  been  refitted  for  use  of  the  Bancroft  House, 
of  which  it  forms  a  part.  The  warehouse  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company 
was  at  the  foot  of  the  street,  on  ground  where  the  brick  building,  now  occu- 
pied by  the  Hubbell  Company,  stands. 

Although  the  population  of  the  village  did  not  exceed  three  hundred,  the 
sales  of  Little  &  Company  the  first  year  amounted  to  ninety  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  the  second  year  to  a  quarter  of  a  million.  This  seems  almost  in- 
credible, but  when  it  is  considered  that  Saginaw  City,  Lower  Saginaw  (Bay 
City),  and  the  whole  farming  country  adjacent  to  our  rivers,  were  supplied 
with  merchandise  from  this  establishment,  which  was  very  complete  in  all 
its  details,  such  a  volume  of  business  was  possible.  With  characteristic 
energy  and  enterprise  the  burnt  district  was  soon  covered  with  substantial 
business  blocks  and  dwellings,  for  the  most  part  built  of  brick,  and  all  traces 
of  the  fire  were  obliterated. 

Extracts  from  the  Diary  of  James  S.  Webber 

1855.  Ice  left  the  Saginaw  River  Saturday  and  Sunday,  April  7th  and 
8th.     Steamboat   Huron    first   arrival    for   the   season   from    Detroit,   April    21. 

December  10:  The  ice  on  the  river  is  very  uncertain,  the  water  being 
up  to  the  top  of  the  dock  and  frozen  over  so  people  cross  on  foot.  (  )ne  day 
a  man  crossed  the  ice  with  the  mail  by  using  two  boards,  occupying  one- 
while  he  shoved  the  other  ahead  of  him;  and  he  got  over  all  safe.  The 
ferry  that  was  used  for  crossing  Saginaw  River  was  a  large  scow,  ludge 
Davenport  owning  the  right  to  ferry.  The  scow  was  propelled  by  means  of 
a  rope,  each  end  of  it  being  made  fast  to  a  post  on  each  side  of  the  river,  the 
landing  on  the  east  side  being  at  the  foot  of  Plank  Road  (Genesee  Street  i. 
Spring  and  Fall,  when  the  ice  was  breaking  up  or  forming,  ferrying  was  very 
uncertain   business. 

1856.  October  11:  I  commenced  building  September  13  a  two-story 
house,  being  partly  what  is  called  a  "balloon  frame."  but  using  posts  and 
beams.  The  frame  was  raised  Tuesday,  September  30.  Daniel  L.  Reding 
finished  a  cement  cistern,  holding  over  one  hundred  barrels,  under  my  wood- 
house  floor. 


190  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


October  13:  My  son  has  built  a  new  house  on  the  corner  of  Washing- 
ton and  Johnson  Streets,  which  he  bought  from  Dr.  Lee,  and  moved  into  it 
thi-.  date.     The   lot   is   ninety   by   two  hundred  and   forty   feet.     Foggy   Fall. 

October  16:  This  morning  smoke  and  Eog  so  thick  that  objects  could 
not  be  seen  thirty  feet  distant. 

October  18:  Cleared  so  that  we  could  see  across  the  river.  The  cause 
of  the  smoke  supposed  to  he  the  swamps  and  marshes  that  were  on  tire 
through  these  regions.  The  sun  was  hid  from  sight  most  of  the  time  for 
several   days. 

October  23:  This  morning  a  wind  from  the  north  with  a  light  rain 
drove  off   the   smoke:    after  a    few   more   rains   the    fires   were   extinguished. 

(  Ictober  25:  My  house  was  enclosed.  In  July  I  learned  that  a  man  was 
wishing  to  buy  some  lots  on  the  west  side  of  Jefferson  Street  directly  oppo- 
site my  house,  to  occupy  them  for  burning  lime.  As  I  did  not  want  a  lime 
kiln  there  1  bought  four  lots  in  Block  58  i  all  bayou  lots)  giving  $350,  paying 
over  $80  down.  1  did  not  know  what  use  they  would  he,  but  thought  I 
would  rather  do  this  than   have  such  a  nuisance  SO  near  me. 

November  20:  Thanksgiving.  The  last  of  this  month  the  sand  dock- 
in  fnmt  of  my  store  on  Water  Street  was  finished. 

December  6:     Snow  in  the  w Is  eight  inches  deep. 

1857.  February  27:  Ice  mostly  out  of  the  river  at  night  and  water 
to  the  top  of  the  sand  dock.  Ice  said  to  he  good  below  Zilwaukee  and 
people  crossing   it   with    teams. 

March  1_':  Water  fallen  about  four  feet  and  new  ice  formed.  Charlie 
Rod   crossed   it    with   a   team   ami   seven  barrels  of  flour  in  safety. 

March    14:      A  channel   cut    for   the   ferry   scow;    it   came   across  today. 

March  24:  Ice  said  to  he  -one  as  far  as  Bangor.  At  6:30  P.  M.  the 
steamboat  Comet  came  up  from    Bay  City  where  she  had   wintered. 

April  (>:     A  snowy  da}-  and  town  meeting. 

April  11:  The  steamboat  Sam  Word  arrived  front  Detroit  yesterday, 
and  today  the  Forest  Queen  arrived  from  the  same  port. 

April  26:  Sunday  morning,  commenced  snowing,  stopping  at  X  I'.  M. 
Suppose  if  it  had  not  melted  it  would  have  been  over  a   foot  deep. 

|ulv  1:  Moved  into  my  new  house  before  breakfast.  For  dinner  had 
green  peas.     (  ool  and  rainy. 

July  24:  Curtis  Emerson's  new  steam  ferry  scow  came  down  the  river 
to  the  toot  of  Plank  Road  (Genesee  Avenue)  and  back  to  his  place  on  her 
first  trial  trip.     This  is  the  first  steam  ferry  on  the  river. 

July   2d:     Sunday  about   4    1'.    Al.    Peach    &    Moores   store   mi    the   dock 

l  where    \\  .    I..    1'.    Little   &   Company's   store   St 1   before   the   big   fire  l    took 

lire  and  burned  down.  The  lire  engine  was  called  out  for  the  first  time  and 
did  good  service. 

October  8:  Hard  times  in  money  matters,  banks  suspending  daily  and 
no  exchange  on  New  York  to  be  had. 

<  >ctober  15:  These  days  money  won't  pay  debts,  for  no  one  dare  take  it. 
About  all  the  banks  in  New  York  suspended  specie  payment.  1  owed  a  New 
York  debt  and  went  several  times  into  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company's  bank- 
ing office  to  buy  a  draft,  but  I  could  not;  they  had  rather  not  take  any 
money.  1  wrote  to  the  parties  to  ask  what  I  should  do;  their  answer  was. 
"send  your  money  by  express  and  we  will  take  what  is  good  and  send  the 
rest  back."  So  I  just  laid  my  money  by  till  times  should  be  more  quiet,  not 
being  disposed  to  trust  anyone  with  sorting  my  money. 


AN  ERA  OF  PROSPERITY 


l'.H 


October  28:     1    was  able  to   buy   exchange  today  and  make  remittance. 

December  1  :  Some  banks  still  below  par,  yet  1  am  able  to  close  up  with 
the  New  York  creditors.  I  bought  a  draft  of  YV.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company, 
paying  two  and  a  half  per  cent,  on  Canadian  banks,  and  ten  and  a  half  on 
western  bank  bills,  and  paid  them  all. 

November  19:  This  morning  several  inches  of  snow  fell:  a  high  wind 
for  several  days.  Captain  William  Blyben,  whose  family  is  living  in  one  of 
my  houses,  was  on  his  way  from  Chicago  with  his  vessel,  the  Quick  Step,  and 
had  a  severe  time  of  it.  but  got  his  vessel  into  Bay  City.  The  steamboal 
Forest  Queen  of  Detroit  made  her  last  trip  here. 

1858.      March    15:      Warm    and    thawing,   and   ice   floating   down    stream. 

April  lo:  Commenced  my  building  for  a  hall  on  Lot  10.  Block  58,  Jef- 
ferson   Street,  opposite  my  dwelling. 

May   11:      A   great   rain   with    wind    from   the   north. 

May  25:  Heavy  rain  today.  Some  boys  having  made  a  dam  across 
the  ditch  so  that  water  in  the  night  wore  a  channel  through,  and  this  morn- 
ing teams  could  not  pass  to  the  north  into  Genesee  Street. 


UNION 


HALL 


Built  by  rames  S.  Webber  in  L85S  on  the  sit,,  of  the  Schraelzer  Apartments  and 
used  by  the  first  Baptisl  Church.  Some  years  after,  when  the  society  built  the 
present  brick  structure,  the  old  hall  was  moved  to  the  corner  ot  Johnson  and 
Second     Streets,    I     lias    since    been     used     by     Zion     Baptist     Church     (col I) 


and 

Mr. 


June  4:     The  water  has  been  over  the  sand  dock  for  several  davs ; 
this  morning  the  wind  is  blowing  fresh   from  the  south.      About  9  A.'  M. 
Lord's  ball  alley  gave  way  and  went  to  pieces.      (It  was  located  on  Genesee 
between  Franklin  and  Cass  Streets,  south   side.) 

June  X:  Water  is  falling.  Some  of  the  mills  started  again  as  most  of 
them  hail  to  stop  in  high  water.  It  has  been  extremely  warm  for  several 
days,  ainl  the  mosquitoes  very  thick. 

July  2:  Finished  my  'Union  Hall,'  costing  six  hundred  dollars  unfin- 
ished. It  was  occupied  by  the  First  Baptist  Church,  they  holding  meetings 
on  the  third  and   fourth   instant. 

July  /  :  A  company  left  on  the  steamboat  Magnet  for  Goderich,  Canada. 
to  railroad  celebration   to  be  held  on  the  eighth. 

August  1/  :  The  Queen's  message  has  been  received  by  the  Atlantic 
cable,  and  at  night  bon-fires,  military  ami  lire  companies'  aided  in  the 
celebration. 


102  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

August  23:  Light  frost  in  spots.  A  big  celebration  will  lie  held  here 
mi  the  29th,  mi  account  of  the  Atlantic  cable. 

December  9:     People  crossed  the  river  mi  the  ice  today. 

December  24:  The  gas  works  at  the  brick  hotel  of  Jesse  Hoyt's  (the 
Bancroft)  so  far  completed  that  this  evening  a  few  lights  were  lighted  as  a 
trial,   with   satisfactory   results. 

1859.  January  2:  This  evening  attended  worship  at  Buena  Vista  Hall. 
It  was  lighted  with  gas  fur  the  first  time. 

lanuarv  6:      The  ladies  of  the  Baptist  Church   formed  a  sewing  society 

at   my  house. 

lanuarv  11  :  Teams  crossing  the  river  on  ice.  This  evening  I  crossed  it 
fur  the  first  time  since  living  in  Saginaw. 

February  16:  Ferry  scow  running  today,  after  about  ten  days  stopping 
un  account  of  river  being  frozen  for  the  crossing  of  teams. 

March  8:  A  small  sail  boat  came  up  the  river  from  below.  The  first 
city  election  held.      George  Ball  and  myself  were  two  on  the  board. 

August  19:  The  first  rail  mi  the  Flint  &  I 'ere  Marquette  Railroad  laid 
at  Saginaw  River. 

September  7:  The  new  brick  hotel  "Bancroft  House"  has  been  opened, 
and  the  stage  stops  here.      Mr.  Hobbs  keeps  the   hotel. 

October  10:  The  steamboat  Forest  Queen  brought  up  a  six-pound  brass 
cannon  and  carriage  for  the  artillery  company  now  forming  in  this  place. 
The  bark  Sunshine  is  repaired  and  went  from  here  about  a  week  ago. 

October  22:  Snow  about  three  inches  deep,  and  sleighs  out  this  morn- 
ing. Captain  D.  Lyon  moved  my  ice  house  and  cellar  from  the  rear  to  the 
front  of  my  lot   beside  my   store  mi   Water  Street. 

November  10:  Norman  Little  was  buried,  having  been  found  drowned 
in  the  river,  near  Hoyt's  mill,  mi  the  evening  of  the  eighth.  This  was  a  very 
stormy  day  of  rain  and  snow. 

Reverend  J.  S.  Goodman  and  family  arrived  at  my  house  at  about  one 
o'clock.  Will  it  is  expected  occupy  one  of  my  houses  until  spring,  hav- 
ing been  settled  over  the  Baptist  Church  of  this  place. 

1860,  lanuarv  19:  Made  my  first  visit  to  where  they  were  drilling 
for  salt.      The  well  is  625  feet  deep. 

[anuary  21:  At  evening  an  old  vacant  house  owned  by  C.  Garrison, 
mi  the  bank  of  the  river  above  the  mill,  was  nearly  burned  down. 

March  5:  City  election.  The  entire  Republican  ticket  elected  with  ex- 
ception   of  mic   constable.      A    tine   day.      I    was   elected    director  of   the   ] r. 

March  7:  An  alarm  of  tire  about  six  o'clock  this  morning  at  the  gas 
works  ..f  Jesse  Hoyt's.  adjoining  the  Bancroft  House:  some  damage  done 
the  works  and  building,  will  delay  the  operation  of  the  gas  works  for  a  short 
time.     The  steamboat   Traffic  went  to  Bay  City.      Ice  out  of  the  river. 

March  10:  About  seven  I'.  M.  Jesse  Hoyt's  steam  flouring  mill  was 
seen  to  be  mi  tire  in  the  upper  story:  supposed  to  have  caught  by  the  chim- 
ney burning  out  the  previous  morning,  the  fire  lying  concealed  and  burning 
down.  No  other  buildings  were  injured,  but  a  large  amount  of  grain  was 
burned  and    flour  damaged. 

June  26:  The  East  Saginaw  Salt  Company  commenced  boiling  salt.  I 
visited  the  works  and  got  a  sample  of  salt.      Fifty  kettles  in  a  block. 

July  4:  A  small  propeller  named  Star  came  from  Detroit  and  com- 
menced running  as  a  ferry-boat  from  here  to  Saginaw  City. 


AX   ERA  (  >F  I'R(  ISPERITV 


193 


1868.  September  10:  The  large  Brick  Central  Market,  being  built  by 
Anton  Schmitz,  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Genesee  and  Cass  (Baum)  Streets, 
was  opened  today  with  stalls  for  vegetables  by  Air.  Turner  and  Mr.  Charles 
Pendell. 

October  21:  The  Nicholson  pavement  is  finished  today;  it  was  com- 
menced at  Franklin  Street  running  west  to  the  foot  of  Genesee  Street  across 
two  blocks,  then  north  on  Water  and  Washington  Streets  to  Tuscola,  being 
one  block  north  and  south  of  Genesee  Street.  The  cost  of  the  pavement, 
including  curb-stones,  was  830,000;  sand  taken  from  Cass  Street  and  the 
bavou. 


December 


Saginaw. 


jas   lighted    in    street   lamp 


for   first   time   in    East 
Washington  and  Ger- 


1869.     January  1:     First  Congregational  Church 

man  Streets,  was  destroyed  by  tire. 

July  10:  The  trustees  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  sold  the  old  church 
(Union  Hall)  to  the  colored  Baptist  Church,  for  $600,  and  moved  it  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  Johnson  and  Second  Streets.  This  is  the  Zion  Iiaptist 
Church 


September   15:     John  G.   Owen  rebuilding  the  i 

and  Penney  City  Mill  cm  Genesee  Street  into  stores 

October  10:     Mr.  A.  Schmitz  fell  from  hi 
on   Sunday:    when  picked  up  was  dead. 


1    Egleston,   Champlin 
uilding,  the  Central  Market, 


Incorporation  of  the  Village  and  City 

East  Saginaw  was  incorporated  as  a  village  in  1855,  and  its  first  legisla- 
tive body  met  May  11,  with  Norman  Little  as  president  of  the  council: 
i  harles   I'..  Mott,  recorder;    S.  C.  Beach,  treasurer;    and  A.    L.  Rankin,  mar- 


LAYING    NICHOLSON    PAVEMENT    IN    GENESEE    STREET,    1868 


194  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


shal.  Under  the  incorporation  act  there  were  elected  as  trustees:  \Y.  L.  P. 
Little,  David  Lyon,  Jacob  C.  Voorheis,  Clark  M.  Curtis  and  Augustus  11. 
Mershon;   and  as  assessors,  F.  R.  Copeland  and  W.   F.  Glasby. 

In  1856  the  council  was  composed  of:  Morgan  L.  Gage,  president; 
C.  B.  Mott,  recorder;  trustees.  William  L.  Webber,  Augustus  II.  Mershon, 
Martin  Smith,  L.  11.  Eastman,  W.  F.  Glasby;  and  attorney.  William  L. 
Webber;  marshal,  F.  T.  Hall;  street  commissioners,  L.  S.  Keeler  and  A. 
Dann. 

In  1857  the  councilmen  were:  Morgan  L.  Gage,  president;  W  .  II. 
Beach,  recorder:  trustees.  William  L.  Webber,  W  .  F.  Glasby,  C.  M.  Curtis, 
J.  A.  Large,  S.  Beach  and  William  Gallagher.  William  J.  Loveland  was 
elected  attorney,  and  L.  S.  Keeler,  marshal  and  street  commissioner,  while 
W  .  T.  Hoyt  was  the  village  clerk. 

In  1858  the  councilmen  were:  John  F.  Driggs,  president;  C.  B.  Mott, 
recorder;  trustees,  S.  C.  Beach,  W.  F.  Glasby,  I.  A.  Large,  (..  A.  Lathrop, 
S.  R.  Kirby  and  G  W.  Merrill.  William  L.  Webber  was  the  attorney,  M.  L. 
Gage,  marshal,  G.  F.  Ball,  street  commissioner,  and  C.  II.  Gage,  clerk. 

This  form  of  government  was  sufficient  for  the  needs  of  the  community 
only  four  years,  as  in  1859  the  village  received  a  city  charter,  and  was  duly 
incorporated  under  its  provisions.  The  first  city  officers  elected  were': 
W  I..  I'.  Little,  mayor;  1).  W.  C.  Gage,  recorder;  W.  J.  Bartow,  controller; 
James  F.  Brown,  treasurer;  F.  A.  Curtis,  marshal;  and  the  aldermen  were, 
C.  B.  Mott.  John  S.  Estabrook,  Alexander  Ferguson.  W.  F.  Glasby,  G.  W. 
Wilcox;  the  city  constable,  A.  L.  Rankin;  and  the  school  inspectors,  Asahel 
Disbrow,  C.  If  Jones.  John  J.  Wheeler.  G.  J.  Dorr.  Volusin  Rude  and  S.  If 
Knapp.  <  )n  March  17,  1859,  the  first  common  council  of  the  newly  incor- 
porated city  met  as  a  municipal  legislative  bodv. 


Incorporation   of  the   Village   of   Salina 

As  early  as  1848  Aaron  K.  Penney  located  land  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river,  a  little  above  the  settlement  of  Saginaw  City,  which  he  commenced 
working  as  a  farm.  In  this  occupation  he  was  quite  successful,  as  he  was  a 
practical  farmer,  hut  ten  years  later  he  sold  his  land  to  William  Gallagher, 
who  at  once  removed  there  with  his  family.  After  the  discovery  of  salt 
deposits  underlying  the  valley,  Callagher  conceived  the  idea  of  laying  out  a 
town  upon  his  farm,  and  in  less  than  a  year  a  pleasantly  situated  village  was 
under  way.  Mills  and  salt  works  were  soon  erected,  docks  built,  and  gen- 
eral husiness  enterprises  inaugurated.  In  1864  the  Fast  Saginaw  Street 
Railway  completed  its  line  to  the  new  town,  thus  connecting,  and  almost 
identifying,  it  with  the  flourishing  city  about  three  miles  below. 

Muring'  the  early  years  of  its  existence,  this  busy  and  progressive  town 
had  been  known  as  Salina,  but  in  1X66  it  was  incorporated  as  a  village  under 
the  name  of  South  Saginaw.  Theron  T.  Hubbard  was  its  first  president; 
and  the  trustees  were.  Isaac  Russell,  Aaron  Linton.  William  Nimmons, 
Hiram  Dunn,  John  Ingledew  and  Nicholas  A.  Randall.  These  men  met  first 
as  the  village  council,  November  20.  1866.  The  village  did  not.  however, 
retain  its  separate  existence  long,  for  in  March.  1873,  it  became  a  part  of 
the  city  of  East  Saginaw.  This  consolidation  of  interests  increased  the 
population  of  the  city  about  three  thousand,  added  three  or  four  church 
organizations,  one  church  edifice,  and  a  tine  graded  school  with  five  hundred 
scholars  and  seven  teachers.  The  school  building  was  a  substantial  struc- 
ture costing  more  than  ten  thousand  dollars. 


AN  ERA  (  )F  PR(  iS'PERITY  195 

The  Commercial  Interests  of  East  Saginaw  in  1858 

Eight  years  after  the  founding  of  this  enterprising  city,  the  first  "1  listory 
of  the  Saginaw  Valley"  appeared,  published  by  Truman  B.  Fox.  It  is  a 
small  pamphlet,  five  by  eight  inches  in  size,  but  it  contains  much  valuable 
information  relative  to  the  commercial,  professional  and  industrial  affairs  of 
the  valley  during  the  formative  period.  Several  hundred  copies  of  the  his- 
tory were  undoubtedly  printed,  hut  after  a  lapse  of  fifty  years  they  have 
become  very  rare,  and  only  a  few  copies  are  now  known  t<  >  exist.  From  its 
pages  we  glean  some  interesting  facts  relating  to  the  commercial  interests 
of  long  ago,  and  of  the  men  prominent  in  business  life. 

Copeland  &  Bartow  were  "'wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  staple  and 
fancy  dry  goods,  carpeting,  clothing,  boots  and  shoes,  groceries  and  provi- 
sions, crockery  and  cutlery,"  and  were  located  on  Water  Street,  on  the  dock 
hetween  Tuscola  and  Genesee  Streets. 

|ohn   P.   Derby  was  a  dealer  in  groceries  and  provisions,  1 ts  and  shoes, 

and  Rockingham  ware  on  Water  Street;  Franklin  Copeland  dealt  in  dry 
goods,  groceries  and  provisions  on  the  corner  of  Hoyt  and  Water  Streets. 
while  William  Weeks  kept  a  stock  of  ready-made  clothing  and  furnishing 
goods  on  Genesee  Street. 

Other  dealers  in  groceries  and  provisions  on  Water  Street,  "near  the 
ferry,"  were.  Curtis  &  Bliss,  \\".  1'.  Patrick,  J.  S.  Webber  and  J.  A.  Whittier; 
Peter  Hiller  was  located  on  Genesee  Street,  and  J.  Greener,  who  also  dealt  in 
crockery,  was  on  Water  Street  near  Durfee  &  Atwater's  mill.  Sanborn  & 
Tucker  were  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  the  same  commodities  in  the 
Corliss  Block,  on  Genesee  Street;  M.  Minick  added  ready-made  clothing  to 
hi-,  grocery  line,  while  Brown  &  Mumford  dealt  in  "groceries  and  provisions, 
country  produce,  flour,  etc.,  on   Washington   Street  near  Genesee." 

The  hardware  trade  was  represented  by  George  Schram,  whose  shop  was 
on  Water  Street,  between  ( ienesee  and  German  Streets;  C.  M.  Curtis,  who 
was  on  Water  Street  near  the  ferry;  and  B.  B.  Buckhout,  who  announced 
that  he  was  a  "wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  iron,  steel,  nails,  stoves  and 
all  kinds  of  hardware,  farming  utensils,  cutlery,  tin  and  sheet  iron  ware,"  and 
was  located  in  the  "brick  block"  on   Water  Street. 

In  drugs  ami  medicines  we  find  I  less  Brothers  and  Dr.  J.  K.  Penney, 
who,  in  addition  to  attending  to  physicians  prescriptions  "with  care  and 
despatch,"  carried  a  line  of  fancy  articles,  perfumery,  paints  and  oils.  The 
Hess  Brothers  were  in  their  own  block  on  (ienesee  Street,  while  Dr.  Penney 
was  located  on  Water  Street  hetween  Tuscola  and  (ienesee. 

Books,  stationery  and  jewelry  stocks  were  those  of  Alexander  Fergu- 
son,  who  added  fancy  articles,  on  Genesee  Street  hetween  Water  and  Wash- 
ington; Sol  Lathrop,  on  (ienesee  Street,  and  Fred  X.  Bridgman,  who  was 
located  "at  the  Postoffice,  Mess  Block,  corner  of  (ienesee  and  Washington 
Streets." 

The  professions  were  represented,  in  the  law  by  William  J.  Loveland,  an 
"attorney  and  counsellor  at  law,  and  solicitor  in  chancery,"  whose  office  was 
in  the  Hess  Block,  up  stairs;  James  L.  T.  Fox,  who  announced  "collections 
attended  to  in  any  portion  of  the  State  or  United  States,"  with  an  office  in 
the  letters  Block,  on  Water  Street;  Webber  &  Wheeler,  whose  office  was  in 
the  brick  block  on  (ienesee  Street;  and  D.  W.  C.  ( iage.  with  an  office  in 
(.age's  Block,  up  stairs,  on  (ienesee  Street.  In  the  practice  of  medicine  were 
Doctors  ( i.  A.  Lathrop,  J.  K.  Penney,  A.  Bryce,  Curtis  and  C.  T.  Disbrow. 

In  the  way  of  hotels  the  village  was  well  provided,  there  being  the  Kirhv 
I  louse,  kept  by  John  Godley,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  (ienesee 
Streets;    the   Farmer's   Exchange,   W.   Wisner,  landlord,  coiner  of   Washing- 


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AN  ERA  OF  PROSPERITY  197 

ton  ami  ( ienesee,  "c  >pp<  >site  the  Kirby  I  louse;"  the  Purest  City  House,  corner 
of  Water  and  Genesee;  the  Franklin  House,  kept  by  John  Leidlein,  at  the 
corner  of  Franklin  and  Genesee  Streets;  and  the  Buena  Vista  House,  with 
John  Jeffers  as  landlord,  on  Water  Street  near  the  steam  ferry. 

W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company  were  bankers  and  dealers  in  foreign  ex- 
change, the  banking-  office  being  in  Hoyt's  Block,  up  stairs,  corner  of  Gen- 
esee and  Water  Streets.  The  United  States  Land  Office,  of  which  Colonel 
W.  L.  P.  Little  was  the  receiver,  and  Moses  B.  Hess  the  register,  was 
located  in  the  same  block. 

The  Saginaw  Enterprise,  the  first  newspaper  established  in  East  Sagi- 
naw, with  Perry  Joslin  as  editor  and  proprietor,  was  located  on  Water  Street 
between  Genesee  and  Tuscola. 

The  Tax  agency  and  surveying  office  was  conducted  by  <  J.  G.  Hess  and 
D.  A.  Pettibone  in  the  Hess  Block,  on  Washington  Street. 

A  millinery  shop,  "with  all  the  latest  styles  in  bonnets,"  was  kept  by 
Mrs.  Morrison  at  the  corner  of  Genesee  and  Water  Streets,  North. 

In  manufacturing  the  village  made  a  good  showing,  with  Hoyt's  Steam 
Flouring  Mill  in  the  lead.  According  to  its  announcement,  it  "grinds 
annually  over  fifty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat,  fourteen  thousand  bushels  of 
corn,  its  products  amounting,  in  flour  to  nearly  seventy  thousand  dollars, 
and  corn  meal  to  eleven  thousand.  This  mill  has  four  run  of  stone,  and  a 
powerful  and  magnificent  engine.  Corner  of  Water  and  Carroll  Streets,  on 
the  dock."  Wilcox's  Steam  Flouring  Mill  was  on  Water  Street,  "near  the 
steam  ferry,"  and  "a  large  portion  of  the  business  of  this  mill  is  custom  work, 
the  total  amount  is  probably  fifteen  to  twenty  thousand  bushels  of  grain 
ground  annually."  There  was  also  the  City  Mill  on  (lenesee  Street,  "in  the 
bayou,"  on  the  site  of  the  building  long  occupied  by  I).  B.  Freeman  and 
M.  C.  Murray. 

The  foundry  and  machine  shop  business  was  represented  by  Warner, 
Eastman  &  Company,  who  were  "repairers  of  steam  engines,  mill  gearing, 
poney  gangs,  and  other  work  in  that  line."  with  a  shop  on  Water  Street; 
George  W.  Merrill,  who  was  a  "manufacturer  of  steam  engines,  threshing 
machines,  plows,  steamboat  and  mill  gearing,  all  orders  pertaining  to  this 
business  being  promptly  attended  to.  Water  Street  on  the  dock ;"  Fred 
Koehler.  blacksmith  and  repairer  of  machinery  for  steamboats,  vessels,  etc., 
with  a  shop  on  Tuscola  Street,  between  Washington  and  Water;  Birdsall  & 
Brother,  blacksmithing  and  horseshoeing  clone  to  order,  with  shop  on  (len- 
esee Street,  over  the  bayou;  and  I.  F.  Godley,  manufacturer  of  horse  shoes. 
and  blacksmithing  done  to  order,  on  Washington  Street. 

The  woodworking  industry  had  Hosea  Pratt,  whose  steam  sash,  door 
and  blind  factory  was  on  Franklin  Street,  in  the  bayou;  Ernest  Feige,  a 
manufacturer  and  dealer  in  all  kinds  of  cabinet  ware,  upholstering,  etc..  on 
Water  Street;  and  J.  A.  Large,  with  a  furniture  wareroom  and  manufactory 
of  cabinet  ware  of  all  kinds,  including  "coffins  made  to  order,"  on  (lenesee 
Street,  lames  Lewis  was  also  a  manufacturer  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  at 
his  steam  factory  on  Water  Street,  on  the  dock;  and  A.  II.  Mershan  &  Com- 
pany operated  a  planing  mill  on   Water  Street,  near  the  ship  yard. 

Chester  B.  Jones  was  a  leading  dealer  in  lumber,  shingles  and  lath,  with 
an  office  in  Gage's  Block,  up  stairs,  Genesee  Street.  John  S.  Estabrook  was 
also  a  dealer  in  and  inspector  of  lumber  and  shingles,  his  office  being  on 
"Water  Street  opposite  the  printing  office."  E.  J.  Mershon  followed  the 
occupation  of  inspecting  lumber  and  shingles,  and  his  office  was  in  Hoyt's 
Block,   up   stairs. 


198  HlSTokV  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


In  the  stave  and  heading  business,  I).  Shaw  was  a  dealer  and  exporter 
of  hogshead  and  butt  staves,  having  an  office  on  Water  Street  between 
Thompson  and  Harden;  Henry  Woodruff  was  a  dealer  in  staves  fur  export, 
mi   ( ienesee  Street;    and   Robert   Pierson   dealt  in   staves  on    Water  Street. 

The  diversified  industries  of  the  village  included  the  business  of  .W.  L. 
Gage,  manufacturer  of  harnesses,  saddles,  trunks,  etc.,  on  Genesee  Street; 
II.  Marks,  manufacturer  of  hats,  caps,  furs,  and  furnishing  goods;  A.  F.aton, 
maker  of  boots  and  shoes,  on  (ienesee  Street:  and  11.  Schwartz  and  Casper 
Braden,  makers  of  chairs  and  cabinet  ware.  (  ).  L.  Glover  and  Hall  &  Loomis 
were  the  house,  sign  and  ornamental  painters,  both  having  shops  on  Water 
Street,  n<  irth. 

An  extended  list  of  the  lumber  manufacturers  and  their  production  at 
this  period  will  he  found  in  the  chapter  on  The  Lumber  Industry. 

Solomon  Bond  Bliss 

Another  of  our  old  and  esteemed  citizens  was  S.  Bond  Hliss,  who  came 
tn  Kast  Saginaw  in  the  Spring  of  1X54.  lie  was  born  at  Brimfield,  Mass- 
achusetts, April  17,  1828,  and  was  the  oldest  of  a  family  of  five,  four  suns  and 
nne  daughter.  Without  enjoying  the  full  educational  advantages  of  the 
time,  he  went  t<>  work  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  finding  employment  at 
Springfield  and  Boston.  After  his  seventeenth  birthday  he  went  to  Ohio, 
and  located  at  Elyria  where  he  was  married  in  1850  tn  a  daughter  of  Dr. 
(  ).  L.  Mason.  They  resided  in  Cleveland  four  years,  when  he  came  to  this 
valley  tu  transact  some  lumber  business,  and  thereafter  made  this  city  his 
hi  ime. 

For  a  time  he  engaged  in  the  grocery  business  with  Curtis  Brothers,  but 
later  purchased  their  interest  and  extended  the  business  tn  that  of  a  general 
mercantile  character.  lie  was  also  for  some  years  interested  in  the  lumber 
business;  and  he  organized  the  Saginaw  Valley  Bank,  in  partnership  with 
bis  brother,  \Y.  K.  Bliss  and  B.  M.  Fay,  under  the  firm  name  of  Bliss,  Fay  & 
Company.  This  firm  built  the  brick  block  at  the  southeast  corner  of  (ien- 
esee and  Washington  Streets,  which  was  long  known  as  the  Bliss  Block, 
now-  the  Mason  Building. 

In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature,  and  was  postmaster  of 
Fast  Saginaw  for  a  short  term  under  President  Johnson.  For  many  years 
he  was  a  leader  of  the  temperance  movement  here,  being  president  of  the 
Reform  Club,  lie  was  a  member  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Pioneer  Society, 
of  St.  Bernard  Commandery  No.  Id,  K.  T.,  and  was  one  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers of  the  Unitarian  Society.  Kindness  and  generosity  were  prominent 
traits  of  his  character,  and  he  was  wont  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  those  in 
need,  particularly  worth}-  young  men,  those  who  were  in  his  employ  speak- 
ing in  high  terms  of  praise  of  his  aid  and  personal  interest  in  their  welfare. 

Mr.  Bliss  was  a  genial  gentleman  with  a  smile  and  kind  word  for  all 
acquaintances,  and  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  classes.  His  death  mi 
November  12,  18X4,  was  deeply  felt  by  all  citizens,  particularly  his  older 
friends  with  whom  he  had  shared  the  struggles,  trials  ami  final  triumphs  oi 
pioneer  life.  Surviving  him  were  Mrs.  Bliss  and  one  son,  Walter  B.  Bliss, 
who  continued  to  reside  at  the  family  homestead,  at  320  North  Water  Street. 
The  former  died  July  23,  1892,  and  the  son,  Walter,  died  in  Chicago,  April 
26,   1905,  leaving  a  widow-  and  a  son  and  daughter. 

Incorporation  of  Saginaw  City 

From  the  official  records  of  long  ago  it  appears  that  Saginaw  City  was 
never  incorporated  as  a  village,  and  to  the  year  1857  it  was  a  part  of  the 
township  of  Saginaw.     A  city  charter  was  granted  which  went  into  operation 


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200  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

in  the  spring  of  1857.  the  first  meeting  of  the  common  council  being  held 
April  11.  Gardner  1).  Williams  was  the  first  mayor;  Cue  Garrett,  recorder; 
E.  H.  Shiminond,  treasurer;  and  the  first  aldermen  were,  John  Moore, 
George  W.  Bullock,  Jay  Smith  and  David  Hughes;  John  E.  Gibson  was 
marshal,  and  E.  C.  Newell,  city  attorney.  Mayor  Williams  was  elected  the 
following  year  for  a  second  term,  hut  his  death  occurred  on  December  11. 
1858,  and  Hiram  L.  Miller,  then  recorder  of  the  city,  acted  as  mayor  until  the 
election  of  George  W.  Bullock  t: <  >  the  mayoralty,  in  the  spring  of  1859. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  incorporated  city  the  most  desirable  residence 
section  was  on  North  Hamilton  Street,  and  here  were  the  homes  of  William 
Binder,  Myron  Butman.  William  11.  Sweet,  Newell  Barnard,  Doctor  I.  N. 
Smith  and  others  whose  names  will  lie  recalled  by  the  older  residents 
acquainted  with  our  early  history. 

William  Binder 

Bur  many  years  the  home  of  William  Binder  was  on  the  east  side  of  the 
street,  between  Franklin  (Hancock)  and  Ames  Streets.  It  stood  just  north 
i if  the  site  of  the  three-story  brick  building,  which  was  erected  many  years 
after  by  Barnard  &  Binder  at  the  corner  of  Franklin.  Mr.  Binder  was  a  resi- 
dent (if  Saginaw  fur  more  than  forty  years,  and  during  the  era  of  prosperity 
was  a  prominent  lumberman  and  salt  manufacturer.  For  years  he  held  the 
office  of  secretary  of  the  Saginaw  Barrel  Factory;  and  was  actively  indenti- 
licd  in  the  promotion  of  industrial  enterprises  fur  the  upbuilding  of  the  city. 
When  he  removed  to  a  new  and  pretentious  house,  which  he  had  built  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Washington  (Michigan)  and  Bristol  Streets,  his  old 
home  was  converted  into  a  place  of  business,  and  occupied  for  a  long  time  bv 
A.  Siebel. 

During  the  panic  of  1873  Mr.  binder  met  with  severe  reverses  of  fortune 
which  was  newer  regained.  He  was  a  public  spirited  citizen,  and  was  the  last 
controller  of  Saginaw  City,  relinquishing  the  office  upon  the  consolidation  of 
the  Saginaws,  which  occurred  in  the  spring  of  1890.  Shortly  after,  he  re- 
turned with  his  family  to  the  scenes  of  his  boyhood  at  Hersau,  Wurtemberg. 
Germany,   where  he  passed   his  declining  years,  and  died   February  7,    1915. 

Myron  Butman 

Among  the  oldest,  best  known,  and  highly  esteemed  lumbermen  of 
Saginaw  was  Myron  Butman,  who  was  born  at  Milan,  Erie  County,  Ohio, 
October  5,  1825.  His  father  was  John  S.  Butman,  one  of  the  early  pioneers 
of  Northern  Ohio.  He  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  oi 
his  native  place,  and  afterward  attended  the  Fluron  Institute,  in  a  neighbor- 
ing town,  where  he  completed  his  schooling.  Quite  early  in  life  he  embarked 
in  the  retail  lumber  business  in  connection  with  a  mercantile  venture  in 
Milan,  and  continued  in  this  trade  for  about  ten  years. 

In  1854  he  sought  wider  fields  for  his  enterprise  and  went  first  to 
Chicago  and  thence,  a  year  later,  to  Saginaw  when  blanket  Indians  were  as 
yet  no  uncommon  sight  in  the  streets.  Lumbering  in  this  section  was  then 
beginning  to  assume  large  proportions,  and  he  engaged  in  the  general  lumber 
business,  which  he  conducted  on  a  broad  scale  throughout  his  active  career. 
In  1860  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Samuel  II.  Webster,  and  the  firm 
built  a  saw  mill  and  salt  works  at  Zilwaukee.  They  were  pioneers  in  the 
salt  industry  of  the  State,  as  this  salt  block  was  the  third  erected  after  the 
manufacture  of  salt  became  an  assured  commercial  venture  in  the  valley. 
From  a  small  beginning,  they  witnessed  the  remarkable  expansion  of  the 
industry,  in  1900  reaching  a  total  production  in  Michigan  of  more  than  five 
and  a  quarter  million  barrels;  and  the  initial  price  of  three  dollars  a  barrel 
reduced  to  fifty  cents  a  barrel  on  the  dock. 


AN  ERA  OF  PROSPERITY  201 

This  partnership  continued  fur  three  years,  when  Mr.  Webster  withdrew; 
and  Mr.  Butman  then  formed  a  co-partnership  with  Amasa  Rust,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Butman  &  Rust,  which  continued  until  the  death  of  Mr.  Rust 
in  1893.  Meanwhile  he  dealt  extensively  in  timber  lands,  the  beginning  of 
this  business  having  been  made  with  about  four  thousand  acres  of  fine  timber 
in  this  valley,  which  he  had  located  just  previous  to  his  coming  here. 

In  1871  the  firm  of  Butman  &  Rust,  in  connection  with  Bust  &  Hay,  pur- 
chased the  old  Watson  mill  at  Bay  City,  which  they  remodled  and  operated 
under  the  name  of  Hay,  Butman  &  Company  until  1885,  when  Butman  & 
Rust  bought  out  the  other  interests.  During  the  last  few  years  of  its  opera- 
tion this  mill  was  one  of  the  best  on  the  river,  its  capacity  running  to  ninety 
thousand  feet  per  day.  its  timber  supplies  being  drawn  from  the  Tittaba- 
wassee  River  and  tributaries.  The  firm  acquired  an  enviable  reputation  as 
manufacturers  of  high-grade  lumber,  due  in  no  small  degree  to  the  excellent 
judgment  of  Mr.  Butman  in  the  selection  of  timber;  and  special  care  was 
taken  in  manufacture,  the  element  of  character  of  the  product  being  of  greater 
consideration  than  that  of  quantity.  Running  largely  to  the  better  grades,  it 
was  eagerly  sought  by  the  trade,  and  commanded  the  highest  prices  in  the 
market. 

Mr.  Butman  was  married  in  1848  to  Miss  Mary  P.  Adams,  who  was  born 
and  reared  in  Milan,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Butman  was  a  woman  of  quiet,  refined 
tastes,  and  closely  attached  to  home  ties.  She  was  a  devout  member  of  St. 
John's  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  deeply  interested  in  the  work  of  the  parish 
and  of  charitable  organizations,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Butman  was  thoroughly 
in  sympathy.  They  had  one  daughter,  Mary  P.,  who  inherited  many  of  her 
father's  sterling  qualities  and  her  mother's  refinement  and  tenderness  of 
heart,  to  which  was  united  a  benevolent  disposition.  Possessed  of  fine  feel- 
ings, generous  impulses,  and  sensitive  to  the  misfortunes  of  others,  it  was 
but  natural  that  her  acts  of  kindness  and  helpful  interest,  always  unosten- 
tatiously bestowed,  should  have  been  widespread.  Unfortunately  wedded 
to  a  man  whose  character,  temperament  and  trend  of  thought  were  entirely 
antipodal  to  her  noble  qualities,  her  married  life  was  marred  by  unhappiness 
and  sorrow.  She  died  May  7,  1912,  preceded  to  the  beyond  by  her  mother 
who  died  April  24.   1907. 

In  his  active  business  life  Mr.  Butman  did  not  confine  his  interests  to 
lumbering,  but  associated  himself  with  other  industrial  enterprises.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw,  which  he  served  as  president 
for  many  years;  and  he  was  interested  in  the  Allington  &  Curtis  Manufac- 
turing Company  and  other  concerns  designed  to  supplant  the  lumber  in- 
dustry, which  about  1890  had  reached  a  period  of  decline.  He  was  a  man  of 
deep  sympathies,  was  broad  minded  and  generous,  and  lived  a  life  of  use- 
fulness in  the  community,  marked  by  the  highest,  integrity.  He  died  Jan- 
uary 10,  1901,  in  the  city  which  for  almost  fifty  years  had  known  him  as  an 
honored   citizen. 

William   H.  Sweet 

William  II.  Sweet,  for  many  years  one  of  the  leading  attorneys  of  Sag- 
inaw County,  was  born  in  New  York  City,  October  13,  1819.  At  the  age  of 
two  years  his  parents  moved  on  a  farm,  where  his  boyhood  was  spent.  But 
at  eighteen  years  of  age,  his  health  being  precarious,  lie  shipped  on  a  whaling 
voyage  which  continued  for  three  years,  during  which  time  he  visited  nearlv 
every  port  in  the  world.  Returning  to  New  York,  he  entered  into  a  mer- 
cantile life,  but  after  three  years  closed  out  his  business,  purchased  a  stock 
of  general  merchandise  and  in  1850  brought  his  goods  to  the  western  fron- 
tier on   the  Saginaw. 


WILLIAM      H.     SWEET 


MYRON      BUTMAN 


NEWELL    BARNARD 


DANIEL     L.    C.     EATON 


AN  ERA  OF  PROSPERITY  203 

This  business  he  conducted  successful])-  for  some  time,  but  later  sold 
out  to  engage  in  lumbering.  While  still  a  young  man  he  studied  law,  in 
due  time  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  became  associated  with  J.  (i.  Suther- 
land, one  of  the  pioneers  of  his  profession  in  this  \  alley.  Mr.  Sweet  was 
mayor  of  Saginaw  City  for  two  terms,  was  prosecuting  attorney  of  this 
county  from  1861  to  1863,  and  was  a  member  of  the  Hoard  of  the  Union 
School   District  in   1891. 

By  his  first  wife,  who  died  in  1872,  Mr.  Sweet  was  the  father  of  six 
children  —  three  daughters,  who  upon  marrying  were  Mrs.  Martin.  Mrs. 
Penoyer  and  Mrs.  Pendleton,  and  Fred  B.  Sweet,  one  time  county  clerk,  and 
William  and  Sumner  Sweet.  After  a  long  illness  Mr.  Sweet  died  at  his  home 
in  Saginaw,  February   16,    1X98. 

For  many  years  the  family  home  was  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Throop 
and  Hamilton  Streets,  on  or  very  near  the  site  of  the  old  council  house  used 
by  General  Cass  in  negotiating  the  treaty  of  1X19  with  the  Chippewa 
Indians. 

The   Commercial   Interests  of   Saginaw   City 

In  1X5X,  according  to  Fox's  "History  of  Saginaw,"  the  city  boasted  of 
"many  beautiful  buildings,  several  extensive  warehouses,  docks,  etc.  Noth- 
ing can  exceed  the  beauty  of  the  locality,  especially  in  Spring  and  Summer. 
The  streets  are  regularly  laid  out.  are.  in  many  parts,  well  shaded  with 
locust  and  maple  trees,  and  residences  of  many  citizens  evince  great  taste 
and  refinement."  At  that  time  the  city  had  a  population  of  about  twenty- 
five  hundred. 

The  business  ami  professional  interests  were  represented  by  citizens  of 
sterling  character,  who  left  the  stamp  of  their  individuality  upon  the  future 
city.  In  the  dry  goods  line  were  1).  II.  Jerome  &  Company,  who  also  dealt 
in  clothing,  groceries  and  provisions,  in  the  Jerome  Block  on  Water  Street; 
George  W.  Bullock,  with  fancy  dry  goods,  staple  groceries  and  provisions, 
at  the  corner  of  Ames  and  Hamilton;  G.  T.  Zschoerner,  in  the  Woodruff 
Block,  Water  Street  on  the  dock;  and  I'.  C.  Andre  in  the  same  general  line, 
on   Water  Street  on   the  dock. 

In  groceries  ami  provisions  were  I.  Dowling,  A.  Andre,  on  Water  Street; 
Mynm  Butman,  George  Strecb  and  William  Binder,  in  the  Woodruff  Block, 
on  Water  Street;  Jacob  Vogt,  on  the  dock;  and  M .  Redman  kept  a  restau- 
rant at  the  corner  of  Hamilton  and  Jefferson  Streets. 

The  hardware  trade  was  supplied  by  1).  II.  Jerome  &  Company,  who 
also  carried  a  stock  of  "iron,  steel,  nails,  stoves,  and  hollow  ware,"  at  the 
corner  of  Water  and  Van  Buren  ;  and  X.  Gibson,  who  dealt  in  mill  saws, 
chains,  cutlery,  etc.,  in  Gibson's   I 'dock  on  Water  Street. 

The  merchant  tailors  were  F.  A.  Leasia,  "dealer  in  all  kinds  of  garments, 
hats,  caps,  etc.,"  in  the  Mitchell  Block,  on  Water  Street;  M.  Rathkie,  manu- 
facturer and  dealer  in  ready-made  clothing,  etc..  on  Water  Street;  and  M. 
Mulcahay,  in  clothing  on  Water  Street.  The  milliners  were  Mrs.  Rice,  who 
also  carried  fancy  goods,  on  Water  Street,  and  Miss  Hamilton,  mantua 
maker,  at  the  corner  of  Ames  and   Hamilton  Streets. 

A.  Fisher  was  the  leading  cabinet  and  chair  manufacturer,  with  a  shop 
on  Water  Street,  then  the  principal  business   street. 

The  tannery  was  owned  and  operated  by  C.  Wyder,  "tanner  and  currier, 
Stevens  and  Water  Street,  towards  Green  Point."  J.  W.  Richardson  was  a 
manufacturer  and  dealer  in  harnesses,  saddles,  martingals,  trunks,  etc..  on 
Water  Street;  and  the  shoe  shops  were  those  of  C.  Kull.  C.  Shultz.  C.  T. 
Brenner,  G.  Sanders,  P.  M.  Hale.  C.  Fuche  and  G.  Winkler,  all  on  Water 
Street. 


204  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

In  drugs  and  medicines  were  Jay  Smith,  M.  D.,  at  the  corner  of  Van 
Buren  and  Water;  A.  (  ).  T.  Eaton  ec  Brother,  at  the  corner  of  Court  and 
Water;  and  U.  F.  Mitchell,  in  the  Mitchell  Block  on  Water  Street.  The 
physicians  were  ].  B.  White,  whose  office  was  at  the  corner  of  Lyon  and 
Water  Streets;  N.  D.  Lee.  on  Jefferson  Street;  D.  F.  Mitchell;  M.  C.  T. 
Plessner,  on  Water  Street;  Dion  Birney,  at  Court  and  Water;  and  S. 
Franke,  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and   Hamilton  Streets. 

The  legal  profession  was  well  represented  by  Moore  &  Gaylord,  "attor- 
neys and  counsellors  of  law,  and  solicitors  in  chancery."  office  in  the  court 
house;  E.  C.  Newell,  the  city  attorney,  at  Water  and  Jefferson  Streets; 
C.  D.  Little,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Madison;  Hiram  S.  Penoyer. 
with  an  office  in  the  court  house:  Sutherland  oc  Benedict,  at  Court  and 
Water;   and  William  H.  Sweet,  on  Water  Street. 

A  livery  was  conducted  by  A.  H.  Paine,  who  "always  keeps  on  hand  all 
sorts  of  good  vehicles,  with  first-class  horses;"  and  the  ship  yard  of  M. 
Dougherty  on  Water  Street,  completes  the  list  of  tradesmen  of  that  period. 

The  Fish  Trade 

For  many  years  fisheries  was  a  business  of  some  importance  in  the 
valley;  and  in  1858  the  value  of  this  trade  was  about  forty  thousand  dollars. 
Large  quantities  of  fish  were  used  in  the  town,  and  much  was  shipped  to  the 
East.  The  weight  of  fish  then  caught  in  the  lakes,  bays  and  rivers  was: 
for  Sturgeon,  seventy  to  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds;  Trout,  twenty  to 
sixty  pounds:  Muskellunge,  fifteen  to  forty  pounds;  Pickerel,  six  to  fifteen 
pounds;  Mullet,  five  to  ten  pounds;  White  Fish,  two  to  five  pounds;  Perch, 
about  one  pound;  Black  l!as>.  one  to  three  pounds;  Bill  Fish,  one  to  three 
pounds;  and  Cat  Fish,  ten  to  twenty  pounds.  In  tho>L-  days  the  flesh  of  the 
sturgeon   was  called   "Saginaw  beef." 

"There  was  a  time  every  spring,"  relates  E.  S.  Williams,  "when  the 
Indians  from  Saginaw  and  the  interior  would  congregate  in  large  parties, 
for  the  purpose  of  putting  up  dried  sturgeon,  which  made  a  very  delicate 
dish  when  properly  cooked,  and  was  much  used  in  those  days  by  the  first 
families  of  Detroit.  We  used  to  purchase  considerable  of  it  for  our  use. 
The  Indians  would  select  the  best,  flay  the  pieces,  ham;  them  across  poles  in 
rows,  about  four  feet  from  the  ground  and  two  feet  apart,  then  a  gentle 
smoke  was  kept  under  them  until  they  were  perfectly  dry,  then  packed  up 
in  bales  of  perhaps  fifty  pounds  each.  Where  they  accomplished  this  was 
on  the  Point  An  ( ires. 

"At  a  certain  time  every  spring  the  sturgeon  would  come  upon  this 
point,  which  was  very  shallow  a  long  distance  out,  and  in  the  warm  sun 
would  work  themselves  to  the  shore  until  they  would  lie  and  roll  like  cord 
wood,  perfectly  helpless,  and  here  the  Indians  would  go  among  them  and 
select  the  best.  I  have  been  on  the  point  at  these  times  and  seen  the  sport. 
A  little  Indian  will  wade  in  to  about  a  font  of  water,  find  a  big  sturgeon 
(some  are  very  large),  strike  a  small  tomahawk  in  his  nose,  and  straddle  him. 
The  sturgeon  will  carry  him  through  the  water  at  quite  a  speed,  the  little 
fellow  steering  by  the  handle  of  his  tomahawk,  not  letting  him  go  to  deep 
water,  and  when  he  tires  of  the  sport  he  runs  his  fancy  nag  ashore." 

"In  the  spring  of  the  year,"  continued  Mr.  Williams,  "in  high  water, 
the  ice  being  gone,  the  wall-eyed  pike  would  rim  up  the  Saginaw  in  great 
numbers,  running  on  the  Shiawassee  meadows  which  were  overflowed  for 
miles,  from  three  to  six  feet  deep.  One  beautiful  warm  spring  morning. 
Major  William  Mosely  and  myself  proposed  to  go  up  the  Shiawassee  about 
four  miles  and  have  a  little  sport,  spearing  in  the  evening  by  torch  light.  I 
took  a  large  canoe,  one  man.  a  lunch  basket,  blankets,  etc.,  expecting  to  stay 
over  night. 


AN  ERA  (  >F  PR(  iSPERITY  205 

"Arriving  at  the  Indian  camps  the  water  for  miles  was  like  a  mirror  in 
the  hot  sun.  We  went  out  a  short  distance  and  found  the  water  alive  with 
fish.  We  speared  a  good  many,  with  much  spurt.  The  Indians  proposed 
if  I  would  buy  the  fish  the}-  would  go  out  and  spear  enough  to  fill  our 
canoes.  I  agreed  to  do  so,  and  in  an  hour  or  two  they  came  in  alongside 
my  canoe.  I  would  count  the  fish,  taking  each  Indian's  name  and  number 
of  his  fish  in  my  pass  book.  We  loaded  the  fish  in  our  canoe,  and  I  engaged 
two  "thers,  loaded  them,  and  got  home  before  dark,  when  Ave  set  men  to 
work  cleaning  and  packing  for  market. 

"Next  morning  the  result  of  our  day's  sport  was  thirty  barrels,  then 
worth  and  sold  for  five  dollars  per  barrel.  These  fish  were  in  schools,  and 
the  water  black  with  them.  An  Indian  stood  in  the  bow  with  a  spear,  while 
one  in  the  stern  would  hold  the  canoe  still  on  <me  of  these  schools,  and  the 
spearsman  would  till  the  canoe,  often  bringing  up  three  or  four  fish  at  a  time. 

averaging  from  three  to  six  and  eight  pounds  each.     We  used  to  take  a  g 1 

many  with  seines  in  the  Saginaw,  opposite  the  city,  but  it  was  not  a  suc- 
cess, there  being  so  much  sunken  floodwood." 

Summary  of  Trade  of  Saginaw  in   1858 

Fur  Trade $  30,000  Shingle    Trade  S  30.000 

Fish    Trade 40,000  Stave    Trade  30.000 

Lumber    Trade 872,000  Ship  Yard  Trade  50.000 

Lath   Trade 20,000  General    Trade                  200,000 


Total.....  SI. 272,000 

The  Extension  of  Business  to  Hamilton  Street 

In  the  seventies  a  two-story  brick  building  was  erected  at  the  corner  of 
North  Hamilton  and  Ames  Streets,  and  some  time  after  the  space  between  it 
and  the  larger  block  on  the  corner  of  Franklin  (Hancock),  was  tilled  by  a 
two-story  brick  structure.  The  entire  property  was  then  owned  by  the  late 
Arthur  Barnard,  and  became  known  as  the  Barnard  Block,  where  he  made 
his  heme  for  a  number  of  years.  Mr.  Barnard  also  acquired  the  property  at 
the  corner  of  Niagara  and  Hancock  Streets,  originally  the  Ritter  Block, 
which  was  the  second  brick  block  erected  on  the  west  side  of  the  river. 
This  block  was  occupied  for  many  years  by  the  "Saginawian,"  the  paper 
established  by  the  late  George  F.  Lewis. 

In  those  days  the  west  side  of  Water  Street,  between  Hancock  and 
Ames  Streets,  was  devoted  entirely  to  business,  and  it  was  here  that  George 
Streeb,  the  veteran  grocer,  established  the  business  which,  about  1870,  was 
removed  to  the  present  location  on  North  Webster  Street.  Years  after,  the 
building  at  the  corner  of  Niagara  and  Ames  Streets  was  erected  by  Mr. 
Barnard,  who  owned  the  entire  square. 

It  was  in  1871  that  the  must  pretentious  business  building  in  Saginaw 
City  was  erected  at  Hamilton  and  Hancock  Streets,  and  was  the  appropriate 
home  of  the  newly  established  dry  goods  house  of  Dawson  &  Moore,  which 
occupied  the  double  store  next  to  the  corner  which  was  used  by  John  C. 
Ziegler  with  a  hue  stock  of  jewelry.  The  second  and  third  floors  were  filled 
with  offices,  including  the  law  office  of  Gaylord  &  Hanchett,  which  was 
composed  of  Augustus  S.  Gaylord  and  Benton  Hanchett.  Leading  physi- 
cians   and    other    professional    men    had    offices    in    this    prominent    building. 

The  depression  following  the  panic  of  1873  proved  too  great  a  handicap 
for  the  successful  development  of  the  dry  goods  business,  and  after  a  time 
Dawson  &  Moore  retired.  Ammi  W.  Wright  was  behind  the  business,  and 
he  would  nut  allow  it  to  go  down  to  failure,  and  for  some  years  after  the 
leading  dry   goods   lmuse  in   Saginaw  City   was   maintained  at  this  location. 


HAMILTON     STREET.    LOOKING    SOUTH     FROM    JEFFERSON     (CLEVELAND) 

ABOUT     1875 


VIEW    ON     SAGINAW     RIVER.     LOOKING     NORTH     FROM     MACKINAW     STREET 

BRIDGE,    ABOUT    1875 


CHAPTER    XII 

SOME    MUNICIPAL   ORGANIZATIONS 


The  City  Officials  in  1868  —  The  Fire  Department — First  Volunteer  Fire- 
Fighters —  Primitive  Maud  Engines — Rivalry  of  the  Fire  Companies  —  A  Test  of 
Their  -Mottle  —  Advent  of  Steam  Engines  —  Reorganization  of  the  Department- 
Stewart  S.  Ellsworth  Becomes  Chief  —  George  \\  .  Wallis,  Veteran  Fire-Fighter  — 
Fire-Fighters  of  Saginaw  City  —  Some  Big  Losses  —  The  Great  Fire  of  May,  1893 
The  Holly  Water  Works  — The  West  Side  Water  System  — A  Consolidation  of  the 
Water  Systems  —  The  Police  Department  —  Controlling  the  "Red  Sash  Brigade"- 
Enter  a  New  Element,  Patrick  Kain  —  When  Changes  Were  Rapid  —  Saginaw  an 
(  irderly  City. 

IN  searching  out  and  examining"  the  dim  records  of  the  past,  often  musty 
and  discolored  with  age,  it  is  interesting  to  trace,  step  by  step,  the  de- 
velopment of  the  municipal  organizations  which  governed  the  two  cities 
of  the  Saginaws.  From  the  time  of  their  incorporation  as  cities,  in  1857 
and  1859,  to  their  consolidation  in  1850,  both  enjoyed  a  period  of  uninter- 
rupted prosperity.  The  timber  and  salt  resources  of  the  valley  were  pro- 
ducing wealth  tn  many  sturdy  and  energetic  men  of  capital  and  brains: 
trade  and  commerce  was  creating  competence  to  others;  and  the  ablest  men 
in  the  ci immunity  were  directing  the  business  of  the  people.  None,  however 
engrossed  in  his  private  affairs,  declined  t< >  serve  the  public,  or  refused  to 
give  of  his  time  and  means  to  promote  enterprises  and  improvements  calcu- 
lated to  advance  the  material  interests  of  the  city. 

The  men  at  the  head  of  the  various  departments  constituting  the  city 
governments  were  the  biggest,  brainiest  and  most  progressive  citizens  of 
their  time,  and  they  conducted  the  municipal  affairs  with  probity  and  policies 
of  conservatism.  In  1868  the  city  officials  of  East  Saginaw  were:  James 
L.  Ketcham,  mayor;  Charles  II.  Camp,  recorder;  Albert  R.  Wedthoff, 
treasurer;  C.  \  .  DeLand,  controller:  Gilbert  R.  Chandler,  marshal;  Martin 
Smith.  F.  W.  Carlisle,  B.  li.  Buckhout,  aldermen  of  the  first  ward;  Meter 
Geisler,   George    W.    Morley,    William    Zimmerman,   aldermen   of   the   second 

ward;    A.    B.    W 1,  John   G.  Owen   and   L.    II.    Eastman,  aldermen  of  the 

third  ward.  Ilezekiah  Miller,  ( i.  A.  Flanders  and  !•'..  A.  Stnrtevant  were  the 
justices  of  the  peace;  Noah  C.  Richardson,  Egbert  Ten  Eyck  and  Volusin 
Millie  were  the  sewer  commissioners;  Morgan  L.  Gage,  Chester  B.  Jones 
and  Charles  \  .  Deland  were  the  cemetery  commissioners,  and  E.  A.  Moore 
was  street  commissioner. 

About  this  time  the  city  offices  were  located  in  the  Derby  Block,  on  the 
west  side  of  Water  Street  between  Genesee  and  Tuscola.  Public  improve- 
ments were  being  made  in  the  business  section,  which  extended  to  feffer- 
son  Street,  stumps  and  rubbish  being  cleared  away,  side  streets  opened  up 
and  sidewalks  laid.  A  good  system  of  sewerage  had  been  put  in  a  few 
years  before,  and  the  bayous  that  formerly  were  so  obnoxious  to  the  eye  and 
--o  detrimental  to  health  were  both  drained  and  tilled  up.  The  most  string- 
ent measures  were  adopted  to  insure  the  good  health  of  the  city;  and  an 
efficient  police  organization,  under  the  metropolitan  system,  was  formed  for 
the  public   safety. 


208  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  same  year  (1868),  the  city  officials  of  Saginaw  City  were:     Alfred 

F.  R.  Braley,  mayor;  J.  II.  Scheick,  recorder;  Emil  Schuermann,  treasurer; 
Edwin  Saunders,  controller;    and   I.  T.  Burnham,  C.  T.  Brenner,  N.   I).  Lee. 

G.  K.  Stark.  S.  B.  Williams.  M.  T.  C.  Plessner,  A.  A.  Brockway  and  J.  S. 
North  were  the  aldermen  of  the  four  city  wards,  each  of  which  was  entitled 
to  two. 

At  that  date  the  city  had  a  gm »1  school  system,  and  besides  several  ward 
school  houses  had  recently  finished  the  new  Union  School,  which,  according 
tn  Fox,  "is  perhaps,  in  point  of  architectural  beauty  and  convenience,  the 
finest  edifice  in  the  west."  A  gas  company  had  recently  been  organized, 
"which  proposes  to  furnish  the  city  with  gas,  soon;"  the  "Saginaw  City 
Street  Railway  extends  from  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street  bridge  to  the  foot 
nf  Genesee  Street,  East  Saginaw."  A  fire  department,  with  a  steamer  and 
hook  and  ladder  company,  had  been  organized  some  time  before. 

The  Fire  Department 

In  the  olden  times  the  Saginaws.  as  villages,  suffered  all  the  losses  by 
fire  which  usually  befell  settlements  in  the  western  wilderness.  With  no 
means  at  hand  to  fight  lire,  except  the  primitive  "bucket  brigade"  taking 
water  from  the  river,  or  wells  and  cisterns,  very  little  could  lie  done  to  check 
a  raging  conflagration,  which  generally  burned  itself  out.  The  log  cabins 
and  first  frame  houses  in  the  villages  were  widely  scattered,  and  when  a  fire 
started  it  seldom  spread  to  neighboring  buildings;  but  the  populace  turned 
out  and   there   was  great  excitement  and  confusion. 

'fhe  men  and  able-bodied  boys  quickly  formed  a  line,  and  an  endless 
chain  of  pails,  pans  and  anything  that  would  hold  water,  was  kept  in  hurried 
motion  between  the  nearest  supply  of  water  and  the  burning  building. 
Meanwhile,  the  women  hung  blankets  and  quilts  on  the  exposed  sides  of  the 
nearest  houses,  and  by  the  use  of  tin  ware  and  dishes  kept  them  wet.  <  >ther 
persons,  no  less  active,  removed  the  contents  of  nearby  buildings,  or  made 
themselves  useful  in  other  ways.  But  there  was  no  leader  to  direct  the  fire 
fighters,  and.  their  efforts  were  quite  ineffectual. 

As  the  villages  grew  up  after  extensive  improvements  had  been  made, 
and  houses  and  business  blocks  filled  the  vacant  places,  the  danger  of  a  con- 
flagration was  greatly  increased,  but  no  adequate  protection  was  afforded  to 
save  valuable  property.  The  villages  had  not  yet  had  their  first  experience 
with  a  big  fire. 

The   First  Volunteer   Fire-Fighters 

'fhe  disastrous  fires  of  1854,  however,  awakened  the  leading  men  of  both 
places  to  the  necessity  of  some  effective  means  of  fighting  lire.  Discussions 
were  held  at  various  times  and  information  was  sought  from  eastern  cities, 
but  it  was  not  until  early  in  1857  that  any  definite  action  was  taken  toward 
organizing  an  efficient  fire  fighting  force.  At  East  Saginaw  this  took  the 
form  of  regularly  organized  volunteer  fire  companies,  the  first  company  tak- 
ing the  very  appropriate  name  of  Pioneer  No.  1,  with  the  motto  "Always 
Ready."  It  had  a  membership  of  forty-one,  and  was  provided  with  neat  and 
attractive  uniforms  which,  together  with  its  engine,  hose  cart  and  other 
equipment,  were  kept  in  an  engine  house  located  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Water  and   Williams   (Janes)    Streets. 

The  list  of  charter  members  and  officers  of  Pioneer  Fire  Engine  Com- 
pany, No.  1,  is  transcribed  from  Fox's  History  of  Saginaw  Count}-.   1858: 
George  J.  Dorr,  Foreman  George  Schram 

T.  W.  Hawley,  1st  Ass't  Foreman  John  Swift 

James  F.   Brown.  2nd  Ass't  Foreman  A.   L.    Rankin 

Alexander    Ferguson,    Secretary  1.   Hutton 

F.  N.   Bridgman,  Treasurer  E.  A.   Moore 


GENESEE      STREET,      LOOKING      EAST 
FROM      WATER     STREET 


GENESEE        STREET,        LOOKING        WEST 
FROM      WASHINGTON.      ABOUT     1868 


RUINS      OF      JACKSON       HALL.       BURNED 
MAY     25,     1873 


GENESEE         STREET,         LOOKING        EAST 
FROM      WASHINGTON,      ABOUT      1872 


IE      GREAT      FLOOD      OF      1873      ACROSS 
GENESEE    STREET    BRIDGE 


WATER         STREET,         LOOKING         NORTH 
FROM     GERMAN,     GREAT     FLOOD     1873 


Comp 

am 

No.   1 — continued 

B. 

1'. 

Derby 

M. 

Ie 

ffers 

H. 

C. 

Burt 

lames 

Hillier 

M. 

w 

akeman 

A. 

Dann 

H. 

C. 

Saw  yer 

G. 

C. 

Sanborn 

W 

.  II 

.  Beatty 

F. 

11. 

Hall 

1. 

H. 

1  fumes 

G. 

F. 

Corliss 

lesse 

A.  Burdick 

M( 

ises  Garner 

Martin  Smith 

210  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Charter  members  of   Pioneer    Fire    Engint 

Z.    W.   Wright 

B.  B.  Buckhout 
R.  A.   Eddy 
1).  G.  Holland 

0.  J.    Quinn 

1 .  II.  Springer 
W.  C.  Yawkey 
J.  L.  Hayden 
I.  S.  Estabrook 
G.   VV.   Phillips 
F    I '.  Simpsi  m 

C.  Merrill 
James    Lewis 
• 1.  C.  Warner 
William  Weeks  O.  J.  Phillips 

As  a  component  part  of  this  company  of  tire  fighters  there  was  an 
organized  hose  brigade  or  "smoke  eaters."  named  Pioneer  Hose  Company, 
No.  1.  composed  of  the  following  members: 

J.  E.  Mershon,  Foreman  H.  A.  Pratt 

Sanford  Keeler,  Ass't  Foreman  S.  A.  Pratt 

James  Ruan.  Secretary  C.  II.  Gage 

William  J.  Driggs  H.  Woodruff 

F.   A.   Van   Antwerp        C.   II.   Hayden  John    Weller 

Although  the  population  of  the  village  at  this  time  did  not  exceed  six- 
teen hundred,  the  spirit  of  co-operation  was  strong  among  all  classes,  and 
soon  a  second  company,  named  Jesse  Hoyt  Fire  Engine  Company,  No.  2, 
was  duly  organized.  It  had  a  membership  of  thirty,  its  motto  was  "Rough 
and  Ready,"  and.  like  the  first  company,  was  fully  equipped  with  appro- 
priate uniforms,  hand  fire  engine,  hose  cart  and  fire-fighting  tools,  all  of 
which  was  kept  in  readiness  for  instant  use  in  a  separate  tire  engine  house 
on  the  west  side  of  Water  Street  at  the  foot  of  Tuscola.  The  members  of 
this  o  mipany  were  : 

T.   A.   McLeese,    Foreman  Thomas  Coats 

J.    E.   Burtt,   1st   Ass't    Foreman  Thomas   Safal 

L.   Newton,  2nd   Ass't    Foreman  Henry    Marks 

Charles   T.    Harris.    Treasurer  Thomas    Garry 

Robert   Haddon,   Secretary  Patrick    Connor 

D.  D.    Keeler.    Steward  George    Perkins 
Charles   Allen  Willi's    Abel 
Dennis  McDonald  Charles    Blodgett 
Thomas    Derry  John    Haggerty 
C.   Tebo  Henry    Horton 

J<  ihn    Earow  1 1<  >sea  I  'ratt 

Albert    Bates  Lewis  Causley 

Thomas   Redson  George  Rowell 

Jasper    Englehart  Aaron  Ketrich 

Samuel    Allen  James  Perry 

Connected  with  this  engine  company  was  an  efficient  hose  company, 
named    lesse    Hoyt   I  lose  Company,   No.   2.  with  a  membership  of  seven,  as 

fi  'll<  iv\  s  : 

Samuel   Hewitt,  Foreman  ]ohn  Connor 

E.  Bissell,   1st  Ass't   Foreman  Edward   McGunn 
Thomas    Abbott               William    Bodeno         W.   McGraff 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  211 

Ni  it  tn  be  outdone  by  these  energetic  townsmen,  other  men.  prominent 
in  the  business  and  social  life  of  the  place,  formed  a  very  necessary  adjunct 
to  the  volunteer  fire-fighting  forces.  This  was  the  Rescue  Honk  and  Ladder 
Company,  N<>.  1,  organized  August  14,  1858,  and  was  composed  of  twenty- 
five  members,   who   were: 

William  J.   Bartow.  Foreman  Clark   M.  Curtis 

W.    L.   Webber,    1st   Ass't   Foreman  John    Sharp 

L.    H.    Eastman,   2nd   Ass't    Foreman  B.    F.    Brown 

Charles    B.    Mott,   Secretary  P,    Mumford 

Jay   S.   Curtis,  Treasurer  Frank    R.    Copeland 

S.   Bond   Bliss  William   Gallagher 

Thomas  W'illey  T.   A.    Whittier 

William   Fl.    Beach  fohn    F.    Driggs 

J.   H.  McFarlin  "William   Final 

Moses  B.  Hess  Charles  (  ).  Garrison 

J.  C.  Godley  R.  11.  Loomis 

Seth   C.  Beach  Charles  W.   Grant 
N.    Whitney 

The   Primitive    Hand   Engines 

The  hand  lire  engines  which  afforded  the  first  real  protection  against 
fire,  were  a  unique  feature  of  the  volunteer  forces  and  a  source  of  great 
pride  to  the  members  of  the  respective  fire  companies.  They  were  of 
mechanism  wonderful  to  behold  and  when  in  action,  manned  by  twenty 
stalwart  men  clad  in  bright  red  and  yellow  uniforms,  they  were  an  endless 
joy  and  delight  to  the  small  boys.  'Hie  dimensions  of  the  engines,  as  de- 
termined by  S.  K.  Kirbv,  then  chief  engineer  of  the  department,  were  as 
fi  illows : 

No.   1  No.  2 

Length   of    Brakes 1XC>   feet  20       feet 

Diameter  of   Cylinders 7'  „■   inches  N;i    inches 

Area    of    Plungers 44       inches  60       inches 

Average  Stroke  of   Piston u'j   inches  6       inches 

Capacity    of    Cylinders    2S7       sq.   inches        360^4  square  inches 

Diameter  of  Suction    Pipe 4       inches  4C   inches 

Diameter  of  Delivery   Pipe.  21.-   inches  21 ..   inches 

Diameter  of   Nozzle 7s  —  15/16  in.  7s  —  1   1/16  in. 

When  worked  at  their  normal  speed  of  sixty  strokes  per  minute,  the  dis- 
charge of  engine  No.  1  was  sixty-two  gallons,  and  of  No.  2  seventy-eight 
gallons,  the  ratio  of  capacity  being  one  to  one  and  a  quarter.  For  sixteen 
years  these  engines  were  in  active  commission,  and  for  half  of  that  period,  in 
conjunction  with  a  third  engine  named  Cataract  Engine,  No.  3,  provided  the 
only  mechanical  mean--  of  lighting   lire. 

Rivalry   of  the   Fire   Companies 

Almost  at  the  beginning  of  organized  fire-fighting  a  spirit  of  rivalry  and 
daring  seized  the  members  of  the  two  engine  and  hose  companies;  and  there 
were  keen  contests  of  speed  and  endurance  between  them,  the  first  company 
to  reach  a  lire  and  throw  a  stream  being  declared  the  winners.  The  com- 
panies drilled  ami  practiced  with  great  zeal,  and  were  often  called  out  to 
make  a  short  run  to  an  imaginary  lire,  when  they  quickly  manned  their 
engine,  laid  their  hose,  and  threw  water  on  somebody's  house  or  barn.  Each 
man  thus  became  thoroughly  familiar  with  his  duties,  so  that  when  an  alarm 
was  sounded  all  responded  promptly  and  worked   with   precision. 


GENESEE   AVENUE    BETWEEN    BAUM    AND 
JEFFERSON,   ABOUT  1860 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  213 


After  a  while  this  practice  grew  irksome  and  they  lunged  for  a  real  fire 
to  give  zest  and  danger  to  the  spurt.  As  none  occurred  they  proceeded  to 
make  their  own  —  to  order  —  huge  bonfires  in  out  of  the  way  places.  Some 
of  the  side  streets,  not  far  from  Genesee  Plank  Road,  were  then  being  cleared 
of  standing  timber,  and  were  littered  with  brush,  bark  and  refuse,  all  dry 
and  highly  inflamable.  This  material  the  enthusiastic  firemen  gathered  and 
piled  in  big  heaps,  and  at  appointed  times  applied  the  torch.  One  or  other 
of  the  fire  companies  would  then  assemble  at  their  engine  house,  the  alarm 
would  be  given,  the  men  fall  in  the  traces  and  rush  to  the  bonfire  and 
quickly  extinguish  it.  the  hose  company  doing  their  part. 

A  Test  of  Their  Mettle 

'fhe  first  real  test  of  the  skill  and  endurance  of  the  volunteer  firemen 
occurred  on  |ulv  26,  1857,  on  the  occasion  of  the  burning  of  Beach  &  Moores' 
store,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company's  warehouse, 
which  was  burned  in  the  memorable  fire  of  July  5.  1854.  It  was  about  four 
o'clock  on  Sunday  afternoon  when  the  lire  was  discovered,  and  had  gained 
such  headway  that  the  building  burned  to  the  ground,  though  by  hard  work 
the  firemen  saved  the  adjoining  property.  After  this  exciting  event  the 
self-made  bonfires  palled  on  the  doughty  firemen,  and  they  resorted  to  the 
actual   thing  for  their  sport. 

Some  of  our  older  residents  still  relate  with  reminiscent  flavor,  not 
devoid  of  humor,  of  the  frequent  fires,  generally  of  a  trifling  nature,  which 
occurred  on  the  outskirts  of  the  business  section,  after  the  Beach  &  Moores 
fire.  Both  sides  of  Genesee  Street  between  Cass  (  Baum )  Street  and  Jeffer- 
son, were  then  lined  with  one-story  frame  houses  and  shanties,  of  the  most 
flimsy  construction  and  of  little,  if  any,  value;  and  were  occupied  by  a  shoe 
shop,  a  paint  shop,  two  or  three  saloon-,,  a  cheap  clothing  store,  a  small  bake 
shop,  and  a  few  shacks  used  for  dwellings.  In  one  or  the  other  of  these 
rows  of  buildings  there  was  a  fire  almost  every  Saturday  night. 

Late  in  the  evening  the  various  companies  would  meet  in  their  respec- 
tive engine  houses  and,  clad  in  their  bright  uniforms,  would  stand  in  readi- 
ness for  the  alarm,  all  eager  and  impatient  for  the  contest.  At  the  first  tap 
of  the  bell  out  they  would  come  in  a  mad  rush  for  the  scene,  and  the  com- 
pany which  had  been  informed  in  advance  of  the  exact  location  of  the  blaze 
generally  arrived  first,  and  had  the  first  stream  playing  on  the  lire.  Such 
fires  seldom  entailed  much  loss,  but  after  a  time,  when  by  their  frequency  it 
became  apparent  that  they  were  caused  by  premeditated  intent,  a  strict 
watch  was  kept  and  they  then  stopped.  In  justification  of  the  practice  the 
firemen  used  to  say  that,  for  the  appearance  of  that  end  of  the  street,  and  as 
a  preventative  against  a  big  fire,  the  little  old  buildings  ought  to  be  burned 


(1(  nvn. 


he  owners  and  village  officials  evidently  thought  differently. 


The  Advent  of  the  Steam  Fire  Engine 

In  1865  East  Saginaw  attained  a  population  of  about  six  thousand  and 
spread  far  beyond  the  original  limits  of  the  village.  For  six  years  it  had 
enjoyed  the  city  form  of  government,  and  during  this  time  some  important 
buildings  had  been  erected,  including  the  Bancroft  House,  the  Bliss  Block, 
(rouse  Block.  Little  Jake  Seligman's  blocks,  the  Methodist,  Congregational 
and  Episcopal  Churches,  and  St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  many 
pretentious  dwellings.  To  safeguard  this  valuable  property,  ami  insure 
against  a  disastrous  fire,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  reorganize  the  fire  de- 
partment, purchase  a  steam  fire  engine,  hose  carts  ami  complete  equipment, 
and  make  it  a  really  efficient  lire-fighting  machine,  with  minute  men  as  its 
standby.     Then,    too,    the    novelty    of    the    volunteer    organization,    with    its 


214 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


competitive  element,  had  worn  off,  the  men  no  longer  assembled  and  prac- 
ticed in  tire-fighting  for  the  mere  sport  of  it.  and  it  was  becoming  more 
difficult  every  year  to  keep  the  companies  recruited  to  an  efficient  working 
force.  The  glitter  of  the  uniforms  had  disappeared,  and  only  stern  duty  and 
the  need  of  protection   remained. 

Early  that  year  the  common  council  entered  into  contract  for  the  pur- 
chase of  one  No.  _'  Rotary  Steam  Fire  Engine,  of  Silsby's  Island  Works, 
Seneca  Falls.  New  York,  together  with  hose  cart,  hose  and  tools.  The 
contract  for  the  engine,  the  Valley  City  No.  1,  provided  that  it  should  dis- 
charge five  hundred  gallons  of  water  per  minute,  throwing  one  stream 
through  one  and  a  quarter  inch  nozzle,  two  hundred  feet:  through  one  and 
one-eighth  inch  nozzle,  two  hundred,  and  thirty  feet;  through  one  thousand 
feet  of  hose  and  one-inch  nozzle,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet:  and  two 
streams  through   three-quartei    inch   nozzles,  two   hundred   feet. 


O    /<? 


•VALLEY    CITY"    BOYS.    1864 

Thomas     Stolze  Nick     Raup  John     Kinney  Charles     Smith  M,     Mergen 

Eugene    Drapei      Jesse    \     Burdick      Eddie    Burdick      I  en    Potter     Vick    Hes1  m 

The  engine  was  delivered  in  November,  1865,  and  on  the  seventeenth 
the  trial  tests  were  held.  In  every  test  the  engine  more  than  met  the  con- 
tract stipulations,  and  accomplished  the  far  more  difficult  feat  of  throwing 
a  stream,  through  fifteen  hundred  feet  of  hose,  with  one  and  one-eighth  inch 
nozzle,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  forty-six  feet  eight  inches,  'hi  the 
following  Monday,  in  a  trial  for  the  purpose  of  initiating  a  new  engineer, 
the  "Valley  City"  threw  a  stream  from  one  and  one-eighth  inch  nozzle,  two 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  feet,  taking  water  from  the  river. 

The  committee  on  lire  engines  of  the  council,  composed  of  Messrs. 
Jeffers,    Lewis.    Wickes,    O'Brien,    Keeler.    Ward,    Deitz,    Buckhout,    Hovey, 


SOME   MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  215 

Joslin  and  Swartz  thereupon  voted  unanimously  to  accept  the  engine  and 
hose  cart  and  twenty-five  hundred  feet  of  rubber  hose,  the  report  to  the 
council  being'  signed  by  M.  JefFers,  Chairman,  and  George  F.  Lewis. 
Secretary. 

To  properly  house  the  new  rire  engine,  hose  cart,  hose  and  other  equip- 
ment of  the  new  company,  together  with  three  horses,  a  new  brick  tire  station 
was  built  at  the  southwest  corner  of  German  and  Cass  (Baum)  Streets. 
This  was  a  small  two-story  structure,  substantially  built,  with  a  lofty  tower 
in  which  was  hung  a  large  tire  bell.  The  tire  engine  horses  were  then 
always  kept  in  harness,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  action  at  a  moment's  notice, 
and  the  engineer,  Jesse  A.  Burdick,  and  his  family  lived  in  the  upper  portion 
of  the  building,  and  he  was  required  to  In-  always  on  hand,  or  furnish  an 
able  substitute  during  his  absence.  The  other  members  of  the  Valley  City 
Company  were  minute  men,  who  were  expected  to  respond  quickly  on  call. 

Soon  after  the  inauguration  of  the  new  company,  the  engine  house-,  of 
Pioneer  Engine  Company,  No.  1,  and  Excelsior  Engine  Company,  No.  2, 
i  formerly  the  Jesse  Hoyt  No.  2),  were  removed  from  their  original  locations 
to  the  lot  adjoining  the  new  brick  fire  station,  and  the  department  thus  con- 
solidated. Cataract  Engine  Company,  No.  3,  with  its  hand  engine  was  also 
housed  here.  With  all  the  passing  years  the  old  Valley  City  engine  house. 
with  its  several  additions,  is  still  in  use  as  headquarters  of  the  department: 
and  the  old  bell  rings  out  the  alarms  as  it  did  many   years  ago. 

In  those  days,  long  before  the  inauguration  of  the  water  works  system, 
the  fire  engine  took  water  from  the  river,  and  sometimes  pumped  through 
two  thousand  feet  of  hosC  to  reach  a  blaze  some  distance  back  in  the  out- 
skirts of  the  city.  At  big  tires  the  old  hand  engines  were  brought  out. 
manned  with  volunteer  firemen,  and  pumped  dry  all  the  wells  and  cisterns 
in  the  vicinity.  As  the  city  expanded  and  the  outlying  sections  needed 
better  protection,  large  cisterns  and  tanks  were  placed  under  ground  at  suit- 
able places,  and  kept  tilled  with  water  by  the  steamer  working  at  the  bank-  of 
the  river.  Many  disastrous  fires  were  prevented  by  having  an  ample  supply 
of  water  at  hand,  and  a  steam  tire  engine  to  throw  steady  streams.  In  the 
case  of  nearly  all  fires  down  town,  the  steamer  would  pump  water  from  the 
river,  furnishing  one  strong  effective  stream,  but  in  some  instances  threw 
mih-  stream  on  the  tire  and  pumped  water  through  another  line  of  hose  to 
one  or  two  of  the  hand  engines  winking  near  the  fire. 

Labor  at  the  hand  engines  was  then  compulsory,  rendered  s, ,  by  State- 
law,  and  every  able-bodied  man  was  required  to  work  at  the  brakes,  when 
called  on  by  the  chief.  Byron  B.  Buckhout  was  chief  of  the  department  for 
a  number  of  years  and,  though  short  of  stature,  was  a  picturesque  figure  at 
tires,  clad  in  uniform  with  red  helmet  and  belt,  and  carrying  a  huge  speaking 
trumpet,  which  he  used  very  industriously.  On  One  occasion  when  a  big 
tire  threatened  on  Water  Street,  being  short  handed  at  one  of  the  engines, 
he  ordered  a  strapping  lumber-jack  to  take  a  place  at  the  brakes.  Being 
refused  by  him  in  an  insolent  manner,  the  chief  struck  him  a  stunning  blow 
on  the  head,  knocking  him  down.  This  act  had  a.  salutary  effect  on  the  by- 
standers, and  there  was  no  further  trouble  in  manning  the  engine-. 

In  those  days  nearly  all  the  buildings  were  of  w 1  of  flimsy  construc- 
tion, and  great  quantities  of  saw  dust  and  slabs  scattered  about,  so  that 
there  were  a  good  many  tires  for  a  small  city.  The  firemen  were  often  called 
out  three  times  in  a  day.  and  once  five  times,  but  on  an  average  there  were 
about  five  fires  in  a  week,  and  in  summer  four  or  five  a  month.  There  was 
in  i  water  works  then,  and  the  firemen  often  had  to  work  with  long  lines  of 
hose,  and  take  water  from  the  bayou,  which  was  very  muddy.  Yet  through 
all  this  hard  and  continual   service,  the  "Valley  City   No.    1."  as  reported  1>\ 


216  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

the  engineer  in  1869,  "never  gave  out  or  failed  to  do  its  work  in  a  perfectly- 
satisfactory  manner,  and  that  all  the  repairs  to  it  during  the  four  years  had 
not  exceeded  one  hundred  dollars;  and  it  works  just  as  well  as  on  the  day 
we  got  it."  The  engine  was  a  part  of  the  fire-fighting  equipment  of  the 
city  for  about  twenty-five  years,  although  after  the  Holly  Water  Works  was 
put  in  commission,  in  December,  1873,  furnishing  a  direct  pressure  at  the 
hydrants,  it  was  kept  in  reserve.  About  1890  the  old  steamer  was  sold  to 
William  Williamson,  of  South  Saginaw. 

Reorganization  of  the  Department 

As  the  city  expanded  and  building  operations  assumed  large  proportions, 
the  i  >ld  central  station  system,  with  its  one  or  two  full  pay  men.  and  pipe 
and  ladder  men  "on  call."  was  deemed  entirely  inadequate  for  the  protection 
of  valuable  property.  In  1X74.  when  George  D.  Walcott  was  chief  of  the 
department,  a  thorough  reorganization  was  effected  ami  five  small  hose 
houses  were  built  and  equipped  in  widely  separated  sections  of  the  city. 
Each  of  these  stations  was  provided  with  one  hand  hose  cart,  four  hundred 
feet  of  hose,  play  pipe,  wrenches  ami  lantern.  The  station  at  South  Saginaw 
had.  in  addition,  the  hand  lire  engine  No.  2,  three  hundred  feet  of  hose,  brass 
play  pipe,  lanterns  and  wrenches,  and  one  hook  and  ladder  truck  with  five 
ladders,  pole  and  grappling  books,  pick  and  chopping  axes  and  speaking 
trumpet. 

In  perfecting  the  organization.  S.  S.  Ellsworth,  foreman  of  Valley  City 
Xo.  1,  was  appointed  secretary  of  the  department,  and  given  a  general  super- 
vision  of  all  the  auxiliary  hose  houses  and  equipment,  binder  his  immediate 
command  at  Xo.  1  were  a  groomsman,  six  firemen  and  two  hydrant  men. 
I  lose  bou--e  Xo.  2  was  located  on  Franklin  Street,  between  Astor  and  Potter, 
and  Henry  Xacgely  was  foreman  with  seven  firemen;  hose  house  No.  3  was 
located  mi  Sixth  Street,  between  Lapeer  and  Tuscola,  and  Charles  W. 
Wrege  was  the  foreman  with  six  firemen;  hose  house  Xo.  4  was  located  on 
Emily  Street,  between  Hoyt  and  Merrill,  and  William  Ellis  was  the  foreman 
with  nine  men;  hose  house  Xo.  5  was  located  on  McCoskry  Street,  between 
Washington  and  Water,  and  George  C.  Merrill  was  the  foreman  with  six 
men:  and  hose  house  Xo.  t>  was  located  on  Center  Street,  near  Mackinaw, 
and  C.  C.  Martindale  was  the  foreman  and  had  seven  firemen  under  his  com- 
mand. Hook  and  Ladder  Company  No.  6,  was  also  stationed  at  this  house, 
and  comprised  eighteen  members,  including  Charles  1'.  Hess,  Kasper  Zeigin. 
II.  Chriscaden,  A.  II.  Starring,  Peter  Stine,  Daniel  Edwards  and  Henry 
Blankerts,  all  old  residents  of  the  South  Side.  The  foremen  of  these  hose 
companies,  excepting  Xo.  1,  acted  as  janitors  of  their  respective  houses,  re- 
ported on  the  condition  of  the  equipment  every  week,  and  drilled  the  men  in 
their  duties.  They  were  paid  ten  dollars  per  month,  and  the  firemen  six 
dollars  per  month,  for  their  services  "on  call"  in  lighting  fires. 

Stewart  S.  Ellsworth  Becomes  Chief 

Upon  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Walcott.  on  March  31,  1875,  Stewart  S. 
Ellsworth  was  appointed  chief  engineer  of  the  department,  but  he  retained 
the  position  of  foreman  of  Valley  City  Xo.  1,  at  a  salary  of  eight  hundred 
dollars  a  year.  Under  his  able  and  wise  management  of  affairs,  covering 
a  period  of  more  than  ten  years,  the  department  was  greatly  strengthened, 
the  equipment  improved,  and  the  men  attained  a  high  efficiency.  His 
economical  handling  of  department  matters  was  manifested  on  various  ucca- 
sions.  At  one  time,  when  better  protection  was  urgently  needed  at  South 
Saginaw,  he  repaired  the  old  hand  engines,  sold  one  to  the  village  of  St. 
Charles,  and  one  to   Yassar,  applied  the  proceeds,  by  consent  of  the  council. 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


217 


VALLEY    CITY    NO.    3    FIRE    STATION 
Department  Headquarter,  Corner  Germania   and  Baum. 

to  the  purchase  of  a  new  two-horse  hose  cart  for  Valley  City  No.  1,  and 
transferred  a  good  one-horse  hose  cart  from  there  to  Hose  House  No.  6,  on 
Center  Street. 

In  the  early  eighties  the  old  call  system  was  gradually  superseded  by 
the  full  pay  system,  the  number  of  men  devoting  all  their  time  to  the  duties 
of  the  department  being  increased  t<>  about  nineteen.  This  force  included 
nine  men  stationed  at  Valley  City  No.  1,  whose  pay  ranged  from  one  thou- 
sand dollars  a  year  for  the  chief  engineer  and  foreman,  three  hundred  and 
twenty  to  five  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  for  foremen  who  were  also  drivers 
of  carts,  to  two  hundred  and  forty  dollars  for  pipemen,  and  one  hundred  and 
eighty  for  hosemen,  the  pipemen  and  hosemen,  however,  having  other  occu- 
pations close  to  the  tire  stations.  These  men  lived  and  slept  in  the  upper 
portions  of  the  hose  houses,  which  were  made  quite  comfortable  for  them, 
and  were  thus  always  on  hand  to  respond  to  alarms. 

To  each  hose  house  was  allotted  a  foreman  and  two  pipemen;  ami  one- 
horse  hose  carts  were  substituted  for  the  old  hand  carts  previously  used. 
Hose  companies  Nos.  2  and  3  were  consolidated,  and  the 'station  removed 
to  Third  and  Potter  Streets.  In  1885  the  <  ramewell  Fire  Alarm  System  was 
introduced,  with  twenty-five  boxes  well  distributed  in  all  sections.  'Ibis  was 
a  great  advantage  to  the  department  and  the  city,  and  was  very  largely  due 
to  the  efforts  and  repeated  recommendations  of  the  chief  engineer.  Mr. 
Ellsworth  died  December  15,  1885,  shortly  after  extreme  exertions  at  a  fire 
in  the  Burnham  and  Still  mill. 

George   W.   Wallis  —  Veteran   Fire- Fighter 

The  oldest  man  now  in  the  department,  in  point  of  service  if  not  in  years, 
is  George  W.  Wallis,  who  has  seen  thirty-seven  years  of  continuous  service 
to  the  City,   twenty-eight  of  which   he  has   filled  the  office  of  chief.      On   May 


218  HISTORY    OF     SAGINAW    COUNTY 

24,  1878,  he  was  appointed  call  man  at  Valley  City  No.  1,  at  the  munificent 
salary  of  ten  dollars  per  month.  At  that  time  there  were  only  three  full- 
pay  men  in  the  department,  two  of  whom  were  attached  to  Valley  City 
No.  1,  and  the  third  to  Hose  House  No.  6,  at  South  Saginaw.  Afterward 
the  pay  of  hosemen  was  advanced  to  fifteen  dollars  per  month  for  call  ser- 
vice; and  the  records  show  that  in  March.  1XS4,  George  VVallis  and  Thomas 
Passmore  were  appointed  pipemen  at  twenty  dollars  a  month  salary.  In 
1887  Mr.  Wallis  was  appointed  chief  of  the  department,  and  three  years  later 
was  reappointed  to  the  same  position  and  responsibilities  lor  the  consolidated 
Saginaws. 

1  luring  this  long  and  faithful  service  he  has  witnessed  many  changes 
in  the  East  Side,  and  has  endeavored  to  keep  the  department  apace  with 
the  lire  hazard  of  a  growing  and  prosperous  city.  Soon  after  he  took  charge 
the  fire-fighting  force  was  put  on  a  full-time,  full-pay  basis,  ami  the  number 
of  men  increased  from  time  to  time,  so  that  now  there  are  thirty-three  men 
in  the  department  on  the  East  Side.  The  old  wooden  hose  houses  have 
been  replaced  by  substantial  brick  buildings,  in  places  calculated  to  best 
serve  the  sections  in  which  they  are  located.  All  the  one-horse  hose  carts 
have  been  replaced  with  two-horse  hose  wagons,  carrying  from  seven  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand  feet  of  hose  and  tools  used  in  fighting  lire;  and  the 
hand-drawn  ladder  trucks  have  long  since  been  displaced  by  two-horse  hook 
and  ladder  equipment.  Even  these  will  soon  disappear  in  favor  of  motor 
propelled  and  motor  driven  lire  engines,  ladder  trucks  and  water  towers, 
tlim-  greatly  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the  force. 

The  City  of  Saginaw  now  owns  live  pieces  oi  motor  equipment,  engine 
No.  .1.  introduced  into  the  department  in  the  fall  of  1911,  engine  No.  13, 
stationed  on  the  West  Side,  delivered  in  1914,  chemical  engine  No.  <>.  at  the 
City  Hall  station,  commissioned  late  in  1915,  a  motor-driven  ladder  truck 
and  the  chief's  motor  car.  Other  equipment  will  soon  he  added  to  the 
department;    and  eventually  all  the  apparatus   will   he  of  the  machine   type. 

Of  the  older  members  of  the  force  were  Thomas  I.  Passmore,  who 
entered  the  seiwiee  February  Id.  1880;  George  Scollen,  in  February,  1SSJ; 
II.  E.  McNally,  in  April.  1882;  Edward  Taylor,  in  May.  1883;  Fred  Heck, 
in  April.  1884;  Duncan  J.  Mclntyre.  in  January,  1886,  and  Frank  Powd,  in 
May,  1886.  The  only  one  of  these  now  in  the  service  is  II.  E.  McNally,  the 
captain  of  In  ih'  company  No.  1. 

The  six  hose  houses  on  the  East  Side  are  located  and  manned  as  follows: 

No.    1  — At  Kirk  and  Fourth  Streets,  A.   I.  McNally,  Captain,  three  men. 

No.  _'  —  At  Fitzhugh  ami  Sixth  Streets,  William  Feeheley,  Captain. 
three  men. 

No.  3  —  At  Germania  and  l'.aum  Streets,  William  Brockless,  Captain, 
nine  men.     J.   Kreuzberger,  Captain  Hook  and  Ladder  Company. 

No.  (i  —  On  South  Washington  Street,  near  City  Mall.  Angus  Mel, cod, 
Captain,   six   men. 

No.  7  —  On  Perkins  Street,  near  Genesee,  II.  F.  McNally,  Captain,  three 
men 

No.  X — On  Center  Street,  near  Fordney,  Dave  Schaefer,  Captain,  three 
men. 

flic  lire  alarm  system  connecting  all  these  houses  has  also  expanded  in 
the  thirty  years  it  has  been  in  use,  and  there  are  now  fifty-four  boxes  on 
the  F.ast  Side.  The  service  thus  rendered,  together  with  the  aid  of  the  two 
local  telephone  systems,  with  more  than  six  thousand  connections,  is  of  the 
greatest  advantage  to  the  department  and  the  city. 


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220  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Fire-Fighters  of  Saginaw  City 

Immediately  after  the  incorporation  of  Saginaw  City,  in  May.  1S57,  the 
earliest  measures  for  fire  prevention  were  introduced,  and  two  Fire  Wardens 
were  appointed  by  the  council,  one  for  each  ward.  An  ordinance  relative  to 
the  prevention  of  fires  was  passed  and  approved  by  the  mayor,  Gardner  D. 
Williams,  on  May  13,  in  which  the  duties  of  the  lire  wardens  were  clearly 
defined.  The  first  fire  wardens  were  Nathaniel  Gibson  and  David  H.  Jerome, 
and  it  was  their  duty,  or  either  of  them,  in  the  months  of  May  and  Novem- 
ber, "to  enter  into  any  house  or  building,  lot.  yard  or  premises  in  said  city, 
and  examine  the  fire  places,  hearths,  chimneys,  stoves  and  pipes  thereto,  and 
ovens,  boilers  and  other  apparatus  likely  to  cause  lires,  also  places  where 
ashes  may  lie  deposited,  and  all  places  where  any  gun  powder,  hemp,  flax, 
rushes,  shavings  or  other  combustible  materials  may  be  lodged,  and  to  give 
such  directions  in  regard  to  these  several  matters  as  they  may  think  ex- 
pedient, either  to  the  removal,  alteration,  or  better  care  thereof."  The 
penalty  for  neglect  to  comply  with  the  directions  thus  given  was  fixed  at 
thirty  dollars  fine,  and  two  dollars  per  day  after  thirty  days  from  date  of 
m  itice. 

These  measures  were  evidently  regarded  as  sufficient  protection  to  the 
infant  city,  for  the  primitive  "bucket  brigade"  was  still  the  only  means  of 
fighting  fire.  It  was  not  until  1863,  when  the  city  had  attained  a  popula- 
tion of  about  three  thousand,  that  the  first  measures  were  taken  by  the 
council  to  organize  a  fire  department  and  to  equip  it  with  engine,  hose  cart, 
hook  and  ladder  truck,  hose  and  tools.  <  )n  January  7,  1863,  a  resolution  was 
passed  by  the  council  for  the  purchase  of  such  equipment,  and  the  lease  or 
erection  of  a  suitable  building  for  a  hose  house.  For  this  purpose  it  was 
proposed  t<>  sell  city  bonds  in  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars,  which  was 
approved  by  a  vote  of  the  people,  and  the  bonds  issued. 

In  April  the  council  authorized  alderman  William  II.  Taylor  "to  pur- 
chase for  fifteen  hundred  dollars  the  best  fire  engine  offered  for  sale  by  the 
City  of  Detroit,  and  for  one  hundred  and  lift_\-  dollars  the  best  hose  cart, 
honk  and  ladder  truck  and  other  appurtenances,"  he  having  inspected  fire- 
engines  there  and  in  Cincinnati  and  other  cities  the  preceding  January.  On 
May  4.  aldermen  Taylor  and  Paine  were  appointed  a  committee,  "to  purchase 
five  hundred  feet  of  new  hose  in  addition  to  what  has  already  been  purchased 
fur  use  of  the  fire  department."  The  following  month  Augustus  S.  Gaylord 
was  appointed  the  first  chief  engineer  of  the  department,  and  Isaac  Parsons, 
Jr..  was  appointed  assistant  chief.  The  engineer  was  then  authorized  "to 
expend  five  dollars  for  putting  an  attachment  to  the  Presbyterian  Church 
bell,  to  be  used  for  fire  alarms."  <  >n  June  25,  James  M.  Gale  was  appointed 
fire  warden  to  succeed   P.  C.  Andre,  resigned. 

The  lire  department  was  thus  organized  under  very  auspicious  circum- 
stances, and  the  first  company  was  styled  the  "Active  Hook,  Ladder  and 
Hose  Company  No.  1."  Its  engine  and  hose  house  was  situated  on  North 
Hamilton  Street,  in  the  middle  of  the  block  between  Ames  and  Jefferson 
(now  Cleveland)  Streets,  on  the  site  of  the  present  brick  livery  and  sales 
stables.  Adjoining  it  on  the  north  was  the  blacksmith  shop  of  Robert  Wiley, 
ami  mi  the  corner  stood  the  original  frame  portion  of  the  Kerby  House, 
which  is  now  a  landmark  of  the  West  Side.  Although  the  hand  engine  and 
other  apparatus  was  second-hand  equipment,  the  needs  of  the  city  were  filled 
for  a  time,  and  the  citizens  no  doubt  felt  some  measure  of  security  in  their 
fire-fighters.  That  the  company  was  well  drilled  and  took  a  certain  pride  in 
their  equipment  is  evident  by  their  turning  out  and  going  to  Bay  City,  on 
the  occasion  of  the   Fourth  of   |ulv  celebration,  in    1863. 


SOME   MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


221 


Two  years  after,  not  to  be  outdone  by  their  more  progressive  neigh- 
bors across  the  river,  some  of  the  leading  men  advocated  the  purchase  of  a 
steam  fire  engine,  as  a  further  safeguard  of  valuable  property.  The  need  of 
such  additional  means  of  lire  protection  was  apparent,  and  soon  a  third-class 
Silsby  rotary  fire  engine  was  added  to  the  equipment  of  the  fire-fighters.  It 
was  capable  of  throwing  four  hundred  gallons  of  water  a  minute,  and  was 
regarded  as  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  department.  Trior  to  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  water  works  system,  in  1X72,  this  lire  engine  was  used  at  nearly 
all  fires,  sometimes  running  for  eight  or  ten  hours  without  stopping.  For 
forty-nine  years  it  was  continually  in  commission,  and  was  only  retired  from 
service  by  the  purchase  of  the  motor  driven  tire  engine  No.  13,  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1CH4.  The  old  steamer  is  now  kept  in  reserve  at  Hose  House  No.  6, 
to  be  called  out  only  under  stress  of  extreme  necessity- 


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4 


idfcsC-SHOLING.a 

Repairing  Shop. 


H.L  f  HOSE 

COMPANY. 


ACTIVE     HOSE,     HOOK     AND    LADDER    COMPANY     NO.     1 

Saginaw    City    in    the   Early    Days 

(Left  to  right)   Robert  Wiley,   chief;    John    LaTnont,   John   Sharrow,   Frank   Vondette. 

In  1869  Saginaw  City  attained  a  population  of  about  seven  thousand, 
with  the  western  boundaries  extended  some  distance  back  from  the  river, 
and  it  was  deemed  a  public  necessity  to  erect  a  new  fire  engine  and  hose 
house.  The  site  selected  was  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Harrison  and  Van 
Buren  Streets,  and  a  two-story  brick  structure  with  mansard  roof  and  tower 
was  soon  completed  and  turned  over  to  the  department.  For  many  years 
this  was  the  headquarters  of  the  "smoke-eaters,"  but  in  time  it  proved  too 
small  for  the  increasing  needs  of  the  city,  and  was  rebuilt  and  enlarged.  It 
is  the  most  pretentious  fire  station  in  Saginaw,  and  houses  Company  No.  13. 
comprising  ten  men,  with  the  latest  type  of  motor-driven  fire  engine,  hook 
and  ladder  truck  i  horse  drawn  i  and  complete  equipment. 


222 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


In  addition  to  the  new  fire  station,  another  precautionary  measure  was 
taken  in  the  construction  of  four  cisterns,  or  reservoirs,  to  hold  twenty  thou- 
sand gallons  each.  These  cisterns  were  placed  under  ground  below  the 
action  of  frost,  and  were  on  Harrison  Street  at  the  intersection  of  Monroe, 
Franklin  (Cleveland),  Van  Buren  and  Williams  Streets.  They  were  con- 
structed entirely  of  brick  and  were  twelve  by  twenty-four  feet  in  size,  and 
eight  feet  deep.  The  cost  of  these  improvements  was  more  than  thirteen 
thousand  dollars,  and  was  derived  from  the  sale  of  city  bonds  drawing  ten 
per  cent,  interest.  T.  S.  North  was  then  chief  engineer  of  the  department, 
and  Fred  Clifton  was  engineer  of  Steamer  No.  1.  In  1874  and  succeeding 
years  George  L.  Burrows  was  chief  engineer,  and  G.  A.  Lyon  was  the  assist- 
ant chief.  The  department  was  then  well  organized  and  thoroughly  effi- 
cient, comprising  five  hose  companies,  one  hook  and  ladder  company,  three 
thousand  feet  of  hose,  and  one  steam  tire  engine. 

As  years  passed  and  the  city  increased  in  population,  the  old  hand-drawn 
hose  carts  gave  way  to  one  and  two-horse  hose  carts,  the  old  time  hook  and 
ladder  truck  to  more  modern  apparatus,  and  the  force  placed  cm  full-time, 
full-pay  hasis.  Later  hose  wagons  supplanted  the  old  reel  hose  carts.  At 
present  there  are  four  hose  companies  on  the  West  Side,  located  as  follows: 

No.  10  —  On  North  Michigan  Avenue,  near  Genesee,  George  Fradd, 
Captain,   three   men. 

No.  13  —  At  Harrison  and  Van  Buren  Streets,  John  Duncan,  Captain, 
nine  men. 

[amilton   Street,   near    Lee   Street.   Albert   Hudson, 


Michigan    and    Sherman    Street,     Fred    Schunecht, 


No.    15  — <  >n   South 
Captain,  three  men. 

No.    19  — At    South 
Captain,   three   men. 

Robert  Hudson  is  the  efficient  assistant  chief  of  the  Saginaw  Fire  De- 
partment, ami  makes  his  headquarters  at  the  hose  house  of  Company  No.  13. 
lie  i^  one  of  the  few  veterans  of  the  department,  having  entered  the  service 


2P*  M 


HOSE    HOUSE    NO.    13.    HARRISON    AND    VAN    BUREN    STREETS 
Headquarters   of   Ass't    <'hief   Robert   Hudson 


SOME   MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  223 

April  1,  1887,  and  was  appointed  assistant  chief  on  December  5,  1892.  Dur- 
ing his  twenty-seven  years  of  faithful  duty,  he  has  witnessed  many  changes 
and  betterments  in  the  department,  some  of  which  were  made  through  his 
untiring  efforts  for  improvement. 

Some  Big  Losses  by  Fire 

The  first  saw  mill  erected  on  the  Saginaw  River,  operated  by  the  Wil- 
liams Brothers,  was  burned  on  July  4,  1854,  the  blaze  being  started  by  a  fire- 
cracker. On  May  7,  1861,  a  disastrous  fire  started  in  the  letters  Block  on 
Water  Street,  and  wiped  out  twenty-three  buildings  and  other  property. 
entailing  a  loss  of  fifty-five  thousand  dollars.  The  steam  grist  mill  oi 
W.  L.  P.  Little  &Company  was  burned  on  May  10.  1860,  the  loss  being 
thirty-five  thousand.  A.  W.  \\  right's  mill  was  wiped  out  on  June  13,  1865, 
with  a  loss  of  eighty  thousand  dollars;  and  the  Chicago  mill  at  Carrollton 
was  burned  the  same  day,  loss  ten  thousand. 

On  Saturday,  February  27,  1870.  a  fire  broke  out  in  Eolah  Mall,  in  the 
Van  Wey  Block,  adjoining  the  Taylor  House,  and  spread  rapidly.  Mayor 
A.  F.  R.  Braley  sent  a  messenger  to  East  Saginaw  for  assistance,  and  in  a 
short  time  B.  B.  Buckhout  and  his  lire-fighters  appeared  with  the  steamer 
Valley  City  No.  1.  After  a  severe  battle  the  flames  were  brought  under 
control,  but  not  without  considerable  hiss  to  the  property. 

The  Crouse  Block,  which  stood  on  the  site  of  the  Eddy  Building,  was 
entirely  destroyed  by  fire  in  October,  1.872.  with  heavy  loss  to  merchant- 
and  other  tenants.  On  May  2d,  1873,  Jackson  Hall  on  South  Washington 
Street,  opposite  the  Bancroft  House,  was  burned.  William  E.  Pringle  and 
P.  A.  Burns,  pipemen  of  the  Valley  City  Company,  were  stationed  in  an 
archway  of  the  building  when  they  had  warning  that  the  wall  was  falling. 
Burns  jumped  further  under  the  arch  and  escaped  injury,  but  his  comrade 
jumped  to  the  other  side  and  was  instantly  crushed  to  death. 

The  Janes,  Mead  &  Lee  planing  mill,  lumber  yard,  and  a  number  of 
dwellings  were  destroyed  June  2D.  1873,  with  a  loss  of  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars;  and  on  August  23  following,  Paine's  mill  and  salt  block  were 
burned  with  a  loss  of  seventy  thousand.  On  June  30,  1874,  George  T. 
Williams  &  Brother's  saw  mill  burned,  with  a  loss  of  forty  thousand  dollars; 
and  on  August  16,  1875.  occurred  the  fire  at  Grant  &  Savior's  mill,  which. 
was  totally  destroyed  with  a  loss  of  thirty-five  thousand. 

On  December  4.  1878.  A.  I'.  Brewer's  saw  mill.  John  (1.  Owen's  lumber 
and  salt  sheds,  Tuttle  &  Pease's  saw  mill  and  property  belonging  to  B.  B. 
Buckhout  were  destroyed,  entailing  a  loss  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-four 
thousand  dollars.  Sanborn  &  Bliss'  mill  at  Carrollton  was  burned  on  August 
20,  1879.  the  loss  being  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  thousand.  Wells 
Stone  &  Company  lost  sixty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  property  on  January 
2.  1880;  and  A.  1).  (.'amp  lost  his  saw  mill  and  salt  block  by  fire  on  Novem- 
ber 24,  the  same  year.  On  December  8,  1882,  fire  destroyed  the  large  plant 
of  the  Saginaw  Barrel  Company,  at  the  foot  of  Wayne  Street,  with  a  loss 
of  two   hundred   thousand   dollars. 

The  Hoyt  planing  mill  was  totally  destroyed  on  May  1(>,  1882,  the  loss 
being  seventy  thousand  dollars:  and  on  <  >ctober  28,  Hamilton  ec  McClure's 
plant  at  Zilwaukee  burned,  loss  ninety-three  thousand.  On  April  4.  1884, 
the  Michigan  Saw  &  File  Company's  works,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Astor  Streets,  burned,  involving  a  loss  of  ninety-five  thousand  dollars;  and 
the  same  night  St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church,  at  the  corner  of  Lapeer  and 
Warren  Streets,  was  totally  destroyed.  In  August,  1887,  John  G.  Owen's 
planing  mill  was  burned,  the  loss  being  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  thou- 
sand  dollars:    and  on   August  8,    1888,    Lee's  planing  mill   and   a   number  of 


'.'24 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


residences  burned,  with  a  loss  of  one  hundred  thousand.  On  November  6, 
1890,  C.  S.  Bliss  &  Company's  saw  mill,  at  the  west  end  of  the  F.  &  P.  M. 
R    R.  bridge,  was  destroyed,  the  loss  being  twenty  thousand  dollars. 


The  Great  Fire  of  May,   1893 


At 


ten  minutes  after  four  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  May  20,  1893,  an 
alarm  was  turned  in  for  a  fire  on  the  old  "Middle  Ground,"  in  the  abandoned 
saw  mill  of  Sample  &  Camp.  The  wind,  blowing  a  -ale,  carried  burning 
embers  to  the  Bristol  Street  Bridge,  one-half  mile  distant,  setting  lire  to  it 
and  the  cooper  shop  adjoining.  The  lire  spread  rapidly  to  the  square 
hounded  by  McCoskry  Street.  Washington  Avenue,  Atwater  and  Tilden 
Streets.      While    the    department    was    trying    to    prevent    it    from    crossing 


OLD    STYLE    HOSE     REEL    AND    FIRE    COMPANY.    ABOUT    1881 
Ben    Smith,    driver.      (Left    to   right)    John   Frederick,    Frank   Vondette,    P,    Bush,    John    Lamont, 

Louis    Sharrow, 

Washington  Avenue,  fire  broke  out  in  the  Standard  Lumber  Company's 
property  in  the  bayou;  also  at  St.  Vincent's  Orphan's  Home,  at  the  corner 
ot  Emerson  and  Howard  Streets,  eight  blocks  away.  The  fire-fighters  were 
finally  driven  oil  Washington  Avenue,  being  compelled  to  abandon  all  lines 
ot   hose,  and  return  to   Hose  House   No.  3   for  a  new  supply. 

At  this  time  the  conflagration  was  terrific.  The  wind  was  blowing  a 
gale  and  carried  huge  embers  long  distances  and  started  fresh  fires  in  dozens 
of  places.  It  seemed  that  no  human  power  could  stay  the  progress  of  the 
flames.  The  department  made  heroic  stands  at  Holden  and  Tilden  Streets, 
at  three  points  on  Jefferson,  at  Sheridan  and  Holden,  Cornelia  and  .Martha, 
Owen  and  Emerson,  Emerson  and  Sheridan,  and  at  the  comer  of  Warren 
and  Martha  Streets. 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  225 

After  a  fierce  and  determined  battle,  aided  by  firemen  and  equipment 
from  Bay  City  and  Flint,  the  fire  was  surrounded,  and  the  wind  dying  down, 
the  tire  was  placed  under  control  at  6:30  P.  M.  It  had  burned  over  an  area 
of  twenty-three  squares,  destroying  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven  buildings, 
and  rendering  hundreds  of  families  homeless. 

At  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  fire  started  from  some  unknown  cause  in 
the  planing  mill  of  Edward  Germain,  cm  Holland  Avenue,  about  a  mile 
from  the  center  of  the  fire  zone,  and  the  plant  was  totally  destroyed,  to- 
gether with  a  large  quantity  of  lumber.  The  department  was  unable  to 
respond  to  this  fire  until  nine  o'clock,  owing  to  the  demands  of  the  big  fire. 
The  total  loss  during  the  day  was  six  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  dollars, 
and  the  amount  of  insurance  paid  was  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  thousand. 

On  October  3,  1895,  the  Saginaw  Box  Company  sustained  a  loss  of 
thirty-one  thousand  dollars  by  the  burning  of  their  factory  at  the  corner  of 
Wheeler  and  Green  Streets.  The  Central  School  on  Court  Street  was  dam- 
aged on  April  15,  1896,  to  the  extent  of  twenty-six  thousand  dollars.  On 
November  3,  1896,  Crume  &  Sefton's  butter  dish  factory  was  burned,  loss 
thirty-two  thousand;  and  on  December  30,  Gebhart  oc  Fstabrook's  planing 
mill,  loss  twenty-one  thousand.  The  Bliss  &  Van  Anken  saw  mill  was 
destroyed  on  December  IS.  1898,  the  h  >ss  being  thirty-two  thousand  dollars. 
In  isoo  the  plants  of  K.  ( ',.  Palmerton  Woodenware  Company,  and  Green, 
Ring  &  Company,  were  totally  destroyed. 

Thomas  Jackson  &  Company's  planing  mill  was  burned  March  2,  1903, 
loss  forty-two  thousand;  and  on  November  5,  1905,  "Old  Gray  Pat,"  of  Hose 
Company  No.  13,  while  on  a  run  to  a  fire  dropped  dead  in  front  of  the  new 
Jackson  factory.  This  faithful  old  horse  was  twenty  years  old.  and  had 
been  in  the  service  for  fifteen  years.  On  December  15,  1907,  at  the  fire  at 
the  Saginaw  Produce  and  Storage  Company,  ten  firemen  were  injured  or 
overcome  by  the  dense  smoke.  At  a  fire  in  the  cooperage  plant  of  Malcolm 
&  Brown,  on  Queen  Street,  four  firemen  were  seriously  injured,  one  suffer- 
ing a  fracture  of  the  right  shoulder,  and  laid  up  for  thirty-three  days. 

The   Holly  Water  Works 

Under  the  provisions  of  a  special  act  of  the  State  Legislature,  approved 
February  28,  1873,  it  became  the  duty  of  the  common  council  of  East  Sagi- 
naw to  appoint  five  persons,  residents  and  freeholders  of  the  city,  as  a  Hoard 
of  Water  Commissioners,  to  hold  office  for  the  term  of  one.  two,  three,  four 
and  five  years  from  the  first  Tuesday  in  March,  1873.  At  its  regular  meet- 
ing held  on  March  3.  the  council  thereupon  appointed  Wellington  R.  Burt, 
James  G.  Terry.  John  G.  Owen,  Conrad  Fey  and  H.  H.  Hoyt,  to  fill  the 
respective  terms  which  were  decided  by  lot.  Their  first  meeting  was  held 
March  10.  1873,  when  they  proceeded  to  elect  officers  for  the  ensuing  year, 
John  G.  <  >wen  being  chosen  president,  Wellington  R.  Burt,  treasurer,  Ferd 
A.  .Ashley,  secretary.  On  April  23  the  board  contracted  with  George  D. 
Walcott  to  act  as  engineer  and  superintendent  of  construction. 

'fhe  first  Board  of  Water  Commissioners  of  Fast  Saginaw  thus  organ- 
ized was  required  "to  examine  and  consider  all  matters  relative  to  supplying 
the  city  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of  pure  and  wholesome  water  for  the  use 
and  convenience  of  all  the  inhabitants  thereof,  to  be  obtained  from  the 
Tittabawassee  River,  or  such  other  source  of  supply  as  may  be  deemed  expe- 
dient, and  to  so  plan,  manage  and  construct  such  water  works  as  to  provide 
for  an  ample  supply  to  protect  the  city  against  fire  and  for  other  public  and 
sanitary  purposes,  as  the  best  interests  of  the  city  and  its  inhabitants  may 
seem  to  require." 


226  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

For  this  purpose  the  board  was  empowered  to  borrow  from  time  to  time, 
as  they  might  deem  expedient,  a  sum  of  money  not  exceeding  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  to  issue  bonds  pledging  the  faith  ami  credit  of  the  city 
for  the  payment  of  the  principal  and  interest,  said  bonds  to  bear  interest  not 
exceeding  the  rate  of  eight  per  cent,  per  annum,  and  payable  at  a  period  not 
exceeding  thirty  years  from  date  of  issue. 

Upon  assuming  control  the  commissioners  found  in  their  possession  a 
tract  of  ten  acres  of  land  lying  along  the  Saginaw  River,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Tittabawassee,  which  the  common  council  had  purchased  for  the  site  of 
the  pumping  station,  for  one  thousand  dollars.  <  >n  this  land  there  had  been 
constructed  a  pile  and  plank  dock,  upon  which  had  been  piled  a  large 
quantity  of  brick,  for  the  construction  of  the  water  works  building.  There 
was  also  a  contract  made  by  the  council  with  the  Holly  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Lockport,  New  York,  dated  December  13,  1871,  for  all  the  ma- 
chinery and  pumps  necessary  to  supply  the  city  with  two  million  gallons 
of  water  every  twenty-four  hours,  including  boilers,  connections,  auxiliary 
rotary  pumps,  shafting,  gearing  and  couplings.  In  consideration  for  the 
specified  machinery,  the  city  agreed  to  pay  the  sum  of  thirty-two  thousand 
dollars,  in  five  monthly  payments  from  May  to  September,  1872. 

There  bad  been  many  difficulties  and  delays  in  prosecuting  the  con- 
struction work  on  the  piping  and  buildings,  and  on  assuming  control  of 
affairs,  six  months  after  the  time  specified  for  the  completion  of  the  work, 
the  machinery  was  still  lying  at  the  works  in  Lockport,  upon  which  only 
two  payments  had  been  made.  The  first  duty  of  the  board  was  to  advertise 
for  proposals  for  furnishing  and  laying  the  necessary  iron  water  pipes  and 
for  building  the  water  works  structures  according  to  plans  and  specifications 
which  had  been  adopted.  W.  R.  Coats  was  soon  after  awarded  the  contract 
tor  the  pipe  work,  and  William  Grant  the  contract  for  the  buildings,  brick 
chimney,  cisterns  and  all  mason  work.  The  carpenter  work,  including  put- 
ting on  the  iron  roof,  was  done  by  P.  V.  Westfall.  The  total  cost  of  the 
completed  water  works  ready  for  efficient  service,  was  two  hundred  and 
seventy-three  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-four  dollars. 

The  pumping  machinery  was  completely  installed  and  connections  made 
to  the  mains  about  the  middle  of  November,  1873,  and  during  the  month  of 
December  the  works  were  put  in  effective  condition  for  all  ordinary  purposes 
of  fire  protection.  Their  efficiency  was  practically  tested  at  the  fire  in  the 
Moores  Building,  on  the  morning  of  the  twenty-fourth,  a  large  amount  of 
property  being  saved  by  their  use.  The  official  tests  were  held  January  10, 
1N74,    with    the    following   results: 

Vertical       Horizontal 

First  —  On   1'otter   Street,   six  one-inch   streams 80  feet  120  feet 

Second  —  On   Sixth   Street,   six  one-inch   streams 90  feet  170  feet 

Third  —  On    Hoyt    Street,   six  one-inch    streams 100  feet  192  feet 

Fourth — At    Baptist    Church,    one    one-and-one-half- 

inch    stream    160  feet  200  feet 

Fifth  —  At  Bancroft   House,  three  one-inch,   two  one- 
and-i  me-eighth-inch,  <  me  one-and-seven-eight-inch 

streams         125    feet 

Sixth  and   Seventh  —  Bancroft   House,   same   pipes   as 

above    with    four    additional        120  feet 

During  the  construction  of  the  water  works,  including  the  filter  beds, 
Mr.  Burt  was  one  of  the  most  active- members  of  the  board,  and  in  their  first 
annual  report  to  the  common  council,  dated  January  1,  1874,  the  other  mem- 
bers expressed  their  appreciation  of  his  services,  in  these  words  : 


LOADING    AT    HOLLAND'S    DOCK,    1879 


THE    SAGINAW    RIVER.    LOOKING    NORTH     FROM    M.    C.    BRIDGE 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  229 


"The  condition  of  the  money  market  the  past  season,  and  more  espe- 
cially since  the  financial  panic  in  October,  has  made  the  negotiation  of  our 
bonds  a  matter  of  extreme  difficulty,  as  that  class  of  securities  felt  must 
this  financial  stringency.  And  the  board  feel  that  they  have  been  especially 
fortunate  in  being  able  to  dispose  of  the  large  amount  they  have  at  so 
favorable  a  rate.  The  magnitude  of  the  work  to  be  done  made  constant 
demands  for  large  sums  of  money  to  keep  the  work  progressing  steadily,  and 
the  balance  of  the  board  feel  under  great  obligations  to  their  treasurer, 
Commissioner  Burt,  for  his  untiring  efforts  to  provide  the  necessary  funds, 
and  also  for  a  large  amount  of  time  given  to  a  personal  supervision  of  the 
entire  work." 

For  the  purpose  of  extending  the  piping  system,  the  legislature  in 
March,  1874,  authorized  the  issue  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  additional  water 
bonds,  and  at  a  special  election  held  April  6  a  large  majority  of  the  electors 
voted  in  favor  of  such  additional  issue.  The  bonds  were  sold  in  sums  of 
five  hundred  dollars  each,  payable  twelve  years  from  date.  During  1874 
and  subsequent  years  to  and  including  1881,  eighteen  thousand  nine  hun- 
dred feet  of  three,  four  and  five-inch  mains  were  laid,  making  a  total  of 
eighteen  and  a  half  miles  then  in  use.  At  that  time  there  was  a  great  acces- 
sion to  the  population,  and  in  1882  the  city  issued  bonds  in  the  sum  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  making  needed  additions  to  the  pump- 
ing machinery.  A  new  Holly  quadruplex  compound  condensing  engine, 
capacity  six  million  gallons  daily,  was  installed  and  put  in  operation  April 
14.  1883.  Three  years  later  a  further  bond  issue  of  seventy  thousand  dollars 
provided  for  extensions  of  the  mains,  which  in  1890  were  thirty-eight  miles 
in  length. 

In  1890  the  Gaskill  horizontal  compound  condensing  engine,  capacity 
twelve  million  gallons  daily,  was  added  to  the  pumping  machinery,  ami  has 
been  in  almost  constant  use  since  February  13,  of  that  year.  Pipe  extension 
continued  and  in  1900  there  were  fifty-two  and  a  half  miles  of  mains  in  use. 
In  1910  the  pipeage  system  had  reached  a  total  of  sixty-three  and  a  half 
miles,  and  1915  it  was  more  than  seventy-four  miles,  mostly  of  six.  eight  and 
ten-inch  pipe,  the  feed  mains  being  sixteen,  twenty  and  twenty-four  inches 
in  diameter.  In  1913  a  Meyer  cross  compound  pump  of  six  million  gallons 
capacity  was  installed  to  provide  additional  fire  protection.  Two  W'ickes 
vertical  water  tube  boilers,  of  three  hundred  horse  power  each,  have  been  in 
use  since  1911.  Charles  A.  Scherping  is  chief  engineer,  and  Charles  \Y. 
(  (T.rien  and  Charles  Pardridge  are  assistant  engineers  of  the  East  Side 
station.  The  bonded  indebtedness  on  the  Fast  Side  pumping  system  has 
now  been  reduced  to  two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars. 

The  West  Side  Water  System 

The  project  for  water  works  at  Saginaw  City,  to  afford  ample  fire  pro- 
tection and  to  provide  a  sufficient  quantity  of  pure  water  for  the  use  of  its 
inhabitants,  was  launched  and  promoted  in  1872.  Early  in  May  of  that  vear 
the  city  issued  bonds  in  the  sum  of  sixty  thousand  dollars,  bearing  eight  per 
cent,  interest,  and  payable  in  fifteen  to  seventeen  years.  The  pipeage  system 
was  planned  and  laid  out  by  George  L.  Furrows,  who  for  several  years  was 
very  active  in  promoting  better  fire  protection,  and  was  then  chief  of  the 
fire  department.  The  pumping  station  was  located  on  Water  Street  at  the 
foot  of  Franklin  (Hancock),  and  the  machinery  consisted  of  one  Holly 
quadruplex  compound  condensing  engine,  of  two  million  gallons  daily  capac- 
ity, auxiliary  pumps  and   boilers.     There  was   some   discussion   at   the   time 


230  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

iiver  the  location  of  the  pumping  station,  a  number  of  citizens  advocating  a 
place  up  the  river  nearer  the  Tittabawassee,  where  the  water  was  clear  and 
free  from  sewage,  but  fire  protection  was  the  main  issue,  and  the  station  was 
erected  in  the  present  location  to  afford  a  better  direct  pressure  at  the  fire 
hydrants.  It  was  planned  to  eventually  take  water  from  the  Tittabawassee 
through  a  conduit  put  down  from  near  its  mouth  to  the  pumping  station, 
but  in  all  the  intervening  years  this  much  needed  improvement  has  not  been 
made,  and  is  not  likely  to  be  made. 

In  August,  1873,  a  further  bond  issue  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  was  made 
to  provide  for  extensions  of  the  mains,  which  were  much  needed,  and  were 
chiefly  of  four  and  six-inch  pipe,  with  feeders  of  eight  and  ten-inch  pipe. 
This  work  progressed  as  the  city  expanded  so  that  by  1885  there  were  twelve 
miles  of  high-pressure  water  mains,  some  of  which  were  twelve  and  sixteen 
inches  in  diameter.  In  that  year  bonds  in  the  sum  of  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  were  floated  to  provide  for  a  new  (iaskill  horizontal  compound  con- 
densing engine,  capacity  four  million  gallons  daily,  which  has  been  in  almost 
constant  service  since.  No  further  extensions  were  made  until  1890,  when 
about  one-half  mile  of  six-inch  mains  was  laid,  and  one  Rogers  Brothers 
duplex  horizontal  compound  condensing  engine,  capacity  two  million  gal- 
lons dad_\-,  was  installed. 

From  18c0  to  1900  slightly  more  than  thirteen  miles  of  pipes  were  laid, 
making  the  total  about  twenty-six  miles.  During  the  next  ten-year  period 
the  pipeage  system  was  increased  to  forty-two  miles,  and  in  1915  it  reached 
a  total  of  fifty-one  miles,  and  some  of  the  smaller  mains  were  replaced  with 
larger  pipe.  To  provide  for  this  needed  improvement  bonds  were  issued  in 
November,  1893,  to  the  amount  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars;  in  July, 
1894,  for  ten  thousand,  and  in  September,  1906,  for  five  thousand.  The  total 
bonded  indebtedness  of  the  "West  Side  water  works  is  now  one  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  thousand  four  hundred  dollars,  all  of  which  matures  before 
March  10,  1924. 

In  1895  three  Wood  water  tube  boilers  in  separate  arches,  rated  capacity 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  horse  power  each,  were  installed,  and  Aube 
smoke  consumers  were  added  to  the  furnaces  in  1911.  In  that  year  the 
pumping  machinery  was  augmented  by  two  Fairbanks,  Morse  &  Company's 
compound  duplex  direct-acting  pumps,  of  three  million  gallons  daily  capac- 
ity each,  replacing  the  old  1  lolly  two  million  gallons  capacity  pump  and  the 
Rogers  pump.  This  pumping  station  is  capable  of  furnishing  direct  pressure 
for  the  ordinary  needs  of  fire  protection,  excepting  in  the  outlying  sections 
of  the  city. 

A  Consolidation  of  the  Water  Systems 

Since  1890  the  question  of  consolidating  the  water  works  has  been  before 
the  people,  but  in  the  Summer  of  1915  the  numerous  problems  connected 
with  the  project  remain  unsolved.  The  first  definite  plan  to  provide  for  one 
adequate  and  complete  pumping  station,  together  with  a  filtration  plant  to 
supply  clear  water,  was  put  forth  in  1905,  but  the  bond  issue  necessary  to 
carry  out  the  project  was  voted  down  by  the  people.  The  question  of  loca- 
tion of  the  pumping  station  anil  the  method  of  purifying  the  water  were  not 
thoroughly  settled  in  the  minds  of  the  people;  and  besides,  a  large  number 
of  citizens  were  not  satisfied  that  the  source  of  supply  (the  Tittabawassee 
River  i  was  the  best,  bidding  that  Saginaw  Bay  furnished  an  inexhaustible 
supply  of  pure,  soft  water  for  all  domestic  purposes.  (  ithers.  too.  contended 
that  the  Ogemaw  Springs  water  was  by  far  the  best  for  all  purposes  of  the 
city  and  individuals. 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


231 


The   Police   Department 

In  the  early  fifties  all  that  was  needed  to  keep  the  peace  in  Buena  Vista 
Township,  in  which  the  village  of  East  Saginaw  was  situated,  was  the  ser- 
vices of  one  constable;  and  even  after  the  city  was  chartered,  in  1859,  there 
was  no  regular  police,  the  ordinances  and  by-laws  of  the  city  being  enforced 
by  a  marshal  and  constables.  At  times,  as  occasion  required,  night  watch- 
men were  employed,  and  not  until  May,  1868,  was  the  first  police  force 
organized  and  uniformed.  The  first  chief  was  James  A.  Wisner  and  he  had 
seven  patrolmen  under  his  control.  In  1869  the  city  charter  was  so  amended 
as  to  merge  the  two  offices  of  marshal  and  chief  of  police  and  Mr.  Wisner 
was  appointed  marshal.  The  force  then  consisted  of  one  marshal,  one  cap- 
tain and  eight  patrolmen.  In  the  following  year  Peter  McEachron  was 
appointed  marshal,  and  the  force  was  increased  to  ten  patrolmen,  and  it 
remained  at  this  strength  for  three  years. 

The  act  of  1873,  amending  the  charter  of  the  city,  created  a  Board  of 
Police  Commissioners  to  consist  of  three  members,  comprising  the  Mayor, 
and  two  other  persons  to  be  appointed  by  the  common  council,  who  were 
given  entire  control  of  the  police  department.  The  first  commissioners 
appointed  were  Frederick  W.  Carlisle,  for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  Charles 
F.  Shaw,  for  two  years;  and  the  other  member  of  the  board  was  the  mayor, 
William  L.  Webber.  Bradley  M.  Thompson  was  attorney  and  clerk,  and 
Benjamin  B.  Ross  was  surgeon. 

In  the  reorganization  of  the  police  force  which  followed,  T.  Dailey 
Mower  was  appointed  chief  of  police.  Under  his  command  were  fames 
Connon,  captain,  James  Nevins,  George  Major  and  Thomas  P.  Oliver, 
sergeants,  sixteen  patrolmen  and  one  jailor. 
The  force  was  divided  into  two  divisions, 
one  for  day  and  one  for  night  duty,  the 
hours  of  duty  being  from  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning  until  eight  o'clock  in  the  even- 
ing, and  from  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening 
until  the  same  hour  in  the  morning.  The 
day  force  consisted  of  the  chief,  one  ser- 
geant and  six  patrolmen,  while  the  night 
force  was  made  up  of  captain,  one  sergeant 
and  ten  patrolmen,  so  stationed  that  at 
night  nearly  the  entire  city  was  patrolled. 
The  oldest  member,  in  point  of  service, 
then  on  the  force  was  Captain  Connon,  who 
was  appointed  May  21,  1868^  and  the  next 
oldest  was  Patrolman  Henry  11.  Pries,  who 
joined  the  force  August  1,  1870.  Sergeant 
Thomas  P.  Oliver  was  appointed  June  16. 
1871,  and  Patrolman  James  P.  Walsh,  who 
served  so  many  years  as  captain  of  the 
First  Precinct,  and  as  Chief  of  the  depart- 
ment in  1914,  was  appointed  July  22,  1872.  Patrick  Kain  entered  the  ser- 
vice October  18,  1873.  and  in  1915  completed  his  forty-second  vear  of 
continuous  and  faithful   duty. 

The  police  headquarters  in  those  days  was  located  at  the  corner  of  Gen- 
esee and  Cass  (Baum)  Streets,  the  office  being  kept  open  at  all  hours,  with 
an  officer  always  on  duty  to  hear  complaints  and  attend  to  them.  In  his 
first  annual  report  to  the  Board  of  Police  Commissioners,  Chief  Mower 
stated:  "The  present  building  erected  at  a  cost  of  something  over  one 
thousand  dollars,  is  amply  large  for  the  present  wants  of  the  city;  it  is  well 
ventilated  and  very  comfortable." 


T.    DAILEY     MOWER 


ZACH    BASKINS 


JAMES     P.     WALSH 


PATRICK    KAIN 


ELMER     E.      BISHOP 


TIMOTHY    McCOY 


OUR    GUARDIANS    OF    PUBLIC     SAFETY 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATIONS  233 

Controlling  the  "Red   Sash    Brigade" 

These  were  the  prime  days  of  the  "red  sash  brigade."  recruited  from  the 
ranks  of  hardy  lumber-jacks  of  the  north  woods,  when  a  person  could  walk 
but  a  few  blocks  on  the  main  streets  without  seeing  a  fight  of  some  sort. 
And  how  these  rough,  ignorant  woodsmen  could  tight.  When  the  camps 
broke  up  in  the  Spring  they  would  come  to  town  in  droves,  and  trail  along 
from  one  saloon  to  another  in  Indian  file,  just  as  they  tramped  through  the 
woods.  In  this  fashion  they  would  often  meet  with  other  tiles  or  gangs  of 
reckless  dare-devils,  and  then  nine  times  out  of  ten  a  pitch  battle  would 
ensue.  They  fought  as  regularly  as  they  ate,  and  if  it  was  not  with  another 
gang  they  went  at  each  other.  Drunkenness,  licentiousness  and  boisterous 
revels  were  the  order  of  the  day,  and  of  the  night  for  that  matter,  and  the 
police  were  kept  very  bus}'  in  maintaining  a  semblance  of  order.  That  they 
succeeded  in  this  was  due  to  prompt  and  fearless  execution  of  their  duty  on 
all  occasions. 

Enter  a    New   Element  —  Patrick   Kain 

Potter  Street  and  the  vicinity  of  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  depot  was 
then  a  hot-bed  of  turmoil  and  fistic  encounters,  and  night  was  rendered 
indescribably  fantastic,  and  sometimes  tragic,  by  the  numerous  woodsmen 
who  infested  this  section.  Sanford  Keeler  was  then  master  mechanic  of  the 
road  and  alderman  of  the  first  ward,  and  in  1873  he  recommended  for  appoint- 
ment to  the  police  force  a  young  Canadian,  who  was  employed  as  blacksmith 
in  the  shops.  The  recommendation  was  favorably  acted  upon,  and  in  due 
course  Patrick  Kain  became  a  patrolman  and  was  assigned  to  Potter  Street, 
working  the  beat  in  turns  with  John  Wiggins.  A  new  element  and  a  new 
policy  in  handling  the  "red  sash  brigade"  was  thus  injected  into  the  service. 
It  worked  so  well  that  the  policy  was  soon  adopted  by  the  department  offi- 
cial'-, and  has  been  pursued  ever  since  in  handling  criminals. 

Patrolman  Kain  sized  up  the  situation  on  Potter  Street,  and  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  first  duty  of  an  officer  was  to  keep  the  peace.  He 
trailed  the  rough,  half-drunken  woodsmen,  and  when  they  started  a  tight  he 
jumped  right  into  the  thick  of  it  and  stopped  them.  Put  this  was  no  picnic, 
as  the  jacks  never  hesitated  to  strike  out,  and.  quite  naturally,  he  got  in  the 
way  of  a  good  many  hard  blows.  The  scheme  seemed  to  work  though,  and 
the  number  of  arrests  on  the  beat  fell  off  one-half.  Instead  of  having  the 
record  for  the  greatest  number  of  arrests  made  in  the  city,  or  anywhere  else 
for  that  matter.  Potter  Street  became  as  orderly  as  any  business  street. 
This  condition  of  affairs  soon  came  to  the  notice  of  the  commissioners,  and 
they  looked  for  the  cause. 

One  day  Commissioners  Carlisle  anil  Shaw  drove  down  to  Potter  Street, 
found  the  new  patrolman  with  the  advanced  ideas,  and  questioned  him  as 
to  how  the  number  of  arrests  from  his  beat  had  fallen  off.  The  officer 
thought  he  was  to  be  reprimanded,  and  spent  some  very  uncomfortable 
minutes  explaining  his  mode  of  handling  street  tights,  and  "the  lumber-jacks 
in  general.  The  commissioners  said  nothing  until  he  had  finished,  and  then 
they  told  him.  much  to  his  relief,  that  he  was  right  and  to  continue  that  line 
of  action.  Shortly  after  this  incident  the  police  force  was  called  together  and 
Bradley  M.  Thompson,  then  city  attorney,  gave  the  men  a  talk,  instructing 
them  to  always  remember  that  a  police  officer  is  first  in  all  qualifications  a 
peace  officer,  that  he  should  be  alert,  intelligent,  well  read,  and  a  master  of 
self.  He  should  be  a  better  student  of  mankind  than  the  mere  "husky," 
capable  of  overpowering  the  other  fellow  by  brute  force,  and  possess  un- 
doubted courage  to  act  fearlessly  on  all  occasions. 


234  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

When  Changes   Were  Rapid 

Mr.  Mower  continued  as  chief  of  police  for  nine  years,  or  until  1882, 
when  he  resigned  and  James  Adams  was  made  head  of  the  department.  He 
was  chief  for  about  six  weeks  and  then  relinquished  the  office  to  James 
Connon,  who  had  served  as  captain  for  several  years.  After  filling  the  posi- 
tion of  chief  for  eight  months,  Mr.  Connon  resigned  and  Mr.  Mower  was 
recalled  and  persuaded  to  remain  as  head  of  the  police  force.  On  January 
6,  1883.  Patrick  Kain  was  made  sergeant,  his  commission  being  signed  by 
L.  Simoneau,  president  of  the  board,  and  Ferd  A.  Ashley,  clerk;  and  on 
November  6,  1883,  he  was  promoted  to  first  sergeant.  Upon  the  retirement 
of  Mr.  Mower,  on  January  11,  1890,  Sergeant  Kain  was  made  chief  of  police 
of  East  Saginaw,  and  on  April  22  of  the  same  year,  was  appointed  chief  for 
the  consolidated   Saginaws. 

After  faithful  and  continuous  service  of  twenty-four  years,  during  which 
the  force  under  his  command  made  many  important  captures,  not  only  for 
themselves  but  for  the  departments  of  other  cities,  Mr.  Kain  was  retired  on 
lanuarv  1,  1914.  Captain  James  P.  Walsh  was  then  appointed  chief  by  the 
new  council,  composed  of  "Mayor  Ard  E.  Richardson  and  four  councilmen, 
and  he  remained  at  the  head  of  the  department  until  his  death  on  March  11. 
1915.  During  this  period  Elmer  E.  Bishop  held  the  position  of  captain  at 
tlie  First  Precinct  station,  detailed  on  day  duty;  and  Lieutenant  Timothy 
McCoy  had  charge  of  this  station  at  the  night  detail.  On  March  30,  1915, 
Captain  Zach  Baskins,  of  the  Second  Precinct  station,  was  appointed  chief 
of  police,  and  Lieutenant  McCoy  was  made  captain,  in  charge  of  that  station. 
These  appointments  were  in  force,  however,  for  only  two  weeks,  for  upon 
the  organization  of  the  new  council,  April  13,  with  Mayor  llilem  F.  Pad- 
dock i:i  the  chair.  Patrick  Kain  was  reinstated  to  the  position  of  chief,  Chief 
Baskins  being  reduced  to  the  rank  of  captain,  in  charge  of  the  Second  Pre- 
cinct. Captain  Bishop  was  also  reduced  to  first  sergeant;  and  Captain  Mc- 
Coy  was  transferred  to  the  First   Precinct  on  day  duty. 

Saginaw  an  Orderly  City 

Despite  its  early  reputation  as  a  rough  border  town,  wide  open  and 
given  over  to  the  lumber-jacks  and  river  men,  which  has  clung  to  it  for 
years,  statistics  and  facts  show  that  Saginaw  now  compares  very  favorably 
with  other  cities  of  its  class  for  orderliness.  It  has  had  a  full  quota  of 
crimes,  some  brutal  and  revolting,  as  must  be  expected,  but  the  records  show 
an  improvement  from  year  to  year.  "Compared  with  other  departments," 
Chief  Kain  said.  "I  think  the  men  of  the  Saginaw  force  size  up  well  for 
intelligence  and  efficiency,  and  they  are  faithful  and  conscientious,  even  if 
not  vet  perfect.  I  have  always  refrained  from  talking  about  arrests  of  the 
early  days,  because  I  can  recall  a  number  of  instances  where  men  who  have 
served  terms  of  imprisonment  have  started  anew,  and  are  now  leading  use- 
ful and  reputable  lives,  and  I  do  not  propose  to  put  any  stone  in  their  paths. 

"Thieves  and  criminals  of  the  present  day  have,  so  to  speak,  kept  pace 
with  the  general  advancement.  Their  schemes  are  more  ingenious  in  the 
larger  crimes;  they  frequently  show  a  remarkable  degree  of  misdirected 
skill  and  cleverness,  to  say  nothing  of  intelligence,  and  the  needs  of  police 
departments  of  the  present  day  correspond.  The  police  must  meet  the 
changed  conditions;  each  officer  must  be  keenly  alert,  exercise  careful  judg- 
ment, and  be  a  close  student  of  human  nature." 

During  his  long  and  active  career  Chief  Kain  has  met  nearly  every 
police  officer  of  prominence  in  the  United  States  and  Canada;  and  has  come 
into  contact  with  crooks  of  high  and  low  degree  and  made  many  important 


SOME  MUNICIPAL  ORGANIZATK  )NS 


235 


captures.  A  few  years  ago  lie  was  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  arrest 
of  two  dangerous  New  York  crooks,  who  had  perpetrated  a  great  diamond 
robbery,  and  was  warmly  thanked  by  Chief  Inspector  Byrnes,  of  the  New 
York  department.  Having  a  natural  aptitude  for  the  business  of  running 
down  criminals,  an  unusually  accurate  memory  and  a  reader  of  the  workings 
of  the  human  mind,  his  record  as  a  sharp  tracer  of  thugs  and  confidence 
men  is  well  known  to  all  police  departments.  His  name  is  such  a  terror  to 
a  long  list  of  crooks  that  they  give  Saginaw  a  wide  berth. 

But  the  demands  upon  this  efficient  and  capable  chief  of  police  are 
varied,  by  no  means  being  confined  to  the  ordinary  routine  duties  of  his 
office.  The  demands  of  the  help-seeking  public  require  that  he  shall  be 
something  of  an  attorney;  something  of  a  lecturer;  a  mind  reader  and 
several  other  things,  as  well  as  a  friend  to  all  in  trouble.  They  all  come  to 
him  with  their  troubles,  and  many  matters  are  straightened  out  by  the  police 
that  are  far  from  the  regular  line  of  duty,  but  which  is  helpful  'to  the  indi- 
vidual and  the  community. 

In  recent  years  the  old  horse-drawn  patrol  wagons,  which  served  the  de- 
partment in  making  quick  hauls,  have  given  place  to  new  motor  propelled 
wagons  having  a  wider  range  of  service  and  far  greater  speed,  which  have 
added  to  the  efficiency  of  the  force.  The  department  now  has  two  motor 
patrol  wagons  of  approved  type,  one  stationed  at  each  police  station,  and 
one  motor  car  used  by  the  chief.  The  First  Precinct  station,  which  has 
been  in  use  for  about  forty  years,  is  on  Germania  Avenue,  adjoining  Valley 
City  Company,  No.  3;  and  the  Second  Precinct  Station,  a  more  modern 
structure  on  the  West  Side,  is  located  mi  the  mirth  side  of  Adams  Street, 
between  Michigan  Avenue  and  Hamilton  Street.  The  force  on  the  East 
Side  now  (1915)  numbers  fort}'  men.  and  on  the  West  Side  twenty-four 
men,  a  total  of  sixty-five,  including  the  chief,  in  the  department. 


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CHAPTER   XIII 

THE    CONSOLIDATED   SAGINAWS 


Intense  Rivalry  Between  the  Two  Cities  —  East  Saginaw  Starts  Public  Improve- 
ments—  Veto  of  the  Electric  Lighting  Project  —  Consolidation  the  Only  Remedy  — 
Provision  for  a  New  City  Hall  —  Court  Street  Bridge  —  Other  City  Bridges  —  City 
Sewer  Systems  —  Street  Improvements  —  Cement  Sidewalks  —  City  Deep  Wells  — 
The  Idea  of  Civic  Beauty  —  Beginning  of  Our  Park  System  —  Bliss  Park,  the  Ideal 
Playground  —  Board  of  Park  and  Cemetery  Commissioners  —  Ezra  Rust  Park  Im- 
provements—  Fordney  Park  —  Jeffers  Park — Federal  Park  —  Small  Parks  —  Mershon- 
Whittier  Natatorium  —  Brady  Hill  Cemetery  —  Oakwood  Cemetery  —  Forest  Lawn  — 
The  Auditorium  —  City  Government  by  Commission  —  The  Present  Council  —  City 
Officers   in    1915. 

FR(  >M  the  day  that  Jesse  Hoyt  crossed  the  river,  and  in  a  woody  marsh 
located  the  site  for  a  new  city,  which  he  intended  should  soon  rise,  a 
spirit  of  opposition  to  the  enterprise  possessed  the  leading  men  of 
Saginaw  City.  He  had  come  to  this  place  with  an  idea  of  investing 
heavily  in  desirahle  property,  of  making  many  public  improvements  to 
attract  immigration  to  the  valley,  and.  of  course,  to  profit  thereby.  Backed 
by  the  ample  capital  of  the  Hoyts,  he  was  in  a  position  to  erect  substantial 
buildings,  promote  great  industries,  expand  the  natural  resources  of  the 
valley  on  a  huge  scale,  and  build  up  an  enterprising  and  prosperous  city. 
He  was  exactly  the  type  of  man  the  land-poor,  slow-going  inhabitants  of 
the  village,  to  the  number  of  five  hundred  and  thirty-six,  needed  to  put  them 
on  their  feet.  Yet,  when  he  with  ready  money  endeavored  to  buy  property 
on  an  equitable  basis  —  at  a  price  attractive  to  capital  —  so  unreasonable 
were  these  narrow-minded  men  in  their  demands  that  the  great  opportunity 
slipped  through  their  fingers.  So  exorbitant  and  headstrong  were  they  that 
Mr.  Hoyt,  unable  to  make  any  progress  in  his  negotiations,  gave  up  in  dis- 
gust :    and  it  seems  was  actually  driven  from  the  place. 

This  unfortunate  occurrence  was  a  monumental  blunder  —  one  of  a  long 
series  of  blunders  which  illustrate  the  folly  of  some  "west  siders;"  and  the 
effects  have  been  far  reaching.  It  blasted  all  hopes  of  making  a  city  which 
should  be  the  metropolis  of  Saginaw  Valley,  and  left  the  village  in  the  hands 
of  irrational  nun.  It  resulted  in  the  founding  and  building  up  of  another 
city  on  a  low.  undesirable  site,  and  in  dwarfing  the  efforts  of  a  few 
enterprising  men  of  the  older  village  to  promote  the  best  interests  of  the 
ci  immunity. 

From  every  sense  of  the  fitness  of  things  ami  the  economics  of  creating 
commercial  centers  and  pleasant  and  healthy  places  of  abode.  East  Saginaw 
never  should  have  been  begun.  There  never  was  a  practical  or  logical  excuse 
for  its  existence.  The  level  plateau  arising  from  the  west  bank  of  the  river 
from  a  short  distance  north  of  (ireen  Point  to  the  Penoyer  Farm,  and 
extending  west  to  the  Tittabawassee  River,  offered  the  one  feasible  site  for 
the  exercise  of  Mr.  Hoyt's  enterprise.  In  the  early  days  of  settlement,  when 
the  ( rovernment  established  old  Fort  Saginaw,  this  place  was  recognized  as 
the  ideal  location  for  permanent  residence  in  the  wilderness,  and  it  is  now, 
as  it  was  then,  the  best  site  for  miles  around  for  a  great  city.  But  instead 
of  building  here  on  the  foundation  already  laid,  a  new  settlement  was  dumped 
into  a  marsh.  Capital,  brains,  enterprise  and  an  idomitable  spirit  to  do 
things  were  the  elements  which  soon  produced  a  thriving  village  and  later 
a  prosperous  city. 


238  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

But  worst  of  all.  the  spirit  of  opposition  and  intolerance,  kept  aflame  by 
commercial  rivalry  and  bicker,  engendered  in  the  minds  of  the  west  siders 
a  keen  hatred  of  all  persons  in  any  way  identified  with  the  remarkable  pro- 
gress of  East  Saginaw.  This  feeling  found  expression  in  numerous  ways. 
a  favorite  occupation  of  some  of  the  "old  fellows,"  who  loafed  in  the  office 
of  P.  C.  Andre,  or  the  store  of  George  W.  Bullock,  being  to  denounce  in 
brilliant  and  expressive  language  the  activities  of  the  hustling  residents  of 
"east  town."  and  to  curse  in  staccato  tone  the  enterprise  of  Norman  Little 
and  his  associates.  That  such  enmity  should  have  existed  was  incompre- 
hensible to  the  inhabitants  of  the  more  prosperous  city,  and  they  generally 
treated  it  with  mild  contempt  or  indifference.  As  strange  as  it  may  seem, 
this  feeling"  of  petty  jealousy  has  come  down  through  two  generations  of 
men  and  women,  even  to  the  present;  but  is  met  with  a  smile  and  an  expres- 
sion of  incredulity  whenever  manifested. 

East  Saginaw  Starts  Public  Improvements 

Along  in  the  eighteen-eighties.  about  the  time  that  the  lumber  industry 
was  at  its  height.  East  Saginaw  began  a  broad  scheme  of  public  improve- 
ments. For  twenty  years  previous  the  city  had  been  busy  with  its  sewage 
and  water  systems,  in  opening  up  and  grading  new  streets,  laying  sidewalks, 
and  providing  for  fire  and  police  protection.  Having  arranged  all  these 
matters  satisfactorily,  it  was  thought  incumbent  on  the  council  to  plan  and 
order  street  paving  on  a  moderate  scale.  Definite  action  was  taken  ami  in 
due  time  a  new  cedar  block  pavement  was  laid  in  Genesee  Street,  to  replace 
the  old  Nicholson  pavement,  extending  from  the  river  to  Williams  (Janes) 
Street.  Soon  after  Washington  Street,  north  and  south  from  Genesee,  and 
several  side  streets  in  the  business  section,  were  improved  with  the  same 
material.  These  improvements  added  greatly  to  the  prestige  of  the  city  as 
the  metropolis  of  the  valley,  and  excited  the  envy  of  the  backward  city  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river. 

It  is  related  that  at  this  juncture  in  the  affairs  of  the  two  cities,  many 
of  the  more  liberal  minded  citizens  of  Saginaw  who  owned  stylish  "turnouts," 
drove  over  in  the  summer  evenings  through  the  mud  and  saw  dust  of  their 
streets  to  enjoy  riding  on  the  new  pavements  of  their  neighbors.  In  this 
pleasant  pastime  they  noted,  not  without  some  degree  of  envy,  the  vastly 
improved  appearance  of  the  streets  and  public  buildings,  the  new  and  attrac- 
tive residences  surrounded  by  well  kept  lawns  and  flower  beds,  and  the  tone 
of  prosperity  that  pervaded  the  city.  The  streets  were  brilliantly  illuminated 
at  night  with  electricity  furnished  by  the  new  plant  of  the  Swift  Electric 
Light  Company,  which  was  located  in  a  three-story  brick  building  on  Water 
Street  near  Johnson.  It  was  one  of  the  show  places  of  the  city,  in  which 
the  people  were  justly  proud,  as  it  was  one  of  the  first  electric  plants  erected 
in  this  country  for  public  lighting  purposes. 

These  evidences  of  enterprise  and  public  spirit  made  a  deep  impression 
on  the  progressive  men  of  Saginaw  City,  who  had  made  money  in  the  lumber 
and  salt  industries,  and  some  conceived  the  idea  of  promoting  like  improve- 
ments in  their  city.  They  realized  that  progress  in  such  matters  was  neces- 
sary if  they  were  to  grow  and  prosper,  and  could  see  in  their  minds  Court 
Street,  and  Washington  (Michigan)  and  Hamilton  Streets,  converted  as  if 
by  magic  from  lanes  of  mud  holes  into  beautiful  boulevards  lighted  at  night 
with  brilliant  electric  arcs.  Some  day  they  would  have  a  connecting  boule- 
vard with  the  well  paved  streets  of  "east  town,"  a  dream  of  municipal 
opulence  in  strange  contrast  with  the  niggardly  policy  that  had  been  pur- 
sued in  public  affairs. 


***, 


FROM     THE     ROOF    OF    THE    "ACADEMY"    LOOKING    EAST,    1886 


FROM    THE    ROOF    OF    THE    "ACADEMY"    LOOKING    SOUTHWEST,    188G 


240  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

So  these  prosperous  citizens,  having  ready  money  to  pay  their  share 
of  public  improvements,  went  before  the  common  council  with  a  measure 
to  provide  for  such  pavements  as  they  desired,  and  deemed  necessary  for 
the  advancement  of  the  city.  Other  prominent  men,  however,  some  of 
whom  had  exerted  a  large  influence  in  shaping  public  matters,  were  strongly 
opposed  to  improvements  on  an  elaborate  scale,  and  only  after  much  discus- 
sion was  the  paving  of  the  streets  in  the  business  section,  including  sections 
of  Washington  Street,  ordered  by  the  council.  This  was  one  of  the  first 
moves  for  civic  betterment  in  Saginaw  City,  and  the  effect  was  far  reaching. 

But  the  old  policy  of  blind  conservatism,  encouraged  by  a  deplorable 
want  of  public  spirit,  was  still  dominant  in  the  conduct  of  public  affairs,  and 
so  insistent  was  it  that  the  city  came  very  near  losing  the  county  seat,  in 
1883.  The  old  court  house,  which  had  served  as  the  abode  of  justice  for 
almost  fifty  years,  was  then  deemed  inadequate  to  the  needs  of  the  county, 
and  a  project  for  the  erection  of  a  new  edifice  was  presented.  As  usual 
with  such  measures  it  met  with  little  support  by  a  certain  element  among  the 
leading  citizens,  and  for  a  time  little  progress  was  made  toward  the  desired 
result.  At  this  juncture  East  Saginaw,  with  its  characteristic  enterprise,  came 
forward  and  offered  to  donate  a  suitable  site  and  erect  a  large  and  stately 
court  house,  to  cost  not  less  than  seventy-five  thousand  dollars,  if  the  seat  of 
justice  was  removed  to  that  city.  This  proposition  stirred  the  people  of 
Saginaw  City  to  strenuous  effort  to  retain  the  county  seat,  which,  more  than 
sixty  years  before,  had  been  gained  by  chicanery,  but  of  which  they  were  not 
responsible.  At  length,  by  making  a  bid  exceeding  that  of  their  neighbor 
across  the  river,  they  preserved  to  themselves  the  honor  of  having  justice 
meted  out  in  their  midst.  They  erected  a  very  imposing  court  house,  on  the 
site  of  the  old,  which  had  been  donated  to  the  county  by  Samuel  Dexter, 
at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  provided  by  an  issue  of  city  bonds 
in  that  sum,  all  of  which  was  paid  by  the  consolidated  city. 

Veto   of   the    Electric    Lighting   Project 

Meanwhile,  the  more  progressive  men  of  Saginaw  City  were  gradually 
getting  control  of  public  affair-,  and  early  in  1884  they  introduced  a  measure 
in  the  common  council  for  the  erection  and  operation  of  an  electric  lighting 
plant,  to  be  eventually  owned  by  the  municipality.  The  only  public  lighting 
then  afforded  was  by  scattered  gas  lamps  which,  though  they  marked  a  way 
through  the  streets."  accentuated  rather  than  relieved  the  gloom.  Contrast 
with  the  brightly  lighted  thoroughfares  of  "east  town"  was  decidedly  dis- 
tasteful, and  a  latent  spirit  of  civic  pride  was  awakened  among  the  people. 
They  were  almost  ready  to  approve  any  public  improvement  which  would 
aid  them  in  keeping  within  measurable  distance  of  their  prosperous  neigh- 
bors. The  lighting  project,  however,  failed  through  the  action  of  one  man - 
the  mayor  of  the  city. 

The  proposition  presented  to  the  council  by  the  Van  Depoele  Electric 
Light  Company  provided  for  the  erection  of  a  generating  plant  equipped 
with  all  requisite  machinery,  five  mast  towers,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
feet  in  height,  and  one  hundred  pole  lights  distributed  throughout  the  city. 
In  all  there  were  to  be  one  hundred  and  thirty  standard  lamps  completely 
wired  and  with  all  connections  ready  for  use.  Upon  completion  of  the  plant 
the  company  was  to  operate  it  for  two  weeks  as  a  practical  test,  at  then- 
expense,  when,  the  installations  proving  satisfactory,  the  city  was  to  lease 
the  property  for  a  term  of  two  years,  and  to  pay  the  company  within  fifteen 
days  the  sum  of  eight  thousand  live  hundred  and  twenty-three  dollars.  One 
year  after  the  city  was  to  make  a  further  payment  of  nine  thousand  five  bun- 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  241 

dred  and  forty-six  dollars,  and  at  the  expiration  of  two  years  a  final  payment 
of  nine  thousand  and  thirty-four  dollars,  with  interest  at  six  per  cent.  The 
city,  having  paid  twenty-seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  four  dollars,  was 
then  to  receive  from  the  company  a  clear  deed  to  all  the  property. 

The  electric  light  committee  of  the  council  appointed  to  consider  the 
matter  was  composed  of  D.  C.  Dixon,  chairman,  E.  A.  Kremer,  C.  F.  Zoeller 
and  Dan  P.  Foote,  city  attorney,  who  were  among  the  more  progressive 
citizens.  This  committee,  upon  thorough  examination  of  the  project  and 
consideration  of  the  proposition,  reported  unanimously  in  favor  of  it,  and 
thereupon  it  was  passed  by  the  council  by  a  vote  of  seven  to  four.  Evidently 
the  proposition  was  a  Aery  favorable  one  to  the  city,  and  it  is  certain  would 
have  provided  a  much  needed  improvement.  But  when  the  resolution  came 
up  to  the  mayor.  Charles  L.  Benjamin,  for  his  signature,  the  influences  at 
work  in  opposition  prevailed,  for  he  vetoed  the  measure  and  the  whole 
project  fell  through.  This  act  of  Mayor  Benjamin,  it  was  said,  retarded  the 
progress  and  advancement  of  Saginaw  City  for  several  years,  the  city 
settling  back  into  its  old  time  lethargic  existence.  Years  afterward  he 
admitted  to  a  resident  of  the  East  Side  that  his  veto  of  this  measure  was 
the  greatest  blunder  of  his  official  life. 

Consolidation  the  Only  Remedy 

The  rivalry  between  the  two  cities,  often  degenerating  into  bitter  con- 
tests, finally  reached  a  stage  where  the  progressive  men  of  both  si<h>s  oi  the 
river  concluded  that  consolidation  was  the  only  remedy  for  the  conflict  of 
interests.  The  question  of  consolidation  had  been  brought  before  the  State 
Legislature  several  times,  but  without  success.  There  was  a  great  diversity 
of  opinion  among  the  people  as  to  the  desirability  of  consolidation,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  a  majority  of  the  people  of  both  sides  would  have  voted  in  favor 
of  the  proposition  at  the  time  it  was  adopted.  At  length  a  number  of  lead- 
ing citizens  of  the  two  cities  met  in  conference,  and  after  prolonged  con- 
sideration, they  resolved  to  appeal  to  the  Legislature  to  pass  an  act  uniting 
the  Saginaws  upon  certain  terms  ami  conditions.  Accordingly,  a  bill  was 
drawn  up  and  introduced  in  the  Legislature  of  1889,  and  after  due  delibera- 
tion it  was  passed  as  Act  455.  of  the  Local  Acts  of  the  Legislature,  and 
approved  June  28,  1X89. 

The  consolidation  of  the  two  cities,  which  was  thus  effected,  marked 
an  important  stage  in  the  history  of  Saginaw,  the  beneficial  effect  of  which 
exceeded  the  expectations  of  its  projectors.  On  the  first  Monday  in  March, 
1890,  the  officials  and  aldermen  of  the  new  city  were  duly  elected  to  office; 
and  on  the  twelfth  of  March  the  first  meeting  of  the  new  council  was  held, 
with  George  W.  Weadock,  mayor,  in  the  chair.  The  council  was  composed 
of  Aldermen  Daniel  J.  Hoist,  Charles  M.  Harris.  William  Rebec.  John  G. 
McKnight,  Fred  J.  Buckhout.  Henry  Naegely,  William  C.  Mueller,  John 
Klein,  John  Elwert,  Charles  Ziem,  James  S.  Corn  well.  Joseph  B.  Staniford, 
Chris  Maier,  E.  Everett  Johnson,  Michael  Rellis,  Joseph  Provencher,  Solo- 
mon Stone,  John  W.  Wiggins,  Joseph  B.  Clark,  Charles  Schaefer,  Theodore 
R.  Caswell,  Aaron  P.  Bliss,  James  Higgins,  Fred  Stobbe.  Emil  Achard,  John 
L.  lackson,  Michael  Klemm,  Robert  D.  Stewart.  |ames  McGregor  and  (lark 
L.  "Ring. 

Provision  for  a  New  City  Hall 

Among  the  conditions  of  consolidation  was  one  fixing  the  location  of  the 
new  City  Hall,  which,  though  near  the  geographical  center  of  the  city,  is 
one  mile  from  the  business  section  of  the  East  Side,  and  one  mile  and  a  half 
from  the  business   section  of  the  West  Side.     The  location  is  convenient  to 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  243 

no  one,  being  a  compromise  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  some  west  siders ;  and 
the  handsome  edifice  which  soon  rose  is  a  monument  to  their  folly.  The 
City  Hall,  a  large  structure  of  brick  and  stone,  was  erected  on  the  site  of 
Curtis  Emerson's  house,  which  he  facetiously  called  the  "Halls  of  the  Monte- 
znnias."  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  and  seventy  thousand  dollars,  the  site  alone 
costing  fifteen  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  building  was 
completed  and  first  occupied  in  1893,  the  city  offices  being  removed  from  the 
Schmitz  Block  of  the  Germania  Society  to  the  new  and  perfectly  appointed 
quarters. 

The  Court  Street  Bridge 

Another  condition  of  consolidation  was  the  building  of  three  bridges 
across  the  river,  to  accommodate  the  growing  population  of  both  sides.  At 
the  time  there  was  but  one  bridge  free  from  street  railway  tracks,  and  it 
was  not  in  a  location  to  conveniently  carry  a  large  vehicular  traffic.  Although 
there  was  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  when  and  where  the  new  bridges 
should  be  built,  it  was  conceded  that  Court  Street  would  afford  an  unob- 
structed, popular  channel  of  communication  between  the  two  sides.  The 
leading  business  men  of  the  city  were  working  together  harmoniously,  and 
they  exerted  every  influence  to  bear  on  the  project  to  build  a  wide,  modern 
bridge  at  the  foot  of  this  street,  and  a  connecting  roadway  across  the  middle 
ground  and  Emerson  Bayou  to  Washington  Street.  Their  efforts  were 
successful  and  in  1897  the  new  thoroughfare  was  completed  and  opened  for 
traffic.  During  the  intervening  year-  it  has  been  kept  free  from  car  tracks, 
and  is  largely  used  and  appreciated  by  owners  of  motor  cars,  as  well  as  by 
the  general  public.  The  cost  of  this  improvement  was  met  by  an  issne  of 
city  bonds  in  the  sum  of  sixty-eight  thousand  dollars. 

The  building  of  the  other  bridges  was  deferred  for  some  years,  partly  on 
account  of  the  policy  of  retrenchment  in  public  improvements  then  pursued, 
and  also  because  of  the  difficulty  in  deciding  the  exact  locations  lor  them. 
The  bridge  at  the  north  end  of  the  city,  to  connect  with  the  Township  of 
Carrollton,  was  constructed  in  1904,  the  superstructure  being  the  old  Gen- 
esee Avenue  bridge  which  was  then  being  replaced  by  a  modern  lift  bridge. 
Although  in  an  out-of-the-way  place,  as  respects  population,  this  bridge 
serves  the  farming  interests  of  both  sides  of  the  river;  and  it  intersects 
North  Washington  Avenue  at  Sixth  Street,  hence  the  name  of  Sixth  Street 
Bridge.  The  cost  of  construction  was  forty-three  thousand  dollars,  pro- 
vided by  an  issue  of  city  bonds  to  that  amount.  The  other  bridge  was  an 
entirely  new  structure  and  satisfied  the  demands  of  the  "south  siders"  for 
direct  communication  with  the  rapidly  growing  manufacturing  district  of 
the  Nineteenth  Ward.  It  spans  the  river  at  the  foot  of  Center  Street 
and  meets  an  extension  of  Florence  Street,  which  intersects  Michigan  Avenue 
at  the  Belt  Line  crossing.  This  bridge  and  roadway  was  completed  in  1906 
at  a  cost  of  eighty-nine  thousand  dollars,  also  provided  for  by  a  bond  issue. 

Other  City  Bridges 

The  first  bridge  put  across  the  Saginaw  River  was  at  the  foot  of  Gen- 
esee Street,  and  replaced  the  old  and  uncertain  rope  ferry,  which  had  been 
operated  by  E.  N.  Davenport  for  thirteen  years,  except  when  ice  and  the 
weather  prevented.  The  bridge  was  built  in  1864  by  a  few  enterprising 
business  men,  who  organized  the  Saginaw  River  Bridge  Company  January 
21,  of  the  preceding  vear.  and  was  seven  hundred  feet  in  length  with  a  draw 
span  to  allow  vessels  to  pass  through.  The  roadway  across  the  bayou  at  the 
west  end  of  this  bridge  was  constructed  by  the  primitive  method  of  laying 
slabs  and  bark  to  a  width  of  about  twenty  feet  and  then  covering  the  founda- 


244 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


COURT    STREET    BRIDGE.    1898 


tion  with  layer  upon  layer  of  sawdust.  When  thoroughly  packed  down  this 
material  made  a  passable  road,  but  at  this  place  during  spring  freshets  it  was 
covered  with  water  t«  •  a  depth  of  four  to  six  feet.  The  track  of  the  street 
railway,  which  connected  the  business  sections  of  the  two  cities  through 
Washington  (Michigan)  Street,  crossed  the  bayou  on  a  trestle  of  piling,  and 
thence  by  the  bridge  t<>  the  Bancroft  House. 

In  1865,  to  afford  further  communication  with  the  west  side  of  the 
river,  the  same  company  built  a  bridge  at  Bristol  Street,  to  cross  which  a 
toll  was  exacted.  This  bridge  was  considerably  longer  than  the  other,  the 
distance  from  shore  to  shore  being  ten  hundred  and  eighty  feet,  and  had  two 
draws,  one  near  each  end.  It  was  conveniently  located  for  the  growing 
population  of  both  cities,  and  about  1885  was '  purchased  by  the  Central 
Bridge  Company,  rebuilt  and  used  by  the  cars  of  the  Union  Street  Railway 
to  reach  the  business  center  of  Saginaw  City.  Since  that  time  it  has  been 
one  <>f  the  main  arteries  of  travel  across  the  river.  In  the  nineties  a  new 
steel  swing  span  was  placed  at  the  west  channel,  to  safely  carry  the  increas- 
ing traffic  and  the  travel  to  and  from  Riverside  Park.  In  1911  this  bridge 
was  entirely  rebuilt  by  the  street  railway  company,  at  a  cost  of  about  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  and  on  May  6,  1912,  the  ownership  passed  to  the  city, 
without  consideration,  the  only  condition  being  its  maintenance  by 
municipality. 


the 


The  Mackinaw  Street  bridge  was  built  in  1874  by  the  Saginaw  Bridge 
Company,  a  corporation  of  which  the  officers  were:  David  H.  [erome,  presi- 
dent, Daniel  L.  C.  Eaton,  vice-president,  and  George  L.  Burrows,  treasurer. 
The  bridge  and  approaches  were  seven  hundred  anil  sixty  feet  in  length  and 
thirty  feet  in  width,  and  formed  a  direct  and  convenient  communication  with 
the  hustling  town  of  South  Saginaw.     About  fifteen  years  later  the  title  and 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS 


245 


ownership  of  this  bridge  passed  to  the  city,  at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand 
dollars.  It  is  now  the  oldest  bridge  on  the  river,  having  been  in  constant 
use  for  forty-one  years,  fifteen  of  which  it  carried  the  street  cars  which  ran 
to  and   from  the  "south  end." 

About  the  time  the  lumber  and  salt  industries  slowly  approached  the 
zenith  of  production,  the  west  side  of  the  river  directly  opposite  East  Sag- 
inaw was  a  very  busy  place,  and  a  bridge  at  Johnson  Street,  the  second 
north  of  Genesee,  was  deemed  a  public  necessity.  Accordingly,  in  1878,  a 
bridge  thirty-two  feet  in  width,  having  an  iron  swing  span  and  two  fixed 
spans  of  wood  and  iron,  was  built  at  this  location.  The  cost  to  the  city  was 
eighteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifty-five  dollars.  For  many  years  this 
bridge  carried  a  considerable  traffic,  directly  with  the  numerous  mills  and 
salt  works  along  the  river  as  far  as  Carrollton,  but  when  these  industries 
declined  it  fell  into  disuse.  In  1912  it  was  condemned  as  unsafe  for  any 
other  than  pedestrian  travel,  and  the  following  year  was  replaced  by  a 
modern  steel  girder,  Scherzer  Lift  bridge,  thirty-five  feet  five  inches  wide, 
having  a  total  length  of  five  hundred  and  twenty  feet.  The  superstructure 
was  built  on  solid  concrete  piers,  and  it  is  probably  the  best  and  most  sub- 
stantial bridge  ever  secured  by  the  city  for  anywhere  near  the  cost,  the  total 
expenditures  on  its  account  being  within  eighty-five  thousand  dollars.  Con- 
trary to  the  usual  custom  of  issuing  bonds  for  such  improvements,  the 
entire  cost  of  this  bridge  was  met  by  four  annual  items  placed  in  the  tax 
budget,  beginning  with   1910. 

the    original 


>f 


During  the  intervening  years  since  the  construction 
bridge  at  Genesee  Street,  this  thoroughfare  has  been  the  main  artery  of 
travel  between  the  two  sides  and  will  always  remain  so.  As  far  back  as 
the    seventies    the    first    bridge    proved    inadequate,    and    was    rebuilt    and 


GENESEE    AVENUE    BRIDGE,    1305 


246  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

strengthened.  Following  the  catastrophe  in  which  the  east  approach  col- 
lapsed under  the  weight  of  hundreds  of  persons,  who  were  watching  the 
progress  of  a  fire  a  short  distance  up  the  river,  a  number  being  drowned, 
an  entirely  new  superstructure  was  erected  and  general  repairs  made  at  a 
cost  of  eighteen  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety  dollars.  This  bridge 
served  the  needs  of  the  city  until  1901.  when  it  was  condemned  as  unsafe  for 
street  car  service,  it  having  been  weakened  by  heavy  interurban  traffic.  In 
the  Fall  of  1903  the  bridge  was  taken  down,  and  a  new  modern  bridge  of 
the  girder  type,  having  a  Scherzer  lift  affording  a  clearance  of  one  hundred 
and  nineteen  feet,  was  begun  to  replace  it.  The  new  structure  has  a  total 
length  of  four  hundred  and  forty-one  feet,  a  width  of  fifty-six  feet,  is  paved 
with  concrete  and  creosote  blocks,  and  is  borne  on  solid  concrete  piers  of  the 
most  enduring  character.  Both  approaches  arc  of  earth  filling,  tamped  and 
paved.  The  leaves  of  the  Scherzer  lift  are  operated  by  electricity,  and  are 
quickly  raised  and  lowered  for  the  passage  of  vessels,  with  but  slight  inter- 
ruption to  traffic.  The  bridge  was  completed  and  opened  to  the  public  early 
in  September,  1905.  and  the  total  cost  exceeded  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
thousand  dollars,  which  was  provided  for  by  the  issue  of  city  bonds  in  that 
amount.  This  sum  was  about  thirty  thousand  in  excess  of  the  estimated 
cost  of  the  bridge,  and  was  due  to  many  changes  in  the  contract  plan,  in- 
cluding the  raising  of  the  superstructure  about  three  feet  above  the  prede- 
termined grade,  due  to  the  great  Hood  of  1904  in  which  damage  resulted  to 
i  ither  city  bridges. 

The   City  Sewer   System 

Since  1866,  a  year  in  which  East  Saginaw  expended  more  than  eighteen 
thousand  dollars  for  the  construction  of  sewers,  almost  continuous  progress 
has  been  made  in  this  department  of  public  works.  To  and  including  1889, 
before  consolidation  with  Saginaw  City  was  effected,  this  city  paid  more 
than  half  a  million  dollars  for  sewers,  about  one-half  of  which  was  assessed 
directly  against  the  property  benefited  by  the  improvement.  The  expendi- 
tures between  1880  and  1889  were  particularly  large,  and  at  the  latter  date 
the  city  was  well  drained,  excepting  in  some  of  the  outlying  sections.  Since 
1890,  moreover,  the  sewer  system  of  the  Eastern  District  has  been  greatly 
extended,  and  the  total  cost  has  reached  the  sum  of  seven  hundred  and  forty- 
six  thousand  dollars.  Four  hundred  and  fourteen  thousand  dollars  of  this 
amount   was  paid  by  assessment  on   the  property  benefited. 

In  providing  for  this  very  necessary  public  improvement  Saginaw  City 
was  not  far  backward.  From  1881  to  and  including  18S9,  the  expenditures 
here  reached  two  hundred  and  fifty-seven  thousand  dollars,  only  eighty-three 
thousand  of  which  was  paid  by  the  property  benefited.  In  the  period  follow- 
ing consolidation,  to  January  1,  1915,  the  mileage  of  sewers  was  greatly 
augmented,  and  the  expenditures  reached  a  total  of  six  hundred  and  forty- 
two  thousand  dollars.  A  change  in  the  policy  of  apportioning  the  costs 
resulted  in  three  hundred  and  twenty-four  thousand  dollars  of  the  total 
amount  being  paid  by  the  property   benefited. 

On  January  1,  1915,  the  total  length  of  all  main  and  latteral  sewers  in 
both  taxing  districts  was  one  hundred  and  seventeen  miles;  ami  the  total 
cost  was  one  million  three  hundred  and  eighty-seven  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred dollars.  City  bonds  had  been  issued  from  time  to  time  to  meet  the 
expenditures,  but  at  the  above  date  the  amount  outstanding  was  only  three 
hundred  and  fourteen  thousand  one  hundred  dollars,  showing  that  the  city 
has  paid  in  special  assessments  and  through  the  general  tax  budget  more 
than  a  million  dollars  for  its  sewer  systems. 


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248  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Street   Improvements 

The  one  big  item  in  our  elaborate  scheme  for  civic  improvement  is 
street  paving,  and  it  constitutes  the  largest  expenditure  the  city  is  called 
upon  to  meet.  City  pavements  are  expensive  necessities,  and  their  cost  adds 
appreciably  to  the  tax  burdens  of  the  average  citizen.  In  the  beginning  of 
street  improvements  cedar  blocks,  laid  on  one-inch  boards  upon  a  smooth 
bed  of  sand,  was  the  material  exclusively  used,  and  it  made  a  smooth  and 
satisfactory  pavement.  But  it  was  not  a  durable  pavement,  and  although 
its  cost  per  square  yard,  compared  with  brick  or  sheet  asphalt,  was  small,  it 
was  soon  discarded  for  more  enduring  materials.  Of  the  several  hundred 
thousand  yards  of  cedar  block  pavements  in  the  streets  of  both  cities  prior 
to  consolidation,  only  fifteen  thousand  three  hundred  yards  now  remain,  and 
the  streets  so  laid  are  now  almost  impassable.  Some  cobble  stone  pave- 
ment was  laid  in  the  eighties,  and  some  cedar  with  brick  or  cobble  stone 
gutters,  but  it  also  proved  unsatisfactory  in  a  few  years  of  use.  The  first 
brick  pavement  was  laid  in  North  Franklin  Street  in  1891,  and  though  it 
bore  heavy  traffic  for  twenty-three  years  it  was  still  in  condition  in  1914  so 
that  resurfacing  with  sheet  asphalt  was  all  that  was  needed  to  make  it  a 
good  pavement  with  the  appearance  of  an  entirely  new  one.  The  brick- 
pavement  in  Washington  Avenue,  between  Johnson  and  Janes  Streets,  was 
put  down  in   1893,  and  is  still  in   fair  condition. 

The  first  smooth  enduring  pavement  of  sheet  asphalt  was  laid  in  Genesee 
Avenue,  from  Water  to  Jefferson  Streets,  and  from  Janes  to  Hoyt  Streets, 
in  1896.  It  proved  so  satisfactory  that  in  the  following  year  a  pavement  of 
the  same  materials  was  laid  by  the  Barber  Asphalt  Paving  Company,  in 
Jefferson  between  Genesee  and  Holland  Avenues:  and  in  1898,  in  Jefferson 
between  Genesee  and  I 'otter,  and  in  Hoyt  Street  between  Jefferson  and 
<  lenesee  Avenues.  On  the  West  Side,  the  first  asphalt  pavement  was  laid 
in  1897,  in  Harrison  Street  between  Court  and  Gratiot;  and  in  1898.  in 
North  Hamilton  Street  between  Court  and  Bristol  Streets.  Court  Street, 
from  the  river  to  Bay  Street,  a  distance  of  nearly  a  mile,  was  put  down  in 
1899;  and  Hamilton  Street  between  Court  and  Mackinaw  Streets  was  like- 
wise improved  the  same  year.  After  a  few  years'  satisfactory  test  of  asphalt, 
this  material  with  brick  gutters  became  the  standard  for  practically  all  of  the 
city  paving. 

While  the  total  cost  of  the  city  pavements,  which  have  a  total  length  of 
seventy-two  miles,  has  been  enormous,  the  liquidation  of  the  city  bonds, 
which  were  issued  yearly  to  pay  for  the  improvements,  has  gone  on  steadily 
the  maturing  bonds  being  easily  met  by  special  annual  assessments  on  the 
property  directly  benefited  by  the  improvement.  By  this  means  the  city 
merely  uses  it-,  high  credit  to  finance  street  betterments,  for  and  to  the  aid 
of  individual  citizens.  The  total  amount  of  all  street  improvement  bonds 
outstanding  January  1,  1915,  was  six  hundred  and  sixty-nine  thousand  three 
hundred  dollars,  divided  between  the  two  taxing  districts,  the  Eastern,  four 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  the 
Western,   one   hundred   and   eighty  thousand   five  hundred   and   fifty   dollars. 

Building    Cement   Sidewalks 

In  the  early  days  of  street  improvements,  if  there  were  any  sidewalks  at 
all  in  a  street,  they  were  invariably  of  white  pine  planks,  usually  from  twelve 
to  sixteen  inches  wide  and  two  inches  thick,  laid  on  stringers  of  the  same 
material  and  spiked  down.  Along  Genesee  Street,  in  front  of  store  build- 
ings, the  planks  were  laid  crossways  of  the  street,  and  after  they  had  become 
warped  and   worn   the  walking  was  not  good  and  easy,  nor  altogether   safe. 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  249 


In  the  residence  streets  the  planks  were  laid  lengthways  of  the  road,  from 
five  to  eight  planks  wide,  and  when  new  afforded  very  comfortable  walk- 
ing. But  the  average  life  of  such  walks  was  less  than  ten  years,  and  some 
property  owners  became  careless  about  keeping  them  in  repair.  Falls, 
broken  bones  and  sprained  ankles  were  of  almost  daily  occurrence,  and 
damage  suits  brought  against  the  city  fur  such  injuries  at  length  became 
very  numerous. 

Late  in  the  nineties  the  situation  had  become  so  serious  that  the  mayor 
ordered  all  dangerous  and  defective  walks  torn  up,  and  a  thorough  inspection 
was  started  in  all  sections  of  the  city.  So  vigorous  was  the  crusade  of  de- 
struction that  in  about  two  weeks  miles  upon  miles  of  bad  sidewalks  had 
been  entirely  removed,  leaving  in  many  instances  hollows  of  soft  muddy 
earth,  into  which  persons  stumbled  or  fell  in  the  dark.  There  was  a  very- 
general  complaint  of  the  conditions  throughout  the  city;  but  the  decree  had 
gone  forth  that  no  more  board  walks  should  be  laid  anywhere. 

At  this  time  the  business  sections  of  the  city  were  quite  generally  pro- 
vided with  sidewalks  of  brick  or  artificial  stone,  as  being  more  durable  and 
economical,  and  many  citizens  laid  hard  walks  in  front  of  their  residences. 
Concrete  was  an  expensive  material  to  use.  and  other  citizens,  through  in- 
difference or  unwillingness  to  incur  the  expense  of  laying  new  walks,  did 
nothing.  A  year  or  two  after  the  decree  went  forth  the  situation  was  not 
greatlv  improved,  and  not  until  the  council  decided  to  pursue  the  same  plan 
in  building  sidewalks,  as  had  been  followed  for  years  in  laying  pavements, 
that  relief  was  afforded.  By  this  plan  of  bonding  for  special  improvements, 
the  property  owner  was  ordered  to  lay  a  walk  in  front  of  his  lot  or  lots,  of 
specified  materials.  If  he  chose  to  disregard  the  order  the  city  built  the 
walk  according  to  specifications,  and  assessed  the  cost  to  the  owner  of  the 
property,  the  payments  of  the  same  with  interest  being  divided  into  ten 
yearly  payments,  to  fall  due  at  the  time  of  the  city  tax  collections. 

This  plan  worked  out  very  well  and  soon  became  the  popular  procedure, 
thousands  of  sidewalks  in  all  sections  of  the  city  being  built  of  concrete, 
strictly  according  to  specifications  and  carefully  inspected  during  the  work. 
As  a  result  the  streets  everywhere  are  lined  with  smooth,  durable  sidewalks, 
with  cross  walks  of  asphalt' on  streets  paved  with  that  material,  and  of  stone 
elsewhere.  The  bonds  are  retired  on  the  same  plan  as  those  issued  for  street 
paving,  the  amounts  outstanding  January  1.  1915,  being,  for  the  Eastern  Dis- 
trict, ninety  thousand  six  hundred  dollars,  and  the  'Western  District,  seventy- 
nine  thousand  two  hundred  dollars,  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-nine 
thousand  eight  hundred  dollars. 

The  City   Deep  Wells  Are  Popular 

Before  passing  to  a  more  important  subject  mention  will  be  made  of 
the  City  wells,  which  supply  a  large  proportion  of  the  population  with  good 
water  for  drinking  and  cooking  purposes.  No  one  uses,  or  should  use.  the 
water  pumped  through  the  city  mains  for  such  purposes,  and  it  is  scarcely 
fit  for  any  domestic  use.  especially  on  the  West  Side.  But  many  families, 
for  want  of  a  better  supply,  are  forced  to  use  it  for  washing  and  bathing, 
though  for  no  other  purpose.  For  culinary  uses  they  resort  to  the  water 
pumped  from  deep  wells,  either  private  or  public.  Years  ago  the  city  author- 
ities and  the  people  generally  recognized  the  fact  that  river  water  was  an 
exceedingly  dangerous  fluid  to  take  into  the  human  system,  and  measures 
were  taken  to  supply  clear,  sparkling  water  from  deep  down  in  the  earth. 
Many  citizens  of  means  put  down  private  wells  on  their  premises,  and  often 
supply  their  neighbors'  needs,  as  well.  But  at  best  these  could  furnish  only 
a  small  percentage  of  the  water  required  by  the  whole  city. 


*»    IS. 


HERBERT    H.    HOYT 


JOHN    G.     OWEN 


JOHN     WELCH 
1879-81 


A.     F.      R.     BRALEY 
1867-69 


LYMAN    W.    BLISS 
1879-80 


FRANK     LAWRENCE 
1883 


JOHN     S.     ESTABROOK  HENRY     M.    YOUMANS 

1884-85  1886 


SOME    OLD-TIME    MAYORS    OF    THE    SAGINAWS 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  251 


Long  before  the  consolidation  of  the  two  cities,  several  deep  wells  were 
drilled  at  Saginaw  City  at  the  expense  of  the  city  for  public  use.  They  were 
located  at  Court  Street  and  Michigan  Avenue,  Genesee  and  Michigan  Ave 
nues,  Niagara  and  Hancock  Streets,  Bond  and  Clinton  Streets,  Bristol  and 
Hamilton,  and  Hamilton  and  Perry  Streets.  These  wells  filled  such  a  public 
need  that,  in  the  nineties,  several  others  were  put  down  in  convenient  places. 
In  1900-01-02  nineteen  more  were  drilled,  and  for  ten  years  thereafter,  an 
average  of  four  was  added  each  year.  At  the  beginning  of  1915  there  were 
sixty-six  deep  wells  on  the  West  Side  owned  by  the  city. 

(  In  the  East  Side  municipal  deep  wells  were  first  drilled  in  1892,  when 
wells  at  the  City  Hall,  in  Hoyt  Park,  at  Washington  Avenue  and  Mackinac 
Street,  and  at  Genesee  Avenue  and  Lapeer  Street  offered  cool,  refreshing 
water  to  the  thirsty.  Other  wells  were  soon  added,  and  from  1900  to  1910 
thev  multiplied  until  at  present  there  are  eighty-five  deep  wells  scattered 
over  the  city,  maintained  and  kept  in  repair  by  the  municipality.  They  may 
not  furnish  "the  best  water  that  is  easily  available  for  culinary  use,  but  they 
are  certainly  a  valuable  source  of  supply  under  the  present  conditions  of  our 
water  works.  There  are  now  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  of  these  wells  in 
use,  and  their  depth  varies  greatly,  the  shallowest  being  eighty-five  feet  and 
the  deepest  two  hundred  and  twenty-live  feet  in  depth.  The  best  water  is 
not  always  found  at  the  greatest  depth,  as  is  proved  by  the  superior  quality 
of  some  waters  taken   from  shallower  wells. 

The  Idea  of  Civic  Beauty 

In  strolling  through  our  parks  and  playgrounds  and  noting  their  beauty 
and  charm,  it  is  not  easy  to  realize  that  they  are  a  work  of  comparatively 
recent  vears.  Cut  out  of  the  native  forest  they  seem  to  have  always  existed, 
and  it  is  a  long  stretch  of  the  imagination  to  conjure  up  the  wigwam  of  the 
red  man  on   the  spot   where   we  linger  in  meditation  of  past  scenes. 

The  first  concern  of  our  pioneers  was  to  make  homes,  to  provide  a  living 
for  their  families,  and  the  wilderness  offered  little  choice  of  occupations. 
In  the  primitive  settlements  the  struggle  for  existence  was  hard  and  long, 
and  the  village  fathers  were  chiefly  concerned  in  the  business  of  grading 
streets  and  laving  out  new  ones.  Long  after  the  cities  were  formed  the 
problems  of  sanitation  and  public  safety  were  urgent  of  solution;  and  after- 
ward, the  desire  for  street  improvements  led  to  the  transformation  of  mud 
and  sawdust  towns  into  pleasant  places  in  which  to  live.  This  awakened 
in  many  citizens  a  personal  pride  in  the  appearance  of  their  homes  and 
grounds,  and  a  new  tone  of  prosperity  was  everywhere  apparent.  Later, 
when  public  buildings  and  better  facilities  for  communication  between  the 
two  sides  had  been  provided,  the  people  settled  back  to  enjoy  a  rest.  But 
the  rest  was  of  short  duration,  for  the  idea  of  Civic  Beauty  —  an  aesthetic 
creation  —  asserted  itself. 

The  Beginning  of  Our  Park  System 

In  the  true  narration  of  human  events,  Jesse  Hoyt  may  properly  be 
termed  the  "father"  of  our  system  of  public  parks.  More  than  thirty  years 
ago,  perceiving  that  Saginaw  was  destined  to  become  a  large  and  prosperous 
city,  its  citizens  appreciating  the  finer  things  of  life  which  please  and  delight 
the  e\re,  he  bequeathed  to  East  Saginaw  a  considerable  tract  of  land  in  the 
lames  Riley  Reserve,  for  park  purposes.  Then  but  little  more  than  wild 
land,  heavily  wooded  on  the  upland,  and  a  waste  of  marsh  in  the  low  land, 
it  was  a  very  unsightly  spot  upon  which  to  make  a  city  park.  Along  the 
Washington  Street  front  was  a  common  board  fence,  of  what  use  it  is  hard 
to  conjecture,  unless  it  was  to  keep  the  cattle,  which  roamed  the  streets  at 


252  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


will,  from  doing  damage  to  the  forest  trees.  The  idea  of  Civic  Beauty  had 
not  yet  taken  root  in  the  public  mind,  and  for  several  years  nothing  was 
done  to  improve  the  land,  except  to  trim  and  thin  out  the" forest  trees. 

It  was  well  along  in  the  nineties  that  the  first  definite  plan  of  im- 
provement was  formulated.  The  ground  of  the  upland  was  graded  and 
seeded,  gravelled  roadways  were  laid  out.  and  the  slopes  cleared  of  brush 
and  weeds.  Afterward,  flower  beds  were  set  out  and  a  band  stand  erected, 
and  the  upland  assumed  the  appearance  of  a  real  city  park.  As  vet  the  low 
waste  of  marsh  remained  untouched,  and  was  still  "the  abode  of' bull  frog-. 
muskrats  and  water  snakes.  By  LS94  the  cost  of  improvements  in  Hoyt 
Park  amounted  to  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Meanwhile  the  triangular 
spaces  at  Second,  Park  and  Tuscola  Streets,  and  at  Weadock  and  Hoyt 
Street,  were  laid  <>ut,  trees  and  shrubs  planted,  and  made  attractive  at  a  cost 
of  live  hundred  and  one  thousand  dollars,  respectively. 

With  this  modest  beginning  in  beautification,  Civic  Pride  was  thor- 
oughly aroused,  and  the  city  entered  upon  an  era  of  expansion  and  develop- 
ment of  its  park  property.  The  rapid  progress  made  in  this  direction  is 
worthy  of  note,  the  results  accomplished  being  a  work  of  the  last  twelve  or 
fifteen  years.  In  the  early  years  of  this  century  the  wild  and  unsightly  bot- 
tom land  in  Hoyt  Park  was  still  in  its  native  state,  but  about  1904  the  ground 
was  drained,  plowed  and  leveled,  and  seeded  to  lawn.  A  roadway  was 
built  along  the  east  side  and  connected  at  either  end  with  roads  leading  to 
the  upland.  At  the  north  end  a  sump,  or  well,  was  constructed  and  a  pump 
house    with    necessary   equipment    was   erected,   to    drain   off  and   pump   out 

h" '   waters  in  the  Spring.     This  was  a  work  of  two  or  three  seasons,  but 

when  completed  the  results  were  very  satisfactory. 

In  place  oi  wild  marshy  grass  covering  pools  of  slimy,  stagnant  water, 
fit  breeding  places  of  mosquitoes,  a  beautiful  lawn  greets'  the  eye.  Includ- 
ing the  slope  from  the  upland,  this  lawn  comprises  more  than  twenty  acres 
of  the  twenty-seven  in  the  whole  park.  With  the  gently-rising  slope  form- 
ing a  natural  amphitheater  for  thousands  of  spectators,  this  sward  is  an 
admirable  parade  ground  and  arena  for  games  and  sports.  It  has  often  been 
used  for  Masonic  drills  and  maneuvers  of  the  militia;  and  during  the  Semi- 
centennial celebration  of  1'  07,  it  was  a  popular  place  for  holding  such  events, 
and  has  been  the  scene  of  many  brilliant  gatherings.  For  the  exhibition  of 
fire  works  it  could  not  lie  surpassed,  as  many  as  fifteen  thousand  people 
having  witnessed  displays  on  the  evening  of  a  Fourth  of  July. 

in  these  days  of  public  playgrounds  Hoyt  Park  has  been  given  over 
very  largely  to  such  purposes.  During  the  Summer  it  is  popularly  used  for 
base  ball  games,  and  in  the  Fall  for  foot  ball,  while  in  Winter  the  bottom 
land  is  flooded  to  form  a  huge  ice  skating  rink.  Coasting  on  the  bill  is  also 
a  popular  pastime,  and  it  has  been  suggested  that  a  portable  toboggan  slide 
be  erected  to  enhance  the  enjoyment  of  this  sport. 

Bliss   Park  — The   Ideal  Playground 

The  transformation  of  the  old  Campau  property,  embracing  the 
"Butchers  Woods,"  in  the  Fourteenth  Ward  on  the  Wes't  Side,  into  a  park 
of  rare  attractiveness,  abounding  with  native  forest  trees  and  such  a  profu- 
sion oi  flowers  as  to  charm  the  vistior.  was  equally  noteworthy.  It  was 
made  possible  by  the  munificence  of  ex-Governor  Aaron  T.  Bliss,  who,  in 
just  pride  of  his  home  city,  purchased  the  site  for  a  park  to  bear  his  name, 
and  not  only  gave  a  liberal  sum  for  its  improvement,  but  endowed  the  park 
for  its  future  maintenance.  The  work  of  creating  a  beautiful  park  was  per- 
formed during   1905   and    1906,  a   part  of  the  cost.'  to   the  extent  of  ten   thou- 


VIEWS    OF    HOYT    PARK 


SCENES    IN    BLISS    PARK 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  255 

sand  dollars,  being  borne  by  the  city  under  the  terms  of  the  grant.  _  It  was 
a  happy  circumstance  that  the  donor  thus  realized  the  fruition  of  his  plans 
in  the  beautificatinn  of  a  public  resting  place,  which  has  become  the  most 
popular  of  our  parks. 

Bliss  Park  is  an  ideal  place  for  picnics  and  family  parties,  and  almost 
every  day  from  the  beginning  of  warm  weather  until  after  the  first  of  Sep- 
tember, it  is  the  scene  of  happy  gatherings.  The  wooded  section  and  play- 
ground is  safely  removed  from  the  traffic  of  the  streets,  and  mothers  can 
rest  in  the  shade  of  the  trees  or  enjoy  the  flowers,  while  the  babies  and  chil- 
dren disport  themselves  in  the  sand  pile,  or  in  the  swings,  teeters,  slides  and 
other  play  apparatus,  with  which  the  park  is  well  provided.  The  flowers 
in  the  sunken  garden  are  especially  worthy  of  note,  the  large  variety  of 
peonies,  phlox,  asters,  petunias  and  gladioli,  oriental  popies  and  many 
flowering  shrubs,  adding  greatly  to  the  beauty  of  the  park.  With  its  num- 
erous groupings  consisting  of  many  varieties  of  plants,  shrubs  and  trees, 
increasing  in  beauty  from  year  to  year,  and  lending  the  charm  of  their  varied 
coloring  "to  the  landscape,  it  affords  great  pleasure   and  interest  to  visitors. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  the  ground  of  this  park  and  the 
vicinity  was  the  scene  of  the  organization  of  the  29th  Regiment.  Michigan 
Volunteer  Infantry,  of  which  Colonel  Thomas  Saylor  was  the  commanding 
officer.  Fifty  years  after,  during  the  Summer  of  1914,  a  large  held  boulder 
was  placed  in  a  prominent  place  at  the  junction  of  the  main  walk  ami  the 
winding  road,  to  mark  the  vicinity  of  the  camp.  On  October  20  the  appro- 
priate monument  was  dedicated,  the  unveiling  and  exercises  taking  place 
before  a  considerable  number  of  the  survivors  of  the  29th  Regiment,  public 
officials  and  citizens.  There  was  placed  in  the  boulder  a  copper  box  con- 
taining records  and  souvenirs  of  the  Regiment,  and  data  and  records  about 
the  city,  and  the  occasion  of  the  unveiling.  <  >n  the  bronze  tablet  in  the  face 
of  the  boulder  is  an  inscription  denoting  its  purpose,  the  date,  and  names  of 
the  donors  of  the  monument. 

Creation  of  Board  of  Park  and  Cemetery  Commissioners 

By  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  May  24,  1905,  the  parks  of  the  city 
passed  into  the  care  and  control  of  a  Board  of  Park  and  Cemetery  Commis- 
sioners, 'fhe  original  members  of  this  board,  appointed  May  29,  1905,  were 
James  G.  Macpherson,  E.  P.  Waldron,  Frank  Plumb,  Charles  H.  Peters  and 
William  B.  Mershon.  On  December  31,  1906,  Walter  J.  Lamson  was  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  board  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  F.  P.  Waldron, 
resigned;  on  January  17,  1910,  John  A.  Cimmerer  replaced  Frank  Plumb, 
resigned;  L.  C.  Slade  was  appointed  November  21,  1910,  to  lill  the  unex- 
pired term  of  Charles  H.  Peters,  deceased;  and  (  ).  R.  Fowler  succeeded 
William  B.  Mershon  January  6.  1913,  on  account  of  expiration  of  term.  The 
board  was  automatically  retired  January  1,  1914,  by  provision  of  the  new 
city  charter,  and  the  commission  form  of  government,  which  went  into 
effect  on  that  date. 

Muring  the  life  of  this  board,  covering  a  period  of  eight  and  a  half 
years,  was  witnessed  the  greatest  progress  in  carrying  out  the  idea  of  Civic 
Beauty,  in  the  development  of  our  park  system.  Great  credit  is  due  the 
members  of  the  board,  for  their  untiring  and  unselfish  efforts  to  beautify  the 
city,  and  in  particular  do  our  citizens  honor  William  B.  Mershon  and  James 
G.  Macpherson,  and  cherish  the  memory  of  Charles  Ff.  Peters  with  tender 
care.  Under  the  new  city  government  William  H.  Reins,  one  of  the  five 
councilmen,  was  designated  Commissioner  of  Parks  and  Cemeteries  on  Jan- 
uary 2.  1914.     His  term  expired  April   11,  1915,  but  he  was  re-elected  for  a 


256  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

two-year  term,  his  conduct  of  the  office  on  an  economic  basis  of  efficiency 
being  eminently  satisfactory  to  the  city.  Daniel  II.  Ellis,  the  superinten- 
dent of  parks  under  the  old  board  was  retained,  his  valued  services  recog- 
nized by  the  new  administration. 

Ezra  Rust  Park  Improvements 

It  was  during  the  existence  of  the  old  board  of  commissioners  that  the 
great  preliminary  improvements  were  made  to  Ezra  Rust  Park.  In  the 
Summer  of  1906  a  survey  was  made  of  that  part  of  the  park  lying  between 
Lake  Linton  and  the  Saginaw  River,  including  the  waters  adjacent  thereto, 
and  therein  mi  a  grade  was  fixed  for  the  filling,  and  an  estimate  made  of  the 
quantity  of  earth  required.  The  year  previous  William  S.  Linton,  who  has 
ever  had  the  interests  of  the  city  at  heart,  interested  his  friend  Ezra  Rust, 
in  a  project  to  secure  title  to  the  old  '"middle  ground"  lying  in  the  river 
between  the  Bristol  and  Mackinaw  Street  bridges,  and  in  time  convert  the 
unsightly  ground  into  an  attractive  city  park.  It  was  a  huge  undertaking, 
but  through  the  generosity  of  Air.  Rust  the  property  was  purchased  and  a 
proposal  made  to  the  city  for  its  improvement.  The  property  with  several 
additions  since  made  by  the  donor,  now  comprises  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  acres  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  and  eventually  will  be  one  of  its  chief  show 
places. 

By  the  terms  of  the  proposal,  which  was  accepted  by  the  city  fathers. 
the  city  contributed  fifty  thousand  dollars,  to  which  Mr.  Rust  added  a  like 
sum.  for  the  cost  of  filling;  and  <  >i  i  September  J4.  1907,  a  contract  for  the 
work  of  dredging  and  filling  was  awarded  to  II.  \V.  Ilubbell  &  Company  for 
ninety-six  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars.  During  the  sea- 
sons of  1'  ()X-()<)  the  work  was  vigorously  prosecuted  with  a  hydraulic  dredge 
and  a  dipper  dredge,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Ilubbell.  until  the  comple- 
tion of  the  contract  in  December,  1909. 

The  work  of  filling  of  the  ground  north  of  Court  Street  brought  the 
elevation  to  five  feet  above  city  datum,  and  that  south  of  Court  Street  to 
six  feet,  while  the  dredging  of  Lake  Linton  (Emerson  Bayou)  and  the 
waters  adjacent  gave  a  depth  of  ten  to  twelve  feet  below  city  datum.  Six 
hundred  thousand  cubic  yards  of  Idling  was  required  for  this  preliminary 
improvement.  Much  further  filling  was  required,  however,  to  bring  the 
elevation  above  flood  waters,  and  this  was  provided  during  the  Summer  of 
1914  by  hydraulic  dredges  working  in  the  river  on  a  government  contract 
for  widening  and  deepening  the  stream.  Upon  the  settling  of  the  ground  to 
a  permanent  level,  this  section  of  the  park,  comprising  seventy-six  and  a  half 
acres,  will  be  in  condition  for  the  permanent  improvements  which  con- 
template the  laying  out  of  two  base  ball  diamonds,  a  foot  ball  field  and 
tennis  courts,  within  a  mile  speedway,  and  an  elaborate  plan  of  beauti- 
fying the  ground.  The  tilled  area  has  a  water  front  of  two  and  a  half  miles, 
and  a  water  area  of  over  thirty  acres. 

The  benefit  of  this  improvement  in  converting  a  large  area  of  swamp 
land  and  stagnant  water  into  solid  ground  and  living  water,  and  the  gen- 
eral benefit  to  the  health  of  the  people,  cannot  be  measured  by  a  monetary 
consideration.  It  is  even  greater  than  the  improvements  already  made  to 
the  entrance  and  older  portions  of  the  park,  improvements  that  please  the 
eye,  give  a  quiet  restful  tone  to  the  whole  neighborhood,  and  help  to  make 
life  worth  living  in  the  city.  To  the  parkings  in  the  vicinity  of  Washing- 
ton Avenue  a  peculiar  interest  attaches  by  the  presence  of  a  boulder  mark- 
ing the  site  of  the  camp  of  organization  of  the  23d  Regiment,  Michigan 
Volunteer  Infantry,  which  was  dedicated  with  appropriate  ceremonies  on 
September   11,   1913;    and  also  by  a   smaller  boulder  bearing  a  bronze  tablet. 


/-'•/, 


258  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


to  mark  the  spot  upon  Mound  Hill  on  which  once  stood  an  ancient  Indian 
village,  which  was  placed  by  the  Saginaw  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution,  and  dedicated  by  them  on  October  26,  1911.  The 
Still  fountain  at  the  intersection  of  Washington  Avenue  and  Court  Street. 
is  also  a  work  of  some  interest. 

Fordney  Park 

The  use  of  this  attractive  park,  which  was  presented  to  the  city  by 
Joseph  W.  Fordney,  is  very  similar  to  that  of  Bliss  Park,  a  neighborhood 
resting  place,  popular  for  picnics  and  a  playground  for  the  children.  It  is 
the  latest  acquisition  to  our  park  system,  having  come  under  the  care  and 
control  of  the  park  commissioners  in  1913,  and  comprises  ten  acres  of  wood- 
land, level  green  sward  and  a  small  pond.  Conveniently  situated  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  West  Side,  adjoining  the  estate  of  the  donor,  it  is  of 
easy  access  to  a  large  population,  and  its  privileges  are  enjoyed  by  numerous 
parties  and  individuals  during  the  Summer. 

Jeffers  Park 
At  the  triangle  formed  by  the  intersections  of  Genesee,  Germania  and 
Warren  Avenues  there  is  a  small  park  quite  tastefully  laid  out  with  shrubs 
and  flowers.  A  few  years  ago  this  property  was  covered  with  business 
blocks,  but  in  order  to  leave  a  fitting  memorial  to  his  brother,  the  late 
Michael  Jeffers,  John  Jeffers  and  his  niece  Miss  Elizabeth  Champe,  cleared 
the  ground  and  converted  it  into  an  attractive  little  park.  To  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  the  man  who  had  done  so  much  for  the  upbuilding  of  the 
city,  Mr.  letters  soon  after  erected  an  enduring  monument,  in  the  form  of  a 
large  and  ornate  drinking  fountain  supplied  with  crystal  water  from  a  deep 
well  close  by.  The  park  is  situated  almost  in  the  center  of  the  business 
section  of  the  East  Side,  and,  although  small  in  area,  is  much  frequented  by 
the   public. 

Federal  Park 

Adjoining  the  Federal  Building  on  the  south,  and  between  it  and  Hoyt 
Library,  from  Jefferson  to  Warren  Avenues,  there  is  a  plot  of  ground  exactly 
one  acre  in  extent,  which  is  called  Federal  Park.  It  was  laid  out  and  im- 
proved by  the  planting  of  trees  and  shrubs  shortly  after  the  government 
building  was  completed,  and  is  now  an  attractive  feature  of  a  very  pleasing 
landscape  of  stone  edifices  covered  with  ivy.  In  the  center  of  this  park  is  a 
soldiers  monument  and  fountain  erected  about  twelve  years  ago  by  Aaron  T. 
l'diss,  as  a  memorial  to  his  comrades  who  fell  in  battles  of  the  Civil  War. 
The  trees  in  this  park  are  now  of  sufficient  size  to  afford  an  abundance  of 
shade  —  a  feature  of  no  little  importance  in  providing  a  comfortable  resting 
place  di  iwn  town. 

Small   Parks 

Supplementing  the  park  system  there  are  a  number  of  circles  and  culti- 
vated spots  at  irregular  intersections  ,,f  streets,  all  properly  cared  for  by  the 
department,  such  as  Germain  Park,  Second  Street  Park,  Sheridan  Avenue 
Park,  Weadock  Park,  Park  Place  Park  and  Webber  Circle.  There  are  also 
two  unimproved  pilots  of  ground,  named  Linton  Park  and  Webber  Park, 
which  will  probably  be  objects  of  city  appropriations  for  improvements  in 
future  years. 

The  total  area  of  Saginaw's  parks  is  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  of 
which  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  are  improved  and  a  source  of 
joy  and  pleasure  to  the  people.  As  years  pass  by  the  section  of  Ezra  Rust 
Park  called  Ojibway  Island  will  be  improved,  and  other  betterments  made, 
and  eventually  the  city  will  have  a   park  system  unsurpassed   by  any  city  of 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAW'S 


259 


its  class  in  the  Middle  West.  The  present  expenditure  for  maintenance 
and  improvements  of  the  parks  exceeds  fifteen  thousand  dollars  annually, 
and  is  increasing"  from  year  to  year. 

The  Mershon- Whittier  Natatorium 

A  fitting  adjunct  to  our  parks  is  the  Mershon-Whittier  Swimming  Pool, 
which  is  under  the  care  and  control  of  the  Commissioner  of  Parks  and 
Cemeteries.  This  unique  feature  of  the  city's  utilities  was  built  and  pre- 
sented to  the  city  in  August,  1910,  by  Edward  C.  Mershon  and  Charles 
Merrill  &  Company,  as  a  fitting  memorial  to  Augustus  H.  Mershon  and 
Joseph  A.  W'hittier,  both  of  whom  were  esteemed  citizens  of  this  city;  men 
of  great  integrity  who  did  much  for  its  upbuilding  and  firm  establishment. 
The  site  for  this' swimming  pool  is  on  the  old  W'hittier  mill  property  at  the 
west  end  of  the  Johnson  Street  bridge,  a  very  accessible  location;  and  the 
records  show  that  in  1914  the  attendance  was  twenty-eight  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  seventy-seven,  of  which  Uv^:  thousand  four  hundred  and  eigh- 
teen were  women  and  girls,  using  the  pool  on  Tuesday  and  Thursday  only. 

Under  the  terms  of  the  grant  the  city  furnishes  river  water  for  the  filters, 
and  provides  for  the  maintenance  and  operation  of  the  pool.  All  the  water 
that  enters  the  pool  first  passes  through  the  filter,  which  has  a  capacity  of 
two  hundred  gallons  per  minute,  and  thence  into  one  or  other  of  the  two 
sections  of  the  concrete  basin.  The  first  section  is  sixty-eight  by  sixty-one 
feet  in  size  and  ranges  in  depth  from  eighteen  inches  to  four  feet,  while 
the  other  is  sixty-one  by  thirty-one  feet  in  size  and  has  a  depth  of  eight 
feet.  These  sections  are  separated  by  a  concrete  wall  and  railing,  si  >  that 
children  unable  to  swim  will  not  readily  get  into  deep  water.  While  the 
pool  is  in  use  the  water  is  continually  being  changed,  the  overflow  passing 
into  a  round,  shallow  pool  in  the  center  of  the  court,  wdiere  all  persons  are 
required  to  wash  with  soap  before  entering  the  swimming  pool.  Around  the 
walls  of  the  court  are  benches,  lockers  and  hooks  for  the  use  of  the  bathers. 


MERSHON-WHITTIER    NATATORIUM 


260  HIST!  )RY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

whip  may  check  their  valuables  with  an  attendant  fur  safe  keeping.  A 
nominal  charge  for  towels,  bathing  suits,  lockers  and  similar  privileges  pro- 
duces a  small  revenue  of  about   five  hundred  dollars  each   season,   which   is 

used  toward  defraying  the   expense  of  operation.     In    1''14  the   ] 1    was  in 

use  one  hundred  and  one  days,  an  average  of  six  hours  each,  using  forty- 
seven  thousand  live  hundred  gallons  of  filtered  water  each  day,  ami  a  total  of 
four  million  eight   hundred  thousand  gallons   for  the  season. 

The   City's   Cemeteries 

The  public  cemeteries  owned  and  cared  for  by  the  city,  like  the  public 
parks,  passed  under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Park  and  Cemetery  Com- 
missioners, May  24,  lr'05.  Brad_\-  Hill,  the  oldest  of  the  city's  burial  grounds, 
comprising  about  twenty-two  and  a  half  acres,  was  first  used  in  1X35.  The 
first  conveyance  was  from  Alfred  M.  Hoyt  to  the  Hoard  of  Health  of  the 
Township  of  Buena  Vista,  which,  in  1882,  by  quit-claim,  conveyed  the  same 
to  the  City  of  East  Saginaw.  The  following  year  William  L.  Webber, 
executor  and  trustee  of  the  estate  of  Jesse  Hoyt,  executed  a  release  to  the 
city  of  all  the  rights  reserved  in  tine  original  deed  made  by  Alfred  M.  Hoyt, 
which  perfected  an  absolute  title  in  the  city.  With  but  limited  revenue  from 
the  sale  of  lots,  it  was  then  almost  entirely  dependent  upon  city  appropria- 
tions for  its  care  and  maintenance,  no  endowment  fund  having  been  created 
in  former  years  for  this  purpose. 

As  a  result  of  a  want  of  foresight  on  the  part  of  the  early  board  of 
health,  and  the  parsimonj  of  the  city  fathers  thereafter,  Brady  Mill  Cemetery 
was  very  much  neglected  for  a  number  of  years.  But  in  1908,  witli  a  view 
of  adding  to  the  finances  of  the  cemetery,  the  commissioners  had  the  unoc- 
cupied portion,  at  the  corner  of  Holland  and  Jefferson  Avenues,  replatted 
into  lots  to  be  sold  for  burial  purposes.  This  action  brought  forth  a  protest 
from  the  residents  of  the  neighborhood,  together  with  a  proposition  from 
them  to  make  a  gift  of  four  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars,  so  subscribed 
by  them,  to  the  commissioners  for  the  sole  purpose  of  defraying  the  expense 
of  parking  the  unused  portions  of  the  cemetery  along  Jefferson  Avenue,  and 
at  its  intersection  with  Holland  Avenue.  This  proposition  was  accepted  by 
the  commissioners,  and  the  improvements  made  at  a  cost  of  about  seven 
hundred   dollars. 

In  l'<14  the  income  of  the  Louisa  C.  Bartlett  Endowment  Fund  for  this 
cemetery  became  available,  and  about  nineteen  hundred  dollars  were  spent 
that  year  in  improvements  about  the  family  vault  and  the  grounds  im- 
mediately surrounding  it.  With  this  work  completed  and  a  small  sum 
reserved  for  care  and  maintenance,  the  balance  of  the  money  from  the  endow- 
ment will  be  available  for  use  elsewhere  in  the  cemetery.  The  permanent 
improvements  already  made  have  added  greatly  to  the  appearance  of  the 
cemetery,  and  shows  what  can  be  done  with  intelligent  use  of  the  funds 
available. 

Oakwood  Cemetery 

A  very  suitable  plot  of  ground,  although  not  conveniently  situated,  was 
purchased  by  Saginaw  City  for  burial  purposes  in  1867.  It  is  two  miles 
beyond  the  present  city  limits,  on  the  Gratiot  State  Road,  and  will  never 
be  encroached  upon  by  the  future  expansion  or  growth  of  the  city.  As  a 
place  of  burial  it  was  opened  in  1868,  and  is  now  the  resting  place  of  many 
pioneer  citizens  who  were  early  identified  with  the  growth  and  progress  of 
Saginaw.  Comprising  ninety-eight  acres  with  a  noble  forest  of  oak,  beech 
and  maple  trees,  and  with  natural  ravines  insuring  perfect  drainage,  it  is  an 
ideal  location  for  a  cemetery  to  endure  for  ages. 


VIEWS    IN    OAKWOOD    CEMETERY 


*W 


VIEWS    IN    FOREST    LAWN    CEMETERY 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS    '  263 


It  is  unfortunate  that  no  endowment,  or  trust  fund,  has  been  established 
for  Oakwood,  a  provision  which  is  necessary  if  annual  appropriations  in 
future  years  for  care  and  maintenance  are  to  the  avoided.  The  present  con- 
ditions are  such  that  the  revenue  from  lot  sales  barely  meets  the  current 
expenses.  To  put  this  cemetery  on  a  self-supporting  basis  fur  the  future- 
should  be  the  aim  of  interested  lot  holders,  and  could  be  accomplished  by 
donations  and  bequests,  left  in  trust,  the  income  from  which  to  be  used 
for  its  care  and  perpetuity.  Endowments  also  may  be  made  by  lot  owners 
and  deposited  with  the  city  for  the  special  care  of  lots  and  keeping  in  repair 
the  stones  and  monuments  thereon. 

Forest  Lawn 
In  1881  the  limited  number  of  lots  in  Brady  II  ill  made  it  necessary  for 
the  city  to  secure  additional  burial  grounds,  and  for  this  purpose  the  I).  L.  C. 
Eaton  farm  at  the  southerly  limits  of  the  city,  containing  ninety-seven  and 
a  half  acres,  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  about  seventeen  thousand  dollars. 
In  the  same  year  the  noted  landscape  artist,  Joseph  Earnshaw.  of  Cincin- 
nati, furnished  plans,  consisting  of  a  general  l<>t  plan,  drainage  and  platting 
plans,  together  with  the  staking  out  and  numbering  of  thirteen  hundred  lots 
and   five  hundred  ami  eighty  single  graves. 

Superseding  the  old  and  obsolete  methods  of  small  sections  and  sunken 
paths,  which  were  not  economical  from  either  an  income  or  maintenance 
standpoint,  the  new  plans  were  drawn  on  modern  lines,  known  as  the  lawn 
system  or  park  plan.  The  observance  and  effect  of  this  system  with  skill 
and  taste  in  arrangement,  produced  a  uniform  ami  restful  beauty  through- 
out the  whole  cemetery. 

The  Chapel  and  Receiving  Vault,  a  durable  and  handsome  edifice,  well 
adapted  for  the  purposes  intended,  was  constructed  in  1901,  at  a  cost  of 
eight  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars,  and  is  held  subject  to  the  wishes  of 
any  persons  who  may  need  its  use.  at  a  nominal  charge.  The  artistic  setting 
of  the  chapel  has  been  enhanced  by  the  judicious  planting  of  shrubs  and 
evergreens  around  the  building,  which  is  of  Byzantine  style,  the  whole  effect 
being  very  pleasing  to  the  eye. 

In  1893  a  Local  Act  was  passed  by  the  Legislature  providing  for  a  trust 
fund  for  Forest  Lawn,  consisting  of  "fifty  per  cent,  of  all  moneys  which 
shall  from  time  to  time  be  received  from  sale  of  lots  and  single  graves  in 
said  cemetery,  shall  constitute  a  trust  fund,  the  income  from  which,  together 
with  the  remaining  fifty  per  cent.,  shall  be  used  for  the  general  care  and 
maintenance  of  said  cemetery."  The  amount  of  this  fund  on  January  1, 
1915,  was  eighty-five  thousand  five  hundred  and  eighty-four  dollars,  invested 
in  our  city  or  county  bonds.  As  the  income  from  this  trust  fund  is  used  for 
the  general  care  and  maintenance  of  the  cemetery,  and  not  for  special  care 
of  lots,  monuments  and  mausoleums,  a  number  of  lot  owners  have  made 
endowments,  amounting  to  seven  thousand  two  hundred  dollars,  for  the 
care  and  improvements  of  their  lots. 

The  Jefferson  Avenue  entrance  gates  and  parking  were  constructed  and 
improved  from  a  fund  provided  by  William  L.  Webber,  and  applied  for  these 
purposes  through  the  sanction  and  interest  of  his  daughters,  the  gate  piers 
being  of  Bedford  stone.  The  Washington  Avenue  entrance  is  now  improved 
with  wrought  iron  gates  of  graceful  design,  and  with  simple  but  massive 
granite  piers  that  will  endure  for  ages.  Mr.  O.  C.  Simonds  plan  for  planting 
at  this  entrance,  when  fully  carried  out,  was  very  pleasing  in  effect.  The 
public  service  building,  combining  rest  room  and  sexton's  office,  which  was 
built  in  1913.  covers  a  long  desired  necessity,  and  is  artistic  in  giving  a 
proper  setting  to  the  main  entrance. 


264  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


Besides  the  city's  public  cemeteries  there  are  Calvary  and  St.  Andrew's 
Cemeteries,  which  are  owned  and  maintained  by  the  several  parishes  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church.  Calvary  is  situated  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  a  short 
distance  south  of  Brady  Hill,  and  is  reached  by  a  winding  road  through 
lloyt  Park,  and  also  by  a  lane  from  Jefferson  Avenue.  Though  not  a  large 
burial  ground,  a  number  of  Saginaw's  pioneer  and  representative  citizens 
have  here  a  final  resting'  place.  It  is  a  beautiful  spot,  well  eared  for,  and 
commands  a  fine  view   ol   Hoyt   I 'ark  and  environs. 

The  Auditorium 

More  than  twenty-five  years  ago,  during  a  strike  of  lumber  shovers,  or 
"dock-whallopers"  as   they    were   called,    Wellington    R.    Burt,   in    discussing 

the  situation  with  another  citizen,  conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  huge 
building  where  the  people  could  get  together  and  talk  over  matters  in  dis- 
pute, and  thus  more  quickly  come  to  an  understanding.  As  time  passed  and 
the  need  of  such  a  building,  where  conventions  and  public  meetings  could  be 
held,  seemed  more  urgent,  a  tentative  plan  gradually  unfolded  itseli  in  his 
mind,  and  he  resolved  to  put  the  matter  before  the  people,  lie  had  just 
witnessed  the  completion  of  the  Manual  Training  School,  which  had  been 
made  possible  by  his  generosity  and  personal  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
rising  generations,  and  he  wanted  t"  do  something  for  the  older  people.  'I  he 
Spirit  of  helpful  CO-operation  and  interest  in  the  future  prosperity  of  his 
home  city,  which  he  had  known  for  more  than  fifty  years,  were  strong 
within  him,  and  he  manifested  it,  as  usual,  in  a  practical  way. 

About  1905  lie  accordingly  launched  a  movement  for  a  public  conven- 
tion hall,  to  seat  from  three  to  four  thousand  people.  The  site  at  first 
advocated  was  the  parking  between  the  Federal  Building  ami  lloyt  Library, 
1  ml  many  citizens,  wishing  to  preserve  this  attractive  spot  as  a  park,  ob- 
jected to  this  location,  and  for  a  time  the  project  was  in  abeyance.  The 
vacant  corner  at  Warren  and  Germania  Avenues  was  also  suggested  as  a 
suitable  site  for  a  public  building  of  this  character,  but  the  location  likewise 
met  with  disfavor,  the  price  asked  being  generally  regarded  as  prohibitive. 
Thus  the  matter  drifted  until  October,  1907,  when  Wellington  R.  Burt  and 
Temple  E.  Dorr  made  a  joint  proposal  to  the  city  council,  providing  for  the 
erection  of  a  municipal  convention  hall. 

Their  proposition  was  a  very  favorable  one  to  the  city,  inasmuch  as  it 
provided  for  an  expenditure  on  their  part  of  seventy-live  thousand  dollars 
toward  the  project,  the  city  to  furnish  the  remainder  of  the  cost  of  construc- 
tion and  equipment.  The  offer  was  duly  accepted  by  the  council,  plans  and 
specifications  were  prepared  by  W.  T.  Cooper  &  Son,  and  the  contract  tor 
the  erection  of  the  building  awarded  to  John  II.  Qualmann.  The  site 
finally  selected  was  entirely  satisfactory  to  the  citizens  in  general,  and  has  a 
frontage  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  on  Washington  Avenue,  and  ex- 
tends one  hundred  and  eighty  feet  on  Janes.  (  In  April  24.  1908,  the  corner 
stone  was  laid  with  interesting  ceremonies,  and  the  construction  work  was 
rushed  during  the  Summer,  in  order  to  have  it  completed  in  <  (ctober,  for  the 
Fifty-sixth  Convention  of  the  Michigan  State  Teachers  Association. 

On  September  30  the  large  building  was  so  near  completion  that  the 
first  public  meeting-  was  held,  and  on  (  >ctober  23  occurred  the  first  formal 
civic  opening,  when  the  keys  of  the  Auditorium  were  delivered  by  the  donors 
to  the  trustees,  who  had  been  duly  appointed  to  manage  its  affairs.  The 
dedicatory  ceremonies,  taking  the  form  of  a  grand  musical  festival,  were 
held  on  October  28  and  29,  and  eclipsed  anything  of  this  nature  ever  at- 
tempted in  Saginaw  Valley.  The  great  feature  of  the  concerts  was  the  New 
York  Symphony  <  irehestra,  directed  by  Walter  Damrosch,  aided  by  a  mixed 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAW'S 


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"".IBI"  - 


THE    AUDITORIUM 
Erected   in   1908  through  the  munificence  of  Wellington    I:    Burl   and   Temple   E.   Dorr 


chorus  of  four  hundred  voices  under  the  direction  of  John  G.  Cummings,  and 
the  great  organ  played  by  C.  II.  White,  of  Bay  City.  The  soloists  were 
Mine.  Johanna  Gadski,  Mine.  Isabella  Boulton,  contralto,  and  George  Ham- 
lin, tenor;  and  Earl  Morse,  violinist,  and  Frank  LaForge,  pianist,  added 
greatly  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  concerts. 

The  climax   of   the  grand    festival    was   on    the   evening  oi    the    twenty- 
eighth,   when    Mendelssohn's   Hymn   of   Praise   was  rendered   by   the   chorus, 


orchestra   and 


.gel 


in  a  manner  surpassing  any  previous  effort  of  the 
singers,  and  which  still  lingers  in  the  memory  of  all  music  lovers  who  were 
present.  On  the  following  afternoon  occurred  the  second  of  the  orchestra 
concerts,  and  in  the  evening  was  given  the  complimentary  concert  to  the 
teachers  at  the  convention.  More  than  four  thousand  were  admitted  to  the 
great  hall,  yet  many  were  unable  to  enter,  so  crowded,  was  every  corner  of 
the  structure.  When  .Mine.  Gadski  learned  of  this  condition,  she  kindly 
offered,  in  order  that  none  of  the  teachers  should  be  disappointed,  to  give  an 
extra  concert  the  following  morning,  which  was  held  to  an  overflow  house  at 
the  Academy  of  Music. 

On  these  occasions  the  great  organ,  a  magnificent  gift  of  Mr.  Burt,  was 
heard  for  the  first  time  by  throngs  of  citizens,  and  visitors  to  the  city,  all 
of  whom  were  captivated  by  its  tone  and  power.  In  the  lofts  at  either  side 
of  the  stage,  and  in  the  center  of  the  ceiling,  are  the  great,  swell,  pedal  and 
echo  organs,  while  the  four  manual  console,  electrically  operating  many  hun- 
dred pipes  of  the  fifty-five  stops,  is  in  the  center  of  the  orchestra  pit.  The 
organ  is  one  of  the  great  features  of  the  Auditorium,  and  is  heard  to  splendid 
advantage  at  the  Sunday  afternoon  concerts  during  the  Winter,  and  at 
musical  festivals  and  other  gala  occasions.  It  was  built  and  set  up  by  the 
Austin  Organ  Company,  at  a  cost  of  about  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and 
ranks  among  the  largest  and  best  in  the  State. 


•266  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  Auditorium  itself  is  a  valuable  asset  to  the  city,  ami  with  its 
splendid  equipment,  thanks  to  the  generosity  of  Messrs.  Burt  and  Dorr,  has 
cost  the  city  only  about  fifty  thousand  dollars,  the  burden  of  which  is  spread 
over  a  number  of  years.  The  benefits  accruing  from  this  large  and  useful 
building  are  enjoyed  by  present  generations,  as  well  as  it  will  be  by  those 
tn  follow,  and  is  for  the  use  of  the  people,  not  for  any  particular  party,  class 
or  creed,  but  is  open  to  the  humblest  citizen.  It  provides  a  suitable  place 
for  holding  large  public  meetings,  conventions,  industrial  expositions,  musical 
festivals  and  theatricals,  while  the  banquet  hall  above  the  lobby  affords 
every  facility  for  dancing  parties,  art  exhibits,  lectures  and  small  gatherings. 
'Jdie  Hoard  of  Auditorium  Trustees  is  composed  of  William  S.  Linton,  pres- 
ident. William  Ferris,  secretary,  and  W.   R.   Purmort,  treasurer. 

Adjoining  the  Auditorium  on  the  west  is  the  new  and  well-equipped 
Armory  Building,  which  houses  the  local  company  of  the  State  Militia  and 
the  Second  Division  of  the  Michigan  State  Naval  Brigade.  This  is  a  three- 
story  and  basement  brick  and  stone  structure,  sixty  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  in  size,  of  pleasing  and  appropriate  style,  and  was  completed  in 
the  Fall  of  1909.  It  was  built  jointly  by  the  State  and  the  city,  the  legisla- 
tive appropriations  being  twenty  thousand  dollars,  while  the  city  contrib- 
uted ten  thousand  dollars  additional,  for  its  construction.  Affording  com- 
plete club  facilities,  with  reading  room,  billiard  and  pool  room,  howling 
alleys,  gymnasium  and  drill  hall,  and  shower  baths,  the  new  armory  is  much 
appreciated  by  the  officers  and  men  of  the  two  companies. 

Directly  opposite  the  Armory,  at  the  foot  of  Janes  Street,  is  Battery 
Park,  on  ground  which  was  purchased  by  the  city  in  1909  for  a  municipal 
dock  and  water  front  park.  It  is  an  admirable  drill  ground  for  the  militia, 
ami  affords  convenient  docking  facilities  for  the  naval  reserve  cutters  and 
small  craft  in  general.  The  municipal  investment  in  this  park  and  the  im- 
provements was  about  eight  thousand  dollars,  the  benefits  of  which  will 
largely  accrue  to  following  generations. 

City  Government  by  Commission 

As  a  whole  the  citizens  of  Saginaw,  with  all  their  progressiveness  and 
enterprise,  have  been  quite  free  in  the  past  from  adopting  fads  and  fancies, 
seemingly  being  content  to  "let  well  enough  alone."  But  in  the  matter  of 
civil  government  they  all  at  once  discovered,  or  thought  they  had,  that  they 
were  far  behind  the  times,  and,  throwing  traditions  aside,  they  overturned 
the  old  party  regime,  with  its  cliques,  combinations  and  frame-ups.  and 
adopted  a  new  and  less  cumbersome  municipal  government.  Among  the 
various  causes  for  this  revolution  may  be  cited  sectional  strife  and  jealousy, 
party  garb  for  spoils;  it  was  charged  there  was  wasteful  and  inefficient 
conduct  of  city  affairs;  and  possibly  the  Genesee  Avenue  Bridge  muddle, 
the  gas  franchise  scandal,  the  electric  lighting  contracts,  and  disregard  of 
the  will  of  the  people  had  something  to  do  with  it. 

As  a  matter  of  fact  the  city  was  not  badly  managed  as  many  of  our 
citizens  imagined.  At  the  time  of  transition  to  '■commission  form  of  gov- 
ernment," Saginaw  stood  at  the  head  of  all  cities  in  the  United  States  of 
like  population  as  to  its  general  credit,  rate  of  taxation,  etc.  Even  granting 
the  errors  and  omissions  of  former  councils,  a  grave  doubt  existed  in  the 
minds  of  many  conservative,  yet  progressive  citizens,  that  the  new  form  of 
government  was  any  better  than  the  old.  or  would  deliver  them  from  blunder 
in  the  future.  The  ideas  of  the  reformers  however  prevailed,  ami  the  ques- 
tion of  making  a  new  charter  was  put  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  and  carried. 
In  due  course  the  charter  commissioners  were  elected,  and  after  many  months 
of  deliberation  over  the  various  provisions  proposed,  a  new  charter  was  com- 


& 


TW  , 


26S  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


pleted  and  presented  to  the  people.  At  a  special  election  held  November  15, 
1913,  the  charter  was  approved  by  a  majority  of  nine  hundred  and  ninety-two, 
and  it  took  effect  January  1,  1914. 

By  the  terms  of  the  new  charter,  a  primary  election  was  required  to  he 
held  on  December  first  next  following,  for  the  purpose  of  choosing  the 
nominees  for  mayor  and  four  other  councilmen,  and  ten  supervisors  at  large. 
There  was  a  large  held  of  available  material,  for  the  most  part  eager  to  he 
retained  or  to  get  in  public  service,  and  great  interest  was  aroused  among 
all  classes  of  the  people.  The  campaign  waxed  warm  and  fifty-four  candi- 
dates qualified  for  the  councilmanic  plums,  and  forty-three  for  the  office  of 
supervisors.  The  three  candidates  for  mayor  were  Ard  E.  Richardson, 
Albert  \Y.  Tausend  and  Daniel  Crane.  From  the  first  strong  opposition  was 
aroused  to  the  candidacy  of  Mr.  Tausend,  chiefly  among  the  leaders  of  his 
own  part)'  (politics  still  dominating  the  situation),  and  personal  animosities 
entered  in  no  small  degree  to  heighten  the  interest,  The  Democratic  party 
was  dominated  by  the  Beach-Lown  faction,  which  insisted  on  simon  pure 
Democratic  timber  for  all  public  offices,  and  newer  forgave  Tausend  for  a 
division  of  the  offices  with  hated  Republicans,  especially  certain  city  officials 
who  were  kept  in  office  by  the  Tausend-Stenglein-Graebner  combination  in 
the    council. 

This  combination  procured  for  the  city  a  non-partisan  body  of  city  offi- 
cials. ;it  the  head  of  which  was  George  C.  Warren,  controller  (Republican). 
Mr.  Warren's  efficiency  is  unquestioned,  lie  placed  the  city's  accounting 
Upon  a  hasis  second  to  none  in  use  in  any  municipality  in  the  country.  Mr. 
Tausend's  (Democrat)  effort  for  efficient  non-partisan  city  administration 
cost  him  defeat   in  immediate   future  aspiration   to  office. 

The  spirit  of  revolution  was  strong  among  the  voters,  and  they  de- 
termined to  establish  an  entirely  new  regime  in  city  affairs.  A  new  square 
deal  was  what  was  needed  for  the  best  interests  of  the  city.  To  change 
the  system,  as  they  had  previously  voted  to  do.  and  reorganize  the  city 
business,  and  then  put  back  into  control  the  men  who  were  wrongfully 
charged  1>_\  the  press  with  having  strenuously  fought  against  any  change, 
would  be  the  height  of  folly  as  showing  a.  lamentable  want  of  common  sense. 
An  entirely  new  set  of  managers  was  what  they  wanted.  The  truth  was  many 
of  the  members  of  the  old  Council,  including  Mayor  Tausend,  were  in  favor 
of  and  voted  for  the  new  form  of  government.  So  the  electors  marched  duti- 
fully to  the  polls  and  registered  their  verdict,  with  the  result  that  Ard  F. 
Richardson  was  elected  mayor  by  a  majority  of  fourteen  hundred  and  twenty- 
two,  carrying  sixteen  id'  the  twenty  wards.  The  councilmen  nominated  at 
the  primary  were:  William  1*'.  Jahnke,  Robert  F.  Johnson,  William  lleiui. 
William  II.  Reins.  George  Holcomb,  Egbert  II.  Patterson,  I.  E.  Runchey  and 
Charles  II.   Peters. 

The  election  of  the  councilmen  and  supervisors  was  held  December  22, 
1913,  and  was  merely  formal  as  carrying  out  the  expressed  wishes  of  the 
people.  Some  surprising  results  obtained  nevertheless,  and  most  noteworthy 
being  the  strong  following  of  William  II.  Reins,  who  led  all  the  nominees. 
The  vote  was:  William  II.  Reins,  four  thousand  and  twenty-one;  William 
F.  Jahnke,  thirty-eight  hundred  and  twenty-nine;  George  Holcomb,  thirty- 
eight  hundred  and  twelve;  and  Robert  F.  Johnson,  thirty-six  hundred  and 
fifty-eight.  The  supervisors  elected  were:  Charles  F.  Bauer,  John  J.  Leid- 
lein,  Abe  Van  Overen,  Leo  I.  Demers,  Fred  Bluhm,  John  B.  Nauer,  Adam 
Sharp,  Fred  P..  Curtis,  Julius  C.  Hahn  and  George  P..  Scollen.  These  men 
elected  at  large  represent  the  entire  city  on  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  and 
act  with  the  mayor,  councilmen.  city  controller,  city  engineer,  city  attorney, 
and  the  five  members  of  the  board  of  review,  as  representatives  of  the  City 
of  Saginaw    on   the   county's  governing   board. 


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270  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Present  Council 

The  new  charter  provided  that  the  term  of  the  lirst  council  should  expire 
on  April  11,  I'll  5,  and  a  new  council  elected  fur  two  and  four  year  terms.  At 
the  primaries  held  mi  March  Id,  with  a  strong  array  of  candidates  in  the 
field,  Ard  E.  Richardson  and  Hilem  F.  Paddock  were  nominated  for  the 
office  of  mayor,  George  Holcomb  was  elected  councilman  (having  received  a 
majority),  and  the  choice  of  six  other  nominees  for  councilmen  and  twenty 
for  supervisors  was  consistent  with  the  idea  of  good  government.  Political 
influences,  however,  were  still  strong  in  moulding  public  opinion  and  party 
lines  were  drawn  close,  especially  in  the  contest  for  the  mayoralty. 

The  dominating  faction  of  the  Democratic  party  rallied  to  the  support 
of  Mr.  Paddock,  and  conducted  a  quiet,  inside  campaign  of  great  effective- 
ness. In  this  policy  they  were  unconsciously  aided  by  the  supporters  of  Mr. 
Richardson,  who  adopted  a  blatant,  laudatory  method  of  conducting  their 
campaign,  featured  by  expressions  so  derogatory  to  the  opposing  nominee  as 
to  lie  almost  vituperant  in  intensity.  ( Hher  influences  also  were  at 
work,  reminding  the  people  of  certain  acts  of  the  chief  executive,  evidently 
prompted  by  the  reformers  of  his  part}-,  including  the  disorganization  of 
the  police  department,  the  tire  department  investigation  farce,  and  other  ill- 
advised  matters,  which  at  the  time  met  with  wide  public  disapproval.  Al- 
though many  voters  were  not  impressed  by  the  administrative  abilities  dis- 
played by  the  Mayor,  they  generally  agreed  that  the  city  had  never  had  a 
more  conscientious  and  hard-working  official — actuated  by  high  ideals. 

The  election  was  held  on  Tuesday,  April  0,  1915,  and  resulted  very 
happily  to  the  supporters  of  Mr.  Paddock,  he  being  swept  into  office  by  a 
majority  of  ten  hundred  and  fifty-three.  All  the  other  councilmen,  William 
F.  Jahnke,  Robert  F.  Johnson  and  William  II.  Reins  were  re-elected  to  office 
by  substantial  majorities;  and  the  supervisors  elected  were:  Charles  F. 
Bauer,  Fred  Bluhm,  Sr.,  John  J.  Leidlein,  George  Schulz  and  Adam  Sharp, 
for  the  four-year  term,  and  Charles  A.  Beckman,  Fred  F.  Curtis,  John  fl. 
Deibel,  Julius  C.  Halm,  and  Chester  A.   1  lowed,  for  the  two-year  term. 

City  Officers,  July   1,   1915 

Mayor,    President   of   the   Council, 

Commissioner  of  Health  and  Safety  Hilem  F.  Paddock 
Vice-President  of  the  Council, 

Commissioner  of  Light,  Water  and  Sewers Robert   F.  Johnson 

Commissioner  of  Finance William    F.    Jahnke 

Commissioner  of   Public  Works     George   Ilolcomh 

Commissioner  of  Parks  and  Cemeteries     William    II.   Reins 

Controller     George  C.  Warren 

Deputy    Controller Carl    A.    Werner 

Treasurer William    F.    Jahnke 

Deputy    Treasurer..  Hoyt    Holcomb 

Clerk Herbert   S.   Gay 

Deputy    Clerk Frank    Ardern 

Assessi  ir Charles    Spindler 

Deputv   Assessi  >r Charles    Evans 

Attorney Robert    T.    Holland 

Recorder  and  Police  Judge William  H.  Martin 

Justice  of  the   Peace Arthur  Clements 

Health   Officer  Dr.  W.  J.  O'Reilly 

Physician Dr.  F.  W.  Edelmann 

Chief  < if   Police Patrick   Kain 


THE  CONSOLIDATED  SAGINAWS  271 

Chief  of  Fire  Department George  W.  Wallis 

Assistant  Chief  of  Fire  Department Robert  B.  Hudson 

Superintendent  of  Poor John   Clark 

Plumbing  Inspector Joseph   Schrems 

City    Electrician James    Niven 

Inspector  of  Foods  and  Measures Noble  R.  Snell 

City  Engineer Herman    1 1.    Eymer 

Assistant   Engineer Otto    Eckert 

Superintendent  of   Parks  Daniel    11.    Ellis 

Board  of  Estimates 

Jacob    Schwartz,  President 
W.  E.  McCorkle     M.  W.  Guider     Fred  J.  Buckhout     James  G.  Macpherscm 

Board  of  Review 

George  S.   Lockwood,    President 
James  C.  Corn.well       F.  C.  Trier       William  A.  Iirewer       Simon  G.  Koepke 


THE     FIRST     COUNCIL     UNDER     THE     COMMISSION     GOVERNMENT 


1—  Aid  E.   Richardson.  Mayor  2 — Robert   F.    Johnson 

3 — George   Holcomb  4 — William   F.   Jahnke  5 — William  H.   Reins 


272  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Mayors  of  East  Saginaw 

1859  -William   L.   P.   Little  1874     —Herbert    11.    Hoyt 

1860  —William   ].  Bartow  1875  |       ,-,  ,,,    ,,'•• 
10,.  ,                       -  ,.,-.   y — Chauncey  \\  .  Wisner 

N"     '-Charles   B.    Mott  f76 

1862  \  IS//         ,,      ..       ..    „, 

io    3  „-■,,■         I-    ,-,     ,  u„,,     — Bradley    Al.     I  In  >mi>son 

1863  —William  F.  Glasby  18/8  \  ■  ' 

1864  —lames  F.  Brown  '  1879  I 

1865  —Samuel  W.  Yawkev  1880  [•  -John  Welch 

1866  — Dwight  G.  Holland  1881 J 

1867  —Wellington  R.  Burt  1882      — Leander  Simoneau 

1868  I       ,  ,     ,-    ,   ,  1883     — Frank    Lawrence 

1869  \  -James  '-  Ketcham  1884  )      ,   ,      .    r  t  ,        , 

1870  -John   G.  (-wen  1885}- 

1871  — Leander  Simoneau  1886") 

1872  —Charles   L.   Ortman  1887J 

1873  —William  L.  Webber  1888) 


IS/ 1     — Leander  Simoneau  18S(>  1       ,,  , ,     x. 

,„--,         ,-,      ,       T      ..  .  ,,,.,-  V — Henry  Al.    Youmans 

'872    — Charles  L.  Ortman  188/  J 


— William  B.  Baum 


Mayors  of  Saginaw  City 

,o-o     — Gardner  D.   Williams  1974  \ — Benton   Hanchett 

!oAn  '-—George  W.  Bullock  If-5,  I —Fred  H.  Potter 

1860  J  °  1 8/  ( i  \ 

1861  I       t   ,      •>,  1877  1  t-   j 
1S(|)     —John  Moore  .„_„  I —  George  F.  Lewis 

}^g  |.  -Peter  C.  Andre  jgj  I  -Lyman   W  .    Bliss 

1865  Stewart    1!    Williams  1SS1   |        .      .         ,,.,. 

1866  —William  M.  Miller  1882  \  ~ Arthur  nm 

1867]  1883     —Peter    C.    Andre 

1868  \  —Alfred  F.  R.  Braley  1884!      n,      ,       T     r. 

jS|l)  -  1885  1 — Charles   P.    benjamin 

1870  —William    H.   Sweet  1886      —Arthur   Hill 

1871  -George  F.  Williams  1887      —John   11.  Shackelton 

1872  -William  H.  Sweet  ISSN     —Lyman   W.   Bliss 

1889     —Gilbert  Al.  Stark 


Mayors  of  the   City   of   Saginaw 

1890  ]  1904 ] 

1891  J  —George  W.  Weadock  1905  J —Henry  E.   Lee 

1892  J  1906  J 

1892  |  1906] 

1893  \  -William  S.   Linton  1907  ,  —William   B.    Baum 

1894  J  1908  J 


1895  /      ,,-.,,.        ,,    ,,      ,  1908 
,. • — William  a.  Mershon  ,,-    t.  ,, 

1896  \  to      — George  W.  Stewart.   Al.    I). 


1896]  1912  J 

to       —William  B.  Baum  1912  I        s,,  ,,,     ^ 

1904  j  1913  J  — Albert    W.    1  ausend 

1914  I        .     ,  r    ...  ,      ', 
,q,-     — Ard  L.  Richardson 

1915  — Hilem   F.   Paddock 


HILEM    F.    PADDOCK 

-Mayor  of   Saginaw 

1915-1919 


CHAPTER    XIV 

OUR    EDUCATIONAL   DEVELOPMENT 


The  Earliest  Schools  —  A.  S.  Gaylord  Takes  Charge  —  The  New  "Union  School" — 
Expansion  of  the  Schools  —  The  Union  School  District  —  Modern  Buildings  —  The 
Arthur  llill  Trade  School  —  The  First  School  at  East  Saginaw — Building  the 
"Academy" — Pioneer  Teachers  —  Alonzo  L.  Bingham  in  Charge  —  Organization  of 
Board  of  Education  —  Extension  of  the  School  System  —  Prof.  Tarbell's  Unique 
Action  —  The  Hurt  Manual  Training  School  —  Sectarian  and  Parochial  Schools  —  The 
First  Public  Library  —  The  Public  and  Union  School  Library  —  The  Butman-Fish 
Memorial  Library  —  The  Public  Library — [ioyt  Library  —  Literary  and  Reading 
Clubs  — The   Art   Club. 

ONE  of  the  chief  drawbacks  to  pioneer  life  in  the  wilderness  was  the 
want  of  schools,  which,  with  the  hardships  and  privations  suffered 
by  the  early  settlers,  was  keenly  felt.  Scarcely  had  the  woodsman 
felled  the  trees  that  supplied  the  logs  for  bis  house,  and  disturbed 
the  soil  for  planting  potatoes  and  corn,  ere  bis  thoughts  turned  to  the  educa- 
tion nf  bis  children.  Coming  from  New  England  or  New  York  where  in 
boyhood  he  bad  received  such  instruction  and  training  as  was  afforded  by 
old  established  schools,  be  naturally  brought  the  educational  habit  with  him, 
and  bis  early  efforts  to  provide  school  instruction  speak  well  for  bis  intelli- 
gence. It  is  therefore  eminently  fitting  that  some  account  of  the  inception 
and  growth  of  the  work  which  was  started  by  our  sturdy  pioneers,  should 
be  included  in  this  narrative  id'  human  progress. 

The  Earliest  Schools 

The  first  school  in  Saginaw  Count}-,  or  in  fact  in  this  section  of  .Michigan, 
was  opened  in  the  Fall  of  1834  by  Albert  Miller.  It  was  located  in  a  portion 
of  the  old  lo<;-  barracks  which  bad  been  erected  by  the  United  States  troops 
in  1SJ2.  In  the  little  dingy  room,  the  walls  of  which  were  hewed  logs  with 
mud  and  moss  filling  the  crevices,  and  the  windows  covered  with  oiled  paper, 
were  gathered  all  the  children  for  two  or  three  miles  around,  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-five  in  number,  some  of  whom  were  half-breeds.  Here,  in  the 
forest  wilderness,  on  the  border  id'  a  great  unknown  territory  stretching  west- 
ward to  the  Pacific,  was  planted  the  first  token  of  advancing  civilization. 
It  was  in  strong  contrast  to  our  present  elaborate  system,  with  brick  and 
stone  school  buildings  perfectly  equipped,  corps  of  intelligent  teachers  and 
thousands   of   pupils. 

In  1837  School  District  No.  1,  of  Saginaw  Township,  was  organized, 
and  the  first  school  house,  a  small  frame  building,  was  erected  on  the  south 
side  of  Court  Street  near  the  site  of  the  court  house.  Some  years  later  it 
ivas  removed  across  the  street  to  ground  now  occupied  by  the  county  jail. 
The  first  teacher  of  this  organized  public  school  was  Horace  S.  Peach,  of 
New  York  City,  whose  efforts  to  instill  knowledge  in  the  young  members 
of  the  community  evidently  were  successful,  for  be  retained  the  position 
until  1840. 

During  the  following  winter  Henry  A.  Campbell  and  Dion  Birney,  the 
latter  a  brother  of  James  ( ',.  Birney,  followed  as  teachers,  and  in  the  Summer 
of  1S41  the  position  was  filled  by  Miss  Catherine  Peach,  afterward  Mrs. 
Samuel  Shattuck.  From  1X42  to  1845  the  school  had  several  teachers  suc- 
ceeding each  other,  including  Ira   Bissell,  of  Grand   Blanc;    Daniel  Woodin, 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  275 

of  St.  Clair;  and  Edwin  Ferris,  of  New  York.  During  the  term  of  Mr. 
Ferris  the  number  of  pupils  became  too  large  for  one  room  and  one  teacher, 
and  the  school  building  was  thereupon  enlarged  and  Miss  Harmony  Hay- 
wood employed  as  assistant.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Woodman,  of  Hamilton, 
New  York,  was  employed  as  teacher  for  a  few  months. 

In  1X45  Miss  Harriet  A.  Spaulding,  a  young  woman  of  fine  education 
and  accomplishments,  came  as  missionary  from  Boston.  In  the  public 
schools  she  found  an  excellent  opportunity  to  advance  good  work  among 
the  young,  and  was  so  employed  during  that  year  and  in  1846.  Her  mission 
was  not  in  vain,  for  years  after  her  pupils  still  cherished  letters  written  to 
them  after  her  departure,  which  prove  her  sincere  regard  for  them.  From 
1847  to  1850  there  were  several  teachers,  including  Miss  Eliza  Booth.  E.  C. 
Erwin.  Miss  Anna  Dayton-,  Joseph  A.  Ripley,  of  Tuscola,  Charles  T.  Dis- 
brow,  and  Milo  Woodward,  of  Ohio.  In  1S47.  when  the  district  school  was 
in  charge  of  Miss  Booth,  a  private  school  was  taught  for  several  months  by 
Miss  Angeline  J.  Berry;  hut  the  public  school  from  its  beginning  generally 
met  the  educational  needs  of  the  time. 

Augustine  S.  Gaylord  Takes  Charge 

Early  in  April.  1851,  Augustine  S.  Gaylord  came  here  from  Ohio  and 
was  employed  as  teacher  of  the  school,  which  then  had  an  average  attendance 
of  fifty-five  scholars.  In  November  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Gaylord  was 
appointed  deputy  county  clerk,  and  relinquished  the  duties  of  teacher  to 
Charles  Johnson  who  filled  the  position  until  the  Fall  of  1853.  At  this  time 
Saginaw  City  abolished  the  rate  bill  and  made  her  school  absolutely  free, 
being  one  of  the  first  towns  in  the  State  to  take  such  action. 

The  new  "Union  School,"  which  had  been  in  process  of  erection  on  the 
south  side  of  Court  Street,  at  the  east  corner  of  Webster  Street,  was  com- 
pleted late  in  1853.  It  was  a  two-story  frame  building,  divided  midway  of 
its  length  by  a  hall  and  double  flight  of  stairs,  and  contained  four  rooms  to 
accommodate  about  two  hundred  pupils.  For  sixteen  years  this  school  was 
the  chief  temple  of  knowledge  to  the  rising  generation,  and  within  its  walls 
many  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Saginaw  City  received  their  early  educa- 
tion. In  1868  the  building  was  removed  to  the  Fourth  Ward,  where  it  served 
the  same  cause  for  a  number  of  years.  It  was  afterward  used  as  a  parochial 
school   by  SS.  Peter  and    Paul   Church. 

The  first  teacher  of  the  new  Union  School  was  Charles  R.  Gaylord,  who 
received  a  salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  for  the  school  year  of  forty-four 
weeks.  This  was  the  highest  compensation  ever  before  given  to  a  teacher 
in  the  Saginaw  school.  He  was  assisted  by  Miss  Mary  Rice,  of  Grand 
Blanc,  and  the  attendance  in  two  rooms  was  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
scholars.  In  the  following  year  the  number  of  pupils  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty,  necessitating  the  employment  of  a  second  assistant  teacher. 
The  studies  pursued  were  the  common  English  branches,  natural  philosophy, 
algebra  and  Latin. 

Mr.  Gaylord  was  succeeded  in  1835  by  1'.  S.  Heisrodt,  who  conducted 
the  schools  with  characteristic  vigor  for  four  years,  lie  was  followed  by 
A.  L.  Bingham,  a  life-long  and  successful  teacher,  whose  memory  is  held  in 
grateful  remembrance  by  many  of  our  older  citizens.  The  principals  who 
succeeded  Mr.  Bingham  were:  Isaac  Delano,  1862-63;  Lucius  Birdseye, 
1863-65;  Joseph  W.  Ewing,  1865-69;  C.  D.  Heine,  1869-72;  Cornelius  A. 
Gower,  1872-7(>,  and  Cyrus  B.  Thomas,  1876  to  1885. 

Among  the  well-known  teachers  at  this  period  and  for  some  years  fol- 
lowing were:  Miss  Sibyl  C.  Palmer.  Miss  Sarah  L.  Johnston,  Miss  fosephine 
E.   f.ohnston,  Miss   M.    |.  Alexander,   Mrs.    fuliette    Fonda  and   Mrs.   Maiw   11. 


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OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  277 


Prentiss.  In  1881  George  Hempel  was  principal  of  the  High  School,  and 
Miss  Isabella  Ripsom  and  Miss  Mary  E.  Gelston  were  his  assistants.  The 
lower  grades  were  taught  by  the  Misses  Annie  and  Minnie  De  Land,  Mary 
E.  Atwater,  Fannie  G.  Lewis,  Lucy  L.  Townsend  and  Maggie  A.  Durand. 
The  German-English  course,  fifth  and  sixth  grades,  was  conducted  by  Con- 
stantin  Watz ;  and  Misses  Emily  Barck,  Florence  E.  Guillott  and  Anna 
Rose  taught  the  primary  grades.  <  )ther  successful  teachers  were  Misses 
Emily  Case,  Carrie  Redman,  Gertrude  Lee,  Rhoda  I.  Van  Zile,  Jessie  Lee, 
Emma  Plessner,  Sadie  Ketcham  and  Leila  M.  Lyon.  Mr.  L.  M.  Fetzer  was 
instructor  in   German-English   in   the    Fifth    Ward   School. 

Expansion  of  the  Schools 

In  1860  the  population  of  Saginaw  City  was  nearly  eighteen  hundred. 
and  the  need  of  additional  school  facilities  began  to  be  felt.  Immigration 
to  the  valley  during  this  decade  was  so  rapid  that  it  was  difficult  for  those 
in  charge  of  educational  affairs  to  provide  accommodations  for  all  the  chil- 
dren who  would  attend  school.  Every  few  years  the  school  board  provided 
for  the  erection  of  a  new  school,  but  it  was  not  until  1868  that  the  demand 
was  fully  met. 

The  Sixth  Ward  school  house,  a  two-story  brick  building,  was  erected 
in  1863  at  a  cost  of  three  thousand  dollars.  Though  of  plain  exterior,  its 
two  rooms  furnished  pleasant  accommodations  for  one  hundred  and  twenty 
pupils,  who,  after  four  years  of  primary  instruction,  were  promoted  to  the 
Central   School. 

In  1865-66  a  new  brick  school  house  was  erected  in  the  Third  Ward,  at 
a  cost  of  seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It  was  a  two-story  structure 
containing  two  large  and  well-lighted  rooms,  a  wide  hall  and  ample  cloak 
room.  The  first  four  grades  only  were  taught  here,  the  scholars  then  being 
sent  to  the  fifth  grade  in  the  Central  School. 

The  First  Ward  School  at  the  North  End,  or  what  was  known  as  the 
Penoyer  Farm,  was  a  frame  building,  one  story  in  height,  was  built  in  ISoS, 
and  enlarged  in  1872.  It  contained  three  rooms  in  which  the  pupils  com- 
pleted  six   grades  of   school    work    before   promotion   to   the   Central    School. 

'fhe  first  really  imposing  school  building  in  Saginaw  Citv  was  built  in 
18(i~-68,  and  was  called  the  Central  School,  its  location  being  on  the  north 
side  of  Court  Street,  between  Harrison  and  Webster  Streets.  It  was  con- 
structed of  brick  and  stone,  three  stories  in  height,  with  a  basement,  and  was 
crowned  with  a  Mansard  roof  above  which  rose  a  lofty  bell  tower.  This 
school  house  contained  twenty-seven  assembly  ami  recitation  rooms,  capable 
of  seating  about  eight  hundred  pupils.  All  the  grades  were  taught  here, 
pupils  remaining  twelve  years  in  the  school  before  graduation.  Afterward, 
the  building  was  provided  with  steam  heat  and  thorough  ventilation,  when 
it  was  exceedingly  well  fitted  for  the  purposes  of  education.  Twenty  years 
ago  it  was  gutted  by  fire,  rebuilt  along  modern  ideas,  newly  equipped,  and 
given  the  name,  John   Moore  School. 

'fhe  fifth  Ward  School,  occupying  an  entire  square  on  Charles  Street, 
one  block  north  of  Court,  was  a  two-story  frame  building  containing  four 
rooms,  and  planned  to  seat  about  two  hundred  pupils.  It  was  built  in  1872 
at  a  cost  of  fixe  thousand  dollars,  (inly  the  two  primary  grades  were  here 
taught,  pupils  being  transferred  at  the  end  of  the  second  rear  to  the  Central 
School. 

In  1870,  when  the  population  of  the  city  had  reached  seven  thousand 
five  hundred,  the  official  school  census  showed  twenty-one  hundred  children 
of  school  age  (from  five  to  twenty-one  years),  and  the  number  of  teachers 
employed    was   twenty-five.     The   total   enrollment    for    that    year    was    four- 


278  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


teen  hundred,  and  the  average  daily  attendance  was  about  eight  hundred. 
Ten  years  later  the  population  had  increased  to  ten  thousand  six  hundred, 
and  the  teachers  numbered  thirty-five,  including  Superintendent  Thomas 
and  special  teachers  in  penmanship,  drawing  and  music.  The  total  enroll- 
ment of  pupils  was  seventeen  hundred  and  sixty-seven,  and  the  average  daily 
attendance   for  the  year  was  twelve  hundred  and  thirty-three. 

The  Union   School   District 

By  a  special  enactment  of  the  Michigan  Legislature  in  1865,  the  Union 
School  District  was  organized,  and  put  under  the  exclusive  control  of  a 
school  board  of  six  trustees.  Under  this  special  act  the  schools  were  care- 
fully reorganized  with  three  departments  —  primary,  grammar  and  high 
school.  Each  of  these  department'-  covered  four  years,  and  a  course  of  study 
was  prescribed  for  the  twelve  years.  The  first  class  t"  complete  the  course 
graduated  from  the  high  school  in  1870,  and  was  composed  of  ten  scholars, 
four  boys  and   six  girls. 

During  these  years  the  services  of  several  public-spirited  citizens,  who 
gave  time  and  attention  to  promote  the  advancement  of  learning,  stand  out 
boldly.  Such  services  were  rendered,  as  a  rule,  without  adequate  reward  or 
appreciation,  unless  the  consciousness  'if  doing  a  good  work  may  be  counted 
compensation.  In  the  earlier  years  Hiram  I..  .Miller.  Dr.  l>avis,  fabez  Suther- 
land and  Dr.  M.  C.  T.  Plessner  were  conspicuous.  Later,  John  Moore, 
William  II.  Sweet,  Benton  Hanchett.  Jay  Smith.  Dr.  1.  N.  Smith.  Dr.  I.  H. 
Jerome  and  D.  B.  Ketcham  took  an  active  and  honorable  part.  In  1881  the 
school  board  was  composed  of  David  II.  Jerome,  president;  Otto  Roeser, 
secretary;  George  L.  Burrows,  treasurer;  and  the  other  trustees  were 
D.  L.  C.  Eaton,  A.  T.  I 'diss  and  A.  W.  Achard. 

In  June,  1880,  a  committee  of  the  Faculty  of  the  University  of  Michigan. 
invited  by  the  school  board,  visited  the  schools,  and  carefully  examined  into 
their  organization  and  the  methods  and  thoroughness  of  the  instruction 
given.  As  a  result  the  school  was  at  once  recognized  as  a  preparatory 
department  of  the  University,  and  its  graduates  of  1880  were  admitted  to  the 
University  classes  without  examination  at  Ann  Arbor. 

Modern  School  Buildings 

In  the  last  thirty  years  great  progress  has  been  made  in  providing  proper 
and  adequate  facilities  for  education,  and  particularly  in  the  erection  of  new 
and  modern  school  buildings  in  convenient  locations.  The  old  frame  struc- 
tures, in  which  many  of  our  citizens  prominent  in  business  and  social  circles, 
received  their  earl_\-  training,  have  gradually  been  replaced  by  buildings  of 
brick  and  stone,  equipped  with  the  latest  and  best  appliances  for  training  the 
youthful  mind.  Enlargement  and  improvement  of  these  earlier  school  build- 
ings is  constantly  going  on.  to  keep  pace  with  the  increasing  demands  for 
space  and  better  facilities.  In  1915  the  Union  School  District  comprised  ten 
modern  schools,  valued  with  their  equipment  at  half  a  million  dollars,  in 
which  convenience  for  students  and  teachers,  and  sanitary  arrangements  are 
prominent    features. 

The  John  Moore  School,  very  properly  named  after  an  honored  citizen, 
who  was  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  trustees  of  the  Union  School  Dis- 
trict, and  who  served  many  years  after,  is  a  modern  brick  structure  erected 
on  the  foundation  of  the  old  Central  School.  It  contains  sixteen  school 
rooms  and  the  well  furnished  and  equipped  offices  of  the  school  board,  which 
meets  every  month,  all  the  business  of  the  district  being  transacted  through 
a  competent  clerical  force  under  the  direction  of  Arthur  D.  Bate.  German  is 
taught  in  eight  grades  in  this  school. 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT 


279 


THE    JOHN    MOORE    SCHOOL 


The  Stone  School,  named  after  Farnum  C.  Stone  who  served  the  Union 
School  District  as  treasurer  for  main-  years,  is  located  at  the  corner  of  State 
and  Stone  Streets.  It  is  a  modern  brick  building  containing  sixteen  class 
rooms,  office  of  the  principal,  teacher--'  room,  and  also  a  room  equipped  with 

the  necessary  materials  for  first  help  in  sick  cases.  The  eight  grammar 
grades  are  taught  in  this  school,  the  blackboards  being  graded. 

The  Bliss  School,  named  after  Aaron  T.  Bliss  who  was  president  oi  the 
board  for  a  number  of  years,  is  located  at  Bond  and  Bristol  Streets.  This 
is  also  a  modern  brick  structure  containing  eight  class  rooms  in  which  the 
first  seven   grades  are  taught. 

The  Herig  School  is  named  after  Dr.  E.  A.  Herig.  who  for  thirteen 
years  was  a  member  of  the  board,  holding  various  offices  and  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  teachers.  This  school  is  a  substantial  brick  building 
completed  in  September,  1907,  and  has  eight  class  rooms,  ante-rooms,  sani- 
tary wardrobes,  graded  blackboards  and  other  modern  appliances  in  school 
house  architecture.  The  first  six  grades,  including  German,  are  taught  in 
this  sch(  h  il. 

The  Otto  Roeser  School,  named  after  a  prominent  citizen  who  served 
the  school  district  as  secretary  for  many  years,  is  a  brick  building  remodeled 
with  all  modern  appliances,  and  with  heating  and  sanitary  arrangements 
well  carried  out.  There  are  eight  class  rooms  in  which  the  first  six  grades 
are  taught,  including  German  in  the  first  and  second. 

'Idle  Williams  School,  named  in  honor  of  the  family  of  Gardner  D. 
Williams,  one  of  the  early  pioneers  in  this  section,  is  situated  at  the  corner 


280 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


of   Harrison   and    Williams    Streets.     It   is   a   two-story   brick   building,   and 
until    recently    four   grades    were    taught    by    two    teachers,    but    is    not    now 

in  use. 

The  Jerome  School,  named  after  David  II.  Jerome,  one  time  governor 
of  Michigan,  is  situated  at  the  corner  of  Harrison  and  Dearborn  Streets. 
It  is  a  modern  brick  structure  with  all  sanitary  arrangements,  and  contains 
eight  rooms  in   which  the  first  seven  grades  are  taught. 

The  Durand  School,  situated  at  the  corner  of  Grout  and  Joslyn  Streets, 
is  named  after  a  long-time  president  of  the  hoard,  Lorenzo  T.  Durand.  in 
honor  of  his  faithful  and  efficient  service.  This  school,  which  is  modern  in 
every  respect,  was  erected  in  1904  and  enlarged  in  1915,  and  has  sixteen 
rooms,  principal's  office,  teachers'  room,  graded  blackboards  and  other  con- 
veniences.     German  is  included  in  the  courses  of  study  in  this  school. 

The  Arthur  Hill  High  School,  in  which  is  the  office  of  the  superinten- 
dent of  schools,  is  situated  at  the  corner  of  Court  and  Harrison  Streets,  and 
is  a  modern  building  in  every  respect  and  perfectly  equipped.  Three  com- 
plete laboratories,  chemical,  physical  and  biological,  render  valuable  and 
indispensable  aid  to  the  students  in  science.  There  are  full  courses  in  Ger- 
man, French.  Latin  and  English,  and  a  well-equipped  business  department 
prepares  students  for  commercial  work.  The  County  Normal  Training 
School,  which  prepares  teachers  for  county  schools,  is  also  in  this  building. 
The  high  school  is  affiliated  with  a  long  list  of  universities  and  colleges,  at 
which  the  graduates  are  accepted  without  examination,  on  presentation  of 
their  diplomas.  The  sell,  nil  is  named  after  our  distinguished  citizen,  .Arthur 
Hill,  wiio  in  1893  established  four  scholarships  at  the  University  of  Mich- 
igan. I  hie  is  awarded  each  year  to  the  graduate  student  standing  highest 
in   his   work  during   the  senior  year,  and  is  valued   at  one  thousand  dollars. 


THE    ARTHUR    HILL    TRADE    SCHOOL 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  281 

The  Arthur  Hill  Trade  School 

Mr.  Hill's  efforts  in  matters  educational  in  his  home  city  did  not  end 
with  his  gift  of  scholarships.  There  was  in  his  mind,  as  a  part  of  our  com- 
mon school  system,  the  need  for  the  trade  or  vocational  school  where  boys 
and  girls  could  acquire  something  to  aid  them  by  training  the  hand  and  eye- 
as  well  as  cultivating  the  mind,  to  better  equip  themselves  for  work  with 
the  hands,  and  that  it  was  desirable  that  they  should  acquire  that  knowledge 
during  the  school  age  rather  than  through  apprenticeships  after  leaving 
school.  Desiring  to  have  this  broader  field  entered  at  an  early  day,  he 
bequeathed  to  the  Union  School  District  the  sum  of  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  for  establishing  an  industrial  school.  Seventy-five  thousand  was  to 
be  set  aside  as  a  permanent  endowment  toward  the  support  and  mainten- 
ance of  the  school,  and  the  remainder  to  be  used  for  the  purchase  of  a  site 
and  the  erection  and  furnishing  of  the  school  building. 

The  courses  of  study  to  be  taught  in  the  trade  school  and  the  equip- 
ment to  be  used  were  in  a  general  way  determined  before  the  plans  for  the 
building  were  considered,  the  intention  being  to  provide  a  thoroughly  prac- 
tical plant  and  one  economical  to  operate.  Preliminary  work  in  connection 
with  securing  the  site,  which  is  on  the  east  side  of  South  Michigan  Avenue 
at  Mackinaw  Street,  was  begun  early  in  1911,  and  the  building  was  com- 
pleted and  transferred  to  the  Union  School   District.  September  23,  1913. 

The  school  building  was  designed  as  a  shop,  but  it  also  contains  the 
necessary  class  rooms,  library,  drafting  room,  laboratory,  exhibition  space 
and  administration  quarters.  The  shops  are  centered  about  the  power  plant, 
in  which  are  installed  many  types  of  stationary  and  marine  engines,  also 
electrical  equipment  for  use  in  producing  light  and  power  for  the  building. 
All  this  is  valuable  for  demonstration  to  the  students  of  the  school.  There 
are  also  various  types  of  machine  tools,  forges  and  pattern-making  equip- 
ment, all  of  which  are  of  use  in  courses  of  training  common  to  stationary, 
marine   and    electrical    engineering,    or    for    special    instruction    and    practice. 

The  building  trades,  such  as  carpentry,  bricklaying  and  plumbing  are 
accommodated  in  shops  designed  especially  for  handiwork,  and  are  equipped 
with  the  usual  tools  and  appliances  used  in  actual  practice.  There  are  also 
courses  in  elementary  forestry,  machine  sewing,  dressmaking,  millinery, 
novelty  work,  drawing,  trade  mechanics,  industrial  history  and   English. 

As  the  school  is  for  those  who  through  choice  or  necessity  elect  to  make 
their  living  through  industrial  and  trade  pursuits,  in  order  to  lie  of  the 
greatest  service  to  the  community,  there  are.  in  addition  to  a  day  school,  a 
continuation  and  a  night  school.  The  continuation  school  is  intended  to 
give  boys  and  girls  between  fourteen  and  eighteen  years  of  age,  who  are 
already  engaged  in  a  trade,  an  opportunity  to  complete  their  general  school 
education,  and  also  to  improve  their  theoretical  and  practical  knowledge  oi 
their  trade.  The  night  school  is  to  help  men  and  women  engaged  in  a  voca- 
tion to  better  their  condition  by  increasing  their  knowledge  and  skill. 

In  order  to  meet  these  conditions  the  school  is  kept  open  all  the  year 
round,  and  every  day  from  eight  to  eleven-thirty  in  the  morning,  from  one 
to  three-thirty,  from  four  to  six,  in  the  afternoon,  and  from  seven  to  nine  in 
the  evening.  Saturdays  the  school  closes  at  noon;  and  holidays  are  observed 
according  to  law. 

The  instructors  for  the  trade  work  are  men  and  women  who  have  been 
engaged  in  practical  work,  specialists  in  their  particular  line,  men  of  broad 
training,  who  know  the  requirements  in  the  world  of  trade  and  industry, 
and  who  are  able  to  appreciate  what  is  best  for  the  students.     All  cultural 


2S2  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


subjects  taught  in  the  school  are  closely  correlated  with  the  vocation  studied, 
and  are  taught  by  regular  teachers  who  understand  the  boys  in  their  period 
i  if  adi  ilescence. 

The  aim  of  this  school  is  in  harmony  with  and  is  the  same  as  the  general 
aim  of  all  education;  but  the  specific  aim  is  the  development  of  trade  effi- 
ciency and  love  of  work,  and  with  this  the  cultivation  of  those  virtues  which 
effectiveness  of  effort  and  love  of  work  immediately  call  forth:  conscien- 
tiousness, diligence,  perseverance,  responsibility,  self-restraint  and  dedication 
to  an  energetic  life.  In  addition  to  filling  its  purpose  as  an  educational 
institution,  the  distinctive  character  of  the  gift  as  executed  is  a  fitting 
memorial  to  Arthur  Hill,  whose  interest  and  service  were  of  such  great 
benefit  to  the  public  schools  of  his  home  city. 

Mr.  Hill  was  a  man  of  broad  culture,  of  exceptional  vigor  and  ability, 
and  was  a  philanthropist  and  philosopher.  Notwithstanding  his  various 
activities  he  yet  found  time  for  extensive  travel  in  America,  Europe  and 
Asia.  lie  occupied  main  positions  of  public  trust  and  made  many  gifts  to 
public  institutions,  particularly  of  educational  character.  He  gave  to  the 
University  of  .Michigan,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1865,  a  farm  for  forestry 
purposes,  also  a  beautiful  bronze  bas-relief  of  President  Angell.  now  in 
Memorial  Hall,  the  work  of  the  well-known  sculptor  Karl  Bitter;  and  he 
left  the  university  by  his  will  a  fund  for  the  building  of  a  much  needed 
Auditorium,    which    was   completed   in    1914. 

He  served  upon  the  school  board  of  Saginaw  City  for  six  years,  most  of 
which  time  he  was  its  president.  In  1901  he  became  a  regent  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Michigan,  which  office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death,  December 
6,  1909.  Taking  a  broad  view  of  education,  he  was  a  firm  believer  in  our 
free  public  schools,  and  sought  in  every  way  to  broaden  their  scope  to  meet 
the  changing  needs  of  the  age. 

'fhe  members  of  the  board  of  the  Union  School  District  in  1915  were: 
Lorenzo  T.  Durand,  president;  Ernest  A.  Snow,  vice-president;  E.  D. 
Church,  treasurer;  Charles  A.  Klnien.  secretary;  and  Dr.  E.  E.  Curtis  and 
Harker    \V.    Jackson. 

In  1914-15  the  total  enrollment  of  pupils  was  thirty-eight  hundred  and 
sixty-three,  ami  the  daily  attendance  was  thirty-one  hundred  and  thirty-six; 
and  the  number  of  teachers  was  one   hundred  and  nine. 

The   First  Schools  at  East  Saginaw 

'fhe  history  of  the  schools  of  East  Saginaw  commenced  with  the  efforts 
of  the  early  settlers  to  build  a  city,  which  was  coincident  with  the  clearing 
away  of  the  forest  on  Jloyt's  Plat  begun  in  the  Spring  of  1850.  The  terri- 
tory embraced  within  the  limits  of  the  little  settlement  was  a  part  of  the 
Township  of  Buena  Vista,  and  it  was  by  authority  of  the  township  board 
that  Morgan  L.  Cage,  director,  engaged  Dr.  C.  T.  Disbrow  to  teach  a  school 
at  his  residence.  This  was  a  plain  board  house  which  stood  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  Washington  and  Emerson  Streets;  and  the  school  sessions 
were  held  in  the  upper  story.  Years  after  the  house  was  remodeled  and 
enlarged  after  the  style  of  a  "Gothic  Cottage,"  and  became  the  home  of 
A.  \\  .  McCormick.  It  was  an  interesting  landmark  of  this  part  of  town, 
but  was  torn  down  about  1892  to  make  way  for  contemplated  railroad  im- 
provements. The  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad 
station. 

The  pioneer  children  came  flocking  to  this  school  faster  than  they  could 
be  cared  for;  and  on  March  10,  1851,  School  District  No.  1,  of  the  Township 
of  Buena  Vista,  was  duly  organized,  and  a  call  issued  for  the  first  primary 


- 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  28r> 


school  meeting  to  be  held  on  the  fifteenth.  At  this  meeting  of  the  qualified 
voters  of  the  district,  D.  W.  Norton  was  chosen  director,  J.  T.  Calkins, 
moderator,  and  C.  G.  Persons,  assessor.  From  the  minutes  of  this  meeting 
we  learn  that  the  district  officers  were  empowered  "to  make  such  arrange- 
ments as  they  think  best  for  a  school  this  season,"  and  to  carry  out  this 
purpose  a  resolution  was  passed  "that  forty  dollars  be  raised  by  tax  to  pro- 
vide for  a  suitable  room  for  the  school,"  and  in  addition  "twenty  dollars  for 
purchasing  globes,  outline  maps  and  other  apparatus  for  the  use  of  the 
school." 

Under  these  provisions  a  rough  hoard  shanty  was  built  on  the  site  ol 
the  Bancroft  I  louse,  and  Miss  Carrie  Ingersoll,  sister  of  Mrs.  C.  T.  Disbrow, 
was  engaged  as  teacher.  The  attendance  at  this  school  varied  from  twenty 
to  twenty-five  pupils.  At  this  time  not  more  than  six  blocks  of  land  had 
been  cleared  out  of  the  dense  forest,  which  covered  the  site  of  the  infant 
settlement.  But  the  progress  under  the  able  management  of  the  Hoyts  was 
rapid,  and  the  development  of  the  schools  kept  pace  with  it. 

Early  in  1X52  Truman  B.  Fox.  the  pioneer  historian  of  Saginaw  Valley, 
established  a  select  school  in  a  small  building  which  stood  on  the  corner  of 
Water  and  Hoyt  Streets.  The  whole  number  of  pupils,  he  records,  was 
about  eighty  about  whom  many  pleasant  memories  were  associated  in  his 
mind,  with  those  days.  During  recess  the  children  would  gather  wild 
flowers  that  grew  abundantly  in  the  green  woods,  within  a  few  rods  of  the 
school  house  door,  and  bring  them  as  peace  offerings  to  their  teacher,  for 
those  who  happened  to  lie  a  little  tardy  in  coming  to  the  call  of  the  hell. 

Building  the  Union  School,  or  "Academy" 
Among  the  other  provisions  of  the  primary  school  meeting  was  one  for 
raising  by  tax  of  two  thousand  dollars  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  school 
house  within  the  district;  and  a  committee,  composed  of  Curtis  Emerson, 
Morgan  L.  Gage  and  Norman  Little,  was  appointed  to  select  a  site  for  it. 
After  due  consideration  of  this  matter  the  committee  reported  that  Alfred 
M.  Hoyt  and  Curtis  Emerson  had  offered  to  donate  the  block  hounded  by 
(efferson,  Emerson,  Cass  and  Hoyt  Streets,  for  school  purposes.  This 
liberal  offer  of  public-spirited  men  was  thereupon  accepted,  and  upon  the 
ground  which  is  now  the  site  of  the  Hoyt  School  was  erected  the  first  school 
house  in   East  Saginaw,  the  forerunner  of  our  splendid  school  system. 

At  a  school  meeting  held  May  3,  1851,  a  plan  of  the  new  school  building 
was  presented  by  J.  E.  Voorhees,  upon  which  the  lowest  estimate  of  cost 
was  two  thousand  six  hundred  dollars.  This  amount  being  largely  in  excess 
of  the  tax  levied  for  the  purpose,  the  officials  were  in  a  dilemma  until  Norman 
Little,  with  characteristic  liberality,  offered  to  erect  the  building  and  finish 
it  for  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  taking  the  tax  of  two  thousand 
dollars  when  collected,  and  a  mortgage  on  the  building  for  five  hundred, 
payable  in  five  years,  in  equal  annual  payments.  This  offer  was  unanimously 
accepted  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  new  settlement,  who  displayed  a  com- 
mendable zeal  and  promptitude  in  providing  for  the  education  of  their 
children. 

A  contract  with  Mr.  Little  having  been  entered  into,  the  work  of 
assembling  the  material  and  erecting  the  building  was  at  once  begun,  and 
it  was  completed  in  the  Summer  of  1852.  Standing,  as  it  did.  on  the  high- 
est ground  in  the  township,  it  was  conspicuous  for  its  stately  appearance, 
and  soon  became  known  as  "The  Academy."  The  pioneers  who  are  still 
living  remember  it  as  a  commodious,  square  building,  resting  on  a  stone 
foundation,  and  containing  on  the  first  floor  two  large  rooms,  one  on  each 
side  of  a  broad  hall.     <  >n  the  upper  floor  was  one  large  room,  or  hall,   with 


286  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

recitation  room  and  wardrobe  annexed.  It  was  used  as  a  town  hall,  and  for 
church  services,  all  religious  denominations  in  the  absence  of  church  organ- 
izations, irrespective  of  creed  or  church  forms,  worshipping  together. 

At  tins  time  the  only  means  of  crossing  the  bayou,  which  lay  west  of 
the  school  and  extended"  in  both  directions  far  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
settlement,  was  by  a  rude  foot  bridge  at  Hoyt  Street,  and  a  plank  walk  con- 
nected it  with  Washington  Street.  When  water  rilled  the  bayou,  both 
teacher--'  and  scholars  who  lived  upon  the  opposite  side  (and  very  few  per- 
sons then  lived  east  of  it),  had  to  be  ferried  over,  or  make  a  detour  of 
Genesee  flank  Road,  which  was  then  the  only  team  bridge  crossing  the 
bayou.  There  was  quite  a  hill  from  the  west  side  of  the  school  house  to  the 
margin  of  the  bayou,  and  in  winter  this  was  the  coasting  ground  for  the 
boys  and  girls,  and  the  bayou  afforded  line  skating  all  the  way  to  Genesee 
Plank  Road.  Their  playground  was  virtually  unlimited,  as  the  beautiful 
forest  of  Maple,  <  >ak,  Beech  and  Elm,  approached  to  the  east  side  of  Jeffer- 
son   Street. 

The  Pioneer  Teachers  of  the  "Academy" 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  "Academy"  a  competent  teacher  from  the 
East  was  engaged  as  principal,  and  Miss  Alary  Rice,  a  teacher  in  the  Sagi- 
naw City  school,  was  employed  as  assistant  at  a  salary  of  seven  dollars  a 
week.  When  the  time  came  for  the  opening  of  the  new  school,  the  principal 
failed  to  appear,  thereupon  Miss  Rice  assumed  the  duties  of  that  position 
"without  change  of  salary."  In  an  early  report  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
1873,  page  43,   Miss   Rice  recounts  her  experience: 

"1  could  see  the  beautiful  new  school  from  my  room  at  the  Webster 
House  in  Saginaw  City.  Looking  oxer  toward  it  the  morning  I  was  to 
commence  my  duties  there,  and  remembering  that,  instead  of  the  compar- 
atively easy  work  of  assistant.  I  was  to  fulfill  the  more  arduous  task  of 
1'rincipal,  1  felt  over-awed  and  timid.  'I  never  can  do  it,'  I  was  beginning 
to  sigh,  when  courage  came  back  saying,  'Yes,  you  can.'  So  I  went  over 
resolved  to  be  equal  to  my  work,  and  to  give  myself  entirely  to  it.  The 
first  dav  I  was  alone  with  a  house  full  of  pupils,  large  and  small,  untaught 
and  advanced,  all  sorts  and  all  sizes. 

"At  my  suggestion  Mr.  Morgan  L.  Gage,  Director,  secured  the  services 
of  Miss  Charlotte  Messer  (Mrs.  Norman  L.  Miller,  of  Saginaw  City),  who 
was  then  teaching  a  private  school  there.  After  classifying  our  scholars 
so  that  she  had  about  sixty  primaries,  1  was  still  left  with  as  many  as  the 
upper  room  would  seat.  So  Miss  Clara  Dean,  of  Pine  Run.  was  engaged 
as  my  assistant.  Every  boat  landing  at  the  wharf  brought  to  the  town  new 
comers,  and  of  children  there  was  a  fair  share.  Miss  Messer's  room  was 
soon  crowded  to  the  utmost,  and  Miss  Nellie  Little  (Mrs.  Derby)  was  called 
to  assist  her.  Our  salaries  were  moderate,  ranging  from  four  to  seven  dol- 
lars a  week,  and  were  paid  monthly. 

"We  had  'company'  almost  every  day  ami  it  encouraged  and  stimulated 
us  greatly.  It  was  not  always  easy  to  get  to  the  school  house.  Jefferson 
Street,  toward  the  north,  was  marked  by  a  line  of  stumps,  west  was  the 
bayou,  and  east  and  south  dense  woods.  Such  splendid  woods!  Full  of 
mosquitoes  they  were.  too.  They  came  in  clouds,  if  not  thick  enough  to 
darken  the  air,  yet  thick  enough  to  oblige  us  to  build  'smudges'  in  daytime. 
We  had  a  floating  bridge  over  the  bayou.  (  )ften  when  Miss  Messer  and  1 
were  crossing,  our  affectionate  pupils  would  throng  around  us,  and  the 
bridge  would  sink  two,  three  or  six  inches  in  water,  so  we  often  taught  all 
day  with  wet  feet.  Rut  we  were  young,  strong  and  happy,  and  neither 
feared  or  minded   a  cold   much." 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT 


287 


THE    OLD    "ACADEMY" 
The   First    School  House  in   East   Saginaw,   Erected   <m   thf  Site   of   the   Hoyt    School 


At  the  cud  of  this  pleasant  school  year,  in  the  Spring-  of  1853,  an  exhibi- 
tion and  picnic  was  held.  It  was  no  easy  task  to  bring  to  the  school  house 
such  things  as  were  needful  for  the  occasion.  James  L.  Webber,  however, 
undertook  to  draw  the  lumber  and  to  construct  the  seats  for  the  visitors  in 
the  "grove"  near  the  school  house.  The  reader  should  not  underrate  such 
an  effort  made  more  than  sixty  years  ago.  Instead  of  driving  due  south  as 
he  could  today,  on  well  paved  streets,  he  had  to  drive  north,  then  east  on 
the  plank  road,  and  south  wherever  he  could  find  solid  ground  for  his  team 
and  a  passage  through  stumps  and  brush.  But  the  exhibition  came  off  in 
style,  according  to  the  report,  and  "there  were  refreshments  and  speeches, 
varying  with  declamations  and  music."  An  essay  was  read  by  Chauncey 
Cage,  which  received  high  commendatory  notice,  and  the  exercises  were 
closed   with   an   address  delivered   by   William    L.    Webber. 

The  Weekly  Enterprise  of  September  21,  1X53.  announced  the  opening  of 
school  under  the  guidance  of  J.  (  ).  Selden.  principal,  assisted  by  Misses 
Kmeline  and  Clara  Dean.  The  school  attendance  tor  this  year  was  two 
hundred;  and  the  school  was  in  session  seven  months,  and  the  whole  amount 
paid  to  teachers  was  four  hundred  and  eighty  dollars.  Besides  the  common 
English  branches,  physiology,  philosophy,  botany,  algebra,  bookkeeping  and 
vocal   music,   were  taught  in   the   school. 

School  opened  in  the  Fall  of  1854  witli  J.  C.  Warner  as  principal  and 
Miss  Rice  as  assistant.  He  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  and  eminently  qualified 
for  his  position,  but  his  health  was  feeble  and  he  died  in  September  of  the 
following  year.  His  successor  was  Dr.  R.  II.  Steele,  who  remained  only  a 
short  time,  being  dismissed  by  resolution  of  the  board.  (  Ither  teachers'  at 
this  period  were:  Misses  Harriet  Weller,  Helen  King.  !•'..  R.  Burt,  Clark, 
Parker,  Jennie  Frey,  and  Mrs.  C.  E.  Stearns. 


288  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Alonzo  L.  Bingham  in  Charge 

(  >n  December  21,  1855,  Alonzo  L.  Bingham  took  charge  of  the  school, 
and  thereafter  it  was  "in  successful  operation,"  the  new  principal  giving 
"general  satisfaction."  At  the  close  of  the  winter  term  in  1856  there  was  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  school,  to  which  the  public  was  invited  by  Mr. 
Bingham.  The  schools  in  those  days  commanded  a  fair  share  of  public 
attention,  and  the  Union  School  is  mentioned  as  having  formed  a  part  of  the 
procession  on  the  Fouth  of  July,  1857.  The  manner  of  equipping  the  school 
with  1  looks  is  shown  by  the  calling  of  a  meeting  on  September  28,  for  the 
purpose  of  voting  a  tax  in  order  to  procure  a  Webster's  Dictionary.  The 
school  census  of  1857  gives  the  number  of  children  of  school  age  (between 
four  and  eighteen  years),  as  six  hundred  and  forty-six,  hut  the  number  in 
attendance  is   not  given. 

Mr.  Bingham  continued  as  principal  of  the  school  until  1860.  llis  work 
marked  a  new  era,  and  gave  a  tone  and  discipline  to  the  primitive  school 
that  had  before  been  lacking.  During  the  Civil  War  he  served  with  honor, 
with  the  rank  of  Captain,  and  was  present  at  the  Wilderness,  Spottsyh  ania 
and  Petersburg,  and  returned,  scarred  by  wounds,  to  live  out  a  life  of  use- 
fulness, and  receive  in  death,  which  occurred  in  January,  1893,  the  tribute 
of  our  leading  citizens. 

The  moderators  of  School  District  No.  1 — Township  of  Buena  Vista, 
from  1X51  to  1X55  were:  J.  T.  Calkins,  11.  B.  Hubbard,  Morgan  L.  Cage, 
L.  11.  Eastman,  R.  C.  Newton.  Chester  B.  Jones,  \\  .  II.  Warner,  Henry 
Woodruff  and  J.  S.  Curtis;  and  the  directors  were:  D.  W.  Newton,  J.  E. 
Voorheis,  Morgan  L.  Cage,  William  L.  Webber,  D.  W.  C.  Gage,  Charles  T. 
Disbrow  and  George  W.  Merrill. 

Organization  of  Board  of  Education 

[n  February,  1859,  an  act  to  incorporate  the  Board  of  Education  of  the 
City  of  East  Saginaw  was  approved  by  the  Legislature,  and  the  first  Board 
of  Education  was  organized  March  22.  a  date  which  marks  a  distinctive 
period  in  the  growth  of  our  school  system.  These  were  changeful  and  stormy 
times,  after  the  quiet  progress  of  the  preceding  four  years,  and  the  board 
was  embarrassed  by  the  want  of  funds,  and  discouraged  by  the  ill  success  of 
so  many  principals,  following  the  able  administration  of  Mr.  Bingham.  The 
fall  term  of  1860  began  with  1).  B.  Sturgis  as  principal,  and  four  women 
teachers,  but  the  total  number  of  pupils  enrolled  was  only  two  hundred  and 
ninety-eight,  and  an  average  daily  attendance  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
live.  Mr.  Sturgis  tried  the  experiment  of  "moral  suasion,"  with  the  usual 
result,  of  that  time,  that  he  left  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

Beginning  with  March  1,  1860,  the  proceedings  of  the  board  were  regu- 
larly published,  Perry  Joslin  contracting  to  do  this  work  for  twenty-live 
dollars  a  year.  From  these  proceedings  it  appears  that  the  fall  term  of  1X61 
opened  with  C.  J.  Myers,  a  cultured  man,  of  pleasing  manner,  as  principal; 
and  he  taught  the  school  successfully  until  the  end  of  the  spring  term  of 
1X65.  Two  of  his  assistants  were  Miss  Mary  Rice,  the  first  teacher  of  the 
"Academy,"  and  Miss  M.  Gillett  who  also  achieved  an  enviable  reputation 
as  a  popular  teacher. 

At  a  special  meeting  of  the  board  on  March  15,  1862,  occurred  an  inter- 
esting and  novel  event.  This  was  the  first  "annual  report"  ever  made  to 
the  board  by  its  president.  For  sound  judgment,  admirable  arrangement, 
keen  insight,  and  comprehensive  understanding  of  what  the  schools  had 
done,  and  what  they  should  do  in  the  future,  this  report  has  not  been  sur- 
passed.     It  was  made  by  John  J.  Wheeler,  and  marked  him  as  an  intelligent 


OUR   EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  289 


and  public  spirited  citizen,  even  if  no  other  record  of  his  work  could  he 
found.  From  the  report  we  glean  the  fact  that  the  number  of  children  in 
the  city  of  school  age  was  eight  hundred  and  fifty-one;  the  number  of  pupils 
enrolled  was  four  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  and  the  school  rooms  could  prop- 
erly accommodate  only  two  hundred  and  sixty.  As  some  of  the  citizens  had 
expressed  the  opinion  that  "the  schools  cost  too  much."  the  report  showed 
that  the  annual  cost  per  pupil,  taking  the  average  daily  attendance  as  a  basis, 
was  eight  dollars  and  seventy-seven  cents,  which  was  very  much  less  than 
the  cost   in   many  other  cities. 

Extension  of  the   School  System 

As  early  as  1857  the  "First  Ward"  school  house,  a  small  frame  building 
of  "cottage"  style,  was  built  near  the  site  of  the  present  Crary  School,  on 
Warren  Avenue.  In  those  day--  it  had  the  name  of  being  a  very  hard  school. 
Eleven  years  later  it  was  replaced  with  a  two-Story  brick  school  house,  con- 
taining four  rooms  with  two  hundred  and  sixty-five  sittings.  This  build- 
ing was  afterward  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  four  class  rooms,  to  accommo- 
date the  demands  of  this  growing  section  of  the  city,  and  is  still  in  use. 

About  1863  the  board  purchased  a  site  for  a  school  on  German  Street, 
between  Clay  and  Rockwell  i  Park  and  Second),  on  which  was  a  large,  barn- 
like unpainted  house,  containing  two  large,  poorly  furnished  rooms.  It 
was  known  as  the  "Old  Tin  Shop"  school,  the  building  in  an  earlier  day 
having  been  used  for  that  purpose.  To  meet  the  growing  needs  of  the 
schools  the  board  in  1866  built  on  this  site  a  substantial  brick  building, 
which  soon  became  known  as  the  Central  School.  This  school  contained 
seven  large  rooms  and  accommodated  five  hundred  and  ten  scholars.  The 
cost  of  the  structure  was  fort}'  thousand  dollars,  a  large  expenditure  for 
educational  facilities  in  those  days.  For  a  number  of  years  this  was  the 
largest  school  in  the  city,  seven  departments  being  conducted  —  the  lligh 
School.  Grammar,   Intermediate,  and   four  primary  grades. 

The  first  principal  of  the  Central  School  was  William  S.  Tennant,  after- 
ward circuit  judge,  who  had  charge  from  April  to  Jul}-,  1866.  lie  was 
succeeded  by  Professor  Joseph  Estabrook,  under  whose  superintendency, 
covering  a  period  of  five  years,  the  number  of  teachers  in  the  four  schools 
increased  from  sixteen  to  thirty-two.  An  important  event  was  the  incorpor- 
ation, in  187n,  of  the  German  schools  with  the  public  schools.  The  "Cer- 
mania  School,"  a  three-story  brick  structure,  was  built,  but  not  completed, 
by  the  Germania  Society  in  1868.  English  and  German  were  taught  in  this 
school  by  teachers  employed  by  the  society,  but  in  the  year  stated  it  passed 
under  the  control  of  the  Board  of  Education,  on  the  condition  that  instruc- 
tion in  German  be  continued. 

At  this  time  the  number  of  teachers  employed  by  the  society  was  three — 
two  German  teachers  and  one  English — and  the  number  of  pupils  enrolled 
was  below  one  hundred.  The  teaching  of  German  in  the  lower  grades,  at 
first  confined  to  this  school,  increased  until  in  1893  the  number  of  pupils  who 
received  primary  German  instruction  was  about  eleven  hundred.  This 
department  then  required  twelve  teachers,  one  of  whom,  L.  J.  A.  Ibershoff, 
acted  as  supervising  principal.  During  the  twenty-two  years  intervening, 
Air.  Ibershoff  has  served  faithfully  as  principal  of  this  school,  which  is  one 
of  the  distinctive  features  of  our  school  system.  The  German  schools  are 
graded  and  taught  in  the  same  manner  as  are  the  other  public  schools  in 
which    English    branches   alone    are    taught. 

It  is  not  needful  to  here  enlarge  upon  Professor  Estabrook's  work  in 
connection  with  our  schools,  his  career  belonging  rather  to  the  history  of 
the  State.     In  July.  1871,  he  was  succeeded  by   Professor  11.  S.  Tarbell,  who 


290 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    OLD    CENTRAL    SCHOOL,    ERECTED    IN    1866 

remained  with  the  board  until  the  close  of  the  school  year  of  1877.  During 
his  efficient  superintendency  several  important  changes  occurred,  including 
the  incorporation  of  the  South  Saginaw  schools  with  those  of  the  city.  <  me 
of  the  principal  problems  with  which  the  board  had  to  deal  at  this  time  was 
that  of  providing  sufficient  room  for  the  increasing  number  of  pupils  who 
desired  to  enter  sell' nil,  but  it  was  solved  in  a  manner  characteristic  of  a 
pn  tgressive  people. 

From  1870  to  1875  the  extension  of  the  school  system  was  very  rapid, 
not  less  than  eight  new  school  houses  of  brick  and  wood  being  built  to 
accommodate  the  increasing  demands  of  the  growing  city.  The  Potter 
School  in  the  hirst  Ward,  and  the  Houghton  School  in  the  Third  Ward, 
both  wooden  buildings  of  four  rooms  each,  and  containing  sittings  to  the 
number  of  two  hundred  and  thirty,  were  erected  in  1870.  Following  these 
was  the  new  Hoyt  School  built  to  replace  the  old  "Academy,"  which  was 
burned  in  1871.  The  new  school,  a  fine  modern  structure  of  brick,  con- 
taining six  rooms  and  sittings  for  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  scholars, 
was  opened  on  November  11,  1872.  About  twenty  years  later  this  building 
was  rebuilt  and  enlarged,  requiring  ten  teachers  to  instruct  the  four  hun- 
dred  scholars  it  accommodates. 

The  Emerson  School  in  the  Sixth  Ward,  a  brick  building  containing 
four  rooms  and  accommodations  for  two  hundred  and  ten  pupils,  was  added 

in   1872;    and  the  following  year  the  Salina  School,  a  w len  building  with 

four  rooms,  was  incorporated  in  the  school  system  by  the  village  of  South 
Saginaw  consolidating  with  East  Saginaw.  In  1874  the  Jones  School  in  the 
Fourth  Ward,  and  the  Sweet  School  in  the  Seventh  Ward,  were  built. 
Both  of  these  buildings  were  of  brick  and  added  nearly  four  hundred  sittings 

to   the    former  capacity   of   the   schools.      In   recent   years  all    the  old    w len 

buildings  have  been  replaced  with  large  modern  structures,  perfectly  fur- 
nished and  equipped  with  the  best  appurtenances  for  the  training  of  the 
youthful   mind. 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  291 

Professor   Tarbell's   Unique   Action 

In  1X74  the  Board  of  Education  made  a  contract  with  Professor  Tar- 
hell  for  three  years  service  at  three  thousand  dollars  a  year;  and  two  years 
later,  when  the  city  passed  through  a  period  of  financial  depression,  he  sent 
the  following  communication  to  the  board: 

"In  recognition  of  the  importance  of  making  the  burdens  ol  the  tax- 
payers as  light  as  possible,  and  in  hope  that  a  concession  on  my  part  m.i\ 
aid  in  maintaining  the  several  departments  of  the  schools  unchanged,  and 
the  salaries  of  the  teachers  untouched,  1  hereby  suggest  and  consent  that 
the  sum  of  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  only  for  the  superintendent  be 
included  in  the  estimates   for  the  coming  year." 

This  is  the  first,  and  probably  the  only,  case  upon  the  records  of  a  man's 
salary  being  reduced  at   his  ozvn  suggestion. 

The  Board  of  Education  which,  during  this  period  of  expansion,  directed 
the  improvements  and  additions  to  the  school  system  of  Last  Saginaw,  was 
composed  of  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  city,  and  deserve  honorable 
mention  in  this  connection.  In  1868  the  members  of  the  board  were: 
Edwin  Aiken,  president;  A.  P.  Brewer,  John  S.  Lstabrook,  C.  <  ).  Garrison; 
George  W.  Merrill.  Leander  Simoneau,  inspectors;  and  George  Maurer, 
secretary.  The  presidents  of  the  board  were:  W.  L.  P.  Little,  1859:  W.  1- 
Bartow,  1860;  John  J.  Wheeler,  1861-62-64-65;  fohn  B.  Dillingham,  1863; 
Edwin  Burt,  1866-67;  Edwin  Aiken,  1868;  George  C.  Warner,  1869-70; 
Charles  E.  Doughtv,  1871;  George  W.  Morley,  1872;  Chester  B.  Jones,  1873 
to  1875;  Henry  M.  Youmans,  1876  to  1878;  Alex.  G.  Anderson,  1879;  Edwin 
Saunders,   1880  to   1882. 

Mr.  Tarbell's  successor  was  Professor  J.  C.  Jones,  the  principal  events 
of  wdiose  superintendency  were  the  establishing  of  the  Training  School  for 
teachers;  the  erection  of  a  new  Lligh  School  building  in  188(1;  and  the 
inauguration  of  the  free  text-book  system  in  the  Fall  of  1885.  While  the 
necessary  preparation  for  adopting  the  free  text-book  system  was  made 
under  the  supervision  of  Professor  Jones,  the  details  of  its  execution  were 
carried  out  by  Professor  C.  B.  Thomas,  he  having  been  called  to  take  charge 
of  the  schools  on  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Jones,  in  1885.  Probably  no  one 
measure  ever  adopted  by  the  board  has  been  productive  of  more  beneficial 
results  than  this,  and  the  example  of  Saginaw  has  since  been  followed  by 
the    principal    cities   of    Michigan. 

The  new  High  School  which  stands  at  the  corner  of  Warren  Avenue 
and  Millard  Street,  was  originally  an  eleven  room,  two-story  brick  building, 
in  which  but  three  rooms  were  used  for  assembling  pupils,  the  others  being 
used  as  recitation  rooms.  It  was  heated  by  hot  air  coal  furnaces,  a  marked 
advance  over  the  old  method  of  heating  the  schools  by  wood  and  coal 
stoves:  and  it  had  sittings  for  two  hundred  and  eighty-two  scholars.  In 
1893  this  building  was  remodeled  and  enlarged  at  a  cost  of  thirty-two  thou- 
sand dollars,  increasing  the  capacity  to  six  hundred  pupils,  and  providing  a 
chemical  laboratory,  a  physical  laboratory,  and  an  assembly  hall  with  gallery. 

Professor  Thomas  continued  as  head  of  the  schools  until  late  in  1890. 
being  succeeded  bv  Professor  C.  N.  Kendall,  and  he  by  A.  S.  Whitney. 
From  1884  to  18'  n  the  Hoyt,  the  Emerson,  the  Potter,  and  the  Jones  schools 
were  all  replaced  with  modern  school  buildings,  built  of  brick,  and  equipped 
with  the  most  approved  systems  of  heating  and  ventilating.  One  entirely 
new  school,  the  Washington,  was  built  at  South  Saginaw;  and  modern 
methods  of  heating  and  ventilating  applied  to  all  the  other  schools.  In 
more  recent  years  the  Longfellow  School,  and  the  new  Salina  School,  both 
brick  structures  perfectly   equipped,  have  been  added  to  the  school   system. 


i  >UR   EDUCATIONAL  DEYED  iPMENT 


293 


Under  Air.  Kendall's  supervision  the  Kindergarten  was  made  a  part  of 
our  school  system,  being  gradually  extended  to  the  various  schools  of  the 
city.  Besides  maintaining  the  work  of  all  departments  at  the  high  standard 
attained  by  aide  instructors,  special  attention  was  then  being  directed  to 
physical  and  moral  training.  Thus,  by  reaching  out  to  form  and  develop 
the  three-fold  nature  of  the  child;  the  moral,  the  intellectual,  and  the  physi- 
cal, it  was  believed  that  the  schools  would,  in  a  wider  sense  than  ever  before. 
be  the  nurseries  of  good  citizenship. 

The  Burt  Manual  Training  School 

Following  advanced  ideas,  the  course  of  study  in  our  schools  aims  to 
he  of  such  a  practical  character  as  to  lit  its  student'-,  so  far  as  possible,  for 
the  actual  work  of  life.  Besides  the  time-honored  subjects  of  instruction, 
there  are  modern  enrichment'-  of  the  course  of  study  in  drawing,  music, 
nature  study  and  manual  training,  with  competent  supervisors  at  the  head 
of  each  department.  The  Saginaw  High  School  with  its  splendid  equipment, 
is  particularly  strong  in  its  physical,  chemical  and  biological  laboratories, 
and  its  library  is  well  supplied  with  needful  reference  books.  Since  1S7'1 
this  school  has  enjoyed  the  privilege  of  entering  its  graduate  students  in  the 
University   of    Michigan    without    examination. 

In  its  facilities  for  manual  training  —  the  teaching  of  trades  and  voca- 
tional occupations,  the  Saginaw  High  School  is  in  a  fortunate  position. 
Through  the  noble  generosity  of  Wellington  R.  Burt,  the  city  schools  pos^-ss 
a  manual  training  department  of  unusual  excellence.  Imbued  with  the  idea 
of  affording  a  practical  course  of  helpful  studies  to  advanced  pupils,  Mr. 
Hurt  was  the  forerunner  of  manual  training  in  the  valley.  As  a  result  of 
his  interest  in  the  cause  of  practical  education  for  the  young,  of  all  classes 
and  creeds,  and  the  contribution  of  a  fund  of  about  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  there  was  opened  in  September,  1505,  the  magnificent  .Manual  Train- 
ing High   School,   which,   with   its  complete  equipment   ami   swimming   ] 1. 

represents  an  investment,  including  the  city's  share,  of  a  quarter  of  a  million 
dollars.  Its  equipment  includes  machinery  and  tools  for  wood  and  iron 
work  for  the  boys,  and  sewing  and  cooking   for  the  girls. 


THE     BURT    MANUAL    TRAINING    SCHOOL 


-'-I  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


'  i 


(  In  the  first  floor  of  the  spacious  building,  which  is  built  of  paving  brick 
and  stone,  and  directly  opposite  the  High  School,  are  two  mums  for  wood- 
working, one  for  carpentry  and  joinery,  and  the  other  for  wood  turning  and 
pattern  making.  In  these  shops  thorough  instruction  is  given  in  joinery 
and  cabinet  making,  as  well  as  in  the  use  of  the  wood  lathe,  planer,  drill's 
and  light  tools.  (  In  this  floor  is  also  the  clay  modeling  room,  where  oppor- 
tunity is  afforded  for  work  in  clay,  a  kiln  for  firing  clay  work  being  located 
in  the  foundry  room.  The  foundry  is  thoroughly  equipped  for  molding,  also 
for  casting  in  iron,  lead  and  brass,  having  an  iron  cupola  and  brass  furnace 
and  a  core  oven.  The  forge  simp  has  twenty  Sturtevant  down-draft  forges, 
and  the  same  number  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  pound  anvils.  In  the 
machine  shop  are  twelve  lathes,  including  a  Reed  lathe  with  motor  directly 
attached.  There  are  also  a  Cray  planer,  shaper,  Cincinnati  milling  machine, 
Stuart   gas   furnace,  and    Landis  universal   grinder. 

On  the  second  floor  are  the  two  drawing  rooms,  one  for  mechanical 
and  one  for  free-hand  drawing,  the  mechanical  and  technical  library  and 
reading  room,  and  the  offices  of  [■'..  C.  Warriner,  the  superintendent  of 
schools.  A  unique  feature  of  tin-  floor  is  the  suite  of  rooms  illustrating  all 
the  typical  rooms  of  a  house,  for  the  teaching  of  domestic  economy.  This 
suite  of  room-  comprises  a  kitchen,  butler's  pantry,  dining  room,  reception 
room  and  bed  room.  These  rooms  are  all  plainly  but  appropriately  fur- 
nished, the  bed  room  affording  opportunity  for  instruction  in  the  elements 
of  nursing.  The  three  sewing  rooms  are  on  the  third  floor  and  are  equipped 
with  tables,  drawers,  showcases,  sewing  machines  and  other  appurtenances. 
I  he  stenography  and  typewriting  room  and  the  bookkeeping  department 
are  also  located  on  this  floor. 

To  afford  physical  training  of  boys  ami  girls  there  is  a  splendidly 
equipped  gymnasium,  thirty-nine  by  seventy-four  feet  in  size,  with  locker 
rooms  lor  both  sexes  adjoining.  Connected  with  this  popular  and  valuable 
accessory  to  the  school  by  a  passageway,  is  the  bath  house  and  swimming 
pool.  1  he  pool  is  twenty-two  by  sixty  feet  in  dimensions,  with  water  three 
feet  deep  at  one  end  and  six  feet  at  the  other.  In  the  bath  house  are  till)  and 
shower  baths,  with  a  hair  dryer  for  drying  women's  hair.  In  the  swimming 
pool  instruction  is  given  to  High  School  pupils,  as  well  as  to  those  of  the 
seventh  and  eighth  grades,  in  the  art  of  swimming.  The  pool  is  kept  open 
during   the   summer  months   for  the   benefit   of   school   children. 

As  a  further  adjunct  to  practical  education,  evening  classes  are  main- 
tained in  school  each  winter  in  machine  shop  practice,  mechanical  drawing, 
sewing,  cooking,  stenography,  bookkeeping  and  woodworking.  A  complete 
course  of  this  important  branch  of  study  is  also  given  in  grades  below  the 
High  School.  In  the  first  four  grades  the  work  is  done  by  the  regular  grade 
teachers,  under  the  direction  of  a  supervisor,  and  consists  of  paper  folding, 
weaving  with  raffia  and  yarn,  and  basket  making  with  raffia  and  reed.  In 
the  fifth  ami  sixth  grades  the  work  is  done  by  two  special  teachers  who  go 
from  school  to  school,  visiting  each  of  these  grades  once  a  week.  The  work 
here  consists  of  elementary  sewing  for  the  girls  and  knife  work  for  the  boys. 
In  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  there  are  special  teachers  for  cooking  and 
bench  work  in  wood.  There  are  two  woodworking  centres  for  the  seventh 
and  eighth  grades,  one  at  the  Manual  Training  School,  and  the  other  at  the 
Salina  School,  and  two  cooking  centres  for  the  girls,  one  at  the  Central 
School,  and   the  other  at  the  Washington. 

The  Board  of  Education  of  Saginaw  (East  Side),  in  1915.  was  com- 
posed of  the  following  members:  Dr.  William  F.  English,  president; 
Gustav  F.  Oppermann,  vice-president;  J.  Will  Grant,  Dr.  Charles  P.  Stone,' 
Frank    E.    Bastian,    George    H.    Zuckermandel,    Hamilton    Watson,    Henry 


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296 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE    NEW    GERMANIA    SCHOOL.    COMPLETED    IN    1914 


Witters,  William  J.  Johnson,  Charles  W.  Thompson,  John  Gerhart  and 
Bertram  A.  Wright.  The  secretary  of  the  Board,  who  has  served  in  that 
capacity  for  thirteen  years,  is  William  C.  Klumpp ;  and  the  office  of  super- 
intendent has  been  Idled  with  marked  ability  by  E.  C.  Warriner,  for  a 
I  erii  id  i  if  twenty  years. 

During  the  school  year  of  1914-15  the  total  enrollment  of  the  Saginaw, 
East  Side,  schools  was  five  thousand  and  forty-four;  the  average  number 
belonging  was  forty-two  hundred  and  fifty-two,  while  the  average  daily 
attendance  was  forty-one  hundred  and  thirteen.  The  number  of  teachers 
employed,  including  special  teachers  and  supervisors,  was  one  hundred  and 
fifty-five.  The  total  valuation  of  the  fourteen  school  buildings,  the  complete 
equipment  and  appurtenances  approaches  a  million  dollars.  In  the  school 
year  of  1914-15  the  cost  of  maintaining  the  schools  was  two  hundred  and 
eleven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  including  purchase  of  new  school  site, 
renewals,  library  and  new  books,  payment  of  bonds,  etc.,  which  amounted  in 
the  aggregate  to  thirty-four  thousand  dollars. 


Sectarian  and  Parochial  Schools 

Besides  the  public  schools  there  are  a  number  of  sectarian  and  parochial 
schools  maintained  by  various  church  societies  of  the  city.  On  the  East  Side- 
are  the  Roman  Catholic  schools  of  St.  Joseph's,  St.  Mary's,  Holy  Family, 
Holy  Rosary  and  Sacred  Heart  churches,  and  the  schools  of  St.  John's. 
St.  Paul's  and  Trinity  Evangelical  of  the  Lutheran  body.  On  the  West  Side 
are  the  schools  of  Holy  truss  and  SS.  Peter  and  Paul  Roman  Catholic 
Churches,  St.  Andrew's  Academy,  also  of  that  body,  and  the  Michigan  Luth- 
eran Seminary.  These  schools,  in  addition  to  the  usual  English  and  German 
branches,  mathematics,  history  and  the  sciences,  instruct  the  pupils  in  the 
strict  religious  tenets  peculiar  to  their  faith. 


The  First  Public  Library 

Coincident  with  the  beginning  of  education  in  this  county  arose  the  need 
for  books,  with  which  to  instruct  the  youth  and  to  enlighten  the  minds  of 
older  persons.      The  more  intelligent  pioneers  had  brought  with  them  to  the 


OUR   EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  297 

forest  wilderness  such  of  their  books  as  tliev  cared  to  preserve,  and  thus 
whiled  away  many  of  the  dreary  hours  of  winter.  Although  few  in  number, 
the  books  tilled  a  niche  in  the  life  of  the  early  settlers,  and  were  made  to  do 
multiple  service  by  being  loaned  about  from   house  ti  >  house. 

When  the  school  under  Horace  S.  Beach  was  thoroughly  organized  in 
1836,  someone  conceived  the  idea  of  making  a  collection  of  such  books  as  the 
owners  would  donate,  for  the  purpose  of  founding  a  public  library.  Though 
their  mean-  were  limited  and  their  possessions  -mall,  their  interest  in  educa- 
tion was  strong,  and  they  responded  liberally.  In  a  short  space  of  time  a 
carefully  selected  list  of  books  was  prepared,  and  the  volumes  collected  and 
shelved  in  the  school  house,  which  stood  near  the  site  of  the  present  court 
house. 

From  the  dim  and  musty  records  of  the  past  has  come  to  light  an  inter- 
esting letter  written  the  following  year  by  Norman  Little,  in  regard  to  bonks 
for  the  newly  founded  library  of  the  Mechanics'  Association.  It  was  evi- 
dently the  custom  to  request  of  newcomers  a  donation  of  1 ks  to  the  library, 

and  in  this  particular  instance  the  letter  addressed  to  Daniel  II.  Fitzhugh, 
of  Geneseo,  Livingston  Count}-,  New  York,  anticipated  his  taking  up  a  resi- 
dence here.  He  afterward  moved  his  family  to  this  valley,  locating  on  land 
south  of  the  Tittabawassee  opposite  Riverside  Park,  where  he  lived  for  many 
years. 

Written  long  before  the  days  of  steel  pens,  fading  ink  and  rotting  paper. 
this  letter,  manifesting  the  enterprising  spirit  of  the  writer,  comes  down  to  us 
well  preserved  and  perfectly  legible.  Before  the  invention  of  the  paper 
envelope  a  sheet  of  foolscap,  upon  which  the  message  was  written,  was  made 
to  serve  a  double  purpose.  <  >ne-half  of  the  back  of  the  sheet  was  left  blank. 
and  the  sheet  was  so  folded  that  this  was  on  the  outside  with  the  flaps  within. 
It  was  then  sealed  with  wax  and  addressed  Postage  stamps  had  not  yet 
come  into  use.  but  the  postage,  which  then  was  twenty-live  cents,  was  indi- 
cated by  figures  placed  in  the  upper  right  hand  corner. 

This  letter  of  Mr.  Little's  has  been  framed  with  glass  over  both  sides  of 
the  sheet,  and  hung  in  the  new  Butman-Fish  Memorial  Library  on  the  West 
Side.  It  is  a  unique  message  of  a  by-gone  age  penned  by  the  founder  of  our 
city  and  of  such  unusual  interest  that  it  is  reproduced  in  facsimile. 

The  list  of  books  comprising  the  Mechanics  Library  in  1837,  which  was 
included  in  the  letter,  embraced  standard  works  of  philosophy,  history,  biog- 
raphy, travel  and  religious  subjects.  There  were  "The  Philosophy  of  Sleep," 
"Dick's  Mental  Illumination,"  "Pierre's  Study  of  Nature."  "Theory  of  Another 
Life,"  "Shaw's  Architecture."  "Mcintosh's  England,"  "History  of  Italy," 
"Henderson's  Brazil,"  "Plutarch's  Lives,"  and  works  of  fohnson,  Burns, 
Goldsmith  and  Sterne.  "Pilgrim's  Progress,"  "Paul  and  Virginia,"  "<iil  Bias," 
"Gregory's  Letters  to  His  Son."  were  also  on  the  list  with  "Irving's  Works," 
and  the  novels  of  Bulwer,  Scott  and  Cooper. 

Other  titles  sound  strange  to  devotees  of  present-day  literature,  and  the 
contents  ol  some  books,  though  of  deep  and  serious  nature,  would  no  doubt 
cause  some  merriment  today.  "Guide  to  the  Thoughtful,"  "Treasury  of 
Knowledge."  "Spiritual  Despotism,"  and  "Hervey's  Meditation"  hardly  tit  in 
with  modern  thought  and  ideas,  while  "Mother  at  Home."  "Father's  Book," 
"Poor  but  Happy,"  "Beauty  of  Female  Holiness,"  "Fireside  Piety,"  "Placid 
Man."  "Thinks  I  to  Myself,"  and  "Man  as  He  is  Not"  are  quite  without  the 
realm  of  good  reading  in  this  age.  In  all  there  were  three  hundred  and 
ninety-one  volumes  in  the  collection,  some  of  which  are  still  to  be  found  on 
the  shelves  of  the  West  Side  School  Library. 


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300  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW  COUNTY 


The  Public  and  Union  School  Library 

From  this  small  beginning  made  by  Norman  Little  and  others  nearly 
eighty  years  ago,  lias  been  developed  the  useful  and  efficient  library  on  the 
West  Side.  The  collapse  of  the  speculative  boom  in  1838  was  followed  by  a 
period  of  extreme  depression  in  this  valley,  and  not  until  1849  did  the  four  or 
five  hundred  inhabitants  of  Saginaw  City  notice  any  indication  of  returning 
prosperity.  The  school  and  the  church  had  struggled  along  miserably,  and 
not  until  several  years  after  were  these  institutions  of  our  social  fabric  thor- 
oughly organized.  In  1857  the  early  collection  of  1 ks,  augmented  by  per- 
sonal donations  from  time  to  time,  was  re-established  as  a  public  library,  and 
eight  years  later  when  the  Union  School  District  was  organized  it  was  turned 
over  to  the  first  school  board.  Thereafter  it  was  known  as  the  "Public  and 
Union  School  Library  of  Saginaw  City." 

When  the  Central  School  on  Court  Street  was  completed  in  1868,  the 
library  was  removed  to  a  suitable  room  on  the  first  floor  of  that  building. 
In  the  fire  of  1895,  which  nearly  destroyed  the  imposing  old  school  house,  the 
books  of  the  library  were  greatly  damaged  by  water  and  smoke,  but  all  those 
not  rendered  useless  were  carefully  dried  and  cleaned,  and  removed  tempor- 
arily to  a  room  in  the  High  School.  During  the  reconstruction  the  library 
was  conducted  there,  but  upon  the  opening  of  the  John  Moore  School,  which 
replaced  the  old  Central,  it  was  removed  to  a  basement  room  in  the  new 
building.  Although  a  high  and  well  ventilated  basement,  some  damage  re- 
sulted to  the  1 ks  from  dampness,  and  the  library  was  unwed  in  September, 

1900,  to  the  Kindergarten  building  in  the  same  block.  It  remained  there  until 
November,  1915,  when  upon  completion  of  the  new  Butman-Fish  Memorial 
Library  building,  it  was  installed  therein.  Since  September,  1899,  the  library 
has  been  in  charge  of  Miss  Anna  Benjamin,  whose  ability  and  fitness  for  the 
position  are  recognized  by  students  and  citizens  generally. 

The  Butman-Fish  Memorial  Library 

Several  years  ago,  when  the  need  arose  for  a  suitable  building  to  accom- 
modate the  Public  and  Union  School  Library,  the  interest  and  co-operation  ol 
some  prominent  families  of  the  West  Side  were  solicited  to  provide  it.  The 
idea  was  for  one  family  to  erect  a  library  building,  specially  designed  for 
present  and  future  needs,  as  a  memorial  to  those  who  have  passed  to  the 
beyond.  Among  the  persons  of  generous  and  philanthropic  nature  who  were 
thus  approached  were  Mrs.  Myron  Butman  and  her  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  1'. 
Fish.  Through  a  life-long  friendship  with  the  librarian  they  knew  the  needs 
of  the  library,  and  also  the  possibilities  of  greater  usefulness.  After  much 
thought  and  consideration  they  decided  to  provide  a  handsome  edifice,  which 
would  stand  for  ages  as  a  fitting  memorial  to  husband  and  father,  the  late 
Myron  Butman. 

Before  definite  plans  could  be  formulated  and  put  into  execution  both 
Mrs.  Butman  and  Mrs.  Fish  were  stricken  by  death.  Fortunately  for  the 
library  their  ideas  and  often  expressed  wishes  have  been  duly  respected  by 
the  executors  of  the  estate,  for  not  long  after  their  death  the  sum  of  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars  was  made  available  to  the  trustees  ol  the  Union  School 
District,  for  the  purpose  intended.  Afterward,  when  it  became  evident  that 
this  amount  was  insufficient  to  complete  the  structure,  the  sum  of  live  thou- 
sand dollars  was  added  to  the  gift. 

While  the  total  amount  thus  given  has  provided  a  very  suitable  and  con- 
venient library  building,  especially  designed  for  the  purpose,  the  needs  oi  the 
future,  owing  to  want  of  adequate  funds,  have  been  little  considered.  The 
sum  regarded  as  necessary  for  the  proper  fulfillment  of  the  project  was  fifty 


(  >UR   EDUCATK  )NAL  DEVEL<  )PMENT 


801 


THE    BUTMAN-FISH    MEMORIAL    LIBRARY 


thousand  dollars.  This  amount  was  often  named  by  the  librarian  in  confer- 
ence with  Mrs.  Butman  ami  Mrs.  Fish,  on  the  subject,  ami  it  is  believed  that 
they  fully  intended  to  make  a  bequest  to  the  library  in  this  sum.  Neverthe- 
less, the' stately  building  which  has  risen  by  their  misdirected  munificence, 
stands  as  a  noble  monument  alike  to  the  memory  of  one  of  Saginaw's  fore- 
most ami  upright  citizens,  and  to  his  wife  and  daughter. 

The  new  library  building  is  conveniently  and  appropriately  situated  on 
the  |ohn  Moore  School  grounds,  at  the  corner  of  Harrison  and  Hancock 
Street^.  Built  of  dark  paving  brick  embellished  by  trimmings  of  Bedford 
stone,  the  structure  presents  a  rather  imposing  appearance.  Entering  through 
the  wide  portico.  Hanked  by  lofty  columns  of  the  Ionic  order  of  archi- 
tecture,  a    vestibule    and    hall    leads    direct    to    the    librarian's    desk    and    1 k 

stacks.  The  stacks  are  arranged  around  three  sides  of  the  bay.  and  rise  to 
and  above  a  gallery  which  is  reached  by  short  steps  conveniently  placed.  For 
both  reference  ami  circulation  the  library  now  contains  about  eighteen  thou- 
sand volumes,  including  the  best  of  current  literature.  On  either  side  of  the 
hall  are  spacious  reading  and  study  rooms,  admirably  lighted  and  made  cheer- 
ful by  huge  fire  places  at  the  ends.  <  >ne  of  these  rooms  is  intended  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  children  and  the  other  for  adults. 

From  the  vestibule  double  stairways  lead  to  the  floor  above.  Here  was 
recently  established  a  museum  of  prehistoric  and  Indian  relics  and  antiquities 
of  real  value  and  interest.  In  the  collection  already  assembled  is  the  splen- 
didly arranged  group  of  Indian  relics  and  curios  of  Mr.  Fred  Dustin,  mention 
of  which  was  made  and  some  illustration  given  in  the  first  chapter  of  this 
work.  This  is  well  worth  a  careful  examination  and  study.  The  walls  oi 
the  three  rooms  <,n  this  floor  were  designed  for  the  hanging  of  paintings  and 
other  works  of  art.  and  special  attention  has  been  given  to  correct  lighting 
to  insure  the  proper  effects.  It  is  believed  that  eventually  this  division  of  the 
library  will  contain  many  public  and  individual  groups  of  valuable  paintings, 
works  of  art.  curio,  and  relics  of  a  bygone  age,  to  be  handed  down  in  proper 
form  to  p.  isterity. 


302  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Public  Library 

Like  other  collections  of  books  for  public  circulation  in  pioneer  days,  the 
Public  Library  of  the  East  Side  had  a  small  and  insignificant  beginning.  As 
early  a>  May  5,  1859,  a  committee  was  appointed  by  the  school  board  to  con- 
sider the  subject  of  a  library,  and  to  make  a  report  on  an  ordinance  for  gov- 
ernment of  same.  This  committee  reported  "that  the  whole  library  of  the 
School  District  No.  1  of  the  Township  of  Buena  Vista  belongs  to  this  board." 
The  clerk  of  the  board  was  thereupon  instructed  to  ascertain  and  report  to 
the  board  "the  present  condition  of  the  library  and  the  books  now  absent 
and  in  whose  hands,  and  also  to  make  a  catalog  of  the  books  now  belonging 
to  the  library."  Morgan  L.  Gage  was  appointed  librarian  to  take  possession 
of  the  books,  i  )n  September  13,  1859,  the  board  requested  the  common 
council  to  raise  by  tax  one  hundred  dollars  for  library  purposes. 

Shortly  after,  the  committee  on  teachers  and  1 ks  recommended  that 

the  library  lie  removed  to  the  Union  School  and  that  A.  L.  Bingham  be 
appointed  librarian.  Evidently  this  was  favorably  acted  upon,  fur  mi  Novem- 
ber 15  the  committee  reported  that  the  clerk  of  the  Township  of  Buena  Vista 
had  come  and  taken  possession  of  the  books  of  the  library  by  charges  thereon, 
and  carried  them  off.  An  effort  was  then  made  to  secure  a  settlement  of  the 
disputed  ownership  of  the  bunks  by  legal  means.  Meanwhile  the  money 
collected  in  the  tax  of  1859  for  library  purposes  was  diverted  to  other  uses. 
In  1861  another  fund  of  one  hundred  dollars  was  collected  by  tax  and  the  pur- 
chase of  books  authorized.  The  books  arrived  in  November,  the  expenditure 
being  one  hundred  and  ninety-one  dollars;  and  the  hours  of  opening,  2  to  5 
on  Saturday,  were  established. 

The  annual  report  of  1862  states  that  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  dollars 
were  spent  on  the  library,  and  that  there  were  one  hundred  and  nine  volumes 
on  the  shelves.  Reference  was  made  to  the  fact  that  the  Buena  Vista  library 
was  estimated  to  be  worth  three  hundred  dollars,  but  apparently  no  settle- 
ment had  been  reached  as  to  the  ownership.  A  few  months  after  the  books 
had  increased  to  one  hundred  and  seventy-five,  and  the  circulation  for  seven 
months  was  five  hundred.  C.  K.  Robinson  was  the  librarian,  but  was  suc- 
ceeded the  following  year  by  M.  II.  Allard.  From  this  small  beginning  made 
under  great  difficulties  has  sprung  the  large  and  efficient  public  library,  which 
is  an  important  factor  in  our  educational  development. 

In  1S72  a  room  in  the  Central  School,  opposite  the  superintendent's  office, 
was  fitted  up  for  the  library,  and  the  library  committee  was  authorized  to 
make  a  new  selection  of  books.  Miss  Louise  Johnson  was  then  appointed 
librarian  at  a  salary  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  year,  the  library  to  be 
open  on  Wednesdays  from  4  to  f>  and  on  Saturdays  from  3  to  7  o'clock.  That 
year  seven  hundred  and  ninety  dollars  were  spent  for  books,  when  the  number 
of  volumes  increased  to  eleven  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  In  1874  the  library 
was  recatalogued  and  renumbered,  and  four  hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars 
spent  for  new  books.  It  was  then  deemed  necessary  to  secure  larger  quarters 
and  adopt  new  methods  to  make  the  library  more  useful  to  the  public. 

With  this  in  view  a  proposition  was  presented  to  the  board  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  1 ks  and  property  of  the  Library  Association,  which  occupied 

a  building  on  Washington  Avenue.  After  much  discussion  of  the  matter,  the 
real  estate  consisting  of  the  so-called  "library  building"  with  twenty  feet 
frontage,  was  taken  over  by  Christopher  Palm,  and  on  <  >ctober  IS,  1875,  the 
Library  Association  turned  over  its  library  and  furniture  to  the  Board  of 
Education,  for  the  consideration  of  one  dollar.  The  board  then  leased  of  Mr. 
Palm  the  second  floor  of  his  building,  at  a  rental  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars  a  year,   for  a  period  of  five  years,   for  use  of  the   library   and   board 


OUR   EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT 


303 


rooms.  The  library  was  then  mined  to  the  more  central  and  convenient  loca- 
tion, and  merged  with  the  other.  The  consolidation  added  eighteen  hundred 
and  thirty-five  books  to  the  seventeen  hundred  and  seventy-eight  volumes  of 
the  Public  Library,  making  a  total  of  thirty-six  hundred  and  thirteen.  Addi- 
tional book  shelves  were  provided,  a  catalogue  recommended,  and  the  public 
congratulated  on  possessing  a  "valuable  library."  In  1876  William  L.  Smith 
was  the  librarian,  his  salary  being  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  year. 

In  1878,  in  order  to  make  the  library  still  more  useful  to  the  public,  the 
hours  of  opening  were  extended  to  eleven  hours  a  week,  namely,  from  3  to  5 
every  day  except  Sunday,  and  from  6  to  8  every  evening,  except  Sunday  and 
Wednesday,  and  from  10  to  12  on  Saturday  morning.  Up  to  this  time  the 
work  had  been  done  by  some  teacher  or  other  person  devoting  only  a  small 
portion  of  one  or  two  days  a  week,  but  from  now  on  the  librarian  was 
expected  to  give  her  whole  time  to  the  work.  Mrs.  Emma  I.  Shaw  was 
then  appointed  to  the  position  at  a  salary  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a 
year.  In  18S1  a  petition  was  received  asking  for  a  reading  room  and  period- 
icals, and,  since  more  room  was  needed  for  the  uses  of  the  library,  it  was 
removed  in  January,  1882,  to  the  second  floor  of  the  building  on  South  Jeffer- 
son Avenue,  where  it  has  since  remained.  On  June  IS,  1879,  Mrs.  Susan 
Cole  was  elected  librarian.  The  number  of  volumes  had  increased  to  forty- 
seven  hundred  and  twenty,  and  the  circulation  to  thirty-three  thousand  five 
hundred.  The  number  of  cards  was  thirteen  hundred  and  sixty-five,  showing 
that  the  facilities  of  the  library  were  more  generally  enjoyed  by  the  public. 

Mrs.  Cole  served  as  librarian  until  July  1,  1886,  when  she  was  succeeded 
by  Mrs.  Lucy  E.  Houghton  who  continued  in  the  position  for  a  period  of 
twenty-five  years.  During  her  efficient  administration  the  library  expanded 
greatly,  so  that  at  the  time  she  relinquished  her  duties  the  number  of  volumes 
had  increased  four  fold,  and  the  library  become  correspondingly  more  useful. 
On  July  1,  1911,  Miss  Mary  E.  Dow  assumed  charge  of  the  library,  and  in  a 
relatively  short  period  has  greatly  increased  its  usefulness.     The  library  in 


INTERIOR    OF    PUBLIC     LIBRARY,     EAST    SIDE 


304  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

1915  contained  twenty  thousand  volumes,  and  the-  circulation  reached  eighty- 
two  thousand.  In  that  year  the  second  floor  of  the  building  was  given  over 
entirely  to  the  use  of  the  library,  and  remodeled  to  meet  the  growing  needs 
i  if  the  time. 

The  front  is  entirely  of  glass  from  floor  to  ceiling,  affording  an  abundance 
ol  light;  and  the  book  stacks  are  arranged  so  as  to  be  easily  accessible  to 
persons  wishing  to  browse  among  the  books.  Besides  the  reading  and  study 
room  at  the  front,  there  is  a  children's  section  supplied  with  low  tables  and 
chairs,  and  shelving  with  separate  catalogue  for  juvenile  bunks.  There  is 
also  a  mechanical  branch  in  the  Manual  Training  School,  and  bunks  are  dis- 
tributed from  three  other  schools.  The  library  has  a  yearly  income  of  about 
five  thousand  dollars,  hut  after  the  usual  expenses  are  deducted  only  a  small 
sum — about  three  or  four  hundred  dollars  —  remains  for  the  purchase  of 
books.  This  small  amount  does  only  meager  service  in  supplying  new  books 
from  the  ever  increasing  literature  of  the  age. 

The  Hoyt  Public  Library 

Approaching  the  end  of  an  honorable  and  successful  life,  [esse  Hoyt 
summoned  to  his  home  in  .Yew  York  City  his  counsel,  Abraham  Van  Sant- 
voord,  and  his  Michigan  attorney.  William  L.  Webber,  in  order  to  arrange  for 
the  preparation  of  his  will.  Ili--  large  properties  and  interest  in  Michigan 
necessitated  the  presence  and  advice  of  someone  familiar  with  the  laws  of 
that  State.  During  the  conference  and  while  the  Michigan  properties  were 
under  discussion  Mr.  Hoyt  expressed  his  deep  interest  in  Saginaw  and  his 
desire  to  do  something  for  that  city  in  permanent  form  which  should  lie  an 
evidence  of  hi--  affection  and  a  lasting  token  of  his  good  will  towards  its 
pei  'pie. 

The  gift  of  Hoyt  Park  to  the  city  had  been  considered  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  library  for  the  benefit  and  free  use  of  all  the  people  of  Saginaw 
was  suggested.  Mr.  Hoyt  felt  that  some  portion  of  the  expenses  of  a  library 
should  be  borne  by  the  city  and  finally  gave  the  park  under  such  conditions, 
benefiting  the  proposed  library,  as  his  executors  should  prescribe.  Mr.  Hoyt 
then  said  that  he  would  give  a  site  for  a  library  building  and  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  as  a  fund  with  which  to  build  the  building,  purchase  books 
and  carry  on  the  institution.  Mr.  Van  Santvoord,  probably  aware  of  the  real 
requirements,  suggested  that  the  amount  should  be  fixed  at  two  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  but  Mr.  Hoyt  replied:  "No,  that  should  he  enough.  If  the 
people  want  more  than  that  will  accomplish  they  ought  to  provide  it."  The 
will   was  executed  on  June  2<  >,   1882,  and   Mr.    Hoyt  died  on  August   12.    1882, 

<  hi  January  26,  1883,  William  L.  Webber.  Michigan  executor  and  trustee 
of  the  Estate  of  Jesse  Hoyt,  conveyed  the  four  lots  upon  which  the  library 
building  stands  to  Henry  (A  Potter,  Joseph  C.  Jones,  Timothy  E.  Tarsney, 
Henry  C.  Potter,  Jr.,  and  James  P.  Peter,  as  trustee--  and  paid  to  them  one 
hundred  thousand  dollar--.  The  trust  deed  empowered  surviving  trustees  to 
fill  vacancies  and  perpetuate  the  trust.  The  present  trustees  are  Eugene  C. 
Warriner,  Gilbert  M.  Stark,  James  (I.  Macpherson,  Fred  Buck  and  James 
B.  Peter.  In  the  interval  between  the  date  of  the  deed  of  trust  and  the  pres- 
ent time.  William  L.  Webber.  Aaron  T.  Bliss  and  Thomas  A.  Harvey  were 
elected  to  fill  vacancies  and  served  as  trustees  until  their  deaths;  Benton 
Hanchett  and  George  W.  Weadock  were  also  elected  to  fill  vacancies  and 
served  as  trustees  until  their  resignations.  The  officers  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees  are :  President,  Eugene  C.  Warriner.  who  was  preceded  by  Benton 
Hanchett,  Henry  C.  Potter,  and  William  P.  Webber;  Secretary  and  Treas- 
urer,   lames    I',.    Peter. 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  305 


Contemporaneously  with  the  establishment  of  the  library,  in  considera- 
tion thereof  and  of  the  transfer  of  Hoyt  Park  by  the  Estate  of  Jesse  Hoyt  to 
the  city,  the  latter  agreed  to  pay  one  thousand  dollars  annually  to  the  trustees 
fur  library  expenses  and  also  agreed  to  pay  all  taxes  assessed  against  the 
library  pri  iperty. 

The  fund  remained  invested  until  1887.  During  that  and  the  following 
two  years  about  fifty-six  thousand  live  hundred  dollars  was  used  in  the  erec- 
tion and  equipment  of  the  building  and  approximately  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  was  used  in  the  purchase  of  books.  There  then  remained  about  fifty 
thousand  dollars  of  the  original  bequest.  In  November,  1901,  Alfred  M. 
Hoyt,  Samuel  N.  Hoyt.  Estate  of  Mary  N.  Hoyt  I'ettit,  Estate  of  Reuben 
Hoyt  and  Mary  Hoyt  each  gave  five  thousand  dollars,  and  in  February.  1907, 
Samuel  N.  Hoyt  gave  twenty  thousand  dollars  to  the  library:  the  whole 
forty-five  thousand  dollars  so  given  being  placed  in  a  special  fund,  the  income 
only  derived  therefrom  being  available  for  library  uses.  The  income  from 
the  unexpended  portion  of  the  bequest  and  from  the  subsequent  gifts,  together 
with  the  annual  payment  by  the  city,  constitutes  the  entire  income  of  the 
library. 

The  building  was  designed  by  Van  Brunt  and  Howe,  of  Boston,  who 
were  appointed  architects  after  a  competition  in  which  such  eminent  archi- 
tects as  H.  II.  Richardson,  of  Boston;  McKim,  Mead  ami  White,  of  New- 
York,  and  others  participated.  The  accepted  plans  for  the  library  resulting 
in  a  building  of  dignified  and  artistic  proportions,  with  outer  walls  of  stone 
from  the  Bay  Port  quarries,  trimmed  with  Lake  Superior  red  sandstone.  The 
finish  of  the  interior  is  of  oak.  All  division  of  space  was  planned  for  the 
most  convenient  and  economical  use  by  librarian,  attendants,  students  and 
readers.  In  the  construction  of  that  portion  of  the  building  in  which  the 
books  are  shelved  protection  from  fire  was  especially  considered  ;  the  shelving 
capacity  being  estimated  at  fifty  thousand  volumes.  For  the  protection  of 
the  building  the  grounds  are  surrounded  by  a  substantial  but  open  iron  fence, 
and  with   the  trees,  vines,  shrubs  and  flowers  are   well  kept  and  attractive. 

The  name  of  the  library  was  established  by  the  deed  of  trust  which  also 
provided  that  the  library  should  be  for  consultation  and  reference  only.  The 
selection  of  the  first  books  purchased  was  by  Professor  I.  N.  Demmon  of  the 
University  of  Michigan  and  included  .about  twelve  thousand  volumes,  which 
number  was  increased  by  the  purchase  of  about  four  thousand  volumes  by 
the  librarian  under  authority  from  the  trustees  and  by  the  acquisition  of  some 
two  thousand  volumes  of  governmental  reports.  Mr.  Webber  at  that  time 
also  donated  about  five  hundred  miscellaneous  books.  When  the  library  was 
opened  it  contained  something  over  eighteen  thousand  volumes  and  now  has 
approximately  thirty-five  thousand  volumes,  representing  every  department 
of  research  required  in  a  well  balanced  library  of  reference.  All  subsequent 
purchases  of  books  have  been  made  by  the  librarian  under  authority  and  by 
approval  of  the  trustees.  Many  valuable  books,  pictures  and  other  things  of 
historical  value  have  been  received  as  gifts  from  various  donors.  There 
are  about  two  hundred  periodicals,  scientific,  literary,  artistic  and  miscel- 
laneous, which  include  the  best  of  English,  American,  French  and  German 
publications,  many  of  which   to  be  accessible  are  bound  annually. 

The  library  was  opened  for  free  use  by  the  public  about  November  1, 
1890,  under  the  care  of  Miss  Harriet  H.  Ames,  who  came  from  Boston  in 
1888,  was  then  appointed  librarian  and  during  the  following  two  years  com- 
pleted the  preliminary  work  of  placing  the  library  in  order.  Under  her  most 
helpful  and  satisfactory  management,  thankfully  appreciated  alike  by  the 
trustees  and  users  of  the  library,  its  work  has  been  ever  since  conducted.  In 
addition  to  the  librarian  there  are  two  assistant  librarians  and  a  janitor,  this 


306 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE    HOYT    PUBLIC    LIBRARY 


being  the  entire  salaried  list.  Excepting  for  the  annual  summer  vacation  of 
one  month  and  on  Sundays  and  holidays  the  library  is  open  every  day  and 
evening  and  has  an  average  daily  attendance  of  over  one  hundred  readers  and 
students. 

The  average  annual  income  of  the  library  is  about  six  thousand  four  hun- 
dred dollars;  the  average  annual  expenses,  including  usual  repairs,  about 
four  thousand  six  hundred  dollars,  leaving  about  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred dollars.  After  payment  for  newspapers,  periodicals  and  binding  there 
remains  available  for  necessary  improvements,  extraordinary  repairs  and  the 
purchase  of  new  bunks  an  average  annual  amount  of  less  than  five  hundred 
dollars.  In  order  to  maintain  the  condition  of  the  building,  which  as  time 
passes  requires  mure  frequent  attention  and  larger  sums,  less  funds  remain 
with  which  to  acquire  new  books  or  to  otherwise  increase  the  efficiency  of  the 
library.  This  unfortunate  situation  is  increasing  and  in  all  probability  will 
be  more  marked  when  in  the  future,  as  will  probably  be  the  case,  the  rate  of 
interest  upon  sale  and  desirable  investments  i--  reduced.  No  part  of  the  trust 
funds  of  the  library,  either  principal  or  interest,  has  ever  been  lost  or  its  value 
impaired.  The  average  annual  expense  of  caring  lor  the  financial  and 
accounting  department  has  been  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  per 
year. 

The  trustees  appreciate  that  the  usefulness  of  the  work  in  their  hands 
might    be   enlarged   and   increased.      The    library   occupies   a    unique   situation 

in  that  it  is  solely  for  study  and  reference  and  has  no  department  of  1 ks 

for  circulation.  It  is  evident  that  provision  must  be  made  before  many  years 
for  an  increase  of  shelving  capacity.  The  building  was  located  as  it  stands 
with  reference  to  possible  future  additions  which  might  be  required.  The 
deed  of  trust  contemplated  the  possibility  of  placing  the  City  Library  upon 
the  grounds  adjoining  that  occupied  by  the  Hoyt  Public  Library,  and  ample 
room   remains  for  a  building  to  be  attached   to  the   present   building,  of  the 


()L'R   EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  307 


same  material  and  architectural  design.  Neither  library  would  conflict  with 
the  work  of  the  other  and  each  would  fill  its  respective  field  to  the  benefit  of 
the  public. 

The  library  should  be  open  every  day  and  evening  of  the  year.  In  many 
cities  a  special  department  for  young  children  has  been  very  attractive  and 
successful.  Pack  of  and  inability  to  command  means  has  prevented  the  trus- 
tees from  making  improvements  and  carrying  out  plans  the  profit  and  success 
of  which  have  been  demonstrated  in  other  "libraries.  The  trustees  are  em- 
powered to  receive  money  or  property  from  other  sources  and  use  the  same 
for  educational    purposes    without    the    restrictions   attached    to   the   bequest. 

The  results  of  the  years  of  its  existence  justify  the  foundation  of  the 
work    which    has    stimulated    and    enriched    the    intellectual    life    of    Saginaw. 

The  name  of  Jesse  Hoyt  is  linked  in  man)-  ways  with  Saginaw  and  its 
history  but  in  no  more  visible,  enduring  and  useful  way  than  through  the 
institution  which  bears  his  name. 

—  James    I'..    Peter 

Time  through  the  intervening  years  has  mellowed  the  colors  of  the  stone 
of  this  artistic  building,  and  nature  ha-  outdone  the  architect  by  covering 
the  walls  with  a  luxurious  growth  of  ampelopsis.  Besides  the  rare  trees  and 
shrubs  which  adorn  the  grounds,  there  is  a  somewhat  unusual  hedge  of  holly- 
hocks, which  in  bloom  is  the  special  pride  of  the  librarian.  With  the  attrac- 
tive little  park  adjoining  and  the  Federal  Building,  this  square  is  one  of  the 
beauty  spots  of  Saginaw. 

The  entrance  to  the  library  is  through  a  broad  porch  on  the  south  and 
west  facades,  the  columns  and  arches  of  which  are  of  red  sandstone,  and  the 
entablature  of  the  same  material  is  richly  carved.  (  (pening  from  the  double 
vestibule  on  the  main  flour  are  a  cloak  room,  two  large  reading  and  study 
rooms,  librarian's  office  and  the  stack  room.  Through  faulty  design  the 
stacks  are  entirely  shut  off  from  the  other  rooms,  ami  the  books  not  being 
easily  accessible  to  the  public  the  library  falls  short  of  meeting  its  utmost 
usefulness.  <  Ml  the  second  floor  is  a  lecture  hall,  now  used  as  a  stack  room 
for  government  documents,  including  the  "Globe"  and  other  Congressional 
records  ami  department  reports,  of  which  the  library  is  especially  strong. 
There  are  also  on  this  floor  a  trustee's  room  and  a  smaller  room  used  for 
study  purposes.  All  the  rooms  utilized  for  study  are  spacious,  well  lighted 
and  quiet,  thus  insuring  an  ideal  place  for  students  and  readers. 

That  the  privileges  of  the  library  are  appreciated  by  I  Iigh  School  students 
is  evidenced  by  the  large  number  who  frequent  the  study  rooms  during  the 
latter  part  of  the  afternoon.  To  the  literary  and  reading  clubs  the  facilities 
for  research  afforded  by  this  library  are  invaluable,  and  much  of  the  success- 
ful work  accomplished  by  the  clubs  is  directly  due  to  the  earnest  co-operation 
of  the  librarians.  In  times  past  Miss  Grace  Push  was  the  accomplished 
assistant  to  the  librarian,  and  her  years  of  faithful  service  are  alike  appreciated 
and  remembered  by  the  older  patrons  of  the  library.  In  more  recent  years 
the  greater  part  of  the  detail  work  of  the  library  has  devolved  upon  Miss 
Blanche  Topping,  the  able  associate  librarian,  and  Miss  Mae  llebert,  her 
assistant,  whose  untiring  efforts  t<>  increase  the  usefulness  of  the  library  have 
added  appreciably  to  its  popularity. 

Literary  Clubs 

In  the  broad  and  liberal  view  of  education,  the  literal'}'  and  reading  clubs 
of  Saginaw  command  a  prominent  place  in  her  intellectual  life.  For  nearly 
forty  years  women's  clubs  have  been  an  important  factor  in  the  general 
scheme  of  education,  and  today  their  work  is  along  lines  of  dee])  and  thorough 


308  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


rv 


research,  [n  striving  for  higher  culture  — the  object  and  aim  of  litera.  . 
circles,  the  mind  is  broadened  and  one's  views  of  life,  under  the  influence  of 
proper  reading  and  debate,  often  undergo  a  corrective  change.  This  has  an 
important  hearing  upon  the  home  life  and  tends  to  elevate  the  moral  tone  of 
the  household. 

Anions;  the  very  early  clubs,  the  forerunners  of  our  prominent  literary 
organizations  of  the  present  day,  was  the  Tuesday  Club.  It  was  a  small  but 
very  exclusive  club  of  women,  all  very  close  friends,  who  were  prominent  in 
the  social  and  religious  life  of  the  city.  They  first  met  together  in  the  early 
eighties,  and  the  name  was  suggested  by  the  choice  of  Tuesday  as  the  weekly 
time  of  meeting.  'Hie  membership  was  limited  to  fifteen,  and  there  was 
always  a  waiting  list  of  leading  women  eager  to  enter  the  inner  circle  of 
their  friends.  There  was  no  very  formal  organization,  and  the  charter  mem- 
bers were  not  enrolled  on  vellum  in  letters  of  gold.  The  gold  they  sought 
were  the  nuggets  of  knowledge  gleaned  from  thoughtful  study  and  reading 
of  the  best  literature.  The  picture  on  the  opposite  page,  taken  from  a  photo- 
graph made  in  1885,  probably  embraces  nearly,  if  not  all,  the  original  members. 

The  members  shown  in  the  picture,  which  was  taken  on  the  steps  of  Mrs. 
Buckhout's  home  on  North  Washington  Avenue,  are:  Mrs.  Chauncey  Wis- 
ner,  Mrs.  Farnum  Lyon,  Airs.  C.  Stuart  Draper,  .Mrs.  ( lurdon  Corning,  Mrs. 
Edward  Mershon,  Mrs.  Henry  D.  Wickes,  Mrs.  William  F.  Potter,  Miss 
Lizzie  Thurber,  Mrs.  James  F.  Brown,  Mrs.  1..  A.  (lark,  Mrs.  Sanford  Keeler, 
Mrs.  Byron  1!.  Buckhout  and  Mrs.  John  J.  Wheeler.  Mrs.  Robert  Boyd  and 
another  member  of  the  club,  not  now  recalled,  were  not  present  at  the  time 
this  picture  was  taken. 

The  work  of  the  Tuesday  Club  was  always  conducted  very  quietly,  with- 
out the  least  publicity,  but  its  influence  upon  the  intellectual  life  of  it's  mem- 
bers, with  reference  to  the  sociological  and  philanthropic  side  of  their  natures, 
was  very  marked.  Through  death  and  removal  from  the  city  of  its  leading 
members  the  club  at  length  disbanded,  after  an  existence  of  more  than  twenty- 
five  years,  but  the  recollection  of  its  good  work  still  lingers  with  the  few  mem- 
bers still  living. 

The  Monday  Club,  the  Tourist  Club,  the  Carpe  Diem  and  other  literary 
clubs  of  later  years,  all  accomplished  an  excellent  work  covering  a  more  or 
less  extended  period,  but  for  various  reasons  finally  dissolved,  and  only  the 
memories  of  pleasant  and  profitable  hours  spent  in  "meeting  remain  for  those 
who  once  were  prominently  identified  with  their  work. 

The   Winter   Club 

<  d  the  prominent  literary  clubs  to  retain  their  organization  and  continue 
research  work,  the  Winter  Club  is  the  oldest.  It  owes  its  existence  to  an 
informal  gathering  of  less  than  a  dozen  men  and  women  in  the  autumn  of 
1877,  for  the  study  of  English  history.  This  band  of  studiously  inclined 
persons  numbered  twenty  at  the  close  of  the  first  year,  but  was  increased  to 
twenty-four  in  the  second  year.  There  was  no  formal  organization,  although 
a  chairman  was  elected  who  appointed  a  committee  to  arrange  a  course  of 
study,  as  required  from  time  to  time. 

In  October,  187''.  the  membership  was  increased  to  thirty-two,  officers 
were  duly  elected,  a  constitution  and  by-laws  adopted,  and  a  line  of  study 
mapped  out.  Meeting  regularly  each  Monday  evening,  for  seven  months  of 
the  year,  at  the  homes  of  members,  the  club  was  fairly  launched  into  club 
life,  with  Julius  K.  Rose  as  first  president.  In  1880-81  George  B.  Brooks  was 
president,  and  the  first  printed  program  appeared  with  the  subject  of  Roman 
history,  with  appropriate  readings  from  Shakespeare.  The  second  part  of 
the  program  contained  the  full  list  of  officers  and  members,  and  it  is  interest- 


310  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

ing  to  note  that  a  quarter  of  a  century  after,  eight  of  the  thirty-two  still 
retained  active  membership.  George  I'..  Brooks  has  the  distinction  of  being 
the  only  charter  member  still  active  in  the  club  work. 

Those  who  became  members  in  1878-79  were  Mrs.  Byron  B.  Buckhout; 
Miss  Harriet  V.  Bills,  now  Mrs.  George  B.  Brooks;  Miss  Fanny  C.  Farrand, 
now  Mrs.  fohn  F.  Boynton ;  Mrs.  Henry  C.  Ripley,  with  fulius  K.  Rose. 
James  T.  Oxtoby,  I  >.  'l ).,  and  John  S.  Estabrook.  In  1881-82  Bradley  M. 
Thompson  was  president,  and  the  detailed  program  gave  thirty  evenings  in 
Greece,  in  the  study  of  the  art  and  literature  of  that  ancient  civilization. 
The  following  year,  with  William  II.  Masker  in  the  chair,  the  subjects  took 
the  members  through  sunny  France.  In  their  literary  travels  the  members 
visited  the  ends  of  the  earth  and  the  isles  of  the  sea;  they  traversed  Siberian 
wastes  and  penetrated  African  jungle--;  they  climbed  lofty  mountains  and 
stocked  aquariums  from  the  depths  of  the  sea;  they  sorrowed  over  the  perils 
and  sufferings  of  Arctic  navigators,  and  they  shuddered  at  the  wickedness 
and  In  irrors  i  if  war. 

Science  and  invention  opened  their  secret  doors  to  curious  eyes;  and  the 
voices  of  the  wizards  Edison  and  Marconi  awakened  them  to  the  possibilities 
of  new  forces,  while  the  feats  through  the  upper  air  of  Santos-Dumont 
thrilled  them,  and  they  rejoiced  in  all  their  triumphs.  In  later  years  they 
studied  the  great  lights  of  English,  German,  French  and  Italian  literature: 
gave  many  original  interpretations  of  the  immortal  lines  of  Shakespeare, 
entered  heartily  into  reform  work  with  Luther,  Wyclif,  Savonarola  and  Ball- 
ington  Booth,  indicated  t<  >  the  Pope  of  Rome  a  few  errors  in  his  theology,  and 
gave  their  views  regarding  the  care  of  alien  races,  the  uplifting  of  the  negro, 
and  the  civilization  of  the  American  Indian. 

The  Winter  Club  is  the  only  association  in  the  city  where  men  and 
women  meet  on  a  common  footing,  and  is  one  of  the  very  few  clubs  in  the 
State  to  which  men  are  admitted,  on  any  terms.  Besides  those  already  men- 
tioned  there  were  Theodore  Nelson,  Franklin  Noble,  Warren   F.  Day,   I..   M. 

W lrufF,  George  11.  Wallace  and  William   II.  Gallagher,  the  characteristics 

and  distinctive  attainments  of  each  being  treasured  memories  of  members 
still  living.  Roswell  G.  Horr  with  his  fund  of  humor  added  greatly  to  the 
pleasure  of  the  club,  during  the  short  time  he  was  a  member.  Among  those 
who  won  national  fame  was  Mrs.  Alice  Freeman  Palmer,  who  was  with  the 
club  two  years  during  its  programless  period,  and  who  died  in  190.-)  in  Paris, 
where  she  was  studying  with  her  husband.  Two  others  of  the  High  School 
were  John  (  >.  Reed  and  E.  C.  Goddard,  who  later,  with  Bradley  M.  Thomp- 
son, one  <>f  the  charter  members,  tilled  places  of  honor  in  the  University  of 
Michigan. 

The  club  opened  its  thirty-ninth  year  on  November  1.  1915,  with  a  review 
of  current  events.  In  the  meetings  which  followed  general  subjects  were 
treated,  the  choice  of  topics  being  left  to  individual  members.  This  plan  has 
been  successfully  followed  for  some  years,  anil,  while  the  subjects  chosen 
have  no  correlation,  the  papers  are  generally  very  thorough  and  compre- 
hensive, as  members  choose  subjects  with  which  they  are  familiar,  or  at 
least,  which  appeal  strongly  to  them.  As  a  result  the  papers  are  highly 
interesting  and  instructive,  and  are  enthusiastically  received  by  all  the  mem- 
bers. Some  of  the  subjects  chosen  this  year  were:  China  and  Japan,  Cavour, 
World  Troubles  of  1915,  A  Vacation  in  Alberta.  Phil  A.  Sheridan.  Literature 
of  the  War.  The  Criminal  from  a  Medical  Standpoint.  The  Isle  of  Fire  ( Ice- 
land i.  William  Morris  and  Prohibition  of  the  Liquor  Traffic.  The  officers 
of  the  club  for  the  present  year  are:  Julian  A.  Keeler,  president;  Mrs. 
William  Glover  Gage,  vice-president;  Mrs.  William  L.  Whitney,  secretary; 
Robert   II.  Cook,  treasurer. 


OUR  EDUCATIONAL  DEVELOPMENT  311 

The  Saginaw  Reading  Club 

(  Irganized  in  1885  with  forty-six  members,  the  Saginaw  Reading  Club, 
meeting  on  the  West  Side,  has  contributed  very  largely  to  the  literary  culture 
el  the  city.  Pursuing  a  very  active  and  progressive  policy  it  was  incor- 
porated in  1894,  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  General  Federation  in  1893,  and 
of  the  State  Federation  in  1895.  It  began  its  thirty-first  year  of  study  in 
the  Fall  of  1915,  under  the  direction  of  the  following  officers:  Mrs.  Carrie 
Goff,  president:  Mrs.  Maude  <  Irigg,  vice-president:  Mrs.  Jessie  Johnston, 
secretary:  Mrs.  Augusta  Tubbs,  treasurer,  and  Mrs.  llarriette  Robertson, 
librarian.  The  current  subjects  of  study  were:  Social  Progress  of  the  Pres- 
ent Age,  Literature,  Art,  Music  and  the  Drama.  The  club  holds  weekly 
meetings  on  Mondays  at  three-thirty,  from  the  middle  of  September  to  the 
first  of  May,  at  St.  John's  Church  Parish  I  louse.  Its  present  membership 
comprises  fifty-six  active  members,  fifty-three  associate  members,  and  five 
honorary. 

The  club  collect  —  "Keep  us.  (  )  God,  from  pettiness;  let  us  be  large 
in  thought,  in  word,  in  deed.  Let  us  be  done  with  fault  finding  and  leave 
off  self-seeking.  May  we  put  away  all  pretense  and  meet  each  other 
face  to  face  without  self-pit}-  and  without  prejudice.  May  we  never  be 
hast}-   in   judgment   and   always  generous. 

"Teach  us  to  put  into  action  our  better  impulses,  straight  forward 
and  unafraid.  Let  us  take  time  for  all  things:  make  us  grow  calm, 
serene  and  gentle.  Grant  that  we  may  realize  that  it  is  the  little  things 
that  create  differences:  that  in  the  big  things  of  life  we  are  as  one.  And 
may  we  strive  to  touch  and  to  know  the  great  common  woman's  heart 
of  us  all,  and  O  Lord  God,  let  us  not  forget  to  be  kind." 

The  Saginaw  Woman's  Club 

Another  of  the  leading  clubs,  and  the  largest  in  point  of  membership,  is 
the  Saginaw  Woman's  Club.  This  club  was  organized  in  1S92.  federated  in 
1895,  and  incorporated  in  1914.  It  has  an  active  membership  of  seventy-five, 
an  associate  membership  of  the  same  number,  and  an  honorary  list  of  four. 
The  subjects  of  study  for  its  twenty-fourth  year,  which  commenced  on  (  >cto- 
ber  15,  1915,  were:  French  Art.  Modern  American  Literature.  Music  and 
Drama.  Sociology  and  Political  Science.  Minor  Nations  in  the  War  Zone. 
The  work  of  the  club  is  directed  by  the  following  officers:  Mrs.  Fanny 
dole}-,  president;  Mrs.  Mark  S.  Brown,  vice-president;  Mrs.  John  Langdon, 
recording  secretary;  Mrs.  Walter  E.  Moore,  corresponding  secretary,  and 
Mrs.  Albert  Bumgarner,  treasurer.  Club  meetings  are  held  Tuesdays  at  two- 
thirty,  from  the  middle  of  <  Ictober  to  the  first  of  May. 

The  Research  Club 

Although  of  limited  membership  the  Research  Club,  organized  in  1894, 
has  always  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  literal}-  circles  of  the  city,  and 
accomplishes  a  good  work.  It  was  admitted  to  City  Federation  in  1900  and 
to  State  Federation  in  1' 01.  The  club  flower  is  the  scarlet  carnation,  and 
the  club  motto  is  "Qui  non  proficit,  deficit."  Meetings  are  held  on  Tues- 
days at  two-  thirty,  between  October  and  May.  The  club  stud}-  for  its 
twenty-second  year,  which  began  on  October  5,  1915,  was  miscellaneous 
subjects.  The  membership  of  the  club  comprises  twenty-five  active,  twelve 
associate,  and  seven  honorary  members;  and  the  work  is  directed  by  the  fol- 
lowing officers:  Mrs.  W.  11.  Minard.  president;  Mrs.  David  Nichol,  vice- 
president;  Miss  Edith  Markey,  secretary;  and  Mrs.  William  II.  Granville, 
treasurer. 


312  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Edelweiss  Club 

Of  later  organization  the  Edelweiss  Club,  which  came  into  existence  in 
1899,  is  also  deserving  of  honorable  mention.  This  club  entered  the  City 
Federation  in  1908  and  the  State  Federation  the  following  year.  Its  colors 
are  brown  and  gold,  and  its  motto  is  "lie  who  does  not  progress,  fails."  Club 
meetings  are  held  on  Tuesdays  at  two-thirty.  Beginning  its  seventeenth 
year  in  October,  1915,  its  work  was  directed  by  Mrs.  George  Hanks,  presi- 
dent; Mrs.  William  Ffoyt,  vice-president;  Airs.  Noel  Laing,  secretary;  Mrs. 
Harry  Tyler,  assistant  secretary;  and  Mrs.  Charles  Robbins,  treasurer.  The 
club  numbers  seventeen  active,  five  social,  and  four  honorary  members. 

The  Art  Club 

Thirty  years  ago  several  young  women  of  Saginaw  City,  desiring  to 
delve  into  foreign  art  and  to  cultivate  their  taste  for  the  beautiful,  met 
together  at  their  homes  for  studies  in  art.  They  were  the  pupils  of  John  P. 
Wicker,  a  successful  teacher  of  drawing  and  painting,  who  aroused  in  many 
of  his  students  a  tine  sense  of  artistic  values.  Their  studies  eventually  took 
them  through  realms  little  dreamed  of  in  their  school  work.  No  very  formal 
organization  was  affected  at  that  time,  but  those  most  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  the  society,  to  which  the\-  gave  the  name  "Art  Club,"  were:  Misses 
Winnifred  Smith,  Lucy  Burrows,  Ida  Rust,  Harriet  Wood,  Maude  I'enoyer, 
Louise  Grout  and  Mrs.  F.dwin  I'.  Stone. 

As  the  work  of  the  club  expanded  and  the  interest  increased,  other  young 
women  with  artistic  tastes  were  admitted  to  membership,  and  the  club  became 
a  recognized  factor  in  the  intellectual  life  of  the  city.  In  1896  the  club  was 
Federated,  and  in  the  following  year  it  was  duly  incorporated  with  twenty- 
nine  charter  members.  The  first  officers  were:  Winnifred  Smith,  presi- 
dent; Harriett  Powell,  vice-president ;  Carolyn  Robinson,  secretary ;  Henri- 
etta Schemm,  treasurer,  ami  May  Joslin,  librarian,  who  also  comprised  the 
board  of  directors.  In  1898-99  there  were  twenty-eight  active  and  ninety- 
seven  associate  members,  and  in  1913-14,  the  last  year  of  regular  program 
work,  there  were  twenty-three  active  and  ninety-three  associate  members. 

The  papers  given  at  the  meetings  of  the  club  were  prepared  with  unusual 
care  and  thoroughness,  and  were  rendered  even  more  interesting  by  the 
exhibition  of  art  pictures  and  lantern  slide  views,  bearing  directly  on  the 
subjects  treated.  With  the  passing  years  the  collection  of  lantern  slides 
has  grown  to  considerable  value,  as  has  also  the  club  library  of  art  books, 
photogravures,  and  photographs  of  works  of  general  interest  to  art.  With 
a  fine  appreciation  of  their  value  as  a  factor  in  education,  the  club  in  recent 
vears  has  placed  its  library,  lantern  and  slides  at  the  disposal  of  the  schools, 
for  lectures  and  exhibitions,  and  thus  greatly  increased  the  scope  of  its  work 
and  usefulness. 

<  If  late  vears  the  Art  Club  has  discontinued  the  preparation  of  individual 
papers,  and  adopted  a  schedule  of  prescribed  readings  for  members  at  home 
from  art  books  and  journals.  This  work  is  supplemented  by  lectures  given 
from  time  to  time  bv  prominent  artists  and  others;  and  the  club  gives  art 
exhibitions  each  year  which,  open  to  the  public  free  of  charge,  have  been 
productive  of  awakening  a  general  interest  in  art.  The  club  owns  a  number 
of  fine  paintings  of  considerable  value,  which  are  loaned  to  one  or  another  of 
the  public  libraries  for  more  extended  exhibition.  The  officers  of  the  club 
for  the  ensuing  year  were:  Miss  Winnifred  Smith,  president;  Mrs.  William 
L.  Whitney,  vice-president;  Mrs.  William  Glover  Gage,  secretary;  Mrs. 
lulian  Keeler,  treasurer  ;    and  Mrs.  George  lb   Brooks,  librarian. 


CHAPTER    XV 

RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


Early  Missionaries  —  Organization  of  the  First  Church  —  St.  John's  Episcopal 
Church  — The  Methodists  of  Saginaw  City  —  German  Lutheran  Church  —  The  Liberal 
Christians  —  First  Baptists  —  St.  Andrew's  R.  C.  Church  —  SS.  Peter  and  Paul  Church — 
(  >ther  West  Side  Churches  — The  First  Church  at  East  Saginaw  —  St.  Paul's  Episcopal 
Church  _The  Congregationalists  —  The  First  Baptist  Church  —  Warren  Avenue  Pres- 
byterian—St. Mary's  R.  C.  Church  —  St.  Joseph's  R.  C.  Church  —  Church  of  the 
Sacred  Heart  —  St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  —  St.  Mary's  Hospital  —  St. 
Vincent's  Orphan  Home  —  Saginaw  General  Hospital  —  The  Woman's  Hospital  — 
Home  for  the  Friendless  —  The  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  —  The  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  —  The  Germania  Society  —  The  Arbeiter  Society  — 
Teutonia  Society  —  The  East  Saginaw  Club  —  Country  Club  —  The  Canoe  Club  —  The 
Elks  —  Masonic  Orders  —  Other  Fraternal  Societies. 

THE  religious  history  of  Saginaw  Valley  began  with  the  brief,  but  heroic 
labors  of  several  ardent  missionaries  who  came  among  the  sturdy 
pioneers  to  this  wilderness.  As  early  as  1832  the  Methodist  confer- 
ence sent  out  the  Reverend  Bradford  Frazee  to  establish  a  mission 
among  the  Indians.  The  white  fur  traders,  who  because  of  their  friendly 
relations  with  the  savages  exercised  a  certain  influence  over  them,  were 
opposed  to  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  from  their  primitive  and  simple 
belief  in  the  Great  Spirit,  and  the  efforts  of  the  missionary  were  of  little  avail. 
In  1835  and  1836  the  Reverend  William  H.  Brockway  spent  some  time  at 
Saginaw  and  vicinity,  his  labors  being  among  the  white  settlers,  by  whom 
he  was  well  received.  After  Mr.  Brockway  came  the  Reverend  F.  O.  North 
and  also  a  Methodist  minister  named  Babcock,  but  they  did  not  do  much 
towards  building  up  the  church.  In  1838  the  Reverend  Hudson,  an  earnest 
and  faithful  minister  of  the  gospel,  took  up  his  labors  here  and  was  instru- 
mental in  placing  Methodism  on  a  solid  footing  in  this  valley. 

Organization  of  the  First  Church 

Swept  along  by  the  incoming  tide  of  emigration  of  1836  was  the  Reverend 
Hiram  L.  Miller  and  his  wife.  Adaline,  a  daughter  of  Doctor  Charles  Little. 
In  early  days  he  had  enjoyed  the  ministrations  of  Albert  Barnes,  whose 
lectures  under  the  title  of  "Barnes  Notes  on  the  Gospels,"  made  his  name 
familiar  over  the  whole  protestant  world;  and  his  theological  instructor  was 
Doctor  James  Richard,  of  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  whom  he  greatly 
revered  and  loved.  These  were  the  two  men  who  moulded  his  spiritual  life 
and  gave  shape  to  his  theological  views.  His  first  pastorate  was  at  Trumans- 
burgh.  New  York. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Saginaw,  filled  with  the  zeal  of  a  trite  missionary 
and  actuated  by  the  devotion  to  his  faith,  he  set  about  to  form  a  church 
society  of  the  Presbyterian  creed.  This  was  the  first  church  organized  in 
Saginaw  Valley.  The  organization  was  effected  on  March  1,  1838,  in  a  car- 
penter shop  which  stood  on  the  southwest  corner  of  Washington  (Michigan  I 
and  Madison  Streets;  and  the  little  society  numbered  but  twelve  members 
who  were;  Norman  Little,  Jane  A.  Little,  Elizabeth  Rice,  Thomas  Smith, 
William  Heartwell,  Mrs.  Harvey  Williams,  T.  L.  Howe,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Howe, 
Hinds   Smith,    Mrs.   Julia   Smith,    Mabel   Terrill   and    Mrs.    Hiram    L.    Miller. 

This  devoted  servant  of  God  first  preached  in  the  carpenter  shop,  then  in 
the  office  of  Norman  Little  and  in  Mechanics  Hall  on  Washington  Street, 
and  at  times  in  the  homes  of  church  members.  Afterward  the  little  band  of 
Christians  met  in  the  hrst  public  building  erected  in  the  valley,   serving  a- 


314 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


<&_>"» 


THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH    AT    SAGINAW    CITY 


school  In 'use-,  town  hall  and  court  room,  which  stood  in  the  rear  of  the  old 
court  house.  In  December,  1838,  a  series  of  revival  meetings  were  held  by 
the  Reverend  O.  Parker,  with  marked  success,  during  which  Albert  Miller, 
one  of  the  most  public-spirited  of  the  early  pioneers,  with  others,  joined  the 
church.  The  pastorate  of  Mr.  Miller  continued  for  two  years,  and  a  notice- 
able improvement  was  made  in  the  religious  and  social  status  of  the 
inhabitants. 

The  Reverend  Harry  Hyde  supplied  the  church  in  1842  and  1X43.  He 
was  a  strong  Congregationalist,  and  prevailed  upon  the  younger  members 
oi  the  church  to  change  its  government  and  connection  to  that  of  the  Con- 
gregational body.  Hiram  L.  .Miller,  who  was  present  when  the  vote  was 
taken,  refused  to  unite  with  the  new  society,  and  stated  that  he  felt  that  it 
would  he  his  duty  to  organize  a  Presbyterian  church  as  soon  as  one  could  be 
sustained.  A  new  church  was  newer  organized.  The  old  society,  unable  to 
maintain  distinctive  service,  later  merged  itself  into  a  miscellaneous  congre- 
gation, uniting  in  the  support  oi  any  minister  of  any  denomination  who  proved 
himself  acceptable. 

It  was  just  at  the  revival  of  commercial  activity  in  1X51  that  the  Rev- 
erend David  M.  Cooper  visited  Saginaw.  On  the  evening  of  his  licensure  at 
Detroit  the  Reverend  Calvin  Clark  asked  him  if  he  had  ewer  thought  of 
becoming  a  foreign  missionary.  lie  replied  that  he  had  often  discussed  the 
matter  with  his  chum  at  Princeton,  who  had  decided  to  go  to  India.  "Well," 
said  the  reverend  gentleman.  "1  have  found  you  a  field.  I  want  you  to  go 
right  up  among  the  heathen  at  Saginaw." 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  315 

Closely  following  upon  this  he  received  earnest  letters  from  Saginaw 
inviting  him  to  visit  the  place,  and  especially  one  from  Charles  I).  Little. 
which  he  preserved  with  care.  These  invitations  he  persistently  declined, 
feeling  unfit  for  the  work,  and  being  desirous  of  continuing  his  studies  under 
the  direction  of  the  Reverend  George  Duffield.  But  finding  himself  shortly 
after  supplying  the  pulpit  at  Flint,  he  concluded  to  visit  Saginaw  and  see  for 
himself  what  manner  of  heathen  these  people  were,  what  kind  of  clothes 
they  wore,  and  what  gods  they  worshipped.  So  he  pushed  on  through 
sloughs  of  mud.  the  wearisome  journey  being  alleviated  by  the  company 
of  Albert  Miller,  then  of  Lower  Saginaw. 

"It  was  a  little  handful  of  people  —  ten  resident  members,  of  which 
number  only  three  were  men,"  said  Mr.  Cooper,  "who  had  extended  to  me 
the  invitation  to  visit  them.  A  subscription  for  the  erection  of  a  church 
edifice  was  already  in  existence  amounting  to  twelve  hundred  dollars,  with 
the  promise  from  the  citizens  of  a  bell  in  case  theirs  was  the  first  church 
edifice  erected  in  the  place.  They  seemed  importunate  to  have  me  remain 
with  them.  1  considered.  The  subscription,  unless  speedily  secured,  would 
vanish  away.  They  promised  to  put  up  the  building  themselves  without 
burdening  me  with  any  of  the  responsibility.  There  was  no  church  of  our 
denomination  nearer  than  Flint.  It  seemed  impossible  to  find  another  man 
and  so  I  consented  to  stand  in  the  breach. 

"As  I  look  back  it  seems  presumptuous  for  me  so  young  and  inexpe- 
rienced, and  in  every  way  so  poorly  equipped,  to  have  undertaken  the  pas- 
torate of  a  church  upon  the  outskirts  of  civilization  as  Saginaw  was  at  that 
day.  That  Sunday,  April  (>.  1851,  when  I  entered  upon  my  labors,  I  can 
never  forget.  No  preacher  ever  stood  up  in  a  modern  Gothic  cathedral  with 
its  groined  arches  and  stained  glass  windows  and  elaborate  architecture,  with 
as  much  pride  as  1  stood  up  in  that  little  school  house,  thirty  by  forty  feet 
in  size,  its  seats,  after  the  old  fashion,  ranged  on  the  sides,  and  preached 
Christ.  My  soul  bubbled  with  joy  to  think  that  1  was  deemed  worthy  to 
preach  the  gospel,  and  that  even  a  score  of  persons  were  willing  to  listen 
to  my  poor  stammering.  The  walls  of  the  room  had  been  neatlv  white- 
washed and  festooned  with  flowers,  and  Welcome!  seemed  to  shine  on  every 
face.  My  text  was  1  Tim.  4:8,  'Godliness  is  profitable  unto  all  things  having 
promise  of  life  that  now   is  and  of  that  which  is  to  come.' 

"My  first  lodgement  when  I  arrived  at  Saginaw,"  continued  Mr.  Cooper, 
"was  at  the  renovated  Webster  House,  but  1  soon  found  mvself  settled  for 
housekeeping  jn  a  small  one-and-a-half-story  dwelling  on  Washington  Street. 
An   ingrain   carpet    for   the   parlor,   a   deal    table:     for  curtains,   cotton    sheets 

suspended  on  forks:    a  kitchen  stove,  a  barrel  of  flour,  a  Cord  of  maple  w 1, 

an  axe,  a  saw  and  saw  buck  to  exercise  the  w 1  with,  Mrs.   Miller  to  supply 

us  with  doughnuts  and  jumbles  for  dessert,  a  stock  of  four  sermons  and  the 
prospect  of  four  hundred  dollars  salary  per  year,  comprised  my  total  belong- 
ings and  my  equipment.  But  I  entered  upon  my  work  with  elasticity  and 
joy.  Like  Mark  Tapley,  I  was  soon  'floored'  by  ague  that  never  wholly 
remitted  its  attacks  during  my  sojourn  in  the  valley,  and  yet.  like  Mark  also, 
I  managed  also  to  continue  'jolly.'" 

The  promise  made  to  erect  a  church  edifice  on  condition  of  Mr.  Cooper 
remaining  with  them  was  speedily  fulfilled,  mainly  through  the  untiring 
energies  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller.  The  former  not  only  superintended  its 
erection,  but  day  by  day  might  have  been  seen  adjusting  timbers,  carrying 
stone,  digging  in  the  cellar,  sometimes  mounting  on  the  roof  —  anything  to 
hasten  completion,  while  the  latter,  in  the  quiet  of  her  home,  was  writing 
letters  of  appeal  to  old  friends.  As  a  result  of  her  efforts  a  thousand  dollars 
came  from  outside,  another  thousand  was  received  from  her  personal  solici- 
tation  in    the   village,  ami    her  own   gift  of  a   thousand   more   made  a   total   of 


316  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

three  thousand  dollars,  which  was  a  large  proportion  of  the  cost  of  the  build- 
ing. It  was  a  handsome,  commodious  structure  of  architecture  peculiar  to 
the  time,  and  was  dedicated  December  15,  1852. 

The  must  prominent  feature  of  the  new  church  was  the  pulpit,  covering 
nearly  one-third  of  the  area  and  reaching  up  toward  the  ceiling,  capacious 
enough,  it  was  said,  to  accommodate  a  meeting  of  the  presbytery.  On  either 
side  of  it  was  a  winding  stair,  which  required  unusual  exertion  to  surmount, 
so  that  by  the  time  the  pastor  reached  the  top  he  was  compelled  to  rest  on  a 
sliding  hair-cloth  sofa,  and  regain  his  breath  before  proceeding  with  his 
sermon.  On  the  desk  was  a  large  cushion  for  the  Bible,  and  the  top  was 
covered  with  cloth  that  hung  in  folds  half-way  to  the  floor,  and  was  orna- 
mented with  cords  and  fringes  and  tassels,  which  were  twisted  and  woven  in 
the  parsonage  with  a  skill  quite  ecpial  to  that  of  Aholiab,  the  noted  em- 
broiderer, in  blue,  scarlet  and  purple,  a  combination  of  colors  which  ily 
comported  with  the  sombre  hue  of  the  coverings.  The  material  was  of  olive- 
colored  broadcloth,  which  answered  fairly  well  in  daylight,  but  at  night,  in 
candlelight,  it  assumed  the  semblance  of  mourning  and  appeared  more  like 
a  catafalque  than  a  sacred  rostrum.  Afterward,  in  the  interest  of  good 
taste,  the  pulpit  of  wonderful  proportions  was  removed,  and  a  low  platform 
put  in  its  stead. 

Until  some  time  after  the  dedication  of  the  new  church  Air.  Cooper  acted 
as  stated  supply,  but  on  March  3,  1853,  he  was  duly  ordained  to  the  gospel 
ministry,  the  sermon  being  preached  by  Reverend  R.  R.  Kellogg,  and  the 
charge  to  the  pastor  was  given  by  Reverend  Noah  Wells.  On  March  20th 
he  preached  his  first  pastoral  sermon,  the  text  being,  2  Tim.  4:5.  "Do  the 
work  of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy  ministry."  At  this  time  the 
church  membership  numbered  eighteen,  four  men  and  fourteen  women,  and 
the  average  Sunday  congregation  was  from  eighty  to  one  hundred. 

In  1859,  having  planted  the  Presbyterian  faith  over  this  extreme  north- 
ern outpost,  Mr.  Cooper  was  compelled  by  failing  health  to  relinquish  his 
charge:  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend  David  II.  Taylor.  The  Rev- 
erend Jesse  Hough  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in  1865,  and  in  the  following 
year  the  edifice  was  enlarged,  refurnished  and  rededicated.  The  small  and 
old-fashioned  pews  raised  above  the  level  of  the  aisles,  and  the  high  and  box- 
like pulpit,  still  remained,  and  something  of  the  spirit  of  the  founders  of  the 
church  lingered  to  give  inspiration  to  their  faithful  followers.  'If  this  re- 
markable old  church  Mr.  Hough  long  afterward  wrote:  "A  precious  build- 
ing was  that  old  church,  representing  an  amount  of  faith  and  patience  and 
loving  sacrifice  such  as  n <  ■  other  church  that  will  ever  adorn  the  valley,  how- 
ever costly  and  splendid,  will  represent." 

In  1883,  when  the  church  had  entirely  outgrown  the  accommodations  of 
the  primitive  edifice,  the  present  brick  structure  was  begun  on  the  site  of  the 
old,  and  finished  in  the  following  year.  It  was  enlarged  in  1902.  during  the 
pastorate  of  Dr.  AW  P.  Covert.  To  keep  pace  with  the  demands  of  the  time, 
in  1914  the  basement  was  entirely  remodeled,  and  another  addition  made, 
thus  enlarging  the  stately  building  to  its  present  proportions. 

Since  the  coming  of  Reverend  David  M.  Cooper  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  has  been  served  by  a  long  line  of  able  and  consecrated  ministers, 
among  whom  were:  Reverened  O.  S.  Tavlor,  1868-69;  Reverend  George 
Dufifield,  D.  D.,  1869-73;  Reverend  P.  P.  Shaw,  1873-78:  Reverend  A.  F. 
Bruske,  D.  D.,  1878-92;  Reverend  Charles  E.  Branson.  D.  D.,  18'*2-1900; 
Reverend  William  C.  Covert,  D.  D..  1900-05;  Reverend  Frederick  W.  Lewis, 
1905-09;  and  Reverend  Harry  Rogers  Stark.  D.  D.,  TOO.  Under  the  leader- 
ship of  these  earnest  preachers  of  the  gospel,  the  church  has  grown  to  be  one 
of  the  strongest  and  most  influential  of  the  Presbyterian   faith  in  our  State. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


317 


FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH 


St.  John's  Episcopal  Church 

As  far  back  as  1836  there  were  in  Saginaw  Valley  only  three  commun- 
icants of  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  in  them  —  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  Busby 
and  Mrs.  Amanda  L.  Richman  —  was  the  nucleus  of  the  present  St.  John's. 
They  looked  and  labored  for  the  time  when  the  services  of  the  Church  might 
be  established  in  Saginaw  City,  and  in  1841  occasional  services  were  held  by 
the  Reverend  Daniel  E.  Brown,  of  Flint.  After  he  had  ministered  to  the 
little  company  of  devoted  church  people  for  several  years,  the  Reverend  Mr. 
Rieghley,  also  of  Flint,  held  frequent  services  in  Saginaw.  It  is  therefore  to 
St.  Paul's  Parish  of  Flint  that  St.  John's,  the  mother  parish  of  the  Episcopal 
churches  in  Saginaw  Valley,  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  inspiration  and 
encouragement  to  establish  a  congregation  which  was  to  take  a  prominent 
part  in  the  religious  and  social  development  of  the  community. 


3 1  s 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


JOHN'S,     ERECTED     1853 


.st.  John's  Church  was  organized  in  1851,  and  was  the  third  church 
society  formed  in  Saginaw  Valley.  The  first  settled  clergyman  was  the 
Reverend   Joseph    Adderly,   who,  after  a   service   of  one   ycat\    was    followed 

by  the  Reverend  D.  B.  Lyon,  0f  Grand 
Rapids,  who  also  remained  for  a  year.  In 
1853  the  Reverend  Voltaire  Spalding  came 
t>>  St.  John's  as  its  rector  at  the  munificent 
salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year.  Ser- 
vices were  then  held  in  the  old  school  house 
at  Court  and  Fayette  Streets,  and  also  in 
the  old  Court  House.  The  number  of  com- 
municants at  this  time  was  eleven,  who 
were:  Mrs.  Eliza  11.  Williams,  Mrs.  A.  M. 
Richman,  Mrs.  Lucy  Spalding,  Mrs.  S.  E 
Westervelt,  Mrs.  Maria  Warren.  William 
Spalding,  Richard  Sibley,  Mrs.  Mary  Sibley, 
Miss  Car.  .line  Wickham,  William"  Hutton 
and  Mrs.  A.  A.  Hayden.  Mrs.  Ann  Fitz- 
hugh,  of  Lower  Saginaw  i  Has  City),  was 
also  a  communicant  and  attended  services 
whenever  it  was  possible  to  travel  the  fif- 
teen  miles   from   and   t..   her  In. me. 

On  April  11.  1853,  the  corner  stone  of 
the  lirst  church  edifice  of  St.  fohn's  was 
laid  by  Bishop  McCoskry,  hut.  ..win-  to  lack  of  funds  the  construction  of  the 
building  did  not  progress  very  satisfactorily.  In  1856  the  need  for  a  church 
home  becoming  more  and  mure  pressing,  the  Reverend  V.  Spalding  went 
East  and  collected  the  Mini  of  five  hundred  dollars  from  devoted  churchmen. 
towards  the  building  fund.  Later,  by  the  a. Lice  and  consent  of  the  Bishop,' 
Charles  L.  Richman  supplemented  the  efforts  of  the  rector  by  visiting  si.uk' 
oi  the  large  eastern  cities,  and  succeeded  in  raising  six  hundred  dollars  more. 
There  were  also  presented  to  St.  John's  a  baptismal  bowl  and  a  communion  set 
by  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Hale,  of  Canandaigua,  New  York.  The  church  edifice  was 
at  length  completed,  and  on  I  Ictober  11,  1X57,  the  first  services  were  held  in 
it.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Spalding  resigned  the  rectorship  May  2,  1858,  the 
number  of  communicants  at  that  time  being  twenty-four. 

Occasional  services  were  held  that  year  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Swan,  of 
Finn,  and  the  Reverend  <  >.  I!.  Staples,  of  Grand  Rapids,  but  on  March']/. 
1859,  the  Reverend  Edward  Magee,  of  the  Diocese  of  Ohio,  became  rector. 
On  May  9,  1860,  the  church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  McCoskry,  a  debt  of 
four  hundred  dollars  basing  been  assumed  bv'  members  of  the  vestry,  who 
were  Newell  Barnard,  William  Binder,  Myron  Butman,  X.  D.  Lee,  David  H. 
Jerome.  L.  Webster.  George  L.  Williams,  William  li.  Sweet.  John  Parish 
and  Stewart  I',.  Williams,  the  last  two  being  the  wardens.  The  Reverend 
Mr.  Magee  served  as  rector  for  two  years,  and  at  the  time  of  his  resignation 
the  number  of  communicants  was  twenty-seven. 

The  Reverend  Osgood  E.  Fuller  accepted  the  rectorship  June  18,  1862, 
and  at  this  time  the  first  rectory  was  built.  It  was  a  small  wooden  structure 
of  Gothic  design,  and  much  of  the  work  of  building  it  was  done  by  the  rector. 
In  1865  Mr.  Fuller  resigned  leaving  a  communicant  list  of  fifty-seven.  In 
July  of  the  same  year  the  Reverend  John  Leech,  of  Elmira,  New  York, 
assumed   the   duties  of  rector.     On  July    Id.    1866,   the   bell   now   in   use   was 

hung-  in  the  belfry  of  the  church,  and  a  bible  and  prayer  1 k  were  given  by 

the  Ladies'  Society.  The  baptismal  font  now  in  use  was  presented  to  the 
church  by  Mrs.  Amanda  M.  Richman,  in  memory  of  her  daughter.  Kate 
Richman.     Mr.   Leech   resigned   in   1870,  leaving  one  hundred   and   sixty-two 


RFLIGK  )US  AND  S(  )CIAL  LIFE 


319 


communicants  in  the  parish.  This  notable  gain  in  confirmations  shows  that 
the  church  was  then  keeping  pace  with  the  growing  city,  and  that  the  sacrifice 
and  devotion  of  the  faithful  few  in  the  early  days  was  beginning  to  bear  its 
n  liition. 

In  December,  1871,  the  Reverend  W.  II.  Watts,  of  Kalamazoo,  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  rector  of  St.  John's,  and  two  years  later  the  church  edifice 
was  enlarged  at  an  expense  of  twenty-two  hundred  dollars.  After  serving 
for  five  years  Mr.  Watts  resigned,  leaving  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  com- 
municants in  the  parish.  (  In  December  3,  1876,  the  Reverend  L.  S.  Stevens, 
of  Toledo,  Ohio,  became  rector,  and  under  his  charge  St.  John's  grew  in 
influence,  if  not  in  numbers.  In  1878  a  new  rectory  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
thirty-five  hundred  dollars,  which  sum  was  raised  largely  by  the  women  of 
the  parish.  Having  served  faithfully  for  five  years  Mr.  Stevens  relinquished 
his  charge  with  a  communicant  list  of  two  hundred  and  three. 


The  New  Church  Edifice 

For  a  year  and  five  months  the  parish  was  without  a  rector  and  the 
church  work  suffered.  Though  without  a  spiritual  head  the  vestry,  in  the 
faith  that  a  proper  man  would  soon  Ik-  found,  formulated  plans  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  church  building.  <  In  April  17,  1883,  the  Reverend  Benjamin  F. 
Matrau,  of  Owosso,  accepted  a  call  to  become  rector  of  the  parish,  and  on 
Sunday.  May  6,  he  held  his  first  services.  The  erection  of  the  present  church 
edifice' of  brick  and  stone  was  begun  the  following  day,  the  building  com- 
mittee being  composed  of  Newell  Bar- 
nard, Ezra  Rust,  George  F.  Williams. 
Dudley  J.  Smith  and  David  11.  Jerome. 
The  corner  stone  was  laid  lulv  12. 
1883,  by  Bishop  Harris.  |„  1887  and 
1888  the  parish  house  and  the  rectory 
were  built  of  the  same  materials  and 
in  an  order  of  architecture  conforming 
with  the  church  edifice. 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Matrau  served 
as  rector  for  six  years  and  six  months. 
during  which  time  the  church  member- 
ship reached  its  greatest  number  — 
four  hundred  and  ninety-five.  He  was 
an  indefatigable  worker,  a  man  < « f 
strong  individuality  and  personal  mag- 
netism, and  was  much  beloved  by  all 
classes;  and  his  name  is  much  revered 
in  hundreds  of  homes  in  Saginaw,  even 
to  this  day.  At  this  time  St.  John's 
established  a  choir  of  boys  and  men, 
which  was  a  leading  feature  of  the 
church  services,  and  under  the  able- 
direction  of  Henry  B.  Roney  soon 
came  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
in  the  diocese,  winning  fresh  laurels  of 
praise  and  appreciation  whenever 
beard  in  neighboring  cities. 

The  able  assistant  to   Mr.   Matrau 
in  all  his  labors  at  St.  John's   was  the    Reverend   George   D.   Wright,   now    of 
the  diocese  of  Chicago,  and  the  record  of  official  acts  in  the  parish  register 
is  abundant  proof  of  the  tireless  energy  of  these  two  devoted  servants  of  (  kid. 


ST.    JOHN'S     EPISCOPAL    CHURCH 


320 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


By  the  earnest  and  zealous  efforts  of  Mr.  Matrau,  Calvary  Memorial 
Church,  at  Genesee  and  Hill  Streets,  came  into  being  as  a  mission.  The 
edifice  was  erected  through  him  by  a  gift  of  Madame  Le  Brun,  of  Owosso, 
to  whom  Calvary  Church  is  a  memorial.  For  several  years  the  services  and 
mission  work  were  conducted  by  the  rectors  of  St.  John's,  but  later  was  organ- 
ized as  a  separate  parish.  St.  Paul's  Church  at  East  Saginaw  and  Trinity 
i  hurch  at  Bay  City  also  owe  their  early  existence  to  the  mother  church  of 
St.  John's. 

(  In  April  30,  1890,  the  Reverend  Dean  Richmond  Babbitt,  L.  L.  D.,  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  rector.  He  was  a  very  scholarly  man  of  high  attainments, 
possessing  a  brilliant  mind  and  unusual  power  as  a  preacher.  I  luring  his 
rectorship,  which  continued  until 
February  26,  1893.  he  attracted 
much  attention  among  the  religious 
and  intellectual  classes  by  his  splen- 
did discourses  on  the  gospels.  lie 
was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend 
Benjamin  T.  Trego,  B.  D..  who  as- 
sumed his  duties  June  1.  1893,  and 
resigned  in  December,  1896.  In  the 
following  Spring  the  Reverend 
Ralph  H.  Baldwin  became  rector 
and  continued  in  charge  for  one 
year. 

Reverend    Emil    Montanus 
Becomes  Rector. 

The  church  was  then  vacant  for 
a  year,  and  in  May,  1899,  the  Rever- 
end Emil  Montanus.  the  present 
rector,  took  charge.  Coming  to  St. 
John's  at  a  time  when  the  parish 
was  thoroughly  disorganized,  it  > 
members  discouraged,  if  not  dis- 
heartened, he  has  by  conscientious 
effort  and  the  exercise  of  rare  judg- 
ment,   built    up    the    parish    to    it> 

proper  sphere  of  influence  and  g 1 

in  the  community.  The  true  mis- 
sionary spirit  is  strong  within  him. 
By  countless  acts  of  kindness  and  benevolence,  he  is  beloved  by  the  poor,  the 
sick,  and  the  needy,  and  his  name  is  a  watchword  in  hundreds  of  humble 
homes  in  which  formerly  little  was  known  of  the  true  God.  From  a  scant 
two  hundred  names  on  the  list  of  communicants  sixteen  years  ago,  the  num- 
ber of  professing  churchmen  ami  church  women  has,  by  his  efforts  and  in- 
fluence,  increased   to  three   hundred   and   fifty-two,  and   is   growing   steadily. 


REV.    EMIL    MONTANUS 


The  Methodists  of  Saginaw  City 

The  earliest  record  of  any  effort  to  plant  Methodism  in  this  valley  was  of 
May  20,  1850,  when  the  Reverend  George  Bradley,  ''Presiding  Elder  of  Grand 
Rapids  District,"  made  a  certificate  appointing  Andrew  Bell,  Stephen  Lytlle, 
Levi  D.  Chamberlin  and  Louis  Hart  "Trustees  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Saginaw  County."  This  certificate  was  recorded  June  24,  1850.  The  pre- 
liminary organization  then  created  must  have  lapsed,  as  when  John  Moore 
came  here  in  1851  it  had  no  active  existence,  and  was  never  after  recognized. 
"Andrew  Bell,"  said  Mr.  Moore,  "must  have  been  a  minister  who  had  prior 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  321 


to  that  date  preached  here.  None  of  the  others  resided  here  in  the  Spring  of 
1851,  and  there  was  no  Methodist  Church  organization,  no  class,  and  no 
regular  preaching.  Occasionally,  in  the  Summer  of  that  year  the  Reverend 
George  Bradley  preached  in  that  part  of  the  court  house  then  finished  and 
used  as  a  court  room  and  for  all  public  meetings." 

In  the  Fall  of  1851,  the  Reverend  C.  C.  Olds  was  sent  by  the  Conference 
and  remained  here  for  one  year.  He  organized  a  class  consisting  of  Theodore 
Dean,  his  two  sisters,  and  Mrs.  John  Moore,  the  only  persons  here  at  that  time 
who  professed  to  be  Methodists.  This  was  the  first  class  formed  and  the 
commencement  of  the  present  church  organization.  Shortly  after  there  were 
several  persons  of  this  faith  residing  near  Shattuck's  Mill,  who  met  for  wor- 
ship as  a  separate  class  in  Ure's  school  house,  and  were  James  N.  Gotee  and 
wife,  Mrs.  Shattuck,  C.  C.  Batchelor,  Mrs.  Swarthout,  and  perhaps  a  few 
others.  Dean  and  his  sisters  soon  after  moved  away,  and  Mrs.  Moore  was 
left  the  sole  resident  survivor  of  the  first  class. 

Mr.  Olds  remained  until  the  Fall  of  1852,  when  the  Reverend  George 
Bradley  was  appointed  to  look  after  the  straggling  band  of  Methodists  in  the 
whole  of  Saginaw  Valley,  including  Indian  missions.  He  was  followed  in  the 
Fall  of  1853  by  the  Reverend  A.  C.  Shaw,  who  resided  at  East  Saginaw  and 
preached  in  both  villages. 

In  July,  1854.  a  contract  was  made  for  the  purchase  of  part  of  the  ground 
upon  which  the  church  buildings  now  stand,  and  the  interest  on  the  purchase 
price  and  the  taxes  were  guaranteed  by  John  Moore.  Soon  after,  the  old 
school  house  was  purchased  and  moved  upon  the  lot,  fitted  up  as  a  chapel, 
and  so  used  until  the  more  commodious  church  was  built.  The  old  building 
was  then  made  over  into  a  parsonage,  which  purpose  it  served  until  1873  or 
1874.  when  it  was  sold  and  moved  off.  On  November  10,  1859,  the  stipulated 
price,  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  on  the  lot.  was  paid  and  the  title  con- 
veyed to  James  N.  Gotee,  L.  B.  Curtis,  Major  \V.  [ Fillister,  Smith  Palmer, 
Edwin  Saunders,  George  A.  Davis  and  Aimer  Hubbard,  as  trustees.  Addi- 
tional ground  adjoining  was  purchased  the  following  year,  and  in  1866  fifty 
feet  more  was  donated  by  L.  B.  Curtis  and  John  Moore. 

The  church  building  as  first  erected  was  commenced  in  1859  or  1860, 
while  the  Reverend  William  Fox  was  pastor,  and  finished  in  1861.  Charles 
E.  Miller  was  the  builder.  Afterward  the  church  building  was  enlarged  by 
the  addition  of  thirty  feet  in  the  rear,  and  again  by  what  was  the  lecture 
room.  The  parsonage  was  erected  during  the  pastorate  of  Seth  Reed,  and 
his  successors  appreciated  his  self-sacrificing  labors  and  hold  them  and  him- 
self in  grateful  remembrance.  In  the  Spring  of  1884  the  church  building 
with  all  its  contents  was  destroyed  by  fire;  and  Upon  its  site  rose  the  stately 
edifice  which,  with  its  several  additions,  has  filled  the  needs  of  the  congrega- 
tion for  more  than  thirty  years. 

Through  a  long  line  of  able  pastors,  from  the  Reverend  Mr.  Olds  and 
the  Reverends  Washburn,  Hawks,  Allen  and  Lovejoy  to  the  present  pastor, 
the  Reverend  E.  P.  Bennett,  the  Methodist  church  on  the  West  Side  has 
grown  to  be  a  large  factor  in  our  religious  life,  and  its  progressive  policy 
promises  well  for  the  future. 

The  German  Lutheran  Church 

As  early  as  January  29,  1849,  a  few  German  Lutherans,  J.  A.  Gender, 
K.  F.  Kull.'j.  J.  Weiss,  E.  Weggel,  J.  M.  Hancke,  G.  Dierker,  M.  Backer, 
M.  Gremel,  M.  Winkler  and  J.  M.  Strauss  organized  a  church  society,  and 
extended  a  call  to  O.  Homer  Cloeter  to  become  pastor.  He  accepted  the 
charge  and  was  installed  November  30th   by  the   Reverend   F.   Sievers.     In 


322  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


the  same  year  the  o  incremation  bought  a  lot  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Court 
and  Washington  (Michigan)  Streets,  and  in  1850  built  a  small  church  and 
parsonage  thereon.  Five  years  later  the  society  bought  a  house  and  two 
lots  for  a  par- mage,  and  the  small  house  beside  the  church  was  thereafter 
used  for  a  school. 

In  1857  Mr.  Cloeter  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend  J.  A.  Huegli,  and 
two  years  later  the  Reverend  M.  Guenther  was  installed  as  pastor.  In  1866 
the  society  sold  the  parsonage  and  bought  the  present  church  property  on 
Court  Street,  between  Fayette  and  Harrison.  They  soon  erected  a  new  par- 
sonage, and  in  1868  built  the  present  church  at  the  corner  of  Fayette  Street, 
at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand  dollars.  The  church  was  dedicated  February 
7,  1869.  Following  Mr.  Guenther  as  pastor  was  the  Reverend  Joseph 
Schmidt  and  in  1875.  when  a  new  organ  was  installed  the  membership  com- 
prised one  hundred  and  sixty  families. 

This  church  deems  it  a  duty  to  provide  the  children  of  its  members  with 
sound  religious  instruction,  and  therefore  supports  a  well-conducted  parochial 
school,  in  the  earlj  days  the  work  of  instruction  fell  upon  the  pastors,  but 
in  1861  a  school  house  was  built  and  a  teacher  called.  In  1868  the  two-story 
frame  school  house  was  built  on  Court  Street,  and  in  1872  a  third  teacher 
was  employed,  the  number  of  school  children  having  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and   sixty. 

The  Liberal  Christians 

This  society  of  professing  Christians  was  organized  in  1871,  with  the 
Reverend  J.  II.  Burnham  as  pastor.  The  members  at  once  resolved  to  build 
a  church  edifice,  and  within  a  few  months  their  liberality  and  labors  resulted 
m  a  brick  building  being  erected  for  a  house  of  worship.  This  church,  which 
was  dedicated  July  18.  1871,  still  stands  on  South  Michigan  Avenue  between 
Adams  ami  Cass  Streets.  The  society  grew  in  numbers  until  there  were 
about  two  hundred  and  seventy  members;  and  in  1874  the  trustees  were: 
A.  W.  Wright,  A.  W.  Thompson,  Thomas  L.  Jackson,  W.  H.  Sweet,  James 
Hay  and  T.  M.  Hubbell.  Later  the  organization  was  discontinued,  the 
church  building  sold  to  the  hirst  Baptist  Society,  and  the  members  left  at 
liberty  to  attach  themselves  to  any  denomination  of  the  Christian  Church. 
The  church  building,  which  characterized  its  projectors,  as  well  as  their 
financial  and  religious  liberality,  served  the  Baptists  as  a  house  of  worship 
for  more  than  thirty  years. 

First  Baptists 

From  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  East  Saginaw, 
in  1858,  the  followers  of  this  faith  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  had  been 
connected  with  that  church.  But  in  November,  1863,  fourteen  of  them  asked 
for  letters  of  dismissal  from  the  society  in  order  that  they  might  form  them- 
selves into  a  church  in  Saginaw  City.  These  earnest  church  workers  were: 
Valorous  A.  Paine,  Mrs.  Harriett  Paine,  Ebenezer  Briggs,  William  M.  Has- 
kell. Fli  Townsend,  Mrs.  Hannah  Townsend,  Mrs.  Belinda  Benjamin,  Mrs. 
Nancy  A.  Cody,  Mrs.  Jane  Low,  Mrs.  Matilda  Miller,  Mrs.  Christina  Ross, 
Mrs.  Mercia  1'..  Palmer  ami  Hannah  Briggs.  In  addition  to  these.  Mrs.  Julia 
A.  Burrows  brought  a  letter  from  the  First  Church  of  Rochester,  New  York, 
and  Mrs.  Jennie  F.  Paine  from  the  church  in  Bay  City. 

The  meeting  for  organization  was  held  in  the  home  of  Mr.  Paine,  on 
Court  Street,  in  the  place  now  occupied  by  the  Smith  Building.  This  house 
is  still  standing  on  the  corner  of  Michigan  Avenue  and  Adams  Street.  The 
Reverend  ].  S.  Goodman  was  chairman  of  the  meeting  and  V.  A.  Paine  was 


^s$&&&*^ 


JEFFERSON    AVENUE,    NORTH    FROM    HAYDEN    STREET,    1886 


WEADOCK     AVENUE.     NORTH     FROM     THOMPSON     STREET 


:i24  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


clerk:  and  the  Articles  of  Faith  and  the  Covenant  were  duly  adopted.  On 
December  3,  William  M.  Haskell  and  Ebenezer  Briggs  were  chosen  deacons. 
The  legal  organization  and  incorporation  of  the  church  society  was  effected 
in  July,  1864,  the  trustees  being:  Valorous  A.  Paine,  George  L.  Burrows 
ami  William  J.  Bartow. 

For  a  time  services  were  held  in  the  jury  room  of  the  court  house,  but  in 
1865  a  church  building  was  erected  by  the  society  on  the  corner  of  Fayette 
and  Franklin  (Hancock)  Streets.  Thirteen  year's  after,  this  building,  then 
outgrown  by  the  congregation,  was  sold  to  the  Evangelical  Association.  The 
parsonage  on  the  adjoining  lot  on  Fayette  Street  was  first  occupied  July  31, 
1877,  and  is  still  owned  and  so  used  by  the  society.  The  Mission  Chapel,  on 
Fayette  Street  between  Perry  and  Dearborn,  was  built  during  the  pastorate 
of  the  Reverend  W.  W.  Pattengill,  and  dedicated  June  4,  1871.  The  church 
building  on  Washington  Avenue  (now  Michigan),  near  Adams,  was  pur- 
chased by  the  Baptist  Church  from  the  Liberal  Christian  Society;  and  was 
dedicated'  on  March  27.  1878,  the  sermon  being  preached  by  the  Reverend  Dr. 
Hotchkiss,  of  Buffalo,  New  York.  This  church  edifice  served  the  congre- 
gation for  about  thirty  years. 

The  present  commodious  and  imposing  structure  of  the  Michigan  Avenue 
Baptist  Church,  at  the  corner  of  Michigan  Avenue  ami  Adams  Street,  was 
erected  in  1908  through  the  united  efforts  of  Dr.  W.  i'.  Morgan,  L.  A.  Bur- 
rows and  other  zealous  church  members.  It  is  conveniently  arranged  to 
meet  the  needs  of  the  various  church  activities,  and  contains  large  Sabbath 
School  and  society  meeting  rooms,  the  church  office  and  pastor's  study, 
arranged  with  outside  entrances.  The  style  is  of  a  composite  type  of  church 
architecture,  and  the  materials  were  brick  and  concrete  with  facing  of  dark 
paving  brick  and  trimmings  of  stone. 

The  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  School  was  the  Reverend  J.  S. 
Goodman.  lie  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  George  Northrup,  and  he  by  Levi 
Clark.  In  1871,  Dr.  W.  I'.  Morgan  assumed  the  duties  of  this  office,  a 
christian  work  in  which  he  was  very  successful  and  conducted  for  mam- 
years,  imparting  to  teachers  and  scholars  a  large  measure  of  his  spirit  of 
zeal  and  religious  training.  In  September,  1880,  Dr.  Morgan  was  elected 
■one  of  the  deacons  of  the  church.  The  Mission  Sunday  School  was  organized 
by  the  Reverend  N.  P.  Barlow,  who  was  the  first  superintendent.  After- 
ward the  office  was  filled  by  Messrs.  Irving,  Pattengill  and  Wood,  the  latter 
serving  for  six  years. 

In  1875  the  number  of  trustees  was  increased  to  seven,  ami  in  that  year 
were:  George  L.  Burrows,  O.  C.  Davis,  N.  W.  Dennison,  W.  I'.  Morgan, 
A.  B.  Paine,  William  T.  Tibbetts,  and  N.  S.  Wood  who  was  then  treasurer 
i  if  the  s<  iciety. 

Of  the  earnest  and  devoted  members  of  this  church,  who  labored  long 
for  the  cause  of  righteousness,  were  the  late  William  P.  Morgan  and  Latham 
A.  Burrows.  The  former  spent  a  life  of  service  to  mankind,  and  his  influence 
in  the  church  activities  will  be  felt  for  years  to  come.  Mr.  Burrows  was  also 
a  steadfast  Christian  —  a  seeker  after  the  truth.  He  was  a  musician  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  attainments,  and  for  a  long  term  of  years  served 
the  church  as  organist  and  choir  director. 

Among  the  early  pastors  who  ministered  to  the  congregation  were  the 
Reverend  L.  L.  Fittz.  1867-68;  the  Reverend  N.  P.  Barlow.  1808-70;  the 
Reverend  W.  E.  Lyon,  1870-73:  and  the  Reverend  W.  W.  Pattengill,  1873-81. 
Other  devoted  ministers  no  less  able  and  beloved  have  carried  on  the  work  of 
the  church  through  intervening  years,  the  present  pastor  being  the  Reverend 
Francis  C.  Stifler,  who  assumed  charge  in  the  Fall  of  1912. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


325 


St.  Andrew's  Roman  Catholic  Church 

The  earliest  record  of  ministrations  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in 
Saginaw  is  of  1841,  when  the  Reverend  Martin  Kundig  came  to  establish  a 
Catholic  mission.  In  the  month  of  May  of  that  year  he  held  the  first  services 
in  the  house  of  I.  J.  Maiden,  on  Water  (Niagara)  Street,  near  the  location  of 
the  first  freight  house  of  the  Jackson,  Lansing  and  Saginaw  Railroad. 
Afterward,  the  Reverend  Lawrence  Kilroy  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of 
the  mission,  and  for  several  years  held  services  of  the  Church  in  the  homes 
.if  his  faithful  followers.  Father  Monahan  and  Father  Kendekens  succeeded 
him,  coming  from  Flint  to  hold  services.  The  Reverend  H.  T.  H.  Schutzes. 
secretary  of  Bishop  Burgess,  was  the  first  priest  appointed  to  the  special 
charge  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  missions. 

The  first  church  house  of  St.  Andrew's  parish  was  a  carpenter  shop,  pur- 
chased in  1852.  which  stood  on  the  west  side  of  Washington  Street,  just  smith 
of  Adams.  The  following  year  this  rough  building  was  moved  to  the  corner 
of  Washington  and  Monroe  Streets,  and  used  as  a  church  for  twelve  years. 
Reverend  Father  Vanderhayden  was  appointed  priest  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
missions  at  Saginaw  City  and  East  Saginaw,  in  1862,  and  under  his  direction 
the  first  church  edifice  of  St.  Andrew's  was  built  in  1865.  Five  years  later 
the  building  was  inadequate  to  seat  the  rapidly  increasing  congregation,  and 
was  enlarged,  and  the  erection  of  a  parochial  school  commenced.  Later,  a 
priest's  residence  was  built  adjoining  the  church. 

In  186(i  the  mission  at  East  Saginaw  was  set  off  as  a  separate  parish,  and 
the  Reverend  Father  Vanderhayden  was  appointed  pastor  of  St.  Andrew's 
Church.  Thus  St.  Andrew's  is  the  mother  church  of  the  Catholic  parishes 
in  Saginaw,  its  history  antedating  any  other  efforts  of  the  Roman  Church  in 
Saginaw  County. 

The  first  committee  of  St. 
Andrew's  Church,  elected  in  1862, 
was  composed  of  Patrick  McCullen, 
F.  H.  Fish,  John  Schnecker  and 
John  W.  Richardson.  To  all  activ- 
ities of  the  parish  these  staunch 
churchmen  lent  their  aid  and  en- 
couragement, the  liberal  support  of 
Mr.  Richardson  for  a  period  of  more 
than  fifty  years,  until  his  death  in 
February,  1915,  6  e  i  n  g  especially 
noteworthy. 

Father  Vanderhayden  w  a  s  a 
verv  earnest  and  energetic  priest, 
and  his  labors  in  Saginaw  City  were 
fruitful  of  increasing  members  in 
the  fold.  He  established  St.  An- 
drew's parochial  school,  which  in  its 
early  years  was  conducted  by  the 
Sisters  of  Divine  Providence. 
Greatly  beloved  by  his  own  people 
and  citizens  outside  the  Catholic 
Church,  he  continued  his  labors  for 
thirty-nine  years,  or  until  1601, 
when  he  retired  from  active  work 
and  returned  to  his  old  home  in 
Holland.  father  vanderhayden 


326  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Reverend  Father  Vanderhayden  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend 
Joseph  J.  Vogl,  whose  pastorate  continued  for  ten  years.'  In  1911,  upon 
the  consecration  of  the  Reverend  Joseph  Schrembs  'as  bishop  of  Toledo. 
Father  Vog]  was  transferred  to  the  charge  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  Grand 
Rapids,  thus  left  vacant.  It  was  during  his  ministrations  at  St.  Andrew's 
that  initiative  was  taken  toward  the  erection  of  a  new  church  edifice,  and  a 
large  proportion  of  the  subscriptions  to  the  building  fund  was  secured' by  his 
efforts.  The  old  church  was  removed  to  a  lot  adjoining  the  priest's  residence, 
on  Hamilton  Street,  and  the  foundation  of  the  new  church  was  soon  after 
laid  on  the  i  ild   site. 

The  present  pastor  is  the  Reverend  H.  I'.  Maus,  of  Grand  Haven,  Mich- 
igan, who  succeeded  Father  Vogl.  Soon  after  he  assumed  charge  the  new- 
church  edifice,  which  had  been  in  process  of  erection  by  Father  Vogl,  was 
completed  at  a  cost  of  about  fifty  thousand  dollars.  On  Decoration 'Day, 
May  30,  1913,  at  7  A.  M.,  the  magnificent  church  was  consecrated  by  Rt.' 
Reverend  Edward  D.  Kelly,  D.  D..  auxiliary  bishop  of  Detroit.  Pontificial 
High  Mass  was  celebrated  at  10:30  A.  M.,  by  Rt.  Reverend  Henry  Joseph 
Richter,  D.  1).,  in  which  the  new  church  was*  opened  to  the  public,  no  less 
than  twelve  bishops  and  priests  participating.  In  the  evening  a  banquet  was 
given  to  the  visiting  clergy,  and  toasts  responded  to  by  the  Mayor  and  lead- 
ing Catholic  citizens.  The  old  church  building  has  since  been  remodeled  into 
a  useful  parish  hall,  in  which  many  events  in  the  social  life  of  the  Church 
are  held. 

Father  Maus  is  a  man  of  powerful  figure  and  commanding  presence, 
ami  is  a  very  energetic  priest  with  a  firm  grasp  of  the  affairs  of  the  parish! 
both  material  and  spiritual;  and  is  tireless  in  good  work  among  his  people. 
IK-  is  a  strong  and  eloquent  speaker,  and  his  sermons  are  delivered  with  con- 
vincing manner  anil  telling  effect,  thus  drawing  many  persons  outside  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith.  In  all  he  is  an  able  successor  of  unusually  able  priests 
in  the  Lord;  and  the  church  work  of  St.  Andrew's  advances  with'  the  material 
pn  igress  i  if  the  city. 

SS.  Peter  and  Paul  Church 
Twenty-eight  years  ago  the  increasing  need  of  a  new  parish  in  the 
southern  portion  of  the  city,  resulted  in  the  formation  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul 
Church,  and  the  erection  in  1888  of  a  substantial  brick  edifice  on  the  corner  of 
Wayne  and  Fayette  Streets.  The  Reverend  Father  Lefevre,  who  had  served 
for  many  years  as  assistant  to  Father  Vanderhayden  in  St.  Andrew's  parish, 
was  largely  instrumental  in  organizing  the  new  church,  the  first  trustees  of 
which  were:  E.  P.  Austin,  Hugh  McPhillips,  Patrick  McManmon  and  F.  J. 
Ruchser,  now  all  deceased  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  McPhillips.  The  new 
church  building  was  dedicated  in  (  )ctober,  1888,  by  Bishop  Henry  Joseph 
Richter,  of  Grand  Rapids,  with  a  membership  of  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
eight   Sollls. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the  Reverend  Father  Lefevre,  who, 
after  a  long  and  faithful  service,  still  ministers  to  the  congregation.  Being 
of  a  strong  and  energetic  nature,  and  zealous  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  King- 
dom of  Christ,  he  soon  cleared  the  church  of  debt,  and  in  1889  opened  a  small 
school  with  three  Sisters  as  teachers  and  eighty-six  children.  But  the  school 
grew  so  fast  that  every  year  to  1892,  one  room  and  one  teacher  was  added 
to  meet  the  needs  for  primary  instruction  and  religious  training.  In  1892 
the  pastor's  residence  was  built  on  Wayne  Street,  and  in  the  following  vear 
an  addition  of  two  rooms  was  made  to  the  school  house.  The  congregation 
at  that  time  numbered  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  members. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  327 

In  1909  a  large  new  church  school  was  begun  and  finished  in  1910.  In- 
cluding a  Sister's  residence  this  school  has  twenty-fine  rooms,  and  cost  with 
its  furnishings  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  On  September  6,  1914,  the 
school  opened  with  twelve  teachers  in  charge  and  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  children;  and  the  congregation  increased  to  over  thirteen  hundred  souls, 
now  being  one  of  the  largest  churches  in  the  city.  In  that  year  a  large  addi- 
tion to  the  church  edifice  was  built,  the  interior  redecorated  and  new  furnish- 
ings installed,  at  a  cost  of  twelve  thousand  dollars. 

The  Fall  term  of  1915  opened  very  auspiciously  with  thirteen  teachers 
and  nearly  four  hundred  children.  In  the  past  three  years  SS.  Peter  and 
Paul  school  has  been  affiliated  witli  the  Michigan  LTniversity,  and  is  in  good 
standing  in  all  its  twelve  grades. 

Other  West  Side  Churches 

St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  November  30, 
1851,  by  the  Reverend  Julius  Ehrhart  with  twenty-two  members.  The  first 
officers  of  the  society  were:  ^Yilliam  Barie  and  M.  Strauss,  deacons;  J.  P. 
Roller,  H.  Schnuphase  and  Dr.  M.  C.  T.  Plessner,  trustees.  In  1857  a  church 
was  erected  at  the  corner  of  Harrison  and  Ames  Streets.  Twelve  years  later 
the  present  edifice  was  built  at  a  cost  of  eight  thousand  dollars,  and  dedicated 
October  17,  1869. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  church  was  the  Reverend  J.  Ehrhart,  who  was 
succeeded  in  the  earlv  vears  by  Reverends  Christian  Foltz,  Conrad  Foltz, 
C.  Adam,  Hugh  B.  Kuhn  and  Chris  Eberhardt.  The  present  pastor  is  the 
Reverend  J.  H.  Westendorf,  a  native  of  this  county,  who  was  born  and  reared 
at  Zilwaukee.  He  assumed  charge  in  February,  1898,  and  in  eighteen  years 
of  faithful  service  has  witnessed  a  steady  growth  of  the  church,  both  in 
numbers  and  in  spiritual  life. 

From  the  time  this  church  was  organized  a  parochial  ^chi»>l  has  been 
maintained  to  afford  religious  instruction  to  the  children  and  youth  of  the 
members.  It  also  offers  elementary  education  in  English  and  German.  In 
the  early  days  the  pastors  were  also  the  teachers  of  the  school,  and  the  old 
church  building,  upon  completion  of  the  new  edifice,  was  devoted  to  school 
purposes.  In  1883  the  present  school  house  was  built,  but  owing  to  greatly 
increased  attendance,  it  was  enlarged  in  1892.  Three  teachers  are  employed, 
and  the  average  daily  attendance  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  in 
the  eight  grades.  The  graduates  of  the  school  pass  directly  to  advanced 
courses  in  the  Arthur   llill    High   School. 

The  Evangelical  Association  was  formed  in  1875  by  the  Reverend  M. 
Heininger,  of  Flint,  and  Vincent  Gaum,  president:  Daniel  Haller.  secretary; 
John  Himmelbach.  treasurer,  and  the  Reverend  J.  M.  Fuchs,  pastor.  In 
1878  the  old  Baptist  Church,  at  Payette  and  Franklin  ( Hancock  i  Streets, 
was  purchased  by  the  association  and  improved  for  chapel  purposes,  for 
which  it  was  used  for  nearly  thirty  year--.  The  pastors  of  early  years  of  the 
association  were  the  Reverends  J.  M.  Fuchs.  C.  C.  Stiffield,  W.  P.  Zanders 
and  H.  Schneider.  In  1X81  the  membership  had  reached  forty-five;  and  the 
Sunday  School  was  in  charge  of  John  Himmelbach  as  superintendent,  Bar- 
bara Stengel,  secretary,  and  V.  Gaum,  treasurer. 

The  First  Church  at  East  Saginaw 

To  the  Methodists  belong  the  honor  of  having  organized  the  first  church 
society  at  East  Saginaw,  at  a  time  when  the  place  was  but  a  hamlet,  built 
upon  a  marsh.  Previous  to  the  Fall  of  1852  there  was  no  class  or  organiza- 
tion representing  Methodism  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  but  at  the  con- 
ference of  that  year  the  Reverend  George  Bradley  was  appointed  missionary 
for  the  Saginaw  Valley.     On  the  sixteenth  of  December,  1852,  he  organized 


32S 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


the  "Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  the  Village  of  East  Saginaw,"  making  a 
certificate  for  the  appointment  of  trustees.  At  that  day  there  was  not  a  man, 
woman  or  child  in  the  village  who  professed  to  be  a  Methodist,  so  Mr.  Bradley 
named  Charles  Johnson,  then  a  teacher  in  the  Indian  Mission  School  at  Kaw- 
kawlin,  Samuel  N.  Warren  and  Henry  T.  Higgins,  of  Flint,  himself,  as  Meth- 
odists, and  Norman    Little,  Charles  T.   Disbrow  and  John   Moore,  trustees. 

The  first  Methodist  sermon  was  preached  by  Reverend  Bradley  in  the 
"Irving  House."  the  leading  hotel  of  the  place;  and  services  were  held  there 
for  some  time  thereafter.  The  pastor  meanwhile  purchased  some  lots  on 
Water  Street  as  a  suitable  site  for  a  church,  but  they  were  never  used  for 
that  purpose.  In  the  summer  of  1853  John  W.  Griswold  took  up  his  residence 
in  the  village,  and  soon  made  himself  known  as  an  earnest  Methodist.  He 
was  a  man  of  some  means,  and  acting  with  Mr.  Bradley  selected  the  lot  at 
the  southeast  corner  of  Washington  and  German  Streets,  now  occupied  by  a 
part  of  the  Hotel  Vincent,  as  a  suitable  site  for  a  church  building.  Soon 
after  he  purchased  the  lot  in  his  own  name  and  his  own  cost,  and  deeded  it 
to  the  church  society  January  20,  1854.  Such  an  act  of  generosity  attracted 
considerable  attention  in  the  village,  but  the  donor  soon  left  and  his  where- 
abouts were  unknown.  Reverend  Bradley  thereupon  started  plans  for  the 
erection  of  a  church  building;  but  in  the  Fall  he  was  superseded  by  the 
Reverend  A.  C.  Shaw,  who  had  been  appointed  to  the  charge  of  the  churches 
on  both  sides  of  the  river. 

Reverend  Shaw  was  a  man  of  great  energy,  understood  western  life,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  he  knew  everybody  on  the  river.  He  made  a  great 
stir,  and  early  in  1855  had  a  church  building  under  way.  Many  amusing 
stories  have  been  told  about  this  ardent  missionary.  He  could  preach  and 
pray  with  the  solemnity  of  a  Bishop,  could  work  on  the  church  building  with 
hammer  and  saw.  cross  the  river  on  a  saw  log  to  meet  appointments;  and 
there  was  nothing  reasonable  or  consistent  with  his  following,  that  he  could 
licit,  or  did  not  do,  in  carrying  on  his  work. 

The  style  of  the  church  building  was  pleasing,  it  was  said,  to  only  one 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees,  Norman  Little,  who  represented  the  Hoyt 
interests  and  had  great  influence  in  such  matters.     The  church  was  at  length 

completed  and  dedicated  in  the  Fall  of  1855;    and 
■    the    Reverend    Samuel    Clemens    was    sent    to    take 
charge  of  the  work  on  both  sides  of  the  river.      He 
remained   for  one  year  and   was   followed   by   Rev- 
erend   Belknap,    whose   pastorate   was   of   only    six 
months    duration    as    he    was    obliged    to    leave    on 
account  of  failing  health.     In  the   Fall  of   1857  the 
Reverend   Mr.    Mosher   came,   and   during   the   two 
years  of  his   labors  there   was   a   great   revival   and 
increase  in  membership,      lie  was  succeeded  by  the 
Reverend    H.    N.    Brown    who    remained    for    two 
years,  then  the  Reverend  H.  O.  Parker  was  pastor 
for    one    term.      Late    in    1863    the    Reverend    F.    A. 
Warren  became  pastor  and  remained  for  one  year. 
During  these  years  of   hardship  and   sacrifice, 
worship  was  still  held  in  the  little  brown  church  on 
Washington  Street.      It   was  not  a  fashionable  con- 
gregation—  Methodists,     Presbyterians    and     Bap- 
tists—  that  gathered   together  in   those  early  days; 
and  they  resorted  to  the  use  of  candles  to  light  the 
church   for  evening  service,  some  brother  or  sister  having  the  honor  of  hold- 
ing the  candle  during  the  singing  so  that  those  around   them  could  see  the 
nni^ic   of   the   hymns.     Other   sisters   brought   scissors   to   snuff   the   candles, 


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OLD    METHODIST    CHURCH 


JEFFERS    FOUNTAIN 
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HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


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RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  333 


thereby  giving  a  little  more  light.  The  interior  of  the  meeting-house  was 
bare  of  carpet  except  in  the  pulpit  and  on  each  side  of  the  altar,  but  the  spirit 
of  the  Almighty  was  present.  His  power  being  displayed  in  the  conversion  of 
sinners  and  in  the  sanctification  of  believers.  To  afford  better  light  for  the 
pastor,  a  beautiful  lamp  was  afterward  presented  by  John  P.  Allison,  for  use 
on  the  pulpit ;   and  soon  after  oil  lamps  replaced  the  candles. 

The  Ladies  Aid  Society  of  the  Methodist  Church  was  organized  in  1863. 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  project  for  a  new  church.  Mrs.  A.  M.  Driggs 
was  its  first  president  and  guiding-  spirit  in  years  to  follow.  During  the 
succeeding  fifteen  years,  by  personal  solicitation,  socials,  church  suppers  and 
other  activities,  the  society  raised  at  least  twelve  thousand  dollars,  which 
was  expended  for  furnishings,  expenses  and  charitable  work.  During  the 
Civil  War  its  relief  work  for  wounded  soldiers  was  a  notable  feature  of  its 
labors;  and  in  after  years  became  the  main  stay  of  the  pastors,  and  was  an 
inspiration  to  the  male  workers  of  the  church.  For  some  years  the  society 
paid  the  insurance  on  the  property,  kept  the  organ  in  repair,  paid  the  organist 
and  sexton,  bought  fuel  for  heating  the  church,  and  dishes  for  the  parsonage 
and  the  church  kitchen. 

In  1864  the  Reverend  R.  R.  Richards  was  sent  by  the  Conference,  and  he 
worked  in  good  earnest.  By  his  special  request  Mrs.  Mary  West  became 
superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School,  which  position  she  filled  for  many 
years.  During  his  pastorate  the  little  church  became  over-crowded  with 
worshipers,  and  in  1868  the  building  and  parsonage  were  sold  to  the  newly 
organized  Presbyterian  society.  Services  were  then  held  in  Penney's  Hall, 
on  Genesee  Street,  and  later  in  Jackson  Hall,  on  Washington  Street.  Rev- 
erend Richards  retired  in  1867,  and  was  followed  by  the  Reverend  J.  H.  Mc- 
Carty.  Meanwhile, the  society  purchased  a  new  lot  on  Jefferson  Street,  and  a 
subscription  raised  for  the  erection  of  a  new  meeting-house. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid  by  Reverend  McCarty  on 
March  27.  1867,  but  the  building  of  so  large  and  well  appointed  an  edifice 
was  a  big  undertaking,  considering  the  resources  of  the  society,  and  it  was 
not  until  the  fourth  Sunday  in  August  of  the  following  year  that  the  first 
services  were  held  in  the  basement.  The  church  was  finally  completed  and 
dedicated  by  Bishop  Haven,  December  27,  1868,  at  which  time  there  were  one 
hundred  and  fifty  members.  The  total  cost  of  the  edifice,  including  the  spire 
rising  to  a  height  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-two  feet,  was  fifty-one  thousand 
dollars.  In  1X70  Mr.  McCarty  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend  J.  M.  Fuller, 
and  after  two  years  of  toil  was  superseded  by  the  Reverend  David  Casler, 
who  remained  for  three  years. 

Other  pastors  of  the  church  were:  Reverend  Castor,  1875-78;  Reverend 
W.  E.  Bigelow,  1878-79;  Reverend  |.  X.  McEldowney,  1879-81;  Reverend 
|ohn  Wilson,  1881-84;  Reverend  Charles  11.  Morgan,  1884-87;  Reverend 
George  W.  Hudson,  1889-90;  Reverend  Camden  M.  Cobern.  1890-91;  Rev- 
erend William  Dawe,  1891-93,  and  six  years  as  presiding  elder;  Reverend 
W.  W.  Washburn.  1893-95;  Reverend  George  W.  Jennings,  1895-98;  Rev- 
erend I.  S.  I  killer,  1898-1902;  Reverend  E.  A.  Elliott,  1902-07;  Reverend 
A.  B.  Leonard,  1907-09;   and  Reverend  C.  B.  Steele.  1909-11. 

The  present  pastor  i^  the  Reverend  Frederick  Spence  who  came  to  this 
church  in  1911,  and  will  soon  conclude  his  fifth  year  of  faithful  service  to  the 
congregation.  In  his  pastorate  extensive  alterations  were  made  t<>  the  church 
edifice,  and  refurnishing  and  other  improvements  added  appreciably  to  the 
attractiveness  of  the  audience  and  Sabbath  School  rooms.  The  parsonage 
directly  back  of  the  church  on  Warren  Avenue  is  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the 
property,  and  is  a  comfortable  home  for  the  pastor,  from  which  the  various 
activities  of  the  church  are  directed.  In  1916  the  membership  was  five  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  good  standing. 


334 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


was   dependent 


well 


welfare  of  the  city  at  heart, 

a  gift  of  a  lut  at  the  northeast  corner 


In  1873,  through  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  Reverend  James  Riley,  the 
Ames  Chapel  Mission  was  established  on  Penoyer  Farm.  This  mission,  in 
the  midst  of  a  new  settlement  directly  across  the  river  from  the  business 
section  of  East  Saginaw,  occupied  a  comfortable  chapel  on  Fourth  (Hanchett) 
Street  near  Lincoln  (Genesee)  Avenue.  As  this  section  of  the  city  built  up 
a  separate  and  independent  congregation  was  formed  from  the  mission,  and 
regular  church  work  and  services  have  been  maintained  there  since.  The 
present  pastor  is  the  Reverend  G.  H.  Curts  who  came  to  the  church  in  Sep- 
tember, 1912;    and  the  membership  is  now  one  hundred  and  ninety. 

St.  Paul's  Episcopal  Church 

St.  Paul's  Parish,  like  other  Latin  die  churches,  had  its  origin  in  a  mission 
established  in  the  early  days  of  settlement  of  East  Saginaw.  It  was  in  1854 
that  the  Reverend  Voltaire  Spalding,  who  had  charge  of  St.  John's  Church  at 
Saginaw  City,  organized  this  parish  mi  the  east  side  of  the  river.  No  other 
church  than  the  Methodist  society  then  existed,  so  that  St.  Paul's  is  next  in 
order  of  seniority.  Like  all  the  others  this  little  company  of  churchmen  and 
churchwomen  was  for  a  time  without  a  church  home,  an 
upon  public  halls  in  which  to  worship. 

At   length  Jesse    lb>yt.   who  ever  had   the   social,   religious  and   cultural 

it  material  progress,  made  the  parish 
of  Warren  and  Lapeer  Streets,  as  a 
suitable  site  fur  a  church  building. 
The  location  was  then  well  removed 
from  the  center  of  the  settlement, 
being  mi  the  edge  of  the  almost  un- 
broken forest,  but  the  ground  was 
firm  and  solid.  Upon  this  site 
which  is  now  close  to  the  center  of 
the  business  section  of  the  East 
Side,  was  erected  in  1864  the  first 
St.  Paul's,  a  wooden  building  of 
the  medieval  style,  comfortably 
furnished,  heated  and  lighted.  It 
had  seatings  for  about  four  hundred 
persons  and  cost  about  twenty-two 
thousand   dollars. 

Among  the  early  rectors  may 
be  named  the  Reverend  G.  B.  East- 
man, the  Reverend  George  W.  Wil- 
son, the  Reverend  L.  S.  Stevens  and 
the  Reverend  William  A.  Masker 
who  assumed  the  duties  of  rector 
May  25,  1881.  In  1S74.  under  the  ministrations  of  the  Reverend  I  i.  W.  Wilson, 
the  membership  was  one  hundred  and  seventy,  and  the  Sunday  school  num- 
bered one  hundred  and  fifty.  St.  Paul's  was  then  keeping  pace  with  the 
growth  of  East  Saginaw  which  was  fast  becoming  a  lumber  port  of  con- 
siderable impi  irtance. 

i  hi  April  4.  1SS4,  the  parish  suffered  the  loss  of  its  church  building  by  fire. 
This  was  a  severe  blow  to  the  congregation,  which  was  soon  after  enhanced  by 
a  disruption  among  the  members  over  the  selection  of  a  more  favorable  site 
for  the  erection  of  the  new  church.  After  many  heated  discussions  in  which 
it  was  impossible  to  arrive  at  an  agreement,  the  parish  at  length  divided,  the 
majority,  comprising  the  older  and  more  influential  element  supporting  the  old 
organizatii  in. 


OLD    ST.    PAUL'S.    ERECTED    IN    1864 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


335 


The  other  and  more  radical  element  of  the  congregation,  which  was  com- 
posed very  largely  of  "high  churchmen,"  thereupon  organized  the  new  parish 
of  All  Saint's,  and  called  the  Reverend  Father  Radcliffe  to  the  rectorship.  He 
was  an  earnest  and  faithful  priest  and  drew  many  persons  into  the  fold.  A 
very  appropriate  location  for  the  new  church  edifice  and  rectory  was  chosen 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  Genesee  Avenue  and  Burt  Street,  and  the  erection 
of  the  building  begun.  In  due  couse  it  was  completed  and  furnished  at  large 
sacrifice  by  the  devoted  members  of  the  congregation.  For  several  years  All 
Saint's  Church  did  a  good  work  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  but  the  burden 
of  debt  which  had  been  assumed  at  the  time  of  building  the  church  was  too 
great  to  be  carried,  and  the  parish  sold  its  property  and  dissolved.  Some  of 
the  more  active  members  then  allied  themselves  with  Calvary  Memorial 
Church  at  North  Saginaw,  to  the  work  of  which  they  entered  with  their 
accustomed  zeal  and  faithfulness. 


INTERIOR    OF    ST.    PAUL'S    CHURCH 


The  old  St.  Paul's  congregation,  meanwhile,  had  chosen  lots  at  Wash- 
ington Avenue  and  Fitzhugh  Streets,  and  in  1887,  during  the  rectorship  of 
the  Reverend  Isaac  Barr,  commenced  the  erection  of  a  stone  edifice  for  their 
church  home.  At  this  time  Henry  1).  Wickes,  his  brother,  Edward  N. 
Wickes,  John  |.  Wheeler  and  C.  Stuart  Draper  were  influential  vestrymen 
of  the  parish,  and  gave  most  liberally  of  their  time  and  means  to  forward  the 
building  operations,  ddie  beautiful  new  church  was  completed  and  dedicated 
in  the  Summer  of  1888;  and  services  of  the  Church  have  since  been  held 
within  its  walls. 

The  Reverend  Isaac  Barr  was  followed  in  1X90  by  the  Reverend  William 
H.  Gallagher,  a  very  aide  and  devoted  minister,  who  remained  rector  of  St. 


336  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Paul's  for  a  period  of  twenty  years.  His  broad  and  liberal  Churchmanship, 
sturdy  Christianity  and  good  deeds  without  number,  soon  brought  him  into 
prominence  in  the  religious  life  of  the  city,  and  few  clergymen  have  enjoyed 
the  universal  esteem  and  high  regard  in  which  he  was  held  by  all  classes  of 
citizens,  irrespective  of  creed  or  religious  belief.  His  preaching,  though 
never  sensational,  was  vigorous  and  masterful,  and  was  marked  by  deep 
and  thorough  knowledge  of  the  scriptures.  He  appealed  to  the  reason  and  to 
the  spiritual  sensibilities  of  his  hearers  rather  than  to  the  emotions;  and  his 
beautiful  reading  of  the  church  service  will  always  be  remembered  with 
peculiar  pleasure  by  the  members  of  his  congregation. 

The  present  rector  of  St.  Paul's  is  the  Reverend  Thomas  E.  Swan,  who 
has  rilled  the  churchly  office  for  the  last  four  years,  and  is  carrying  on  the 
good  work  of  the  parish  and  Sunday  School. 

The  Congregationalists 

In  the  early  years  of  Christian  endeavor  in  Saginaw  there  were  a  num- 
ber of  persons  professing  the  faith  of  the  Congregational  Church,  but,  for 
want  of  a  separate  organization  they  worshipped  with  the  members  of  other 
churches.  In  Saginaw  City  they  became  strong  enough  in  1842,  as  we  have 
seen,  to  change  the  established  Presbyterian  Church  to  their  own  organiza- 
tion, and,  although  the  society  later  went  back  to  its  previous  form  of  govern- 
ment, a  few  persons  still  adhered  to  the  covenent  and  fellowship  of  the 
Ci  mgregational  Church. 

Among  these  true  and  zealous  Christians  was  Chester  1!.  Jones,  who  was 
yet  a  devoted  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  In  April,  1853, 
imbued  with  a  true  missionary  spirit,  he  organized  the  first  Sabbath  School 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  the  sessions  being  held  in  the  "Academy"  on 
South  Jefferson  and  lloyt  Streets.  The  few  families  which  professed  mem- 
bership in  the  Congregational  Church,  like  the  Presbyterians  and  Baptists, 
worshipped  with  the  Methodists  whom  they  had  aided  in  building  the  first 
church  edifice  at  East  Saginaw. 

At  length  it  seemed  advisable  to  have  another  church  in  this  place,  and 
the  Congregationalists  and  Presbyterians  united  and  began  to  look  about  for 
a  suitable  minister.  In  the  Spring  of  1857  Mr.  Jones  and  a  few  others  with- 
drew from  the  church  in  Saginaw  City,  in  which  they  had  labored  for  several 
years,  and  were  instrumental  in  forming  a  new  congregation  on  the  East 
Side.  On  May  3rd  the  Reverend  William  C.  Smith,  of  Lapeer,  preached  in 
the  Methodist  Church,  which  stood  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Washington 
and  German  Streets,  and  in  the  evening  in  Buena  Vista  Hall.  He  was 
immediately  engaged  by  the  society  with  much  zeal,  as  their  pastor,  for  one 
year;  and  services  were  held  in  the  hall,  which  had  been  offered  to  the 
citizens  by  Jesse  Hoyt.  for  public  worship. 

On  the  hTst  Sunday  of  the  following  June  Mr.  Smith  and  a  few  others 
formed  a  Sabbath  School,  Mr.  Jones  being  chosen  superintendent.  Within 
a  few  weeks  the  school  numbered  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  scholars,  and 
had  a  library  of  six  hundred  volumes,  many  of  which  were  the  gift  of  friends 
at  the  East  through  John  P.  Allison.  Mr.  Jones  held  the  office  of  superin- 
tendent for  six  terms,  and  was  succeeded  by  Henry  M.  Flagler,  the  school  at 
that  time  having  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  scholars.  Alter  three  years 
II.  T.  Collins  wa>  chosen  to  the  office,  and  later  was  succeeded  by  Lucius  C. 
Sti  irrs. 

When  the  society  had  been  well  established  some  of  the  members  desired 
a  church  organization,  and  a  meeting  was  held  Tuesday,  September  11.  1857. 
t<>  consider  the  subject.  Those  present  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  II.  Warner, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jacob  E.  Vorhies,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Woodruff.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 


RHLICK  >US  AXI)  SOCIAL  LIFE 


337 


s 


THE    FIRST    CONGREGATIONAL    CHURCH 
Erected  in   L860  at  the  Southwest   Corner  of  Washington  and  German   St i«  i  i s 


George  Morris,  Mrs.  Norman  Little.  Mr--.  Menzo  C.  Stevens,  Mrs.  William  L. 
Webber,  Mrs.  DeWitt  C.  Gage,  Mrs.  Robert  Pearson,  Mrs.  Stephen  B.  Knapp, 
Mr--.  Nancy  Brown,  Mrs.  George  Elseffer,  Mrs.  William  McKnight,  Miss 
Catharine  Lathrop,  Solomon  Lathrop,  Edwin  A.  Aloore,  Horace  B.  Hubbard 
and  Chester  B.  Jones. 

Having  decided  upon  a  church  organization  the  form  of  government  was 
determined  by  ballot,  eighteen  votes  being  cast  for  the  Congregational  form 
and  four  for  the  Presbyterian.  The  name  chosen  was  "The  First  Congrega- 
tional Church  of  East  Saginaw:"  and  on  October  7.  1857,  an  Ecclesiastical 
( 'otincil  organized  the  church,  the  Reverend  William  C.  Smith  offering  the 
Prayer  of  Organization.  At  this  time  Mrs.  Smith,  the  wife  of  the  pastor, 
and  Miss  Augusta  E.  Kimball  were  admitted  by  letter,  and  the  Misses  Helen 
R.  G.  Little,  Amanda  and  Elizabeth  Woodruff  by  profession.  The  first 
Preparatory  Lecture  was  given  (  )ctober  31,  and  the  Sacrament  was  first  cele- 
brated November  1,  185/". 

After  a  faithful  and  honored  service  of  eight  years  Air.  Smith  resigned 
the  pastorate  and  closed  his  labors  here  on  Sunday,  April  30,  1865.  Follow- 
ing him  was  a  line  of  aide  and  consecrated  servants  of  God,  who  were: 
Reverend  John  <  \.  W.  Cowles,  1865-71;  Reverend  Joseph  Estabrook,  as  sup- 
ply in  1871;  Reverend  William  DeLoss  Love,  1871-76;  Reverend  William  F. 
Day.  1877-82;  Reverend  Franklin  Noble.  1883-89;  Reverend  George  R.  Wal- 
lace, 1890-94;  Reverend  William  Knight,  1894-97;  Reverend  Andrew  Burns 
Chalmers,  1898-1901  ;    Reverend  Nelson  S.  Bradley,  1901  to  the  present  time. 

To  co-operate  with  the  church  the  First  Congregational  Society  was 
formed  September  7,  1857,  and  the  following  were  elected  trustees:  Norman 
Little,  DeWitt  C.  Gage,  Chester  B.  Jones,  Jacob  E.  Vorhies  and  George  J. 
Dorr.  Others  serving  later  in  this  capacity  were:  W.  L.  P.  Little,  John  H. 
Elseffer,  Henry  Woodruff,  George  W.  Waldron,  William  C.  Janes,  Alfred  T. 
Silsbee,    George    II.    Newcombe.    Henry     M.     Flagler,    Dwight    G     lb 'Hand. 


338  HISTORY    (  )F    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Erastus  T.  Judd,  Charles  K.  Robinson,  I).  Forsyth  Ruse,  William  H.  Warner 
and  Byron  B.  Buckhout.  In  1911  the  society  and  church  were  consolidated 
under  the  name  of  "Idle  First  Congregational  Church  of  Saginaw." 

The  first  house  of  worship  used  by  this  church  was  built  on  the  south- 
west earner  of  Washington  and  German  Streets,  directly  opposite  the  Meth- 
odist Church;  and  the  first  effective  work  on  it  was  performed  in  October, 
1860.  It  was  first  used  by  the  congregation  for  worship  on  February  3,  1861. 
The  original  cost  of  the  structure  was  two  thousand  dollars,  but  in  the  fol- 
lowing year  additional  pews  were  provided  and  the  gallery  enlarged,  bringing 
the  cost  of  the  church  property,  including  heating  and  lighting  arrangements, 
to  forty-five  hundred  dollars. 

In  the  Autumn  of  1866,  to  provide  for  the  increasing  membership, 
measures  were  taken  toward  building  the  present  church,  and  its  dedication 
was  held  on  Sunday.  June  14,  1868.  Professor  Joseph  Haven,  I).  I).,  of 
Chicago,  preached  the  Sermon  of  Dedication,  after  which  upwards  of  twenty- 
two  thousand  dollars  was  added  to  the  subscriptions  to  the  building  fund; 
and  in  the  evening  the  Reverend  J.  W.  Hough  preached,  and  more  than  six 
thousand  dollars  was  added  to  the  fund.  fhe  Prayer  of  Dedication  was  then 
offered  by  the  pastor.  In  1891  extensive  repairs  and  alterations  were  made 
in  the  edifice  and  chapel,  including  a  new  elevated  floor,  new  opera  chairs, 
and  perfect  electric  lighting  and  ventilating  arrangements  throughout.  fhe 
organ  was  moved  from  the  side  to  the  center,  back  of  the  pulpit,  thoroughly 
rebuilt,  and  a  place  provided  for  the  chorus  choir  of  about  thirty  voices.  The 
total  cost  of  the  church  property,  including  these  improvements,  lias  been 
seventy-seven   thousand  dollars. 

The  Men's  Club  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  was  organized 
October  30,  1907,  for  church  extension  and  social  purposes,  and  has  had  a 
useful  existence  since  that  time.  The  original  officers  were:  William  I'. 
Powell,  president;  Robert  T.  Holland,  vice-president;  Fred  C.  Roberts, 
recording  secretary;  Norman  N.  Rupp,  secretary:  William  A.  Brewer, 
treasurer. 

Among  the  general  interest  meetings  that  have  been  held  may  be  men- 
tioned those  in  which  Wellington  R.  Kurt  spoke  on  "The  Constitutional  Con- 
vention," William  B.  Mershon  on  "Forestry,"  William  S.  Linton  on  "The 
Parcel  Post,"  Professor  'R.  C.  Allen  on  "The  Iron  Mines  of  the  Upper  Pen- 
insula," Frank  C.  Peck  on  "Railway  Mail  Service."  Eugene  Wilber  on 
"Alaska."  Professor  Shull  on  "Eugenics,"  William  J.  Gray,  of  Detroit,  on 
"The  Federal  Reserve  System,"  C.  W.  Stive  on  "The  Shipping  Bill,"  and 
Bishop  Charles  1).  Williams,  of  the  Episcopal  Diocese  of  Michigan,  on 
"Taxation." 

The  club  has  extended  its  membership  to  include  others  than  those  con- 
nected with  the  Congregational  Church,  and  has  added  materially  to  the 
cultural  life  of  the  city. 

The  First  Baptist  Church. 

The  first  Baptist  Society  was  organized  in  1853  with  scarcely  a  score  of 
members,  but  with  zealous  purpose  of  worshiping  according  to  the  tenets  of 
their  church.  Their  first  house  of  worship  was  a  small  frame  building 
erected  by  James  S.  Webber,  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue  nearly  opposite  the 
present  church.  A  picture  of  this  primitive  meeting  house  appears  on  page 
191.  The  first  meetings  of  the  society  held  in  this  building,  which  was  known 
as  "Union  Hall,"  were  on  the  third  and  fourth  of  July.  1858.  Ten  years 
later,  when  there  was  extensive  church  building  and  other  improvements 
in  East  Saginaw,  the  society  acquired  the  lot  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Tefferson  and   German   Streets,   and   soon   after   erected   thereon   a   red   brick 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL   LIFE  339 


editice  with  gray  stone  trimmings.  In  style  the  church  building  resembles 
the  Methodist  and  St.  John's  German  Lutheran  churches,  and  has  an  audience 
room  seating  six  hundred,  noted  for  its  excellent  accoustic  properties.  The 
basement  is  divided  into  lecture  and  Sabbath  school  rooms  and  pastor's 
study.  Even  in  the  early  days  the  church  was  heated  by  steam  and  lighted 
by  gas;  and  the  total  cost  was  thirty-six  thousand  dollars. 

Tlie  erection  of  this  substantial  church  edifice  in  so  commanding  a  loca- 
tion was  largely  due  to  the  indefatigable  labors  of  the  Reverend  H.  L.  More- 
house, who  was  pastor  for  twelve  years,  and  also  to  the  liberal  support  of  the 
active  church  members,  many  of  whom  were  numbered  among  our  most 
solid  citizens.  In  LS73,  the  Reverend  Theodore  Nelson  assumed  the  pastorate 
and  under  his  able  ministrations  covering  a  long  period  of  vears,  the  member- 
ship, which  was  one  hundred  and  seventy  at  his  coming,  increased  more  than 
two  fold.  He  was  followed  by  the  Reverend  Taber  and  other  able  minister'-; 
and  in  1908  his  son,  the  Reverend  Wilbur  Nelson,  was  called  as  pastor  and 
remained  in  charge  four  years.  The  present  pastor  is  the  Reverend  Stuart 
Gordon  Boone  who  assumed  his  duties  July  1,  1912. 

In  more  recent  years  the  church  property  has  been  greatly  improved, 
the  stained  glass  windows  and  large  pipe  organ  being  features  appreciated 
by  the  large  congregation. 

Other  church  societies  of  the  Baptist  faith  are  the  Fordney  Avenue 
Church,  at  South  Saginaw,  and  the  Zion  Baptist  (negro),  at  the  corner  of 
Johnson  and  Second  Streets. 

Warren  Avenue  Presbyterian 

Among  those  who  formerly  united  with  the  Congregationalists  in  sus- 
taining preaching  in  East  Saginaw,  were  a  few  persons  who  still  adhered  to 
the  Presbyterian  faith.  These  devout  Christians  withdrew  in  1867,  and  on 
March  24th  of  that  year  organized  the  "First  Presbyterian  Church  of  East 
Saginaw,"  afterward  changed  to  the  Warren  Avenue  Presbyterian.  On  that 
day  the  Reverend  L.  J.  Root  preached  and  administered  the  Sacrament,  and 
was  assisted  by  the  Reverend  Calvin  Clark,  secretary  of  Home  Missions. 
Alexander  Mitchell  and  Alexander  Ross,  having  been  previously  ordained, 
and  duly  elected  ruling  elders  of  the  church,  were  regularly  installed  as 
pastors.  Besides  these  devoted  ministers  and  their  wives,  there  were  thirty- 
two  charter  members  of  the  society,  including  Mrs.  FYances  E.  Spinney,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  William  Allen,  Mrs.  Isabel  Sutherland,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  M. 
Austin,  Orrin  M.  Stone,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Hodson,  David  Taggart  and  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Thomas  Steele. 

The  Reverend  W.  W.  Thorpe  ministered  to  the  congregation  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  Reverend  A.  F.  Johnson.  In  1X70  the  Reverend  S.  E. 
Wishard  became  pastor  and  remained  for  two  years,  when  the  Reverend 
Thomas  Middlemis  took  charge  and  continued  his  ministrations  for  five  years. 
During  his  pastorate  the  society,  which  hitherto  had  not  prospered,  began  a 
new  life  and  built  a  substantial  brick  church  building  on  the  corner  of  Warren 
and  Millard  Streets.  It  was  at  length  completed  at  a  cost  of  twelve  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  first  used  as  a  house  of  worship  in  the  Fall  of  1874,  when 
the  congregation  comprised  seventy-six  members. 

In  1877  the  Reverend  David  Van  Dyke  was  called  as  pastor,  and  on 
July  1,  1880,  the  Reverend  John  T.  (  Ixtoby,  of  hallowed  memory,  assumed 
pastoral  charge.  Under  the  ministrations  of  this  able  and  scholarly  minister 
the  church  grew  in  members  and  influence,  and  soon  numbered  among  its 
staunch  supporters  some  of  our  representative  citizens.  His  pastorate  cov- 
ered a  period  of  sixteen  years,  during  which  he  endeared  himself  to  thousands 
by   his   sturdy   Christianity,  strong  character  and   great  sympathy   for  all   in 


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RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  341 

distress.  He  retired  in  1896  and  was  followed  in  March  of  that  year  by  the 
Reverend  Toseph  Riley  Tewell,  who  ministered  to  the  congregation  until  his 
death  in  1903. 

Mr.  Tewell  was  an  earnest  and  devoted  minister  of  rare  spiritual  endow- 
ment, and  an  indefatigable  worker.  Through  his  efforts  the  church  edifice 
was  greatly  improved,  refurnished  and  redecorated,  and  a  new  heating  system 
installed.  But  by  a  strange  turn  of  fortune  the  house  of  worship  was  not 
again  to  seat  the  congregation,  for  on  the  very  Sunday  morning  that  it  was  to 
have  been  reopened  for  worship  and  joyful  hymns  of  praise,  a  fire  started 
around  the  furnace  and  the  structure  was  entirely  destroyed.  Dismayed  hut 
not  disheartened  by  the  loss  of  their  church  home,  the  minister  and  congre- 
gation set  about  with  commendable  energy  to  rebuild  the  edifice  along 
modern  lines  well  adapted  to  present  needs.  In  a  remarkably  short  time  the 
present  building  arose  on  the  site  of  the  old,  and  is  a  monument  to  the  labors 
of  Reverend  Tewell  and  his  able  helpers  in  the  congregation.  By  his  influ- 
ence and  persistent  efforts  the  entire  debt  on  the  property,  including  three 
thousand  dollars  for  the  organ,  was  liquidated  shortly  after  the  church 
building  was  completed.  The  strain  of  overwork,  however,  was  too  great 
for  his  enfeebled  state  of  health,  and  he  died  on  February  23,  1903,  deeply 
mourned  by  all  who  had  known  him,  or  had  come  under  his  helpful  influence. 

The  present  pastor  is  Reverend  J.  A.  Dunkel  who  assumed  charge  Sep- 
temher  1,  1903.  Under  his  able  direction  of  the  church  activities  the  member- 
ship increased  to  eight  hundred  and  fifty,  including  a  mission  maintained  in 
Buena  Vista.  The  other  church  property  consists  of  church  house  at  510 
South  Warren  Avenue,  and  the  Manse  at  710  South  Weadock  Avenue,  from 
which  the  religious  work  of  the  congregation  is  directed. 

Other  churches  of  the  Presbyterian  faith  are:  Grace  Presbyterian, 
at  the  corner  of  Dearborn  and  Fayette  Streets ;  Immanuel,  i  m  ( lenesee  Avenue 
between  Hill  and  Hanchett  Streets;  and  the  Washington  Avenue  Presby- 
terian, at  the  corner  of  Washington  Avenue  and  Williamson  Street. 

St.  Mary's  Roman  Catholic   Church 

The  beginning  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  the  largest  and  most  influential  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  parishes  of  this  city,  was  in  a  small  mission  established 
by  Father  Schutzes  in  the  eighteen-fifties.  lie  was  one  of  a  band  of  devoted 
priests  of  Dutch  descent  who  came  to  the  forest  wilderness  along  the  Huron 
shore,  to  establish  missions  among  the  pioneer  settlers.  At  the  mouth  of 
the  Saginaw  River  he  first  planted  the  Cross,  but  soon  pressed  on  to  the 
settlement  of  East  Saginaw,  where  he  formed  a  flourishing  mission  among 
the  few  followers  of  his  faith.  This  good  work  he  continued  until  1863,  when 
Father  Vanderhayden,  who  the  preceding  year  had  assumed  charge  of  the 
mission  at  Saginaw  City,  was  assigned  to  the  duties  of  both  missions. 

The  first  church  edifice  of  St.  Mary's  was  built  in  1863,  and  dedicated  on 
Christmas  day  of  that  year.  It  stood  on  the  site  of  the  present  imposing  and 
churchly  building,  at  the  corner  of  Wells  (<  >wen)  and  Hoyt  Streets,  and  was 
capable  of  seating  about  six  hundred  persons.  From  1863  to  1866  the  parish 
was  under  the  charge  of  Father  Vanderhayden,  who  was  then  relieved  of  the 
duties  of  this  church  to  devote  all  his  energies  to  the  upbuilding  of  St. 
Andrew's  on  the  west  side  of  the  river.  Father  Vanderbom  was  deputed 
to  the  work  at  St.  Mary's,  which  he  continued  for  twenty-three  years,  and 
was  greatly  beloved  by  his  flock.  In  1874  the  number  of  communicants  was 
fourteen  hundred  and  thirty-two,  an  illustration  of  the  remarkable  success  of 
the  early  missionary  priests  of  the  Church. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Father  Vanderbom  the  church  property  was 
greatly  improved  by  the  addition  of  the  parochial  school  and  priest's  residence 


342  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

on  Hoyt  Street.  Besides  the  church  services  and  pastoral  duties  his  activi- 
ties included  the  establishment  of  a  branch  of  the  Convent  of  the  Immaculate 
Heart,  consisting  of  four  sisters,  who  taught  in  the  school  which  numbered 
two  hundred  and  seventy  pupils.  St.  Vincent's  Orphan  Home,  which  cares 
for  a  large  number  of  indigent  children,  was  also  established,  very  largely 
through  the  efforts  of  this  devoted  servant  of  God. 

In  1889  bather  Michael  Dalt<m  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of  St.  Mary's, 
and  ministered  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  congregation  fur  over  twenty- 
four  years.  He  was  born  in  County  Clare,  Ireland,  February  24,  1X52,  and 
received  elementary  education  in  schools  of  his  native  land,  wdiere  he  finished 
lii^  classical  and  philosophical  studies.  Upon  coming  to  America  he  con- 
tinued  bis  preparation  for  the  priesthood  at  Mt.  St.  Mary's  Seminary  in 
Cincinnati.  He  held  pastorates  at  Sandwich,  Ontario,  Detroit,  Ludington, 
Berlin.  Grand  Haven  and  Big  Rapids,  and  came  to  Saginaw  in  the  prime  of 
bis  intellectual  and  spiritual  power.  It  was  during  his  charge  of  St.  Mary's 
that  the  magnificent  church  edifice  was  erected  with  its  many  beautiful 
memorials  and  costly  gifts,  representing  the  sacrifice  and  loving  devotion  of 
the  faithful  in  Christ. 

Father  Dalton  died  <  Ictober  9,  1913,  greatly  mourned  by  his  congregation 
which  then  numbered  more  than  twenty-five  hundred  souls;  and  the  parish 
of  St.  Mary's  with  its  many  activities  in  religious  and  charitable  work,  is  a 
monument  to  his  consecrated   life. 

fhe  Reverend  Edward  A.  Caldwell  was  then  appointed  to  the  charge  of 
this  prosperous  church,  the  appointment  being  a  high  tribute  to  years  of 
faithful  service  in  minor  parishes,  bather  Caldwell  was  born  and  reared  in 
this  city,  and  received  his  early  education  and  religious  instruction  in  the 
school  of  the  church  over  which  he  now  presides  as  priest.  Before  the  altar 
at  which  he  says  mass  and  hears  songs  of  praise,  he  received  his  first  com- 
munion, and  at  the  confessional  in  which  he  hears  of  the  sorrows  of  the 
penitent,  he  first  confessed  his  sins.  To  him  his  people  are  like  one  great 
family  which  he  has  known  and  loved  for  a  lifetime,  and  which,  having  known 
him  from  boyhood,  regard  him  as  their  very  own. 

St.  Joseph's  Roman  Catholic  Church 

In  1X72  a  number  of  Catholic  families  connected  with  St.  Mary's  Church, 
among  whom  was  Michael  Jeffers,  set  about  to  form  a  new  parish  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  city.  This  section  of  East  Saginaw  was  then  beginning 
to  build  up  by  railroad  men  in  the  employ  of  the  Flint  et  Pere  Marcpiette 
Railroad,  and  the  church  people  saw  an  opportunity  to  plant  the  Cross  on 
fruitful  soil.  They  entered  with  zeal  upon  the  task  of  organizing  the  new 
parish,  and  in  the  Summer  of  1X73  the  Reverend  Richard  Sweeney  was 
appointed  to  the  charge.  He  was  a  young  man  of  exceptional  ability,  and 
grew  in  favor  with  his  people,  so  that  soon  the  church  numbered  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty-five  families. 

The  commodious  and  churchly  house  of  worship,  which  was  begun  in 
1872  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Sears  Streets,  was  finished  soon  after  Father 
Sweeney  assumed  charge,  and  has  served  the  congregation  to  the  present 
time.  In  due  course  a  pastoral  residence  was  built  adjoining  the  church,  and 
a  parochial  school  ami  Sisters'  house  erected  at  the  rear.  From  a  small 
beginning  made  forty-four  years  ago,  St.  Joseph's  parish  has  become  one  of 
the  best  equipped  Catholic  churches  in  Saginaw  \  alley. 

Father  Sweeney  remained  the  beloved  pastor  of  St.  Joseph's,  laboring 
long  and  late  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  flock,  for  forty-one  years,  and 
relinquished  his  charge  only  when,  old  in  years,  his  enfeebled  state  of  health 
compelled   such   action.     This   was   much  against   the   wishes  of  his   devoted 


RELIGIOUS   AND   SOCIAL  LIFE 


343 


If oly  Rosa  fir  Church  and  School 

Saginaw,  Mich. 


parishioners,  many  of  whom  he  had  baptised,  communed,  married  and 
watched  over  as  they  grew  from  childhood  to  manhood,  and  became  stead- 
fast followers  of  the  faith. 

This  able  and  consecrated  prelate  was  succeeded  by  the  Reverend  K.  J. 
Whalen.  who  assumed  charge  January  1.  1(»14.  He  is  a  priest  of  command- 
ing figure,  a  powerful  preacher,  a  true  friend  of  the  poor  ami  needy,  and  is 
endeavoring  by  spiritual  grace  to  worthily  continue  the  good  work  of  his 
predecessor,  and  afford  comfort  and  assurance  to  the  two  hundred  families 
which  comprise  his  flock. 

Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart 

Like  St.  Joseph's  parish,  the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  sprang  from  the 
mother  church  of  St.  Mary's.  On  the  fifteenth  of  January,  1874,  the  first 
meeting  of  the  German  Catholics  of  the  old  congregation  was  held  to  elect 
trustees  of  the  new  parish.  A.  Baumgarten  acted  as  chairman  and  Arnold 
Nachtweih  as  secretary  of  the  meeting.  The  trustees  were:  Adolpli 
Schmidt,  Alois  Grohmann,  Gottfried  Fritz,  Simon  Erey,  G.  Schmitt,  'William 
Casparr,  George  Wirtz,  Bernhard  Berghott,  Caspar  Echenbach,  Joseph  Ham- 
burger and  John   Henrigs. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  building  intended  for  the  use  of  the  church  and 
school  was  laid  on  August  24,  1S74.  The  location,  at  the  corner  of  Sixth 
and  Cherry  Streets,  was  most  advantageous  for  steady  growth  of  the  parish, 
and  time  has  shown  the  wisdom  of  its  selection  by  the  founders  of  this  pros- 
perous and  influential  church.  At  that  time  the  congregation  consisted  of 
only  forty-five  families,  but  by  personal  efforts  and  large  sacrifices  they  at 
length  completed  the  building,  at  a  cost  of  seventy-three  hundred  dollars. 
The  school  opened  very  auspiciously  on  December  14.  1874,  with  Miss  Weiss 
and  Miss  Geisler  as  teachers  in  German  and  English.  (  )n  Sunday,  December 
20th,  of  that  year,  the  first  service  was  held  in  the  new  church-school,  the 
pastor  being  the  Reverend  Hugo  Praessar. 


344 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  priests'  residence  on  Cherry  Street  was  built  in  the  Summer  of  1878 
by  Father  Joseph  Reis,  who  assumed  charge  of  the  parish  September  28, 
1876.  During  his  remarkable  pastorate  covering  a  period  of  forty  years,  he 
has  witnessed  great  changes  in  the  city  and  wonderful  growth  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  churches,  llis  congregation  has  grown  steadily,  and  at  present  con- 
sists of  die  hundred  and  sixty  families.  The  school  has  also  kept  pace  with 
the  advancement  of  Catholicism,  and  now  has  enrolled  <me  hundred  and 
forty-five  scholars,  divided  into  eight  grades.  At  present  the  school  is  in 
charge  of  the  Dominican  Sisters. 

The  present  church  edifice,  which  is  an  excellent  example  of  true  ecclesi- 
astical architecture,  was  commenced  in  1891.  The  high  basement  was  soon 
completed  and   finished  off,  and   used   for  church   services   for  a   number  of 

years.  Meanwhile  the  erection  of  the  imposing 
superstructure  was  under  way,  and  was  com- 
pleted in  1911  at  a  cost  of  eighty  thousand 
dollars.  In  this  large  and  beautiful  church  the 
congregation  worships,  listen  to  songs  of  praise, 
and  receives  spiritual  comfort  from  the  scholarly 
discourses  of  their  beloved  rector,  which  are 
spoken  in  both  English  and  German. 

Father  Reis.  the  aged  prelate  who  still  min- 
isters unto  his  people,  directs  the  activities  and 
benevolent  work  of  this  prosperous  church. 
There  are  few  priests  of  the  Church  in  Michigan 
whose  labors  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  Kingdom 
of  Christ  have  been  of  longer  duration;  and  the 
Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  both  its  material 
and  spiritual  establishment,  is  to  a  large  de- 
gree a  monument  to  the  patient,  persistent 
and  kindly  endeavors  of  this  consecrated  priest. 
Roman  Catholic  parishes  of  Saginaw  are:  Holy  Family  Church 
Father  Louis  M.  Prud'homme.  priest  in  charge,  on  South  Wash- 
ington Avenue  opposite  Hoyt  Park:  Holy  Rosary  Church  (Polish),  on 
Annesley  Street  between  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  Streets;  Lady  of  Mt. 
Carmel  Church  (Italian),  on  Warren  Avenue  between  Lapeer  and  Tuscola 
Streets;  and  St.  Josaphat's  Church  in  the  northwest  section,  and  its  parochial 
school  with  two  Dominican  Sisters  and  one  hundred  and  twelve  pupils. 


Other 
(  French  |, 


St.  John's  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church 
Another  of  the  older  church  organizations  is  St.  John's  German  Evan- 
gelical Lutheran,  whose  valuable  property  is  situated  on  Germania  Avenue 
between  Second  and  Third  Streets.  The  substantial  brick  church  was  erected 
in  1868,  at  a  cost  of  thirty  thousand  dollars,  and  is  of  a  style  of  architecture 
common  to  that  period,  and  has  a  chime  of  bells  in  the  tower.  In  later 
years  a  comfortable  and  attractive  parsonage  was  erected  on  Second  Street, 
adjoining  the  church,  and  in  1915  a  large  brick  school  house  replaced  the  old 
wooden  building  on  the  corner  of  Germania  and  Third,  which  had  served  the 
needs  of  the  society  for  nearly  fifty  years. 

The  form  of  worship  observed  by  this  society  is  distinctively  Lutheran 
as  laid  down  in  the  rubrics  of  the  Reformed  State  Church  of  Germany.  The 
Reverend  Conrad  Volz  was  pastor  of  this  church  for  many  years,  and  was 
greatly  beloved  by  the  old  and  the  young.  Under  his  able  ministrations  the 
society  increased  in  membership  ami  in  influence,  and  upon  his  death  his 
son,  the  Reverend  Frederick  Volz,  who  for  many  years  had  labored  in  the 
church  as  assistant  to  the  pastor,  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  and  continues 
the  good  work  of  the  church. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL   LIFE  345 

In  addition  to  the  older  churches  of  the  Lutheran  faith  there  are:  St. 
Tames  German  Lutheran,  on  the  east  side  of  Washington  Avenue,  south  of 
Ortman  Street;  St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran,  on  the  southeast  corner  of 
Bliss  and  Elm  Streets:  St.  Paul's  Evangelical  Lutheran.  South  Fifth  Street. 
between  Germania  and  Lapeer;  Trinity  German  Evangelical  Lutheran,  cor- 
ner of  Cherry  and  Ninth  Streets,  and  Zion  Lutheran  at  Hancock  and  North 
Mason  Streets. 

Other  denominations  of  the  Christian  Church  are:  St.  Mark's  Evan- 
gelical at  Lapeer  and  Third  Streets;  the  Michigan  Avenue  Evangelical; 
Church  of  Christ,  at  Genesee  Avenue  and  Burt  Street;  Genesee  Avenue  Con- 
gregational, at  1815  Genesee  Avenue;  Free  Methodist,  at  Clinton  and  Ninth 
Harrison  Streets;  the  First  Methodist  Protestant,  corner  of  Farwell  and 
Fourth;  the  Stevens  Street  Methodist  Protestant,  at  Stephens  and  Fayette 
Streets;  the  First  Church  of  Christ  (Scientist)  on  Warren  Avenue  at  Hayden 
Street;  The  Free  Methodist  and  the  Seventh  I  >ay  Adventist,  and  the  Hebrew 
Temple  B'Nui  Israel. 

The  total  valuation  of  all  church  property,  including  parochial  schools, 
in  the  City  of  Saginaw,  is  placed  at  one  and  a  quarter  million  dollars,  ami  is 
increasing  each  year. 

St.  Mary's  Hospital 

This  well  known  and  admirably  conducted  institution  was  founded 
August  22,  1S74,  and  incorporated  as  the  "Sisters  of  Charity  of  St.  Mary's 
Hospital,  East  Saginaw."  Father  Vanderbom,  rector  of  St.  Mary's  Church, 
and  Doctor  B.  B.  Ross,  a  leading  physician  of  this  city,  were  largely  instru- 
mental in  establishing  the  hospital,  which  was  first  opened  in  a  private  house 
on  Washington  Street,  near  Wickes  Brothers  plant.  The  location  selected 
for  the  hospital  building,  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue,  was  a  most  fortunate 
one,  as  it  is  the  highest  ground  in  the  vicinity  and  permits  of  expansion  to 
meet  future  needs.  The  first  wooden  building  was  completed  in  1X75,  and 
accommodated  from  eighty  to  ninety  patients. 

The  Sisters  of  Charity  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  by  whom  the  hospital  is 
conducted,  is  an  ancient  order  of  consecrated  women  with  the  mother  house 
in  Paris.  In  the  United  States  there  are  two  provinces  governing  the  order, 
the  mother  house  of  the  Eastern  province,  with  which  the  Sisters  of  St. 
Mary's  are  connected,  being  at  Emmitsburg,  Maryland,  near  Baltimore,  and 
that  of  the  Western  province  at  St.  Louis.  Missouri.  The  four  Sisters  who 
opened  St.  Mary's  Hospital  were  Sister  Mary  Elizabeth  Roche,  deceased; 
Sister  Cecelia  Casey,  now  connected  with  the  retreat  at  Dearborn,  Mich- 
igan; Sister  Agnes  Bauer  and  Sister  Regina  Wren.  During  the  forty-one 
years  of  the  hospital's  existence  it  has  ministered  to  thousands  of  suffering 
humanity,  and  attained  a  high  reputation  for  the  excellence  of  its  service  and 
care  of  patients. 

In  the  days  of  extensive  lumbering  in  this  section  of  Michigan,  St.  Mary's 
came  into  prominence  for  its  care  of  injured  and  maimed  woodsmen.  For  a 
small  individual  fee  paid  to  the  hospital  early  in  the  logging  season,  as  a 
sort  of  insurance  premium,  the  Sisters  agreed  to  care  for  and  nurse  back  t<  i 
health  the  holder  of  the  insurance  certificate,  in  case  of  accident  or  sickness. 
This  was  a  noble  work,  and  furnishing  protection,  as  it  did,  to  thousands  of 

lumber-jacks  in  the  north  w Is,  brought  a  steady  income  to  the  Sisters  of 

Charity. 

At  length  the  demands  upon  them  for  medical  and  surgical  treatment 
became  so  great  that  a  new  and  larger  hospital  building  was  laid  out  on  an 
extensive  scale,  providing  for  future  as  well  as  the  present  needs.  To  this 
end  the  south  wing  of  a  magnificently  planned  hospital  was  built  in  1891. 
It  is  a  substantial  brick  structure  with  a  height  of  four  stories  and  high  base- 


346  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

ment,  which  is  capacious  and  well  equipped.  At  some  future  time  the  main 
building  will  be  erected  without  destroying  the  architect's  original  scheme  of 
noble  proportions  or  beauty  of  design.  At  present  the  grounds  are  capacious 
with  broad  driveways  and  well-kept  lawns,  which  are  a  source  of  pleasure 
to  convalescent  patients  and  to  the  public  in  general. 

The  tine  new  hospital  building  was  opened  under  the  supervision  of 
Sister  Frances  O'Connor,  who  ably  conducted  its  noble  service  to  mankind 
until  1905.  She  was  succeeded  by  Sister  Eugenia  Gill,  who  still  has  charge 
of  the  institution.  In  1916  there  were  twelve  Sisters  and  thirty-three  nurses 
in  the  training  school,  who  cared  for  the  ninety  to  one  hundred  patients,  the 
normal  capacity  of  the  institution.  The  old  hospital  building,  since  the  erec- 
tion of  the  new  structue,  has  been  used  as  the  nurses'  home. 

St.  Vincent's  Orphan  Home 

Another  institution  of  benevolent  character  conducted  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Sisters  of  Charity  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  is  St.  Vincent's  Orphan 
Home.  This  institution  was  founded  in  1875  by  Sister  Cecelia  Casey,  and 
was  first  opened  in  a  small  house  in  Hoyt  Street.  Soon  after,  the  increasing 
demands  on  the  Home  and  the  liberality  of  Catholic  churchmen,  resulted  in 

the  erection  of  a   w len   building  on   the   corner  of    Howard   and    Emerson 

Streets,  a  very  appropriate  site  affording  ample  play  grounds  for  the  chil- 
dren. This  institution  carried  on  a  successful  work  for  indigent  children. 
continually  growing  in  influence  and  public  favor  until  the  great  lire  of  May 
20,  1893,  when  the  Nome  and  its  contents  was  entirely  destroyed  in  the 
conflagration. 

Not  discouraged  nor  disheartened  by  their  great  loss,  the  Sisters  at  once 
set  about  to  rebuild  a  more  substantial  structure  on  the  site  of  the  old.  To 
their  appeals  for  aid  in  their  inspired  work,  Roman  Catholics  and  other-  not 
connected  with  the  Church  responded  liberally,  and  in  1895  the  present  struc- 
ture was  opened.  Sister  Cecelia  directed  the  activities  of  the  Home  until 
|ulv,  1915,  when  she  retired  and  was  succeeded  by  Sister  Marie  Murphy,  an 
able  and   competent   director. 

At  present  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  children  cared  for  in  the 
1  Lome,  requiring  the  devoted  services  of  nine  Sisters.  The  work  of  the  Home 
is  not  confined  to  receiving  and  caring  for  children  of  Catholic  families; 
all  indigent  children  are  welcomed,  and  no  child  under  any  circumstances 
is   refused   admission.      As   the   noble    work    is    very    largely   anion;;    the    very 

I r  and  needy,  or  unfortunate  class,  very  little  revenue  is  received  from  the 

parents  or  natural  guardians  of  children  so  entered,  and  the  income  is  prin- 
cipally derived  from  the  annual  banquet  given  on  the  anniversary  of  Wash- 
ington's Birthday,  by  the  devoted  women  of  the  Catholic  parishes.  Citizens 
of  all  creeds  and  denominations  .if  the  Christian  Church,  to  the  number  of 
about  fifteen  hundred,  support  this  event  with  enthusiasm,  and  a  considerable 
sum  is  derived  for  the  support  of  this  worthy  institution.  In  addition  to  this 
source  of  income  an  annual  collection  in  all  Catholic  churches  is  made 
thoughout  the  Diocese,  for  the  support  of  St.  Vincent's  and  a  home  of  similar 
character  in  Grand  Rapids. 

Aside  from  the  physical  care  of  children,  mental  and  moral  training  is 
carefully  attended  to  by  the  Sisters  in  charge.  The  little  one's  life  is  made 
as  bright  and  cheerful  as  possible,  and  everything  is  done  to  care  for  those 
bereft  of  parents.  In  all  eight  grades  of  schooling  are  conducted  by  the 
Sisters,  and  instruction  given  in  sewing,  darning,  cooking  and  house  work, 
and  domestic  science  to  older  children.  Afterward  the  inmates  are  sent  to 
industrial  schools  conducted  by  the  Church,  ami  prepared  for  the  practical 
work  of  life. 


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348  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Saginaw  General  Hospital 

This  public  institution  so  well  situated  off  the  main  travelled  thorough- 
fare between  the  east  and  west  sides,  and  looking  on  beautiful  Bliss  Park 
and  the  fine  group  of  buildings  and  grounds  of  the  Michigan  Employment 
Institution  for  the  Adult  Blind,  is  one  of  Saginaw's  leading  hospitals.  It 
was  incorporated  May  4,  1887,  and  opened  to  the  public  in  June,  1880.  The 
main  hospital  building  as  originally  planned  soon  proved  too  small  for  the 
demands  upon  it,  and  in  1897  the  Amasa  Rust  Memorial  Annex  was  built. 
Three  years  later  another  addition,  the  Farnam  C.  Stone  Memorial  Annex, 
was  erected  at  the  north  end,  providing  for  a  model  operating  room  which  is 
well  equipped  for  the  large  amount  of  work  which  comes  to  the  hospital. 
The  property  now  comprises  three  structures,  the  main  four-story  hospital 
building,  the  Christian  Endeavor  Hospital  for  contagious  diseases,  opened 
December  7,  1804,  and  the  Davis  Nurses'  Home,  opened  in  1907. 

The  main  building  has  accommodations  for  twenty-four  patients  in  the 
general  wards,  and  there  are  twenty-one  private  rooms.  One  of  these  is 
maintained  by  the  Martha  Washington  Chapter  No.  113,  O.  E.  S.,  while  others 
are  cared  for  as  memorials  by  some  of  our  prominent  citizens.  A  feature  of 
the  hospital  is  the  visiting  nurse  system  for  the  care  of  tubercular  cases,  which 
was  established  in  1905  under  endowment  of  Mrs.  Paul  F.  H.  Morley.  This 
has  proved  a  most  helpful  and  successful  work,  and  led  to  a  system  of  visit- 
ing nurses  for  general  cases.  In  1914,  the  city  having  taken  over  the  work 
of  caring  for  tubercular  cases  in  its  fine  new  hospital,  erected  especially  for 
this  purpose,  this  feature  work  of  the  hospital  was  discontinued,  and  the 
endowment  fund  transferred  to  the  building  fund  for  the  new  hospital. 

For  several  years  Miss  Anna  Coleman  was  matron  and  superintendent 
of  this  hospital,  and  under  her  able  direction  it  was  brought  to  a  high  state 
of  efficiency.  Under  her  direct  control  were  sixteen  nurses  and  other  neces- 
sary help  for  the  conduct  of  the  institution.  The  assistant  superintendent 
and  the  head  nurses  are  all  graduates  of  recognized  training  schools,  and 
under  them  are  nurses  in  training  in  the  efficient  service  of  the  hospital,  who 
are  graduated  upon  completion  of  their  terms  of  training.  The  present  super- 
intendent is  Miss  Edith  R.  Jefferies,  and  has  as  her  assistants  an  able  corps 
of  nurses.  The  medical  staff  is  composed  of  sixteen  of  Saginaw's  representa- 
tive physicians,  with  Doctor  E.  E.  Curtis,  president,  and  Doctor  J.  W. 
Hutchinson,  secretary. 

The  organization  of  the  hospital  embraces  fifty  active  members  of  whom 
Mrs.  W'allis  Craig  Smith  is  president;  Mrs.  George  L.  Burrows  and  Mrs. 
S.  S.  Roby,  vice-presidents ;  Miss  Carrie  M.  Durand.  secretary ;  and  Charles 
H.  Khuen,  treasurer.  The  board  of  trustees  comprises  twenty-four  members, 
in  addition  to  the  above  named  officers,  meetings  of  which  are  held  on  the 
second  Thursday  of  each  month.  There  is  also  an  advisory  board  composed 
of  nine  prominent  citizens. 

To  place  the  hospital  on  a  firm  and  enduring  basis,  endowments  have 
been  made  to  it  by  interested  citizens,  and  the  total  is  now  one  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  thousand  eight  hundred  dollars.  The  principal  endowments  are 
the  Harriott  F.  Stone  and  Louise  Miller  Rust  funds,  of  twenty-fine  thousand 
dollars  each;  the  Helen  Wells  (Mrs.  P.  F.  II.  Morley  I  fund  of  thirty  thou- 
sand, and  the  Arthur  Hill  fund  for  charity  and  relief  of  inebriates,  of  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  The  total  annual  income,  including  hospital  service  earn- 
ings, is  about  thirty  thousand  dollars;  and  the  total  expenditures  are  about 
twenty-nine  thousand  dollars. 

The  location  of  the  hospital,  a  short  distance  from  Michigan  Avenue, 
is  ideal  for  the  quiet  and  seclusion  of  patients.     Though  they  can  see  through 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  349 

the  park  the  traffic  of  the  thoroughfare,  they  are  sufficiently  removed  from  it 
to  escape  its  noise  and  confusion.  The  public  demands  on  the  hospital  are 
increasing  year  by  year,  and  it  will  soon  be  necessary  to  erect  an  entirely  new 
and  modern  structure  at  this  location.  To  this  end  the  creation  of  a  building 
fund  is  now  under  way,  and  in  a  few  years  a  more  commodious  and  adequate 
building  will  doubtless  replace  the  old. 

The  Woman's  Hospital 

Pleasantly  situated  on  Janes  Avenue,  at  the  corner  of  Seventh  Street,  is 
the  Woman's  Hospital.  It  was  established  in  ISSN  by  prominent  women  of 
the  city,  and  the  association  owns  a  substantial  three-story  brick  building, 
with  ample  grounds,  to  which  several  additions  have  been  built;  and  there 
is  space  For  future  expansion.  The  grounds  are  well  shaded  and  neatly  kept, 
adding  attractiveness  to  invalids  and  patients.  For  several  years  the  hospital 
was  in  charge  of  Miss  E.  A.  Dark,  who  came  from  Buffalo,  Xew  York,  in 
1907,  her  wide  experience  in  hospital  work  making  her  services  a  valuable 
acquisition. 

Under  the  matron  of  the  hospital  are  fifteen  nurses  who  are  efficient  and 
capable  of  caring  for  the  sick.  A  training  school  for  nurses  is  also  conducted 
in  connection  with  the  hospital,  and  its  graduates  are  eagerly  sought  for  in 
medical  cases.  The  hospital  has  a  general  ward  which  will  accommodate 
five  patients,  and  there  are  also  several  private  rooms.  There  is  also  a  large 
nursery  capable  of  caring  for  a  goodly  number  of  infants.  The  entire  build- 
ing and  annex  are  admirably  laid  out,  and  has  a  fully  equipped  operating 
room;  and  the  hospital  is  well  appointed  for  the  great  work  it  is  doing  for 
womankind.     The  average  number  of  patients  in  this  hospital  is  about  twenty. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Woman's  Hospital  Association  are:  Mrs. 
John  C.  Davies,  president;  Mrs.  Emmett  L.  Beach  and  Airs.  William  S. 
Linton,  vice-presidents;  Mrs.  William  Poison,  recording  secretary;  Mrs. 
John  A.  Cimmerer,  corresponding  secretary,  and  Mrs.  Charles  A.  Howe, 
treasurer. 

During  its  existence  of  twenty-eight  years  the  hospital  has  found  in 
Wellington  R.  Rurt  a  true  benefactor.  Besides  contributing  to  its  general 
fund  for  operating  expenses,  on  two  occasions  of  pressing  necessity  he  came 
forward  with  donations  amounting  to  thousands  of  dollars,  to  lift  the  mort- 
gage on  the  property  and  strengthen  its  financial  condition.  This  is  another 
illustration  of  Mr.  Burt's  wholehearted  and  generous  interest  in  every  project 
for  the  betterment  and  advancement  of  his  home  city. 

Home  for  the  Friendless 

In  order  to  care  for  infants  and  children  cither  bereft  of  parents,  or  whose 
parents  find  it  convenient  or  necessary  to  place  them  out  of  their  homes  while 
they  are  at  work,  the  Home  for  the  Friendless  was  established.  In  1870 
some  of  our  leading  women  who  were  identified  with  local  charities  met 
together  and  organized  the  association,  which  controls  and  directs  the  insti- 
tution through  a  board  of  managers.  These  women  assume  all  responsibility 
of  the  maintenance  of  the  home,  and  to  provide  necessary  funds  for  the  work, 
the  annual  rummage  sale  has  become  a  regular  event,  the  treasury  being 
replenished  by  upwards  of  two  thousand  dollars  thereby. 

The  Home  occupies  a  fine  brick  structure  situated  at  the  corner  of 
Howard  and  McCoskry  Streets.  Surrounding  it  are  spacious  premises  afford- 
ing ample  play  grounds  for  the  little  ones.  On  the  front  is  a  well-kept  hedge, 
and  the  lawns  are  maintained  in  the  best  condition.  On  an  average  there 
are  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  children  cared  for  each  year,  all  ages  of  the 


350 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


homeless  finding  shelter  and  loving  care  within  its  walls.  The  Home  is 
doing  a  noble  work,  and  is  capably  managed  by  the  matron,  Sarah  |.  Graham, 
who  has  filled  the  position  for  a  long  term  of  years. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Hume  are:  Mrs.  George  \Y.  Morley,  pres- 
ident; Mrs.  James  T.  Wylie,  vice-president;  Miss  Elizabeth  Gage,  recording 
secretary;  Mrs.  William  F.  Schultz,  corresponding  secretary,  and  Mrs.  John 
F.  Bovnton.  treasurer. 


THE    NEW    Y.    W.    C.    A.    BUILDING.    ERECTED    IN    1912 


The  Young  Women's  Christian  Association 

At  a  meeting  of  a  few  women  interested  in  a  good  cause,  held  at  the 
home  of  Mrs.  William  Callam.  on  October  13,  1891,  the  Young  Women's 
Christian  Association  came  into  existence.  The  conditions  surrounding  girls 
and  women  in  business  life  twenty-five  years  ago  were  not  conducive  to  their 
comfort  or  happiness.  There  were  no  rest  rooms  or  other  place  where  they 
could  go  during  their  noon  hour,  and  those  who  lived  or  roomed  at  some 
distance  from  their  places  of  employment  brought  lunches,  which  they  ate 
on  dry  goods  boxes,  behind  their  counters  and  office  doors,  often  without 
even  a  glass  of  water.  To  correct  these  conditions  and  throw  a  helpful 
influence  over   working  girls,  this  association   was  duly  organized. 

The  first  hoard  of  managers  was  composed  of  Dr.  Harriett  V.  Brooks. 
president;  Dr.  Delia  Pierce,  vice-president;  Julia  Hoffman,  treasurer;  Eliza- 
beth J.  Stalker,  corresponding  secretary;  Mrs.  C.  N.  Kendall,  recording 
secretary;  and  Mrs.  Gurdon  Corning,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  I.  Freeman,  Mrs.  G  B. 
Wiggins,  Mrs.  Fred  Wolpert,  Mrs.  (  i.  \.  Sears,  Mrs.  I.  Humphrey,  Mrs. 
T.   P.  Whittier,  Mrs.  f.   11.  Simpson  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Merrill. 


(  in 


15.  1892 


few  rooms   were  rented  in  the  Chase   Block,  on 


North  Washington  Avenue,  and  furnished  through  the  generosity  of  Mrs. 
Sears.  In  these  rooms  business  l; iris  and  women  were  welcomed  that  they 
might  have  a  cup  of  hot  tea.  cocoa  or  milk  with  their  lunch.  Miss  Bernice 
Hunting,  of  Flint,  was  called  as  the  first  general  secretary,  and  gospel  meet- 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  351' 

ings  were  held  every  Sunday  afternoon  and  on  Friday  evenings.  A  few- 
classes  for  study  also  were  formed.  After  two  years  of  helpful  work  the 
finances  were  harder  to  meet,  notwithstanding  the  liberal  support  of  the 
founders  and  others  interested  in  the  association,  and  for  a  time  things  looked 
dark. 

With  the  coming  to  the  association  as  secretary  of  Miss  Carrie  J.  W 1- 

hull,  who  assumed  her  duties  on  March  17,  1894,  a  brighter  era  for  the 
association  dawned.  Under  her  wise  management,  covering  a  period  of  ten 
years,  the  association  grew  steadily  in  membership,  which  meant  new  life 
and  activity.  Larger  rooms  were  soon  necessary  and  on  January  1,  1895, 
the  association  moved  to  quarters  in  the  First  National  Bank  building.  Here 
the  educational  work  began  to  grow,  and  Mrs.  Grace  Whitney  Evans,  of 
Detroit,  brought  to  the  association  a  religious  interest,  and  her  personal 
helpfulness  during  that  year  left  a  lasting  imprint  on  the  characters  of  the 
members.  In  1896  the  association  again  moved  to  more  adequate  rooms  in 
the  Brewer  Block,  on  North  Franklin  Street,  which  were  occupied  for  nearly 
sixteen  years. 

Miss  Woodhull's  efficient  work  as  secretary  was  manifested  in  the  inter- 
est shown  in  the  various  lino  of  social,  educational  and  religious  work.  An 
employment  bureau  was  also  established  by  her.  to  which  many  young 
women  owe  their  start  in  business  life.  During  the  Winter  of  1898-9''  there 
were  two  hundred  and  sixty-six  women  enrolled  in  the  evening  classes,  and 
thirty-three  passed  the  international  examinations.  Doctor  Ostrom  delivered 
a  series  of  lectures  on  "First  Aid  to  the  Injured,"  and  fifteen  of  the  thirty- 
five  enrolled  in  this  class  were  given  the  Red  Cross  diploma  on  graduation. 
Many  girls  and  women  who  were  not  privileged  to  enter  and  complete  High 
School  courses  attended  the  association  classes  to  study  bookkeeping,  arith- 
metic, English  literature,  penmanship,  stenography,  domestic  science,  physical 
culture,  music  and  other  branches.  The  classes  in  commercial  arithmetic 
were  taught  by  C.  P.  Colvin,  in  penmanship  by  Miss  Ella  Feige,  and  in  sten- 
ography by  Mrs.  J.  B.  Howell,  and  these  were  perhaps  the  most  successful. 
Mrs.  Ellen  K.  Hooker,  whose  personal  influence  meant  so  much  to  many 
girls,  taught  the  English  literature  classes  for  two  years;  ami  Mrs.  Alice 
Freeman  Palmer  gave  several  inspiring  talks,  her  lecture  on  "Personal  Remi- 
niscences of  Whittier,  Holmes  and  Phillips  Brooks,"  being  recalled  by  those 
whi  i  were  present. 

Thus  the  association  grew  steadily  in  membership  and  influence,  and  the 
quarters  in  the  Brewer  Block,  which  so  long  had  seemed  ample,  were  too 
inadequate  to  meet  the  expanding  needs  of  the  work.  At  this  crisis  in  the 
affairs  of  the  association.  Wellington  R.  Burt,  with  characteristic  generosity, 
offered  to  give  the  sum  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  toward  a  fund  for  the 
erection  of  a  suitable  building,  for  the  future  as  well  as  the  present  needs  of 
the  association. 

Bequests  had  previously  been  made  by  Mrs.  Louise  C.  Bartlett,  of  one 
thousand  dollars,  Jennette  P.  Rose,  of  one  hundred  dollars;  and  Mrs.  Grace 
\\  hituev-1  loft"  had  sent  two  hundred  dollars  from  abroad.  Mrs.  Mary 
Hanchett  Stone  solicited  five  thousand  dollars  in  the  city  for  the  purchase 
of  a  building  site,  which  was  of  her  selection  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue, 
opposite  Federal  Park,  a  very  commanding  and  convenient  location.  Addi- 
tional funds  were  raised  byr  the  young  business  women  and  others  connected 
with  the  association,  in  a  spirited  subscription  campaign,  and  plans  for  the 
structure  were  speedily  prepared.  The  corner  stone  of  the  imposing  build- 
ing was  laid  on  |une  6,  1912,  with  appropriate  ceremonies.  In  the  mag- 
nificent building  which  soon  rose,  with  perfect  appointments,  gymnasium, 
rest  mms,  dormitory  arrangements,  and  cafeteria  which  is  open  to  the  public, 
the  association  began  its  twenty-first  year  of  noble  work. 


352 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  spacious  building  is  constructed  of  brick  and  reinforced  concrete, 
with  a  facing  on  the  street  side  of  dark  paving  brick  and  Bedford  stone,  and 
is  four  stories  in  height  with  a  high  basement.  On  the  first  floor  is  a  broad 
hall  leading  to  the  stairway  and  to  the  cafeteria,  to  the  right  of  which  are  the 
reception  and  reading  rooms,  and  to  the  left  the  offices  of  the  association. 
On  the  second  floor  rising  through  the  third  at  the  front  is  the  gymnasium, 
which  is  well  equipped  with  all  needful  apparatus  for  physical  training  of 
women.  Back  of  the  gymnasium  is  the  dormitory  which  also  extends  over 
the  whole  of  the  fourth  floor,  affording  accommodations  with  most  pleasant 
surroundings  and  helpful  influences  to  main  otherwise  homeless  young 
women. 

The  present  officers  of  the  association  are:  Mrs.  William  |.  Spencer, 
president;  Mrs.  Julian  Keeler,  Mrs.  \\'.  11.  Wallace,  Mrs.  ]l.  B.  Brooks,  Mrs. 
F.  E.  Button,  vice-presidents;  Mrs.  Peter  Mitts,  recording  secretary;  Mrs 
C.  L.  Judd,  corresponding  secretary:  Mrs.  Charles  T.  Kerry,  treasurer,  and 
Miss  Amelia  Huss.  general  secretary. 

To  Elizabeth  J.  Freeman's  interest  in  the  welfare  of  girls  and  young 
women,  and  her  persistency,  is  largely  due  the  establishment  and  permanent 
work  of  the  association  in  this  city;  and  to  express  the  sincere  appreciation 
of  her  labors  for  the  betterment  of  conditions  surrounding  working  women. 
Mrs.  Freeman  was  unanimously  elected  I 'resident  Emeritus,  in  1910. 

Because  of  Mr.  Burt's  large  heartedness  in  making  possible  a  finely 
equipped  building  for  the  special  needs  and  enjoyment  of  the  girls  and 
women  of  Saginaw,  truly  the  present  and  future  generations  of  his  fellow 
citizens  do  and   will  honor  him   with  their  deepest  gratitude. 


THE    CAFETERIA    OF    THE    YOUNG    WOMEN'S    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION 


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354  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 

The  origin  of  this  worthy  institution  in  East  Saginaw  is  not  definitely 
known.  It  may  have  had  its  inception  in  the  Young  Men's  Association 
which  was  formed  October  7,  1864,  and  organized  August  18,  1865.  This 
association  was  managed  by  a  board  of  directors  elected  annually  by  the 
members,  the  first  board  being  composed  of  Henry  C.  Potter,  president; 
George  L.  Newcombe,  vice-president;  Irving  M.  Smith,  treasurer;  L.  C 
St.  .rrs,  recording  secretary;  George  F.  Lewis,  corresponding  secretary;  and 
George  B.  Boardman,  William  L.  Webber,  George  C.  Warren,  Chauncey  H. 
Gage  and  S.  W.  Yawkey.  It  was  closely  allied  with  the  East  Saginaw 
Library  Association,  which  had  rooms  on  Washington  Street;  and  every 
winter  an  interesting  curse  of  lectures  was  given,  some  of  the  best  public 
speakers  of  the  time  being  engaged.  Any  resident  of  the  county  above  the 
age  of  eighteen  years  was  eligible  to  membership,  the  initiation  lee  being 
two  dollars  and  the  annual  dues  the  same  am.  unit.  (  >n  <  (ctober  IS.  1875,  the 
Library  Association  turned  over  its  library  and  lease  of  its  rooms  to' the 
Board  .if  Education;  and  it  is  probable  that  the  Young  Men's  Association 
dissolved  at  that  time. 

Al).  >ut  1886  a  few  earnest  church  workers  at  East  Saginaw  met  together 
to  organize  a  Young  .Men's  Christian  Association.  There  appeared  to  he  a 
need  for  an  organization  of  this  kind  in  the  rough  lumbering  town,  and  men 
of  the  leading  churches  became  interested  in  it.  A  committee  was  appointed 
t<>  search  out  suitable  quarters,  and  after  thorough  inspection  of  available 
halls,  vacant  rooms  in  the  Bates  Block  on  Franklin  Street  were  secured  for 
this  purpose.  These  quarters  were  nicely  fitted  up  with  reading  room,  office 
and  bowling  alley  mi  the  ground  floor,  and  a  well-equipped  gymnasium  and 
baths  on  the  flour  above.  With  additions  of  space  and  improvements  from 
time  to  time,  these  rooms  were  occupied  by  the  association  for  a  number  of 
years.  Like  nearly  all  associations  of  the  kind  the  revenue  derived  from 
membership  dues  never  met  the  annual  expenses,  and  only  by  liberal  sub- 
scriptions ..f  interested  business  and  professional  men  was  the  association 
kept  alive. 

At  length  it  seemed  advisable  t.  <  reorganize  the  association  and  erect  a 
suitable  building  for  its  needs,  in  which  the  good  work  among  young  men 
and  boys  could  be  conducted  on  a  larger  scale.  The  rooms  then  occupTed  by 
the  association,  on  the  second  flour  of  the  I 'ere  Marquette  Building,  were 
poorly  adapted  to  its  work  which  had  languished,  and  there  had  been  diffi- 
culty in  getting  competent  men  to  conduct  it.  Finally  the  aid  of  prominent 
business  men  was  enlisted  in  the  new  project  and  a  whirlwind  subscription 
campaign  started.  The  old  moms  of  the  association  were  closed  and  a  vacant 
store  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and  Tuscola  Streets  rented  for  the  campaign 
headquarters.  Wallis  Craig  Smith  was  the  chairman  of  the  subscription 
committee,  which  comprised  a  number  of  representative  young  business  men. 

After  a  spirited  campaign  of  about  three  weeks  duration  the  subscriptions 
reached  a  total  of  more  than  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  prospect  of  a  suc- 
cessful issue  of  the  campaign  was  very  bright.  But  at  this  juncture  differ- 
ences arose  among  the  workers  and  church  members  over  minor  technical 
questions  of  management  of  the  association,  a  rupture  occurred  in  the  ranks, 
some  of  the  larger  subscriptions  were  withdrawn,  and  the  whole  project  was 
abandoned.  Shortly  after  this  unfortunate  occurrence,  which  was  in  1905.  the 
affairs  of  the  old  association  were  wound  up  and  the  organization  dissolved. 
Since  that  time  there  has  been  no  effort  to  re-establish  the  association  on 
the  East  Side,  and  no  concerted  work  among  the  young  men  and  boys,  out- 
side of  the  church  societies,  has  been  attempted. 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE 


855 


THE    NEW    Y.    M.    C.    A.    BUILDING 


directors,    I.    D. 
T.   Bliss,  E.  T. 
C.    L.    Zander.     There   were    thirty-one 


constituted    the   board   of 
[ackson,    I).   W.   Briggs,  A. 


The  Association  on  the  West  Side 

In  the  palmy  days  of  the  old  association,  when  the  membership  included 
a  number  of  young  men  of  the  West   Side,  a  branch   was  established  there. 
This  department  afforded  practically  all  the  privileges  enjoyed  at  the  parent 
association    home,   a  n  d   accom- 
plished a  good  work  in  that  part 
of    the    city.     Early    in    1895    it 
was    decided    to    transfer    this 
branch  to  an  independent  organ- 
ization to  he  known  as  the  West 
Side    Y.    M.    C.    A.    of   Saginaw. 
The    organization    was    effected 
and  assumed   the   liabilities  and 
took   over  all    the   assets   of   the 
old  branch. 

The  officers  of  the  new  or- 
ganization were:  W.  1'.  Morgan. 
president;  J.  F.  Barrows,  vice- 
president;  S.  S.  Roby,  secretary, 
and  L.  A.  Burrows,  treasurer. 
These,  with  the  following  men, 
Leland,  C.  II.  (been.  Thomas 
Loeffler,  Stewart  Williams  and 
charter  members  in  all. 

At  that  time  the  work  was  carried  on  in  rented  quarters,  and  was  much 
restricted  on  account  of  limited  facilities.  J.  \Y.  Whitney  was  the  general 
secretary,  but  was  succeeded  April  1,  1895,  by  Stewart  Williams,  and  he  the 
following  year  by  I.  E.  Baker.  In  1898  an  assistant  secretary,  John  Hood, 
was  provided  to  successfully  carry  on  the  increasing  work  of  the  association. 
On  January  1,  1900.  W.  II.  York  became  general  secretary.  About  1902  the 
association  found  itself  in  financial  straits,  and  the  house  which  had  been 
acquired  for  its  home  was  closed  and  the  work  discontinued.  For  about 
seven  years  very  little  was  done,  there  being  only  an  occasional  meeting  of 
the  board  of  directors. 

Upon  the  death  of  Aaron  T.  Bliss,  on  September  16,  1906,  the  association 
became  the  beneficiary  of  a  bequest  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  to  be  used 
toward  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building  for  its  needs,  or,  in  case  a  building 
was  already  provided  for,  the  bequest  was  to  constitute  an  endowment  for 
its  maintenance.  On  December  6,  1909.  Arthur  llill  died,  leaving  a  provi- 
sion in  his  will  for  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  for  the  association. 

These  liberal  bequests  made  by  public-spirited  citizens  resulted  in  the 
re-establishment  of  the  association,  and  the  splendid  building  which  it  now 
occupies  attests  their  interest  in  the  welfare  of  young  men  and  boys.  In 
March,  1910,  J.  M.  Davis  was  engaged  to  promote  a  campaign  for  funds  for 
a  building,  and  the  following  May  it  was  carried  to  a  successful  conclusion. 
Ft.  L.  Markell  was  engaged  as  general  secretary  in  August;  and  ground  was 
broken  for  the  new  building  in  April,  l''l  1 .  <  >n  <  >ctober  1,  1912,  when  John 
Herzog  was  president  of  the  association,  the  new  building  was  opened  to  the 
public.  The  value  of  the  property  is  approximately  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  building  provides  for  all  forms  of  association  work.  It 
has  a  splendidly  equipped  physical  department,  consisting  of  a  modern 
gymnasium  containing  a  complete  line  of  apparatus,  and  a  thirty-two  lap 
running  track,  a  hand  ball  court,  and  locker  rooms  for  seniors,  visitors  and 


356 


HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


business  men.  The  swimming  pool,  which  is  one  of  the  great  features  of  the 
building,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State.  It  is  sixteen  feet  in  width  by  sixty 
feet  in  length,  and  has  a  depth  of  three  and  a  half  to  seven  feet.  Almost  the 
entire  length  of  the  pool  is  under  skylight;  and  there  is  a  visitors'  gallery 
along  one  side.  The  water  fur  the  pool  passes  through  two  efficient  filters, 
a  thousand  gallons  of  fresh  water  being  added  daily,  and  a  vacuum  cleaner 
keeps  the  floor  of  the  pool  free  of  sediment. 

The  social  department  of  the  association  has  commodious  quarters  on 
the  lower  floor,  and  is  provided  with  three  pocket  billiard  tables,  one  carom 
billiard  table  and  two  bowling  alleys.  On  the  second  and  third  floors  are 
forty-seven  well  furnished  dormitory  rooms,  which  are  occupied  most  of  the 
time  by  young  men  away  from  home.  For  the  accommodation  of  the  dormi- 
tory men  and  other  members  a  self-serve  restaurant  is  operated  in  a  light, 
pleasant  dining  room  on  the  first  floor,  the  room  also  being  used  on  occa- 
sions as  an  auditorium. 

The  boys'  department  is  an  association  within  the  association,  and  has  its 
own  entrance  on  Ames  Street.  A  large  social  room  with  many  games  is 
provided  for  the  boys,  also  a  reading  room,  a  special  locker  room  and  shower 
baths.  More  attention  is  given  the  boys  than  to  the  men.  and  within  the 
department  are  many  and  various  clubs  for  the  physical,  moral  and  mental 
training  of  boys.  The  reading  room  on  the  main  floor  is  supplied  with 
Saginaw  and  Detroit  daily  papers,  and  the  best  weekly  and  monthly  maga- 
zines published. 

Air.  Markell  continued  the  good  work  of  the  association  until  the  Sum- 
mer <>f  1913,  and  was  succeeded  by  F.  VV.  Boswell.  lie  in  turn  resigned  in 
September,  1''14,  and  was  followed  by  the  present  secretary,  Phil  B.  Willis. 
Under  him  arc  assistant  secretary  F.  B.  Davis,  physical  director  J.  H.  Fee, 
and  boys'  work  secretary  Doctor  F.  A.  Poole. 

The  present  officers  of  the  association  arc:  P.  W.  Staffeld,  president; 
M.  N.  Brady,  vice-president;  George  L.  Burrows.  Jr.,  second  vice-president; 
I.  C.  Graves,  secretary,  and  N.  G.  Begle,  treasurer.  The  board  of  directors 
comprise  these  officers  and  the  following:  B.  S.  Tefft.  J.  W.  Johnson,  A.  D. 
Bate,  J.  E.  Anderson.  C.  W.  Alderton,  Newell  Barnard,"  W.  P.  Powell,  B.  G. 
Appleby,  Dr.  W.  L.  Crego  and  <  ieorge  B.  Bliss. 

Upon  the  death  of  Latham  A.  Burrows,  who  was  one  of  the  most  active 
workers  in   the  association   since  its   beginning,   the   Y.    M.   C.   A.   came   into 


SWIMMING    POOL    AT    Y.    M.    C.    A. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


357 


possession  of  a  beautiful  tennis  court  situated  about  a  mile  from  the  building. 
This  property  consists  of  two  very  fine  tennis  courts,  an  indoor  base  ball 
diamond,  and  a  well-equipped  club  house. 

In  addition  to  the  work  which  the  equipment  especially  provides  for,  the 
association  carries  on  other  activities.  In  the  course  of  the  year  many  young 
men  are  directed  to  positions,  movements  of  public  interest  are  promoted, 
such  as  summer  gardening,  swimming  campaigns  and  school  play  festivals. 
In  the  line  of  religious  work  there  are  Bible  classes,  and  religious  meetings 
are  held  regularly,  the  association  co-operating  with  its  controlling  body, 
the  Church. 


GROUP  OF   GERMAN    CITIZENS.   1865 
F.  Ziegner  F.  svh.nl.  C    Watz  C.   Roseland 

Geisler  J.   Leidlein  E.   Bruske  C     Schroeder  F.    Palm 

Otto  Schmltz 
F.  VVrege  J.  F.  Frey  A.  Schmitz 


The  Salvation  Army 

Twenty-eight  years  ago  the  Salvation  Army  commenced  work  in  Sagi- 
naw, first  being  located  on  the  West  Side.  The  barracks  were  on  South 
Hamilton  Street,  and  Captain  Frazee  was  the  officer  in  charge.  Shortly  after 
the  work  was  extended  to  the  East  Side,  the  corps  being  located  on  South 
Franklin  Street  under  the  command  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Watts.  Since  that 
time  the  local  army  work  has  been  in  charge  of  Captain  Hoare.  Ensign  Under- 
wood. Captain  Bouters,  Captain  Stocking,  Adj.  Mason,  Captain  Lawton, 
Ensign  Porter,  and  Captain  and  Mrs.  Atwood  who  are  in  charge  at  present. 
Evangeline  C.  Booth  is  commander  of  the  Salvation  Army  in  America,  and 
Lieutenant  Colonel  A.  E.  Kimball  is  in  command  of  this  province. 

The  work  of  the  Army  in  this  city  is  extensive,  and  those  in  charge  are 
at  the  call  of  the  distressed  twenty-four  hours  a  day.  They  help  the  needy 
in  sickness  and  poverty,  and  no  call  of  genuine  need  is  ever  turned  down. 
Services  are  held  every  night  in  the  year  at  seven-thirty,  and  on  Sunday  at 
ten-thirty  in  the  morning,  while  the  Sunday  School  meets  at  one-fifteen. 
Praise  meetings  are  held  at  three  oclock  and  Young  People's  meetings  at  six. 
followed  by  the  regular  evening  gospel  services  at  the  usual  hour.     At  Christ- 


358  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


mas  two  hundred  and  fifty  baskets  filled  with  the  needful  things  for  a  family 
dinner  are  distributed  to  the  worthy  p.  .or  of  the  city,  which  otherwise  would 
not  know  the  good  cheer  of  the  gladsome  season;  and  an  entertainment  is 
given  to  five  hundred  children  who  are  freely  supplied  with  toys,  candy 
and  nuts. 

All  the  various  activities  of  the  Army  are  supported  by  voluntary  con- 
tributions of  the  rich  and  poor,  that  is,  by  the  small  offerings  of  the  working 
class  and  by  the  larger  sums  of  the  wealthy.  By  this  means  the  property  at 
1.10-132  South  Baum  Street,  now  occupied  by  the  corps  as  a  permanent  place 
of  worship,  was  secured,  a  large  number  of  influential  men  of  the  city,  among 
whom  was  Wellington  R.  Burt,  making  this  possible  by  their  'generous 
financial  support. 

The  corps  now  has  a  small  band  which  is  making  progress  under  the 
leadership  of  Ellis  Metcalfe,  and  renders  effective  aid  at  the  song  services. 
The  Sunday  School  is  in  charge  of  (  >scar  McClure,  and  the  Young  People's 
Legion  is  directed  by  .Mrs.  Metcalfe.  Besides  Captain  and  Mrs.  Atwood, 
who  have  charge  of  all  local  army  work,  there  are  Cadet  Lockwood,  assistant^ 
Herbert  J.  Reynolds.  William  Harbrom,  treasurer.  Daniel  Smalley,  secretary! 
and  Adiss  Bertha  Harmon,  secretary  of  the  Junior  Salvation  Army. 

In  connection  with  the  work  there  is  a  relief  department  and  industrial 
store,  m  charge  of  .Major  Reynolds,  where  waste  material  is  received  and 
donations  of  various  articles  are  used  in  the  best  possible  way,  distribution 
being  made  with  a  view  of  uplifting  the  needy  rather  than  of  pauperizing 
them. 

Rescue  Missions 
The  City  Rescue  Mission,  at  117  Lapeer  Avenue,  another  helpful  insti- 
tution to  the  poor  of  the  city,  was  organized  in  1905  by  Melvin  E.  Trotter,  of 
Grand  Rapids,  aided  by  A.  C.  White  and  other  earnest  churchmen.  In  the 
broad  scope  of  its  work  it  reaches  out  a  helping  hand  to  the  down-trodden 
and  unfortunate,  and  relieves  much  suffering  among  the  very  poor  and 
needy.  Its  noble  work  extends  far  beyond  the  scope  of  modern  church 
activities,  and  hundreds  of  '•down-and-outs"  have  been  given  practical  and 
sympathetic  aid  and  encouragement  to  live  better  lives.  Many  of  these  men 
have  been  saved,  and  some  have  taken  up  mission  work  among  their  fellow 
men  and  conduct  missions  elsewhere.  For  its  motto  the  mission  has  "Who- 
soever Will  May  Come." 

The  first  superintendent  of  the  mission,  when  it  was  located  at  111 
Genesee  Avenue,  was  George  W.  Trotter,  a  brother  of  the  founder.  By  his 
earnest  efforts  the  mission  became  thoroughly  established,  it  grew  in  influence 
and  endeavor,  and  was  recognized  as  an  important  factor  in  evangelical  work. 
Several  years  after  the  quarters  were  removed  to  Germania  Avenue  between 
Washington  and  Franklin  Streets;  and  in  1913  the  present  hall  i  >n  Lapeer 
Avenue  was  secured.  There  is  increasing  need  for  a  mission  building 
equipped  with  additional  Bible  class  rooms  and  dormitories,  and  other  facili- 
ties to  make  the  work  even  more  effective. 

A  distinctive  feature  of  the  mission  is  the  "open  door."  by  which  the 
missionary  work  of  the  churches  is  greatly  broadened.  Its  doors  are  open 
from  eight-thirty  in  the  morning  until  nine  at  night,  and  persons  come  in 
from  all  walks  of  life,  in  every  condition,  some  to  be  sheltered  from  the  cold 
or  receive  material  aid,  others  through  curiosity,  or  because  they  heard  the 
call  to  lead  a  better  life.  They  all  hear  the  gospel  story,  for  every  night  in 
the  year  it  is  preached  and  salvation  freely  offered  them".  In  1915' four  hun- 
dred and   forty-one  gospel   services   were   held   in   the   hall,   with   an  average 


SOME    PIONEER    MEMBERS    OF    THE    "GERMANIA' 


C.    Watz 
William    Barie 
A     Schupp 


A.  L..  Bingham 

V.  Bude 

Fred   A.    Koehler 

C.    (  >j >i m ■  i  r i l;i  mi 

James  C.    I  lavenport 

Daniel  Holsl 

Chauncey    1 1 

Jage 

360 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


attendance  of  forty-two,  resulting-  in  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  confessed 
conversions,  and  two  hundred  and  three  others  who  were  enough  interested 
in  their  own  salvation  to  request  prayer. 

Fellowship  meetings  of  the  workers  are  held  at  nine-thirty  on  Sunday 
mornings,  and  the  mission  Sunday  School  meets  at  three  in  the  afternoon. 
The  average  attendance  of  the  Sunday  School  is  well  above  one  hundred. 
John  Deford  being  the  acting  superintendent.  The  men's  Bible  class  meets 
at  four  fifteen  under  the  instruction  of  Charles  H.  Dennison.  There  are  also 
a  girl's  Bible  class  and  the  Women's  Society  which  are  doing  a  splendid  work. 

Other  activities  of  the  mission  included  three  hundred  and  ninety-two 
calls  during  the  year  upon  the  sick  and  needy,  by  the  City  Missionary,  in 
which  aid  was  extended  in  many  ways,  and  more  than  one  thousand  articles 
of  clothing  were  distributed  and  groceries  and   fuel  placed   in   homes  where 

most  needed.     ( i 1   homes  were   found   for  a   number  of  children   and   old 

people,  who  were  without  the  comforts  of  home,  thus  helping  to  preserve 
the  murals  of  childhood  and  to  relieve  the  sufferings  of  the  aged.  The  city 
mission   also  conducts  a   free   labor   bureau,  a   relief   work    for  boosting  the 


THE    FIRST    GERMANIA    SCHOOL 


under-dug.  no  less  than  two  hundred  and  twenty-three  men  and  fifty-one 
women  having  been  aided  in  securing  work.  In  every  way  the  mission  seeks 
to  be  a  real  friend  of  the  man  in  trouble,  always  having  in  view  the  salvation 
of  his  soul. 

Our  citizens  who  are  especially  interested  in  the  City  Rescue  Mission, 
and  comprise  its  board  of  directors  are:  Doctor  T.  E.  Howson,  president; 
C.  H.  Parker,  vice-president;  D.  11.  Ellis,  secretary;  B.  F.  Griffin,  treasurer; 
Robert  A.  Allen,  superintendent,  and  E.  V.  Stark,  F.  W.  Hollister,  J.  W. 
Johnson,  Charles  H.  Dennison,  W.  II.  Meader,  Airs.  J.  K.  Rickey,  J.  Smith 
and  Doctor  Martha  Longstreet.  The  mission  is  supported  entirely  by  volun- 
tary offerings  of  earnest  church  workers  and  others  interested  in  benevolent 
work,  the  revenues  for  1915,  amounting  to  about  twenty-three  hundred 
dollars,  being  the  subscriptions  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  persons. 

The  Central  Rescue  Mission  on  the  West  Side,  which  is  doing  a  splendid 
relief  work  among  the  very  needy,  is  another  worthy  institution  which  merits 
the  support  of  our  citizens.  It  was  founded  in  1909  by  the  late  George  A. 
Newberry,  and  its  hall  was  opened  for  services  on  July  13th  of  that  year. 
Mr.  Newberry  had  been  engaged  in  Salvation  Army  work  here,  but  upon 
closing  of  the"  barracks  he  was  prevailed  upon  by  Riley  L.  Crane  and  other 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE  361 

interested  persons,  to  remain  and  establish  a  mission.  Thus  the  Central 
Mission  was  organized  with  Airs.  May  C.  Bliss  as  president,  VV.  L.  Paxson, 
secretary,  and  John  W.  Foote,  treasurer. 

The  work  of  the  mission  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  City  Rescue  Mis- 
sion, the  relief  given  to  distressed  and  suffering  humanity  being  its  chief 
concern.  Mr.  Newberry,  its  superintendent,  was  the  soul  of  the  institution, 
and  hundred--  of  unfortunate  and  profligate  men  have  been  raised  up  and 
given  a  new  start  in  life.  The  most  that  the  average  "down-and-out"  wants 
is  a  chance,  and  to  give  him  honest  employment  and  opportunity  to  make  a 
decent  living  is  far  better  than  to  extend  to  him  the  hand  of  charity.  By 
thus  aiding  him  he  is  not  pauperized,  and  his  self-respect  is  preserved. 

To  very  few  mission  workers,  however,  is  given  the  spiritual  power  and 
grace  to  successfully  reach  the  hearts  and  better  impulses  of  degenerates. 
Along  these  endeavors  Mr.  Newberry  was  greatly  gifted,  and  he  exerted  a 
wonderful  influence  upon  young  men  and  women  on  the  downward  path. 
His  services  every  Sunday  in  the  county  jail  were  productive  of  great  good, 
prisoners  seeming  to  feel  that  in  him  they  had  a  real  friend.  So  marked  was 
this  impression  in  the  minds  of  sinful  men  —  some  hardened  by  dissipation 
and  crime,  that  upon  his  death  they  gave  their  last  few  pennies  for  simple 
flowers  for  his  bier.  In  all  his  labors  for  the  uplift  of  the  down-trodden,  he 
had  the  earnest  and  devoted  co-operation  of  Mrs.  Newberry,  his  able  assistant 
in  the  mission. 

Their  extensive  Christmas  activities  for  1915  included  giving  a  big  mis- 
sion dinner  to  the  poor,  to  the  number  of  two  hundred  and  fifty,  who 
otherwise  would  have  gone  unfed  and  without  cheer,  and  also  the  Christmas 
tree  festivities  in  which  more  than  four  hundred  little  children  were  made 
happy  with  toys  and  candy.  A  large  share  of  the  work  fell  upon  the  super- 
intendent, and  so  weakened  was  he  by  his  zealous  adherence  to  his  duties 
that  a  severe  cold  contracted  the  day  after  quickly  developed  into  pneumonia. 
and  he  died  on  December  thirtieth,  llis  entire  energies  throughout  an  active 
and  useful  life  were  devoted  to  mission  relief  work,  in  which  he  was  eminently 
successful,  and  few  Christian  workers  in  this  city  have  been  so  universally 
beloved  and  esteemed. 

The  present  quarters  of  the  mission,  at  115-117  South  Niagara  Street, 
were  secured  by  Mr.  Newberry  and  the  hoard  of  directors  through  a  bequest 
of  the  late  Thomas  Merrill,  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The  property  was 
owned  by  Ezra  Rust  who,  upon  being  informed  of  the  desire  of  the  mission 
workers  tip  own  it  as  a  permanent  rescue  home,  offered  it  at  a  very  low  price 
and  donated  one  thousand  dollars  to  the  fund.  Thus  the  mission  came  into 
possession  of  a  two-story  brick  building  with  forty  feet  frontage,  which  was 
remodeled  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  work  and  otherwise  improved.  The 
location  is  considered  well  adapted  to  mission  work,  and  it  is  hoped  that  the 
mis-ion  will  eventually  change  the  character  of  the  street  in  its  vicinity. 

In  it^  organization  the  mission  has  the  co-operation  as  directors  of  F.  E. 
Emeriek,  W.  L.  Case.  L.  Crane.  Riley  L.  Crane,  W.  E.  Crane,  J.  E.  Anderson 
and  Frank  Abel;  and  the  trustees  are  Airs.  May  C.  Bliss,  Airs.  |.  F.  Ferris, 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Hicks.  Airs.  D.  F.  Morgan,  Mrs.  Dr.  Goodsell  and' Airs.  F.  E. 
Button.  The  Reverend  Emil  Montanus,  rector  of  St.  John's  Church,  is  also 
deeply  engrossed  in  the  work  of  the  mission,  giving  generously  of  his  time 
and  energies  in  visiting  the  sick  and  poor,  in  investigating  cases  of  poverty, 
and  offering  sympathy  and  substantial  aid  to  the  needy.  He  is  a  frequent 
speaker  at  the  regular  evening  services  at  the  mission,  and  in  numerous  ways 
proves  that  he  is  a  true  friend  of  all  in  distress. 


362 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE   GERMANIA    INSTITUTE 


The  Germama 

Of  all  the  German  Societies  in  Michigan,  the  Germania  stands  second  to 
none  in  the  State.  Primarily  the  Society  was  organized  as  a  Turn  Verein. 
In  the  Spring  of  1856  the  following  Germans  met  and  formed  a  Turn  Verein, 
viz.:  Adolph  Schill,  Carl  Stoecker,  F.  Ziegler,  F.  Lange,  F.  Palm,  Johann 
Springer,  Ed.  Bloedon,  Fred  Koehler,  F.  A.  Guenther,  L.  Baumgart,  G. 
Richter  and  A.  Alberti,  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting  negotiations  were  put  on 
foot  whereby  entire  block  58,  Glasby's  Addition  to  Fast  Saginaw,  was  subse- 
quently secured.  This  block  is  bounded  by  Lapeer,  Third,  Fourth  and  Tus- 
cola Streets.  (  Originally  only  a  part  of  the  block  was  purchased  of  Mr.  Wm. 
F.  Glasby,  but  permission  was  secured  to  use  the  entire  block  for  turner 
exercises,  provided  the  Society  would  "free  the  premises  from  stumps  and 
underbrush."  From  an  exclusive  turn  verein  the  association  gradually  added 
music,  a  kindergarten  and  a  library,  which  latter  is  the  largest  German  library 
in  Michigan,  comprising  over  eight  thousand  five  hundred  volumes.  On  the 
26th  of  August,  1856,  the  Society  adopted  a  constitution  and  by-laws,  adopted 
the  name  "Germania,"  and  the  object  to  be  "physical  and  intellectual  develop- 
ment, social  and  musical  entertainment  of  its  members."  On  the  2nd  of 
September  of  the  same  year  the  constitution  was  signed  by  all  of  its  mem- 
bers. I.  II.  Springer  was  president;  Jacob  Schoen,  vice-president,  and  Fred- 
erick Koehler,  treasurer.  The  secretary's  name  does  not  appear.  It  was 
apparent  that  the  Society,  at  the  time  of  organization,  did  not  contemplate  to 
confine  its  membership  to  Germans,  and  does  not  at  this  date  (  1916).  Among 
the  names  of  signers  of  the  constitution  appear  the  following  well-known 
Americans:  Albert  Rates,  Truman  llawley,  D.  11.  Nelson,  G.  L.  Walker, 
Chauncey  H.  Gage,  M.  Y.  Hood,  George  II.  Richardson,  James  Rivard,  W.  H. 
Little,  A.  L.  Bingham,  B.  B.  Buckhout,  Dan  P.  Fox,  Sant  Keeler,  Jas.  C. 
Davenport  and  Wm.  Bordino. 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE 


3  63 


Out  of  this  simple  Turn  Verein  Society  grew  what  is  today  "The 
Germania."  The  original  object  of  the  society  was  considerably  surpassed  - 
its  singing  section,  the  "Maennerchor,"  is  very  popular,  not  only  in  the  State, 
but  at  national  festivals  it  gathered  laurels  for  the  Germania.  The  Society 
is  proud  of  this  branch.  The  library,  which  is  so  extensive,  eight  thousand 
five  hundred  volumes,  it  having  outgrown  the  Society,  is  at  the  disposal  of 
our  citv  school  teachers,  the  scholars  of  our  public  schools  and  Germans,  and 
those  interested  in  German  literature  in  general,  regardless  as  to  being 
members  of  the  Society. 

In  the  matter  of  education  the  Germania  was  foremost  in  effort  to  intro- 
duce the  teaching  of  German  in  our  public  schools.  As  early  as  1859  the 
Society  engaged  Mr.  J.  H.  Springer  as  its  first  teacher,  a  small  frame  one- 
story  building  was  erected,  which,  as  time  passed  was  enlarged,  and  finally 
in  1868  the  Society  erected  a  three-story  brick  building  on  the  northern  half 
of  the  block,  in  order  to  accommodate  the  increasing  attendance  and  demand — 
the  Germania  School.  Financial  conditions  compelled  the  Society  to  place  a 
fifteen  thousand  dollar  mortgage  on  this  portion  of  its  real  estate.  In  a  few 
years  after  this  school  was  in  full  operation,  the  demand  for  German  teaching 
being  on  the  increase  and  the  city  board  of  education  taking  notice  of  the 
desire  of  its  citizens,  and  the  board'  desiring  to  introduce  German  into  various 
of  its  grades  and  schools,  a  proposition  came  from  the  city  and  the  school 
was  sold  in  1873,  with  the  proviso  that  teaching  of  German  must  be  continued 
in  the  school.  In  the  early  development  of  education  in  Saginaw  the  Ger- 
mania was  foremost  in  its  assistance. 

A  sketch  of  the  Germania  would  be  incomplete  without  mention  of  the 
Society's  benefactor,  Mr.  Anton  Schmitz.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Schmitz, 
October  10,  1869,  which  was  accidental,  he,  while  looking  after  the  repair  of 
a  lightning  rod  on  his  building  where  the  Barie  department  store  now  stands, 
fell  from  its  roof  and  was  instantly  killed,  his  "beloved  Germania"  was  bene- 


MEMBERS    OF    THE    GERMANIA    BUILDING    COMMITTEE 


I  la  I:  it-l    1  ';il7.ir 
C.  Beierle  H.  Melchers 


E.   Feige 

.1         N'rl'Mil 


G.   W.    Bruske 


E.   J. 


Heyde 
.1    G.    Edelma  nn 


Anion  ScJftmitg 


^fl 

*■ 

s 

WKltJD   >.    x»7>:e 


'3&CRE 


THE    FIRST   TRUSTEES   OF    THE    SCHMITZ    ENDOWMENT 


E.   Ann  eke 

II.    M  elch  e  r s 
H.  Vasold 


B.    Haack  F.   Wrege  P.   Geisler 

ANTON    SCHMITZ  Dr.    B.    Hesse 

I    Nerreter  A.   Eymer  R.  Luster 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


365 


ficiary  of  this  property.  The  present  Germania  Block  (The  Wm.  Barie 
Department  Store)  was  erected  by  the  Society  in  1899,  and  is  a  parcel  of  real 
estate  that  has  been  advancing  in  value  from  time  to  time  and  is  worth  at 
least  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  today.  It  is  the  income  from 
this  source  that  enables  the  Society  to  support  its  various  branches,  as  not 
one  of  them  is  self-sustaining.  Anton  Schmitz's  generosity,  coupled  with 
efficient  management  on  the  part  of  the  various  executors  of  his  estate,  have 
made  the  Germania  one  of  the  wealthiest  German  societies  in  the  United 
States. 

The  provisions  of  the  Schmitz  testament  was  undoubtedly  responsible 
for  the  organization  of  the  kindergarten.  In  April,  1876,  Miss  Henrietta 
Jahns,  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  i  now  Mrs.  A.  \Y.  Barck),  was  secured  as 
the  first  teacher,  and  on  May  11,  1876,  the  school  was  opened  with  fifty-six 
children.  One  remarkable  fact  about  this  branch  is  that  a  majority  of  the 
little  tots  here  are  the  children  of  American  parents,  and  it  is  astonishing  how 
readily  and  easily  these  three,  four  and  five-year-old  American  children 
acquire  the  ( ierman  language.  This  is  a  very  worthy  branch  of  the  Society. 
The  present  average  attendance  is  forty. 

The  Germania,  at  the  present  day.  January,  1916,  has  a  membership  of 
three  hundred  and  ninety-eight,  of  which  sixty-two  are  Americans. 

The  Maennerchor  comprises  an  average  of  thirty  regular  singers,  but  on 
occasions  when  district  Saengerfests  are  held  it  often  reaches  over  fifty.  This 
branch  is  at  present,  and  has  been  for  some  years  past,  under  the  efficient 
directorship  of  Mr.  F.  A.  Berger.  who  has  been  in  harmonious  accord  not 
only  with  the  singers  but  with  the  Society  in  general. 

The  turner  branch  comprises  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  members 
in  all  its  divisions  and  has  been  for  the  past  eighteen  years  under  the  able 
directorship  of  Mr.  Franz  Dreier.  than  whom  there  is  none  more  able  in  the 
State.     He  is  also  physical  director  in  our  public  schools. 


FRANZ    DREIER    AND    SOME    OF    THE    TURNERS.    1906 


366  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


2 


The  officers  this  year  (1916)  are:  G.  F.  Oppermann,  president;  Fran.. 
Leitzow,  vice-president;  George  A.  Klette.  secretary,  and  Joseph  Maerz] 
treasurer. 


Our  Arbeiter  Vereins 
The  Arbeiter  Untersttitzung  Verein  of  East  Saginaw  is  the  parent  Ger- 
man workingmen's  association  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  In  August,  1869,  the 
hrst  effort  was  made  toward  its  organization,  and  on  the  twenty-sixth  of  the 
same  month  the  actual  incorporation  took  place.  Its  first  incorporators  were 
Adam  Wegst,  Conrad  Fey,  Christian  Schlatterer,  Heinrich  Schmidt,  Wilhelm 
Edinger,  Johann  Buckel,  Doctor  Friedrich  Massbacker  and  Friederich  Neid- 
hardt.  Christian  Schlatterer  (1916)  is  the  only  remaining  living  member  of 
the  original  incorporators. 

Shortly  after  its  incorporation  the  Arbeiter  Verein  was  consolidated  with 
the  German  Young  Maenner  Club.  The  latter  was  a  si  ,cictv  organized  for 
social  and  musical  puriH.se>  and  comprised  perhaps  forty  young  Germans, 
and  this  acquisition  at  -nice  gave  the  Arbeiter  Verein  an  impetus  which  mate- 
rially assisted  in  its  rapid  growth. 

The  object  of  all  Arbeiter  Vereins  in  the  State  of  .Michigan,  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  State  Bund,  is  to  assist  its  members  when  sick  during  a 
period  of  at  least  twenty-six  weeks,  at  a  rate  of  live  dollars  a  week.  In  case 
of  death  fifty  dollars  is  appropriated  toward  funeral  expenses  of  the  deceased, 
and  in  case  of  a  member's  wife  dying  a  like  amount  is  given  for  the  same 
purpose.  It  is  also  the  duty  of  the  committee  on  sick  to  pay  regular  visits 
and  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  relieve  distress. 

As  is  usual,  the  first  object  of  a  growing  society  is  to  secure  a  home  and 
toward  that  purpose  the  best  energy  of  its  members  was  directed.  In  1880 
the  society  purchased  a  block  located  on  the  corner  of  lanes  and  Fourth 
Avenues,  upon  which  a  commodious  hall  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  over 
twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  remaining  space  converted  into  a  beautiful 
garden.  That  the  Verein  of  East  Saginaw  possesses  suitable  and  beautiful 
quarters  was  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  State  Bund  has  held  its  annual 
sessions  here  for  four  different  years,   1871.   1884,   1898  and    1912. 

Beginning  with  1870  and  continuing  for  forty-one  years,  the  local  Verein 
expended  for  sick  benefits  the  sum  of  forty-eight  thousand  three  hundred  and 
seventy-five  dollars,  and  for  death  benefits,  that  is.  funeral  expenses,  twenty- 
three  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-nine  dollars;  and  during  the  same 
period  paid  into  the  State  Bund  one  hundred  and  eighteen  thousand  three 
hundred  and  forty-seven  dollars.  From  these  figures  it  would  seem  that  the 
local  society  is  materially  assisting  the  State  Bund.  The  society  at  the 
present  time  numbers  something  over  one  thousand  members,  and  its  real 
estate  is  worth  fully  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  entrance  fee  for  young  men  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five  years  of 
age  is  gratis;  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  years,  one  dollar;  from  thirty  to 
thirty-five  years,  two  dollars;  from  thirty-five  to  forty  years,  three  dollars; 
from  forty  to  forty-five  years,  seven  dollars.  The  dues  are  one  dollar  a 
month. 

The  officers  for  the  year  1916  are:  John  Leidlein,  president:  Albert 
Bender,  vice-president;  Ferdinand  Heymann,  corresponding  and  recording 
secretary;  T.  F.  Reitz,  treasurer;  Doctor  F.  \Y.  Edelmann  and  Doctor  Karl 
Kanzler,  physicians;  Karl  Reusch,  secretary  for  the  sick;  William  Olden- 
berg,   Edward  Beuthin  and  Simon  J.  Koepke,  trustees,  and   Rav  Corbin,  flag 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  367 


The  society  has  a  women's  auxiliary  which  was  organized  in  1896  with 
forty-five  members.  The  object  of  the  auxiliary  is  to  render  whatever  assist- 
ance they  can  for  the  benefit  of  the  male  branch,  at  the  same  time  to  render 
sisterly  assistance  in  time  of  need  or  distress  to  its  members.  In  1912  this 
auxiliary  reported  a  membership  of  ever  six  hundred,  the  second  strongest  in 
the  State. 

Its  first  president  was  Mrs.  Augusta  Walter  whose  energy  ami  perse- 
verance did  mi  ire  than  any  other  influence  to  increase  the  membership  of  this 
worthy  branch.  They  do  not  have  any  specified  sum  in  case  of  sickness, 
depending  entirely  upon  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  but  in  case  of  death 
they  allow  the  family  two  hundred  dollars  for  funeral  expenses. 

The  Arbeiter  Unterstiitzung  Verein  of  Saginaw  City 

On  Easter  Sunday.  April  9,  1X71.  this  society  was  organized  and  the 
committee  appointed  to  work  out  the  constitution  and  by-laws  comprised 
F.  Dengler,  A.  Ganschow,  C.  Radke  and  A.  Kern.  The  first  regular  meeting 
of  the  society  took  place  on  Sunday,  April  loth,  of  the  same  year  under  the 
chairmanship  of  F.  Dengler.  There  were  present  fourteen  members  who 
signed  the  constitution  and  elected  the  following  as  their  first  officers: 
August  Ganschow,  president  ;  Rudolph  Kern,  secretary  ;  Friedrich  Dengler, 
treasurer,  and  Theodore  Krauss,  physician.  Two  weeks  later  a  vice-president 
'was  added  in  the  person  of  Adolph  Laue,  and  a  corresponding  secretary, 
Emil  Schoeneberg. 

In  the  beginning  of  1S72  the  society  had  increased  to  one  hundred  mem- 
bers, and  in  the  following  year  a  lot  was  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Adams 
and  Oaklev  Streets,  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  Two  years  afterward,  on 
the  thirteenth  of  December,  1875,  the  society  had  erected  a  beautiful  hall 
upon  the  site,  and  its  dedication  took  place  at  that  time.  The  society 
increased  very  rapidly  and  in  1908  reached  a  membership  of  one  thousand 
and  forty-seven,  being  the  largest  of  any  Arbeiter  society  in  the  State. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  Yerein  the  following  amounts  to  1908. 
were  expended:  Funeral  expenses,  thirteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
ninety-one  dollars ;  sick  benefit  expenses,  forty  thousand  four  hundred  and 
forty-five  dollars;  received  from  the  State  Bund,  eighty-six  thousand  four 
hundred  dollars;  paid  to  State  Bund,  one  hundred  twenty  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  six  dollars;  and  the  number  lost  by  death  was  one  hundred 
and  seventy-five. 

The  present  officers  (1916)  are:  F.  J.  Plettenberg,  president;  J.  L. 
Weigl,  vice-president;  John  Broederdorf,  secretary;  Edwin  Kersten,  cor- 
responding secretary;  Henry  Maier,  treasurer;  Albert  O.  Richter,  Martin 
Fieger,  John  C.  Krogmann,  H.  C.  Reincke  and  William  Geese,  trustees ; 
Emil  P.  W.  Richter  and  L.  Miller,  physicians;  August  Borchard,  chairman 
of  the  house  committee  ;  Emil  Wagner  chairman  sick  committee,  and  Edward 
Schrank,  Phil  Deibel  and  Paul  Bohnhof,  finance  committee. 

The  society  also  has  a  woman's  auxiliary  which  was  organized  on  the 
twenty-eight  of  July,  1898.  Its  first  president  was  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Deibel. 
through  whose  efforts  the  auxiliary  grew  rapidly.  The  first  officers  elected 
were:  Elizabeth  Deibel,  president;  Louise  Kessel,  vice-president;  Ernes- 
tine Bluhm,  secretary,  and  Emma  Heidmann,  treasurer.  A  short  time  after- 
wards an  executive  board  was  elected  comprising  the  following  women  :  Mrs. 
Minna  Ewald,  Bertha  Krukenberg  and  Anna  Plettenberg.  The  member- 
ship in  1908  was  four  hundred  and  seventy-two,  and  the  number  of  members 
lost  by  death  was  twenty-one. 

—  Joseph   Seemann. 


H 
I 
m 


370  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  Teutonia  Society 

This  well  known  and  popular  society  of  West  Side  citizens  was  organized 
in  December,  1869,  by  the  amalgamation  of  three  German  societies.  The  first 
of  these  was  the  Turn  Society,  which  had  been  organized  in  August,  1856; 
and  the  others  were  the  School  Society  and  the  Library  Society,  which  had 
been  formed  soon  after.  They  held  their  meetings  and  enjoyed  amusements 
in  Ritter's  Hall,  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Water  and  Franklin  Streets  (now 
Niagara  and  Hancock  Streets),  in  a  building  which  is  still  standing. 

\\  hen  the  Teutonia  Society  had  perfected  its  organization,  the  members 
decided  to  build  a  new  hall  of  their  own,  and  a  lot  on  South  Fayette  Street, 
between  Court  and  Adams  Streets,  was  purchased  fur  this  purpose.  A  school 
house  at  the  corner  of  Harrison  ami  Adams  Streets,  which  had  been  erected 
by  the  former  School  Society  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  the  German 
language,  was  moved  to  the  newly  acquired  lot,  and  the  new  hall  was  built 
as  an  addition  to  it.  This  building  was  completed  in  January,  1871,  and  was 
used  for  meetings  of  members  of  the  society  and  various  amusements  given 
by  the  various  divisions.  In  these  social  activities  the  singing  sections  gave 
concerts,  the  dramatic  section  presented  plays,  held  masquerade  balls,  and 
otherwise  added  materially  to  the  gayety  of  the  town. 

In  the  Summer  of  1872  a  fair  was  held  in  the  new  hall,  which  placed 
the  financial  condition  of  the  society  on  a  firm  basis,  and  thereafter  it  assumed 
a  permanent  position  in  our  social  life.  Several  years  later  the  wooden  build- 
ing in  front  of  the  main  hall  was  replaced  with  a  two-story  brick  building, 
which  has  since  been  used  as  a  club  rooms,  thus  greatly  extending  the  scope 
and  usefulness  of  the  organization.  Afterward  a  bowling  alley  was  placed 
in  the  basement  of  the  new  structure,  adding  another  feature  to  the  social 
status  i  if  the  si  iciety. 

The  Teutonia  has  always  been  in  a  fairly  prosperous  condition,  but  in 
the  last  ten  years  has  made  efforts  to  interest  the  younger  members,  and  in 
this  it  has  met  with  fair  success.  Within  recent  years  the  society  has 
shown  great  activity  in  the  various  branches  of  its  educational  and  social 
life,  and  is  today  one  of  the  favorite  social  clubs  of  the  city.  Its  valuable 
property  consists  of  one-half  of  the  block  in  the  center  of  the  West  Side,  a 
Spacious  brick  building  for  club  and  social  rooms,  and  beautiful  lawns  and 
attractive  flower  beds  which  add  much  to  the  civic  beauty  of  this  section  of 
the  city.  The  building  is  conveniently  arranged  for  the  purposes  of  the 
society,  the  club  rooms  and  buffet  being  on  the  main  floor,  with  library,  read- 
ing room,  and  large  dining  room,  together  with  a  ladies'  club  rooms  on  the 
second  floor,  while  the  large  hall  with  gallery  accommodates  all  the  big  social 
functions  held  on  the  West  Side. 

Enrolled  in  the  membership  of  the  Teutonia  are  about  three  hundred 
men  of  the  solid,  substantial  element  of  our  citizenship,  some  of  whom  were 
identified  with  it  in  the  early  days  and  aided  in  giving  it  character  and  per- 
manence. In  1907  a  Grand  Fair  was  held  which  resulted  in  providing  a 
fund  for  expansion  and  giving  new  life  to  the  society,  with  an  incentive  to 
further  activities.  The  membership  increased  rapidly  for  a  time,  and  in 
recent  years  little  effort  has  been   made  to   secure  new   members. 

The  recent  officers,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  have  served  the  Teutonia 
Society  for  the  past  six  years  or  longer,  and  are:  J.  W.  Ippel,  president;  Peter 
Bauer,  Jr..  vice-president;  Frank  Herrig,  financial  secretary:  Hugo  Schreiber, 
corresponding  secretary;  Charles  A.  Khuen,  treasurer.  The  directors  comprise 
the  above  and  the  following:  Charles  T.  Schoeneberg,  Adolph  Roeser,  Otto 
Stempel.  librarian,  and  B.  Gaertner,  steward.  The  representatives  to  the 
Central  Roard  are  Louis  Liskow,  Otto  Stempel  and  John  Fib. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


371 


THE    TEUTONIA    HALL 
As  it   appears  today  and   as   it   was   thirty-eight   years  ago 


The  Wah-wah-sums 

The  famous  boat  club,  the  Wah-wah-sums,  was  organized  December  12, 
1868,  the  first  officers  being  L.  Burrows,  Jr.,  president;  G.  A.  Lyon,  vice- 
president;  E.  N.  Briggs,  secretary,  and  G.  B.  Grout,  treasurer.  It  was  a 
popular  club  in  its  day,  the  members  were  enthusiastic  in  their  rowing  exer- 
cises and  practice,  and  eventually  became  very  efficient  in  the  art.  Their 
peculiar  cognomen  was  given  them  by  Chief  Shop-en-a-gons  who,  upon  being 
asked  to  suggest  a  name  fur  the  rowers,  asked,  "Good  men  are  they  :'  "Sure," 
replied  Mr.  Burrows.  "Then  call  them  'Wah-wah-sum'  —  lightning  on  the 
water,"  said  the  old  chief. 

The  story  of  this  famous  water  team  is  a  romantic  one.  hi  the  sixties 
there  was  a  crew  of  "east  town"  oarsmen,  composed  of  Frank  Wilkins,  Jim 
Mack.  Met  Brown.  Pat  Glenn,  Joe  Stringham  and  Frank  Lawrence,  and 
their  boat  was  named  the  "Neptune,"  from  which  they  took  their  name. 
These  boys  in  their  showy  uniforms  would  frequently  row  over  to  Saginaw 
City,  pulling  a  beautiful  oar.  and  sport  around  in  those  waters  in  a  very 
tantalizing  manner.  They  would  then  go  ashore  and  get  some  refreshments 
at  the  new  Taylor  House  and  other  places,  meanwhile,  putting  on,  as  some 
of  the  " voting  bloods"  thought,  unwarranted  "airs."  These  actions  so  amused 
some  of  the  husky  fellows  over  there  that  they  got  together  and  formed  a 
rival  crew. 

The  first  barge  of  the  Wah-wah-sums,  named  the  "Eclipse,"  was  six- 
oared,  and  the  boat  house  was  directly  south  of  the  Mackinaw  Street  bridge. 
The  stroke  oar  was  Mr.  Slenau,  No.  2  oar  was  pulled  by  John  Smith,  No.  3 
oar  by  Pat  McElgunn,  No.  4  by  Henry  Smith.  No.  5  by  Bert  Payne,  and  No. 
6  by  Ed.  Behan.  Charles  E.  Wheeler,  then  with  Rust  Brothers,  was  cox- 
swain.    The  rival  teams  first  clashed  in  1869,  the  Wah-wah-sums  six  and  the 


872  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Neptunes  eight  (jars,  and  the  former  won.  From  that  time  these  sturdy 
lumbermen  won  race  after  race  by  brawn  and  skill,  not  knowing  the  sting 
of  defeat. 

Their  hrst  important  event  was  in  the  regatta  at  Detroit  in  1X70,  when 
they  rowed  in  the  six-oared  barge  race,  making  erne  and  a  half  miles  in  eleven 
minutes  forty-live  seconds,  and  won  the  race.  At  Oconomowoc  these  oars- 
men again  showed  their  skill,  and  in  the  fourth  animal  regatta  of  the 
N.  W.  A.  B.  A.  Association,  held  at  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  July  10  and  11, 
1872,  they  won  the  championship  race  with  six-oared  shells.  At  Toledo,  in 
July,  1873,  they  won  the  championship  race,  and  in  the  contests  of  the  follow- 
ing year  added  t <  >  their  honors. 

The  career  of  this  club  was  exceptionally  brilliant,  and  continued  to 
retain  its  high  repute  in  boating  circles  for  many  years.  In  1SS1  the  officers 
were:  Edward  I.  Peck,  president;  R.  J.  Birney,  secretary;  Henry  Smith, 
captain;  L.  A.  Burrows,  1st.  coxswain;  E.  J.  Fisk,  2d.  coxswain.  Upon 
decline  of  the  sport,  late  in  the  eighteen-eighties,  the  club  disbanded. 

Military  Companies  of  Early  Days 

The  first  military  company  in  Saginaw  was  the  Hampton  Guards,  organ- 
ized at  "Fast  Town"  in  November,  1856,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Thomas. 

The  Saginaw  City  Light  Infantry  completed  it--  organization  March  10. 
1859,  and  on  April  25th  following  the  company  appeared  on  parade  fully 
equipped.  The  first  officers  were:  Louis  Franke,  captain:  Henry  Miller. 
1st.  lieutenant;  Hugo  Wesener.  2d.  lieutenant;  Theodore  Sceurus,  3d.  lieu- 
tenant :    C.  A.   Ranke,  secretary,  and  Charles  Miller,  treasurer. 

The  East  Saginaw  Light  Artillery  Company  followed  in  September, 
1859,  with  Captain  A.  D.  Robinson,  Jr.,  Lieutenant  A.  Ferguson,  Sergeant 
A.  L.  Rankin,  and  Corporal  R.  II.  Loomis,  in  command.  Among  the  privates 
of  this  company  were:  F.  N.  Bridgman,  lames  F.  Brown,  George  F.  Corliss, 
R.  A.  Eddy,  G.  F.  Hobbs,  J.  H.  Hilliard.  Michael  Jeffers,  J.  II.  Mershon, 
J.  E.  Mershon.  Sanford  Keeler,  Fmil  Moores,  F.  \Y.  Wiggins,  T.  T.  Willey, 
Z.  W.  Wright  and  A.  F.  Young. 

On  April  13,  1873.  the  Fast  Saginaw  Rifles  was  organized,  and  immedi- 
ately attached  to  the  Third  Michigan  Infantry,  as  Company  E.  D.  D.  Keeler, 
A.  L.  Button  and  F.  H.  Doughty  were  the  first  officers  of  the  company. 
The  seventh  anniversary  of  the  company  was  properly  observed  in  1881  by 
a  public  parade,  after  which  the  veteran  corps  met  in  the  armory  and 
elected  the  following  civil  officers :  C.  F.  Shaw,  president :  Theodore  S. 
Hill,  vice-president ;  W.  S.  Doughty,  secretary,  and  A.  L.  Button,  treasurer. 
The  company  then  numbered  seventy  rank  and  file,  fully  equipped  and  drilled. 

Under  the  various  enlistments  for  the  Civil  War  in  this  county,  the  first 
company  to  leave  for  the  front  was  the  East  Saginaw  Light  Guard,  organ- 
ized April  19,  1861,  with  Captain  William  Kremer  and  Lieutenant  Emil 
Moores  and  John  Leidlein  in  command.  On  the  thirtieth  of  April  the  com- 
pany, mustering  seventy-nine  officers  and  men,  left  for  Detroit,  the  Flint  & 
Pere  Marquette  Railway  taking  them  to  Pine  Run,  then  the  terminus  of  the 
road.  From  there  they  were  conveyed  by  wagon  to  Fentonville,  on  the  line 
of  the  Detroit  &  Milwaukee  Railroad,  and  arrived  at  Detroit  in  the  evening 
of  the  following  day.  On  June  5th  the  company  left  for  Washington  as 
Company  H  of  the  2d  Michigan  Infantry,  the  first  three-year  regiment  which 
left  the  State. 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL  LIFE 


373 


___ 


The  Hoyt  Light  Guards,  under  the  command  of  Captain  H.  \Y.  Trow- 
bridge and  Lieutenants  William  O'Donnell  and  Charles  H.  Hutchins,  was 
organized  April  24,  1861,  with  a  strong  desire  to  go  to  the  front  in  the  early 
days  of  the  war. 

The  military  census  of  the  county  showed  twenty-one  hundred  and 
thirty  men  tit  for  service,  of  which  number  six  hundred  and  eighty-six  were 
already    enlisted    in    active    service,    in    September,    1862,    including    the    23d 

Michigan  Infantry  mustered  in  on  the  thir- 
teenth of  that  month.  During  the  year 
1863  the  county  contributed  three  hundred 
and  sixty-five  men,  making  an  aggregate  of 
ten  hundred  and  forty-one  furnished  since 
the  beginning  of  the  war.  Enlistment  con- 
tinued through  1864,  and  the  29th  Michigan 
Infantry  was  organized  by  John  F.  Driggs, 
July  29,  1864,  and  mustered  into  service 
October  3rd.  with  eight  hundred  and  fifty- 
six  officers  and  men.  Their  camp  ground 
was  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  within  the 
present  confines  of  Bliss  Park,  where  a 
stone  marker  was  erected  by  the  survivors 
on  the  fiftieth  anniversary,  in  1''14,  and  un- 
veiled with  impressive  ceremonies.  The 
regiment  left  Saginaw  October  6,  1864, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Thomas 
Sayh  ir. 

From  October  31st  until  the  close  of 
recruiting  on  April  14,  1865,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-four  men  eidisted,  bringing  the 
military  representation  of  Saginaw  to  two 
thousand  and  thirty-nine,  or  about  one 
forty-fourth  of  all  the  troops  sent  to  the 
front  by  the  State.  The  aggregate  expendi- 
ture-- of  the  county  for  war  purposes,  up  to 
and  including  the  year  1866,  was  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-eight  thousand  one  hundred  dollars;  and  the  various  sums 
granted  to  the  families  of  volunteers  amounted  to  eighty-one  thousand.  The 
donations  of  money,  clothing  and  various  articles  was  about  seven  thousand 
dollars  which,  added  to  the  other  expenses,  made  a  grand  total  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-six  thousand  one  hundred  dollars,  a  large  sum  of  money  con- 
sidering the  condition  of  the  country  at  that  time. 

A  review  of  the  military  campaigns  in  which  the  Saginaw  troops  par- 
ticipated, and  in  which  so  many  patriotic  men  won  a  soldier's  crown,  would 
take  in  every  field  contested  in  Southern  States.  As  this  has  been  quite 
thoroughly  covered  in  Chapman's  History  of  Saginaw  County,  1881,  copies 
of  which  are  still  in  existence  and  may  be  consulted  by  interested  persons, 
it  does  not  seem  necessary  or  desirable  to  repeat  the  accounts  here.  It  is 
sufficient  to  add  that  through  the  brilliant  campaigns  which  marked  the  pro- 
gress of  the  terrific  struggle,  there  was  scarcely  a  black  letter  in  the  records 
of  the  troops  furnished  by  Saginaw,  unexcelled  bravery  and  magnificent 
endurance  marking  their  service  in  the  defense  of  the  Union. 

It  is  to  be  regretted  that  reliable  information  pertaining  to  the  organiza- 
tion and  equipment  of  the  local  military  Companies  C  and  D,  (the  latter  now 
known  as  Company  F,  Thirty-third  Regiment)  of  the  Michigan  National 
Guard,  is  not  available  for  this  work.     A  search  of  the  early  military  records 


COLONEL    THOMAS    SAYLOR 


374 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


of  the  State,  in  the  Adjutant  General's  office  at  Lansing,  divulged  the  fact 
that  the  former  Company  1),  Third  Regiment,  was  organized  January  21, 
1882.  Company  E,  Third  Regiment,  located  at  East  Saginaw,  was  organ- 
ized .April   13,   1874,  and   mustered  out  June  5,   1905. 

Many  changes  have  taken  place  since  those  days,  and  great  progress 
made  in  maintaining  this  defensive  arm  of  the  State.  Not  only  have  large 
and  substantial  armories  been  built  in  the  largest  centers  of  population,  but 
the  equipment  and  arms  have  greatly  improved,  and  much  attention  is  given 
the  physical  condition  of  the  enlisted  men.  The  spirit  of  the  troops  as  a 
defensive  force  is  excellent,  as  was  manifested  in  1913  when  the  entire  guard 
was  sent  to  the  Upper  Peninsula  to  restore  and  maintain  order  during  the 
great  strike  of  copper  miners,  a  task  which  kept  the  troops  on  duty  for 
several  months. 

Nothing  could  be  more  conclusive  of  the  general  preparedness  of  the 
State  troops  than  the  prompt  response  to  the  call  of  the  1'resident,  on  lune 
18,  1916,  for  the  mobilization  of  the  National  Guard.  Within  a  few  hours 
practically  the  entire  Company  F,  like  other  companies  throughout  the  State. 
had  assembled  in  the  armory  in  readiness  for  further  orders.  Recruiting  was 
undertaken  in  an  effort  to  raise  the  muster  rolls  to  full  strength  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty,  in  anticipation  of  service  along  the  Mexican  border,  but  a 
true  spirit  of  patriotism  among  the  young  men  of  Saginaw  was  evidently 
lacking,  at  a  time  when  war  threatened,  and  ninety-eight  was  the  total  enlist- 
ment of  the  company.  On  Saturday,  June  _'4,  the  company  and  band  en- 
trained for  the  military  camp  at  Grayling,  where  three  entire  regiments  of 
the  State  troops  mobilized  on  that  day.  Inspection,  medical  examination  and 
mustering  in  the  Federal  Army  service  followed,  in  which  about  sixteen  men 
of  the  local  company  were  refused  for  physical  defects  or  weakness. 

Interest  in  the  military  and  naval  defense  arms  is  enlivened  in  Saginaw 
by  the  presence  of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment  Hand,  which  was  reorganized 
here  about  six  years  ago.  The  members  of  this  excellent  and  popular  military 
band  were  recruited  from  the  ranks  of  Saginaw's  leading  professional  musi- 


ENLISTED    MEN    OF    COMPANY    F.    THIRTY-THIRD    REGIMENT,    M.    N. 
I  From  a  photograph  taken  in  front  of  the  Armory,  June    20,    lt'lfi] 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  375 

cians,  a  number  of  whom  had  swayed  under  the  baton  of  Professor  Reiss  in 
his  famous  organization  of  years  ago,  and  also  under  Professor  William  Boos. 
The  band  has  a  membership  of  thirty-six  and  is  ably  directed  by  Professor 
Arthur  Amsden,  who  has  served  many  years  with  the  State  troops  in  the 
capacity  of  hand  leader.  So  high  is  the  reputation  of  this  organization  that 
wherever  it  is  heard,  as  well  as  in  this  city,  it  is  greeted  with  enthusiasm 
and  applause.  During  the  Winter  the  Sunday  afternoon  concerts  at  the 
Auditorium,  given  by  the  Thirty-third  Regiment  Band,  are  largely  attended, 
while  in  Summer  the  weekly  concerts  in  various  parks  meet  with  the  popular 
accord. 

The  officers  of  Company  F,  Thirty-third  Regiment,  Michigan  National 
Guard,  in  1916  and  for  several  years  past  are:  William  H.  Martin,  captain; 
Frank    McCullagh,    first    lieutenant;     William    Bohstedt,    second    lieutenant. 

The   Saginaw    Naval   Reserves 

It  was  fitting  the  geographical  position  of  Michigan,  surrounded  as  it  is 
on  three  sides  by  the  waters  of  the  Great  Lakes,  that  the  Naval  Militia  of 
the  interior  should  have  been  founded  on  its  shores.  On  February  28.  1894, 
a  few  enthusiastic  vachtsmen  of  Detroit  met  and  decided  upon  the  formation 
of  the  Michigan  Naval  Brigade.  Anion-  them  was  Truman  II.  Newberry, 
destined  in  after  years  to  hold  the  highest  office  in  the  Navy  Department, 
and  who  was  an  indefatigable  worker  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  Reserves.  The 
first  division  of  the  brigade  was  quickly  recruited  to  eighty  members' — pro- 
fessional and  business  men  —  with   the  inborn   sense  of  duty  of  the  patriot. 

The  object  of  the  Naval  Militia  is  to  furnish  the  navy  of  the  United 
States  in  time  of  war,  with  an  auxiliary  force  of  well  drilled  and  seasoned 
crews,  trained  in  navigation,  engineering,  gunnery  and  signalling,  and 
familiar  with  and  subject  to  discipline  and  ship  routine.  The  organization 
has  the  same  relation  to  the  navy  that  the  State  militia  has  to  the  regular 
army;  and  is  of  great  importance,  since  it  is  impossible  to  recruit  trained 
bluejackets  from  the  ordinary  pursuits  of  life  in  time  of  need. 

From  the  beginning  made  in  Detroit  the  movement  spread,  and  in  the 
Fall  of  IS' 4  Samuel  F.  Owen.  Rollin  A.  Horr  and  other-,  who  had  some 
military  training,  organized  a  division  in  Saginaw.  On  December  6th  about 
forty  professional  and  business  men  representing  the  younger  element,  met 
at  the  Bancroft  House,  signed  the  articles  of  incorporation,  and  proceeded  to 
effect  a  permanent  organization.  This  division,  which  took  the  name  of 
Second  Division,  Michigan  State  Naval  Brigade,  was  soon  recruited  to  more 
than  sixty  members;  and  elected  officers  as  follows:  Samuel  F.  Owen, 
lieutenant,  commanding;  Rollin  A.  Horr,  lieutenant,  junior  grade;  Lorenzo 
Burrows,  Junior,  and  James  PI.  Gilbert,  ensigns,  and  Charles  A.  Wood, 
assistant  paymaster. 

The  petty  officers  of  the  division   were:      Fred  J.   Buckhout,  boatswain's 

mate — first  class:  John  R.  Mearns  and  Arthur  C.  Perrin.  boatswain's  mates — 
second  class;  C.  D.  TenF.yck,  gunner's  mate  —  second  class;  Ira  D.  Alden. 
quartermaster  —  second  class;  Edwin  C.  Peters,  Charles  A.  Khuen,  J.  Will 
Grant,  Merman  A.  Wolpert,  coxswains;  J.  H.  Goodby,  Junior,  Elmer  B. 
Norris,  gunner's  mates  —  third  class;  and  Frederick  A.  Dudley,  quarter- 
master—  third  class. 

During  the  Winter  of  1894-95  the  reserves  were  drilled  in  infantry  tactics, 
the  handling  of  arms,  in  knotting  and  splicing,  gunnery  and  general  orders. 
The  armory  was  located  in  the  three-story  brick  building  at  113  North 
Washington  Avenue,  the  second  floor  being  used  for  club  rooms,  office,  Picker 
rooms  and  storage  for  accoutrements,  while  the  third  floor  with  its  high 
ceiling  was  a  suitable  drill  hall. 


370 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE    ARMORY.    ERECTED    IN    1909 


In  July.  1895.  the  division  joined  the  second  and  third  divisions,  of 
Detroit,  in  a  cruise  in  the  vicinity  of  .Mackinac  Island,  old  Fort  Mackinac 
being  the  headquarters  of  the  brigade.  The  gunboat  Michigan,  manned  by 
officers  and  bluejackets  of  the  United  States  Navy,  lay  in  the  harbor,  and 
each  morning  the  reserves  with  their  own  officers,  under  Lieutenant  Gilbert 
Wilkes,  brigade  commander,  went  on  board  the  antiquated  war  ship.  There 
they  went  through  various  drills,  the  handling  of  the  thirty-two  pounder 
guns,  and  were  instructed  in  general  ship  routine,  including  "clearing  decks 
for  action,"  "all  hands  to  quarters,"  manning  the  capstan  to  "up  anchor."  and 
"laying  over  the  masthead"  which  consisted  of  climbing  the  ratlines  on  one 
side  oi  the  ship,  crossing  over  the  masthead,  and  coming  down  on  the  other 
side.     In  the  evening  the  divisions  returned  to  the  barracks  at  the  old  fort. 

<  >n  the  third  day,  before  boarding  the  Michigan,  two  men  from  each  sec- 
tion were  detailed  for  target  practice  on  shore.  Ten  rounds  were  fired  in 
the  morning  and  ten  in  the  afternoon  at  the  rifle  range,  the  target  being  at  a 
distance  of  two  hundred  yards.  Coxswain  Edwin  C.  Peters  carried  off  the 
honors  of  the  day  in  this  practice,  scoring  sixty-one  out  of  a  possible  one 
hundred  points. 

On  the  Michigan,  which  steamed  out  into  Lake  Huron,  the  divisions  were 
drilled  in  gunnery,  the  targets  being  placed  three  hundred  rods  from  the  ship. 
Special  details  were  engaged  in  sub-calibre  practice  with  the  three-inch  rifles. 
There  was  a  heavy  wind  and  a  choppy  sea,  which  interfered  with  accuracy  of 
aim  at  the  bobbing  target  nearly  a  mile  away,  and  Fred  A.  Dudley  was  the 
only  man  to  hit  the  mark.  At  a  subsequent  practice,  when  the  sea  was  less 
choppy,  Arthur  Beese  made  three  successive  hits,  being  the  best  record  of 
this  cruise. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL   LIFE 


377 


In  189f)  the  Second  Division  cruised  in  the  old  Michigan  on  Saginaw  Bay, 
i  iff  Pi  lint  Aux  Barques,  and  in  the  numerous  gun  and  boat  drills  added  prac- 
tical experience  to  their  previous  training  in  armory  and  on  board  ship.  The 
weather  during  a  greater  part  of  the  week  of  the  cruise  was  stormy,  and  the 
amateur  sailormen  were  confined  closely  to  the  ship's  quarters,  little  shore 
leave  being  granted.  Lieutenant  Commander  Leutze.  U.  S.  A.  commanded 
the  old  gunboat,  and  so  severe  and  unyielding  was  he  in  the  unpleasant  duty 
of  training  the  landsmen  that  the  boys  facetiously  dubbed  him  "(  )ld  Rain-In- 
The-Faee."  Lieutenant  Marble  was  another  officer  of  the  Michigan,  whom 
the  reserves  disliked  exceedingly.  The  following  year  the  three  divisions 
mobilized  at  Fort  Mackinac  for  further  instruction  and  drills  on  board  the 
Michigan. 

During  the  Spanish  War  the  Michigan  Naval  Brigade  saw  actual  naval 
service  and  warfare  on  the  Atlantic.  To  the  number  of  almost  two  hundred 
and  fifty  officers  and  men.  they  comprised  the  crew  of  the  auxiliary  cruiser 
Yosemite  in  blockade  duty  off  the  coast  of  Puerto  Rico,  and  were  engaged  in 
several  bombardments  of  Spanish  Forts.  There  were  no  casualties  in  the 
brief  engagements,  and  the  divisions  returned  when  the  war  was  over  with 
the  men  in  good  physical  condition.  This  was  quite  in  contrast  with  the 
weak  and  emaciated  condition  in  which  the  members  of  the  State  Militia 
returned  home  after  their  terrible  experience  in  Cuba. 

Within  the  last  ten  years  the  naval  militia  has  grown  more  rapidly,  and 
there  are  now  two  battalions  of  six  divisions  comprising  the  Michigan  State 
Naval  Brigade.  The  total  enrollment  is  four  hundred  officers  and  men.  The 
fourth  division  of  the  first  battalion  is  located  at  Benton  Harbor,  on  Lake 
Michigan,  while  the  divisions  of  the  second  battalion  are  located  at  Hancock, 
on  Lake  Superior,  and  Escanaba  on  Lake  Michigan.  The  training  ships 
manned  by  the  brigade  are  the  Don  Juan  de  Austria,  of  eleven  hundred  and 


SAGINAW    NAVAL    RESERVES   ON    BOARD    THE 
"MICHIGAN."    1895 
Sibbald 
Khucn        Williams        Mearns        Buclchout        Martin 
.Mills        Plummer        Fitzgerald 


378  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


thirty  tuns,  stationed  at  Detroit,  and  the  Yantic,  in  charge  of  the  second  bat- 
talion and  stationed  at  Hancock.  The  former  ship  is  of  historic  interest. 
being  one  of  the  Spanish  ships  sunk  by  Admiral  Dewey  in  the  Battle  of 
Manila  Bay,  which  was  afterward  raised  by  Captain  Hobson,  repaired,  and 
brought  to  this  country.  The  Yantic  is  one  of  the  old  frigates  of  the  Civil 
War  times,  having  been  launched  at  Philadelphia,  on  August  12,  18<>4,  and  is 
of  brigantine  rig. 

The  Saginaw  Naval  Reserves  of  today  is  an  entirely  different  body  of 
men  from  that  which  perfected  its  organization  and  performed  a  useful  part 
in  the  Spanish  War.  Another  generation  of  young  and  enthusiastic  patriot- 
has  grown  up  to  take  the  place  of  those  who  by  much  personal  sacrifice  and 
hard  work  established  the  naval  brigade.  The  conditions  of  service  today 
are  very  different,  too,  from  those  of  twenty  or  more  years  go.  Instead  oi 
rented  halls  ill  adapted  to  the  use  and  work  of  the  reserves,  the  Second  Divi- 
sion occupies  a  part  of  the  perfectly  appointed  Armory  at  the  foot  of  Janes 
Avenue,  and  facing  Battery  Park. 

Within  this  solid  structure  of  paving  brick  and  concrete  is  every  Facility 
for  the  proper  training-  of  citizen  bluejackets.  There  are  spacious  club  rooms 
well  furnished  for  the  comfort  and  enjoyment  of  the  members,  a  perfect  sys- 
tem of  lockers,  splendid  equipment  and  arms,  and  a  four-inch  rapid  firing  rifle 
complete,  for  practical  instruction  in  the  handling  of  big  guns.  (  )n  the  water 
front,  only  a  few  rods  from  the  Armory  is  a  boat  landing,  where  are  kept 
tl  e  small  boats  of  the  division.  These  comprise  a  completely  equipped  steam 
cutter,  of  a  type  used  on  modern  war  ships,  an  eight-oared  barge,  and  whale- 
boats.  With  this  equipment  it  is  possible  to  supplement  the  practices  at  oars 
on  the  river,  with  short  cruises  up  and  down  the  stream  and  on  Saginaw 
Bay,  adding  greatly  to  the  efficiency  and  skill  of  the  enlisted  men. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Second  Division  of  the  Michigan  State  Naval 
Brigade  are:  Warner  L.  Cooper,  lieutenant,  commanding;  Guy  Palmer, 
lieutenant,  junior  grade:   John  J.  Spencer,  Jr.,  and  James  F.  Cooper,  ensigns. 

The  East  Saginaw  Club 

On  Thursday  Evening,  April  18.  1889,  a  number  of  representative  citizens 
met  together  at  the  old  council  rooms  in  the  Schmitz  Block,  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing  a  social  club.  Among  these  men  was  (  >scar  F.  Wisner,  who 
had  been  active  in  arousing  interest  in  the  project,  and  in  securing  sub- 
scribers to  it.  The  first  proceeding  of  the  meeting  was  to  call  Mr.  Wisner 
to  the  chair,  and  to  appoint  Ferd  A.  Ashley  secretary.  The  club  was  there- 
upon organized  with  a  capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  articles  of 
association  were  drawn  up  and  signed  by  forty-seven  members. 

An  election  was  then  held  and  Oscar  F.  Wisner,  William  F.  Potter. 
B.  F.  Webster.  William  Callam,  William  B.  Mershon,  George  B.  Morley, 
Robert  M.  Randall.  J.  Will  Grant  and  John  M.  Brewer  were  elected  a  board 
of  managers.  This  board  then  met  and  elected  the  first  officers  of  the  club, 
who  were  Oscar  F.  Wisner,  president;  William  F.  Potter,  vice-president ; 
A.  H.  Comstock,  treasurer;    and  Ferd  A.  Ashley,  secretary. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  select  a  suitable  site  for  the  club  house, 
and  after  careful  consideration  of  available  locations  recommended  the  pur- 
chase of  the  lot-,  on  Washington  Avenue,  having  a  frontage  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  feet.  This  property  was  soon  after  acquired  at  a  price  of  forty- 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars;  anil  plans  for  a  pretentious  club  house  were 
drawn  by  W.  T.  Cooper.  In  due  course  the  contract  for  the  mason  work 
was  let  to  William  C.  Mueller,  and  that  for  the  carpenter  work  to  Michael 
Winkler,  and  the  work  of  construction  proceeded  with  diligence.  The  cost 
of  the  building,  including  the  heating  ami  lighting  arrangements,  was  about, 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


379 


THE     EAST    SAGINAW    CLUB 


When  completed  the  club  had  a  home  in  which  the  members  took  a  just 
pride.     Everything  that  went  into  the  construction  was  of  the  highest  grade, 

and  the  furnishings  and  equipment  were  sumptuous  and  in  g 1  taste.     Some 

of  the  fine  leather  furniture,  in  excellent  condition  after  a  service  of  twenty- 
seven  years,  is  still  in  use.  The  property  of  the  club  has  always  been  kept  in 
good   condition,  and   affairs   well   managed. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  club  the  membership  varied  from  two  hundred 
and  fifty  to  three  hundred  in  number,  hut  it  was  afterward  limited  to  the 
former  figure  and  then  to  two  hundred  and  twenty-five.  The  low  ebb  in 
membership  was  in  the  period  of  1898  to  1900.  hut  in  the  succeeding  ten  years 
the  city  gradually  regained  its  former  prosperity,  and  the  club  acquired  many 
desirable  members  Mom  among  the  newcomers.  It  also  took  in  a  number 
of  young  men  who,  since  its  organization,  had  grown  to  manhood.  The 
membership  was  then  increased  to  about  three  hundred  and  fifty,  with  that 
figure  as  the  limit. 

Through  these  years  of  prosperity  and  decline  of  the  club  ami  its  gradual 
rehabilitation,  Thomas  A.  Harvey  was  one  of  its  most  interested  and  help- 
ful members.  Few  indeed,  in  a  period  of  more  than  twenty  years,  did  so 
much  for  its  advancement,  aiding  every  movement  for  its  increased  popularity. 
In  1905  additional  property  was  purchased  at  the  rear  of  the  club  house,  ami 
the  building  enlarged  at  a  cost  of  about  ten  thousand  dollars,  providing  for  a 
grill  room  on  the  main  floor  and  a  roof  garden  above.  In  this,  as  in  other 
improvements,  Air.  Harvey  was  one  of  the  foremost  members,  subscribing 
liberally  with  others,  for  the  additional  stock  then  issued,  lie  also  inaugu- 
rated the  movement  for  the  acquisition  of  art  treasures,  oil  paintings  and 
pictures  of  real  value. 

In  this  department  the  club  is  indeed  fortunate,  possessing  a  number  of 
paintings  of  more  than  usual  interest.  These  were  acquired  from  time  to 
time  by  personal  subscriptions  of  prominent  members,  the  gift  and  list  of 
donors  being  enrolled  in  the  records  of  the  club.  There  is  a  large  full  figure 
portrait  of   Shopenagons,   the   noted    Indian    chief,   done   by   Couse,   the   well 


380  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

known  portrayer  of  savage  life,  and  two  or  three  other  paintings  of  Indian 
characters,  which  are  of  high  order.  A  group  (if  western  cowboy  pictures, 
said  to  be  of  very  unusual  interest,  was  presented  several  years  ago  by 
Arthur  Hill. 

The  present  officers  of  the  club  are:  Fred  J.  Fox.  president;  James  E. 
Vincent,  vice-president;  A.  H.  Ale,  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  R.  Max 
Boyd,  chairman  of  house  committee.  The  president,  vice-president  and  the 
following  members  constitute  the  board  of  directors:  R.  M.  Boyd,  E.  A. 
Robertson,  H.  T.  Wickes.  E.  P.  Stone,  11.  S.  Siebel.  A.  R.  Treanor  and  H.  R. 
Wickes.  The  membership  is  now  about  three  hundred  and  eighty,  with  a 
limit  of  four  hundred;  and  the  value  of  the  club  property  is  placed  at  eighty 
thousand  dollars. 

Um-zoo-ee  Club 

In  years  long  passed  the  Um-zoo-ee  Club,  an  association  of  leading  young 
men  and  women  for  the  purpose  of  holding  dancing  parties,  filled  a  prominent 
part  in  tlie  social  activities  of  the  city.  It  was  organized  in  the  late  seventies, 
at  a  time  when  the  city  was  enjoying  a  phenomenal  growth,  and  numbered 
among  its  members  young  men  who  have  since  become  some  of  our  most 
solid  citizens.  Its  parties  were  the  social  events  of  the  season,  and  for  bril- 
liancy and  pure  enjoyment  have  seldom  been  equalled  since. 

hi  the  Winter  of  1880-81  the  officers  of  this  club  were:  Thomas  A. 
Harvey,  president;  William  B.  Mershon,  vice-president;  Albert  H.  Morley, 
treasurer;  and  W.  S.  Conklin.  secretary.  The  committee  of  invitations  was 
composed  of  J.  Will  ('.rant,  chairman;  Misses  Mamie  Wickes  and  Kitty 
Penoyer ;  the  committee  of  arrangements  comprised  George  B.  Morley,  chair- 
man. Miss  Winnie  Smith  and  W.  S.  Conklin.  while  that  on  the  "German" 
was  Albert  II.  Morley,  chairman.  Miss  Lizzie  Thurber  and  William  B. 
Mersb  ni. 

\l~ter  a  pleasant  existence  of  more  than  twenty  years,  (hiring  which  it 
was  recognized  as  the  leading  dancing  chili,  it  at  length  disbanded,  and  only 
the  recollection  of  brilliant  and  enjoyable  events  it  promoted,  linger  with  its 
one  time  active  members. 

Saginaw  Country  Club 

The  origin  of  the  Country  Club  was  in  the  gentlemens'  game  of  golf, 
which  was  introduced  into  Saginaw  about  eighteen  years  ago.  Charles  H. 
Davis  in  his  travels  throughout  the  country  had  \isited  several  prominent 
golf  clubs,  and  had  seen  such  men  as  .Marshall  Field,  Robert  T.  Lincoln  and 
other  distinguished  men  climb  high  fences,  break  through  minature  jungles, 
and  wade  shallow  creeks  in  quest  of  the  elusive  ball.  He  was  seized  with  an 
overwhelming  desire  to  follow  their  pursuit,  and  returned  to  Saginaw  thor- 
oughly inoculated  with  the  microbe  of  this  strenuous  game.  Golf  as  yet  was 
unknown  in  this  part  of  the  State,  no  one.  excepting  Samuel  C.  Kimberly, 
having  had  the  temerity  t<>  allude  to  the  sport. 

Mr.  Davis  was  determined  to  introduce  the  game  into  his  home  city, 
and  accordingly  laid  out  a  nine-hole  course  at  his  farm  on  the  Gratiot  Road. 
When  everytbing  was  in  fine  shape  and  the  country  clad  in  its  richest  verdure, 
he  invited  some  of  his  friends  and  citizens  out  to  the  new  links  to  see  what 
the  game  really  was.  He  was  proficient  in  the  game,  and  to  those  who 
realized  its  possibilities  of  out-door  enjoyment,  he  instructed  in  the  various 
strokes  and  rules  of  the  game.  Soon  after,  in  the  Fall  of  1898,  small  groups 
of  business  and  professional  men  might  have  been  seen  wending  their  way 
out  to  the  Davis  farm,  where  they  spent  a  morning  or  afternoon  in  mastering 
the  details  and  acquiring  skill  in  the  sport. 


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382 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE    SAGINAW    COUNTRY    CLUB 

From  this  beginning  emanated  the  Saginaw  Country  Club,  which  was 
organized  March  24,  1899,  the  articles  of  association  being  signed  by  John  S. 
Porter,  Frank  R.  Judd,  J.  Will  Grant,  A.  S.  Whitney,  C.  W.  Penoyer,  W.  J. 
Wickes.  Willis  T.  Knowlton,  E.  C.  Fisher,  H.  E.  Cross,  Gilbert  M.  Stark, 
Albert  H.  Morley,  Charles  A.  Rust,  Doctor  F.  Gaertner,  Charles  E.  Mershon 
and  H.  T.  Wickes. 

The  following  year  the  club  purchased  ten  acres  of  the  east  part  of  the 
E.  G.  Rust  farm,  and  erected  an  attractive  club  house  and  other  buildings, 
leasing  from  Mr.  Davis  the  nine-hole  golf  course.  Ten  years  later  the  club 
purchased  the  course  comprising  about  forty-seven  acres  of  valuable  laud, 
and  later  added  the  property  directly  across  the  mad,  which  was  owned  by 
Thomas  A.  Harvey  and  George  B.  Morley.  This  land  embraced  a  picnic 
grove  of  large,  natural-growth  timber,  and  was  fifty-one  and  a  half  acres  in 
extent.  Upon  this  tract  a  new  nine-hole  course  was  laid  out  and  improve- 
ments made,  so  that  the  whole  property  is  not  only  beautiful,  but  one  of  the 
best  eighteen-hole  courses  in  the  country.  The  total  land  holdings  of  the 
club  is  one  hundred  eight  and  a  half  acres,  and  is  piped  with  water  mains 
and  carefully  tile  drained. 

Twice  in  the  life  of  the  club  has  the  State  Golf  Tournament  been  held 
at  its  links,  the  second  being  played  on  the  new  eighteen-hole  course.  This 
event  was  a  very  brilliant  affair,  and  was  referred  to  by  visiting  golfers  as, 
the  best  tournament  ever  held  in  the  State,  the  perfect  golf  course"  the  club 
house,  the  hospitality  of  the  members  and  the  good  management  of  the  special 
committee  in  charge,  being  highly  complimented.  Again,  in  the  Summer  of 
1916,  the  club  entertained  the  State  Golfers  in  a  grand  tournament,  which 
added  to  the  high  reputation  already  attained.  The  club  has  been  further 
honored  by  James  T.  W'ylie  twice  winning  the  State  Championship,  and 
Arthur  Mill  Vincent  was  runner-up  in  the  State  championship  contest  in  1913. 

The  past  presidents  of  the  club,  the  men  who  have  been  especially 
prominent  in  shaping  the  management  of  its  affairs  are:  Charles  H.  Davis, 
James  T.    W'ylie.   George   B.   Morley  and    Clark    L.    King.      During   the   past 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


383 


year  Lewis  C.  Slade  was  president.  Gilbert  M.  Stark,  vice-president,  Edwin 
P.  Stone,  secretary,  and  James  A.  Montross,  treasurer.  The  directors  were 
George  B.  Morley,  A.  T.  Ferrell,  Amasa  M.  Rust,  S.  A.  Sommers,  ( iilbert 
M.  Stark,  VVallis  Craig  Smith,  Lewis  C.  Slade.  H.  J.  Gilbert  and  Norman 
N.  Rupp.  The  chairman  of  the  Ground  Committee  was  William  B.  Mer- 
shon;  of  the  House  Committee,  Norman  N.  Rupp;  of  the  Tournament  and 
Entertainment  Committee,  S.  A.  Sommers;  of  the  Ladies'  Entertainment, 
Mrs.  Mary  E.  Harvey;  of  the  Tennis  Committee,  J.  W.  Symons,  Jr.;  of  the 
Membership  Committee,  Wallis  Craig  Smith,  and  of  Auditing,  Gilbert  M. 
Stark. 

The  club  has  an  active  membership  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine,  and  an 
associate  and  non-resident  membership  of  about  one  hundred.  The  valua- 
tion of  its  property,  including  the  valuable  land  holdings  close  to  the  city 
limits,  is  placed  at  forty  thousand  dollars. 

Saginaw  Canoe  Club 

This  popular  club  composed  very  largely  of  the  younger  element  of  our 
best  citizenship,  holds  a  unique  place  in  the  social  life  of  the  place.  It  was 
organized  to  bring  together  young  men,  and  to  promote  an  interest  in  canoe- 
ing, boating  and  aquatic  sports.  To  this  end  articles  of  association  were 
drawn  up  on  February  24,  1904,  and  signed  by  George  L.  Burrows,  Jr.,  Fred 
L.  Cribbins,  \\  .  11.  Howland,  George  C.  Potter,  Edward  T.  Lindsay,  V.  E. 
Schwahn,  James  A.  Griggs  and  Benjamin  Farmer.  Organization  was  per- 
fected and  the  above  members  and  Paul  F.  H.  .Morley  constituted  the  tirst 
board  of  directors. 

In  the  Summer  of  l'i()4  a  small  but  attractive  club  house  was  erected  at 
the  west  end  of  Riverside  Park,  facing  the  Tittabawassee.  This  was  an  ideal 
location  for  a  canoe  club,  and  it  soon  became  a  popular  rendezvous  of  devotees 
of  the  sport.  Members  quite  generally  kept  their  canoes  at  the  club  house, 
as  it  was  the  most  convenient  point  from  which  to  paddle  in  the  shade  of 
overhanging  trees  alonij  the  banks,  or  through  the  "cut"  into  the  Shiawassee. 


THIRTEENTH    GREEN 
Saginaw  Country  <'lul>  Golf  Links 


384 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  following  year  the  scope  of  the  club  was  extended  to  include  dancing 
parties  on  the  broad  porch,  and  catering  service  was  inaugurated.  After- 
ward clay  pigeon  shooting  was  added  to  official  sports,  and  a  "small  stand  was 
erected  for  the  comfort  of  the  members  and  their  friends.  A  tennis  court  was 
later  laid  out  to  accommodate  members  devoted  to  this  game.  In  all,  the 
club  has  been  prominent  in  promoting  interest  in  wholesome  out-of-doors 
sports  and  games. 

At  length  it  seemed  advisable  to  extend  the  privileges  and  usefulness  of 
the  club  by  building  a  larger  and  better  appointed  club  house.  The  question 
of  location  was  debatable  for  a  time,  but  the  appropriate  grounds  on  Osakina 
Island  of  Ezra  Rust  Park  offered  the  greatest  advantages  to  the  greater  num- 
ber of  members,  and  was  chosen  to  the  general  satisfaction  of  the  club.  The 
capita]  stock  was  increased  to  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  a  campaign  started 
for  increased  membership.  This  move  was  successfully  made  and  in  1913 
the  large  new  club  house  was  erected  and  furnished  in  rare  taste.  The  fol- 
lowing Summer  the  grounds  were  brought  to  grade,  levelled  off  and  seeded, 
and  otherwise  improved.  A  landing  for  canoes  and  boats  was  constructed  on 
tlie  river  bank  close  to  the  side  of  the  club  house,  and  proper  housing  pro- 
vided for  all  canoes  owned  by  the  members.  A  good  catering  service  was 
provided  and  everything  arranged  for  the  pleasure  and  comfort  of  members, 
which  generally  identify  well  conducted  social  clubs.  The  dancing  parties 
and  social  functions  given  by  the  club  or  by  individual  members,  are  among 
the  brilliant  social  events  of  the  year,  and  the  popularity  of  the  club  is 
increasing. 

The  members  comprising  the  present  board  of  directors  are:  Howard 
O'Brien,  president:  Archie  Milne,  commodore:  Doctor  J.  A.  Connery,  vice- 
commodore;  F.  H.  Jerome,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  Robert  H.  Cook, 
Herbert  E.  Cross,  John  Benson,  J.  C.  Craves  and  T.  A.  Saylor. 


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SAGINAW    CANOE    CLUB    ON    OSAKINA     ISLAND 


The  Elks 

Saginaw  Lodge,  No.  47.  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Flks, 
was  instituted  June  23,  1886,  and  chartered  on  December  12th  of  the  same 
year.  The  objects  and  purposes  of  the  association  are  to  protect  and  aid  its 
members  and  their  families,  and  to  promote  friendship  and  social  intercourse, 
and  to  accumulate  a  fund  for  that  purpose.  The  articles  of  incorporation 
were  drawn  up  and  signed  by  fourteen  members  as  follows:  H.  D.  Norris, 
O.  F.  Stevens,  William  C.  Bernard,  C.  E.  Ring,  Edward  \\  .  Henssler,  Hamil- 
ton Bogardus,  James  G.  Harris,  Merritt  11.  Eggleston,  |ohn  Prendergast, 
John  P.  Hemmeter,  Edward  W.  McCormick,  Charles  C.  Stevens  and  W.  K. 
Kerwin.  The  lodge  was  thereupon  instituted  by  John  R.  Sterling.  District 
Deputy,  assisted  by  members  of  Detroit  Podge,  No.  34.  with  thirty-eight 
charter  members.  The  regular  sessions  of  the  lodge  are  held  every  Thursday 
evening  at  the  Elk's  Temple. 


RELIGIOUS  AND  SOCIAL  LIFE 


385 


The  first  lodge  hall  of  the  order  was  in  the  McLean  Block,  on  the  north 
side  of  Genesee  Avenue  between  Baum  and  Jefferson.  As  the  lodge  increased 
in  membership  the  quarters  were  moved  to  the  Lloyd  Block  on  Washington 
Avenue,  which,  upon  reconstruction  of  the  building  by  the  late  Michael 
Jeffers,  were  again  moved  to  the  Metropole  Building  on  North  Washington. 
But  as  the  order  continued  to  grow  in  numbers  and  influence  a  club  house, 
built  especially  for  the  social  needs  of  the  lodge  was  deemed  necessary,  and 
the  valuable  property  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Germania  and  Warren 
Avenues  was  purchased  for  live  thousand  dollars.  Plans  were  then  drawn 
for  an  elaborate  and  perfectly  appointed  club  house,  which  was  erected  in 
1906  and  1907,  at  a  cost  of  about  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Elk's  Temple  is  an  imposing  structure  of  paving  brick  and  cut  stone, 
two  stories  and  high  basement;  and  was  dedicated  on  November  18.  1907, 
with  appropriate  ceremonies.     It  is  the  social  center  of  the   Klk's  activities, 

and  affords  every  facility  for  the  ex- 
ercise of  those  cordial  and  fraternal 
relations  among  the  member'-,  which 
have  made  the  order  famous  through- 
out the  country.  There  are  bowling 
alleys,  billiard  and  pool  rooms,  a  per- 
fectly appointed  grill,  reading  room 
with  current  magazines,  and  a  small 
library. 

At  the  time  the  club  house  was 
projected  there  were  about  three  hun- 
dred members  enrolled  in  the  lodge, 
but  so  successful  has  been  the  social 
and  benevolent  work  of  the  club,  that 
the  membership  in  1916  reached 
eleven  hundred.  As  the  building  was 
designed  to  comfortably  accommo- 
date three  hundred  and  fifty  ti  >  f<  >ur 
hundred  members,  it  has  become  greatly  overcrowded,  especially  on  occasions 
such  as  the  annual  Christmas  tree  festivities,  and  annual  and  special  meetings. 
To  meet  the  emergency  a  project  was  advanced  in  1916  for  the  addition  of 
another  story  to  the  building  which,  provided  with  casement  windows,  would 
serve  as  a  roof  garden  in  Summer,  and  a  large  auditorium  in  Winter.  This 
improvement  when  realized  will  relieve  the  congestion  on  the  other  floors, 
and  afford  space  for  private  dining  rooms  and  cither  conveniences  greatly 
needed. 

Every  Tuesday  afternoon  the  dining  room  of  the  club  is  given  over  to 
the  ladies  of  the  members,  and  their  friends,  who  quite  generally  avail  them- 
selves of  the  privileges  extended,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  card  parties, 
socials  and  teas. 

The  Past  Exalted  Rulers  of  the  Elks  are :  Rowland  Connor,  James 
Stewart,  George  A.  Reynolds,  Thomas  A.  Kerr,  H.  D.  Norris,  W.  H.  Winnie, 
C.  J.  Reynick,  C.  F.  Schoeneberg,  J.  W.  Messner,  W.  C.  McKinney,  Emmett 
L.  Beach,  Julius  W.  Ippel,  Edwin  C.  Peters,  C.  E.  Gage,  C.  F.  Bauer,  C.  E. 
Lown  and  A.  W.  Ganschow. 

The  present  officers  are  :  Alexander  C.  Sutherland,  E.  R. ;  Carl  J.  Bauer, 
E.  Leading  K. ;  Henry  Naegely.  E.  Lecturing  K. ;  Doctor  Charles  P.  Stone, 
E.  Loyal  K. ;  Charles  F.  Nelson,  Tyler ;  Robert  T.  Holland,  Esquire  ;  Herman 
Krause,  Inner  Guard ;  Rowland  Connor,  Secretary,  and  Henrv  Witters. 
Treasurer. 


THE     ELK'S     TEMPLE 


i  < 


m  tr. 


f 


William    Binder 
.Mrs.    Jennie   Paine 
George  L».   Burrows 


PIONEER    RESIDENTS    OF    SAGINAW    CITY 
Mrs.    W.    A.    Armstrong 
Lorenzo    I  !ui  rows,    .Jr. 
Mrs.  George  L.   Burrows 


Harvey    Joslin 
Teresa   Jones 
I  tarry    Miller 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  3S7 


Masonic  Orders 

The  Masonic  Order  in  Saginaw  Valley  had  its  beginning  in  Germania 
Lodge,  No.  79,  which  was  organized  in  Doctor  M.  C.  T.  Plessner's  house  in 
March,  1854.  The  first  officers  of  this  lodge  were  M.  C.  T.  Plessner,  W.  M., 
Count  Solms,  S.  \\\,  and  G.  Liskow,  J.  W.,  who  with  five  members  instituted 
the  lodge  and  held  meetings  in  the  building  at  the  corner  of  Cass  and  Hamil- 
ton Streets.  Doctor  Plessner  was  Worshipful  Master  from  1854  to  1862  and 
from  186S  to  1874;  Otto  Roeser,  1863-64:  Cunt  Solms.  1875-76.  Afterward 
Henry  Bafnhard,  A.  W.  Achard  and  Peter  Herrig  held  the  office.  The 
present  officers  are  Frederick  G.  Oppermann.  W.  M. ;  William  Stange,  secre- 
tav  ;    Andrew  Gosen,  treasurer. 

At  East  Saginaw  the  organization  under  dispensation  of  Saginaw  Lodge, 
No.  77.  F.  &  A.  M..  was  next  effected.  On  June  23,  1855,  the  dispensation 
w;is  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  to  Moses  B.  Hess,  as  W.  M. ;  David 
Hughes,  S.  W.  and  James  A.  Large,  J.  W.  The  other  charter  members  were 
S.  C.  Munson,  S.  C.  Beach,  A.  F.  Hayden  and  David  F.  Hess.  On  the  last 
dav  of  [ulv.  1855,  the  degree  of  E.  A.  was  conferred  upon  Norman  Little, 
William  L.  I'.  Little,  William  L.  Webber  and  Charles  B.  Mott.  The  charter 
was  granted  in  January,  1856,  and  the  lodge  was  dedicated  on  February  27th. 
Among  the  early  Worshipful  Masters  of  the  lodge  were  James  A.  I. arm-. 
William  I..  Webber,  William  J.  Bartow,  J.  S.  Goodman  and  Frank  Lawrence. 
In  1868  the  lodge  had  a  tine  hall,  thirty-two  by  fifty  feet  in  size,  well  fur- 
nished and  lighted  with  gas.  The  present  officers  are  D.  A.  Nicol,  W.  M.; 
Z.  D.  Ells,  S.  W.;  llan'.ld  Walz,  J.  W. ;  II.  A.  Penney,  treasurer;  J.  W. 
Hilling,  secretary;   Trustees,  A.  G.  Ritchie,  W.  J.  Winston  and  A.  G.  Meakin. 

Saginaw  Valley  Chapter.  No.  31,  R.  A.  M..  received  its  charter  January 
12,  1864,  with  William  L  Webber.  H.  P.;  Charles  B.  Mott,  K. ;'  S.  W. 
Yawkey.  S..  and  William  J.  Bartow,  Ezra  Rust.  E.  W.  Lyon,  L.  A.  S.  Lein- 
heim.  George  W.  Merrill.  J.  C.  Lowell,  Charles  E.  Gillett,  George  F.  Lewis, 
John  J.  Wheeler,  R.  II.  Weidemann,  A.  P.  Brewer.  M.  B.  Hess,  John  S. 
Estabrook,  1.  M.  Smith,  Charles  W.  Grant  and  William  Hodgson,  charter 
members.  The  first  meeting  of  the  chapter  was  held  on  February  4,  1864. 
'fhe  officers  in  1916  are:  frank  W.  Pohlman,  II.  I'.;  William  A.  Shackel- 
ford, K. ;  Doctor  C.  M.  Welch,  S. ;  George  E.  Scollen,  secretary;  Harry 
i  >ppenheimer,  treasurer. 

Saginaw  Valley  Lodge,  No.  154  was  organized  under  dispensation  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1804,  with  D.  M.  Bennett,  W.  M. ;  William  McBratnie,  S.  W.,  and 
T.  L.  Jackson,  J.  W.  A  charter  was  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  on  June  13. 
1865,  under  which  the  same  officers  were  installed.  The  present  officers  of 
this  lodge  are;  Fred  Dustin.  W.  M.;  G.  J.  Brenner.  S.  W. ;  Richard  \\  . 
Atwell,  J.  W. ;  Charles  W.  Khuen.  treasurer;  Wm.  H.  McBratnie.  secretary. 
Executive  Committee;      Henry  R.  Witt  and  J.  A.  Huff. 

Saginaw  Council,  No.  20,  R.  S.  M..  was  organized  July  25,  1866,  and  soon 
attained  a  high  place  among  Masonic  (  )rders  of  the  State.  In  1881  its  officers 
were:  Fred  E.  Hoyt,  T.  I.M.;  D.  B.  Reeves.  D.  M.;  Charles  Doughty.  1'.  C. 
of  W.  ;  W.  Fitzgerald.  C.  and  G. ;  D.  Hoyt.  treasurer.  George  B.  Gage, 
recorder,  and  II.  II.  Cheeney  and  William  Cole.  The  officers  for  1916  are: 
R.  K.  Logan,  T.  I.  M. ;  Fred  Dustin,  D.  M.;  Thomas  Brown,  P.  C.  W.  ; 
Frank  Robinson,  secretary;  Henry  Feige,  treasurer;  C.  M.  Welch.  C.  G. ; 
Roy  Rogers,  C.  C. 

St.  Bernard  Commandery,  No.  16,  K.  T.,  was  also  organized  in  1800, 
and  at  the  annual  conclave  F.  E.  Hoyt  was  elected  E.  C. ;  T.  E.  Borden, 
general ;  George  L.  Remington,  captain  general ;  Edwin  Saunders,  prel ; 
F.  A.  Ashley,  S.  W. ;  A.  D.  Macomber,  J.  W.;  William  H.  Clark,  treasurer; 
J.   H.   Woollacott,  recorder;    William  Grant,   St.   B. :    William   H.   Cambrey, 


388  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


S.  B. ;  Charles  A.  Lee,  warden;  William  Cole,  sentinel;  William  Williamson, 
C.  W.  Crav  and  (  ).  J.  Hetherington,  guards.  The  present  officers  of  this 
commanderv  are:  William  H.  Filbert.  E.  C. ;  William  H.  McBratnie,  G. ; 
James  A.  Griggs,  C.  G. ;  H.  B.  Fry,  S.  W. ;  Charles  Koeppler,  J.  W. ; 
Reverend  Emil  Montanus,  P.;  William  Wallace,  treasurer:  Andrew  J.  Lynd, 
reo  irder. 

Joppa  Chapter,  No.  63,  R.  A.  ML,  was  organized  January  13,  1869;  and 
in  1881  (',.  EC.  Grout,  Charles  A.  Lee.  DeWitt  C.  Dixon.  Frank  R.  Ganschow, 
George  11.  Durand,  John  Ballentine,  Jira  S.  Martin.  F.  1.  Peek.  N.  W.  Wright, 
B.  B.  Bartlett.  W.  W.  Knight  and  H.  W  .  Whitney  were  most  active  in  con- 
ducting the  work.  The  present  officers  are:  Burton  S.  Tefft,  H.  P.;  Howard 
1.  Gilbert,  K. ;  Clarence  Bauer.  S. ;  L.  J.  Richter,  treasurer:  J.  A.  Huff, 
secretary. 

Elf  Khurafeh  Temple.  A.  A.  O.  N.  M.  S.,  meets  at  Masonic  Temple  on 
call.  (  If  its  officers  Hiram  A.  Savage  is  Potentate;  Floyd  A.  Wilson.  C.  R. : 
John  0.  Newberry.  A.  R.  ;    Wm.   11.'  Mead.  II.  P.  and  P.;    Charles  A.  Khuen, 

0.  G. ;     Harry    E.   Oppenheimer,   treasurer;    Win.    11.    McBratnie,   secretary. 

Arab  Patrol  has  for  its  officers  '  >tto  F.  Richter,  president;  Clarence  M. 
Ereton,  captain;    Edwin  C.  Forrest,  adjt;    William  11.  McBratnie,  secretary. 

Ancient  Landmarks  Lodge.  No.  303.  F.  &  A.  M.,  was  instituted  in  the 
Spring  of  1871  with  C.  II.  Cage  as  \\'.  M.  Doctor  B.  1!.  Ross,  Lawson  C. 
Holden.  Henrj  I'..  Roney,  Charles  F.  Weber.  J.  M.  Brooks.  Douglas  White 
and  William  Cole  were  prominently  identified  with  it.  The  present  officers 
are:     Homer  L.  Blaisdell,  W.  M. ;   Guy  D.  Meston,  S.  W.;    Otto  F.  Eckert, 

1.  W.;  Charles  L.  Bigelow,  S.  D. ;  Joseph  S.  Gerhart,  1.  D. ;  Charles  J.  I'helps, 
secretary;    Frank  W.    Perry,  treasurer. 

Apollo  Lodge,  No.  348,  was  organized  in  1S77  with  W.  W.  Knight, 
W.  M. ;  Byron  B.  Stark.  S.  W. ;  Reuben  W.  Andrus,  J.  W. ;  <  (liver  1'.  Barber, 
secretary;  ami  Nathan  S.  Wood,  treasurer;  Thomas  M.  lames,  S.  D. ;  and 
Charles  E.  Wheeler,  J.  D. 

Salina  Lodge,  No.  153.  was  instituted  in  1867;  Saginaw  Valley  Conclave, 
No.  4.  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine  was  organized  April  27,  1874,  and  East 
Star  Lodge,  No.  6  i  colored  )  was  chartered  in  1862. 

Merlin    Grotto    No.   63    Mystic    Order 

\  ,  Veiled    Prophets    Enchanted    Realm,    was 

instituted    under    dispensation    by    Harold 

/\  A  M.    Harter,    of    Toledo.    Ohio,    the    Grand 

^^  Venerable  Prophet,  on  April  15,  1915,  with 

'/ if?P   /*""¥»  _.  _ ^     /  a    charter    membership    of    fifty-one.     The 

^^te»/..-. """-rXJ  -r ""WW-/,  first  officers  appointed  at  this  time  were: 

-T/PPFElC         3,'f   /  Lvlln    B-    Emery,    Monarch;    J.    A.    Huff. 

;[   J  &PR"*"    "    --i;  JfflJK,  Chief  Justice;    Charles    E.   White,    Master 

rriz.r-~         ■""!!?•  '".';■  "*'  ceremonies;    Charles  J.    I'helps.   Secre- 

5~l|  '  f>;,*  '  tar)- :    Simon  ( i.  Koepke,  Treasurer. 

Tffc   ^5jl|  (  >n    April    28th,    the    first    Ceremonial 

ij^^%.  and    Initiation    was   held   at   the   Academy 

MB    j|i  i****  of   Music,  the   Degree  being  conferred  by 

8^,'   jf*~      (~\      ,.     ;•...,„..         Zal-Gaz  Grotto,  of  Ann  Arbor,  on  eighty- 
§§      njJK      ■■_  five    candidates.     A    charter    was    granted 

^■WH    >'^^  '  -P-E^gSHB&g      by    the    Supreme    Council    at    the    annual 

5  atmm  meeting  held  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  on  June  9, 

1915.     The  present  membership  is  385. 

MASONIC    TEMPLE  Th£      (  ;,.,  )tto     has     f,  „.     jts     pUrpose     the 

bringing  together  of  all  Masons  into  one  common  body  and  promoting  the 
spirit  of  good-fellowship. 


RELIGIOUS   AND   SOCIAL    LIFE  389 

Other  Fraternal  Orders 

Of  the  Independent  (  >rder  of  (  >dd  Fellows.  Saginaw  Lodge,  No.  42,  was 
the  first  to  be  instituted  in  Saginaw.  On  February  9,  1849,  this  lodge  was 
organized  by  Charles  D.  Little,  special  D.  D.  (i.  M.,  and  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  W.  L.  P.  Little,  N.  G. ;  J.  S.  Woodruff,  V.  G. ;  J.  B. 
Chamberlain,  secretary,  and  J.  Bookstaver,  treasurer. 

Oriental  Lodge,  No.  188,  meets  Friday  evening  at  2710  South  Washing- 
ton Avenue.  James  P.  King  is  N.  G. ;  Roy  VV.  Phoenix,  R.  S. ;  and  Frank 
Newvine,  treasurer. 

The  Star  Lodge,  No.  156,  was  the  second  circle  of  I  >dd-Fellowship  organ- 
ized in  this  city;  with  Charles  Move  as  X.  G..  in  1853.  The  lodge  was 
reorganized  in  1872.  Its  officers  are  G.  J.  Watkins,  X.  G. ;  William  Parkins, 
secretary;    Frank   Maruna,  treasurer. 

O-Saw-Wa-Bon  Lodge,  No.  74,  was  instituted  at  East  Saginaw  on  June 
2.  1855.  Owing  to  the  small  population  of  the  place  and  other  causes,  the 
lodge,  whose  first  officers  were  Charles  B.  Mott,  N.  G.,  and  Alexander  Fer- 
guson, V.  G.,  gave  up  its  charter  two  years  later.  It  was  reorganized  in  1865 
with  J.  S.  Curtis,  N.  G. ;  A.  Ferguson,  R.  S. ;  C.  H.  Barton,  P.  S. ;  and 
W.  F.  Glasby,  S.  This  lodge  has  since  become  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
influential  in  the  city.  The  present  officers  are:  John  T.  Dunn,  X.  G. ; 
Edward  J.  Diehl.  recording  secretary;    George  E.  Dunn,  treasurer. 

Washington  Encampment  was  instituted  May  9,  1866,  by  M.  VV.  G.  P. 
1  lennis,  with  thirty  members  among  whom  were  A.  G.  Van  Wey,  W.  McRath, 
D.  H.  Buel.  A.  O.  T.  Eaton,  B.  Rice  and  A.  F.  Rockwith.  Valley  Encamp- 
ment, Xo.  20.  was  instituted  May  10.  1866,  with  J.  S.  Curtis.  C.  H.  Burton, 
A.  Ferguson,  T.  F.  Doughty,  VV.  11.  Southwick,  J.  M.  Luther  and  J.  H. 
McFarlin,  charter  members. 

The  other  lodges  of  this  order  are  the  Empire,  organized  August  12.  1X74; 
the  Buena  Vista  Lodge,  on  February  26,  1872;  the  Oriental,  instituted  in 
1872  with  LeRoy  II.  DeLavergne,  N.  G. :  and  the  Magara  Encampment, 
organized  April  28,  1875. 

Saginaw  Lodge,  No.  10,  Knights  of  Pythias,  was  organized  March  28, 
1873,  with  James  ( i.  Terry  as  C.  C.  This  important  lodge  has  been  well 
maintained  through  the  years,  and  its  social  and  financial  condition  is  unex- 
celled. The  present  officers  are:  Charles  W'.  Light,  C.  C. ;  A.  E.  Gold- 
smith, K.  of  R.  and  S.  and  M.  of  F. 

Thesus  Lodge,  No.  119,  meets  every  Wednesday  evening  at  413  Court 
Street.  The  officers  are:  Clinton  VV.  Osborn,  C.  C.  ;  Benjamin  F.  Eaton. 
V.  C. ;  Charles  VV.  Ellis,  prel. ;  John  Ferguson,  M.  of  A.;  E.  Baskins. 
trustee. 

The  Achilles  Lodge,  No.  15,  was  instituted  January  7.  1874;  and  in  1881 
Charles  D.  Little,  Robert  J.  Birney,  Benjamin  (leer.  Thomas  L.  Jackson, 
Racine  Purmort,  C.  M.  Beach,  and  J.  T.  Burnham,  all  prominent  citizens  of 
Saginaw    City,  were  its  most  active  members. 

East  Saginaw  Lodge,  No.  172,  Good  Templars,  was  established  Novem- 
ber 24.  1865,  with  Reverend  B.  F.  Taylor.  W.  C.  'I".  Fountain  Head  Lodge 
was  instituted  Ma)  19,  1875,  with  George  Stevens,  VV.  C.  T.,  and  forty 
charter  members. 

Among  the  older  orders  of  which  record  is  found  was  a  lodge  of  the 
Daughters  of  Rebekah,  known  as  Azure  Lodge.  Xo.  43.  which  was  instituted 
in  Saginaw  in  1871.  At  present  the  order  is  represented  here  by  Azure 
Lodge,  No.  ?)7 .  Ilah  Lodge.  No.  174.  Magnolia  Lodge,  and  Naomi  Lodge.  Xo. 
270,  all  of  which  are  in  flourishing  condition. 


OLD-TIME     PORTRAITS    OF    WELL-KNOWN    CITIZENS 

Charles    K     Penney  John    Weller                                                  John   JefCers 

Walter   Gardner  Isaac    Bearinger 

.Mrs.    E.   .1.    Ring  Isaac    Parsons                                                   Jlrs.    C.    W.    Wells 

Frederick    II     Herbert  Gurdon   Corning  and   Ida    C. 

Nicholas  A    Randall  hi     II    Williams                                           Judge  L.  C.  Holden 


RELIGIOUS  AND   SOCIAL   LIFE  391 

Court  Valley,  No.  232,  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  meets  in 
Foresters"  Temple  with  C.  E.  Hamilton  as  C.  R. ;  W.  P.  Stewart,  V.  C.  R. ; 
L.  W.  Hodgins,  recording  secretary;  A.  ( 1.  Meakin,  treasurer;  II.  J.  Lemcke, 
financial   secretary,   and   A.   Robertson   and    William   J.    McDonald,   trustees. 

Other  lodges  of  this  order  are;  Court  Acme,  No.  551;  Court  Mount- 
aineer, No.  577;  Court  Starlight,  No.  1024;  Court  Waldon,  No.  529;  and 
Court  Wanigas.  No.  4529.  There  are  also  lour  courts  of  the  Lady  Com- 
panion Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 

The  Macabees  are  a  strong  fraternal  order  in  Saginaw,  having  no  less 
than  ten  tents,  namely:  Allemania  Tent,  No.  114;  Concordia  Tent,  No.  132; 
East  Side  Tent,  No.  385:  Cage  Tent.  No.  Ill;  Italy  Tent.  No.  866;  [esse 
Hoyt  Tent,  No.  51;  John  A.  Edget  Tent,  No.  430:  Lincoln  Tent,  No.' 113; 
Penoyer  Tent,  No.  204 ;  and  Saginaw  Tent,  No.  107.  There  are  also  nine 
hives  of  Ladies  of  the  Macabees. 

The  Prudent  Patricians  of  Pompeii,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  is  splendidly 
represented  here  by  nine  primaries,  which  are:  Peninsular  Primary,  No.  1; 
Paragon  Primary,  No.  3;  Purity  Primary,  No.  5;  Peerless  Primary,  No.  6; 
Pleasant  Primary,  No.  8:  Puritan  Primary.  No.  16;  Peerless  Primary,  No. 
21;  Philemon  Primary,  No.  29;  and  Penoyer  Primary,  No.  54;  all  of  which 
are  in  flourishing  condition. 

The  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur  is  represented  by  Saginaw  Court,  No.  85,  of  which 
J.  B.  Johnson  is  P.  C. :  John  McDonald.  Chief;  Robert  Schenk,  Judge; 
E.  Schenk,  Scribe  :  and  by  Eros  Court,  No.  27,  with  Otto  A.  Weidemann, 
Chief;  Clarence  L.  Hay,  Judge;  Anna  B.  Cray,  Scribe;  and  also  by  Wash- 
ington Court,  No.  116.     William  H.  Borrowman  is  Deputy. 

The  Royal  Arcanum  has  two  councils  in  this  city,  Central  Council, 
No.  29,  having  for  its  officers  Elmer  E.  Bishop,  P.  R. ;  William  I7..  Goodman, 
R;  William  Curtin,  V.  R. ;  J.  C.  Bauer,  <  ). ;  II.  J.  Lemcke,  secretary;  J.  H. 
Woollacott,  collector,  and  Carl  R.  Rogner.  treasurer.  Saginaw  Council.  No. 
33,  meets  at  K.  of  P.  Hall  on  the  West  Side,  and  is  also  in  flourishing 
condition. 

The  Royal  League  has  one  council.  Saginaw  Council,  No.  44.  organized 
in   March,    1887.     Cordon    Robertson  is  archon;    W.   W.   Grobe,   scribe,   and 

D.  A.  King,  treasurer. 

The  Royal  Neighbors  of  America  has  Clover  Leaf  Camp,  No.  157,  and 
Woodbine  Lamp,  No.  1549;  the  Royal  Order  of  Lions  is  represented  by 
Saginaw  Den,  No.  304;  and  the  Protected  Home  Circle  by  Saginaw  Circle. 
No.  133.  and  by  Silver  Leaf  Circle,  No.  243.  The  Loyal  Guard  has  Saginaw 
Division.  No.  21  ;  the  Loyal  Order  of  Moose  by  Saginaw  Lodge,  No.  82;  the 
Modern  Brotherhood  of  America  by  Michigan  Lodge,  No.  1099,  and  Saginaw 
Lodge,  No.  1255. 

The    Modern    W Imen    of    America    has    three    camps,    East    Saginaw 

Camp,  No.  915;  South  Saginaw  Camp,  No.  4723.  and  Wheeler  Camp,  No. 
4848.  The  Orangemen  have  Eden  Lodge,  No.  120;  and  the  National  Union, 
East  Saginaw  Council,  No.  179. 

The  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles  is  represented  in  this  city  by  Saginaw 
Aerie,  No.  497.  with  Fred  L.  Travers,  W.   P.;    Charles  C.  Holmes,  W.  V.  P.: 

E.  B.  Mowers,  W.  C. ;  H.  J.  Lemcke,  secretary,  and  John  N.  Richter, 
treasurer. 

The  Knights  of  Columbus  have  a  strong  council  in  Saginaw  Council. 
No.  593,  which  has  a  fine  building  on  North  Washington  Avenue  for  its 
club  home.  The  membership  is  said  to  be  about  five  hundred,  comprising 
the  foremost  Roman  Catholic  citizens.  There  are  also  the  Knights  of  St. 
John  with  District  Commandery  and  No.  158:  and  Knights  of  Honor  repre- 
sented by  Schiller  Lodge,  No.  837,  organized  January  1,  1878,  which  meets  on 
the  West  Side. 


GENESEE    AVENUE,    LOOKING    WEST     FROM     JEFFERSON.    1900 


WASHINGTON   AVENUE.    LOOKING    NORTH    FROM    BANCROFT    HOUSE,   1900 


THE  INDUSTRIAL  HISTORY 
OF  SAGINAW 


CHAPTER    XVI 

THE  LUMBER  INDUSTRY 


Predictions  of  First  Settlers  —  Earliest  Saw  Mills  — The  "Williams'1  Mill  — The 
First  Mill  on  the  East  Side  —  Emerson  Shipped  the  First  Lumber  —  Evolution  of  Saw- 
ing Machinery  —  Logs  and  Booms  —  The  Output  of  the  Tittabawassee  —  The  Famous 
Cork  Pine  of  the  Cass  —  Lumber  Production  of  the  Saginaw  River — Experiences  in 
the  North  Woods  —  Theology  in  Camp  —  "Captain"  Xaegely  and  the  Lumber-jacks  — 
Some  Old-tinu-  Mills  —  A  Model  Establishment  —  Saw  Mills  in  the  Eighties  —  Output 
of  Saginaw  Mills  in  1S92  —  Saginaw  Becomes  a  Distributing  Market  —  Charles  Mer- 
rill—  John  S.  Estabrook  —  Samuel  H.  Webster — Benjamin  F.  Webster  —  Washing- 
ton S.  Green  —  Isaac  Parsons  —  Characteristics  of  Amnii  W.  Wright — Ralph  A.  Love- 
land —  William   II.   Edwards. 

THAT  the  Saginaw  \  alley  is  entitled  to  pre-eminence  in  a  history  of  the 
lumber  industry  of  the  Northwest,  is  generally  conceded,  in  view  oi 
the  fact  that  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  State's  development,  it  was 
the  central  figure  around  which  the  lumber  business  of  a  large  section 
of  Michigan  revolved,  while  in  the  main  its  conditions  were  an  index  to  those 
of  the  State  at  large.  The  Saginaw  River  is  the  effluent  of  a  number  of 
streams  which  penetrate  the  confines  of  the  Huron  watershed,  and  drain  an 
area  of  thirty-two  hundred  square  miles.  The  principal  stream  is  the  Titta- 
bawassee with  numerous  branches  extending  to  the  North  and  West.  At 
the  confluence  of  this  river  with  the  Saginaw  is  the  Shiawassee  River  run- 
ning southward,  while  a  short  distance  above  are  the  Cass  and  Flint  rivers, 
extending  to  the  East  and  Northeast,  with  various  creeks  penetrating  the 
pine  forests  of  the  "Thumb." 

jThe  early  settlers  of  Saginaw  Valley  of  the  period  of  1830,  while  fully 
aware  of  the  existence  of  vast  forests  of  pine  throughout  this  section  of  the 
State,  did  not  fully  comprehend  their  extent  or  value,  yet  knew  enough  to 
render  them  skeptical  as  to  the  possibility  of  their  exhaustion  in  their  own. 
or  the  lifetime  of  their  children.  The  supply  of  timber  in  the  illimitable, 
but  accessible  forests  of  Maine,  was  supposed  to  be  sufficient  with  the  most 
wasteful  extravagance,  to  answer  all  the  demands  of  the  East  for  a  century, 
hence  the  idea  that  the  timber  of  Michigan  could  ever  be  in  more  than  local 
demand,  was  preposterous.  How  correct  these  predictions;  how  short  a 
time  —  scarcely  more  than  half  a  century  —  it  has  taken  to  tell  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  vast  pine  forests  of  Michigan  and  Wisconsin,  as  well  as  those  of 
Maine.  Even  the  present  timber  resources  of  Canada  would  provide  for  the 
consumptive  demand  of  the  United  States  for  only  a  few  months.  Later, 
when  lumber  was  shipped  by  cargo  to  the  Albany  market,  in  active  competi- 
tion with  the  product  of  Maine,  the  views  of  the  early  settlers  underwent  a 
change;  and  late  in  the  sixties  it  was  foreseen  that,  at  the  rate  the  pine  was 
then  disappearing,  before  the  close  of  the  century  the  pine  lumber  business 
of  Michigan  would  end. 


394  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  Earliest  Saw  Mills 

Albert  Miller,  in  his  interesting  contributions  to  pioneer  history,  men- 
tions that,  on  his  first  visit  to  Saginaw  in  1830,  he  passed  the  saw"  mill  of 
Rufus  Stevens  at  the  crossing  of  the  Thread  River,  near  Flint,  and  asserts 
that  this  was  the  first  mill  on  waters  tributary  to  the  Saginaw.  Another 
mill  was  that  of  Rowland  Perry  and  Harvey  Spencer  at  Grand  Blanc,  on  the 
head  waters  of  the  Thread  River.  The  first  raft  .if  timber  floated  on  the 
tributaries  of  the  Saginaw  was  out  at  the  Stevens  mill,  and  hauled  to  the 
Flint  River,  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  where  it  was  rafted.  In  1830 
an  attempt  was  made  by  Alden  Tupper  to  build  a  mill  on  the  Flint  below 
Flushing,  but  it  never  did  any  work.  George  Oliver  ran  the  Thread  River 
mill  for  Mr.  Stevens,  and  a  few  years  later  a  grist  mill  was  added,  and  there- 
upon  became  known  as  the  "'Thread   Mills." 

The  first  lumber  at  Saginaw  probably  was  cut  by  Albert  Miller  in  the 
primitive  man-power  method,  he  being  the  "pit"  sawyer  and  Joseph  Busby 
or  t  harles  A.  Lull  the  "top"  sawyer.  This  was  early  in  the  thirties,  and  the 
lumber  thus   laboriously   made    was   used    for   building  their   homes. 

The  "Williams"  Mill 
It  was  in  1834  that  Harvey  Williams,  familiarly  known  as  "Uncle  Har- 
vey," came  to  Saginaw  from  Detroit  and  built  for  Gardner  1  >.  and  Ephraim  S. 
Williams,  his  cousins,  the  first  steam  saw  mill  on  the  Saginaw  River,  thus 
inaugurating  the  lumber  industry  of  this  stream.  This  mill,  which  was  first 
operated  in  1835,  was  a  very  primitive  affair,  having  a  single  gate  saw  driven 
by  an  engine  of  wonderful  proportions,  and  calculated  to  cut  about  two  thou- 
sand feet  oi  one-inch  boards  in  a  day  of  twelve  hours.  The  engine,  originally 
built  for  the  first  steamboat,  the  Walk-in-the-Water,  to  ply  the  ( ireat  Lakes, 
had  a  cylinder  six  inches  in  diameter  by  forty-eight  inches  stroke,  and  after- 
ward, following  the  wrecking  of  that  boat  in  1822,  had  been  installed  in  the 
steamboat  Superior,  and  rendered  good  service  for  more  than  ten  years  longer. 
Harvey  Williams  was  an  excellent  blacksmith  and  all-round  mechanic,  and 
personally  forged  the  main  parts  of  the  iron  work  for  the  mill,  bringing  it 
from  Detroit  when  ready  for  use.  He  succeeded  in  adapting  the  peculiar 
construction  and  power  of  the  engine  to  the  uses  and  needs  of  sawing 
machinery;    and  afterward  provided  a  run  of  stone  for  gristing. 

To  Gardner  1).  Williams,  who  came  to  this  forest  wilderness  in  1826,  is 
honor  due  for  being  the  first  lumberman  on  the  Saginaw.  He  was  of  the 
sturdy,  progressive  type  of  pioneer,  fearless,  and  undaunted  by  the  difficulties 
ol  border  life.  A  strong  man,  physically  and  mentally,  he  became  inured  to 
hardship  and  privation,  and  in  following  the  occupation  of  fur  trader  grad- 
ually assumed  the  customs  and  habits  of  the  native  Indians,  whose"  true 
friend  he  was.  (A  portrait  of  Mr.  Williams  appears  on  page  ninety.)  In 
this  connection  an  interesting  tale  is  told  by  a  well  known  lady  of  tlie  East 
Side,  wdio,  coming  to  the  settlement  on  the  Saginaw  when  a  mere  child,  lived 
with  her  family  in  the  old  block  house,  which  had  been  a  part  of  Fort  Sagi- 
naw in  1822-23. 

"It  was  yet  in  the  thirties."  she  said,  "that  one  delightful  day  in  Summer 
a  young  Indian  girl  appeared  at  the  block  house,  with  basketry  and  other 
articles  of  craftsmanship  of  her  race  for  sale.  Because  of  her  beauty  and 
grace  of  bearing,  as  well  as  by  the  hue  texture  of  her  dress,  she  everywhere 
attracted  attention  and  was  an  object  of  my  curiosity,  though  I  was  but  a 
mere  child.  Instead  of  the  loose  and  much  soiled  garments  of  the  average 
Indian,  she  was  clad  in  a  beautiful  robe,  evidently  of  European  manufac- 
ture,   her   stockings   were    silken,   and    instead    of   moccassins   she    wore    fine 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


395 


CHOPPERS  AT  WORK  IN  THE  FOREST 


leather  shoes  of  style  and  lit  which  betrayed  a  foreign  origin.  Her  skin, 
though  tanned  by  exposure  to  the  elements,  was  soft  and  fair,  her  hands 
were  shapely  and  without  the  appearance  of  toil  or  drudgery,  and  her  luxur- 
iant hair  was  carefully  combed  and  dressed  in  some  semblance  to  the  style 
of  the  frontier.  Her  manner  was  gentle  and  her  voice  soft  and  musical, 
denoting  care  and  patience  in  her  training  to  young  womanhood.  1  had 
never  seen  so  striking  a  beauty  among  the  Indian  girls,  and  was  eager  t  <  > 
know    her  name  and  whence  she  came. 

"When  she  had  gone  I  asked  the  woman  who  conducted  the  little  tavern, 
whi i  she  was  and  where  she  lived.  "  'Why,  have  you  not  heard?'  she  replied, 
'the  little  Indian  girl  is  the  daughter  of  the  great  trader.  Gard  Williams 
whose  Indian  wigwam  is  mi  the  hanks  of  the  Tittabawassee.'  Afterward, 
I  learned  that  the  abode  of  the  squaw  who  was  her  mother,  and  one  among 
a  thousand  of  her  race,  was  indeed  up  the  river  on  the  site  of  an  ancient  Indian 
village.  Within,  it  was  lacking  the  tawdry  trappings  of  the  savage,  but  was 
comfortably  furnished  with  home-like  articles  of  real  utility,  and  the  clothing 
of  the  Indian  woman  was  of  the  finest  texture  and  weave." 

In  extenuation,  it  may  be  said  that  in  the  earliest  days  of  settlement  of 
the  wilderness,  when  the  whites  were  so  few  and  interspersed  with  renegades 
from  Canada,  the  mixing  of  the  races  and  rearing  of  Indian  families  by  the 
traders,  was  not  an  uncommon  occurrence,  though  frowned  upon  by  the 
better  element  of  the  scant  population. 

The  mill  of  the  Williams  Brothers,  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street,  was 
for  several  years  of  more  than  ample  capacity  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  few- 
settlers  who  had  made  homes  for  themselves  in  the  valley.  A  cut  of  two 
thousand  feet  per  day  was  considered  excellent,  and  required  the  engine  to 
be  run  at  its  full  power,  with  its  ponderous  sash  or  gate  rising  and  falling 
with  ever}-  revolution  of  the  twelve-foot  fly  wheel,  to  which  it  was  directly 
connected.  With  various  improvements  of  equipment  this  mill  was  operated 
off  and  on  for  a  number  of  years,  but  was  finally  burned  July  4.  1X54.  having 
been  set  on  fire,  it  was  supposed,  by  a  fire-cracker.     It  was  rebuilt  and  oper- 


396  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

ated  during  the  peril  id  of  increasing  production  of  lumber  on  the  river,  but 
was  again  destroyed  by  fire  in  the  early  eighties.  Rebuilt  by  George  F., 
William  A.  and  Stewart  B.  Williams,  sons  of  Gardner  D.,  on  a  much  larger 
scale  and  equipped  with  modern  sawing  machinery,  with  an  extensive  salt 
block,  this  mill  was  one  of  the  largest  at  the  upper  end  of  the  river,  and  con- 
tinued in  operation  until  the  exhaustion  of  the  pine  timber  resources  of  this 
section.  At  the  close  of  the  century  the  "Williams"  mill,  as  it  was  commonly 
called,  was  for  the  third  time  wiped  out  by  fire,  and  nothing  remained  to 
mark  the  location  of  a  once  prosperous  business. 

The  First  Mill  on  the  East  Side 

In  the  Fall  of  1836  "Uncle  Harvey"  Williams  built  a  mulay  mill  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river  for  Mackie,  Oakley  &  Jennison,  of  New  York,  in  which 
firm  he  had  a  financial  interest,  and  thus,  with  Norman  Little  began  a  new 
settlement.  The  mill  was  situated  (see  page  141)  on  rising  ground  just 
south  of  the  present  Bristol  Street  bridge,  on  the  site  of  the  gas  works. 
When  ready  to  commence  operations  in  1X37,  with  an  engine  of  ten  inch  bore 
and  fourteen  inch  stroke,  it  was  confidently  expected  that  its  capacity  was 
fully  equal  to  any  demand  for  lumber  for  at  least  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
How  little  was  it  comprehended  that  within  the  lifetime  of  the  pioneer  lum- 
bermen, the  demand  upon,  and  the  production  of  lumber  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley  would  reach  a  thousand  million  feet  in  a  year,  as  was  the  case  in  1882, 

The  mill  was  engaged  in  the  first  few  years  of  its  operation  in  cutting 
"long  stuff"  for  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  then  but  recently  commenced. 
After  an  uncertain  existence  of  eight  years  the  mill  was  closed  down,  and 
with  three  empty  house--  stood  as  a  reminder  of  shattered  hopes.  Its  use- 
fulness was  not  ended,  however,  for  under  the  influence  of  youthful  energy 
and  determination,  and  ample  capital,  its  machinery  was  overhauled  and  again 
put  into  action. 

Curtis  Emerson  was  the  rejuvenating  spirit  of  the  old  mill,  who,  in  the 
Spring  of  184o,  in  association  with  Charles  W.  Grant,  purchased  the  prop- 
erty and  cine  hundred  and  seventy-five  acres  of  land  in  the  vicinity,  for  six 
thousand  dollars.  Having  spent  ten  thousand  dollars  in  placing  new  boilers, 
engine  and  other  new  equipment,  the  mill  was  ready  for  successful  opera- 
tion: and  was  thereafter  known  as  the  "Emerson"  mill.  It  was  fifty-five 
feet  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  dimensions,  and  had  three  upright 
saws  of  three  thousand  feet  a  day  capacity,  each;  one  edging  table  and  a 
butting  saw.  The  engine  was  of  seventy-five  horse  power,  with  a  stroke  of 
four  and  a  half  feet,  and  the  new  boilers  were  eighteen  feet  long  by  forty-two 
inches  in  diameter.  The  annual  capacity  was  about  three  million  feet,  work- 
ing by  day  only.  In  those  days  no  slabs  or  saw-dust  were  used  as  fuel,  the 
refuse  from  the  saws  being  hauled  away  to  dumps  at  an  expense  of  five  dol- 
lars a  day.  though  the  boilers  consumed  seven  cords  of  mixed  wood  in  twelve 
hours,  at  a  cost  of  two  dollars  a  cord.  In  later  years,  when  cord  wood  was 
not  so  easily  obtained,  a  large  part  of  the  waste  was  burned  under  the  boilers 
of  the  river  mills. 

Emerson  Shipped  the   First  Cargo  of  Lumber 

The  first  cargo  of  clear  lumber  ever  shipped  from  the  Saginaws  was 
loaded  at  the  Emerson  mill  in  1X47.  It  was  consigned  to  C.  P.  Williams  & 
Company,  of  Albany,  New  York,  and  was  the  first  cargo  of  clear  cork  pine 
to  reach  that  market.  Its  peculiar  value  quickly  attracted  attention,  and  an 
immediate  demand  for  Saginaw  pine  lumber  was  created.  This  first  ship- 
ment to  a  foreign  market  was  the  birth  of  the  lumber  business  in  the  valley, 
and  Emerson  &  Eldridge,  who  then  operated  the  mill,  projected  better  facili- 
ties  for  transportation. 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  3U7 

In  1850  Charles  W.  Grant  and  Jesse  Hoyt  built  the  second  mill  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  at  the  foot  of  German  Street.  It  was  known  as  the 
"Hoyt"  mill,  and  was  successfully  operated  until  March  26,  1854.  when  it  was 
destroyed  with  a  large  quantity  of  lumber,  in  the  great  tire  which  swept  from 
the  river  to  Washington  Street.  The  next  mill  in  succession  was  that  of 
Sears  &  Holland,  erected  in  1855,  near  the  foot  of  Atwater  Street. 

Meanwhile,  the  great  flow  of  capital  to  the  valley  had  stimulated  invest- 
ment in  timber  lands  and  building  of  saw  mills,  and  by  1854  there  were,  upon 
the  authority  of  John  S.  Estabrook,  twenty-nine  mills  on  the  river,  and  nine 
others  in  process  of  building,  with  an  estimated  cutting  capacity  of  one  hun- 
dred million  feet  a  year.  At  the  upper,  or  Saginaw,  end  of  the  river  there 
were  in  1857  fourteen  saw  mills,  and  nine  on  the  tributary  streams,  and 
these  cut  in  that  year  sixty  million  feet.  An  authentic  list  of  these  mills 
appeared  in  the  first  History  of  Saginaw  County,  published  by  Truman  B. 
Fox,  in  1858,  and  is  herewith  transcribed: 

East  Saginaw 

Cut  Value 

Cushing  &  Company 4,500,000  feet         $  36.000.00 

I.    Hill    " 2,500.000  feet  21,000.00 

L.  B.  Curtis 3.000,000  feet  24.000.00 

D.  G.  Holland 1.500,000  feet  10.0(H). Of) 

Whitney  &  Garrison 3,000,000  feet  24,000.00 

Gallagher  Mill,  (W.  F.  Glasby) 2.000,000  feet  14.000.00 

Copefand  &  Companv 1.500.000  feet  10,000.00 

Atwater  Mill,  (  Sears  &  1 1.  .Hand  ) 3,500,000  feet  30,000.00 

Saginaw  City 

Gang  Mill   7.000,000  feet        $  30,000.00 

G.  D.  Williams  &  Son 2,500,000  feet  21,000.00 

Millard  Mill.  ( Curtis  &  King) 3,500,000  feet  30.0CXD.00 

Zilwaukee 

Johnson's,    ( John    Drake  | 4,000,000  feet  35,000.00 

B.  F.  Fisher 1.500,000  feet  10,000.00 

J.  A.  Westervelt 4.000,000  feet  35.000.00 

44,000,000  feet         8330,000.00 
Tributary  mills,  including  four  water  power,  at 
St.    Charles.    Chesaning,    Birch    Run    and 
Frankenmuth    16.000,000  feet  105,000.00 

Total    60.000.000  feet         S435.0O0.00 

Average  value,  per  thousand  feet,  seven  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents. 

Evolution  of  Sawing  Machinery 
Up  to  this  time  the  mills  of  the  valley  had  passed  through  the  evolution 
from  the  sash  to  the  mulay  saw,  which  was  superseded  in  turn  by  the  rotary, 
or  "circular,"  as  it  was  commonly  called.  Ten  years  later  nearly  all  the  mills 
had  discarded  both  gate  and  mulay,  and  the  circular  with  a  few  gangs  did 
practically  all  the  cutting,  the  former,  of  four  to  six  gauge,  having  a  capacity 
of  about  one  thousand  feet  an  hour.  The  Sage  &  McGraw  mill,  at  the 
southern  limit  of  Bay  City,  which  was  the  largest  mill  on  the  river,  had  one 
mulay  for  siding  down  the  large  logs,  (which  were  then  quite  common,  and 
too  valuable  to  be  slaughtered  on  a  rotary,  the  width  of  whose  cut  was 
limited),  one  rotary  saw.  two  slabbing  gangs,  and  two  stock  gangs  of  forty 
saws,  each,  making  a  seasons  cut  of  about  thirty  million  feet. 


398 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  rough  edges  of  the  lumber  as  it  fell  from  the  saw  were  removed  by 
a  single  circular  saw  on  a  table  at  the  side  of  the  mill,  which  was  operated 
by  men  who  walked  its  length,  returned,  turned  the  board  over  and  repeated 
the  operation  for  each  individual  piece.  Hut  long  in  the  sixties  William  H. 
Taylor,  a  lumberman  of  Saginaw  City,  conceived  the  idea  that  the  circular 
saw  was  capable  of  cutting  more  than  one  thousand  feet  an  hour,  ami  made  a 
wager  with  George  William'-  that  he  could  cut  double  that  quantity.  On 
a  given  day  a  test  was  made  in  the  presence  of  a  large  number  of  incredulous 
mill  men,  who  came  to  be  witnesses  of  Taylor's  discomfiture.  Imagine  their 
chagrin  when,  in  less  than  an  hour  the  mill  was  piled  full  of  unedged  lumber, 
which  the  edging  table  could  not  take  care  of.  The  saw  had  cut  more  than 
four  thousand  feet  of  lumber  in  the  hour,  and  demonstrated  that  its  capacity 
was  limited  only  by  an  ability  to  edge  the  lumber  and  remove  it  from  the  mill. 

Inventive  genius  was  at  once  set  at  work,  and  in  a  short  time  Thomas 
Munn,  of  Hay  City,  introduced  a  double-edging  table  which,  with  mechanical 
leed.  quickly  trimmed  1  oth  edges  of  the  hoard  at  one  operation.      The  double 


*• 


LOADING    ON    SLEIGHS 


HAULING    TO     SKIDWAY 


edger  was  at  once  received  into  favor  by  mill  men,  and  within  a  few  years 
was  to  fie  found  in  nearly  every  mill  in  the  country.  The  limit  of  capacity  of 
the  circular  saw  was  so  greatly  increased  that  twenty-four  thousand  feet  per 
hour  has  been  attained  by  a  Texas  mill,  cutting  Southern  long-leaf  pine. 

Improvement  of  the  gang  saw  followed,  and  the  great  waste  in  the  early 
cutting  operations  was  largely  eliminated.  In  this  important  advance  the 
machinery  firm  of  Wickes  Brothers,  composed  of  Henry  D.,  Edward  N., 
and  Charles  T.  Wickes,  performed  great  service  to  the  lumber  industry,  and 
their  perfected  gangs  have  been  the  standard  wherever  lumber  is  manufac- 
tured. Today,  their  gang  saws,  adapted  to  every  and  particular  need  of  the 
industry,  are  made  in  this  city,  and  are  sent  to  every  country  in  the  world. 

The  first  experiment  in  the  use  of  a  band  saw  for  cutting  lumber  was 
made  by  James  J.  McCormick,  in  his  mill  at  Bay  City  about  1X58,  but  proved 
a  failure  from  the  multiplicity  of  wheels  employed  to  secure  a  proper  tension, 
and  was  discarded  as  impractical.  At  the  Centennial  Exposition  of  1876  a 
band  saw  mill  was  exhibited  by  I.  F.  Hoffman,  of  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana:  and 
he  may  fairly  be  called  the  father  of  the  practical  band-saw  mill.     It  was  not 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


399 


until  about  1883-84  that  the  possibilities  of  the  band  saw  began  to  gain  recog- 
nition, and  in  a  highly  perfected  condition  has  since  found  general  acceptance 
in  the  saw  mill  world.  The  chief  advantage  (if  the  hand  saw  lies  in  its  speed 
and  thin  kerf,  thereby  reducing  the  cost  of  operation  and  also  the  waste. 
Especially  is  this  true  in  resawing,  the  facilities  of  which  have  been  greatly 
increased  by  the  line  of  perfected  resaws  manufactured  in  Saginaw  by  W.  B. 
Mershon  &  Company.  Starting  about  twenty-five  years  ago  in  a  small  way. 
by  the  making  of  a  few  resaw  machines,  the  invention  of  Edward  C.  Mershon, 
for  local  trade,  the  business  has  grown  to  enormous  proportions,  and  resaws 
for  every  purpose  and  need  are  made  and  shipped  to  every  country  on  the 
globe. 

Logs  and  Booms 

The  log  product  of  the  vast  forests  to  the  North  and  West  was  floated 
mainly  to  the  mills  of  the  Saginaw  River,  for  the  handling  of  which  booms 
became  a  prime  necessity.  As  the  number  of  operators  putting  logs  of  vari- 
ous marks   into  the  different  streams,  increased,   it   was  necessary   that   some 


***** 


A     LOG     DUMP 


RAFTING     LOGS 


central  point  should  be  established,  at  which  the  logs  could  be  separated  and 
each  owner  be  enabled  to  claim  his  own.  To  this  end  boom  companies  were 
incorporated,  and  large  sorting  works  erected  at  the  mouth  of  the  various 
main  streams. 

At  each  banking  ground  where  the  logs  were  dumped  into  the  stream. 
the  end  of  each  log  was  marked  with  a  hammer  containing  the  letter  or  device 
adopted  by  the  owner  as  a  distinctive  mark.  These  marks  consisted  in  many 
instances  of  a  single  letter,  and  in  others  of  a  device  such  as  crossed  keys, 
square  and  compass,  a  boot,  an  anchor,  or  a  square  or  diamond  enclosing 
an  initial  letter  in  capitals  two  or  three  inches  long.  Enough  hammer  strokes 
of  the  letter  or  character  were  struck  upon  each  log  to  ensure  that  whatever 
side  of  the  log  floated  upward,  a  mark  would  be  visible.  In  this  simple  man- 
ner the  logs  of  a  score  or  a  hundred  different  owners  would  be  separated  at 
the  sorting  gap,  so  that  each  owner  could  receive  his  own. 

The  logs  which  had  been  dumped  promiscuously  into  the  stream  at  vari- 
ous points,  were  floated  by  the  current  to  the  head  of  the  boom  works,  where 
they   were  diverted   from    the   main   stream   into   a   large   boom   or   enclosure 


400  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

occupying  one-half  of  the  river  and  reaching  for  miles  up  its  course.  At  the 
lower  end  was  a  narrow  sorting  gap,  through  which,  as  each  log  passed  it 
was  examined  for  the  owner's  mark  upon  its  end,  and  run  into  a  pocket  con- 
taining logs  of  the  same  mark.  As  the  logs  of  each  owner  accumulated  they 
were  rafted,  by  securing  each  by  a  slotted  wooden  pin  driven  into  its  side  at 
the  middle,  through   which  a  rope  was  stretched  making  "strings,"  or  rafts, 

tn  he  floated  or  towed   to  the   mill   1 m    of   the   owner.     These  operations, 

including  the  delivery  of  rafts  to  the  mill  booms,  were  performed  by  the  boom 
companies. 

The  Output  of  the  Tittabawassee 

The  Tittabawassee  was  the  leading  boom  of  the  Saginaw  district,  as 
indeed  of  the  State.  The  first  boom  mi  this  stream  was  built  in  1856  by 
Joseph  A.  Whittier  fur  Charles  Merrill  &  Company,  and  from  that  date  until 
1864  about  une  billion  seven  hundred  million  feet  of  logs  were  rafted  out  to 
supply  the  Saginaw  mills.  In  1864  the  Tittabawassee  Boom  Company  was 
organized  to  take  over  the  business,  and  that  year  rafted  nut  ninety  million 
feet  of  logs,  leaving  six  million  in  the  boom.  Two  years  later  the  company 
had  twelve  miles  of  bourns,  gave  employment  to  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
river  men,  expended  twenty-one  thousand  dollars  for  rope  to  be  used  in 
railing,  and  rafted  out  one  hundred  and  eighty-six  million  feet  of  logs.  In 
1867  Joseph  E.  Shaw  was  president  of  the  company,  foseph  A.  Whittier, 
secretary,  Ammi  W.  Wright,  treasurer,  and  Charles  Burleson,  agent;  and  the 
company  sorted  and  rafted  nine  hundred  sixty-seven  thousand  six  hundred 
and  ninety-five  pieces,  scaling  over  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  million  feet. 

The  high  tide  of  the  output  of  this  famous  stream  was  reached  in  1882, 
when  six  hundred  eleven  million  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three  thousand  feet 
of  pine  saw  logs  were  rafted  and  delivered  to  the  owners.  From  that  date 
the  cutting  of  logs  gradually  fell  off,  until  in  1895  only  fifteen  million  feet 
were  rafted,  and  in  the  following  year  ten  million  feet.  The  total  output  of 
the  Tittabawassee  and  its  tributaries  aggregated  eleven  billion  eight  hun- 
dred and  fifty  million  feet,  figures  which  stagger  the  mind  to  grasp.  No 
other  lugging  stream  has  floated  such  an  enormous  quantity  of  logs,  and  the 
high  record  is  likely  to  stand  for  generations. 

The  Famous  Cork  Pine  of  the  Cass 

Next  in  importance  was  the  cork  pine  of  the  Cass  River,  the  first  cutting 
of  which  was  as  far  back  as  IS.iO.  on  the  banks  of  Perry  Creek.  During  a 
period  of  fifty  years,  in  which  was  witnessed  the  rise  and  fall  of  logging  on 
this  stream,  the  finest  growth  of  cork  pine  timber  in  the  United  States  was 
swept  away,  and  a  fine  agricultural  country  has  taken  its  place.  While  the 
stream  was  not  as  prolific  of  timber  as  some  other  Michigan  rivers,  it  made 
a  notable  showing  with  one  billion  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  million  feet, 
and  its  fame  in  point  of  quality  will  live  as  long  as  the  annals  of  Michigan 
lumbering  are  preserved. 

The  first  saw  logs  from  the  Cass  were  cut  in  a  little  mill  that  had  been 
put  up  by  E.  W.  Perry,  mi  the  banks  of  the  creek  that  bore  his  name,  near 
the  present  village  of  Tuscola.  The  mill  was  constructed  primarily  to  supply 
the  local  demand  for  lumber,  that  section  beginning  to  attract  settlers,  but 
even  its  limited  capacity  was  more  than  sufficient  to  supply  the  wants  of  the 
locality,  and  as  the  stock  accumulated  Mr.  Perry  sought  other  markets  for  it. 
Cass  River  at  that  time  was  obstructed  by  driftwood  and  snags,  and  before 
any  attempt  was  made  to  clear  the  stream,  this  pioneer  lumberman  made  up 
the  lumber  in  the  form  of  small  cribs  and  ran  them  down  the  river.  He 
succeeded    in    reaching    Saginaw    with    the   greater   portion    of   his   stock,   and 


z        <.*•% 


402  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

shipped  sixty  thousand  feet  to  Cleveland  on  the  schooner  Loraine,  Captain 
Pool,  in  which  market  it  was  sold  and  Perry  received  his  pay.  In  1839  he 
shipped  another  cargo  to  Detroit,  but  before  he  received  payment  for  it  the 
bankruptcy  law  of  1840  became  effective,  and  the  purchaser  of  the  lumber 
paid  for  it  in  a  bankrupt's  notice. 

The  first  saw  logs  of  any  amount  were  rafted  down  the  lass  River  in 
the  Spring  of  1847.  Curtis  Emerson  and  James  Eldridge,  who  were  operat- 
ing the  "Id  yellow  mill  which  was  near  the  site  of  the  City  Hall,  sent  a  lum- 
berman from  Maine,  named  Daggett,  up  the  Ca>>  t'  >  make  sellections  of 
timber  which  it  was  proposed  to  purchase  and  stuck  the  mill.  Daggett  went 
over  this  section  and  returned  with  a  doleful  story  that  there  was  not  enough 
timber  available  on  the  stream  to  furnish  logs  for  a  saw  mill  to  run  three 
years.  Neverthele>>,  one  tract  of  timber  that  he  said  would  furnish  logs  for 
"lie  seasons'  run,  was  purchased,  a  road  cut  through  to  the  timber,  a  camp 
started  and  logging  begun.  The  camp  was  located  within  eighty  rods  of  the 
present  court  house  at  Card.  The  inaccuracy  of  the  "Id  lumberman's  esti- 
mate is  illustrated  by  the  fact  that  twenty-six  years  later  more  than  one  hun- 
dred million  feet  of  logs  were  rafted  out  ")  the  Cass  in  a  single  season. 

The  difficulties  of  hauling  supplies  t<>  that  primitive  camp  on  the  Cass 
were  herculean.  Every  pound  of  feed  for  man  and  beast  had  t"  be  hauled 
from  Saginaw,  one-half  of  the  distance  being  through  a  dense  wilderness, 
with  only  a  rough  trail  winding  through  the  forest.  There  was  no  bailed 
hay  in  those  days,  and  by  the  time  a  load  of  fxise  hay  had  been  hauled  many 
miles  through  the  forest,  a  considerable  portion  of  it  was  pulled  away  by  the 
limb--  of  overhanging  trees.     But  with  all  the  trials  and  hardships,  the  early 

woodsmen  were  equal  t"  the  occasion,  and  a  g 1  stuck  of  the  famous  cork 

pine  was  put  into  the  stream,  and  in  the  Spring  floated  down  t"  the  mill  at 
Saginaw. 

In  later  years,  it  having  been  demonstrated  that  logs  could  be  handled  by 
organized  effort  more  effectively  and  economically,  the  Huron  Log  Booming 
Company  was  organized  with  a  capital  of  twenty-five  thousand  d"llars.  In 
1864,  the  first  year  of  its  operations,  the  company  had  three  miles  of  booms 
and  rafted  about  forty  million  feet  of  logs,  and  in  1867  handled  nearly  seventy- 
two  million   feet.      During  the   season    from  sixty   to  eighty  river  men   were 

employed  "ii  the  1 ms  and  rafts,  and  almost  nineteen  thousand  dollars  worth 

of  rope  was  used  in  rafting.  The  officers  of  the  company  were:  C.  K.  Eddy, 
president;   J.  F.  Bundy,  secretary,  and  Edwin  Eddy,  treasurer. 

The  largest  output  of  the  Cass  in  a  single  season  was  in  1873.  when  one 
hundred  four  million  four  hundred  and  fifty-eight  thousand  feet  of  logs  were 
rafted  out;  and  the  prices  of  cork  pine  logs  ranged  from  two  and  a  half 
dollars  to  five  d"llars  a  thousand  feet.  Such  lumber  as  these  logs  produced, 
clear  without  shaken  or  sap,  would  firing  on  the  market  today  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars  a  thousand  feet. 

Bv  1885  the  cork  pine  had  been  nearly  cleaned  up  on  this  stream,  but  for 

about  ten  years  longer  hemlock  and  hardw Is  were  cut  and  rafted,  but  never 

exceeding  five  million  feet  in  a  season,  ranging  from  one  and  a  half  million 
t"  three  million  feet,  the  logging  operations  being  conducted  by  individual 
owners.  <  >ne  stand  of  cork  pine,  however,  the  last  of  its  kind,  consisting  of 
two  hundred  and  sixty  trees,  on  a  "lie  hundred  acre  tract  two  miles  east  of 
Cass  City,  was  held  for  thirty-five  years  by  John  Striffler  and  sold  in  1907 
t"  the  Sterling  Cedar  Company,  of  Monroe,  Michigan,  for  eighteen  thousand 
dollars.  The  largest  trees  measured  a  little  over  five  feet  in  diameter  at  the 
stump,  while  others  ranged  from  four  to  two  feet,  the  whole  bunch  cutting 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  feet  of  high  grade  lumber. 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  403 

In  1865  the  Bad  River  and  tributaries  contributed  about  twenty  million 
feet  of  logs  tn  the  Saginaw  mills;  in  1866,  twenty-three  million  feet,  and  in 
1867  about  nineteen  million.  During  the  same  years  the  Flint  River  yielded 
thirty  million,  twenty-two  million  and  five  million  five  hundred  thousand  feet, 
respectively,  mostly  for  John  P.  Allison.  James  Shearer  &  Company,  William 
[Hodgson  nd  J.  S.  Noyes.  The  rapid  decline  of  production  on  this  stream,  oi 
timber  coming  to  the  Saginaws,  was  attributed  in  part  to  the  fact  that  a 
number  of  inland  mills  erected  near  the  head  waters  of  the  river  consumed 
a  large  portion  of  the  output,  and  also  to  a  combination  of  operators  that 
existed  to  prevent  logs  from  coming  down.  In  1897  only  one  hundred  thou- 
sand feet  of  logs  came  out  from  the  Bad  and  Flint  Rivers,  and  the  pine  timber 
of  these  streams  passed  into  history.  Their  output  cut  by  the  Saginaw  mills 
was  by  no  means  inconsiderable,  as  nearly  three  hundred  and  nineteen  million 
feet  of  logs  were  rafted  from  these  streams  from  1872  to  the  close  of  logging 
operatii  ins. 

Lumber  Production  of  the  Saginaw  River 

Without  delving  too  far  in  the  realm  of  statistics,  it  may  be  well  t •  • 
include,  for  the  sake  of  permanent  record,  the  yearly  cut  of  the  Saginaw  River 
mills,  and   the  production   of  shingles,    from    1851    t <  >  and   including"    1897,   as 

fi  ill'  iws  : 


Lumber, 

Shingles 

1  .umber. 

Shingles 

feet 

pieces 

feet 

pieces 

1851 

1 12.000,000 

1875 

581.558.273 

124,030.240 

1852 

90,000,000 

1876 

583,050,771 

204,31o, 725 

1853 

96,000,000 

1877 

(.40.  Id',.  231 

167,806,750 

1854 

100,000,000 

1878 

574,162,757 

153,999,750 

1855 

100.000,000 

1879 

736,106,000 

218.O34.00O 

1856 

110.000,000 

1880 

873,047,731 

241.075,0,0 

1857 

113,700,000 

1881 

976,320,317 

304.'  )25,50( ) 

1858 

1"  .,500,000 

1882 

1.011,274,005 

295,046,500 

185" 

122.750,000 

1883 

938,675,078 

242,126,000 

18o() 

1 25. 000,000 

1884 

978,497,853 

261,266,750 

18ol 

120.000,000 

1885 

728.408.221 

222,0.53,000 

1862 

128,000,000 

I880 

7"X.X2<k224 

227,463,000 

1863 

133,580,000 

1887 

783,661,265 

196,983,000 

1864 

215,000,000 

1888 

880,669,440 

297,224,000 

18i.5 

250,639,340 

1 88' ' 

851,823,153 

220.7So.25o 

1866 

349,767,344 

1 8'  i< ) 

815,054,465 

221.830,000 

1867 

423,963,190 

60,983, 

000 

1891 

758,610,548 

222,1,07,250 

1868 

451,3')5,225 

104.104,500 

1 8'  >2 

708,465,027 

182,315,200 

1869 

523,500,830 

119,843, 

500 

1893 

585,839,426 

112,856,000 

1870 

57(1.72(1,606 

178,570,000 

18' >4 

481.244.03') 

85,602,250 

1871 

529,682,878 

1 87.( . '0. (!■;  10 

1 8!  »5 

433.683.083 

52.845,000 

1872 

602,118,980 

159,001, 

750 

1896 

316,797,879 

38,180,000 

1873 

olo.877.021 

218,394 

,558 

1897 

330.001,000 

48,276,000 

1874 

?73.<,32.77\ 

208,489 

,500 

22.O30.757.551       5.580.555,223 

The  above  table  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  the  advance  in  lumber  production 
from  year  to  year  toward  the  maximum  in  1882,  and  of  the  rapid  decline  both 
in  lumber  and  shingles.  No  figures  are  available  to  show  the  shingle  pro- 
duction previous  to  1867,  wliile  no  estimate  can  be  offered  regarding  the  minor 
production  of  lath  and  pickets,  but  the  aggregate  quantity  of  the  former  must 
have  reached  high  figures. 


404 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


••SNAKING"    LOGS    BY    OX    TEAM,    1860 

Manv  million  feet  of  pine  saw  logs  were  rafted  from  points  on  the  I  [uron 
shore  north  of  Tawas  and  from  Lake  Superior  to  the  Saginaw  River,  of  which 
no  records  are  at  hand.  In  1892  there  came  from  these  sources  sixty-three 
million  feet  of  logs,  and  in  1894  about  thirty-eight  million  feet.  The  pine 
forests  of  Georgian  Bay  also  yielded  a  great  quantity  of  lugs  for  our  mills, 
the  inception  of  the  hag  boom  in  1891  marking  the  first  year  of  any  con- 
siderable movement  from  Canada  to  this  river.  In  that  year  eighty  million 
feet  of  logs  were  towed  across  the  lake,  the  rafts  ranging  from  two  to  six 
million  feet,  and  while  a  raft  occasionally  went  ashore  in  a  gale,  the  loss  of 
timber  was  only  about  rive  hundred  pieces  to  every  seventy  thousand  pieces 
rafted.  In  1892  there  was  brought  from  Georgian  May  to  Saginaw  River,  one 
hundred  eighty-four  million  five  hundred  thousand  feet  of  pine  logs;  and  in 
1893,  two  hundred  and  seventy  five  million  feet  to  Michigan  mills,  while  in 
IS1'",  one  hundred  and  sixty-seventy  million  five  hundred  thousand  feet  came 
to  this  river.  The  estimated  value  of  the  logs  handled  in  1895  was  eleven 
dollars  a  thousand,  and  many  Michigan  lumbermen  made  large  purchases  of 
pine  timber  limits  in  Canada  to  stock  their  mills. 


Experiences  in  the   North  Woods 
An  old  time  tale  of  actual   experiences  in  the  northern  pineries   was  told 
some  -.ears  ago  by  the  late  William  Callam,  better  known  as  "Bill  Callam," 

one  of  the  best  known  lumbermen  of  the  valley,  lie  came  to  Saginaw  in  boy- 
It 1  and  grew  up  with  Wellington  R.   Hurt's  big  saw  mill,  his  first  job  being 

to  bundle  lath,  fifty  pieces  in  a  bundle.  Every  lath  was  made  clean  and 
sound  in  those  days  from  the  great  slabs  that  came  from  the  logs.  After- 
ward In  ran  the  lath  saws,  ami  as  he  grew  stronger  bolted  the  slabs,  and 
firalh  became  foreman  of  the  mill  in  the  sawing  season,  and  foreman  in  the 
w  i  ii  ids  in  the  Winter. 

While  directing  the  felling,  skidding  and  hauling  of  the  logs  to  the 
stream,  he  looked  timber  a  little,  ami  one  day  far  away  from  cam]),  away  tin 
the   Chippewa,   he   found  a    most    beautiful   body   of   white   pine  timber,      lie 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  405 


sized  it  up  as  it  stood,  fifty,  sixty,  seventy  and  even  eighty  feet  to  the  first 
limb  of  some  of  the  giants,  and  stumbled  across  the  witness  tree  and  the 
corner  stake  that  had  been  planted  by  the  government  surveyors  only  a  few 
years  before.  It  read,  "Section  Eighteen,  One  West."  and  appeared  to  him 
a  beacon  to  success. 

He  was  then  twenty-three  years  of  age,  married,  and  had  saved  twenty- 
five  hundred  dollars  from  his  earnings,  which  was  deposited  in  the  hands  of  his 
boss  to  his  credit.  At  the  end  of  the  sawing  season  he  quit  his  job  at  the  mill, 
drew  out  his  savings,  and  proceeded  to  carry  out  his  cherished  plan  of  making 
a  start  for  himself. 

"Before  sun-up  the  next  morning,  he  said,  "I  started  out  with  a  few 
dollars  in  my  pocket,  taking  along  as  a  companion  an  old  muzzle-loading 
rifle  that  had  fallen  to  me  in  a  previous  Thanksgiving  raffle,  and  set  out  on  a 
tramp  up  the  Tittabawassee.  This  was  in  "58,  in  the  Eall  of  the  year,  and  the 
weather  was  fine.  A  gun  wasn't  taken  out  just  for  ornament  in  those  days, 
for  you  could  stumble  on  to  bears  and  cats  and  deer,  wolverines  and  such 
like,  almost  anywhere.  Now,  bears  never  trouble  a  man  unless  it's  occasion- 
ally an  old  she-bear,  unless  he  gets  cornered,  and  then  he  is  likely  to  get 
ugly.  1  got  up  to  the  mouth  of  the  Pine  and  arranged  with  an  old  chap 
who  ran  a  store  there  for  an  outfit.  I  packed  up  just  eighty  pounds  of  pork, 
beans,  flour,  tea  and  salt,  and  the  next  morning  started  up  the  Pine  and 
branched  off  up  the  Chippewa. 

"Before  leaving  Saginaw  I  had  gone  to  the  land  office  and  had  found 
that  section  eighteen,  one  west,  still  belonged  to  the  government,  1  often 
wondered  why,  because  it  was  a  magnificent  piece  of  timber,  and  logging 
operations  had  been  going  on  up  the  Chippewa  for  several  years.  The  next 
day  I  found  the  witness  tree  and  the  corner  stake,  and  I  spent  a  week  in  the 
woods  up  there  racing  off  forty  after  forty,  and  picking  out  the  very  best 
portion  of  the  timber.  I  hadn't  seen  a  soul,  but  about  four  o'clock  one  after- 
noon I  saw  tracks.  They  weren't  Indian  tracks  either.  I  knew  'em.  They 
were  landlookers  tracks,  and  they  were  fresh,  and  I  saiil  to  myself,  'Hill,  if 
you  get  this  land  you  have  got  to  get  a  move  on  yourself.'     Bill  got 

"It  was  sixty  miles  by  trail  to  Saginaw,  and  I  waited  just  long  enough 
to  hide  my  gun  in  a  hollow  tree,  and  started,  and  1  never  stopped.  I  didn't 
go  home  to  see  my  wife,  but  staggered  into  the  land  office  just  as  it  was 
being  opened  up,  and  I  gasped:  'Let  me  see  the  map  covering  eighteen,  one 
west,  again'  1  got  the  map  in  my  hand.  The  section  was  still  unentered. 
I  picked  out  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  the  six  hundred  and  forty  of  the 
section,  and  had  the  clerk  enter  them  to  me.  I  handed  him  twenty-five  dollars 
and  told  him  I  would  be  back  in  fifteen  minutes  with  the  rest  of  the  three 
hundred.  You  know  we  bought  government  land  then  at  ten  shillings 
an  acre.  I  rushed  into  my  house,  tore  up  a  corner  of  the  carpet,  grabbed  a 
handful  of  bills  and  hurried  back  to  the  land  office.  The  clerk  was  just 
signing  my  receipt  when  up  in  front  rode  my  old  boss'  landlooker  wit1:  his 
horse  dripping  with  sweat  and  dead  beat.  I  had  beaten  him  in  afoot  by  just 
fifteen  minutes. 

"1  bought  six  horses,  hired  fifteen  French-Canadians,  not  one  of  whom 
could  speak  a  word  of  English,  bought  supplies  of  fodder  and  provisions,  axes, 
cant  hooks  and  peavies,  and  loaded  the  whole  outfit  on  an  old  sand  scow  that 
I  chartered  for  the  Winter.  My  wife  went  along.  We  poled  that  good 
hundred  miles  up  the  Saginaw,  the  Tittabawassee,  the  Pine  and  the  Chippewa. 
On  the  upper  river  we  would  occasionally  find  a  riffle,  where  we  would  have 
to  unload  the  horses  and  drag  the  scow  up  to  deep  water  again.  Eventually 
we  arrived  at  section  eighteen,  one  west,  and  built  a  shanty  of  logs,  roofed 
with  rived  shakes,  partitioned  off  a  little  room  in  the  rear  for  my  wife's  bed- 
room, and  started  camp  for  the  Winter. 


406 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


"The  boys  slept  ami  ate  and  fought  and  swore,  and  swore  and  fought  and 
ate — al!  in  French-Canuck — in  the  main  part  of  the  shanty.  We  built  another 
shanty  for  the  horses;  then  we  made  a  few  roads  that  were  necessary,  and 
started  in  felling  and  skidding  logs.  We  all  winked  like  Trojans.  Those 
Frenchmen  worked  hard  because  I  worked  with  them.  My  days  were  busy 
in  the  woods,  and  the  evenings  1  spent  in  repairing  harness  or  mending 
sleds,  and  making  whiffletrees.  My  wife  was  the  only  woman  in  the  camp, 
and  was  .he  must  popular  person  in  it.  Even  out  of  the  few  materials  at 
hand  -he  conjured  dainties  for  the  men  that  they  highly  appreciated. 

"It  was  a  great  Winter.  The  snow  fell  early  and  stayed  without  a 
break-up.  We  did  hustle  logs  and  in  the  Spring  with  the  breaking  up  of  the 
river,  we  started  down  a  drive  of  one  million  four  hundred  thousand  feet 
of  cork  pine  logs,  that  averaged  less  than  three  to  the  thousand.  The  old 
■and  scow  was  transformed  into  a  cook  house,  and  with  my  wife  aboard, 
brought  n]i  the  rear  of  the  drive.  We  made  a  clean  drive  that  Spring,  ami  we 
vol  the  whole  hunch  of  logs  safe  and  clean  into  the  Green   Point  boom. 

"I  owed  everybody.  1  didn't  have  a  cent  left  to  pay  my  crew,  hut  1 
coaxed  Uncle  John  Estabrook — dear  old  chap — to  advance  me  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars  and  take  his  pa)  in  lumber  at  seven  dollars  for  culls,  twelve 
dollars  for  common  and  forty  dollars  for  uppers.  Seven,  twelve  and  forty 
was  no  slouch  of  a  price  for  lumber  in  those  days.  Well,  that  was  my  start  iii 
lumbering  on  my  own  account,  and  1  stuck  to  it  as  Ion-  as  there  was  any 
timber  left  in  these  parts." 


INTERIOR    OF    BUNK    HOU5E 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


-407 


Yeai 


Theology  in  Camp 
ha 


irs  ago,  among  the  hardy  river  drivers  of  this  section,  there  was  a 
noted  character  named  "Silver  Jack,"  otherwise  John  Driscol,  who  was  a 
"lough"  by  nature  and  universally  feared  and  dreaded  throughout  Northern 
Michigan.  The  incident  embodied  in  this  verse  was  given  to  the  writer, 
Clarence  H.  Pearson,  substantially  as  related,  by  one  of  Driscol's  former 
a  -si  iciates : 


"I   was  on  the  drive  in  eighty, 

Workin'   under    Silver   Jack, 
Which   the  same  is  new  in  Jackson, 

An'  ain't   soon  expected  back; 
An'  there   was  a   chap  amongst  tis 

By  the  name  of   Robert  Waite, 
Kinder   cute   and   smart   and   tonguej 

Guess  he  was  a  graduate. 

"He  could  talk  on  any  subject 

From   the   Bible  down  to  Hoyle, 
An'  his  weird-  flowed  out  so  easy  — 

Jest   as   smooth   an'   slick   as   oil; 
He   was   what   they   call   a   skeptic, 

And   he   loved   to  set  and   weave 
Hifalutin'  words   together 

Tellin'  what  he  didn't   b-leve. 

"<  'tie   day  while  we  all   was   waitin. 

heir   a    flood   we    sat   around 
Smokin'    nigger-head    toboccer 

An'    hearin'    Bob    expound; 
Hell,   he   said,  was  all  a  humbug, 

An'   he    showed   as   clear   as   day 
Thet  the   Bible  was  a  fable, 

An'  we  'lowed  it  looked  that  way. 

"  'Miracles.'   said   he.   'an'   sich   like 
Is  too  rank  fur  me  to  Stan'; 
\s    fur   him    they   call    the   Savior, 
He   was   jest   a    common    man.' 
'You're   a   liar!'   someone   shunted, 

'An'  you've  gut  to  take  it  back.' 
Then    everybody    started  — 

Twas  the   voice  of  Silver  Jack. 


'An'   he   cracked   his    lists   together, 

An'    he    shucked    his    coat    and    cried, 
'It    was    in    thet    thar    religion 

Thet   my  mother  lived  an'   died; 
An'  although   I   haven't  alius 

Used   the    Lord    exactly    white, 
When    I    hear   a    chump    abuse   him 

lie    must    eat    Ills    words    or    light.' 

'Xi  \v    this    Boli.    he    warn't    no    coward. 

An'   he   answered    bold   and   free: 
'Stack    yer    duds    and    cut    yer    capers. 

For   there   ain't   no  flies   on   me.' 
An'    they    tit    for    forty    minutes, 

An'   the   lads  would  whoop  and  cheer 
When   Jack    spit    up   a    tooth    or   two, 

(  )r    Bi  ibby    lost    an    ear. 

'But   at    last   Jack    got    him    under 

An'   he   slugged   him   onct   or  twict, 
An'    Bob   straightway   acknowledged 

The   divinity   of   Christ; 
But  Jack   kept   reasonin'   with   him 

Till  the  poor  cuss  gin  a  yell 
An'  allowed  he'd  been  mistaken 

In   his   views   concernin'   hell. 

'Then   the   fierce   discussion    ended, 

An'   they   got    up    from    the    ground, 
An'    someone    fetched    a    bottle    out 

And   kindly   passed    it    round; 
An'   we   drank   to   Jack's   religion 

In    a    solemn    sort    of    way. 
An'   the   spread   of  infidelity 

W.i-  checked  in  camp  that  day." 


"Captain"  Naegely  and  the  Lumber-jacks 

In  the  good  i  Jd  lumbering  days  of  the  seventies  and  eighties,  when  all 
was  hustle  and  activity  mi  the  river,  the  "red  sash  brigade"  of  lumber-jacks 
was  one  of  the  picturesque  features  of  the  border  towns.  Upon  breaking  up 
of  the  lumber  camps  in  the  Spring,  these  hardy  woodsmen  came  to  town  in 
droves,  bedecked  in  Mackinaw  coats  of  many  colors,  red  sashes,  pacs  and 
hurons.  and  with  large  rolls  of  money,  the  earnings  of  a  Winter's  work,  which 
they  spent  freely  in  revelry  and  dissipation.  Saginaw  was  a  "wide  open" 
town,  and  welcomed  the  reckless  woodsmen  with  open  arms,  a  condition 
which  was  exactly  to  their  liking,  and  they  did  just  about  as  they  pleased. 
Some  lumbermen,  however,  made  their  homes  here,  working  in  the  mills  in 
Summer  and  in  the  pineries  in   Winter. 

On  quitting  the  camp  the  lumber-jacks  were  paid  off  in  "camp  orders" 
drawn  on  the  lumber  company,  for  the  net  amount  due  each  one,  and  were 
payable  at  the  company's  office  in  the  Saginaws.  f\o  up  ney  circulated  in 
the  camp-;,  but  the  simple  wants  id'  the  men.  such  as  heavy,  warm  clothing 
worn  in  the  woods,  pacs,  tobacco  and  pipes  were  supplied  them  from  the 
company  stores  and  charged  to  their  account.      Beyond  these  necessities  there 


408  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


1 1 


was  no  way  of  spending  money  in  the  depths  of  the  forest,  and  the  men 
who  stuck  to  the  camp  through  the  long  Winter,  came  out  with  orders  drawn 
for  two  to  three  hundred  dollars,  or  even  more. 

At  that  time  "Captain"  Naegely  kept  a  hotel  in  the  low  two-story  brick 
building,  which  is  still  standing,  on  the  west  side  of  Jefferson  Street,  near 
Tuscola.  He  was  a  "father,"  so  to  speak,  of  a  large  number  of  lumber-jacks 
who  stayed  at  his  house  and  enjoyed  his  hospitality,  and  he  knew  how  to 
handle  them.  The  wise  ones  who  realized  the  pitfalls  of  the  city,  made  him 
their  hanker,  and  he  would  cash  their  cam])  orders,  either  handing  out  a 
generous  mil  of  bills  or  retaining  the  greater  part  of  the  aim  unit  in  his  safe 
keeping.  This  preliminary  arranged,  nothing  would  do  hut  he  should  look 
after  their  physical  comfort.  A  visit  to  Jerry's  barber  shop  on  Lapeer  Street 
relieved  them  of  a  Winter's  growth  of  hair  ami  whiskers,  and  a  hot  bath  made 
them  tolerably  presentable.  Next,  a  call  at  Bendit's  or  Koch's  clothing  stores 
refitted  them  with  new.  clean  outfits,  including  the  inevitable  red  sash,  and  at 
Lenheim's  or  Warner's  with  new  boots  or  pacs. 

After  some  minor  purchases  had  been  made  and  the  woodsmen  hail  filled 
up  on  the  feed  provided  by  the  "Captain,"  they  were  ready  to  "take  in  the 
sights  of  the  town,"  and  this  they  proceeded  to  do  in  characteristic  fashion. 
Water  Street  from  the  depot  at  1 'otter  Street  to  Sears  and  Holland's  mill, 
near  Bristol,  was  the  principal  trail  of  the  lumber-jacks,  one  of  their  favorite 
haunts,  the  Riverside  House,  being  situated  at  the  corner  of  McCoskry  and 
Water  Streets.  The  main  streets  of  the  town  were  rendered  indescribably 
gay  and  fantastic  by  the  fighting  woodsmen,  the  lives  of  law-abiding  citizens 
ften  being  jeapordized  by  their  murderous  outbreaks.  Many  reckless  spirits 
lost  their  "wads"  in  one  night  by  theft,  others  spent  their  all  in  a  week  or  ten 
days,  while  a  few  wiser  ones  managed  to  "have  a  time  of  it,"  and  still  keep 
some  of  their  hard  earned  wages.  The  truth  was,  the  tradesmen  were  "out" 
t<>  get  the  woodsmen's  coin,  and  the  rough  element  got  the  most  of  it,  from 
Warren  Bordwell's  show  house,  mi  Washington  Street,  to  the  ever  open  row 
oi  resorts  on  Franklin  Street.  The  scenes  of  revelry  witnessed  by  those  who 
were  thrown  much  with  the  lumber-jacks  and  river  men.  will  never  be  erased 
as  long  as  memory  lasts. 

In  those  days  everybody  was  busy  as  there  was  plenty  of  work  to  do. 
and  with  money  and  spenders  everywhere,  many  enterprising  men  were 
gaining  wealth.  The  foundation  of  many  a  substantial  fortune  was  laid  in 
trading  and  less  legitimate  pursuits,  generally  at  the  expense  of  the  dwellers 
of  the  north  woods.  As  years  went  by,  the  "Captain,"  as  the  friend  of  the 
woodsmen,  acquired  a  handsome  competence  and  erected  the  three-story  brick 
hotel,  nearly  opposite  his  old  place,  which  for  many  years  bore  his  name,  and 
in  which  he  continued  to  entertain  the  lumbermen  and  the  traveling  public. 

Some  Old-Time  Saw  Mills 

Beginning  at  the  lower  end  of  town,  at  the  railroad  depot,  and  proceeding 
up  the  river  erne  would  come  to  the  steam  saw  mill  of  Dwight  G.  Holland, 
capable  of  making  five  million  feet  of  lumber  annually  and  giving  employment 
to  eighteen  men.  Next  in  order  was  the  ship  yard  of  Jesse  Hoyt.  and  then  the 
extensive  stave  factory  of  C.  iv:  E.  Ten  Eyck,  with  a  capacity  of  two  million 
staves  and  employing  ten  men.  Afterward  the  manufacture  of  shingles  be- 
came the  principal  product  of  this  concern.  Jesse  Hoyt's  planing  mill,  work- 
ing twenty  men,  came  next,  and  its  capacity  was  forty  thousand  feet  of  planed 
lumber  per  day.  Above  this  was  the  Genesee  Iron  Works  of  Wickes 
Brothers,  and  the  Mayflower  Mills  owned  by  Jesse  Hoyt  and  operated  by- 
John  Bradfleld.      Its  capacity  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  barrels  of  flour  per 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


409 


day. and 
L  .C.  W 
annually 

The 
order,  w 
per  day, 
in  all  to 
A.  H.  M 
pump  Ik 
day,  and 
eighteen 
machine. 


was  considered  one  of  the  best  equipped  flouring  mills  in  the  country. 

hiting's  saw   mill  came  next,  and  had  a  capacity  of  three  million  feet 

,  employing  eighteen  men. 
saw  mill  of  W.  F.  Glasby,  of  three  million  feet  capacity,  was  next  in 

ith  stave  making  machinery  which  turned  out  fifty  thousand  staves 
and   shovel  handles  and    wood   work  generally,  giving  employment 

thirty-six  men.      In  the  same  establishment  was  the  planing  mill  of 

ershon,  with  a  capacity  of  twenty-five  thousand  feet  per  day,  and  a 

•ring  machine  capable  of  Inning  cue  thousand  feet  of  pump  logs  in  a 
other  machinery  for  cutting,  sawing,  boring  and  planing,  requiring 
men.  E.  A.  Wilder  also  had  in  operation  at  this  mill  a  patent  hoop 
which  turned  out  twenty  thousand  barrel  hoops  per  day. 


TABLES    SPREAD    IN    ■'CHUCK"    SHANTY 


Above  this  factory  was  the  mill  of  Penny  6c  Quackenbush,  giving  em- 
ployment to  fourteen  men  and  turning  out  about  two  million  feet  of  lumber 
in  a  year.  Next  above  was  the  large  mill  of  <  i.  C.  Warner  &  Company,  of 
^ix  million  feet  capacity  and  employing  twenty-eight  men.  Near  by  was  the 
foundry  and  machine  shop  of  Warner  &  Eastman,  and  the  brewer}-  of  John 
F.rd.  which  made  three  thousand  barrels  of  ale  and  beer  in  a  year.  The 
iron  foundry  of  George  \\  .  Merrill  came  next  giving  employment  to  ten 
men.  Above  the  foundry  was  the  immense  saw  mill  of  F.  P.  Sears  cc  Com- 
pany which  cut  seven  million  feet  of  lumber  and  manufactured  staves  for 
forty  thousand  nail  kegs  in  a  year,  employing  thirty-five  men.  In  1863  the 
combined  capacity  of  the  mills  at  East  Saginaw  was  forty  million  feet  oi 
'lumber,  and  large  quantities  of  square  timber,  staves,  shingles  and  lath. 

In  other  parts  of  the  city  were  numerous  works  of  various  kinds,  among 
which  was  the  sash  and  blind  factor)  .if  llosea  Pratt,  on  Hayden  Street, 
which  employed  twelve  men;  the  "City  Mills,"  owned  by  O.  H.  P.  Champlin, 
with  a  capacity  of  fifty  barrels  of  flour  per  day;  the  sash  and  blind  factor) 
of  Allen  &  McLean,  on  Jefferson  Street  adjoining  the  hotel  of  II.  Naegel). 
and  the  brewer)-  of  Charles  Langlas,  on  the  same  street. 


410  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 

Near  the  upper  limits  of  Saginaw  City  was  the  shingle  mill  of  William 
If.  Tuttle,  and  near  by  the  steam  saw  mill  of  Jerome  &  Taylor,  with  a 
capacity  of  five  million  feet  of  lumber.  Next  in  order  coming  down  the  river, 
was  the  saw  mill  of  Williams  Brothers,  cutting  three  million  feet,  and 
further  down  the  gang  mill  of  Millard,  Paine  &  Wright,  then  the  largest 
mill  in  the  world.  This  mill  had  a  capacity  of  ten  million  feet  in  a  year, 
which  was  regarded  as  a  phenomenal  production.  Waterman  &  Harrington, 
and  Blanchard  &  Sons,  had  large  factories,  and  X.  R.  Ramsey  an  extensive 
sash,  door  and  blind  shop.  There  was  also  a  steam  fiouring  mill,  having  two 
run  of  stone,  owned  by  E.  R.  Shimmons,  on  Water  Street,  all  within  the 
limits  of  one  mile. 

A  Mcdel  Establishment 
In  the  seventies  the  saw  mill  of  W.  R.  Burt  &  Company,  situated  about 
seven  miles  below  the  city,  was  one  of  the  most  complete  establishments  on 
the  river.  Whether  its  sawing  capacity,  or  its  stave  and  heading  mill,  barrel 
factory,  shingle  mill  or  salt  works,  all  combined  under  one  management,  was 
considered,  and  its  carpenter  ami  blacksmith  shops,  gas  works,  school  house 
and  public  library — everything  requisite  for  a  community  in  itself — the  guiding 
spirit  oi  a  master  mind  was  everywhere  apparent.  The  mill  was  completed  in 
July,  1868,  and  the  banks  of  the  river  at  the  isolated  and  barren  location  pre- 
sented an  almost  unlimited  space  for  boomage  ami  dockage,  and  with  a  channel 
of  a  depth  of  eleven  feet  to  the  Bay.  To  reach  Zilwaukee  a  roadway  had  to 
be  made  through  the  prairie  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  but  the  principal  mode 
of  conveyance  to  East  Saginaw,  where  Mr.  Hurt  lived  and  had  an  office,  was 
by  boat.  'Idle  investment  in  plant  was  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
a  large  capital  for  that  time,  and  was  exclusive  of  heavy  investment  in  timber 
lands  in  adjoining  counties. 

During  the  sawing  season  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  employed  in 
the  mill  proper,  which  ran  night  and  day  with  an  average  cut  of  one  hundred 
thousand  feet  every  twelve  hours.  There  were  two  gangs,  one  circular  and 
one  upright  saw,  with  edging  tables  and  cut-off  saws,  a  lath  machine  which 
made  twelve  thousand  pieces  in  twelve  hours,  and  stave  machinery  turning 
out  seven  thousand  pieces  and  a  heading  machine  eight  hundred  sets  in  the 
same  time.  The  shingle  mill  employed  twenty-five  men  and  boys,  who  made 
fifty  thousand  shingles,  and  the  cooper  shop  with  fifteen  men  turned  out  three 
hundred  barrels  daily.  The  salt  works  had  a  capacity  of  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  barrels  per  day,  and  gave  employment  to  forty  men.  In  all  two 
hundred  and  thirty  men  were  employed  at  this  mill,  and  formed  a  community 
living  in  cottages  erected  and  owned  by  the  company,  and  in  huge  boarding 
houses,  all  on  the  premises.  It  was  Mr.  Burt's  policy  to  employ  married  men 
whenever  possible,  as  they  were  more  steady  and  less  excitable  in  time  of 
strikes.  In  one  instance,  when  nearly  every  mill  on  the  river  shut  down  on 
account  of  labor  troubles,  the  Burt  mill  did  not  stop  a  day.  the  men  being 
contented  and  well  satisfied  with  conditions.  A  school  house  erected  by  the 
company  was  open  to  children  of  employees  seven  months  in  a  year,  and  a 
well  stocked  public  library  was  maintained  for  the  benefit  of  the  people. 

The  lumber  cut  in  this  mill  was  shipped  largely  to  <  Ihio  ports,  and  the  salt 
found  a  ready  market  at  Chicago  and  Milwaukee.  As  an  index  of  the  volume 
(  f  business  transacted  by  this  company,  the  shipments  for  the  first  half  of  1874 
amounted  to  fourteen  million  feet  of  lumber,  one  million  two  hundred  and 
thirty  thousand  pieces  of  lath,  forty-five  thousand  sets  of  heading,  two  million 
and  seventy-seven  thousand  shingles,  one  hundred  thousand  staves,  and 
thirty-one  thousand  barrels  of  salt.  The  office  in  Saginaw  was  on  Water 
Street  and  was  in  charge  of  Frank  Lawrence,  afterwards  an  extensive  real 
estate  dealer  and  mayor  of  the  city. 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  411 

The  Saginaw  Mills  in  the  Eighties 
About  two  miles  below  the  Burt  Mill,  at  Melbourne,  was  the  large  saw 
mill  and  salt  works  of  Whitney  &  Batchelor;  and  above,  at  Zilwaukee,  were 
the  mills  of  Rust,  Eaton  &  Company,  E.  F.  Gould,  Bliss,  Brown  &  Company, 
and  C.  L.  Grant  &  Company,  while  on  the  cast  side  of  the  river  were  the  mills 
of  the  Saginaw  Lumber  &  Salt  Company,  Melchers  &  Nerreter  and  S.  W. 
Tyler  &  Son.  At  Carrollton,  coming  up  the  river,  was  the  saw  mill  and  solar 
salt  field  <  if  J.  C.  Lockwi  lod,  the  mills  and  salt  works  of  \Y.  A.  I  )eGrauw,  Aar<  >n 
T.  l'.liss,  T.  Jerome  iK:  Company,  E.  F.  Gould,  J.  Riley,  and  the  planing  mill 
and  salt  works  of  William  1'..  Mershon.  On  the  middle  ground  opposite  was 
the  extensive  plant  of  the  Hoyt  Estate,  managed  l>\  William  L.  Webber, 
which  included  a  complete  planing  mill  on  the  east  side  of  the  river;  the 
planing  mills  of  W'itham.  Anderson  &  Company  and  J.  J,  Winsor,  and  the 
large  plants  of  fohn  G.  Owen,  comprising  saw  mill,  salt  works,  and  planing 
mill  which  also  made  sash,  doors  and  blinds. 

At  Florence,  directly  opposite  East  Saginaw,  were  located  a  number  of 
lumbering  concerns,  including  Backus  &  Binder,  Whittier  &  Company  (also 
making  shingles),  Charles  Merrill  &  Company,  the  salt  works  of  George  E. 
Anthony,  the  saw  and  shingle  mill  of  James  Patterson,  the  shingle  mill  of 
George  Davenport,  and  the  extensive  plants  of  C.  EC.  Eddy  &  Son,  J.  H. 
Pearson  &  Son.  and  the  shingle  mill  and  salt  works  of  Wylie  Brothers.  On 
the  east  side  of  the  river  were  the  mills  of  C.  &  E.  Ten  Eyck,  Charles  Lee, 
Warner  ec  Eastman  and  Nelson  Holland. 

Within  the  limits  of  Saginaw  City  during  this  prosperous  period  in  our 
history,  were  the  mills  of  A.  W.  Wright  &  Company,  the  planing  mill  of 
Wright  &  ECnowlton,  the  shingle  mills  and  salt  work-,  of  1).  Mel. cod  &  Com- 
pany and  Brand  &  Hardin,  the  planing  mill  of  D.  Hardin  &  Company,  the  saw 
mills  and  salt  works  of  ( i.  F.  Williams  &  Brothers  and  N.  &  A.  Barnard  (the 
latter  also  operating  a  shingle  mill),  Cameron  &  Merrill  and  Green,  Ring  & 
Company.  On  the  midde  ground,  now  Rust  Park,  were  the  saw  mills  of 
Sample  &  Camp.  W.  1'..  Stillman  and  A.  1).  tamp,  the  shingle  mill  of  D.  S. 
Chapin,  the  saw  mill  of  Burnham  &  Still,  and  the  mills  and  salt  works  of 
Gebhart  &  Estabrook. 

At  Salina,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  were  the  salt  works  of  E.  J. 
Ring,  the  planing  mill  of  A.  Linton  &  Son,  the  saw  mills  ami  salt  works  of 
Rust  Brothers  &  Company,  Eaton,  1 'otter  &  Company  ami  Wiggins,  Cooper 
&  Company.  Above,  near  the  head  of  the  Saginaw,  were  the  shingle  mill 
of  F.  Kelly,  the  salt  works  of  F.  Beschkee  and  W.  A.  (  CDonnell,  the  shingle 
mill  and  salt  works  of  E.  R.  Phinney  and  John  Creenie,  the  salt  works  of  Red- 
mond &  Nolan;  and  the  shingle  mill  of  F.  ec  L.  Brucker,  completes  the  list  of 
sixty-one  active  lumbering  and  salt  making  concerns. 

The  Output  of  the  Saginaw  Mills  in  1892 

The  manufacturers  of  lumber,  lath,  shingles,  staves  and  heading,  in  1892, 
embracing  a  majority  of  the  concerns  enumerated  above,  employed  eighteen 
hundred  and  ninety  men  in  the  saw  mills,  and  two  hundred  and  ninety-two  in 
the  shingle  mills,  and  paid  in  wages  six  hundred  twenty-six  thousand  six 
hundred  and  forty-four  dollars  in  the  saw  mills,  and  seventy-three  thousand 
dollars  in  the  shingle  mills.  The  value  of  the  product  was  four  million  eight 
hundred  and  twenty-four  thousand  dollars  for  lumber,  and  three  hundred 
thirty  thousand  five  hundred  and  ninety-two  dollars  for  shingles.  The  total 
cut  of  the  Saginaw  mills,  in  1892,  was  three  hundred  twenty-one  million 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  feet  of  lumber;  one  hundred  twenty 
million  two  hundred  and  fifteen   thousand  shingles;  fifty-nine  million  seven 


W'AKNKI;  ,V    K  \ST.M  \\. 


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G.  F.  Williams  &  Bros., 

EASDFACTDEEES  AND  DEALERS   IN 

LUMBER,   TIMBER,    LATJ 

Shingles,  Posts.  p'  '      (<(}>• 


«-.»  ,.,..  _i^---   l(.»H -^ 

A.  \Y.  WRIGHT  &  CO., 

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Special  attention  paid  to  Ft ihing  Bill  Stuff,  Tim1- 


ShiuRlc-  Mill.  F.  Sr 

CLEVELAND  H 


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LATH,  SCANTLING.  JOISTS. 

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JANES.    MEAD    &    LEE,  ,  *-A'j 

Lumber,  Sash,  Doors,  Blinds,  Mouldings,  .,         &iate, 

Sidi-iu,   Floori.ia,   Ccilinfl   =->d    Hard   Wood    t,i   nil    I ^  e,^tt,,. 

Cor.  lias  den  &  Fran'ilin  Sts.,  ar.  Washington 


'  *fe« 


v^.  i      >*A<-I>.".V1 


BUSINESS    CARDS    OF    LEADING    LUMBERMEN,    ABOUT    1874 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  413 

hundred  and  seventy  thousand   lath;  thirteen   million  two  hundred  and  two 
thousand  staves,  and  seven  hundred  and  fourteen  thousand  sets  of  heading. 

Saginaw  Becomes  a  Distributing  Market 

Early  in  the  seventies  the  necessity  of  adopting  a  general  system  of 
preparing  lumber  for  use.  previous  to  shipping  it.  became  manifest,  and 
serious  consideration  was  given  the  subject  of  establishing  planing  mills  and 
lumber  yards  in  the  Saginaws.  The  shipment  of  rough  lumber,  either  green 
or  dry,  involved  the  transportation  of  a  large  percentage  of  waste  material, 
as  dry,  dressed  lumber  weighs  only  half  as  much  as  rough  green,  and  the 
bulk  is  twenty  per  cent  less.  Lumber  must  be  seasoned  and  planed  and 
otherwise  prepared  before  it  can  be  used  for  most  purposes,  dry  kilns  and 
planing  mills  doing  the  bulk  of  this  necessary  labor.  It  was  evident  that  if  they 
were  located  here,  instead  of  at  Ohio  ports,  and  at  Buffalo  and  the  Tona- 
wandas,  and  the  debris  and  waste  incident  to  their  operation  removed  before 
any  transportation  costs  were  incurred,  a  great  advantage  would  acrue  to  this 
market,  and  the  shavings  and  trimmings  could  be  utilized  as  fuel  in  the 
manufacture  of  salt,  our  other  large  staple.  A  discussion  of  this  subject  by 
A.  II.  Mershon,  Inspector  General  of  Lumber  in  1874,  was  pertinent  to  the 
case,  references  from  which  are  transcribed: 

"The  dull  state  of  the  lumber  market,  slow  sale,  low  prices,  slight 
demand,  causes  the  anxious  manufacturer  to  ask  what  is  the  matter,  and 
( wdiat  is  more  to  the  point)  what  is  the  remedy?  *  *  !  The  consumers 
are,  as  far  as  we  are  concerned,  the  retail  lumber  yard  men  ami  the 
large  builders,  hut  we  hardly  recognize  them  in  our  trade.  We  have 
only  sought  to  sell  by  the  cargo  or  the  million  feet  to  the  large  city  and 
lake  port  yards.  Somebody  must  pay  the  yard  and  dock  rents,  the  sorting 
and  piling,  the  office  and  incidental  expenses,  that  do  not  add  one  cent 
to  the  value  of  the  lumber.  What  can't  be  added  to  the  price  and  got 
out  of  the  consumer-,  must  be  subtracted  from  the  price  paid  the  pro- 
ducer by  the  middle  men  who  have  made  fortunes  nut  of  simply  handling  our 
lumber.  Heretofore  the  consumer  has  paid  his  share,  and  I  think  the 
manufacturers  begin  to  realize  that  they  have  paid  theirs,  and  unless  they 
change  their  tactics  they  will,  from  this  time  on,  pay  the  whole  of  it. 

"The  consumers  have  found  out  that  there  are  railroads  to  Saginaw 
and  beyond.  They  have  heard  that  lumber  is  cheaper  than  it  was.  <  Ine 
comes  to  Saginaw  and  tells  us  what  he  wants — perhaps  a  car  load  of  two- 
by-fours,  a  car  load  of  stock  boards,  one  or  two  of  selects  or  finishing 
lumber,  a  few  uppers  and  a  load  of  flooring,  some  siding  and  fencing. 
We  patiently  listen  and  say  we  can't  bother  with  his  order.  We  have  a 
cargo  or  two  of  log  run,  or  common  and  culls,  or  bill  stuff,  but  as  for 
selling  in  such  driblets  as  half  a  dozen  car  loads,  we  can't  bother  with  it; 
all  is  piled  together  and  we  can't  pick  it  out  for  you.  The  country  dealer 
from  Ohio  thinks  he  has  come  to  the  wrong  place,  and  goes  up  the  road 
to  the  little  one-horse  affairs,  as  we  contempuously  call  them,  and  finds 
just  what  he  wants — buys  it  and  goes  home.  In  a  few  days  his  lumber 
arrives  by  rail,  without  transfer,  and  is  unloaded  already  sorted,  directly 
in  his  yard,  and  he  finds  that  he  has  saved  several  dollars  per  thousand, 
and  the  only  expense  he  regrets  is  the  cost  of  spending  a  day  or  two  in 
Saginaw.  *  *  * 

"Our  railroad  connections  now  are  such  that  we  can  reach  almost 
every  section  of  the  country.  We  have  the  advantage  of  being  the  largest 
manufacturing  point  of  lumber  in  the  world,  and  we  would  newer  know 
what  hard  times  are  if  we  worked  the  manufacturing  business  down  to 
a  fine  point — do  the  work  and  sorting  here,  so  that  we  can  sell  the  cus- 


414  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

tomer  just  what  he  wants  without  compelling  him  to  take  a  great  surplus 
that  he  doesn't  want.  There  is  a  demand  for  all  we  make,  dry  and  dress 
it.  do  it  here  before  it  starts,  and  keep  the  fuel  at  heme  to  make  salt.  :;c  *  * 
"What  we  want  for  the  good  of  the  trade  and  the  good  of  the  valley, 
is  mure  labor  put  upon  the  lumber  right  here  at  home.  Increase  our 
population  by  giving  more  men  work,  and  increasing  the  vadue  of  our 
production  instead  of  the  amount  of  feet.  The  argument  that  water 
freights  are  cheaper  than  rail  'won't  wash.'  You  can't  reach  the  con- 
sumer by  water,  ami  rough  lumber  as  usually  shipped  by  water  weighs 
two  tuns  a  thousand  feet,  while  dry  and  dressed  lumber  weighs  one,  and 
the  different  transfers  are  saved  and  the  lake  port  charges  and  profits. 
Sort  your  lumber,  sell  your  customers  what  they  want,  and  you  can  get 
your  price  and  your  pay;  almost  anyone  can  buy  a  few  car  loads  if  he 
can  get  such  as  he  wants.  Sub-divide  your  common  lumber,  sell  the 
coarse  lew  and  get  its  value  for  the  finer  grades." 

At  that  time  (  1 S74 )  several  lumbermen  had  already  established  sorting 
yards,  among  whom  was  Jesse  Hoyt,  all  his  lumber  being  handled  in  this  wa\ . 
about  one  million  feet  of  dressed  lumber  going  from  the  planing  mill  every 
month.  Wright.  Tipton  &  Company.  John  McGraw  &  Company,  Brooks  & 
Adams,  C.  Merrill  and  several  others  were  doing  a  prosperous  business  in 
this  way.  The  distributing  market,  though  slow  in  starting,  began  to  increase 
in  the  eighties  and  at  about  the  height  of  its  trade,  in  1892,  there  were  eighteen 
concerns  in  the  Saginaw-  doing  a  yard  and  planing  mill  business,  namely: 
Bliss  &  Van  Auken,  Wright  Lumber  Company,  E.  <  >.  &  S.  L.  Eastman,  D. 
Hardin  &  Company,  York  &  Tillotson,  Briggs  &  Cooper,  Gebhard  &  Esta- 
brook,  E.  Germain,  Linton  Manufacturing  Company,  O'Donnell,  Spencer 
&  Company,  Avery  &  Company,  George  F.  Cross  Lumber  Company,  W  .  B. 
Mershon  &  Company,  Ayres  Lumber  &  Salt  Company.  Charles  Lee.  Saginaw 
Box  Company,  Charles  Noll  and  L.  C.  Slade,  a  wholesale  lumber  yard  only. 
These  concerns  employed  an  average  of  twenty-three  hundred  men  and  boys 
during  1892,  to  whom  were  paid  eight  hundred  twelve  thousand,  four  hundred 
and  twelve  dollars  in  wages.  The\  also  employed  twenty-four  commercial 
travellers.  The  value  of  their  manufactured  product  was  five  million,  two 
hundred  and  eight  thousand  dollars,  which  was  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars  more  than  the  value  of  the  product  of  the  saw  mills. 

Characteristics  of  Ammi  W.  Wright 
At   a   gathering  of  business  associates  of    Mr.    Wright,  July   5,    1892,  to 
celebrate  his   seventieth   birthday.   James   11.    Pearson,   a   partner  in   some  of 
his   numerous   enterprises,  gave  a   few  of  the   peculiar  and  strongly   marked 
characteristics  of  their  host: 

"His  motto  was  'Early  to  bed.  and  early  to  rise.'  He  was  a  sound 
sleeper  whether  it  be  on  the  floor  of  a  lumber  camp,  with  his  coat  for 
a  pillow,  and  a  buffalo  robe  or  blanket  over  him.  with  the  temperature 
twenty  degrees  below  zero;  it  was  all  the  same  to  him.  In  one  minute 
after  his  head  was  on  the  pillow  he  was  sound  asleep.  He  was  the  first 
man  to  arise  and  take  a  general  survey  of  all  the  horses,  oxen,  bob-sleds, 
logs  and  camp  equipments;  find  out  how  much  pork,  beef.  Hour  and 
other  supplies  there  were  on  hand:  how  many  logs  were  banked,  ami  how 
manv  skidded,  and  he  would  have  the  foreman  of  each  department  render 
an  account  before  breakfast  of  everything  that  was  going  on  in  and  about 
the  lumber  camp. 

"One  little  incident  illustrates  his  hardy  nature.  I  came  over  from 
Chicago  some  twenty-five  years  ago  to  spend  a  week  with  Mr.  Wright 
in    visiting   the    fifteen    or   twenty    camps   in    which    we    were    interested, 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


415 


thereby  making  a  circuit  of  two  or  three  hundred  miles  with  a  pair  oi 
horses  and  a  tote  sleigh.  We  started  on  Monday  morning  and  we 
rounded  up  on  Saturday  night  at  what  they  called  old  Daddy  Wright's 
place,  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  above  St.  Louis.  The  snow  was  two  feet 
deep  or  more,  and  the  night  we  stayed  there  the  thermometer  was 
between  twenty  and  thirty  degrees  below  zero.  Mr.  Wright  got  up  in 
the  morning,  put  on  his  pants  and  a  woolen  shirt,  and  pulling  up  his  pants 
as  a  boy  would  who  was  going  to  wade  in  the  summer  time,  went  out 
barefooted  into  the  snow  two  Feel   deep  to  the  barn   to  feed   his  horses. 


GRINDING    AXES    IN    CAMP 


DRAWING    WATER    AT    SPRING 


I  think  it  must  have  been  thirty  degrees  below  zero;  the  snow  creaked, 
and  I  thought  it  a  most  insane  thing  to  do. 

"When  he  came  hack  into  the  log  house  he  went  to  his  cold  room, 
and    with    a    dry   towel    wiped    hi--   feet    perfectly   dry   for   more   than    ten 

minutes,  then  lie  put  on   a  pair  of  g 1,  dry  woolen  socks,  his  boots,  no 

overshoes  fur  him;  simply  a  pair  of  thick  boots.  'Never  go  near  the 
fire  in  cold  weather.'  he  said,  'if  you  want  to  keep  warm.'  We  drove  fifty 
miles  that  day  and  I  thought  1  should  freeze,  yet  lie  --aid  he  was  not  cold 
at  all.      I  was  never  so  glad  in  my  life  to  get  to  a  warm  house  in  Saginaw. 

"I  mention  some  of  these  things  that  you  may  know,  as  1  do,  of  his 
wonderful  power  and  business  capacity,  his  ability  to  endure  hardships 
and  to  overcome  all  difficulties.  lie  had  a  wonderful  tact  in  dealing 
with  all  classes  of  men.  and  knew  what  to  say  and  what  not  to  say  on  all 
occasions;  he  was  a  good  judge  of  human  nature.  1  know  of  no  man  his 
equal  to  conduct  a  large  business,  and  to  comprehend  the  entire  situation 
and  to  make  a  success  of  whatever  he  might  undertake  to  do." 


Charles  Merrill 

Among  the  prominent  lumbermen  of  Saginaw  Valley  was  Charles  Merrill, 
who  was  horn  at  Falmouth,  Maine,  in  February,  l"1',^.  With  ripening  years 
he  engaged  in  the  lumber  business  at  Lincoln  in  his  native  State,  where  he- 
operated  a  saw  mill;  and  in  1836  visited  Michigan  and  made  some  purchases 
of  virgin  forest  lands  on  the  St.  Clair  River.  In  1845  he  located  perman- 
ently in  Detroit,  ami  began  a  series  of  investments  in  some  large  tracts  of 
pine  lands  in  Saginaw  Valley,  and  was  accounted  one  of  the  largest  owners 
of  timber  limits  in  this  section  of  the  State.      He  purchased   in   1854  the  saw 


416  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

mill  which  had  been  erected  the  previous  year  by  Michael  Jeffers,  on  the 
river  bank  opposite  East  Saginaw.  The  mill  was  rebuilt  and  improved  from 
time  to  time,  making  it  one  of  the  best  equipped  on  the  river;  and  in  the  half 
century  of  its  successful  operation  under  the  same  ownership,  its  production 
reached  a  total  of  nearly  half  a  billion  feet  of  lumber. 

It  was  the  policy  of  Mr.  Merrill  to  admit  to  an  interest  with  himself 
in  the  lumber  business,  such  faithful  and  competent  men  as  in  his  judgment 
would  conduct  his  affairs  with  discretion.  He  supplied  the  capital,  while 
they  devoted  their  time,  experience  and  best  energies  to  the  carrying  out 
of  his  plans  and  policies.  For  more  than  forty  years  his  interests  in 
Saginaw  Valley  were  in  charge  of  the  late  Joseph  A.  W'hittier,  who  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  lumbermen  and  an  honored  citizen  of  this 
valley.  Air.  Merrill  was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  business,  taking  little  inter- 
est in  politics  and  politicians,  while  withal  intelligent  in  his  citizenship. 
lie  was  a  staunch  Republican,  and  his  influence  was  always  consistent  in 
the  advocacy  of  those  principles  and  measures  which  commended  themselves 
to  his  conscientious  judgment. 

Mr.  Merrill  was  married  in  1836  to  MisS  Frances  l'itts,  of  Maine,  and  to 
them  was  born  one  daughter,  who  in  womanhood  became  the  wife  of  Thomas 
\Y.  Palmer.  The  death  of  Mr.  .Merrill  in  1872,  was  universally  regretted  in 
the  removal  of  a  man  of  integrity  and  probity  of  character,  enterprising  in 
business,  far  seeing,  and  one  who  in  the  midst  of  many  activities  was  not 
unmindful  of  the  rights  ami  interests  of  his  fellow  men,  and  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  dwelt. 

John   S.  Estabrook 

Few  men  connected  with  the  early  development  of  the  Saginaws,  had  a 
more  intimate  knowledge  of  the  lumber  trade  than  John  S.  Estabrook,  who 
was  born  at  Alden,  Erie  County,  Xew  York,  in  1820.  lie  received  a  common 
school  education  in  his  native  village,  supplemented  by  a  winter's  course  in 
a  select  school.  In  1844  he  was  employed  in  a  grocery  store  at  Buffalo,  but 
in  June  of  the  following  year  he  took  passage  on  the  schooner  Cambria,  bound 
for  St.  Clair,  Michigan,  then  one  of  the  leading  lumber  ports  west  of  Buffalo. 
He  was  here  employed  as  tail  sawyer  in  the  mill  of  Wesley  Truesdell,  attend- 
ing school  in  the  Winter.  The  following  Summer  he  was  head  sawyer  in 
the  same  mill  and  spent  the  Winter  in  a  logging  camp.  After  other  varied 
experiences  he  arrived  at  East  Saginaw  in  1852,  ami  purchased  for  his 
employer,  W'illard  Parker,  one  million  feet  of  very  choice  cork  pine  from  the 
Cass  River  stock,  paying  eight  dollars  for  "quarters"  and  fifteen  dollars  for 
"uppers."  From  John  Gallagher  he  bought  an  additional  two  hundred 
thousand  feet  of  equally  choice  lumber  at  the  same  prices.  'J  ne  deals  netted 
Mr.  Parker  in  the  Albany  market  a  net  profit  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  so 
pleased  was  he  with  this  result  that  he  gave  outright  to  Mr.  Estabrook  the 
sum  of  two  thousand  dollars,  and  instructed  him  to  return  to  this  valley 
and   search    for  other  bargains  on   joint  account. 

So  successful  was  he  in  the  selection  of  prime  stock  that  he  soon  began 
an  investment  of  timber  on  his  own  account,  and  in  the  Winter  oi  1853-54 
lumbered  a  tract  on  the  Cass  River,  bringing  down  three  million  feet  oi 
logs.  The  following  year  he  operated  on  the  Shiawassee,  but  without 
marked  success,  and  became  associated  with  Samuel  W.  Yawkey  &  Com- 
pany, in  the  commission  and  inspection  business.  In  1862  he  became  associ- 
ated with  E.  P.  Mason,  of  this  city,  in  the  inspection  and  shipping  of  lumber 
and  allied  products,  a  partnership  arrangement  which  continued  for  several 
years.  His  field  of  activities  was  enlarged  in  1871  by  the  purchase,  with 
A.    Gebhart,   of   the   Curtis   &   King   mill   at    Salina.    which   they    rebuilt   and 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  417 

commenced  the  manufacture  of  lumber  on  a  commercial  scale.  In  187o  the 
firm  began  the  shipment  of  their  products  by  rail,  the  preparation  of  the 
stock  requiring  the  erection  and  equipment  of  an  extensive  planing  mill,  and 
for  years  thereafter  they  sold  direct  to  retail  dealers  in  all  sections  of  the 
country. 

Mr.  Estabrook  was  married  in  1854  to  Miss  Ellen  R.  Burt,  of  Ypsilanti, 
who  died  in  January,  1863,  leaving  one  child,  Winnifred,  afterward  the  wife 
of  W.  P.  Powell,  of  this  city.  In  1865  he  was  married  to  Miss  Helen  C. 
Norris,  who  died  in  1867  leaving  two  children,  Justus  Norris  and  Mary 
Elizabeth.  On  the  third  of  September,  1889,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Harriet 
Sharp,  of  Jackson.  Mr.  Estabrook  was  prominent  in  social  life,  eminent  in 
Masonic  circles,  and  a  staunch  Republican,  having  held  the  office  of  mayor 
of  Saginaw  (see  portrait  on  page  250)  and  other  municipal  positions  of 
trust ;  and  was  twice  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the  State  Legis- 
lature. F<>r  many  years  he  was  an  active  member  of  the  Board  of  Trade, 
and  was  a  recognized  authority  upon  all  matters  connected  with  the  business 
interests  of  Saginaw  Valley.  In  his  declining  years  he  still  enjoyed  the 
regard  and  esteem  of  all  classes  of  the  community,  which  he  had  done  so 
much  to  mold,  and  died  in  peace  on  October  4.  1903. 

Samuel   H.  Webster 

A  well  known  and  highly  esteemed  lumberman  of  the  old  days  was 
Samuel  II.  Webster,  who  was  connected  with  its  trade  when  the  supply  of 
pine  timber  was  supposed  to  be  inexhaustible,  and  lived  to  see  the  days  of 
its  decadence.  He  was  born  in  New  Hampshire,  in  1822,  and  in  his  early 
years  alternated  between  work  on  his  father's  farm  and  the  district  school. 
After  following  various  occupations,  in  one  of  which  he  was  associated  with 
Ammi  W.  Wright,  he  turned  his  face  westward,  and  arrived  in  Detroit  in 
1847,  taking  an  interest  in  a  grocery  store.  In  1855  he  came  to  Saginaw 
and  purchased  some  pine  lands  on  the  Cass  River,  which  he  lumbered  ami 
found  a  customer  for  his  logs  in  McEwen  Brothers,  of  Bay  City.  There 
were  no  boom  companies  on  the  rivers,  and  he  found  it  necessary  to  supervise 
the  work  of  running  the  logs  down  the  river  and  delivering  them  to  the 
mill  boom. 

Mr.  W'ebster  continued  lumbering  on  the  Cass  for  several  years,  and 
then  transferred  his  operations  to  the  Bad  and  Pine  rivers.  In  18d0  he 
became  associated  with  Myron  Butman,  and  the  firm  built  a  saw  mill  and 
salt  works  at  Zilwaukee.  Later  he  built  a  mill  at  Carrollton,  having  a 
capacity  of  seventy  thousand  feet  of  lumber  a  day,  which  was  afterward  sold 
to  C.  W.  Grant  &  Company.  During  the  sixties  and  seventies  Mr.  Webster 
owned  and  operated  many  large  tracts  of  timber  lands  in  Saginaw  Valley 
and  elsewhere,  and  eventually  made  the  handling  of  pine  lands  his  business. 
It  was  said  that  his  knowledge  of  existing  conditions  and  stumpage  values 
was  second  to  no  other  man  in  the  State. 

In  1849  Mr.  Webster  was  married  to  Miss  Angeline  Rice,  of  Vermont, 
and  to  them  one  son,  Benjamin  F.,  was  born.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Webster  made 
their  home  at  the  Bancroft  House  for  twenty-eight  years,  in  which  they 
were  identified  with  the  social  activities  of  the  city.  In  politics  Mr  Webster 
was  a  Republican,  but  was  never  an  office  seeker,  preferring  to  devote  all 
his  energies  to  his  business  interests.  He  was  a  director  of  the  First 
National  Bank,  and  was  connected  with  many  mercantile  institutions  of 
the  valley.  Few  men  have  exercised  a  more  salutary  influence  over  the 
business  circles  with  which  they  have  been  connected. 


418 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


RECORD    LOAD     HAULED     BY    ONE    TWO-HORSE    TEAM 


Benjamin  F.  Webster 

I  enjamin  F.  Webster,  only  son  of  Samuel  II.  Webster,  was  born  Sep- 
tember 8,  1853,  at  Detroit,  and  may  be  said  to  have  been  "brought  up"  in 
the  woods  of  the  Cass  and  other  logging  streams  of  the  Saginaw  Valley. 
His  father  at  the  time  was  superintending  his  own  camps  during  the  winter 
months,  and  running  the  logs  down  the  river  in  the  Summer,  and  the  lad 
was  kept  in  the  camps  and  on  the  drives  until  he  was  old  enough  to  go  to 
school,  lie  then  attended  the  common  schools  of  Saginaw.  When  his 
schooling  was  completed  he  began  working  in  his  father's  mill  office,  and  to 
so  good  purpose  that  in  a  few  years  he  became  manager  of  the  immense 
lumbering  i  iperatii  ins. 

In  later  years  he  became  interested  in  Lake  Superior  and  Georgian  Bay 
timber  limits",  and  also  lands  in  Mississippi.  He  was  a  director  of  the  First 
National  Bank  and  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Insurance  Company;  and  com- 
manded the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  business  men  oi  the  valley.  He 
was   married  m    1879  to  Miss   Leona   Livingston,  of  Saginaw. 


Washington  S.  Green 

For  more  than  thirty  years  W.  S.  Green  was  prominently  identified  with 
the  lumber  interests  of  "Saginaw,  hi>  residence  here  dating  from  1864.  lie 
was  born  at  Leonardsville,  New  York,  in  1X14;  and  upon  attaining  manhood 
was  engaged  in  making  agricultural  tools.  Upon  coming  to  Saginaw  he,  in 
company  with  Daniel  Hardin,  purchased  the  saw  mill  of  Hale  &  Stinson, 
which  was  operated  under  the  firm  name  of  Green  &  Hardin,  ami  m  later 
years  that  of  Green,  Ring  &  Company,  with  an  annual  production  of  twenty 
to  twenty-five  million  feet. 

Mr.   Green    was   well   versed   in   w 1  craft,  and   until    well   advanced   in 

vears   had    charge   of   the   outside    business   of   the    firm,   in    the   care   of    the 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  419 

camps  ami  the  logging  operations.  He  was  interested  in  the  Bradley-Ram- 
say Lumber  Company,  of  Lake  Charles,  Louisiana,  and  also  in  a  tract  esti- 
mated to  be  one  hundred  million  feet,  in  the  State  of  Washington.  In  other 
industrial  affairs  he  was  prominently  identified,  generally  in  association  with 
his  son.  Charles  II..  and  was  interested  in  the  Hank  of  Saginaw  in  its  early 
history.  In  later  years  he  engaged  in  mining  operations  in  the  San  Juan 
district  'if  Colorado,  and  in  the  Kootenai  district  of  British  Columbia,  in 
which  he  was  very  successful. 

As  an  ardent  Republican  Mr.  Green  newer  aspired  to  the  calling  of  a 
politician,  or  to  hold  political  office,  lint  was  content  t  <  >  hold  a  higher  place 
in  the  esteem  (if  his  fellow  citizens,  having  a  mure  honorable  record  in  all 
that  pertains  to  good  and  useful  citizenship.  Mr.  ( Ireen  died  November  11. 
1S<>7,  in  his  eighty-fourth  year. 

Isaac  Parsons 

Another  pioneer  of  the  lumber  industry  in  the  Saginaws  was  Isaac 
Parsons,  who  came  here  in  the  early  fifties  and  engaged  in  "looking"  land 
for  some  of  the  leading  lumbermen  of  the  valley,  lie  was  horn  at  Leyden, 
Lewis  County,  New  York,  November  l'».  1829,  his  father  being  of  English 
descent,  sprung  from  Sir  John  Parsons  who  came  to  Massachusetts  in  the 
early  colonial  days,  while  his  mother  was  Mary  Brown  Parsons,  of  Scotch 
descent. 

His  boyhood  was  spent  in  his  native  village  where  he  attended  the  dis- 
trict school,  and  upon  attaining  manhood  he  came  to  Saginaw.  With  his 
In  other,  Aaron  A.  Parsons,  he  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business  at  Saginaw 
City,  and  made  the  first  set  of  abstract  bunks  fur  this  county.  While  thus 
occupied  he  gradually  acquired  extensive  holdings  id'  land  in  and  near  the 
city,  of  which  the  Parsons  Addition  and  the  Gaylord  &  Parsons  Addition 
represent  the  large  tracts.  He  also  at  one  time  owned  the  larger  portion  of 
the  river  front  of  Carrollton ;  and  he  and  Doctor  1.  X.  Smith  owned  the  farm 
which  later  comprised   Union    Park. 

About    1866   Mr.    Parsons   embarked    in  the   lumber   business,   associated 

with  William  Little.  It  was  a  time  when  the  pine  forests  were  yielding 
fortunes  to  enterprising  men.  and  soon  alter  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
Alfred  F.  R.  Braley,  and  still  later  with  Aaron  P.  Ibiss.  The  linn  of  Bliss  & 
Parsons  operated  extensively  in  Wisconsin  fur  some  years,  considerable  pro- 
fit accruing  to  each  member.  In  later  years  Mr.  Parsons  secured  mining 
interests  in  Montana  and  in  Canada. 

On  July  10,  1866,  Mr.  Parsons  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Helen 
Ackley,  and  to  them  was  born  one  daughter.  Helen  A.  Parsons.  Isaac  11. 
Parsons,  a  nephew,  who  resides  at  Haywood,  California,  was  adopted  by  them 
in  boyhood,  and  was  as  a  real  son  to  them.  Mr.  Parsons  was  devoted  to  his 
home  and  his  business,  and  never  cared  for  the  honors  of  political  office  or 
of  public  life.  He  was  counted  as  a  Democrat,  though  for  years  he  belonged 
to  the  class  of  independent  voters  who  acknowledge  allegiance  to  no  party. 
As  a  husband  and  father  he  was  sympathetic,  kind  and  generous,  and  as  a 
neighbor  and  friend  he  was  true  and  helpful.  As  a  member  of  St.  John's 
Episcopal  Church  he  served  as  vestryman  for  many  years,  and  was  a  liberal 
supporter  of  the  good  work  of  the  parish.  After  an  illness  of  about  four 
years  he  died  on  Sunday  morning,  September  7,  1902,  in  his  seventy-third 
year. 

Ralph   A.   Loveland 

The  lumber  business  in  the  main  has  been  carried  on  by  men  of  rare 
intelligence  and  good  citizenship,  and  Ralph  A.  Loveland,  for  main  years 
at  the  head  of  the  Saginaw  Lumber  &  Salt  Company,  belonged  to  this  repre- 


420  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

sentative  class  of  lumbermen.  Me  was  born  at  Westport,  New  York,  January 
17,  1819,  the  son  of  Erastus  ami  Lucy  Bradley  Loveland.  In  his  youth  he 
devoted  his  Summers  to  boating  on  the  Hudson  River  and  Lake  Champlain. 
and  his  Winters  to  study  at  Essex  Academy.  Later  he  engaged  in  shipping 
on  those  waters,  in  which  he  was  successful,  but  in  18(>3  he  disposed  of  these 
interests  and  removed  to  Janesville,  Wisconsin.  There  he  was  occupied  in 
sheep  raising  and  wool  growing,  a  business  which  he  followed  for  six  years. 

In  1869,  in  company  with  D.  L.  White,  S.  W.  Barnard,  A.  S.  Page  and 
A.  G.  P.  Dodge  of  New  York,  he  established  a  lumber  yard  at  Chicago,  with 
branches  on  the  North  Side  and  on  the  North  Branch.  Closing  out  this 
business  in  1876,  Mr.  Loveland  purchased  a  small  mill  with  a  tract  of  timber 
in  Montcalm  County,  Michigan,  upon  the  exhaustion  of  which  he  bought 
lands  on  the  An  (ires  River  in  [osco  County,  estimated  to  cut  one  hundred 
and  fifty  million  feet  of  sawed  timber.  The  logs  were  cut  and  rafted  to  the 
mill  at  Crow  Island,  four  miles  below  Saginaw.  The  cutting  of  this  tract 
continued  until  1893,  after  which  the  mill  was  supplied  with  logs  from 
Georgian  Lay,  towed  across  the  lake  in  huge  rafts. 

The  Saginaw  Lumber  &  Salt  Company  was  organized  in  1881,  with 
James  Maclaren,  president,  (  'tis  Sheppard,  Vice-president,  R.  H.  Roys, 
secretary  and  D.  L.  White,  Jr.,  treasurer.  For  many  years  the  average  cut 
of  the  mill  at  Crow  Island  was  twenty  million  feet  per  year,  and  ten  to 
twenty  million  feet  in  addition  was  cut  at  other  mills  on  the  river,  for  the 
company.  The  salt  block  connected  with  the  mill  had  a  yearly  capacity  of 
fifty  thousand  barrels,  in  the  manufacture  of  which  the  mill  refuse,  formerly 
a  source  of  expense  in  its  removal,  was  made  to  pay  a  profit  as  fuel  in  salt 
manufacture.  Afterward  the  mill  plant  was  removed  to  Sandwich,  Canada, 
opposite  Detroit,  wdiere  it  was  operated  for  several  years  and  then  again 
taken  down  and  rebuilt  at  Georgian  Bay,  near  the  timber  limits  of  the 
company.  Associated  with  .Mr.  Loveland  in  these  enterprises  were  his  sons, 
Daniel  K.  and  Ralph,  who  conducted  the  business  long  after  his  death. 

Mr.  Loveland  w^as  married  March  25,  1840,  to  Miss  Harriet  M.  Kent, 
daughter  of  Daniel  M.  and  M.  G.  Kent,  of  Benson,  Vermont.  She  died  at 
Saginaw,  December  23,  1887.  In  March,  1894,  he  married  Miss  Helen 
Crittenden,  of  San  Francisco,  a  lady  of  refinement  and  culture.  He  was 
interested  in  all  public  affairs  that  concerned  the  welfare  of  the  city  and 
State,  and  was  a  Henry  Clay  whig  and  afterward  a  Republican.  In  his 
religious  convictions  Mr.  Loveland  was  a  Baptist,  and  an  influential  member 
of  that  church.  He  was  an  excellent  type  of  the  average  lumberman  of  past 
years,  exhibiting  enterprise  and  public  spirit,  qualities  which  characterized 
the   lumber  fraternity. 

William  H.  Edwards 

For  many  years  prior  to  1860  William  H.  Edwards  was  a  prominent 
figure  in  the  lumber  trade  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  He  was  born  at  Hunting- 
ton, Connecticut,  in  1816,  and  enjoyed  the  limited  privileges  of  the  schools 
of  the  day,  combined  with  employment  in  a  woolen  factory.  At  the  age 
i  I  eighteen  he  worked  in  a  machine  shop,  acquiring  a  general  knowledge  of 
machines  and  tools.  In  1848  he  engaged  in  cutting  lumber  at  Lockport,  New 
\  ork,  adding  a  four-foot  circular  saw  in  1852,  one  of  the  first  in  that  section, 
and  afterward  began  the  manufacture  of  cut  shingles.  He  gradually  extended 
his  lumbering  operations,  ami  in  1858  removed  to  East  Saginaw,  which 
offered  a  more  extended  field. 

From  that  time  Mr.  Edwards  carried  on  quite  an  extensive  business  in 
logging    from     lands    located    on    the    Flint     River,     and    on    the    Tittaba- 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


421 


LOADING     LOG    TIMBER     FOR    SHIP    SPARS 

wassee.     About  1870  he  operated  a  shingle  mill  opposite   East  Saginaw,  and 
later  erected  a  circular  saw  mill   in  Ogemaw  County,   which   was  burned  in 

the  forest  fires  of  1875. 

Mr.  Edwards  was  an  enthusiastic  Democrat,  and  was  so  devoted  to  the 
principles  of  the  party  that  in  1870  he  established  the  Saginaw  Courier,  a 
daily  paper  advocating  those  principles.  Through  constant  advances  of 
money  in  its  support,  it  fell  into  his  hands  and  drew  heavily  upon  his  fortune. 

Jovial  in  disposition,  Mr.  Edwards  was  a  most  genial  man  with  a  heart 
ever  ready  to  respond  to  the  claims  of  friends,  or  relief  of  the  needy,  and 
probably  he  never  had  an  enemy  during  his  long  life,  numbering  eighty-one 
years.  In  1857  he  was  married  to  Miss  Harriet  Beardsley,  of  Bridgeport, 
Connecticut,  two  sons  and  one  daughter  blessing  the  union.  He  died  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1897,  hut  the  mental  image  of  a  good  citizen  and  honored  lumberman 
remain  with  all  who  knew  him. 


Side  Lights  on  Some  Pioneer  Lumbermen 

Among  the  numerous  anecdotes  related  of  our  pioneer  lumbermen,  a  few 
leave  vivid  impressions  of  the  men  connected  with  them.  One  in  particular, 
concerning  an  honored  citizen,  illustrates  the  rapidity  with  which  timber 
lands  in  those  days  increased  in  value,  often  without  the  owners  being  aware 
of  the  fact. 

Early  in  the  seventies  S.  Bond  Bliss,  who  built  the  four-story  brick 
block,  now  known  as  the  Mason  Building,  being  in  need  of  some  ready 
money,  applied  to  Wellington  R.  Burt,  then  one  of  the  big  lumbermen  on 
the  river,  for  a  loan  of  four  thousand  dollars.  The  security  he  offered  was 
ample,  being  a  mortgage  on  the  business  block  he  owned,  but  Mr.  Burt,  with 
customary  caution,  hesitated  a  moment  while  debating  the  matter  in  Ids 
mind. 

Mr.  Uliss  said,  "I  own  a  section  of  timber  land  at  the  head  waters  of  the 
Muskegon,  near  Houghton    Lake,  and   will  throw  that  in  for  good  measure. 


422 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


1  have  never  seen  the  timber,  but  I  think  there  must  be  some  value  to  it." 
After  a  few  minutes  consideration  the  terms  were  arranged,  the  loan  made, 
and  the  papers  delivered. 

Nothing  more  was  thought  of  the  matter,  much  less  the  timber  land. 
for  several  years,  but  when  the  principal  and  accrued  interest  amounted  to 
in.  ire  than  six  thousand  dollars,  Mr.  Burt  began  to  doubt  the  sufficiency 
of  his  security.  He  had  never  taken  the  trouble  to  have  the  land  "looked,'" 
to  determine  the  amount  of  standing  timber,  as  it  was  far  removed  from 
Ids  lumbering  operations,  and  there  was  no  railroad  anywhere  near  it;  and  so 
the  matter  rested. 

One  day  a  stranger  entered  the  office.  He  was  a  rough,  hardy  fellow 
with  all  the  marks  of  having  come  down  from  the  woods,  evidently  to  °-et 
a  job  in  town.  At  the  moment  of  his  coining  Air.  Burt  was  very  busy  at  his 
desk  with  some  important  business,  and  spoke  without  looking  up.  The 
man  asked  if  he  was  interested  in  some  timber  land  on  the  upper  Muskegon, 
giving  a  description  of  the  land.  Mr.  Burt  replied  that  he  was  and  that  the 
land  was  for  --ale. 

"What  is  your  price  for  it?"  asked  the  stranger. 

Still  intent  upon  his  work,  the  thought  ran  through  his  mind  that  the 
fellow  was  a  "timber  wolf"  who  wanted  an  option  on  the  land  in  order  to 
tell  it  to  some  other  lumberman,  so  Mr.  Burt  replied  in  a  loud  tone,  as  if  to 
dismiss  the  whole  matter:  "One  hundred  thousand  dollars  is  my  price." 

The  man  waited  a  moment  and  then  asked,  "Is  that  your  best  terms?" 

"Yes,  "  snapped  the  busy  lumberman,  without  glancing  up,  but  hoping 
thus  to  be  well  rid  of  the  intruder. 

"Well!  We  will  take  it,"  was  the  calm  reply. 

ddie  explosion  of  a  bomb  could  hardly  have  produced  a  greater  sensation. 
Awakened  to  the  situation  Mr.  Burt  wheeled  in  his  chair  and  for  the  first 
time  faced  the  woodsman. 

"Do  you  mean  that?"  he  thundered,  "Who  are  you  anyway?" 
"Yes,  1  mean  it,"  he  replied,  and  added.  "I  represent  Hacklev  &  Humes 
of   Muskegon.      If  you   will  have  the  deeds  drawn  at  once,  and   sent   to  our 
bank  in  Muskegon  the  money  will  be  paid  over.     The  funds  are  there  await- 
ing von." 


S«#7 


SAW    MILL    AND    LUMBER    YARD    IN    THE    CAR   TRADE 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY  423 

Never  before  in  his  all  his  varied  experience  had  such  a  deal  as  this 
been  put  through  in  such  an  amazing  manner,  but  it  was  a  bona-fide  bargain 
and  was  closed  according  to  arrangement.  The  land  which  Air.  Burt  would 
have  sold  for  five  thousand  dollars  was  worth  a  hundred  thousand  to  those 
who  could  lumber  it  along  with  their  operations  in  the  neighborhood.  A 
handsome  profit  accrued  to  the  Saginaw  lumberman,  and  a  well-known  mer- 
chant and  realty  owner  was  again  "put  on  his  feet." 

When  the  country  to  the  north  and  west  of,  Saginaw  was  yet  in  its 
wild,  primitive  state,  a  large  reservation  was  set  off  in  Isabella  County  as  a 
tribal  home  for  the  Chippewa  Indians.  In  this  almost  unbroken  wilderness 
the  savages  roamed,  and  fished  and  hunted,  set  up  their  villages  and  planted 
maize,  unmolested  by  white  men.  But  when  lumbering  operations  crept  up 
the  tributary  streams  and  approached  the  boundaries  of  their  retreat, 
covetous  eyes  were  cast  on  the  pine  timber  which  covered  the  land.  Soon 
"land  lookers"  were  going  among  the  Indians  offering  to  buy  the  timber, 
giving  in  exchange  trinkets  dear  to  the  untutored  mind,  necessities  of  savage 
life,  and  perhaps  a  little  money.  Not  all  were  fortunate  enough  to  pick  up 
valuable  timber  in  this  way.  and  some  got  none  at  all. 

When  the  cutting  of  timber  on  the  reservation  lands  actually  began, 
it  was  observed  that  one  company,  headed  by  a  leading  citizen  of  Saginaw 
City,  had  title  to  the  very  choicest  timber  in  the  reservation,  and  in  such  an 
aggregate  amount  as  to  cause  much  comment  and  concern  by  their  rivals  in 
the  business.  Section  after  section  of  the  best  timber  had  been  deeded 
by  the  Indians  to  the  head  of  the  company;  and  no  hint  or  trace  could  be 
found  as  to  when  or  how  the  deals  with  the  red-skins  had  been  made.  The 
old  lumbermen  spent  many  sleepless  nights  figuring  out  how  the  trick  had 
been  turned,  and  they  had  been  check-mated  in  the  game. 

One  thing  they  learned,  too,  that  increased  their  amazement  and  chagrin. 
It  was  the  fact  that  insignificant  consideration  had  been  given  for  most  of  the 
choicest  timber.  In  talking  with  the  former  owners  of  a  valuable  tract,  the 
land  lookers  or  agents  would  invariably  ask.  "What  did  you  get  for  this  fine 
clump  of  trees?" 

"Huh!  Me  get  pint  fire-water,  gun,  powder,  blanket,  all  good,"  the 
Indian  grunted. 

Another  said,  "Me  get  big  pipe,  much  heap  smoke,  fire-water,  red  sash." 

"Us  get  pale  face  canoe  (batteaux),  hook  'em  fish,  axe.  knife,"  others  said. 

It  was  apparent  that  little  or  no  coin  had  been  given,  and  the  value  of 
the  stuff  which  attracted  the  Indians  was  very  small  and  insufficient.  With 
all  their  searching  and  questioning  nothing  which  threw  any  light  on  the 
subject  was  ever  discovered. 

Years  afterward,  when  lumbering  operations  in  thi'-  section  had  been 
brought  to  a  close,  the  secret  was  told. 

There  was  an  old  lawyer  and  politician,  named  John  Eaton,  who  lived 
in  the  forest  settlements,  and  later  settled  at  Clare.  He  had  somehow  "got 
wind"  of  the  time  and  place  of  holding  of  the  council,  when  the  reservation 
lands  were  to  be  given  over  to  the  red-skins  individually.  Here  was  an 
opportunity,  he  believed,  for  some  shrewd  lumberman  with  means  to  get  a 
decided  advantage  over  his  competitors. 

So  he  wrote  to  Arthur  Hill,  whom  he  knew  quite  well  as  one  of  the 
rising  lumbermen  of  Saginaw  Valley,  to  come  up  and  meet  him  in  the 
village  at  the  appointed  time.  Without  knowing  what  had  been  "cooked  up" 
by  the  crafty  lawyer,  Mr.  Hill  went  to  the  place  of  meeting  in  the  woods. 
and  put  up  at  the  little  tavern  which  was  the  only  lodging  place  in  the 
wilderness  for  miles  around. 


424 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


SCALING    AND    SORTING    LUMBER    ON    THE    DOCK 


The  following  day  the  Indian  Commissioners  vvitli  their  luggage  arrived 
at  the  tavern,  ready  for  the  final  council  with  the  Chippewas.  One  piece  of 
baggage  in  particular  attracted  the  attention  of  the  lumberman,  and  the 
lawyer  guessed  that  it  contained  the  official  papers  in  the  big  deal.  So  they 
kept  an  eye  on  this  valise  and  took  note  where  it  was  stowed  away  behind 
1  lie  bar,  which  also  served  as  the  office  counter  of  the  border  tavern. 

Late  at  night,  when  all  was  quiet  in  the  place,  the  schemers  lighted  a 
candle,  crept  out  softly  in  their  bare  feet,  and  slipping  below  lifted  the 
valise  from  behind  the  counter  and  took  it  to  their  room.  It  was  the  work 
of  only  a  moment  to  find  the  official  list  of  Indian  reserves,  with  the  des- 
cription of  the  land  each  was  to  receive.  A  longer  time,  however,  was 
required  to  make  a  hurried  copy  of  the  list,  when  the  original  paper  was 
replaced  in  the  valise  and  it  was  put  carefully  back  in  its  place.  So  stealthily 
had  this  been  done  that  no  one  dreamed  of  the  trick  that  had  been  put  over 
the  commissioners. 

To  send  competent  and  trustworthy  land  lookers  through  the  reservation 
and  pick  out  the  choicest  timber  was  the  next  move.  Then  the  shrewd 
lawyer,  with  this  information  and  the  official  list  of  reserves,  checked  up 
with  it,  did  the  rest,  lie  knew  many  of  the  Indians  personally,  and  it  was 
not  a  difficult  matter  to  get  them  "feeling  good,"  and  then  by  offering  them 
the  necessities  of  savage  life  they  craved,  to  induce  them  to  sign  away  their 
timber  rights. 

When  the  truth  was  known  and  the  story  told,  the  wdiole  affair  was 
regarded  as  a  huge  joke  on  the  other  lumbermen,  who  were  thus  compelled 
to  take  the  "leavings." 

In  speaking  of  the  good  old  lumbering  days  on  the  river,  O.  E.  Else- 
more,  one  of  the  prominent  log  scalers  and  boom  men  of  the  time,  recently 
said:  "The  famous  cork  pine  of  the  Cass  was  indeed  a  wonderful  timber, 
but  some  equally  as  good,  though  in  small  lots,  was  found  on  the  Tittaba- 
wassee  and  tributaries.  I  well  remember  one  fine  tract  near  Red  Keg 
(Averill),   which  cut  twenty-seven   million  feet  of  logs  to  a  section;  and  one 


THE    LUMBER    INDUSTRY 


425 


acre  i if  especially  fine  trees,  which  I  had  measured  and  staked  off,  was  cut 
and  skidded  separately  to  satisfy  my  curiosity.  This  one  acre  scaled  more 
than  one  hundred  thousand  feet  of  logs,  seme  of  which  ran  two  to  the 
thousand,  a  record  which  ha--  seldom  been  equalled. 

"I  came  to  Saginaw  in  ISO"  and  went  to  work  on  the  old  Huron  boom 
in  the  Cass  River.  It  was  a  busy  stream  in  those  days,  and  from  scaler  I 
advanced  to  the  position  of  foreman  of  the  boom,  which  I  held  for  thirteen 
years.  The  boom  company  was  composed  of  such  men  as  Sears  &  Holland, 
X.  B.  Bradley,  Bundy,  Brown  &  Little,  Shaw  &  Williams.  Edwin  Eddy, 
Ketcham  &  Company,  Avery  &  Murphy,  Charles  K.  Eddy,  James  Tolbert 
and  others.  Those  were  great  days.  The  memorable  forest  fires  of  <  >ctober, 
1871,  destroyed  a  vast  quantity  of  valuable  timber,  and  in  order  to  save  that 
which  had  been  killed,  but  not  burned,  the  logging  operations  the  following 
winter  were  on  a  big  scale.  As  a  result  the  logs  rafted  and  delivered  to  the 
mill  booms  from  the  Cass,  in  1872,  reached  a  total  of  one  hundred  and  four 
million  feet,  the  greatest  in  its  history.  The  following  year  the  production 
fell  off  to  about  fifty-six  million  feet,  and  soon  dwindled  to  fifteen  or  twenty 
million.  By  1885  the  pine  and  hemlock  timber  on  this  stream,  including  a 
territory  many  miles  back  on  both  sides,  was  entirely  exhausted,  though 
small  rafts  amounting  in  the  aggregate  from  one  and  a  half  to  five  million 
feet,  came  down  for  several  years  after. 

"The  Saginaw  Valley  lumbermen,  as  a  whole,  were  as  honest  and 
straightforward  a  lot  of  business  men  as  you  would  find  anywhere;  but. 
since  you  ask  it,  1  will  say  that  they  all  were  looking  after  their  own  best 
interests.  This  sometimes  resulted  in  coups,  misunderstandings  and  hard 
feelings.  No  timber  was  stolen  outright — it  was  too  cheap  for  such 
tactics,  but  the  timber  itself  was  sometimes  purloined  and  the  loss  not 
discovered  by  the  owner  for  several  years.  In  cutting  a  quarter  or  an  eighth 
section  here,  or  a  quarter  in  an  adjoining  section,  or  another  tract  some  dis- 
tance away,  which  belonged  to  the  operator,  he  was  careful,  you  may  be 
sure,  in  the  absence  of  very  definite  lines,  to  get  all  the  timber  belonging  to 
him,  and  if  his  cut  extended  well  over  on  the  land  of  his  neighbor  there  was 
no  one  there  to  dispute  or  stop  him,  and  he  got  away  with  it.  Some  men 
grew  rich,  I  have  no  doubt,  in  following  this  practice,  but  it  was  not  so 
universal  as  was  at  one  time  supposed.  Wealth  came  easily  to  energetic 
men  of  ability  and  capital,  and  it  was  not  necessary  to  encroach  mi  the  rights 
of  others  to  gain  a  fortune.  It  was  rather  the  traits  of  integrity,  per- 
severance and   hard   labor   which   brought  wealth   to  our  lumbermen." 


THE    TITTABAWASSEE    AT    RIVERSIDE    PARK 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  SALT  INDUSTRY 


An  Essential  Element  of  Lite  — Doctor  Houghton  Makes  Early  Discoveries  —  The 
Mate  Bores  For  Salt  — Failure  of  the  Project  —  Granting  a  Bounty  on  Salt  — Incor- 
poration oi  the  First  Salt  Company  —  Erection  of  the  First  Salt  Block  — United  with 
the  Lumber  Industry —  Repeal  of  the  Bounty  Law  —  The  State  Reaps  the  Benefits  — 
1  unty  ot  Saginaw  Salt  — Early  Methods  of  Manufacture  —  Rapid  Development  of  the 
Industry  — Difficulties  Beset  the  Manufacturers  —  Formation  of  the  Saginaw  &  Bay 
Sat  Company—  the  State  Salt  Inspection  —  Michigan  Salt  Company  —  Decline  of 
Salt  Production  —  Economies  of  Modern  Salt  Making— Utilization  of  Exhaust  Steam— 
lhe   Wilcox   Automatic   Rakes  —  Working  Up   the   By-Products  —  Salt    Production. 

FR<  »M  its  being  one  of  the  usual  and  necessary  constituents  of  food  and 
a  component  part  of  the  blood,  salt  is  an  essential  element  of  life,  while 
the  enormous  consumption  and  variety  of  purposes  to  which  it  is 
applied  in  manufacturing  operations,  invests  its  history  with  a  peculiar 
interest.  In  consequence  of  the  great  demand  in  the  economy  of  human 
life,  constant  exertions  have  been  made,  both  by  public  and  private  enter- 
prise, to  devise  new  sources  for  its  production,  either  as  a  rock  salt  or  in  the 
form  of  salt  brine. 

Salt  also  possesses  an  element  of  romance.  The  mining  of  it  has  been 
earned  on  in  Austria  for  centuries,  the  mines  in  the  wonderful  salt  country 
around  Ischl  being  show  places,  through  which  tourists  are  conducted  for 
a  fee.  In  the  valley  of  the  Vistula,  in  Austrian  Poland,  there  is  an  under- 
ground city  hewn  from  rock  salt.  It  was  started  a  thousand  or  more  years 
ago,  and  now  has  winding  streets,  railway  stations,  churches,  restaurants 
and  other  features,  both  civil  and  industrial,  of  a  prosperous  community. 

Doctor  Houghton  Makes  Early  Discoveries 
Although  the  Saginaw  Valley  and  a  large  portion  of  Lower  .Michigan 
is  underlaid  with  an  immense  bed"  of  rock  salt,  of  inexhaustible  proportions, 
which  might  be  and  indeed  has  been  mined,  the  economical  production  of  salt 
in  this  State,  as  at  other  points  in  the  .Middle  West,  is  by  the  simple  reduction 
of  resulting  brines.  As  early  as  1837  Doctor  Douglas  Houghton,  the  State 
geologist,  in  his  first  report  on  the  subject  of  brine  springs,  speaks  of  one 
at  the  mouth  of  Salt  River: 

"On  the  Tittabawassee  River,  in  Midland  County,  numerous  indi- 
cations of  the  existence  of  brine  springs  were  noticed,  extending  from 
near  the  mouth  of  Chippewa  River  as  far  as  I  ascended  the  "former 
stream,  being  a  few  miles  above  the  mouth  of  Salt  River.  Upon  either 
side  of  the  Tittabawassee  River,  between  the  points  noted,  small  pools 
of  brackish  water  were  observed,  as  also,  occasionally,  springs  discharg- 
ing a  similar  water  in  small  quantities;  and  although  an  examination 
showed  the  waters  to  contain  large  quantities  of  the  salts  of  lime,  and 
occasionally  of  iron,  they  were  never  destitute  of  more  or  less  salt. 

"Springs  of  a  more  decided  character  occur  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
mouth  of  Salt  River.  The  first  observed  occurs  in  the  stream  near 
the  right  bank  of  the  Tittabawassee,  a  little  below  Salt  River,  ***  and 
was  found  by  actual  measurement  to  discharge  about  seventy  gallons 
of  water  per  hour.  Nearly  a  mile  above  this  spring  upon  the  same  bank, 
and   elevated   from   eight   to  ten  feet   above  the  water  of  the   river,  is  a 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY  427 

second  spring,  discharging  a  somewhat  larger  quantity  of  water.  Near 
by,  but  at  a  greater  elevation,  several  small  springs  of  brackish  water 
were  seen  issuing  from  the  sloping  bank  of  the  river,  which,  upon 
examination,  were  found  to  contain  a  notable  quantity  of  salt. 

"The  quantity  of  water  discharged  from  these  springs  is  small,  but 
when  considered  in  connection  with  those  already  noticed,  they  become 
matters  of  considerable  interest,  since  they  serve  to  show  that  the  salines 
are  not  confined  to  one  or  two  springs,  but  are  widely  dispersed  over 
a  large  district  of  country.  Urine  springs  are  known  to  exist  near  the 
mouths  of  Flint  and  Cas^  Rivers  in  Saginaw  County;  but  they  occur  in 
a  flat  country  and  the  unfavorable  season  compelled  me  to  defer  examin- 
ing them  until  some  future  time." 

In  commenting  on  this  report,  Stevens  T.  Mason,  the  first  governor 
of  Alichigan,  in  his  message  of  January  4,  1838,  to  the  Legislature,  says: 

"The  examination  of  the  saline  springs  has  been  carried  so  far  as  to 
render  it  certain  that  we  possess  an  extensive  salt  region,  and  that,  with 
hut  a  comparatively  trilling  expenditure,  we  shall  be  enabled  to  manu- 
facture salt  in  sufficient  quantities  not  only  for  home  consumption,  but 
that  it  must  become  an  article  of  extensive  export.  The  whole  number 
of  salines  granted  by  the  Act  of  Congress  have  not  as  yet  been  located, 
in  consequence  of  a  want  of  time  to  examine  the  northern  region  of 
the  State;  but  such  a  number  have  been  secured  as  to  justify  the  Legis- 
lature in  authorizing  preparatory  measures  for  bringing  them  to  public 
use." 

In  accordance  with  the  recommendation  contained  in  the  governor's 
message,  the  Legislature,  by  act  approved  March  4,  1838,  directed  the  State 
geologist  to  commence  boring  for  salt  as  soon  as  practicable  at  one  or  more 
of  the  State  salt  springs.  He  was  authorized  to  employ  a  chief  assistant  well 
skilled  in  the  practice  of  salt-boring,  and  other  assistants  as  might  be  neces- 
sary, appropriating  a  sum  not  exceeding  three  thousand  dollars  to  defray  the 
expenses,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  internal  improvement  fund.  The  geologist 
accordingly  visited  the  principal  salt  wells  of  Ohio.  Pennsylvania  and  Vir- 
ginia, with  a  view  of  availing  himself  of  the  most  recent  improvements  in  the 
method  of  conducting  the  work. 

The  salt  springs  of  New  York  were  so  differently  situated  that  a  satis- 
factory comparison  with  them  could  not  be  instituted,  on  which  point  he 
said : 

"Any  attempt  to  improve  the  water  of  our  own  springs  upon  the 
plan  there  pursued,  would  most  assuredly  prove  valueless.  The  brine 
springs  of  our  State,  like  those  of  Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia, 
emanate  from  a  rock  which  lies  deep,  being  covered  with  a  mass  of 
earthy  matter,  which  it  is  necessary  to  penetrate.  But  the  appearance 
of  salt  springs  at  the  surface  is  of  itself  far  from  being  evidence  of  water 
below.      It  is  only  a  single  link  in  the  chain  of  facts." 

The  State  Bores  for  Salt 

Two  points  were  selected  for  test  wells  ;  one  on  the  Grand  River  about 
three  miles  below  the  village  of  Grand  Rapids,  and  the  other  on  the  Tittaba- 
wassee,  at  the  mouth  of  Salt  River.  The  appropriation  for  this  purpose  was 
quickly  expended  in  preliminary  work,  the  country  roundabout  being  a 
forest  wilderness ;  but  the  following  year  the  Legislature  directed  the 
geologist  to  continue  the  improvements,  and  appropriated  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  to  defray  the  expenses  thereof. 

In  speaking  of  the  well  at  the  Tittabawassee  River,  Doctor  Houghton 
in  his  annual  report  says: 


428 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


SALT    BLOCK    AND    MILL    BOOM 


THE    LOG    END    OF    SAW    MILL 


"In  continuing  the  shaft  commenced  at  this  place  much  difficulty 
lias  been  encountered  from  the  influx  of  water;  but  the  condition  is  such 
that  this  difficulty  may  now  he  easily  overcome  by  properly  sinking 
tubes.  All  is  in  readiness  to  proceed  with  rapidity,  and  the  whole  outlay 
for  materials  having  been  incurred,  the  remaining  expense  of  completing 
the  work  will  be  comparatively  small. 

"At  a  little  less  than  fifty  feet  a  continuous  vein  of  salt  water  was 
opened,  but  so  intermixed  with  veins  of  fresh   water  as  to  make  it  im- 
possible to  determine  the  absolute  quantity  of  saline  matter  contained  in 
it.  *    *  Although  this  water  is  not  of  sufficient  strength   to  admit  of  its 
economical  use  for  the  manufacture  of  salt,  it  nevertheless  serves  to  add 
confidence  to  the  hope  before  expressed,  of  eventual  success  in  obtaining 
the  object  sought,  if  the  plan  proposed  be  carried  out." 
The  work  at  that  time  was  suspended  because  the  moneys  appropriated 
could  not  be  realized;  and  the  report  of  the  select  committee  "called  attention 
to  the  fact  that   seventy-two  sections  of  land,  amounting  to  more  than   five 
thousand   acres   which,   apart   from   the   special   value   in  consequence  of  the 
salt  springs,  were  worth  five  dollars  an  acre,  must  be  regarded  as  a  gift  from 
the  United  States,  in  consideration  of  the  testing  of  their  value  for  the  pro- 
duction of  salt.     "Your  committee  are  fully  aware  of  the  opinion."  the  report 
reads,  "that  the  prospects  of  success,  offered  by  a  continuance  of  the  improve- 
ments in  progress,  are  such  as  not  only  to  warrant  their  continuance,  but  also 
that  the  best  interests  of  the  State  demand  it." 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY  429 

By  act  of  March  30.  1840,  the  Legislature  appropriated  five  thousand 
dollars  for  the  improvements  at  the  salt  springs  on  the  Grand  River,  and  a 
like  amount  on  those  on  the  Tittabawassee.  Under  this  act  a  contract  was 
made  with  Ira  T.  Farrand.  by  which  he  agreed  to  sink  the  shaft  upon  the 
State  salt  lands  at  Tittabawassee  to  the  ruck  beneath,  and  a  well  in  said  rock 
to  the  depth  of  three  hundred  feet  from  the  surface,  the  price  to  be  seventeen 
dollars  per  foot  for  the  first  fifty  feet:  and  sixteen  dollars  per  running  foot  for 
the  remaining  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet;  and  in  addition  the  State  was  to 
nay  for  the  tubing  if  any  be  used.     The  contract  was  confirmed  on  March  16, 

1841,  and  the  work,  which  for  eighteen  months  had  been  suspended,  was 
speedily  resumed. 

At  the  mouth  of  Salt  River,  where  the  earth-boring  was  originall) 
estimated  at  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  after  nine  months  of 
continuous  labor  the  contractor  had  only  been  able  to  reach  a  depth  of  <me 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  feet.  The  results  were  disappointing,  but  the  geoL 
gist  restates  the  opinion  that  to  obtain  water  at  maximum  strength  the  shaft 
should  be  sunk  to  a  depth  of  at  least  six  hundred  feet,  and  recommends  that 
the  well  be  completed  at  an  early  day. 

Failure  of  the  State  Project 

An  appropriation  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars  was  approved   February   14. 

1842,  to  be  expended  upon  the  two  wells  already  commenced;  but  further 
attempts  to  obtain  water  possessing  qualities  suitable  for  making  salt  proved 
unsuccessful.  The  salt  lands  of  the  State  were  then  platted  into  lots  and 
leased  with  the  right  to  manufacture  salt,  provided  that  at  least  four  cents 
per  bushel  of  fifty-six  pounds  be  paid  to  the  State  for  the  water.  No  further 
progress  was  made  at  the  springs  on  the  Tittabawassee,  except  to  keep  the 
machinery  in  repair;  and  some  doubt  was  entertained  as  to  the  validity  of  the 
title  of  the  State  to  the  land  where  the  salt  well  was  commenced. 

The  foregoing  facts,  comprising  the  principal  action  of  the  State  toward 
the  development  of  the  salt  springs  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  prior  to  1859,  were 
embodied  in  a  paper  prepared  by  the  late  William  L.  Webber,  and  read 
before  the  State  Pioneer  Society,  February  2.  1881.  The  paper  was  honored 
by  publication  in  the  Michigan   Pioneer  Collections.  Vol.   IV,  pp  13-22. 

Granting  a  State  Bounty  on  Salt. 

In  1859,  some  citizens  of  Grand  Rapids  applied  to  the  State  Legislature 
for  an  appropriation  of  ten  thousand  dollars  to  be  used  for  further 
testing  the  question  of  the  existence  of  salt  at  the  Grand  River  well.  There 
was  no  proposition  for  continuing  the  experiment  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  and, 
as  the  State  treasury  had  no  great  surplus,  the  Legislature  would  not  make 
an  appropriation  to  be  applied  merely  for  experiment.  Knowing  this  fact,  a 
few  prominent  men  of  East  Saginaw  having  faith  in  salt,  met  at  the  office  of 
Charles  B.  Mott,  on  January  26,  185'',  and  after  a  general  discussion  of  the 
whole  matter  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Norman  Little.  Morgan 
L.  Cage.  Doctor  George  A.  Lothrop  and  William  L.  Webber,  with  instruc- 
tions to  petition  the  Legislature  for  such  aid  as  in  the  opinion  of  the 
committee  the  Legislature  would  be  most  likely-  to  grant. 

The  committee  believed  it  would  be  useless  to  ask  for  a  money  appropri- 
ation, but  it  was  thought  probable  that  a  bounty  would  be  granted  contingent 
ii]"  in  success.  A  petition  to  that  effect  was  duly  prepared  and  sent  forward, 
and  a  bill  proposing  a  bounty  of  ten  cents  on  each  barrel  of  salt  made  was 
sent  to  James  Birney,  then  representing  the  Saginaw  district  in  the  Senate, 
to  be  presented  to  that  body.  The  Legislature  seemed  to  regard  it  as  a 
harmless  bill,  and  by  way  of  ridicule  some  member  moved  to  make  the 
bounty   ten    cents   a    bushel,    equivalent    to    fifty    cents    a    barrel.     Willing    to 


430  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

carry  out  the  juke,  the  Legislature  passed  the  bill  in  that  form,  and  it  was 
aproved  February  15,  1859.  The  act  as  passed  also  exempted  from  taxation 
all  property  used  in  the  business  of  manufacturing  salt. 

Incorporation  of  the  First  Salt  Company 

Encouraged  by  this  act  of  the  Legislature,  and  with  no  more  doubt  that 
the  State  would  in  good  faith  observe  and  keep  its  promises  than  that  it 
would  ultimately  pay  its  bonds,  the  enterprising  men  of  East  Saginaw, 
including  Jesse  Hoyt,  of  New  York,  formed  themselves  into  a  corporation 
under  tbe  general  manufacturing  law  as  the  "East  Saginaw  Salt  Manu- 
facturing Company."  with  a  capital  stock  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  consisting 
of  two  thousand  shares  of  twenty-five  dollars  each.  The  whole  amount 
was  subscribed  in  two  davs  and  the  articles  of  association  were  signed  on 
April  10,  1859. 

The  men  to  whom  the  Saginaw  Valley  and  the  State  are  indebted  for 
the  discovery  of  brine,  and  to  whose  risk  and  expense  this  industry,  which 
proved  of  such  great  value,  was  created,  were  William  L.  P.  Little,  Webber 
&  Wheeler,  James  L.  Ketcham,  George  A.  Lathrop,  Dwight  G.  Holland, 
Moses  B.  Hess,  Alexander  English,  John  F.  Driggs,  William  J.  Bartow, 
William  F.  Glasby,  Jesse  Hoyt,  Charles  B.  Mott,  Henry  C.  Potter,  Chester 
B.  Jones  and  John  P.  Derby,  each  of  whom  subscribed  for  one  hundred  and 
twenty  shares  of  the  capital  stock.  William  C.  Yawkey  and  George  W. 
Merrill  each  took  forty  shares;  D.  W.  C.  Gage  and  O.  P.  Burt  twenty  shares 
each;  and  Chauncey  H.  Gage  and  Perry  Joslin  ten  shares  each.  Doctor 
George  A.  Lathrop  was  elected  president  of  the  company,  W.  L.  P.  Little, 
treasurer,  ami  William  L.  Webber,  secretary;  and  these  officers,  with  Messrs. 
Mott,  Ketcham,  I  les>,  Putter,  Merrill  and  Glasby,  comprised  the  board  of 
directors. 

Organization  having  been  perfected,  Jesse  Hoyt  tendered  the  use  of 
ten  acres  of  land  near  the  bank  of  the  river  for  the  boring  of  an  experimental 
well,  with  an  option  in  case  of  success  to  purchase  the  same  at  an  agreed 
price.  The  location  selected  was  north  of  Washington  Street  and  just  below 
the  site  of  Carlisle's  tannery.  None  of  the  men  connected  with  the  enter- 
prise had  any  knowledge  of  the  geological  formation  of  the  valley,  or  any 
experience  concerning  the  boring  of  salt  wells,  so  a  committee,  consisting  of 
George  W.  Merrill  and  Stephen  R.  Kirby,  was  appointed  to  visit  the  Onon- 
daga salt  wells  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  learn  what  buildings, 
machinery  and  tools  were  necessary  for  the  boring  of  the  well. 

After  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  matter  by  these  practical 
mechanics,  some  of  the  tools  and  equipment  required  for  the  work  were 
purchased  at  Syracuse  and  shipped  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal  and  the  lakes 
to  Saginaw.  In  due  course  the  work  was  commenced  by  the  erection  of  a 
drill  house,  an  engine  was  procured  and  the  machinery  set  up  and  put  in 
operation  under  the  direction  of  Sanford  Keeler,  then  a  young  engineer  on 
the  river.  Other  necessary  tools  and  appliances  were  made  or  purchased, 
tubing  for  the  earth  boring  was  secured  and  the  well  begun. 

Soon  after  the  work  was  well  under  way,  Mr.  Kirby,  who  had  general 
charge  of  the  enterprise,  was  called  to  the  West  to  look  after  some  of  the 
Hoyt  interests,  and  the  direction  of  affairs  and  the  whole  responsibility  of 
carrying  on  the  operations  devolved  upon  Mr.  Keeler.  Me  was  equal,  how- 
ever, to  every  emergency,  and  the  results  obtained  were  due  very  largely 
to  his  ability  and  perseverance.  The  first  well  bored  was  four  inches  in 
diameter,  carried  through  a  layer  of  soil  ninety-two  feet  in  thickness,  at  which 
point  a  brown  sand  rock  was  encountered.  From  that  the  boring  continued 
down  through  alternate  strata  of  rock  to  a  depth  of  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
three  feet,  terminating  in  a  fine  sandstone  known  as  salt  rock. 


THE     SAL"!'     INDUSTRY 


431 


s.  mford    Keeler 
Who   Drilled  the  First   Salt   Well 
Stephen   R.   Kir 
Who   Planned  the  Operations 

TO    WHOM     HONOR 


George   W.    .Merrill 
Who  Made  Part  of  the  Machinery 


IS    DUE    FOR    THE     DISCOVERY    OF    SALT 

The  want  of  definite  knowledge  of  the  geological  formations  delayed 
the  operations  considerably.  At  Onondaga,  the  wells  were  carried  down 
only  to  the  salt  rock,  but  here  it  was  found  necessary  to  penetrate  the  saline 
deposit ;  and  in  doing  this  a  new  difficulty  arose.  The  drills  which  had  been 
used  in  boring  were  not  suited  to  working  in  salt  rock,  they  would  wear  dull 
very  quickly  and  then  stick  and  break,  on  one  occasion  requiring  incessant 
labor  for  three  weeks  to  dislodge  the  parts  and  remove  the  fragments,  so  that 
operations  could  be  resumed.  On  account  of  these  delays,  which  taxed  the 
patience  and  ingenuity  of  the  young  engineer,  it  was  not  until  February  7, 
1860.  that  the  work  on  the  well  was  completed;  nor  until  that  date  did  the 
board  of  directors  declare  the  experiment  a  success. 

On  the  ninth  of  February  public  announcement  was  made  of  the  dis- 
covery of  brine  of  sufficient  strength  for  commercial  reduction  to  salt,  and  as 
stated'  in  the  Courier  of  that  date,  the  "news  struck  the  community  like  an 
electric  shock."     In  their  report  to  the  stockholders  the  directors  said: 

"We  have  been  aware  of  your  natural  anxiety  for  information  during 
the  progress  of  the  work,  but  the  board  of  directors  at  an  early  day 
adopted  the  policy  of  studiously  withholding  the  facts  developed  from 
time  to  time,  however  encouraging,  lest  they  might  excite  hope  which 
the  final  results  would  not  justify.  We  are  happy  now  to  assure  you 
that  Saginaw  possesses  salt  water  second  in  strength  and  purity,  and 
we  believe  in  quantity,  to  none  in  the  United  Slates." 

Erection  of  the  First  Salt  Block 

Greatly  enthused  over  the  success  of  their  experiments,  the  company 
at  once  proceeded  to  the  erection  of  works  for  the  manufacture  of  salt,  con- 
sisting of  two  kettle  blocks  after  the  manner  of  those  in  use  at  Syracuse. 
Cord  wood  was  used  for  fuel,  and  the  manufacture  commenced  in  the  latter 
part  of  June,  1860.  The  production  the  first  year  was  ten  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-two  barrels  of  salt,  consisting  of  five  bushels  each;  and 


432  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

in  the  second  year — July  1.  1861,  to  July  1.  1862,  the  production  of  this  com- 
pany alone  was  thirty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  barrels.  As 
soon  as  the  success  of  this  experiment  was  thoroughly  demonstrated,  other 
companies  were  formed  and  wells  commenced  at  various  points  on  Saginaw 
River.  In  five  years  the  production  had  reached  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
nine  thousand  barrels;  and  in  1880 — twenty  years  after  the  discovery  of  brine 
— the  manufacture  was  two  million  six  hundred  seventy-eight  thousand 
three  hundred  and  eighty-six  barrels,  being  something  over  thirteen  million 
bushels  of  salt. 

Experience  demonstrated  that  the  mode  first  adopted  for  the  manu- 
facture was  not  calculated  to  produce  the  best  economical  results.  The  East 
Saginaw  Salt  Company  estimated  that  the  wood  used  in  1862  cost  twenty-five 
and  a  half  cents  for  each  barrel  of  salt  made,  and  that  each  cord  of  wood 
used  in  the  kettle  blocks  gave  a  product  of  about  seven  barrels  of  salt.  Cord 
wood  at  that  time  could  be  procured  at  about  one  dollar  and  seventy-five 
cents  per  cord  of  average  quality,  but  soon  after  the  manufacture  of  salt 
increased  the  price  was  raised  to  about  three  dollars  a  cord,  which  brought 
the  cost  of  fuel  to  about  fifty  cents  a  barrel  of  salt. 

The  Salt  and  Lumber  Industries  United 

Saginaw  River  was  then  lined  with  saw  mills  producing  vast  quantities 
of  sawdust  and  slabs,  which  could  be  utilized  as  fuel,  far  in  excess  of  that 
required  for  the  use  of  the  mills.  It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  quality 
of  the  brine  was  such  that  evaporation  in  vats  and  pans  was  more  econom- 
ically accomplished  than  in  kettles.  The  heat  in  the  exhaust  steam  of  the 
saw  mills,  it  was  also  found,  could  be  utilized  for  this  purpose;  and  by 
combining  the  two  manufactures,  salt  and  lumber,  the  fuel  for  the  former 
could  be  obtained  practically  without  cost.  Thus  the  two  industries  were 
united,  or  rather,  salt  manufacture  was  largely  developed  by  the  lumber 
business.  For  the  production  of  salt  in  1880  the  saving  in  fuel  alone  was 
one  and  a  quarter  million  dollars,  and  the  consumer  received  the  benefit  of 
this  saving.  In  1870  the  average  price  of  salt  at  Saginaw  was  one  dollar 
and  thirty-two  cents  per  barrel,  but  ten  years  later  it  had  dropped  to 
seventy-five  cents  per  barrel,  or  fifteen  cents  a  bushel,  at  which  price  no  one 
could  manufacture  salt  in  kettles  without  loss. 

Repeal  of  the  Salt  Bounty  Law 

The  Legislature  of  Michigan,  having  passed  the  salt  bounty  bill  provid- 
ing for  a  bounty  live  times  greater  than  was  asked  or  desired,  with  the 
object  of  encouraging  private  enterprise  of  a  measure,  in  which  public 
experiment  had  signally  failed,  soon  discovered  its  mistake,  and  at  its  session 
of  1861  repealed  the  act  absolutely.  The  result  was  that  the  Fast  Saginaw 
Salt  Manufacturing  Company,  at  whose  risk  and  expense  this  great  industry 
was  discovered  and  developed,  received  from  the  State  as  a  bounty  only  the 
sum  of  thirty-one  hundred  and  seventy-four  dollars,  which  was  paid  by  a 
compulsory  writ  from  the  Supreme  Court.  The  payment  was  but  a  trifling 
compensation  for  the  losses  incident  to  the  making  of  the  discovery  of  brine, 
and  testing  all  the  experimental  questions  in  the  manufacture  of  salt,  com- 
peting, meanwhile,  for  the  market  with  a  rival  so  strong  as  the  Onondaga 
Salt  Association  which,  to  cripple  the  Saginaw  industry,  sold  salt  in  com- 
petition at  one  dollar  a  barrel  at  the  lake  ports,  when  their  retail  price  at 
Syracuse  was  two  dollars  and  thirty-five  cents  a  barrel. 

The  changes  in  the  method  of  manufacture  were  such  that  the  stock- 
holders of  the  East  Sa»inaw  Salt  Manufacturing  Company,  who  had  paid  in 
on   the   capital   stock    (which   had   been   increased   to   two   hundred   and    fifty 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY  433 

thousand  dollars),  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  dollars, 
found  themselves  with  practically  a  worthless  property  on  their  hands,  their 
competitors,  who  had  profited  by  their  experience,  keeping  the  price  so  low 
that  no  profit  could  be  realized  from  the  manufacture  by  their  method.  At 
least  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  was  sunk  by  this  company  for 
which  no  return  was  ever  received,  and  the  stockholders  had  to  content  them- 
selves with  the  satisfaction  of  knowing  that  to  them,  and  to  their  enterprise 
and  expenditure,  was  the  State  indebted  for  this  industry  which  assumed  such 
enormous  proportions  within  twenty  years. 

The  State  Reaps  the  Benefits 

The  advantages  which  the  State  received  from  the  manufacture  of  salt 
on  a  commercial  scale  within  its  boundaries,  were  inestimable.  From  I860 
to  and  including  1881,  the  production  of  salt  in  Michigan  amounted  to 
eighteen  million  eight  hundred  sixty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty- 
nine  barrels.  Everything  used  in  the  manufacture  and  packing  for  shipment 
was  produced  at  home,  except  the  nails  to  hold  the  hoops  and  heads  on  the 
barrels,  so  that  practically  all  the  money  received  for  the  product  added  to 
the  wealth  of  the  State.  At  an  average  price  of  one  dollar  per  barrel  for  all 
the  salt  produced  in  the  twenty-one  years,  the  total  valuation  was  almost 
eighteen  and  a  half  million  dollars.  Prior  to  the  discovery  of  brine,  the 
price  paid  for  salt  by  the  people  of  Michigan  was  much  higher  than  prevailed 
afterward ;  and  on  a  basis  of  one  bushel  a  year  for  each  individual,  the 
consumption  in  1881  was  about  three  hundred  thousand  barrels.  If  the 
saving  to  these  consumers  was  only  half  a  dollar  per  barrel,  the  total  amount 
for  twenty-one  years  was  fully  two  and  a  quarter  million  dollars.  In  addition 
to  this,  the  value  of  taxable  property  was  greatly  increased,  thus  lightening 
the  burdens  of  other  portions  of  the  State. 

The  Purity  of  Saginaw  Salt 

At  an  earlv  day  in  the  development  of  our  salt  industry  it  was  deter- 
mined by  practical  tests  that  the  quantity  of  brine  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  was 
inexhaustible.  Every  new  well  bored  produced  an  abundant  supply,  and 
excessive  pumping  reduced  the  strength  only  temporarily,  the  brine  at  once 
regaining  the  prime  standard  when  the  excessive  drain  was  checked.  The 
brine  was  perfectly  clear  and  apparently  pure  when  drawn  from  the  wells, 
but  by  exposure  to  the  atmosphere  some  impurities  were  precipitated,  and 
in  the  process  of  manufacture  others  were  developed  and  removed  by  careful 
treatment.  Care  in  the  process  greatly  enhanced  the  preservative  qualities 
of  salt,  and  the  majority  of  the  Saginaw  manufacturers  produced  an  article 
so  pure  and  wholesome  as  to  stand  the  test  of  most  thorough  experiment 
and  investigation.  As  a  result  a  high  reputation  was  soon  attained  for 
Saginaw  salt  in  all  the  markets  it  reached. 

Early  Methods  of  Manufacture 

Almost  at  the  beginning  of  the  salt  industry  there  were  two  modes  of 
manufacture,  one  by  the  evaporation  of  the  brine  by  artificial  heat,  the  other 
accomplishing  the  same  result   by  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

The  mode  first  employed  here  was  that  evaporating  by  artificial  heat. 
of  which  there  were  several  processes,  the  original  being  the  kettle  process. 
A  salt  block  consisted  of  fifty  or  sixty  kettles  and  the  stone  or  brick  work 
in  which  they  were  set.  The  kettles  were  arranged  close  together  in  two 
rows,  over  two  arches  with  only  a  dividing  wall  separating  them,  reaching 
from  the  mouth  of  furnace  to  the  chimney.  The  arches  in  front  were  about 
three  feet  deep,  the  bottom  gradually  rising  as  they  receded,  so  that  under 
the  back  kettles  the  space  was  only  ten  or  twelve  inches.     Each  block  was 


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THE    SALT     INDUSTRY  435 


housed  under  a  wooden  building  from  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  feet  long, 
and  about  twenty-five  feet  high  in  the  center,  with  sheds  on  each  side  contain- 
in-  bins  for  the  drainage  of  the  salt  as  made.  After  remaining  in  these  bins 
for  two  weeks  the  salt  was  packed  in  barrels  for  market. 

When  the  works  were  in  operation,  an  engine  at  the  well  pumped  the 
brine  through  pump  logs  to  vats  or  cisterns  close  by,  flowing  in  through  a 
spout  over  the  top.  From  these  vats  another  set  of  pump  logs  carried  the 
brine  into  the  block,  and  along  the  top  of  the  masonry  between  the  rows  of 
kettles,  with  a  spout  extending  over  each  kettle.  When  the  kettles  were 
filled  and  the  brine  was  heating  by  the  rousing  fire  of  four-foot  cord  wood 
beneath,  before  boiling  commenced,  a  scum  arose  on  the  surface  and  was 
removed.  After  boiling  a  short  time  the  crystals  of  salt  began  to  form  on 
the  surface  and  fall  to  the  bottom;  and  when  boiled  down  about  one-half 
the  salt  was  dipped  out  with  a  long-handled  pan  and  thrown  into  a  basket 
placed  over  one  side  of  the  kettle,  for  draining:  The  "bitter  water"  thus 
drained  off  carried  with  it  the  Calcium  Chloride  and  other  impurities,  the 
elimination  of  which  was  an  all  important  point  in  this  mode  of  manufacture. 

Solar  salt,  produced  by  the  other  mode  of  manufacture — evaporation  by 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  was  made  in  shallow  wooden  vats,  and  was  much  purer 
than  that  first  made  in  vats  in  the  ground.  A  salt  cover  was  eighteen  feet 
square,  and  had  an  annual  capacity  of  fifty  bushels.  The  solar  process  was 
very  simple  and  entailed  but  slight  expense  in  operation. 

Late  in  March  the  water  which  had  remained  in  the  vats  during  the 
winter,  to  preserve  them  from  the  action  of  frost,  was  drawn  off.  and  every- 
thing cleaned  and  put  in  order.  As  soon  as  the  sun's  rays  began  to  have 
sufficient  warmth,  the  brine  was  poured  from  the  reservoirs  into  the  hundreds 
of  wooden  vats,  each  of  which  was  provided  with  a  movable  cover  or  roof, 
mounted  on  a  trolley  stage,  so  that  it  could  be  moved  backward  and  forward 
over  the  vat  to  protect  or  expose  the  brine,  as  the  state  of  the  weather 
rendered  desirable.  The  appearance  of  these  acres  of  rows  of  wooden  pent 
covers  from  a  distance,  gave  the  otherwise  desolate  marshes  over  which  they 
spread  the  semblance  of  a  barrack  ground.  (  )n  approaching  them  the 
illusion  was  quickly  dispelled,  and  instead  of  a  bugle  call  or  sentry  challenge, 
the  sharp  shriek  of  the  engine  whistle,  calling  the  men  to  their  labors,  or  the 
noise  of  the  pumps,  greeted  the  ear. 

The  brine  was  allowed  to  remain  in  the  vats  from  six  weeks  to  two 
months  to  evaporate,  according  to  the  number  of  warm  sunny  days,  when 
the  salt  was  all  deposited,  drained  off  and  dried,  and  at  once  packed  in 
barrels  for  shipment.  The  works  produced  three  crops  of  solar  salt  in  a 
season,  the  first  being  gathered  about  the  middle  of  July,  the  second  in 
September,  and  the  third  the  last  of  October.  A  small  quantity,  about  a 
tenth  of  a  crop  was  gathered  in  November,  from  the  vats  which  produced 
the  first  crop.  The  middle  crop  was  considered  the  most  valuable  due  to 
the  exceeding  coarseness  of  granulation,  by  reason  of  its  more  rapid  evapor- 
ation in  hot,  dry  weather.  This  coarseness  of  solar  salt  gave  it  increased 
value,  and  it  was  highly  prized  by  pork  and  beef  packers,  as  it  prevented  the 
meat  from  packing  too  closely  and  permitted  a  free  circulation  of  the  brine. 
It  is  also  peculiarly  adapted  "for  salting  hides  ami  for  other  purposes  of  like 
nature.  The  last  solar  salt  works  tip  be  operated  at  this  end  of  the  river  was 
that  of  Mitchell,  McClure  &  Company,  below  Zilwaukee,  but  it  was 
abandoned  and  fell  into  ruin  about  ten  years  ago. 

Rapid  Development  of  the  Industry 
By  means  of  various  processes  in  manufacture,  such  as  kettles,  solar  and 
steam   evaporation,   pans,   and    Chapin's    Patent    which    originated    here,    the 
production   of  salt   at   Saginaw   increased   very  rapidly.     In    1867  one  and  a 


436  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


quarter  million  dollars  were  invested  in  the  industry,  which  produced  three 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  thousand  barrels  of  salt,  and  gave  employment  to 
four  hundred  and  seventy-one  men.  The  following  table  gives  the  names 
of  manufacturers,  location  of  works,  production,  number  of  men  employed 
and  the  investment : 

George   D.    Lord,   Zilwaukee 11.224  15  $100,000 

Western    Salt    Company,    Zilwaukee 35,000  40  82.000 

Oneida  Salt  &   Lumber  Co.,   Crow    Island 10,900  11  35,000 

Orange  County  Salt  Co.,  Carrollton 14,000  20  75,000 

Saginaw  Valley   Salt   Company,   Carrollton 16,000  14  74,000 

Chicago    Salt    Company,    Carrollton 22,500  30  30,000 

Empire    Salt    Co.,    Carrollton 10.000  14  50,000 

Elisha    C.    Litchfield,    Carrollton 14.000  18  30.000 

Ilaskin,    .Martin   &   Wheeler,   Florence 47,467  50  70,000 

Last  Saginaw  Salt  Mfg.  Co.,  East  Saginaw 21.500  7?  140,000 

Buffalo  Salt  Co..  East  Saginaw 15,000  15  55,000 

F.   Briggs,  East  Saginaw 11,049  10  18,000 

Chapin,  Barber  &  Company,  Last  Saginaw 1,250  3  7,000 

Burnham,  Lawton  &  Co.,  East  Saginaw 2,863  6  25,000 

D.    G.   Whitney,    Saginaw    City 8.5(H)  13  28,000 

Mack,   Schmid  &   Lull,  Saginaw   City 11,550  8  10.000 

Barnard   &    Hinder,  Saginaw   City... lh.000  10  25.000 

Green  &  Hardin.  Saginaw  City. 13,148  10  12,000 

Heather  &  Allison,  Saginaw  City 4,500  !  10,000 

Forest  City  Salt  &  Lbr.  Co.,  Saginaw  City 9,219  9  15,0000 

N.  B.  Nye  &  Co.,  South  Saginaw 28.000 

Ann  Arbor  Salt  &  Lbr.  Co.,  South  Saginaw 9,030  11  17,000 

Rust  &  Ingledew,  South  Saginaw 6,000  6  10,000 

Allen    Sutherland,    South    Saginaw 1,660  5  8,000 

Steven,  Cromwell  &  Co.,  South  Saginaw 7.2'?2  16  30,000 

Medina    Salt    Company.    South    Saginaw 12,000 

Salina  Salt  Companv.'  South   Saginaw 16,300  25  30,000 

New  England  Salt  Works.  Buena  Vista 3,000  6  5,000 

Wayne   County  Salt  Co..  Tittabawassee 9,589  9  5,000 

Albany    Salt    G  i.,    Cass    River 9,000  15  85,000 

Gordon.  Penny  &  Co.,  Cass  River 30,000 

I  Jni<  m    Salt    Works,    Bridgeport 500  6  10.000 

Difficulties  Beset  the  Manufacturers 

Along  in  the  sixties  the  salt  industry  began  to  feel  the  effects  of  over- 
production and  the  want  of  co-operation  among  the  manufacturers  in  the 
matter  of  proper  handling  of  the  market  demand.  Experience  was  also 
having  its  effect  in  teaching  the  lesson  of  economy  and  perfection  in  all 
the  processes  of  manufacture.  F'rom  the  excitement  of  the  early  years, 
caused  by  tapping  an  inexhaustible  reservoir  of  wealth,  leading  too  frequently 
to  enterprises  suggested  by  imagination  rather  than  by  calm  judgment, 
the  industry  was  getting  down  to  the  hard  pan,  which  was  reached  when  it 
was  discovered  that  skill  was  required  to  make  good  salt,  economy  and 
industry  to  make  cheap  salt,  and  business  tact  and  judgment  to  put  it  on  the 
market  in  competition  with  Onondaga  and  Ohio  River  salt,  so  as  to  produce 
a  profit.  The  combination  of  the  salt  block  with  the  saw  mill,  peculiar  to 
this  valley,  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  mutual  adaptation  and  co-operation 
between  separate  industries,  the  use  of  exhaust  steam  from  the  saw  mills 
in  evaporation  of  the  brine,  being  an  important  economic  measure,  as  the 
i  "M   of   fuel   for  this  purpose  was  eliminated. 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY  431 


Formation  of  the  Saginaw  &  Bay  Salt  Company 

As  a  result  of  these  economic  changes  in  the  sail  business,  an  associative 
movement  began  in  1866,  under  the  name  of  the  Bay  County  Mutual  Manu- 
facturing Company.  The  following  year  the  concern  adopted  the  name  of 
Bay  &  Saginaw  Salt  Company,  and  broadened  its  operations  in  an  endeavor 
to  market  the  production  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  Shortly  after  the  company 
was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  the  Saginaw  &  Bay  Salt  Company,  with 
a  capital  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars;  and  Henry  M.  Fitzhugh  was 
president,  Newell  Barnard,  vice-president,  John  S.  Judson,  secretary,  and  N. 
B.  Bradley,  treasurer.  This  was  a  long  step  in  advance  in  the  salt  business, 
and  its  operations  gave  steadiness  to  the  market,  prevented  speculation,  and 
the  absorption  of  the  profits  of  manufacture  by  middle  men. 

The  company  was  organized  on  strictly  mutual  principles,  its  stock 
being  held  by  manufacturers  only,  who  chose  the  directors  from  their  own 
number.  It  received  all  the  salt  made  by  the  stockholders,  giving  liberal 
advances  on  the  product  on  their  docks,  sold  it  on  the  best  terms,  and 
made  monthly  settlements  of  accounts  due;  and  by  circulars  issued  each 
month  kept  its  members  well  informed  of  the  entire  situation  and  of  the 
affairs  of  the  company.  It  gradually  extended  its  business  with  the  largest 
markets,  reaching  many  points  never  before  touched  by  individual  effort, 
and  realized  better  prices  as  indicated  by  the  appended  table  of  average 
prices  per  barrel  for  1867: 

May    $1.77       September $1.73 

| une    1.77       October    1.75 

July    1.74       November 1.85 

August    1.78       December    2.16 

These  prices  were  net,  covering  all  expenses,  and  paid  in  cash  to  the 
producers.  In  addition  five  cents  a  barrel  was  retained  by  the  company  to 
cover  expenses  of  administration  and  incidentals,  from  which  revenue  a  con- 
siderable surplus  accumulated  for  the  payment  of  dividends  to  the  share- 
holders. 

The  cost  of  producing  a  barrel  of  salt  in  Saginaw  at  this  time  was 
estimated  as  follows  : 

Pumping   $  .05  Labor $  .30 

Barrel 40  Fuel    50 

Packing,   etc 08 ;_i       Interest  ami   Repairs 15 

Inspection 01  '  4  

$1.50 

The  number  of  men  employed  directly  and  indirectly  in  the  manufacture 
of  >alt  was  about  one  thousand,  and  the  average  wage  was  two  dollars  a  day. 

In  1868  the  company  sold  and  shipped  three  hundred  eighty-two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  barrels,  the  Chicago  market  receiving 
and  consuming  the  larger  proportion  of  this  quantity.  Its  operations 
brought  about  a  uniform  system  of  inspection  and  introduced  order  and 
reliability  into  a  business  which,  without  such  general  regulation,  had  proved 
unrenumerative. 

The  State  Salt  Inspection 

In  1869  a  rigid  inspection  of  Michigan  salt  was  instituted,  and  in  a  few 
years  fully  realized  the  expectations  of  its  originators.  Owing  to  its  estab- 
lished character  Michigan  salt  met  with  steadily  increased  demand,  and 
found  a  ready  market  throughout  the  country.  Samuel  S.  Garrigues,  a 
scientific  and  practical  chemist  of  ability  and  reputation,  was  the  first  State 
Salt  Inspector  with  an  office  at  East  Saginaw.  In  1N74  George  \Y.  Hill  was 
deputy   inspector  at    East   Saginaw.    II.    Estabrook    filled   the    >ame   position 


43S 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


SALT    BLOCK,   SAW    MILL   AND   COOPER    SHOP   OF   CHARLES    MERRILL   &    COMPANY 

at  South  Saginaw,  V.  VV.  Paine  at  Saginaw  City,  James  Mill,  at  Carrollton, 
ami  John  Haight,  at  Xilwaukee.  In  later  years  Mr.  Hill  became  the  State 
Inspector,  an  office  he  held  for  an  extended  period. 

Four  grades  of  salt  were  created,  the  product  being  packed  in  barrels 
of  two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds,  or  fifty-six  pounds  to  the  bushel.  No.  1, 
Fine,  was  for  general  use  and  all  family  purposes;  Packers  was  suitable  for 
packing  and  bulking  meat  and  fish,  one  of  the  finest  and  best  brands  for  such 
purposes;  Solar  salt,  when  screened  and  branded  as"C  Solar  C"  for  coarse, 
and  "F  Solar  F"  for  fine  grades,  was  equal  in  all  respects  to  Xew  York  solar 
salt;  No.  2,  Second  Quality,  was  a  grade  intended  for  No.  1,  of  any  of  the 
above  grades,  but  which  for  any  cause  did  not  come  up  to  the  standard 
tests,  and  was  so  branded  and  sold  as  such.  It  was  good  for  salting  stock, 
hay,  hides  and  such  purposes. 

During  1873  the  distribution  of  Saginaw  salt  was  three  hundred  and 
twenty-five  thousand  barrels  to  the  Chicago  market,  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  barrels  to  Milwaukee,  fifty  thousand  barrels  to  Cleveland,  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  barrels  to  Toledo,  twenty-five  thousand  barrels 
to  Sandusky,  and  about  seventy-five  thousand  to  Michigan  points.  So  high 
was  the  favor  in  which  the  local  product  was  held  that  the  managers  of 
the  exposition  at  Cincinnati  awarded  a  handsome  silver  medal  and  diploma 
to  the  exhibitors  of  Saginaw  salt,  namely:  Burnham  v\;  Still,  for  two  barrels 
of  fine  steam  salt;  Bundy  &  Youmans,  for  fine  kettle  salt;  T.  Jerome  & 
Company,  for  fine  pan  salt  and  packers;  Thomas  Savior  i\-  Company,  for 
exceptional  quality  of  solar  salt.  This  prize  was  awarded  from  a  locality 
heretofore  supplied  by  the  Ohio  River  and  Onondaga  Salt  Companies,  and 
was  a  high  compliment  to  Saginaw  salt  which  attracted  much  attention  at  the 
exp<  isition. 

In  1872,  at  the  Union  hair  at  Grand  Rapids,  and  at  the  State  Fair  the 
following  year,  Saginaw  salt  from  the  works  of  John  F.  Driggs  took  the  first 
premium  in  competition  with  Onondaga  salt.  Fifty  years  of  progress  in  the 
manufacture  of  salt  in  New  York  State,  where  it  had  been  produced  since 
1797,  did  not  equal  the  progress  made  in   five  years  in  the  Saginaw   Valley. 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY 


439 


Michigan  Salt  Association 

The  Michigan  Salt  Association  —  the  successor  of  the  older  co-operative 
companies,  which  was  managed  so  many  years  by  Dvvight  (1.  Holland  with 
great  skill  and  energy,  was  a  powerful  factor  in  the  business  and  constantly 
extended  its  field  of  operation  by  introducing  its  product  into  new  markets. 
The  Association  was  organized  in  1  S7< >  and  embraced  as  members  all  the 
manufacturers  of  salt  in  the  State  excepting  thirteen.  Its  object  was  to 
secure  united  action  among  the  many  producers  and  to  market  their  product 
through  one  channel,  thus  by  a  minimum  expense  of  distribution  obtain  better 
net  prices  for  its  members.  Taking  their  salt  as  fast  as  it  was  made  and  ship- 
ping it  to  the  consumers  direct,  or  to  it-  different  reshipping  points,  the 
Association  made  liberal  advances  on  the  monthly  output  and  paid  the  manu- 
facturers in  full  when  sold. 

'Ibis  method  of  handling  such  a  large  quantity  of  one  commodity,  proved 
such  a  success  from  the  start  that  the  members  conceived  the  idea  of  building 
spacious  warehouses  at  the  large  lake  ports,  for  reshipping  to  the  interior, 
those  at  Chicago,  Milwaukee.  Toledo,  Detroit  and  Michigan  City  being  the 
largest.  The  prices  at  which  the  salt  was  sold  was  fixed  by  the  Association, 
and  each  member  contributing  received  the  same  price  per  barrel,  or  per  ton 
in  bulk,  no  limit  being  placed  on  the  output. 

The  first  officers  of  the  Association,  which  was  capitalized  at  two  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  were:  Wellington  R.  Burt,  president:  Albert  Miller, 
vice-president;  Thomas  Cranage,  Jr.,  treasurer,  and  Dwight  d.  Holland. 
secretary.  The  executive  committee  was  composed  of  Wellington  R.  Burt. 
|.  L.  Dolsen,  Thomas  Cranage,  Newell  Barnard,  and  W.  J.  Bartow.  These 
officers  were  elected  year  after  year  and  by  their  management  the  salt  busi- 
ness of  Michigan  reached  such  gigantic  proportions,  the  Association  market- 
ing from  three  to  four  million  barrels  per  year. 

Wellington  R.  Burt  held  the  office  of  president  until  1894,  when  Thomas 
Cranage  was  elected  to  this  position.      In    1896  he   was   succeeded   by    E.    D. 
Wheeler,  of  Manistee,  who  served  two  years; 
and  in  1898  Walter  S.  Eddy  was  elected  presi- 
dent and  continued  until  1914. 

The  secretary  of  the  Association  was 
Dwight  G.  Holland,  who  served  continuously 
from  the  organization  until  his  death  in  1903, 
a  period  of  twenty-seven  years.  The  office  of 
secretary  and  treasurer  were  then  consolidated, 
and  C.  M.  Ireton,  who  was  assistant  secretary 
for  main'  vears,  was  elected  to  till  both  offices 
which  he  continued  until   1914. 

(  >n  January  1,  l'>l-4.  C.  M.  Ireton  and  A.  A. 
White  associated  together,  and  securing  the 
assets  and  good  will  of  the  Association,  are 
continuing  the  business  of  distributing  and 
wholesaling  salt,  with  offices  in  Saginaw. 

C.  M.  Ireton  was  born  in  Kalamazoo.  Mich- 
igan, July  23,  1857,  and  came  to  Saginaw  four 
years  later  with  his  parents.  From  the  age  of 
twelve  to  seventeen  he  worked  during  the  Sum- 
mer in  and  around  saw  mills  on  the  river,  being 

able  to  "hold  down"  an)'  job  that  was  assigned  him;  and  he  attended  the 
public  schools  in  Winter.  He  then  went  to  the  Highland  Military  Academy, 
at  W'orchester,  Massachusetts,  from  which  he  graduated  with  the  class  of 
1S77. 


C    M.    IRETON 


440  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

His  business  experience  was  gained  through  service  with  Morley 
Brothers,  Avery  &  Company,  and  Eddy  Brothers  &  Company;  and  through 
Wellington  R.  Burt  he  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  office  of  the  Mich- 
igan Salt  Association.There  by  strict  attention  to  business  he  has  gained  his 
present  standing  in  commercial  circles,  being  recognized  for  bis  integrity 
and  sterling  qualities. 

(  >n  December  11,  1878,  Mr.  [reton  was  married  to  Miss  Isabelle  Fraser, 
daughter  of  Murdock  Fraser,  one  of  the  earliest  pioneers  to  this  section  of 
Michigan.  The  two  children  living  a--  a  result  of  this  union  are  a  son,  Russell, 
ami  a  daughter,  Winifred. 

Mr.  Ireton  received  a  First  Lieutenant's  commission  under  Governor 
E.  B.  Winans,  in  1892.  Fraternally  he  is  a  32nd  degree  Mason,  I'ast  Com- 
mander St.  Bernard  Commandery,  K.  T. ;  Past  Potentate  Elf  Khurafeh,  Shrine 
A.  A.  (  ).  X.  M.  S.,  being  organizer  and  captain  of  this  Shrine's  famous  patrol. 

Decline  of  Salt   Production 

The  manufacture  of  salt,  even  at  the  height  of  the  industry,  was  produc- 
tive of  very  small  profits,  but  the  making  of  by-products  from  the  waste 
bittern  by  new  and  economical  processes  gradually  brought  about  a  revolu- 
tion in  the  business.  The  cost  of  fuel  was  the  largest  single  item  of  expense 
of  manufacture,  and  the  effect  of  the  decline  of  the  lumber  business,  upon 
which  the  salt  industry  depended  for  its  existence,  was  noticeable  in  the 
eighteen  nineties.  Without  the  once  free  exhaust  steam  from  the  saw  mill 
engines,  and  refuse  from  the  saws,  no  salt  wells  could  be  operated  at  a  profit, 
and  hundreds  of  pumps  that  in  former  years  were  active  soon  fell  into  disuse, 
and  the  salt  blocks  were  dismantled.  The  industry  was  kept  alive,  however, 
by  the  development  of  the  coal  fields  in  Saginaw  Valley,  by  which  cheap 
slack  coal  was  burned  under  the  saw  mill  boilers  to  furnish  steam  for  the 
brine  pumps  and  salt  blocks.  Even  this  means  of  bolstering  up  a  declining 
industry  was  not  altogether  successful,  and  the  price  of  salt  declining  to 
forty-five  cents  or  less  a  barrel,  its  manufacture  here  was  rendered  unprofit- 
able. 

Tlie  industry  in  the  Saginaw  Valley  has  not  failed  absolutely,  as  in 
recent  years  the  price  of  salt  has  risen  to  a  more  profitable  plane.  In  1916 
the  business  at  Saginaw  was  represented  by  six  active  corporations,  five  of 
which  were  engaged  in  wood-working,  and  one  in  making  plate  glass. 
They  were  the  Bliss  &  Van  Auken,  Mershon,  Eddy,  Parker  Company,  S.  L. 
Eastman  Flooring  Company,  Strable  Lumber  \;  Salt  Company,  E.  Germain 
Estate  and  the  Saginaw  Plate  ( Mass  Company.  It  was  at  the  last  named 
plant  that  the  most  complete  salt-making  works  in  the  country  were  com- 
pleted and  put  in  operation  in  1906,  and  since  that  time  has  been  the  largest 
producer  in  Saginaw  County. 

Economics   of    Modern    Salt    Making 

In  erecting  this  new  salt  block  advantage  was  taken  of  all  new  devices, 
machinery,  and  methods  of  handling  the  product,  so  that  one  thousand  barrels 
of  fine  salt  packed  ready  for  market,  without  the  touch  of  a  hand  of  lift  of  an 
arm,  are  produced  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  cost  of  producing  fine  mer- 
chantable salt,  moreover,  has  been  reduced  to  a  figure  astonishing  to  all  salt 
experts.  The  three  factors  that  bring  about  this  economy  are  solid  rein- 
forced concrete  grainers,  waste  exhaust  steam  from  the  numerous  engines 
of  the  glass-making  plant,  and  automatic  machinery  by  which  no  hand 
touches  a  crystal  of  salt.  Only  the  master  saltmaker  and  a  few  helpers  are 
required  to  watch  the  machinery  and  keep  it  in  perfect  running  order. 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY 


441 


The  salt  brine  is  supplied  by  twelve  wells  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  apart,  ranging  in  depth  from  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five  to  eight 
hundred  feet,  and  penetrating  the  ruck  salt  for  some  distance.      The  wells  are 


encased  with  heavy  tubing  extending 


into  the  rock,  through  which  the 


saturated  brine  is  brought  to  the  surface  ;  and  above  rise  the  drill  houses  with 
their  high  towers  protecting  the  pumping  machinery.  Each  well  is  equipped 
with  a  brine  pump  operated  by  a  seven  and  one-half  horse  power  electric 
motor,  the  current  being  furnished  by  generators  in  the  power  plant  of  the 
glass  works.  From  the  drill  houses  the  brine  is  pumped  to  an  elevated 
circular  tank  of  two  hundred  barrels  capacity. 

All  brine  is  more  or  less  impregnated  with  iron  and  other  impurities; 
and  to  free  it  of  these  it  is  drawn  from  the  elevated  receiving-tank  to  one 
of  a  series  of  settling  tanks,  to  which  it  flows  by  gravity.  These  tanks  are 
built  of  solid  concrete,  each  one  hundred  and  seventy  feet  long  by  twenty 
feet  wide,  and  seven  and  one-half  feet  deep,  and  are  reinforced  by  long  cor- 
rugated rods  of  iron.  Every  alternate  dividing  wall  is  provided  with  a 
narrow  plank  walk,  so  that  the  saltmakers  can  more  readily  examine  the 
brine.  The  flow  of  brine  through  the  troughs  along  the  top  and  end  of  the 
settling  tanks  is  controlled  by  a  simple  arrangement  of  gates,  through  which 
it  may  be  made  to  flow  into  any  of  the  tanks  desired. 

In  these  settling  tanks  the  brine  is  treated  to  a  solution  of  lime,  which 
precipitates  the  remaining  impurities  held  in  suspension,  leaving  the  brine 
as  blue  as  ocean  expanse,  and  as  pure  and  clear  to  the  eye,  but  far  more 
saltv  to  the  taste.  The  purifying  of  the  crude  brine  through  the  agencies 
of  the  sun,  air  and  chemical  action,  having  been  fully  accomplished,  the 
clear  brine  is  ready  for  the  next  important  operation — its  conversion  into 
crystaline  form.  This  is  the  most  interesting  part  of  salt  making.  The  clear 
brine  is  pumped  into  one  of  the  salt  blocks,  a  wooden  building  one  hundred 
and  eighty  feet  square,  and  conveyed  to  two  concrete  pre-heaters,  where  it  is 
heated  by  steam  coils  and  made  ready  for  evaporation. 


SECTION     OF    SETTLING    TANKS.     SALT     WORKS    OF 
SAGINAW    PLATE    GLASS    COMPANY 


442  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  grainers,  ten  in  number,  are  the  principal  feature  of  the  whole  works, 
and  were  the  first  ever  constructed  of  solid  concrete.  By  this  departure  from 
the  old  method  of  using  wooden  plank--,  calked,  the  builders  achieved  a 
remarkable  advance  in  salt-making.  The  grainers  are  long  shallow  tanks 
of  concrete,  each  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long,  twelve  feet  wide,  and  twenty 
inches  deep.  The  sides  and  bottom  vary  in  thickness  from  six  to  ten  inches, 
and  rest  upon  a  firm  earth  foundation,  and  so  constructed  with  steel  rein- 
forcement that  no  damage  occurs  by  reason  of  the  constant  expansion  and 
contraction  going  on  through  the  changing  temperature  of  the  mass. 
[Through  the  entire  length  of  each  grainer  are  ten  four-inch  steam  pipes, 
running  close  together  through  truss  bars  suspended  about  eight  inches 
fiom  the  floor  of  the  grainer,  by  means  of  wire  cables  secured  to  heavy 
beams  abi  >\  e. 

The    Utilization  of  Exhaust   Steam 

All  the  engines  of  the  large  plate  glass  works  exhaust  into  an  elevated 
main,  twenty-two  inches  in  diameter,  connecting  the  works  with  the  salt 
blocks.  This  main  is  protected  with  asbestos  covering  and  the  steam  is 
conserved  for  all  the  requirements  of  the  salt-making  processes.  When  the 
engines  are  not  running  live  steam  direct  from  the  boilers  is  turned  into  the 
exhaust  main,  which  is  not  an  unduly  expensive  procedure  since  the  boilers 
are  fired  with  cheap  slack  coal  from  the  coal  mines  of  this  valley.  The  main 
•■team  pipe  enters  the  block  at  the  rear  end,  and  extends  across  the  ends 
of  the  grainers  at  right  angles  to  them.  At  intervals  of  fifteen  feet  along  the 
main  feed  pipes  branch  off  to  the  right  and  connect  with  the  ten 
steam  pipes  in  the  grainers.  This  is  done  in  such  a  way  that  there  is  equal 
distribution  of  steam  to  all.  so  that  all  the  grainers  may  be  operated  at  the 
same  time. 

When  the  brine  in  the  pre-heaters  has  reached  the  requisite  temperature, 
it  is  allowed  to  flow  into  a  grainer,  nearly  filling  it.  Exhaust  steam  is  then 
turned  on,  and  passing  through  the  steam  pipes  in  the  grainer,  continues  the 
heating  of  the  brine  to  lite  boiling  point,  when  crystalization  begins.  This 
is  a  most  interesting  chemical  action.  Upon  the  steaming-hot  surface  of 
the  brine  a  pellicle  of  salt  forms;  it  soon  breaks  and  sinks  down  to  be 
followed  by  another,  and  the  crystalization  proceeds  rapildy  throughout  the 
grainer.  It  is  the  extreme  rapidity  of  the  process  in  the  concrete  grainers 
that  astonishes  the  old  saltmakers,  who  declare  they  have  never  seen  anything 
like  it  before. 

"The  secret  is  this,"  explained  one  of  them:  "the  concrete  becomes  s, . 
extremely  hot  from  the  maintained  temperature  of  the  brine,  that  it  acts  as 
an  oven  and  actually  makes  salt  on  its  sides.  Even  after  the  steam  is 
turned  off  the  grainer  goes  on  making  salt  for  an  hour  or  two.  We  have  had 
to  put  on  scrapers  to  remove  the  salt  from  the  sides  of  the  grainers;  and  is 
a  device  which  saxes  the  wages  of  three  or  four  men." 

The    Wilcox   Automatic    Rakes 

The  salt  accumulates  rapidly  on  the  floor  of  the  grainer,  and  to  remove 
it  there  were  installed  the  Wilcox  automatic  rakes,  which  operate  beneath  the 
steam  pipes.  These  are  long  rigid  frames  of  steel,  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  grainer,  of  angle-iron  construction,  which  slide  backward  and  for- 
ward along  a  steel  track  which  is  bolted  to  the  concrete  walls  about  six  inches 
from    the    bottom. 

At  intervals  of  eight  feet,  beginning  at  the  extreme  back  end  of  the 
grainer,  are  hung  crosswise  rakes  of  galvanized  bar  iron,  about  six  inches 
wide,  hinged  to  turn  upward  and   forward.     This  steel  frame  with  the  rakes 


ONE    OF    THE    TEN    CONCRETE     "GRAINERS."    WORKS    OF 
SAGINAW     PLATE     GLASS    COMPANY 


AUTOMATIC    RAKES    DUMPING    SALT    FROM    GRAINERS    ONTO    CONVEYORS 
SAGINAW     PLATE     GLASS    COMPANY 


444 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


HILLS    OF    SALT    IN    HUGE    WAREHOUSE.    DRYING    OUT    FOR    PACKING 
IN     BARRELS.    SAGINAW     PLATE     GLASS    COMPANY 


is  attached  at  the  front  end  to  a  hydraulic  cylinder,  of  nine  feet  stroke,  so  that 
with  each  forward  movement  of  the  piston  rod  the  salt  is  gathered  by  the 
rakes  and  moved  along  the  floor  of  the  grainer  nine  feet  toward  the  front  end. 
The  return  stroke  places  the  rake  next  in  front  one  foot  behind  the  little  pile 
of  salt,  twelve  feet  long  or  the  width  of  the  grainer,  the  hinged  rake  slipping 
over,  and  the  operation  is  repeated  again  and  again.  This  goes  on  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  grainer,  a  complete  stroke  requiring  three  minutes. 
The  last  rake  of  the  series  at  the  front  end  brings  up  the  accumulated  salt  on 
an  inclined  table  which  drains  off  the  brine  and  then  dumps  it  over  the  edge 
into  a  wooden  conveyor  below. 

As  the  salt  drops  into  the  conveyors,  which  are  twelve  inches  wide  and 
twenty  inches  deep,  automatic  rakes  carry  it  along  to  a  series  of  hoppers, 
set  in  the  bottom  of  the  conveyor,  at  intervals  of  twenty-five  feet.  Beneath 
the  hoppers  are  fast-running  rubber  belts,  fifteen  inches  wide,  which  catch  up 
every  particle  of  the  salt  and  carry  it  into  the  storage  building  adjoining.  The 
salt,  as  it  leaves  the  belt  is  caught  up  by  vertical  conveyors,  lifted  to  the  roof 
and  deposited  on  other  conveyors  which  carry  it  to  any  part  of  the  big  build- 
ings  desired,  where  it  slips  off.  forming  huge  piles.  The  power  to  drive  these 
conveyors  is  furnished  by  a  number  of  electric  motors  placed  at  convenient 
places  for  the  transmission. 

When  the  salt  has  been  inspected  it  is  branded  with  the  company's 
trade  brands,  and  is  then  ready  for  shipment.  If  loaded  in  bulk  in  cars, 
the  operation  is  simply  to  run  a  pair  of  bucket  conveyors  into  the  car 
and  in  a  short  time  thirty  tons  or  more  of  the  glistening  white  crystals  are 
transferred  from  the  hillsides  of  salt.  The  usual  practice,  however,  is  to 
ship  in  barrels,  even  though  the  package  costs  more  than  the  salt  it  contains. 

Working  Up  the  By-Products 

A  further  economic  advantage  to  the  Plate  Glass  Company  in  the  manu- 
facture of  salt,  lies  in  the  fact  that  two  of  the  constituents  of  plate  glass — 
saltcake  and  soda  ash — are  by-products  of  saline  brines.     As   the  brine  lies 


THE     SALT     INDUSTRY  445 


in  inexhaustible  supply  deep  down  in  the  earth's  crust  and  under  the  immense 
plant,  it  is.  of  course,  simply  a  matter  of  good  business  to  bring  the  brine 
to  the  surface  and  work  it  up  into  the  various  products,  some  of  which  are 
essential  to  their  other  processes.  The  waste  bittern,  which  remains  after 
the  salt  has  been  taken  from  the  brine,  is  here  treated  by  chemical  processes 
and  converted  into  a  dry  solid — calcium  chloride,  which  resembles  salt. 

This  chemical  is  used  for  a  number  of  other  purposes,  and  is  in  demand 
principally  for  refrigerating,  cold  storage,  cooling,  the  making  of  artificial 
ice,  ami  to  take  the  moisture  out  of  blast-furnace  gases.  It  is  also  used  on 
roads  to  settle  dust,  as  it  is  cleaner  and  better  than  crude  oil.  About  thirty 
tons  of  the  substance  are  made  per  day  in  the  chemical  plant,  adjoining  the 
salt  blocks,  which  is  thoroughly  equipped  for  the  purpose.  In  each  depart- 
ment of  the  great  industry  nothing  is  wasted. 

Within  the  last  two  or  three  years  the  chemical  business  in  Saginaw 
has  been  augmented  by  a  similar  plant  for  the  reduction  of  salt  brine  bittern, 
by  S.  L.  Eastman  Flooring  Company,  at  their  salt  works  adjoining  the  maple- 
flooring  mill  in  Carrollton,  about  two  miles  below  the  city. 

Salt  Production 

The  production  and  value  in  Michigan  for  l'»14,  according  to  the  last 
report  issued,  were  greater  than  for  any  previous  year,  the  total  amount  of 
brine  and  rock  salt  being  eleven  million  six  hundred  seventy  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  seventy-six  barrels,  valued  at  three  million  two  hundred  ninety- 
nine  thousand  and  five  dollars.  The  average  price  per  barrel  was  twenty- 
eight  cents  three  mills,  the  highest  since  1901  except  in  1904  when  it  was 
thirty  cents  nine  nulls.  From  1905  the  average  price  per  barrel  has  risen 
from  nineteen  cents  six  mills  to  the  present  figure. 

The  following  table  shows  the  production  and  value  of  salt  in  this  State 
during  the  last  decade: 


Barrels 

Carrels 

1906 

9,936,802 

$2,018,760 

1911 

10,320,074 

$2,633,155 

1907 

10,786,630 

2.062,357 

1912 

10,046.739 

2,974,429 

1908 

10,194,270 

2,458,303 

1913 

1 1 ,528.800 

3,2<>3,032 

1909 

9,966,744 

2.732.55X 

1914 

11,670,976 

3,299,005 

1910 

9,452,022 

2,23\,2<<2 

Since  the  decline  of  the  lumber  industry  in  Saginaw  Valley  the  manu- 
facture of  salt  here  has  fallen  off  to  a  little  more  than  three  per  cent,  of  the 
total  output  of  the  State;  and  in  1913  and  1914  was  as  follows: 

1913  1914 

Barrels  Barrels 

Common  fine   r'5.478  $49,991  30,795  $15,065 

Coarse    266,579  105.053  367,272  176,003 


362,057  $155,044  5'»S.067  $FH,068 

In  1914  the  production  of  Saginaw  County  was  only  three  and  four-tenths 
per  cent  of  the  State  production,  but  in  value  it  was  five  and  seventy-nine 
hundredths  per  cent  of  the  total  amount  received  by  the  manufacturers.  The 
largest  proportion  of  salt  output  of  the  State  is  now  derived  from  the 
immense  salt  works  on  the  Detroit  and  St.  Clair  Rivers  and  at  Manistee  and 
Ludington,   although    Bay   Count}'   still   contributes   a   considerable   quantity. 


j»*t     -  jSi«_ 


WASHINGTON    STREET    NORTH    FROM    JANES,    18 


CASS    (BAUM)    STREET    SOUTH    FROM    TUSCOLA,    16 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE  COAL  INDUSTRY 


Primitive  Coal  Mining  —  Discoveries  in  Saginaw  County — Early  Mining  at  Sebe- 
waing —  First  Mines  in  Saginaw  —  Expansion  of  the  Industry  —  Arthur  Barnard  Be- 
gins Mining  Coal  —  Labor  Difficulties  —  Some  Miners  Become  Operators  —  The  Oper- 
ators Take  a  Hand  —  Caledonia  Wins  Out  —  The  Operators  Regain  Advantage  — 
Characteristics  of  Saginaw  Coal  —  Development  of  Mines  —  Costs  of  Mining  —  Value 
of  Coal  Lands  —  Methods  of  Mining — Introduction  of  Mining  Machines  —  Coal  Pro- 
duction—  The  Output  of  Saginaw  County  —  Consolidation  of  Coal   Interests. 

THE  existence  of  coal  beds  in  Michigan  has  been  known  for  many  years, 
almost  since  the  earl}-  settlement  of  the  State,  but  for  economic  reasons 
they  were  not  developed  until  comparatively  recent  years.  Fuel  for 
the  pioneers  lay  at  their  very  doors,  the  wood  from  the  forests  which 
were  leveled  to  make  ready  for  agriculture,  supplying  all  their  simple  needs. 
Timber  was  a  waste  product  of  advancing  civilization  and  had  to  be  burned 
to  get  it  out  of  the  way.  As  years  passed  and  cities  and  towns  took  the 
place  of  primitive  settlements,  quantities  of  hardwoods,  and  the  refuse  of  the 
saw  mills  which  sprang  up  on  every  stream,  were  made  to  furnish  heat  for  the 
inhabitants.  Not  until  the  timber  supplies  of  the  State  began  to  fail,  and 
other  sources  of  fuel  were  sought,  did  enterprising  men  turn  to  deposits  of 
coal  in  the  earth. 

In  1856  the  first  coal  mines  in  the  State  were  opened  a  few  miles  west 
of  Jackson,  and  five  years  later  mines  in  the  city  were  first  worked  by 
William  Walker.  The  operations  were  conducted  on  a  small  scale,  and  in 
1877  only  four  mines  were  worked,  giving  employment  to  about  two  hundred 
men  and  producing  sixty-eight  thousand  tons  of  bituminous  coal  in  a  year. 
Later  coal  beds  at  Corunna  were  developed  on  a  commercial  scale,  but  the 
product  was  of  poor  quality,  containing  a  high  percentage  of  sulphur  and 
ash,  although  running  well  to  fixed  carbon  and  volatile  matter.  There  was 
yet  but  small  demand  lor  such  fuel  and  slight  incentive  for  capital  to  develop 
new   coal  fields. 

Discoveries  of  Coal  in  Saginaw  County 

The  first  discovery  of  coal  veins  underlying  the  Saginaw  Valley  was 
made  in  1X5'),  jn  drilling  the  first  salt  well  of  the  East  Saginaw  Salt  Manu- 
facturing Company.  This  well,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  just  below  the  present  site  of  Carlisle's  tannery.  From  the 
diagram  of  the  upper  portion  of  this  well,  which  was  made  at  the  time  it  was 
put  down,  it  is  seen  that  the  drills  passed  through  two  coal  bearing  strata, 
one  twenty-three  feet  in  thickness,  at  a  depth  of  two  hundred  and  eleven 
Feet  f r<  m  the  surface,  and  the  other  ten  feet  in  thickness,  at  a  depth  of  two 
hundred  and  forty-six  feet.  Nothing  whatever  was  done  to  examine  these 
coal  strata  or  to  determine  their  extent,  which  is  an  illustration  of  the  fact 
that  the  people  hail  not  yet  begun  to  comprehend  the  great  natural  wealth 
and  resources  of  this  valley.  A  wealth  of  forest  in  all  directions  awaited 
their  enterprise  and  energy  to  create  fortunes  therefrom,  and  lumbering  was 
the  one  great  industry.  In  drilling  into  the  earth  salt  brine  was  what  they 
were  seeking,  and  the  discovery  and  development  of  it  occupied  their  whole 
attention.  Very  many  salt  wells  afterwards  drilled  passed  through  various 
coal  strata,  but  no  efforts  were  made  at  the  time  to  arouse  any  public  interest 
in  mining  it. 


448  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


In  1875  a  vein  of  coal  was  discovered  on  the  Shattuck  farm,  five  miles 
west  of  the  city,  and  created  some  interest  among  our  enterprising  citizens. 
In  a  report  of  the  discovery  made  public  at  the  time,  it  was  stated  that: 
"Two  holes,  nne-fourth  mile  apart,  were  sunk  to  the  depth  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty-four  feet,  resulting  in  finding  a  superior  article  of  bituminous  coal. 
During  the  past  summer  another  hole  was  bored  nearly  a  fourth  mile  distant 
from  the  others,  and  the  following  is  the  log  of  the  borers:  Sand,  sixteen  feet; 
sandstone  ami  slate,  twenty-three  feet;  coal,  four  and  a  half  feet;  sandstone, 
slate  and  shale,  twenty-four  feet,  and  coal,  seven  feet,  a  total  of  one  hundred 
sixty-one  and  a  half  feet.' 

"The  following"  analysis  was  reported  by  the  chemist  to  whom  the  coal 
borings  were  submitted:  'Carbon,  seventy-three  ami  three  tenths  per  cent; 
ash,  five  and  seven  tenths  per  cent;  sulphur,  sixty-eight  hundredths  of  one 
per  cent.' 

"The  almost  entire  absence  of  sulphur  and  the  large  preponderance  of 
carbon  render  this,  it  is  claimed  by  those  who  claim  to  be  posted,  fully  equal 
to  the  product  of  the  celebrated   Blossburg  and  Cumberland  mines." 

The  report  concludes  with  an  account  of  the  drilling  at  a  point  south- 
west of  the  holes  mentioned,  on  the  farm  of  William  Badger  on  the  banks 
of  the  Tittabawassee,  in  which  a  bed  of  coal  seven  feet  in  thickness  was  struck 
at  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet  from  the  surface.  As  in 
pievious  discoveries  of  coal  nothing  was  done  to  open  up  mines  ami  as  late  as 
1892,  when  coal  was  found  at  numerous  places,  south  and  southwest  of 
Saginaw,  from  forty  to  fifty  feet  below  the  surface,  with  good  roof,  and  in 
beds  from  five  to  seven  feet  in  thickness,  and  of  excellent  quality,  capital  was 
still  reluctant  to  develop  the  new  fields.  At  that  time  it  was  believed  that  the 
whole  Saginaw  Valley  was  underlaid  with  rich  deposits  of  coal,  and  it  was 
confidently  predicted  by  some  enthusiasts  that  coal  "would  furnish  an 
unlimited  supply  of  fuel  for  the  great  manufacturing  industries  to  be 
devel(  'ped." 

Early  Mining  at  Sebewaing 

Ever  alive  to  the  commercial  interests  of  the  valley,  William  L.  Webber 
was  the  first  to  practically  develop  coal  mining  in  this  section.  He  made  it 
the  hope  of  the  commercial  and  industrial  development  of  Saginaw  by 
opening  a  mine  at  Sebewaing,  in  Huron  Count}-,  on  the  line  of  the  Saginaw, 
Tuscola  &  Huron  Railroad,  of  which  he  was  president.  In  1889  John 
Russell,  a  well  borer,  reported  to  Mr.  Webber  that  he  had  drilled  through  a 
vein  of  coal  about  four  feet  thick,  and  submitted  specimen  of  coal  in  fine 
particles,  which  was  taken  from  this  drill  hole.  Mr.  Webber  tested  the 
specimen  and  finding  good  coal  directed  several  test  holes  to  be  made  at  his 
expense.  These  holes  revealed  the  presence  of  a  bed  of  considerable  extent, 
and  he  directed  that  a  shaft  lie  put  down  in  order  to  take  out  enough  coal  to 
test  its  quality  with  other  coal  then  sold  in  this  market.  The  comparison 
proving  satisfactory,  a  coal  company  was  formed,  of  which  Mr.  Webber  was 
the  principal  stockholder,  and  he  was  elected  its  president. 

Mining  at  Sebewaing  by  the  Saginaw  Bay  Coal  Company  was  actually 
commenced  in  the  latter  part  of  1890,  and  soon  reached  a  commercial  scale, 
the  product  finding  a  market  at  Saginaw  and  other  cities  of  the  valley.  The 
coal  vein  was  about  one  hundred  feet  below  the  surface,  and  averaged  four 
and  one-half  feet  in  thickness.  The  quality  of  the  coal,  however,  was  not 
what  had  been  confidently  expected;  it  contained  a  large  percentage  of 
sulphur,  and  in  burning  had  a  tendency  to  cake  or  run  together  and  form  a 
mass  on  the  grates.  For  this  reason  it  was  found  to  be  unsuited  for  steam- 
making  purposes,  and  was  little  used  by  manufacturing  concerns.     The  coal 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY  449 

was  thoroughly  tried  out  in  engines  of  the  Saginaw,  Tuscola  &  Huron  Rail- 
road, with  only  partial  success;  and  later  was  tested  by  the  Flint  &  Pere 
Marquette  Railroad,  but  after  several  months  of  experiment  it  was  abandoned 
as  unfit  for  use  in  locomotives.  This  decision  closed  a  wide  market  for 
Sebewaing  coal,  and  thereafter  it  was  in  less  demand. 

Meanwhile  much  trouble  had  been  experienced  in  the  mining  operations 
by  "flooding,"  and  the  scarcity  of  labor,  and  because  of  these  and  other 
adverse  circumstances  the  Sebewaing  mine  was  closed  down  in  18' '4.  During 
1892  there  were  mined  and  shipped  from  Sebewaing  by  this  and  another 
mine  operated  by  l!ay  City  capitalists,  eight  hundred  and  six  cars  of  coal, 
being  an  average  of  sixty-seven  cars  a  month.  The  amount  of  coal  raised 
and  shipped  during  the  four  years  of  its  operation  was  about  sixty-six 
thousand  tons,  but  the  sales  did  not  compensate  Mr.  Webber  and  his  associ- 
ates in  the  mining  project  for  the  time  and  money  expended  in  this  experi- 
mental stage.  The  discover}'  then  made  and  pushed  forward  proved  an 
incentive  for  others  to  follow,  and  to  Mr.  Webber,  perhaps  more  than  to  any 
other  pioneer  mine  owner,  is  credit  due  for  having  inaugurated  a  great 
industry,  with  numerous  mines  scattered  through  the  valley,  from  which 
thousands  of  tons  of  bituminous  coal  are  being  hoisted  daily. 

Some  years  later  the  old  Sebewaing  mine  was  reopened  by  Thomas  P. 
\\  hittier  and  others  for  the  purpose  of  recovery  of  pyrites,  a  mineral  which 
was  abundantly  associated  with  the  slate.  Mining  operations  were  carried 
on  for  some  time,  but  without  very  marked  success,  the  production  of  coal 
being  a  secondary  consideration.  Pyrites  is  commonly  of  a  bright  brass- 
yellow  color,  and  is  often  found  crystallized  in  cubes.  It  is  very  widely 
diffused,  frequently  being  found  in  coal  fields,  the  action  of  water  and  air 
changing  into  sulphate  of  iron,  during  which  so  much  heat  is  devolved  as  to 
render  some  mines  unworkable.  The  mineral  is  used  for  the  manufacture  of 
sulphuric  acid  and  alum,  and  sulphur  i-  obtained  from  it  by  sublimation. 

First  Mines  in  Saginaw  County 

Coal  was  first  mined  in  Saginaw  County  early  in  the  eighteen-nineties 
by  local  capitalists,  who  sunk  a  shaft  at  Verne,  in  Taymouth  Township,  about 
twelve  miles  south  of  the  city.  This  was  the  original  proved  coal  vein  in  the 
valley,  and  mining  operations  were  conducted  on  a  small  scale  there  for 
several  years.  At  first  the  coal  met  with  a  ready  sale  among  the  farmers 
and  the  villages  within  easy  wagon  haul  of  the  mine,  but  gradually  it  found 
a  market  at  Saginaw.  The  quality,  however,  was  inferior  to  the  Ohio  and 
West  Virginia  coals  then  used  in  this  city  for  steam  and  domestic  purposes, 
and  the  production  being  limited  it  was  never  favorably  known  here.  Later 
its  production  was  used  exclusively  near  the  mine,  when  it  could  not  be 
worked  profitably  and  was  abandoned. 

The  first  production  of  coal  on  a  commercial  scale  in  this  county  was  at 
the  old  Saginaw  mine,  located  on  the  Genesee  plank  road,  in  May,  18%. 
The  company  which  controlled  this  property  was  promoted  by  William  T. 
Chappell,  to  whom  is  due  the  honor  of  having  successfully  inaugurated  the 
coal  industry  in  this  city.  This  mine  tapped  the  richest  vein  of  coal  on  the 
east  side  of  the  river,  and  was  operated  at  a  good  profit  through  miles  of 
passages  until  very  recent  years.  When  the  long  distances  the  coal  had 
io  be  hauled  to  the  shaft  rendered  further  operations  unprofitable,  the  mine 
machinery  was  removed  and  it  was  closed.  No  other  mine  in  this  district 
has  had  so  long  a  life,  or  produced  so  great  a  quantity  of  good  coal. 

Expansion  of  the  Industry 

Lncouraged  by  the  success  of  this  venture  in  coal  mining,  capital  was 
at    last    released    for    investment    in    the    infant    industry :    and    such    astute 


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THE    COAL    INDUSTRY  451 

business  men  as  Harry  T.  and  William  J.  Wickes  organized  a  company,  with 
Robert  M.  Randall  as  general  manager,  to  prospect  for  and  mine  coal.  As 
a  result  the  Pere  Marquette  Coal  Company  sunk  a  shaft  on  the  John  P. 
Allison  farm,  near  the  Saginaw  mine;  and  it  was  named  Pere  Marquette  Xo. 
1.  Soon  after  a  second  shaft  was  sunk  on  the  West  Side,  just  beyond  the 
city  limits  between  Gratiot  and  Brockway  Streets.  This  mine  was  known 
as  Pere  Marquette  No.  2,  and  soon  mining  was  commenced  on  a  large  scale. 
About  1899  the  Standard  mine,  located  a  short  distance  south  and  west 
of  the  original  mine,  was  completed  and  put  in  operation  by  other  parties; 
and  the  coal  business  of  the  valley  was  fairly  launched.  The  product  found 
a  good  market  close  at  hi 'me.  and  at  a  good  profit  in  active  competition  with 
Ohio  and  West  Virginia  coals,  which  had  to  bear  a  freight  charge  from  three 
to  eight  times  more  than  that  of  the  local  coal. 

Arthur  Barnard  Begins  Coal  Mining 

An  enterprising  citizen  early  identified  with  the  coal  industry  was 
Arthur  Barnard,  who  first  secured  coal  leases  in  I'dumhcld  Township,  about 
nine  miles  east  of  the  city.  On  this  land  he  soon  after  sunk  a  shaft  near  the 
line  of  the  Saginaw,  Tuscola  &  Huron  Railroad,  which  formed  an  outlet  for 
the  product.  This  mine  was  successfully  operated  for  a  number  of  years, 
the  coal  taken  from  the  entries  being  of  very  good  quality,  and  was  mostly 
consumed  at  home. 

The  success  of  this  mine  and  the  prosperity  attending  the  expansion  of 
the  industry  led  to  further  investments,  and  early  in  the  present  century 
he  "Jimtown"  mine,  in  James  Township,  the  Riverside  mine,  south  of  the 
city  on  the  Tittabawassee,  the  Chappell  &  Fordney  mine,  on  the  Belt  Line 
near  Gratiot  Street,  and  the  Barnard  mine,  on  South  Michigan  Avenue,  were 
sunk  by  enterprising  operators,  and  the  coal  business  in  Saginaw  began  to 
assume  large  proportions. 

.Meanwhile  the  Pere  Marquette  Coal  Company  was  absorbed  by  the 
Saginaw  Coal  Company,  which  was  composed  of  practically  the  same  stock- 
holders, and  the  mining  operations  of  the  company  expanded  to  a  huge  scale. 
Besides  sinking  new  shafts  in  proved  coal  veins,  the  company  purchased 
several  of  the  independent  coal  companies,  whose  operations  had  not  proved 
entirely  successful,  and  in  a  few  years  it  practically  controlled  the  coal 
business  at  Saginaw.  Some  of  the  older  mines,  such  as  the  Pere  Marquette 
No.  1,  which  had  reached  the  end  of  profitable  operation,  were  dismantled 
and  abandoned.  In  others  improved  machinery,  electric  haulage,  and 
modern  equipment  were  installed,  to  place  them  on  a  better  paying  basis. 
For  economic  reasons  the  industry  was  gradually  becoming  consolidated, 
not  only  to  better  control  the  market  and  the  shipment  of  coal,  but  also  to  fix 
the  selling  price.  In  this  city  the  price  was  fixed  on  the  basis  of  the  price 
of  Ohio  and  West  Virginia  coals  at  the  mines,  plus  the  freight  charges  to 
this  point,  and  ranged  from  four  to  four  and  a  half  dollars  a  ton  delivered. 

Labor   Difficulties 

During  the  early  period  of  coal  mining  in  Saginaw  Valley,  the  labor 
problem  was  the  greatest  difficulty  encountered.  At  first  there  were  no 
experienced  miners  here,  and  after  the  industry  was  fairly  started  it  was 
necessary  to  go  to  Ohio  and  West  Virginia  coal  fields  for  them.  This  was  no 
easy  matter  to  bring  about,  as  the  Michigan  coal  fields  were  almost  unknown 
to  the  miners  of  the  old  fields,  and  they  were  reluctant  to  leave  their  homes 
to  try  out  newer  conditions  in  the  Michigan  field.      It  was  necessarv  to  send 

a  g 1  man  with  tact,  judgment  and  patience  into  the  coal  fields,  and  corral 

every  unemployed   miner  and  as  many   others  as  could   be   induced  to  leave 


452  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

their  jobs,  herd  them  together  as  a  party  in  chartered  ears  for  the  trip  to 
Saginaw.  A  close  watch  had  to  be  kept  over  them  at  every  place  the  train 
stopped,  to  keep  them  from  wandering  off;  and  even  then  a  number  (if  the 
recruits  would  desert  their  new  "boss"  at  the  first  opportunity,  although  the 
lares  and  expenses  were  paid  by  him.  It  was  altogether  a  strenuous  job  to 
land  the  greater  portion  of  a  gang  of  new  miners  in  Saginaw,  and  actually 
get  them  started  to  work  in  the  mines.  In  this  work  of  bringing  in  miners 
Frank  S.  Spencer,  for  a  number  of  years  with  the  Saginaw  Coal  Company, 
was  very  successful. 

Some   Miners   Become   Operators 

The  operators  in  the  Saginaw  coal  field,  which  includes  all  mines  in  this 
county,  have  experienced  the  usual  labor  troubles  arising  from  disagreements, 
disaffection  anil  the  persistent  efforts  of  the  miners  to  improve  working 
conditions.  Added  to  these  difficulties  was  the  active  influence  of  Social- 
ism, which  has  many  followers  among  the  workingmen  in  Saginaw,  and  cries 
out  against  the  employers  with  some  bitterness.  Some  of  the  Socialist 
miners  in  looking  around  for  something  more  practical  than  verbal  expres- 
sions of  hatred,  conceived  the  general  plan  of  the  Caledonia  Coal  Company, 
a  purely  co-operative  concern,  which  was  organized  in  1905. 

It  was  planned  to  make  this  essentially  a  workingmen's  mine,  the  com- 
pany to  he  composed  of  practical  mine  workers,  each  of  whom  was  to  have  an 
equal  share  of  the  slock,  and  to  be  equally  interested  in  the  output.  Every 
man  would  thus  lie  working  for  himself,  and  whatever  his  ability  and  industry 
gained  would  be  of  direct  value  to  himself,  instead  of  going  as  profit  to  the 
capitalist  class.  The  mine  and  the  general  business  of  the  company  was  to 
lie  directly  controlled  bv  a  superintendent,  who  was  accountable  to  a  board 
of  managers;  and  the  decision  of  this  body  was  to  be  at  all  times  subject 
to  review  bv  the  general  assembly  of  the  miner-stockholders. 

To  the  socialist  mind  the  plan  had  much  charm,  and  many  workmen 
were  attracted  to  it.  As  organized  the  company  consisted  of  one  hundred 
men  with  a  capitalization  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  A  year  later  the  number 
of  shareholders  and  workers  was  increased  to  five  hundred,  and  the  capital 
stock  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  individual  contribu- 
tions were  not  large,  and  some  workmen  paid  for  their  shares  in  labor, 
believing  that  if  the  co-operative  plan  was  worth  anything,  it  was  worth 
the  trial. 

The  organization  of  the  company  was  perfected  with  the  utmost  secrecy, 
and  all  arrangements  cpiietly  made  for  sinking  a  shaft.  A  little  tract  of  forty 
acres  in  the  eastern  limits  of  the  city,  upon  which  the  coal  lease,  originally 
held  by  one  of  the  old  companies,  had  been  allowed  to  lapse,  was  quickly 
secured  by  the  Caledonia  Company;  and  only  when  actual  work  on  the  shaft 
was  begun,  did  the  coal  companies  and  the  public  learn  wdiat  was  going  on. 
The  shaft  was  put  down  with  surprising  rapidity,  and  on  September  1.  1905, 
coal  was  sold  from  the  new  mine,  the  entries  of  which  were  at  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty-five  feet.  There  still  remained  the  work  of  clearing  away 
the  waste  and  rock,  extending  the  entries,  and  erecting  the  necessary  struc- 
ture over  the  shaft;  and  it  was  late  in  the  Fall  before  the  company  was 
ready  to  enter  the  market  with  its  product. 

The  Operators  Take  a  Hand 
Meanwhile  the  operators  had  advanced  the  price  of  coal  for  the  local 
trade,  to  the  regular  winter  rate  of  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  ton,  although 
coal  was  sold  at  points  a  hundred  miles  or  more  away,  with  three  times  the 
freight  charge,  at  considerably  less.  Thereupon  the  Caledonia  Company 
beean  selling  coal  at   four  twentv-five  a  ton. 


LOADING    COAL    IN    WAGONS    AT    CALEDONIA    MINE    No.    1.    1905 


SOCIALIST     MINERS    JUST     UP     FROM     THE     MINE.     1905 


454  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

This  unheard-of  proceeding  aroused  the  operators  to  quick  action.  A 
conference  was  held  at  which  they  explained  to  the  little  group  of  socialist 
miners  their  painful  duty.      But   the   miners  were  not   won  over. 

"We  must  protect  the  public  against  extortion,"  they  contended,  a  prin- 
ciple which  fell  on  unheeding  ears.  The  operators  were  firm.  "You  know 
l lie  price  of  life,"  they  said. 

The  Caledonia  reply  was  instant  and  unmistakable.  The  price  of  coal 
was  dropped  to  four  dollars,  then  to  three-fifty,  at  which  point  it  remained 
for  several  years. 

The  action  of  the  operators  was  equally  positive.  Coal  was  rushed  to 
the  new  mine,  at  which  most  of  its  product  was  sold,  and  was  offered  directly 
in  front  of  the  Caledonia  mine  at  the  startling  price  of  one  dollar  and  seventy- 
five  cents  a  ton.  This  action  was  kept  as  secret  as  possible,  as  it  was  hoped 
that  the  socialist  miners  would  be  brought  to  their  senses,  without  wide 
publicity  of  the  methods  employed. 

The  Caledonia  Wins  Out 

The  effect  was  lacking,  however,  and  when  the  public  realized  the  situa- 
tion the  little  mine  was  flooded  with  orders.  It  was  soon  evident  that  the 
operators  were  beaten,  the  supply  of  one  seventy-five  coal  was  withdrawn, 
and  the  general  retail  price  for  the  city  trade  was  fixed  at  three  dollars  a  ton, 
delivered,  fifty  cents  under  the  Caledonia  price.  Hut  the  little  socialist  mine 
with  imly  forty  acres  of  coal  had  already  gained  many  friends,  and  these  con- 
tinued ti  i  stand  by  it. 

It  was  soon  evident  that  the  Caledonia  mine  was  the  key  to  the  whole 
situation  as  only  because  of  its  competition  was  the  low  price  conceded  by 
the  operators.  If  at  any  time  through  lack  of  support  or  any  other  cause  the 
Caledonia  had  succumbed,  the  retail  price  would  at  once  have  advanced  to 
the  old  figure.  There  were  enough  consumers  in  the  city  who  realized  this 
fact,  and  they  kept  the  mine  well  supplied  with  orders.  It  thrived  largely 
because  of  the  difficulties  that  beset  it. 

True  to  its  promise  the  Caledonia  mine  ran  regularly,  even  through  the 
bituminous  coal  strike  (if  1S06,  when  every  other  mine  in  the  State  was 
closed  down  I'm'  several  months.  The  owners  of  the  mine  worked  it  them- 
selves, they  had  no  labor  troubles  and  were  unaffected  by  labor  disturbances 
outside.  Every  man  was  personally  interested  in  the  company,  and  eager 
to  do  his  utmost  for  its  success.  They  had  the  whole  market  to  themselves, 
during  the  Summer,  but  the  retail  price  of  their  product  remained  at  three 
fifty  a  ton.     The  management  was  in  the  hands  of  strong,  capable  nun. 

The  wage  scale  of  the  company  was  based  directly  on  the  Michigan 
scale,  hut  was  applied  to  "mine  run"  instead  of  to  the  screened  coal,  as 
applied  bv  the  operators.  This  was  a  decided  advantage  to  the  miners,  and, 
moreover,  was  based  on  a  thirty-six  inch  vein  of  coal,  although  in  other 
mines  it  was  based  on  a  thirty  inch  vein.  Day  men  received  ten  cents 
per  diem  above  the  price  fixed  by  the  Michigan  scale.  In  1906  the  average 
wage  paid  in  the  Caledonia  mine  was  two  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  a  day. 

Realizing  that  their  original  forty  acres  of  land,  hedged  in  on  all  sides 
by  the  coal  leases  long  held  by  the  old  companies,  would  not  hold  out  very 
long,  the  Caledonia  people  soon  after  secured  five  hundred  acres  of  good  coal 
land  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  set  about  to  develop  it  by  sinking  a  new 
shaft.  All  the  profits  of  the  first  mine,  above  the  operating  expenses,  and 
the  proceeds  of  the  new  stock  i^Mied  to  new  workers  under  their  plan,  were 
used  in  this  development;  and  the  company  prospered  to  a  remarkable  degree. 
Later  another  site  for  extended  operations  was  located  on  the  West  Side,  in 
the  vein  which  had  produced  the  best  coal  in  the  valley,  and  it  was  fully 
developed. 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY  455 


The  Operators  Regain  Their  Advantage 

in  January,  1910,  discouraged  by  the  continual  opposition  of  the  opera- 
tors, who  had  become  stronger  than  ever,  the  Caledonia  Company  entered 
into  an  agreement  whereby  their  entire  output  was  contracted  for,  covering 
a  period  of  years,  by  the  Consolidated  Coal  Company.  The  expected  in 
regard  to  the  city  trade  at  once  happened,  the  retail  price  being  advanced  to 
four  dollars  a  ton;  and  in  January,  1911,  it  was  raised  to  four  fifty,  at  which 
figure  it  has  since  remained.  The  entire  production  of  the  socialist  mines  has 
since  been  marketed  by  the  Consolidated  people,  who,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  are  the  very  "masters"  the  socialist  miners  regard  with  such  inveterate 
hatred. 

Characteristics  of  Saginaw  Coal 

According  to  a  report  of  the  State  Geologist,  the  coal  veins  in  Michigan 
thicken  and  thin,  divide  ami  unite,  ami  pinch  out  so  rapidly,  or  are  cut  out  by 
sandstone  beds  or  by  erosion  so  often,  that  the  finding  of  a  thick  bed  at  one 
place  forms  no  proof  that  the  same  bed  or  other  beds  may  be  found  a  few 
hundred  feet  away.  On  the  other  hand,  the  absence  of  coal  at  a  particular 
spot  does  not  preclude  the  possibility  of  finding  workable  coal  at  astonishing 
short  distance  away.  The  beds  are  often  of  such  local  extent  that  it  is  never 
safe  to  attempt  an  exploitation  of  coal  deposits  without  a  proving  of  the 
area  by  thorough  drilling,  and  even  this  is  not  always  reliable.  Too  often 
a  coal  bed  gives  way  to  black  shale  horizontally  or  vertically,  or  its  place 
may  be  taken  by  sandstone.  Cannel  coal  and  bone  coal  are  often  observed 
as  gradations  from  coal  to  black  shale. 

The  Saginaw  coal,  one  of  the  thickest  and  most  extensive  seams  in  the 
State,  is  probably  the  best  vein  in  quality,  though  its  coal  is  non-coking.  Its 
thickness  is  often  more  than  three  feet  and  forms  the  base  of  most  of  the 
mining  in  this  county.  It  is  low  in  sulphur  with  a  decidedly  high  heating 
power,  and  although  leaning  toward  gas  and  coking  types,  the  high  content 
of  moisture  renders  poor  coke.  Some  of  the  later  mined  coals,  especially 
of  the  Saginaw  seam,  running  well  above  fifty  per  cent,  in  fixed  carbon,  with 
little  or  no  sulphur,  are  much  higher  in  grade.  Saginaw  coal  in  comparative 
tests  with  Hocking  Valley,  made  by  E.  C.  Fisher,  of  the  Wickes  Boiler 
Company,  proved  superior  in  several  respects  to  that  most  famous  steam 
coal.  By  tests  the  superior  St.  Charles  coal,  which  comes  from  the  same 
horizon,  does  not  rank  in  efficiency  with  Pocahontas,  but  was  better  than 
several  other  coals,  and  nearly  equal  to  the  best  Hocking  Valley.  Its  good 
qualities  make  it  a  fine  domestic  coal  and  a  steaming  coal  much  in  favor 
with  railroads. 

A  Rider  is  a  small  coal  seam  found  as  a  cap  to  the  lower  ami  thicker 
parts  of  the  troughs  of  coal,  and  is  formed  by  the  settling  and  compacting 
made  by  the  fifty  or  sixty  feet  of  peaty,  material  in  the  process  of  forming 
the  main  seam,  in  which  shallow  basin  the  rider  was  made.  The  middle  or 
Saginaw  Rider  is  a  scam  of  considerable  thickness,  and  possibly  the  East 
Side  mines  have  their  shafts  in  this  coal.  No  bed  of  coal  was  ever  con- 
tinuous over  the  basin,  as  sandstone  often  replaced  the  beds,  showing  that 
the  coal  was  cut  out  after  it  was  formed. 

Development    of    Mines 

d  here  are  some  peculiarities  in  the  occurrence  of  coal  which  have 
retarded  and  will  continue  to  more  or  less  retard  its  future  development. 
Sometimes  the  roof  is  a  porous  sandstone  or  is  full  of  fissures,  allowing  free 
circulation  of  water,  but  usually  the  water  comes  from  the  coal  itself  or  from 
the  foot  walls.     Heavy  beds  of  sand  and   gravel   in  the  drifts  carry  a  great 


456 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


MINERS    SETTING    ELECTRIC    SHORT    WALL    CUTTER 

deal  of  water,  and  are  formidable  obstacles  in  sinking  shafts.  Shale  forms 
an  impervious  roof,  but  is  likely  to  be  weak  and  thus  need  considerable  tim- 
bering if  close  to  the  rock  surface.  An  impervious  roof  is  all  important  in 
this  valley,  the  amount  of  water  to  be  handled  often  being  a  serious  problem. 
The  heavy  cost  of  adequate  machinery,  and  of  raising  the  water  to  the 
surface  consumes  a  large  part  of  the  profit  in  mining.  For  economical 
handling,  shafts  are  sunk  into  the  lowest  part  of  the  coal  bed,  so  that  all 
water  will  run  towards  the  pumping  shafts.  To  find  the  most  advantageous 
point  for  beginning  operations  requires  much  preliminary  drilling.  Some 
of  the  larger  mines  have  poor  roofs  of  rotten  shale  or  slate,  and  require  much 
timbering;  and  frequently  a  shale  roof  slakes  with  exposure  to  air  and  scales 
off,  rendering  work  extremely  hazardous. 

With  all  these  discouraging  conditions  the  Saginaw  operators  may  be 
thankful  that  fire  damp  and  coal  dust  explosions  in  this  field  are  hardly 
known,  while  noxious  gases  such  as  choke  damp  are  not  troublesome.  The 
mines  are  too  wet  for  dust  explosions,  and  only  a  few  miners  have  ever  been 
injured  by  this  cause  in  Michigan.  Nearly  all  the  casualities  in  local  mines 
have  been  caused  by  falling  slate  and  coal,  due  to  weak  and  unsupported 
n » ifs. 

Costs  of  Mining 

Because  of  excessive  water,  quicksands,  smaller  workable  areas,  thin 
veins  and  lower  grade  coal,  the  expense  of  pros] lectin-  and  proving  up  areas, 
of  sinking  shafts,  of  mining  thin  veins,  of  timbering  had  roofs  and  of  hand- 
ling water  is  far  greater  in  this  valley  than  in  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Higher 
mining  and  wage  scale  and  extra  allowances  for  narrow  work  tend  to  swell 
tiie  expense  rolls.  The  average  cost  of  placing  a  ton  of  coal  on  a  car.  in 
1910,  was  one  dollar  and  seventy-nine  cents  a  ton,  which  was  sixty  to  eighty 
cents  more  than  the  average  cost  in  West  Virginia. 

A  larger  part  of  the  increased  cost  is  keeping  up  the  mines  during  the 
Summer,  the  water  making  it  imperative  that  the  pumps  be  kept  working. 
Many  operators  continue    mining  throughout   the   dull    season,   marketing  a 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY 


457 


limited  production  at  very  slight  profit,  or  even  at  a  small  loss.  It  is  the 
cost  of  getting  rid  of  the  water  in  the  local  mines  that  enables  Ohio  operators, 
in  dull  times,  to  la}'  down  at  a  small  profit  their  excess  coal  at  the  very  tipples 
of  our  mines,  at  prices  ruinous  to  the  operators. 

Freight  rates  on  Saginaw  coal  to  the  markets  it  reaches  run  from  twenty- 
five  cents  to  seventy  cents  a  ton,  and  the  difference  between  these  and  the 
rates  from  mines  in  Ohio  and  West  Virginia,  which  range  from  one  dollar 
and  forty  cents  to  one  dollar  and  ninety  cents  a  ton,  to  the  same  markets, 
forms  a  protective  tariff  for  our  coal.  Thus,  there  is  a  net  margin  of  protec- 
tion to  Saginaw  coal  ranging  from  nothing  to  forty-five  cents,  or  a  little  more 
for  purely  local  use.  But  a  ton  of  the  best  Ohio  or  West  Virginia  coal  is 
worth  in  actual  heating  power  slightly  more  than  a  ton  of  average  Saginaw 
coal.  The  difference  in  quality,  measured  by  British  Thermal  Units,  has  a 
money  value  of  twenty  to  thirty  cents  a  ton,  therefore,  Saginaw  coal  cannot 
compete  with  the  former  at  the  same  prices. 

Value  of  Coal  Lands 

Experience  has  shown  that  hardly  half  of  the  computed  tonnage  of  a 
coal  bed  is  ever  realized  in  actual  mining.  This  is  due  to  incomplete  and 
unreliable  drilling,  sudden  or  unexpected  variation  in  thickness  of  the  vein, 
or  weak  and  treacherous  roof.  The  first  reduces  the  total  amount  of  coal 
present;  the  second  reduces  the  amount  of  workable  coal,  and  the  third 
the  amount  of  available  coal,  as  a  large  amount  of  coal  must  be  left  as  pillars. 

A  three-foot  vein  of  coal  should  yield  about  three  thousand  tons  to  an 
acre,  which  at  ten  cents  a  ton  profit  gives  three  hundred  dollars  as  the  value 
of  coal  land  But  undeveloped  and  unproved  land  is  worth  only  about  one- 
half  that  of  developed  tracts,  or  five  cents  a  ton  as  a  base  price.  This  figure, 
however,  must  be  discounted  according  to  the  length  of  time  before  mining 
begins  anil  number  of  years  of  life  of  the  mine.  The  value  of  undeveloped 
but  proven  property  is  estimated  at  one  and  one-quarter  cents  a  ton,  giving 
a  land  value  of  thirty-seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents  an  acre  for  the  coal. 


ELECTRIC    CONTINUOUS    CUTTER    MOUNTED    ON    TRUCK.    READY    FOR    OPERATION 


458  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

In  1910  the  average  price  received  fur  coal  was  one  dollar  and  ninety-one 
cents  a  ton,  from  which  was  deducted  the  costs  of  operation,  or  one  dollar  and 
seventy-nine  cents,  leaving  twelve  cents  as  net  profit  per  ton.  Some  mines 
average  better,  some  less,  and  a  few  have  run  at  a  loss.  In  Saginaw  County 
there  ar?  three  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety-seven  acres  of  proven 
coal  lands,  estimated  to  contain  nine  million  five  hundred  and  fifty-six  thou- 
sand five  hundred  tons  of  coal,  and  valued  at  three  hundred  fifty  thousand 
nine  hundred  dollars.  From  these  facts  it  is  obvious  that  Saginaw  coal  lands 
have  only  slight  value  over  and  above  their  value  for  agricultural  purposes. 

Methods  of   Mining 

The  thin  and  variable  seams  of  coal,  the  treacherous  shale  roofs,  and 
the  abundance  of  water  are  the  factors  determining  the  methods  of  mining 
in  this  State.  In  general  operators  must  rely  upon  a  thorough  draining 
system  and  good  pumps  to  keep  the  entries  dry. 

The  roof  of  most  of  the  coal  seams  is  a  black  shale,  and  often  requires 
a  great  deal  of  support.  Usually  large  pillars  of  coal  are  left  standing  for 
this  purpose,  but  these  cut  out  a  great  deal  of  coal  per  acre;  and  the  low  yield 
of  about  one  thousand  tons  per  acre  is  largely  due  to  the  use  of  the  room  and 
pillar  system.  Timbering  is  much  resorted  to,  but  adequate  timber  is  so 
expensive,  due  to  the  exhaustion  of  the  timber  supplies  near  at  hand,  as  to 
be  almost  prohibitive. 

From  actual  experience  the  mining  of  veins  thinner  than  three  feet  is 
more  expensive  on  account  of  narrow  working  quarters  and  greater  amount 
of  dead  work.  Naturally  the  average  cost  per  ton  of  mining  a  four-foot  vein 
is  less  than  that  of  a  three-foot  vein.  Veins  less  than  two  and  a  half  feet  in 
thickness  cannot  possibly  be  mined  at  a  profit  under  present  economic  con- 
ditions. In  mines  working  beds  more  than  three  feet  thick  it  is  often 
possible  to  extend  operations  into  areas  much  thinner,  providing  the  coal  is 
of  good  quality  and  the  roof  is  good. 

In  the  method  characterized  as  "shooting  off  the  solid"  the  only  pre- 
paration consists  of  drilling  the  holes  necessary  for  the  explosive  charge. 
Objection  to  this  method  has  arisen  because  it  is  injurious  to  the  mining 
property,  in  that  the  unusual  charges  of  powder  weaken  the  roof  and  pillars, 
which  increases  the  liability  to  falls  of  roof  and  coal.  Furthermore,  it  is  a 
wasteful  method  in  lowering  the  quality  of  the  product.  The  heavy  charges 
of  powder  necessary  to  blow  down  the  coal,  when  it  has  not  been  previously 
undercut  or  sheared,  result  in  the  production  of  a  much  higher  proportion  of 
fine  coal,  and  render  the  lump  coal  so  friable  that  it  disintegrates  badly  in 
handling  and  in  transportation.  This  naturally  creates  dissatisfaction  on  the 
part  of  the  consumer  who  buys  lump  coal  and  gets  at  best  mine-run. 

Introduction   of    Mining    Machines 

The  large  coal  operators  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  have  kept  pace  with  the 
manufacturing  interests,  realizing  that  the  best  methods  and  the  best  equip- 
ments are  absolutely  necessary  for  successful  mining.  This  is  shown  by  the 
large  numbei  of  mining  machines  installed  in  local  coal  mines,  and  the  large 
proportion  of  coal  undercut  by  them.  The  first  coal  cutting  machines  were 
introduced  in  1898,  and  materially  increased  the  quality  as  well  as  the 
quantity  of  the  coal  mined.  They  were  so  successful  that  twenty-five 
machines  were  used  in  the  following  year,  and  the  number  gradually  increased 
until  a  maximum  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  was  reached,  including  seven- 
teen punches,  eighteen  chain  breast  and  seventy-two  short  wall  or  continuous 
cutters.  Even  this  new  equipment  did  not  keep  pace  with  the  growth  of 
the  industry,  as  in   1910  the   machine  mined  coal  was  only    forty  per  cent,  of 


CLOSE    UP    VIEW    OF    SHORT    WALL    CUTTER,    SHOWING    COMPACTNESS 
CF     CONSTRUCTION 


ELECTRIC    CHAIN     CUTTER    OPERATING     IN     ENTRY 


460  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

the  total  production.  The  ratio,  however,  increased  rapidly  after  1910.  and 
in  1914  nine  hundred  ninety-eight  thousand  nine  hundred  tons,  or  seventy- 
seven  and  eight  tenths  per  cent.,  were  raised  by  machines;  two  hundred 
eighty-one  thousand  six  hundred  tons,  or  twenty-two  and  nine  tenths  per 
cent.,  were  "shot  off  the  solid,"  while  only  twenty-three  hundred  and  seventy 
tons,  or  two-tenths  of  one  per  cent.,  were  mined  by  hand. 

Coal  Production 

It  was  not  until  1896  that  Michigan  began  to  he  reckoned  among  the 
coal  producing  states.  There  was  a  steady  hut  extremely  slow  increase 
from  twenty-three  hundred  and  twenty  tons  in  1860  to  about  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  thousand  tons  in  1882,  the  one  hundred  thousand  ton  mark 
being  realized  in  the  years  1880  ti>  1882,  inclusive.  The  panicky  times 
immediately  following  completely  demoralized  the  struggling  industry,  so 
that  the  production  fell  off  to  about  thirty-five  thousand  tons.  In  1894  it  again 
declined  to  about  forty-five  thousand  tons,  or  ten  thousand  tons  less  than  in 
1885. 

The  sale  of  Michigan  coal  is  limited  mainly  to  its  home  markets,  and 
coal  mining  wholly  outstripped  the  growth  of  the  cities  which  were  its  best 
customers,  so  that,  in  1907,  the  production  was  much  greater  than  their 
capacity  to  consume.  The  banner  production  of  that  year  glutted  the  coal 
markets  so  that  coal  prices  fell  to  points  ruinous  to  operators;  and  the  dull 
iron  season  of  1908  caused  Ohio  operators  to  seek  new  markets  for  their 
surplus  coal.  With  cheaper  mining  facilities  they  were  able  to  put  their 
product  at  a  small  profit  upon  Michigan  markets  at  prices  that  meant  bank- 
ruptcy to  our  operators,  if  long  continued.  The  year  1908  showed  a  decided 
falling  off  in  local  production,  due  to  these  causes,  which  has  continued  to 
the  present. 

The  total  production  of  the  State  in  1914  was  one  million  two  hundred 
eighty-three  thousand  and  thirty  tons,  valued  at  the  mines  at  two  million  five 
hundred  fifty-nine  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-six  dollars.  This  was 
an  increase  of  fifty-one  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty-four  tons,  or  four 
and  sixteen  hundredths  per  cent,  in  quantity,  and  one  hundred  four  thousand 
five  hundred  and  fifty-nine  dollars,  or  four  and  twenty-six  hundredths  per 
cent,  in  value,  over  1913.  The  Michigan  production  exceeded  two  million 
tons  in  one  year  only.  1907;  since  then  decreasing  steadily  until  1912  when 
it   reached   the  minimum   for  the  decade. 

The  decrease  is  attributed  to  the  competition  of  higher-grade  coals  from 
\\  est  Virginia,  and  to  the  small  demand  for  lump  coal  in  manufacturing 
plants  of  the  State,  many  of  which  are  equipped  with  mechanical  stokers  and 
use  slack  coal  obtained  cheaply  from  the  eastern  mines.  Michigan  slack 
tints  becomes  a  drug  on  the  market,  ami  the  coal  mines  are  obliged  to  depend 
almost  exclusively  on  the  domestic  trade  which  requires  lump  coal.  In 
Winter  the  demand  for  lump  coal  exceeds  the  capacity  of  the  mines,  and  in 
Summer  the  production  exceeds  the   demand. 

The  Output  of  Saginaw  County 

The  growth  of  the  Saginaw  coal  industry  has  been  due  to  the  central 
location  of  the  field,  extensive  markets  near  the  mines,  and  to  the  complete 
network  of  railroads  to  the  large  manufacturing  centers  of  the  State.  Sagi- 
naw and  Bay  counties  produce  about  ninety-two  cent  of  the  total  amount 
of  coal  mined  in  the  State;  and  out  of  thirty-seven  mines,  Saginaw  County 
lias  sixteen  and  Bay  County  twelve. 

In  1914  the  production  in  Saginaw  County  was  fixe  hundred  eighty-four 
thousand  six  hundred  and  forty-eight  tons,  of  which  fixe  hundred  thirteen 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  eighteen   tons  were  loaded  at  the  mines  ior  ship- 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY  461 

ment ;  forty-eight  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  tons  were  sold  to 
the  local  trade;  and  twenty-two  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-six  tons 
were  used  at  the  mines  for  steam  and  heat.  The  total  valuation  was  one 
million  one  hundred  ninety-four  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty  dollars, 
an  average  value  of  two  dollars  and  four  cents  a  ton  at  the  mine.  The  aver- 
age number  of  working  days  was  two  hundred  and  fourteen,  and  the  number 
of  miners  was  eleven  hundred  and  ninety. 

The  coal  production  of  Saginaw  County  in  short  tons  from  1899  to  and 
including  1914,  the  last  year  of  which  a  report  has  been  issued,  is  shown  by 
the  folic  .wing  table  : 

Tons  Tons 

1899 455,607  1907 1.047,927 

1900 601,112  1908 999,338 

1901 938,042  1909 859,434 

1902 670,304  1910 667,282 

1903 1.011,898  1911 6<  ,7, 282 

1904 906,289  1912 489,198 

1905 915,803  1913 521 ,848 

1906 H35.475  1914 584,648 

Analyzing  the  production  of  1913  in  this  county,  we  have  the  following 
table  by  months : 


January 11 

February 11 

March.  .' 9 

April 9 

May 9 

Tune 9 

July 8 

August 7 

September 8 

October 8 

November 7 

December 8 


X  z 

'Si   •*-* 

-'  Z 

daily 
wage 

a  -j 

:(  - 
<   £ 

~  -    r 

Tota 
mini 

Cost 

>  «  e 

1,063 

7.f> 

17.7 

3.30 

$62,205.64 

47.1  oS  $93,676.5' 

L98 

1,072 

7.6 

18.2 

3.53 

68,983.72 

51.860 

94,641.00 

1.82 

882 

7.5 

19.6 

3.24 

5o.033.66 

40.608 

77,869.69 

1.91 

914 

7.5 

18.8 

3.64 

62,709. 

47.22?, 

S7,o51.80 

1.85 

908 

7.x 

15.4 

5.52 

4  ..455.20 

33,950 

70,225.86 

2.01 1 

865 

7.X 

15.3 

3.83 

50,382.69 

37.754 

74,045.17 

1.95 

838 

7.6 

16.6 

5.04 

51.579.94 

39,059 

75.52S.42 

1.93 

800 

7.6 

19.9 

3.59 

57,140.74 

42,407 

81,319.91 

1.91 

816 

7.6 

16.6 

3.46 

46,965.60 

32,590 

68,117.12 

2.09 

867 

7.6 

24.4 

3.11 

66,673.19 

54,014 

92. 181. 13 

1 .70 

825 

7.6 

21.7 

3.16 

5  i,684.5S 

42,471 

81 1.7  2l  1.8'  i 

1.94 

922 

7.9 

22.o 

3.40 

70,904.83 

52j  .54 

96,704.39 

1.S4 

$696,498.71  >  521 .848  $992,687.92 


Consolidation   of    Coal   Companies 

In  order  to  cut  ruinous  local  competition,  reduce  mining  costs,  and  to 
better  adapt  their  output  to  the  demands  of  the  trade,  many  of  the  Saginaw 
operators  consolidated  prior  to  1906,  and  continued  with  evident  good  results. 
This  was  manifest  in  better  equipped  and  better  managed  mines,  so  that  the 
equilibrium  between  production  and  demand  was  nearly  accomplished.. 

The  Consolidated  Coal  Company 

The  largest  of  these  amalgamated  companies  is  the  Consolidated  Coal 
Company,  which  was  organized  by  the  principal  operators  in  this  field,  the 
Eddy  and  Wickes  coal  interests,  and  ably  managed  by  Robert  M.  Randall. 
This  company  was  incorporated  February  8,  1906,  under  the  laws  of  the  State 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY  463 

of  Maine,  and  the  first  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  Walter  S.  Eddy, 
Arthur  D.  Eddy,  Harry  T.  Wickes,  H.  C.  Potter,  Junior,  William  J.  Wickes, 
S.  T.  Crapo,  Otto  Schupp,  Robert  M.  Randall  and  George  L.  Humphrey. 
The  officers  of  the  company  were:  Walter  S.  Eddy,  president;  Harry  T. 
Wickes,  Vice-president;  George  L.  Humphrey,  secretary-treasurer;  Robert 
M.  Randall,  general  manager. 

The  coal  mining  companies  incorporated  in  this  important  group  in- 
cluded the  Saginaw  Coal  Company,  operating  the  old  "Saginaw"  Mine;  the 
Pere  Marquette  Coal  Company,  operating  the  "P.  M."  Mine.  No.  2;  the 
Barnard  Coal  Company,  which  owned  the  old  "Barnard"  Mine;  the  Chappell 
&  Fordney  Coal  Company,  operating  Mine  No.  1;  the  Shiawassee  Coal  Com- 
pany, operating  the  Shiawassee  mine;  the  Northern  Coal  and  Transportation 
Company,  which  owned  the  "Jimtown"  Mine;  the  Riverside  Coal  Company, 
operating  Riverside  Mine  No.  1  ;  the  Uncle  Henry  Coal  Company,  which 
operated  "Uncle  Henry"  Mine  No.  1  ;  the  Standard  Mining  Company  owning 
the  Standard  Mine  No.  2;  the  Central  Mining  Company,  operating  Central 
Mine  No.  2;  and  the  Cass  River  Coal  Company,  which  operated  the  Cas> 
River  Mine. 

In  addition  to  these  properties,  which  were  among  the  most  productive 
mines  in  this  section  of  the  State,  the  Consolidated  Coal  Company  also  ac- 
quired a  controlling  interest  in  the  Wolverine  Coal  Company,  operating 
Wolverine  Mines  No.  2  and  No.  3,  located  in  Bay  County. 

Since  the  organization  of  the  company,  whose  operations  have  been  on  a 
large  scale  and  tended  to  unify  the  coal  interests  of  the  valley,  several  mines 
have  been  worked  out  and  abandoned.  These  were  the  old  Saginaw  Mine. 
Uncle  Henry  No.  1,  Pere  Marquette  Mine  No.  2,  Chappell  &  Fordney  Mine 
No.  1,  Riverside  Mine  No.  1,  Standard  Mine  No.  2.  Central  No.  2,  Cass  River 
Mine,  Barnard  Mine  and  the  Northern,  or  "Jimtown"  Mine. 

In  order  to  maintain  their  production  the  company  has  in  recent  years 
opened  up  Pere  Marquette  Mine  No.  3,  and  Chappell  and  Fordney  Mine  No.  2; 
and  Riverside  Mine  No.  2  and  Uncle  Henry  Mine  No.  2  are  now  in  course  of 
development.  The  policy  of  the  company  has  been  toward  high  efficiency 
and  economy  of  operation,  and  to  this  end  all  their  mines  are  fully  equipped 
with  electric  haulage  and  the  latest  approved  cutting  and  drilling  machinery, 
some  of  which  is  illustrated  in  the  preceding  pages.  The  problem  of  exces- 
sive water  in  the  mines  is  ever  an  active  one  in  the  Saginaw  coal  field,  and  all 
the  mines  of  the  Consolidated  Company  are  equipped  with  electric  driven 
pumps,  which  are  more  dependable  and  economical  of  operation  than  the  old 
steam  pumps. 

In  1908  the  company  installed  a  modern  coal  washing  plant,  on  the  old 
Eddy  mill  property  just  west  of  the  Genesee  Avenue  Bridge,  and  it  has  been 
in  continuous  operation  since  that  time.  It  handles  approximately  two 
hundred  thousand  tons  of  slack  coal  annually,  removing  all  impurities  from 
the  coal  and  leaving  the  product  bright  and  clean.  The  impurities  average 
about  fourteen  per  cent,  of  the  total  shipments  to  the  washer,  the  operations 
of  removing  the  dirt  and  slate  producing  a  very  high  grade  of  fuel,  namely. 
Washed  Nut  Coal  for  domestic  use,  and  Washed  Slack  Coal  which  is  in  high 
favor  with  steam  users. 

The  present  directors  of  the  Consolidated  Coal  Company  are:  William 
J.  Wickes.  Harry  T.  Wickes.  Walter  S.  Eddy,  Arthur  I  >.  Eddy,  Stanford  T. 
Crapo,  James  B.  Peter,  Robert  M.  Randall,  Otto  Schupp  and  George  L. 
Humphrey.  The  officers  are  :  William  J.  Wickes.  president;  Harry  T. 
Wickes.  Vice-president;  Otto  Schupp.  treasurer;  Robert  M.  Randall,  general 
manager,  and  Charles  W.  Stiver,  secretary. 


464 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


TIPPLE    OF    BLISS    COAL    MINE,    SWAN    CREEK 


The  Bliss  Coal  Company 


About  1905,  during  the  period  of  expansion  of  the  coal  business  in  Sagi- 
naw Valley,  Aaron  P.  Bliss  and  Arthur  Barnard  began  prospecting  for  coal 
in  lames  Township,  about  five  miles  southwest  of  the  city.  Air.  Bliss  owned 
a  tract  of  eight  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  which  was  thoroughly  drilled  up 
and  several  veins  of  high  grade  coal  were  discovered.  The  coal  was  then 
offered  for  sale,  but  no  satisfactory  bids  being  made  by  the  coal  companies 
operating  in  the  vicinity,  the  owners  decided  to  organize  an  operating  com- 
pany to  develop  the  coal  beds.  (  )n  May  6,  1905,  the  Bliss  Coal  Company  was 
organized  with  Aaron  P.  Bliss,  president,  and  Arthur  Barnard,  secretary  and 
treasurer.  C.  E.  Linton,  for  a  number  of  years  with  the  Sommers  Coal 
Company,  of  Cleveland  and  St.  Charles,  was  engaged  as  manager  of  the  com- 
pany's operations. 

After  further  drilling  had  been  made  to  ascertain  the  lowest  point  of  the 
intersecting  veins,  which  had  an  outline  formation  much  like  a  clover  leaf, 
the  exact  location  for  the  mine  shaft  was  determined.  This  was  at  a  point 
one  and  a  quarter  miles  from  Swan  Creek  Station  on  the  line  of  the  Michigan 
Central  Railroad,  which  furnishes  all  facilities  for  shipping  and  for  bringing 
the  miners  from  the  city  to  and  from  their  work. 

In  August,  1907,  work  was  begun  on  the  shaft,  which  was  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet.  Entries  were  then  run  in  three  directions 
through  the  veins,  modern  mining  equipment  was  installed,  and  everything 
made  ready  for  extended  operations.  (  In  January  8,  1908,  the  first  car  load 
of  coal  was  shipped  from  this  mine,  and  thereafter  the  production  gradually 
increased  until  the  maximum  was  reached  in  1910. 

In  order  to  place  the  operation  of  the  mine  on  an  economic  basis  in  rela- 
tion to  modern  methods  and  competition,  the  mine  was  electrically  equipped 
with  cutting  and  drilling  machines,  such  as  are  illustrated  in  the  preceding 
pages.  Electric  pumping  machinery  was  also  installed.  The  mine  operat- 
ing on  a  single  day  shift  employ-,  on  an  average  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 


THE    COAL    INDUSTRY 


465 


men.  and  produces  about  eighty  thousand  tuns  of  bituminous  coal  annually. 
The  coal  is  of  high  quality.  It  is  marketed  almost  exclusively  in  Michigan, 
being  shipped  to  Grand  Rapids,  Petoskey,  Cheboygan  and  other  northern 
points,  and  to   Lansing  and  other  points  in  the  southern  part  of  the   State. 

C.  E.  Linton,  who  has  ably  managed  the  affairs  of  this  company  since 
its  beginning,  brought  to  the  company  an  experience  founded  in  the  lumber 
business.  Years  ago,  with  his  father  and  brother,  he  conducted  the  large 
wholesale  yard  and  planing  mill  business  known  as  A.  Linton  ec  Sons,  on 
South  Jefferson  Avenue.  His  aptitude  for  figures  and  for  determining  costs 
of  production,  net  profits,  and  comparison  of  the  same  by  month  and  year,  is 
illustrated  by  concise  business  forms  compiled  by  him.  1A  aid  of  these  forms, 
which  show  the  distribution  of  operating  expenses,  the  tonnage  produced  and 
per  centages  of  entry  and  room  coal,  the  cost  per  ton  and  many  other  details 
he  is  able  to  display  the  exact  condition  of  the  business  for  every  month. 
with  comparisons  for  any  month  in  preceding  years. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Bliss  Coal  Company  are:  ].  F.  Brand,  presi- 
dent C.  11.  Brand,  vice-president  and  treasurer:  C.  E.  Linton,  secretary  and 
general   manager.     The   officers   comprise    the   board   of   directors,      fohn    T. 

Phillips  is  the  efficient  mine  superintendent  and  underground  expert,  whose 
wide  experience  in  mining  is  a  valuable  asset  to  the  company,  lie  is  often 
called  in  consultation  in  meetings  of  the  operators  in  relation  to  mining 
conditions  and  underground  work  in  general. 

The  other  large  operators  are  the  Robert  Gage  Coal  Company,  operating 
three  mines  at  St.  Charles  and  several  at  Bay  City,  and  Handy  Brothers,  of 
Bay  City,  whose  operations  in  Bay  County  are  very  extensive.  The  latter 
company,  in  order  to  tap  new  coal  beds  and  to  open  up  new  territory  for  then- 
product,  promoted  and  built  a  railroad  into  the  "Thumb."  This  is  the 
Detroit,  Bay  City  and  Western,  extending  eastward  to  Cam  and  througn 
Sanilac  County,  which  will  ultimately  open  a  new  outlet  for  this  vallev  to 
rne  Jiast  by  Port  Huron. 


JOHN     T.    PHILLIPS,    SUPERINTENDENT,     AND     CLARENCE     H.     BRAND, 
AT    MOUTH    OF    BLISS    MINE 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  BEET-SUGAR  INDUSTRY 


Sources  of  Sugar  —  Sugar-Making  an  Ancient  Science  —  Early  Experiments  in 
Beet  Culture  —  General  Interest  Aroused  in  Beets  —  Development  of  the  Industry  — 
The  "Sugar-Bowl"  of  Michigan — Building  Up  the  Sugar-Bowl  —  Practical  Experi- 
ments Made  —  Bay  City  Capitalists  Erect  the  First  Factory  —  Youman's  Beet-Sugar 
Bounty  Law  —  Why  Saginaw  was  Backward  —  Saginaw  Sugar  Company  Organized. — 
Dark  Days  for  the  Industry  —  Utilization  of  Beet  Pulp  —  Opposition  of  Eastern  Sugar 
Magnates —  The  "Trust"  Control  of  Beet-Sugar  —  Value  of  Beet-Sugar  Industry  — 
Trip  Through  the  Carrollton  Factory  —  How  Beets  are  Scoured  —  Slicing  the  Beets  — 
Extracting  the  Sweet  Matter — Purifying  the  Diffusion  Juice  —  Boiling  Down  the  Rich 
Syrup  —  Converting  the  Syrup  into  Sugar  —  Granulation  the  Final  Touch  —  Packing 
Sugar  for  Market — The  Benefit  to  the  Farmer  —  Single-germ  Beet  Balls. 

CULTIVATING  the  sweet-tooth  is  a  favorite  pastime  of  the  American 
people,  who  now  use  their  average  weight  of  sugar  in  a  year,  at  a  cost 
of  half  a  billion  dollars.  The}  are  not  content  with  being  the  greatest 
sugar-eaters  on  earth,  but  are  continually  demanding  more,  the 
quantity  needed  to  satisfy  the  individual  craving  having  increased  from 
eighty-three  pounds  for  every  man,  woman  and  child,  in  1909,  to  eighty-nine 
pounds  in  1915.  This  docs  not  take  into  account  the  large  quantities  of 
syrup,  honey  and  either  sweets  which  they  consume  with  seemingly  equal 
i  elish. 

Sugar,  in  some  form  or  other,  is  in  almost  universal  use  in  all  parts  of 
the  world;  and  although  the  enlightened  races  have  developed  the  art  of 
sugar-making  to  a  high  degree,  the  semi-civilized  peoples  obtain  their  sweets 
in  the  crudest  ways.  The  saccharine  element  is  found,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  in  all  fruit  and  vegetable  juices,  particularly  those  of  the  tropics,  but 
the  cost  i.\  production  is  so  great  as  to  render  it  of  mi  commercial  value. 
The  economic  sources  of  supply  are  limited  to  the  cane,  beets,  corn  and  the 
juice  of  the  maple.  Large  quantities  of  corn  syrup,  or  glucose,  are  made 
from  starch  and  other  corn  products,  but  no  process  has  yet  Been  devised  to 
reduce  it  to  the  form  id"  sugar  at  a  moderate  cost. 

Sugar-Making  an   Ancient   Science 

The  art  and  science  of  sugar  making  date  back  to  the  first  century  of  the 
(  hristian  era,  when  the  sweet  sap  of  the  Indian  reed  or  sugar  cane  was 
sought  and  reduced  to  a  syrup.  It  was  tin  is.e  versatile  people,  the  Arabs, 
however,  who  introduced  granulated  sugar  made  by  a  process  peculiarly 
their  own.  In  time  the  art  of  refining  sugar  with  ashes  was  made  known 
to  the  Egyptians,  who  in  the  seventh  century  transmitted  the  knowledge  to 
the  Chinese.  It  is  known  that  sugar  was  made  in  Persia  also  at  a  very  early 
day,  and  from  Arabia  the  culture  of  sugar  cane  and  the  extraction  of  its  sweet 
content  spread  to  many  lands. 

Until  1747,  sugar  was  supposed  to  be  the  producct  of  sugar  cane  only, 
but  in  that  year  Marggraf,  a  German  chemist,  demonstrated  that  it  was  a 
natural  product  of  other  vegetables,  and  especially  of  the  beet-root.  It 
was  near  the  end  of  the  century,  however,  when  its  manufacture  from  that 
source  was  begun  in  Silesia.  Almost  all  the  sugar  consumed  in  Europe  is 
now.  for  economic  reasons,  obtained  from  the  sugar  beet.  The  cultivation 
of  beets  and  the  care  of  the  soil,  in  (  iermany,  are  objects  of  national  concern; 


THE    BEET- SUGAR    INDUSTRY  467 

the  machinery  used  in  the  industry  has  reached  a  high  state  of  perfection, 
and  the  workmen  are  skilled  in  the  art.  Jt  is  from  them  that  the  people  of 
America  have  learned  the  science,  and  from  them  that  the  annual  supply 
of  beet  seeds  is  imported. 

Early  Experiments  in   Beet  Culture 

The  experimental  period  in  the  beet-sugar  industry  in  the  United  States 
had  its  beginning  as  early  as  1830,  when  a  small  factor}-  for  making  sugar 
from  beets  was  built  and  operated  in  Philadelphia;  and  ten  years  later  another 
factory  was  built  in  Connecticut.  Both  were  failures  because  of  careless 
methods  of  beet  culture  and  the  crude  system  and  apparatus  used  in  the 
factories;  and  furthermore,  neither  factory  was  well  situated  in  a  g 1  beet- 
growing  district.  The  industry  was  not  revived  until  1870,  when  a  factory- 
was  set  up  at  Alvarado,  California.  Six  years  later  the  company  failed,  and 
not  until  1879  was  it  reorganized;  but  it  has  been  in  operation  every  season 
since.  As  late  as  1888  the  output  of  this  factory  was  only  two  million  pounds 
of  white  sugar  a  year. 

The  total  product  of  beet  sugar  in  1887  was  six  hundred  thousand 
pounds;  ami  in  1893  it  reached  forty-three  million  six  hundred  forty-eight 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven  pounds,  all  made  in  Virginia, 
Nebraska,  Utah  and  California.  The  capital  invested  in  the  seven  factories 
was  two  million  dollars;  and  they  consumed  the  product  of  twenty  thousand 
acres  of  land,  at  a  cost  of  cultivation  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  yearly. 

In  1891  the  beet  sugar  industry  had  its  practical  beginning  at  Chino, 
California,  thirty-three  miles  east  of  Los  Angeles.  Several  thousand  acres 
of  w-aste  land  in  lower  Pomona  Valley,  at  that  time  but  recently  reclaimed 
by  irrigation,  had  been  planted  to  the  Mangel-wurzel  beet.  This  variety 
of  the  sugar  beet  was  well  adapted  to  the  soil  and  climate,  for  the  crop  was 
a  complete  success,  the  beets  growing  in  man}-  instances  to  the  size  of  a 
man's  body  and  extending  a  foot  or  more  above  the  ground.  The  beets 
contained  from  ten  to  twelve  per  cent,  of  saccharine  matter. 

Meanwhile  a  large  factor}-  had  been  erected,  and  machinery  such  as  was 
used  in  Germany  was  imported  from  that  country.  Jt  was  necessary  also 
to  bring  over  mechanics  to  set  up  the  machinery  and  afterwards  to  operate 
it.  so  little  being  known  in  this  country  of  the  details  and  science  of  sugar- 
making  from  beets.  The  success  of  the  Chino  factory,  owned  by  the  Oxnard 
interests  from  the  start,  led  to  the  planting  of  other  tracts  of  land  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  erection  of  factories,  so  that  in  a  few  years  the  industry  became 
well  established  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

General   Interest  Aroused   in   Beets 

It  was  not  long  before  capitalists  and  farmers  in  other  States  were 
attracted  to  the  possibilities  of  beet-growing  and  sugar-making,  and  experi- 
ments were  made  toward  adapting  the  various  seeds  grown  in  Germany  to 
the  soils  of  different  sections  of  the  country.  The  selection  of  the  proper 
seeds  for  each  soil  is  a  very  important  matter,  and,  in  fact,  combined  with 
proper  fertilization  and  intensive  cultivation,  is  the  key  to  success.  Wher- 
ever sugar  beets  can  be  profitably  raised  and  the  factories  are  properly 
managed,  the  industry  flourishes.  In  ln0">  there  were  sixty-seven  beet- 
sugar  factories  in  operation  in  the  United  States,  and  sixty-five  in   1915. 

Although  these  factories  produced  one  billion  pounds  of  granulated  sugar 
in  the  season's  run.  this  vast  quantity  was  but  one-fifth  of  the  nation's  con- 
sumption. To  suppbj  the  entire  needs  of  the  country,  four  hundred  factories 
would  he  required,  and  thereafter  at  least  ten  new  ones  added  every  year 
to  keep  up  with  the  increasing  demand.     That  this  expansion  of  the  industry 


468  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

will  ever  be  realized  is  not  probable,  because  of  tbe  immense  quantities  of 
raw  cane  sugars  produced  and  imported  from  our  insular  possessions.  The 
sugars  are  produced  by  cheap  labor  and  shipped  by  cheap  water  transpor- 
tation to  the  great  refineries,  and  so  long  as  the  sugar  situation  is  controlled 
by  the  Havemeyer,  Arbuckle  and  other  large  interests,  there  can  be  little  hope 
of  expansion  of  the  beet-sugar  industry. 

Development  of  the  Industry 

The  development  of  beet  sugar-making  within  the  last  fifteen  years  in 
the  Middle  West  is  very  interesting,  and  embodies  an  clement  of  romance. 
The  soils  of  the  vast  agricultural  belt  extending  east  and  west  between 
Central  New  York,  Northern  Ohio,  and  Georgian  Bay  in  Canada,  and  the 
Straits  of  Mackinaw  westward  to  the  Pacific,  are  especially  adapted  to  beet- 
growing.  They  are  rich  in  certain  constituents  that  impart  to  the  white 
Slesvig  beet  a  high  sugar  content,  the  percentage  under  proper  cultivation 
ranging  from  twelve  to  twenty,  with  an  average  of  eleven  tons  oi  beets  to  the 
acre. 

The  States  of  Colorado,  Michigan  and  California,  in  the  order  named, 
are  the  largest  growers  of  sugar  beets,  and,  of  course,  produce  the  most 
beet  sugar  which  finds  a  ready  market  in  the  Middle  West  and  the  Western 
States.  In  Michigan,  which  follows  Colorado  so  closely  in  point  of  produc- 
tion as  to  be  of  equal  importance  in  the  industry,  the  soil  and  climate  are 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  growth  and  culture  of  sugar  beets;  and  there  are 
fifteen  factories  in  operation  during  the  season"s  campaign,  which  begins  in 
October  ami  ends  in  January.  The  industry  here  cuts  beets  from  an  acreage 
exceeding  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand,  and  the  crop  is  worth  nearly 
eight  million  dollars  to  the  farmers  of  the  State.  The  average  test  of  beets 
lor  sugar  content  is  about  sixteen  per  cent;  the  skilled  workmen  number 
about  eighteen  hundred  with  an  average  wage  of  three  dollars  a  day,  while 
the  common  laborers,  such  as  coal  and  lime  passers,  and  unloaders,  to  the 
number  of  twenty-five  hundred,  receive  an  average  of  two  dollars  a  day.  To 
the  communities  at  large  further  direct  benefit  is  derived  from  the  large 
purchases  of  coal  and  limestone,  and  to  the  railroads  for  hauling  the  beets 
and  other  Mipplies,  and  also  the  hundreds  of  carloads  of  refined  sugar  to  the 
markets  near  home  and  to  points  at  some  distance. 

The  Sugar-Bowl  of  Michigan 

The  Saginaw  Valley  has  been  very  aptly  termed  the  Sugar  Bowl  of 
Michigan,  from  the  fact"  that  it  is  the  richest  beet-growing  district  in  the 
Middle  West.  In  this  thriving  agricultural  section,  once  famed  as  the  great 
lumber  mart  and  producer  of  the  clearest  cork  pine  ever  known  to  the  trade, 
has  sprung  up  a  new  industry  of  the  soil.  Where  once  stood  the  magnificent 
giants  of  the  forest,  eighty  or  one  hundred  feet  clear  and  straight  to  the  first 
i .ranches,  there  now  grow  succulent  beets  rich  in  sugar  content.  The  "sugar 
bowl"  is  about  fifty  miles  in  diameter,  with  Saginaw  as  its  center,  and  within 
it  are  nine  large  sugar  factories  with  an  aggregate  cutting  capacity  of  seven 
thousand  tons  of  beets  per  day  of  twenty-four  hours.  The  season's  run,  of 
about  one  hundred  days,  produces  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  million  pounds 
of  granulated  sugar."  The  other  six  factories  in  the  State  are  widely 
distributed  in  good  beet  territory,  as  from  Mt.  Clemens,  near  Detroit,  to 
Charlevoix,  and  to  Menominee,  in  Upper  Michigan. 

The  Michigan  Sugar  Company,  capitalized  at  twelve  million  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  is  the  largest  producer  in  Michigan,  and  operates  six  large 
factories  located  at  Bay  City,  Carrollton,  Sebewing,  Caro,  Alma  and  Croswell. 
It   is  ably   managed  by  conservative   capitalists  whose  policy  has   ever  been 


2    ' 

m 

"n 
> 


ifef 


*?- 


470  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


for  the  upbuilding  of  the  industry,  and  the  encouragement  and  promotion 
of  the  best  methods  of  beet  culture  among  the  farmers.  The  protection 
afforded  by  the  tax  on  raw  sugar  lias  been  an  important  factor  in  shaping  the 
success  of  the  beet-sugar  industry;  and  in  the  fight  in  Congress  for  retention 
of  the  duty,  the  industry  has  never  had  a  more  staunch  advocate  than 
Joseph  W.  Fordney,  the  popular  congressman  from  this  district. 

Building  Up  the  Sugar-Bowl 

With  this  brief  survey  of  the  beet-sugar  industry  we  will  proceed  with 
the  history  of  the  "sugar  bowl,"  which  embodies  some  features  of  unusual 
interest.  Although  sugar  was  first  made  in  Saginaw  Valley  in  1898,  the  first 
efforts  to  awaken  the  farmers  to  the  value  of  sugar-beet  crops,  and  capitalists 
tc  the  apparent  profits  of  sugar-making,  were  put  forth  several  years  earlier. 
In  this  preliminary  work  much  credit  belongs  to  Joseph  Seemann,  as  one  of 
the  men  who  educated  Michigan  and,  indeed,  a  large  part  of  the  Middle 
West,  to  the  opportunities  and  advantages  of  sugar-beet  culture,  a  work 
which  had  a  large  influence  in  establishing  an  important  industry  in  this 
State. 

In  1884,  while  on  a  visit  to  the  land  of  his  birth  in  Bohemia,  Austria- 
Hungary,  Mr.  Seemann  became  interested  in  sugar-beet  culture  and  the 
science  of  sugar-making.  That  part  of  Bohemia  was  inhabitated  principally 
by  Germans,  who  were  the  pioneers  of  the  beet-sugar  industrv  in  Europe; 
and  he  was  impressed  by  the  numerous  sugar  factories  throughout  the 
province.  Upon  inquiry  he  learned  that  in  a  territory  somewhat  smaller 
than  the  State  of  Michigan,  there  were  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  sugar 
mills,  employing  thousands  of  skilled  workmen  and  converting  the  product 
of  more  than  a  million  acres  of  land  into  fine  white  sugar.  On  returning 
home  he  gathered  all  the  data  on  sugar-beet  culture  that  was  available  and 
found  that  an  industry  deserving  the  name  had  not  yet  been  established  in 
this  country. 

Five  years  later  Mr.  Seemann  again  visited  Bohemia  and  was  greatly 
impressed  and  interested  in  the  growing  sugar  industry.  During  his  inves- 
tigation of  the  principal  sugar  mills,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  experimenting 
in  beet  culture  in  Michigan;  and  accordingly  sent  a  kilo  of  Klein- 
wenzleben  sugar-beet  seeds  to  his  business  partner,  Charles  II.  Peters.  A 
large  part  of  these  seeds  were  soon  after  sent  to  Professor  R.  C.  Kedzie.  of 
the  Michigan  Agricultural  College  at  Lansing,  for  experimental  purposes 
to  ascertain  if  the  soil  and  climate  of  Michigan  were  adapted  to  their  culture. 
In  the  experiments  conducted  in  1891  by  the  State  agriculturists  in  Saginaw 
Count}-,  beets  being  grown  principally  on  sandy  loam  soil,  the  size  varied 
from  one  pound  three  ounces  to  four  pounds  eleven  ounces,  and  the  pro- 
duction ranged  from  twelve  to  thirty-two  tons  to  the  acre.  (  )n  pine  cut  land 
twenty-four  tons  of  beets  were  raised.  The  sugar  content  varied  from  ten 
and  one-half  to  sixteen  and  one-half  per  cent.,  the  beets  grown  on  pine  cut 
land  going  as  high  as  fourteen  and  one-quarter;  and  the  co-efficient  of  purity 
was  very  high,  ranging  from  eighty-one  to  ninety-three  per  cent. 

A  singular  coincidence  in  connection  with  the  experiments  conducted  at 
the  Agricultural  College  was  that  Edwin  C.  Peters,  a  son  of  Charles  H. 
Peters,  who  in  1893  was  a  senior  student  in  the  college,  was  assigned  one  acre 
of  ground  for  sugar  beet  experiment,  lie  prepared  the  soil,  planted  the  seed, 
thinned  out  the  young  plants,  attended  to  all  the  cultivation,  and  late  in 
September  harvested  a  very  satisfactory  crop  of  beets.  To  complete  the 
experiment  and  leave  a  permanent  record  of  the  results,  he  was  required  to 
write  a  treatise  on  the  subject,  and  this  was  the  first  written  from  original  data 
and  personal  experience  on  beet  culture  in  Michigan. 


THE    BEET- SUGAR    INDUSTRY  471 

Upon  his  return  to  America,  Mr.  Seemann  brought  a  number  of  pam- 
phlets printed  in  German  especially  for  the  education  of  the  farmers.  He 
was  thoroughly  imbued  with  the  advantages  of  establishing  the  industry  in 
this  country,  and  proceeded  to  publish  in  the  German  weekly  newspaper,  the 
Saginaw  Zeitung,  then  owned  by  Seemann  &  Peters,  an  entire  pamphlet  in 
serial  chapters.  As  this  was  printed  in  German  it  gave  the  German-Ameri- 
can farmers  in  this  section  of  Michigan  instruction  as  to  the  proper  culture 
of  sugar-beets.  Some  of  these  farmers  who  had  emigrated  from  Germany  in 
the  sixties  and  seventies  were  somewhat  familiar  with  the  growing  of  beets, 
as  conducted  in  their  native  land,  and  they  became  deeply  interested  in  the 
subject,  and  afterward  were  among  the  first  in  this  county  to  experiment  with 
beet  seeds.  The  publication  of  this  pamphlet  was  the  first  comprehensive 
information  given  the  people  of  this  State  on  what  has  since  developed  into 
a  large  and  important  industry.  The  firm  of  Seemann  &  Peters  at  that  time 
also  published  the  Saginaw  Evening  News,  and  they  made  this  medium  the 
pioneer  journal  in   Michigan  to  advance  the  beet-sugar  industry. 

A  few  years  later,  between  1X93  and  1898,  Mr.  Seemann  contributed 
many  practical  and  valuable  articles  to  the  State  press,  on  the  culture  of 
sugar-beets,  and  aroused  wide  interest  in  the  subject.  In  1894  the  annual 
production  of  sugar  in  the  United  States  was  only  three  hundred  and  five 
thousand  eight  hundred  tons.  This  quantity,  he  pointed  out,  was  less  than 
one-sixth  of  the  total  consumption,  amounting  to  two  million  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  short  tons,  while  the  value  of  the  imported  sugars  was  one 
hundred  and  eight  million  five  hundred  and  ninety  thousand  dollars.  All 
the  wheat  and  flour  exported  by  America  did  not  pay  for  the  sugar  it  impor- 
ted. The  greater  proportion  of  our  sugar  supplies  came  from  the  cane  grown 
in  Cuba.  Porto  Rico,  and  some  of  the  Southern  States,  although  about  forty 
per  cent,  of  the  raw  sugar  was  imported  from  Germany.  Furthermore  the 
price  paid  the  farmer  for  his  beets  was  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  ton,  which 
was  twenty-five  per  cent,  less  than  the  price  received  by  the  growers  in 
Bohemia.  The  need  for  large  increase  of  home  production  of  sugar  was 
therefore  apparent,  the  advantage  of  the  sugar-beet  as  a  rotation  crop  was 
plainly  evident;  and  it  only  remained  for  progressive  farmers  ami  capitalists 
to  join  hands   in  establishing  a   new  and  prosperous  industry. 

The  highest  national  and  state  authorities.  Doctor  II.  W.  Wiley  ami 
Professor  R.  C.  Kedzie,  determined  in  1895  that  Michigan,  for  one  hundred 
miles  north  and  south  of  Lansing,  by  reason  of  its  soil  and  climate,  was 
well  adapted  to  the  profitable  growing  of  sugar-beets.  From  the  beginning 
it  was  apparent  that  the  successful  conduct  of  the  business  was  an  agricul- 
tural problem  rather  than  one  of  manufacturing,  and  the  first  thing  to  be 
di  me  was  t>  i  ascertain  if  beets  of  proper  quality  and  in  sufficient  quantity  c<  mid 
be  produced  to  justify  the  building  of  a  sugar  factory.  For  the  business  to  be 
successful  beets  should  yield  from  two  hundred  and  twenty  to  two  hundred 
and  forty  pounds  of  sugar  to  the  ton,  and  sugar  produced  at  a  cost  not 
exceding  three  cents  a  pound. 

The  proper  course  to  pursue,  as  advocated  by  Samuel  (1.  Iliggins,  who 
was  one  of  the  earliest  promoters  of  the  beet-sugar  industry  in  Saginaw  Val- 
ley,  was  to  educate  the  farmers  as  to  the  best  methods  of  raising  beets,  by 
giving  practical  instruction  in  the  field  by  expert  agriculturists  in  planting, 
cultivating  and  harvesting  of  the  beets.  It  was  important  also  to  show  that 
the  sugar-beet  is  one  of  the  best  rotation  crops  the  farmer  can  have, and  should 
not  be  grown  on  the  same  land  oftener  than  once  in  four  years.  It  does  not 
require  a  rich  soil,  as  many  persons  believed,  as  it  contains  less  impurities 
than  when  richly  fertilized.  While  sugar-beets  will  grow  well  on  almost  any 
oil,   it    reaches   a   perfect   growth    in    sandy    loam    deep    enough    to   allow   the 


472 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


i    .,,,    Mi 


BEET     WAGONS     WAITING     TO     UNLOAD     AT     MERRILL     WEIGH     STATION 

roots  to  reach  down  into  the  soil.  Favorable  results,  the  experts  contended, 
might  he  expected  from  planting  in  marsh  land,  if  the  soil  be  well  drained  and 
tilled. 


Practical  Experiments  Made 

Early  in  18' '7  the  whole  matter  reached  a  stage  where  practical  experi- 
ments in  sugar-beet  culture  were  undertaken  in  Saginaw  County  on  a  large 
and  comprehensive  scale.  To  finance  the  operation  a  fund  was  created 
largely  through  the  efforts  <>f  Harry  T.  Wickes,  Thomas  V.  Harvey  and 
George  B.  Morley.  together  with  a  number  of  prominent  citizens.  It  was 
planned  to  secure  the  services  of  an  expert  agriculturist  and  chemist,  procure 
a  supply  of  proper  beet  seeds,  and  to  interest  by  personal  solicitation  as  many 
farmers  as  possible  in  making  careful  experiments.  To  this  end  a  Mr. 
Lenders,  a  chemist  well  versed  in  the  art  of  growing  sugar-beets,  was  brought 
here  and,  in  association  with  Samuel  G.  Higgins,  commenced  an  active  cam- 
paign. 

By  the  influence  of  the  publicity  already  given  the  whole  matter,  and 
the  promise  of  successful  results,  six  hundred  farmers  in  this  county  were 
induced  to  plant,  thin  and  cultivate  small  plots  of  ground  to  sugar-beets. 
From  time  to  time  during  the  Summer  they  were  given  instruction  in  the 
field  as  to  the  proper  methods  of  cultivation,  and  otherwise  aided  in  the 
experiments:  and  further  publicity  was  given  the  project  by  Mr.  Higgins  in 
valuable  articles  to  the  press.  The  results  From  the  crop,  by  analysis  of 
specimen  beets  from  each  plot,  showing  an  average  of  sixteen  per  cent,  of 
sugar  content,  with  some  beets  going  as  high  as  twenty  per  cent.,  far  exceeded 
the  expectations  of  the  promoters,  and  awakened  the  farmers  and  capitalists 
to  the  great  possibilities  of  a  new  industry  for  Michigan,  and  particularly  for 
Saginaw  Valley. 


THE    BEET- SUGAR    INDUSTRY  473 

The  climax  of  the  experiments  came  in  <  )ctober,  when  in  a  vacant  store 
on  the  south  side  of  Genesee  Avenue,  between  Washington  and  Eranklin 
Strets,  an  exhibition  was  held  of  the  best  specimens  taken  from  the  beet  crop. 
In  all  there  were  five  hundred  and  twenty-seven  separate  specimens,  well 
illustrating  the  scope  and  thoroughness  of  the  experiments,  and  proving 
beyond  reasonable  doubt  this  valley  to  be  a  rich  field  for  growing  of  the 
sugar-beet.  The  exhibition  opened  the  eyes  of  the  community  to  the  pos- 
sibilities of  beet-growing  and  sugar-making,  and  exerted  a  greater  influence 
than  anything  else,  except  the  experiments  themselves,  in  establishing  the 
industry  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

These  experiments,  financed  by  Saginaw  business  men,  were  the  most 
systematic  that  had  ever  been  conducted  in  this  country,  and  the  satisfactory 
results  led  Mr.  Higgins  to  declare  that  "three  crops  of  beets  produced  in 
consecutive  years  are  worth  as  much  as  one  crop  of  pine  trees,  which  have 
been  growing  for  one  hundred  years  or  more."  The  building  of  small  sugar 
factories  was  not  advocated;  although  the  cost  of  a  large  mill  and  refiner  \ 
necessitated  large  capital,  and  it  was  believed  that  a  plant  with  slicing  capa- 
city of  five  hundred  tuns  of  beets  a  day,  would  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
company  which  was  to  be  organized  with  a  capital  of  five  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

Bay  City  Capitalists  Erect  the  First  Factory 

While  the  experiments  in  beet  culture  were  being  made  in  Saginaw 
County,  preliminary  to  starting  the  industry  here,  Bay  City  capitalists,  be- 
coming convinced  of  the  practicability  of  beet  sugar-making,  organized  the 
Michigan  Sugar  Company  and  erected  a  large  factory  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  river.  This  was  the  first  beet-sugar  factory  in  Saginaw  Valley,  and, 
indeed  in  the  State,  and  it  commenced  slicing  beets  on  October  14,  1898,  from 
an  acreage  which  hail  been  contracted  among  the  farmers  near  that  city.  So 
successful  was  the  venture  that  three  other  companies  were  quickly  organ- 
ized, one  being  a  co-operative  concern  capitalized  by  influential  fanners; 
and  the  industry  scion  became  well  established  in   Hay  County. 

The  rush  of  the  Bay  City  people  to  get  into  sugar-making  was  due  to 
two  causes.  At  the  time  there  was  much  idle  capital  in  Saginaw  \  alley, 
accumulated  by  the  closing  up  of  extensive  lumbering  operations;  and  it  was 
generally  believed  that  the  sugar  industry  offered  the  best  opportunity  for 
large  investments.  Then,  to,,,  the  Youman's  Beet-Sugar  Law,  passed  by  the 
State  Legislature  in  18' '7,  which  granted  a  bounty  of  one  cent  a  pound  upon 
all  sugar  made  in  Michigan  from  beets  grown  in  this  State,  was  a  great  incen- 
tive to  prompt  action.  The  old  lumbermen  in  turning  to  sugar-making  as  a 
means  of  employing  their  idle  capital,  had  in  mind  the  experience  with  the 
salt  bounty  law  which  had  been  enacted  forty  years  before,  and  repealed 
before  the  salt  makers  could  derive  any  benefit  from  it.  and  they  feared  a  like 
action  with  the  sugar  bounty.  If  they  were  to  take  all  the  risks  of  starting 
the  new  industry,  they  naturally  wanted  all  the  bounty  money  they  were 
entitled  to,  and  therefore  lost  no  time  in  organizing  their  companies,  con- 
tracting for  beets  very  largely  with  Saginaw  County  farmers,  erecting 
factories  and  beginning  the  manufacture  of  sugar. 

The  Youman's  Beet-Sugar  Bounty  Law 

The  beet-sugar  bounty  law  provided  that  "the  manufacturer  shall  pro- 
duce good  and  sufficient  receipts  and  vouchers  to  show  that  at  least  four 
dollars  per  ton  of  twenty  hundred  pounds,  has  actually  been  paid  for  all  beets 
purchased,  containing  twelve  per  cent,  of  sugar,"  and  "a  sum  proportionate 
to  that  amount  for  all  beets  containing  a  greater  or  less  per  cent,  of  sugar." 


474  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  benefit  to  the  farmer,  which  was  one  of  the  primary  objects  of  the  law, 
lay  in  the  requirement  of  the  manufacturer  to  pay  the  following  prices  for 
beets  in  order  to  obtain  the  bounty  : 

For  beets  containing  10  per  cent,  of  sugar,  $3.33;  j  per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  11  per  cent,  of  sugar,     o,662A  per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  12  per  cent,  of  sugar,     4.00      per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  13  per  cent,  of  sugar,     4.33H  per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  14  per  cent,  of  sugar,     4-.662A  per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  15  per  cent,  of  sugar,     5.00      per  ton. 

For  beets  containing  16  per  cent,  of  sugar,  5.33H  per  ton. 
The  law  made  no  discrimination  as  to  co-efficient  of  purity  of  beets, 
the  same  price  being  stipulated  for  beets  with  purity  of  seventy-five  as  for 
those  of  a  purity  of  eighty-five,  should  the  percentage  of  sugar  content  be  the 
same.  By  co-efficient  of  purity  was  meant  the  percentage  of  saccharine  mat- 
ter contained  in  the  beet  that  would  crystalize  into  sugar,  the  remainder 
working  up  into  molasses  or  other  sweet  stuff.  The  co-efficcient  varied 
greatly  in  the  beets,  some  of  high  sugar  content  showing  comparatively  low 
co-efficiency,  or  from  fiftj  to  sixty,  while  other  beets  of  less  percentage  of 
saccharine  matter  showed  a  high  co-efficient  oi  purity. 

As  a  result  of  the  failure  of  the  law  t< .  recognize  the  co-efficient  of 
purity,  the  manufacturers  were  often  compelled  to  pay  a  higher  price  for 
poor  "beets  than  for  good  ones.  The  loss  to  the  manufacturer  extended  in 
many  cases  to  the  farmer,  inasmuch  as  at  the  price  stipulated  by  the  law 
for  beets  of  high  sugar  content  but  of  low  co-efficient  of  purity,  say  at  fifty, 
the  beets  could  not  be  made  into  sugar  at  a  profit,  and  were  therefore  rejected 
at  the  factory,  entailing  a  direct  loss  t"  the  grower.  If  the  co-efficient  of 
purity  had  been  recognized  in  the  law.  ami  the  prices  based  on  it  as  well  as 
on  the  percentage  of  saccharine  matter,  the  manufacturer;,  would  probably 
have  accepted  the  poorest  beets  in  cases  such  as  stated,  and  paid  what  they 
were  worth  to  them,  thereby  saving  the  farmer  from  loss. 

In  other  respects  the  sugar  bounty  law  worked  out  very  satisfactorily, 
the  experience  of  the  first  Bay  City  factory,  in  1898,  showing  that  the  bounty 
earned,  amounting  to  fifty  thousand  dollars,  turned  an  apparent  operating 
loss  of'ei^ht  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  into  a  profit  of  more  than  twenty 
per  cent,  of  the  capital  invested.  The  bounty,  however,  was  deemed  by  some 
legislators  as  unnecessarily  high,  though  the  correct  position  seemed  to  be 
that  as  to  the  existing  factories,  or  those  projected,  the  bounty  should  not  be 
changed.  For  new  companies  to  be  organized  later,  some  modification  of  the 
bounty  seemed  advisable,  since  the  pioneers  in  the  industry  took  risks  that 
those  who  came  later  and  had  the  benefit  of  the  former's  experience,  did  not 
have  to  assume  to  so  great  an  extent.  In  a  few  years,  however,  when  nine- 
teen factories  were  in  operation,  or  in  course  of  construction,  the  sugar  bounty 
law  was  repealed;  and  the  industry  has  since  stood  entirely  upon  its  own 
merits  and  resi  mrces. 

Why   Saginaw   Was  Backward 

During  1898,  when  there  was  such  activity  in  Bay  City  in  starting  the 
beet-sugar  industry,  the  business  men  of  Saginaw  still  held  up  the  organiza- 
tion of 'a  sugar  company  here.  They  were  entirely  satisfied  that  the  proper 
quality  of  beets  could  be  grown  here  in  sufficient  quantity  to  make  the 
business  a  success,  but  were  willing,  nevertheless,  to  let  their  neighbors  down 
the  river  make  the  first  manufacturing  experiment-,  from  the  experience  of 
which  they  would  profit  bv.  A  more  logical  cause,  however,  for  the  delay 
was  a  statement  made  bv  Professor  Smith,  of  the  Michigan  Agricultural 
College,  at  a  meeting  of  Saginaw  business  men,  that  Saginaw  River  water, 


THE    BEET-SUGAR    INDUSTRY 


475 


from  the  presence  of  saline  held  in  solution  was  a  har  to  the  manufacture  of 
sugar.  This  was  a  serious  problem  and  was  given  thorough  consideration 
by  local  investors  before  definite  plans  were  formulated. 

To  determine  the  truth  or  falsity  of  this  statement,  which  was  a  decided 
blow  to  the  prospects  of  the  infant  industry,  Joseph  Seemann  wrote  to 
Doctor  II.  W.  Wiley,  chief  of  the  Division  of  Chemistry,  Washington,  D.  C, 
for  advice  in  the  matter,  and  in  due  course  received  the  following  reply: 

"Dear  Sir:  I  am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  concerning  the  introduc- 
tion of  beet-sugar  manufacturing  in  the  vicinity  of  Saginaw. 

"Experience  has  shown  that  in  the  manufacture  of  sugar  common 
salt  in  small  quantities  is  not  objectionable.  The  objection  to  most  of 
the  common  saline  impurities  of  water  is  that  they  prevent  the  crystali- 
zation  of  sugar.  This  is  not  the  case  with  salt,  as  it  is  practically  neutral 
so  far  as  impeding  or  favoring  crystalization  is  concerned." 

(Signed)  "II.  \Y.  WILEY. 

Chief  of  Division." 

This  letter  was  published  by  the  local  press  in  the  hope  of  correcting  the 
unfavorable  impression  which  existed  regarding  our  water  supply,  and  in  a 
measure  accomplished  its  purpose. 

The  quantity  of  water  required  daily  for  a  sugar  factory  of  six  hundred 
tons  capacity,  which  it  was  proposed  to  erect  here,  is  about  three  million 
gallons,  about  one  tenth  of  which  is  used  in  direct  processes  of  manufacture, 
and  must  be  filtered.  Since  no  process  of  filtration  will  remove  salt  or  other 
impurities  held  in  solution,  the  old  impression  that  Saginaw  River  water  was 
entirely  unsuited  for  making  sugar  still  persisted,  and  it  was  necessary  to 
>ettle  the  question  before  attempting  to  organize  the  first  sugar  company 
here.  The  problem  wras  at  length  solved  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned 
by  sending  various  samples  of  river  water  to  Doctor  Wiley,  at  Washington, 
for  analysis  and  further  advice  in  the  matter.  After  complete  analysis  of 
the  waters  had  been  made.  Doctor  Wiley  declared  very  positively  that  the 
salt  contained  in  the  waters  of  Saginaw  River  would  not  interfere  in  the 
slightest  degree  with  its  use  in  manufacturing  sugar. 


CARROLLTON      PLANT     OF    THE     MICHIGAN     SUGAR     COMPANY 


476  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Saginaw  Sugar  Company   Organized 

This  decision  of  an  authority  on  the  subject  left  no  doubt  as  to  the  entire 
practicability  of  sugar-making  in  Saginaw,  and  early  in  1899,  when  the 
success  of  the  first  Bay  City  factor}"  was  assured,  local  capitalists,  headed  by 
W.  V.  Penoyer,  an  up  Huron  Shore  lumberman,  organized  the  Saginaw 
Sugar  Company  with  a  capital  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars.  A  site  for 
the  factory  was  soon  alter  selected  on  the  II.  1'.  Smith  property,  at  the  corner 
of  South  Jefferson  Avenue  and  Sidney  (Rust)  Street,  plans  were  prepared, 
and  the  foundation  for  the  main  buildings  laid  in  the  hall  of  that  year. 

The  erection  of  a  modern  sugar  mill  and  refinery  on  the  most  economic 
basis  requires  about  one  year,  so  that  it  was  in  October,  1900,  that  the  work 
ot  construction  of  the  new  factory  was  completed,  and  the  machinery  put 
in  condition  for  operation.  Ample  acreage  had  been  contracted  among  the 
farmers  of  this  county,  and  late  in  September  deliveries  commenced  at  the 
huge  beet  sheds  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue.  It  was  a  novel  and  interesting 
scene  when  several  hundred  farmers'  teams  congregated  at  this  point,  deliver- 
in-  the  first  crop  of  succulent  beets  to  the  initial  sugar  company  of  Saginaw. 
The  run  that  year  and  the  one  of  1901  were  entirely  successsful,  and  greal 
hopes  were  expressed  for  the  ultimate  expansion  of  the  industry  s, .  auspici- 
ously begun. 

The  success  of  this  company,  however,  was   of  short   duration,  and  the 

fourth  year  of  its  operation  was  the  last.  The  factory  was  not  well  located, 
for  line  thing,  being  nearly  a  mile  from  its  source  of  water  supply — the 
river,  entailing  a  heavy  outlay  for  extra  piping  and  sewage  systems,  and 
additional  expense  for  pumping.  There  was  only  one  railroad  connection 
with  the  plant,  although  another  road  passed  close  by,  and  an  unnecessary 
burden  for  switching  charges  was  put  upon  it.  The  plant  itself  was  of  small 
capacity,  compared  with  the  successful  sugar  factories  elsewhere,  and  mis- 
fortune seemed  to  follow  it-,  operations.  The  management,  moreover,  was  in 
the  hands  of  men  who  had  made  fortunes  in  turning  the  pine  tree  into 
marketable  lumber;  and,  as  everyone  knows,  lumbering  methods  are  the 
most   wasteful  of  all  American  industries. 

In  general  the  sugar  business  in  Michigan  was  conducted  on  much  the 
same  lines  as  success  had  been  made  in  lumbering.  Economics  of  industry 
did  not  seem  to  enter  into  the  equation  at  all.  A  long  time  was  required  For 
(lie  process  of  shaking  down  to  an  economic  basi*.  of  operation.  While  this 
change  was  going  on  the  pioneers  of  the  industry  learned  many  things  about 
the  business,  including  the  policies  of  the  eastern  sugar  magnates,  and  met 
their  losses  without  quibble  or  complaint. 

Dark   Days  for  the  Industry 

The  result  of  these  conditions  was  that  after  the  fourth  year  of  operation 
the  Saginaw  Sugar  Company  was  in  precarious  financial  position.  After  a 
time  it  was  reorganized,  and  a  consolidation  arrangement  entered  into  with 
the  Valley  Sugar  Company,  of  Carrollton,  whose  plant  had  been  built  two 
years  before  in  a  very  favorable  location  for  permanent  succcess.  The 
business  was  thus  put  on  a  better  economic  and  industrial  basis,  ami  con 
tinned  operations,  under  the  name  of  Saginaw-Valley  Sugar  Company,  for 
several  years,  the  old  Valley  plant  of  the  company  still  being  in  use. 

The  old  Saginaw  plant,  which  was  so  badly  located  and  of  capacity  which 
could  not  be  operated  at  a  profit  except  at  large  expenditure  for  additions, 
was  sold,  dismantled  in  1905,  and  removed  to  Sterling,  Colorado.  The  price 
realized  from  the  sale   was  hardly   more   than  one-third  of  the  original  cost 


THE    BEET- SUGAR    INDUSTRY  477 

of  the  plant,  the  Penoyers  losing,  it  was  said,  about  one  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  dollars  by  the  deal,  while  other  stockholders  in  the  company  lost 
as  much  more. 

Many  other  troubles  that  came  to  the  sugar  industry  in  its  early  days 
were  due  to  avoidable  causes.  The  business  was  overdone  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley  almost  from  the  start,  factories  springing  up  with  mushroom  growth, 
and  with  little  or  n<  >  regard  for  location  so  as  to  permanently  control  good 
beet-growing  territory.  In  three  years  six  large  factories  were  erected  in  Bay 
City  and  Saginaw,  within  a  radius  of  about  eight  miles,  and,  although  the 
shipping  facilities  were  unexcelled,  it  was  impossible  at  the  time(1899  to 
L903)  to  secure  enough  beet  tonnage  t"  supply  them  all  to  full  capacity. 
Other  factories  were  built  at  Caro,  Sebewaing,  Alma.  Owosso,  St.  Louis, 
Mt.  Pleasant  and  Lansing,  all  of  which  drew  beel  supplies  from  the  natural 
territory  of  the  Saginaw  and   Hay  City  factories. 

Although  the  leading  farmers  of  this  section,  especially  the  German- 
American  class,  have  been  enthusiastic  growers  of  sugar-beets  and  have 
profited  thereby,  the  great  majority  of  farmers  in  Michigan  have  newer  been 
very  staunch  advocates  of  beet-growing,  and  their  education  to  the  advan- 
tages of  the  industry  has  been  a  long  and  expensive  one.  In  recent  years, 
however,  the  price  paid  to  the  farmers  fur  beets  has  risen  to  a  point  where 
very  few  progressive  farmers,  situated  near  a  sugar  factor),  can  ignore  the 
attractive  beet  contracts,  and  few  there  are  who  do  not  grow  a  more  or  less 
extended  acreage  of  sugar-beets. 

Utilization  of  Beet  Pulp 

Another  element  of  uneconomic  management  was  the  great  waste  of 
beet  pulp,  which  in  the  early  days  of  the  industry  was  handled  as  a  waste 
product.  It  was  sold  to  the  farmers  at  a  very  low  price  or  thrown  away  in 
order  to  be  rid  of  it.  After  six  or  eight  years  of  harrowing  experiences  the 
leading  companies  began  installing  pulp  dryers  to  convert  the  hitherto  useless 
pulp  into  a  valuable  by-product.  This  is  a  light  flaky  substance  packed  in 
bags  for  the  market,  and  i^  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  country.  Jt  is 
especially  valuable  as  a  feed  for  dairy  herds,  and  when  fed  to  milch  cows 
increases  the  yield  of  milk  not  less  than  a  gallon,  and  in  many  cases  to  two 
or  three  gallons,  a  day,  within  ten  days  after  beginning  its  use.  It  has  also 
been  known  to  start  cows  which  had  dried  up.  Its  fattening  qualities  for 
steers  is  remarkable,  a  herd  after  forty-eight  days  gained  one  hundred  and 
thirty-three  pounds  per  head  on  seventy  pounds  of  pulp  per  day,  and  five 
pounds  of  hay  for  cud.  Cattle  men  claim  that  pulp-fed  steers  make  firmer  and 
tenderer,  and"  better  colored  beef. 

Opposition  of  Eastern  Sugar  Magnates 

The  troubles  at  home,  which  for  a  time  threatened  to  wreck  the  industry, 
were  not  the  only  difficulties  that  vexed  the  beet-sugar  companies.  They 
had  to  contend  with  the  bitter  opposition  of  the  eastern  sugar  magnates,  who 
exerted  every  effort  to  ruin  the  infant  industry.  The  control  of  the  market 
in  the  Middle  West  and  Western  States,  which  the  so-called  "sugar  trust"  had 
enjoyed  for  many  years,  was  jeopardized  by  the  quantities  of  beet-sugar 
which  at  certain  times  flooded  the  market;  and  retaliatory  tactics  were 
resorted  to  in  order  to  thwart  the  ambitious  designs  of  the  promoters  of 
home  industry.  As  a  result  of  the  most  unscrupulous  methods  employed  by 
the  eastern  refineries,  the  beet-sugar  men  met  opposition  at  every  turn  in  the 
marketing  of  their  product. 

One  of  the  chief  weapons  of  offense  used  by  the  old  sugar  crowd  was  its 
vigorous  attack  on  the  protective  tariff  on  raw  sugars.  This  tariff  was.  and  is. 
the   very   life   and   backbone   of   the   struggling  beet-sugar   industry.      It    was 


478  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

used  very  effectually  by  the  combatants  as  a  "big  club,"  by  agitating  a  reduc- 
tion in  the  schedule,  or  its  entire  removal.  They  claimed  that  the  tariff  had 
much  to  do  with  high  prices  of  sugar,  and  that  it  was  a  "wicked  tax"  as  it  hit 
the  workingman  as  it  did  his  rich  neighbor,  since  both  consume  practically  the 
same  quantity  as  a  household  necessity.  "They  pay  not  according  to  their 
ability,  but  according  to  their  needs,  thus  reversing  the  elemental  principle  of 
taxation,"  they  said. 

A  moderate  tariff  on  raw  sugars  imported  from  Cuba  and  abroad  is 
absolutely  necessary,  it  is  contended,  if  the  beet-sugar  industry  is  to  prosper 
in  this  country.  This  is  because  it  costs  much  more  to  produce  beet-sugar, 
at  prices  paid  for  beets  which  will  induce  farmers  to  grow  them,  than  it  does 
to  produce  cane  sugar  at  the  average  cost  of  raws,  made  by  the  cheap  native 
labor  of  Cuba  and  foreign  countries.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  American 
farmer  receives  more  for  the  sugar  in  the  beets  than  the  refiners  pay  for  the 
raw  sugar  laid  down  in  Xew  York.  As  it  costs  nearly  five  times  as  much  to 
extract  the  sugar  from  the  beets  as  it  does  t<>  simply  refine  the  raw  sugar,  the 
beet-sugar  manufacturers  must  have  a  differential  to  cover  the  high  relative 
price  paid  the  farmer  for  the  beets,  or  quit  the  business.  Even  with  the 
present  duty  added  to  the  raw  sugars,  the  beet  sugar  costs  on  the  average  .08 
of  a  cent  more  per  pound  than  refined  cane  sugar. 

The  "Trust"  Control  of  Beet-Sugar 

When  the  old  sugar  magnates  in  the  East  had  conducted  their  bush  war- 
fare against  beet-sugar  for  three  or  four  years,  and  had  helped  to  reduce 
the  struggling  industry  to  a  pitiable  condition,  they  appeared  openly  on  the 
scene,  in  the  guise  of  friends,  as  benefactors,  to  put  the  beet-sugar  business 
on  its  feet  again.  Beet-sugar  stocks  were  almost  worthless,  farmers  who 
,,re\v  beets  were  dissatisfied  with  conditions,  and  the  operators  were  almost 
readv  to  quit.  By  the  use  of  large  sums  of  money,  in  buying  up  stocks  here 
and  "there,  and  by  loaning  large  amounts  to  conduct  the  campaigns  of  1904 
and  1905,  these  shrewd  financiers  gained  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the 
western  sugar  men,  ami  incidentally  gained  for  themselves  absolute  control 
of  the   industry. 

In  the  process  of  rejuvenation  they  instilled  into  the  corporate  system 
something  of  the  element  of  success  that  had  previously  marked  the  sugar 
refining  business;  and  today  no  one  doubts  the  stability  and  value  of  the 
industry  to  the  whole  people.  About  1910,  when  the  sugar  magnates  had 
given  their  lesson  to  the  westerners,  and  there  was  no  prospect  of  expansion 
of  the  beet-sugar  industry,  the  "Trust"  began  gradually  to  withdraw.  The 
following  year  it  was  estimated  that  the  trust  holdings  of  Michigan  stocks 
was  only  thirty-four  per  cent,  of  the  total  capitalization.  Today  very  little 
Michigan  Sugar  stock  is  held  directly  by  the  Trust. 

Value  of  Beet-Sugar  Industry  to  Country 

The  relinquishment  of  control  of  beet-sugar  was  a   g 1   thing   for   the 

whole  country.  This  fact  was  emphasized  by  the  effect  of  throwing  the  new 
sugar  stocks  of  1911  on  the  market.  During  September  of  that  year  the 
"trust"  had  boosted  the  price  of  sugar  throughout  the  country  to  the  almost 
unheard  of  figure  of  seven  eighty-five  per  hundred,  wholesale,  which  meant 
a  retail  price  of  nine  or  ten  cents  to  the  housewife.  The  Michigan  crop  of 
sugar-beets  was  the  largest  in  the  history  of  the  industry,  and  when,  on 
October  12,  the  new  supplies  of  beet-sugar  were  placed  on  the  market,  the 
trust  price  at  once  fell  to  five  fifty-five  per  hundred,  wholesale,  and  the  retail 
price  to  about  seven  cents. 


ti 


THE    BEET-SUGAR    INDUSTRY 


479 


THE     '•SCROLL"     OR     WORM     CONVEYOR     WHICH      LIFTS     THE     BEETS 
FROM      FLUME      INTO     FACTORY 

The  practical  benefit  and  value  oi  beet-sugar  competition  is  not  confined 
to  Michigan  or  the  Middle  West,  but  is  shared  in  equal  measure  by  the 
whole  people.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  wholesale  prices  of  the  various 
grades  of  sugar,  as  set  by  the  Trust,  are  practically  the  same  at  all  points 
in  every  State  and  territory.  The  consumer  in  California  pays  on  a  given 
day  approximately  the  same  price  as  the  consumer  in  Maine  or  New  York, 
and  the  consumer  in  Florida  the  same  as  the  consumer  in  Oregon.  Thus, 
when  the  new  stocks  of  beet-sugar  came  on  the  market,  the  high  and 
unwarranted  Trust  prices  were  broken,  and  retail  prices  quickly  fell  about 
three  cents  a  pound  in  every  city.  town,  hamlet  and  corner  of  the  country. 
This  was  true  at  places  far  beyond  the  zone  of  shipment  of  beet-sugar  itself, 
and  proved  the  influence  of  Michigan  beet-sugar  in  the  market. 

Trip  Through  the  Carrollton  Factory 

The  Valley  Sugar  factory,  now  the  Carrollton  plant  of  the  Michigan 
Sugar  Company,  was  built  in  1901  and  put  in  operation  late  in  ( )ctober  of 
that  year.  It  ran  successfully  during  the  campaigns  of  1902  and  1903,  but 
in  the  following  year,  when  the  company  consolidated  with  the  old  Saginaw 
Sugar  Company,  it  was  closed  down.  In  1905  the  original  Saginaw  plant 
was  torn  down  and  the  machinery  moved  away.  Since  that  time  the 
Carrollton  plant,  with  a  rated  capacity  of  eight  hundred  tons  of  beets  a  day, 
and  the  only  sugar  factory  in  Saginaw  County,  has  worked  up  beets  grown  on 
six  to  eight  thousand  acres  each  year. 

Active  operations  for  the  annual  campaign  start  in  September,  when 
the  beets  begin  to  mature  and  the  farmers  are  busy  pulling  and  topping 
them.  Until  about  1'07  this  work  was  done  entirely  by  hand,  but  the  diffi- 
culty of  obtaining  labor  resulted  in  the  perfecting  of  a  machine,  that  not 
only  pulls  the  beets  without  any  breakage,  but  also  removes  the  tops  with  far 
more  precision  than  can  be  done  by  hand;  and  it  also  deposits  the  beets 
and  leaves  in  separate  and  distinct  piles.  The  company  begins  receiving 
beets  at  the  factory  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  and  when  fully  five  thousand 
tons  are  on  hand,  and  the  small  army  of  mechanics  has  the  machinery  in  the 
pink  of  condition,  the  factory  starts   for  the  season's  run. 


480  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

A  large  supply  of  beets  constantly  in  reserve,  and  all  machinery  in  fine 
working  order  at  the  start,  are  very  important  factors  in  the  successful 
management  of  a  sugar  plant,  for  the  reason  that  when  operations  have  once 
begun  there  is  no  stop  fur  an  instant,  at  least  for  much  of  the  essential 
machinery.  The  work  goes  on  at  night  and  day,  and  cm  Sundays  anil  holi- 
days, until  the  last  beet  has  been  worked  up  into  tine  white  sugar. 

The  huge  storage  sheds,  four  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  and  two  hundred 
feet  wide,  are  the  first  points  of  interest,  and  are  veritable  beehives  of  workers. 
Through  wide  doorways  farmers'  wagons  are  entering  to  unload,  after  weigh- 
ing up  at  the  entrance;  while  in  the  farther  section  of  the  sheds  railway  cars 
are  being  shunted  into  place  for  a  like  operation.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
count  the  wagons.  Sixty-four  may  be  unloaded  at  the  same  time,  while  the 
number  constantly  driving  away  empty,  and  others  waiting  their  turn,  seem 
to  be  as  many  more.  In  the  railway  sections  gangs  of  men  are  unloading 
the  cars  heaped  high  with  the  rich  product  of  the  soil,  a-  many  as  twenty 
of  the  largest  gondolas  being  placed  on  the  two  tracks. 

The  storage  bins  are  constructed  of  concrete,  and  are  twenty  feet  wide 
and  eight  feet  deep,  with  a  V-shaped  bottom  the  whole  sloping  gradually  to 
tlie  farther  end.  On  leaving  at  the  factory  end  of  the  sheds,  the  first  thin- 
to  attract  attention  is  a  series  of  concrete  flumes,  two  feet  wide  and  four 
feet  deep,  rounding  away  from  the  middle  of  each  bin,  and  converging  at  a 
main  flume  of  somewhat  larger  size,  leading  into  the  main  building.  Upon 
looking  down  into  this  flume  a  stream  of  muddy  water  is  to  be  seen  rushing 
along  and  carrying  in  its  current  a  continuous  mass  of  beets.  The  water, 
which  is  quite  hot,  is  forced  through  the  flumes  from  the  front  end  of  the 
sheds  by  powerful  pumps;  and,  in  conveying  the  beets  to  the  factory,  the 
further  'operation  of  removing  the  outer  layer  of  dirt  ami  weeds  is  easily 
acci  implished. 

The  main  factory  building  is  a  structural  steel  frame,  four  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  long,  eighty-five  feet  wide,  and  five  stories  in  height,  upon  which 
rest  the  ponderous  machinery  and  numerous  tanks  used  in  the  various  pro- 
cesses. The  whole  frame  of  heavy  columns  and  immense  girders,  like  the 
steel  frame  of  a  modern  office  building,  ami  its  valuable  mechanical  outfit, 
are  enclosed  within  walls  of  brick  and  concrete,  and  pierced  by  many  windows 
to  furnish  ample  light  and  ventilation.  The  construction  throughout  gives 
an  impression  of  solidity  and  permanence. 

How  the  Beets  are  Scoured 


Before  entering  the  main  building  there  is  a  short  passage  through 
a  little  one-story  addition,  in  which  the  main  flume  widens  into  a  shallow- 
pit  which  contains  the  lower  end  of  the  "scroll,"  the  conveyor  which  lifts 
the  beets  up  into  the  factory.  This  scroll  is  in  principle  an  exact  Archi- 
medean screw,  with  the  slight  alteration  of  having  the  lower  half  of  its 
cylinder  perforated  with  rows  of  half-inch  holes  to  drain  off  the  dirty  water, 
as  the  beets  are  rolled  along  its  revolving  blade.  A  system  of  levers  operates 
a  gate  which  regulates  the  flow  of  beets  to  the  scroll,  so  that  the  right 
amount  is  supplied  at  all  times  to  the  slicing  machine. 

Passing  along  the  narrow  entry,  which  is  filled  with  a  cloud  of  steam,  and 
through  a  doorway,  the  visitor  is  at  last  in  the  factory  of  mysterious  doings. 
For  a  moment  he  stands  spellbound.  The  massive  machinery,  the  rumbling 
of  hundreds  of  wheels,  the  grinding  of  heavy  gears,  the  hissing  of  steam  as 
it  rushes  through  the  big  pipes  overhead,  are  enough  to  shock  the  senses  of 
sight  and  hearing.  The  next  sensation  is  of  stifling  heat  due  to  many  lines 
of  steam  pipes  of  various  sizes,  and  other  pipes  filled  with  boiling-hot  water; 


THE    BEET- SUGAR    INDUSTRY  481 


a 


for  the  principal  factor  in  sugar-making  is  heat,  as  utilized  through  the 
medium  of  water  in  its  vaporous  state,  while  as  a  liquid  at  different  tempera- 
tures water  is  used  in  man}-  of  the  processes. 

Throwing  off  outer  wraps  the  visitor  is  read}-  to  follow  the  beets,  which 
re  coming  into  the  factor}-  at  a  lively  rate.  They  are  forced  up  and  through 
an  opening  in  the  wall  and  dropped  into  a  washing  tank,  where  they  are  tossed 
about  in  warm  water  by  paddles  revolving  on  a  horizontal  shaft.  In  this 
process  the  beets  are  thoroughly  scoured  and  at  the  end  come  out  on  a 
draining  board,  white  and  clean.  From  there  they  are  lifted  to  the  ceiling  by 
another  scroll,  and  by  a  bucket-conveyor  are  carried  to  the  fifth  floor. 

Slicing  the  Beets 

The  next  point  of  interest  is  at  the  topmost  platform,  under  the  roof, 
where  the  hopper  of  the  huge  slicing-machine  receives  the  beets  from  the 
bucket-conveyor.  From  this  elevation  there  is  a  good  view  through  the 
center  well  of  the  fourth  and  third  Hours,  of  the  ponderous  machinery  and  the 
intense  activities  of  the  factor}-.  The  floors  are  constructed  wholly  of  con- 
crete, the  stairs  and  railings  are  of  iron;  and  throughout  there  is  the  utmost 
cleanliness  and  almost  perfect  ventilation.  But  despite  the  attention  given 
to  this  matter,  a  pungent  odor  of  lime  and  sulphur,  with  a  certain  acute 
acidity,  is  experienced,  which  at  first  is  not  altogether  pleasant;  but,  upon 
proceeding  through  the  factory,  the  sights  and  sounds  and  smells,  as  well 
as  persona]  comfort,  are  forgotten  in  the  keen  interests  aroused  by  each  new- 
process. 

The  huge  hopper  at  the  top  of  the  bucket-conveyor,  in  turn  deposits  the 
beets  by  gravity  into  a  weighing  machine  which,  with  every  half-ton,  dis- 
charges the  mass  through  its  drop  bottom  into  the  hopper  of  the  slicing 
machine.  Every  dump  is  automatically  registered  so  as  to  determine  the  exact 
percentage  of  sugar  obtained  from  the  beet  tonnage.  As  the  bottom  of  this 
hopper  is  bell-shaped,  the  beets  are  forced  outward  and  fed  to  the  swiftly 
i evolving  knives  of  the  slicer.  This  is  a  huge  upright  cylinder  within  which 
is  a  horizontal  wdieel  of  the  exact  inside  diameter,  and  placed  slightly  below 
the  lower  edge  of  the  hopper.  The  wdieel  carries  on  its  outer  edge  or  rim 
an  endless  line  of  sharp  corrugated  knives  about  ten  inches  long,  which  cut 
up  the  beets  in  a  flash  as  they  are  pressed  down  on  them  by  the  weight  of  the 
mass  above.  The  slicings  fall  through  to  a  receiver,  where  they  are  rasped, 
to  tear  up  the  cells,  after  which  they  pass  out  on  an  endless  belt  conveyor  on 
the  second  floor,  to  be  distributed  as  required  to  the  diffusion  battery. 

Extracting  the  Sweet  Matter 

In  this  process  the  series  of  boilers  is  called  a  diffusion  battery,  because 
the  sugar  content  is  removed  from  the  slicings  by  water,  into  which  the 
sugar  diffuses.  There  are  fourteen  cells  or  huge  cylindrical  tanks,  placed 
upright  and  close  together  on  the  ground  floor.  Their  top  openings  with  the 
connecting  valves  extend  through  to  the  floor  above,  so  that  the  steel  traps, 
which  are  three  feet  in  diameter  and  open  on  hinges,  may  be  closed  easily, 
and  the  valves  operated  by  hand.  When  three  and  a  half-tons  of  the  beet 
slicings  have  been  taken  into  a  cell  from  the  belt  conveyor,  the  supply  is 
shut  off  or  turned  by  a  system  of  gates  to  another  cell,  and"  the  cover  or  trap 
is  swung  back  in  place  and  clamped  down  securely,  becoming  air  tight. 

The  process  of  boiling  is.  of  course,  unseen,  but  it  is  easily  underst 1. 

The  juice  parses  by  a  complicated  system  of  pipes  and  valves  through  the 
charged  cells  of  the  scries,  always  from  the  longest-filled  cell,  which  contains 
nearly  exhausted  slicings,  to  the  ones  most  recentlv  filled,  thus  extracting  the 
largest  possible  quantity  of  sugar  with  the  smallest  amount  of  water,  which 


48i 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    CARBONATORS,    IN     WHICH     THE     IMPURITIES     IN     THE 
JUICE     ARE     ABSORBED 

varies  in  temperature  from  one  hundred  and  four  degrees  to  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  degrees  Fahrenheit.  All  the  water,  of  course,  must  be  evaporated 
in  subsequent  processes,  and  the  nearer  to  saturation  this  solution  becomes  in 
getting  all  the  saccharine  matter  that  is  possible  from  the  slicings,  the  greater 
is  the  economy  of  operation. 

In  about  an  hour  the  slicings  have  become  exhausted  of  their  sweet 
content,  when  the  door  at  the  bottom  of  the  cell  is  thrown  open  by  lexers, 
and  the  mass  of  beet  pulp  gushes  out  and  runs  off  in  a  concrete  flume  to  the 
pulp  drier.  There  the  pulp  is  thoroughly  dried  and  otherwise  prepared  for 
shipment.  The  empty  cell  is  then  cleaned  by  jets  of  hot  water,  which  remove 
any  clinging"  shreds  of  pulp:  and  the  cell  is  ready  for  another  charge  of 
fresh  slicings.  With  fourteen  of  these  cells,  each  of  which  is  recharged  every 
hour,  the  process  may  be  said  to  be  continuous. 

Purifying  the  Diffusion  Juice 

When  the  diffusion  juice  leaves  the  battery  it  is  pumped  to  a  receiving 
tank,  and  from  there  to  a  measuring  tank,  which  records  the  amount  of  juice 
being  obtained  from  the  slicings.  In  its  present  raw  state  it  is  heavily 
charged  with  various  impurities,  and  in  order  to  remove  these  there  is  a 
complicated  system  of  purifying  agents.  First,  the  juice  is  pumped  to  two 
superheaters,  which  are  tanks  containing  vapor  coils,  and  in  these  the  juice 
is  heated  to  prepare  it  for  carbonation. 

In  this  process  the  two  factors  are  lime  and  a  gas  containing  about 
thirty  per  cent,  of  carbonic  acid.  This  gas  is  made  by  burning  lime  and  coke 
in  the  proportion  of  one  part  of  coke  to  four  or  five  parts  of  lime.  The 
kiln  is  outside  the  main  factory;  about  thirty  tons  of  lime  are  made  and  used 
every  twenty-four  hours.  The  lime  is  thoroughly  slacked  with  water,  and  the 
solution  is  pumped  into  the  factory,  where  it  is  heated  in  a  circular  tank  to  a 
degree  necessary  for  its  useful  purpose.  The  diffusion  juice,  already  hot, 
is  passed  to  the  carbonators,  in  which  it  ami  milk  of  lime  are  thoroughly 
mixed  in  the  proportion  of  fixe  quarts  of  lime  to  every  thousand  gallons  oi 


THE  BEET- SUGAR  INDUSTRY 


483 


the  juice,  and  the  temperature  is  quickly  raised  to  ninety  degrees  Centigrade. 
(Juieklime  is  then  added — about  fifteen  pounds  to  every  hundred  gallons,  and 
the  gas  is  pumped  in  by  powerful  pumps. 

The  impurities  in  the  juice  having  been  fully  absorbed  by  the  lime  and 
gas,  it  is  necessary  to  remove  all  traces  of  these  agents;  and,  since  the  quality 
of  sugar  produced  depends  on  the  process  of  clarification,  considerable  skill 
and  care  are  here  required.  A  powerful  pump  now  forces  the  solution 
through  pressure  filters.  Each  of  these  is  a  series  of  steel  frames  about 
four  feet  square  anil  one  and  a  half  inches  thick,  over  which  are  stretched 
sheets  of  canvas,  and  the  frames  are  pressed  tightly  together  by  a  ^crew 
press  to  render  the  joints  water-tight.  The  juice  is  forced  through  pipes 
into  one  side  of  the  press,  and  through  the  canvas  of  the  frames,  depositing 
the  lime  on  the  fabric  and  pouring  out  on  the  other  side  into  troughs  an  almost 
clear  liquid.  Though  this  liquid  has  lost  much  of  its  original  matter  in 
solution,  it  is  still  far  from  the  purity  necessary  to  crystallize.  It  flows  from 
the  troughs  into  a  receiving  tank  for  cooling. 

Boiling   Down  to  a  Rich  Syrup 

At  this  stage  it  is  plain  that  the  clarified  juice  is  a  mixture  of  pure 
sugar  and  pure  water,  the  sugar  varying  in  proportion  according  to  the 
richness  of  the  beets,  the  fidelity  of  the  machinery,  and  the  watchfulness  of 
the  operators.  To  extract  the  water  from  the  juice,  thus  converting  it  into  a 
rich  syrup,  is  the  next  process,  and  is  an  interesting  one.  The  juice  is 
pumped  into  multiple-effect  vaccum  evaporators,  so  called  because  the  heat- 
ing effect  of  the  steam  is  utilized  in  vacuo  as  many  times  as  there  are  pans 
in  the  series.  Steam  is  supplied  to  the  first  pan,  and  the  vapor  from  the 
boiling  juice  passes  to  the  second  pan,  and  so  on  through  the  series.  From 
the  last  pan  the  vapor  passes  to  a  condenser  kept  in  a  constant  state  of 
vacuum  by  a  continuously-acting  pump,  from  which  it  tlows  away,  a  dark- 
colored  syrup.  When  it  obtains  a  density  of  thirty-one  and  one-half  to 
thirty-two  and  one  -fourth  by  hydrometer  test,  it  is  pumped  to  storage  tanks. 
There  the  syrup  remains  until  drawn  off  as  needed  in  the  sugar  mill,  which  is 
a  distinct  division  of  the  manufacturing  process. 


PRESSURE    FILTERS,    WHICH    REMOVE    ALL    THE    PURIFYING    AGENTS 


484  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Converting  the   Syrup  Into  Sugar 

From  the  storage  lank  the  syrup  is  pumped  to  the  fourth  floor  and 
admitted  to  the  syrup  boilers,  or  "strike-pans,"  of  which  there  are  four. 
These  are  large  cylindrical  cast-iron  vessels,  provided  with  a  vacuum  pump, 

a  condenser,  ami  coils  of  copper  tubing  to  which  steam  may  be  turned  as 
needed.  After  condensation  has  taken  place,  and  when  the  pans  are  about 
one-fourth  to  one-third  full  of  rich  thick  liquor,  a  charge  of  cool  syrup  is 
admitted,  to  cause  the  formation  of  minute  sugar  crystals,  the  size  being 
controlled  by  the  sugar-boiler,  who  regulates  the  boiling  and  the  admission 
of  fresh  syrup  so  as  to  avoid  the  formation  of  new  crystals  of  "false  grain." 
In  about  four  hours  after  the  beginning  of  the  boiling,  and  when  the  pan  has 
become  tilled  with  a  dense  mass  of  sugar  crystals,  a  "strike"  is  made.  This 
is  simply  emptying  of  the  "strike-pan"  of  its  contents  into  one  of  twoV-shaped 
tanks  just  beneath  the  pans,  and  in  which  the  mass  is  constantly  stirred  by 
mechanical   paddles  to  keep  it   from   hardening. 

To  separate  the  sugar  crystals  from  the  syrup  that  will  not  crystallize 
in  the  boiling,  is  the  next  process.  For  this  machines  called  "centrifugals" 
are  used.  Fourteen  of  these  machines  are  placed  directly  beneath  the 
V-shaped  tanks,  so  that  the  mass  flows  to  them  through  discharge  pipes 
regulated  by  cut-offs.  These  machines  are  cylindrical,  metal  vessels  about 
three  feet  in  diameter,  and  two  and  a  half  feet  high,  fitted  with  solid  bottoms, 
but  with  walls  constructed  of  fine  wire  cloth  supported  by  a  perforated  brass 
Kicking.  The  drums  are  hung  on  vertical  shafts  revolving  at  about  fourteen 
hundred  per  minute.  The  drum  being  washed  out  to  remove  all  stickiness 
and  then  polished  bright,  a  mass  of  sugar  crystals  and  the  containing  syrup 
is  admitted  until  it  is  about  half  full.  The  electric  motor  which  operates  the 
drum  is  then  started. 

Operation  of  the  Centrifugals 

The  process  is  verv  simple  and  the  most  interesting  yet  seen,  because 
the  vessel  is  open  to  the  free  circulation  of  air  and  the  transition  going  on 
in  it  can  be  plainly  seen.  The  mass  is  at  first  a  dark  brown  color,  but  as  the 
drum  revolves  faster  the  mass  rises  on  the  walls  and  is  held  there  by 
.centrifugal  force.  The  syrup  being  a  liquid,  though  thick,  is  forced  through 
the  fine  mesh  of  the  wire  cloth,  ami  passes  off  through  the  perforated  back 
to  tanks  beneath.  Watching  the  inside  of  the  drum,  we  see  the  color  change 
gradually  from  dark  brown  to  a  lighter  shade,  then  to  a  yellow,  and  finally 
to  a  cream  wdiite,  as  the  syrup  leaves  it.  In  about  thirty  minutes  the  syrup 
is  entirely  eliminated,  and  the  sugar  clings  to  the  walls  of  the  drum,  four  or 
five  inches  thick.  The  motor  is  then  shut  off  and  the  operator  scrape--  ofl 
the  sugar  with  wooden  paddles,  through  a  removable  trap  in  the  bottom  to 
the  receiving  tank  on  the  second  floor.  There  the  sugar  is  sprayed  with 
water  in  which  a  little  harmless  bluing  has  been  added  to  correct  the  yellow 
tint,  and  then  is  ready  for  the  final  process  to  render  it  fit  for  culinary  use. 

Granulation  the   Finishing  Touch 

The  final  touch  to  the  sugar  is  the  granulating  process,  which  is  done  in 
huge  drums,  eight  feet  in  diameter.  Through  these  the  sugar  falls,  is  caught 
up  and  mixed  about,  while  a  blast  of  hot  air  from  steam  coils  is  blown 
through.  By  looking  through  little  windows  in  the  chamber  we  see  the  sugar 
being  tossed  about  inside.  Finally,  after  twenty  minutes  of  this  treatment 
it  has  become  fine  white  sugar,  and  passes  to  the  storage  bin,  from  which  it  is 
drawn    to    the   barrelling    room    beneath.      Eight    to   ten    hours    before    it    was 


VACUUM     EVAPORATORS    WHICH     REDUCE    THE     PURIFIED    JUICE 
TO    A    RICH    SYRUP 


SYRUP    BOILERS,    OR    "STRIKE    PANS,"    IN    WHICH    THE    RICH    SYRUP 
IS   CRYSTALIZED   TO    SUGAR 


486  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

the  heel's  sweet  content;  now  it  is  refined  sugar  on  its  way  to  the  peoples' 
tallies,  to  sweeten  their  breakfast  food,  syrup  their  griddle  cakes,  and  supply 
the  loaf  fur  steaming-hot  coffee,  to  say  nothing  of  confections. 

The  syrup  that  will  not  crystalize  in  the  first  boiling,  and  which  was 
separated  from  the  sugar  in  the  centrifugals,  is  worked  through  a  system  of 
purifying  machines  and  crystallizers  entirely  different  from  the  other 
machines,  and  eventually  is  worked  up  into  sugar  or  ordinary  molasses  oi 
ci  immerce. 

Packing  Sugar  For  Market 

In  the  packing  room  on  the  ground  floor  is  the  last  scene  of  intense 
activity.  Here  the  barrelling  is  done,  and  it  is  a  bustling  place.  The  fore- 
man is  filling  the  barrels,  regulating  the  flow  of  sugar  from  the  bins  above; 
some  workmen  are  lining  barrels  with  heavy  paper;  others  are  nailing  in  the 
heads  df  filled  barrels,  while  still  others  are  rolling  the  barrels  into  the  storage 
building  just  bevond.  The  output  is  about  six  hundred  barrels  every  twenty- 
four  hours,  or  a  single  barrel  every  t\v<>  and  a  quarter  minutes.  Yet  what 
seems  through  narrowed  vision  a  great  amount  of  sugar,  is  but  a  drop  in  the 
sugar  market  and  a  small  drop  at  that.  The  State  of  Michigan  would  con- 
sume in  about  thirty  days  the  product  of  the  entire  run  of  about  one  hundred 
days,  and  for  the  years'  supply  for  the  State  the  output  of  twelve  factories  of 
like  capacity,  would  be  required.  The  total  annual  production  of  beet-sugar 
in  Michigan,  if  all  of  it  were  used  within  the  Stale,  would  fill  the  demand 
for  scarcely  more  than  the  year. 

The  Benefit  to  the  Farmer 

The  farmer  is  the  man  who  is  most  benefited  by  the  beet-sugar  industry, 
if  he  gives  thoughtful  care  and  proper  cultivation  to  his  beet  crop.  While  the 
cost  of  caring  for  the  beets  averages  about  thirty  dollars  an  acre,  the  returns 
are  large,  and  it  is  not  unusual  for  an  acre  of  good  land  to  yield  from  sixteen 
to  twenty  tons,  with  an  average  of  sixteen  per  cent,  of  sugar  content. 
Another  advantage  to  the  farmer  is  the  fact  that  the  price  does  not  vary 
greatly;  the  basis  is  fixed  by  contract  before  the  seed  is  planted,  and  it  can- 
not be  changed.  In  1915  the  farmers  received  six  dollars  per  ton  for  sugar- 
beets,  regardless  of  the  percentage  of  sugar  content,  at  which  price  many 
netted  from  fifty  to  sixty  dollars  an  acre,  although  the  average  for  the  "sugar- 
bowl"  was  not  so  high. 

To  further  aid  and  encourage  their  farmer  friends,  the  sugar  companies 
have  established  weighing  stations,  at  railroad  points  within  a  radius  of  thirty 
miles  from  the  factories.  Where  distances  are  too  great  for  economical  haul 
by  wagons  to  these  stations,  or  roads  leading  to  them  are  impossible  for 
heavy  loads,  spur  sidings  have  been  put  in  at  many  scattered  points,  where 
cars  are  loaded.  In  such  cases  the  weighing  is  done  at  the  factor}1,  a  careful 
system  of  records  of  every  carload  being  kept,  to  insure  against  errors. 

It  is  an  encouraging  fact  that  wherever  sugar  plants  have  been  established 
in  good  beet-growing  teritory,  farm  lands  have  had  an  appreciable  increase 
in  value.  When  reduced  to  a  labor  equivalent  the  land  is  proportional  to 
the  number  of  hands  it  can  employ;  and  the  utilization  of  the  sugar-beet  as  a 
regular  rotation  crop  means  much  for  the  soil.  It  also  means  an  expansion  of 
the  dairy  industry,  with  more  meat,  milk  and  butter,  since  many  cattle  may 
be  fed  upon  the  residium  pulp  from  beet-sugar  factories.  This  results  in 
occupation  for  more  men  the  entire  year,  with  an  advance  in  real  estate  and 
property  in  general.  A  thousand  acres  cultivated  in  beets,  with  a  neighboring 
Migar  factor}-  properly  managed,  becomes  more  valuable  and  brings  a  larger 
income  than  any  other  farming  purpose  to  which  it  can  be  put. 


THE    BEET-SUGAR    INDUSTRY 


487 


■•OSMOGENES"    IN    WHICH    THE    SYRUP   THAT    WILL    NOT    CRYSTALIZE 
IN    THE    FIRST    BOILING    IS    FURTHER    PURIFIED 

Single-Germ  Balls 

The  farmer  is  dependent  on  the  sugar  companies  for  his  supply  of  beet 
seed,  and  practically  all  the  seed  planted  in  this  country  is  imported  by  the 
the  companies  from  Germany.  In  that  country  the  cultivation  of  beet  seed 
is  a  separate  and  distinct  industry,  and  has  been  brought  to  an  exact  science. 
The  production  of  a  race  of  single-germ  beet  balls,  however,  is  purely 
American,  something  which  has  not  been  attempted  by  the  scientists  of 
Europe.  In  this  country  it  is  being  attempted  through  selection.  Each  beet 
ball  contains  from  one  to  six  germs,  and  it  is  possible  that  each  of  these 
germs  may  produce  a  plantlet.  In  order  to  secure  a  stand  of  beets  about  six 
times  as  much  seed  as  necessary  must  be  planted  ;  and  it  becomes  necessary  to 
thin  out  the  surplus  plants,  leaving  them  standing  in  the  row  at  the  proper 
space. 

If  the  ball  producing  the  particular  plant  left  standing  has  only  one 
germ,  in  thinning  we  have  but  one  plantlet  to  contend  with.  In  case  the  ball 
produces  several  plants,  these  intertwine  in  the  soil,  and  considerable  labor  is 
necessary  in  extracting  the  surplus  plants.  Xnt  only  is  extra  labor  required 
but  the  rootlets  of  the  plants  retained  will  be  mure  or  less  broken.  This 
temporarily  disturbs  the  growth  and  vigor  of  the  plant  in  its  tender  stage; 
and  it  is  the  working  theory  that  a  plantlet  produced  by  a  single 
germ  beet  ball  will  be  more  vigorous.  It  will  have  a  natural  vigor  that 
comes  from  better  nourishment  of  the  mother  seed,  as  it  does  not  have  to 
divide  its  food  supply  with  other  plantlets. 

This  work  of  attempting  to  produce  a  single-germ  beet  ball  has  been 
systematically  undertaken  by  the  Bureau  of  Plant  Industry.  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture.  By  inspection  nothing  but  single-germ  seeds 
are  selected  to  produce  "mother  beets."  These  beets  are  planted,  and  from 
the  resulting  crop  of  seed  nothing  but  single-germ  balls  are  selected.  This 
work  will  be  continuous  from  year  to  year  until  such  time  as  the  habit  of 
producing  single-germ  seed  is  thoroughly  fixed  in  this  new  race  of  beets. 
These  experiments  have  been  under  way  for  several  years,  and  enough  has 
already  been  done  to  indicate  ultimate  success. 


CHAPTER  XX 

DIVERSIFIED  INDUSTRIES 


Timber  Supplies  Fail  —  Starting  New  Industries  —  Boosters  Become  Active- — 
Growth  of  Factories  —  Summary  of  Factories  and  Labor  —  A  Period  of  Depression  — 
Reconstruction  —  How  Some  Gained  Unexpected  Riches  —  How  Hill  "Put  One  Over" 
on  the  Wrights  —  A  Revival  of  Industries  —  Disruption  Threatened  —  Celebrating  a 
Semi-Centenary  Anniversary  —  Retrospection  —  Conclusion  of  the  Golden  Anniver- 
sary—  The  Oil  Development  —  The  Well  Spouted  High  —  Speculators  Foiled  —  Sum- 
mary of  Saginaw's   Industries   in    1914  —  Representative   Manufactories  in   1917. 

THE  decline  in  lumber  and  salt  production,  which  began  to  be  felt  in 
the  Saginaws  late  in  the  eighteen-eighties,  was  the  beginning  of  a 
long  period  of  depression  in  the  Valley  cities,  and  awakened  the  enter- 
prising and  public-spirited  men  to  the  urgent  need  of  new  industries 
of  a  diversified  nature,  to  replace  the  old.  This  change  in  the  commercial 
affairs  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  so  gradual  as  scarcely  to  be  perceived  at  the 
time,  the  rafting  of  logs  across  Lake  Huron  by  means  of  bag-booms  having 
extended  the  life  of  the  lumber  business  tor  several  years.  But  this  source 
of  supply  finally  failed,  because  of  the  high  export  duty  on  logs  exacted  by 
the  Canadian  Government,  and  the  Saginaws  soon  lost  their  prestige  as  a 
:■  i eat  lumber  mart. 

The  exhaustion  of  the  pine  forests  was  followed  by  a  new  era  of  manu- 
facturing activity,  which  gained  momentum  with  the  closing  of  some  large 
lumbering  operations  and  the  consequent  accumulation  of  large  amounts  of 
idle  capital.  The  evolution  from  the  cutting  of  pine  trees,  and  the  making  of 
lumber  and  salt,  to  varied  industries  of  a  more  permanent  character  is  still 
going  on,  and  will  probably  continue  as  long  as  any  timber  remains.  In  the 
slow  process  the  natural  resources  of  the  valley  have  been  developed,  and  a 
number  of  diversified  industries  established  by  manufacturers  from  outside, 
aided  and  encouraged  by  the  capital  which  once  found  employment  in  the 
lumber  and  salt  business. 

Starting   New  Industries 

The  valuable  tracts  of  hardwood  timber  tributary  to  this  valley,  com- 
prising more  than  eight  million  acres  of  hemlock,  birch,  oak,  ash,  elm,  and 
cedar  and  basswood  was  yet  untouched  by  the  woodman's  axe,  and  factories 
for  the  utilization  of  this  timber  soon  found  a  place  among  our  permanent 
industries.  Included  in  the  new  enterprises  were  furniture  factories,  carriage 
and  wagon  works,  washboard,  curtain  roller,  box  and  barrel  factories,  a  match 
factory,  and  other  manufactories  with  varied  products  of  which  the  principal 
ci  impi  ment  was  wood. 

These  industries  were  represented  by  the  Saginaw  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, Stenglein  Manufacturing  Company,  J.  H.  Benjamin,  Crescent  Match 
Company,  \Y.  G.  Smith,  I ».  Hardin  ec  Company  and  the  Michigan  Curtain 
Roller  Company,  on  the  west  side  of  the  river;  and  by  O'Donnell  &  Spencer, 
Feige-Silsbee  Furniture  Manufacturing  Company,  Linton  Manufacturing 
Company,  Edward  Germain,  Avery  &  Company,  Henry  Feige,  Alic  Lirss  and 
E.  A.  Gyde,  on  the  East  Side.  In  the  manufacture  of  logging  tools  the  estab- 
lishment of  Morley  Brothers  on  Water  Street,  and  in  dust  separators  for 
woodworking  plants  the  Allington  &  Curtis  Manufacturing  Company,  whose 
factory  was  on  Holden  Street,  were  very  successful. 


490  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  heavy  machinery  business  was  well  covered  by  Wickes  Brothers, 
A.  F.  P.artlett  &  Company,  Merrill  &  Bacon,  John  L.  Jackson,  William 
Williamson  and  Koehler  Brothers,  while  the  boiler  simps  were  those  of 
James  McGregor  i\:  Sons  ami  Thomas  Steele  and  Wildman  Brothers.  There 
were  also  the  Michigan  Saw  Company,  McClellan  File  Company,  11.  L.  Hil- 
dreth  and  others  which  enjoyed  a  profitable  trade. 

Boosters  Become  Active 

The  organization  of  the  Saginaw  Improvement  Company,  in  1890,  with 
its  endeavors  to  bring  in  new  industries,  gave  great  impetus  to  the  forward 
movement.  By  its  plan  of  purchasing  acreage  property  on  both  sides  of  the 
river,  platting  the  same  into  lots,  and  acquiring  factory  sites  convenient  to 
the  railroads,  a  number  of  new  industries  were  secured  to  Saginaw  with  the 
proceeds  of  the  lots  sold.  About  four  thousand  residence  lots  were  platted 
in  two  new  divisions  lying  mostly  within  the  city  limits,  the  streets  laid  out 
were  graded  and  otherwise  improved,  and  railroad  connections  secured 
between  the  three  trunk  lines  ami  the  factory  sites.  Great  interest  in  the 
project  was  aroused  among  the  citizens  generally,  and  about  twenty-five 
hundred  lots  were  quickly  sold  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  each. 

The  distribution  of  the  lots  to  purchasers  was  by  drawing,  and  stirred 
in  hundreds  of  minds  vain  hopes  of  winning  a  valuable  piece  of  property.  For 
the  capital  prize,  which  attracted  much  attention,  there  was  the  old  home- 
stead of  William  L.  Webber,  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue,  which  consisted 
of  a  substantial  brick  house  set  in  an  attractive  grove  of  pines.  This  prize 
was  drawn  by  Mrs.  Chauncey  H.  Gage;  and  other  valuable  prizes  com- 
prising lots  on  the  principal  streets  in  the  new  divisions,  found  eager  and 
appreciative  owners.  <  >thers,  less  fortunate,  who  drew  lots  outside  the  city, 
or  removed  some  distance  from  the  factory  sites,  were  keenly  disappointed; 
and  some  never  took  deed  of  their  drawings,  or  afterward  let  their  lots 
revert  back  for  unpaid  taxes.  As  always  follows  such  schemes,  the  business 
men  who  subscribed  for  the  stock  of  the  improvement  company,  and  the 
majority  of  the  lot  owners,  lost  heavily  individually. 

Great  benefit,  however,  accrued  to  the  city  at  large  from  the  activities  in 
fostering  new  industries,  the  influence  of  which  is  still  felt  in  various  ways. 
In  two  years  eight  factories  of  importance  were  located  here  which  employed 
six  hundred  and  fort)  persons,  mostly  men.  The  sites  for  these  manufac- 
tures, conveniently  connected  with  the  leading  railroads,  and  the  buildings 
for  the  immediate  requirements  of  the  companies,  were  given  free  of  cost, 
and  resulted  in  securing  very  substantial  manufacturing  concerns  which  were: 

F.  (i.  Palmerton  Woodenware  Company.Limited,  manufacturing  tubs 
and  pails. 

Ferrell,  Frame  &  (  Izier,  manufacturing  grain  cleaning  machinery  of 
various  kinds. 

Beelman  Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturing  furniture,  especially 
hall   furniture. 

Keystone  Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturing  adjustable  shade 
1 1  illers. 

Saginaw  Box  Company,  manufacturing  grease  boxes. 

Crume  &  Sefton  Manufacturing  Company,  manufacturing  wooden  butter 
dishes,  berry  foxes,  etc. 

Lufkin  Rule  Company,  manufacturing  steel  and  wood  rules,  steel  tape 
lines,  etc. 

Peninsular  Carriage  Company,  manufacturing  buggy  bodies,  running- 
trears  and  bent  work. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  491 

Shortly  afterward  the  II.  J.  Heinz  Company,  of  Pittsburg,  established  a 
pickling  station  on  the  East  Side  Improvement  grounds,  between  the  Lufkin 
and  Peninsular  factories,  and  lias  been  in  successful  operation  each  year 
since. 

Along  in  the  nineties  it  was  determined  that  Saginaw  was  a  desirable 
location  for  the  manufacture  of  plate  glass,  and  in  due  course  the  Saginaw 
Plate  ( llass  Company  was  organized.  A  large  modern  plant  was  erected  on 
South  Michigan  Avenue,  west  of  the  city  limits;  and  in  1906,  in  order  to 
utilize  the  great  quantities  of  exhaust  steam  produced  in  the  various  processes, 
a  complete  salt  manufacturing  plant  was  built  as  an  adjunct  to  the  business. 
Later  a  complete  chemical  plant  was  added  to  work  up  the  hitherto  waste 
"bittern  water,"  a  product  of  salt  making,  into  valuable  chemical  by-products 
including  calcium  chloride.  This  great  industry  is  capitalized  and  managed 
entirely  by  Saginaw  business  men. 

Growth  of  Factories 

Besides  the  foregoing  industries  there  were  nine  concerns  employed  in 
the  manufacture  of  brick,  which  gave  employment  to  two  hundred  and 
eighteen  men,  and  paid  in  wages,  in  1892,  the  sum  of  forty-four  thousand 
dollars.  The  output  of  these  brick  yards  was  sixteen  million  five  hundred 
thousand  brick,  valued  at  seventy-four  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
Saginaw  County  is  one  vast  clay  bed.  a  portion  of  which  must  be  fire  clay 
and  potters  clay  of  great  value.  Some  very  fine  specimens  of  the  latter 
quality  have  been  discovered  a  short  distance  south  of  the  city,  yet  nothing 
has  been  done  to  develop  this  hidden  wealth  of  the  soil. 

In  the  manufacture  of  cigars  seventeen  concerns  reported  in  1892  a 
production  of  three  million  seven  hundred  and  ninety-two  thousand  cigars, 
valued  at  eighty-four  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars.  These 
factories  employed  one  hundred  and  twenty-seven  men.  and  paid  in  wages 
thirty-seven  thousand  dollars. 

There  were  five  steam  laundries  in  this  city  in  1892,  employing  seventy- 
nine  workers  wdio  were  paid  twenty-six  thousand  two  hundred  dollars  in 
wa^es.  The  aggregate  business  was  fifty-nine  thousand  dollars,  divided 
among  Witters  Brothers,  A.  Robertson,  1\  II.  Jerome,  Palace  Laundry  ami 
Wolpert  &  Son. 

Five  breweries  reported  a  product  valued  at  two  hundred  and  fifteen 
thousand  dollars,  and  employed  fifty-eight  men  to  whom  were  paid  thirty- 
eight  thousand  dollars  in  wages.  These  breweries  were  the  National  Brewing 
Company,  Eagle  Brewery,  [acob  Raquet,  Saginaw  Brewing  Company  and 
J.  G.  Schemm. 

Three  concerns,  R.  II.  Crane,  Saginaw  Broom  Company  and  Fred 
Stoerk  manufactured  nineteen  thousand  dollars  worth  of  brooms  of  various 
kinds,  and  employed  thirteen  men  at  a  total  wage  of  five  thousand  four 
hundred  di  illars. 

Although  the  Mayflower  Mills,  which  was  established  by  Jesse  Hoyt 
and  operated  successfully  for  many  years  by  Emil  Moores,  was  closed  down 
in  1892,  two  other  flouring  mills  were  running  in  Saginaw.  These  were 
the  Brand  &  Hardin  mill  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street,  and  the  Saginaw 
Milling  Company  on  West  Genesee.  In  1893  William  Callam  erected  a  new 
mill  on  North  Franklin  Street,  which  was  modern  and  complete  in  everj 
particular.  The  output  of  this  mill  found  a  ready  market  direct  with  the 
consumer,  deliveries  being  made  to  hotels,  boarding  houses  and  residences. 

One  of  the  institutions  of  which  Saginaw  was  justly  proud  was  the 
tannery  of  F.  W.  Carlisle  &  Company,  which  was  started  in  a  small  wa\ 
many  years  before.      Hemlock  bark  is  secured  from  the  surrounding  country, 


492 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


WILDMAN    BROTHERS' 


BOILER    WORKS.    1885,    AT    FOOT    OF    WILLIAMS    (JANES) 
STREET.    NOW     BATTERY     PARK 


and  hides  arc  brought  in  from  the  outside  points.  The  leather  manufactured 
by  this  concern  is  of  the  highest  grade,  and  is  used  chiefly  in  making' 
harness . 

An  entirely  new  industry,  established  by  enterprising  business  men  of 
this  city,  was  the  United  States  Graphite  Company,  which  employed  a  large 
number  of  men  and  utilized  the  product  of  the  company's  mine  in  Sonora, 
Mexico.  The  company  manufactured  axle  grease,  stove  polish,  paint,  and 
prepared  graphite  for  a  large  part  of  the  lead  pencil  factories  of  the  East. 

A.  Hobson's  stone  and  marble  yard,  an  old  institution,  employed  a  force 
of  men  in  grinding  and  polishing  stone  from  Lake  Superior,  and  marble  from 
the  famous  quarries  of  Vermont.  The  Bay  Port  quarries,  located  about 
fifty  miles  from  this  city,  also  supplied  a  high  grade  of  limestone  for  building 
purposes.  Being  very  hard  and  of  a  light  blue  color,  this  stone  presents  a 
fine  appearance  in  large  structures,  ami  was  used  in  several  public  buildings 
in  Saginaw,  notably  the  lloyt  Library.  Before  the  opening  of  these  quarries, 
in  1883,  limestone  for  building  purposes  was  brought  by  vessels  from  Lake 
Erie  ports,  and  ci  st  from  ten  to  twelve  dollars  a  cord,  but  the  competition  of 
Bay  Port  stone  quickly  reduced  the  price  to  five  and  seven  dollars  a  cord. 

Seven  houses  engaged  in  printing  and  binding  reported  in  IS' 'J  the  value 
of  their  product  at  one  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  dollars.  They  employed 
eighty-five  workers  and  paid  thirty-nine  thousand  four  hundred  dollars  in 
wages.  These  concerns  were  Seemann  &  Peters,  Jones  &  McCall  Company, 
Saginawian,  Ganschow  &  Son.  Laing  &  Moiles,  Saginaw  Printing  &  Binding 
Company  and  <  i.  Fi  >x. 

The  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad  -.hops  and  general  offices  gave 
employment  in  Saginaw  to  eight  hundred  and  fifty  men.  who  received  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars  a  month  in  wages.  A  large  number  of  men  were 
engaged    in    building    and    keeping    in    repair    equipment    for    seven    hundred 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  493 

miles  of  road  which  extended  from  Saginaw  in  all  directions.  Two  companies 
operating-  twenty-seven  miles  of  street  railways  employed  one  hundred  anil 
seventy-five  men,  and  in  1892  paid  eighty-five  thousand  five  hundred  dollars 
in  wages.  The  number  of  passengers  carried  that  year  was  mure  than  four 
million. 

Of  miscellaneous  industries,  some  small  but  nevertheless  of  importance 
as  employing"  labor,  were  the  Saginaw  Roofing  Company,  a  new  concern 
which  enjoyed  a  rapidly  growing  business;  the  Metallic  Curtain  l'ull  Corn- 
pan}-,  which  made  wire  curtain  fixtures  of  ornamental  design,  and  various 
other  wire  goods;  Henry  Passolt,  who  manufactured  soaps  and  potash;  and 
Case  Brothers,  C.  11.  Newell  and  Wider  &  Son,  engaged  in  making  awnings 
and  tents. 

Summary  of   Factories   and   Labor 

Of  the  total  number  of  factor}-  employees  in  1892,  which  was  eight 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  sixty-three,  four  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
sixty-six  were  engaged  directly  in  the  lumber  and  salt  production,  leaving 
four  thousand  and  ninety-seven  employed  in  the  diversified  industries  of 
the  city.  The  total  wages  paid  all  employees  in  1892  was  three  million  eight 
hundred  and  eighty-four  thousand  nine  hundred  and  fourteen  dollars,  of 
which  two  million  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  thousand  five  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  dollars  was  paid  to  workers  in  diversified  industries.  A  sum- 
mar}-  in  tabulated  form  of  the  various  industries  will  be  of  aid  in  determining 
their  importance : 

Value  of  Number  of  Wages 

Factories                             Product  Employees  Paid 

Machine   and   boiler  shops $1,068,500  480  $288,621.00 

Furniture    factories    374,500  296  105,595.00 

Breweries    215,000  58  3S.O60.0O 

Printers  and  binders    1 12,000  85  3'  '.433.00 

Laundries 59,080  79  26,201.00 

Cigar  factories   84,166  127  37,075.00 

Brick   yards    84,250  218  44,000.00 

Broom   factories    19,500  13  5.434.00 

Miscellaneous   2,236,022  1,406  5i  .3.538.00 

Street   Railways    175  S3. 500.00 

Newspapers   .    220  88.080.00 

F.  &  P.  M.  Railroad 850  900,000.00 


$4,253,018  4,097  $2,221,537.00 

To  the  above  summary  which  omits  small  shops,  building  trades  and 
employees  in  stores  and  wholesale  houses,  might  properly  be  added  the 
record  of  the  planing  mills,  which  ran  the  year  round.  These  institutions 
alone  employed  two  thousand  three  hundred  and  two  men,  who  received 
eight  hundred  twelve  thousand  four  hundred  and  twelve  dollars  in  wages; 
and  the  value  of  the  product  was  five  million  two  hundred  eight  thousand 
six  hundred  and  thirty-four  dollars.  Adding  these  figures  to  the  footings 
of  the  summary,  we  have  six  thousand  four  hundred  employees,  who  earned 
three  million  thirty-three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty-nine  dollars,  and 
the  value  of  whose  product  was  nine  million  four  hundred  sixty-one  thousand 
six  hundred  and  fifty-two  dollars.  This  left  two  thousand  five  hundred  and 
sixty-three  men  employed  in  saw  and  shingle  mills  and  salt  blocks,  who 
received  eight  hundred  fifty  thousand  and  nine  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars 
in  wages,  and  whose  product  was  valued  at  five  million  seven  hundred  five 
thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety-three  dollars. 


494  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

In  view  of  the  rapid  decline  ol  the  lumber  and  salt  production  in  the 
nineties,  the  growth  of  diversified  industries  in  Saginaw  was  especially  pleas- 
ing. The  increase  was  about  five  times  as  great  as  the  loss  in  saw  and  shingle 
mills  for  ten  years  previous.  In  1892  the  labor  employed  in  the  latter  indus- 
tries was  only  twenty-eight  per  cent,  of  the  total  labor  employed  by  all 
industries  in  the  city,  and  the  wages  paid  was  only  twenty-two  per  cent  of  the 
total  wages.  The  value  of  the  product  of  lumber,  shingles  and  salt,  however, 
was  nearly  thirty-eight  per  cent,  of  the  total  valuation  of  Saginaw's  products. 

I  his  shows  that,  while  the  saw  mills  and  salt  blocks  were  the  main 
support  of  the  Saginaws  in  the  years  of  big  lumbering  in  Michigan,  other  and 
more  permanent  industries  were  gradually  taking  their  place.  The  amount 
paid  for  labor  was  constantly  increasing,  the  mercantile  interests  were 
expanding,  hank  deposits  and  exchanges  were  growing,  while  the  saw  mills 
were  going  out  of  existence.  The  value  of  a  factory  to  the  city  is  principally 
in  the  amount  of  labor  it  employs  and  in  the  wages  it  pays.  The  saw  mills 
only  ran  about  six  months  in  the  year,  and  a  greater  portion  of  their  labor  was 
cheap  and  unskilled.  Although  some  of  the  men  worked  in  the  woods  in 
Winter,  it  was  all  common  labor,  at  twelve  to  twenty  dollars  a  month  and 
keep,  and  many  men  had  to  find  other  employment  at  the  time  of  year  they 
most  needed  steady  wages. 

As  a  result  the  employees  of  saw  mills,  like  the  woodsmen,  were  a  shifting 
element  of  the  population,  and  occupied  cheap  rented  houses  living  in  a  "hand 
to  mouth"  sort  of  way.  The  employees  of  a  furniture  factory,  a  carriage 
works,  a  plate  glass  or  other  permanent  establishment,  however,  received 
better  wages  and  employment  the  year  round,  and  consequentily  secured 
homes  of  their  own  and  became  settled  residents.  Such  an  institution  em- 
ploying only  thirty  men  paid  as  much  in  wages  in  a  year  as  a  saw  mill 
employing  one  hundred  men  for  the  average  run,  and  was  a  much  greater 
benefit  to  the  city. 

A  Period  of  Depression 

Notwithstanding  the  improvements  in  the  industrial  situation  brought 
about  by  securing  new  industries  to  the  city,  the  material  advancement  of 
the  Saginaws  was  checked  for  a  time.  The  final  extinguishment  of  lumbering 
was  marked  by  a  long  period  of  depression,  which  was  keenly  felt  by  the  com- 
mercial as  well  as  the  industrial  interests  of  the  city.  'This  period  of  lassitude 
in  business  was  more  pronounced  between  1895  and  1905,  in  which  the 
population  fell  off  heavily.  According  to  the  United  States  census  of  1890 
the  population  of  Saginaw  was  forty-six  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
two,  but  the  census  of  1900  gave  the  city  only  forty-two  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  forty-six,  a  loss  of  about  thirty-five  hundred.  This  loss,  how- 
ever, was  fully  recovered  in  the  following  decade,  when  substantial  gains 
were  also  recorded,  the  population  given  by  the  census  of  1910  being  fifty 
thousand  five  hundred  and  ten. 

A  contributary  cause  of  the  depression,  though  not  directly  affecting 
so  much  the  loss  in  population,  was  the  failure  of  some  of  the  new  industries 
established  by  the  Saginaw  Improvement  Company,  the  readjustment  of 
whose  affairs  required  much  time  and  attention.  The  Peninsular  Carriage 
Company,  controlled  by  the  Den  Bleykers,  of  Kalamazoo,  was  the  first  to 
show  signs  of  .listress,  and  si,,  in  after  failed.  Later  the  plant  was  taken  over 
b\  (  harles  \\  .  McClure  and  a  new  business  in  farm  wagons  and  silos  was 
established  under  the  name  of  Farmers'  Handy  Wagon  Company.  After- 
ward the  wagon  business  was  discontinued,  and  the  name  changed  to  The 
YTc<  dure  Company. 


DIVERSIFIED     INDCSTLILS 


495 


The  Beelman  Manufacturing  Company,  which  was  engaged  in  making 
furniture  especially  for  halls,  was  the  next  concern  to  go  under.  The  plant, 
however,  was  soon  after  put  to  good  use  by  the  Brewer-Pryor  Piano 
Company,  in  the  manufacture  of  a  medium  grade  of  pianos  which  were  sold 
direct  to  purchasers.  Later  this  substantial  factory  building  was  acquired 
by  William  Poison  oc  Company,  and  has  since  been  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  sash,  doors,  blinds  and  interior  finish. 

On  the  West  Side  several  other  of  the  new  industries  were  likewise 
unsuccessful.  The  Crume  &  Sefton  Company,  which  manufactured  wooden 
butter  dishes  and  berry  boxes,  was  closed  down,  and  the  plant  acquired  by 
A.  T.  Ferrell.  The  Lockwood  and  one  or  two  other  factories  in  this  district 
were  burned  at  different  times,  but  the  sites  were  afterward  built  up  by- 
other  and  more  permanent  concerns.  Among  these  was  the  Saginaw  Table 
Company  which  developed  a  large  business,  and  was  absorbed  by  the  llerzog 
Art  Furniture  Company.  This  prosperous  concern,  occupying  an  immense 
plant  of  most  modern  construction  and  equipment  on  SouthMichigan  Avenue 
at  the  Belt  Line  crossing,  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  Saginaws'  recent  industrial 
development.  It  manufactures  the  highest  grade  of  art  furniture  which  meets 
with  ready  sale  throughout  the  civilized  world,  and  also  several  tine  lines  of 
phonograph  cabinets  for  large  producers  of  phonographs. 

Reconstruction 

Among  the  new  developments  in  industrial  affairs,  which  gave  encourage- 
ment to  enterprising  men  who  had  newer  lost  faith  in  the  ultimate  future  of 
Saginaw,  were  the  Werner  &  Lfleiderer  Company,  making  bakery  ovens  and 
machinery,  the  Oakland  Vinegar  &  Pickle  Company,  F.  A.  Robertson  & 
Company,  fashioning  ladies'  silk  waists  and  gowns,  the  Saginaw  Silk  Garment 
Company,  the  Bernhard  Company  in  the  same  line,  the  Germain  Piano  Com- 
pany, making  high  grade  pianos,  the  Mershon  &  Morley  Company,  manufac- 
turing wood  portable  houses,  the  I '.erst  Manufacturing  Company,  making 
tooth-picks  and  butter  dishes,  and  several  large  concerns  which  began  making 
flooring  i if  various  grades  on  a  large  scale.  This  latter  business  has  since 
developed  into  immense  proportions,  much  of  the  output  being  exported  to 
foreign  countries.  The  Asphalt  Roofing  Company,  at  Michigan  Avenue 
and  Wheeler  Street,  and  the  Saginaw  Paving  Brick  Company,  promoted  by 
John  II.  Qualman  and  others,  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue,  are  also  successful 
concerns  developed  in  the  period  of  reconstruction. 


MAPLE    FLOORING    PLANT   OF   S.    L.    EASTMAN    FLOORING    COMPANY 


496  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  rebuilding  of  Saginaw's  industries  might  have  been  hastened,  it  is 
believed,  had  our  wealthy  lumbermen  been  willing  to  invest  heavily  in  enter- 
prises to  develop  the  natural  resources  of  the  valley.  But,  discouraged  at  the 
ill  success  that  attended  some  of  the  earlier  ventures,  and  believing  that  the 
greatest  source  of  wealth  lay  in  the  pine  forests,  they  invested  their  idle 
capital  in  timber  lands  in  Minnesota  and  the  State  of  Washington,  ami  s<  .me 
moved  their  place  of  residence  t<i  the  scene  of  their  new  activities.  This 
policy  of  our  moneyed  men  left  the  actual  "boosting"  of  the  city  and  the 
securing  of  new  industries  to  the  younger  men  of  moderate  means,  and  the 
l".Mti<.n  Saginaw  holds  today  in  the  business  affairs  of  Michigan,  is  due 
almost  entirely  to  their  efforts. 

How  Some  Gained  Unexpected  Riches 

In  this  connection  it  is  pertinent  to  note  that  the  pine  forests  and  the 
saline  deposits  of  the  earth  were  not  the  only  sources  of  wealth  which  came 
i"  some  Saginaw  lumbermen.  To  a  few  greater  riches  came  from  beneath 
the  soil  than  they  had  ever  gained  from  the  exploitation  of  the  forests.  In  a 
lew  instances  wealth  was  actually  forced  upon  them,  though,  of  course,  not 
unwillingly.  The  iron  ore  which  lay  in  heavy  beds  beneath  thousands  of 
acres  of  pine  timber  in  Minnesota,  brought  untold  riches  to  already  opulent 
lumbermen,  the  narration  of  which  rivals  the  fairy  tales  of  old. 

The  story  of  the  man  who  became  a  millionaire  ami  never  knezv  it,  illustrates 
how  sudden  riches  came  to  some  men,  entirely  unlooked  for. 

In  the  busy  days  of  lumbering  in  Minnesota,  Ezra  Rust  and  George  L. 
Burrows  were  large  holders  of  valuable  timber  land  in  that  section,  and 
they  employed  Gilbert  B.  Goff,  father  of  E.  A.  (  .off  of  this  city,  as  land  looker. 
Resides  a  salary  for  his  services  in  selecting  valuable  timber  land,  he  received 
as  commission  on  certain  deals  a  one-third  interest  in  the  lands  acquired,  some 
of  which  proved  very  profitable. 

On  a  trip,  to  the  north  woods  he  one  day  came  across  "ten  forties"  of 
timber,  which  ran  largely  to  hardwoods  with  some  choice  pine,  but  had  not 
enough  of  the  latter  to  attract  the  Wrights  and  others  who  were  lumbering 
in   the   neighborhood.     Upon    looking  over  the   tract   (.off  concluded    that  it 

would  be  a  g 1  investment  to  buy  the  land  and  hold  it  until  such  time  as  the 

logging  companies  would  want  it  to  clean  up  operations  in  that  section.  The 
cost  of  the  four  hundred  acres,  at  the  government  price  of  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  an  acre,  was  only  five  hundred  dollars,  ami  he  prevailed 
upon  the  Rusts  to  buy  the  ten  forties  for  future  development. 

Several  years  after,  the  land  looker,  having  settled  on  a  farm  near  Eden- 
ville,  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Tittabawassee,  was  in  need  of  some  readv 
money  and  came  to  Saginaw  to  raise  it.  Mr.  Rust  was  away  at  the  time,  but 
his  secretary,  T.  H.  Rusling,  looked  up  the  particular  land  deal  of  the  ten 
forties  which  the  parties  still  owned.  Tine  timber  had  greatly  increased 
in  value  since  the  purchase  of  this  land,  and  <  ioff  hoped  to  realize  some  money 
on  his  share  of  the  property.  Rusling,  who  bad  saved  a  little  money  which  he 
had  deposited  in  the  bank,  was  tempted  to  help  the  land  looker  on  his  own 
account,  but  hesitated  to  accept  security  of  such  uncertain  value  on  a  loan  of 
twelve  hundred  dollars,  the  amount  that  Goff  needed. 

The  land  looker,  however,  was  so  insistent  in  his  plea  for  cash  that 
Rusling  at  length  said:  "If  you  will  give  me  a  deed  to  your  share  of  these  ten 
forties.  I  will  give  you  the  money." 

"All  right,"  said  Goff,  "1  will  do  it.      Draw  up  the  papers  right  away." 

So  the  sale  was  made  and  Rusling  became  the  owner  of  a  one-third 
interest  in  the  ten  forties,  which  he  had  never  seen  nor  expected  to  see.  while 
the  land  looker  was  well  pleased  with  the  deal. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  497 


Nothing-  further  was  thought  of  the  matter  until  some  years  after  when, 

on  a  trip  to  the  north,  Goff  heard  rumors  of  the  existence  of  iron  ore  deposits 
on  lands  near  or  adjoining  the  ten  forties,  in  which  he  had  once  been  inter- 
ested. Me  looked  into  the  subject  very  thoroughly,  and  found  such  strong 
evidence  of  ore  under  the  land  that  he  believed  there  might  be  some  truth  in 
the  stories.  So  he  came  right  back  to  Saginaw,  raised  what  money  he  could, 
ami  going  to  Rusling,  --aid: 

"I  have  now  a  little  spare  cash,  and  will  repay  the  money  you  gave  me 
-cine  time  ago  mi  those  ten  forties,  with  interest  to  date.  If  you  want  the  coin 
instead  of  the  third  share  in  the  land,  here  it  is." 

So  Rusling  went  to  the  safe,  found  the  deed  to  the  one-third  interest  in 
the  land,  which  he  had  not  even  recorded,  and  handed  it  over.  The  money 
was  counted  out.  paid  over  to  him.  and  the  deed  was  torn  up  thus  ending 
the  whole  transaction.  This  part  of  the  deal,  however,  was  the  greatest 
mistake  of  his  life,  as  the  sequel  shows. 

When  Andrew  Carnegie  began  acquiring  rights  to  ore  properties  on 
the  Mesaba  Range,  he  had  test--  made  of  the  ten  forties  still  owned  by  Rust 
and  others,  and  concluded  a  lease  with  them  whereby  he  paid  five  thousand 
dollars  a  year  to  In 'hi  the  ore  right-.  Goff's  share  of  this  payment  was 
sixteen  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  a  year,  a  very  acceptable  little  wad  t<> 
the  land  h  inker-farmer. 

This  deal,  however,  was  but  an  incident  in  the  wonderful  romance  of  iron 
ore,   that   which,   follows  revealing  the  touch   of  the   fairie's   wand. 

Several  years  later,  when  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company  was  absorbed 
by  the  United  States  Steel  Corporation,  the  new  owners  decided  to  terminate 
the  lease  of  iron  "re  right-  by  purchase  of  the  ore  in  the  ground.  So  they 
agreed  with  Mr.  Rust  and  the  other  owners  to  buy  the  ore  at  thirty  cents  a 
ton,  the  quantity  to  be  estimated  by  careful  tests  conducted  by  both  parties 
l.i  the  deal.  Experienced  ore  men  were  sent  to  the  ten  forties,  and  after 
exhaustive  tests  had  been  made  they  reported  that  the  tract  contained  not  less 
than  twenty-four  million  Ions  of  iron  ore.  At  the  pre-arranged  price  this  ore 
was  worth  seven  million  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  sum  was  paid 
to  the  Saginaw  lumbermen.  Goff's  share  of  this  unlooked  for  wealth  was 
two  million  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  he  gained  without  the  invest- 
ment i  >f  i  me  cent. 

Rusling,  meanwhile,  had  died  never  knowing  that  at  one  lime  in  his 
r.indest  business  life  he  had  acquired  great  riches,  and  become  a  millionaire 
twice  i  iver  and  al><  >\  e. 

How  Hill  "Put  One  Over"  on  the  Wrights 

During  the  great  ru-h  to  gain  control  of  the  inn  ore  deposits  in 
Minnesota,  some  years  ago.  James  J.  Ilill  made  a  proposition  to  Amnii  \\  . 
Wright  and  others  to  purchase  the  iron  ore  in  certain  lands  they  owned. 
The  price  finally  agreed  upon  was  lour  million  live  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
which  the  lumbermen  considered  as  "velvet"  since  the  only  thing  they  had 
paid  for  in  buying  the  land  was  the  timber  which  stood  upon  it.  The  exis- 
tence of  iron  eire  at  the  time  they  acquired  the  land  was  not  dreamed  of,  and 
it  was  a  case  ol  sudden  wealth  actually  forced  upon  them. 

A  year  and  a  half  later,  the  true  value  of  the  ore  having  been  determined, 
by  exhaustive  test-  and  calculations  as  to  the  quantity  in  the  ground,  Mr.  Hill 
sold  the  ore  rights  to  the  Great  Northern  Railroad  for  forty-four  million 
dollars,  which  was  a  gain  of  almost  ten  times  the  cost  to  him. 

The  enormous  return  in  royalties  to  some  of  Saginaw's  lumbermen,  is 
illustrated  by  an  incident  in  the  circuit  court  of  this  county  a  few  years  ago, 
in    which    Wellington    R.    Burt    testified    that    his    income    from    his    iron    ore 


498 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


properties  the  preceding  year  had  amounted  to  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  At  about  the  same  time  Temple  E.  Dorr,  who  once  moved  a  whole 
town  in  Minnesota  several  miles  to  clear  its  site  which  contained  valuable 
ore  deposits,  was  receiving,  it  was  said,  a  draft  for  five  thousand  dollars  every 
zveck  in  the  year,  to  cover  his  royalties  on  the  ore  the  removal  and  disposal  of 
which  he  had  not  to  lift  a  finger.  To  open  the  letter,  take  out  the  draft, 
endorse  and  deposit  it  to  his  account  in  hank,  were  the  only  moves  called  for 
by  his  part  in  the  deal. 

In  pondering  over  these  sudden  acquisition  of  riches,  which  were  entirely 
unsought  by  the  principal-,  and  of  which  many  other  instances  of  similar 
purport  might  be  told,  one  must  wonder  how  great  a  sum  the  government — 
the  people  of  the  United  States — has  lost  by  the  policy  of  not  retaining  title 
to  the  mineral  resources  of  the  soil.  Instead  of  this  wealth  being  distributed 
among  the  mass  of  the  people,  it  has  been  concentrated  in  the  hands  of  a  few- 
men  already  wealthy  and  who  could  not  he  made  happier  by  it.  The  excuse 
is  that  they  having  ready  capital  and  the  hrains  to  carry  on  extensive  opera- 
tions, develop  the  natural  resources  of  the  earth,  and  are  thus  entitled  to  all 
the  profits  and  emoluments  to  he  obtained  therefrom.  This  presentment, 
however,  is  not  altogether  acceptable  to  the  American  people,  as  a  whole. 


MAMMOTH     PLANT    OF    THE     LUFKIN     RULE    COMPANY 

A   Revival   of  Industries 

About  1906  it  became  apparent  that  if  Saginaw  was  to  progress  industri- 
ally a  revival  of  manufacturing  must  be  inaugurated.  With  this  object  the 
Merchants  ami  Manufacturers  Association  came  into  being,  to  secure  the 
location  of  new  and  outside  industries  and  business  enterprises.  By  the 
donations  of  business  and  factory  sites  and  buildings,  and  by  other  induce- 
ments, it  was  hoped  that  substantial  concerns  would  locate  here,  and  thus 
add  appreciably  to  our  industrial  welfare.  It  was  also  the  purpose  of  the 
association  to  co-operate  with  the  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade  in  accomplishing 
the  material  advancement  of  the  city. 

The  association  was  duly  organized  and  incorporated  by  Marry  T. 
Wickes,  Theodore  IIuss.  John  L.  Jackson.  A.  C.  Melze,  Benton  Hanchett, 
Max  lleavenrieh,  Arthur  l">.  Eddy,  Delbert  E.  Prall,  James  S.  Smart.  M.  W. 
Tanner  and  Ralph  C.  Morley ;  and  the  first  seven  comprised  the  board  of 
trustees  for  the  first  year.  By  the  Articles  of  Association  the  trustees  were 
authorized  to  receive  contributions  and  pledges  of  property  and  money  for 
the  purposes  of  the  association,  and  to  make  assessments  on  contributors  for 
money  required  to  carry  out  its  purposes.  After  a  spirited  campaign  among 
business  and  professional  men  and  manufacturers,  the  sum  of  two  hundred 
and  twelve  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed,  and  the  plans  of  the  association 
were  at  once  set  in   motion. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  499 


During  the  following  years  in  which  the  association  was  very  active  in 
its  endeavors  to  secure  new  industries  to  this  city,  a  number  of  large 
and  important  corporations  were  induced  to  locate  here,  and  several  local 
companies  of  promise  were  started  and  given  substantial  aid.  Among  these 
new  industries  were  the  Brooks  Boat  Manufacturing  Company,  Rainier 
Motor  Company,  Saginaw  Sandstone  Brick  Company.  Valley  Sweets  Com- 
pany, Saginaw  Concrete  Stone  Company,  Valley  Grey  Iron  Company 
Brueck  Sectional  Book  Case  Company,  Saginaw  Heading  &  Veneer  Company, 
Saginaw  Pure  Ice  Company.  Clare  Knitting  Mills,  Erd  Motor  Company, 
Wilcox  Engineering  Company,  Saginaw  Silk  Garment  Company.  Saginaw 
Show  Case  Company,  Cooney  &  Smith.  Valley  Boat  &  Engine  Company, 
Tackson-Church-Wilcox  Company,  Sommers  Brothers  Match  Company, 
Yates-Upholt  Brass  Company,  Argo  Electric  Vehicle  Company,  Wessborg 
Manufacturing  Company,  Michigan  Creamery  Company,  Koenitzer  Tanning 
Company,  Saginaw  Eadder  Company,  Opportunity  Manufacturing  Company. 
Saginaw"  Sheet  Metal  Works,  Stork  Motor  Company,  Modart  Corset  Com- 
pany, and  Kerry  &  Way.  In  more  recent  years  the  Strable  Manufacturing 
Company,  Nelson  Brothers  Company,  Saginaw  Wood  Products  Company, 
Schwinck  Brothers  (packers).  Saginaw  Enameling  Company  and  the  Ameri- 
can Cash  Register  Company  have  been  added  to  the  long  list  of  Saginaw's 
prosperous  corporations. 

From  the  organization  of  the  association  in  1906  to  April  1,  1910,  the 
total  wages  paid  by  the  new  industries  secured  by  the  associaticm  amounted 
to  six  hundred  and  ninety-seven  thousand  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven 
dollars,  which  was  three  "times  more  than  the  total  subscriptions  to  the 
Merchants  and  Manufacturers  Fund,  and  six  times  as  much  as  the  amount 
covered  by  the  assessments  on  the  suhscribers  to  that  fund. 

A  Disruption  Threatened 

On  January  1,  1911,  Joseph  I'.  Tracy  assumed  the  duties  of  secretary 
of  the  association  and  of  the  board  of  trade,  by  a  joint  arrangement  between 
the  two  organizations.  He  was  an  organizer  of  recognized  ability,  but  lacked 
a  judicial  and  well-balanced  view  of  commercial  affairs,  and  as  a  result 
plunged  the  associations  into  a  surging  sea  of  trouble,  from  which  they  have 
yet  scarcely  recovered.  Without  the  wisdom  of  keen  foresight  or  realization 
of  consequences,  or  indeed  without  the  knowledge  or  consent  of  the  members 
of  the  transportation  committee  of  the  board,  he  started  a  vicious  attack  on 
the  Pere  Marquette  Railroad  at  a  most  critical  time  in  the  financial  affairs  of 
that  corporation.  As  almost  everybody  knows  the  I 'ere  Marquette  has  done 
more  in  the  last  fifty  years  for  the  advancement  of  Saginaw's  prosperity  than 
any  other  corporation  or  individuals.  The  unwarranted  attack  in  the  name  of 
the  Board  of  Trade  therefore  created  a  furore  among  the  members  of  that 
body,  and  w-as  published  broadcast  over  the  State  arousing  great  indignation 
in   man)-  quarters. 

The  consequence  of  this  high-handed  action  of  the  secretary  was  to 
put  the  affiliated  associations  in  disrepute,  not  only  among  our  fair  minded 
citizens  generally,  but  throughout  the  State  a  feeling  of  resentment  was 
aroused  against  Saginaw,  which  has  been  difficult  to  overcome.  The 
influence  of  the  new  secretary  in  any  movement  for  the  advancement  of  the 
city's  interests  was  thus  rendered  negligible,  and  lie  was  forced  to  retire 
from  office  May  6.  1913.  Other  ill-advised  and  premature  plans  were  put 
forward  with  great  zeal  by  this  official,  and  a  disruption  of  the  commercial 
bodies  was  narrowly  averted.  To  the  end  of  his  tenure  of  office,  however. 
Mr.  Tracy  had  the  support  of  some  of  the  most  influential  men  in  the  two 
organizations,  although  the  greater  proportion  of  the  members  were  utterly 


r.00  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

opposed  to  his  policies  and  his  conduct  of  the  office.  The  natural  result  of 
internal  trouble  and  dissension  has  been  that  the  material  interests  of  the 
city  have  not  advanced  during  the  last  three  or  four  years  at  anywhere  near 
the  ratio  of  progress  that  marked  Saginaw  as  a  growing  manufacturing  city, 
from  1905  to  1911.  With  old  animosities  put  aside  and  forgotten,  it  is  con- 
fidentl)  expected  that  some  of  the  great  industrial  activity  of  Michigan  cities 
will  si  ii  ni  lie  felt  here  in  the  promotion  of  new  industries  and  commercial 
enterprises. 

Celebrating  a  Semi-Centenary  Anniversary 

The  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade  is  an  old  organization  and  has  long  been 
activel)  identified  with  every  movement  fur  the  advancement  of  the  city's 
welfare.  It  was  organized  oil  April  9,  1863,  by  smne  of  the  prominent  men 
of  the  time,  among  win  mi  were  Colonel  W.  L.  1'.  Little,  Ezra  Rust.  A.  W. 
Brockway,  L.  1'..  Curtis,  Castle  Sutherland,  William  S.  Driggs,  William  F. 
Glasby,  II.  Hobbs,  Charles  I-'.  Disbrow,  James  L.  Ketcham,  I ).  L.  C.  Eaton, 
George  L.  Burrows,  II.  C.  Potter,  Newell  Barnard,  William  L.  Webber,  V. 
A.  and  A.  B.  Paine,  William  Binder,  Charles  and  Egbert  TenEyck,  W.  I  >. 
Leavonworth  and  John  S.  Estabrook. 

The  fiftieth  anniversary  of  this  event  was  celebrated  on  May  6,  1913,  on 
the  occasion  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the  hoard  which  then  numbered  seven 
hundred  and  sixty  members.  At  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  a  public 
meeting  was  held  at  the  Auditorium,  the  golden  anniversary  exercises  being 
opened  by  an  organ  recital  by  Professor  A.  W  .  Platte.  This  was  Followed  by 
"America"  Mini;'  by  the  audience  led  b\  Professor  Arthur  Amsden,  director 
of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment  Band,  M.  X.  G.,  and  by  two  songs  rendered  by 
the  Amphion  Club  of  the  Saginaw  High  School.  An  able  address  was  then 
delivered  b)  E.  C.  Warriner  mi  "Saginaw  in  Prospect,"  and  llarr\  V 
Wheeler,  president  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the  United  States,  spoke 
mi  the  "Call  tn  Business."  A  reception  for  members  and  guests  followed  at 
six  o'clock,  a  large  and  brilliant  company  of  Saginaw's  representative  citizens 
being  present. 

The  leading  function  of  the  celebration  was  the  banquet  in  the  evening, 
in  which  President  J.  A.  Cimmerer  was  toastmaster.  A  happy  circumstance 
was  the  presence  of  Ezra  Rust,  one  of  the  three  surviving  charter  members 
nf  the  association,  who  delivered  a  stirring  address  mi  "Retrospection."  In 
receiving  Mr.  Rust  as  the  first  speaker  nf  the  evening,  the  assemblage  rose 
and  gave  the  Chautauqua  Salute  in  his  honor  and  in  respect  tn  those  who 
associated  fifty  years  before  in  the  first  meeting  nf  Saginaw  Board  nf  Trade, 
,i  nd   u  hi  i  had  "gi  me  befi  n  e. 

Among  other  things  Mr.  Rust  said:  "When  1  first  came  tn  Saginaw  in 
the  Fall  nf  1859  there  were  about  thirty-two  hundred  inhabitants  of  East 
Saginaw  and  seventeen  hundred  in  Saginaw  City.  There  was  no  railroad 
nearer  than  Holly,  there  were  no  bridges  across  the  river,  no  paved  streets 
except  an  occasional  strip  nf  plank  mad,  sidewalks  were  few  and  poor,  and  in 
mi  respect  save  water  supply  was  there  any  similarity  tn  our  present  flourish- 
ing city.  Three  rope  ferries — at  Mackinaw,  Bristol  and  Genesee  Streets — 
-aye  transport  for  teams;  foot  passengers  were  taken  across  the  river  in 
row  boats.  :  *  *  The  commerce  nf  the  two  towns  was  entirely  by  water.  A 
boat  ran  twice  a  day  to  Bay  City  and  return,  and  a  steamer  made  bi-weekly 
trips  tn  Detroit.  All  large  Freight,  including  lumber,  was  carried  in  sailing 
\  essels. 

"Such,  in  brief,  was  Saginaw  in  1859.  During  the  next  few  years  its 
growth  was  rapid;  as  the  lumber  trade  increased  new  mills  were  built  mi 
both  sides  of  the  river,  and  the  population  in   1863  had  become  nearly  seven 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


501 


/f./HS-  / 


^ 


FAC    SIMILE    OF    SIGNATURES   TO    ORIGINAL    ARTICLES   OF 
INCORPORATION    OF    THE    BOARD    OF   TRADE 


thousand.  *  :::  *  (  inly  a  few  brick  structures  had  yet  been  erected,  the  Ban- 
croft being'  the  largest.  Stores  were  not  numerous,  and  outside  oi  provisions 
and  clothing  there  was  little  call  for  any  merchandise  save  lumbering  tools 
and  machinery. 

"In  the  Spring  of  1863  a  meeting  of  the  National  Board  of  Trade  was 
announced  to  be  held  at  Detroit,  and  it  was  suggested  by  Colonel  \Y.  L.  P. 
Little  that  the  Saginaw  Valley  should  be  represented  on  that  occasion. 
Accordingly,  on  .April  9,  1863,  the  original  articles  of  incorporation  of  a 
'Board  for  the  Saginaw  Valley'  were  signed  by  Colonel  Little  and  thirty-one 
others.  Delegates  to  the  Detroit  meeting  were  duly  chosen,  but  to  my  best 
recollection  this  ended  the  active  operations  of  the  hoard;  at  all  evnts  no 
record  exists  of  any  other  proceedings. 

"Two  years  later,  in  1865,  twelve  of  the  original  incorporators  with 
fifty-two  additional  signers  attached  their  names  to  the  constitution  of  the 
'Board  of  Trade  of  East  Saginaw.'  No  record  remain'-  of  the  proceedings  of 
this  body,  and  it  is  my  belief  that  little  was  ever  done;  in  fact,  there  was 
no  crying  need  for  the  organization. 

"During  the  period  from  1860  to  1870  the  commercial  conditions  in 
Saginaw  Valley  began  to  change.  While  lumbering  was  still  the  great 
industry,   salt-making  greatly  increased  and   the   rapid   growth   in   population 


W     I;    Burt 

Arthur   Hill 

Aaron  T.   Bliss 


T.-ini  le  E.   I  ion- 
Jesse   Hoyt 
Joseph  A.   Whittier 


Ezra    Rust 
Aaron    Linton 
John    Jeffers 


PROMINENT    PROMOTORS    OF    AND    DONORS    TO   THE 
SAGINAW    BOARD    OF    TRADE 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  503 


caused  the  establishment  of  other  important  lines  of  manufacture,  many  of 
which  remain  to  this  city.  The  Flint  and  1'ere  Marquette  Railroad  had  been 
built  to  Flint,  and  extended  north  to  Bay  City  and  west  through  Midland 
across  the  State.  The  Jackson,  Lansing  oc  Saginaw  Railroad  gave  us  an 
outlet  to  the  southwest,  and  the  Saginaw  Valley  and  St.  Louis  Railroad  had 
opened  the  territory  to  the  west.  The  population  of  the  twin  cities  had  mean- 
while increased  from  five  thousand  to  twenty-seven  thousand. 

"These  rapid  changes  brought  conditions  which  seemed  to  call  for  an 
active  and  efficient  Hoard  of  Trade,  and  in  1876  a  reorganization  was  effected, 
a  new  constitution  and  by-laws  adopted  and  signed  by  one  hundred  and  ten 
prominent  business  men  of  both  sides  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  'just  and 
equitable  principles  in  trade,  to  correct  any  abuses  which  may  exist,  and 
generally  to  advise  the  interest--  of  trade  and  commerce  in  the  Saginaw 
Valley.'  Among  the  signers  of  this  constitution  I  find  only  three  of  the 
original  incorporators  ol   1863. 

"Colonel  Little,  the  founder  of  this  board,  was  a  large  man  in  every 
respect;  of  commanding  figure,  ruddy  face,  he  was  one  who  commanded  atten- 
tion wherever  he  went — but  above  and  beyond  his  personal  charm  he  posses- 
sed qualities  of  mind  which  made  him  eminent  in  the  community.  Strong, 
forceful,  persuasive  in  manner  and  speed),  he  was  a  leader  whom  it  was  a 
pleasure  to  follow;  and  to  his  influence  Saginaw  owes  much. 

"It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  intimate  in  both  business  and  social 
relations  with  most  of  the  leading  men  of  this  community  for  more  than 
thirty  years  of  active  business  life,  and  1  can  truthfully  say  that  I  believe 
a  greater  number  of  intelligent,  forceful  men  newer  were  gathered  together 
in  any  community  of  similar  population,  and  in  very  few  of  much  larger 
number.  :;'  |c  *  Energetic,  enterprising,  well  informed  in  all  directions,  bold 
in  action  and  wise  in  judgment,  they  were  the  fitting  progenitors  of  the 
present  generation." 

In  1871,  when  a  delegation  of  Saginaw  and  Bay  City  men,  with  a  few 
representatives  from  Detroit,  went  to  Washington  to  oppose  a  bill  introduced 
in  Congress  to  remit  the  duty  on  all  lumber  intended  for  use  in  rebuilding 
Chicago,  Senator  Zach  Chandler  said  to  Mr.  Rust:  "I  have  never  seen  so  fine 
a  delegation  of  men  since   I   have  been  in   Washington." 

Conclusion  of  the  Golden  Anniversary 

Following  Mr.  Rust.  President  Harry  A.  Wheeler  spoke  on  "American 
Commerce"  without  manuscript  or  notes,  the  principal  topics  being  "Genius 
for  Organization,"  "Right  of  Combination,"  "Currency  Reform,"  and 
"(  Iptimism." 

During  the  banquet  music  was  rendered  by  the  Thirty-third  Regiment 
Rand.  M.  N.  <  i..  under  the  leadership  of  Arthur  Amsden,  director;  and  the 
ceremonies  were  concluded  by  singing  of  Auld   Lang  Syne. 

The  officers  for  the  fifty-first  year  of  the  Hoard  of  Trade  were:  William 
S.  Linton,  president;  John  J.  Rupp,  first  vice-president;  Emil  Staehle,  second 
vice-president;  and  William  Seyffardt,  treasurer.  The  directors  were  A.  A. 
Alderton,  J.  P.  Reck.  J.  A.  Cimmerer,  J.  A.  Cleveland,  E.  C.  Forrest,  Louis 
Mautner,  II.  W.  Merrill.  Ralph  C.  Morley,  Hiram  A.  Savage,  John  W.  Smart. 
S.  E.  Symons,  and  Frank  J.  Wolfarth. 

The  Oil  Development 

An  industrial  flurry  of  more  than  ordinary  interest  was  the  oil  prospect- 
ing campaign  conducted  by  local  capitalists  in  1912  and  1 '  '1  ,L  For  years 
the  possibility  of  oil  being  found  here  had  been  much  discussed.  State 
Geologist   Lane  being  so  firm  in  his  belief  of  the  presence  of  oil  that  he  offered 


504  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

to  put  up  money  with  others  for  sinking  test  holes.  To  settle  for  all  time 
the  question  as  to  whether  there  remained  beneath  the  surface  of  the  Saginaw 
Valley  other  natural  resources  than  salt  and  coal,  a  company  of  capitalists 
and  business  men  was  formed,  to  whose  enterprise  and  energy  the  community 
at  large  owes  no  small  degree  of  gratitude. 

The  organizers  of  this  company,  which  was  known  as  the  Saginaw 
Valley  Development  Company,  were  representative  men  of  ability  and  integ- 
rity, who  devoted  months  of  incessant  labor  and  much  money  to  further  the 
prospecting  work.  No  effort  or  expense  was  spared  in  making  the  most 
thorough  experiments,  and  at  length,  after  expending  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars  with  no  success,  the  fact  was  clearly  established  that  oil  in 
commercial  quantities  does  not  exist  in  this  locality.  The  officers  of  the 
company  were:  Wallis  Craig  Smith,  president,  Clark  L.  King,  vice-president, 
Norman  X.  Rupp,  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  the  board  of  directors  was 
composed  of  the  officers  and  George  B.  Morley,  John  L.  Jackson,  Elmer  J. 
Cornwell  anil  Laurence  L.  Linton. 

The  first  boring  was  made  on  the  Mundy  &  Fifield  Farm,  a  large  tract  of 
reclaimed  marsh  land  a  few  miles  north  of  the  city.  A  well  was  sunk  to  a 
depth  exceeding  two  thousand  feet,  but  without  any  discovery  of  oil  or  gas. 
Specimens  of  the  different  strata  through  which  the  drills  passed  were  taken 
out  and  sent  to  the  laboratory  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  for  analysis; 
and  later  preserved  in  glass  tubes  for  public  exhibit  and  for  the  use  of  students 
and  others,  in  order  that  the  experiments  might  aid  them  in  their  researches, 
thus  performing  a  valuable  educational  function. 

Not  discouraged  by  the  failure  of  the  first  test,  and  indeed  not  expecting 
success  so  early  in  the  development  work,  the  company  set  about  to  sink 
another  well  near  the  geographical  center  of  the  city,  a  short  distance  north 
of  the  Bristol  Street  bridge.  The  spot  was  on  the  west  bank  of  Saginaw 
River,  where  vears  before  Professor  Lane  had  indicated  that  oil  might  be 
found.  After  innumerable  difficulties  had  been  overcome  by  the  untiring 
efforts  of  Norman  X.  Rupp,  who  superintended  the  operations,  the  drills 
penetrated  to  a  depth  of  twenty-three  hundred  feet  into  oil  bearing  sandstone, 
the  evidence  of  gas,  meanwhile,  being  very  strong. 

Greatly  encouraged  by  the  prospects  of  success  at  this  place,  preparations 
were  at  once  made  for  "shooting"  the  well,  or  opening  by  high  explosives  a 
cavity  at  the  bottom.  One  hundred  quarts  of  nitro-glycerine  in  long  cylind- 
rical cans  were  carefully  lowered  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  and  at  3:45  in  the 
afternoon  of  Sunday,  September  29,  1912,  the  charge  w-as  set  off.  A  percep- 
tible thud  deep  down  in  the  earth  was  felt  by  the  spectators,  and  great 
quantities  of  gas  from  the  resulting  explosion  came  from  the  mouth  of  the 
well  to  enhance  the  excitement.  Nothing  of  spectacular  nature  occurred, 
however,  and  all  but  financially  interested  persons  left  the  scene. 

The  Well  Spouted  High 

The  real  spectacle,  which  aroused  great  expectations  for  the  future  of 
the  oil  development,  occurred  fifty-five  minutes  after  the  actual  "shooting," 
and  was  witnessed  by  few  persons.  It  was  an  eruption  or  spout  of  oil  forty 
feet  high  from  the  mouth  of  the  well,  and  stood  solid  for  four  or  fwn  minutes 
gradually  subsiding  with  strong  indications  of  gas.  rivulets  of  oil  running 
down  the  slope  to  the  river.  This  spout  was  followed  a  few  minutes  later  by 
a  second  and  higher  column  of  oil,  which  reached  nearly  to  the  top  of  the 
derrick,  eighty  feet  high,  and  lasted  about  two  minutes  with  quantities  of  gas. 
About  an  hour  later  there  were  three  discharges  of  gas,  the  first  carrying 
twelve  barrels  of  oil  into  a  tank,  but  the  others  were  free  of  oil. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


505 


WHAT     MIGHT     HAVE     BEEN     A     FAMILIAR     SIGHT 
"Shooting"  of  First  Oil  Well  at  Saginaw, 
September  29,   1912 


The  excitement  in  Saginaw  attending  this  discovery  was  spontaneous, 
and  predictions  were  freely  expressed  that  a  new  era  of  prosperity  was 
opening  for  the  Valley  cities.  The  oil  discovered  was  of  very  fine  quality, 
ami  great  hopes  were  raised  that  it  existed  in  commercial  quantities  to  insure 
success  of  the  new  enterprise.  News  of  the  find  spread  quickly  far  beyond 
the  boundaries  of  this  State,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time  oil  speculators 
and  promoters  arrived  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  organizing  other  oil 
companies  to  secure  oil  leases  and  to  prospect  for  oil  and  gas.  The  local 
demand  for  stock  in  the  parent  oil  company  was  overwhelming,  but  none  was 
offered,  and  the  bills  rose  by  leaps  ami  hounds  until  at  around  six  hundred 
some  stock  changed  hands.  No  new  stuck  was  issued,  and  the  company 
announced  its  policy  of  not  effecting  its  operating  organization  until  the 
quantity  of  oil  existing  in  this  locality  was  definitely  determined. 


506  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Speculators  Foiled 

In  the  minds  of  promoters  and  speculators,  who  saw  in  the  oil  situation  a 
great  opportunity  for  gain,  this  policy  was  a  grave  mistake.  While  the 
public  interest  was  so  keen,  with  business  men  and  others  with  ready  cash 
clamoring  for  oil  stocks,  the  "wild-eating"  of  development  companies  on  a 
large  scale  would  have  been  an  easy  matter,  the  insiders  becoming  rich  by 
stock  manipulations.  Hut  this  sort  of  thing  was  very  effectually  prevented 
by  the  honorable  policy  of  the  parent  company.  By  giving  out  daily  reports 
to  the  press  of  actual  conditions  at  the  various  wells  which  the  company 
proceeded  to  bore,  much  of  which  was  not  of  a  favorable  character,  the  public 
was  kept  fully  informed  of  the  actual  situation,  and  the  speculative  fever 
gradually  subsided.  After  many  heated  arguments  with  the  officials  of  the 
company,  the  outside  promoters  quit  in  disgust  and  main-  of  them  left  the 
city. 

The  directors  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Development  Company  fully  realized 
the  opportunity  for  great  expansion  of  oil  development,  and  while  risking 
their  own  money  in  the  "gambler's  chance,"  they  were  unwilling  to  open  up 
a  field  of  speculation  which  would  entice  tile  willow's  mite,  the  hard-earned 
savings  of  clerks,  or  the  profits  of  small  business,  while  there  was  the  least 
chance  of  failure  through  the  paucity  of  oil,  and  the  consequent  disaster  to 
those  who  could  ill  afford  to  lose.  On  the  other  hand  it  was  announced  that 
if  success  crowned  their  efforts,  and  oil  found  in  large  quantities,  the  public 
would  be  let  into  the  company  to  profit  by  the  experience  of  the  developers. 

Meanwhile  the  Saginaw  Company,  with  its  strong  backing  of  influential 
men.  was  securing  valuable  leases  of  oil  rights  in  this  vicinity,  ami  it  was 
stated  that  their  holdings  amounted  to  eighty  thousand  acres,  out  of  the 
aggregate  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  held  by  local  ami  outside 
speculators.  In  this  connection  Mr.  Smith,  president  of  the  company,  said: 
"We  do  not  regard  with  special  favor  the  efforts  of  lease  speculators,  parties 
win'  secure  leases  upon  lands  in  this  vicinity,  not  with  any  view  of  doing 
development  work  thereon,  but  of  sitting  by  and  hanging  on  while  legitimate 
developers  are  proving  their  value."  As  a  result  of  the  strong  position  of 
this  company,  promiscuous  leasing  of  land  for  speculation  purposes  was 
largely  curtailed  and  soon  ceased  entirely. 

It  is  an  indisputable  fact  that  the  firm  stand  of  Wallis  Craig  Smith  and 
his  associates  in  the  oil  company,  in  preventing  wild  speculation  in  develop- 
ment companies,  saved  the  citizens  of  Saginaw  and  the  people  of  Michigan 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  which  otherwise  would  have  been  irretriev- 
ably lost.  For,  after  more  than  a  year  of  exhaustive  tests  throughout  the 
townships  adjoining  Saginaw,  without  discovery  of  oil  or  ^as  in  commercial 
quantities,  it  was  determined  beyond  reasonable  doubt  that  oil  was  a  myth 
in  this  locality.  In  consequence  of  this  the  operations  of  the  company 
ceased,  the  equipment  and  tools  were  sold,  and  the  oil  leases  terminated.  It 
was  unfortunate  that  after  every  effort  had  been  made  in  the  enterprise,  the 
results  should  have  been  so  meagre,  but  the  very  thoroughness  with  which  the 
prospecting  was  conducted  will  undoubtedly  save  others  from  further  experi- 
ments  in   the   future. 

Summary  of  Saginaw's  Industries  in  1914 

According  to  the  special  census  reports  issued  by  the  Department  of 
Commerce.  Washington,  1'.  C,  for  the  year  l'>14  (the  last  report),  the 
population  of  Saginaw  was  estimated  to  be  fifty-four  thousand,  and  the 
number  of  employees  in  local  industries  was  eight  thousand  four  hundred 
and  sixty-six.     The  capital  invested  increased   from  twenty-six  million  seven 


Theodore  Hums 
John    \j.    Jackson  Arthur   Eddy 

Harry    T     Wickes 

Benton   Hanchett  .Max    Heavenrieli 

A.  C.   Melze 


TRUSTEES    OF    MERCHANTS    AND    MANUFACTURERS    ASSOCIATION 

1909    TO   1913 


508  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 

hundred  thousand  dollars  in  1910  to  thirty-three  million  one  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  dollars  in  1914;  and  the  value  of  products,  representing 
value  or  price  at  the  plants  as  actually  turned  out  during  the  year  but  includ- 
ing amounts  received  for  work  done  on  materials  furnished  by  others; 
Increased  from  eighteen  million  eight  hundred  and  thirty-three  thousand 
dollars  in  1910  to  twenty-four  million  two  hundred  and  seventy-nine  thousand 
dollars  in  1914.  Meanwhile  the  wages  and  salaries  paid  in  our  industries 
increased  from  four  million  one  hundred  and  ten  thousand  dollars  in  1910 
to  five  million  five  hundred  and  eighty  thousand  dollars  in  1914.  In  the  two 
years  which  have  intervened  since  the  period  of  the  last  report,  the  industrial 
situation  in  Saginaw  has  greatly  improved,  and  it  is  confidently  believed  that 
at  this  writing  I  May,  1916)  the  figures  in  some  of  the  above  departments 
would  show  a  substantial  increase. 

The  Sommers  Brothers  Match  Company 

This  successful  industry  had  its  beginning  in  the  old  Saginaw  Match 
Company,  which  was  organized  in  1903  by  Charles  F.  Summers,  Sylvester  A. 
Summers  and  Frank  F.  Summers.  They  bought  a  brick  factory  building  on 
South  fefferson  Avenue,  made  their  own  match  machinery,  and  invented  the 
now  famous  "Saginaw  Tip"  match.  At  first  they  placed  on  the  market  such 
limited  quantities  of  this  newly  invented  match  as  they  could   manufacture. 

The  double  tip  match  revolutionized  the  match  business  and  in  a  short 
time  its  popularity  became  so  universal  that  imitators  sprang  up  like  mush- 
rooms over  night,  and  filled  the  market  with  imitation  matches  which  they 
claimed  to  be  just  as  good  as  the  original  "Saginaw  Tip."  The  public,  how- 
ever readily  detected  the  difference,  and  the  Saginaw  Match  Company  was 
unable  t<>  manufacture  double  tip  matches  last  enough  to  supply  the  demands. 

In  1909  the  directors  of  the  Company,  realizing  that  a  much  larger  factory 
was  necessary,  organized  a  new  company  to  be  known  as  the  Sommers 
Brothers  Match  Company,  with  a  capital  stock  of  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousand  dollars.  The  new  stock  was  quickly  sold  at  par,  and  with  the  funds 
the  Company  erected  a  new,  modern  factory,  a  five-story  white  sandstone 
brick  structure  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  by  one  hundred  and  fifteen  feet 
in  dimensions.  A  complete  power  plant  and  laboratory  and  chemical  build- 
ings adjoin  the  factory  on  the  east  and  west. 

The  new  plant  was  equipped  with  the  most  modern  facilities  and  match- 
making machinery  of  the  most  approved  type,  designed  by  Charles  F.  Som- 
mers, the  president  of  the  Company,  under  whose  personal  direction  the  new 
factory  was  erected.  Each  match-making  machine  is  ninety  feet  in  length, 
sixteen  feet  in  height,  and  weighs  eight  and  a  half  tons.  It  carries  four 
hundred  feet  of  chain,  consisting  of  twelve  hundred  match  plates,  each  plate 
holding  seven  hundred  and  fifty  matches.  Small  match  blocks  are  placed  in 
the  "stamper"  at  one  end  of  a  machine,  ami  converted  into  match  sticks  with 
the  amazing  rapidity  of  eighteen  thousand  sticks  per  minute.  These  -.ticks 
are  automatically  placed  and  held  in  the  match  plates,  dipped  in  paraffine. 
double-tipped  in  match  head  composition,  and  then  carried  up  and  down  over 
and  under  dozens  of  wheels  and  pulleys  ami  through  air  blasts  from  electric 
fans  so  that  they  become  perfectly  dry.  At  last  they  reach  the  turning  table 
where  they  are  automatically  packed  in  match  boxes. 

An  idea  of  the  quantity  of  matches  made  each  working  day  may  be 
obtained  from  the  statement  that  each  machine  makes  eighteen  thousand 
matches  per  minute,  or  ten  million  eight  hundred  thousand  matches  in  ten 
hours.  The  eight  match  machines  produce  a  total  of  eighty-seven  million 
matches  a  day,  filling  one  hundred  and  seventy-live  thousand  boxes,  or  one 
thousand  seven  hundred  cases,  equivalent  to  three  car  loads.  If  laid  end  to 
end  a  day's  production  would  make  a  continuous  line  twenty-five  hundred 
and  thirty-five  miles  in  length. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


509 


The  match  timher  used  by  the  Company  is  straight  grained  Idaho  white 
pine,  which  is  cut  by  a  block  plant  owned  by  them  at  Sand  Point,  Idaho. 
This  timber  is  first  sawed  into  proper  sized  planks,  and  after  thorough  sea- 
soning the  best  stock  is  shipped  to  Saginaw,  all  knotty  and  cross-grained 
blocks  being  left  in  Idaho  to  be  sold  for  fuel.  In  every  department  of  this 
important  industry  the  enterprise  of  the  Summers  Brothers  is  clearly  mani- 
fested, and  is  one  of  Saginaw's  largest  manufactories. 

Erd  Motor  Company 

A  rapidly  growing  institution  is  the  Erd  Motor  Company,  manufacturers 
(if  marine,  truck  and  tractor  motors,  whose  efficient  plant  is  located  at 
Niagara  and  Mackinaw  Streets.  Like  some  other  of  Saginaw's  flourishing 
industries,  this  concern  started  in  a  modest  way.  In  1902  John  <"..  Erd  and 
Harry  S.  Erd  opened  a  small  machine  shop  in  the  Barnard  Block,  at  the 
corner  of  Niagara  and  Hancock  Streets.  They  were  practical  machinists 
and  mechanical  engineers  and  made  marine  engines  to  order  and  did  general 
motor  repair  work  for  local  boat  owners.  The  output  was  about  one  com- 
plete motor  a  month,  but  they  were  of  such  excellent  design  and  workman- 
ship that  in  a  short  time  the  capacity  of  the  shop  was  overtaxed. 

In  1906  the  shop  was  removed  to  a  larger  frame  factory  building  on 
North  Niagara  Street,  and  the  equipment  and  working  force  largely  increased. 
The  production  soon  reached  ten  or  twelve  marine  motors  a  month,  which 
were  shipped  to  the  East  and  South.  By  judicious  advertising  the  demand 
for  Erd  motors,  of  sizes  ranging  from  one  to  six  cylinders,  increased  very 
rapidly  and  the  plant  and  manufacturing  facilities  were  taxed  to  the  utmost. 

On  December  11,  1909,  the  business  was  incorporated  by  John  ( '•.  Erd, 
Harry  S.  Erd  and  William  J.  Passolt,  with  a  capital  stock  of  twenty-live 
thousand  dollars.  The  stock  was  later  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  the  business  expanded  to  a  remarkable  degree.  In 
addition  to  turning  out  one  complete  six-cylinder  motor  a  day,  there  was  the 
same  production  of  smaller  motors,  mostly  for  marine  use.  This  expansion 
soon  necessitated  increased  plant  facilities  for  production,  and  in  1910  the 
present  brick  factory  building  was  erected  and  equipped  with  modern 
machinery,  tools  and  jigs. 


"^.  ■*»  ffi  9JI 


PLANT  OF  THE  ERD  MOTOR  COMPANY 


510  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

Later  the  manufacture  of  heavy  truck  and  tractor  motors  was  added  to 
the  product,  and  this  part  of  the  business  has  grown  to  such  a  volume  that 
the  Company  is  now  turning'  out  about  fifteen  motors  a  day.  The  success  of 
the  Erd  Motor  is  due  to  its  great  power  and  reliability  at  comparatively  low- 
speeds,  and  tn  the  general  excellence  of  workmanship.  It  is  a  valve-in-head 
type  with  long  stroke,  the  cylinders  being  of  four-inch  bore  and  six-inch 
stroke.  These  features  give  from  ten  to  twenty  per  cent  more  power  with 
ten  to  fifteen  per  cent  economy  in  fuel  consumption.  The  bearings  are  of 
ample  size  and  an  oiling  system  which  gives  perfect  lubrication  to  every 
part,  is  provided. 

About  eighty-five  mechanics  are  steadily  employed  by  the  Company,  and 
the  force  will  eventually  be  increased  by  a  number  of  molders  in  a  foundry 
which  it  is  proposed  to  add  to  the  equipments  for  making  of  all  castings  used 
in   the  motors,  man}-  of  which   are  now    made  in  other  cities. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Company  are  :  John  G.  Erd,  president ;  R.  H. 
Knapp,  vice-president ;  Harry  S.  Erd,  secretary  and  treasurer;  and  the  board 
of  directors  comprises  the  officers  and  William   |.  Passolt  and  E.  M.  Marshall. 

The  Saginaw  Manufacturing  Company 

(  >ne  of  tlie  oldest  and  most  successful  of  local  industries  is  the  Saginaw 
Manufacturing  Company  which,  with  its  parent  concern,  the  Saginaw  Barrel 
Factory,  has  had  an  active  existence  of  forty-five  year--.  The  Saginaw  Barrel 
Factory  was  established  in  1X71  by  a  company  of  local  capitalists,  headed  by 
Messrs.  P.allcntine,  A.  F.  R.  Braley,  William  Binder  and  C.  A.  Lee,  who  were 
the  first  officers  of  the  Company.  The  capital  stock  was  seventy-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  hut  was  afterward  increased  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand. 

From  the  nature  and  variety  of  its  products  the  old  barrel  factory  was 
one  of  the  most  interesting  concerns  in  Saginaw  Valley.  The  factory  was  a 
three-story  brick  building,  oik-  hundred  by  one  hundred  and  lift}-  feet  in 
dimensions,  and  with  the  blacksmith  shop,  saw  mill  and  salt  block,  extended 
three  hundred  and  sixty  feet  along  the  bayou.  About  one  hundred  ami  fifty 
men  were  employed  with  labor  saving  machinery  in  the  manufacture  of  axle 
grease  boxes.  Wilson's  patent  wash  boards  having  crimped  zinc  facing,  of 
which  the  output  was  three  hundred  and  fifty  dozen  daily,  step  ladders,  pails, 
wooden  measures  for  grain,  curtain  poles  and  rollers,  tobacco  drums  and 
cheese  boxes.  The  barrel  factor}-  burned  in  1882  and  for  several  months  the 
business  was  suspended. 

In  the  following  year  the  Company  was  reorganized  under  its  present 
name  by  Ammi  W.  Wright,  Charles  II.  Davis,  New  ell  Barnard  and  Thomas 
Merrill,  and  the  business  continued  mi  a  larger  scale  than  ever  before.  A  new 
and  complete  factory  of  increased  dimensions  was  erected  on  the  site  of  the  old 
and  thoroughly  equipped  with  modern  machinery  and  power  plant. 

In  1892  Henry  J.  Gilbert  and  Arnold  Boutell.  both  of  whom  had  pre- 
viously been  connected  with  the  Company  for  several  years  in  subordinate 
capacities,  were  put  in  charge  of  its  affairs,  Mr.  Gilbert  as  vice-president  and 
general  manager,  and  Mr.  Boutell  as  secretary  and  treasurer.  To  their  ability 
and  business  sagacity  is  largely  due  the  marvelous  strides  made  by  the  Com- 
pany within  the  last  twenty-five  years,  which  have  placed  the  Company  at 
the  head  of  the  lines  manufactured.  Gradually  the  great  variety  of  useful 
products  made  was  cut  down,  and  about  fifteen  years  ago  the  production  was 

reduced   to  wash   boards  and   w 1-split  pulleys,  to   which  it   has   since  been 

ci  mfineil. 

h'or  many  years  the  average  number  of  employees  has  been  about  four 
hundred,  ami  the  amount   paid   in   wages  has  been   about   two   hundred   thou- 


512 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


sand  dollars  yearly.  The  value  of  the  annual  production  exceeds  one  million 
dollars,  which  places  the  Company  among  the  leading  industries  of  this  city. 
In  the  manufacture  of  wash  boards  this  Company  is  the  largest  producer 
in  the  world,  the  average  daily  output  of  various  sizes  being  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  thousand.  The  Gilbert  Wood  Split  Pulleys  are  in  almost  uni- 
versal use.  the  production  being  the  second  largest  in  this  country.  They 
arc  made  in  sizes  from  three  inches  diameter  and  two-inch  face,  in  the  solid 
wood  type,  to  large  drive  pulleys  twenty  feet  in  diameter  and  four  feet  or 
more  face  and  ranging  in  price  from  less  than  one  dollar  to  nineteen  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  dollars  each.  All  pulleys  arc  made  from  selected  clear 
Michigan  maple  which,  after  air-seasoning  for  eighteen  months  or  more  is 
thoroughly  kiln  dried,  dressed  and  cut  into  rim  cants.     In  all  there  are  more 

than  eighty  distinct  operations  in  making  a  Gilbert   W 1  Split  Pulley,  and 

the  output  of  six  and  eight-inch  pulleys  is  three  hundred  per  day. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Company  are:  Henry  J.  Gilbert,  president  and 
general  manager;  Harwood  J.  Gilbert,  vice-president;  Arnold  Boutell,  secre- 
tary and  treasurer;  Charles  'i'.  Gilbert,  superintendent;  Roger  Boutell,  assist- 
ant   secretary. 


FORMER  SHOPS  OF  SAGINAW  SHEET  METAL  WORKS 
ON  TUCOLA  STREET  AND  LAPEER  AVENUE 

Saginaw  Sheet  Metal  Works 

To  what  extent  a  small  struggling  business  may  be  developed  into  a 
large  and  successful  industry  is  clearly  shown  by  the  remarkable  record  of 
the  Saginaw  Sheet  Metal  Works.  From  a  small  beginning  in  a  tin  shop 
established  in  1902  by  A.  C.  Klopf  ami  A.  1'..  Lewless  at  the  corner  of  South 
Washington  Avenue  and  Atwater  Street,  this  city,  the  business  outgrew  two 
other  enlarged  shops  and  increased  in  volume  to  such  an  extent  that  in  191/ 
it  was  occupying  quarters  in  a  specially  built  ami  well  equipped  plant  on 
Genesee  Avenue  and  the  Belt  Line  crossing,  which  contained  over  forty  thou- 
sand square  feet  of  floor  space. 

The  guiding  spirits  of  this  concern  arc  Arthur  J.  Beese  and  Andrew  B. 
Lew  less.  Arthur  1.  Beese  first  became  interested  in  the  infant  industry  in 
1903   and    during    the    Fall    of   that    year    the    business    was    removed    to    113 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


513 


Lapeer  Avenue.  Later,  during  the  same  year.  Mr.  Beese  and  Mr.  Lewless 
purchased  Mr.  Klopf's  interest  in  the  co-partnership.  The  business  was  oper- 
ated as  a  co-partnership  by  the  above  persons  until  the  year  1910.  when  it 
was  incorporated.  During  its  early  existence  as  a  co-partnership,  it  employed 
from  three  to  five  tinsmiths,  doing  a  general  tin  shop  business  such  as  eaves- 
trough  work,  tin  roofing,  repair  work  and  furnace  work.  Such  strides  were 
made  in  developing  the  business  that  in  1907  it  was  necessary  to  obtain 
larger  quarters  and  they  built  a  considerably  enlarged  brick  factory  building 
at  513  Tuscola  Street. 

In  this  new  factory  the  scope  of  the  business  was  broadened  to  include 
the  manufacture  of  metal  cornices,  skylights,  ventilators,  windows,  ornamen- 
tations, etc.,  and  also  to  the  engaging  in  tile,  slate  and  metal  roofing.  In  this 
building  they  employed  from  twenty  t<  >  thirty  skilled  artisans,  and  their  work 
at  that  time  is  notably  exemplified  by  such  buildings  as  the  Cleveland  Hippo- 
drome. Cleveland,  Ohio;  the  Auditorium  and  Manual  Training  School,  Sagi- 
naw; the  Masonic  Temple,  Bay  City:  the  Buick  factories,  Flint,  and  many 
churches,  libraries,  etc.      During  this  time  they  also  did  extensive   work   for 


EFFICIENT    PLANT   OF   THE    SAGINAW    SHEET    METAL    WORKS 


the  United  States  Government,  mainly  on  post  offices.  In  less  than  three 
years  the  business  became  so  large  that  the  factory  on  Tuscola  Street  was 
inadequate  and  larger  quarters  were  necessary. 

In  1910  it  was  decided  to  incorporate  the  business,  to  build  a  larger 
factory,  and  to  engage  in  the  making  of  hoods,  fenders,  and  other  sheet  metal 
products  for  the  automobile  trade  in  addition  to  continuing  in  the  already 
well  established  lines.  The  Company  was  incorporated  lor  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  following  officers  were  chosen:  A.  ].  Beese.  presi- 
dent and  general  manager;  A.  B.  Lewless,  vice-president;  F.  W.  Bremer, 
secretary  and  treasurer.  There  has  been  no  change  in  the  officers  of  the 
Company  since  that  time.  Their  principal  products  now  are  automobile 
fenders  and  sheet  metal  stampings,  although  the  construction  work  is  still  a 
very  important  part.  This  latter  line  is  under  the  personal  supervision  of 
Mr.  Lewless.  who  is  also  president  I  l'»17)  of  the  Michigan  Sheet  Metal  Con- 
tractors' Association. 

Their  present  plant  on  Genesee  Avenue  is  equipped  with  the  latest 
approved  and  up-to-date  machinery.  In  the  sheet  metal  department  are  huge 
shears,    stamping    presses,    electric     welding    machines    and     much     special 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  515 

machinery  of  their  own  design  which  has  been  developed  at  a  great  expense. 
In  their  enameling  room  are  huge  vats  in  which  the  fenders  and  other  pro- 
ducts are  immersed,  and  large  baking  ovens  which  hake  off  the  products  at 
between  four  hundred  and  five  hundred  degrees  Fahrenheit.  They  also  have 
a  modern  forging  shop  equipped  with  power  forging  hammers,  punches  and 
other  machinery,  and  a  machine  simp  in  which  they  make  all  their  own  tools 
and  dies.  The  capacity  of  this  efficient  plant,  worked  at  its  maximum  with 
about  two  hundred  mechanics,  is  more  than  a  half  million  dollars  yearly.  At 
the  present  time  it  is  giving  employment  to  a  goodly  number  of  well-paid 
mechanics  whose  average  earnings  are  about  one  thousand  dollars  a  year,  and 
about  one  thousand  five  hundred  tons  of  sheet  steel  are  converted  into  pro- 
ducts yearly. 

The  progress  made  by  this  Company  is  a  monument  to  its  founders, 
and  a  good  example  of  what  industry,  integrity  and  perseverance,  rightly 
directed  in  practical  channels,  will  accomplish. 

Saginaw  Ladder  Company 

The  history  of  the  Saginaw  Ladder  Company,  which  is  one  of  Saginaw's 
prosperous  institutions,  is  one  of  evolution  or  development  of  a  practical  idea. 
To  make  an  article  of  household  use  and  of  large  utility  in  trade,  better  than 
had  ever  before  been  attempted,  with  all  the  United  States  east  of  the  Rocky 
Mountains  as  a  market,  was  the  sensible  idea.  A  national  demand  exists  for 
step  and  extension  ladders  of  various  kinds,  and  with  the  rough  material 
close  at  hand  and  favorable  labor  conditions  in  this  valley,  it  was  good  busi- 
ness to  establish  here  an  industry  of  this  nature.  As  a  result  of  this  idea 
and  the  enterprise  of  several  local  business  men,  this  Company  was  organized 
in  1903  by  William  Williamson.  Carrie  II.  Fairman  and  \Y.  F.  Stew  ens. 

The  first  factory  for  the  manufacture  of  ladders  was  located  on  Mackinaw 
Street,  in  a  building  owned  by  Mr.  Williamson,  and  here  the  foundation  for 
a  successful  business  was  laid.  The  product  consisted  of  ordinary  forms  of 
step  and  extension  ladders  which,  because  of  the  clear,  straight  lumber  from 
which  they  were  made  and  the  care  in  assembling,  found  a  ready  sale.  The 
line  was  gradually  increased  to  include  the  now  famous  center-rail  ladder, 
flat  step  extension  ladder,  windlass  ladder,  painters  combination  trestle  and 
extension  ladder,  and  swinging  ladder  scaffold.  Later  single  and  "Oregon" 
fruit  step  ladders,  collapsible  carpenters  horses  and  other  wooden  specialties. 
were  added  to  the  already  popular  lines. 

After  several  years  of  successful  operation,  in  which  the  business  gave 
great  promise  of  permanency,  the  Company'  suffered  a  heavy  loss  by  the  burn- 
ing of  their  manufacturing  plant.  In  1906  the  Company  was  reorganized  with 
Sidney  L.  Eastman  and  J.  F.  Boynton  added  to  the  list  of  incorporators  and 
to  the  directorate.  The  factory  was  rebuilt  and  plans  made  for  an  extension 
of  the  business  into  every  State  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  strength 
and  comparative  lightness  of  the  ladders,  together  with  the  superior  quality 
of  materials  and  workmanship,  gained  for  the  Company  many  customers  in 
remote  sections  of  the  country.  But  misfortune  again  attended  the  Company 
in  the  fire  on  the  evening  of  March  1(>.  1914,  which  entirely  destroyed  the 
w  '  ii  idwi  irking  plant. 

At  this  juncture  the  Company,  instead  of  rebuilding  on  the  site  of  the 
old.  purchased  the  large  and  well  equipped  plant  of  the  Saginaw  Wheelbarrow 
Company,  at  the  corner  of  Florence  and  Niagara  Streets.  By  this  arrange- 
ment they  were  able  to  resume  business  with  little  delay,  and  they  added  to 
their  line  the  manufacture  of  wheelbarrows  which  previously  had  found  a 
ready  sale.  The  business  was  thus  increased  and  now  requires  five  traveling 
representatives  to  take  care  of  the  trade. 


516  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 

The  present  officers  of  the  Company  are:  S.  L.  Eastman,  president; 
J.  F.  Boynton,  vice-president;  C.  H.  Fairman,  secretary;  W.  F.  Stevens, 
treasurer  and  general  manager. 

William  F.  Stevens  was  born  at  Newboro,  <  mtario,  in  1853,  and  came  to 
Saginaw  in  1876.  For  several  years  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  salt 
and  shingles  at  South  Saginaw,  with  his  brother  the  late  George  W.  Stevens. 
Later  he  operated  the  Melbourne  shingle  mills,  but  in  the  eighteen-nineties 
became  interested  in  getting  out  and  shipping  telephone  pules,  ties,  etc.,  in 
which  business  he  continued  for  many  years.  At  length  the  camps,  mills  and 
timber  were  destroyed  in  a  great  fire,  and  the  business  was  thereupon 
abandoned.  Shortly  after  this  unfortunate  occurrence  the  Saginaw  Ladder 
Company  was  organized  with  Mr.  Stevens  as  general  manager,  in  which 
position  he  has  since  remained. 

The   Wolfarth   Bakery 

Baking  is  one  of  the  "blest  of  earth's  arts,  its  great  antiquity  being  only 
equalled  by  the  art  of  tanning  skins  and  the  burning  of  pottery.  Like  most 
arts  of  ancient  origin  its  history  is  very  obscure,  and  is  based  entirely  on 
tradition.  The  earliest  methods  of  which  there  is  any  knowledge  consisted  of 
soaking  the  grains  until  they  bad  become  swollen,  then  subjecting  them  to 
pressure,  afterwards  drying  them  into  cakes  by  natural  or  artificial  heat.  This 
method  was  subsequently  improved  by  crushing  the  grain  before  moistening. 
It  was  a  long  time  before  man  learned  how  to  make  risen  or  leavened  bread, 
the  Egyptians  probably  being  the  first  people  to  use  leaven,  which  was  of  the 
simplest   kind. 

Progress  in  the  art  of  baking  has  been  so  notable  and  so  beneficial  to  the 
human  race,  that  the  mind  fails  to  grasp  its  full  significance.  In  no  other 
industry  has  science  and  intelligent  application  made  greater  strides  in  the 
direction  of  human  advantage  during  recent  years  than  in  the  art  of  baking 
bread.  Compared  with  the  loaf  of  our  grandfathers'  modern  baker's  bread  is 
a  positive  delight.  The  old-fashioned  spongy  loaf  with  its  big  holes,  a  taste- 
less indigestible  mass,  has  been  displaced  b\  a  food  substance  which  in  color, 
texture,  flavor  and  nutritious  qualities  has  never  been  equalled  since  man 
ceased  to  subsist  on   roots  and  herbs. 

The  philosophy  of  baking,  it  seems,  is  understood  by  but  few  housewives. 
Most  women  follow  the  same  process  as  was  employed  by  their  mothers,  with 
no  scientific  knowledge  of  the  causes  which  produce  effects.  Of  the  recip- 
rocal relations  of  the  various  ingredients  that  compose  good  bread  they  know 
little,  and  success  or  failure  in  baking  is  generally  ascribed  to  good  or  bad 
luck. 

It  is  entirely  different,  however,  with  the  Wolfarth  bakers.  With  the  aid 
of  chemistry  and  scientific  skill,  they  have  gone  to  the  bottom  of  things; 
they  have  eliminated  many  useless  practices  and  adopted  improved  methods 
so  that  the  whole  process  is  carried  on  with  a  degree  of  ability  that  practically 
admits  i  >f  n<  >  error. 

Almost  everyone  knows  how  bread  is  made  in  the  home,  but  few  know 
anything  concerning  the  best  practice  of  baking  today  as  exemplified  in 
modern  bakeries,  such  as  the  Wolfarth  establishment.  The  story  of  this 
baker's  loaf  of  bread  begins  in  the  Spring  of  l.Xo",  when  John  ( J.  Wolfarth 
opened  a  small  bake  shop  in  East  Saginaw,  then  a  struggling,  backwoods 
lumber  town.  The  bakery  was  located  in  South  Franklin  Street,  on  the  site 
of  the  present  Gately  building,  a  fact  which  will  be  recalled  by  pioneers  still 
living.  In  the  Spring  floods  of  1870  this  section  of  the  town  was  inundated, 
and  that  year  Air.  Wolfarth  moved  bis  shop  to  the  present  location  on  Gen- 
esee Avenue,  which  was  then  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town,      lie  was  a  prac- 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


517 


JOHN    G.    WOLFARTH 
Founder  of  the  Wolfarth  Bakery 


tical  baker  and  made  such  excellent  bread  and  other  bake  goods  that  his 
modest  establishment  became  the  Mecca  of  tired  housewives,  who  were  thus 
able  to  eliminate  baking  from  their  household  duties.  So  successful  was 
this  well  conducted  bakery  that  now.  after  fifty  years  of  continuous  opera- 
tion, the  name  of  WOLFARTH  is  synonymous  of  all  that  is  pure,  wholesome 
and  appetizing  in  bread  and  bake  goods. 

In  1893,  Frank  J.  Wolfarth,  only  son  of  the  pioneer  baker,  who  had  been 
"brought  up"  from  boyhood  in  the  bake  shop,  assumed  charge  of  the  busi- 
ness thus  relieving  his  father  of  large  responsibilities  which  the  growing 
trade  entailed.  From  that  time  the  business  made  greater  strides  than  ever 
before,  necessitating  modern  machinery,  steam  ovens  and  improved  facilities 
for  making  baker's  products.  In  a  few  years  the  capacity  of  the  bakery  was 
increased  to  ten  thousand  loaves  a  day,  giving  employment  to  twenty-five 
skilled  bakers  and  other  workmen;  and  shipments  of  bread  were  made  to 
about  one  hundred  towns  and  villages  in  Saginaw  Valley.  The  well  known 
brands  were  "Butternut."  "Home  Made,"  and  "Jersey  Cream,"  which  were 
distinctive  of  the  best  in  the  baker's  art.  By  1911  the  demand  for  Wolfarth 
Bakery  products  so  far  exceeded  the  capacity  of  the  bake  shop  that  an  entirely 
new  plant  was  begun  on  the  site  of  the  old,  at  <  ienesee  Avenue  and  Walnut 
Street. 

The  new  plant  is  a  two-story  brick  building  eighty-six  by  two  hundred 
feet  in  size,  and  extends  from  (Ienesee  to  Hoyt  Avenue.  It  is  a  model  struct- 
ure for  cleanliness  and  light,  the  sanitary  measures  for  the  making"  of  abso- 
lutely pure  bake  products  being  perfect.     The  interior  is  finished  throughout 


518 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


in  white  tile  and  enamel,  and  every  facility  is  provided  for  clean,  pure  air  in 
every  room  in  the  building.  The  retail  department  on  the  ground  floor  front 
is  largely  of  plate  glass  with  large  windows  separating  it  from  the  bakery, 
making  it  possible  for  customers  to  see  the  modern  sanitary  method  of  mixing 
dough  in  the  Wig  mixers,  in  which  no  hand  touches  the  dough  or  any  of  the 
ingredients.  Electricity  is  used  for  both  power  and  light  throughout  the 
building.  The  latest  type  machinery  was  made  by  the  home  institution,  the 
Werner  &  I'fleiderer  Company.  Special  brands  of  bread  made  are  the  famous 
"Tip-Top,"  "Jersey  Cream,"  "Muster  Brown,"  and  "Mother's,"  all  well  known 
in  thousands  of  Saginaw'  homes  and  in  a  wide  territory  round  about. 

The   Sanitary   Making  of  "Tip-Top"   Bread 

The  first  operation  in  making  "Tip-Top"  and  other  Wolfarth  bread  and 
bake  products  is  the  mechanical  sifting  of  the  flour.  A  mammoth  scientific 
flour  sifter,  holding  several  barrels  of  flour,  sifts  and  resifts,  bolts  and  rebolts 


THE    WOLFARTH     BAKERY 
Home    of    "Tip    Top,"    "Buster    Brown,"    "Mothers"    Bread, 


the  substance  through  the  finest  and  closest  screens  made.  The  meshes  of 
steel,  as  fine  as  silk  and  meshes  of  silk  as  strong  as  steel,  sift  the  flour  so 
that  only  pure  "Tip-Top"  bread  flour  remains. 

In  the  mixing  room  great  batches  of  flour,  milk,  sugar  and  yeast,  of  exact 
proportions  automatically  weighed  by  a  delicate  machine,  are  thoroughly 
mixed  into  dough  in  the  big  mixers,  the  giant  arms  of  which  know  no  weari- 
ness as  did  our  mothers'  arms  of  old,  and  whose  backs  ached  by  the  exertion. 
Round  and  round  go  the  giant  arms  steadily  kneading  the  dough,  mixing, 
combining  and  mingling  the  ingredients  over  and  over  again  until  the  sub- 
stance becomes  thicker,  smoother  and  yet  still  smoother. 

All  the  time  the  watchful  eye  of  the  white  uniformed  baker  is  upon  it. 
now  adjusting,  now  slowing  it  down,  until  at  length  he  pulls  a  lever,  the 
giant  arms  stop  revolving,  and  the  mass  of  dough  falls  into  a  waiting  steel 
trough,  which  is  clean  and  polished  like  a  mirror.  The  dough  is  then  wheeled 
into  another  room  wdiere  it  is  allowed  to  "rise."  All  the  air  is  purified  before 
entering.  After  rising  the  dough  is  shaped  and  rounded  into  loaves  in  mould- 
ing machines  and  proving  boxes. 


FRANK     J.     WOLFARTH 
The    Guiding    Spirit    of    Saginaw's    Sanitary    Bakery 


520 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


BATCHES    OF    DOUGH 


MIXING     DOUGH 


A  complete  record  is  kept  of  each  batch  so  that  the  office  can  tell  the 
time  each  one  began  any  day  in  the  year;  and  the  amount  of  each  ingredient 
which  enters  into  it  is  set  down  with  every  mixing.  In  this  way  the  bakers 
are  checked  in  order  to  prevent  slackness  or  carelessness. 

Most  interesting,  perhaps,  are  the  great  white  ovens  where  the  bread  is 
baked,  and  by  which,  due  to  their  construction,  fumes  and  gases  from  the  fire 
are  prevented  from  getting  to  their  baking  contents.  Just  pure,  clean,  dry 
heat  of  550  degrees  Fahrenheit,  which  never  varies,  accomplishes  this  opera- 
tion. When  thoroughly  baked  the  loaves  are  drawn  piping  hot,  and  giving 
out  a  rich  buttery  flavor.  They  are  then  placed  upon  clean,  sanitary  steel 
racks  and  run  into  the  cooling  room.  The  cooling  operation  is  deemed  neces- 
sary because  hot  bread  is  a  cause  of  indigestion,  and  "Tip-Top"  bread  must  be 
just  right.  The  bread  is  then  wrapped  in  a  wonderful  machine  which  per- 
forms the  operation  with  surprising  precision  and  rapidity.  Throughout  the 
various  operations  neither  the  ingredients,  the  dough,  the  moulded  leaves  or 
the  bread  itself  has  been  touched  by  human  hands  in  this  beautiful,  modern 
sanitary  bakery.  The  equipment  includes  six  steam  mens,  each  having  a 
capacity  of  five  thousand  loaves  of  bread  in  ten  hours,  or  thirty  thousand 
loaves  in  all.  About  fifty  persons  are  employed  in  the  various  departments 
of  the  Wolfarth  Bakery.  The  annual  output  is  valued  at  two  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars. 


MIXING    AND    MOLDING 


FRESH    BREAD    FROM    OVENS 


DIVERSIFIED     INDUSTRIES 


521 


IN    THE    OFFICE 


RETAIL     SALES     DEPARTMENT 


American  Cash  Register  Company 

Although  the  cash  register  as  we  see  it  today,  with  its  wonderful  record- 
ing mechanism  and  features  of  great  utility,  is  comparatively  a  modern 
invention  its  origin  antedates  that  of  S'  mie  other  useful  inventions  now  con- 
sidered old.  The  development  of  this  invention,  from  a  position  ol  doubtful 
utility  to  one  of  almost  universal  use  in  the  world  of  business,  has  been  slow 
and  attended  with  many  difficulties.  From  a  narrow  and  restricted  field  of 
usefulness  twenty  years  ago  it  has  evolved  into  a  necessary  accessory  to 
modern  business  svstems,  and  is  indispensable  to  the  proper  recording  of  all 
cash  transactions,  large  or  small. 

In  this  evolution  the  American  Cash  Register  was  a  must  prominent 
factor,  inasmuch  as  it  was  the  original  machine  of  its  kind,  the  old  Hallwood 
register;  and  today  it  is  one  of  only  two  cash  registers  of  importance  manu- 
factured in  the  whole  world.  Its  history  is  a  romantic  story  of  human 
endeavor  beset  by  the  most  unholy  trade  competition,  intrigue,  and  unscrup- 
ulous practices  on  the  part  of  the  competing  company.  Only  recently  have 
the  trade  difficulties,  which  encompassed  the  Company  for  more  than  twenty 
years,  been  overcome  and  the  future  of  the  parent  cash  register  company- 
placed  upon  a  solid  and  enduring  basis. 

The  original  cash  register,  the  one  now  manufactured  by  the  American 
Cash  Register  Company,  of  this  city,  was  the  invention  of  II.  S.  Hallwood, 
the  patentee,  who  for  several  years  made  a  small  number  of  registers  in  a 
machine  shop  at  Columbus,  <  >hio.  Later  he  sold  the  manufacturing  business 
and  major  patent  rights  to  a  company  of  Columbus  capitalists,  known  as  the 
American  Cash  Register  Company,  which  made  practically  all  the  parts  for 
the  machine  and  assembled  them  in  its  own  plant. 

In  1912  this  company  sold  all  its  rights,  title  and  interest  in  the  cash 
register  to  a  new  corporation — The  American  Cash  Register  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  Columbus.  Ohio,  and  with  increased  capitalization  and  renewed 
energy  in  manufacturing  the  prospects  were  very  bright  for  a  time.  But  the 
following  Spring  the  great  floods  which  devastated  a  large  part  of  Ohio,  de- 
stroyed the  cash  register  factory  and  much  of  its  valuable  equipment,  entail- 
ing a  heavy  loss  to  the  company  already  burdened  with  costly  litigation  to 
defend  its  patent  rights  from  infringement.  After  this  unfortunate  event  the 
company  sought  a  new  location  for  its  plant,  one  which  would  be  safe  from 
any  danger  of  flood. 


522 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


SALESMEN    OF    AMERICAN    CASH    REGISTER    COMPANY    IN    CONVENTION. 

SEPTEMBER.    1916 

At  this  juncture  F.  M.  Caldwell,  industrial  agent  for  the  Michigan  Rail- 
way Company,  informed  the  officials  of  the  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade  and  the 
Merchants  and  Manufacturers  Association  of  the  contemplated  change  of 
location  of  the  cash  register  plant.  The  matter  was  taken  under  advisement 
and  inducements  made  to  the  register  company  to  locate  here.  The  local 
trade  associations  furnished  a  factor}-  site  on  South  Jefferson  Avenue,  and 
loaned  the  company  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  for  the  erection  of  a  new- 
modern  factory  building.  Construction  work  on  the  one-story  brick  structure 
was  begun  in  August,  1913,  anil  in  December  the  machinery  and  other  equip- 
ment was  placed  in  position  and  made  ready  for  operation.  At  this  time  the 
company  was  managed  by  C.  G.  Heine,  who  brought  with  him  from  the  Ohio 
city  a  considerable  number  of  skilled  mechanics  and  their  families.  Manufac- 
turing oi  cash  registers  was  begun  under  very  favorable  conditions,  and  the 
future  of  the  American  Cash  Register  seemed  very  bright. 

Upon  the  declaration  of  war  by  the  European  nations,  in  August,  1914, 
a  cloud  passed  over  the  bright  prospects  of  the  company.  Sixty  per  cent,  of 
the  business  in  cash  registers  was  foreign  trade  with  the  belligerent  nations, 
and  this  was  at  once  cut  off  or  very  heavily  curtailed.  As  a  result  of  this 
condition  and  the  general  unsettled  state  of  commerce  and  trade  in  this 
country  during  the  first  months  of  the  war,  the  register  company  was  soon 
in  dire  straits  and  the  factory  was  closed  down. 

At  this  critical  point  m  the  affairs  of  this  promising  industry,  aid  was 
sought  from  the  local  trade  associations,  and  a  committee  composed  of  Ralph 
C.  Morley,  Arthur  W.  Seely  and  Hiram  A.  Savage  was  appointed  by  the 
Board  of  Trade,  to  investigate  the  situation  and  to  work  out  a  plan  for 
refinancing  the  company,  furnishing  sufficient  capital  to  carry  on  extended 
operations,  and  establish  a  large  domestic  trade.  Under  recommendation  of 
this  committee,  stock  to  the  amount  of  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  was  taken 
over  by  representative  business  men.  and  the  company  again  put  on  its  feet. 

In  the  reorganization  which  followed  this  action  of  our  enterprising 
citizens,  the  name  was  changed  to  The  American  Cash   Register  Company, 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


523 


and  Hiram  A.  Savage  was  chosen  president  and  general  manager,  and  William 
Seyffardt  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  board  of  directors  is  composed  of 
Messrs.  Hiram  A.  Savage,  Win.  Seyffardt,  Joseph  Seemann.  M.  W.  Tanner. 
Christian  F.  Bach,  John  F.  O'Keefe,  Otto  F.  Dittmar,  Den.  G.  Appleby  and 
John  Cimmerer. 

The  American  Cash  Register  is  known  in  almost  every  civilized  country 
on  the  globe,  and  is  especially  well  received  in  Cuba,  South  America  and 
Australia.  Besides  a  constantly  growing  domestic  trade  a  large  business  is  in 
prospect  for  the  company  upon  the  termination  of  the  European  war,  as  all 
belligerent  nations  will  be  in  need  of  new  and  improved  facilities  for  regaining 
their  share  of  the  world's  business.  The  world  market  has  yet  only  been 
touched  by  cash  registers  and  a  great  held  in  America  is  still  undeveloped. 
When  it  is  considered  that  only  two  or  possibly  three  concerns  are  manufac- 
turing cash  registers  in  the  whole  world,  the  future  of  this  corporation  seems 
very  bright. 

The  capacity  of  the  present  efficient  plant,  under  conditions  of  maximum 
production,  is  about  six  hundred  machines  a  month  valued  at  about  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  To  make  this  number  of  machines  would  require 
nearly  three  hundred  skilled  mechanics  and  other  workmen,  who  would  re- 
ceive about  twenty  thousand  dollars  a  month  in  wages.  Under  the  manu- 
facturing schedule  of  December,  1916,  the  production  was  about  two  hundred 
and  seventy-five  machines,  worth  forty  thousand  dollars,  and  giving  employ- 
ment to  one  hundred  and  thirty  mechanics,  who  were  paid  about  eight 
thousand  dollars  in  wages  monthly.  In  addition  to  this  factory  force  there 
are  sixty  agents  and  salesmen,  to  whom  is  distributed  a  large  sum  in 
commissions. 

In  the  rehabilitation  of  this  important  industry,  the  placing  of  its  affairs 
on  a  substantial  basis  such  as  determining  the  exact  cost  of  production  and 


ASSEMBLING    ■'AMERICAN"    CASH     REGISTERS 


524  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

regulating  its  finances,  and  opening  up  a  large  domestic  market  for  its  pro- 
duct, the  managing  directors  of  the  company  deserve  great  credit.  To  Hiram 
A.  Savage  and  his  sound  business  policy  are  due  the  very  satisfactory  results 
now  obtained,  and  William  Seyffardt  has  proved  a  most  reliable  and  efficient 
executive,  during  a  period  in  the  affairs  of  the  company  when  unusual  ability 
and  business  capacity  was  demanded.  It  is  the  opinion  of  astute  business 
men  who  fully  understand  the  situation  that  within  five  years  the  American 
Lash  Register  Company  will  be  the  largest  manufacturing  establishment  in 
Saginaw,  giving  employment  to  thousands  of  skilled  mechanics,  and  adding 
greatly  to  the  city's  prosperity. 

Wickes  Brothers 

Comparatively  few  of  Saginaw's  leading  industries,  though  tracing  their 
origin  to  an  earl}-  date  in  local  history,  have  had  so  successful  a  career,  or 
have  contributed  so  much  to  the  city's  prosperity,  as  Wickes  Brothers.  This 
old  and  substantial  concern  was  established  at  Flint  in  1855  by  H.  W.  Wood, 
in  association  with  Henry  D.  and  Edward  N.  Wickes,  young  men  who  had 
been  born  and  reared  in  Yates  County,  New-  York.  The  Genesee  Iron  Works, 
as  the  business  was  then  known,  comprised  a  general  foundry  and  machine 
simp,  where  plow  shares  and  odd  castings,  rough  and  finished,  were  made, 
and  repair  work  of  all  kinds  required  by  a  frontier  settlement  was  done. 
From  this  small  beginning,  made  more  than  sixty  years  ago,  has  developed 
an  extensive  and  growing  business,  with  iron  and  steel  products  which  reach 
every  section  of  this  country,  and  are  sold  in  foreign  lands. 

During  the  early  years,  before  the  era  of  railroads  or  modern  transpor- 
tation  facilities,  the  pig  iron  used  in  the  foundry  was  brought  to  Saginaw  by 
\essel,  and  hauled  over  the  plank  road  to  Flint,  to  lie  made  into  castings. 
Much  of  this  product  was  used  in  the  building  of  saw  mills  and  shingle  mills 
in  the  Saginaws,  which  were  then  attracting  attention  for  activity  and  enter- 
prise in  manufacture  of  lumber  and  forest  products.  To  the  practical  minds 
of  the  Wickes  brothers  this  haulage  back  and  forth  across  the  country  was 
an  unnecessary  waste,  and  in  1860  they  removed  the  iron  works  to  East 
Saginaw. 

Mere  they  began  to  realize  some  of  the  great  opportunities  offered  in 
their  business.  A  plot  of  ground  along  the  river,  the  site  of  a  part  of  the 
present  plant,  was  cleared  of  timber  and  a  foundry  and  machine  shop  erected; 
and  the  concern  began  making  saw  mill  and  salt  block  machinery,  including 
engines  and  general  repair  work.  As  river  navigation  increased  rapidly 
much  attention  was  given  to  repairing  steamboat  engines  and  machinery. 
In  1864  the  brothers  purchased  the  interest  of  H.  W.  Wood,  and  the  firm 
became  Wickes   Brothers  by  which  the  business  is  known  today. 

Both  brothers  were  gifted  with  fine  mechanical  minds,  coupled  with 
inventive  genius,  and  because  of  these  qualities  and  business  integrity  of  the 
highest  order,  their  names  are  indissolubly  linked  with  the  lumber  industry. 
Soon  after  coming  here  the  defects  and  imperfections  of  the  existing  type  of 
gang  saws  used  in  the  saw  mills  along  the  river,  were  brought  to  their 
attention,  and  their  mechanical  ingenuity  was  at  once  turned  to  the  improve- 
ment of  such  machinery.  To  their  ability  and  efforts  is  undoubtedly  due  the 
great  success  of  the  Wickes  gangs,  which  for  fifty  years  have  been  a  standard 
rawing  machine  wherever  timber  and  logs  are  made  into  lumber. 

The  principal  improvement  to  the  gang  saw  was  a  device,  invented  by 
the  Wickes  brothers,  which,  by  giving  an  oscillating  motion  to  the  saw  frame, 
caused  all  the  teeth  of  the  saws  to  cut  smoothly  and  evenly.  This  overcame 
the  difficulty  arising  from  only  the  lower  teeth  of  the  saws  doing  all  the 
cutting,  as   the   machines   were   heretofore   operated.     The    first   gang  of   the 


526 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


ERECTING    A    WICKES    GANG    SAW 


new  type  was  erected  in  the  mill  of  Hackley  and  Humes,  of  Muskegon,  in 
1868.  Other  improvements  followed  in  quick  succession,  permitting  in- 
creased speed  of  the  saws,  and  the  use  of  saws  of  thinner  gauge,  whereby  the 
kerf  was  reduced  and  the  cutting  capacity  increased  four  fold,  besides  making 
cleaner  and  better  lumber  with  much  less  waste.  Various  typos  of  gangs, 
all  embracing  the  same  principle,  to  meet  every  requirement  of  the  lumber 
industry,  were  developed,  and  the  business  became  the  largest  of  its  kind  in 
the  United  States.  Mammoth  gangs  of  wonderful  capacity  are  still  made  to 
order  by  Wickes  Brothers  for  the  demands  of  extensive  lumbering  operations 
in  the  Southern  States  and  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

Until  IS"  0  the  business  was  conducted  as  a  partnership,  but  in  that  year 
it  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
Henry  I).  Wickes  was  president.  Edward  \.  Wickes  was  vice-president, 
Harry  T.  Wickes,  secretary  and  treasurer,  and  William  J.  Wickes,  general 
manager  in  charge  of  manufacturing  and  sales.  The  elder  Wickes  brothers, 
the  founders  of  the  business,  died  in  1901.  and  shortly  after  the  following 
officers  were  elected:  Harry  T.  Wickes,  president  and  treasurer;  William  I. 
Wickes,  vice-president  and  general  manager;  and  E.  C.  Fisher,  secretary. 
In  November,  1905,  the  capital  was  increased  to  one  million  dollars.  The 
present  board  of  directors  is  composed  of  Harry  T.  Wickes,  president: 
William  I.  Wickes.  vice-president;  Frank  H.  Payne,  secretary  and  treasurer; 
and  Robert  M.   Randall. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


527 


The  third  generation,  grandsons  of  the  founders  of  the  business,  namely, 
Harvey  Randall  Wickes,  son  of  Harry  T.  Wickes,  and  Edward  B.  Wickes, 
son  of  William  J.  Wickes,  have  for  several  years  been  actively  identified 
with  the  corporation.  Starting  in  the  shops  in  the  daily  tasks  of  the  me- 
chanics and  workmen,  these  energetic  young  men  have  acquired  a  thorough 
understanding  of  the  business,  and  won  for  themselves  positions  of  respon- 
sibility and  trust. 

In  the  most  active  period  of  lumbering  on  the  Saginaw  River,  the  firm 
of  Wickes  Brothers  filled  contracts  for  complete  mill  installations,  including 
boilers.  They  were  having  some  trouble  with  the  boilers  riveted  by  hand, 
which  local  boiler  shops  made  for  them  on  sub-contract,  and  the  difficulties 
led  to  their  adding  a  first-class  boiler  shop  to  their  large  plant.  They  were 
then  able  to  compete  with  any  and  all  makers,  and  soon  after  began  making 
Scotch  marine  boilers  for  F.  W.  Wheeler  &  Company,  of  Ray  City,  the 
Chicago  Shipbuilding  Company,  and  Alexander  McDougall  for  some  of  his 
whaleback  steamers.  Afterward,  when  this  part  of  their  boiler  business 
interfered  with  more  profitable  work,  it  was  discontinued.  The  firm  had 
meanwhile  developed  a  high  type  of  vertical  water-tube  boiler,  and  under 
the  able  management  of  E.  C.  Fisher  built  up  a  large  business.  In  December, 
1907,  a  new  corporation,  the  Wickes  1 '.oiler  Company,  was  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  taking-  over  the  boiler  department,  and  since  that  date  has  carried 
on  an  extensive  business. 

Upon  the  decline  of  the  lumber  business  in  Michigan  in  the  early  nineties, 
the  corporation  added  a  department  of  used  mill  machinery.  They  purchased 
saw  mills  in  process  of  liquidation,  dismantled  the  mills,  rebuilt  the  usable 
machinery  and  resold  it  to  the  trade  throughout  the  country.  This  part  of 
the  business  was  extended  in  1893  by  the  purchase  of  some  of  the  fine 
machinery  at  the  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  which  was  then  being 
dismantled.     The  business  stretched  into  Wisconsin  and  far  into  Minnesota, 


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DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


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and  for  a  number  of  years  was  a  large  and  profitable  department.     <  >wing  to 
the  depletion  of  lumbering  operations  in  the  Northwest,  this  business  was 

finally  ended. 

Meanwhile,  the  enterprise  and  ingenuity  of  the  present  Wickes  brothers, 
who  inherited  the  mechanical  ability  of  their  father,  developed  new  lines  of 
manufacture,  and  in  fifteen  years  the  corporation  has  acquired  an  even  higher 
position  in  the  machinery  world.  They  began  the  manufacture  of  general 
machinery,  shipbuilding  and  boiler  simp  tools,  such  as  plate  and  angle  bend- 
ing rolls,  plate  straightening  rolls,  flanging  clamps,  punches  and  shears,  and 
extended  the  lines  to  include  coping  machines,  stake  riveters,  radial  wall 
drills,  boiler  head  facing  machines,  plate  planers,  hydraulic  flanging  presses, 
pit  lathes,  etc.  Today  they  produce  a  full  line  of  boiler  shop  and  structural 
steel-working  machinery,  which  has  been  in  specially  active  demand  since  the 
beginning  of  the  war. 

The  Wickes  heavy  and  medium  duty  bending  rolls,  of  the  pyramid  type, 
were  designed  and  first  built  in  their  own  boiler  shop  in  1888.  They  were 
made  in  capacity  to  bend  five-eighths  inch  by  twelve-foot  plates;  and  the 
upper  roll  bearing  was  in  knock-down  housing  for  easy  removal  of  full  circles. 
They  are  equipped  to  be  driven  by  either  belt,  steam  engine  or  electric 
motor.  In  angle  bending  rolls  all  three  rolls  are  gear-driven,  and  will  bend 
T  bars  and  flat  and  square  bars,  or  Z  bars,  T  rails,  round  bars,  pipe,  channels, 
I-beams  and  many  other  structural  shapes  by  the  addition  of  special  collars, 
with  capacities  from  three  by  three  by  one-half  inch  to  six  by  three-quarter 
inch. 

The  Wickes  Mangle,  or  plate  straightener,  is  a  tool  built  for  the  United 
States  Government.  It  is  very  largely  a  special  machine  and  the  corporation 
is  prepared  to  build  this  tool  in  a  wide  variety  of  combinations,  with  an)' 
number  and  arrangement  of  rolls  desired  for  any  required  duty. 


GROUP    OF    WORKMEN     IN     WICKES     BROTHERS    IRON     WORKS.    1914 


530  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


In  the  building  of  vertical  punching  and  shearing  machines,  as  univer- 
sally used  in  shipbuilding  plants,  boiler  shops  and  structural  steel  works, 
Wickes  Brothers  are  especially  strong,  these  tools  being  recognized  all  over 
the  country  as  standard  of  their  kind.  It  is  believed  that  the  corporation 
has  a  more  thorough,  practical  knowledge  of  the  requirements  concerning 
bending  rolls,  punches  and  shears  than  any  other  builder  in  this  country. 

This  contention  is  substantiated  by  the  special  types  of  shears  developed, 
such  as  the  Wickes  Alligator  Shear,  with  length  of  'shear  blades  from  twelve 
to  eighteen  inches,  the  Wickes  Plate  Splitting  Shear,  using  long  blades  to 
preserve  as  nearly  as  possible  the  flat  condition  of  the  plate ;  and  the  Wickes 
Sprue  Cutter,  which  is  used  to  clip  sprues  from  crucible  steel  castings,  and 
from  brass  and  other  soft  metal  castings.  The  Wickes  Radial  Wall  Drill, 
made  for  rigid  attachment  to  column  or  wall,  or  with  bracket  for  vertical 
adjustment,  is  also  a  useful  tool  found  in  all  well-equipped  shops  and  iron  and 
steel  works. 

A  more  recent  addition  to  their  machinery  output  is  a  line  of  heavy  duty 
engine  lathes,  the  building  of  which  was  begun  in  July,  1915.  This  line 
consists  of  a  thirty-two  inch  three-step  cone,  double  back"  geared  lathe,  built 
Horn  nine  feet  six  inches  up  advancing  to  two  feet  lengths;  a  twenty-six 
inch  three-step  cone  lathe,  and  a  seventeen  inch  three-step  cone  heavy  duty 
rapid  production  lathe,  having  a  swing  over  the  bed  of  eighteen  and  one- 
quarter  inches.  Present  plans  of  the  corporation  contemplate  the  building 
of  still  larger  sizes  of  lathes  to  meet  increasing  demands  of  the  trade. 

All  the  heavy  iron  castings  and  the  brass  and  other  metal  castings  for 
all  the  machinery  lines,  are  made  in  the  well  equipped  and  efficient  foundry, 
which  since  the  beginning  of  the  business  has  been  an  important  part  of  the 
w  i  irks. 

With  the  growth  of  the  plate  glass  business  the  corporation  has  become 
interested  in  the  building  of  glass  making  machinery  of  improved  types,  and 
tins  is  now  a  promising  addition  to  the  large  lines  manufactured. 
_  A  unique  feature  and  side  line  of  possibilities  is  the  Wickes  Continuous 
Electric  Blue  Printing  Machine,  which  was  developed  and  perfected  to  meet 
their  own  large  and  exacting  needs.  Its  principal  features  are:  economy  of 
operation,  noiselessness,  perfect  lighting,  and  automatic  devices  by  which 
an  unskilled  office  boy  can  operate  it  successfully. 

\\  ith  all  these  important  lines  of  manufacture  requiring  skill  and  effic- 
iency of  the  working  force,  which  numbers  some  three  hundred  mechanics 
and  workmen.  Wickes  Brothers  corporation  ranks  among  the  most  important 
industrial  institutions  of  Saginaw  Valley. 

The  Wickes  Boiler  Company 

Another  of  Saginaw's  oldest  and  most  successful  industries  is  The 
Wickes  Boiler  Company,  which,  with  its  parent  concern,  Wickes  Brothers, 
and  still  earlier,  II.  W.  Wood  &  Company,  was  established  in  July.  1800.  upon 
the  east  banks  of  the  Saginaw  river  where  today  stands  the  busy  manufac- 
turing plant  of  Wickes  Brothers  and  The  Wickes  Boiler  Company. 

The  Wickes  Boiler  Company  was  organized  and  incorporated  in  Decem- 
ber, 1907,  taking  over  the  rapidly  growing  boiler  business  of  Wickes 
Brothers.  This  company  was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
Michigan  and  commenced  its  active  business  January  1.  1°08. 

The  Wickes  Boiler  Company  distributes  its  boilers  to  every  State  in 
the  Union,  as  well  as   to   foreign  countries. 

The  present  manufacturing  plant  covers  under  one  roof  more  than  a  city 
square.      It  fronts  on  Washington  Avenue  and  is  bounded  by  Carlisle  Street, 


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THE     WICKES    WATER    TUBE     BOILER 


532 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Vstor  and    Water   Streets.     The   last   three   named   streets   have    been  closed 
and  the  building  now  occupies  a  portion  of  these  original  streets. 

The  shop,  for  convenience  in  handling  work,  is  divided  into  two  central 
main  aisles  two  hundred  and  forty  feet  by  fifty-two  feet  and  forty-seven 
feet  wide  respectively.  These  hays  are  equipped  with  two  trolley  electric 
traveling  cranes  having  a  capacity  of  thirty-five  tons. 

The  fitting  up  and  assembling  of  the  boilers  is  carried  on  in  these  main 
aisles,  while  the  forging  and  machine  work  is  done  in  five  side  hays  approxi- 
mately two  hundred  and  forty  feet  by  thirty-five  feet  wide  each."  The  bays 
are  equipped  with  every  possdde  tod  pertaining  to  excellence  in  boiler 
making,  as  well  as  being  equipped  with  traveling  and  jib  cranes  for  hasten- 
ing the  progress  of  the  work. 

The  office  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Carroll  and  Water  Streets,  and 
the  yards  extend  to  Totter  Street,  bounded  by  Washington  Avenue  and 
Water  Streets. 

This  company  manufactures  the  Wickes  Vertical  Water  Tube  Steam 
Boiler  (illustrated  on  the  preceding  page)  as  its  specialty. 

They  also  manufacture  a  horizontal  return  tubular  boiler  of  the  very 
highest  grade  material  and  workmanship,  specializing  in  the  larger  sizes,  as 
illustrated  beli  >w. 


TYPE    OF    FIRE    TUBE     BOILER 


A.  F.  Bartlett  &  Company 

The  oldest  machinery  house  in  Saginaw  Valley  is  the  A.  F.  Bartlett  & 
Company,  which  traces  its  beginning  to  a  small  machine  shop  established 
in  1854  by  Warner  &  Eastman.  At  that  time  East  Saginaw  was  only  a 
struggling  lumber  town  of  less  than  three  thousand  inhabitants,  but  the 
vast  forests  of  Michigan  were  being  penetrated  by  the  saw-men  and  axman. 
and  the  river  was  becoming  dotted  with  rafts  of  logs  to  supply  the  numerous 
saw  and  shingle  mills  along  its  banks. 

A  few  years  after  the  business  was  purchased  by  A.  F.  Bartlett,  a  prac- 
tical machinist  and  mechanical  engineer,  who  soon  after  became  associated 
with  Mr.  Morris,  the  firm  name  being  Bartlett  &  Morris.  Later  Henry 
Spin. Her  was  identified  with  the  business  under  the  name  of  Bartlett  &  Spind- 
ler,  and  it  became  known  as  the  Pioneer  Iron  Works.  In  the  sixties  the 
firm  manufactured  steam  engines,  gang,  circular  and  mulay  saws  and  mill 
machinery  of  approved  types,  and  tools  and  fixtures  for  salt  blocks,  steam- 
boats  and  manufactories  in  general.  All  kinds  of  iron  and  brass  castings 
were  made  to  order,  and  wrought  iron  forging,  jobbing  and  repairing  was 
done  in  the  best  manner  of  the  time.  The  firm  was  agent  for  ludson's 
celebrated  patent  governors  and  patent  graduating  governor  valves.  The 
works  were  then  located  at  the  corner  of  Water  and   Emerson  Streets. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Bartlett,  which  occurred  m  1879,  Mrs.  Bartlett 
purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Spindler,  and  continued  the  business  under  the 


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DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


535 


name  of  A.  F.  Bartlett  &  Company,  as  it  is  known  today.  For  a  number  of 
years  Mrs.  Bartlett  attended  to  the  financial  affairs  of  the  company,  while 
Alexander  M.  Lemke,  a  capable  and  experienced  machinery  man,  had  charge 
of  the  management  of  the  works. 

The  plant  at  that  time  comprised  a  foundry,  blacksmith  shop,  machine 
shop,  warehouse, etc.,  covering  more  than  half  a  square.  The  machine  shop 
was  a  white  brick  bulding,  two  stories  in  height,  and  sixty  by  one  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  in  dimensions.  On  the  main  floor  was  a  large  boring  mill  that 
swung  and  turned  a  ten-foot  pulley,  twenty  lathes  of  all  sizes,  with  a  capacity 
for  turning  an  eight-foot  diameter  down  to  the  smallest  sizes,  five  drill 
presses,  four  planers,  one  shaper,  one  slotting  machine,  two  pipe  machines,  a 
bolt  cutter  and  other  machinery  driven  by  a  thirty-five  horse  power  engine. 
On  the  second  floor  was  a  pattern  shop  well  stocked,  and  having  a  full  outfit 
of  light  machines,  fine  tools  and  other  equipment. 

In  the  blacksmith  shop  was  a  powerful  steam  hammer  for  heavy  forgings, 
punches,  shears,  and  all  tools  and  equipment.  Large  as  the  facilities  were, 
even  in  the  formative  period  of  the  development  of  manufacturing  in  Sagi- 
naw, the  expansion  of  the  business  was  such  that  a  new  foundry  and 
galvanizing  shop  were  built  in  the  eighties  and  the  machine  shop  enlarged. 
A  large  business  was  carried  on  in  the  manufacture  of  galvanized  iron  pipe 
for  salt  wells  and  blocks,  and  about  five  hundred  thousand  feet  of  pipe  were 
galvanized  annually.  There  was  also  a  steady  demand  for  mammoth  and 
medium  sized  steam  feeds,  salt  well  machinery,  etc.  Saw  mill  engines  were 
sent  as  far  west  as  Denver  and  the  Northwest  lumbering  districts,  their 
reputation  for  slide-valve  engines  being  unsurpassed.  The  works  also  turned 
out  castings,  such  as  frogs,  switches,  frog  plates,  etc.,  for  street  railways. 

Alexander  M.  Lemke,  who  assumed  the  general  management  of  the 
company  in  1887,  is  a  mechanical  engineer  of  ability  and  extensive  experience, 


PIT     LATHE     IN     BARTLETT    PLANT    FINISHING    OFF 
PLATE    GLASS    COMPANY 


'DECK"     FOR    SAGINAW 


536  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

formerly  having  been  connected  with  E.  P.  Allis  &  Company,  of  Milwaukee, 
builders  of  Corliss  engines.  One  of  his  first  productions  after  coming  to 
Saginaw  was  a  fine  Corliss  engine  for  the  Feige-Silsby  Furniture  Company, 
whose  factory  was  located  on  Holland  Avenue.  Arrangements  were  soon 
made  for  the  "manufacture  of  Heme's  patent  tubing  clamp  for  salt  works. 

Upon  the  decline  of  lumbering  in  Michigan  the  Bartlett  Company 
entered  a  new  field  of  practical  operations  in  the  machinery  world,  namely, 
the  purchasing  and  dismantling  of  lumber  mills  and  salt  works,  the  machinery 
being  rebuilt  and  sold  to  the  trade  throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
This"  was  a  large  and  important  department  of  the  business  for  a  number 
of  years,  but  it  too.  following  the  almost  entire  depletion  of  saw  mills  in  this 
State,  finally  was  supplanted  by  other  profitable  lines  of  business. 

About  fifteen  years  ago  the  large  warehouse  on  the  water  front  and  north 
portion  of  the  machine  shop,  were  entirely  destroyed  by  fire,  which  also  swept 
away  property  alone;'  the  river  as  far  as  Emerson  Street.  Although  a  heavy 
loss  was  suffered  by  the  company,  the  structures  were  rebuilt  with  cement 
block  and  steel  construction,  rendering  them  fire-proof.  A  new  power  plant 
was  soon  after  erected  on  Water  Street  and  other  needed  buildings  added, 
and  ecpiipped  with  modern  machinery,  making  the  plant  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete of  its  kind  in  Saginaw  Valley.  The  products  of  the  company  are 
distributed  throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  the  operations  of 
the  plant  arc  steadily  expanding.  The  company  is  one  of  the  strong  supports 
of  labor  in  this  city,  giving  employment  to  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
skilled   mechanics  and   workmen. 

The  present  officers  of  the  company  are:  Alexander  M.  Lemke,  presi- 
dent; R.  Perry  Shorts,  vice-president;  Hanford  F.  Willis,  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

Jackson  &  Church  Company 
Among  the  older  and  substantial  industries  of  the  West  Side  is  the  Jack- 
son &  Church  Company,  which  was  founded  in  1880,  by  John  L.  Jackson. 
The  lumber  and  salt  business  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  then  approaching 
the  height  of  production,  and  the  steady  demand  for  saw  mill  and  drill  house 
and  salt-well  machinery  led  him  to  start  a  machine  shop  and  foundry  business. 
At  first  the  shop  was'  located  in  a  two-story  brick  building  at  Water  and 
leffei-son  Streets,  now  known  as  Niagara  and  Cleveland  Streets;  ami  turned 
out  steam  engines  for  driving  circular  and  gang  saws  and  other  mill  ma- 
chinery, pumping  equipment  and  general  repair  work.  From  the  beginning 
the  business  was  successful  and  has  been  developed  into  one  of  the  largest 
machinery  industries  in  Saginaw. 

By  1894  the  business  had  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  a  division  of 
responsibility  seemed  desirable,  and  Edgar  D.  Church  was  admitted  to  part- 
nership, the"  name  of  Jackson  &  Church  then  being  adopted.  Mr.  Church 
assumed  charge  of  the  financial  and  office  affairs  of  the  new  firm,  an  arrange- 
ment which  left  Mr.  Jackson  free  to  devote  all  his  attention  to  the  manage- 
ment and  superintendence  of  the  machine  and  boiler  shop  operations. 
Meanwhile  the  lumber  business  at  Saginaw  hail  declined,  due  to  the  exhaus- 
tion of  the  pine  timber  in  this  section,  and  the  old  business  of  mill  machinery 
fell  oft'.  To  replace  the  old  lines  the  firm  began  the  manufacture  of  stave, 
hoop  and  heading  machinery,  which  for  a  time  was  in  demand  in  .Michigan. 
Later  the  manufacture  of  dock  and  deck  hoisting  and  dredging  machinery 
was  undertaken  and  proved  so  successful  that  at  the  present  time  this  line 
is  a  large  part  of  the  production  of  the  company. 

The  business  thus  established  on  a  solid  and  enduring  foundation  was 
incorporated  in  1898  as  the  Jackson  e\-  Church  Company,  with  John  L.  Jack- 
son, president,  A.  G.  Roeser.  vice-president,  and  Edgar  D.  Church,  secretary 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


537 


— r"! 


THE    NEW    MODERN    PLANT    OF    JACKSON    &    CHURCH    COMPANY 


and  treasurer.  In  IS1'1*  E.  D.  Church  purchased  of  James  McGregor,  his 
interest  in  the  boiler  works  of  McGregor  &  Jackson,  and  the  manufacture  of 
boilers,  heaters,  tanks,  burners,  plate  and  structural  iron  added  to  their  line. 
Since  that  time  the  business  has  experienced  a  remarkable  expansion.  The 
company  has  developed  the  "Saginaw"  system  of  sand-lime  brick  machinery, 
which  is  manufactured  for  brick  companies  established  from  one  end  of  the 
country  to  the  other,  setting  up  and  making  the  machinery  ready  for  success- 
ful operation.  It  also  builds  steam  shovels  and  dredges,  dredging,  hoisting 
and  car-pulling  engines,  automatic  safety  jointer  feeders,  and  boilers,  heaters, 
tanks,  burners,  plate  and  structural  work. 

About  1908,  when  the  utilization  of  the  great  waste  of  beet  pulp  in 
beet-sugar  factories  of  this  country  was  still  a  problem  of  economic  manage- 
ment of  this  great  industry,  the  Jackson  &  Church  Company  began  the 
manufacture  of  beet-pulp  drying  machinery  of  improved  type.  The  company 
has  since  done  a  considerable  business  in  this  line,  the  machinery  and  equip- 
ment furnished  for  this  purpose  being  recognized  as  standard;  and  the 
installation  of  such  plants  as  adjuncts  to  sugar  factories  proving  a  source 
of  direct  revenue  to  the  companies  from  the  extensive  sale  of  the  dried  pulp 
for  stock  feeding. 

The  machinery  and  boiler  plant,  meanwhile,  has  grown  and  expanded 
with  the  addition  of  various  machinery  products,  and  is  now  one  of  the 
important  industrial  establishments  of  the  city.  From  a  small  shop  on 
Water  Street,  employing  a  few  mechanics  in  building  engines  and  mill 
machinery,  the  plant  has  spread  out  to  cover  practically  a  square  between 
Hamilton,  Cleveland,  Niagara  and  Madison  Streets  and  nearly  another  city 
Mock  lying  adjacent  thereto.  Steady  employment  is  now  given  to  one 
hundred  and  seventy-five  machinists,  moulders  and  boiler  makers,  and  the 
pay  rolls  are  constantly  growing. 

The  modern  and  well  equipped  machine  shop  fronting  on  Niagara  Street, 
during  working  hours,  is  a  scene  of  well  directed  activity,  and  the  boiler 
works  in  the  new  steel  and  concrete  building  along  Cleveland  Street,   from 


[.38 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


kM 


MACHINE    SHOP   OF    JACKSON    &    CHURCH    COMPANY 

Niagara  to  Hamilton  Street,  is  likewise  a  busy  place.  North  and  west  of 
these  buildings  are  the  foundry,  power  house,  and  material  and  stuck  rooms, 
all  arranged  for  the  most  economical  handling  of  supplies  and  finished  pro- 
duet.  The  plant  is  served  by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  whose  tracks 
enter  the  property,  and  by  the  Saginaw  &  Flint  Railway  (electric  line)  from 
its  Hamilton  Street  tracks. 

Jackson-Church-Wilcox  Company 

Division  of  Genera]   Motors  Company 

In  the  new,  modern  plant  of  the  Jackson-Church-Wilcox  Company, 
division  of  the  General  Motors  Company.  Saginaw  has  a  valuable  acquisition 
to  its  manufactures,  and  it  places  the  iron,  steel  and  machinery  interests  in 
the  front  rank  of  the  city's  industries.  The  original  company  was  incorpor- 
ated on  April  21,  1906,  by  John  L.  Jackson,  Edgar  D.  Church  and  Melvin  L. 
Wilcox,  with  a  capital  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Though  starting  in  a 
small  way  for  the  manufacture  of  light  automobile  parts,  the  advancement  of 
the  company  was  rapid,  the  prestige  of  Messrs.  Jackson  and  Church  in  the 
machinery  trade  and  the  genius  of  M.  L.  Wilcox,  combining  to  promote 
success. 

The  machine  shop  was  first  located  in  a  two-story  brick  building  at 
Hamilton    and    Madison    Streets,    formerly    occupied    by   the    Saginaw    Street 


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HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


VIEW     IN     JACKSON-CHURCH- WILCOX     PLANT 

Railway,  but  which  was  then  a  part  of  the  Jackson  &  Church  plant.  A  part 
of  the  new  machine  simp  <>f  this  company,  which  had  recently  been  built  on 
Niagara  Street,  was  also  utilized  by  the  Jackson-Church-Wilcox  Company, 
whose  office  was  at  321  I  [amilton  Street.  In  these  somewhat  limited  quarters 
the  foundation  of  an  extensive  and  growing  business  was  well  laid,  though  the 
possibilities  of  expansion  were  not  then  fully  realized. 

Xot  long  after  the  shop  was  running  smoothly,  making  essential  parts  for 
some  of  the  leading  automobiles,  the  attention  of  the  company  was  directed 
to  a  radical  improvement  in  steering  gears,  a  patented  device'  by  which  the 
ideal  condition  of  driving  was  obtained.  The  company  began  making  the  new 
gears  on  a  small  scale,  and  soon  proved  the  practical  utility  of  the  device. 
Afterward,  when  manufacture  was  largely  increased,  the  company  purchased 
the  patent  rights  and  gave  to  the  improved  gear  the  trade  name  of  Jacox, 
derived  from  the  names  of  the  incorporators.  This  was  a  master  move,  and 
the  progress  of  the  company  from  that  time  was  rapid. 

In  1909  the  capital  stock  was  increased  from  twenty-five  thousand  dollars 
to  sixty  thousand  dollars,  and  a  site  for  new  shops  was  purchased  at  Hamilton, 
Monroe  ami  Niagara  Streets.  A  new  plant  of  the  most  modern  construction 
was  here  erected  ami  equipped  with  new  automatic  machinery,  the  most  part 
for  the  manufacture  of  Jacox  gears.  Their  largest  customer  was  the  Buick 
Motor  Company,  of  Flint,  whose  requirements  were  constantly  increasing 
and  assuming  mammoth  proportions.  In  order  to  control  the  entire  output 
of  the  new  plant,  and  expand  the  business  to  meet  its  future  needs,  the  Buick 
Company  bought  the  entire  property  of  the  Jackson-Church-Wilcox  Company, 
including  its  patents  and  good  ill'.  The  transfer  was  duly  made,  and  on 
January  20,  1910,  was  held  the  first  meeting  of  directors  of  the  controlling 
interests — the  General  Motors  Company. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


541 


The  plans  of  expansion  at  that  time  evolved  were  laid  on  a  large  scale. 
In  perfect  accord  with  the  policy  of  this  great  corporation,  this  involved  the 
purchase  of  the  entire  block  bounded  by  Hamilton,  Clinton,  Niagara  and 
Monroe  Streets.  It  was  realized  that  here  was  to  arise  a  great  manufacturing 
plant,  and  in  order  to  make  it  a  homogeneous  unit  the  common  council  of 
Saginaw  granted  a  petition  for  closing  of  Monroe  Street,  between  Hamilton 
and  Niagara  Streets,  for  the  purposes  of  the  corporation.  This  having  been 
done  the  new  site  was  cleared  of  buildings  of  various  kinds  and  the  ground 
made  ready  for  the  erection  of  the  big  plant.  The  first  large  addition  was 
built  in  1915,  quickly  followed  by  other  extensions;  and  about  January  1,  1917, 
the  expansion  reached  a  stage  which  nearly  approached  completion. 

The  Jackson-Church-Wilcox  shops  for  the  exclusive  manufacture  of  Jaco.v 
gears  comprises  the  largest  plant  in  the  world  devoted  to  the  manufacture 
of  steering  gears,  and  are,  indeed,  the  most  extensive  making  any  automobile 
unit.  This  is  one  of  the  most  complete  and  mechanically  efficient  plants  in 
the  United  States.  It  is  of  single  floor,  saw-tooth  roof  construction  of  steel, 
concrete  and  brick,  affording  perfect  light  and  ventilation,  and  is  nearly 
fire-proof.  The  entire  plant  covers  an  area  of  four  hundred  and  forty  by  two 
hundred  and  forty  feet,  or,  including  the  two-story  sections,  more  than  three 
acres. 


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THE    "JACOX"    STEERING    GEAR 


542  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

The  plant  is  equipped  with  the  most  advanced  automatic  machinery, 
thereby  greatly  increasing  production  and  reducing  operating  costs.  "Chuck- 
ing" is  done  almost  exclusively  by  compressed  air.  an  improvement  which 
reduces  labor  and  tends  to  increase  efficiency  and  production.  The  lay-out 
of  machinery,  stock  rooms  and  simp  operations  is  such  that  waste  effort  in 
moving  the  various  parts,  which  number  about  one  hundred,  through  the 
various  operations,  is  entirely  eliminated;  and  the  burden,  or  overhead 
charges,  are  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

From  the  receiving  room,  in  which  all  material  is  unloaded  from  railway 
cars  and  trucks,  the  raw  material  passes  directly  to  stock  bins  arranged  in 
order  close  to  the  machines  through  which  it  is  to  pass  in  the  processes  of. 
manufacture.  The  machines  are  so  arranged  that  the  parts  in  course  of  manu- 
facture pass  from  one  to  another  in  the  regular  course  of  factory  operations, 
and  at  last  reach  the  storage  bins,  without  causing  the  least  confusion  or  loss 
of  effort.  From  there  the)  go  to  the  unit  assembly  room,  or  to  the  assembly 
shop,  as  required  in  the  order  of  manufacture.  The  finished  and  inspected 
gears  then  pass  to  the  stock  room  and  are  shipped  to  various  automobile 
manufacturers. 

George  II.  Ilannum.  the  general  manager,  who  was  recently  elected 
president  of  the  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade,  came  to  the  plant  in  1912  in  the 
capacity  of  factory  manager.  It  was  largely  by  his  untiring  efforts  to  increase 
efficiency  that  the  scientific  scheme  of  factory  operations  was  evolved,  and  the 
lay-out  of  the  new,  modern  plant,  as  it  now  stands,  was  adopted.  The  com- 
fort and  convenience  of  the  mechanics  have  also  had  his  earnest  consideration; 
and  for  their  comfort  and  health  a  modern  water  distilling  and  cooling  plant 
was  installed  at  a  cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  This  feature,  which  is  indica- 
tive of  the  progressive  policy  of  the  General  Motor-  Company,  provides  cold 
running  water  of  absolute  purity  to  workmen  and  office  workers. 

The  capacity  of  this  model  manufacturing  plant  has  increased  from 
twenty-seven  thousand  gears  in  1910,  and  fort}'  thousand  in  1912,  to  six 
hundred  thousand  in  the  present  year.  This  is  the  normal  capacity  of  the 
existing  plant,  employing  a  single  shift  numbering  six  hundred  workmen 
on  a  ten  hour  working  schedule.  The  daily  output  on  this  basis  is  about  two 
thousand  finished  gears,  about  half  of  which  are  used  in  Buick  and  other 
automobiles  of  the  General  Motors  Company,  and  the  remainder  is  distributed 
i"  various  manufacturers  of  high-grade  automobiles. 

The  high  reputation  of  Jacox  gears  is  due  very  largely  to  easy  steering 
qualities,  ami  to  positive  action  which  obviates  the  tendency  of  the  car  to 
slew  when  steering  at  an  angle  too  short  for  its  wheel  base.  The  gears  are 
designed  so  that  when  the  proper  linkage  connection  between  the  rocker  arm 
and  the  road  wheel  is  chosen,  a  car  equipped  with  these  gears  will  follow 
an  ordinary  crooked  rut.  ami  at  the  same  time  the  gear  locks  itself  against 
any  sudden  shock,  so  that  a  slight  gripping  of  the  driver's  hand  holds  it  at 
any  time.  The  driver  can  follow  or  feel  his  way  oxer  rough  roads,  or  even 
follow  the  gradual  turn  of  a  street  car  track,  and  striking  a  large  object  in  the 
road  does  not  deflect  the  wheels  or  transmit  a  shock  to  the  handwheel. 

Mitts  &  Merrill 

This  old  representative  concern,  which  for  sixty-three  years  has  been 
well  known  in  the  machinery  trade,  is  one  of  the  substantial  industries  of 
Saginaw,  anil  a  steady  supporter  of  labor  and  civic  progress.  It  was  founded 
m  1S54  by  the  late  George  W.  Merrill,  a  young  machinist  ami  moulder,  who 
was  born  at  (laines.  New  York,  March  4,  1826,  and  came  to  Oakland  County. 
Michigan,  with  his  father's  family  in  1828.  The  beginning  was  mi  a  small 
scale,  the  fi  undry  being  one  of  the  first  established  in  Saginaw  Valley;    and 


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544  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 

the  original  building,  at  1 00' '  Smith  Water  Street,  still  stands,  occupied  for 
many  years  by  the  office  of  the  concern.  Mr.  Merrill  was  a  very  energetic 
and   practical  mechanic,  a  man  of  strong'  character,  will  and   determination. 

By  1859,  when  experiments  were  actively  undertaken  fur  the  discovery 
of  salt  brine  of  commercial  strength  in  this  valley,  Mr.  Merrill  interested 
himself  in  the  first  operations,  and  was  one  of  a  committee,  consisting  , of 
Stephen  R.  Kirby  and  himself,  appointed  by  the  directors  of  the  East  Sagi- 
naw Salt  Manufacturing  Company,  to  go  to  Syracuse,  New  York,  and  investi- 
gate the  methods  there  employed  in  drilling  salt  wells.  Having  given  the 
matter  thorough  study  ami  consideration,  some  tools  and  supplies  were  pur- 
chased there  and  shipped  t<>  Saginaw.  .Much  of  the  machinery  and  equip- 
ment for  drilling  the  first  salt  well,  were  made  in  the  Merrill  shop,  ami  set 
up  and  operated  by  Sanford  Keeler.  A  lull  account  of  these  operations  and 
portraits  of  Mr.  Merrill  and  others  directly  connected  with  the  work,  will  lie 
found  on  pages  430-32.  Later,  equipment  for  drilling  salt  wells  for  the  Sagi- 
naw City  Salt  Company,  the  Bay  City  Salt  Company  and  others,  was  fur- 
nished by  Mr.  Merrill  from  his  slid]). 

In  the  eighteen  sixties  and  until  1871,  the  business  was  conducted  by 
George  W.  Merrill  &  Company,  under  the  trade  name  of  the  "East  Saginaw 
Foundry  and  Machine  shop."  Associated  in  the  company  were  George  W. 
Merrill,  George  C.  Merrill,  Robert  I'..  McKnight,  James  S.  Cornwell  and 
Andrew  W.  Merrill.  The  lines  of  manufacture  had  been  extended  from 
steam  engines,  mill  gearing  and  machinery,  salt  work  machinery,  salt  kettles, 
stoves  and  general  iron  castings,  to  include  brass  and  composition  castings, 
machinery  blacksmithing  and  forging;  and  particular  attention  was  given  to 
jobbing  and  repairing  mill,  salt  block  and  steamboat  machinery.  In  an 
announcement  of  1867  they  said:  "Our  prices  will  be  uniformly  low,  and 
we  will  spare  no  pains  to  please  our  customers."  This  has  become  a  motto 
of  the  company  in  its  extensive  dealings  with  customers  throughout  the 
world. 

It  was  during  the  expansion  of  the  business  that  William  Merrill,  eldest 
son  of  George  \Y.  Merrill,  who  was  born  at  Birmingham,  Michigan,  January 
13,  1851,  was  admitted  to  the  firm;  and  through  other  changes  in  the  organ- 
ization it  was  conducted  under  the  name  of  Merrill,  Hast  wood  >\  Company. 
This  company  continued  the  business  until  1876,  when  on  September  16,  the 
business  was  sold  to  Mitts  &  Merrill,  a  co-partnership  under  which  title  the 
extensive  business  has  since  been  conducted. 

William  Merrill  died  February  16,  1907,  while  on  a  visit  to  his  sister  in 
Boston;  and  on  January  11,  1908,  George  W.  Merrill,  the  founder  of  the 
business,  died  in  Saginaw.  The  present  officers  of  the  company  are: 
Sylvanus  S.  Mitts,  president,  and  Herbert  W.  Merrill,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Herbert  W.  Merrill,  eldest  son  of  William  Merrill,  entered  the  employ  of 
the  firm  in  1896,  starting  as  an  apprentice  in  the  shops  and  working  his  way 
up  through  various  stages  to  a  leading  position  in  the  development  of  the 
business.  lie  possesses  a  fine  mechanical  mind  and  enterprising  spirit,  to 
which  the  successful  expansion  of  the  company's  business  in  the  last  decade- 
is  very  largely  due. 

Within  the  last  thirty  years  the  lines  of  manufacture,  like  nearly  all 
the  machinery  concerns  in  Saginaw,  have  undergone  radical  changes.  From 
steam  engines  and  mill  machinery  the  business  gradually  developed  the  manu- 
facture of  a  patented  "bog,"  a  machine  for  grinding  of  all  kinds  of  wood  into 
chips,  and  which  has  become  a  celebrated  product  sold  in  every  civilized 
ci  mntry  on  the  globe. 

This  business  began  in  a  comparatively  small  way,  in  making  grinders 
for  cutting  up  slabs  and  other  refuse  of  saw  mills  and  wood-working  factories. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  545 


The  uses  of  such  machines  were  gradually  increased  to  include  other  lines  of 
business,  in  which  a  careful  study  of  the  economic  needs  of  each  particular 
use  was  made  by  Herbert  Merrill,  and  special  "hogs"  designed  and  produced 
to  meet  the  special  requirements  of  each.  This  progressive  policy  has  greatly 
increased  the  reputation  and  prestige  of  the  company  in  making  special  and 
dependable  machines  which  effect  a  considerable  saving  in  operation. 

This  feature  is  appreciated  to  the  extent  that  manufacturers  of  dyes 
which  before  the  world  war  were  imported  from  Europe,  have  turned  to 
Mitts  &  Merrill  to  produce  grinders  for  their  special  uses,  and  today  a  con- 
siderable number  of  such  machines,  made  only  in  Saginaw,  are  being  used 
in  the  preparation  of  logwood,  chestnut,  quebaccio,  sumack  and  other  woods 
in  the  manufacture  of  dye  stuffs.  A  grinder  has  also  been  perfected  for 
grinding  up  old  rubber,  in  the  form  of  scrapped  automobile  tires  and  refuse 
in  general,  preparatory  to  its  use  in  making  various  articles  in  the  rubber 
trade. 

An  important  development  of  this  company,  aside  from  the  lines  already 
mentioned,  is  the  patented  keyseater  which  is  recognized  as  a  tool  of  superior 
utility,  and  is  everywhere  known  by  the  machinery  trade.  This  also  started 
in  a  small  way,  but  with  the  introduction  of  many  improvements  over  the 
original  design,  the  keyseater  has  become  known  in  foreign  countries  as  well 
as  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and  the  name  of  Saginaw  is  carried  to 
remote  places  of  the  world. 

At  the  present  time  Mitts  &  Merrill  in  their  different  departments  give 
steady  employment  to  an  increasing  number  of  mechanics,  moulders  and 
workmen;  and  the  annual  production  of  the  company  shows  a  substantial 
gain. 

Valley  Grey  Iron  Foundry  Company 

One  of  Saginaw's  busy  institutions,  which  began  operations  about  ten 
/ears  ago,  but  of  which  little  is  known  by  the  people  of  this  city,  is  the 
Valley  Grey  Iron  Foundry  Company,  whose  model  foundry  is  located  at 
Bristol  and' Water  Streets.  This  is  historic  ground,  for  away  back  in  the 
eighteen-fifties  the  site  was  occupied  by  the  Buena  Vista  House,  kept  by 
John  Jeffers,  and  burned  in  the  great  fire  of  May  20,  1893. 

The  incorporators  of  the  foundry  company,  which  was  organized  April 
12,  1907,  were  Alexander  G.  Finlay,  John  C.  Luetjohan,  Peter  J.  Redmond, 
William  P.  Powell  and  Edward  C."  Mershon,  all  residents  of  this  city.  The 
organization  was  effected  without  publicity,  the  blare  of  trumpets,  or  even 
public  subscriptions  or  assistance  from  the  local  trade  associations;  and  from 
the  beginning  the  company  has  met   with   singular  success. 

The  company  is  partly  co-operative  in  its  industrial  structure,  and  from 
its  inception  ten  or  a  dozen  of  its  skilled  moulders  have  been  owners  and 
holders  of  a  good  portion  of  its  capital  stock,  which  is  twenty  thousand 
dollars,  paid  in.  This  feature  has  had  no  small  influence  in  shaping  the 
-uccess  of  the  compary,  as  labor  troubles  or  disagreements  are  unknown; 
and  when  other  foundries  in  this  city  have  been  shut  down  at  times  by  strikes 
or  other  labor  troubles  the  Valley  Grey  Iron  Foundry  never  lost  a  day's 
operations  from  this  cause.  Three  of  the  incorporators  and  nearly  all  of  the 
original  moulders  in  the  employ  of  the  company,  were  formerly  employees 
of  one  of  the  leading  foundry  companies  of  this  city,  men  who  were  familiar 
with  the  work  and  needs  of  iron  and  machinery  manufacturers  in  this  valley. 
Among  these  are  George  W.  Hesse,  James  Cabot,  James  Hellmus,  Carl  Gabel, 
Robert  Young,  Robert  Arndt,  George  Scott.  R.  W.  Wruck  and  T.   II.   Ford. 

The  Valley  Grey  Iron  Foundry  is  strictly  a  jobbing  shop,  having  large 
contracts   for  grey  iron  castings  of  all   sizes   with  such   large   manufacturers 


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DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  547 

as  William  B.  Mershon  &  Company,  Saginaw  Manufacturing  Company, 
Lufkin  Rule  Company,  National  Engineering  Company,  Erd  Motor  Com- 
pany, Bransfield-I'iillings  Piano  Action  Company,  the  Columbia-Western 
Mills,  the  Stork  Motor  Company  and  many  others.  William  B.  Mershon  & 
Company  alone  use  more  than  six  hundred  tons  of  grey  iron  castings  from 
this  foundry,  valued  at  twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand  dollars,  annually.  The 
total  yearly  production  is  nearly  fifteen  hundred  tons  of  castings,  having  a 
market  value  (1917)  of  about  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 

The  main  foundry  building  is  a  one-story  brick  structure  with  paving 
brick  front,  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  feet  by  eighty  feet  in  dimensions; 
and  the  storage  house  for  raw  materials  and  the  office  is  a  two-story  brick 
building  at  the  corner  of  Bristol  and  Water  Streets.  There  is  also  a  fire- 
proof pattern  storage  room,  for  the  safe  keeping  of  customers'  patterns.  The 
whole  plant  is  equipped  with  the  most  modern  appliances,  employing  skilled 
moulders  and  mechanics,  and  turning  out  a  high  ^rade  of  castings.  About 
iorty  men  are  employed  in  the  foundry  during  busiest  portions  of  the  year. 

Alexander  G.  Finlay,  president  of  the  company,  is  an  old  and  experienced 
moulder  by  trade,  and  knows  every  detail  and  requirement  of  the  large 
machinery  manufacturing  concerns  of  Saginaw  Valley,  and  gives  his  un- 
divided attention  to  the  operations  of  the  foundry.  He  came  to  East  Saginaw 
in  1877  and  entered  the  employ  of  Bartlett  &  Spindler,  founders  and  mill 
machinery  house,  afterward  A.  F.  Bartlett  iK:  Company.  For  thirty  years 
he  was  closely  connected  with  this  large  and  prosperous  business,  the  last 
twenty-one  years  as  foreman  of  the  foundry.  With  the  intimate  knowledge 
thus  gained  of  the  demands  of  the  machinery  trade,  he  was  well  qualified  to 
open  up  and  conduct  a  successful  foundry. 

John  C.  Luetjohan,  the  capable  assistant  to  Mr.  Finlay  in  foundry  opera- 
tions, is  also  an  old  Bartlett  employee,  and  came  to  the  new  concern  with 
experience  and  skill  at  his  command,  qualities  which  are  constantly  mani- 
fested in  the  successful  operation  of  the  model  foundry. 

Peter  J.  Redmond,  secretary  of  the  company,  is  a  well  known  business 
man  of  Saginaw,  and  has  charge  of  all  financial  and  office  affairs  of  the 
foundry.  In  his  active  life  he  has  been  connected  with  some  of  the  large 
successful  institutions  of  this  city,  and  was  deputy  postmaster  under  the 
postmastership  of  Abram  G.  Wall,"  from  1894  to  1898. 

National  Engineering  Company 

Like  many  other  of  Saginaw's  successful  industries  the  National  En- 
gineering Company,  which  started  in  a  small  way  more  than  twenty  years 
ago,  has  gradually  built  up  a  large  business  giving  employment  to  a  con- 
siderable number  of  skilled  mechanics  and  other  workmen.  In  May,  18' '5. 
a  few  business  men  organized  the  Walcott  Windmill  Company,  for  the 
purpose  of  manufacturing  windmills  of  an  improved  type.  The  factory  was 
on  South  Niagara  Street,  and  for  eight  years  the  company  carried  on  a  more 
or  less  successful  business  with  a  somewhat  doubtful  future. 

At  length  the  windmill  business  was  discontinued,  and  in  May,  1903,  the 
company  was  reorganized  under  the  present  title  with  a  paid-in  capital  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  officers  of  the  new  company  were:  Aaron  P. 
Bliss,  president;  Willis  G.  Van  Auken,  vice-president  and  treasurer;  and 
E.  C.  Loomis.  secretary. 

At  this  time  the  new  company  began  the  manufacture  of  wood  tanks 
and  gasoline  engines  of  various  sizes  for  general  farm  use.  This  business 
gave  great  promise  of  success,  and  an  improved  motor  for  pumping  water, 
known  as  No.  J   Pumping  Engine,  was   introduced.      By  reason  of  its  being 


548 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


MACHINE    SHOPS    OF    NATIONAL    ENGINEERING    COMPANY 

directlv  connected  to  the  pump,  without  the  use  of  a  pump-jack,  this  engine 
at  once  met  with  great  favor;  and  a  large  contract  was  entered  into  with  the 
Kewanee  Water  and  Supply  Company,  of  Kewanee,  Illinois,  fur  such  motors. 
This  contract  continued  in  force  for  four  or  five  years  with  varying  degrees  of 
success,  though  without   much  profit  to  the  engine  builders. 

About  1907.  when  the  automobile  business  was  beginning  to  expand  to 
such  proportions  as  to  tax  the  production  capacity  of  the  leading  manufac- 
turers, the  company  decided  to  take  up  crank-shaft  finishing.  The  plant  was 
moved  into  the  larger  machine  shops  of  the  Moffett  Vehicle  Bearing  Com- 

panv.    whose    patents,    g 1    will    and    business    had    recently    been    sold    by 

Messrs.  Bliss  &  Van  Auken,  its  principal  stockholders,  to  New  York  City 
parties  and  the  business  removed  there.  In  the  better  equipped  shops  the 
company  undertook  the  machining  and  finishing  of  all  crank  shafts  used  in 
the  two-cylinder  Reo  car  and  other  automobiles.  Later,  when  the  larger 
vertical  cylinder  engine  was  introduced  for  automobiles,  the  company  finished 
crank  shaft-  for  the  four-throw  Reo  motors,  a  business  which  continued  on  a 
profitable  basis  for  five  years. 

Since  l'»12  the  National  Engineering  Company  has  operated  very 
successfully  in  the  same  line,  having  large  contracts  with  the  Buick,  Chev- 
rolet, <  'Ids'  Motor  and  other  companies,  and  has  attained  a  high  reputation 
for  the  general  excellence  of  its  work. 

On  February  1A  1916,  the  prosperous  business,  including  plant,  machine 
shops  and  good  will,  was  sold  to  Lansing  capitalists.  The  reorganized 
company,  which  retains  the  old  name,  has  a  capital  of  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars  ;' and  the  manufacturing  operations  are  carried  on  on  a  larger  scale 
than  before.  The  officers  of  the  company  are  :  C.  P.  Downey,  president ;  J. 
W.  Wilford,  vice-president  and  treasurer;  E.  C.  Shields,  secretary,  all  of 
Lansing;  T.  M.  Carpenter,  general  manager,  and  Alexander  Liddle,  Junior, 
superintendent. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


549 


At  about  this  time  the  company  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  North- 
way  Motor  &  Manufacturing  Company,  of  Detroit,  for  finishing  fifty-six 
thousand  crank  shafts  for  automobile  motors,  of  which  they  are  large  pro- 
ducers. Recently  a  contract  for  finishing  ten  thousand  crank  shafts  for  the 
Republic  .Motor  Truck  Company,  of  Alma,  was  taken.  The  shop  equipment 
was  increased  in  1917  by  the  addition  of  six  automatic  grinders  and  other 
machinery,  and  the  production  capacity  raised  from  two  hundred  and 
seventy-five  to  four  hundred  crankshafts  a  clay,  or  about  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  a  year,  with  a  contract  value  approaching  half  a  million 
dollars. 

Under  the  increased  schedule  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  machinists 
and  workmen  are  given  steady  employment  at  good  wages.  A  premium 
system  of  computing  earnings  is  employed,  whereby  a  day's  pay  is  deter- 
mined by  the  number  of  single  operations  performed  by  the  workman.  Each 
mechanic  is  paid  a  certain  amount  per  hour  for  a  regular  quota  of  operations 
per  day,  and  a  further  allowance  is  paid  for  all  operations  performed  in 
excess  of  his  quota.  Under  this  system  the  workmen  have  a  constant 
incentive  to  speed  up  their  work,  and  the  more  skilled  often  double 
their  quota  of  operations.  The  production  is  thus  greatly  increased  and 
labor  troubles  reduced  to  a  minimum. 

It  is  such  progressive  concerns  as  this  which  are  building  up  the  indus- 
trial structure  of  Saginaw,  and  are  advancing  the  prosperity  of  the  city  more 
than  is  generally  realized.  Without  local  publicity  or  advertising  they  are 
extending  their  business,  adding  to  plant  and  equipment,  and  employing  more 
workmen.  The  distribution  of  larger  pay  mils  increases  the  amount  of 
money  in  circulation,  which  finds  its  way  into  every  mercantile  trade,  and  is 
reflected  in  the  constantly  increasing  bank  deposits. 

Labor  conditions  in  Saginaw  Valley,  especially  in  the  factories,  have 
been  very  satisfactory  for  a  number  of  years.  The  diversity  of  our  industries 
tends  to  stabilize  the  labor  market,  and  encourage  steady  employment  and 
permanent  residence.  The  wage  scale  is  generally  fair  to  the  mechanics  and 
workmen,  considering  the  living  conditions  here,  and  strikes  or  serious  labor 
difficulties  are  almost  unknown. 


GRINDING     CRANK     SHAFTS.     NATIONAL     ENGINEERING     COMPANY 


550  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


Werner  &  Pfleiderer  Company 

Institutions,  like  individuals,  have  prestige  and  prominence  based  upon 
their  intrinsic  value  and  the  merit  of  their  work  and  products.  Among  tin- 
leading  industries  of  Saginaw,  to  which  this  maxim  applies  with  peculiar 
force,  is  the  Werner  &  Pfleiderer  Company,  patentees  and  manufacturers  of 
mixing  and  kneading  machines  of  various  sizes  and  types  and  for  specific 
purposes,  everywhere  used  in  some  of  the  leading  trades. 

The  products  of  this  highly  successful  concern,  all  made  in  this  city, 
are  a  complete  line  of  machinery  and  appliances  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
bread,  biscuits,  cakes,  macaroni,  vermicelli,  noodles  and  other  flour  products, 
and  mixers  for  the  chemical,  pharmaceutical  and  rubber-working  trades.  So 
essentia]  are  these  machines  that  they  are  regarded  as  universal,  and  a  neces- 
sar)  economic  equipment  of  all  modern  plants.  The  extensive  line  of  ma- 
chinery consists  i  if  sifters,  elevators,  blenders,  conveyors,  bins,  mixers, 
dividers,  rounders,  proofers,  moulders,  troughs,  racks,  presses  (hydraulic  and 
screw  i.  kneaders,  dough  brakes,  etc.  A  special  feature  of  the  business,  which 
has  grown  to  be  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  this  country,  is  the  equipping  of 
entire  bakeries  and  macaroni  plants;  and  the  company  furnishes,  through  its 
efficient  engineering  department,  blue-print  suggestions  for  new  plants  or 
alterations  of  old  ones. 

The  manufacturing  plant  in  Saginaw  is  the  outgrowth  of  an  extensive 
business,  which  was  founded  in  Germany  more  than  half  a  century  ago. 
Like  many  other  industries  its  development  was  slow  and  attended  with 
difficulties.  Old  bakers  who  clung  to  the  primitive  practices  of  their  fore- 
fathers, had  to  be  educated  to  the  advantages  of  scientific,  sanitary  and  expe- 
ditious methods  now  quite  generally  followed,  and  the  public  had  t <  >  be 
convinced  that  the  bakers'  loaf  was  wholesome,  appetizing  and  economical. 
Eventually  the  business  became  thoroughly  established  in  Europe,  and  its 
founder,  the  late  Herrn  Commerzienrat  Hermann  Werner,  of  Cannstatt, 
began  to  look  about  for  markets  in  other  countries  and  especially  in  America. 

It  was  a  fortunate  circumstance  for  Saginaw  and,  indeed,  the  State  of 
Michigan,  that  Ilerr  Werner  chose  this  city  for  the  location  of  its  American 
business.  In  18'»7  the  first  steps  were  taken  to  establish  a  permanent  trade 
in  this  country,  and  by  an  arrangement  with  the  Saginaw  Board  of  Trade 
about  two  acres  of  land  was  purchased  at  the  west  end  of  the  Bristol  Street 
Bridge,  and  the  original  factory  building  erected.  From  a  small  beginning 
the  business  has  increased  year  by  year  to  the  mammoth  proportions  it  has 
now  attained,  making  it  one  of  the  largest  institutions  of  its  kind  in  the 
world.  The  factory  structure  has  undergone  constant  additions  and  the 
working  force  steadily  increased.  At  length  the  original  site  was  deemed 
inadequate  to  accommodate  the  prospective  buildings  which  the  future  busi- 
ness would  demand,  and  a  new  site  on  I  less  venue,  near  South  Jefferson 
Avenue,  was  selected.  In  1913  a  new  and  completely  equipped  foundry  and 
pattern  shop  was  erected  thereon,  the  first  units  of  a  huge  modern  plant 
which  should  be  a  distinctive  model  of  its  kind.  The  cost  of  these  first  units 
approximated  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  several  times  this  amount 
will  be  expended  before  the  big  plant  is  completed  in  its  entirety. 

The  dimensions  of  the  foundry,  in  which  all  the  castings  used  by  the 
company  are  made,  are  one  hundred  by  one  hundred  and  forty  feet;  and 
the  foundry  equipment  is  the  best  known  to  the  trade.  Close  by  is  the 
pattern  shop  and  experimental  bakery,  fifty  by  one  hundred  feet  in  size. 
The  entire  upper  floor  of  the  new  building  is  used  for  the  pattern  shop  and 
for  the  storage  of  patterns,  while  the  lower  floor  is  intended  for  the  practical 
working  display  of  the  full  equipment  for  a  modern  baker}'.  In  this  exhibit 
are  shown  all  the  machinery  used  in  the  making  of  bread,  biscuits,  cake,  etc., 


HERMANN    WERNER 
Founder  of  The  Werner  &   Pfleiclerer  Company 


552 


HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


' 


■ 


MACHINE    SHOPS    OF    WERNER    &    PFLEIDERER 

including  a  traveling  chain  oven  having  a  capacity  of  twenty-five  thousand 
loaves  in  ten  hours.  An  oven  of  this  kind  costs  a  baker)  almost  twenty 
thousand  dollars. 

The  main  building  of  the  plant,  which  will  be  a  perfectly  equipped 
machine  shop,  will  have  dimensions  of  three  hundred  by  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet,  and,  with  the  units  already  erected,  cover  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  seventeen  acres  comprising  the  factory  site.  Of  the  most  approved 
construction  lending  abundant  light  ami  ventilation,  the  new  machine  shop 
will  provide  every  facility  for  high  efficiency  of  its  skilled  mechanics,  and 
will  be  equipped  with  the  best  automatic  machinery.  When  completed  the 
capacity  of  the  plant  will  be  more  than  doubled,  and  the  working  force 
materially  increased.  In  1917,  when  the  machine  shop  still  occupied  the 
original  plant  with  enlargements,  the  total  number  of  mechanics  ami  work- 
men exceeded  two  hundred. 

Besides  the  head  office  of  the  company  at  Saginaw,  branch  offices  are 
maintained  at  New  York  City,  Philadelphia  and  San  Francisco;  and  there 
are  European  houses  at  Cannstatt,  Berlin,  Cologne,  Hamburg,  Moscow, 
Vienna,  Milano,  Paris,  London.  Buenos  Aires,  Argentine,  under  the  direct 
management  of  the  general  offices  at   Cannstatt. 

In  the  manufacture  of  the  diversified  machinery  products  of  Werner  & 
Pfleiderer.  at  its  Saginaw  plant,  about  five  thousand  tons  of  raw  material 
are  annually  consumed,  and  the  amount  is  constantly  increasing.  The  popu- 
larity of  "Universal"  kneading  and  mixing  machines  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
it  is  the  only  apparatus  which  combines  in  itself  a  perfect  mixer  and  a 
thoroughly  efficient  kneader.  It  is  entirely  distinct  from  all  others,  and  the 
great  success  it  lias  attained  in  all  parts  of  the  globe  proves  that  it  possesses 
unsurpassed  qualities  and  is  of  first  cla>s  construction.  As  to  speed,  blades 
ami  other  details  of  operation,  the  concern  builds  special  machines  to  suit 
the  numerous  and  peculiar  requirements  of  various  trades.  There  are  now 
about  fifty  thousand  "Universal"  kneading  and  mixing  machines  at  work  in 
all  parts  of  the  wi  irld. 

Another  important  product  of  the  company  is  a  steam  pipe,  draw  plate 
liven,  which  built  and  set  up  in  batteries  of  one  to  ten,  provide  modern 
bakeries  with  facilities,  of  the  most  sanitary  and  economic  nature,  for  pro- 
ducing from  ten  to  one  hundred  thousand  loaves  of  bread  in  ten  hours.     A 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


553 


large  number  of  such  batteries  have  been  installed  by  leading  baking  com- 
panies in  the  largest  cities,  and  the  ovens  have  become  a  standard  product  in 
the  baking  trade. 

The  "Improved"  loaf  dough  divider,  introduced  to  the  trade  in  1905, 
is  a  product  of  the  mechanical  and  inventive  genius  of  the  concern,  and  is 
entirely  automatic  in  its  action.  It  divides  with  absolute  accuracy  all  kinds 
of  dough,  especially  straight  doughs,  without  the  least  injury.  By  means 
of  a  newly  devised  conveyor  arrangement  the  loaves  can  be  delivered  singly 
and  without  further  handling  direct  to  the  moulding  machine.  This  ma- 
chine pays  for  itself  in  a  short  time  through  the  economies  it  effects.  Its 
output  varies  from  one  thousand  to  forty-two  hundred  loaves  per  hour,  and 
it  divides  loaves  from  twelve  to  thirty-six  ounces  in  weight. 

There  are  also  rounders,  dough  moulders,  blenders,  wrapping  machines, 
sifters,  flour  and  water  scales  and  other  equipment  in  the  long  list  of  products 
of  this  enterprising  firm.  The  macaroni  and  vermicelli  making  machinery, 
and  mixers  for  the  exacting  uses  of  the  chemical  and  pharmaceutical  trade-. 
a-  well  as  in  making  gunpowder,  celluloid,  artificial  silk,  etc.,  are  standard  of 
their  kind. 

In  the  rubber-working  trade  the  washers  and  mixers  built  by  Werner  & 
Pfleiderer  have  advantage-  over  all  others  of  the  kind.  The  "old  way  of 
washing  crude  rubber  was  to  pass  the  rubber  between  adjustable  rollers 'that 
forced  it  out  into  a  thin  sheet,  and  then,  by  mean-  of  a  flow  of  water,  wash 
away  the  impurities.  The  action  of  the  rollers  being  rather  severe,  tended 
to  impair  or  damage  the  life  and  nerve  of  the  rubber,  and  the  capacity  of 
the  rollers  was  limited.  The  "Universal"  rubber  washer  was  designed  to 
bring  every  particle  of  rubber  into  contact  with  water,  and  by  allowing  the 
water  to  escape,  carry  away  all  impurities  with  it.  By  causing  the  two  cor- 
rugated washing  roll's  to  revolve  towards  one  another  at  slightly  different 
speeds,  so  as  to  lacerate  and  mix  the  material  effectively,  every  "particle  is 
brought  to  the  surface  and  exposed  to  the  water  sprayed  from  above.  Eighty 
pounds  of  Para  and  similar  grades  can  be  thoroughly  washed  in  front  ten 
to  twenty  minutes,  and  other  grades  according  to  the  condition  of  the  gum 
and  the  degree  of  purity  desired.  The  ".Masticator"  and  mixers  for  making 
rubber  solution,  or  cement,  are  also  machines  of  standard  type  used  in  work- 
ing rubber  into  useful  products. 


THE  NEW  FOUNDRY  AND  PATTERN  SHOP 


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Type   V  Mixer 


Paper    Pulper  Rapid    Dissolver 

Type  X  Mixer  Type   IX  Mixer 

Vacuum  Mixer  Masticator  Rubber   Washer 


UNIVERSAL    KNEADING    AND    MIXING    MACHINES 


Dough    Mixer 

f    Rounder 

1  »raw    Plate    Ovens 

Dough   Divider 

Brake 

Macaroni   Press 

Kneader 

MACHINERY    AND    OVENS    USED     IN     BAKING     AND     MACARONI     INDUSTRIES 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


557 


EMIL     STAEHLE 


The  "Universal"  paper  pulper  is  another  practical  machine  which  dis- 
integrates all  kinds  and  grades  of  paper,  such  as  dry  or  wet  broken,  shav- 
ings, trimming,  coated  paper,  ledger,  bond,  writing,  old  papers,  news,  box 
board  cuttings,  scrap,  etc.,  in  fact  all  classes  of  paper  stock  having  no  canvas 
or  linen  lining.  While  not  taking  the  place  of  the  "beater"  in  common  use  in 
paper  mills,  the  pulping  machine  dues  dissolve  the  paper  stock  and  facilitates 
the  mill  operations.  In  some  cases  paper  disintegrated  in  the  "Universal" 
can  be  passed  directly  to  the  stuff  chests,  and  no  "broken"  will  show  up  in 
the  new  sheet  of  paper.  Working  up  the  loose  broken  and  storing  it  in  bins 
in  its  wet  state,  eliminates  the  constant  danger  of  fire,  and  enables  the  mill 
to  use  a  larger  percentage  in  the  beaters.  The  capacity  of  the  machine  is 
four  hundred  pounds  per  hour. 

In  all  the  activities  of  this  progressive  firm,  so  far  as  the  extensive 
American  trade  is  concerned,  Emil  Staehle  is  the  governing  and  managing 
head.  He  has  been  connected  with  this  part  of  the  business  since  it  was 
established  in  this  country,  and  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  every  detail 
of  manufacturing  and  distribution  of  the  machinery-  products.  To  him  is 
largely  due  the  remarkable  expansion  of  the  trade  in  America,  and  the 
bright  future  of  the  firm  in  this  department  of  its  international  business. 
Mr.  Staehle  is  a  man  of  extensive  travel  and  broad  education,  and  is  an 
honored  citizen  of  Saginaw,  having  filled  position  of  trust  and  responsibility 
in  commercial  life,  for  several  years  being  vice-president  of  the  Saginaw 
Board  of  Trade,  to  which  he  devoted  much  earnest  attention.  He  is  of  that 
all  too  small  class  of  business  men  who  accomplish  much  without  the  blare 
of  trumpets  or  the  acclaim  of  citizens,  but  whose  influence  is  nevertheless 
felt  in  tile  community  in  which  his  interests  are  centered. 


558  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

S.  Fair  &  Son,  Inc. 

To  what  extent  a  prosperous  business  may  be  built  up  from  a  small 
beginning  is  well  exemplified  by  the  successful  career  of  S.  Fair  &  Son,  Inc. 
The  business  was  started  in  1898  by  the  late  Samuel  Fair,  Sr.,  as  a  plow 
factory,  and  was  located  on  North  Hamilton  Street,  between  Madison  and 
Monroe,  the  site  of  the  present  modern  foundry.  By  degrees  a  profitable 
trade  was  worked  up,  and  the  prospect  of  rapid  expansion  was  very  bright. 
In  1905  the  demand  for  grey  iron  castings  for  sewer  work  and  special  uses 
led  Mr.  Fair  to  start  a  grey  iron  foundry,  lie  was  a  thoroughly  practical 
moulder  and  founder,  and  in  this  departure  made  a  distinct  success.  After  a 
life  of  activity  in  trade  and  business  he  died  October  21,  1916,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-i  >ne  years. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  grey  iron  foundry  Louis  Fair,  now  president 
of  the  company,  entered  his  father's  employ.  He  applied  himself  diligently 
to  the  various  duties  of  the  office,  ami  at  length  acquired  a  full  knowledge  of 
the  business.  Meanwhile  Samuel  Fair,  Junior,  was  foreman  of  the  foundry, 
in  the  practical  operation  of  which  he  showed  efficiency,  and  the  Fair 
foundry  earned  a  high   reputation   for  the  general  excellence  of  its  castings. 

So  rapid  was  the  expansion  of  the  foundry  trade  that  in  1909  the  con- 
cern was  incorporated  under  the  above  title,  with  a  capital  stock  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars,  and  new  responsibilities  were  assumed  by  the  younger 
men.  The  foundry  was  newly  equipped  for  the  making  of  crucible  steel 
castings  of  high  grade,  mostly  for  outside  trade,  and,  inasmuch  as  this  was 
the  second  foundry  of  the  kind  to  be  established  in  Michigan,  there  was  a 
steady  demand  for  its  products.  These  consisted  principally  of  small  steel 
castings  for  some  of  the  largest  automobile  builders  in  Detroit,  Flint,  Lansing 
and  Pontiac.  This  business  proved  very  successful,  and  helped  to  bring  to 
the  attention  of  motor  car  makers  the  superior  advantages  of  Saginaw  as  a 
manufacturing  center  for  automobile  parts  and   units. 

In  1**1-1-  the  steady  growth  of  the  business  demanded  further  facilities 
in  the  way  of  foundry  extensions,  and  the  capital  stock  was  increased  to 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  The  officers  elected  at  this  partial  reorgan- 
ization were :  Samuel  Fair,  Sr.,  president ;  Louis  G.  Fair,  vice-president, 
and  Mae  M.  Fair,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Miss  Fair,  who  was  a  young 
woman  of  unusual  business  ability,  had  entire  charge  of  the  financial  affairs 
of  the  company  and  attended  to  the  general  office  work.  She  died  May 
11,  1916.  Soon  after  the  reorganization  was  effected,  the  construction  of  a 
new  foundry  was  begun,  and  on  the  site  of  the  old  plow  factory  and  adjoin- 
ing land  there  soon  arose  a  large  modern  foundry,  equipped  with  all  essential 
machinery,  furnaces  and  tools. 

Meanwhile  the  European  War  had  demoralized  the  iron  and  steel  trade 
of  this  country,  and  interfered  with  importations  of  many  essential  mate- 
rials and  supplies  from  Germany.  Among  the  very  necessary  supplies  were 
German  crucibles,  made  from  a  particular  clay  obtained  only  in  that  country. 
These  crucibles  were  required  for  the  crucible  steel  furnaces,  and  when  the 
supply  was  exhausted  the  old  furnaces  were  displaced  by  an  entirely  new 
type. 

Early  in  1915  a  Snyder  electric  steel  melting  furnace  of  large  capacity 
was  installed  in  the  foundry  at  a  cost  of  fourteen  thousand  dollars.  This 
was  a  decided  innovation  in  the  foundry  trade  of  Saginaw  and,  indeed,  of 
Michigan.  The  new  furnace  not  only  increased  the  output  one  hundred 
per  cent  but  effected  surprising  economies  of  operation.  It  was  one  of 
only  seven  furnaces  of  the  kind  in  the  1'nited  States,  and  its  installation  in 
the  steel  foundry  here  emphasizes  the  progressive  policy  of  S.  Fair  e\:  Son, 
Inc. 


560 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


ELECTRIC    FURNACE   AT   S.    FAIR   &    SON,    INC. 

The  making  of  vanadium  steel  castings  of  high  grade  was  at  once 
begun,  and  consisted  mostly  of  automobile  parts  requiring  tremendous 
strength  and  toughness.  To  the  credit  of  the  concern  it  may  be  said  that. 
due  to  the  uniform  excellence  of  its  castings  and  to  economical  and  efficient 
management,  the  foundry  lias  since  worked  to  full  capacity  on  contracts 
with  some  of  the  largest  makers  of  high  class  automobiles. 

A  considerable  amount  of  electrical  energy  is  consumed  in  this  furnace. 
which  permits  of  six  or  seven  beats,  or  meltings,  a  day.  and  is  furnished  by 
the  local  power  company,  at  a  low  rate,  but  at  an  average  cost  of  one  thou- 
sand dollars  monthly.  About  fifty  moulders  and  founders,  grinders  and 
"tlier  laborers  are  employed  in  the  foundry.  The  monthly  output  is  about 
one  hundred  tons  of  small  high  grade  vanadium  steel  castings;  and  the 
yearly  production,  at  the  prevailing  prices  of  vanadium  steel  products,  i> 
nearly  half  a  million  dollars. 

The  immediate  requirements  of  the  foundry,  in  the  way  of  extensions 
to  meet  the  constantly  increasing  trade,  lias  recently  been  filled  In-  the  in- 
stallation of  a  second  electric  steel  melting  furnace  of  improved  type.  This 
furnace  embodies  all  the  essential  economic  features  of  the  other,  and  in 
addition  provides  for  quick  renewing  of  the  furnace  lining,  thus  reducing  the 
time  the  furnace  is  put  out  of  use.  Furthermore,  the  linings  are  renewed 
only  half  as  frequently,  the  capacity  of  the  furnace  being  doubled  therebv. 
These  improvements  in  the  electric  furnace  were  made  by  the  Fair  brothers, 
who  are  always  alert  to  provide  efficient  and  economical  operation  of  the 
foundry.  The  building  of  this  furnace  here  speaks  well  for  the  ingenuity  and 
practical  knowledge  of  Louis  (1.  Fair,  anil  of  the  progressiveness  displayed 
by  the  concern. 

The  present  officers  of  the  company  are:  Louis  (i.  Fair,  president 
and  treasurer;  Ernest  A.  Snow,  vice-president,  and  Elizabeth  Houlihan, 
secretary. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  501 


Saginaw  Plate  Glass  Company 

During  1859  a  number  of  progressive  business  men  of  this  city,  desiring 
to  utilize  the  natural  resources  and  give  impetus  to  the  growing  prosperity 
of  Saginaw  Valley,  conceived  the  idea  of  locating  a  plate  glass  factory  here. 
The  idea  took  definite  form  and  soon  a  plan  was  worked  out  for  the  incor- 
poration of  a  stock  company  having  a  capital  of  three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  The  stock  was  quickly  subscribed  and  the  organization 
of  the  company  effected. 

Among  the  incorporators  were:  William  J.  Wickes,  John  L.  Jackson, 
Benton  Hanchett,  Frederick  W.  Carlisle.  Frank  G.  Palmerton,  James  G. 
Macpherson,  T.  E.  Dorr,  E.  F.  Achard  and  Samuel  G.  Higgins.  The  officers 
were:  Frederick  W.  Carlisle,  president;  William  J.  Wickes,  vice-president; 
Samuel  G.  Higgins,  secretary;  E.  F.  Achard,  treasurer,  and  Thomas  L.  Kerr, 
general  manager.  All  the  original  promoters  of  this  successful  industry, 
which  was  entirely  new  to  this  section  of  Michigan,  were  Saginaw  capital- 
ists with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Kerr,  lie  was  a  practical  plate  glass  maker 
who  came  from  Pittsburg  to  superintend  the  erection  of  the  plant,  and  after- 
wards to  operate  it. 

In  order  to  secure  an  ample  tract  of  land  contiguous  to  the  river  and 
having  adequate  railroad  facilities,  the  present  site  was  selected.  The  loca- 
tion is  a  very  advantageous  one,  providing  an  abundance  of  water  direct 
from  the  river,  superior  transportation  facilities,  and  also  affording  a  dump- 
ing ground  on  the  low  lands  adjoining  the  factory  for  the  natural  wastes  of 
manufacture.  At  that  time  there  was  a  great  demand  for  plate  glass  creat- 
ing a  ready  market,  a  condition  which  has  prevailed  except  at  brief  inter- 
vals. The  original  plant  was  erected  and  equipped  for  an  annual  capacity 
of  one  million  square  feet  of  plate  glass,  winch  was  considered  a  fair  output 
at  that   time. 

During  the  ten  years  following  the  opening  of  the  plant  a  marked  in- 
crease in  the  consumption  of  plate  glass  developed  in  this  country.  A  fact 
not  generally  known  is,  in  consequence  of  tile  tremendous  expansion  of  the 
automobile  industry  in  Michigan,  which  uses  a  great  quantity  of  plate  glass 
for  windshields  and  enclosed  bodies,  this  State  is  now  the  largest  consumer 
of  plate  glass  in  the  United  States.  At  least  fifteen  per  cent,  of  the  total 
production  of  the  country  is  used  in  .Michigan,  a  large  proportion  of  which 
finds  its  way  into  the  finishing  of  motor  cars,  while  a  moderate  quantity  is 
used  for  mirrors  by  the  great  furniture  factories  of  Grand  Rapids  and  else 
where. 

To  avail  themselves  of  the  active  market  thus  created,  the  present  man- 
agement of  the  company  thought  wise  to  increase  the  production  of  plate 
glass,  and  in  1913  and  the  following  year  made  extensive  additions  to  the 
plant  and  equipment.  The  original  capacity  of  the  plant  was  thus  more  than 
trebled  and  today,  when  all  the  improved  equipment  is  in  fine  working  con- 
dition, the  output  is  fully  four  million  square  feet  of  glass.  Running  at  full 
capacity  the  plant  employs  three  hundred  and  fifty  men.  some  operations 
being  on  a  double  or  three-shift  basis,  which  is  necessary  in  some  instances 
on  account  of  the  nature  of  the  work. 

In  the  original  equipment  of  the  factory  much  of  the  special  glass  mak- 
ing machinery  was  purchased  in  the  Pittsburg  district  and  adapted  to  the 
needs  and  requirements  here.  Later,  when  improved  methods  and  economic 
management  were  adopted,  all  special  machinery  installed  in  the  plant  was 
designed  by   employees  of   the   plate   glass  company   ami   made   in    Saginaw. 


562 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE      MAMMOTH       PLANT      OF      THE 


Jn  this  departure,  the  iron  works  of  Wickes  Brothers,  Jackson  &  Church 
and  others,  which  had  furnished  the  numerous  engines  and  hatteries  of 
boilers  used,  derived  a  considerable  amount  of  business  which  gave  steady 
employment  to   local  mechanics  and  workmen. 

Within  the  last  ten  or  fifteen  years  many  improved  methods  of  making 
plate  glass  have  been  put  in  use,  and  at  present  everything  is  handled 
mechanically,  in  sharp  contrast  to  manual  labor  formerly  employed.  This 
effects  threat  economies  of  operation,  huge  conveyors  and  handling  devices 
in  casting  and  transporting  glass  through  the  various  operations,  being 
notable  additions  to  the  highly  efficient  plant.  The  equipment  has  also 
been  augmented  by  furnaces  of  much  larger  capacity,  and  an  annealing  lehr 
two  hundred  and  eighty  feet  long,  designed  to  make  plates  as  large  as  twelve 
by  twenty  feet,  which  are  as  large  as  any  used  in  this  country.  Formerly 
plates  eight  by  thirteen  were  the  maximum  of  size  produced.  The  furnaces 
are   operated    by    producer   gas    made   on    the   premises   from    Saginaw   coal. 

The  making  of  plate  glass  requires  a  great  quantity  of  heat  and  power, 
which  is  produced  at  the  plant  by  a  producer  gas  plant  and  by  a  large  battery 
of  boilers.  Saginaw  coal  is  used  exclusively,  two  hundred  and  fifty  tons 
being  required  daily  to  produce  the  required  energy  in  various  forms.  The 
raw  materials  used  in  making  plate  glass  on  a  large  scale  are  a  considerable 
item  of  tonnage;  and  the  products,  including  salt  in  big  quantities,  com- 
prise steady  shipments.  The  freight  movement  to  and  from  the  plant  is 
extensive,  not  less  than  twenty-five  loaded  cars  entering  and  leaving  the 
plant  daily,  and  about  equally  divided  between  coal  I  inbound  I.  salt  I  out- 
bound), and  other  raw   materials  and  finished  products. 

At  the  time  the  glass  plant  was  established  the  promotors  had  in  mind 
the  utilization  of  the  great  quantity  of  waste  exhaust  steam  from  the  various 
operations,  but  it  was  not  until  1905  that  the  directors  ,,f  the  company  de- 
cided upon  building  a   modern  salt  block  adjoining  the  plate  glass  plant.      In 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


r»63 


SAGINAW      PLATE      GLASS      COMPANY 


that  year  a  very  complete  salt  making  plant  was  erected,  having  ten  grainers 
constructed  throughout  of  reinforced  concrete,  and  with  a  capacity  of  about 
seven  hundred  barrels  daily.  The  equipment  was  in  advance  of  any  salt 
block  in  Michigan,  every  process  and  handling  of  the  product  being  auto- 
matic. Later  two  additional  grainers  were  built  and  several  salt  wells  drilled 
and  equipped,  increasing  the  output  to  one  thousand  barrels  of  salt  daily, 
or  eight  car  loads.  Salt  is  shipped  to  a  ready  market  in  the  Central  and 
Southern  States,  the  well  known  purity  and  non-hardening  qualities  of 
"Saginaw"  salt  giving  it  a  high  reputation  wherever  used.  An  interesting 
account  of  the  making  of  salt  in  this  modern  plant  is  included  in  the  chapter 
on  "The  Salt  Industry,"  pages  440-44.  About  thirty  men  are  employed  in 
this  department,  principally  in  packing  the  salt  in  barrels  for  shipment. 

To  further  utilize  all  the  constituents  of  salt  brine,  or  rather  to  make 
use  of  the  hitherto  waste  "bittern"  resulting  from  the  manufacture  of  salt, 
a  modern  chemical  plant  was  erected  in  l'»ll  adjacent  to  the  salt  block. 
The  principal  product  is  calcium  chloride  which  is  largely  used  in  various 
trades,  and  for  which  there  is  a  steady  demand.  Later  other  products  were 
added  such  as  bromine,  magnesium  chloride,  etc.,  made  from  wastes  which 
formerly  went  into  the  river.  In  1912  a  separate  company,  the  Saginaw 
Chemical  Company,  was  organized  to  take  over  and  operate  this  department 
of  the  business.  James  C.  Graves,  who  was  instrumental  in  establishing 
this  valuable  part  of  the  business,  is  vice-president  of  the  company,  and 
manager  of  its  operations.  The  chemical  company  employs  from  eighteen 
to  twenty-five  men  in  its  own  plant. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Saginaw  Plate  Glass  Company,  which  now 
has  a  capital  investment  exceeding  one  million  dollars,  are:  William  J. 
Wickes,  president;  Arthur  D.  Eddy,  vice-president;  George  C.  Fastwood, 
secretary  and  treasurer;  and  the  board  of  directors  is  composed  of  these 
officers  and  Frederick  W.  Carlisle.  Peter  Corcoran.  Walter  S.  Eddy,  Benton 
Hanchett,  James  G.  Macpherson,  M.  N.  Brady  and  John  J.  Rupp. 


564 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


The  United  States  Graphite  Company. 

In  the  early  part  of  1891  the  graphite  industry  was  controlled,  and  to  a 
large  extent  monopolized,  by  one  company  so  far  as  the  preparation  of  high 
grade  graphites  and  the  manufacture  of  graphite  products  were  concerned. 
The  company  in  question  for  a  matter  of  about  sixty  years  had  the  field  to 
themselves,  but  on  April  29,  1891,  The  United  States  Graphite  Company  of 
Saginaw,  Michigan,  was  incorporated  and  while  starting  in  a  small  unpre- 
tentious way.  the  foundation  of  this  great  business  was  started. 

It  did  not  at  that  time  give  prospects  of  being  a  serious  competitor  of  the 
larger  company,  but  it  progressed  step  by  step,  developing  slowly  until 
today  it   is  a  recognized  power  in   its  own  field. 

There  was  nothing  elaborate  about  its  early  life.  It  procured  its  mines 
in  Mexico  and  while  the  directors  and  incorporators  were  convinced  of  the 
superiority  of  the  Mexican  Graphite  over  any  other  then  sold,  it  still  remained 
for  them  to  convince  the  users  of  graphite  that  this  was  so. 


ORIGINAL    PLANT    OF    U.    S.    GRAPHITE    COMPANY 


Its  first  plant  was  a  small  frame  shed  in  the  northern  side  of  Saginaw. 
To  this  small  frame  shed  it  hauled  and  unloaded  its  graphite  ore  from  Mexico, 
pulverized  and  refined  it.  Its  equipment  was  more  or  less  limited  and  rather 
crude.  All  of  the  packing  of  the  goods  was  done  by  hand  and  the  office 
was  frequently  used  to  pack  and  label  the  cans  of  graphite. 

The  company  was  started  and  developed  by  the  Messrs.  Wickes,  who 
are  still  stockholders,  directors  and  officials  in  the  organization.  Its  struggle 
was  long  and  arduous  at  the  beginning,  but  it  so  surely  developed  and  became 
£0  strongly  entrenched  that  it  finally  became  cramped  for  quarters  and  in 
the  latter  part  of  1904,  the  present  up-to-date  plant  with  its  equipment  was 
built  or  rather  started,  for  ever  since  the  modem  plant  was  erected  additions 
have  been  constantly  added.  Today  the  factory  is  probably  twice  as  large 
as  when  it  was  first  erected  in  1904.  Products  are  now  manufactured  that 
were  not  even  contemplated  at  that  time.  The  factory  grounds  approxi- 
mate eight  acres,  which  is  deemed  sufficient  to  take  care  of  the  expansion  that 
is  anticipated. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


565 


The  company  moved  into  its  new  plant  in  December,  1904,  and  a  little 
later  the  late  president,  Mr.  Eugene  McSweeney,  was  elected  by  the  directors 
to  the  executive  position.  Under  his  management  the  progress  of  the  com- 
pany was  substantial  and  marked,  and  today  it  is  one  of  the  largest  organi- 
zations of  its  kind  in  the  world. 

Mr.  11.  C.  Woodruff,  vice-president  and  general  manager,  entered  the 
service  of  this  company  on  December  7,  1891,  and  has  been  continuously 
associated  with  it.  He  entered  the  employ  of  the  company  shortly  after  its 
incorporation,  as  bookkeeper. 

Mr.  M.  J.  Houlihan,  sales  manager,  came  with  the  Company  in  1902,  as 
assistant  to  Mr.  Woodruff  after  the  business  had  started  going  sufficiently  to 
demonstrate  the  need  of  more  assistance.  He  has  also  been  continuously 
associated  with  the  company  since  that  time,  and  both  have  been  closely 
identified  with  the  company's  progress. 

The  company  now  manufactures  practically  everything  into  which 
graphite  enters  with  the  exception  of  crucibles  and  pencils,  though  it  is  a 
larger  producer  of  pencil  graphite  than  all  the  other  graphite  concerns  in  the 
world  combined ;  producing  approximately  from  eighty-five  to  ninety  per 
cent,  of  all  of  the  graphite  used  in  pencil  manufacture. 

In  1916  the  company  erected  a  thoroughly  modern  and  up-to-date  plant 
designed  for  the  manufacture  of  motor  and  generator  brushes,  and  graphite 
and  carbon  specialties,  opening  up  another  broad  field  that  will  greatly  in- 
crease the  business  of  the  company. 

The  company  occupies  a  more  or  less  unique  position  among  miners 
and  manufacturers  of  graphite  and  graphite  products.  It  has  a  distinct  ad- 
vantage over  its  many  competitors  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  is  the  only 
graphite  manufacturing  firm  that  mines  its  entire  supply.  The  supply  of 
its  Sonora  mines  is  practically  inexhaustible  and  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
the  purest  and  best  amorphous  graphite  ever  discovered,  it  is  not  necessary 
for  this  company  to  depend  on  any  other  source  for  its  output. 


>^*< 


.,'   *  JSj 


-   -  -  -•  s^»  *******  iS/,*^  ->-L-_?3  ^-^CTT^ 

MEXICAN    MINERS    AND    HUGE    PILE    OF    GRAPHITE    ORE 


:,<;r, 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  mines  are  located  about  twenty  miles  south  of  the  mining  town  of 
La  Colorado  in  Central  Sonora.  The  deposits  were  discovered  in  1867  and 
work  was  begun  on  them  in  1891,  though  it  was  almut  1895  before  commercial 
operations  of  any  importance  were  attempted.  The  country  adjacent  to  the 
mines  is  dry  and  little  more  than  a  desert  except  during  the  rainy  season 
which  is  July,  August  and  September.  The  temperature  is  very  high  during 
the  Summer  and  frost  never  occurs.  Water  is  so  scarce  that  little  agricul- 
tural utilization  can  be  made  of  the  climate  and  soil. 

Some  distance  from  the  graphite  mines  are  large  formations  of  rock, 
but  as  one  approaches  the  mine  the  rock  changes  to  sedimentaries,  >;unlstones 
around  the  mine  itself,  and  a  little  to  the  southwest  of  it  are  heavy  limestones. 
The  elevation  above  sea  level  is  about  thirteen  hundred  feet.  The  company 
formerly  worked  from  two  shafts,  but  in  recent  months  it  has  sunk  a  third 
shaft  that  reaches  a  greater  depth  than  either  of  the  other  two  shafts,  and 
has  opened  up  for  use  a  bed  of  graphite  considerably  larger  than  any  of  the 
others  opened  up  by  the  former  shafts.  There  are  at  least  seven  beds  of 
graphite  in  the  mines.  The  graphite  as  removed  from  the  mines  is  so  soft 
and  friable  that  a  large  lump  may  be  taken  in  the  hand  and  crushed  to  small 
particles.      It  is  velvety  and  smooth  to  the  touch. 

Owing  to  the  friability  of  the  bed  almost  no  explosives  are  necessary 
as  most  of  the  mining  is  done  with  pick  and  shovel.  After  being  raised 
to  the  surface  the  graphite  is  spread  out  in  the  hot  sun  on  a  concrete  plat- 
form to  dry,  which  it  does  in  a  short  time  and  then  is  thrown  up  in  piles  to 
await  shipment.  From  here  it  is  packed  by  wagon  train  over  the  desert  ami 
hills  to  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  over  which  rails  it  finally  reaches  its 
destination,  Saginaw,  Michigan. 

The  officers  and  directors  of  the  corporation  are  William  J.  Wickes, 
president;  Harry  C.  Woodruff,  vice-president  and  general  manager;  Harry 
T.  Wickes,  treasurer;  Arthur  1  >.    Eddy,  secretary ;  and  A.  S.  Harvey. 


^ 


PRESENT    PLANT    OF    UNITED    STATES    GRAPHITE    COMPANY 


William  Poison  &  Company 

Among  the  well  established  wood-working  interests  of  Saginaw  is 
William  Poison  &  Company,  whose  factory  is  located  at  Hess  Street  and 
Jefferson  Avenue.  The  corporation  was  organized  in  1904,  succeeding  to  the 
business  established  several  years  before  by  White  &  Poison.  The  plant 
was  then  located  on  the  A.  C.  White  mill  property,  on  South  Jefferson 
Avenue  and  the  Pelt  Line,  but  was  totally  destroyed  by  fire  in  May,  1904. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


507 


MB* 


t&nggS",**; 


PLANT    OF    WILLIAM    POLSON    &    COMPANY 


: 


Nothing  daunted  by  the  loss  of  plant  William  Poison  reorganized  the 
business  under  the  above  title,  with  a  capital  stock  of  sixty  thousand  dollars. 
and  purchased  the  present  factory  building.  This  three-story  brick  building, 
having  a  floor  space  of  thirty  thousand  square  feet  and  well  adapted  to  the 
requirements  of  the  business,  was  speedily  equipped  with  modern  wood- 
working machinery  and  put  in  active  operation.  The  plant  has  ample  rail- 
road switching  facilities  with  direct  connection  with  a  trunk  line  road,  for 
the  rapid  handling  of  several  million  feet  of  yellow  pine,  mahogany,  oak  and 
other  hard  woods  worked  up,  and  for  the  shipping  of  finished  product  to  all 
points  in  the  Middle  West. 

The  principal  products  are  sash,  doors,  window  and  door  frames,  and 
all  kinds  of  turned  work  and  interior  finish,  for  the  local  market  and  to  supply 
a  steady  demand  in  a  territory  extending  as  far  as  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Rivers.  A  very  satisfactory  trade  is  conducted  with  Cleveland,  Detroit, 
Flint  and  other  growing  cities,  contractors  and  builders  appreciating  the 
uniform  excellence  of  the  wood  products  of  this  company. 

Recently  the  company  added  a  new  department  to  its  business,  the 
making  of  fine  mahogany  wood  finish  for  show  windows,  numerous  examples 
of  which  may  he  seen  in  Saginaw.  This  includes  mahoganv  finish  for  fine 
residences  and  public  edifices,  and  promises  to  be  a  successful  part  of  their 
large  business.  The  company  employs  a  force  of  fifty  men  running  on  a  full 
time  basis;  and  the  annual  output  is  valued  at  about  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
ti\  e  thousand  dollars. 

The  present  officers  of  the  company  are:  William  Poison,  president; 
William  C.  Kenny,  vice-president;  and  John  Poison,  secretarv  and  treasurer, 
who,  with  II.  II.  Hymer,  comprise  the  board  of  directors.  They  are  men  ot 
high  standing  and  integrity,  and  deserve  the  success  that  has  come  to  their 
united  effort-. 


568  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   COUNTY 


Herzog   Art   Furniture   Company. 

Scarcely  more  than  sixteen  years  ago  a  young  man,  born  in  1867  on  a 
farm  near  the  little  German  village  of  Frankenmuth,  started  a  new  industry 
in  Saginaw.  This  concern  was  the  Herzog  Art  Furniture  Company,  and  the 
founder  was  John  Herzog,  whose  high  ideals,  integrity,  courage  and  pro- 
gressiveness  developed  a  business  of  wonderful  possibilities. 

lie  was  one  of  a  family  of  thirteen  children — descendants  of  sturdy 
Bavarian  Lutherans  who  settled  in  this  fertile  section  in  the  late  forties.  At 
an  early  age  he  manifested  unusual  skill  in  making  small  pieces  of  furniture. 
After  a  few  years  spent  in  working  in  a  planing  mill,  and  in  attending  the 
church  school  in  Frankenmuth.  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  for  two  years  was 
employed  in  the  old  Feige-Silsby  furniture  factory,  where  he  acquired  some 
knowledge  of  cabinet  work  and  finishing.  He  then  went  to  Grand  Rapids 
and  for  twelve  years  worked  in  various  departments  of  the  largest  furniture 
factories  in  that  city. 

Later  he  went  to  Europe  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  working 
in  factories  and  inspecting  big  expositions  of  furniture  in  England,  Italy, 
Belgium,  France,  Spain,  Germany,  Switzerland  and  Austria-Hungary.  He 
returned  to  his  native  land  with  well-formulated  plans  for  a  model  furniture 
factory  of  his  own. 

In  March,  IS")'),  shortly  after  his  return  to  Saginaw,  with  the  assistance 
of  Joseph  Grohman,  now  general  factory  superintendent  of  the  mammoth 
Herzog  plant,  and  August  Miessler,  he  established  a  cabinet  business  in  a 
very  small  way.  The  capital  of  this  infant  industry  was  three  thousand 
dollars,  unbounded  confidence,  perseverance  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  business.  The  little  factory  was  located  in  a  frame  building  converted 
from  a  barn  into  a  mill,  at  the  corner  of  Cass  and  Niagara  Streets.  At  first 
they  employed  two  men  and  a  boy  in  the  manufacture  of  tallies  and  church 
furniture  in  the  •'knock-down."  and  used  a  wheelbarrow  to  deliver  furniture 
shipments  to  the  railroad  station.  Soon  all  the  means  the  three  founders 
could  command  was  expended,  and  the  church  furniture  project  had  to  be 
abandoned.  This  occurrence,  however,  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events,  was 
a  kind  act  of  fate. 

In  order  to  continue  the  manufacturing  business  more  capital  had  to  be 
interested  in  the  enterprise,  and  a  plan  was  formulated  for  the  organization 
of  a  stock  company  with  a  capital  of  seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  This 
work  progressed  very  slowly  and  would  have  failed  but  for  the  helpful 
interest  of  one  of  our  most  progressive  citizens — John  L.  Jackson.  The 
critical  time  came  one  Saturday  night.  The  next  morning  John  Herzog 
went  to  .Mr.  Jackson's  home  almost  ready  to  give  up  his  cherished  plan. 
Mr.  Jackson's  co-operation  and   encouragement  alone  could  save  it. 

After  the  former  had  told  of  his  tireless  and  unsuccessful  effort  to  secure 
the  necessary  capital,  Mr.  Jackson  said:  "You  are  a  church  member,  aren't 
vmi,  and  usually  go  to  church  on  Sunday?  I  am  not  a  church  member,  yet 
I  like  to  rest  from  business  cares  on  Sunday.  Don't  worry  about  the  matter 
today.  Go  to  church  and  drop  all  thought  of  business.  Tomorrow  morn- 
ing I  will  come  down  to  your  factory,  and  we  will  see  about  it."  Mr.  Herzog 
gratefully  accepted  the  suggestion. 

The  next  morning  Mr.  Jackson  looked  the  factory  over  and  satisfied 
himself  that  the  value  placed  on  it  by  its  owners  was  not  excessive.  Before 
the  end  of  the  week  capital  was  secured,  and  the  Herzog  Art  Furniture 
Company  was  organized,  the  beginning  of  the  magnificent  business  now 
located  on  South  Michigan  Avenue  at  the   Belt   Line  crossing. 


JOHN     HERZOG 


r.70 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


MAMMOTH    PLANT    OF    HERZOG    ART    FURNITURE    COMPANY 


The  stiir}'  of  the  marvelous  development  of  this  industry  fills  an  interest- 
ing page  in  our  local  history.  From  a  small  wooden  building  erected  on  the 
new  site  the  plant  has  grown  by  almost  constant  additions  under  a  com- 
prehensive plan  of  expansion,  until  today  the  various  units  of  the  five-story 
brick  factory  have  a  total  floor  space  of  three  hundred  and  thirty  thousand 
square  feet,  or  about  eight  acres.  The  superb  plant  lends  an  impression  of 
bigness,  of  dignified  stability  and  permanence,  and  of  high  character  of  its 
product.  Within  its  solid  walls  are  installed  not  only  all  the  ordinary 
machinery  usually  found  in  furniture  factories,  such  as  routers,  dove-tailers, 
locking  machines,  tilting  tables,  mitre  saws,  automatic  turning  lathes,  and 
small  tools,  but  also  Saginaw-made  machines  not  found  in  other  factories  of 
this  kind.  These  machines  were  invented  and  patented  by  John  L.  Jackson, 
president,  and  John  Herzog,  general  manager,  of  the  company,  and  permit 
this  factory  to  turn  out  styles  of  furniture  that  other  manufacturers  cannot 
make  except  at  prohibitive  cost.  Among  such  machines,  which  are  built  in 
the  Jackson  &  Church  works,  is  a  curious  "finger  jointer"  that  face  planes 
the  dimensioned  stock  to  take  all  wind  or  warp   from   the  boards. 

Another  notable  improvement  is  the  conveyor  system  of  finishing  furni- 
ture and  cabinets.  Each  piece  automatically  passes  through  the  operations 
of  applying  the  finishing  coats,  drying,  rubbing  and  polishing,  all  of  which 
are  accurately  timed  to  produce  the  best  results  without  the  waste  of  a  minute 
or  second. 

In  the  machine  rooms  the  parts  are  shaped  to  the  variety  of  patterns 
afforded  by  the  five  hundred  different  articles  in  their  line.  Many  band 
and  jig  saws  are  employed  on  the  extremely  artistic  designs  here  produced, 
and  a  very  high  degree  of  skillfulness  is  developed.  Then  the  surfaces  are 
sanded  anil  polished.  There  are  special  machines  for  sanding  mouldings, 
both  curved  and  straight,  disc  sanders  for  sanding  flat  edges,  belt  sanders  of 
several  varieties  for  following  the  curves  of  legs,  upright  belt  sanders,  spindle 
sanders  and  drum  sanders. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  571 

In  the  veneering  process  marvelous  technical  development  and  efficient 
performance  are  seen.  Although  a  pound  of  glue  is  made  to  spread  as  far 
as  possible,  and  yet  produce  an  absolutely  reliable  quality  of  workmanship, 
the  value  of  glue  alone  consumed  in  a  year  is  fifteen  thousand  dollars.  There 
are  a  number  of  heaters  and  drying  kilns  for  carefully  conditioning  the  glued- 
up  stock.  Out  of  these  departments  are  turned  oaks,  mahoganies  and  walnuts 
with  wonderfully  beautiful  grains  and  flakes,  that  lend  a  surpassing  elegance 
to  some  of  the  product.  For  these  reasons  and  the  exquisite  finish  put  on, 
Herzog  furniture  is  in  steady  demand  throughout  the  United  States,  and  is 
attracting  increasing  foreign  business. 

Old  designs  in  furniture,  which  at  first  were  followed,  gave  way  to  new, 
and  in  l'HO  the  twentieth  century  bulge  arch  design  was  evolved.  This 
beautiful  and  original  design  has  given  the  name  of  Herzog  a  distinctive 
place  in  the  furniture  world;  and  it  is  a  maxim  of  the  trade  that  no  piece  of 
furniture  made  under  this  stamp  of  perfection   fails  of  the  artistic. 

Furniture  in  the  "white"  is  ready  for  the  application  of  every  known 
variety  of  finish,  including  Adam  Browns,  Burly  Walnuts,  Circassians, 
Enamels  and  Silvergreys.  The  finishing  department  alone  is  more  than 
three  citv  blocks  lung  and  wider  than  Michigan  Avenue.  Here  are  tables, 
desks,  piano  benches,  dressers,  bed-room  suites,  record  cabinets,  phonograph 
cabinets  and  cases.  All  cabinets  of  the  famous  Sonora  phonograph,  in  all 
their  beauty  of  design  and  perfect  workmanship,  are  here  finished  in  exquisite 
style. 

The  small  beginning  of  the  Sonora  cabinet  business  at  a  quite  recent  date 
makes  its  phenomenal  growth  a  magical  demonstration  of  the  judgment  of 
John  L.  Jackson  and  John  Herzog  in  measuring  and  in  developing  a  wide- 
spread demand  for  a  brand  new  idea.  Mr.  Herzog  had  designed  samples  of 
music  cabinets  with  the  bulge  lines,  and  had  patented  the  application  of  this 
design  to  phonograph  cabinets.  The  idea  received  scant  attention  from 
phonograph  manufacturers  and  distributors  until  brought  to  the  notice  of 
George  E.  Brightson,  president  of  the  Sonora  Phonograph  Corporation,  of 
New  York.  The  conception  fitted  perfectly  in  his  plans  to  produce  an  ideal 
phonograph  that  would  be  the  epitome  of  artistic  design. 

His  first  order  with  the  Herzog  Company  was  for  ten  cabinets,  and 
material  for  fifteen  cabinets  was  cut.  These  fifteen  cabinets  having  been 
disposed  of,  Mr.  Herzog  went  after  a  cutting  order  for  twenty-five,  hut 
received  an  order  for  only  ten,  taking  the  chance  of  the  phonograph  people 
selling  the  remainder.  He  next  solicited  an  order  for  one  hundred  cabinets, 
but  the  conservative  Sonora  Corporation  would  guarantee  to  take  only  fifty 
with  the  understanding  that  they  were  to  be  held  subject  to  order,  l.efore 
the  order  was  half  completed,  so  man)  more  phonographs  were  sold  that  the 
Sonora  Corporation  ordered  the  entire  lot  of  cabinets  finished  and  shipped 
to  New  York. 

Meanwhile  a  fairly  complete  line  of  samples  had  been  manufactured,  and 
twenty-five  of  each  number  were  put  through  on  the  first  regular  cutting 
order.  Before  these  had  been  manufactured  and  sold,  new  lots  of  five 
hundred  each  were  ordered  from  almost  every  number.  This  was  only  about 
five  years  ago  (1912),  yet  at  the  present  time  some  of  these  numbers  are 
ordered  by  the  Sonora  Corporation  in  lots  of  ten  thousand  cabinets;  and  in 
1916  sixty-seven  thousand  cabinets  were  ordered,  made  and  shipped  to  the 
phonograph  people  by  the  Herzog  Company. 

The  remarkable  success  of  the  Sonora  phonograph  is  due  very  largely  to 
ihe  collaboration  of  these  industrial  leaders  in  producing  patented  manu- 
facturing processes,  patented  machinery,  and  patented  designs  which  have 
made  commercially  practical  the  famous  tone  quality  and  tone  control 
obtained  by   the  construction  of  a   patented   wooden   horn,   used   only   in  the 


572  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Sonora  phonograph  and  made  only  in  Saginaw.  The  marvelous  beauty  of 
the  Sonora  cabinets  is  due  both  to  their  superior  finish  and  to  their  graceful 
flowing  lines  obtained  by  the  patented  bulge  process  of  making  furniture. 
The  instrument  itself  also  has  numerous  quality  advantages  over  all  others, 
the  motor  being  made  by  Swiss  expert  mechanics  with  generations  of  ex- 
perience, while  the  reproducer  is  the  most  perfect  sound  producer  that  is 
made.  A  matter  of  particular  interest  is  that  the  Sonora  won  the  gold  medal 
for  tone  quality,  in  competition  with  every  other  type  of  talking  machine,  at 
the  Panama-Pacific  International  Exposition  at  San  Francisco,  in  1915. 

Early  in  1('17  the  business  of  the  Sonora  Corporation  reached  such  an 
enormous  volume  that  a  closer  co-ordination  of  interests  with  the  Herzog 
Company  was  necessary.  A  large  part  of  the  assembly  department  of  the 
former  company  was  moved  to  Saginaw,  and  installed  in  the  plant  of  the 
local  company.  At  the  same  time  a  working  agreement  was  entered  into  by 
which  the  Herzog  Company  contracted  to  furnish  twenty-five  million  dollars 
worth  of  cabinets  for  the  Sonora  Corporation,  covering  a  period  of  fifteen 
years.  This  great  production  will  very  nearly  require  the  entire  facilities 
of  the  mammoth  furniture  factory,  with  the  employment  of  eight  hundred 
workmen,  about  two  hundred  working  on  night  shifts.  Another  large  addi- 
tion to  the  Herzog  plant  is  contemplated,  and  the  Sonora  Corporation  has 
planned  to  erect  a  large  assembly  plant  for  the  phonographs,  on  the  property 
owned  by  the  I  lerzog  Company  directly  opposite  the  main  units  of  the  factory 
on  .Michigan  Avenue.  The  phonograph  business  is  believed  to  be  still  in  its 
infancy,  and  what  the  outcome  will  be  for  the  Sonora,  and  of  its  ally,  the 
Herzog  Company,  can  scarcely  be  imagined. 

The  very  highest  design  produced  by  the  Herzog  Company  is  retailed 
by  the  Sonora  Corporation  at  one  thousand  dollars,  the  features  of  which  are 
unsurpassed  by  any  cabinet  or  piece  of  furniture  made  today.  It  is  a  unique 
unit  that  most  perfectly  fulfills  an  artistic  purpose.  Plans  are  being 
developed  for  the  design  and  manufacture  of  several  new  and  elaborate 
models  that  will  be  placed  on  the  market  at  retail  prices  ranging  as  high  as 
five  thousand  dollars. 

But  what  of  the  personality  of  the  founder  of  this  great  industry — John 
Flerzog?  A  dynamo  of  energy  and  enterprise,  he  radiates  inspiration  and 
zeal  to  all  his  associates.  Through  his  genius,  large  inventive  ability  and 
humanitarian  ideas  he  has  brought  the  factory  to  a  high  degree  of  efficiency. 
Rulge  Arch  furniture  is  likely  to  become  a  monument  to  him,  but  whether 
this  is  realized  or  not  he  is  building  day  by  day  a  lasting  monument  in  the 
hearts  and  lives  of  his  workmen. 

It  is  his  constant  aim  to  be  helpful  to  all.  and  yet  he  almost  persuades 
himself  that  those  he  helps  are  more  benefit  to  him  than  he  is  to  them.  He 
takes  a  special  interest  in  the  apprentice  boys,  and  has  established  night 
schools  where  young  men  and  boys  are  afforded  practical  instruction  in 
drawing,  designing  and  woodworking — advantages  equal  to  what  a  student 
gets  in  a  technical  school.  By  this  means  highly  trained  mechanics  and 
cabinet  makers  have  been  developed.  The  policy  of  the  company  is  to  recruit 
its  leaders  from  the  ranks  of  its  own  employees,  and  with  its  continued 
growth  practically  all  the  foremen  and  sub-foremen  have  come  from  the 
best  class  of  workmen  in  the  factory. 

In  1916  the  company  inaugurated  large  bonuses  to  its  workmen  and 
foremen.  Ever}-  operation  has  gradually  been  put  upon  the  bonus  plan  of 
wage  payment,  which  will  eventually  enable  the  workmen  to  greatly  increase 
their  wages  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  good  work  they  produce. 

Every  summer  the  Herzog  employees  give  a  huge  excursion  and  picnic  at 
some  lake  or  city,  which  is  financed  by  the  company,  though  earned  by  the 
workers.     This  event  is  followed  by  an  animal  banquet  in  the  fall. 


574 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


PLANT      OF      WM.      B. 


Wm.   B.   Mershon   &   Company 

The  industrial  history  of  Saginaw  contains  few  names  of  as  much 
prominence  as  that  of  Mershon,  whose  business  activities  through  three  eener- 
ations  have  contributed  very  largely  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  this 
city.  As  earl}-  as  1854,  when  Saginaw  was  little  more  than  a  frontier  settle- 
ment. E.  J.  Mershon,  grandfather  of  the  present  principal  generation,  came 
tn  Saginaw,  lie  soon  engaged  in  lumbering,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  the 
great  business  which  afterward  developed.  His  activities  and  personality  are 
well  remembered  by  pioneers  still  living. 

Augustus  II.  Mershon,  his  son,  followed  in  the  lumber  business  and  for 
years  was  actively  identified  with  the  firm  of  A.  G.  Bissell  &  Company, 
of  which  he  was  the  executive  head.  At  that  time  practically  all  lumber 
was  shipped  by  vessel  to  lower  lake  ports,  in  the  rough  as  it  came  from  the 
saw,  a  practice  which  entailed  a  considerable  loss  to  Saginaw  River  lumber- 
men. Mr.  Mershon  was  one  of  the  first  lumbermen  to  perceive  the  advantage 
hi"  planing  and  dressing  lumber  for  shipment,  and  was  the  first  to  make  box 
shooks  in  Michigan,  lie  was  Inspector  General  of  Lumber  in  1874,  and  his 
views  mi  this  subject  were  graphically  expressed  in  his  official  reports, 
excerpts  from  which  appear  in  the  chapter  on  "The  Lumber  Industry"  pp. 
413-14.  It  was  largely  by  his  influence  that  a  number  of  lumbermen  built 
planing  mills  and  dressed  millions  of  feet  of  lumber  for  the  Eastern  trade. 
During  the  eighties  and  early  nineties  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  one  of  the 
largest  lumber  distributing  markets  in  this  country. 

In  1876  Wm.  B.  Mershon  took  over  the  planing  mill  business,  which 
bad  been  well  established  by  his  lather,  and  erected  a  salt  works  as  an 
adjunct  to  the  business.  His  brother,  Edward  C.  Mershon,  soon  joined  him 
in  the  enterprise  and.  being  of  a  practical  mechanical  turn  of  mind,  was  given 
entire  charge  of  plant  and  equipment.  The  business  was  incorporated  under 
the  title  of  Win.  B.  Mershon  &  Co.,  with  a  capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
Under   aide    management    the   business   increased    rapidly,   and    became    one 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


57:> 


MERSHON      &      COMPANY 


of  the  largest  wood-working  institutions  in  Saginaw  Valley.  Its  products 
consisted  of  doors,  sash,  window  frames,  interior  trim  and  finish,  and  lumber 
for  all   building   requirements. 

An  important  part  of  the  business  was  the  making  of  box  shooks— 
pieces  of  lumber  cut  and  dressed  to  exact  dimensions  for  packing  cases  and 
boxes  of  all  descriptions.  In  those  (lavs  rough  hoards  were  resawed  to  the 
required  thickness  by  circular  saws,  a  process  which  entailed  great  waste  of 
material.  No  one  had  yet  devised  a  practical  sawing  machine  for  doing  this 
work  with  a  thin  saw  kerf  and   reduced  cost. 

Early  in  the  eighteen-nineties  the  Mershon  Company  entered  into  a 
large  contract  with  the  Standard  <  til  Company  of  New  York,  for  shooks 
used  for  shipping  petroleum  products  in  the  export  trade.  This  contract 
required  a  large  quantity  of  lumber  which  was  cut  at  the  Shaw-  &  Williams 
mill,  adjoining  the  Mershon  planing  mill.  The  lumber  from  this  mill  ran 
uniformly  thick,  and  the  waste  in  resawing  it  for  this  box  shook  order  was 
appalling.  At  length  the  oil  company,  in  consequence  of  changes  in  the 
methods  of  valuation  by  the  custom  officials,  ordered  the  box  shooks  made 
thinner  than  before,  but  the  price  remained  the  same. 

This  circumstance  led  the  manufacturers  to  attempt  a  radical  departure 
in  resawing,  in  an  effort  to  secure  three  thin  pieces  from  a  thick  one-inch 
board,  where  only  two  pieces  were  being  obtained  by  the  old  methods.  Ex- 
periments had  elsewhere  been  made  in  resawing  by  the  use  of  band  resaws, 
but  without  much  success.  The  needs  were  so  urgent,  however,  that 
Edward  C.  Mershon  examined  the  machines  then  in  use  in  the  East,  and 
ordered  one  for  his  plant.  When  received  it  was  set  up  and  operated  accord- 
ing to  directions  with  fairly  encouraging  results.  The  thin  band  saws 
reduced  the  kerf  to  a  minimum,  and  three  thin  pieces  of  lumber,  such  as 
were  needed  for  the  box  shook  order,  were  obtained  from  one  board,  instead 
of  only  two.      But  there  were  inherent  defects  in  the  design  and  construction 


576 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW   C<  >UNTY 


EDWARD    C.     MERSHON 


of  this  primitive  machine,  which  caused  the  saws  to  break  and  other  parts 
co  gel  oul  hi  order,  so  that  the  factory  operations  were  constantly  delayed. 
entailing  a  heavy  loss. 

The  inventive  genius  of  I'd  ward  C.  Mershon  was  at  mice  applied  to 
correct  and  overcome  these  defects.  He  studied  every  phase  of  the  subject 
and  examined  every  part  which  seemed  to  need  attention,  and  at  length 
discovered  where  the  trouble  lay.  Plans  and  specifications  for  an  improved 
band  resaw  were  drawn  according  to  his  ideas,  and  an  entirely  new  machine 
was  built  in  Saginaw,  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  This  was  the 
first  perfected  band  resaw  ever  built  anywhere,  and  from  the  first  day  of  its 
operation  it  proved  a  complete  success.  Two  other  band  resaws  were  soon 
after  built  on  the  same  plans,  one  of  which  was  sold  to  a  box  shook  manu- 
facturer at  St.  Paul,  and  was  burned  in  a  mill  fire  a  few  years  after.  The 
other  machine  is  still  in  successful  operation   in  a  planing  mill    in   Saginaw. 

From  this  beginning,  brought  about  by  the  necessity  of  the  lumber  trade, 
there  has  been  developed  an  extensive  business.  The  first  improved  band 
resaw,  bearing  the  name  of  "Mershon,"  was  shipped  in  1892,  and  from  that 
time  the  demand  for  these  machines  has  constantly  increased.  In  1901  the 
lumber  business  of  Wm.  B.  Mershon  &  Company  was  taken  over  by  a  new 
corporation — the  Mershon,  Shuette,  Parker  Company,  and  in  the  Spring  of 
1902  the  i ild  company  removed  its  machine  simps  into  a  new  plant  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  old. 

This  plant  is  a  modern  two-story  brick  structure,  planned  to  meet  all 
the  demands  of  the  business,  and  is  equipped  with  all  essential  machinery 
and  tin ils  for  the  most  economic  operation.  When  opened  thirty-eight 
machinists  and  workmen  were  constantly  employed.  Extensive  additions 
to  plant  and  equipment  were  made  from  time  to  time,  and  in  1917  the 
concern  is  the  largest  in  the  world  making  band  resaws.  Machines  are  built 
and  assembled  complete  in  this  city,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  of  various 
types    and    specially    adapted    t<  >    every    need,    being    built    annually.     About 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


577 


seventy-five  skilled  mechanics  and  workmen  are  now  given  steady  employ- 
ment in  the  shops,  and  they  receive  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
yearly  in  wages.  The  annual  production  is  valued  at  about  three  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

The  Mershon  Band  Resaw  is  known  to  almost  every  civilized  country 
on  the  globe,  and  the  name  "Saginaw"  has  been  carried  by  this  home  product 
to  the  most  remote  places.  Machines  have  been  shipped  to  Alaska,  Aus- 
tralia, New  Zealand,  to  almost  every  country  of  South  America,  to  Africa, 
Sweden,  Russia,  and  to  the  Island  of  Borneo.  The  smallest  resaw  sells 
around  seven  hundred  dollars,  others  at  twelve  hundred  to  two  thousand, 
while  the  big  band  resaws  for  saw  mills  are  priced  as  high  as  thirty-six 
hundred  dollars. 

In  addition  to  economy  in  operation,  the  Mershon  Band  Resaws  are 
desirable  from  the  standpoint  of  safety,  simplicity,  and  adaptability  to  a 
wide  range  of  service.  They  minimize  the  saw  kerf  by  the  use  of  the  thinnest 
saw  blade  possible,  resulting  in  an  increased  merchantable  product  from  the 
log  or  board.  The  band  resaws  as  made  today  incorporate  all  the  features 
which  the  ingenuity  and  experience  of  Edward  C.  Mershon  devised  for  the 
perfect  operation  of  thin  saw  blades. 

The  present  officers  of  the  company  are  Edward  C.  Mershon,  president; 
Wm.  B.  Mershon,  vice-president;   Hugh   1!.  Brown,  secretary  and  treasurer. 


NEW    STANDARD    60-INCH     BAND     RESAW 


a 


578  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Germain   Manufacturing  Company 

An  important  addition  to  the  wood-working  industries  of  Saginaw  is 
the  Germain  Manufacturing  Company,  whose  large  plant  is  located  on 
South  Jefferson  Avenue  between  Rust  Avenue  and  Webber  Street.  The 
company  was  incorporated  April  1,  1913,  by  Louis  Germain,  president  and 
general  manager;  Edward  F.  Germain,  vice-president,  and  Walter  M.  Ger- 
main, secretary  and  treasurer,  with  a  capital  stock  of  seventy-five  thousand 
di illars,  paid  in  cash. 

Louis  Germain  is  a  thoroughly  practical  mill  man  with  extensive  expe- 
rience in  the  wood-working  industry,  having  been  fur  many  years  superin- 
tendent of  the  great  plant  of  Edward  Germain,  his  brother.  Edward  F.  and 
Walter  M.  Germain,  his  s<  ms,  the  other  active  officials  of  the  company,  are 
young  men  of  ability  and  integrity.  By  diligence  and  strict  application  to 
business  they  have  aided  their  father  in  building  up  a  large  and  prosperous 
business,  and  now  hold  enviable  positions  of  trust  and  responsibility. 

The  original  plans  of  the  company  contemplated  the  erection  of  a  modern 
wood-working  plant,  one  hundred  and  four  by  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet 
in  dimensions,  with  high  and  well  lighted  basement.  This  brick  structure- 
was  designed  specially  for  the  making  of  piano  backs  and  other  piano  parts 
on  a  large  scale,  and  was  built  at  Jefferson  Avenue  and  Webber  Street. 
With  the  large  dry  kilns  and  power  plant  adjoining,  the  plant  covered 
almost  an  acre  of  ground,  while  the  lumber  yard  covered  two  or  three  acres 
nil  ire. 

In  this  modern  factory  building  was  installed  the  best  type  of  wood- 
working machinery,  some  of  which  was  designed  especially  for  the  making 
of  piano  Lacks.  These  special  machines  included  the  assembling,  or  hand 
screw  presses,  so  devised  that  the  piano  back  is  put  together  in  one  opera- 
tion and  taken  out  as  a  completed  unit.  Before  this  stage  is  reached,  how- 
ever, there  are  numerous  operations  in  preparing  the  wood,  gluing  the 
pieces  together,  sawing  the  units  thus  formed  into  various  shapes  and 
sizes,  sandpapering  and  inspection.  All  this  is  done  by  batches  of  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  units,  as  the  daily  maximum  capacity  of  finished 
piano  backs  is  two  hundred. 

All  the  machinery  is  laid  out  and  the  operations  are  carried  on  on  a 
scientific  plan,  insuring  the  utmost  economy  of  handling  the  countless  pieces 
of  wood,  and  also  the  expedition  with  which  the  finished  product  is  turned 
out.  The  beech  and  maple  lumber  from  which  backs  are  manufactured  is 
entirely  a  .Michigan  product,  and  is  brought  into  Saginaw  by  railroad.  It 
is  here  sorted  and  piled  for  several  months  air  drying,  and  then  placed  in 
one  of  eight  steam  heated  dry  kilns,  conveniently  located  at  one  end  of  the 
factory.  After  a  thorough  drying  at  uniform  temperature  for  eight  to  ten 
days,  until  the  moisture  is  reduced  to  below  five  per  cent.,  the  lumber  is 
taken  out  directly  into  the  mill,  where  it  enters  upon  a  regular  chain  of 
i  iperatii  ins. 

At  this  end  of  the  factory  are  the  numerous  saws  which  rip  and  cut 
the  boards  into  pieces  of  various  sizes,  and  planers  and  shapers  which  smooth 
and  form  the  pieces  into  the  desired  shapes.  The  machines  are  so  placed 
that  the  lumber,  pieces  and  parts  pass  from  one  to  another  in  regular,  con- 
secutive order,  so  that  the  handling  is  reduced  to  a  minimum.  There  is  no 
retrogression  in  any  of  the  operations.  By  a  constant  and  well  defined  move- 
ment, from  one  end  of  the  factory  to  the  other,  the  various  pieces,  after  pass- 
ing through  the  gluing  processes  and  the  screw  presses,  come  out  the 
finished  unit  —  a  piano  back  in  the  "white."  From  twelve  to  fifteen  days 
have  elapsed  since  the  dry  lumber  was  taken  from  the  kiln,  or  about  erne 
calendar   month   since   the    rough    lumber   was   moved    from    the   pile    in    the 


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T.SO  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

yard  to  the  dry  kiln.  At  this  rate  of  manufacture  it  is  readily  to  be  seen 
that  from  four  to  five  thousand  piano  hacks  are  constantly  in  process  of 
making-  in  this  modern  plant. 

When  finished  and  loaded  in  the  car  for  shipment  the  piano  hack  is 
ready  for  the  "bellying"  process,  which  is  the  placing  of  the  sounding  board. 
This,  however,  is  dune  by  the  piano  makers  in  their  own  factory. 

A  notable  feature  of  this  well  planned  factory,  whose  annual  capacity  is 
sixty  thousand  piano  hacks  on  an  employment  schedule  of  one  hundred  men, 
is  the  high  and  light  basement.  In  this  basement  is  installed  all  the  shafting 
and  pulleys  for  driving  the  various  machines.  The  main  drive  shaft  is  set 
beneath  the  floor  beams,  and  the  pulleys  transmit  power  by  short  belts 
through  the  floor  to  the  machines  above.  The  pillow  blocks,  or  shaft  bear- 
ings, are  set  in  foundations  of  concrete,  insuring  stability  and  eliminating 
much  of  the  vibration  incident  to  suspended  shafts  and  pulleys  running  at 
high  speed. 

A  ready  market  for  piano  hacks  is  found  in  New  York  City,  Buffalo, 
East  Rochester,  Philadelphia,  Columbus,  Milwaukee  and  Chicago.  The 
field  for  the  Germain  Piano  Back  is  steadily  broadening,  and  the  capacity  of 
the  plant  is  so  taxed  that  the  manufacture  of  piano  bridges,  which  at  one 
time  was  carried  on  quite  extensively,  has  been  reduced  to  a  minimum. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  piano  hack  is  entirely  a  glued  product,  no 
nails,  pegs,  ties,  or  screws  entering  into  the  combining  of  the  numerous 
pieces  of  wood  which  enter  into  it. 

Earl}'  in  1916  this  prosperous  business  was  augmented  by  the  addition 
of  two  new  departments,  for  the  manufacture  of  dimension  stock  for  piano 
cases  and  box  shooks.  In  June  of  that  year  the  company  acquired  the 
valuable  property  to  the  north  of  the  plant.  On  this  ground  was  a  one- 
story  structure  of  steel  truss  construction,  iron  siding  and  gravel  roof,  two 
hundred  by  four  hundred  feet  in  dimensions.  This  large  building  was  re- 
modeled and  improved,  and  equipped  with  new  wood-working  machinery  of 
standard  type.  It  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  now 
used,  and  gives  steady  employment  in  both  departments  to  seventy-five 
\m  irkmen. 

The  north  side  and  east  end  of  the  structure  is  used  by  the  box  shook 
department,  which  uses  from  six  to  seven  million  feet  of  box  lumber,  mostly 
pine,  every  year.  This  is  an  important  industry  and  supplies  piano  box 
shooks  to  a  large  trade.  The  output  is  constantly  increasing  and  an  im- 
mense business  is  in  prospect. 

The  other,  and  equally  as  essential  a  business  to  the  piano  makers,  is 
the  dimension  stock  department,  which  occupies  a  large  part  of  the  south 
side  of  the  building.  Between  this  and  the  original  factory  is  a  battery 
of  drv  kilns  and  a  large  storage  shed  for  selected  lumber.  The  operations  of 
this  department  consist  of  taking  the  kiln  dried  lumber,  which  is  quarter- 
sawn  yellow  poplar  and  chestnut  from  Virginia  and  Tennessee,  planing,  cut- 
ting and  gluing  it  together  in  various  shapes  ami  sizes,  and  finishing  it  in  the 
"white,"  ready  for  the  piano  makers  to  finish  and  fashion  with  veneers  to 
meet  their  own  designs  for  piano  case--. 

This  addition  to  the  plant  has  a  floor  space  of  nearly  two  acres,  making 
the  total  factory  space  under  roof  about  three  acres,  while  the  lumber  yard 
and  grounds  adjoining  the  main  building  have  an  area  of  about  five  acres, 
or  eight  acres  in  all. 

Although  the  factory  structures  are  as  nearly  fire  proof  as  any  wood- 
working plant  can  be  made,  every  part  of  the  plant,  every  nook  and  corner, 
is  protected  by  the  Globe  Automatic  Sprinkler  System;  and  there  are  fire 
pumps  in  the  power  plant  ami  water  mains  and  hydrant-,  throughout  the 
yard  as  a  safeguard  against  fire  in  the  lumber  piles. 


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582 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


PLANT    OF    SAGINAW    SHOW    CASE    COMPANY 


Saginaw  Show  Case  Company,  Lt'd 

\n  industry  of  special  interest  to  this  city  is  the  Saginaw  Show  Case 
Company,  successors  to  the  Stenglein  .Manufacturing  Company  for  more 
than  twenty  years  makers  of  tine  furniture.  In  1903  the  new  corporation 
was  i  rganized  and  took  over  the  plant  and  property  of  the  latter  concern 
on  Mackinaw  Street  between  Hamilton  and  Niagara.  The  principal  incor- 
porators and  stockholders  are:  John  Stenglein.  August  Stenglein,  C.  J.  Rice, 
Henry  Meier,  F.  W.  Sawatsky.  G.  L.  Burrows,  Jr.,  S.  E.  Parrish,  J.  G. 
Schemm  Estate,  E.  G.  Rust  Estate.  James  A.  Nolan  Estate  and  Fred  J.  Fox. 

There  was  a  broad  market  and  steady  demand  for  floor  cases  and  other 
products  of  this  kind,  and  the  company  started  making  high  grade  floor 
cases  of  attractive  design  and  fine  workmanship.  Gradually  the  line  was 
extended  to  include  enclosed  wall  cases  and  store  fixtures  for  the  drug, 
jewelry,  dry  goods,  candy  and  other  trades,  and  a  large  business  was  worked 
up.  The  field  of  operations  covered  the  entire  United  States,  and  in  more- 
recent  years  a  considerable  foreign  trade  has  been  developed,  large  ship- 
ments being  made  to  leading  jobbers  of  Porto  Rico  and  of  some  countries  of 
South  America. 

The  woods  used  are  largely  native  to  this  section  of  the  country, 
although  more  recently  mahogany  in  both  solid  and  veneer  finish  has  become 
most  popular  with  the  trades.  The  mahogany  is  imported  from  Africa  and 
South  America,  and  worked  up  from  the  rough  boards  to  the  finely  finished 
cases,  replete  with  all  the  latest  fixtures,  such  a-  marble  base,  mirror  doors, 
glass  shelves  and  electric  lights.  Some  special  and  highly  artistic  cases 
have  been  turned  out  from  this  well  equipped  factory,  embodying  the  latest 
ideas  of  arrangement  and  finish,  and  costing  as  much  as  thirty  dollars  a 
running   foot. 

A  considerable  quantity  of  line  marbles  is  used  in  the  construction  oi 
show  cases;  and  bevelled,  ground  and  polished  edge  plate  glass,  as  well 
as  some  fine  art  glass,  products  of  Saginaw  manufactories,  are  the  principal 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


583 


materials  that  go  into  the  cases.  Thirty-five  to  forty  mechanics  and  skilled 
workmen  are  employed  by  the  company;  and  tin  animal  production  is 
valued  at  sixty  to  seventy  thousand  dollars. 


The 


Saginaw   Mirror  Works 
jinaw   Mirror   Works,  a   Michigan  corporation,  was  organized  in 


the  Fall  of  1904  with  a  capital  stock  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  A  start  was 
made  with  two  men  making  mirrors  for  a  limited  trade,  but  a  year  later 
\Y.  M.  Guider  became  interested  in  the  company,  and  a  plan  of  operations 
\\a>  laid  nut  which  soon  indicated  a  large  expansion  of  the  business.  The 
capital  stock  was  increased  to  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  the  plant  was 
enlarged  with  the  installation  of  needed  machinery  and  appliances  to  take 
care  of  the  rapidly  increasing  requirements.  This  included  the  building  of 
an  addition  to  the  original  plant,  at  Niagara  and  Lyon  Streets,  which  is 
closely  connected  with  that  of  the  Saginaw  Show  Case  Company,  whose 
needs  in  the  line  of  mirrors  and  show  case  tups  it  supplies,  and  affords  a 
considerable  portion  of  its  business. 

Besides  the  increasing  use  of  mirrors  in  show  cases,  the  .Mirror  Work-. 
finds  a  ready  market  in  the  furniture  trade  and  with  manufacturers  of  in- 
terior finish,  which  insures  a  steady  volume  of  business.  The  market  for 
mirrors  of  high  grade  is  active  and  shipments  are  made  to  all  points  in  the 
United  States,  to  Mexico,  and  to   Cuba  and   South    America. 

In  1915  a  departure  was  made  in  the  already  successful  business  by  the 
introduction  of  an  art  glass  department.  This  includes  the  making  of  -lass 
in  beautiful  and  symmetrical  designs  for  the  building  and  allied  trades.  The 
art  glass  is  largely  used  in  vestibule  doors,  stairways  windows  and  for  similar 
purposes  in  fine  residence,  public  buildings,  etc.  A  feature  of  this  depart- 
ment is  the  exquisite  designs  for  church  windows  and  other  purposes  of 
ecclesiastical  nature.  These  include  the  use  of  rich  cathedral  glass  for  chan- 
cel and  altar  windows  and  rose  windows,  some  with  large  figures  of  script- 
ural subjects  done  in  exquisite  colors,  ami  readily  appealing  to  the  spiritual 
sense  of   church    people.     Although    this   is   special    work   executed   on    order 


THE    SAGINAW    MIRROR    WORKS 


584  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

only,  it  is  becoming  a  considerable  part  of  the  total  business  of  the  company. 
About  forty  men  are  given  steady  employment  in  the  Mirror  Works, 
the  total  output  of  which  is  fully  seventy-five  thousand  dollars  yearly.  The 
present  directors  are:  John  Stenglein,  president;  A.  U.  Stenglein,  vice- 
president;  W.  M.  Guider,  secretary-treasurer  and  manager,  and  J.  II.  Ditt- 
man  and  L.  Decker. 

Brand   &   Hardin  Milling  Company 

The  oldest  milling  concern  in  Saginaw  Valley,  and  probably  in  this 
section  of  Michigan,  is  the  Brand  &  Hardin  Milling  Company,  whose  large 
plant  is  situated  at  Niagara  and  Mackinaw  Streets.  This  prosperous  business 
was  founded  in  the  eighteen-fifties  by  the  late  Daniel  Hardin,  whc  built  a 
grist  mill,  thirty  by  sixty  feet  in  size,  on  the  site  of  the  present  mill,  and 
conducted  a  general  flour  and  feed  trade  for  many  years. 

On  April  1.  1878,  J.  F.  Brand  took  charge  of  the  business,  and  a  lew 
months  later  was  joined  in  the  enterprise  by  A.  C.  Hardin,  the  firm  name 
being  Brand  &  Hardin.  This  enterprising  firm  soon  after  sold  the  original 
mill  to  John  H.  Shackleton  who  removed  it  to  Mackinaw,  Gratiot  and  Lyon 
Streets.  A  general  milling  business  was  there  carried  on  for  about  twenty- 
five  years.  At  length  the  old  mill,  which  had  been  improved  from  time  to 
time,  was  moved  to  the  Melt  Line  near  Gratiot  Street,  and  was  entirely 
destroyed  by  lire  about  six  years  ago. 

Meanwhile  the  firm  of  Brand  iK:  Hardin  erected  a  new.  modern  roller 
mill,  four  stories  in  height,  eighty  by  one  hundred  feet  in  dimensions,  on  the 
site  of  the  old  mill,  and  it  was  equipped  with  all  the  essential  machinery  for 
making  flour  of  superior  quality.  The  mill  had  a  capacity  of  two  hundred 
barrels  of  flour  a  day,  and  hv  it--  improved  process  of  milling  the  firm  estab- 
lished a  high  reputation  for  their  various  brands.  An  addition  to  the  mill 
was  fitted  with  roller  process  machinery  for  use  as  a  feed  mill,  and  a  con- 
siderable business  was  transacted  in  that  line.  The  name  of  Brand  &  Hardin 
was  the  foremost  one  in  the  milling  trade  of  Saginaw   Valley. 

At  the  time  the  milling  business  was  expanding  the  firm  also  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  shingles  and  salt,  products  for  which  there  was  a  steady 
demand.  The  shingle  mill  was  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  river  adjoining 
the  flour  mill,  and  exhaust  steam  from  the  latter  was  used  in  some  of  the 
manufacturing  processes,  and  was  also  used  in  working  the  pumps  and  in 
evaporating  the  salt  brine  in  the  salt  block.  This  utilization  of  a  hitherto 
waste  product  of  the  engines  proved  an  economic  measure,  and  added  appreci- 
ably to  the  profits  of  the  firm.  The  production  of  shingles  amounted  to  six 
ami  one-half  million  annually,  and  was  continued  until  1900  when  the  avail- 
able timber  became  exhausted.  The  manufacture  of  salt  continued  and 
reached  thirteen  thousand  barrels  a  year,  but  later  the  production  was  greatl) 
increased  by  their  operation  of  the  Kull  block,  which  had  a  daily  capacity 
of  about  one  hundred  barrels.  The  salt  business  finally  became  unprofitable 
and  the  blocks  were  closed  down  and  dismantled  about  1907. 

The  roller  mill  which  was  opened  in  1882  and  the  feed  mill  in  1885  were 
augmented  in  1906  by  the  erection  of  a  grain  elevator  adjoining  the  mill  on  the 
south  side.  With  ample  railroad  facilities  the  storage  of  wheat,  oats,  rye. 
barlev  and  other  grains  for  milling  and  trade  purposes  was  good  business 
practice,  and  increased  the  business  of  the  firm.  In  1912  a  second  elevator 
was  built  on  the  premises  and  used  exclusively  for  the  handling  of  beans. 
About  forty-five  women  and  girls  are  employed  in  "picking"  beans,  and  the 
shipments  of  this  popular  article  of  food  are  about  one  hundred  carloads  a 
year.  From  twenty  to  twenty-live  men  are  given  steady  employment  in  the 
mill  and  elevators. 


586 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  present  capacity  of  the  roller  mill  is  two  hundred  and  fifty  barrels 
of  flour  a  day,  and  so  celebrated  are  their  brands  that  the  local  demand, 
and  that  of  the  surrounding  country,  calls  fur  the  entire  output.  The  "O.  K. 
Roller  Patent"  brand  is  a  fancy  patent  made  from  winter  wheat;  "Gold 
Medal"  brand  is  made  from  a  blend  of  winter  and  spring  wheat;  "Special 
Patent"  brand  is  a  straight  winter  wheat  flour,  while  "Monarch"  brand  is  an 
all  spring  wheat  flour.  There  are  also  "<  ).  K.  Buckwheat"  and  a  self-rising 
pancake  flour  of  superior  quality,  which  meet  with  great  favor  with  house- 
wives and  the  trade  generally. 

In  1908  the  business  of  Brand  &  Hardin  was  incorporated  as  the  Brand 
&  Hardin  Milling  Company.  J.  F.  Brand  is  president  of  the  new  company, 
C.  H.  Brand  is  vice-president,  and  W.  E.  DeWitt  is  secretary  and  treasurer. 
Other  stockholders  in  the  company  are  D.  W.  Stewart,  R.  J.  Walker  and 
E.  L.  Levi. 


BUTTER    MAKING    AT    SAGINAW     CREAMERY    COMPANY 

Saginaw  Creamery   Company 

Five  vears  ago  the  creamery  business  of  this  city  was  augmented  by  the 
organization  of  the  Saginaw  Creamer}'  Company,  wdiose  model  establishment 
is  located  at  209  North  Writer  Street.  Charles  F.  Burger,  the  founder  of  the 
company,  is  an  enterprising  business  man  whose  progressive  policy  lias  built 
up  a  large  trade.  At  the  beginning  of  the  successful  business  he  adopted  a 
system  of  buying  cream  direct  from  the  producer,  which  has  been  maintained 
ever  since. 

'Idle  direct  shipping  system  by  which  shipments  of  cream  are  received 
from  all  parts  of  the  State,  is  a  very  popular  one  with  producers,  and  the 
steady  supply  of  rich  cream  has  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  at  the  end 
of  last  summer  the  output  of  "Purity  First"  brand  of  creamery  butter  reached 
a  total  of  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pounds.  Cream  comes  from 
points  ar  far  north  as  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw,  as  far  west  as  Lake  Michigan, 
as  far  east  as  Bake  Erie,  and  a  considerable  distance  south.  Cash  is  paid 
for  each  shipment  of  cream  sent  in,  and  the  producer  of  good  cream  receives 
the  highest  price  for  butter  fat,  with  the  usual  cream  station  operator's  profit 
added. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


3S7 


The  creamery  plant  is  very  Favorably  located  to  conduct  a  business  of 
this  kind  covering  a  wide  territory.  Cream  from  the  producer  is  received 
at  the  railroad  stations,  is  hauled  to  the  creamery  by  motor  trucks,  and  an 
accurate  record  made  of  it.  Each  separate  shipment  is  accurately  weighed 
and  carefully  tested  for  butter  fat  content.  Great  care  is  exercised  in  this 
matter,  as  correct  weights  and  cash  payments  have  been  prime  factors  in  the 
growth  of  the  business. 

When  emptied  of  their  rich  cream  contents  the  cans  are  thoroughly 
sterilized  and  returned  to  the  shippers  ready  for  further  use. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  more  than  four  thousand  satisfied  producers 
of  cream  who  make  regular  shipments  to  the  Saginaw  Creamery  Company. 
Each  and  every  transaction  with  them  is  carefully  recorded,  so  that  any 
particular  item  or  detail  may  be  quickly  referred  to  at  any  time.  Cream 
producers  of  Saginaw  and  adjoining  counties,  as  well  as  those  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  from  this  city,  are  fortunate  in  having  such  a  reliable  and 
progressive  creamery  to  take  their  dairy  products. 


PARKER 

DAIRY 
CO. 


PARKER 

DAIRY 


CLARE    H.    PARKER 

Parker   Dairy   Company 

The  Parker  Dairy  Company,  which  is  one  of  the  large  distributors  of 
Pasteurized  milk  and  dairy  products  in  this  city,  was  established  in  1905, 
and  its  model  plant  is  located  at  2_'8  North  Warren  Avenue  and  at  608-12 
Johnson  Street.  The  company  was  founded  by  Clare  H.  Parker,  whose 
energy,  extensive  experience  and  integrity  have  built  up  a  very  successful 
business. 

Mr.  Parker  was  born  in  1876  at  Grand  Blanc,  ( ienesee  County,  which 
was  also  the  birthplace  of  his  parents.  After  attending  the  district  schools 
and  the  Flint  High  School  in  boyhood,  he  took  a  full  course  in  the  Michigan 
Agricultural  College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1''00.  He  was  superin- 
tendent  of  Towar's  Ann   Arbor   Dairy    Farm    from    1  ''00  to    1902;  and   was 


588  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

manager  of  the  Sanitary  Milk  Company,  Grand  Rapids,  in  1903  and  1904. 
The  following  year  he  came  to  Saginaw  and  founded  the  business  of  which 
he  is  the  guiding  spirit. 

In  1911  the  dairy  business  was  incorporated  with  a  capital  stuck  of 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  Many  improvements  have  since  been  made  to 
the  plant,  and  at  present  the  latest  DeLaval  clariiier  and  Jansen  Pasteurizers 
are  in  daily  operation.  The  must  sanitary  conditions  are  constantly  main- 
tained, insuring  absolutely  clean  and  safe  milk. 

The  milk  comes  from  the  same  dairies  every  morning,  and  is  brought 
to  the  dairy  plant  mostly  by  motor  trucks,  thus  providing  at  all  times  a 
fresh  and  pure  supply.  The  handling  of  milk  in  this  plant  is  entirely  by 
automatic  machinery,  even  to  the  capping  of  the  bottles,  so  that  it  is  pro- 
tected from  contamination  by  human  hands. 

In  1910  the  company  began  making  ice  cream  of  high  grade,  though  on 
a  small  scale,  but  so  great  has  been  the  demand  for  "Superior"  Brand  ice 
cream  that  a  modern  freezing  plant  has  been  added.  This  product  is  now 
shipped  from  Saginaw  in  all  directions  to  points  from  ten  to  one  hundred 
miles  distant,  and  forms  a  considerable  part  of  the  large  business  transacted 
by  the  company. 

Koehler    Brothers 

The  greal  and  growing  importance  of  the  iron  and  steel  interests  of 
Saginaw  is  reflected  in  the  general  activity  which  attends  the  industry  here, 
and  is  an  augury  of  future  prosperity  of  this  city.  Among  the  successful 
concerns  in  this  line  is  that  of  Koehler  Brothers  which  for  thirty-eight  years 
has  been  located  at  20S-12  South  Water  Street.  This  old  and  reliable  firm. 
operating  steam  forge,  bolt  works  and  machine  shops,  succeeded  in  1S7S  to 
the  oldest  business  of  its  kind  in  Saginaw  Valley.  It  was  founded  in  Decem- 
ber, 1852,  by  Frederick  A.  Koehler  (see  Vol.  1,  page  35'',  for  portrait),  father 
of  the  present  principal  generation.  East  Saginaw  was  then  merely  a  fron- 
tier settlement  and  the  mechanical  needs  of  the  pioneers  were  few  and  easily 
supplied.  Mr.  Koehler  had  come  with  his  father  from  New  Jersey  and  settled 
in  Saginaw  City,  but  was  soon  induced  by  Alfred  M.  Hoyt  and  Norman  Little 
to  locate  his  shop  at  Fast  Saginaw.  A  comfortable  house  was  built  at  the 
corner  of  Water  and  Tuscola  Streets,  where  the  Koehler  family  lived  for 
a  number  i  if  years. 

The  original  blacksmith  and  machine  shops  were  situated  on  the  south 
side  of  Tuscola  Street,  between  Washington  and  Water  Streets,  where  a 
steadily  growing  business  was  conducted  for  about  twenty-five  years.  Dur- 
ing that  period  Mr.  Koehler  did  practically  all  the  iron  work  on  Jesse  floyt's 
vessels,  which  were  built  in  a  little  ship  yard  at  the  point  where  the  Flint  & 
Pere  Marquette  Railroad  afterward  crossed  the  river,  and  most  of  the  mill 
work  of  Hoyt's  extensive  manufacturing  enterprises. 

With  the  aid  of  new  machinery,  steam  power,  steam  trip  hammer,  blower, 
lathe  and  bolt  cutter,  and  all  essential  tools  for  rapid  and  skillful  work,  the 
shops  were  enabled  to  do  all  kinds  of  heavy  iron  forging  and  blacksmithing 
and  the  making  of  stair  railings,  awning  frames,  etc.  "The  old  reliable 
worker  in  iron,"  savs  an  old  advertisement  of  1869,  "with  one  of  the  best 
machine  shops  in  the  West,  makes  endless  chain  for  carrying  away  sawdust, 
slabs,  edgings  and  other  refuse  of  saw  mills." 

On  April  10,  1878,  the  business  was  taken  over  by  James  A.  and  Frederick 
11.  Koehler.  sons  of  the  founder,  and  it  has  since  been  conducted  under  the 
firm  name  of  Koehler  Brothers.  In  1880  the  plant  was  removed  to  the 
present  location  on  South  Water  Street,  having  a  frontage  of  one  hundred 
feet  and  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  which  afforded  much  needed 
space    and    increased    facilities     for    carrying    on    the    increasing    business. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


589 


KOEHLER  BROTHERS  IRON  WORKS 

Frederick  H.  Koehler  died  in  1880,  and  the  business  has  since  been  carried 
on  by  Clarkson  A.  and  James  A.  Koehler,  the  former,  like  bis  brother,  being 
a  skilled  mechanic  and  millwright. 

The  works  then  occupied  a  substantial  brick  building  covering  practi- 
cally the  entire  site,  and  were  equipped  with  all  requisite  machinery  fur  doing 
the  heaviest  blacksmithing  and  forging.  There  were  special  facilities  for 
making  salt  and  artesian  well  tools  of  all  kinds,  bolts,  pole  joints,  etc.,  and 
all  the  appliances  fur  saw  and  shingle  mills  and  salt  blocks.  Employment 
was  given  to  twenty  skilled  workmen.  The  thoroughness  with  which  all 
the  details  of  the  business  were  carried  on.  the  high  quality  of  materials  used 
and  superior  workmanship  secured  fur  the  owners  of  the  plant  a  widespread 
reputation.  The  firm  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  mill  men  everywhere,  and  a 
large  business  was  transacted  in  Michigan.  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  and  as  far 
\\  est  as  Colorado  and  South  as  far  as  Texas. 

The  present  members  of  the  firm  are  Clarkson  A.  and  James  A.  Koehler, 
who  have  been  associated  with  the  business  nearly  all  their  lives,  and  James 
11.  and  Charles  J.  Koehler.  sons  of  Clarkson  Koehler.  They  are  thoroughly 
practical  and  experienced  men  in  the  business,  and  all  the  details  of  numerous 
iron-working  contracts   taken   by   the    firm    have    their   personal    supervision. 

Their  line  of  builders'  iron  work  reaches  out  all  over  the  country,  and, 
considering  the  wide  line  of  mill  work  formerly  done,  there  is  scarcely  a 
State  not  touched  by  their  product.  In  mill  work  they  still  make  chains 
used  for  conveying  sawdust  and  refuse  out  of  saw  mills,  and  spur  chains  for 
bringing  up  the  logs  into  the  mills.  Their  principal  products,  however,  are 
steel  stairs,  gratings,  area  doors,  fire  escapes,  porte  cocheres  and  ornamental 
iron  work.  They  also  conduct  a  general  forging  and  machine  shop  business, 
and   in    all    their    various   operations   give    employment    to    many    mechanics. 


590 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


In  some  of  their  more  recent  contracts  they  have  installed  iron  work  in 
public  and  private  buildings  in  Alma,  Alpena,  Ann  Arbor,  Ypsilanti,  Caro, 
Muskegon,  Petoskey,  Grand  Rapids,  Kalamazoo,  Lansing,  Detroit,  Flint, 
Jackson  and  other  cities.  While  there  is  no  competition  locally  they  do  meet 
with  active  competition  in  outside  contracts,  but  their  equipment  enables 
them  to  secure  much  of  the  work  offered  in  their  line.  The  firm  is  very 
progressive  and  is  one  of  Saginaw's  substantial   manufacturing  institutions. 


WHERE    WOLVERINE    GLOVES   ARE    MADE 

Wolverine  Glove  Company 

The  diversity  of  Saginaw's  industries  is  without  doubt  one  of  the  chief 
factors  of  the  city's  progress  and  prosperity.  This  is  exemplified  by  the  suc- 
cessful concern  known  as  the  Wolverine  Glove  Company,  308-12  Tuscola 
Street,  one  of  the  local  manufactories  which  owes  its  expansion  to  the  sheer 
merit  of  its  pn  iduct. 

The  business  was  started  in  1910  by  George  W.  McConnell,  who  per- 
ceived the  broad  field  for  cheap  workingmen's  gloves  made  from  canvas,  duck 
or  other  cotton  materials.  He  had  the  right  idea,  an  indomitable  will  and 
an  ample  degree  of  perseverance,  and  although  the  beginning  was  in  a  very 
small  way  the  business  increased  rapidly.  A  few  machines  had  been  set  up 
in  Mr.  McConnell's  home,  at  427  Howard  Street,  and  it  was  not  long  before 
his  gloves  attracted  wide  attention,  and  he  had  all  the  orders  he  could  take 
care  of.  At  no  time  then  or  since  has  the  factory  been  of  sufficient  capacity 
to  make  gloves  fast  enough  to  supply  the  active  demand. 

Meanwhile  C.  E.  Borland  had  observed  the  rapid  expansion  of  this  new 
industry.      It   was  literally  buried   under  an  avalanche  of  orders  for  its  pro- 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


591 


duct,  and  he  soon  interested  E.  A.  Robertson  in  a  comprehensive  plan  for  in- 
incorporation  of  the  business  and  a  great  enlargement  of  its  manufacturing 
facilities.  In  November,  1916,  the  incorporation  of  the  Wolverine  Glove 
Company  was  effected  with  the  following  officers:  E.  A.  Robertson,  presi- 
dent ;  George  W.  McConnell,  vice-president ;  C.  E.  Borland,  secretary  and 
treasurer. 

To  provide  suitable  factory  space  the  company  leased  the  old  "News" 
building  on  Tuscola  Street,  a  three-story  and  basement  brick  structure,  hav- 
ing a  floor  area  of  about  ten  thousand  square  feet.  In  this  building  was 
installed  a  complete  equipment  of  the  latest  glove  and  knitting  machines, 
and  on  January  1,  1917,  the  factory  began  operations.  The  output  was  in- 
creased more  than  ten  fold  at  a  single  step  forward,  and  for  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  enterprise  did  the  promoters  hope  to  promptly  meet  all 
demands  for  their  product. 

This  hope  was  soon  dispelled,  however,  by  a  greater  expansion  of  the 
business  than  had  ever  been  dreamed  of,  and  more  machinery  was  ordered  to 
supplement  the  factory  equipment.  In  a  little  more  than  a  year  the  business 
increased  to  a  stage  where  employment  is  given  to  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
women  and  girls.  The  line  of  gloves,  meanwhile,  was  enlarged,  and  the 
company  now  makes  all  kinds  of  workingmen's  gloves  to  meet  all  require- 
ments of  the  trade.  Its  principal  outlet  is  through  the  large  wholesale 
grocery  and  jobbing  houses,  orders  being  taken  for  manufacture  and  delivery 
months  in  advance.  The  popularity  of  Wolverine  gloves  is  such  that  more 
than  likely  the  demand  will  necessitate  a  doubling  of  the  factory  equipment, 
and  in  a  few  years  at  most  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  women  will  be 
employed  by  this  establishment. 


BEAN     ELEVATOR    WITH     ILLUMINATED    WAVING     FLAG 


592 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


- 


MODERN    PRINTING    PLANT    OF    VALLEY    PRINTING    COMPANY 


Valley  Printing  Company 

Every  red-blooded  American,  who  is  interested  in  the  progress  of  his 
State  and  county,  finds  pleasure  in  reading  of  the  achievements  of  self  made 
men.  and  particularly  of  the  career  of  those  who  have  come  within  his 
observation.  In  the  application  of  those  qualities  of  energy,  intellect,  per- 
serverance  and  integrity,  Saginaw  has  many  worthy  examples,  among  whom 
is  Willis  11.  Brooks,  founder  and  manager  of  the  Valley  Printing  Company. 
Beginning  in  a  small  way  with  limited  capital,  a  print  simp  in  cramped 
quarters,  he  has  by  the  display  of  an  indomitable  will  built  up  a  large  business 
in  the  better  class  of  printing,  employing  skilled  workmen  in  two  well 
equipped  plants. 

Air.  Brooks  began  his  career  as  a  skilled  printer  in  1S78  with  the  Bay 
City  Tribune,  and  continued  his  connection  with  that  paper  fur  about  six 
years.  In  l!So4  he  went  to  Mint  as  a  partner  in  the  publication  of  the  Flint 
Journal,  which  soon  after  became  a  daily  paper.  After  a  precarious  existence 
tor  several  vears  this  property  was  sold,  and  Mr.  Brooks  interested  himself 
in  job  printing  which  ever  since  has  been  his  occupation,  and  a  very  success- 
ful one. 

It  was  in  1893,  following  a  year  of  hard  work  in  soliciting  good  printing 
for  a  local  concern,  that  Air.  Brooks,  in  association  with  AI.  A.  McConnelly, 
started  a  small  print  shop  in  the  Exchange  Block,  at  the  corner  of  Genesee 
Avenue  and  Tilden  (Water)  Street.  The  room  was  only  twenty  by  fifty- 
feet  in  size,  filled  with  good  printing  machinery  and  equipment,  and  for  the 
first  time  in  his  experience  in  this  city  was   Brooks  able  to  furnish  the  high 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  593 

grade  printing  his  customers  were  demanding.  "Quality  First"  was.  and 
always  has  been,  his  watch-word,  and  the  remarkable  success  which  came  of 
his  efforts  was  due  very  largely  to  strict  adherence  to  this  policy. 

Five  years  later,  when  the  business  had  outgrown  the  space  and  the  loca- 
tion where  it  was  started,  the  whole  establishment  was  removed  to  the  Brewer 
Block  on  North  Franklin  Street.  The  floor  space  available  was  twenty  by 
eighty  feet,  but  this  was  enlarged  the  following  year  by  the  addition  of  an 
adjoining  store,  giving  a  total  space  of  forty  by  erne  hundred  feet.  The  loca- 
tion was  a  very  favorable  one  for  a  business  of  this  kind,  and  the  mechanical 
equipment  was  largely  increased  and  renewed,  so  that  the  firm  was  able  to 
turn  out  the  highest  class  work  in  general  commercial  printing,  including 
catalogues,  pamphlets,  etc.,  in  large  editions. 

The  increase  in  their  facilities  necessitated  the  addition  of  a  complete  and 
up-to-date  binder)'  with  equipment  for  making  all  kinds  of  loose  leaf  books 
and  devices.  This  was  a  long  step  forward,  and  was  soon  reflected  in  a  con- 
siderable increase  in  the  business.  Besides  attending  to  the  binding  work 
incident  to  a  large  job  printing  trade,  a  general  binding  business  is  carried  on. 
At  about  this  time  their  field  of  operations  was  enlarged  to  cover  all  the 
central  portion  of  the  State,  and  connections  were  made  with  some  of  the 
largest  corporations,  for  a  considerable  part  of  their  printing  orders. 

In  1910  the  trade  developed  in  Mint  and  vicinity  became  so  promising 
that  the  firm  purchased  the  business  and  plant  of  the  Hammaker  Printing 
Company  in  that  city.  The  equipment  of  this  plant  was  overhauled  and  im- 
proved, and  additions  made  to  it  from  time  to  time.  It  is  operated  as  a 
distinct  unit  and  proves  a  valuable  feeder  to  the  Saginaw  printing  plant. 
There  is  a  large  printing  trade  in  Flint,  especially  with  the  motor  manufac- 
turers, and  much  of  this  business  comes  to  Saginaw  through  the  Flint  branch 
of  this  company. 

That  the  printing  plants  are  well  equipped  to  handle  all  kinds  of  catalogue 
and  book  work  is  well  known  to  the  trade,  and  the  Saginaw  plant  is  said  by 
competent  judges  to  be  the  best  balanced  print  shop  in  Saginaw  Valley.  This 
i^  largely  due  to  the  fact  that,  following  the  disastrous  tire  of  May,  1916, 
which  destroyed  much  of  the  fine  equipment,  entirely  new  presses  and 
mechanical  appliances  were  installed.  In  June  of  that  year  the  new  plant, 
removed  to  the  three-story  brick  building  at  the  corner  of  North  Franklin 
and  Tuscola  Streets,  started  printing  operations.  This  well  lighted  and  con- 
veniently arranged  shop  has  a  floor  area  of  about  six  thousand  square  feet, 
more  than  six  times  the  space  of  the  original  shop.  All  the  machinery  is  of 
the  latest  approved  type,  one  machine  alone  costing  more  than  twice  the 
original  investment  of  the  firm. 

A  machine  of  particular  importance  in  this  model  printing  plant  is  the 
Monotype  type  setting  machine,  which  is  the  only  one  of  its  kind  north  of 
Detroit  in  this  section  of  the  State.  This  wonderful  machine,  which  is  used 
in  the  largest  printing  establishments  in  this  country,  does  everything  that 
any  type  setting  machine  will  do  and  much  more  besides.  It  is  especially 
useful  and  economical  in  setting  tables  and  in  statement  work,  as  it  sets  all 
rules,  leads  and  slugs  and  makes  type  of  any  size  and  face.  Much  hand  com- 
position is  eliminated,  the  work  of  the  shop  expedited,  and  the  costs  reduced. 
It  has  main-  other  advantages  over  other  type  setting  machines. 

The  press  equipment  consists  of  large  cylinder  and  job  presses,  all  of  the 
latest  types  and  improvements.  All  machines  are  electrically  driven  by  sepa- 
rate motors. 

In  the  stock  room  is  to  be  found  at  all  times  a  full  line  of  linen,  bond, 
ledger  and  book  papers,  which  is  drawn  upon  to  fill  orders  for  all  kinds  of 
catalogue,  book  and  job  printing  work. 


594  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Seemann  &  Peters 

This  well  known  and  reliable  printing  house,  the  publisher  of  the  new 
History  of  Saginaw  County,  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  in  its 
line  in  Saginaw  Valley.  Thirty-eight  years  ago  Joseph  Seemann  and  Charles 
H.  Peters,  Senior,  both  veterans  in  the  printing  and  publishing  business, 
joined  forces  in  a  co-partnership  under  the  above  name,  which  continued  until 
the  death  of  Mr.  Peters  on  November  12,  1910.  In  the  following  year  the 
business  was  incorporated  with  Joseph  Seemann  as  president,  Charles  H. 
Peters,  Junior,  vice-president,  and  Edwin  C.  Peters  general  manager.  The 
business  thus  founded  lias  developed  rapidly,  and  the  plant,  operating  all  the 
departments  comprised  under  the  general  art  of  printing  and  engraving  and 
book  making,  is  now  one  of  the  most  complete  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

Opening  a  job  printing  shop  in  1879  in  a  small  room  fifteen  by  twenty 
feet  in  size,  on  the  second  floor  of  the  building  at  319  Genesee  Avenue,  the 
firm  of  Seemann  &  Peters  began  a  long  and  successful  career.  In  those  days 
everything  was  done  by  hand,  it  was  all  hand  composition  and  very  often 
hand  power  that  operated  the  presses.  Two  or  three  job  presses,  with  such 
an  equipment  of  type  as  would  serve  a  small  print  shop,  comprised  the  outfit, 
but  by  indomitable  will  and  energy  the  partners  gained  a  very  strong 
patronage. 

As  the  business  increased  larger  quarters  were  needed,  and  in  1885  the 
firm  acquired  sixty  feet  of  frontage  on  Tuscola  Street,  at  Xos.  307-309-311, 
and  erected  thereon  the  Saginaw  News  Building  to  which  the  business  was 
removed  and   the   facilities   increased   to   handle   the    rapidly   growing   trade. 

(  Ine  of  the  important  events  in  the  formative  period  of  the  business  was 
the  founding  of  the  Saginaw  Evening  News,  now  the  Saginaw  Daily  News, 
the  first  issue  of  which  appeared  May  2,  1881.  Although  the  paper  was 
launched  on  troubled  seas,  both  its  promoters  had  great  faith  in  the  under- 
taking, and  through  their  strong  personalities  and  energies  and  the  able 
management  of  Mr.  Seemann,  the  enterprise  became  thoroughly  established 
ami  the  paper  entered  upon  a  prosperous  career  which  has  continued  to  the 
present  time.  Later,  finding  that  the  paper  conflicted  in  certain  ways  with 
their  increasing  printing  business,  they  sold  the  Evening  News  to  E.  N. 
Dinglev,  of  Kalamazoo,  who  took  charge  on  February  15,  1893. 

About  1900  the  linn  enlarged  its  plant  and  increased  its  facilities  for 
handling  high-class  work,  by  the  acquisition  of  the  property  measuring  one 
hundred  and  eighty  by  one  hundred  anil  twenty  feet,  at  the  corner  of  North 
Franklin  and  Tuscola  Streets,  adjoining  the  News  Building.  The  cost  of 
this  property  and  the  improvements  then  made  in  the  building  and  the  pur- 
chase of  improved  machinery,  was  forty  thousand  dollars;  and  by  rearrange- 
ment of  the  plant  the  Evening  News  Company  took  additional  space  for  its 
editorial  department.  A  third  story  was  added  to  the  corner  building  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  the  bindery,  which  is  managed  by  Edward  Ileim.  The 
bindery  is  in  itself  a  large  and  complete  plant,  with  machinery  and  expert 
workmen  for  producing  all  kinds  of  blank  books  and  high  class  general  book- 
binding. 

An  important  feature  of  the  business  is  the  thoroughly  equipped  art 
engraving  and  electrotyping  department,  which  for  a  number  of  years  has 
been  under  the  management  of  Charles  II.  Peters,  Junior.  The  process 
engraving  business  was  started  in  Saginaw  by  O.  M.  Pausch  in  1882,  and  from 
that  small  beginning  a  large  business  has  been  developed.  The  electrotyping 
department  was  installed  in  1900,  and  is  now  a  large  part  of  the  growing 
business.  Commercial  photography  is  a  branch  which  is  commanding  more 
attention,  and   thousands  of  fine  photographs  of  public   buildings,   factories, 


L 


596  HIST!  )RY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


machinery,  manufactured  products  and  live  stock  are  taken  yearly  for  the 
embellishment  by  illustration  of  catalogues,  circulars  and  other  advertising 
matter. 

Some  ten  years  ago  another  important  branch  of  the  business  was  created 
in  the  stationery,  office  outfitting  and  plate  printing  and  die  stamping  depart- 
ment. The  large  corner  store  with  show  rooms  above  for  the  furniture  is  a 
fitting  adjunct  to  the  progressive  printing,  engraving  and  binding  establish- 
ment, where  all  classes  of  office  furniture,  safes,  metal  filing  cabinets  and 
business  appliances,  together  with  social  stationery,  line  leather  and  brass 
goods  can  be  obtained.  For  the  last  six  years  this  department  has  been  under 
the  management  of  Lynn  B.  Emery,  who  literally  grew  up  in  the  stationery 
business. 

In  1914  Seemann  &  Peters  purchased  of  F.  &  C.  Reitter  the  old  estab- 
lished German  newspaper,  the  Saginaw  Post-Zeitung,  and  removed  the  entire 
printing  plant  to  its  own  building  on  Tuscola  Street.  The  Zeitung  is  the 
oldest  weekly  newspaper  in  the  Saginaw  Valley,  having  rounded  out  a  half 
century  of  continuous  publication.  The  Post  was  consolidated  with  it  in 
1887.  The  acquisition  of  this  prominent  German  newspaper  enables  Seemann 
&  Peters  to  produce  all  kinds  of  German  job  printing,  which  is  considerable  in 
this  thickly  populated  German  community. 

The  Post-Zeitung  is  a  first-class  publication,  sets  its  reading  matter  from 
a  linotype  machine  set  with  German  letter  characters,  is  ably  edited  by  a 
veteran  journalist.  Mr.  Hans  Dabis,  and  is  managed  by  George  A.  Klette, 
who  has  filled  this  responsible  position  on  the  paper  for  nearly  ten  years.  The 
Post-Zeitung  circulation  exceeds  four  thousand  copies,  and  reaches  every 
locality  where  Germans  have  settled  in  Northeastern  Michigan  and  in  the 
Upper  Peninsula. 

The  Saginaw  Daily  News,  which  is  controlled  by  the  Scripps-Booth  inter- 
ests, in  August,  1916,  removed  to  the  new  building  at  Washington  and 
Germania  Avenues.  This  left  vacant  a  large  part  of  the  Franklin  Street  prop- 
erty,  as  well  as  space  in  the  old  News  Building,  ami  with  characteristic  enter- 
prise Seemann  &  Peters  proceeded  to  remodel  the  former  structure  to  house 
under  one  roof  all  the  departments  of  their  extensive  business.  The  ground 
floor  was  practically  rebuilt,  walls  and  partitions  changed,  and  concrete  foun- 
dations laid  for  the  big  cylinder  presses  and  other  heavy  machinery.  All 
openings  between  the  two  buildings  were  then  closed,  and  the  Tuscola  Street 
building  was  leased  to  the  Wolverine  (.love  Company.  Merrill  &  Kren,  an 
.Jd  and  reliable  plumbing  concern,  occupy  a  portion  of  this  building. 

With  the  beginning  of  1917  the  entire  business  of  Seemann  &  Peters  is 
consolidated  in  the  remodeled  building  at  Franklin  and  Tuscola  Streets,  with 
a  floor  space  of  more  than  forty  thousand  square  feet.  While  not  the  largest, 
it  is  yet  one  of  the  most  complete  establishments  of  its  kind  in  the  State, 
embracing  all  the  allied  trades  of  the  printing  class,  designing,  plate  printing, 
electrotyping,  stationery  and  office  outfitting,  and  publishing  of  the  Saginaw 
Post-Zeitung.  On  the  first  floor  are  also  the  general  offices  of  the  Company, 
very  conveniently  arranged  for  the  efficient  conduct  of  the  business,  which 
comprises  seven  distinct  branches. 

The  printing  department  has  been  developed  through  many  years, 
until  the  composing  room  alone  occupies  twenty-live  hundred  square  feet  of 
space,  with  a  complete  equipment  of  labor-saving  machinery  and  with  facili- 
ties for  putting  in  type  the  most  intricate  of  general  book  and  special  com- 
position. Two  of  the  latest  design  linotype  machines  give  facilities  for  the 
rapid  handling  of  all  kinds  of  composition  work,  including  books  and  cata- 
logues, of  which  the  Company  does  a  large  volume  of  business.  In  the  press 
room  is  a  battery  of  five  large  cylinder  presses  and  seven  platens,  all  operated 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  597 

by  electric  power  through  separate  motors,  as  are  also  the  paper  cutters, 
ruling  machines,  staplers,  binders  and  other  small  machinery  in  the  various 
departments.  This  large  part  of  the  business  is  efficiently  managed  by  Carl 
Schossow,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  printing  trade  since  boyhood 
and  identified  with  Seemann  &  Peters  for  several  years. 

An  average  of  sixty-five  men  and  women  are  employed  in  the  various 
departments  of  the  business,  and  the  monthly  pay  roll,  not  including  the 
executives,  exceeds  four  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  while  the  annual  busi- 
ness transacted  by  the  Company  is  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars. 

Industry  Among  Blind  Folk 

What  the  blind  folk  of  Michigan  are  doing  to  earn  a  living,  renew  their 
hope,  regain  their  usefulness  and  self-respect,  and  brighten  their  lives,  is 
graphically  told  by  the  notable  work  of  the  Michigan  Employment  Institution 
for  the  Adult  Blind,  which  was  established  in  this  city  in  1903-5.  It  was 
during  the  governorship  of  Colonel  Aaron  T.  Bliss  that  the  Legislature 
passed  a  bill  to  create  this  institution,  and  it  was  located  on  Houghton 
Avenue  opposite  beautiful  Bliss  Park,  which  had  been  given  to  the  City  of 
Saginaw  by   Mr.    Bliss. 

The  question,  "What  can  the  blind  do  for  a  living?'"  is  answered  in  a 
logical  way  by  an  enumeration  of  their  activities  in  those  occupations  in 
which  they  are  least  at  disadvantage  with  seeing  competitors.  As  a  result  of 
this  rational  system,  fully  one-half  of  the  three  thousand  blind  folk  in  Michi- 
gan are  self-supporting. 

(  )n  the  theory  that  all  real  happiness  is  founded  on  productive  effort, 
the  keystone  of  this  institution  is  Industry.  It  is  a  trade  shop,  pure  and 
-imple.  for  blind  people  and  those  partially  blind,  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  sixty;  and  many  have  learned  a  self-supporting  trade  in  six 
months  to  a  year,  and  returned  to  their  homes  to  follow  it.  Some  oppor- 
tunities also  exist  in  business,  which  appeal  to  energetic  and  ambitious  blind 
people,  and  progress  has  been  made  in  perfecting  a  special  commercial  course, 
in  addition  to  literary,  musical  and  manual  training  afforded. 

The  apprentices,  who  always  form  the  major  part  of  the  enrollment,  as 
it  is  intended  they  shall,  are  allowed  their  board,  lodging,  washing,  and 
instruction  ;  and,  after  a  trade  has  been  learned  they  become  wage-earners, 
if  they  care  to  remain.  They  are  then  put  on  the  payroll  and  paid  by  the 
piece  at  current  wage  rates,  but  begin  at  once  paying  for  their  living  expenses 
at  the  nominal  rate  of  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  week.  At  this  rate  the 
slowest  worker  has  earned  above  his  living  a  dollar  in  a  mouth,  while  the 
skilled  and  rapid  operator  has  cleared  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  dollars  in 
the  same  time. 

There  are  about  one  hundred  inmates  in  the  institution  during  the  greater 
portion  of  the  year,  of  whom  seventy  are  men.  This  disparity  in  the  sexes 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  problem  of  how  best  to  care  for  and  give  profitable 
employment  to  blind  women,  has  not  been  solved.  Xew  industries  are  being 
introduced,  but  the  difficulty  seems  to  be  in  finding  occupations  adapted  to 
women's  strength  and  endurance,  at  which  the}-  can  work  rapidly  enough  to 
be  self-supporting,  and  which  they  can  follow  when  they  return  to  their 
homes.  x\  few  of  these  inmates  are  employed  in  sorting  broom  corn,  or 
selecting  feathers  for  duster-making,  besides  those  who  are  engaged  in  the 
direct  work  of  housekeeping  in  the  institution.  The  visitor's  attendant  is 
a  blind  girl,  and  she  shows  people  around  the  buildings  so  fearlessly  that 
many  refuse  to  believe  that  she  is  entirely  blind.  The  seamstress  is  a  blind 
girl,  and  does  all  the  mending  and   making  of  table-cloths,   napkins,   pillow- 


r>98 


HISTORY  OF   SACINAW   COUNTY 


MAKING    FEATHER    DUSTERS    AT    BLIND    INSTITUTION 

cases  anil  sheets,  using  a  sewing  machine  as  well  as  any  of  her  sighted  sisters. 
Since  a  blind  girl  was  put  to  work  in  the  kitchen  the  dish  washing  has  been 
done  satisfactorily. 

Chief  Occupations  for  Men 

From  time  immemorial  broom-making  has  been  the  chief  occupation  for 
blind  men,  and  in  the  Michigan  Institution  it  forms  the  principal  trade 
taught.  This  must  always  be  so  because  a  considerable  number  of  blind 
men  elect  to  remain  as  wageworkers  in  the  institution,  and  some  steady  and 
profitable  work  must  be  given  them  at  all  times.  There  is  always  a  ready 
market  for  brooms  of  different  grades  and  sizes,  including  whisk  brooms, 
and  the  making  of  them  i>  simple  and  well  adapted  to  handwork.  Many 
blind  men  take  to  it  instinctively  and  soon  become  proficient  workers.  As 
nearly  all  the  work  is  done  by  hand,  very  little  machinery  is  used,  and  it  is 
of  the  simplest  kind.  Each  apprentice  learns  every  process  in  the  making 
of  a  broom,  so  as  to  be  able  to  make  one  completely;  but  when  he  becomes 
--killed  in  the  whole  operation  he  generally  chooses  some  particular  process 
in  which  he  is  the  most  adept.  By  this  practice  the  workers  become  rapid 
operators,  and  the  production  of  the  shop  is  greatly  increased. 

In  sewing  brooms  the  accuracy  and  precision  with  which  the  blind 
workers  use  their  fingers  for  eyes,  is  astonishing.  One  of  the  sewers  is  also 
deaf  and  dumb,  but  despite  his  double  affliction  he  is  one  of  the  most  cheerful 
men  in  the  shop.  J  lis  other  faculties  seem  to  be  acutely  attuned  to  every 
sensation,  to  every  vibrant  pulse  of  the  shop,  for  when  the  superintendent 
enters,  that  fact  is  instinctively  borne  to  him.  With  less  fine  perception 
the  other  sightless  ones  determine  the  same  fact  by  the  distinguishing  foot- 
falls of  his  step.  This  blind  and  deaf  and  dumb  man  recognizes  his  friends 
1>\    passing  his   hands  quickly  over  the  face,  with  a  light  and  hardly  percep- 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES 


599 


tible  touch.  lie  converses  with  the  foreman  and  with  other  inmates  thus 
afflicted,  by  use  of  the  double-handed  alphabet  of  the  dumb.  They  simply 
take  hands  and  the  reader  with  his  fingers  follows  the  motions  of  the  other's 
hands,  conversation  being  thus  carried  on  quite  smoothly. 

Feather -duster  making  is  the  second  industry  in  importance ;  about 
fifteen  kinds  of  dusters  being  manufactured,  from  the  gilt-edged  affair  with 
yellow  feathers  handsomely  striped  and  tinted  with  delicate  colors,  to  the 
common  cheap  sort  for  ordinary,  everyday  use.  The  turkey  feathers  as 
received  in  the  shop  are  wrinkled  and  matted  together,  and  after  cleaning 
are  sorted  to  lengths,  the  different  divisions  on  the  measuring  board  being 
indicated  by  little  brass  knobs,  which  the  blind  operators  feel. 

Of  the  industries  which  blind  men  may  learn  in  the  institution  and  follow 
outside  in  their  home  towns,  cobbling  and  rug-making  offer  the  greatest 
returns.  Almost  any  corner  of  the  main  street  in  the  village  will  support  a 
little  cobbler's  simp,  and  all  the  work  is  brought  in  and  called  for  which  is 
an  advantage  to  the  blind  workman.  All  the  shoe-repairing  for  the  inmates 
of  the  institution  and  some  from  outside  is  done  by  the  blind  cobblers,  and 
they  have  even  undertaken  the  making  of  shoes  fur  themselves.  The  accur- 
acy, style,  and  finish  of  their  work  is  remarkable.  Rug-making  from  old 
carpets  offers  many  advantages  to  blind  men.  The  work  is  simple,  the  looms 
suitable  for  their  work  are  inexpensive;  and.  where  the  worker  is  well  known 
plenty  of  weaving  can  be  found.  All  those  from  the  institution,  who  have 
set  up  looms  in  their  home  towns,  have  done  well. 

Employment  Suited  to  Women. 

The  profitable  occupations  suited  to  the  physical  limitations  of  blind 
women  are  limited  to  chair-caning,  rafifia-work  in  basket-making  and  other 
forms,    tapestry    weaving,    stenography    and    typewriting,    hairdressing    and 


BLIND    COBBLERS    MAKING    SHOES    FOR    INMATES    OF    THE    INSTITUTIOT 


000 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


BLIND   GIRL   AT    TAPESTRY    LOOM 


massage,  and  domestic  science.  Of  these  tapestry  weaving  and  stenography 
are,  perhaps,  the  most  promising.  A  large  amount  of  chair  recalling  is  done 
in  the  institution,  mostly  by  the  blind  past  middle  age,  and  is  to  women  what 
broom-making  is  to  the  men,  in  furnishing  steady  and  at  the  same  time 
profitable  employment. 

The  tapestry  looms,  which  are  constructed  to  meet  the  special  require- 
ments of  the  blind,  are  said  to  have  solved  the  industrial  problem  for  blind 
women.  They  are  operated  entirely  by  hand;  but  by  diligent  application 
the  difficulties  have  been  overcome,  and  towels,  table  scarfs,  sofa  pillows, 
laundry  bags,  and  similar  articles  are  woven  entirely  from  the  raw  material. 
Complicated  designs  in  flowers,  trees,  animals,  emblems,  and  geometrical 
lines  and  figures,  are  reproduced  in  the  linen  with  absolute  faithfulness  and 
exquisite  finish.  The  artistic  touch,  t"0,  reveals  a  conception  so  subtle,  and 
deftness  so  precise,  as  to  seem  incredible  in  persons  without  sight.  The 
sense  of  feeling  is,  in  this  absorbing  work,  most  highly  specialized. 


DIVERSIFIED    INDUSTRIES  601 

The  paper  pattern  by  which  the  design  to  be  woven  in  the  linen  is 
communicated  to  the  mind  of  the  blind  operator,  is  a  marvel  of  simplicity, 
and  is  easily  made  by  a  sighted  person.  A  small  sheet  of  ordinary  cross- 
section  paper,  such  as  is  used  by  surveyors,  and  which  is  ruleil  in  little 
squares  one-eighth  of  an  inch  in  size,  is  embossed  by  pin  pricks,  so  that  each 
one  represents  a  thread  of  the  warp  which  enters  into  the  figure.  Likewise, 
other  pricks  on  the  vertical  lines  reveal  the  outline  and  composition  of  the 
figure,  and  by  them  the  woof  is  laid.  The  blind  operator,  by  an  exceedingly 
light  but  rapid  touch  reads  a  portion  of  the  pattern,  and  lays  down  as  many 
threads  as  called  for  by  the  pin  pricks.  The  particular  shuttle  is  then  slipped 
through,  and  the  operation  is  repeated  until  the  figures  and  the  fabric  itself 
is  finished.  A  table  scarf,  twenty  by  twenty-eight  inches  in  size,  with  a  pine 
tree  design  done  in  green,  was  made  in  fourteen  and  one-half  hours,  and  the 
cost,  including  the  linen  and  silk,  was  one  dollar  and  seventy-four  cents.  The 
actual  market  value  of  the  scarf  was  considerably  mine;  the  difference  repre- 
senting the  returns  for  the  operator's  time  and  a  reasonable  margin  of  profit. 

Shorthand  for  the  blind  is  an  assured  fact,  and  is  now  regarded  as  a 
practical  field  for  them.  This  seemingly  impossible  accomplishment  is  made 
entirely  feasible  by  the  use  of  a  wonderful  machine,  so  simple  in  its  mechan- 
ism, yet  arbitrary  in  its  action,  as  to  surprise  those  who  have  witnessed  its 
operation  under  the  deft  manipulation  of  the  sightless,  -killed  in  the  art. 
It  weighs  only  nine  pounds,  and  has  only  six  keys  with  which  to  form  all 
the  combinations  used  in  the  system  ;  yet  the  operator  can  take  the  most 
rapid  dictation  and  afterwards  read  the  notes  correctly.  The  process  is 
simply  to  press  on  the  keys  with  a  quick,  elastic  touch,  by  which  the  raised 
shorthand  type  cipher  is  printed  on  a  slip  of  white  paper,  which  unwinds 
from  a  large  spool  and  travels  across  a  tray  on  the  top  of  the  machine.  After 
the  dictation  has  been  taken,  the  paper  is  rolled  back  again,  and  is  then  read 
with  the  fingers  and  transcribed  on  the  typewriter. 

Learning  to  Read  and  Write. 

Instruction  in  the  use  of  the  ordinary  typewriter,  and  in  reading  the 
various  point  systems  for  the  blind,  are  important  courses  taught  in  the 
institution.  It  is  given  under  the  direction  of  A.  M.  Shotwell,  the  able  lib- 
rarian who,  though  blind,  is  an  authority  on  all  matters  pertaining  to  those 
so  afflicted.  Many  of  the  inmates,  who  became  blind  in  later  life,  and  have 
had  no  chance  to  learn  to  read  or  to  use  the  typewriter,  find  these  privileges 
of  the  greatest  value.  To  be  able  to  read  once  more,  even  though  it  be  slow 
and  a  laborious  task,  and  to  communicate  with  others  by  putting  his  thoughts 
on  paper,  after  years  of  not  having  written  a  single  letter,  is  a  source  of 
boundless  pleasure  to  every  blind  person. 

One  of  the  most  important  features  of  the  institution  is  the  Free  Lending 
Library,  which  is  maintained  for  the  use  of  blind  folk  in  Michigan  and  ad- 
joining states.  By  the  provisions  of  the  Rucker  Rill,  reading  matter  for  the 
blind  ma)  be  sent  free  of  postage  anywhere  in  the  United  States,  when  sent 
from  and  returned  to  a  free  lending  library.     Scattered  throughout  Michigan 

and  other  states  are  many  blind  people  to  whom  1 ks  of  the  various  Braille 

point  systems  are  sent  when  asked  for.  and  after  being  read  or  studied  are 
returned  to  the  library.  Thus  to  many  not  in  the  institution,  hours  of  recrea- 
tion and  profitable  study  are  given,  as  the  list  of  books  includes  works  of 
history,  poetry,  fiction,  science,  music,  and  current  literature,  including  a 
magazine  regularly  published  in  the  Braille. 

The  Michigan  Employment  Institution  for  the  Adult  Blind  R  ably 
managed  by  Frank  ( i.  Putnam,  who  was  appointed  superintendent  on  May  9. 
1910.  James  M.  McCaren  is  president,  and  Earl  F.  Wilson  is  secretary  of 
the  board  of  trustees. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


Primitive  Trading  I  'i  .st >  —  Trade  Development  Slow —  Little  Items,  of  History 
—  The  First  Taverns — Hotels  of  Saginaw  City  —  Hotel  Fordney  —  Building  of  Ban- 
croft House  —  The  Opening  Celebration  —  Toasts  —  Finis  of  the  Old  House — New 
Hotel  Bancroft — Other  Well  Known  Hotels  —  The  Hardware  Trade  —  Dry  Goods 
and  Notions  —  Clothing  and  Furnishing  Trade — Little  "Jake  Seligman" — Other  Suc- 
cessful Clothiers  —  Furniture  and  House  Furnishings  —  Drugs  and  Medicines — Real 
Estate  and  Insurance  —  Coal,  Lime  and  Cement  —  Grocery  and  Provision  Trade  — 
Retail  Grocers  of  Olden  Times  —  Packing  and  Meat  Trade  —  Early  Newspapers  —  A 
Reporter's  Reminiscences  —  Pioneer  Newspapers  at  East  Saginaw  —  Edwin  Cowles  — 
German  Papers  —  Saginaw  Post  Offices  —  Growth  of  Postal  Business  —  The  Federal 
Building  —  Why  Saginaw  lias  Two  Post  Offices  —  A  Detriment  to  the  City — Postal 
Business  for  1915-16  —  Amusements  —  Academy  of  Music  —  A  Unique  Character  — 
Franklin   Theatre  —  Picture  Theatres. 

THE  beginning  of  trade  and  barter  in  Saginaw  Valley,  long  before  tbere 
was  a  permanent  settlement  here,  was  in  the  log  block-house  set  up  in 
1816  by  Louis  Campau.  Although  Jacob  Smith,  known  to  the  Indians  as 
"Wah-be-sins,"  and  cither  trappers  preceded  him  by  a  number  of  years, 
they  came  at  irregular  intervals  and  took  away  to  market  such  furs  as  they 
might  gather.  Campau's  log  house  was  the  first  habitation  built  by  white 
men  on  the  then  far  western  frontier.  It  was  substantially  made  id'  heavy 
squared  logs,  two  stories  in  height,  and  stood  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river, 
near  what  is  now  the  intersection  of  Niagara  and  Throop  Streets.  For  about 
ten  years  it  served  a  double  purpose — a  pleasant  residence  overlooking  the 
placid  river,  and  a  storehouse  for  furs  anil  u;""ds  for  trade  with  the  Indians. 
Long  after  it  was  abandoned  by  Campau,  who  left  the  valley  about  1826, 
an  old  Frenchman,  J.  Baptiste  Desnoyers,  occupied  the  residence  portion: 
and  the  old  building  was  a  somewhat  cherished  landmark.  About  1862 
the  old  house  fell  a  victim  to  the  flames. 

These  early  efforts  to  open  up  trade  with  the  Indians  were  followed  by 
the  building  of  a  trading  post  by  the  American  Fur  Company,  in  a  small 
clearing  on  the  west  side  id'  the  river.  In  1828  a  Frenchman,  named  Reattme, 
was  the  "factor"  at  the  post,  but  owing  to  difficulties  between  him  and  the 
savages  the  Williams  Brothers  were  sent  here  to  take  his  place.  After  several 
years  of  successful  trade  they  bought  out  the  interests  of  the  fur  company, 
and  about  1830  occupied  the  "red  warehouse"  at  the  foot  of  Mackinaw 
Jtreet.  Sherman  Stevens,  Archie  Lyons  and  Me-je-au,  an  Indian  of  quarter- 
blood,  who  were  masters  of  the  Chippewa  dialect's,  were  successful  traders 
employed  by  Williams  Brothers. 

Gradually  the  old-time  trading  posts  gave  way  to  the  pioneer  store,  with 
its  general  stock  of  goods — necessities  of  human  existence  in  the  wilderness. 
They  were  operated  on  well  defined  principles  of  trade,  necessary  articles 
and  a  few  luxuries  being  sold  at  regular  prices  in  the  English  shilling  and 
pence.  The  word  "shilling"  appears  to  have  been  in  general  use  among  the 
Indians  in  those  early  days.  In  the  following  list  of  goods,  derived  from 
old  records,  the  prices  of  small  articles  is  marked  in  shillings  and  pence: 


604  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

s         d  s  d 

Whiskey,  per  gal 2         9          Indian    Knife    2  0 

Young    I  Ivson  Tea,   lb 9         6          Small    Bell    6  0 

Coffee,  lh." 1         6          Pocket  Pistol   6  0 

Sugar,   lb 6           Blue  Cloth,  per  yd 24  0 

Meat  of  one  Coon    2         0          Shawl    7  0 

Venison    Hams    2         0          Cotton  Thread,  skein 0  6 

Meat  of  One  Small  Deer.  ..  8        0          Blanket    36  0 

Hog,  204  lbs 51         0          Martin   Skin    8  0 

I  '<  itatoes,  per  barrel 4         8          Socks,  per  pair 2  0 

Salt   Pork,  per  lb 5           Buckskin    14  0 

Corn,  per  bushel   4         0          Calico,  per  yd 1  6 

Labor  for  splitting  one  thousand  rails  20  to  30  shillings. 

In  1831  one  of  the  store-keepers  introduced  the  words  "dollars"  and 
"cents."  and  henceforth  the  foreign  terms  of  exchange  fell  into  disuse. 

Trade  Development  Slow. 

The  development  of  trade  ami  commerce  in  Saginaw  Valley,  following 
the  early  settlements,  was  very  slow  and  suffered  several  setbacks.  This 
was  due  almost  entirely  to  the  physical  condition  of  the  country,  which 
tended  to  discourage  permanent  residence,  and  not  until  the  natural  resources 
of  the  valley  were  exploited  did  the  country  begin  to  attract  men  of  energy 
and  capital.  The  story  of  this  development  through  the  various  stages  and 
by  subjects  bearing  on  manufactures,  commerce,  education  and  social  life, 
has  been  quite  thoroughly  covered  in  the  preceding  chapters,  the  reader  being 
referred  especially  to  Chapters  VIII,   IX,  X,  and  XI,  pages   117  to  206. 

Little  Items   of  History. 

Sanford  M.Green  was  Circuit  Judge  of  the  Saginaw  District  in  1849.  P.  C. 
Andre  was  register  of  deed--  in  1850.  John  Moore  was  prosecuting  attor- 
ney in  1854,  and  Charles  W.  Grant  was  sheriff  the  same  year. 

The  first  marriage  celebrated  in  Saginaw  Count}  was  on  August  25, 
1831,  between  Grovener  Vinton  and  Harriet  Whitney. 

1  liram  L.  Miller,  who  came  to  Saginaw  City  in  1835.  was  the  editor  of  the 
nrst  daily  newspaper  published  in  Saginaw  Valley. 

John  McGregor  was  born  in  Tittabawassee  Township,  September  7,  1839. 

In  1844  the  old  Indian  chief  Nau-qua-chic-a-ming  killed  seven  wolves  in 
Saginaw  County:  and  a  wild  cat,  measuring  seven  feet  six  inches,  was  killed 
on  February  1,  1864,  on  one  of  the  business  streets  of  Saginaw  City. 

Robert  Ure  arrived  in  the  valley  in  1831  when  the  pioneer  settlers  were 
few  in  number. 

Captain  Charles  D.  Little  came  here  in  1850.  and  lived  here  until  his 
death  in  1903. 

The  first  swine  were  brought  to  this  county  by   Eleazer  Jewett  in   1828. 

On  January  16.  1836,  the  first  entry  was  made  in  the  record  book  of  the 
Probate  Court  of  Saginaw  County.  Albert  Miller  was  the  first  Judge  of 
Probate. 

Captain  Edwin  Saunders  was  city  treasurer  of  Saginaw  City  in  1866, 
and  city  controller  in  1868. 

In  1849,  where  now  stands  the  new  Hotel  Bancroft,  there  was  a  shake- 
roofed  cabin  built  by  the  American  Fur  Company,  and  occupied  by  a  French 
trapper  bv  the  name  of  Leon  Sua)-.  Two  years  later  a  school  was  held  in 
the  cabin  bv  Miss  Carrie  Ingersoll. 


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OLD  TIME    ADVERTISEMENTS   OF   SAGINAW    BUSINESS    MEN 


606  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

In  the  sunimcr  of  1850  Setli  and  Thomas  Willey  cleared  the  eighty-  acre 
tract  of  land  upon  which  the  early  business  section  of  East  Saginaw  was  built. 

VV.  F.  Glasby  came  here  in  1850  and  opened  a  tavern  on  Water  Street. 
I  >ther  early  comers  were  Curtis  Emerson,  Charles  \\  .  Grant,  Norman  Little, 
Moses  l:.  ["less,  George  Hess,  Alfred  M.  Hoyt,  Colonel  W.  L.  P.  Little,  S.  \\  . 
Yaw  key,  Alex.  English,  John  Ellsifer,  Alexander  Ferguson,  F.  II.  Koehler. 
Menzo  Stevens  and  C.  1'.  Colvin. 

Byron  I'..  Buckhout  located  here  on  August  17.  1853,  and  James  F.  Brown 
came  on  August  20  of  the  same  year.  John  J.  Rupp  came  in  1855,  Doctor  A. 
Farnsworth  in  1857  and   I.  J.  Mumford  in  1861. 

Sanford  Keeler,  Captain  I).  D.  Keeler  and  Frank  I).  ECeeler,  brothers, 
landed  in   Saginaw  in    1855,  ami   still  reside  here. 

Warner  &  Eastman  established  the  first  iron  foundry  here  in  1S5+. 

One  warm,  dusty  day  in  August.  1853,  Charles  If.  Peters  arrived  in  East 
Saginaw.  Me  liked  the  place  so  well  that  he  remained  and  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  here. 

Andrew  Eymer,  eighty-five  years  old,  came  to  East  Saginaw  in  1863. 
lie  had  only  twenty-one  birthdays,  having  been  born  mi   February  2'*,   1832. 

L.  1'.  Mason  came  t<>  East  Saginaw  in  1859  and  engaged  in  inspecting  anil 
shipping  lumber,  in  which  he  continued  for  many  years. 

Clark  M.  Curtis  was  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  village  of  East  Saginaw 
in  1855;  Colonel  Michael  Jeffers  was  an  alderman  in  1861  and  justice  of  the 
peace  from   1863  to  1866. 

A.  B.  Wi  '"1  came  here  in  1863.  He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Senate 
from  18o<)  to  1872.  John  Henning  came  here  in  1848;  and  Castle  Sutherland 
arrived  in   1859. 

In  1861  Charles  Steinberg  was  a  merchant  tailor  and  dealer  in  ready- 
made  clothing,  at  109  Genesee  Street  opposite  the  Bancroft  House. 

Gladwin  &  Beebe  were  "proprietors  of  the  East  Saginaw  P.eer  Works, 
located  on   Genesee  Street  near  Chestnut." 

D.    Forrest    was   "manufacturer   of   and    dealer   in    1 ts,    shoes,   leather, 

findings  and  everything  pertaining  to  the  trade."  He  was  located  in  the 
Pendell    I 'deck.  Washington  Street. 

A  dealer  in  real  estate  was  E.  Thatcher,  "proprietor  of  Thatcher's  Addi- 
tion, on  the  south  boundary  of  the  city  of  East  Saginaw." 

In  dentistry  there  was  Doctor  L.  C.  Whiting,  whose  office  was  in 
"Room  11,  2d  story   Mess  Block,  first  door  north  of  Loveland's  office." 

Hoyt  &  Perkins  were  attorneys-at-law  at  East  Saginaw  in  1868;  and 
W.  O.  Atwood  was  a  dealer  in  lumber  and  lands  with  an  office  at  the  south- 
east  corner  of  Water  and  Tuscola  Streets. 

Englehardt  Feige,  "manufacturer  and  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in 
furniture,"  conducted  a  warehouse  at  108  South  Water  Street.  He  also 
dealt  in  "wooden  and  metallic  cuff  ins  and  cases"  at  his  undertaking  rooms 
at  ''5  North  Water  Street. 

Iluhinger  Brothers  located  at  Frankenmuth  in  1846.  They  came  from 
Detroit  to  Saginaw  in  a  sail  boat,  the  journey  taking  two  weeks.  At  that 
lime   there   were  only   six   farms   cleared   in    Frankenmuth   Township. 

Edward  McSweeney,  the  well-known  grocer  on  Hoyt  Street,  came  to 
Saginaw  City  in  1840  and  worked  two  years  for  Norman  Little.  He  then 
went  back  to  New  York  State,  but  returned  to  Saginaw  in  1864  and  remained 
until  his  death  a  few  years  ago. 

Gus  Strasburg  first  visited  Saginaw  while  in  the  government  service  in 
1858,  and  three  years  later  located  here  permanently,  lie  built  the  brick 
hotel  property,  now  owned  by  Emil  Francke,  at  the  corner  of  Lapeer  and 
Warren  Avenues. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  607 

Thomas  W.  Babcock  came  to  Saginaw  in  March,  1852.  He  states 
that  the  only  buildings  then  on  the  east  side  were  a  hotel  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  what  is  now  Genesee  and  Water  Streets,  a  warehouse 
across  the  street  on  the  river,  the  residence  of  Charles  W.  Grant  in  the  rear 
of  the  present  Auditorium,  and  across  the  street  from  the  Grant  residence 
was  what  was  known  as  the  Garrison  mill.  There  was  a  small  frame  house 
on  what  is  now  South  Washington  Avenue,  across  from  the  Germain  Temple. 

Mr.  Babcock  was  employed  at  the  Williams  mill  during  the  first  summer 
he  lived  here,  and  afterward  at  the  Chicago  mill,  directly  across  the  river 
from  the  foot  of  Janes  Avenue,  and  continued  there  with  the  late  C.  K.  Eddy, 
when  he  purchased  it  some  years  alter. 

The    First  Taverns. 

In  the  pioneer  days  of  Saginaw  City,  when  the  entire  population  was 
less  than  one  hundred,  strangers  were  entertained  in  the  log  houses  of  the 
settlers,  and  made  as  comfortable  as  the  meager  and  bare  furnishings  per- 
mitted. There  were  few  conveniences  for  cooking,  stoves  being  yet  unknown 
in  the  wilderness,  and  an  open  fireplace  piled  with  logs,  and  utensils  con- 
sisting of  a  few  heavy  pots,  kettles  and  pans,  afforded  the  entire  facilities. 
But  visitors  sat  down  with  zest  before  wooden  bowls  filled  with  soup  made 
of  smoked  ham  and  rice  boiled  together,  and  feasted  on  wild  game  with 
cranberries,  and  trout,  sturgeon  and  white  fish. 

Eleazer  Jewett  and  his  estimable  wife,  the  first  permanent  white  settlers 
in  this  county,  lived  in  a  log  cabin  at  Green  Point,  and  many  strangers  came 
to  their  place  for  entertainment.  They  usually  came  in  groups,  as  one  or 
two  seldom  cared  to  brave  the  dangers  of  travel  in  the  dense  forest  by  them- 
selves: and  caring  for  a  number  of  guests  under  disadvantages  at  length 
grew  wearisome.  They  concluded  that  they  could  as  well  keep  a  tavern  in 
town,  and  in  1837  Mr.  Jewett  built  a  two-story  frame  hotel  on  Water 
(Niagara)  Street,  between  Clinton  and  Throop  Streets.  Jewett's  Hotel  soon 
became  a  popular  rendezvous  of  the  more  hardy  pioneers  and  a  stopping 
place  for  visitors,  who  appreciated  alike  the  whole-hearted  hospitality  of  the 
host  and  the  excellent  accommodations.  For  more  than  twenty  years  the 
house  was  somewhat  of  a  landmark. 

Maiden's  log  tavern,  at  wdiat  is  now  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets,  was 
also  a  well  known  place  in  the  early  days;  and  Major  Mosely's,  a  log  cabin 
within  the  old  fort  stockade,  is  still  remembered  by  pioneers  of  Saginaw 
City.  When  the  Webster  House  was  opened  in  1838,  and  quickly  recognized 
as  the  leading  hotel  in  Saginaw  Valley,  the  old  log  houses  lost  their 
popularity  and  were  thereafter  little  used.  An  account  of  the  old  Webster 
House  is  given  in  pages  134-5. 

Other  Hotels  of  Saginaw  City. 

In  1866,  William  II.  Taylor,  an  enterprising  capitalist  of  Saginaw  City, 
built  a  large  pretentious  hotel  at  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets.  This  was  the 
site  of  old  Fort  Saginaw  erected  in  1822,  the  log  cabins  of  which  and  the 
stockade  that  enclosed  them,  having  long  before  fallen  into  decay.  The  new 
hotel,  a  four-story  and  basement  brick  structure,  seventy-five  by  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet  in  dimensions,  of  rather  imposing  appearance,  was  arranged 
for  stores  on  the  Court  Street  front  and  had  a  main  entrance  on  Hamilton 
Street.  Its  ninety  rooms  were  sumptuously  furnished  in  the  style  and  taste 
of  the  day  immediately  following  the  war.  The  hotel  was  named  the  Taylor 
House. 

For  awhile  the  hotel  was  conducted  by  Mr.  Taylor,  who  stated  in  his 
advertisements    that    "street    cars    pass    the    house    every    twenty    minutes." 


608 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


WEST    SIDE    BUSINESS    SECTION.    LOOKING    SOUTH     FROM    COURT    HOUSE,    ABOUT    1886 

About  18"0  I.  II.  Hopkins  leased  the  hotel  and  conducted  it  for  several  years. 
The  house  was  closed  about  1879  but  reopened  the  following  January  by 
L.  Burrows.  Junior  &  Company.  Four  years  later  it  was  again  closed  but 
some  months  later  Burrows  &  Sweet  took  charge  and  it  was  reopened  to 
the  public.  Afterward  Fred  B.  Sweet  managed  the  house  alone.  About 
1895,  after  a  checkered  career  of  success  and  failure,  the  old  Taylor  House, 
which  had  become  somewhat  of  a  cherished  landmark  of  the  West  side,  was 
closed  and  remained  dark  and  forbidding  for  fifteen  years. 

The  New  Hotel  Fordney. 

At  length,  realizing  the  need  of  a  first-class  hotel  on  the  West  Side,  the 
enterprising  business  men  of  that  section  formed  a  company,  purchased  the 
eld  hotel  property,  remodeled  the  building,  and  refurnished  it  throughout. 
Given  the  name  Hotel  Fordney,  after  Congressman  Joseph  \V.  Fordney, 
wdio  was  one  of  the  substantial  promoters  of  the  enterprise,  it  was  opened 
in  1912  with  festivities  befitting  the  occasion.  Since  that  time  the  hotel 
has  been  conducted  as  a  first-class  hotel,  European  plan,  and  has  met  with  a 
fair  degree  of  success.  A  cheerful,  home-like  atmosphere  pervades  the  whole 
house,  and  the  service,  including  the  cafe  on   the  ground   floor,  is  excellent. 

The  Crowley  House,  at  Hamilton  and  Ames  Streets,  the  site  of  the 
old  Brockway  House,  afterward  known  as  the  Benson  House,  was  opened  to 
the  public  by  I ».  Crowley  in  1X7' >.  Two  additions  were  built  by  him,  giving 
the  hotel  a  frontage  of  sixty-five  feet  on  Hamilton  Street  and  ninety  feet  on 
Ames.  The  house  then  contained  forty  well  furnished  and  comfortably 
heated  rooms,  and  was  very  popular  with  a  certain  element  of  citizens  and 
the  travelling  public.  In  recent  years  this  hotel,  now  known  as  the  Schuch 
Hotel,   has   been   remodeled   and   refurnished,  an  attractive  cafe   provided  on 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  609 

Hamilton    Street,   and    is    now    regarded    as   a   very    pleasant    and    home-like 
hostelry. 

Other  hotels  of  Saginaw  City  in  the  formative  period  were:  the  Ameri- 
can House,  «>n  Hamilton  between  Courl  and  Franklin  (Hancock)  Streets, 
next  to  the  post  office,  and  conducted  in  1870  by  John  Freidlein;  the  Kerby 
House,  at  Hamilton  and  Jefferson  (Cleveland)  Streets;  the  Dunbar  House, 
at  Water  (Niagara)  and  Van  Buren  Streets,  kept  by  B.  N.  Montross;  and 
Keyser's  Hotel,  at  State  and  Cross  Roads. 

Building  of  the  Bancroft  House. 

For  several  years  after  the  big  fires  of  1854,  the  leading  hotels  were  the 
Kirby  House,  kept  by  John  Godley,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Gene- 
see Streets,  and  the  Farmer's  Exchange,  VV.  Wisner,  landlord,  directly 
opposite.  The  need  of  a  new  first-class  hotel  was  urgent,  and  in  1858,  Jesse 
Hoyt  began  the  construction  of  a  large  brick  hotel  on  the  southwest  corner 
of  the  main  streets,  ft  was  a  very  pretentious  building  for  the  time,  being 
four  stories  in  height,  ami  covering  a  plat  of  ground  one  hundred  by  one 
hundred  and  forty  feet  in  size.  It  was  completed  in  the  Summer  of  185''.  but 
owing  to  some  delay  in  getting  the  gas  plant  which  was  to  light  the  rooms 
in  working  order,  the  opening  of  the  "New  Hotel"  did  not  take  place  until 
September  7th.  The  proprietor  was  Henry  Hobbs,  of  Xew  York,  who 
brought  from  the  metropolis  the  furniture  and  fittings  valued  at  $15,000. 
A  picture  of  the  original  Bancroft  House  appears  on  page  196.  The  main 
entrance  was  on  Genesee  Street  about  thirty  feet  from  the  corner,  and  there 
was  a  ladies'  entrance  on  Washington  Street.  At  the  left  of  the  hall,  in 
the  northeast  corner  was  the  office,  twenty-eight  feet  square,  and  back  of  this, 
where  the  lobby  was  afterward  placed,  was  the  dining  room  and  storerooms. 
On  the  right  of  the  hall,  commencing  on  the  front  were  the  "shaving  saloon," 
reading  room,  and  in  the  rear  of  these  the  porter's  room,  etc.  "The  culinary 
apartments,"  according  to  the  Saginaw  Courier  of  September  1,  1859,  "are  stiil 
back,  and  in  point  of  convenience  ami  perfection  of  appointments  and  appur- 
tenances, are  equal  to  those  of  any  hotel   East  or  West." 

On  the  second  floor  were  the  general  reception  room  directly  above  the 
office,  and  suites  of  parlors  sixteen  by  eighteen  feet  in  size.  The  billiard 
room,  thirty-two  by  sixty  feet,  equipped  with  four  tables,  was  at  the  right 
of  these,  and  the  remaining  space  on  this  and  the  upper  floors  was  given 
over  to  suites  and  single  bed  rooms,  heated  in   Winter  by  huge  box  stoves. 

From  the  old  "Courier"  we  learn  that  "the  committee  appointed  to 
christen  the  Xew  Hotel  have  named  it  the  Bancroft  House,  after  George 
Bancroft,  the  great  historian  and  statesman.  The  opening  celebration  comes 
off  Wednesday,  September  7.  From  the  character  of  the  gentlemen  connected 
with  it,  and  citizens  generally,  a  'good  time'  may  be  confidently  anticipated." 

The  committee  of  management  of  the  celebration  at  the  opening  of  the 
Bancroft  House,  was  composed  of  W.  E.  P.  Little,  Chairman,  Morgan  L. 
<  lage,  William  E.  Webber,  D.  A.  Robinson,  jr..  Curtis  Emerson,  Charles  I'.. 
Mott,  D.  G.  Holland,  J.  P.  Hayden  and  S.  C.  Beach. 

The  Opening  Celebration. 
"At  10  a.  m.  (  Ismend's  Cornet  Band  turned  out  in  full  uniform,  and  from 
time  to  time  during  the  day  enlivened  the  scene  with  most  excellent  music. 
At  half  past  ten  the  delegation  from  Goderich  arrived,  among  whom  were 
Mis  Honor,  Mayor  McDougal,  and  several  other  prominent  citizens  of  that 
place.  Dr.  A.  W.  Butler,  correspondent  of  the  Buffalo  Courier,  also  accom- 
panied the  delegation.  People  continued  to  arrive  from  all  quarters,  no  less 
than  eight  steamers  landing  at  our  wdiarves  between  9  o'clock  in  the  mornine 
and  0  in  the  evening. 


610  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  grand  opening  of  the  Bancroft  was  at  six  o'clock,  when  a  sumptuous 
banquet  was  served.  Tables  were  spread  for  three  hundred  persons,  yet  this 
was  not  sufficient  for  all  the  guests.  "Everything  in  the  bill  was  there 
in  rich  profusion,  and  most  excellent  taste  was  displayed  in  the  arrangement 
and  ornamentation  of  the  tables."  The  leading  feature  was  "East  Saginaw, 
1850-1859,"  and  was  quite  original  in  design.  It  was  in  the  form  of  a  temple 
with  collonades  in  the  portal,  or  background,  under  head  of  1850  was  an 
Indian  scene  composed  of  wigwams,  squaws,  papooses,  canoes,  bows  and 
arrows  and  camp  kettles,  spread  in  the  manner  of  an  Indian  camp.  In  front, 
as  coming  up  to  a  "state  of  present  civilization  was  a  representation  of  the 
Bancroft  House,  with  a  background  of  steamers  in  the  river,  saw  mills, 
churches,  schools  and  residences,  such  as  are  now  the  pride  of  our  city. 
On  top  and  the  sides  were  shields  and  banners  upon  which  were  inscribed 
the  names  of  some  of  our  oldest  and  most  prominent  citizens." 

The  banquet  itself  was  such  as  to  satisfy  the  epicurean  taste.  From 
mock  turtle  soup  to  fruits  and  nuts,  every  dish  on  the  "Hill  of  Fare"  was  a 
delight  to  the  assembled  guests.  The  reputation  of  the  house  was  quickly 
established,  a  reputation  which  has  clung  to  it  during  the  fifty-six  years 
intervening.  There  were  pike  and  white  fish  prepared  in  various  styles,  cold 
dishes  of  boiled  tongue,  ham,  corned  beef,  and  chicken  salad,  and  boiled  beef, 
leg  of  mutton,  chicken  and  pork,  and  turkey,  with  egg  sauce.  Of  roasts 
there  were  thirteen,  including  bear,  turkey,  with  cranberry  sauce,  venison, 
pig,  chick-en  and  wild  duck.  The  Entrees  included  fricasseed  pigeon,  chicken 
a  la  Marengo,  pork  cutlets  and  venison  steak.  There  was  a  great  variety 
of  stewed  and  boiled  vegetables  to  satisfy  every  taste.  Of  pastry  there 
were  farina  pudding  with  claret  sauce,  peach,  apple  and  cranberry  pie. 
sponge  cake,  an  chocolate,  blanc  mange,  rum  jelly,  and  lemon  and  vanilla  ice 
cream.  The  whole  repast  was  "topped  off"  with  fruits  and  nuts  in  great 
profusion. 

The  Toasts. 

Following  the  banquet  there  was   jollity   and   speech-making,  the  toasts 
given  being : 
"1.     George  Bancroft — a   polished  scholar,  an  able  historian;  a  high-minded, 

patriotic  citizen,  and  God-father  of  this  house. 

Music,  "Hail  Columbia!' 

1).  A.  Robinson,  Jr.,  responded  to  this  toast. 

2.  The  Bancroft  House  and  Its  Proprietor. 
Music.  'Good  Cheer'  Quickstep. 
Responded  to  by  Moses  B.  lless. 

3.  The  Governor  of  the  State  of  Michigan. 
Governor  VVisner  in  response. 

4.  Jesse  Hoyt — one  to  whom  the  citizens  of  East  Saginaw  are  largely 
indebted  for  all  public  improvements,  and  whose  example  is  worthy 
of  our  highest  commendation. 

Music.  'I  lere's   1  lealth.' 
lxc-ponse  by  William  L.  Webber. 

5.  The  Saginaw  Valley. 

Responded  to  by  James  Birney,  of  Bay  City. 

6.  Norman  kittle. 

Music,  'Pioneer  Quickstep.' 
Responded  to  by  J.  P.  Dillingham. 

7.  The  Flint  and  Pere  Marquette  Railway. 
Music,  'Wait  for  the  Wagon.' 

Responded  to  by  Dr.  H.  C.  1 'otter,  who  in  conclusion  gave  the  volunteer 
toast, 


WASHINGTON     STREET,     SOUTH     FROM     TUSCOLA,     1887 


FRANKLIN     STREET,     SOUTH     FROM     TUSCOLA,     1887 


612  HISTORY  (  >F  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

8.  The  People  of  Saginaw  Valley — may  they  soon  get  what  their  industry, 
enterprise,  eminent  sobriety  and  unnumbered  virtues  so  justly  entitle  them 
to — a  ride  on  a  rail. 

Other  toasts  were:  The  Mayor  and  Citizens  of  Goderich ;  The  Mineral 
Wealth  of  the  Peninsula ;  The  City  of  Detroit  and  Its  Mayor ;  The  Goderich 
Pine  of  Steamers;  The  Saginaw  and  Genesee  Plank  Road;  and  Our  Mothers, 
Wives,  Sisters  and  Sweethearts." 

The  Grand  Ball. 

The  ball  was  next  in  order  and  in  commenting  on  this  the  Courier  said: 
''Terpsichorean  festivities  went  on  till  'the  glorious  ring  of  day'  had  deeply 
tinged  the  eastern  horizon  with  'streakings'  of  the  morning  light,  when  the 
gallant  cavaliers  escorted  their  layde  loves  to  their  respective  homes.  'They 
danced  all  night  till  broad  daylight,  and  went  home  with  the  gals  in  the 
morning.' 

"During  the  whole  of  the  festivities,  from  first  to  last,  there  was  nothing 
to  mar  the  harmony  of  the  occasion,  and  everything  passed  oft"  to  the  entire 
satisfactii  >n  of  all." 

The    Bancroft    House    Proprietors. 

The  first  proprietor  of  the  Bancroft,  Henry  Hobbs,  of  New  York  City, 
was  succeeded  several  years  after  by  Pantlind,  Witt  iK:  Company,  who 
announced  in  the  History  of  Saginaw  Valley,  published  in  1868,  that  "This 
house  has  lately  been  refitted  and  refurnished,  and  is  now  complete  in  all 
i t -~  appointments.  Ample  accommodations  for  three  hundred  guests."  Later 
the  hotel  was  operated  by  Pantlind  &  Dyckman,  and  in  1874  Israel  1!. 
Norcross  was  the  proprietor. 

The  best  known  and  most  successful  manager  of  this  popular  house 
\\a>  Parnham  Lyon,  who  remained  in  charge  for  more  than  thirty  years  and 
made  a  reputation  for  the  hotel  which  extended  far  and  wide.  He  was 
succeeded  by  William  F.  Schultz,  for  many  years  steward  of  the  house,  who 
continued  as  manager  until  the  old  hostelry  was  closed. 

Finis  of  the   Old   House. 

After  a  continuous  operation  of  fifty-six  years,  in  which  the  hotel  earned 
a  high  reputation  for  the  excellence  of  its  cuisine  and  care  of  its  guests,  the 
old  Bancroft  was  closed  on  August  IS,  1915.  During  these  years  many 
distinguished  men.  including  statesmen,  capitalists,  politicians,  actors  and 
lumbermen  stopped  at  this  popular  hostelry,  and  its  fame  extended  far 
beyond  the  confines  of  the  State.  Its  corned-beef  hash  was  one  of  the 
numerous  items  on  its  daily  menu,  that  became  known  far  and  wide  and 
helped  to  give  the  house  its  celebrity.  In  fact  Bancroft  House  hash  may  be 
obtained  any  day  at  several  of  the  large  hotels  of  New  York  City. 

The  Bancroft  Realty  Company  was  organized  in  1915,  to  acquire  and 
hold  all  the  hotel  property  so  long  owned  by  the  lloyt  Estate,  and  to  erect 
cm  the  site  a  new,  modern,  fire-proof  structure,  thus  providing  this  city  with 
a  first-class  hotel.  The  property,  which  had  originally  cost  Jesse  lloyt  about 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  was  transferred  to  the  new  company  for  a 
consideration  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  secured  by  second 
mortgage  bonds.  The  old  building,  including  Irving  Hall  which  had  been 
erected  in  1864,  was  demolished  in  September,  1915,  and  the  new  hotel  build- 
ing soon  arose  upon  the  solid  foundations  of  the  old. 


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HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


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THE    NEW    HOTEL    BANCROFT,    OPENED    IN    JULY.    1916 

The  New  Hotel  Bancroft 

The  new  structure  of  Ionic  style  of  architecture,  without  embellishment, 
is  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  on  Genesee  Avenue  and  one  hundred  and  forty 
feet  on  Washington  Avenue.  It  is  of  reinforced  concrete  with  rough  brick- 
facing,  with  tile  flooring  and  marble  trimmings,  and  cost  approximately  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  building  was  completed  early  in  July,  1916, 
and  was  opened  to  the  public  on  July  20th,  the  first  meal  being  served  in  the 
cafe  Sunday  morning,  July  23d. 

The  furnishings  and  fixtures  are  of  the  must  tasty  and  pleasing  style,  in 
perfect  harmony  with  the  interior  finish,  and  cost  eighty  thousand  dollars. 
There  are  two  hundred  and  thirty-seven  rooms,  of  which  fifty-five  have 
shower  baths,  sixty  shower  and  tub  arrangements,  twenty-five  large  sample 
rooms  with  shower  baths,  and  sixty  rooms  with  running  water  only;  and 
there  is  ample  closet  space  in  all  moms.  In  addition  to  this  there  are  four- 
teen suites  with  private  bed  room  and  bath,  connected  with  the  drawing  room. 
Among  other  features  are  commodious  reception  and  rest  rooms,  and  a  ban- 
quet hall  finished  in  white  and  gold,  which  will  seat  three  hundred  persons, 
and  is  directly  connected  with  the  mezzanine  balcony. 

From  the  main  entrance  on  Washington  Avenue  a  short  corridor  leads 
to  the  spacious  lobby,  thirty-five  by  seventy  feet  in  size,  where  the  magnifi- 
cence of  the  hotel  is  first  revealed.  The  American  walnut  finish  in  huge 
panels,  relieved  by  edgings  of  gold,  gives  a  highly  artistic  tone  to  the  interior. 
In  its  appointments  for  the  convenience  of  guests  the  hotel  is  absolutely  up  to 
the  minute,  and  it  has  that  touch  of  home  atmosphere  which  makes  the  weary 
traveller  glad  to  get  within  its  welcoming  portals. 

The  floor  of  the  lobby  is  a  huge  checkerboard  of  black  and  white  marble. 
upon  which  are  laid  large  heavy  rugs  in  harmonious  colors.  Carried  through 
the  second  floor,  upon  which  is  the  balcony  elegantly  furnished,  is  the  ceiling 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


015 


of  frosted  glass  admitting  a  soft,  diffused  light  to  the  floors  below.  On  the 
south  side  of  the  lobby  arc  the  desk,  telephone  booths,  cigar  and  newspaper 
stand,  and  entrance  to  the  barber  simp,  coffee  shop,  telegraph  office,  billiard 
parlors  and  roof  garden. 

There  is  also  a  ladies'  entrance  from  Genesee  Avenue  connecting  with 
the  ladies'  rest  room,  elevators  and  lobby,  and  on  the  right  with  the  sumpt- 
uous cafe,  which  is  decorated  in  gray  and  gold.  The  service  is  a  la  carte  and 
table  d'hote,  with  strictly  European  plan  for  the  hotel. 

The  banquet  and  ball  room,  which  opens  from  the  balcony,  is  a  revela- 
tion of  magnificence  in  finish  and  decoration  in  harmonious  colors.  To  soft 
tones  of  white  and  gold  there  are  added  pale  blue  and  deep  pink  tints,  which 
lend  a  pleasing  effect  to  the  walls  and  arched  ceiling,  while  red  plush  curtains 
complete  the  artistic  interior.  The  door  is  of  Terazzo  marble.  The  light- 
ing arrangements  are  perfect;  the  four  exquisite  electric  chandeliers  of 
Austrian  glass  suspended  by  crystal  fixtures,  being  among  the  beautiful  fea- 
tures of  the  hotel. 

(  >n  the  Genesee  Avenue  front  is  the  elegantly  appointed  cafe  opening  on 
the  corridor  which  leads  from  the  ladies'  entrance  to  the  rest  room  and 
lobby.  It  is  richly  decorated  in  white  and  gold,  and  the  small-paned  windows 
and  large  mirrors  set  in  the  opposite  wall  are  exceedingly  attractive  features. 
At  the  west  end  of  the  cafe  is  a  private  dining  room,  fittingly  decorated  and 
furnished  in   the  prevailing  style. 

The  large  and  conveniently  arranged  kitchen  is  back  of  the  lobby  and 
grill,  with  double  doors  leading  to  the  cafe  near  the  west  end.  In  the  com- 
plete equipment  is  an  ice-making  plant  for  producing  eight  hundred  pounds 
of  ice  daily,  and  its  own  filtration  plant  furnishes  running  water  in  all  rooms. 
The  large  ice  chests,  cold  storage  rooms  for  meats,  ovens,  warming  tables, 
etc.,  are  of  ample  size  and  of  the  best  type.  Efficiency  in  this  all  important 
department  is  one  of  the  watchwords  of  the  hotel  management. 


ATTRACTIVE  LOBBY  OF  HOTEL  BANCROFT 


MAGNIFICENT  BALL  ROOM  OF  HOTEL  BANCROFT 


CAFE  OF  HOTEL  BANCROFT,  ELEGANTLY  APPOINTED 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  617 

For  mure  than  half  a  century  the  old  Bancroft  House  maintained  a 
reputation  for  comfort  and  excellence  of  its  cuisine  excelled  by  no  hotel  in 
Michigan,  and  today  the  new  Hotel  Bancroft  is  lidding  that  reputation  and 
adding  such  prominence  as  comes  to  a  new  house  elegantly  furnished  and 
ably  managed. 

Like  the  old  Bancroft,  the  new  hotel  is  a  center  of  social  activities.  Its 
brilliant  interior,  warmth  of  color  and  comfort  draws  to  it  Saginaw's  prom- 
inent people  as  well  as  the  travelling  public.  The  excellent  service  in  every 
department  and  the  attention  given  the  wants  of  all  within  its  walls,  is  in 
keeping  with  the  perfect  appointments  and  beautiful  surroundings.  The  mag- 
nificent ball  room,  which  is  often  the  scene  of  brilliant  gatherings,  affords 
every  facility  for  dances  and  banquets;  and  small  conventions,  patriotic  and 
civic  meetings  are  also  held  there.  It  is  a  popular  place  for  holding  musicales, 
recitals  and  lectures,  and  a  course  of  recitals  was  held  there  in  the  Winter 
of  1917-18. 

In  Summer  the  attractive  carbaret,  or  roof  garden,  which  covers  the  one- 
story  annex  on  Washington  Avenue,  is  a  popular  resort  for  persons  seeking 
pleasure  and  entertainment.  The  sides  are  veritable  gardens  constructed 
with  trellis,  clinging  vines  and  flowering  plants.  In  these  surroundings  the 
tables  are  set  and  tempt  the  visitor  with  offerings  of  popular  beverages  and 
dainty  lunches.  At  the  south  end  a  rustic  stage  is  an  attractive  setting  for 
the  entertainment  afforded.  The  roof  garden  is  easily  reached  by  a  short 
flight  of  stairs,  opening  from  a  short  corridor  to  the  hotel  lobby;  and  has  the 
same  satisfactory  service  which  lias  made  a  name  for  the  Hotel   Bancroft. 

At  the  time  of  opening  the  new  Hotel  Bancroft  the  officers  and  directors 
of  the  Bancroft  Realty  Company  were:  Hiram  A.  Savage,  president;  Edwin 
C.  Forrest,  vice-president:  Harry  E.  Oppenheimer,  treasurer;  William  S. 
Linton,  secretary,  and  John  A.  Cimmerer,  Gilbert  B.  Goff,  J.  Will  Grant, 
Ralph  C.  Morley,  John  C.  Thomson;  and  the  builders  were  Nelson  &  Lewin 
of  Chicago. 

John  C.  Thomson,  the  popular  and  efficient  hotel  manager,  who  is  well 
known  to  the  traveling  public  and  the  citizens  of  Saginaw,  was  the  first 
manager  of  the  Bancroft.  Under  his  able  direction  the  hotel  was  constructed, 
furnished  and  equipped  and  opened  July  20,  1916.  Much  of  the  success 
attending  its  operation  was  due  to  his  experience  and  ability,  and  it  was  with 
sincere  regret  that  he  resigned  in  January.  1918,  to  assume  the  management  of 
the  new  Hotel  Shelby,  in  Detroit.  Mr.  Thomson  was  succeeded  at  the  Ban- 
croft by  F.  H.  Irish,  an  old  and  experienced  hotel  manager. 

Benjamin   Franklin   Hotel 

A  commanding  feature  of  the  business  section  along  South  Franklin 
Street  is  the  high  grey  front  of  the  Benjamin  Franklin  Hotel.  Rising  far 
above  the  adjoining  buildings  this  hotel  adds  a  dignity  to  the  aspect  of  the 
busy  street.  It  is  a  quiet,  home-like  hostelry,  seven  stories  in  height,  and 
has  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  rooms.  The  facing  of  grey  stucco  and 
ornamental  porte-cochere,  iron  railing  and  lattice  work  with  hanging  baskets 
of  flowers  and  ferns  lends  an  impression  of  distinction  which  clings  to  one  as 
he  passes  within. 

Entering  this  attractive  hotel  the  first  impression  of  comfort  and  cheer 
continues  as  the  traveller  goes  from  floor  to  floor.  The  floor  of  the  lobby 
is  of  tile,  the  wainscoting  of  white  marble,  while  the  upper  walls  and  ceiling- 
are  artistically  decorated  in  light  bronze  tone  relieved  with  gold.  The  furni- 
ture is  oi  mahogany  and  the  big,  comfortable  chairs  are  upholstered  in  rich 
tapestry.  Oriental  rugs  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  surroundings  give  an 
air  of  elegance  and  home-like  comfort. 


618  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

The  Benjamin  Franklin  was  completed  and  opened  to  the  public  on 
July  5,  1915,  the  occasion  being  one  long  remembered  bv  the  citizens  of 
Saginaw.  At  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  first  dinner  was  served  in  the 
attractive  grill,  and  was  enjoyed  by  a  number  of  prominent  people  and  guests 
of  the  management. 

The  Hotel  Vincent 

This  popular  and  comfortable  hotel,  which  for  a  long  period  has  met 
with  the  favor  of  the  travelling  public,  enjoys  a  reputation  of  being  one  of 
the  well  appointed  and  attractive  hostelries  in  this  part  of  Michigan.  The 
five-story  brick  and  stone  building,  at  Washington  and  Germania  Avenues, 
was  erected  in  1890  by  the  late  Arthur  Hill  and  James  E.  Vincent.  All  the 
furnishing  and  equipping  of  the  hotel  was  under  the  personal  supervision  of 
Eugene  Kirby,  a  well  known  and  experienced  hotel  man.  who  conducted  the 
house  for  a  number  of  years.  The  opening  of  the  hotel  was  an  event  in  the 
history  of  Saginaw. 

The  Hotel  Vincent  is  well  provided  with  beautiful  parlors,  large  sample 
rooms,  an  attractive  dining  room,  and  pleasant  bed  rooms  provided  with 
private  baths.  Its  dining  n w mi  and  buffet  service  is  excellent,  and  the  man- 
agement shows  every  feature  of  modern  hotelkeeping  and  every  appointment 
that  pleases  the  guests.  For  several  years  W.  H.  Aubrey  &  Company  have 
been  the  proprietors  and  operators  of  the  hotel. 

Other  Well  Known  Hotels. 

Another  old-time  hostelry  which,  because  of  its  central  location,  has 
been  well  patronized,  is  the  Everett  House  at  the  corner  of  Genesee  and 
Franklin  Streets.  The  three-story  brick  building  was  erected  in  1864  with 
stores  on  Genesee  Street  and  a  main  entrance  for  the  hotel  on  Franklin 
Street.  For  several  years  the  house  was  conducted  by  Marshall  G.  Smith, 
a  popular  and  experienced  hotel  man,  and  later  by  Smith  &  Crouse.  Mr. 
Smith  withdrew  from  the  firm  and  took  the  active  management  of  the 
Marshall  House,  one  block  south  on  Franklin,  with  which  he  was  very 
successful.  In  1873  Walsh  Salisbury  became  proprietor  of  the  Everett,  with 
Eugene  W.  Farmer  as  chief  clerk,  and  continued  in  charge  for  more  than 
twenty  years,  in  which  the  hotel  increased  in  popularity.  During  the  hard 
times  following  the  decline  of  the  lumber  business,  the  Everett  House,  as 
well  as  others,  suffered  from  the  prevailing  depression,  and  was  closed  several 
times  for  more  or  less  extended  periods.  About  ten  years  ago  the  property 
was  purchased  by  E.  A.  and  P..  Goff,  of  this  city,  who  remodeled  the  build- 
ing and  put  it  in  good  condition.  Since  that  time  Walter  C.  McKinney  has 
been  the  popular  landlord  and  manager,  and  has  established  for  the  hotel  a 
wide  reputation  for  excellent  service. 

The  Sherman  House,  built  and  conducted  for  many  years  by  the  late 
Martin  Baum,  and  afterward  by  his  sons,  Martin  and  Sherman,  has  been  a 
landmark  of  the  East  Side  for  upwards  of  forty  years.  This  hotel  was  well 
patronized  in  the  old  lumber  days,  and  since  the  return  of  Saginaw's  pros- 
perity, it  has  enjoyed  a  wide  patronage  of  country  folk  and  travelers  in 
general.  From  time  to  time  various  improvements  have  been  made  in  the 
building,  at  Baum  and  Tuscola  Streets,  so  that  it  may  he  classed  as  a  modern 
hotel. 

The  Naegely  House,  at  Jefferson  and  Tuscola  Streets,  for  many  vears 
conducted  by  Captain  Naegely,  is  another  of  the  old-lime  hotels.  It  was  a 
rendezvous  of  lumber-jacks  and  river  men,  in  the  days  when  life  in  Saginaw 
was  rendered  indescribably  gay  ami  boisterous  by  the  "red  sash  brigade." 
In  more  recent  years  the  hotel  has  been  known  as  the  Wesley  House,  and  at 
present  is  conducted  by  Emerson  P.  Whaley,  a  popular  landlord. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  619 

The    Hardware   Trade. 

From  the  pioneer  stores  familiar  to  our  early  settlers,  with  their  varied 
stocks  of  general  merchandise,  there  gradually  developed  separate  and  dis- 
tinct lines  of  business.  The  population  of  the  county  increased  rapidly 
preceding  the  Civil  War,  and  the  needs  and  requirements  of  frontier  life 
demanded  still  more  diversified  stocks  of  trade,  the  accumulation  and  dis- 
tribution of  which  could  be  more  readily  made  in  separate  stores. 

One  of  the  first  lines  to  draw  away  from  the  general  stores  was  hardware 
and  metal  ware;  and  as  early  as  1854  a  store  of  this  kind  was  opened  on 
North  Water  Street  by  Byron  B.  Buckhout.  He  had  been  employed  in 
the  hardware  stock  of  Beach  cc  Moores,  one  of  the  large  general  stores  of 
the  early  pioneer  period,  and  was  familiar  with  the  trade  and  needs  of  the 
public.  His  stock  included  lumbering  tools,  mill  supplies,  then  in  demand, 
and  for  many  years  he  did  a  large  and  profitable  business.  The  old  stand  on 
Water  Street  was  occupied  by  this  business  for  more  than  fifty  years,  in 
fact  long  after  the  retail  trade  had  moved  up  Genesee  Street  beyond 
Jefferson.  The  same  business  is  now  conducted  by  Fred  J.  Buckhout  at 
613  Genesee  Avenue. 

George  Schram,  wdiose  store  was  on  Water  Street,  south  of  Genesee, 
and  C.  M.  Curtis,  "near  the  ferry,"  were  early  hardware  dealers.  C.  &  T. 
B.  Spencer,  in  the  Commercial  Block  at  106  South  Water  Street,  carried  in 
stock  "hardware,  stoves,  and  tin,  copper  and  sheet  iron  ware."  Another  well 
known  firm  was  Reynolds  &  Choate,  in  the  Derby  Block  on  North  Water 
Street,  who  carried  general  and  shelf  hardware,  rubber  and  leather  belting', 
stoves  and  hollow  ware.  George  R.  Bridgeman,  on  South  Water  Street. 
was  a  gas  and  steam  titter  and  dealer  in  stoves,  tin,  copper  and  ironware, 
and  "gas  fixtures  of  every  description,"  and  James  L.  Ketcham  was  engaged 
in  much  the  same  business,  including  "iron  fittings  for  steam,  water  and  gas." 

One  of  the  oldest  hardware  concerns  in  Saginaw  City  was  that  of 
Blackmar  &  Eaton,  which  in  1853  was  purchased  by  David  II.  and  Tiff 
Jerome,  and  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  D.  H.  Jerome  &  Company 
for  more  than  forty  years.  The  business  occupied  a  three-story  and  base- 
ment brick  building  on  Court  Street  between  Hamilton  and  Water  Streets, 
stocked  from  cellar  to  roof  with  "vast  supplies  of  mill  and  lumbermens' 
supplies,  builders'  and  house  furnishing  hardware,  painters'  and  plumbers' 
supplies,  wagon  stock  and  bar  and  sheet  iron,  well  tubing,  steam  pipe  and 
fittings,  leather  belting,  etc." 

A.  W.  Achard  &  Son,  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  heavy  and  shelf 
hardware,  mill  supplies,  stoves,  etc.,  was  established  in  1864  by  William 
Seyffardt  and  A.  W.  Achard.  Eater  the  firm  became  Achard  and  Schoene- 
berg.  and  in  1884  was  taken  over  by  Mr.  Achard  alone  and  conducted  under 
his  name.  The  firm  owned  and  occupied  a  spacious  two-story  and  basement 
brick  building,  sixty  by  eight}'  feet  in  size,  which  was  erected  in  1884,  at 
Hamilton  and  Adams  Streets.  A  full  assortment  of  builders'  and  shelf 
hardware,  tools,  cutlery  and  metalware  was  carried  on  the  main  floor,  while 
bar  and  sheet  iron  was  kept  in  a  separate  room  at  the  rear.  In  the  large 
warehouse  on  Water  Street  was  a  "large  stock  of  agricultural  implements, 
wagons,  sewer  pipe,  drain  tile.  etc..  and  paints,  oils,  glass,  brushes  and 
painters'  supplies."  Eater  the  firm  was  incorporated  as  the  Saginaw  Hard- 
ware Company,  which  occupies  the  same  building  and  has  an  increasing 
business  in  their  lines  of  trade. 

At  South  Saginaw,  formerly  called  Salina,  the  hardware  business  was 
long  represented  by  Emil  Jochen,  one  of  the  pioneer  merchants  of  that 
section   of   the   city,      lie    started    his   hardware    business   in    1873,   and   built 


620 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    SOUTH    SIDE    BUSINESS    CENTER    AT    WASHINGTON.    FORDNEY    AND 
CENTER    AVENUES,    1888. 


up  a  large  trade-  not  only  in  the  city  but  also  among  the  farming  community. 
In  his  store,  which  originally  was  twenty  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in 
dimensions,  he  carried  a  general  stock  of  hardware,  stoves,  tinware,  paints, 
oils,  glass,  putty  and  agricultural  implements. 

Tlu-  firm  of  Yawkey  &  Corbyn,  at  508-10  Genesee  Street,  of  which  Cy. 
C.  Yawkey  and  Ralph  F.  Corbyn  were  the  partners,  was  established  in  1883, 
and  carried  a  "completely  diversified  stock  of  heavy  and  shelf  hardware, 
builders'  materials,  stoves,  tinware,  paints,  oils,  glass,  etc." 

Another  successful  hardware  concern  was  that  of  Seyffardt  &  Walz, 
at  Genesee  and  Webster  (Weadock)  Streets,  which  was  founded  in  1869  by 
William  Seyffardt  and  George  Walz.  They  occupied  a  two-story  brick  build- 
ing, eighty  by  one  hundred  feet  in  size,  filled  with  "everything  in  the  line 
of  heavy  and  shelf  hardware,  building  materials,  stoves,  house  furnishing 
goods,  agricultural  implements,  paints,  oils,  brushes,  etc."  They  were  agents 
for  the  celebrated  Columbia  bicycles  and  tricycles;  and  enjoyed  a  large  trade 
to  the  north  and  west  throughout  the  State.  Afterward  the  firm  became 
Walz  &  Keller,  and  at  length  was  incorporated  in  the  Saginaw  Hardware 
Company  and  operated  for  them  by  Emil  Bernhard  with  success.  A  few 
years  ago  the  business  was  sold  ti  >  Bernhard  &  Janke,  who  have  continued 
the  same  general  line  at  the  old  location. 

Other  well  known  hardware  concerns  of  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago, 
which  with  some  changes  in  personel  and  management  are  still  in  business, 
are  Bruske  &  Schwartz  Hardware  Company,  now  G.  W.  Bruske,  on  Gene- 
see Avenue;  Popp  cc  Wolf,  at  Genesee  and  Park  Streets,  who  have  met  with 
phenomenal  success  and  very  popular  with  the  trade.  At  Saginaw  City  are: 
Paxson  &  Company,  located  on  Hamilton  Street,  between  Franklin  (Han- 
cock) and  Ames  Streets;  and  Solms  Brothers,  at  514  Gratiot  Avenue.  The 
same  general  lines  were  also  carried  by  several  smaller  dealers  in  different 
sectii  ms  c  if  the  city. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  621 


Dry  Goods  and  Notions. 

The  next  important  line  of  business  to  separate  itself  from  the  general 
pioneer  store  was  that  of  dry  goods  and  notions,  closely  followed  by  cloth- 
ing and  men's  furnishing.  In  the  former  line  of  business  was  the  firm  of 
Schupp  &  Barie,  dealers  in  dry  goods  and  groceries,  composed  of  the  popular 
dry  goods  merchant.  William  Barie,  and  Augustus  Schupp.  for  a  long  period 
treasurer  of  the  Savings  Bank  of  East  Saginaw.  They  were  located  in  the 
Crouse  Block,  which  occupied  the  site  of  the  present  Eddy  Building.  When 
the  partnership  was  dissolved  Mr.  Barie  took  the  dry  goods  part  of  the 
business  and  removed  to  a  store  across  Genesee  Street.  Afterward  he  pur- 
chased the  stock  of  W.  W.  Fish,  and  combined  the  stocks  at  the  location 
of  the  latter  on  Genesee  Street  near  Cass  (  Baum)  street. 

From  that  time  the  business  expanded  rapidly  and  Mr.  Barie  soon  became 
the  leading  dry  goods  merchant  in  Saginaw  Valley.  About  twenty  years 
ago  he  began  wholesaling  of  dry  goods  and  notions,  this  part  of  the  business 
being  carried  on  in  a  three-story  brick  building  on  South  Baum  Street, 
formerly  the  Aldine  Hotel  property,  which  was  remodeled  to  suit  the  require- 
ments of  the  business. 

In  1899  the  William  Barie  Dry  Goods  Company,  which  succeeded  to  the 
business,  moved  into  the  spacious  and  finely  appointed  building  at  Genesee 
Avenue  and  Baum  Street,  which  had  been  erected  especially  for  them  by 
the  Germania  Society,  on  property  bequeathed  to  it  by  Anton  Schmitz  more 
than  thirty  years  before.  Since  that  time  the  retail  trade  of  the  company 
has  shown  marvelous  gains,  and  "Barie's"  is  regarded  as  the  leading  depart- 
ment store  in  this  section  of  Michigan. 

Other  dry  goods  houses  of  the  early  formative  period  of  East  Saginaw 
were:  E.  P.  Penfield,  located  at  104  Genesee  Street  "near  the  bridge,"  dealer 
in  "dry  goods,  hosiery,  ingrain  and  Brussels  carpets,  floor  oil  cloth,  mats 
and  matting."  Benjamin  Geer,  at  207  Genesee  Street  and  on  South  Water 
Street  between  Court  and  Adams,  Saginaw  City,  transacted  a  profitable 
business;  and  J.  R.  Livingston  &  Company,  at  Genesee  and  Abater  Streets, 
enjoyed  a  large  trade,  the  business  afterward  being  conducted  by  Mr.  Living- 
ston in  the  Chase  Block  on  North  Washington  Avenue.  Another  successful 
house  was  that  of  J.  W".  Howry,  at  506  Genesee  Avenue,  later  removed  to 
218  Genesee,  one  door  west  of  Franklin  Street  with  a  back  entrance  on  that 
street.  This  business  was  afterward  purchased  by  Anderson  Brothers,  com- 
posed of  Peter  and  Charles  A.  Anderson,  who  continued  the  trade  at  the 
old  stand  for  a  number  of  years. 

Contemporary  with  these  stores  was  the  dry  goods  business  established 
by  D.  B.  Freeman,  at  304-06  Genesee  Street.  After  a  successful  career  Mr. 
Freeman  sold  the  business  some  ten  years  ago  to  Margaret  C.  Murray,  who 
for  a  long  period  had  been  manager  of  the  business.  Soon  after  she  removed 
to  the  rebuilt  double  store  at  206-08  Genesee,  where  a  large  and  increasing 
business  is  carried  on.  Seitner  Brothers  is  another  successful  dry  goods 
house,  which  was  first  located  on  Genesee  between  Washington  and  Franklin 
Streets;  but  since  1900  they  have  occupied  the  fine  double  store  at  314-20 
Genesee  Avenue. 

About  fifteen  years  ago  the  Metropolitan  Dry  Goods  Company  was 
formed  to  carry  on  a  wholesale  and  retail  dry  goods  business  in  the  four- 
story  iron-front  building  of  the  Bearinger  Estate,  on  North  Franklin  Street. 
This  building  had  been  previously  occupied  by  the  Hoyt  Dry  Goods  Com- 
pany, and  well  arranged  and  equipped  to  carry  on  such  a  trade.  After  several 
years    of   competitive    business,    which    was    said    to    be    not    profitable,    the 


622  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Metropolitan  Company  wound  up  its  affairs  and  dissolved.  The  very  favor- 
able location  for  such  a  business  is  now  occupied  by  the  large  dry  goods 
house  of  M.  \V.  Tanner  Company,  which  is  an  outgrowth  of  the  Saginaw 
Dry  Goods  Company,  established  many  years  ago  on  Court  Street,  West 
Side.  The  M.  W.  Tanner  Company  have  the  reputation  of  dealing  in  as 
fine  a  grade  of  dry  goods  as  is  sold  by  any  dealers  in  the  State,  and  enjoy 
a  good  trade  in  that  line. 

At  Saginaw  City  the  distinctive  dry  goods  houses  were  those  of  George 
W.  Bullock,  at  Hamilton  and  Ames  Streets;  Scheib  &  Company,  located 
in  Khuen's  Block  on  Hamilton  Street,  north  of  the  Post  Office;  and  ]. 
Bauman  (uncle  of  the  Seitner  Brothers),  wholesale  and  retail  dealer,  whose 
business  was  established  in  1867  upon  a  comparatively  modest  scale.  The 
trade  of  this  store,  which  had  a  frontage  of  forty-five' feet  on  Court  and  a 
depth  of  two  hundred  feet  on  Washington  (Michigan)  Street,  expanded 
rapidly  from  year  to  year,  and  "the  stock  embraced  everything  in  staple 
dry  goods,  dress  goods,  cloaks,  notions,  and  Brussels,  tapestry  and  ingrain 
carpets,  rugs,  etc."  About  twenty-five  years  ago  the  business  was  purchased 
by  Porteous,  Mitchell  &  Company,  who  carried  on  the  same  general  lines 
for  a  number  of  years.  Afterward  it  was  sold  to  the  J.  W.  Ippel  Company, 
who  still  conduct  the  prosperous  business  at  the  old  stand. 

Other  successful  merchants  in  this  line  are:  Philip  Ittner,  at  416-18  Han- 
cock Street;  A.  D.  Phillipe,  at  121-25  North  Hamilton  Street;  William  H. 
Miller,  at  405  West  Genesee;  Schwemer  &  Witt,  at  719-23  Genesee  Avenue; 
and  Charles  II.  Becker,  at  2723  South  Washington  Avenue,  South  Saginaw. 

Clothing  and  Furnishing  Trade. 

The  flourishing  clothing  and  furnishing  trade  of  the  pioneer  davs  was 
represented  by  11.  Bendit,  the  "Star  Clothing  House."  at  115  Genesee'Street, 
"opposite  the  Bancroft  House,'-  but  afterward  at  203  Genesee;  M.  &  IT. 
Koch  &  Company,  in  the  Hess  Block  on  Genesee  Street,  with  a  "special 
department  for  boys'  and  children's  clothing,  entrance  on  Washington 
Street."  and  Browning  &  Penny,  dealers  in  hats,  caps  and  furs,  at  302  Gene- 
see. "Highest  market  price  paid  for  shipping  furs."  Wilkin  &  Mack 
succeeded  to  this  business,  and  later  was  conducted  by  fames  Mack  alone, 
under  the  title  of  "Mack  the  Hatter."  Late  in  the  ei^hteen-nineties,  Mr. 
Mack  retired  from  business  and  the  store,  which  had  known  the  men's 
furnishing  trade  since  1867,  was  taken  by  Peck  &  Tredo,  the  same  business 
that  is  now  conducted  by  William  P.  Tredo. 

Probably  the  best  known  clothier  of  this  period  was  S.  Bond  Bliss, 
facetiously  termed  "Steamboat  Bliss."  He  was  a  genial,  companionable  man, 
a  good  advertiser,  and  had  the  faculty  of  keeping  himself  in  the  public  eye! 
His  store  had  a  large  trade  at  one  time.  He  was  a  forceful  character, 'of 
unquestioned  integrity  and  pleasing  personality,  but  his  business  enterprises 
were  not  always  successful,  and  he  suffered  severe  reverses  of  fortune. 

Seelev  &  Spencer  was  another  popular  clothing  house,  which  in  after 
year-  was  purchased  by  Griggs  &  Ryan,  old  employees  of  the  store,  and  is 
now  conducted  by  William  II.  Ryan,  at  215  Genesee' Avenue.  Rich  Brothers 
were  successful  clothiers  and  general  furnishers  for  a  number  of  years,  but 
following  a  disastrous  fire  their  building  on  Genesee  Avenue,  near'lefferson. 
was  remodeled  into  a  vaudeville  theatre  and  moving  picture  house,  to  which 
uses  it  has  since  been  put.  Meyer  &  Brix.  afterward  H.  H.  Brix,  at  323 
Genesee  Avenue,  were  engaged  in  the  fur  ami  furnishing  business,  and  is 
still  a  successful  business  though  in  furs  alone,  and  is  "conducted  at  607 
Genesee  Avenue. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


623 


"LITTLE    JAKE"    SELIGMAN 

"Little   Jake"   Seligman. 

By  far  the  best  known  and  notable  character  in  the  clothing  business  of 
Saginaw,  was  "Little  Jake"  Seligman,  one  of  the  most  public-spirited 
citizens  of  thirty  or  more  years  ago.  Coming  to  East  Saginaw  in  1871,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  city's  remarkable  growth,  he  acquired  valuable  property  at 
Genesee  and  Franklin  Streets,  and  under  the  title  "Little  Jake"  established 
and  built  up  a  large  and  profitable  clothing  business.  He  also  dealt  in  real 
estate  and  accumulated  some  of  the  most  valuable  realty  on  Genesee  and 
adjacent  streets  ;  and  he  was  regarded  here  and  elsewhere  as  one  of  Saginaw's 
most  substantial  citizens. 

It  is  related  that  he  and  the  late  Michael  Jeffers  used  to  dicker  for 
business  property  with  avidity,  in  the  days  when  it  was  customary  for  each 
to  buy  or  sell  a  valuable  piece  of  property  before  dinner  every  day.  Among 
the  large  deals  in  real  estate  put  through  was  the  sale  of  the  Central  and 
adjoining  blocks  on  Genesee  Street  to  the  Heavenrichs;  the  Tower  Block, 
containing  the  city  clock  (presented  by  him)  and  a  bronze  statue  of  him- 
self surmounting  the  tower,  to  Michael  Jeffers  ;  a  two-thirds  interest  in  the 
Everett  House  property,  also  to  Mr.  Jeffers ;  and  the  brick  block  at  the 
northwest  corner  of  Genesee  and  Washington  Streets,  to  the  late  T.  F. 
Thompson.  He  was  also  the  promoter  and  builder  of  the  Saginaw  Union 
Street  Railway,  which  linked  together  the  outlying  sections  of  Potter  Street, 
Court  Street  and  South  Saginaw.  About  1880  he  sold  a  two-thirds  interest 
in  his  clothing  business  to  Max  and  Carl  Heavenrich,  and  in  February,  1882, 
disposed  of  his  remaining  interest  to  Sam  Heavenrich.  of  Detroit;  and  the 
business  has  since  been  conducted  under  the  name  of  Fleavenrich  Brothers  & 
Company. 


024  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Mr.  Seligman  was  also  interested  in  banking-  and  large  investments,  for  a 
long  period  being  proprietor  of  Seligman's  Bank  of  Commerce,  on  South 
Franklin  Street,  which  had  the  full  confidence  of  the  public.  George  W. 
Emerick  was  cashier  of  the  bank  and  private  secretary  to  Mr.  Seligman  in  his 
extensive  business  interests. 

About  18('2  Mr.  Seligman  closed  out  his  Saginaw  interests  and  moved 
to  Detroit  where,  in  association  with  Edward  Doyle  and  others,  he  erected 
the  Majestic  Building,  a  large  store  and  office  building  at  Woodward  and 
Michigan  Avenues.  In  1894  he  removed  to  Salida,  Colorado,  largely  on 
account  o!  impaired  health:  and  became  interested  in  light  and  power  invest- 
ments, banking,  mining,  etc.;  and  for  a  time  was  vice-president  of  the 
Salida  State  Hank. 

"Little  Jake"  stood  high  in  Flkdom,  and  was  everywhere  hailed  as  the 
"smallest  Elk  in  captivity."  He  had  an  exceedingly  interesting  personality, 
aside  from  his  diminutive  size,  and  was  a  good  disciple  of  the  doctrine  that 
"to  the  hustler  belongs  the  spoils." 

Other  Successful  Clothiers. 

The  Excelsior  Clothing  House,  a  very  successful  business  owned  bv 
Kerngood,  Sloman  &  Rosenthal,  was  a  popular  store  in  the  eighties  and 
nineties,  and  the  location  in  the  Fverett  House  Block  was  very  favorable  for 
securing  transient  ami  local  trade.  Late  in  the  eighties  the  firm  of  John 
Otto  Jr.  &  Company  conducted  a  furnishing  store  at  207  Genesee  Avenue, 
in  Doughty's  old  stand,  where  they  were  "at  all  times  prepared  to  supply 
the  gentlemen  of  Saginaw  with  the  most  attractive  and  desirable  goods  in 
the  lines  in  which  they  deal."  l'eter  Bauer,  at  802  Genesee  Avenue,  has  a 
large  and  profitable  business,  and  the  location  is  improving  each  year.  About 
1902  Sam  Carpenter  opened  a  well  stocked  clothing  store  in  the  corner  of 
the  Everett  House,  now  occupied  by  Moore's  Cigar  Store,  Mautner  &  Krause, 
experienced  clothing  men  who  graduated  from  the  larger  stores,  started  a 
business  at  Genesee  and  Baum  Streets,  also  enjoy  a  lucrative  trade.  More 
recent  acquisitions  to  the  clothing  business  are  Jaeckel  &  Ran.  at  212  Genesee 
Avenue;  Griggs  &  Butenshoen,  at  319  Genesee;  and  Albert  J.  Zauel,  at  323 
Genesee  Avenue. 

On  the  West  Side  the  leading  merchants  in  the  clothing  business  are: 
Bauer  Brothers,  at  310-20  Court,  whose  business  was  established  two  or 
three  generations  past;  Brenner  &  Brenner,  at  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets; 
Campbell  &  Brater,  opened  on  Court  Street  in  1906;  A.  O.  Richter,  at  1217 
Court  Street;  Nathan  Sheyer,  at  2704  South  Washington  Avenue,  South 
Saginaw  ;  and  (  ).   B.  Moore  &  Company,  at  400-02  Potter  Street. 

Boot  and   Shoe   Trade. 

In  boots  and  shoes,  and  leather  goods  were  W.  II.  Warner  &  Company 
with  the  "largest  and  best  selected  stock  in  the  city,"  located  at  214  Genesee 
Street;  C.  H.  Smith  &  Company,  at  119  Genesee  Street,  "opposite  the  Ban- 
croft House,  with  F.  C.  Burt's  fine  shoes,  Newport  fine  boots  and  shoes,  and 
Joyce's  dress  ami  toilet  boots  and  slippers;"  William  H.  Downs  &  Company 
in  the  Eagle  Block,  214  Genesee  Avenue,  opposite  the    Everett    House;  and 

F.  S.  Lenheim  &  Company,  dealers  in  boots,  shoes,  rubber  goods,  1 t  pacs, 

etc.,  at  211  Genesee  Avenue. 

At  Saginaw-   City   were    [.    1*'.    Brand,  manufacturer  and   dealer  in    boots, 

shoes,  advertising   "lumbermen   supplied    with    pacs   and    heavy    I ts."      His 

store  was  located  in  Bauer's  Block  on  Court  Street.  Clarke  &  Byrne,  also 
on  Court  Street,  were  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  boots,  shoes  and  pacs; 
and  Charles  Wider  was  a  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  leather,  lasts  and 
findings. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  025 

Furniture  and   House   Furnishings 

In  the  early  days  of  home  building  in  Saginaw,  Feige  Brothers  were 
manufacturers  and  dealers  in  fine  parlor  and  chamber  furniture,  with  ware- 
rooms  at  318-20  Genesee  Street,  and  factory  at  Hoyt  and  Genesee.  E. 
Weinecke  &  Brother,  dealers  in  "furniture,  mattresses,  looking-glasses  and 
upholstering  goods,  "were  located  at  405  Genesee  Street.  August  Eggert, 
at  514-16  Genesee  Street,  succeeded  to  the  business  of  Eggert  &  Heinemann 
which  was  established  in  1869.  G.  Werschky,  cabinet  maker  and  furniture 
manufacturer,  was  located  on  Genesee  between  Clay  (Park)  and  Rockwell 
:  Second )  Streets. 

On  the  west  side  of  the  river  L.  Burrows,  Junior,  in  the  Taylor  House 
Block,  was  a  dealer  in  furniture  and  upholstered  goods;  as  was  also  J.  F. 
Wider,  who  added  "pictures,  cords,  tassels  and  cornices,  lounges,  mattresses, 
pillows,  etc..  paper  hanging,  carpet  laying,  awning  and  lumbermen's  tents." 
W.  G.  Smith,  wholesale  manufacturer  of  parlor  furniture,  lounges,  etc.,  was 
located  at  302  Court  Street.  Afterward,  Foster,  Charles  &  Company,  con- 
ducted a  large  furniture  business  in  the  Barnard  Block,  at  Hamilton  and 
Franklin  (Hancock)  Streets.  This  establishment  was  later  taken  over  b\ 
John  Schmelzer,  who  conducts  the  business  at  the  old  stand. 

The  Oueensware  and  house  furnishing  line  was  carried  on  in  those  days 
by  E.  Aiken  &  Company,  at  20''  ( ienesee  Avenue,  a  business  which  was 
established  in  1864.  James  Stinson  was  another  pioneer  dealer  who  started 
in  1867  and  for  many  years  was  located  in  the  Schmitz  Block,  at  Ger.esee  and 
Cass  (1'aum)  Streets.  He  carried  the  "finest  line  of  crockery,  china,  glass- 
ware, gas  and  oil  chandeliers  and  English  and  American  porcelain."  Daudt, 
Watson  &  Company  were  jobbers  of  earthenware,  china,  glassware,  etc., 
at  420-22  Genesee  Street,  having  succeeded  to  the  business  founded  by 
Daudt  &  Klauser  several  years  before.  The  business  is  now  conducted  in 
greatly  increased  volume  by  II.  Watson  iK:  Company,  at  the  old  stand. 

Of  special  interest  t<>  the  ladies  was  the  establishment  of  Mrs.  E.  V. 
Hammond  ( S.  L.  Warford),  well  known  as  the  "Emporium  of  Fashion," 
which  was  founded  in  1853  and  conducted  for  nearly  fifty  years  at  one 
location,  on  Washington  Street  opposite  the  Bancroft  House.  The  stock  in 
trade  consisted  of  "everything  for  the  ladies,  such  as  milliner)-,  straw  and 
fancy  goods,  dress  trimmings,  cloaks  and  talmas,  ready-made  suits  and  fine 
dress  goods." 

The  leading  music  house  of  this  period  was  that  of  A.  W.  Wheat  & 
Company,  which  was  established  in  1S'66.  and  were  distributors  for  the 
popular  Estey  Cottage  Organs.  C.  M.  Morris  &  Company  followed  in  this 
line  of  business,  and  their  large  and  attractive  store  in  the  Tower  Block, 
stocked  with  the  finest  merchandise  of  the  kind,  is  still  remembered  by  old 
residents. 

Jewelry,  Books  and  Stationery 

T.  E.  Doughty  was  a  leading  wholesale  and  retail  dealer  in  watches, 
clocks  and  jewelry,  at  301  Genesee  Street;  and  I  >.  R.  Brown  &  Company,  in 
the  same  line,  were  located  at  Genesee  and  Washington  Strets,  Charles  F. 
Lacy  handled  the  same  general  line  at  Saginaw  City,  his  place  of  business 
being  in  the  Eieger  Block  on  Water  (Niagara)  Street.  J.  C.  Ziegler  in 
Bernhard's  Block.  Court  and  Water  Streets,  were  "dealers  in  gold  and 
silverware,  clocks,  opera  glasses  and  spectacles."  J.  C.  Watts  &  Company 
were  at  one  time  extensive  dealers  in  the  general  jewelry  line,  being  located 
at  Genesee  and  Washington  Streets,  and  afterward  at  209  Genesee  Avenue. 


626 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


THE    BEARINGER    BUILDING,    ERECTED    IN    1892 


Brown  &  Grant  were  very  popular  jewelers,  their  store  being  at  302  Genesee 
Avenue,  and  was  succeeded  by  J.  W.  Grant,  at  Genesee  and  Washington 
Streets. 

In  the  early  days  Alexander  Ferguson  was  a  dealer  in  books,  stationery, 
blank  books,  etc.,  and  was  manager  of  the  Snow  Telegraph  Line,  to  Detroit. 
His  place  of  business  was  on  Genesee  Street  between  Washington  and  Water. 
S.  M.  McFarlan  was  a  dealer  in  the  same  lines  but  added  wall  paper,  window 
shades  and  fixtures,  being  located  at  108  Genesee  Street,  Bancroft  Block. 
Augustus  Bode,  at  304  Genesee  Street,  also  dealt  in  stationery,  school  books, 
fancy  goods,  toys,  notions,  etc..  while  Albert  H.  Frey  was  a  binder  and 
blank  book  manufacturer  at  213  Genesee  Avenue,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Frey  &   Wicklein. 

At  Saginaw  City  the  book  and  stationery  lines  were  represented  by 
Newell  &  Robinson,  whose  place  of  business  was  at  214  South  Hamilton 
Street;  and  Penoyer  &  St.  John,  succeeded  by  E.  St.  John,  on  Court  Street, 
who  also  carried  wall  paper,  paints,  oils,  etc.  The  wholesale  trade  was 
carried  on  by  the  Saginaw  Valley  Paper  Company.  F.  S.  Sears,  proprietor, 
at  221  South  Hamilton  Street;  and  by  Swinton  &  Reynolds,  who  enjoyed  a 
very  large  business  at  their  store  on  Genesee  Avenue. 

Drugs  and  Medicines. 

In  drugs  and  medicines  there  was  the  well  known  house  of  "Dunk,  the 
Druggist,"  founded  by  Doctor  Curtis  in  1851,  whose  store  at  the  northeast 
corner  of  Genesee  and  Washington  Streets,  was  a  landmark  of  the  business 
section.  The  business  was  succeeded  by  William  B.  Moore,  who  in  later 
years  was  followed  by  D.  E.  Prall  &  Company.  Charles  S.  Frizell  &  Com- 
pany were  dealers  in  the  same  line  and  in  "toilet  goods,  cigars,  patent  medi- 
cines, etc.,  at  Washington  and  German  Streets.  Henry  Melchers,  druggist 
and  chemist,  was  located  at  Genesee  and  Tefferson  Streets,  and  also  dealt  in 
wines  and  liquors.  Eugene  Ringler.  druggist  ami  chemist,  was  also  a  dealer 
in  pure   wines  and  liquors  on   Hamilton   Street,  Wesener's   Block.     William 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  627 

Moll,  dealer  in  drugs,  medicines  and  perfumery,  paints,  oils,  etc.,  was  located 

on   Water    (Niagara)  Street,    between    Court   and    Adams.     This    store    was 

removed  on  January  1,   1870  to  the  Taylor   House    Block,  at    Hamilton  and 
Court  Streets. 

Real  Estate  and  Insurance. 

The  real  estate  business  in  early  days  was  conducted  in  a  vigorous 
manner  characteristic  of  the  time.  John  Gallagher,  whose  office  was  in 
the  Gallagher  Block  on  Washington  Street,  and  II.  H.  Hoyt,  who  also 
conducted  an  abstract  office,  were  well  known.  Charles  L.  Ortman,  once 
mayor  of  East  Saginaw,  was  a  dealer  in  pine  and  farming  lands,  with  an 
office  in  the  Wilkin's  Block,  Genesee  Avenue  opposite  the  Bancroft  House. 
I.  M.  &  II.  P.  Smith  were  dealers  in  choice  farm  lands  and  city  property, 
at  East  Saginaw, and  conducted  an  abstract  office;  and  August  Blanchard 
was  a  "pine  land  agent  with  an  office  in  the  I  less  Block,  opposite  the  Ban- 
croft House."  On  the  west  side  of  the  river  were  P.  C.  Andre,  dealing  in 
"farms,  pine  and  grass  lands,  city  lots,  dwelling  houses,  and  salt  and  mill 
properties."  Stevens  &  Deveaux  established  a  real  estate  office  in  the  Bar- 
nard Block,  in  1877;  and  J.  K.  Stevens  conducted  a  real  estate,  abstract  and 
loan  office  at  the  same  location. 

The  East  Saginaw  Lumber  Exchange.  C.  V.  DeLand,  secretary  and 
manager,  was  located  in  the  Bancroft  I  louse  Block,  and  advertised:  "Buyers 
visiting  the  Valley  can  obtain  information  of  all  kinds  at  our  rooms,  free  of 
charge.     All  are  invited." 

Among  the  leading  insurance  agencies  were:  C.  V.  DeLand,  handling 
fire,  marine  and  life  insurance,  at  114  Genesee  Avenue;  George  Lockley, 
with  an  office  under  the  Merchants'  National  Bank,  North  Washington 
Street,  Wheeler  &  Stringham  were  general  insurance  agents  at  111  Genesee 
Street.  At  Saginaw  City  were  A.  S.  &  II.  K.  Gaylord,  general  inusrance 
agents  having  the  Home  Insurance  of  New  York,  the  Insurance  Company  of 
North  America,  of  Philadelphia,  which  was  chartered  before  George  Wash- 
ington took  oath  as  President  of  the  United  States,  and  other  leading 
companies  of  the  time  such  as  the  Glens  Falls,  New  York  Equitable  Life 
and  New  England  Mutual.  Their  office  was  over  Burrow's  Bank,  in  the 
Taylor  House  Block.  Freeman  Lathrop  was  agent  for  the  Equitable  Life 
Assurance  Society,  and  E.  Schoeneberg  had  an  office  in  the  Taylor  House, 
which  he  established  in  1883. 

Kirby  Blakely  was  a  well  known  insurance  agent  and  real  estate  dealer 
who,  in  1882,  succeeded  to  the  business  established  years  before  by  D.  A. 
Pettibone.  His  office  was  on  German  Street  near  the  corner  of  Genesee. 
Later  he  added  to  his  business  the  agency  for  the  McCormick  harvesting 
machines,  and  handled  farm  implements  of  every  description. 

Other  dealers  in  agricultural  implements  were  the  Williams-Perrin 
Implement  and  Produce  Company,  located  at  Washington  (Michigan)  and 
Gratiot  Streets,  Saginaw  City,  whose  business  in  1887  and  subsequent  years 
exceeded  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  annually;  and  William  Roeser  & 
Sons,  at  416-18  Franklin  (  Hancock)  Street,  established  in  1870,  who  handled 
the  "world-renowned  McCormick  binders,  reapers  and  mowers,  also  Advance 
engines  and  threshers." 

Among  the  dealers  in  horses,  wagons  and  carriages  was  Harry  Bates, 
whose  stables  at  208-12  North  Franklin  Street  were  the  Mecca  of  horsemen 
from  this  section  of  the  State.  The  business  was  founded  about  1867,  and 
Mr.  Bates,  who  was  justly  regarded  as  an  authority  on  horses  and  a  skilled 
veterinary  surgeon,  built  up  a  large  trade.  He  made  a  specialty  of  Clydes- 
and  other  first-class  stock,  and  his  private  sales  averaged  nearly  six  hundred 


628  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

nurses  a  year.  Connected  with  the  business  was  a  well  equipped  harness  shop, 
in  which  harness  of  the  best  quality  was  made  to  order.  To  encourage  horse 
racing  Mr.  Mates,  late  in  the  eighties,  constructed  a  half  mile  track  on  his 
farm  at  the  eastern  limits  of  the  city,  where  he  and  his  friends  spent  many 
pleasant  hours  in  speeding  their  horses. 

Harvey  &  Coleman  were  other  successful  horse  dealers,  who  conducted 
a  livery  on  German  Street  at  the  corner  of  Franklin.  Later  Air.  Harvey 
withdrew  and  Mr.  Coleman  opened  a  large  and  well  stocked  livery  stable  at 
Washington  and  Tuscola  Streets,  a  business  which  was  continued  for  more 
than  thirty  years. 

In  a  business  appealing  strictly  to  men  were:  Eccard,  Brown  &  Company, 
wholesale  dealers  in  tobacco  and  manufacturers  agents,  their  place  of  business 
located  at  205  Genesee  Street.  Jacob  Knapp  &  Brother  were  manufacturers 
of  domestic  and  Havana  cigars,  and  dealers  in  tobacco,  pipes,  etc.,  on 
Hamilton  Street  between  Court  and   Franklin   (Hancock)   Streets. 

C.  H.  Cheeney  &  Son  were  makers  and  dealers  in  superior  quality  of 
log  and  board  rules,  "with  square  tempered  heads  and  burned  figures." 
Their  shop  was  located  on  North  Washington  Street,  near  the  F.  &  I*.  M. 
R.  R.  depot.  11.  Miller  was  also  a  maker  of  log  and  board  rules,  saw  gauges, 
etc.,  with  a  complete  shop  for  making  small  brass  castings,  at  1016  South 
Washington   Street,  between   Brady  and   McCoskry   Streets. 

Coal,  Lime  and  Cement. 

ECetcham  &  Tuthill  were  pioneers  in  the  coal  trade  and  allied  lines,  their 
business  having  been  founded  in  1857.  They  handled  "Cumberland,  Kloss- 
burg,  Lackawana,  Lehigh  and  steamboat  coal  at  the  Park  Dock,  North  Water 
Street,  between  Johnson  and  Fitzhugh  Streets."  This  business  was  later  sold 
to  C.  W.  White  &  Company,  of  which  George  W.  Morley  and  George  B. 
Morley  were  members.  In  1880  Frank  D.  Ewen  became  a  partner  and,  Mr. 
White  retiring,  the  firm  name  became  Morley,  Ewen  &  Company,  which 
continued  the  business  lor  thirty  years.  It  was  then  succeeded  by  the  Sagi- 
naw Coal  Company,  which  still  conducts  the  business  at  the  old  stand. 

John  II.  I'.eese  &  Company,  at  235  South  Water  Street,  was  founded  in 
1883,  and  for  a  number  of  years  enjoyed  a  large  trade  in  this  city  and 
adjoining  territory.  In  addition  to  all  kinds  of  coal  this  company  handled 
sewer  pipe,  drain  tile,  cement,  hair,  fire  brick  and  fire  clay.  The  firm  employed 
four  teams  and  seven  men  in  caring  for  the  trade  and  in  making  deliveries; 
and  as  a  consequence  of  the  accuracy  of  all  its  dealings  enjoyed  a  thriving 
business.  Later  the  firm  became  Beese-Little  Coal  Company,  the  late  Char- 
les H.  Little  being  admitted  to  membership;  and  about  1895  the  business 
was  sold  to  Goodman  &  Winkler,  who  conducted  it  for  about  ten  years. 

At  Saginaw  City  the  firm  of  Remer  Iirothers  were  manufacturers  of 
Kelly  Island  stone  lime,  and  dealers  in  coal,  calcined  plaster,  cement,  brick, 
etc.  The  business  was  founded  in  1870  by  J.  Remer,  afterward  changing  to 
J.  Remer  &  Son,  and  in  1882  assumed  its  present  style.  Their  yard  and 
lime  kiln,  covering  an  area  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  by  two  hundred  and 
fifty  feet,  with  railroad  tracks  in  front  and  spacious  docks  in  the  rear,  is 
located  on  Water  (Niagara)  Street,  at  the  foot  of  Madison  Street,  a  very 
favorable  location  for  receiving  stone  for  the  kilns  and  coal  and  materials  for 
trade,  while  offering  every  facility  for  prompt  delivery  to  all  parts  of  the 
West  Side.  In  recent  years  the  company  purchased  the  property  of  E. 
Everett  Johnson,  successor  to  Johnson  Brothers,  coal,  wood  and  lime  dealers, 
located  on  Water  Street  at  the  foot  of  Hayden  Street,  and  from  this  yard 
handle  a  considerable  part  of  their  trade  on  the  East  Side. 


a 


> 


630  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

Retail  Grocers  of  Olden  Times. 

The  oldest  retail  grocer  in  Saginaw  is  <  reorge  Streeb.  who  started  a  small 
business  on  Water  Street  as  early  as  1853.  An  account  of  his  business  career 
and  portrait  will  be  found  on  pages  173-4  of  this  volume.  Thomas  L.  Jackson 
was  another  pioneer  in  the  business,  whose  store  at  the  corner  of  Washing- 
ton (Michigan)  and  Gratiot  Streets,  was  started  in  1862.  (See  Volume  II, 
page  54.).  \\  .  C.  Russell  was  a  dealer  in  choice  family  groceries  and 
farmers'  produce,  his  store  located  in  Andre's  new  block  on  Court  Street; 
Ballentine  Brothers  were  grocers  on  Court  Street,  "opposite  Jay  Smith's;" 
and  Downing  and  Brother  kept  a  family  grocery  at  Washington  and  Miller 
Streets. 

At  East  Saginaw,  Curtis,  Bliss  &  Company  were  prominent  grocers, 
with  a  store  in  the  Crouse  Block,  at  Washington  and  Genesee  Streets;  and 
McBain  &  Ross,  wdio  dealt  also  in  provisions,  flour,  feed,  etc..  were  in  the 
same  building.  J.  II.  Trakat  was  located  at  105  Jefferson  Street;  Simpson, 
Barber  &  Company,  established  in  1870.  at  3!"  Genesee;  Draper  &  Cashin, 
at  406  Genesee;  Hathaway  &  Ware,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Hoyt  Streets.  Burdick  &  Moore  were  located  at  400-02  North  Franklin 
Street,  and  later,  following  the  fire  in  their  place  of  business  on  June  29, 
1887,  at  130-2  Jefferson  Street,  where  they  carried  on  a  large  grocery  and 
meat  business.  Gossell  Brothers  at  900  Lapeer  Street,  founded  by  Peter  P. 
Heller,  in  1879;  R.  Asbeck,  at  Lapeer  and  Seventh  Streets,  where  he  located 
in  1867;  and  Stewart  Brothers,  on  Potter  Street,  and  Charles  Straw,  on 
North  Washington  Street,  were  successful   merchants  many  years  ago. 

Grocery  and  Provision  Trade. 

A  large  and  important  division  of  local  trade  in  the  early  days  of  Saginaw 
was  that  of  wholesale  groceries  and  provisions,  which  has  increased  to  such 
a  volume  that  the  trade  is  now  represented  by  four  successful  jobbing  houses, 
one  coffee  and  spice  mill,  four  extensive  meat  packing  and  distributing  con- 
cerns, and  five  large  commission  houses. 

The  first  wholesale  grocer  and  produce  merchant  was  John  P.  Derby, 
whose  business  in  Saginawr  dated  from  1K57.  Coming  here  at  that  time  he 
purchased  the  stock  of  goods  in  the  store  then  owned  by  John  F.  Driggs, 
and  several  business  lots  on  North  Water  Street,  and  in  1866  erected 
an  imposing  three-story  brick  building,  known  as  the  Derby  Block,  with  a 
dock  in  the  rear,  and  opened  a  large  wholesale  house.  He  carried  a  "large 
stock  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries  and  shelf  goods,  mill  and  camp  supplies," 
and  enjoyed  a  large  wholesale  trade  covering  not  only  Saginaw-  Valley  but 
all  of  Northern  Michigan.  He  also  dealt  largely  in  produce  as  a  general 
commission  merchant,  and  held  the  confidence  of  shippers  by  the  careful 
and  accurate  manner  in  which  commission  services  were  performed  by  him. 
Later  he  opened  a  retail  grocery  in  a  two-story  brick  building,  having  a  floor 
area  of  forty-eight  hundred  square  feet,  at  718-20  Genesee  Avenue,  where  a 
very  successful  business,  under  the  management  of  his  son,  J.  Perley  Derby, 
was  conducted  for  many  years. 

Another  early  wholesale  grocery  house  was  that  of  Shaw,  Bullard  & 
Company,  which  was  located  at  121-23  North  Water  Street,  with  a  broad 
dock  at  the  rear  for  the  convenient  and  expeditious  unloading  of  their  mar- 
chandise,  practically  all  of  which  was  brought  here  in  those  days  by  vessel 
from  Buffalo,  Dunkirk  and  Erie.  The  building  was  later  occupied  by  F.  W. 
Carlisle  &  Company,  who  moved  from  across  the  street  about  twenty-five 
years  ago.  The  line  of  groceries  and  lumbermen's  supplies  handled  by 
Shaw,  Bullard  &  Company,  included  teas,  syrups  and  tobaccos,  and  they 
advertised  "the  only  exclusive  wholesale  grocery  house  in  the  valley." 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  631 


The  next  important  wholesale  business  was  founded  in  1867  at  Saginaw 
City  by  Ammi  W.  Wright  and  his  associates,  under  the  firm  name  of  North- 
rnp,  Wells  &  Company.  Their  warehouse  was  a  three-story  brick  building, 
with  a  large  one-story  addition,  at  Water  (Niagara)  and  Clinton  Streets, 
and  with  branch  store's  at  Midland,  Sanford,  Loomis  and  Farwell,  shipping 
points  on  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad.  Two  years  after  the  business 
was  founded  Mr.  Northrup  withdrew,  and  Farnam  C.  Stone  was  admitted 
to  the  firm,  when  the  name  became  Wells,  Stone  &  Company.  Their  busi- 
ness was  primarily  that  of  wholesale  groceries  and  dealers  in  lumbermen's 
supplies,  but  gradually  trading  in  pine  lands,  logs  and  lumber  became  a 
large  part  of  the  business. 

In  1885  the  Wells-Stone  Mercantile  Company  was  incorporated  with 
Charles  W.  Wells,  president,  and  Farnam  C.  Stone,  vice-president,  and  the 
wholesale  grocery  and  lumbermen's  supply  departments  were  relinquished 
to  them.  The  company  occupied  a  two-story  warehouse,  two  hundred  by 
one  hundred  feet  in  dimensions,  which  was  completely  stocked  with  every 
description  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries,  tobaccos,  dry  goods,  drugs,  lumber- 
men's tools  and  wearing  apparel  such  as  was  used  in  lumber  camps.  Near 
the  warehouse  was  a  spacious  elevator  equipped  with  all  machinery  for  its 
operation,  having  a  storage  capacity  of  one  hundred  thousand  bushels  of 
grain,  a  mill  for  grinding  feed  and  corn  meal,  and  a  large  storage  capacity 
for  grain  in  bags  and  other  heavy  merchandise.  In  addition  the  company- 
occupied  a  large  warehouse  at  Duluth,  from  which  shipments  were  made  to 
an  extensive  trade  in  Minnesota  and  the  Northwest.  The  company  tran- 
sacted an  immense  volume  of  business  in  the  western  and  northern  portions 
of  Michigan,  and  was  rated  as  one  of  the  biggest  jobbing  houses  in  this  part 
of  the  country. 

In  1896,  following  the  decline  in  the  lumber  business  in  Michigan,  in 
which  the  trade  in  lumbermen's  supplies  fell  oft"  rapidly,  the  firm  of  Phipps, 
Penoyer  &  Company,  was  organized  by  William  C.  Phipps,  Chauncey  W. 
Penover  and  others,  to  take  over  the  wholesale  grocery  business  so  long 
conducted  by  the  old  companies,  and,  although  the  outlook  at  the  time  was 
far  from  encouraging,  a  large  business  was  developed  in  the  growing  towns 
and  country  districts  to  the  western,  northern  portions  of  the  State,  and 
in  the  "Thumb"  district.  About  1910  the  company  was  absorbed  by  the 
National  Grocer  Company,  although  the  management  remained  with  Mr. 
Phipps  until  his  death  in  February,  1915.  Since  that  time  the  business  has 
been  conducted  under  the  name  of  the  latter  company  and  a  large  and 
increasing  trade  accrues  to  it. 

James  Stewart,  one  of  the  pioneers  in  the  wholesale  grocery  trade  of 
Saginaw  Valley,  started  in  business  in  1872,  occupying  the  two-story  ware- 
house at  Genesee  and  Water  Streets,  and  having  ample  dockage  and  shipping 
facilities  at  the  rear.  In  1882  the  business  was  incorporated  as  the  James 
Stewart  Company,  with  Doctor  Lyman  W.  l'diss,  president;  Max  Heaven- 
rich,  vice-president  ami  manager;  and  O.  F.  Wisner,  secretary.  They  carried 
a  full  line  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries,  tobaccos,  pork,  flour,  feed  and 
lumbermen's  supplies,  and  imported  direct  all  their  own  teas.  The  company 
also  dealt  extensively  in  salt  and  shingles.  About  1889,  when  the  large  four- 
storv  brick  building  was  erected  at  Washington  and  Tuscola  Streets,  the 
business  was  removed  to  it,  where  it  was  continued  for  more  than  ten  years. 
The  company  was  then  dissolved  but  the  business  was  still  conducted  by 
Mr.   Stewart  in  the  Cass  Block,  at   P.aum  and  Tuscola   Streets. 

Robert  Boyd  was  one  of  the  leading  grocers,  in  both  wholesale  and 
retail  trade  fifty  years  ago,  having  founded  a  successful  business  in  1865. 
His  stores  were  in  the  Exchange  Block,  at  Genesee  and  Water  Streets,  where 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  633 


the  business  was  continued  (after  1874  under  the  firm  name  of  R.  Boyd  & 
Company)  until  purchased  by  Cooper  &  Peck  in  November.  1886.  This 
(inn  occupied  the  business  block  at  107-''  Smith  Jefferson  Street,  which  was 
well  fitted  out  for  the  display  of  goods  in  an  attractive  manner  and  the 
sale  of  groceries,  including  a  complete  line  of  cigars  and  tobaccos.  In 
connection  with  the  store  was  a  well  kept  meat  market,  where  were  als"  sold 
fresh  and  salt  fish,  poultry,  and  all  kinds  of  game  in  season.  Their  trade 
extended  from  Jackson  to  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw. 

Symons  Brothers  &  Company 

The  wholesale  grocery  house  of  Symons  Brothers  cc  Company,  which 
now  conducts  the  largest  jobbing  business  of  its  kind  in  Michigan,  has  an 
interesting  history  which  illustrates  to  what  extent  an  immense  trade  can 
he  built  up  from  a  small  beginning.  The  origin  of  the  linn  dates  back  to 
1877  when  John  \Y.  Symons  was  employed  as  a  clerk  in  Flint.  Michigan. 
While  visiting  in  South  Bay  City  he  suggested  to  James  S.  Smart,  Jr.,  that 
they  start  a  commission  business  on  a  small  scale,  Symons  to  buy  butter  and 
eggs  in  Flint  and  Smart  to  dispose  of  them  in  South  Bay  City. 

Though  started  in  a  small  way  the  business  prospered  and  soon  Mr. 
Symons  gave  up  his  position  to  devote  all  his  time  and  energy  to  the  new 
enterprise.  The  firm  of  James  S.  Smart,  Jr.  &  Company  was  then  formed 
with  a  capital  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  saved  out  of  Mr. 
Symons'  earnings.  As  the  business  continued  to  grow  the  firm  put  in  a 
general  stock  of  merchandise  and  changed  the  name  to  Symons  &  Smart. 
About  1879  a  consolidation  was  effected  with  their  biggest  competitor,  which 
resulted  in  putting  the  firm  in  the  front  rank  of  the  trade  in  South  Bay  City. 

In  1881  a  small  jobbing  business  was  established  and  the  firm  began  to 
look  for  a  larger  field.  The  old  established  wholesale  house  of  Remington  & 
Stevens,  at  Ufi  North  Washington  Avenue,  East  Saginaw,  was  purchased 
outright,  and  in  1883  the  business  of  Symons  &  Smart  was  removed  to  the 
warehouses  of  the  former  at  East  Saginaw.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  the 
capital  stock  was  increased  to  twenty-live  thousand  dollars,  and  from  that 
time  the  success  of  the  firm  was  assured.  Mr.  Smart  withdrew  from  the 
company  in  1886,  and  the  name  was  changed  to  Symons  Brothers  &  Company 
by  which  title  the  business  has  since  been  known.  J.  W.  Symons  was 
president,  S.  E.  Symons,  vice-president,  and  George  H.  Glynn,  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  company. 

At  the  time  the  business  was  rapidly  increasing,  the  sales  of  tea  amount- 
ing to  two  thousand  chests  annually,  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  pounds  of  coffee  in  the  same  period.  By  keeping  their  stock  up 
to  the  highest  standard  of  quality  and  giving  the  trade  every  advantage  in 
prices,  combined  with  uniformly  fair  and  accurate  dealings,  they  built  up 
a    large    business    covering    a    large    portion    of    Michigan. 

Since  removing  to  this  city  in  1883  the  business  has  increased  from  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  to  three  million  dollars  in  1917,  a 
period  of  thirty-four  years,  and  it  is  still  increasing.  Their  warerooms  on 
North  Washington  Avenue  became  much  crowded  with  stock  and  about  l'XX) 
the  firm  removed  to  the  four-story  brick  building  at  Washington  Avenue  and 
Tuscola  Street.  In  1910.  having  again  outgrown  their  quarters  in  this  large 
building,  the  company  purchased  a  plot  of  ground  on  South  Washington 
Avenue  between  Millard  and  Thompson  Streets,  and  erected  thereon  a  large 
five-story  and  basement  brick  warehouse,  salesrooms  and  offices.  This  is  a 
perfectly  arranged  and  appointed  building,  having  a  floor  space  of  about  two 
hundred  and  twelve  thousand  square  feet,  and  has  direct  railroad  connection 
with  the  Michigan  Central  and  Grand  Trunk  railways. 


634  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Among  the  men  who  are  still  connected  with  the  house,  who  have  been 
with  it  since  its  early  days  are:  John  \Y.  Symons,  president,  the  founder  of 
the  business;  Samuel  E.  Symons,  treasurer,  who  cast  his  lot  with  the  new 
firm  before  removing  to  East  Saginaw;  J.  Will  Hall,  secretary,  who  came  to 
the  firm  as  office  boy  in  1884;  and  Henry  P.  Goppelt,  vice-president,  who 
came  to  the  house  direct  from  school  in  1887.  Rudolph  Otto,  a  director  of 
the  company,  came  as  warehouseman  in  1888,  and  J.  W.  Symons,  Jr.,  and 
S.  E.  Symons,  Jr.,  sons  of  the  founders,  are  also  directors.  P.  T.  Green,  who 
came  to  the  company  in  1912  from  Harrisville,  Michigan,  and  S.  E.  Symons, 
Jr.,  are  the  buyers. 

From  time  to  time  new  lines  have  been  added  to  the  regular  wholesale 
grocerv  lines  formerly  carried  in  stock.  About  five  years  ago  the  company 
saw  that  there  was  a  field  in  Saginaw  fur  a  jobbing  dry  goods  business,  and 
(his  department  has  now  been  developed  until  the  company  stands  in  the  fore- 
front of  Michigan's  wholesale  dry  goods  houses,  as  well  as  being  second  to 
none  as  wholesale  grocers.  Walter  J.  Harris  is  manager  of  this  growing 
de]  lartment. 

George  A.  Alderton  &  Company 

George  A.  Alderton,  the  veteran  wholesale  grocer  of  the  West  Side  and 
head  of  the  company  which  bears  his  name,  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  one 
of  the  first  men  in  this  city  to  engage  in  the  business.  He  is  now  the  dean  of 
an  extensive  jobbing  business  in  Saginaw,  and  none  holds  a  higher  place  in 
the  estimation  of  the  grocery  trade.  His  entry  into  commercial  life  was  in 
the  early  days  of  big  lumbering  operations,  and  he  has  never  relinquished  his 
active  participation  in  supplying  the  needs  of  the  people. 

The  origin  of  this  company  dates  from  the  eighteen-sixties,  when  Mr. 
Alderton  was  actively  engaged  in  the  spice  business.  The  firm  was  Taggart, 
Lindley  ec  Company,  and  their  place  of  business  was  on  North  Water  Street 
at  Tuscola  Street.  Mr.  Alderton  withdrew  his  interest  and  for  a  time  oper- 
ated the  Kull  Salt  Block  at  Saginaw  City.  His  preference,  however,  was  for 
trade  and  barter  and  he  entered  the  grocery  business,  keeping  a  retail  store- 
in  what  is  now  the  Nineteenth  Ward.  These  enterprises  were  but  prelim- 
inary to  the  real  and  successful  work  of  his  life. 

In  1X75,  when  the  great  lumber  industry  was  approaching  its  height  and 
the  woods  were  full  of  logging  camps,  he  perceived  the  increasing  demand  for 
lumbermen's  supplies,  and  established  a  wholesale  grocery  and  supply  house 
at  315-17  South  Water  Street,  Saginaw  City.  The  business  proved  success- 
ful and  the  two-story  warehouse,  fifty  by  one  hundred  feet  in  dimensions,  was 
tilled  with  everything  in  the  line  of  staple  and  fancy  groceries,  shelf  goods, 
and  teas,  coffees,  spices  and  tobaccos.  As  the  forests  fell  before  the  advanc- 
ing lumberjacks  and  the  country  began  to  be  settled,  towns  and  villages 
sprang  Up  in  favored  places;  and  the  needs  of  farming  communities  over  a 
wide  territory  were  supplied  by  the  wholesale  houses  of  Saginaw.  In  this 
increasing  trade  George  A.  Alderton  enjoyed  a  large  share. 

At  length  the  business  increased  to  such  volume  that  incorporation  was 
expedient,  and  in  July,  1900,  this  forward  step  was  effected.  George  A. 
Alderton  is  president  of  the  company.  Alfred  A.  Alderton  is  vice-president, 
and  Clifford  W.  Alderton  is  secretary.  These  officers  and  Frederick  W. 
Gensiver  compose  the  board  of  directors.  Mr.  <  i.  A.  Alderton  is  also  identi- 
fied with  some  of  Saginaw's  leading  commercial  houses,  being  president  of 
the  Commercial  National  Hank,  the  Saginaw  Valley  Trust  Company,  and  of 
the  Melze,  Alderton  Shoe  Company. 

The  business  continued  to  grow  and  the  old  warehouse  became  over- 
crowded with  goods.  A  larger  and  more  conveniently  arranged  building  was 
imperative,  and  in  1902  the  company  acquired  the  property  adjoining  at  the 


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VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  637 

corner  of  South  Niagara  and  Cass  Streets.  On  this  site  there  soon  rose  by 
the  enterprise  of  the  company,  a  large  three-story  and  basement  brick  build- 
ing, eighty  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in  dimensions,  and  which  was 
opened  for  business  on  December  28.  1903.  This  structure  is  equipped  and 
arranged  for  the  efficient  and  economical  handling  of  all  orders,  and  is  a 
decided  advantage  to  their  customers.  A  railroad  siding  of  the  Michigan 
Central  along  one  side  of  the  building  affords  quick  handling  of  merchandise 
which  is  received  in  car  load  lots. 

Within  this  fine  business  structure  is  carried  a  large  and  varied  stock  of 
general  groceries,  coffees,  spices,  tobaccos  and  notions.  The  last  named  line 
is  quite  extensive  and  comprises,  not  only  the  numberless  small  articles  of 
that  trade,  but  overhauls,  jackets,  blouses,  gloves,  etc.  There  is  a  large  de- 
mand for  workingmen's  gloves,  the  well-known  "Wolverine"  brand  made  in 
Saginaw,  being  the  favorite.  The  company  makes  a  specialty  of  "Fairy 
Bow"  flour  —  a  Minnesota  flour  of  highest  quality,  and  the  "Flag"  brand  of 
canned  goods,  which  is  very  popular  with  the  trade.  They  are  agents  for 
the  famous  "Sparrow"  candies  and  enjoy  a  splendid  business  in  this  line. 
In  all  kinds  of  tobaccos  the  company  also  has  a  satisfactory  trade. 

The  growing  business  of  the  company  extends  over  the  greater  portion 
of  Western  and  Northern  Michigan  and  the  "Thumb"  section  reached  by 
the  Pere  Marquette,  the  Michigan  Central  and  Detroit  &  Mackinac  rail- 
roads. Six  energetic  travelling  salesmen  cover  this  large  territory,  and  there 
is  a  considerable  mail  order  business  due  to  the  confidence  of  the  trade  in  the 
fair  and  liberal  policy  of  the  house  in  all  its  dealings. 

Lee  &   Cady 

(Saginaw  Branch) 

The  origin  of  this  old  established  grocery  house  was  in  the  pioneer 
business  established  in  the  eighteen-sixties,  known  as  the  Valley  Coffee  & 
Spice  Mills.  The  proprietors  were  Taggart,  Lindley  &  Company,  and  their 
place  of  business  was  on  North  Water  Street  at  the  foot  of  Tuscola.  Frank 
Plumb  was  the  silent  partner  in  this  concern,  and  in  1X72  he  purchased  the 
interest  of  Mr.  Lindley,  and  soon  after  interested  Ben  MeCausland  in  the 
enterprise,  the  firm  name  then  becoming  Plumb  &  MeCausland.  This 
firm  extended  its  business  by  the  addition  of  a  general  line  of  wholesale 
groceries  and  lumbermen"s  supplies,  and  a  large  trade  was  soon  developed. 

In  1876  the  business  had  expanded  to  such  a  volume  that  more  capital 
was  needed,  and  Waldo  A.  Avery  entered  the  firm  and  furnished  unlimited 
financial  backing  to  the  new  firm  of  Plumb,  MeCausland  &  Company.  The 
business  was  then  located  at  121-23  North  Water  Street,  in  the  three-story 
brick  building  formerly  occupied  by  Shaw,  Bullard  &  Company. 

An  extensive  business  was  carried  on  for  about  eight  years,  the  annual 
sales  amounting  to  several  hundred  thousand  dollars.  As  might  be  expected 
the  profits  at  this  period  were  large.  The  lumbermen  were  gaining  riches 
from  the  forests  and  few  were  inclined  to  haggle  over  prices.  For  goods  they 
needed  in  their  logging  operations  they  were  willing  to  pay  reasonable  prices  ; 
and  progressive  wholesalers  who  supplied  them  were  entitled  to  fair  profits. 

In  1892  this  successful  business  was  purchased  by  George  A.  Alderton, 
A.  C.  Melze  and  James  S.  Smart.  Jr.,  who  organized  the  firm  of  MeCausland 
Grocery  Company.  James  S.  Smart,  Jr..  was  the  active  manager  of  this 
enterprising  firm,  whose  business  was  established  in  the  Exchange  Block,  at 
Genesee  Avenue  and  Water  Street,  formerly  occupied  by  Robert  Boyd  in  the 
same  line.  The  firm  transacted  a  large  volume  of  business  in  lumbermen's 
supplies,  their  trade  extending  over  a  wide  territory  including  towns  on  the 
bay  and  lake  shores  reached  by  the  Shore  Line  Steamers. 


638  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

In  1894  the  name  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  Melze,  Smart  &  Company, 
the  stockholders  and  officers  being:  George  A.  Alderton,  president;  Fred 
|.  Fox,  vice-president;  A.  C.  Melze,  treasurer,  and  James  S.  Smart,  Jr., 
"secretary  and  manager.  Two  years  later  Mr.  Melze  retired  and  Mr.  Smart 
assumed  the  office  of  treasurer  thus  left  vacant.  Shortly  after  a  wholesale 
drug  department  was  started  as  a  profitable  adjunct  to  the  business.  In 
1899  the  name  was  changed  to  The  Smart  &  Fox  Company,  with  the  same 
officers  and  directors. 

Alx nit  1902  the  three-story  and  basement  brick  building,  which  had  been 
erected  at  the  foot  of  Tuscola  Street  especially  for  the  wholesale  house,  was 
occupied  by  The  Smart  &  Fox  Company,  and  the  drug  business  was  moved  to 
quarters  there.  The  company  soon  after  purchased  the  wholesale  grocery 
business  of  \V.  I.  Brotherton  Sz  Company  at  Hay  City,  and  conducted  it  for  a 
number  of  years  under  the  name  of  H.  W.  Jennison  Grocery  Compan) 
Later  it  was  known  as  the  Hay  City  Grocery  Company.  The  company  rapidly 
extended  its  business,  and  in  1906  purchased  the  wholesale  house  of  Phelps, 
Brace  &  Company,  at  I  letroit,  and  a  few  months  later  purchased  that  of  Ward 
L.  Andrews  &  Company.  At  about  this  time  they  disposed  of  the  drug 
business,  which  had  assumed  large  proportions  under  the  management  of 
|ohn  W.  Smart,  with  William  B.  Moore  as  assistant,  to  the  Michigan  Drug 
Ci  impany  <  if  Detn  >it. 

(  )n  March  1.  1907,  The  Smart  &  Fox  Company  interests  were  consoli- 
dated with  the  large  wholesale  house  of  Lee  &  Cady,  of  Detroit,  and  the  name 
was  changed  to  Let-.  Cady  &  Smart,  with  branch  houses  at  Saginaw  under 
the  name  of  The  Smart  &  Fox  Company,  the  Hay  City  Grocer  Company,  Lee 
&  (adv.   Kalamazoo,  and  the   Lee  &  Cady   Eastern   Market  Branch,   Detroit. 

In  l''ll  the  name  of  The  Smart  &  Fox  Company,  Branch  of  Lee  &  Cady. 
was  discontinued,  and  the  local  business  has  since  been  known  as  Lee  &  Cady, 
Saginaw  Branch,  with  Fred  J.  Fox  as  manager.  Mr.  Fox  came  to  Saginaw 
on  August  29,  1887,  and  became  associated  with  McCausland  &  Company,  and 
ha-  since  been  actively  identified  with  this  grocery  business. 

The  present  officer-  and  director-  of  Lee  Sz  Cady  are:  Gilbert  W.  Lee. 
president;  David  D.  Cady.  vice-president;  George  R.  Treble,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  R.  F.  Galwey,  assistant  treasurer;  and  R.  W.  Collins,  assistant 
secretary  and  auditor. 

Melze,  Alderton  Shoe  Company 

A  commercial  house  of  which  the  average  citizen  has  little  knowledge  or 
realization  of  its  importance  to  this  part  of  Michigan,  is  the  Melze,  Alderton 
Shoe  Company.  This  large  institution,  which  is  situated  in  the  four-story 
and  basement  brick  building  at  Washington  and  Tuscola  Streets,  is  one  of 
the  largest  wholesale  shoe  and  rubber  houses  in  the  State.  Starting  in  a 
very  small  way  its  history  is  interesting  as  showing  what  intelligence,  dili- 
gence and  thorough  knowledge  of  tin-  business,  rightly  directed,  will  accom- 
plish in  building  up  a  large  trade. 

The  origin  of  this  successful  house  was  in  the  retail  business  of  Jen- 
nings. Lacy  &  Company  which,  some  twenty-five  years  ago,  occupied  a  small 
store  at  2\?  Genesee  Avenue.  It  was  a  -uccessful  business,  and,  in  order  to 
meet  a  need  of  other  retailers  of  shoes  and  rubbers,  developed  a  wholesale  de- 
partment. The  outlook  for  thi-  part  of  the  business  was  such  that  the  firm 
was  incorporated  September  10.  1895,  with  George  A.  Alderton,  president; 
N.  M.  Lacy,  vice-president;  S.  W.  Jennings,  treasurer  and  manager,  and 
lames  S.  Smart,  secretary.  The  capital  stock  was  fifty  thousand  dollars; 
"and  the  place  of  business  was  at  111-13  Genesee  Avenue,  to  which  location 
it  had  meanwhile  been  removed. 


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640  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Changes  in  stockholders  and  in  the  personnel  of  the  officers  occurred  in 
the  following  years.  E.  P.  Waldron  of  St.  [ohns,  Michigan,  came  to  the 
company  August  12,  1899,  in  the  capacity  of  manager  and  treasurer,  an  office 
which  he  held  until  January  1,  1907.  Ik-  then  resigned  and  removed  from  the 
city.  On  February  24,  1900,  N.  M.  Lacy  retired  and  A.  C.  Melze  was  elected 
vice-president  and  director.  This  change  in  officers  was  followed  on  Jan- 
uary 1,  1901.  by  the  resignation  of  S.  W.  Jennings,  whereupon  the  name  of 
the  company  was  changed  ti  <  Waldron,  Alderton  &  Melze. 

Under  able  management  the  business  grew  and  in  May,  1903,  was  re- 
moved from  the  cramped  quarters  on  Genesee  Avenue  to  the  three-story 
brick  building  at  Franklin  and  Tuscola  Streets.  On  March  24.  1904.  the 
capital  stuck  was  increased  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  a  measure  made 
necessary  by  the  greatly  increased  business  and  stock  carried.  Mr.  Waldron 
was  succeeded  by  O.  1).  Gilbert  as  manager;  and  the  following  men  were 
added  to  the  hoard  of  directors:  (  >.  J).  Gilbert,  11.  B.  Washburn  C  \  List 
G.  II.  Hillman  and  C.  W.  Taylor. 

On  March  19,  1907,  the  capital  stock  was  again  increased  to  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-live  thousand  dollars;  and  the  name  was  changed  to  Melze. 
Alderton  Shoe  Company.  From  that  time  the  business  expanded  more 
rapidly  than  before,  and  began  to  assume  proportions  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance to  a  large  portion  of  Michigan.  On  February  11,  1911,  O.  D. 
Gilbert  resigned  his  position  and  George  11.  Hillman.  who  had  been  connected 
with  the  concern  since  its  earliest  days,  was  elected  to  succeed  him  as  buyer. 
So  great  was  the  expansion  of  the  business  that  on  lanuary  20,  1913, 'the 
capital  stock  was  increased  to  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  of  which  fifty 
thousand  is  preferred  stock. 

The  present  location  of  this  prosperous  business  was  purchased  in  Jan- 
uary, 1916.  The  large  building,  sixty  by  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  in 
dimensions,  was  built  expressly  for  a  wholesale  house,  and  has  a  floor  space 
of  thirty-six  thousand  square  feet,  which  is  more  than  double  that  of  the  build- 
ing formerly  occupied.  The  necessity  for  ample  storage  space  and  shipping 
facilities  is  best  illustrated  by  the  remarkable  increase  in  sales  in  twentj 
years,  from  seventy-six  thousand  dollars  in  1896  to  four  hundred  and  eighty- 
five  thousand  dollars  in   1917. 

This  company  is  the  largest  dealer  in  lubbers  in  Michigan,  being  State 
agents  for  the  celebrated  Lycoming  Rubbers.  Five  travelling  salesmen  cover 
practically  all  of  Michigan  as  far  North  as  the  Straits  of  Mackinac.  Recently 
a  complete  line  of  automobile  tires  was  added  to  their  stocks  for  distribution 
throughout  Michigan. 

In  1017  the  officers  of  the  company  were:  George  A.  Alderton.  presi- 
dent: A.  C.  Melze.  vice-president  and  treasurer:  E.  C.  Cramer,  secretary, 
and  George  II.  Hillman,  general  manager. 

Packing  and  Meat  Trade 
Spencer  Barclay  was  a  leading  beef  and  pork  packer  in  the  early  days, 
his  packing  house  being  located  at  204-6  North  Water  Street,  and  the  retail 
store  at  127  North  Washington  Street.  Stingel  Brothers  were  wholesale 
and  retail  butchers,  "all  kinds  of  meat  constantly  on  hand,"  at  114-10  North 
Washington  Street.  Fred  Hubert  was  a  wholesale  and  retail  butcher  at 
the  same  stand;  and  John  M.  Tholl,  with  fresh  and  preserved  meats,  saus- 
ages, etc.,  was  located  at  South  Washington  and  llovt  Streets.  Jacob 
Meier  was  a  manufacturer  of  "pork,  ham,  frankfort,  liver  and  bologna 
sausages,"  at  408  Genesee  Street,  while  John  Stolz  &  Son  conducted  a  meat 
business  at  80/  Genesee,  which  was  founded  in  1852.  Ernest  Wilke  con- 
ducted a  very  successful  meat  market  at  504  Potter  Street;  and  Michael 
Kundinger  was  a  prominent  dealer  at  216  Hamilton  Street.  Saginaw  City. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


641 


LEWIS   CORNWELL 

The  Cornwell  Company 

It  was  in  1863  that  the  Cornwell  Company,  or  the  business  to  which  it 
succeeded,  was  founded  by  the  late  Lewis  Cornwell,  who  in  that  year  began 
supplying  Saginaw,  Bay  City,  Lansing  and  Jackson  with  cattle  on  the  hoof. 
Attaining  a  remarkable  success  as  a  pioneer  in  this  field,  Mr.  Cornwell  — 
twenty  years  later  —  opened  up  the  first  wholesale  meat  establishment  in  the 
Saginaw  Valley.  In  a  comparatively  small  building  the  Saginaw  Beef  Com- 
pany had  its  inception,  and  in  eight  years  the  business  had  developed  to  such 
an  extent  that  larger  quarters  were  necessary.  A  new  and  enlarged  storage  and 
shipping  establishment  was  erected  in   1891,  at  Thompson  and   Franklin  Sts. 

By  closely  adhering  at  all  times  to  Mr.  Cornwell's  firm  policy  of  supply- 
ing only  the  highest  grade  meats  to  the  trade,  and  through  the  deep  personal 
interest  of  Mr.  Cornwell  in  the  success  and  welfare  of  each  of  those  whom 
his  company  served,  rapid  strides  were  made  in  the  development  of  the  con- 
cern. At  the  death  of  Lewis  Cornwell,  in  1903,  the  large  business  was  con- 
tinued by  the  four  sons — William  C.  Cornwell,  Charles  E.  Cornwell,  Elmer 
J.  Cornwell  and  L.  W.  Cornwell  —  all  of  whom  had  grown  up  in  the  business. 
They  followed  the  maxims  of  their  father.  "Never  attempt  to  fool  the  trade 


WM.     C.     CORNWELL      C.     E.    CORNWELL       E.    J.    CORNWELL  L.    W.    CORNWELL 

President  Vice-President        Secretary-Treasurer    Manager  Jackson   Branch 


642 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


or  it  will  fool  you.  <  )ffer  nothing  but  the  best  and  back  it  up  with  a  square 
deal  —  it's  the  only  way  to  win  success  in  the  meat  business." 

On  July  1,  1915,  the  business  was  reincorporated  under  the  name  of  The 
Cornwell  Company,  in  perpetuation  of  the  memory  of  the  honored  founder. 

It  was  service  and  a  progressive,  business-like  spirit,  which  dominates 
the  entire  organization,  that  won  the  large  bulk  of  Michigan's  meat  trade, 
and  made  possible  the  erection  of  one  of  the  finest  cold  storage  plants  in  the 
country  —  the  new  home  of  The  Cornwell  Company.  In  all  Michigan  there 
is  not  another  meat  establishment  to  compare  with  this  modern,  six-story 
structure,  with  its  complete  facilities  for  the  sanitary  and  careful  handling  of 
choicest  meats,  poultry,  butter,  eggs  and  provisions.     Cleanliness  and  sanita- 


THE  NEW  PLANT  OF  THE  CORNWELL  COMPANY 

tion  go  hand  in  hand  with  the  supplying"  of  high  grade  meats,  and  in  this 
respect  the  new  Cornwell  plant  has  no  equal.  Strictest  attention  was  paid 
to  provide  a  system  of  mechanical  handling  of  meats  in  so  tar  as  possible  to 
minimize  the  human  contact  and  to  increase  the  purity  of  the  products  pass- 
ing through  the  establishment.  Plenty  of  light  and  air  are  admitted  to  all 
parts  (except,  of  course,  the  cold  storage  rooms)  by  huge  windows  which 
greatly  improve  working  conditions. 

The  Cornwell  Company  is  the  Michigan  distributor  for  Swift's  Packing 
House  products,  with  so  perfect  a  system  and  service  that  the  company  is 
enabled  to  make  deliveries  to  the  trade  in  almost  every  community  in  the 
State  within  from  two  to  five  days  from  the  time  the  meat  is  dressed  in  the 
Chicago  packing  house.  Besides  this  large  business  the  company  handles  an 
immense  quantity  of  poultry,  having  facilities  for  keeping  and  feeding  forty- 
five  thousand  birds.  The  butter,  egg  and  provision  departments  of  the  busi- 
ness are  also  extensive  and  constantly  growing. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


643 


SAGINAW    HARDWARE    COMPANY 

Saginaw  Hardware  Company 

This  old  and  prosperous  company,  whose  wholesale  and  retail  stores  are 
located  at  200  to  204  South  Hamilton  Street,  was  founded  in  1864  by  William 
Seyffardt  and  A.  W.  Achard.  For  nine  years  the  business  was  conducted 
by  these  enterprising  men.  and  was  then  taken  over  by  Mr.  Achard.  In 
1873  the  firm  was  known  as  Achard  &  Schoeneberg,  and  in  1878,  when  Mr. 
Achard  was  joined  by  li is  son,  Emil  F.  Achard,  the  firm  name  was  changed 
to  A.  W.  Achard  &  Son. 

In  1884  the  firm  owned  and  eccupied  a  spacious  two-story  and  basement 
brick  building,  sixty  by  eighty  feet  in  dimensions,  at  the  present  location; 
and  in  1887  a  large  addition  was  erected  at  the  rear,  giving  a  total  floor  space 
of  twenty  thousand  square  feet.  The  business  increased  very  rapidly,  the 
trade  reaching  west  and  north  into  the  lumber  districts  and  northeast  into 
the  "Thumb."  The  retail  trade  of  the  firm  at  this  stage  of  its  history  was 
extensive,  being  by  far  the  largest  at  Saginaw  City. 

On  the  main  floor  was  carried  a  heavy  stock  and  full  assortment  of  tools, 
cutlery,  builders'  and  general  shelf  hardware  and  mill  supplies,  while  in  a 
separate  room  at  the  rear,  which  was  connected  with  the  receiving  and  ship- 
ping room,  was  a  large  stock  of  bar  and  sheet  iron.  In  a  large  warehouse  on 
Water  Street  there  was  to  be  found  a  complete  assortment  of  agricultural 
implements,  wagons,  sewer  pipe,  drain  tile,  and  paints,  oils,  glass,  brushes 
and  painters'  supplies.  The  high  and  water-proof  basement  and  the  upper 
floor  were  stocked  with  surplus  goods. 

Later  the  firm's  business  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  The  Sagi- 
naw Hardware  Company,  by  which  it  is  known  today.  As  the  trade  has 
broadened  and  new  territory  opened  by  a  staff  of  travelling  salesmen,  im- 
provements have  been  made  in  the  building  to  afford  increased  facilities  for 
handling  the  business  in  an  economical  manner.  In  1909  a  large  three-story 
addition  was  erected  at  the  corner  of  Water  and  Adams  Streets,  adjoining 
the  rear  of  the  main  building,  which  gave  practically  one  hundred  thousand 
square  feet  of  floor  space  to  the  establishment.  To  the  large  lines  already 
carried  there  have  been  added  in  recent  years  a  full  stock  of  automobile  tires 
and  rubber  goods,  in  which  the  company  enjoys  a  satisfactory  trade. 


■  ZZ 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  645 


Morley  Brothers 

Fifty-five  years  ago,  in  a  one  and  a  half-story  frame  building  standing  on 
stilts  over  a  bayou,  which  in  those  days  spread  its  slimy  waters  over  the 
greater  part  of  East  Saginaw,  a  middle-aged  German  by  the  name  of  Anton 
Schmitz  conducted  a  small  hardware  shop.  Schmitz  had  two  competitors. 
His  little  store  was  the  smallest  of  the  three;  hut  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
town,  which  then  boasted  a  population  of  five  thousand,  and  the  cry  of  its 
saw  mills  and  logging  camps  for  tools  and  hardware,  had  created  a  demand 
for  all  three  stores. 

Inspired  during  the  day  by  the  hum  of  saws  and  the  crack  of  the  wood- 
man's axe  and  lulled  through  the  long  Summer  evenings  by  the  croak  of  big 
throated  frogs  in  the  mysterious  bogs  beneath  and  all  about  his  shop,  Schmitz 
tended  his  business.  Besides  his  stock  of  hardware  and  lumbering  tools  he 
carried  a  layout  of  crockery  for  the  housewives  and  toys  for  the  children. 

For  some  time  Schmitz  had  been  on  the  lookout  for  a  desirable  partner. 
Most  of  the  store  work  he  had  dune  alone  and,  suffering  from  asthma,  he 
often  found  the  combined  duties  of  buyer,  salesman  and  bookkeeper  too 
exacting.  He  realized  that  during  the  boom  peril  id  of  a  wide-awake  lumber- 
ing town,  added  capital  in  his  business  would  mean  a  more  than  proportionate 
increase  in  profits.  This  was  in  1863,  four  years  after  the  incorporation  of 
the  city  of  East  Saginaw. 

In  Painesville,  Ohio,  at  the  time  were  two  brothers,  George  W.  and 
Edward  W.  Morley,  awaiting  a  business  opening  through  which  they  might 
convert  their  combined  energy  and  talents  into  dollars  and  cents.  Their 
father  was  willing  to  back  them  so  that  it  was  simply  a  proposition  of  their 
discovering  the  best  business  opportunity.  They  heard  tales  of  the  pros- 
peritv  i  if  Saginaw,  the  town  in  the  Michigan  forests,  and  of  the  discovery  of 
salt  there,  all  of  which  made  a  deep  impression  upon  their  minds. 

But  it  was  not  the  wealth  of  limber  nor  the  fortunes  to  be  pumped  nut 
of  salt  wells  that  interested  them  most.  Theirs  was  a  purely  mercantile 
spirit  —  a  hankering  for  trade  and  barter:  and  they  foresaw  that  Saginaw 
was  destined  t  c .  become  a  business  center.  So  they  came  t(  >  East  Saginaw. 
liked  the  place  and  met  Schmitz.  A  deal  was  soon  made  and  the  people  of 
Saginaw  awoke  one  morning  to  see  the  old  board  sign  of  Anton  Schmitz 
gone,  and  in  its  place  hung  another  which  displayed  in  fresh  paint  the  words, 
"Schmitz  &  Morley." 

From  this  modest  beginning  the  present  hardware  firm  of  Morley 
Brothers  developed.  Schmitz  has  long  since  been  dead;  the  original  store 
deserted  more  than  fifty  years  ago;  but  the  Morley  Brothers  have  remained 
active  in  the  business.  They  have  seen  it  graduate  from  a  country  store  with 
barely  six  thousand  square  feet  of  floor  space,  from  the  back  door  ol  which 
boys  used  to  spear  bull  frogs  and  shunt  wild  ducks,  to  a  store  and  factories 
covering  nearly  half  a  million  square  feet.  For  many  years  the  business  has 
been  the  most  thoroughly  modernized  hardware  store  in  this  section  of  the 
country,  transacting  the  largest  business  of  it>  kind  in   Michigan. 

But  this  development  was  not  of  a  moment,  nor  was  it  realized  without 
much  hard  work  on  the  part  of  the  brothers.  In  less  than  two  years  after  the 
new  firm  started,  Schmitz  &  Morley  moved  into  the  Empire  Block  mi  Water 
Street,  then  the  principal  business  street  of  the  town.  Here  goods  could  be 
loaded  from  the  rear  door  of  the  store  into  sews  to  be  poled  up  the  river  to 
lumber  camps,  and  supplies  brought  by  lake  boats  could  be  unloaded  practi- 
cally up' m  the  linn's  shelves.  Soon  after  becoming  settled  in  the  new  quar- 
ters, the  Morleys  bought  out  Schmitz.  and  the  linn  name  was  changed  to 
Morley   Brothers.     The  linn  then   comprised   Albert    Morley,   of   Painesville, 


646 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


SILVERWARE     AND     ART     SECTION,     MORLEY     BROTHERS 

(  )hio,  the  father,  and  his  three  sons,  George  W.,  Edward  W.,  and  Charles  II.. 
the  last  named  having  joined  bis  brothers  a  few  months  after  they  had  bought 
into  the  Saginaw  business.  The  father  and  Charles  H.  later  retired  from  the 
firm. 

The  continued  growth  of  the  business  necessitated  the  addition  of  ad- 
joining stores,  first  on  one  side  and  then  on  the  other,  until  at  last,  in  1881, 
Morley  Brothers  occupied  seven  stores,  and  decided  to  erect  a  suitable  build- 
ing of  their  own.  On  April  1.  1881,  a  large  plot  of  ground,  two  hundred  and 
forty  feet  lony,  with  ninety  feet  frontage  on  Washington  Street,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  on  Water  Street,  was  purchased  from  Jesse  Hoyt.  The 
site  was  then  occupied  by  a  large  Summer  garden.  Building  operations  were 
at  once  begun,  and  on  April  1,  1882,  Morley  Brothers  moved  into  their  new 
building. 

This  event  attracted  much  attention  in  the  press,  as  the  establishment, 
with  one  exception,  was  the  largest  hardware  store  in  the  United  States. 
This  was  thirty-six  years  ago;  but  the  firm  has  kept  pace  with  the  progress 
of  the  times,  and  improvements  and  additions  made  from  time  to  time.  The 
store  has  always  been  a  pride  of  Saginaw  and  one  of  its  show  places  to 
visitors  and  travellers. 

'Idle  division  of  Morley  Brothers'  business  into  departments,  which  at 
that  time  was  a  novelty,  resulted  in  the  following  departments:     1,  general 

hardware  ;  2.  iron  and  steel ;  3.  carriage  hardware  and  w 1  stock  ;  4.  saddlery 

hardware;    5,  stoves;  0.  housefurnishing  g is  and   stamped  ware;    7.  mill 

and  lumbermen's  supplies  :  8.  cordage,  oakum  and  ship  chandlery;  9,  paints, 
oils,  varnishes  and  glass.  Each  department  is  most  complete,  that  of  hard- 
ware, in  which  the  company  transacts  a  business  annually  reaching  into  the 
millions,  being  one  of  the  largest  in  the  United  States.  Heavy  hardware, 
including  pipe,  iron  and  steel,  cordage,  etc..  occupies  the  rear  portion  of  the 
lower  floors,  and  a  large  warehouse  on  the  dock  on  Water  Street,  erected  in 
1900. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


647 


The  saddlery  department,  which  was  added  in  1881,  has  grown  to  pro- 
portions far  greater  than  the  imagination  of  the  founders  could  have  pre- 
dicted. In  it  may  be  found  everything  of  interest  to  the  trade;  and  the 
department  is  widely  known  with  the  rest  of  the  institution  for  its  standard 
stocks. 

In  the  sporting  goods  department,  which  is  complete  in  every  detail,  may 
be  found  at  all  times  an  unequalled  line  of  guns  and  ammunition,  cut  glass, 
silverware,  fishing  tackle  and  athletic  goods.  To  this  large  stock  have  been 
recently  added  a  beautiful  line  of  fine  china,  art  glassware,  and  the  Brooks 
phonograph  which  is  manufactured  in  this  city. 

The  manufacturing  departments  include  harness  and  collars  in  the 
saddlery  factory  at  Water  and  Tuscola  Streets.  Nothing  is  lacking  t"  make 
the  concern  complete  in  every  particular,  ami  this  fact,  coupled  with  the  hon- 
est, attentive  business  policy  always  followed,  has  brought  it  to  a  position  of 
a  leading  hardware  jobbing  store  of  the  Middle  "West. 

George  W.  Morley,  who  served  as  president  of  the  corporation  since  its 
organization  on  February  15.  1883,  died  April  10,  1914,  and  was  succeeded 
by"  Edward  W.  Morley.  Ralph  C.  Morley  was  chosen  general  manager  in 
[anuarv,  1900,  and  later  elected  treasurer.  The  directors  of  the  company 
are:  Edward  W.  Morley.  John  E.  Morley,  <  ieorge  W.  Morley.  Jr.,  Ralph  C. 
Morley,  P.  F.  H.  Morley.  secretary:  Charles  A.  Phillips,  manager  of  the 
saddlery  department;  H.  A.  Werner,  buyer;  Thomas  A.  Saylor,  manager  of 
sporting  goods  department  ;  E.  L.  Reich le,  manager  of  mill  supply  department. 

The  senior  members  of  the  company  were  confident  from  the  earliest  days 
of  the  business  stability  of  the  city,  and  have  lived  to  see  Saginaw  the  third 
city  in  the  State,  and  one  of  the  leading  cities  of  its  class  in  the  entire  country. 


HARDWARE     AND     CHINA     SECTION,     MORLEY     BROTHERS 


048  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

» 

The   Early   Newspapers 

As  early  as  1836,  when  Saginaw  City  was  only  a  frontier  settlement 
in  the  forest  wilderness,  a  printing  press  and  small  assortment  of  type  were 
brought  from  New  York  by  Norman  Little.  It  was  a  time  when  this  enter- 
prising promoter  was  advertising  extensively  throughout  the  eastern  states, 
the  advantages  of  settlement  here,  and  his  plans  of  improvement  included 
the  starting  of  a  weekly  newspaper.  Accordingly,  on  a  certain  day  in  1836 
there  appeared  the  first  issue  of  the  Saginaw  Journal,  the  pioneer  newspaper 
df  the  Saginaw  Valley.  John  P.  Hosmer  was  its  first  editor,  his  duties 
including  the  work  of  type-setting,  working  the  press,  and  everything  else 
done  by  hand,  which  generally  fell  tn  the  printer's  "devil."  How  long  this 
primitive  sheet  was  kept  alive   is  not  known. 

The  Saginaw  North  Star,  the  second  newspaper  printed  here,  was 
established  in  1842  by  l\.  W.  Jenny.  After  a  few  years  of  precarious  exis- 
tence it  suspended  publication,  and  fur  some  time  Saginaw  City  was  without 
any  newspaper  of  its  own.  At  length  L.  L.  < \.  Jones,  having  a  liking  and 
facility  for  collecting  news,  started  the  "Spirit  of  the  Times,"  the  first  issue 
of  which  appeared  on  March  3,  1853.  Under  this  somewhat  catchy  title  he 
put  out  a  presentable  sheet,  a  copy  of  which,  of  date  1858,  is  preserved  by 
Mrs.  S.  W.  Kennedy.  703  North  Michigan  Avenue. 

Another  early  newspaper  was  the  Saginaw  Valley  Herald,  which  was 
started  by  a  man  named  Blair,  who  soon  after  sold  it  to  P.  C.  Andre.  Before 
long  Mr.  Andre  sold  the  paper,  under  certain  conditions,  to  Bertram  & 
Gardner,  but  as  the  conditions  were  not  fulfilled,  the  sheet  reverted  to  Mr. 
Andre  in  1858.  He  continued  the  publication  until  1868  when  it  was  pur- 
chased by  C.  V.  DeLand  and  run  by  F.  A.  Palmer  for  about  six  years.  In 
the  Fall  of  1872  this  paper  started  daily  publication,  and  six  months  later  the 
office  was  removed  to  East  Saginaw  and  an  afternoon  daily  published  to 
take  the  place  of  the  Enterprise,  which  had  just  suspended.  The  Daily 
Herald  was  continued  until  November  28,  1875.  when  it  too  suspended,  the 
Weekly  Herald,  however,  being  continued. 

In  1870  the  Saginaw  Republican,  a  weekly  newspaper,  was  published 
by  F.  A.  Palmer  &  Company.  The  office  was  above  Jay  Smith's  drug  store 
on  Court  Street,  wdiere  "job  printing  of  all  kinds,  at  moderate  prices,  was 
executed  promptly."  Later  the  same  company  started  the  Daily  Repub- 
lican, in  the  Bliss  Block,  which  was  issued  every  afternoon  (Sundays 
excepted).  The  price  was  "eight  dollars  a  year,  by  mail  in  advance,  or 
delivered  1>v  carrier  at  seventy-five  cents  per  month;  job  printing  neatly 
executed  at  reasonable  prices."  Luring  this  period  the  "Saginawian."  a 
Democratic  newspaper  was  published  at  Saginaw  City  by  George  F.  Lewis,  a 
pioneer  journalist  of  this  city.  The  office  was  in  the  Khuen  Block,  Hamil- 
ton Street,  where  "job  printing  in  all  styles  is  executed  and  blank  books 
printed  and  bound  to  order."  The  Saginaw  Valley  News,  a  semi-weekly 
paper,  was  established  July  7,  1874,  by  Charles  II.   Lee. 

A  Reporter's  Reminiscences 

In  speaking  of  the  difficulties  of  collecting  news  and  publishing  news- 
papers forty  or  fifty  years  ago.  F.  Bruce  Smith,  a  well  known  reporter,  a 
short  time  before  his  death,  said:  "Today  the  news  gatherer  can  sit  at  his 
desk  and  with  the  telephone  reach  several  hundred  sources  of  information 
about  any  local  happening  he  thinks  may  interest  the  public.  The  intro- 
duction of  the  telephone  in  Saginaw  was,  I  think,  about  1880. 

"Conditions  were  very  different  here  a  half  century  ago.  Prior  to 
1887  the  only  street  lights  in  Saginaw  City  were  gas  lamps.  The  posts  were 
a  block  apart  and  were  placed  on  only  a  few  of  the  main  streets.     The  only 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


G49 


pavements  were  of  plank,  rind  only  in  the  business  section — Court  Street 
for  two  blocks  and  Hamilton  for  four  blocks  being  paved  full  width.  The 
rest  of  the  streets  were  dirt — muddy  in  Spring  and  Fall  and  dusty  in 
Summer.  The  only  sidewalks  were  boards  laid  on  the  ground,  or  indeed,  the 
bare  earth  tramped  down  hard.  Under  such  conditions  getting  about  town 
in  quest  of  news  was  not  easy  or  altogether  enjoyable.  A  part  of  my  equip- 
ment when  I  commenced  gathering  news  for  a  morning  paper,  as  necessary 
as  my  note  book  and  pencil,  was  a  lantern  to  light  my  way. 

"One  night  when  I  was  reporting-  the  proceedings  of  the  common  council, 
one  of  the  aldermen  insisted  that  the  time  had  come  when  the  ordinance 
prohibiting  cattle  and  horses  from  running  at  large  in  the  streets,  should 
be  enforced.  The  late  James  Hay.  who  was  present,  said  to  me:  T  am  glad 
the  council  has  taken  this  stand.  1  hope  that  the  poundmaster  will  take  my 
cow  and  not  some  widow    washerwoman's  cow-  to  the  pound.'     He  foresaw 


that   many   animals    would    be   impounded   before   the 


i  iwners 


would    realize 


GEORGE    F.    LEWIS 
Pioneer  Journalist 

that  the  old  days  of  violation  of  the  ordinance  had  passed.  In  this  con- 
nection   I    recall    writing    a    paragraph    to    this    effect:    'Sheriff    M is 

cleaning  up  the  jail  yard  with  a  four-legged  lawnmower.'  The  jail  yard  was 
enclosed  by  a  four-foot  fence. 

"The  Daily  Xews  was  published  in  Saginaw  City  for  some  six  years 
beginning  in  1S77.  For  a  year  or  two  following  I  was  ambitious  for  new 
feature--,  and  church  paragraphs  under  the  heading  of  'Religious  Intelligence" 
were  presented  in  Saturday's  issue.  Some  of  the  pastors  had  conscientious 
scruples  about  announcing  subjects  of  their  sermons,  but  with  most  of  them 
the  scruples  gave  way  when  they  were  to  preach  on  a  topic  of  special  interest. 

"in  hXS'O  the  Saginaw  Herald,  which  had  succeeded  the  Saginawian, 
tried  the  experiment  of  a  Monday  morning  issue.  The  Sunday  field  for 
local  news  was  largely  confined  to  church  matters,  and,  as  ministers  were 
not  inclined  to  furnish  a  synopsis  of  their  sermons,  I  had  to  cover  four  or 
Jive  churches.  To  get  to  all  of  them  1  frequently  called  on  volunteer 
reporters,  one  of  whom  was  Fred  W.  Bushell,  who  was  a  book  agent,  selling 


650  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


PERRY    JOSL1N 

bibles.  The  first  work  he  did  for  me  was  reporting  sermons  of  Reverend  A. 
F.  Bruske,  the  pastor  of  the  deer-shooting  out  of  season  notoriety,  later 
president  of  Alma  College.  From  this  start  Mr.  Bushell  became  one  of  the 
ablest  of  Saginaw's  newspaper  men,  and  he  was  city  editor  of  the  Saginaw 
Courier-Herald  for  several  years.  He  then  went  to  Minneapolis  and  became 
city  editor  of  the  Minneapolis  News,  and  died  there  about  1901."  Charles 
B.  Schaefer,  news  editor  of  the  Courier,  was  also  a  well  known  newspaper 
man  for  many  years  connected  with   newspapers  here. 

During  the  late  eighties  the  only  daily  newspaper  in  Saginaw  City  was 
the  Saginaw  Evening  Journal,  which  was  established  in  April,  1886.  D.  Z. 
Curtis  was  the  manager  and  editor  and  F.  Bruce  Smith  was  city  editor. 
The  Journal  was  a  healthy  and  vigorous  paper,  alive  to  the  interests  of 
Saginaw  City,  and  had  a  substantial  patronage.  In  1887  a  weekly  edition 
was  started  and  it  sustained  the  reputation  of  the  daily  paper  for  furnishing 
interesting  news. 

Pioneer  Newspapers  in  East  Saginaw 

The  first  newspaper  in  East  Saginaw  was  the  Saginaw  Enterprise,  which 
was  started  in  1853  by  Williamson  &  Mason.  Without  financial  means  to 
carry  on  a  publication  on  the  frontier,  or  indeed,  experience  in  newspaper 
work,  their  efforts  at  journalism  met  with  scanty  support  by  the  pioneers,  and 
a  vear  later  the  paper  was  sold  to  Perry  foslin.  He  at  once  made  it  a  live 
sheet,  injecting  subjects  and  items  of  general  interest,  and  soon  had  the 
Enterprise  on  a  solid  basis.  In  1864  Francis  1'arth,  who  had  been  connected 
with  the  printing  office  since  the  paper  was  started,  was  admitted  as  partner 
with  Mr.  Joslin,  and  a  year  later  C.  V.  Deland  also  became  a  partner.  In 
September,  1865,  the  Daily  Enterprise  was  started  and  continued  until  the 
Spring  of  1873.  when  it  suspended.  About  1870  the  newspaper  was  located 
in  a  building  at  125-27  North  Washington  Street,  on  the  site  of  Morley 
Brothers  hardware  store.  It  announced  "the  largest  circulation  and  best 
advertising  medium  in  this  part  of  the  State;  plain  and  ornamental  printing 
neatly  and  promptly  executed." 

On  June  16,  1859,  appeared  the  first  issue  of  the  Saginaw  Weekly 
Courier,  a  paper  founded  by  George  F.  Lewis,  who  was  probably  the  ablest 
of  the  newspaper  men  of  that  period.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  character, 
possessed   an    indomitable   will,   and   became   a   powerful    figure   in    city   and 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


651 


county  affairs.  In  1868,  in  association  with  Bradley  M.  Thompson,  E.  W. 
Lyon  and  Joseph  Seemann,  he  started  the  Daily  Courier  which  was  "pub- 
lished every  morning  (except  Mondays)  and  is  the  organ  for  the  salt  and 
lumber  interests,  and  the  best  local  paper  in  Northern  Michigan.  The 
Weekly  Courier  (published  every  Thursday)  is  replete  with  the  latest 
current  news  and  is  a  first-class  family  journal."  Later  the  Courier  was  sold 
to  S.  S.  Pomroy,  who  printed  the  paper  and  conducted  a  job  office  on  South 
Franklin  "Street,  in  the  rear  of  the  Penney  Block. 

Edwin  D.  Cowles  Takes  Charge  of  the  Courier 

The  fortunes  of  the  Daily  Courier  were  materially  improved  in  March. 
1874,  by  the  acquisition  of  Edwin  D.  Cowles.  a  journalist  of  great  promise, 
who  for  about  two  years  had  been  city  editor  of  the  Daily  Enterprise.  Ik- 
assumed  the  editorial  management  of  the  Courier,  in  which  position  he 
remained  for  fifteen  years,  and  was  very  successful  in  raising  the  standards 
of  journalism  in  this  section  of  the  State.     In  September,  1889,  in  association 


Wau   ■<> 


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at  7  1-2  o'clock,  P.  M.,  /,  /„/,    ,/,/„■„   at   la?//!// /<    t/e  /ween loacs/wi/ '<?/?</ 
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w.  l.  webber 
m.  .ieffers. 

j.  i..  ketuham. 

.1.  .1.  WHEELER. 
II    IV.  JKWK'I'T. 
B.  B.  HI  CKHOI  T, 
ROOTiV  MIDLER. 


GEO   L  BURROWS. 

JNO   Mm  IRE, 
A.  F.  K.  BRALKV, 
WiM.  M.  MILLER 

T.  E  Dill  (illTV. 
(  .  KMKKSoN. 


[Courtesy   of  W.   J.   Hunsaker] 
FAC-SIMILE    OF     NOTICE    OF     MEETING    TO    SUPPORT    THE     DAILY     COURIER 


652 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


with  Roswell  G.  Horr,  he  purchased  the  Saginaw  Daily  Herald,  which  had 
been  published  by  Laing  Brothers  on  North  Cass  (Baum)  Street,  and  was 
made  editor-in-chief  of  the  Saginaw  Courier-Herald,  the  paper  which  resulted 

from  the  consolidation  with  the  Courier.  In 
this  capacity  he  remained  until  1902,  when  he 
si  ild  his  interests  in  the  paper  and  removed  to 
Bay  City. 

During  his  thirty  years  of  editorial  work  in 
Saginaw,  Mr.  Cowles  manifested  his  courage 
and  fidelity  to  the  principles  of  the  Republican 
party,  to  whose  political  fortunes  the  paper 
was  unequivocally  committed:  and  during  the 
campaign  of  Colonel  Aaron  T.  Bliss  for  Gov- 
ernor of  Michigan,  the  Courier-Herald  was  his 
most  staunch  supporter,  exerting  a  large  in- 
fluence in  his  behalf.  For  thirty-five  years 
Mr.  Cowles  was  the  Saginaw  Valley  corre- 
spondent of  the  American  Lumberman,  and  in 
his  compilation  of  statistics  of  lumber  and  salt 
production  in  this  valley,  he  became  known  far 
and  wide  as  an  authority  on  these  subjects. 
His  statements  were  prepared  with  great  care 
and  attention  to  details,  and  no  man  was  so 
well  posted  on  the  history  and  development 
of  these  industries.  For  a  period  of  twenty  years  Mr.  Cowles  was  the  Sagi- 
naw correspondent  of  the  Detroit  Free  Press,  to  which  he  contributed  much 
interesting  and  valuable  matter. 


E.    D.    COWLES.     IN     1874 


The  Saginaw  Courier-Herald 

On  January  1,  1902,  the  Saginaw  Daily  Courier-Herald,  then  owned  by 
Edwin  1>.  Cowles.  bred  G.  Cowles  and  Governor  Aaron  T.  Bliss,  was  sold 
'■I  \\  alter  J.  Hunsaker,  of  Detroit,  and  Chase  S.  <  Isborn,  of  Sault  Ste.  Marie. 
Mr.  Hunsaker,  who  bad  wide  experience  in  journalism  in  the  West  and  as 
editor  of  the  Detroit  Journal,  at  once  assumed  the  entire  editorial  manage- 
ment and  business  control  of  the  paper,  while  Mr.  Osborn,  who  was  State 
Railroad  Commissioner,  took  no  active  part  in  the  business.  Its  policy  in 
general  was  not  changed  and  it  remained  in  politics  an  independent  Repub- 
lican paper,  free  from  political  direction  and  of  influences,  except  such  as  were 
in  accord  with  its  own  thought  and  purpose. 

To  place  the  paper  in  the  front  rank  of  daily  newspapers  in  Saginaw 
Valley,  it  was  necessary  to  overhaul  the  entire  mechanical  equipment;  and 
the  new  owners  proceeded  on  an  extensive  plan  of  improvement.  A  battery 
of  five  new  Linotype  type  setting  machines  replaced  the  old  Rogers  typo- 
graphs  and  new  display  type  of  attractive  face  was  added  from  time  to  time. 
Later  a  high-speed  electrically  driven  Hoe  press  of  the  most  approved  type 
was  installed,  capable  of  running  twenty-four  pages  at  the  rate  of  twelve 
thousand  papers  per  hour  and  lesser  pages  at  higher  speed.  In  recent  years 
the  equipment  has  become  completely  modernized,  including  electrical  drive 
f'H-  all  machines,  insuring  typographical  excellence  efficiently  and  economi- 
cally produced.  The  general  improvement  in  the  news  and  editorial  features 
of  the  paper,  as  well  as  in  mechanical  facilities,  is  reflected  in  the  steady 
increase  in  circulation,  m  advertising,  and  in  the  influence  exerted  on  public 
i  ipinion. 


THE    HOME    OF    THE    SAGINAW    COURIER-HERALD 


654 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


BATTERY    OF    SIX    LINOTYPE    TYPESETTING    MACHINES 

During  the  Roosevelt-Taft  primary  campaign  of  1912  Air.  Hunsaker  pur- 
chased the  interest  in  the  paper  of  his  associate,  Chase  S.  Osborn,  at  that 
time  governor  of  the  State,  and  thereupon  assumed  entire  ownership  of  the 
property.  The  paper  has  since  been  wholly  directed  by  his  policies,  both 
politically  and  editorially,  as  publisher.  The  editorial  management  is  in  the 
hands  of  Arthur  O.  Cook.  William  A.  Rorke,  formerly  of  the  Bay  City 
Tribune,  is  the  business  manager  of  the  paper.  Robert  C.  Laing,  one  of  the 
publishers  of  the  old  Saginaw  Herald  before  its  consolidation  with  The 
Courier,  is  telegraph  editor. 

'I"hc  Saginaw  Courier-Herald  at  present  represents  the  oldest  continuous 
newspaper  published  in  Saginaw,  and  enjoys  a  prestige  which  permanency 
gives.  1 1 >  progenitors  are  grey  with  age.  Dating  from  the  establishment  of 
the  Weekly  Courier  in  1859,  the  Daily  Courier  in  1868,  and  the  purchase 
and  consolidation  of  the  Daily  Herald'  in  1889,  The  Courier-Herald  justly 
claims  the  distinction  of  being  the  pioneer  paper  of  Saginaw  to  maintain 
continuous  publication.  Several  years  ago  the  Weekly  Courier,  which  had 
been  published  for  half  a  century,  was  discontinued. 

The  demise  of  the  weekly  edition  was  due  to  the  establishment  in  its 
present  scope  of  the  rural  free  delivery  service,  which  has  had  great  influence 
upon  new -paper  reading.  By  extending  this  service  to  cover  practically 
every  farm  home  in  Saginaw  and  adjoining  counties,  the  Government  opened 
up  a"  large  field  for  the  daily  morning  edition.  It  was  soon  discovered  that 
farmers  needed  a  daily  morning  paper,  reaching  them  within  a  few  hours 
after  publication,  as  a  valuable  adjunct  to  rural  life.  They  found  that  The 
Courier-Herald  brought  them  the  news  of  the  world,  the  previous  day's 
market   reports,  and   such   tilings  of  general   interest   almost   as  quickly   as  it 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


655 


did  to  residents  of  the  city.  In  fact  a  great  many  fanners  living  from  twelve 
to  sixteen  miles  distant  from  the  city  receive  their  daily  morning  papers  be- 
tween nine  and  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  others  nearer  the  city  some- 
what earlier.  Consequently  the  rural  circulation  of  the  daily  Courier-Herald 
increased  rapidly,  so  that  the  Weekly  Courier  as  formerly  constituted  lie- 
came  obsolete.  This  was  true  of  all  weekly  papers  excepting  certain  local 
weeklies  published  in  small  towns  and  county  seats.  As  a  result  of  the 
creation  of  rural  free  delivery  service  The  Courier-Herald  quickly  gained  and 
still  holds  by  far  the  largest  circulation  among  the  farming  community  of  any 
publication  in  this  section  of  the  State. 

Although  the  Weekly  Courier  was  the  oldest  direct  progenitor  of  The 
Courier-Herald,  the  latter  fell  heir  to  all  morning  papers  published  here  prior 
to  1890,  and  from  that  year  no  efforts  were  made  to  start  a  competing  morn- 
ing paper  in  Saginaw.  It  is  now  the  only  morning  newspaper  published  in 
the  eastern  half  of  Michigan,  between  Detroit  and  Lake  Superior,  and  has 
had  no  competition  in  the  morning  held  since  it  took  oxer  the  Saginaw  Herald 
in  1889.  This  has  resulted  in  its  becoming  "the  paper  that  goes  home,"  and 
in  its  being  read  by  the  second  and  third  generations  of  men  who  subscribed 
for  it  when  Saginaw  was  merely  a  border  lumbering  town.  Many  citizens 
now  past  middle  life  recall  the  old  Courier  in  the  home  when  they  were  chil- 
dren, and  it  was  as  much  a  part  of  the  home  life  as  now. 

The  present  policy  of  The  Courier-Herald  is  broad  and  liberal,  yet 
soundly  conservative,  and  its  attitude  toward  public  questions  is  singularly 
open-minded.  It  believes  in  unity  and  harmony  between  the  several  sections 
of  the  city,  and  advocates  a  spirit  of  helpfulness  and  co-operation  among 
business  and  professional  men.     To  all  projects  intended  to  advance  the  mate- 


THE    HOE    HIGH    SPEED    PRESS 


656 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


rial  prosperity,  increase  the  employment  of  labor,  and  better  living  condi- 
tions of  the  community,  it  gives  unqualified  support,  and  may  always  be  found 
on  the  side  of  progress  and  truth.  It  stands  for  enlightened  public  interest 
in  good  civic  government,  and,  being  free  from  political  entanglements,  exerts 
a  strong  influence  to  the  culmination  of  its  purpose. 

A  factor  of  great  importance  in  the  success  of  The  Courier-Herald  is  the 
Associated  Press  full  night  telegraphic  news  service,  over  a  leased  wire  direct 
into  its  office,  which  the  paper  has  enjoyed  since  1'  02.  It  was  the  first  news- 
paper in  tli is  city  to  secure  the  full  press  reports,  thus  enabling  it  to  give 
complete  day  and  night  news  up  to  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Moreover, 
the  reports,  being  gathered  with  more  time  for  preparing  the  news  than  the 
hurried  day  press  reports,  are  amplified  ami  usually  contain  more  interesting 
details.  A  fac  simile  of  the  Associated  Press  certificate  of  membership, 
granted  to  Walter  J.  Ilunsaker  in  1902,  is  reproduced  below. 


CERTIFICATE   DP  MEMBERSHIP 


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THE    CERTIFICATE   OF    MEMBERSHIP    IN    THE    ASSOCIATED    PRESS    HELD    BY 
WALTER    J.    HUNSAKER    FOR    THE    SAGINAW    COURIER-HERALD 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  657 


The  Saginaw  Daily  News 

Following  in  the  footsteps  of  the  pioneer  journalists  was  the  Saginaw 
Evening  News,  founded  in  1881  by  Joseph  Seemann  and  Charles  H.  Peters, 
Sr.,  with  whom  the  idea  originated  that  there  was  room  in  Saginaw  for  an 
evening  paper.  They  were  convinced  that  the  public  had  more  time  to  read 
daily  papers  after  supper  than  before  breakfast;  that  there  was  a  chance  for 
a  larger  circulation  fur  an  afternoon  paper  and  that  the  readers  of  such 
papers  were  mure  susceptible  to  the  influence  of  advertisements  than  the 
readers  of  morning  papers  generally.  Accordingly  the  first  issue  of  the 
paper,  consisting  of  several  thousand  copies,  appeared  on  May  2,  1881,  and 
was  in  the  main  distributed  gratuitously,  the  paid  circulation  being  less  than 
five  hundred.     The  price  was  fifty  cents  a  month,  and  the  politics  Democratic. 

Although  there  was  a  good  business  prospect  for  an  afternoon  journal, 
the  early  days  of  the  News  were  full  of  trouble.  Mechanical  difficulties 
were  few  compared  with  others  which  had  to  be  met.  There  were  two  morn- 
ing papers  in  the  field  and  one  of  these  sought  to  head  off  the  News  by 
printing  an  evening  edition  called  the  Evening  Express.  Possessing  a  fully 
equipped  newspaper  plant,  a  large  press,  an  organized  staff,  a  telegraphic 
news  franchise  and  established  delivery  routes  the  odds  were  largely  in  favor 
of  the  Express.  The  News  efforts  to  obtain  the  day  service  franchise  were 
strongly  opposed  by  the  publishers  of  the  Express,  and  the  early  issues  of 
the  former  were  minus  press  despatches  excepting  a  few  costly  specials.  So 
it  was  a  fight  for  existence,  and  the  fittest  survived,  but  it  cost  the  News 
publishers  many  months  of  hard  work,  long  hours,  and  much  worry  as  to 
where  the  funds  for  the  regular  pay  rolls  were  to  come  from. 

It  was  due  to  a  sense  of  justice  shown  by  the  publishers  of  the  other 
morning  paper  that  the  anomalous  situation  was  ended.  Charles  V.  Deland, 
the  proprietor  of  the  Herald,  espoused  the  cause  of  the  News  and  used  his 
influence  in  its  behalf;  and  after  considerable  delay  the  evening  paper  secured 
the  Associated  Press  day  news  service,  enabling  them  to  publish  a  newspaper 
in  fact  as  well  as  in  name.  Its  early  rival,  the  Kxpress,  suspended  publi- 
cation about  a  year  after  it  was  started  leaving  the  News  alone  in  the  evening 
field  for  several  years.  Other  evening  papers  appeared  at  different  times, 
including  the  Journal,  a  West  Side  publication,  which  died  of  inanition,  and 
the  Mail  which  secured  the  United  Press  service  and  proved  a  strong  com- 
petitor, making  existence  fairly  precarious  for  both  evening  papers.  Upon 
the  suspension  of  the  Mail,  the  United  Press  franchise  was  purchased  by 
the  News. 

In  1885  the  News,  which  had  been  published  at  319  Genesee  Street 
(upstairs),  was  removed  to  the  new  building  of  Seemann  <S:  Peters  on  Tus- 
cola Street,  and  remained  there  until  its  final  removal  to  its  handsome  new 
building  at  Washington  and  Germania  Avenues.  Meanwhile,  the  paper  was 
sold  to  E.  N.  Dingley  of  Kalamazoo,  who  took  charge  on  Februarv  15.  1893. 
He  soon  after  disposed  of  the  property  to  Eugene  McSweeney  and  John  T. 
Winship,  who  conducted  the  paper  successfully  until  1910,  when  they  sold 
the  property  to  the  present  owners.  The  name  was  then  changed  to  Saginaw 
Daily  News  by  which  it  is  known  today. 

During  the  management  of  Messrs.  McSweeney  and  Winship,  covering 
a  period  of  about  seventeen  years,  the  News  made  a  great  advancement,  not 
only  in  circulation  and  advertising  matter,  but  in  its  general  make-up.  appear- 
ance of  the  sheet  and  the  influence  it  exerted  upon  the  public  mind.  In  1893 
the  paper  was  printed  on  a  Cottrell  press,  all  the  type  was  set  by  hand,  and 
the  daily  circulation  was  only  twenty-six  hundred.  That  year  it  purchased 
a  Duplex  perfecting  press,  and  shortly  after  a  battery  of  three  Mergenthaler 


c.-.s 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    NEW    HOME    OF    THE    SAGINAW    DAILY    NEWS 


type-setting  machines  was  installed.  It  was  not  long  before  the  business 
outgrew  this  equipment,  and  a  single-deck  Hoe  press  replaced  the  Duplex, 
and  two  mure  type-setting  machines  were  added.  About  that  time  the 
publishers  purchased  the  second  evening  newspaper,  the  Saginaw  Globe, 
giving  it  the  entire  afternoon  field  and  placing  it  far  in  the  lead  among  the 
Saginaw  newspapers. 

From  a  humble  beginning  and  steady  progress  the  News  has  grown 
to  be  one  of  the  strongest  and  must  influential  newspapers  in  the  State,  and 
the  leading  daily  of  northeastern  Michigan.  Its  circulation  continued  to 
increase  rapidly  and  when  it  reached  twenty-thousand  daily  and  its  quarters 
became  very  cramped,  in  1908,  a  three-deck  Goss  press,  with  color  attach- 
ment, was  installed  in  additional  space  secured  in  the  old  Armory  building 
on  North  Franklin  Street.  A  large  room  was  also  provided  at  that  time  for 
a  news  buys'  recreation  hall,  a  feature  which  was  greatly  appreciated  by  the 
urchins,  large  and  small,  who  delivered  the  paper  to  thousands  of  Saginaw 
homes  and  sold  the  paper  on  the  streets. 

It  was  the  ambition  .if  the  owners  and  managers  of  the  Daily  News  to 
own  a  modern  newspaper  printing  plant,  in  which  all  its  various  activities 
and  operations  might  lie  centered.  This  ambition,  however,  was  subservient 
to  the  effort  to  first  publish  a  paper  that  would  meet  every  want  of  the 
community  which  it  sought  tin  satisfy,  and  it  was  not  until  1915  that  the  way 
seemed  clear  to  provide  the  much  needed  improvement.  In  that  year  the 
valuable  property  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Washington  and  Germania 
Avenues  was  purchased  and  plans  drawn  for  a  three-story  terra  cotta,  brick 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


659 


and  concrete  building  to  occupy  the  site.  The  handsome  building  of  white 
terra  cotta  facing  was  completed  in  September,  1916,  and  on  Thursday  the 
twenty-first  it  was  opened  to  public  inspection. 

This  magnificent  building  is  a  monument  of  faith  which  is  held  by  the 
Daily  News  in  the  future  prosperity  of  Saginaw.  It  is  the  first  structure 
of  the  kind  in  this  city,  is  as  nearly  fire-proof  as  modern  construction  with 
steel  girders,  concrete  and  brick  with  terra  cotta  can  make  it.  and  is  equipped 
with  an  automatic  two-source  sprinkler  system  having  four  hundred 
sprinkler  heads.  Emm  a  short  distance  the  building  looks  like  a  mass  of 
marble  having  wonderful  window  effects,  and  lends  an  impression  of  dignity 
and  character. 

The  main  entrance  on  Washington  Avenue  opens  into  a  spacious  lobby, 
about  which  are  arranged  the  business  offices.  The  floor  is  of  mosaic  tiling, 
the  counters  are  of  quarter-sawed  oak  with  marble  base,  while  the  ceiling  is 
finished  in  tints  of  old  gold.  The  offices  are  equipped  with  every  convenience 
for  persons  transacting  business  with  the  News;  and  at  the  left  of  the  en- 
trance is  the  office  of  the  editor  and  manager  from  which  the  entire  business 
of  the  institution  is  directed.  Immediatelv  back  of  the  business  office  is  the 
mailing  room,  well  lighted  and  well  ventilated,  with  every  modern  con- 
venience for  assembling  and  sending  out  the  large  mail  edition  of  the  News. 


COMPOSING    ROOM 


BATTERY    OF    LINOTYPES 
FOUR-DECK    GOSS    HIGH-SPEED    PRESS 


660  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The  press  room  is  back  of  this  department,  and  is  specially  designed  for 
its  work  and  provides  for  any  additional  press  equipment  that  may  be 
necessary  in  the  future.  Enormous  windows  afford  abundant  light  and 
give  a  view  of  the  press  room  from  the  street.  At  the  west  end  of  the  build- 
ing is  the  boys'  delivery  room  so  arranged  that  papers  are  passed  out  as 
they  come  from  the  press,  eliminating  confusion  and  delay.  A  twelve-foot 
alleyway  on  the  west  and  smith  sides  of  the  building  affords  every  facility 
tor  rapid  loading  of  motor  trucks  for  speedy  delivery  of  the  paper  to  trains. 

On  the  second  floor  are  situated  the  editorial,  composing  and  stereo- 
typing rooms,  which  share  the  feature  common  to  all  in  the  building  of 
being  splendidly  lighted  and  scientifically  ventilated.  In  the  front  part  is 
situated  the  editorial  department  housing  the  Associated  I 'ress  special  wire 
service  carried  by  the  Daily  News,  and  the  city,  telegraph  and  society 
editors  and  the  editorial  writers  and  reporters.  In  such  admirable  quarters 
work  becomes  a  pleasure.  On  the  south  side  is  the  library  and  conference 
room,  an  apartment  specially  appointed  for  the  purpose.  The  composing 
room  is  long  and  broad,  decorated  in  orange  and  old  ivory  tints,  and  the 
provision  for  artificial  lighting  is  the  best  known  to  the  electrical  world. 
The  mechanical  equipment  consists  of  six  linotype  machines  and  all-steel 
composing  room  appliances.  Adjoining  this  room  is  the  stereotyping  depart- 
ment where  all  matrix  casting  and  finishing  work  is  done.  There  is  direct 
elevator  connection  with  the  press  room  below,  for  lowering  the  forms 
ready  for  the  press  cylinders.  The  mechanical  departments  are  provided 
with  shower  baths  and  toilet  arrangements  in  keeping  witli  the  sanitary 
equipments  of  the  building. 

The  News  Auditorium  occupies  the  entire  third  floor,  and  is  one  lofty 
apartment  beautifully  finished  as  to  general  decorative  scheme.  It  is  a 
daylight  hall,  forty-five  by  one  hundred  and  five  feet  in  size,  capable  of  seat- 
ing a  small  audience  with  unobstructed  view  from  one  end  to  the  other. 
Above  and  over  the  roof  is  a  thirty-one  foot  steel  flag  pole  bearing  the  Stars 
and  Stripes. 

It  is  within  the  last  eight  years  that  The  News  has  made  its  greatest 
advances.  In  this  time  its  development  in  all  departments  has  been  remark- 
able and  its  sphere  of  influence  and  standing  among  journals  has  been 
materially  increased.  Its  mechanical  facilities  have  been  largely  augmented 
by  the  installation  of  a  battery  of  new  linotypes,  six  in  number,  with  a 
complete  change  in  composing  room  material  and  the  substitution  of  all-steel 
equipment  for  the  old  style  wooden  cases  and  imposing  stones.  This  new 
equipment  has  made  it  possible  to  serve  its  family  of  readers  with  the  news 
up  to  the  minute  of  going  to  press  in  a  more  comprehensive  manner  than 
before. 

In  addition  it  has  added  to  its  press  a  fourth  deck  giving  it  the  most 
complete  printing  press  to  be  had.  This  machine  gives  double  speed  and 
carries  a  larger  number  of  pages  than  before,  thus  making  possible  a  more 
newsy  paper  and  a  quicker  delivery.  The  News  also  adopted  the  standard 
metropolitan  size  of  newspaper,  eight  column  in  width,  thus  giving  to 
Saginaw  and  contiguous  territory  a  newspaper  fully  complying  with  the 
most  modern  methods  used  in  the  largest  cities  of  the  country. 

Just  as  it  has  advanced  along  mechanical  lines,  so  has  The  News  pro- 
gressed in  its  editorial  department.  In  addition  to  the  complete  service  of 
the  Associated  Press  taken  over  a  special  leased  wire  direct  in  its  own  home. 
it  has  the  unequalled  Newspaper  Enterprise  Association's  features  and  illus- 
trative service  and  in  addition  a  number  of  specially  selected  valuable 
features  entertaining  for  every  member  of  the  family. 


NEWSBOYS'     ROOM  MANAGING     EDITOR'S    OFFICE 

BUSINESS    OFFICE 
EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT  LIBRARY    AND    CONFERENCE    ROOM 


662  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

At  the  time  of  the  sale  of  The  News  in  1910,  its  management  passed  into 
the  hands  of  two  of  the  most  experienced  and  successful  newspaper  men  in 
the  State.  Ralph  H.  Booth,  at  that  time  president  of  a  number  of  successful 
State  dailies,  was  its  president,  and  Charles  M.  Greenway,  for  many  years 
business  manager  of  The  Grand  Rapids  Press,  became  its  general  manager. 
Under  these  officers  The  News  immediately  developed  its  field  to  a  greater 
extent  than  ever  before  and  became  a  greater  newspaper.  Mr.  Greenway 
was  succeeded  upon  his  removal  to  Flint  to  become  editor  and  manager  of 
The  Flint  Daily  Journal,  by  Arthur  R.  Treanor,  as  editor  and  manager  of 
The  Daily  News.  Mr.  Treanor  began  his  newspaper  career  in  1901  as  a 
cub  reporter  on  The  News  and  in  the  intervening  years  had  passed  through 
the  various  offices  in  both  the  editorial  and  business  departments,  lie  was 
made  business  manager  of  the  property  in  1913,  and  in  1915  became  editor 
and  manager. 

Under  the  progressive  management  of  the  Daily  News  it  is  the  policy 
not  only  to  keep  pace  with  the  advancement  of  the  community  but  to  keep 
well  in  the  lead  as  becomes  a  newspaper  as  a  co-operating  factor  in  a  city's 
growth  and  prosperity.  The  News  has  achieved  a  circulation  which  is  the 
best  evidence  of  its  popularity  and  its  service,  and  it  goes  into  practically 
all  the  homes  of  Saginaw  and  into  thousands  of  others  in  this  part  of  Mich- 
igan. This  paper  takes  an  independent  stand  in  politics,  believing  that  it 
can  thus  best  serve  the  public.  It  aims  at  impartiality  and  fairness  in  treat- 
ment of  all  public  questions;  and  it  gives  the  best  possible  news  service, 
its  resources  in  this  direction  being  unusually  large  and  comparing  creditably 
with  those  of  metropolitan  newspapers. 

The  Saginaw  Press 
Saginaw  Publishing  Company 

A  more  recent  acquisition  to  the  news  and  publicity  craft  of  this  city  is 
the  Saginaw  Press,  a  weekly  newspaper  which  is  published  by  the  Saginaw 
Publishing  Company.  This  corporation  was  organized  in  1912  by  Emmet 
L.  Beach  and  George  W.  Baxter,  with  one  hundred  and  ten  stockholders 
and  a  capital  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  Its  first  print  shop  was  situated  at 
210  North  Hamilton  Street,  and  the  paper  was  published  daily  (except 
Sunday)   under  the  name  of  Saginaw  Evening  Press. 

This  was  the  only  Democratic  newspaper  in  Saginaw  County  and  it 
filled  very  satisfactorily  a  want  in  both  city  and  townships.  So  rapid  was 
the  increase  in  the  business  that  the  original  quarters  became  very  cramped, 
and  about  three  years  later  Mr.  Baxter  erected  at  410-412  Hancock  Stret, 
a  modern  brick  building  with  high  basement,  arranged  and  adapted  especially 
to  the  requirements  of  the  printing  and  publishing  business.  In  this  building 
was  installed  a  complete  printing  plant  with  the  most  modern  equipment, 
including  a  Mergenthaler  linotype  machine,  cylinder  press,  paper  cutters, 
stitchers,  etc.,  all  operated  by  individual  electric  motors. 

The  daily  newspaper  field  was  very  well  covered  and  the  difficulties  of 
printing  a  daily  journal  were  such  that  in  December,  1912,  it  was  deemed 
expedient  to  change  the  Evening  Press  to  a  weekly  paper.  This  was  done 
and  since  that  time  the  paper  has  appeared  regularly  as  the  Saginaw  Press. 
It  has  a  wide  circulation  on  the  West  Side  and  in  the  country  districts,  and 
is  everywhere  appreciated  on  account  of  its  clean  reading  pages,  its  vigorous 
editorials  and  valuable  farm  and  country  news.  It  prints  from  eight  to  ten 
pages  weekly,  and  for  the  last  two  years,  and  one  year  at  a  previous  time,  was 
the  official  paper  for  printing  the  county  records. 

In  addition  to  publishing  the  newspaper  the  company  does  a  general  job 
and  book  printing  business;  and  its  complete  equipment  affords  every  facility 
for  printing  directories,  pamphlets,  catalogues,  etc. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


663 


PRINTING    PLANT    OF    THE    SAGINAW    PRESS 

(in  January  1,  1917,  the  Saginaw  Valley  News  was  taken  over  by  the 
Saginaw  Publishing  Company  and  consolidated  with  the  Press,  and  on 
October  1,  of  the  same  year  the  Saginawian,  an  old  weekly  newspaper  was 
united  with  the  Press,  leaving  the  latter  paper  the  only  newspaper  published 
on  the  AYest  Side. 

George  W.  Baxter,  the  general  manager,  is  an  old  Saginaw  boy  who  has 
had  a  wide  experience  in  the  newspaper  field.  He  was  on  the  staff  of  the 
Detroit  News,  the  Jackson  Patriot,  and  daily  papers  in  Kendallville,  Indi- 
ana, and  Dowagiac,  Michigan.  In  1912  he  returned  to  Saginaw,  for  which 
he  had  always  had  a  longing  and,  in  association  with  Mr.  Beach,  started  the 
Saginaw  Press. 

As  a  means  of  ready  reference,  files  of  old  newspapers  are  invaluable  to 
the  historian  and  those  seeking  to  confirm  smiie  fact  or  solve  some  question. 
To  this  end  the  bound  files  preserved  in  Hoyt  Library  of  some  of  our  earliest 
papers  are  valuable  additions  to  the  catalogue  of  reference  books,  and  may  be 
consulted  by  anyone.  The  list  of  such  hound  files  is  as  follows:  Spirit  of  the 
Times,  published  at  Saginaw  City,  from  February  17,  1853  to  May  24,  1859 
(incomplete);  Weekly   Enterprise,   from  September  8,   1853  t<i   December  29, 


1859,    (very  imperfect),   and    from 


12,   1860  to   December   25,    1873,    (a 


few  numbers  missing);  Weekly  Courier,  from  June  Id,  1859  to  December 
6,  1866,  and  from  January  1,  1876  to  December  25.  18('0  (incomplete):  and 
the  Saginaw  Globe,  from  January  to  June,  1891  (incomplete);  The  Daily 
Courier  and  Courier-Herald,  from  January  1,  1868,  and  the  Saginaw  Evening 
News  from  July   1,  1890,  both  complete  t"  date. 

The  German  Papers 

In  1866,  in  order  to  reach  the  large  German  population  in  this  county, 
Anton  Schmitz  started  the  first  newspaper  printed  in  German,  styled  the 
Saginaw  Zeitung,  with  Count  Solms  as  editor.  The  paper  was  fairly  success- 
ful and  filled  a  want  among  our  German  citizens.  Later  the  paper  was  pur- 
chased by  Constantine  Beierle  who  conducted  it  until  about  1890,  when  it 
was  sold  to  Ernest  Zoellner.  About  1895  Seemann  &  Peters  published  the 
Zeitung  but  two  years  later  sold  it  to  the  Saginaw  Post,  which  had  been 
established  in  January,  1887.  by  F.  &  C.  Reitter.  These  publishers  then 
operated  a  job  printing  office  in  German  and  English  at  118  South  Franklin 
Street,  in  connection  with  the   Post,  and  upon  consolidation  with  the  other 


664  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


German  paper,  the  name  became  Post-Zeitung  under  which  it  is  published 
at  present.  In  February.  1913,  the  Post-Zeitung,  its  printing  plant  and 
other  property,  was  sold  to  Seemann  cc  Peters  who  have  since  published 
the  paper  with  complete  equipment  at  their  plant  on  North  Franklin  Street. 
The  paper  is  ably  edited  by  Hans  Dabis,  a  veteran  journalist,  and  is  managed 
by  George  A.  Klette  who  has  been  connected  with  it  for  ten  years. 

Saginaw  Post  Offices. 

The  mail  facilities  of  early  times,  before  there  were  any  roads  leading 
to  civilization,  were  primitive  in  the  extreme,  and  the  settlers  had  to  depend 
upon  each  other  for  such  news  as  readied  the  frontier.  A  single  mail  carrier 
used  to  come  on  horseback  over  the  old  Indian  trail  from  Flint,  once  a 
week,  and  cross  the  river  at  Green  Point,  the  only  crossing  at  that  period. 
Joseph  Busby,  one  of  the  early  pioneers,  records  having  met  him  once  near 
the  river  and,  as  he  had  some  business  with  the  elder  Busby,  accompanied 
him  to  his  home  on  the  banks  of  the  Tittahawassee  I  now  the  Paines 
tarm).  As  the  carrier  did  not  want  to  be  troubled  carrying  the  mail  bag 
there  and  back,  he  pitched  it  into  the  bushes  at  the  side  of  the  trail  and  left 
it  there  until  he  returned.      At  that  time  the  mail  was  not  a  heavy  one. 

The  first  post  office  in  this  valley  was  opened  at  Saginaw  City,  on 
October  10,  1831,  with  David  Stanard  as  postmaster;  and  he  was  succeeded 
by  Thomas  Simpson,  on  December  4.  1X32.  Ephraim  S.  Williams  assumed 
the  office  on  May  7,  1834.  and  he  held  it  until  1840,  when  he  removed  with 
his  family  to  Flint.  At  this  period  the  post  office  was  in  the  trading  post 
of  the  Williams  Brothers,  which  was  in  the  old  "red  warehouse,"  at  the  foot 
of  Mackinaw  Street.  Later  it  was  located  in  a  frame  building  on  South 
Water  (Niagara)  Street  near  Van  l'.uren  Street.  Gardner  D.  Williams, 
whose  portrait  appears  with  that  of  his  brother  on  page  90,  succeeded  him 
as  postmaster  on  March  10,  1840.  and  retained  the  office  for  nine  years. 

Thereafter  the  postmasters  at  Saginaw  City  and  Saginaw,  West  Side, 
i  the  name  changed  March  17,  1892),  with  dates  of  their  appointments,  were: 

George   W.    Davis Mar.21,1849  Edwin    Saunders Aug.  20.  1866 

Egbert   |.  Van   Buren. .  .Feb.  10, 1853  William   H.Taylor \pril    5.1867 

Daniel   L.   C.   Eaton Kug.    8,1853  lames    A.    Hudson Oct.    4,1870 

James   N.   Gotee July    8.  1854  Henry  J.  Northrup July    6,  1880 

Hiram  T.  Ferris \pril    7.  1857  <  reorge   F.   Lewis Feb.    rK  1888 

Tames   N.   Gotee Nov.    1,  1857  Levi'  1',.    Kinsey Tune  10.  1890 

lav   Smith    \ug.    1,1861  Fred   II.   Potter Mar.  26,  1895 

William  Moll  Vpril  26,  1865 

Martin  N.  Brady  succeeded  to  the  postmastership  on  March  3,  1899, 
and  held  the  office  for  sixteen  years,  when,  under  a  Democratic  adminis- 
tration, he  was  supplanted  by  William  F.  Hemmeter  in  1915,  the  present 
incumbent.  More  than  twenty  years  ago  the  post  office  was  removed  from 
the  old  location  on  Hamilton  Street,  between  Court  and  Franklin  i  Hancock) 
Streets,  to  a  large  and  well  appointed  room  in  the  Merrill  Block  on  Michigan 
Avenue,  between  Court  and  Adams  Streets. 

The  post  office  at  South  Saginaw  was  established  as  "Spalding"  on 
May  13.  1863,  Aaron  Linton  being  the  first  postmaster.  The  succeeding" 
postmasters  at  this  office,  the  name  of  which  was  changed  on  September  4. 
1866,  to  South  Saginaw,  with  dates  of  their  appointments,  were: 

Henry   H.   Beebe Tan.  23.  1865      Arnold   P.  Sikes July  19, 1872 

Lester    I'.    Beebe Tan.  22.  1866      Tonathan  S.   Rouse Dec.  16,  1872 

Charles   P.  Hess Oct.  20,  1866     Theron  T.   Hubbard April  13,  1874 

Theron  T.  Hubbard Vpril    5.  1867      Adolphus  R.   Moeller.  .  .  Tune  20,  1878 

William  T.  Cook Oct    0,1871 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


665 


ALFRED    M.    HOYT 
First  Postmaster  a1   Fast  Saginaw 


This  office  was  discontinued  August  7,  1884,  the  postal  business  of  the 
"South   End"  thereafter  being  transacted   through   the    East  Saginaw  office. 

The  first  postmaster  at  East  Saginaw  was  Alfred  M.  Hoyt,  who  opened 
the  office  on  September  15,  1851.  He  was  succeeded  by  Morgan  L.  Gage 
whose  appointment  bears  date  of  November  11.  1X52.  The  office  was  there- 
after held  by  the  following  well-known  citizens: 


Moses  B.   Hess April  27,  1853 

George   G.   Hess April     8,1857 

DeWitt  C.   Gage Mar.   13,1861 


John  Nugent 


.Aug.   15,  1861 


DeWitt  C.  Gage Oct.     9,  1861 

Solomon  B.   Bliss Vug.  20,   1866 

Perry  Joslin    Mar.   19,  1867 


George   Lockley    April  20.  1871 

Thomas  Saylor  Dec.  15,1875 

William   G.    Gage [an.  24,  1884 

M.   V.  Meredith June  2,1885 

Edwin    R.    Phinney Oct.  16,1889 

A  I. ram   G.   Wall Mar.  9,1894 

William   S.  Linton Mar.  22,1898 


Under  continuous  Republican  rule  Mr.  Linton  held  the  postmastership 
for  sixteen  consecutive  years,  rivalling  Mr.  Brady  of  the  West  Side  post 
office  in  length  of  service,  and  was  only  relieved  of  the  responsibilities  of 
the  office  by  the  appointment  (if  Charles  E.  Lown,  a  leader  of  the  Democracy 
in  this  city,  on  March  20,  1914.  Air.  Lown  assumed  the  uffice  on  April  15, 
following,  and  has  since  held  the  government  position  with  general  satis- 
faction to  the  public.  The  name  of  the  post  office  was  changed  on  March 
17.  1892,  to  Saginaw,  East  Side,  and  again  on  June  24.  1898,  to  Saginaw, 
Michigan. 


SOME    OLD-TIME    POSTMASTERS   OF   THE    SAGINAWS 


James  A.    Hudson,    L870-2 
George  G.  Hess.  1857-8 
George  Lockley,    1\71-.", 


William    Moll,    1865 

I. s  X    Gotee,   1 854 

In-    J.    S     Rouse,    1ST.'- I 


Levi  P..  Kinsey,  1S90 
Charles  P.  Hess.  1866 
M.   V.   Meredith,   ixs:, 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  667 

Early   Growth  of   Postal   Business 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  postal  business  of  East  Saginaw  in  the  form- 
ative period  is  well  illustrated  by  a  comparative  statement  of  the  transactions 
of  the  office,  for  the  vears  ending  June  30,  1866  and  1874: 

1866  1874 

Number  of  clerks  employed 2  5 

Number  of  registered  letters  sent 280  1,070 

Number  of  registered  letters  received 192  1,358 

Amount  of  paper  postage $      333.16  $    941.71 

Amount  of  box   rent 466.00  2.150.00 

Amount  received  for  envelopes  and  stamps 7,616.00  14.217.11 

Number  of  letters   received,    per   week 3,175  15,000 

Number  of  lock  pouches  sent  out,  daily 9  22 

Number  of   domestic    orders   issued 636  4,479 

Number  of  domestic  money  orders  paid 155  2,826 

Amount   of   domestic   money  orders   issued $9,990.21  $74,540.14 

Amount  of  domestic  money  orders  paid 3,072.37  55,843.85 

Average  per  day  of  money  orders  issued 2  14 

Average  per  day  of  money  orders  paid 1  9 

Average   amount  of  each   order   issued $  15.70  $  16,64 

Average  amount  of   each   order   paid 19.17  19.76 

As  many  letters  were  registered  at  this  nit  ice,  and  the  amount  of  postage 
on  regular  printed  matter  was  as  much,  for  the  last  quarter  of  1874,  as  during 
the  whole  fiscal  year  of  1866 ;  and  often  there  were  as  many  money  orders 
issued  in  one  day  in  1874  as  during  a  whole  month  in  1866.  The  box  rent 
was  nearly  five  times  more  in  1874;  and  despite  a  reduction  in  all  foreign 
postages  and  on  printed  transient  matter,  the  receipts  for  stamps,  envelopes, 
etc..  doubled  during  the  eight  years.  Sixty  thousand  postal  cards  were 
sold  in  1874  instead  of  three-cent  stamps  for  first-class  postage. 

When  Colonel  Lockley  took  charge  of  the  office  on  April  20,  1871,  he 
found  it  necessary  to  double  and  quadruple  the  capacity  for  business,  and 
introduced  every  improvement  in  the  way  of  space,  boxes,  drawers  and 
and  other  appliances.  At  his  own  expense  he  placed  several  letter  boxes  on 
street  corners  for  convenience  of  business  men.  William  Glover  Gage  was 
the  deputy  postmaster  at  this  time  and  gave  "perfect  satisfaction."  The  post 
office  was  then  located  at   the   corner  of  Washington  and   German   Streets. 

While  Colonel  Thomas  Savior  was  postmaster  the  office  was  in  Lloyd's 
Block  on  Washington  Street,  and  later  was  removed  to  North  Franklin 
Street,  between  Genesee  and  Tuscola,  in  the  Everett  House  Block.  Some 
time  later  it  was  removed  to  the  Cass  House  Block,  at  Baum  and  Tuscola 
Streets,  where  it  remained  for  a  number  of  years.  Afterward  the  office 
occupied  the  ground  floor  of  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Building,  at  Wash- 
ington and  Tuscola  Streets,  from  which  it  was  removed  in  18^8  to  the  new 
Federal   Building. 

The  Federal  Building 

Under  an  Act  of  Congress  of  1889,  when  Colonel  Aaron  T.  Bliss  was 
representative  of  this  district,  an  appropriation  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  was  made  for  a  federal  post  office  building  at  East  Saginaw.  The 
city  then  owned  the  north  portion  of  the  block  bounded  by  Jefferson,  German, 
Warren  and  William  (Janes)  Streets,  a  very  convenient  site  for  such  a  public 
building,  and  after  much  discussion  the  property  was  deeded  to  the  govern- 
ment. There  was  much  opposition  to  this  plan,  many  citizens  believing 
that  the  ground  should  be  covered  by  a  city  hall  building,  and  the  whole 
matter  dragged  along  for  several  years. 


668  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

The  original  plans  for  a  federal  building  to  occupy  this  site,  prepared 
by  government  architects,  provided  for  a  large,  low,  squatty  structure,  one- 
story  in  height,  which  to  everyone  appeared  inappropriate  to  the  location 
and  surroundings.  There  was  general  disapproval  of  the  plans  and  much 
unfavorable  comment  on  the  departmental  methods  was  heard,  when  William 
S.  Linton,  who  was  foremost  in  opposition  to  the  plans,  by  his  large  influence 
at  Washington  succeeded  in  having  an  entirely  new  set  of  plans  drawn. 
The  new  plans  corrected  the  main  defects  of  the  preceding  ones,  and  after 
some  modification  were  deemed  satisfactory.  The  contracts  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  building  were  then  let  and  the  work  was  begun,  with  William 
C.  Mueller,  as  contractor.  Building  operations  proceeded  with  dispatch  and 
on  Jul)-  4,  1898,  the  handsome  new  post  office  was  opened  for  public 
service. 

At  that  time  the  Saginaw  posl  office  was  regarded  as  the  best  planned 
building  for  the  needs  of  a  city  of  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  in  this  section 
of  the  country;  and  its  architecture  and  lay  out  of  grounds  meets  with 
the  highest  commendation  of  residents  and  visitors.  In  the  eighteen  years 
since  the  federal  building  was  opened,  the  business  of  the  post  office  has 
increased  so  rapidly  as  to  necessitate  a  large  addition  to  it,  and  in  1916 
Congress  appropriated  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  for  such 
improvements.  In  the  near  future  an  addition  will  be  built  at  the  east  end  of 
the  structure  on  Warren  Avenue,  affording  largely  increased  facilities  for 
handinlg  the  parcel  post  and  outgoing  mail  business,  as  well  as  the  distri- 
bution of  mail,  and  the  transaction  of  registered  letters  and  money  order 
business.  When  completed  the  new  Federal  Building  will  be  one  the  citizens 
of  Saginaw  may  well  be  proud. 

Why  Saginaw  Has  Two  Post  Offices 

Saginaw  has  the  peculiar  distinction  of  being  the  only  city  in  the  United 
States,  excepting  Greater  New  York,  to  have  two  separate  and  distinct  post 
offices  and  two  postmasters  and  deputy  postmasters.  While  there  may  have 
been  some  practical  reasons  for  retaining  both  offices  when  the  two  cities 
were  consolidated  in  1890,  they  have  long  since  lost  force  and  today  the 
separate  post  offices  are  a  detriment  to  the  city  and  to  efficient  service,  so 
far  as  the  West  Side  is  concerned.  It  matters  not  to  the  residents  of  the 
East  Side  whether  the  West  Side  office  is  a  part  of  the  East  Side  post 
office  or  not.  since  all  mail  directed  to  Saginaw  comes  direct  to  the  East 
Side  office,  and  is  quickly  distributed  to  boxes  or  delivered  to  offices  or 
homes. 

On  the  West  Side,  however,  whose  post  office  is  officially  designated 
?.s  Saginaw.  West  Side,  the  situation  is  entirely  different.  All  mail  for 
this  office  which  is  properly  directed  with  the  words  "West  Side"  placed 
afier  the  name  of  the  city  goes,  of  course,  direct  to  this  office  and  is  promptly 
distributed  in  due  course.  All  other  postal  matter  for  this  section  of  the 
city,  where  the  special  designation  is  omitted,  even  when  the  street  address 
is  given,  goes  first  to  the  Saginaw  post  office  on  the  East  Side,  is  there 
sorted,  pouched  as  for  any  mail  route,  and  dispatched  by  wagon  to  the 
West  Side  office.  There  it  is  resorted  and  in  regular  course  delivered,  but 
from  six  to  eighteen  hours  after  it  should  have  reached  its  destination. 
All  morning  mail  thus  resorted  and  dispatched  is  not  delivered  by  carrier 
until  afternoon,  while  the  afternoon  mails  go  over  until  the  following  day. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  West  Side  mail  matter  is  thus  unnecessarily  delayed 
in  transit  and  delivery,  much  to  the  disadvantage  of  business  men  and 
residents  of  that  part  of  the  city. 

This  peculiar  situation  is  due  entirely  to  the  postal  regulations  govern- 
ing separate  post  offices,  and   which  can   not  lie  changed  to   meet   the   local 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


<><>9 


THE     FEDERAL     BUILDING     AT    SAGINAW 

conditions.  A  main  sub-post  office  on  the  West  Side,  for  the  dispatch  oi 
mail  and  affording  general  postal  facilities,  would  serve  the  residents  of  this 
section  of  the  citv  far  better  than  any  independent  office  could.  With  one 
post  office  all  mail  could  he  delivered  by  carrier  direct  from  the  Saginaw 
office  with  only  one  handling,  and  the  time  of  delivery  materially  shortened. 
A  sub-office  on  the  West  Side  would  not  abridge  <  >r  curtail  any  of  the  postal 
facilities  now   enjoyed   by  the  citizens   over   there. 

The  main  objection  to  making  the  office  a  sub-post  office,  raised  by 
certain  "West  Siders"  is  that  the  West  Side  would  thus  lose  its  identity 
and  independence.  They  do  not  like  "'giving  in"  to  the  East  Side.  The 
logic  of  this  position  is  not  clear,  since  both  sections  of  the  city  comprise 
one  municipality  having  supposedly  single  aims  and  single  broad  purposes. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  a  union  of  aims  and  purposes  does  not  exist, 
or,  indeed,  ever  existed,  a  certain  element  on  the  West  Side  Mill  adhering 
to  the  old  animosities  and  jealousies  of  their  fathers.  This  is  a  deplorable 
condition  which  has  interfered  with  the  possible  advancement  of  the  city. 

The  real  and  logical  reason  for  maintaining  two  post  offices  in  Saginaw 
is  one  of  politics.  Every  consideration  of  economics  and  public  service  is 
opposed  to  separate  post  offices,  yet,  from  the  political  point  of  view  there  is 
every  reason  for  opposing  any  change.  For  sixteen  years,  embracing  con- 
secutive terms  of  our  esteemed  Congressman,  Joseph  W.  Fordney,  the  office 
of  postmaster  on  the  West  Side  was  held  by  his  private  secretary  and 
faithful  henchman,  "Bud"  Brady,  and  while  the  office  was  administered 
satisfactorily,  considering  the  handicaps  of  delayed  mail  deliveries,  the  fact 
is  apparent  that  his  long  tenure  of  office  was  due  entirely  to  a  strong 
political  influence,  rather  than  to  any  unusual  ability  or  traits  of  probity. 
This  condition  is  likely  to  continue,  since  few  West  Side  residents  perceive 
the  disadvantages  of  the  separate  office,  or  else  do  not  care  to  relinquish  their 
fancied  identity  or  independence.  That  a  large  section  of  the  city  should 
suffer  from  this  twin-post  office  politics  is  inconceivable  to  outsiders. 


670  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

Two  Post  Offices  Are  a  Detriment  to  the  City 

Another  detriment  to  the  city  in  having  two  post  offices  is  the  dis- 
crepancy which  arises  in  the  official  statements  of  the  postal  business  tran- 
sacted in  Saginaw.  To  Michigan  and  the  outside  world  this  city  is  known 
as  Saginaw  and,  being  one  municipality,  no  one  thinks  of  "Saginaw,  West 
Side,"  as  a  separate  and  distinct  post  office.  Consequently,  in  comparing 
the  official  statements  of  postal  business  in  Saginaw  and  other  cities  of 
its  class,  the  figures  for  the  Saginaw  office  only  are  taken,  with  the  result 
that  the  totals  are  about  twenty  per  cent,  less  than  the  combined  totals 
of  both  Saginaw  post  offices.  This  is  an  injustice  to  the  city  and  makes  it 
appear,  insofar  as  its  postal  business  is  a  criterion  of  its  commercial  activity, 
in  a  very  poor  light.  To  outsiders  the  city  is  of  less  consequence  than  it 
really  is. 

Saginaw  Postal  Business  for  1915-16 

In  order  to  show  the  actual  postal  business  of  Saginaw  the  following 
table,  compiled  from  the  official  reports  for  the  year  ending  June  30,  1916, 
is  given : 

Per  Cent.       Sag. 
Sag.         Inc.  1915       W.  S.  Total 

Total    receipts    $190,622.88         6.6       $47,040.59       $237,663.47 

Insured    parcel    post    packages         21,090  55.  5,980  27,070. 

Fees  on  same   70'  '.46      21.  233.88  ''43.34 

C.  O.  D.  parcels 5,085  26.  630  5.715 

Fees  on  same   210.24       17.  65.00  27^.24 

Amusements 

The  means  of  recreation  and  enjoyment  in  olden  times  were  not  numer- 
ous, compared  with  those  of  today,  but  were  suited  to  the  tastes  of  different 
el  Lsses  of  the  inhabitants.  Among  outdoor  sports  the  chief  recreation  was 
boating  on  the  river  which,  for  want  of  roads,  was  the  convenient  and 
customary  means  of  travel  between  the  valley  settlements.  Canoes  and 
batteaux  were  numerous  and  dotted  the  stream  between  the  villages,  giving 
a  touch  of  activity  to  the  quiet  waters.  In  winter  skating  and  snow  parties 
were  the  favorite  pastimes,  and  as  the  bayou  was  then  open  through  the 
business  section  of  East  Saginaw,  one  could  skate  uninterrupted  on  it  from 
above  Hayden's  Bayou  down  across  Genesee  Street,  where  Barie's  store 
now  stands,  and  beyond  into  the  dense  wood-,  which  covered  what  is  now 
the  second  ward.  Many  of  our  oldest  residents  remember  the  low  ground. 
most  of  which  was  covered  with  water,  along  Genesee,  Tuscola,  German, 
Franklin  and  North  Warren,  between  Washington  and  Jefferson  Streets, 
where  they  skated  in  Winter  and  fished  in  Summer. 

Buena  Vista  Hall,  on  the  third  floor  of  the  first  brick  block  erected  in 
Fast  Saginaw,  at  Genesee  and  Water  Streets,  and  Irving  Hall,  in  the  four- 
story  building  adjoining  on  Genesee  Street,  were  the  first  public  meeting 
places  where  lectures,  concerts,  dances  and  parties,  as  well  as  church  services 
were  held.  Afterward  Jackson  Hall,  in  Washington  Street  on  the  site  of 
Wright's  Hotel,  was  a  popular  hall.  Fred  Douglas  lectured  there  on  the 
evening  of  January  31.  1868,  John  B.  Goff.  on  February  3.  following,  and 
many  noted  men  appeared  on  it-  boards.  The  building  was  burned  in  the 
big  fire  of  May  26,  1873.     A  view  of  the  ruins  appears  on  page  209. 

The   Academy  of  Music 
For  the  lovers  of  the  drama  the  old  Academy  of  Music  and  Bordwell's 
Opera   House  gave  the  residents  of  all  classes  all  the  thrill  and  excitement 
desired,    while    the    Germania    Hall    and    the    Did    Armory    were    convenient 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  671 


meeting  places  for  the  people.  The  need  for  a  first-class  opera  house  was 
long  recognized,  and  in  1883  the  Academy  of  Music  Company  was  organized, 
and  a  new  brick  theatre  building  was  erected,  John  H.  Qualmann,  contractor, 
at  the  northeast  corner  of  Washington  and  William  (Janes)  Streets.  Wil- 
liam L.  Webber  was  president,  Wellington  R.  Burt,  vice-president  ana 
William   C.   McClure,   secretary,  of  the  company. 

The  Academy  of  Music  was  a  large  and  substantial  structure,  seventy  by 
one  hundred  and'forty  feet  in  dimensions,  and  cost  seventy  thousand  dollars. 
Its  stage  was  thirty-five  feet  in  depth  and  sixty-eight  in  width,  and  was  ade- 
quately hung  with  all  necessary  drops  and  scenery,  including  a  fine  drop  cur- 
tain painted  by  Robert  Hopkin,  a  Michigan  artist  of  some  celebrity,  and  which 
was  greatly  admired  by  our  citizens  in  general.  The  auditorium,  which 
had  a  seating  capacity  of  twelve  hundred  persons,  was  noted  for  its  fine 
accoustic  properties,  and  was  admirably  arranged  for  obtaining  a  good  view 
of  the  stage  from  every  part  of  the  house.  It  was  comfortably  seated  and  had 
in  addition  to  the  orchestra  circle,  parquette,  dress  circle  and  gallery,  four 
boxes  and  ten  Ioges. 

At  the  time  of  its  opening,  on  the  evening  of  December  16,  1884,  the 
Academy  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  finest  theatres  in  Michigan,  its  furnish- 
ings and  appointments  being  first-class  in  every  respect.  The  initial  per- 
formance was  a  gala  event  in  this  city,  the  presentation  being  "Lenore," 
an  adaptation  of  "Lorlie,"  with  Mme.  Janisch  in  the  leading  role.  The 
house  was  crowded  with  the  elite  of  Saginaw  society,  and  from  that  hour  it 
sprang  into  favor  with  all  theatre-goers.  The  second  night  the  same 
company  appeared  in  "Camille,"  the  star  role  being  filled  by  Mme.  Janisch. 
The  attractions  offered  by  Clay  &  Buckley,  the  managers  of  the  Academy, 
were  of  the  highest  grade,  such  celebrities  as  Booth,  Barrett,  Salvini,  Fanny 
Davenport,  Jefferson   and  others  having  filled   engagements  in  this   theatre. 

Upon  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Buckley  from  the  theatrical  firm  operating 
the  Academy,  Sam  G.  Clay  continued  the  management  for  several  years, 
but  was  at  length  succeeded  by  John  A.  Davidson,  who  had  been  in  active 
charge  of  the  affairs  for  a  long  period.  About  ten  years  ago  the  house  was 
sold  to  outside  capitalists,  and  in  1911  was  leased  to  the  Butterfield  interests. 
After  the  expiration  of  their  lease  in  1915,  the  Academy  was  operated 
by  the  owners,  the  National  Amusement  Company,  with  Fred  E.  Button  as 
manager. 

On  the  night  of  April  17,  1' '17,  the  Academy  was  totally  destroyed  by 
nre  which  started  on  the  stage.  As  the  house  was  "dark"  the  fire  was  not 
discovered  until  the  flames  burst  through  the  roof,  and  in  an  incredibly  short 
time  the  entire  structure  was  a  fiery  furnace.  Among  the  older  residents 
strong  feelings  of  sentiment  were  attached  to  this  popular  old  playhouse,  and 
much  regret  was  expressed  at  the  loss  of  it.  The  destruction  of  the  Hopkin 
curtain,  a  real  work  of  art,  was  greatly  deplored,  and  was  said  to  be  the  last 
of  four  or  five  curtains  painted  by  the  celebrated  artist,  a  native  of  Michigan. 

A  Unique  Character 

Sam  G.  Clay,  the  old-time  theatrical  manager,  was  a  unique  character 
who  entered  the  profession  as  a  musician  and  actor  at  an  earl}-  age.  He 
was  born  at  Bath,  England,  February  14,  1817.  When  scarcely  sixteen 
years  of  age  he  joined  the  elder  Booth,  travelling  in  the  East  and  Middle 
West.  In  the  absence  of  opera  houses  they  played  in  hotel  dining  rooms 
or  other  large  rooms  that  might  lie  available,  using  sheets  as  curtains,  anil 
improvised  stages  made  of  boxes  and  old  lumber  to  raise  the  performers 
slightly  above  the  audience  seats. 


672 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


SAM    G.    CLAY 


In  the  early  seventies  Mr.  (lay  and  others  organized  the  pioneer  theat- 
rical  circuit  in  .Michigan,  if  not  in  the  United  States,  and  included  such  cities 
as  Detroit.  Saginaw,  Bay  City,  Port  Huron,  Flint,  Ann  Arbor,  and  at  times 
St.    Louis   and   other   small   places,   in   one   night    stands.      Erlanger,   later  of 

Klaw   ec    Erlanger.    was   1 king  agent,   and    John    A.    Davidson    was    ticket 

seller  in  the  Detroit  Opera  House.  Although  most  of  the  advertising  was 
done  in  newspapers,  Mr.  Clay  erected  the  first  bill  boards  in  Saginaw,  one 
(if  which  was  on  Genesee  Street,  where  the  Jeffers  Fountain  now  stands. 
The  first  paper  put  on  was  of  the  Dupree  and  Benedict  Minstrels,  during 
Civil  War  times. 

In  the  early  days  of  Clay's  theatrical  life  it  was  the  custom  of  the 
managers  to  meet  once  a  year  in  Xew  York  City,  to  arrange  bookings,  etc. 
These  men  hail  an  informal  organization  but  later  they  formed  the  Order 
of  Elks.  Among  the  charter  members  were  Clay  of  Saginaw,  Bidwell  of 
Xew  Orleans,  and  McVicker  of  Chicago.  In  recognition  of  Mr.  Clay's  high 
standing,  and  his  services  in  obtaining  the  local  charter  in  the  order,  the  scope 
of  which  had  been  enlarged  to  include  other  than  actors,  he  was  made  a  life 
member  of  Saginaw  Lodge  Xo.  47.  in  1892.  In  appreciation  of  this  action 
he  presented  the  order  with  a  number  of  fine  portraits  of  famous  actors  of 
the  early  days. 

In  striking  contrast  to  the  theatrical  amusements  of  thirty  or  more 
years  ago,  are  the  offerings  of  newer  theatres  and  moving  picture  houses, 
which  I'm-  diversity  and  human  interest  far  surpass  anything  in  the  past. 
This  is  apparent  in  the  wide  u^e>  to  which  the  Auditorium,  the  municipal 
theatre  and  convention  hall  are  put.  This  large  structure  was  erected  in 
1908  through  the  munificence  of  two  wealthy  citizens,  and  with  its  splendid 
equipment  affords  everv  facility  for  presenting  plays,  musical  festivals,  con- 
certs ami  recitals,  commercial  exhibitions,  fairs,  dances  and  banquets.  An 
account  of  the  Auditorium  is  given   in   pages  2M-66. 

In  1902,  when  the  (las  Building,  at  Washington  and  Germania  Avenues, 
was  erected  by  the  late  Michael  Jeffers.  the  plans  were  enlarged  to  include 
the  rebuilding  of  the  brick  buildings  adjoining  on  the  north.  The  recon- 
struction provided  for  a  new  theatre  at  the  rear  of  these  buildings,  and  when 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  673 


completed  was  named  Jeft'ers  Theatre,  after  its  owner.  The  new  theatre  was 
opened  on  August  2,  1902,  by  Bamford  &  Marks,  as  a  vaudeville  house,  and 
instantly  met  with  great  favor  by  all  classes  of  the  people.  This  form  of 
amusement  was  not  new  to  Saginawians,  as  such  shows  had  been  given 
for  several  seasons  in  the  Casino  at  Riverside  Park,  with  success.  The 
leffers  Theatre  extended  this  popular  amusement  from  a  few  weeks  run  in 
Summer  to  nearly  a  whole  year.  Afterward  stock  plays  of  good  grade  were 
put  on  at  intervals,  and  in  1915  moving  pictures  replaced  the  old  policy. 
Early  in  1917  the  letters  returned  to  vaudeville  with  renewal  of  its  former 
prosperity.  The  theatre  property  is  now  owned  by  E.  A.  and  B.  Goff, 
capitalists  of  this  city. 

The   Franklin   Theatre 

With  a  laudable  purpose  of  giving  this  city  another  commodious  theatre, 
some  enterprising  business  men  of  South  Franklin  Street,  and  others,  formed 
a  company  in  May,  1914,  and  erected  the  Franklin  Theatre  at  the  corner 
of  Germauia  Avenue.  The  officers  of  the  company  were:  Julius  B.  Kirby, 
president;  Herbert  \Y.  .Merrill,  Vice-president;  David  Swinton,  secretary, 
and  Peter  Mitts,  treasurer.  The  new  theatre  is  a  modern,  fire-proof  structure 
of  splendid  appointments,  costing  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars. 
It  was  opened  under  the  most  favorable  auspices  on  the  night  of  February  22. 
1915,  playing  high-class  vaudeville. 

In  this  field  of  amusement,  however,  the  Franklin  was  destined  to  mis- 
fortune. Owing  to  strong  opposition  and  questionable  methods  employed 
by  competitors,  the  lessees  of  the  Jeffers,  the  former  company  was  prevented 
from  securing  the  class  of  bookings  to  which  it  aimed,  and  much  disappoint- 
ment resulted,  not  only  to  the  stockholders  and  directors  of  the  company 
hut  to  patrons  as  well.  Litigation  followed  in  which  existing  hard  feelings 
were  intensified,  and  the  difficulties  were  only  settled  by  leasing  the  theatre 
to  the  Ilutterfield  Syndicate,  who  took  charge  July  1,  1915.  After  extensive 
alterations  to  improve  faulty  accoustics  and  make  the  house  more  com- 
fortable, it  was  opened  to  vaudeville  enthusiasts.  Cater  it  was  changed 
to  high-grade  moving  pictures,  in  which  field  it  meets  with  large  patronage 
and  probable   success. 

In  recent  years  the  moving  picture  houses  have  become  a  leading  factor 
in  public  amusements,  and  in  this  respect  the  city  is  well  provided.  Pesides 
the  theatres  already  mentioned,  all  of  which  are  equipped  for  animated 
pictures,  there  are  no  less  than  fifteen  "movie"  houses.  Some  of  these  are 
located  at  South  Saginaw,  on  South  Michigan  Avenue  and  Potter  Street. 
The  leading  picture  theatres  are  the  Franklin.  Palace,  Mecca,  Bijou, 
Dreamland,  Wolverine  and  Family,  in  which  high-class  films  are  shown. 
meriting  the  patronage  of  particular  people. 

The  Advent  of  the  Automobile 

The  advent  of  the  horseless  carriage,  as  all  motor  vehicles  were  first 
known,  was  an  important  event  in  our  local  history.  For  several  years  before 
the  first  power  wagon  was  seen  on  the  streets  of  Saginaw,  experiments  were 
made  in  widely  separated  places  to  produce  a  carriage  that  would  propell 
itself  with  some  degree  of  dependency.  Some  experimenters  adhered  to  the 
steam  engine  as  a  proper  motive  power,  claiming  that  it  was  far  more  reliable 
in  operation  than  any  other  type  of  engine,  its  steady,  even  power  being 
applied  to  the  driving  wheels  without  vibration  or  jar.  Others  adopted  the 
gas  explosion  engine  as  offering  the  ideal  power  for  light  vehicles;  and  their 
experiments  were  carried  on  with  great  zeal  to  perfect  an  engine  which  would 
be  reliable  and  satisfactory. 


674  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

For  a  while  steam  was  the  favorite  power,  as  the  simple  slide  valve 
engine  was  dependable,  seldom  getting  out  of  order,  its  great  flexibility  and 
smooth  running  qualities  recommending  it  to  most  pioneer  motorists.  The 
generator  of  steam  for  it,  however,  was  a  real  problem,  and  on  this  deficiency 
the  steam  engine  fell  down.  The  generators  then  used,  whether  of  the  flash 
or  fire-tube  types,  were  seldom  of  sufficient  capacity  to  supply  the  engine  with 
steam  at  high  effective  pressure  under  adverse  conditions.  They  required 
constant  attention  of  the  driver  when  running,  and  despite  the  utmost  vigil- 
ance burning  of  boilers  frequently  occurred.  In  the  early  days,  until  the  four- 
cylinder  gas  engine  was  brought  to  some  degree  of  dependability,  the  twin 
cylinder  steam  carriage  was  the  more  satisfactory  motor  vehicle.  With  it 
one  could  drive  into  the  country  with  a  reasonable  hope  of  getting  home  with- 
out hishap ;  and  he  generally  passed  one  or  two  gas  engine  wagons  helpless 
on  the  road. 

Coming  of  the  First  Automobile 

The  first  horseless  carriage  seen  in  Saginaw  was  a  Locomobile  steamer 
owned  and  driven  by  Chauncey  W.  Penoyer,  who  brought  it  here  in  the 
Summer  of  1900.  He  drove  it  about  the  city  and  on  the  main  roads,  enter- 
taining his  friends  with  the  novel  experience  of  riding  in  a  "fire-spitting 
devil"  carriage.  It  was,  indeed,  a  thrilling  and  sometimes  an  exciting  expe- 
rience, as  the  difficulties  of  free  propulsion  were  many,  and  when  driven  to 
its  full  power  a  speed  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  miles  an  hour  was  often 
attained. 

The  chief  drawback  to  enjoyable  motoring  at  that  time  was  scared  horses, 
confused  cattle,  and  bewildered  people.  The  former  invariably  shied  at  the 
sight  of  the  steam  puffing  carriage  driven  by  an  invisible  power,  and  run- 
aways were  of  frequent  occurrence.  Cattle  generally  stood  stolid  across  the 
road  effectually  blocking  a  passage,  and  had  to  be  driven  away  by  the  motor- 
ist before  he  could  proceed  on  his  way.  People  stared  at  the  strange  spectacle 
of  a  carriage  running  smoothly  without  any  visible  power,  and  some  scurried 
away  to  a  safe  distance  to  avoid  the  fearsome  vehicle.  It  was  even  questioned 
that  such  wagons  had  any  right  to  the  use  of  the  streets  and  roads,  and  many 
heated  arguments  arose  on  this  point.  As  a  result  the  steamers  were  driven 
at  a  very  moderate  speed,  compared  with  the  average  rate  of  speed  today,  and 
serious  accidents  were  relatively  few. 

This  first  Locomobile  steamer,  after  a  short  but  eventful  service,  met 
with  a  distressing  accident  which  proved  fatal  to  one  of  its  passengers.  On 
the  evening  of  November  6,  1900,  while  driving  north  on  North  Jefferson 
Avenue,  Air.  Penoyer  momentarily  lost  control  of  the  carriage,  a  front  wheel 
struck  the  curb,  and  the  three  occupants  were  thrown  violently  to  the  pave- 
ment. C.  Kirke  Eddy,  youngest  son  of  Charles  K.  Eddy  a  prominent  lumber- 
man of  this  city,  struck  the  stone  curbing  fracturing  his  skull.  Lie  died 
November  10.  This  sad  accident  dampened  the  motoring  spirit  of  the  others, 
and  for  a  time  the  steamer  was  stored  in  a  bicycle  shop.  At  length  it  was 
overhauled  and  repaired  and  sold  to  Doctor  L.  W.  Bliss,  who  used  it  regu- 
larly in  making  his  calls.  He  was  one  of  the  first  physicians  in  this  city  to 
use  a  motor  vehicle  in  his  profession. 

The  second  steam  carriage,  also  of  the  Locomobile  production  but  having 
a  Victoria  top,  was  brought  here  in  December.  1900.  by  the  historian.  This 
carriage  of  rather  limited  steaming  radius,  as  were  all  steamers  of  that  early 
date,  was  driven  very  successfully  not  only  in  the  city  but  on  all  passable 
roads  in  the  county  and  some  distance  beyond.  In  the  eight  years  it  was  in 
service  here  several  enjoyable  trips  were  made  to  various  cities  in  the  State, 
although  some  difficulty  was  encountered  with  sand  ami  mud  roads.  There 
were  few  improved  highways  in  those  days,  even  between  the  largest  cities 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


675 


of  the  State,  and  motoring  for  pleasure  was  limited  to  driving  on  smooth 
pavements  in  the  city,  and  cm  the  plank  road  to  Bridgeport,  Frankenmuth, 
Vassar  and  other  nearby  places. 

The  First  Gas  Propelled  Carriage 

To  Albert  T.  Ferrell  belongs  the  honor  of  having  brought  to  Saginaw  the 
first  gas  propelled  carriage.  This  was  late  in  the  Fall  of  1900.  The  motor 
was  a  "single  lunger"  (one  cylinder)  Haynes  and  the  carriage  itself  was  of 
wonderful  proportions  and  construction,  and  it  ran  quite  satisfactorily  when 
the  engine  felt  like  running.  Mr.  Ferrell  drove  this  pioneer  motor  buggy  for 
a  year  or  two,  and  then  traded  it  in  for  a  new  and  improved  model.  Ever 
since  he  has  been  one  of  Saginaw's  most  enthusiastic  motorists,  taking  greal 
pride  in  the  mechanical  excellence  of  his  motor  equipment. 

During  the  Summer  of  1901  eight  or  ten  other  horseless  carriages,  mostly 
of  the  steam  type,  were  brought  to  this  city.  The  owners  were:  Daniel  W. 
Briggs,  Frank  < ',.  Palmerton,  Arthur  D.  Eddy,  Harry  T.  Wickes,  Charles  W. 
Bradford,  William  G.  Hay  and  \V.  G.  Van  Auken. 


A    SAGINAW    MADE    AUTOMOBILE,    1918 

In  the  same  Summer  Rusco  &  Holland's  minstrels  visited  this  city,  and 
created  more  than  usual  notice  and  comment.  For  among  their  principal 
attractions  was  a  steam  automobile  which  headed  the  parade.  Horseless 
carriages  were  still  a  curiosity,  especially  in  the  country,  and  throngs  came 
to  see  the  steam  puffing  vehicle.  When  the  steamer  was  unloaded  from  the 
express  car  which  had  brought  it  from  another  city,  the  tires  were  soft,  and, 
in  the  absence  of  any  garage  or  repair  shop  in  the  city,  George  E.  Spring,  a 
well  known  bicycle  dealer,  was  called  to  fix  them.  The  show  men  had  had 
other  trouble  in  operating  the  carriage,  and  becoming  discouraged  they  de- 
cided to  dispose  of  it.  After  some  dickering  they  sold  it  the  following  day 
to  Mr.  Spring.  He  overhauled  the  machinery  and  put  it  in  good  running- 
order,  and  drove  it  the  balance  of  the  season.  Shortly  after  this  pioneer 
steam  carriage  became  the  property  of  William  Zeman,  who  used  it  success- 
fully, though  with  the  customary  troubles,  for  several  years. 

The  White  Steam  Carriage  appeared  in  1902  and,  as  it  possessed  many 
desirable  features  in  generating  steam,  attracted  several  buyers  here.  Later, 
when  the  large  touring  body,  with  detachable  tonneau,  was  introduced,  three 
or  four  were  sold  to  Saginaw  pioneer  motorists  who  derived  much  pleasure 
in  driving  them. 

The  First  Popular  Gasoline  Cars 

When  the  curve-dash  Oldsmobile  and  the  two-cylinder  Autocar  came  on 
the  market,  the  public  interest  in  the  horseless  carriage  was  greatly   stimu- 


•576 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


lated,  and  it  was  not  long  before  these  more  dependable  ears  became  familiar 
to  everybody.  The  first  one-cylinder  Cadillac  ear  appeared  at  about  that  time 
and  found  eager  buyers.  By  1905  there  were  at  least  one  hundred  automo- 
biles in  Saginaw  and.  excepting  about  fifteen  steam  ears,  all  were  of  the 
gasoline  motor  type  of  single  and  double  cylinders.  After  that  the  number 
of  motor  propelled  carriages  seen  on  the  streets  of  Saginaw  increased  rapidly. 

The  City  Exacts  a  License 

Late  in  1904  the  common  council  passed  an  ordinance  defining  the  rights 
of  automobiles  on  the  streets  of  the  city,  regulating  the  speed  at  which  such 
carriages  should  be  operated,  and  fixed  a  charge  of  two  dollars  as  a  license 
fee.  Si  mie  provisions  of  this  ordinance  seem  ridiculous  today,  namely,  the 
automobile  owner  must  provide  metal  numbers  six  inches  in  height,  accord- 
ing to  his  license  number,  and  placed  on  the  rear  of  the  body  of  his  car;  and 
the  speed  such  vehicles  could  be  operated  was  limited  to  five  miles  an  hour 
in  the  business  section,  and  eight  miles  in  all  other  parts  of  the  city.  But 
nearly  all  owners  drove  their  cars  with  far  more  care  and  caution  than  is  now 
exercised,  and  accidents,  either  t  <  >  themselves  or  the  public,  were  few. 

Since  1905  the  use  of  motor  vehicles  in  Saginaw  County,  as  elsewhere, 
has  increased  at  a  remarkable  rate.  To  enumerate  all  features  of  this  de- 
velopment would  be  beyond  our  purpose.  It  is  suffice  to  state  that  in  1917 
the  number  of  automobiles  in  the  county  was  more  than  five  thousand,  about 
three  thousand  of  which  were  owned  in  the  city. 

Alfred  W.  Norris  Opens  the  First  Garage 
The  first  public  garage  for  the  care  and  repair  of  automobiles  was  started 
about  1902  by  Alfred  W.  Norris,  on  South  Washington  Street.  A  few  months 
later  tile  Saginaw  Automobile  Company  was  organized  by  the  Eddy  ami 
Wickes  brothers,  ami  the  building  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Water  and 
Genesee  Streets  was  remodeled  and  converted  into  a  large  and  conveniently 
arranged  garage.  The  following  year  Mr.  Norris  purchased  the  business  out- 
right, and  moved  his  own  into  the  more  commodious  quarters.  He  developed 
a  large  patronage  at  this  place,  as  he  had  at  the  time  the  only  adequate  facili- 
ties for  recharging  the  batteries  of  electric  carriages  in  Saginaw.  A  number 
of  the  best  and  most  popular  cars  were  sold  there  for  several  years,  but  at 
length  this  garage  took  over  the  exclusive  agency  for  the  Ford  car.  Shortly 
after  Mr.  Norris  retired  from  the  automobile  business. 


OFFICE    BUILDING    AT    GENESEE    AND    JEFFERSON    AVENUES 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS 


677 


INTERIOR    OF    OFFICE    OUTFITTING    STORE 

The  H.  B.  Arnold  Company 

Among  the  successful  retail  houses  of  Saginaw  is  the  H.  B.  Arnold  Com- 
pany, whose  attractive  store  is  at  129  North  Franklin  Street.  The  company 
was  organized  in  191-2  by  some  well  known  business  men,  with  a  capital  stuck 
of  twenty-rive  thousand  dollars.  The  stockholders  were:  M.  1'.  Gale,  Thomas 
G.  Gale."  James  E.  Vincent,  A.  H.  Fish,  R.  B.  Thayer  and  H.  B.  Arnold; 
and  shortly  after  E.  V.  Wynkoop  acquired  an  interest  in  the  company. 

The  business  was  started  on  June  1,  1912,  at  213-15  Germania  Avenue, 
which  at  the  time  was  the  only  suitable  storerooms  available.  This  location 
was  not  as  accessible  to  the  trade  as  was  deemed  necessary  to  the  most 
successful  conduct  of  the  business,  and  on  January  1,  1913,  the  stock  was 
removed  to  the  present  location  which  affords  every  facility  fur  handling  a 
large  business.  Besides  the  broad,  well  lighted  store  there  is  a  conveniently 
arranged  stuck  room,  forty  by  sixty  feet  in  size,  en  an  upper  floor,  in  which 
a  large  reserve  stock  is  carried. 

In  this  convenient  location  the  company  does  a  satisfactory  business  as 
general  office  outfitters,  including  office  furniture,  riling  cabinets  and  sates. 
All  kinds  of  office  stationery,  loose  leaf  devices,  printed  forms  and  cards,  as 
well  as  all  supplies  for  the  office  are  constantly  in  stock.  The  company  is 
exclusive  agent  for  Cutler  desks,  B.  L.  Marble  chairs,  Y  &  E  filing  devices, 
and  the  Herring-Hall-Marvin  safes.  There  is  also  a  department  of  fine 
stationery  and  engraving,  which  is  popular  with  the  social  element  of  the  city 
and  vicinity. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  business  it  was  foreseen  that  a  considerable  trade 
in  the  general  line  of  office  outfitting  could  be  developed  in  the  northern  and 
western  sections  of  the  State,  and  in  the  "Thumb'"  district  to  the  northeast. 
Acting  on  this  well  founded  belief  Mr.  Arnold  sent  salesmen  through  these 
sections' to  develop  the  trade.  The  results  of  these  efforts  were  very  satis- 
factory, and  today  the  company  enjoys  a  large  business  from  the  cities  and 
towns  thus  covered,  including  Owosso  and  intervening  points.  Wherever 
the  name  of  The  11.  B.  Arnold  Company  has  been  carried  and  a  foothold 
secured  in  the  trade,  a  growing  business  has  resulted,  and  the  outlook  for 
future  trade  is  very  bright. 


67S 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


EMIL    SCHWAHN 


CHARLES   A.    KHUEN 


CURT    SCHWAHN 


The  Schwahn-Khuen  Agency 

The  three  enterprising  citizens  whose  portraits  appear  above,  constitute 
the  Schwahn-Khuen  Agency,  insurance  writers.  Born  and  reared  in  Saginaw 
they  have  spent  their  entire  life  here,  and  aided  in  the  advancement  of  the 
material  interests  of  the  city.  By  industry,  integrity  and  perseverance  they 
have  built  up  a  large  and  profitable  agency,  and  number  among  their  many 
patrons  some  of  the  prominent  men  and  large  industrial  and  commercial 
institutii  ins. 

The  Schwahn-Khuen  Agency  is  a  combination  of  the  old  Khuen  Insur- 
ance Agency  and  the  well  known  firm  of  V.  E.  Schwann  &  Brother,  insurance 
writers,  which  was  effected  in  1910.  The  former  agency  was  established  in 
1852  by  the  late  Richard  Khuen,  who  for  many  years  was  an  accurate  and 
reliable  underwriter,  and  held  the  confidence  of  the  insuring  public.  In  the 
eighteen-eighties  such  substantial  companies  as  the  Hanover,  Citizens,  Con- 
tinental and  German  American,  of  New  York;  the  Royal,  of  Liverpool,  and 
other  foreign  and  American  companies  were  represented  by  him.  Upon  his 
death  the  business  was  continued  by  his  son,  Charles  A.  Khuen,  who  was  the 
secretary  of  the  Saginaw  County  Savings  Bank.  For  many  years  the  office 
was  in  the  Miller  Block,  at  the  corner  of  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets. 

The  younger  firm  of  insurance  writers  was  founded  in  1900  by  V.  Emil 
Schwahn,  who  by  great  energy  and  native  ability  soon  developed  a  successful 
agency.  He  then  interested  his  brother.  Curt  Schwahn,  in  the  growing 
agency.  By  transacting  all  business  on  an  unquestioned  basis  they  won  the 
confidence  of  the  public,  and  enjoyed  an  enviable  position  among  the  reliable 
insurance  men  of  this  city. 

In  1910,  with  that  spirit  of  enterprise  and  progress  which  had  marked 
their  career,  the  Schwahn  Brothers  and  Charles  A.  Khuen  consolidated  their 
agencies,  the  union  resulting  in  a  business  which  is  one  of  the  largest  of  its 
kind  in  Saginaw-  With  an  office  in  the  Graebner  Building,  V.  E.  and  Curt 
Schwahn  conduct  the  affairs  of  the  agency  with  singular  ability  and  efficiency. 
"Service"  i--  their  watchword  and  their  monitor. 

Besides  lire  insurance  they  carry  on  a  general  insurance  business,  includ- 
ing tornado,  plate  glass,  compensation,  automobile,  liability  and  indemnity 
insurance. 


VARIED  COMMERCIAL  INTERESTS  679 


SAGINAW   IS 

The  greatest  Railroad  and  Shipping  Center  in  Central  Michigan; 
The  natural  Trading  Center  fur  Northeastern   Michigan  ; 
The  largest  Bean  Shipping  Point  in  Michigan; 
The  Sugar  Bowl  of  Michigan; 

The  greatest  Machinery  Manufacturing  City  in  Northeastern  Michigan  ; 
A  Deep-Water  Port  on  the  Great  Lakes; 

A  most  Desirable  Place  of  Residence   with    Educational  and  Social   Advan- 
tages of  the  Highest  (  trder. 


SAGINAW    HAS 

The  largest  and  most  modernized  Hardware  Store  in  Michigan; 

The  largest  individual  Wholesale  Grocery  House  in  Michigan; 

The  largest  Packing  and  Cold  Storage  House  in  Northeastern   Michigan; 

The  largest  Wholesale  Shoe  and  Rubber  House  in  Michigan; 

The  largest  Wholesale  Dry  Goods  House  in   Northeastern  Michigan; 

The  largest  State  Bank  outside  of  Detroit; 

The  only  daily  Morning  Newspaper  north  of  Detroit; 

Seven  Large  Department  Stores; 

The  largest  Locomotive  and  Car  Repair  Shops  in  Northeastern   Michigan; 

The  largest  Plate  Glass  Works  in  Michigan; 

The  must  modernized  Salt  Making  Plant  in  Michigan; 

The  largest  Rule  and  Tape  Factory  in  the  United  States; 

The  largest  Graphite  Products  Plant  in  the  United  States; 

The   largest  Phonograph  Factory  in  Michigan  ; 

The  largest  Art  Furniture  Factory  in   Northeastern  Michigan; 

Large  Piano  and  Piano  Parts  Factories; 

The  largest  Shade  Roller  Factory  in  Michigan; 

The  largest  Match  Factory  in  Michigan  ; 

The  second  largest  Cash  Register  Factory  in  the  World; 

The  largest  and  best  equipped  Printing  and  Engraving  Plant  in  Northeastern 

Michigan ; 
The  largest  Shipbuilding  Yard  in  Northeastern  Michigan; 
The  largest   Kerosene  Tractor  Motor  Works  in  Michigan; 
The  largest  Vinegar  and  Pickle  Works  in  Northeastern  Michigan  ; 
The  largest  and  finest  Hotel  in  Northeastern  Michigan; 
Three  other  High  Class  Hotels; 

A  Municipal  Theater-  The  Auditorium  —  seating   Four  Thousand; 
Three  other  New  and  Perfectly  Appointed  Theaters. 


GENESEE    AVENUE,    EAST    FROM     WASHINGTON,    1918 


CHAPTER  XXII 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 


Pioneer  Farming — Preparing  the  Ground  —  Primitive  Corn  Planting  —  Close 
Association  Among  Pioneers  —  Some  Were  Migratory  —  First  Wheat  Raised  —  Farm- 
ing on  Green  Point  —  How  the  Farmers  Fared  —  The  "Michigan  Appetite" — Value  of 
Bottom  Lands  —  Wild  Fruits  and  Berries — Early  Fruit  Growing — Grains  and  Veg- 
etables—  Rapid  Increase  in  Agriculture  —  Marshes  Early  Attract  Buyers  —  Winter- 
ing Stock  on  Rushes  —  Reclaiming  Marsh  Lands  —  Development  of  the  Prairie  P'arm  — 
"Mosquito  Road"  Leads  to  Farm  —  A  Bit  of  Holland  in  Michigan  —  Raising  Blooded 
Stock  —  United  States  Land  Office  —  Saginaw  Valley  Agricultural  Society  —  Central 
Agricultural   Society  —  Saginaw   County   Farmers'   <  irganizations. 

PIONEER  farming  in  Saginaw  County  is  now  so  far  away  that  only  a 
few  persons  living  at  an  advanced  age  have  a  more  or  less  distinct 
remembrance  of  the  difficulties  attending  it.  The  average  soil  was  not 
of  that  fertility  the  pioneers  who  came  from  New  York  or  New  England 
were  accustomed  to,  and  there  were  many  surprises  for  those  who  relied 
upon  the  experience  which  the  ruling  opinions  of  their  day  had  prescribed. 
The  egotism  of  some  of  these  adventurous  yoeman  led  them  into  many 
agricultural  pitfalls  and  disappointments.  There  were  instances  where  two 
bushels  of  wheat  per  acre  were  sown  on  raw.  sandy  soil,  with  a  grim  deter- 
mination to  teach  the  natives  a  practical  lesson  in  farming.  The  fuzzy 
product  making  futile  attempts  to  form  a  semblance  of  a  head  was  a  sharp 
reminder  that  Nature  had  some  part  to  perform,  and  ought  to  have  been 
consulted.  Some  settlers  insisted  upon  applying  the  rule  for  planting  corn, 
which  the  jingle, 

"One  lor  the  blackbird,  one  for  the  crow. 
One  for  the  cutworm,  and  three  to  grow." 

had  impressed  upon  their  minds.  But  the  appetites  of  blackbirds  and  crows 
were  insatiable,  and  the  cutworms  were  still  greedy,  so  that  a  hill  of  corn 
came  up  a  tuft,  turned  pale  as  it  advanced,  and  yielded  its  quota  of  nubbins 
and  some  excellent  fodder. 

Preparing   the   Ground 

Much  labor  was  expended  by  our  grandfathers  before  corn  growing 
became  possible.  After  the  trees  were  felled  there  was  cutting  of  brush, 
piling  and  burning  logs,  and  then  the  breaking,  for  which  all  previous  work 
was  but  preliminary.  Holding  a  breaker  drawn  by  seven  yoke  of  oxen  was 
no  sinecure.  It  needed  a  quick  judgment  to  decide  on  which  side  of  a  big 
oak  grub  the  plow  should  go,  to  be  most  effective,  and  then  a  strong  and 
supple  action  to  accomplish  the  purpose.  Sometimes  the  coulter  point  of  the 
plow  would  strike  the  center  of  a  big  oak  rout,  split  it.  and  march  on;  but 
when  the  plow  beame  stuck  fast,  and  the  impetus  of  the  moving  force  was 
stopped,  the  difficulties  multiplied.  Then  came  a  tug  at  the  handles  to 
loosen  the  wedge-shaped  coulter,  and  all  hands  and  often  the  leading  team 
were  required  to  free  the  plow. 

This  plow  was  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made.  No  Curtiss  or  Dodge 
fashioned  its  curves  and  pitch,  and  it  was  not  made  in  great  quantities  at 
South   Bend.      From  a  thrifty   growing  white   oak  tree  its  beam   was  hewed 


lending  the  quality  of  length  and  strength.  Its  mould-board  was  a  rough 
casting,  massive,  thick  and  strong.  The  pitch  of  the  plow  was  the  black- 
smith's art,  and  he  made  both  coulter  and  share  of  steel.  This  -hare  would 
rni  through  four  or  live  inches  of  solid  oak  root,  if  the  proper  inclination  and 
purchase  were  given  the  plow  by  the  holder.  There  was  a  reason  then  for 
deep  plowing,  for  the  deeper  the  plow  went  in  the  ground  the  -mailer  were 
the  roots  of  the  grubs,  and  the  easier  they  cut. 

Harrowing  after  breaking  was  no  holiday  affair.  The  big  harrow  with 
inch  square  teeth,  drawn  by  two  yoke  of  oxen,  pulled  out  the  loose  grubs  and 
partially  levelled  the  ground,  but  there  were  left  roots  sticking  up  which 
had  to  be  cut  t<>  facilitate  the  cradling  of  grain.  After  the  hot  job  of  break- 
ing a  live  grub  would  he  left  u]  rj  square  rod  of  ground.  Plowing 
about  these  fast  grubs  required  some  -kill  and  the  exercise  of  much  patience 
to  keep  the  plow  from  grappling  fast.  \  week'-  work  at  grubbing  required 
the  expenditure  of  sufficient  strength  and  energj  t"  perform  a  whole 
labor  with  modern  appliance-  and  tinder  presenl  conditions  of  soil.  The 
grub  hoe  had  it-  brief  day  af  usefulness  and  was  relegated  t"  the  oblivion  of 
.st> mi             ind  am iwheads. 

Primitive  Corn  Plai.' 

The    advent    of    the    marker,    standing    on    it-    three    lon{  that 

-tump-  were  no  obstruction  to  it-  pi  tep  toward  improve- 

ment in  growing  corn.      It  replaced  the  primitive  method  of  drawing  a  chain 
hack  and  forth,  to  indicate  something  near  the  relative  distance  apart  which 
tradition   had  determined  the  p'w  -  should  he.     Opinions  differed   widel) 
to   the   proper   time    to   plant,   and    generally   conformed    to   the    facilit) 

lie  work,  or  were  timed  to  the  tardiness  of  the  individual.  Tile 
hustler  insisted  that  the  fifth  of  Mav  was  the  proper  time,  while  others, 
not  -i'  earl)   awakened  into  activity.  that  the  best  field  of  corn  the) 

ever  saw  was  planted  in  June.  I'.etween  these  extremes  ranged  the  majority 
of  settlers  in  regular  order,  so  that  changing  work  in  planting  time  could 
he  distributed  among  them   to  meet  the  demam  help  when  the   fields 

were  read)    for  the  seed.     The  meandering  of  ti  i   in  an  oblique  rank 

the   field   was   quite    unique,   the   springing   com    showing   where   the 
leader'-  story  approached  it-  climax  by  the  narrowing  of  the  rows,  and 
closing  peril  d  b)   the  long  ellipses  that  f 

The  activities  of  farming  were  of  a  nature  in  th  days 

than   farmers  are  accustomed   t.>  in  the  present.     There  wa-  a  short   period 

ecu    the    advent    of   clover    a  I    hay.    and    the    mov 

machine,  when  the  scythe   in  the  hands  of  youth  of  immatui 
an   instrument  of  torture,  in  attempts  at  keepin  i     with   tl 

man. 

Close  Association  Among   Pioneers 

The  inherent  de-ire  for  association  among  pioneer  farmi  tified 

b)  numerous  bees,  barn  raisings  and  corn  huskings.  Mere  the  almanac 
predictions  for  the  weather,  the  effect  which  a  -1  m  the  neighborh 

would  have  upon  the  general  market-;  the  durability  of  fern  vith 

the  ti'i>  end  down,  and  diverse  other  questions  were  discussed,  the  kernel  of 
which   was  arrived  at   from   the  general  opinion.     The   majority 

hi"  settlers,   however,   were   mure  interested    in    h  it    of 

the  soil  or  t"  increase  it-  yield.     They  did  not  regard  the  lattei  •inn 

[  importance  until  the  land  had  begun  a  slow  d<  of  fertility,  hut 

when  this  became  a  tangible  truth  it  sifted  out  the  mere  liver-  from  the 
real  farmers.  The  firmer  class  removed  nearer  the  v  er-e  of  civilization,  and 
the  latter  1"  the  situation.      Those   who  remained  and 


those  who  came  into  possession  as  second  proprietors  of  the  farms  were 
the  true  pioneer  farmers.  Their  efforts  were  purely  experimental,  as  the 
experience  gained  in  other  States  was  no  sure  guide  to  win  success  here. 
From  their  unsuccessful  efforts  the  farmer  of  today  has  learned  much  to 
fy  himself  against  succeeding  difficulties,  and  i>  reaping  success  where 
they  harvested  tribulation,  while  those  who  came  after  may  gather  richer 
harvests  from  the  soil  their  grandfathers  and  great-grandfathers  opened  to 
the  sun. 

Some   Were    Migratory 

Nearly  a  century  ago  there  was  a  small  class  of  settlers  who  might   be 
termed   hereditary  "r  habitual   pii  would   penetrate  the.  wilder- 

ness and   select   some   beautiful   location   for  a   temporary   home,   but   would 

ugh   i"   be  surrounded    with   the  comforts  and 
veniences  of  rural  life.     A  traveller  log  house  in  the  wil 


CORN    IS    A    PROFITABLE    CROP 

ness,    w!  mtn     w  i n< I    was    hospitably 

entertained   foi    the  night.     In  the  morning  he  noticed   that  a  lai  iring 

had    been    made,    in    which  and 

ulatecl  the  settler  upon  the  b  his  surrounding 

"Yes,"  he  said,  "it'>  all  ven  pleasant  hi 

"Why,  what's  the  matter.      Isn't  this  a  healthy  plan 

"i  Mi  '  yes,  but  it  is  gel  i  dense  around  here.     There  i-  Jones  settled 

out  in  the  woods  onlj   ten  miles  away,  and  I  hear  of  another  famih   coming 

the  creek  only   five  miles   from  here.     I    must    move  farther  <>n. 

1  will  1 1 ■  •  t  live  where  my  m  an  leave  home  in  the  morning, 

my    house  and  return  home  the  same  night." 

\n  old  ■  |ob  i  »lmstead,  the  father  of  twenty- 

two  children,  all  of  whom,  with  sons-in-law,  daughters-in-law  and  grand- 
children, numbering  mi. re  than  fift  rted  from  Northwestern 
Ohio  in  1832  for  the  Saginaw  Valley.     He  had  heard  of  the  abundant  supply 

di  in  these  water-,  and  was  in  search  of  a  new  wilderness  in  which  t" 
maki  ry  home.     In   November,   1831,  the  trail  between    Flint   and 

inaw   had   been   cleared   of   logs  and   the  creeks   bridged,   so  that    is    was 

ible   to  travel   b\    teams,  but    in  i    the    following  year  a   cyclone 

til  just  north  of  Pine  Run.  levelling  the  timber  of  a  width 


of  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  and  completely  blocking  it.  I  "pen  reach- 
ing this  obstruction  the  Olmsteads,  with  their  teams  of  oxen,  stuck  of  cows 
and  other  animals,  were  in  a  serious  dilemma,  but  they  determined  to  push 
forward,  and  the  people  of  Flint  generously  contributed  a  supply  of  pro- 
visions while  they  cut  through  the  windfall.  In  about  two  weeks  they 
arrived  on  the  banks  of  the  Saginaw  River,  and  found  it  teeming  with  fish 
which  were  easily  caught.  They  found  an  abandoned  clearing  and  a  log 
house  on  the  Tittabawassee,  where  they  lived  fur  a  time,  but  the  family  soon 
became  divided  and  the  father  went  back  to  Pine  Kim.  In  1835  he  and 
Douglas  Thompson  built  a  saw  mill  on  Pine  River.  It  was  nut  long,  how- 
ever, before  the  migratory  habit  asserted  itself  and  all  the  <  (lmsteads  left  for 
Wisconsin,  and  not  one  of  the  numerous  family,  or  any  of  their  descendants, 
have  since  resided  in  Saginaw  Valley. 

First  Wheat  Raised 

Our  Saginaw  pioneers,  at  length  becoming  tired  of  corn  dodgers,  began 
to  raise  a  little  wheat,  but  in  doing  this  they  added  to  their  difficulties.  In 
order  to  get  it  ground  into  flour  they  were  obliged  to  go  to  Flushing  and 
sometimes  to  Waterford  or  Pontiac,  in  Oakland  County,  with  ox  teams,  cut- 
ting their  way  through  the  w Is   for  a  portion  of  the  distance.     Upon  one 

occasion  Murdock  Fraser  (see  Chapter  VII,  page  106)  started  to  mill  with 
thirty  bushels  of  wheat.  Arriving  at  the  Thread  Mill,  one  mile  south  of 
Flint  River,  he  found  the  mill  out  of  repair,  and  went  on  to  blushing,  lie 
was  gone  from  home  ten  days,  and  being  obliged  to  meet  his  expenses  out 
of  his  wheat,  he  found  upon  arriving  home  that  more  than  half  of  his  grist 
had  been  used  up. 

As  to  who  was  the  first  to  raise  wheat  in  this  county  there  may  be  some 
question,  but  upon  the  authority  of  Charles  \Y.  Grant,  a  pioneer  whose 
memory  was  very  keen,  the  honor  falls  to  Charles  A.  Cull.  Mr.  Cull  was 
born  at  Windsor,  Vermont,  May  17,  1809,  and  came  to  Saginaw  in  1833, 
locating  on  eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  one,  Township  of  Spaulding,  and 
became  the  first  fanner  to  cultivate  the  soil  on  the  east  side  of  the  river. 
.About  twenty  years  later  be  located  one  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Bridgeport 
Township,  wdiere  he  lived  until  hi--  death  July  11,  1885.  The  first  wheat 
raised  in  this  county  he  took  to  Waterford  to  be  ground,  carrying  it  on  a 
sleigh  drawn  by  two  yoke  of  oxen.  It  was  said  Airs.  Cull  made  the  first 
cheese  and  first  woolen  cloth  in  this  county.  Mr.  Cull  operated  a  saw  mill  at 
Bridgeport  for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  l.S  >3  sunk  a  salt  well.  1  le  built  the 
Center  House  there,  which  he  kept  for  a  long  period,  and  was  known  as  an 
honest,  upright  townsman. 


DAIRY    FARMING 


INAW    COUNTY 


Farming  on  Green  Point 

"On  the  twenty-seventh  of  March.  1833,"  wrote  Albert  Miller  in  his 
Pioneer  Sketches  (Michigan  Pioneer  Collections,  Vol.  7,  pp.  236-9),  ''we 
commenced  plowing  prairie  land  on  Green  Point  with  three  yoke  of  heavy 
oxen.  We  had  not  been  long  plowing  before  we  were  solicited  by  Messrs. 
Williams  to  train  a  yoke  of  four-year-old  cattle  that  were  so  wild  that  they 
could  never  do  anything  with  them.  We  consented  to  try.  and  made  pre- 
parations by  making  a  yard  that  no  domestic  animal  could  escape  from. 
We  then  planted  a  post  firmly  in  the  center  of  it.  and  enticed  the  oxen  into  the 
yard  with  other  cattle.  Procuring  a  strong  rope  with  a  noose  in  the  end, 
we  threw  it  over  the  head  of  the  off  ox,  then  snubbed  him  to  the  post  and 
put  a  yoke  on  him.  After  serving  the  other  ox  in  the  same  way,  we  hitched 
one  strong  yoke  of  oxen  ahead  of  them  and  another  behind  them  and  com- 
menced plowing.  The  wild  steers,  seeing  the}-  were  conquered,  soon  gave 
up  and  long  before  the  spring  plowing  was  done  they  led  the  team,  being  the 
handiest  yoke  of  cattle  of  them  all. 

"We  continued  our  plowing  until  the  twenty-third  of  May,  when  we  had 
thirty  acres  broken,  all  of  which  we  planted  to  corn.  We  commenced  plant- 
ing on  the  fifth  of  May  and  finished  on  the  twenty-fourth.  We  kept  down 
the  grass  and  weeds  during  the  season  where  it  was  necessary  to  do  so, 
and  a  more  promising  field  of  corn  I  never  saw.  But  alas,  for  the  result  of 
our  summer's  work!  Before  the  corn  was  fairly  in  the  milk,  clouds  of  black- 
hirds  from  the  marshes  would  light  upon  it,  and.  in  spite  of  all  our  efforts 
to  keep  them  away,  they  destroyed  nearly  the  whole  crop.  The  red-wings, 
or  rice  birds,  fed  upon  it  until  the  rice  was  ready  for  them  ;  and  then  another 
variety,  called  crow  blackbirds,  preyed  upon  it  until  it  was  taken  from  the 
field.  From  all  our  thirty  acres  of  corn  which,  if  allowed  to  ripen,  would 
have  yielded  fifty  or  sixty  bushels  per  acre,  we  saved  only  sufficient  to  fatten 
forty-seven  hundred  weight  of  pork.  What  we  saved  was  from  the  butts  of 
the  ears  that  the  birds  could  not  get  at.  We  fortunately  had  a  good  stock 
of  hogs,  and  the  pork  we  made  was  in  demand,  some  of  it  being  sold  to 
parties  in  Grand  Blanc  and  packed  on  horse  to  that  place. 

"That  summer  my  cows  were  pastured  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river  from  wdiere  J  lived,  and  mornings  when  I  crossed  the  river  to  milk 
them  I  would  tie  a  trolling  line  to  my  paddle,  and  I  seldom  failed  of  catching 
fish  enough  for  breakfast.  Fresh  fish  w:ere  a  great  luxury  to  new-comers 
to  Saginaw,  but  so  plentiful  were  they  that,  after  a  year  or  two,  they  made 
very  little  account  of  them   for  food. 

"Rattlesnakes  were  plentiful  in  those  days.  I  have  heard  they  would 
not  remain  where  hogs  have  a  free  run.  and  I  am  inclined  to  believe  it  from 
a  circumstance  that  transpired  during  that  summer.  Our  hogs  ran  on  the 
prairie  outside  the  field  we  had  fenced  in  for  cultivation,  and  inside  the  field 
I  had  some  rails  piled  on  the  unplowed  prairie.  About  mid-summer  I  wanted 
to  use  them  and  drove  my  team  alongside  to  haul  them  away.  The  first  rail 
I  took  up  I  found  I  had  disturbed  a  rattlesnake;  and  before  I  had  handled 
half  a  dozen  I  found  there  were  two  or  three  snakes  for  every  rail.  I  actually 
backed  out  and  left  the  rails  for  their  especial  use  the  balance  of  the  season. 
The  snakes  had  taken  refuge  inside  the  fence  to  escape  from  the  hogs." 

How  the  Farmers  Fared 

The  log  house  of  the  early  Saginaw  farmers,  with  its  plain  and  oft-time 
rude  furnishings,  and  its  huge  fireplace  made  of  stones,  sticks  and  clay,  was 
a  comfortable  and  cheerful  abode.  The  old  fireplace  contributed  much  to 
the  health  and  happiness  of  the  settler's  home,  and  he,  after  a  hard  day's  work, 
seated  with  his  family  in  front  of  his  glowing  fire,  with  an  abundance  of  wood 


. 


J.J.X^J±   vivi 


*^J1  VVJ-Li>i   I    V  V 


in  the  corner,  enjoyed  all  the  comforts  of  frontier  life.  There  was  an  art  in 
building  a  good  fire,  and  was  kept  in  constant  practice  in  laying  down  aright 
the  backlog  and  forestick,  and  building  thereon  with  small  wood,  in  so  skill- 
ful a  manner  that  a  little  kindling  wood  would  start  the  fire  and  give  out  the 
most  heat  and  light  to  the  household.  If  the  lire  was  too  dull  to  give  light 
in  the  evening,  some  fat  was  put  in  a  saucer,  a  rag  was  twisted  for  a  wick 
and  then  coiled  about  in  the  grease,  one  end  being  left  on  the  edge  of  the 
saucer  and  lighted.  This  was  a  primitive  lighting  taper.  As  pine  trees  were 
plentiful  in  some  parts,  pine  knots  were  largely  used  and  created  a  bright 
blaze  that  lasted  for  some  time. 

The  old  iron  crane,  with  its  pot-hooks  and  links  of  chain,  swung  at  the 
will  of  the  housewife,  who  hung  on  it  the  kettles  containing  the  food  to  be 
cooked,  and  pushed  it  back  over  the  fire.  Tigs,  chickens  and  spare  ribs  were 
roasted  to  a  rich  brown  by  suspending  them  by  a  wire  before  the  fire.  The 
baking  was  mostly  done  in  the  old  brick  oven  built  in  one  side  of  the 
chimney,  although  the  "tin  reflector"  that  was  placed  before  the  fire,  was 
much  used  to  bake  bread  and  cakes,  and  the  I 'ink-eye  and  Meshanic  potatoes. 

The  "Michigan  Appetite" 

The  settler's  daily  fare,  from  want  of  variety  m  his  larder,  was  neces- 
sarily frugal.  There  was  no  fruit  save  the  wild  plums  and  the  various 
berries  that  grew  in  the  woods  and  low  lands.  The  fare  for  the  table  was 
bread,  pork  and  potatoes.  Pork  was  often  very  scarce,  some  families  going 
without  meat,  except  the  wild  game  they  killed,  for  a  whole  season  at  a 
time.  Salt  was  also  hard  to  get,  and  mice  sold  as  high  as  twenty-one  dollars 
a  barrel.  Tea,  coffee,  sugar  and  butter  were  rarely  seen  on  a  settler's  table. 
An  herb  called  the  teaweed,  a  kind  of  wild  Bohea  that  grew  in  the  woods, 
w.as  used  by  some,  the  leaves  being  steeped  like  our  imported  teas  and  the 
decoction  drunk.  Crust  coffee,  made  from  wheat  or  other  grains  browned, 
was  in  common  use  for  drink  at   table. 

Farmers  were  told  that  they  would  get  the  "Michigan  Appetite"  after 
they  had  lived  here  for  a  short  time.  When  it  came,  which  was  in  the  first 
year,  it  was  ravenous  and  pork  and  potatoes  were  delicious.  The  usual  meal 
of  the  family  consisted  of  a  huge  platter  of  boiled  potatoes,  piled  up  steaming 
hot  and  placed  in  the  center  of  the  table,  bread  or  Johnny-cake,  perhaps  some 
meat  boiled  or  fried,  and  a  large  bowl  of  flour  gravy.  This  was  eaten  with 
a  relish  that  swept  the  table  of  all  edibles,  and  left  a  slim  fare  for  the  family 
dog.  Various  reasons  were  adduced  as  to  the  cause  of  this  appetite,  but  the 
one  good  cause  was  hunger.  The  pioneer  farmers,  working  long  hours  at 
hard  manual  labor,  seldom  had  enough  to  eat,  and  hence  were  always  hungry 
and  ready  to  eat. 

Value  of   Bottom  Lands 

During  the  period  of  settlement  and  for  many  years  after,  the  impression 
went  forth  that  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  low  and  monotonous,  traversed  by 
swamps  with  miasmatic  vapors,  populated  by  wild  animals  and  bull-frogs, 
and  entirely  unfit  for  human  habitation.  In  the  immediate  vicinity  of  some 
of  the  rivers  and  the  bay  this  was  to  a  certain  extent  true,  but  in  localities 
all  over  the  valley  were  to  be  found  beautiful  rolling  lands  and  ridges 
covered  with  luxurious  growth  of  timber  peculiar  to  this  latitude.  The 
bottom  lands  were  often  confounded  with  the  wet  prairie  that  skirted  the 
main  streams,  and  while  the  latter  was  covered  with  wild  rice  and  reeds  and 
under  water  a  good  portion  of  the  year,  the  former  along  the  water  courses 
in  their  native  state  were  lined  with  a  rich  growth  of  walnut,  linden,  soft 
maple  and  wild  plums.  These  trees  were  usually  festooned  with  grape 
lines    which   attained    to   a   large   size   and   bore   abundant    fruit.     The   lands 


A    TYPICAL    FARM    SCENE 


were  subject  to  inundation  in  the  Spring,  but  the  waters  usually  receded  in 
time  for  the  farmer  to  prepare  the  soil  for  seed.  This  soil  was  composed  of 
rich  alluvial  formation  of  wonderful  fertility,  and  the  crops  it  produced,  par- 
ticularly cereals,  were  remunerative  in  the  highest  degree.  The  bottoms  also 
afforded  the  best  meadow  lands,  and  had  the  advantage  over  the  sandy  ridges 
in  that  they  seldom  suffered  from  drouth. 

Another  erroneous  impression  in  regard  to  these  Saginaw  Valley  lands 
due,  no  doubt,  to  being  wet  and  unforbidding  at  certain  seasons,  was  that 
they  could  not  be  drained  and  thus  warmed  into  life  and  usefulness.  It  was 
also  believed  that  the  county  was  t<  o  frosty  and  unreliable  as  to  climate  to 
warrant  the  broad  extent  of  improvements  that  were  deemed  necessary  to 
redeem  the  "pine  barrens."  Someone,  however,  discovered  that  a  large  por- 
tion of  these  lands  lay  several  feet  above  the  normal  surface  of  the  river 
and  bay,  and  undertook  to  show  that  they  could  he  made  dry  and  rendered 
susceptible  to  high  cultivation,  at  the  same  time  driving  away  innumerable 
reptiles  and  noxious  vapors  and  miasmas,  which  were  a  detriment  to  good 
health  and  comfort.  Many  parcels  of  laud  which  were  considered  worthless 
on  account  of  their  spongy  condition,  were  redeemed  anil  made  valuable  by 
a  proper  system  of  drainage  and  ditching.  This  improvement  work,  despite 
the  grave  doubts  of  many  pioneers  that  the  \  alley  would  ever  become  even 
a  moderately  productive  farming  district,  went  on  continually,  and  today 
greater  attention  than  ever  is  given  to  improvements  of  this  nature,  and  to 
proper  fertilization  of  the  soil. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  fertility  of  the  alluvial  bottom  lands,  an  early 
pioneer  contrihutes  some  interesting  figures  from  actual  experience.  He 
relates  that  he  once  traded  the  forty  acres,  known  as  Mapes'  Addition  to 
East  Saginaw,  which  now-  includes  the  site  of  the  Pere  Marquette  Railroad 
depot  and  other  railroad  buildings,  for  the  Fraser  farm  on  the  Tittabawassee, 
situated  two  miles  below  the  present  railroad  crossing  at  Fames'.  The  farm 
was  considered  a  choice  selection,  there  being  sixty  acres  of  river  bottom, 
on  which  the  crops  raised  might  well  satisfy  any  farmer,  and  the  abundance 
of  them  amplv  compensate  him  for  the  inconvenience  of  an  occasional  over- 
flow during  the  Spring  freshets.  Seventy  bushels  of  shelled  corn  to  the 
acre  was  no  uncommon  yield,  fie  raised  common  field  pumpkins  that 
weighed  sixty  pounds  each,  and  from  one  vine  gathered  twenty-two  pumpkins 
the  aggregate  weight  of  which  was  three  hundred  and  eighty-two  pounds. 
In  1833  Duncan  McLellan  raised  eight  hundred  bushels  of  potatoes,  the 
yield  being  between  three  hundred  and  four  hundred  bushels  to  the  acre. 


688 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


In  November,  1830.  the  elder  McCarty  and  his  son,  Thomas,  came  from 
Boston  and  settled  on  the  Tittabawassee,  and  although  neither  had  ever 
chopped  a  stick  of  timber,  they  cut  the  lugs  and  built  a  house  with  their 
own  hands.  In  the  rough  log  cabin  they  lived  and  cooked  their  own  food. 
During  the  Winter  and  Spring  they  cut  the  timber  into  short  lengths  that 
they  could  roll  into  heap-,  by  hand,  and  thus  partially  cleared  the  land,  upon 
which  they  raised  a  crop  of  corn  that  they  sold  in  the  Fall  of  1831  for  sixty- 
dollars.  This  first  crop  was  raised  without  any  team  work.  It  was  cus- 
tomary for  settlers  to  fell  the  timber  and  pile  the  brush  neatly  and  burn  it  in 
the  Spring,  and  plant  and  raise  their  first  crop  of  corn  among  the  logs. 
Edward  McCarty,  a  younger  brother  of  Thomas,  afterward  occupied  the 
same   and    surrounding   lands    and    became    one   of   the    wealthy    farmers    of 


Saginaw  County. 


Wild  Fruits  and  Berries 


Wihl  or  native  fruits,  such  as  plums,  cherries,  grapes  and  berries  grew 
in  great  abundance  upon  the  bottom  lands  and  along  the  margins  of  the 
streams.  All  manner  of  shrub  fruits  and  berries  were  found  in  the  greatest 
profusion  in  the  woods,  including  currants  and  gooseberries  of  several 
varieties,  and  whortleberries,  blackberries  and  red  and  black  raspberries. 
The  cranberry  which  grew  in  some  of  the  marshes,  was  for  a  few  years  an 
important  article  of  export  here,  and  hundreds  of  bushels  were  shipped  an- 
nually from  the  port  of  Saginaw  to  eastern  cities.  About  1868  this  trade  fell 
off,  owing  to  the  great  home  consumption,  and  the  destruction  of  the  marshes 
by  fire  and  other  causes.  1  luring  the  Fall  of  1856  hundreds  of  acres  of  cran- 
berry marshes  were  consumed  by  the  fires  which  raged  incessantly  for 
weeks  along  the  rivers. 

Strawberries  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  soil  here,  and 
when  properly  cultivated  and  given  the  care  which  the  delicate  nature  of 
the  plant  requires,  yielded  abundantly.  About  1856  the  late  Joseph  Ilalstead 
told  of  a  wonderful  yield  of  delicious  strawberries  in  the  garden  of  a  friend. 
He  was  at  tea  at  his  friend's  house  on  several  occasions  when  the  table  was 
bountifully  supplied  with  luscious  berries,  and  he  remarked  to  the  lady  that 
they  must  have  a  large  number  of  plants  to  gather  from.  "Yes,"  she  replied, 
"we  have  a  dozen."  1  le  thought  if  such  supplies  of  berries  could  be  produced 
from  a  dozen  plants,  it  might  be  profitable  to  raise  them  in  larger  quantities, 
so  he  became  the  agent  for  an  eastern  grower  of  the  plants,  and  introduced 
them  into  many  gardens  in  Saginaw. 

Early  Fruit  Growing 

The  cultivation  of  domestic  fruits  received  very  little  attention  in  Sagi- 
naw Valley  until  the  villages  began  to  grow,  and  the  people  created  some 
demand  for  them.  Tradition  tells  us  that  the  earliest  fruit  grown  here  in 
great  abundance  was  produced  without  effort  by  anyone.  When  the  first 
fur  traders  came  here  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  they  found  several 
clumps  of  apple  trees  growing  near  the  banks  of  the  river,  which  yearly 
produced  large  quantities  of  rich  fruit.  At  that  time  some  of  the  trees  indi- 
cated an  age  of  sixty  years  or  more,  and  there  was  much  conjecture  as  to 
their  origin.  Hut  it  was  at  length  conceded  that  in  all  probability  the  trees 
originated  from  seeds  brought  by  the  Indians  from  Canada  or  some  of  the 
Eastern  States.  One  clump  of  these  trees,  though  few  in  number,  was 
situated  at  Carrollton,  near  the  bank  of  the  river;  another  group  was  found 
on  land  which  afterward  became  the  A.  I'..  I'aine  Farm,  a  short  distance 
above  the  crossing  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  at  Paines'  station;  and 
others  were  at  different  places  on  the  Tittabawassee  above  Paines'. 

One  of  the  apple  trees  on  Paines'  Farm  had  a  peculiar  formation,  with 
four  or  five  large  trunks  springing  from  one  root,  and  was  always  a  prolific 


Uh\  hLOL'AlhJN  1     Ob    A(,KRUL1UKL 


ONy 


settlement   of  the   place,   this  tree  bore 


bearer.     One  year,  during  the   e;... 

one  hundred  and  eleven  bushels  of  choice  fruit,  and  each  white  family  then 
residing  in  the  valley  was  presented  with  a  large  hag  of  delicious  apples  by 
James  Fraser,  who  at  that  time  owned  the  farm.  Afterward  Mr.  Fraser 
had  an  abundant  harvest  of  plums,  and  after  supplying  his  own  wants  and 
those  of  particular  friends,  he  directed  his  man  to  gather  the  remainder  in 
large  tubs  and  distribute  the  fruit  among  the  families  of  the  village.  Most 
of  the  old  Indian  apple  trees  died  many  years  ago,  the  cause  generally 
attributed  being  the  overflow  of  the  lands  adjacent  to  the  rivers,  in  the 
Spring  foods  which  began  about  1836-7,  which  it  was  supposed  killed  the 
roots. 

The  first  orchards  in  the  county  were  grown  from  seeds  brought  from 
New  York  State  by  Asa  and  Abram  Whitney,  and  were  on  the  banks  of  the 
Tittabawassee  near  where  barker's  brick  yard  was  afterward  located. 
Messrs.  Little  and  Ladd  also  brought  apple  seeds  from  Livingston  Count}", 
Xew  York,  which  were  planted  by  Eleazer  Jewett  on  his  land  at  Green  Point, 


- 


AN  EXAMPLE  OF  SUCCESSFUL  FRUIT  GROWING 

but  owing  to  ravages  of  mice  which  girdled  the  tree--,  only  a  few  survived 
to  furnish  trees  for  several  gardeners.  The  want  of  roads  in  the  early  days 
made  it  very  difficult  to  transport  fruit  trees,  but  a  few  were  brought  in 
lrom  the  farm  of  Oliver  Williams,  at  Silver  Lake,  near  Ponitac,  and  planted 
in  the  gardens  of  his  sons,  Gardner  D.  and  Ephraim  S.  Williams.  These 
probably  were  the  first  bearing  trees  propagated  by  the  settlers  of  Saginaw 
County. 

James  Fraser,  who  was  very  active  in  introducing  Fruit  here  at  an  early 
date,  brought  seeds  from  Xew  York  State,  which  he  planted  and  distributed 
the  trees  among  the  farmers.  Some  very  choice  varieties  of  peaches  were 
procured  in  this  way,  and  there  was  no  difficulty  in  growing  delicious  fruit 
in  great  abundance  until  1856.  That  winter  was  so  severe  that  nearly  all 
peach  trees  were  killed.  A  few  that  were  covered  by  snow  drifts  were 
preserved  and  bore  fruit  many  years  after,  but  as  a  general  thing  peaches 
have  not  been  so  sure  a  crop  as  some  other  fruits.  Plums  were  grown  in 
great  abundance  by  grafting  cultivated  fruit  on  native  wild  stock.  About 
1840  Harvey  Williams  went  to  Detroit,  and  possibly  to  the  Windsor 
nurseries  in  Canada,  to  gather  select  fruit  trees,  and  returned  with  a  large 
wagon  load  of  choice  varieties,  which  were  planted  and  well  cared  for,  the 
result  of  which  was  a  bountiful  harvest  of  fruit  for  at  least  forty  years. 


690  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Grains  and   Vegetables 

All  kinds  of  field  and  garden  cereals  and  vegetables  were  easily  grown 
on  the  bottom  lands,  and  even  further  back  on  higher  ground  the  soil  was 
found  to  be  adapted  to  the  growing  of  grass  and  root  crops.  Potatoes,  tur- 
nips, beets,  carrots,  parsnips  and  other  vegetables  proved  by  their  large 
yield  and  size  the  fertility  of  the  soil,  while  varieties  of  garden  vines  produced 
to  a  surprising  degree.  Peas,  beans,  tomatoes,  cabbages  and  lettuce  grew  in 
private  gardens  and  fields  to  perfection  and  flavor.  It  was  nothing  unusual 
for  the  pioneer  farmer  to  dig  three  hundred  bushels  and  upward  of  potatoes 
to  the  acre.  Wheat,  barley,  oats,  rye,  corn  and  buckwheat  yielded  profitable 
crops,  and  while  wheat,  as  a  general  rule,  did  better  upon  heavy  soil  back 
from  the  streams,  all  other  grains  flourished  in  almost  any  locality  in  the 
valley. 

Rapid   Increase  in   Agriculture 

As  lands  became  more  cleared  and  opened  to  the  light  and  heat  of  the 
sun  they  improved  every  year,  and  in  the  broader  clearings  untimely  frosts 
became  an  exception  rather  than  the  rule.  The  certainty  of  a  ready  market 
for  all  classes  of  farm  products  was  an  inducement  to  work  all  available 
ground,  and  for  immigrants  to  locate  where  no  difficulties  in  the  way  of 
transportation  or  slack  demand  were  liable  to  prevent  regular  returns  from 
their  labors.  From  1X70  to  1874  there  was  more  activity  in  clearing  land  and 
making  farms  than  in  all  the  twenty  years  preceding;  and  the  value  of  farm 
l'ii 'duct'-  mi  ire  than  doubled  within  five  years  following  eighteen  seventy- 
four. 

In  1860  the  number  of  acres  of  improved  land  (a  part  only  slashed)  in 
Saginaw  County  was  eighteen  thousand  and  forty-eight,  and  the  value  of 
the  crops  was  one  hundred  sixty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty 
dollars,  while  in  1870  the  acreage  had  increased  to  thirty-three  thousand 
three  hundred  and  eighty-five,  and  the  valuation  of  crops  to  six  hundred 
ninety  thousand  three  hundred  and  eighty-two  dollars.  A  fair  estimate  of 
the  entire  farm  production,  including  dairy  and  stock  returns  not  included  in 
the  figures  for  the  years  given  above,  in  1874,  was  two  million  dollars. 

Dairy  farming  began  to  attract  attention  of  the  farmers  early  in  the 
seventies,  the  cities  on  the  Saginaw  affording  a  good  market  for  such  pro- 
ducts. The  rich  alluvial  soil  of  the  valley  was  found  to  afford  the  best  quality 
of  grazing  lands;  and  thousands  of  tons  of  very  good  hay  were  annually 
cut  upon  the  prairies  and  wild  meadows.  Whenever  the  foreign  and  domes- 
tic grasses  were  introduced  on  such  lands  the  crops  were  uniformly 
satisfactory.  The  constant  demands  of  the  lumbering  districts,  the  wants 
of  an  increasing  population  engaged  in  mechanical,  manufacturing  and  mer- 
cantile business,  and  ultimately  the  demand  for  shipment  to  the  Lake 
Superior  region,  all  tended  to  keep  the  Saginaw  market  active  and  to  increase 
the  demand. 

The  Marshes  Early  Attract  Buyers 

Persons  who  have  only  seen  the  Saginaw  River  in  its  present  condition 
or  when  the  lumber  and  salt  industries  were  at  their  height,  with  its  banks 
confined  by  docks  and  booms,  can  form  no  idea  of  the  beautiful  scenery 
along  its  course.  The  river  banks  on  either  side  were  well  defined,  except 
at  the  mouth  of  creeks  and  bayous,  and  the  prairie  was  covered  with  blue- 
joint  grass  free  from  any  other  vegetation,  except  near  the  banks  of  the 
river  where  it  was  interspersed  with  morning  glories,  wild  roses  and  other 
wilrl  flowers,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  flower  garden.  The 
ground  was  firm  and  solid  so  that  a  person  could  ride  on  horseback  or  drive 
over  it  in  any  direction;  and  parties  who  visited  it  in  the  Summer  of  1835 
were  captivated  by  the  beauties  of  the  surroundings. 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   AGRICULTURE  691 

In  June  of  that  year  Daniel  11.  Fitzhugh  made  his  first  visit  to  the  valley 
and  rode  over  the  prairies  where  the  bluejoint  grass  was  as  high  as  the  pony's 
back,  with  nothing  in  view  except  the  distant  timber  and  the  flower-decked 
banks  of  the  river.  He  was  so  pleased  with  the  prospect  that  he  purchased 
a  large  tract  of  prairie  land  below  Zilwaukee,  where  the  New  York  Works 
were  afterward  located.  Another  traveller  who  came  West  that  Summer 
with  a  view  of  investing  in  government  lands  was  Albert  H.  Dorr,  a  wealthy 
broker  of  New  York  City. 

Wintering  Stock  on  the  Rushes 

Mr.  Dorr  was  delighted  with  the  country,  and  the  sight  of  so  much 
nutritious  grass  suggested  at  once  the  idea  of  stock  raising.  Among  the 
lands  he  selected  for  purchase  was  a  tract  of  eight  hundred  acres  of  prairie 
located  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  at  the  south  end  of  Crow  Island,  which  he 
proposed  to  develop  into  a  stock  farm.  He  accordingly  advanced  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  parties  at  Saginaw  City  with  which  to  pay 
for  cutting  and  stacking  one  hundred  tons  of  hay  on  his  land,  and  employed 
a  man  named  John  Mall  to  go  with  him  to  Ohio  and  assist  in  gathering  a 
Stock  of  cattle  and  horses  for  his  farm,  which  he  purchased  from  the  govern- 
ment upon  his  arrival  at  Detroit.  But  so  little  faith  had  the  people  of  Sagi- 
naw City  that  Dorr  would  carry  out  his  plans,  that  the  parties  who  were 
to  have  cut  the  hay  paid  no  attention  to  the  matter,  so  that  when  he  returned 
late  in  November  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  horned  cattle  and  fifty 
horses,  there  was  nothing  provided  for  their  wintering.  There  were  but 
few  people  then  in  the  village  and  no  surplus  fodder  in  store,  and  the  owner 
of  the  stock  knew  not  what  to  do. 

After  a  few  days'  deliberation  he  went  to  Albert  Miller,  who  then  lived 
opposite  Green  Point,  to  see  if  he  could  help  him  out  of  his  trouble.  It  was 
on  Thanksgiving  day.  He  offered  to  turn  over  the  land  and  stock  for  a 
period  of  ten  years,  and  to  write  a  lease  for  the  same  that  would  satisfy 
Miller,  which  was  done,  one  provision  of  it  being  that  the  latter  should  only 
be  responsible  for  the  stock  that  should  be  alive  on  the  first  day  of  the 
following  May.  He  then  gave  Miller  three  hundred  dollars  with  which  to 
do  the  best  he  could  towards  wintering  the  animals,  and  started  at  once  on  his 
return  to  New  York. 

Mr.  Miller  then  purchased  all  the  hay  and  grain  there  was  for  sale  in 
the  valley,  with  which  to  feed  the  stock  until  he  could  make  other  provision 
for  their  sustenance.  He  had  heard  of  great  quantities  of  rushes  growing  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  bay,  upon  which  stock  could  be  wintered,  so  he  hired  an 
Indian  to  guide  him,  and,  after  several  days'  search,  found  on  the  east  side 
of  Quanicasse  River,  a  quantity  of  rushes  that  he  considered  an  ample 
supply  for  all  the  stock  for  the  winter.  Feeding  the  animals  on  the  hay  and 
grain  until  the  ice  was  strong  enough  to  bear  them,  he  started  with  two 
toads  of  hay  with  which  to  feed  them  on  the  way,  and  drove  the  first  day  to 
a  point  just  above  where  Portsmouth  was  afterwards  located.  There  he 
found  some  hay  that  had  been  put  up  by  Joseph  and  Medore  Tromble,  a  part 
of  which  he  fed  to  the  cattle,  and  in  the  morning  continued  to  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  where  the  hay  brought  from  Saginaw  was  fed  to  them.  The  third 
day,  just  before  night  set  in,  the  cattle  were  driven  into  the  rushes  and  they 
had  such  a  feast  as  they  never  had  before.  The  growth  of  rushes,  which 
were  of  the  jointed  variety,  commenced  in  the  timber  near  the  prairie  and 
extended  over  a  large  tract  of  land,  and  was  about  three  feet  high. 

After  getting  the  stock  located  on  their  feeding  ground  the  men  built  a 
rough  shanty  of  logs  for  shelter  while  attending  the  stock;  and  two  men  were 
left  in  charge  with  orders  to  be  among  the  cattle  and  horses  every  day  to 
prevent   their  straying  away.     Mr.   Miller  visited  the   camp  once  a   week  to 


692 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


HARVESTING    GRAIN    ON     LOW     LANDS 


carry  camp  supplies  for  the  men  and  salt  for  the  cattle.  I  lis  route  was  along 
the  whole  length  of  Saginaw  River,  then  across  the  head  of  the  hay  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Quanicasse,  and  up  that  river  two  or  three  miles  to  a  point 
where  the  shanty  sti » id. 

The  land  he  had  leased  down  the  river  had  no  buildings  cm  it,  and  after 
the  ice  became  strong  enough  to  hear  the  weight  he  placed  a  strung  ox  sled 
under  each  corner  of  his  frame  house  at  Green  Point,  and.  hitching  eight 
oxen  to  the  sleds,  hauled  the  house  onto  the  ice  and  proceeded  with  it  to  the 
farm  at  Crow  Island,  The  furniture  remained  undisturbed  in  the  house,  with 
fire  burning  in  the  stove  and  provisions  being  cooked  upon  it.  The  settlers 
at  Saginaw  City,  having  no  intimation  of  his  plans,  were  greatly  surprised 
at  seeing  a  house  on  runners  passing  down  the  river.  Upon  getting  his 
house  firmly  set  on  land,  he  got  out  a  large  quantity  of  rail  timber  preparatory 
lo  farming  on  a  large  scale  the  next  season,  lie  then  selected  a  nearer 
route  by  which  he  could  pass  to  and  from  the  cattle  tenders'  camp,  which  was 
ten  miles  by  prairie  and  four  miles  through  heavy  timber.  He  was  highly 
pleased  with  the  condition  of  the  stock;  it  was  thriving  nicely,  and  the  coats 
of  the  animals  were  as  smooth  as  those  of  stall-fed  cattle. 

After  the  frost  was  out  of  the  ground  he  commenced  plowing  and  caused 
the  stock  to  be  driven  home  for  inventory.  A  hundred  or  more  head  had 
gathered  when  the  river  began  to  rise  and  overflow  the  prairie,  so  that 
there  was  scarcely  an  acre  of  dry  land  remaining  for  them  to  stand  on. 
It  was  necessary  to  remove  them  to  higher  ground,  which  was  done  by 
swimming  them  across  half  a  mile  of  deep  water,  and  was  safely  accomplished 
by  Miller  mounted  on  a  horse  followed  by  his  men  in  canoes  driving  the 
animals  after  him.  The  water  rose  so  that  on  the  first  of  May,  when  the 
lease  should  commence,  there  was  not  a  foot  of  dry  land  on  the  eight  hundred 


DEVELOPMENT    OF   AGRICULTURE  693 

acre  farm.  Mr.  Miller  then  informed  the  owner  of  the  situation,  and  asked 
to  be  permitted  to  give  up  the  lease,  which  was  granted  and  the  stock  was 
turned  over  to  Gardner  U.  Williams  to  be  disposed  of.  Some  of  the  cattle 
were  good  beef  and  so  used  during  the  Summer  of  1836,  while  others  were 
driven  to  Detroit  for  beef  or  scattered  over  Saginaw  and  adjoining  counties. 

Reclaiming  Marsh  Lands 

Although  it  was  well  known  to  Saginaw  settlers  and  farmers  that  the 
soil  of  the  prairie  marshes  was  of  exceeding  fertility,  and  would  undoubtedly 
produce  wonderful  crops,  nothing  was  done  to  reclaim  them.  The  Spring 
freshets  which  overflowed  the  marshes  to  a  depth  of  ten  to  fifteen  feet,  leaving 
quantities  of  mud  and  refuse  on  the  land,  were  the  great  obstacle  to  im- 
provements. There  was  still  a  great  acreage  of  wild  government  lands  on 
higher  ground  subject  to  drainage,  offered  at  a  low  price,  and  there  was  no 
incentive  to  experiment  with  the  muck  lands  which  lay  only  two  or  three 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  lake.  Northeasters  from  Georgian  Bay  often 
piled  the  sluggish  river  waters  back  upon  it,  a  dingy  scum  on  the  trunks  of 
trees  revealing  where  the  floods  had  risen  head  high.  It  was  evidently  not  a 
proposition  to  be  undertaken  by  the  individual  farmer,  as  only  by  extensive 
work  on  a  large  scale  was  there  hope  that  reclamation  of  the  marshes  could 
be  brought  to  a  successful  issue.  Time  and  development  of  our  farming 
lands  were  required  to  make  a  project  of  this  nature  seem  feasible  to 
capitalists,  and  until  that  point  was  reached  little  could  be  expected  of  any 
plans  for  reclamation. 

It  was  late  in  the  eighteen-eighties  that  the  first  efforts  were  made  to  re- 
claim muck  lands  of  Saginaw  County.  Harlan  P.  Smith,  a  prominent  dealer 
in  choice  farming  lands,  had  delved  into  the  subject  very  thoroughly  and  ac- 
quired title  to  considerable  acreage  about  seventeen  miles  south  of  the  city. 
He  should  "be  regarded  as  the  pioneer  in  the  improvement  of  our  prairie 
marshes.  Associated  with  him  were  Charles  II.  Camp  and  George  B.  Brooks, 
who  composed  a  well  known  law  firm  in  East  Saginaw,  and  together,  under 
the  firm  name  Camp,  Brooks  &  Smith,  added  to  the  holdings  already  acquired 
until  they  owned  about  ten  thousand  acres.  This  large  acreage  in  one 
parcel  was  situated  in  Albee  and  St.  Charles  Townships,  south  and  east  of 
the  Flint  and  Shiawassee   Rivers. 

These  representative  citizens  of  Saginaw  then  proceeded  to  cut  a  large 
ditch  from  the  northern  part  of  their  prairie  land  to  the  Flint  River,  a  distance 
of  about  two  miles,  enclosing-  three  or  four  hundred  acres,  and  plowed  and 
prepared  the  ground  for  seeding.  The  results  of  their  practical  efforts  at 
farming  on  this  scale  were  fairly  successful,  but  the  difficulties  were  many 
and  the  expense  great,  and  there  was  mure  or  less  trouble  in  keeping  the 
workmen  on  the  farm  in  such  an  out  of  the  way  place. 

After  improving  and  operating  several  hundred  acres  of  the  prairie 
land  originally  acquired,  which  had  cost  them  from  four  to  ten  dollars  an 
acre,  for  several  years,  and  proved  the  practicability  of  the  scheme,  the  owners 
sold  all  their  holdings  t<>  the  Saginaw  Realty  Company,  composed  of  Harry 
T.  and  William  J.  Wickes.  Albert  M.  Marshall.  Samuel  G.  Higgins  and 
others.  This  company,  having  ample  financial  means  backed  by  the  enter- 
prise of  its  members,  proceeded  to  extend  and  develop  the  extensive  acreage, 
and  to  equip  the  farm  with  modern  appliances  and  tools,  thus  placing  the 
operations  on  a  more  economic  basis.  During  the  annual  floods  the  land  was 
largely  overflowed,  which  often  delayed  or  prevented  the  Spring  work,  en- 
tailing heavy  loss,  and  it  became  apparent  that  much  diking  was  necessary 
to  prevent  this  handicap  to  the  operations.  The  farming  operations  at  this 
stage  of  the  development  of  the  Prairie  Farm,  and  for  some  years  after,  were 
in  charge  of  Emmet  T.  Bowen,  a  well  known  young  business  man  of  this  city. 


694 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


DREDGE    BUILDING    DIKES   AT    PRAIRIE    FARM 


Development  of  the  Prairie   Farm 

In  1903  certain  Pittsburg  capitalists,  who  owned  a  controlling  interest 
in  the  Owosso  Sugar  Company,  attracted  by  tales  of  the  natural  fertility  of 
the  muck  lands  in  Saginaw  County,  investigated  the  soil  and  climate  con- 
ditions, and  purchased  from  the  Saginaw  Realty  Company  their  entire 
holdings  of  marsh  lands,  amounting  to  more  than  ten  thousand  acres.  They 
at  once  laid  their  plans  on  a  large  scale  for  the  reclamation  of  the  waste  lands, 
and  began  to  heap  up  hanks  of  earth,  in  the  form  of  dike--,  t"  hold  back  the 
flood  waters  in  the  submersible  basin  near  where  Swan  Creek  and  Dad  River 
join  the  Shiawassee. 

This  is  the  bottom  of  the  wast  Saginaw  drainage  system,  and  is  the 
worst  and  the  best  country  hereabouts.  It  is  the  worst  because  several 
square  miles  of  it  lie  only  a  little  more  than  three  feet  above  the  level  of 
Saginaw  Bay,  and  the  best  is  that  from  the  beginning  of  time  it  has  been  the 
settling  basin  for  rich  alluvium  brought  down  by  rivers,  from  heights  of 
four  hundred  t'  >  eight  hundred  feet,  which  flow  nearly  one  hundred  miles 
through  fertile  areas. 

This  pioneer  effort  in  reclaiming  the  Saginaw  marshes  was  a  costly  one. 
The  land  had  to  be  won  from  the  waters  foot  by  foot,  but  each  acre  of  land 
made  dry  proved  so  productive  that  the  promoters  were  lured  on,  and  eventu- 
ally arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the  value  of  the  land  far  exceeded  the 
cost  of  controlling  the  flood  waters.  The  diking  was  done  by  big  dredges 
starting"  at  the  rivers  and  nosing  their  way  into  the  land,  scooping"  up  the 
muck  to  form  "borrow  ditches."  and  depositing  it  along  the  outside  edge  of 
the  area  to  be  drained.  As  the  dredges  advanced  the  water  flowed  in, 
carrying  them  along  in  the  channels  which  afterward  were  useful  in  draining 
off  the  water  from  the  land.  At  the  lowest  point  of  the  area  the  dike  was 
made  twenty  feet  high,  and  at  other  places  the  average  height  was  seventeen 
to  eighteen  feet,  while  the  ditches  were  about  twelve  feet  deep,  with  a 
gradient  of  three  inches  to  the  mile  to  carry  off  the  waste  waters. 

When  the  entire  tract  was  enclosed,  and  lateral  and  cross  ditches  dug 
and  dikes  thrown  up,  the  total  length  of  dike  was  thirty-six  miles  Along  the 
top  of  these  dikes  good  roads  were  laid  out  and  gradually  improved  to  afford 
easy  communication  with  all  parts  of  the  big  farm.  The  main  roads  are 
surfaced  with  stone   and  oiled   to  render  solid  and  enduring  highways.     At 


DEVELOPMENT   OF   AGRICULTURE 


(595 


the  lowest  point  of  the  farm,  near  its  northwest  corner,  where  the  ditch 
assumes  the  size  of  a  canal  navigable  to  scows  and  motor  boats,  a  pump  house 
was  erected.  Installed  in  this  building  are  four  centrifugal  pumps,  which  in 
times  of  high  water  lift  the  excess  water  from  the  canal  and  discharge  it 
into  the  river  beyond.  In  flood  times  these  pumps  work  night  and  day,  and 
relieve  the  farm  ditches  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  gallons  of  water 
an  hour.  The  dikes  hull  back  the  flood  waters,  the  canal  and  ditches  drain 
off  the  surplus  rainfall  on  the  enclosed  lands,  and  the  pumps  discharge  the 
excess  water  into  the  swift  current  of  the  river,  thus  rendering  the  soil  fit  for 
cultivation. 

"Mosquito   Road"   Leads   to   Farm 

There  are  two  ways  of  getting  to  the  Prairie  Farm  from  Saginaw.  In 
the  dry  season  one  can  go  direct  from  the  city  by  way  of  East  Street  and 
turning  to  the  right  about  nine  miles  from  the  city  limits,  drive  straight 
into  the  farm  settlement  four  miles  beyond.  The  other  route  is  by  railroad 
to  St.  Charles,  and  a  drive  of  nine  and  a  half  miles  over  the  "Mosquito  Road" 
through  swamps  to  right  and  left.  Once  on  this  road  there  are  few  chances 
of  getting  off,  as  wide,  deep  ditches  line  it  all  the  way.  There  are  surprises  en 
route,  as  the  road  goes  gently  downward  into  the  heart  of  the  swamp,  grass 
and  timber  land.  Every  mile  or  so  billows  of  land  roll  up  out  of  the  welter 
of  mud,  and  along  these  ridges  appear  prosperous  farms,  with  good  houses, 
big  barns,  and  here  and  there  a  silo  indicating  that  dairy  farming  and  cattle 
raising  are  rural  industries  being  developed. 

As  the  visitor  emerges  from  a  wood  patch,  near  the  farm  entrance  at  the 
southwest  corner  of  the  farm,  cultivated  fields  of  vast  extent  burst  into  view. 
He  turns  north  on  the  hard,  oiled  road  which  traverses  the  crest  of  a  low 
dike  bisecting  the  farm.  A  mile  ahead  is  Alicia  village,  the  largest  settlement 
for  miles  around.  Here  are  four  score  yellow  framed  cottages,  housing  work- 
men's families,  a  large  clubhouse,  a  general  store  and  an  assembly  hall. 
Across  the  road  are  several  large  barns,  cattle  sheds,  wagon,  machinery  and 
tool  houses,  and  a  large  grain  elevator.  This  structure  and  the  mint  distillery 
a  little  further  on  are  situated  on  the  spur  track  which  connects  the  farm 
with  the  Grand  Trunk  Railroad,  six  miles  eastward.  During  the  rush  of 
Summer  work  from   three   hundred   to  three  hundred  and   fifty  farmers   and 


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DEVELOPMENT   OF   AGRICULTURE  697 

laborers  are  employed  on  the  farm,  and  in  Winter  about  seventy-five  men 
are  kept  busy  attending  to  the  stock,  repairing  wagons  and  harness,  over- 
hauling machinery,  and  getting  all  equipment  in  readiness  for  the  Spring 
and  Summer  campaigns. 

Driving  by  automobile  along  the  central  dike  northward  to  the  center 
of  the  farm,  thence  westerly  about  two  miles  brings  the  visitor  to  the  lowest 
point  of  land,  to  which  all  the  water  in  the  ditches  flows  and  where  it  is 
pumped  out.  Looking  back  from  the  top  of  the  dike  one  has  a  clear  view 
of  the  beet  and  mint  fields.  Beets  and  peppermint,  with  corn  and  rye,  are 
the  principal  crops  and  are  grown  in  great  quantities  on  extended  acreage. 
In  all  there  are  six  thousand  acres  under  cultivation,  and  in  the  Spring  of 
1''17  another  thousand  acres  went  under  the  plow.  All  the  plowing  is  done 
by  gang  plows  drawn  by  steam  and  motor  tractors,  twelve  plows  to  the 
gang;  and  much  other  heavy  work  previously  done  by  horses  now  falls  to 
mechanical  power.  The  Prairie  Farm  is  said  to  be  the  largest  farm  under 
cultivation  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

A  Bit  of  Holland  in  Michigan 

At  times  when  all  this  section  of  the  county  is  under  water,  when  the 
Prairie  Farm  reposes  within  it  earthen  walls  like  a  beleagured  country,  it 
reminds  one  very  strongly  of  a  section  of  Holland  set  down  here  in  Michigan. 
Then  the  flood  waters  often  rise  to  a  height  of  seventeen  feet  on  the  outside 
of  the  earth  dikes,  and  there  are  watchful  days  and  nights  for  the  male  popu- 
lation. The  dikes  have  to  be  constantly  patrolled  and  threatened  leaks  and 
breaks  repaired  immediately.  There  are  native  foes,  too,  to  the  dike,  the 
muskrat  and  the  woodchuck.  The  latter  is  the  one  dreaded  as  he  burrows 
deep  enough  to  cause  much  damage,  and  men  are  employed  to  hunt  them  out. 

flere  and  there  in  the  dark  brown  held,  gray  patches  are  noticed.  These 
are  the  clay  subsoil  touched  now  and  then  by  the  motor  driven  plows  and 
being  worked  up  into  the  lighter  surface  soil — much  to  its  betterment,  it  is 
claimed.  Only  a  little  under  the  muck  soil  is  a  clay  bed  as  dry  as  bone 
dust.  There  are  driven  wells  as  also  tiled  wells,  and  here  and  there  excellent 
drinking  water  is  found  at  a  depth  of  about  thirty  feet. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  farm  lead  an  isolated  and  monotonous  life,  es- 
pecially in  flood  time  when  communication  with  the  world  is  almost  entirely 
cut  off.  Exit  by  boats  in  the  swirling  currents  is  difficult  and  dangerous. 
Still  the  living  conditions  are  steadily  improving,  and  the  farm  dwellers  have 
the  conveniences  of  electric  light  and  running  water  in  their  homes,  supplied 
free  by  the  farm's  own  generating  and  water  plant,  and  also  the  use  of  tele- 
phones.    There  is  also  regular  postal  service  to  Alicia. 

Raising   Blooded   Stock 

A  leading  feature  of  the  Prairie  Farm  is  stock  raising.  In  all  the  varied 
work  of  planting,  growing  anil  harvesting  the  extensive  crops,  about  three 
hundred  head  of  heavy  draft  horses  are  required;  and  in  Summer  about 
seventy-five  teams,  some  of  which  are  three-horse  teams,  are  in  constant  use. 

In  1913  the  Owosso  Sugar  Company,  owners  of  the  Prairie  Farm,  im- 
ported twenty  Belgian  brood  mares  and  one  stallion  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing breeding  stables.  Their  manager  went  to  Belgium  and  selected  mares 
of  the  best  blood  that  country  produced.  He  succeeded  in  purchasing  direct 
offspring  of  the  champion  sires  and  mares  of  Belgium.  They  have  mares 
out  of  Reve  de  Or,  who  was  champion  over  all  breeds  of  Draft  Horses  at 
the  Paris  Exposition  in  1900.  <  )ne  is  a  granddaughter  of  Indigene  du  Fos- 
teau,  the  champion  stallion  of  Belgium  from  1906  to  and  including  1909. 
This  champion  stallion  was  awarded  with  first  prizes  for  his  colt  get  in  1908 
to  1913.  inclusive,  at  the  national  Horse  Show  at  Brussels.  Among  these 
mares  are  such  as  daughters  of  Brin  D'Or,  Ideal  du  Fosteau  and  Soleil  Lavant. 


(598 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


HOME    OF    THE    ROYAL    BRED    BELGIAN    DRAFT    HORSES    WHERE    THE    BEST    IN 

AMERICA    ARE    RAISED 


Their  two  stallions,  now  at  the  head  of  their  stables,  are  two  of  the  best 
bred  stallions  in  the  United  States.  Sans  Peur  de  Hamal,  No.  3446,  twelve 
years  old,  is  a  grandson  of  Manage  who  was  once  owned  by  the  Belgian  gov- 
ernment, and  later  resold  to  his  original  owner  for  an  enormous  sum.  He 
has  shown  himself  to  be  an  excellent  colt  getter,  and  has  produced  out  of 
grade  mares,  colts  that  at  two  years  old  weighed  fifteen  hundred  pounds. 

Sans  Peur  de  Hamal  was  champion  at  the  Michigan  State  Fair,  Detroit, 
in  1915  and  1916,  and  grand  champion  over  all  breeds  in  1916,  and  champion 
in  1917  at  the  State  Fair. 

Rubis,  No.  4008,  a  six-year-old  stallion,  imported  by  the  Prairie  Farm  in 
1913,  is  a  grandson  of  Rubens.  Many  noted  breeders  in  Belgium  regretted 
that  Rubens  should  go  out  of  the  country.  He  was  purchased  by  General 
Botha  for  the  South  African  Government.  Rubis  is  a  real  type  of  Belgian 
Draft  Horse.  He  was  awarded  a  silver  medal  by  the  King  of  Belgium  in 
1913,  when  he  showed  with  two  hundred  and  thirty  others  in  the  two-year- 
old  class  at  the  National  Horse  Show  at  Brussels. 

The  mares  raised  on  the  Prairie  Farm  are  selected  for  breeding  purposes. 
They  are  workers  and  earn  their  living  in  the  harness  and  by  raising  colts. 
There  has  been  accomplished  what  many  breeders  thought  could  not  be  done. 
The  farm  has  raised  just  as  good  young  stock  as  Belgium  ever  produced, 
some  two-year-olds  weighing  seventeen  hundred  pounds  and  three-year-olds 
over  eighteen  hundred.  Michigan  and  Saginaw  County  have  equalled  Bel- 
gium in  this  regard. 

Besides  this  stock  of  heavy  draft  horses  there  are  large  numbers  of  pure 
bred  Friesian,  Holstein  and  Hereford  cattle,  improved  Duroc  Jersey  swine, 
and  registered  Delaine  Merino  Black  Top  sheep.  The  Prairie  Farm  is  also 
an  extensive  grower  of  pedigreed  seeds. 

Jacob  DeGeus,  an  experienced  stockman  and  farming  expert,  is  manager 
of  this  great  farm  enterprise. 

In  a  graphic  way  the  Prairie  Farm  illustrates  how  capital  and  enter- 
prise, coupled  with  genius  and  application  of  business  principles,  will  redeem 
waste  lands  and  make  them  richly  productive.  In  this  instance  lands  worth 
scarcely  more  than  four  or  five  dollars  an  acre  twenty  of  thirty  years  ago, 
have  been  made  to  yield  such  extensive  crops  that  their  value  has  increased 
to  eight)  or  ninety  dollars  an  acre.     And  when  il  is  considered  that  there  are 


SANS    PEUR   de    HAMAL,    No.    3446,    OWNED    BY   OWOSSO   SUGAR   CO.,   ALICIA.    MICHIGAN 


A   GRANDDAUGHTER   OF    INDIGENE   du    FOSTEAU    AND  A  TRUE    PRODUCTION 


700  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

still  cine  hundred  thousand  acres  of  wild  prairie  lands  in  Saginaw  Valley  still 
untouched,  and  only  waiting  action  of  the  government  for  the  control  of  flood 
waters,  the  imagination  must  be  be  drawn  upon  to  form  an  idea  of  what  the 
future  development  of  this  rich  land  means  to  the  people  of  Saginaw. 

United   States   Land   Office 

The  United  States  Land  Office  for  the  sale  of  public  lands,  known  as  the 
"Genesee  Office,"  which  was  originally  located  at  Flint,  was  removed  to  East 
Saginaw,  April  1,  1857.  The  Office  of  register  was  held  by  Moses  B.  Hess, 
and  that  of  receiver  by  Colonel  W.  1..  I'.  Little,  wdio  remained  in  charge 
until  the  inauguration  of  President  Lincoln.  John  F.  Driggs  then  became 
register,  and  C.  K.  Robinson  receiver,  their  commissions  bearing  date  of 
April  1,  1861.  Mr.  Driggs  was  elected  ti >  Congress  in  the  following  year  and 
retired  from  the  land  office  early  in  1863,  his  place  being  filled  by  II.  C. 
Driggs.  In  I860  Andrew  Johnson  appointed  M.  \Y.  Quackenbush  as  receiver, 
and  Isaac  Worden  as  register,  who  held  office  until  the  end  of  the  Johnson 
administration.  Thomas  Saylor  was  then  made  receiver  and  Henry  C.  Ripley 
register  of  the  land  office,  and  they  held  office  for  four  years.  On  May  10, 
1871,  Robert  L.  Warren  assumed  the  office  of  receiver  and  W.  R.  Bates  that 
of  register;  and  in  !  )ctober,  1872.  Major  Albert  A.  Day  succeeded  Mr.  Warren 
as  receiver.  At  that  time  government  lands  sold  at  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
five  cents  to  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  acre,  according  to  location  relative 
to  railway  lines. 

Saginaw  Valley  Agricultural  Society 

For  the  purpose  of  promoting  the  improvement  of  agriculture  and  of 
stimulating  the  growing  of  live  stock,  a  number  of  leading  residents  of  this 
county  organized  on  March  20,  1866,  the  Saginaw  County  Agricultural 
Society.  The  first  executive  committee  of  the  society  was  composed  of 
Barney  II.  York,  president;  George  F.  Lewis,  secretary,  and  Thomas  L. 
Jackson,  treasurer.  The  vice-presidents  were  George  F.  Veenfliet,  William 
J.  Bartow,  William  M.  Smith  and  William  McBratnie,  and  the  other  directors 
were  John  Wiltse,  John  G.  Hubinger,  Andrew  Goetz,  Wellington  R.  Burt, 
Andrew  Crofoot,  X.  S.   Beach  and  Robert  Ure. 

The  first  fair  of  the  society  was  held  in  East  Saginaw,  October  3  to  5, 
the  commissioners  for  arrangement  of  all  animals  and  articles  for  exhibition 
being:  William  M.  Smith,  cattle;  William  J.  Bartow,  horses;  George  F.  Veen- 
ileit,  butter,  cheese,  vegetables  and  seeds;  William  McBratnie,  farm 
implements  and  miscellaneous;  and  Robert  Ure,  flowers,  drawings,  paintings 
and  ornamental  work.  There  was  a  generous  premium  list  and  competent 
judges  to  make  awards.  The  attendance  was  large  considering  that  the 
population  of  the  county  was  only  about  one-fourth  what  it  is  at  present. 
The  fair  grounds  were  situated  on  the  east  side  of  South  Jefferson  Avenue 
between  Sidney  (Rust)  and  Webber  Streets,  and  boasted  of  a  fine  half  mile 
track.  In  the  following  years  many  famous  racing  horses  speeded  on  this 
track,  Jay-Eye-See  making  a  world's  trotting  record. 

After  a  successful  career  of  almost  thirty  years  the  society  disbanded, 
its  last  fair  being  held  at  Union  Park  on  the  Vest  Side,  which  had  been  laid 
out  and  maintained  by  Isaac  Bearinger.  The  park  itself  with  its  fine  track 
was  abandoned  in  the  ball  of  1905,  and  the  following  year  was  subdivided 
into  city  1<  >ts. 

Nothing  was  done  to  revive  the  agricultural  society  until  1912,  when  the 
Saginaw  County  School  and  Farm  Bureau  Association  was  organized,  and 
gave  interesting  educational  exhibits  at  Riverside  I 'ark  in  the  Fall  of  that 
year,  and  m   1913.     The  officers  of  the  association  were:      Frank  J.  Newman, 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE 


701 


Birch  Run,  president;  Valentine  Katzenberger,  Bridgeport,  vice-president; 
L.  S.  Foote,  Saginaw,  secretary:  Henry  Coats,  Hemlock,  treasurer;  Burton 
S.  Tefft,  Saginaw,  fair  manager. 

From  this  beginning  the  Saginaw  County  Agricultural  Society  was  re- 
organized and  placed  on  a  sound  working  basis.  'Idle  society  held  successful 
fairs  and  stocks  exhibits  with  racing  at  the  driving  park  laid  out  and  improved 
by  Harry  Bates  about  thirty  years  ago,  in  1914  and  subsequent  years;  and 
in  1917  erected  two  permanent  buildings  for  exhibition  purposes.  The  plans 
of  the  society  provide  for  the  erection  of  other  buildings  especially  adapted  to 
the  needs  of  the  fair. 

The  present  officers  of  the  society  are  John  Popp,  president;  William  J. 
Morgan  and  Jacob  B.  Hoffman,  vice-presidents;  Frank  F.  Kleinfeld,  secre- 
tary; Christian  F.  Gugel,  treasurer.  The  directors  are  the  officers  and  Jacob 
DeGeus,  William  F.  Jahnke,  John  Leidlein,  Langley  S.  Foote,  Charles  B. 
McClure,  John  C.  Rauchholz,  Thomas  B.  McDonagh,  Val  Katzenberger, 
Cameron  C.  Speer  and  Fred  Wiltse. 


MACONVALE    CANARY.    No.    153.622 
The  Saginaw   Valliy  stock   Farm,   Owner 


Central  Agricultural  Society 

Believing  that  the  west  tiers  of  townships  should  have  an  agricultural 
society  of  their  own.  some  business  men  of  Saginaw  City  and  prominent 
farmers  organized  the  Saginaw  Central  Agricultural  Society  in  May,  1873. 
The  officers  of  the  society  were:  Dr.  I.  X.  Smith,  president;  William  McBrat- 
nie,  secretary;  George  R.  Stark,  treasurer.  The  vice-presidents  were: 
Willard  Shattuck.  John  A.  Leinberger,  Martin  Stocker,  John  McMillan. 
Thomas  P.  Hines,  Frank  Ackley,  Samuel  Harder,  Theodore  Bundage,  X.  S. 
Lockwood,  S.  B.  Williams,  James  Graham,  John  Wright,  William  Roeser, 
Colin  McBratnie,  George  Ward,  S.  C.  Goodale,  Eleazer  J.  Ring,  Norman  L. 
Miller,  Peter  C.  Andre  and  Thomas  Shimmons.  These  officers  and  Thomas 
L.  Jackson,  Moses  Harris,  Jacob  H.  Lewis,  Jay  Smith,  Nelson  Abel,  David 
Geddes  and  William  A.  Crane,  composed  the  board  of  directors.  The  first 
fair  of  the  society  was  held  September  15-17.  l<X7o,  at  the  well  appointed 
fair  grounds  on  Court  Street.  This  society  maintained  a  fairly  successful 
existence  for  about  fifteen  years,  but  at  length  disbanded  and  its  grounds 
reverted  to  the  uses  of  agriculture. 


702  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Saginaw  County  Farmers'  Organizations 

The  officers  of  the  Saginaw  County  Farm  Bureau  are:  Jacob  B.  Hoffman, 
Oakley,  president;  E.  G.  Rust,  Merrill,  vice-president;  Langley  S.  Foote, 
Saginaw,  secretary  and  treasurer;  Earl  P.  Robinson,  Saginaw,  county  agricul- 
tural agent. 

The  officers  of  the  Saginaw  County  School  and  Farm  Bureau  Fair 
Association  are:  F.  J.  Newman,  Birch  Run,  president;  Val  Katzenberger, 
Saginaw,  vice-president;  Langley  S.  Foote,  Saginaw,  secretary;  Henry  Coats, 
Hemlock,  treasurer.  The  Fair  Managers  are  Burton  S.  Tefft,  county  com- 
missioner of  schools,  and  Earl  P.  Robinson,  county  agricultural  agent. 

The  Saginaw  County  Bean  Growers  Association  has  for  its  officers  Fred 
Wiltse,  Saginaw,  president;  Charles  W.  Sutliff,  Oakley,  vice-president;  Alex. 
Pullar,  Saginaw,  secretary;  Richard  Frahm,  Frankenmuth,  treasurer. 

The  Saginaw  Valley  IIolstein-Fresian  Breeders'  Association  is  conducted 
by  William  J.  Morgan,  Saginaw,  president ;  Thomas  Phoenix,  Saginaw,  vice- 
president  ;  Al.  C.  Schoenheit,  Saginaw,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Saginaw  County  Order  of  Michigan  Experiment  Association  has  for  its 
officers  George  Emerick,  Saginaw,  president;  Alex.  Pullar,  Saginaw,  vice- 
president;  Fred  Cornair,  Chesaning,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  directors 
are:  William  J.  Kirchner,  Freeland;  Ilenrv  Coats,  Hemlock;  Tohn  J  Veiten- 
gruber,  Frankenmuth:   llv.  Deibel,  Saginaw;  and  Charles  Cook,  B'irch  Run. 

The  officers  of  the  Farmers'  Mutual  Insurance  Company  are:  August  C. 
Fitting,  Hemlock,  president;  F.  C.  Moll,  Saginaw;  vice-president;  Frank  A. 
Short,  Hemlock,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Saginaw  County  Cow-Testing  Association  is  controlled  by  Frank 
Plumb.  Saginaw,  president;  William  B.  Hackett,  Saginaw,  vice-president; 
Traugott  Trinklein,  Vassar,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Saginaw  County  (Pomona)  Grange,  No.  57,  is  officered  by  George 
Emerick.  Saginaw,  master;  Otto  I'.owser,  Birch  Run,  secretary;  Henry  Coats, 
Hemlock,  treasurer;  Mr--.  Alex.  Pullar,  Saginaw,  lecturer ;"  Henrv' Deibel, 
Saginaw,  overseer;  Mrs.  Otto  Bowser.  Birch  Run,  chaplain. 

The  officers  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Holstein-Fresian  Breeders'  Sales 
Association  are:  Thomas  1'hoenix,  Saginaw,  president;  Frank  Robbins,  Mun- 
ger,  vice-president ;  Al.  C.  Schoenheit,  Saginaw,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The 
executive  committee  is  composed  of  Jacob  DeGeus,  Alicia;  George  M.  Maurer, 
Frankenmuth:  W.  A.  Wilder,  Ray  City;  William  J.  Morgan,  Saginaw;  John 
F.  O'Keefe,  Saginaw;  William  Roenicke,  Saginaw;  D.  D.  Aitken,  Flint." 

The  officers  of  the  Saginaw  County  Horse  Show  Association  are: 
George  II.  Sutherland,  Saginaw,  president;  Robert  Russell,  Saginaw,  vice- 
president;  N.  N.  Wright,  Saginaw,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Saginaw  County  Farmers'  Institute  is  officered  by  Fred  Cornair, 
Chesaning,  president;  and  J.  D.  Proper,  Chesaning,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Saginaw  Poultry  Club  has  for  its  officers:  J.  C.  Hohn,  Saginaw, 
president;  Robert  Booth,  Saginaw,  vice-president;  Ed.  Ohland,  Saginaw, 
secretary  and  treasurer:  and  Al.   Iluelmer,  Saginaw,  assistant  secretary. 

The  Saginaw  County  Milk  Producers'  Association  is  conducted  by  Char- 
les Hodges,  Saginaw,  president;  Thomas  Phoenix,  Saginaw,  vice-president; 
Langley  S.  Foote,  Saginaw,  secretary;  Fred  Rohloff,  Saginaw,  treasurer. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

TRANSPORTATION 


Rough  Forest  Trails  —  Experiences  in  Early  Road  Making  —  Difficulties  of  Travel  — 
First  Plank  Road  —  Early  River  Navigation— First  Vessels  on  Saginaw  River— Coming 
of  First  Steamboat  —  Building  First  Steamboat  —  Shipbuiding  —  Rise  and  Decline  of 
River  Commerce- — River  and  Shore  Lines  —  Rapid  Decline  —  Early  Railroad  Projects 
—  Building  the  F.  &  P.  M.  Railroad  —  Why  Saginaw  City  Was  Cut  Off  — Opening 
Excursion  —  Land  Grants  and  Earnings  —  Mutuality  of  Interests  —  Steamship  Line  — 
Jackson,  Lansing  &  Saginaw  —  Saginaw  Valley  &  St.  Louis  Railroad—  Saginaw, 
Tuscola  &  Huron  — Port  Huron  &  North  Western  —  Cincinnati,  Saginaw  &  Mackinaw 
Railroad  —  Interurban  Electric  Traction  —  Street  Railways —  Beginning  of  Rapid 
Transit — Good  Roads  Movement — Cost  of  Road  Improvement — Value  of  State  Awards. 

WHILE  the  Saginaw  Valley  is  well  provided  with  facilities  for  trans- 
portation, by  railroad,  highway  and  river,  within  the  memory  of  old 
pioneers  this  situation  did  not  exist.  Less  than  a  hundred  years 
ago,  when  the  whole  region  of  Michigan  was  a  vast  wilderness,  the  only 
means  of  communication  with  the  frontier  settlements  were  by  lake  and  river, 
or  by  Indian  trails  through  the  dense  forests  overrun  witli  wild  beasts. 
Navigation  of  the  lake  in  the  small  and  frail  craft  of  the  early  days  was 
f rough t  with  peril  and  hardship,  and  was  not  a  popular  means  of  travel.  The 
more  customary  route  was  by  the  old  Indian  trail  by  way  of  Pontiac,  Grand 
Blanc  and  the  traverse  of  the  Flint,  to  the  remote  outpost  on  the  Saginaw 
River.  But  improvement  of  the  existing  trails,  like  everything  else,  at  length 
had  a  beginning,  and  was  attended  by  much  difficulty  and  danger. 

The  first  labor  in  making  a  road  to  the  Saginaw  Valley  was  performed 
in  1822-3  by  United  States  soldiers  who  were  then  stationed  at  Fort  Saginaw. 
It  became  necessary  to  get  supplies  through  from  Detroit,  and  a  road  was  cut 
through  the  woods  following  the  old  Indian  trail  and  crossing  the  Flint  River 
at  the  point  where  the  city  of  Flint  is  situated;  and  John  Hamilton,  Harvey 
Williams  and  Ephraim  S.Williams  hauled  supplies  to  Saginaw  for  the  soldiers. 
So  difficult  was  travel  in  those  days  that  on  one  occasion,  it  is  related,  the 
garrison  was  reduced  to  half-rations  and  very  little  provision  left  when  fresh 
supplies  were  finally  brought  in  to  the  fort.  The  primitive  road  was  used  for 
travel  on  horseback  and  by  sleighs  in  winter,  to  and  including  1831.  Many 
trees  had  fallen  across  the  trail,  the  small  streams  were  difficult  to  cross,  and 
the  winter  travel  to  Saginaw  Bay,  to  procure  fish  caught  by  the  Indians,  had 
increased  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  necessary  to  improve  the  road.  In  the 
Fall  of  1831  a  fund  of  one  hundred  dollars  was  raised  by  subscription,  to  be 
expended  upon  the  road  between  the  Flint  and  Cass  Rivers. 

Experiences  in  Early  Road  Making 

About  November  15,  1831.  John  Todd  and  Fhineas  Thompson  started 
from  Flint  with  a  tent  and  two  weeks'  provisions  on  their  backs,  and  passed 
over  the  trail  a  few  miles  where  they  were  to  begin  work,  when  they  pitched 
their  tents  for  two  days'  labor,  working  one  day  on  each  side  of  the  trail. 
Their  experiences  were  graphically  related  by  Todd  many  years  after,  and 
published  in  the  Michigan  Pioneer  Collections,  Vol.  VII,  pp.  252-3,  as  follows: 

"After  spending  the  day  at  labor  on  the  road  we  had  no  lack  of  music  to 
beguile  the  tedious  hours  of  night.  Soon  after  dark,  wolves  would  gather 
around  so  near  that  we  could  hear  every  note  of  their  fierce  howls  ;  and  we  had 


704 


HISTI  »RY  I  IF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


ache  our  provisions  above  their  reach.     At  one  place,  when  retiring  for  the 
night,  I  left  nn  leather  mittens  outside  the  tent,  and  that  night  a  larger  p; 
of  wolves  than  usual  gathered  around  the  tent  and  varied  their  savage  growls 
with  snapping  their  teeth  together  as  if  the)    meant   to  devour  us.     In  the 
morning  we  found  a  large  space  trampled  about  the  camp  where  tin 
had  fought  over  the  mittens,  the  strongest  one  probably  securing  the  prize 

his  supper.     It  was  not  pleasant  to  spend  nights  so  mar  a  pack  of  hungry 
wolves  with  nothing  but  a  frail  tent  between  them  and  you. 

"I  in  arriving  at  Cass  River  our  job  was  completed,  but  we  had  no  n 

we  felled  an  ash  tree,  cut  it  into  a^  large  pieces  as  we  could 
handle,  and  made  a  raft  which  would  bear  the  weight  of  two  men  bj  sinking 
in  the  water  nearlj   to  our  knee  over,  when  bj    placing 

the  raft  in  the  current  it  soon  floated  back  so  near  the  other  bank  that  the 
third  party  caught  it  and  ly  over. 


SAGINAW    THE    SHIPPING    CENTER    OF    THE    GREAT     LAKES    REGION 


"\\  rted  for  Green  Point,  where  my  -i-ter  had  taken  up  her  resi- 

month  before.     <  »n  our  arrival  at  the  river  we  called  for 
put  us  ai  rhere  was  no  one  about  the  place  but  my  sister,  and  she 

not  accustomed  to  handle  a  canoe;  but  hearing  my  voice  she  ventured  out 
and.  with  the  direct  gave  her.  landed  safely.     We  all  got  aboard  and 

;e,  where  we  were  I  to  find  shel 

r  two  weeks' camping  in  the  wilderness. 

"That   was  my  first  vis  ginaw.     I   was  delighted  with  the  bi 

dee]>  river,  with  the  beautiful  prairie  beyond  Green  fine  tim- 

d  land  on  the  op  and  1  afterward  purchased  from  the  govern- 

the  land  upon  which  I  stood  when  1  first  saw  the  Saginaw  River. 
"After  spending  a  few  d;  Point  and  Saginaw  City,  the  weather 

having  become  cold,  we  started  on  our  return  trip.     We  made  a  raft 
River,  upon  which  we  crossed,  and  pushed  "it  hoping  to  reach  Pine  Run  before 
dark.     But  night  set  in  with  a  snow  storm  before  we  reached  there,  and  we 
had  great  difficulty  in  kindling  a  tire,  everything  being  wet  with  snow  and 


TRANSPi  iR  1  Ml'  >\  705 

having  nothing  but  a  flint  and  steel  to  start  a  fire  with.  We  finally  succeeded 
in  making  a  blaze,  but  were  so  tired  with  the  days'  travel  that  we  did  not  pitch 
our  tent,  l>nt  spread  it  over  us.     It  v  red  with  four  inches  v  in 

the  morning,  when  we  completed  "tir  journey  v>  Flint. 

Difficulties  of  Travel 

ition  of  the  main  trail  and  the  difficulties  of  travel  in  pioneer 
days,  Albert  Miller,  the  first  white  settler  on  tl  side  of  the  river,  rela 

4.111  Pii  11  Vol.  XVIII.,  pp.  27. 

"<Mi  November  23,  1836,   I   started  from   Detroit  on  horseback   I 

smouth,   to    which    place    1    had    dispatched    a    vessel    loaded    with    four 
thousand  dollars'  worth  and  machinen  -■•  mill.     It  had  been 

very  wet  and  the  roads  were  intollerably  muddy,  but  it  turned  cold  and  when 

froze  up  they  were  so  rough  as  to  be  almost  impassable. 

long  very  slowh    but  arrived  at  last  at   Flint   River  on  my  pony, 
id,   'You    ma;-  1    leave  \    here   as    leave    him    in    the 

rls,  for  it  is  not  possible  for  a  hor;  Saj  1       con- 

sideration  I  concluded  that  it  was  so.      The  whole  country  w  red  with 

r,  and  1!  n  hard  enough  t"  hear  a  horse,  but  was  just 

thick  enough  i«>r  hin  h  and  cut  his  orn  out  and 

did  not  feel  that   I   could  walk  1  iw,  but   I   was  at  home  in  a  canoe, 

90  I  purchased  one  and  started  down  the  river.  I  got  along  about  thirtv 
miles  whni  I  found  the  ice  had  blocked  ti|>  thi  impletely.     1  hauled  the 

canoe  ashore,  put  my  paddles  under  il  1  following  the  river. 

I  could  see  no  trail  and  had  to  be  guided  by  the  river.     At  length  I  came  t" 
and  as  1  could  the  end  of  it.  I  waded  in  and  broke  the  -kim 

of  ice  with  in)   arm-  a-  I   went  along,  and  final  h  side. 

1  passed  along  and  that  nighl  a  shanty  where  an  old  settler  live. I.  ami 

I  stayed  with  him  over  night  an. I  partially  dried  mv  clotl  .t  .lay  I 

went  "ii.  luit  there  w  id  "ii  either  side  of  the  river  ami   1   took 

1   never  had   followed  before.     But    I   knew    there  ome   way  of  getting 

around,  and  I  cro  ne  creek  I  could  anil  finally  arrive.) 

Ii   nearly   frozen. 

"I  was  completely  used  up.  and  1  thought  if  1  could  onlj  ur*-t  home  where 
mother  was  ami  lie  down    I   could  he  content.     When    I   i;..t   there  the  little 

owded  with  men  working  "ii  the  saw  mill,  there  !■ 
boai  sides  mj   brother's  family,  and  it  did:  like  home  t"  me  at 

all.     1  was  homesick,  hut  said  nothing  about  it." 

In   1834  the   United  ernment   undertook   the   improvement 

the  terril  i\\   turnpike  as  it  wa  rally  known,  and  the 

r<  .in.-  w  .1-  -in  \  .1  ed  by  «  (range  Risdi  »n,  w  hi  1  afterward  published  a  map  •  if  this 

m.     The  road  had  literally  been  chopped  out  of  tl  -    and  was  graded 

naw  when  the  work  was  abandoned.     I 
the  improvement  work  was  resumed  and  completed  in  1841.     It  was  then  far 
from  being  a  good  road,  and  a  a-  almosl  impassable. 

Travel  m  tl  was  limited  k  and  foot,  but  in  May.  1834, 

les    V  Lull,  with  his  father  and  mother,  tw  and  a  brother,  ami 

Spaulding,   drove   from    Hint    with   an   ox   cart,   which    was   the   first 

wheeled   vehicle,  s. >  tar  as   known,   t.>  come  over  the  ..Id   trail   t..  Saginaw. 

the  road  was  littli  ma-  \V.  Babcock,  an  ..Id  pioneer 

who,  though  in  his  eighty-fifth  vcar  i-  in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent   health, 

relate-  that  when  he  came  t"  Saginaw  in    March.  1852,  he  walked   the  entire 

. Ii-!. nice  fii. m  St.  Clair  County,  the  p. ads  being  in  such  condition  that  tra 

>rse  and  wagon  was  impossible. 

The  "Id  Indian  trail,  which  was  followed  by  the  earliest  settlers,  came  out 
en   the  east   bank  of  the  ri \  site  Green    Point,  but   afterward,  during 


706  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 

the  various  improvements  to  it.  a  diversion  was  made  to  meet  the  river 
opposite  the  foot  of  Mackinaw  Street,  at  which  point  there  was  a  ferry  to  the 
other  side.  There  was  no  road  or  path  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  and  it  was 
necessary  for  the  early  pioneers  of  East  Saginaw,  in  going  to  Detroit,  to  cross 
over  the  river  and  bayou  at  the  foot  of  Plank  Road  (Genesee  Street),  wade 
through  the  mud  of  the  Indian  trail,  which  followed  closely  the  present  lines 
of  Michigan  Avenue,  to  Saginaw  City  and  then  recross  the  river  to  the  east 
hank  where  they  met  the  Flint  trail.  This  was  a  roundabout  way  of  travel, 
and  the  necessity  of  first  passing  through  Saginaw  City  in  getting  to  civiliza- 
tion was  very  distasteful  to  the  enterprising  promoters  and  progressive 
settlers  of  East  Saginaw.  It  was  evident  that  if  the  new  settlement  was  to 
grow  and  prosper,  a  direct  road  U>  Flint  and  the  outside  world  would  be 
necessarv. 

The  First  Plank  Road 

In  order  to  provide  better  facilities  for  travel  and  put  East  Saginaw  on 
the  map.  Norman  Little  and  his  associates  undertook  the  construction  of  a 
plank  road  all  the  way  to  Flint,  a  distance  of  about  thirty-two  miles.  This 
was  a  large  project  involving  an  enormous  expenditure  of  money  for  those 
times,  and  was  considered  by  many  as  a  visionary  one  (see  Chapter  IX,  page 
150).  Some  opposition  was  aroused  to  the  scheme,  but  a  charter  was  at 
length  granted  by  the  Legislature,  and  the  work  of  building  the  road  was 
begun.  After  overcoming  many  difficulties  the  road  was  put  through  by  the 
way  of  Cass  River  and  Pine  Run,  and  was  completed  in  1851.  It  came  into 
the  settlement  by  Genesee  Street,  then  known  as  Plank  Road,  and  the  first 
toll-gate  was  at  the  corner  of  Millard  Street  beyond  which  was  an  almost 
unbroken  forest.  As  a  result  of  this  enterprise  a  post  office  was  soon  estab- 
lished, and  a  stage  line  brought  in  and  carried  out  mail  daily.  Immigration 
was  greatly  stimulated  by  extensive  advertising  in  the  East  and  the  settlement 
of  East  Saginaw  began  to  show  signs  of  activity. 

As  the  village  grew  and  was  at  length  incorporated  as  a  city,  other  plank 
roads  were  projected  including  a  road  built  in  the  early  fifties  from  Zihvaukee 
to  a  point  opposite  East  Saginaw,  by  Johnson  Brothers,  the  projectors  of  the 
village  of  Zihvaukee.  According  ti>  Fox's  History  of  Saginaw  Valley,  1868, 
there  were,  in  addition  to  the  Saginaw  and  Genesee  plank  road,  the  East 
Saginaw  and  Vassar  plank  road,  nineteen  and  a  half  miles  long;  the  East 
Saginaw  and  Watrousville  plank  road,  about  twenty  miles  long,  and  the 
Saginaw  and  Gratiot  plank  road,  from  Saginaw  City  to  St.  Louis,  with  a 
length  of  thirty-six  miles. 

Early  River  Navigation 

Nature  has  bestowed  upon  the  Saginaw  Valley  an  abundance  of  rivers, 
there  being  no  less  than  ten  dignified  by  that  name,  besides  a  number  of  small 
streams.  The  Saginaw  River  i^  one  of  the  largest  streams  in  Michigan.  It  is 
twenty  miles  long,  and  in  its  primitive  state  was  from  three  hundred  to  eight 
hundred  feet  in  width,  with  a  depth  of  ten  to  fifteen  feet.  Formed  by  the 
Cass  River  on  the  East,  the  Flint  and  Shiawassee  on  the  South,  and  the  Titta- 
bawassee  on  the  Northwest,  it  serves  as  an  outlet  for  a  vast  expanse  of 
country,  once  covered  by  dense  forests  of  pine  and  hard  woods.  The  Saginaw 
River  afforded  practically  the  only  means  of  transportation  for  heavy  mer- 
chandise to  and  from  Detroit  and  the  East,  and  it  was  a  highway  of  travel 
for  the  early  settlers  in  passing  to  and  from  Saginaw  Bay. 

In  the  early  days  the  Shiawassee  and  Bad  Rivers  were  navigable  for 
small  vessels  as  far  as  St.  Charles,  a  distance  of  nearly  twenty  miles;  and  the 
Tittabawassee  River  accommodated  a  navigation  as  far  as  Midland  City, 
about  thirty  miles  above  Saginaw  City.  Public  interest  in  up-river  navigation 
is  shown  bv  the  organization  in  1837  of  the  Owosso  and  Saginaw  Navigation 


TRANSPORTATION 


707 


Company,  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Its  purpose  was 
to  improve  the  Shiawassee  River  so  as  to  make  slack  water  navigation 
between  Owosso  and  its  junction  with  the  Flint  River,  in  order  that  steam- 
boats and  barges  might  operate  on  it  to  the  former  point.  After  expending 
a  large  sum  for  labor  in  clearing  the  driftwood  from  the  river,  and  using  it  for 
transporting  merchandise  in  small  boats,  it  was  found  impracticable  to  con- 
tinue this  mode  of  transportation. 

Albert  Miller  in  his  "Pioneer  Sketches,"  published  in  the  Michigan 
Pioneer  Collections,  Vol.  VII,  pages  234-5,  relates  an  incident  concerning 
the  "first  raft  that  ever  floated  on  waters  tributary   In  the   Saginaw  River:" 

"While  I  was  at  Saginaw  preparing  timber  for  my  house,  Eleazer  Jewett 
went  to  Detroit  to  settle  some  business  in  connection  with  the  fur  trade  that 
he  had  been  engaged  in.  About  the  time  be  was  expected  home,  Thomas  Simp- 
son came  through  from  Flint  on  horseback  and  said  that  Mr.  Jewett  was 
there  and  about  to  start  for  home  by  way  of  the  river,  in  a  canoe.     After  a 


^HL 

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£*  «      -. •/■*-   --^^^ 

?!£5mh«C-    mw 

e      '  "                ■    _J 

";"'•■' ':' 

• 

BARGE    TOWING    SCHOONER    IN    THE    OLD    LUMBERING    DAYS 

week  had  passed  and  no  tidings  of  him  came,  we  became  very  much  alarmed 
at  his  delay,  and  I  determined  to  go  with  some  Indians  and  follow  up  the 
river  to  determine  if  possible  (ewett's  fate. 

"At  night  we  arrived  at  the  Indian's  wigwam,  and  I  was  provided  with  a 
place  to  spread  my  blanket  for  rest.  It  being  late  in  November,  the  weather 
was  cold,  but  there  was  no  lack  of  warmth  in  the  wigwam.  It  was  small  with 
a  large  fire  in  the  center,  and  a  dozen  Indians,  male  and  female,  were  lying 
around  it.  I  slept  until  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  I  awoke  and, 
seeing  the  moon  shining  brightly,  and  being  anxious  to  pursue  my  journey, 
I  prevailed  upon  a  young  Indian,  by  giving  him  a  silver  coin,  to  pilot  me  on 
the  trail  to  a  point  on  the  river  where  the  trail  crossed  it.  We  arrived  about 
day-break  and  I  ferried  myself  across  the  river  in  a  canoe  I  found  at  the  bank. 
I  was  following  the  trail,  which  would  soon  leave  the  bank  of  the  river  and 
pass  inland  across  a  bend,  when  I  heard  noises  on  the  river  near  me.  I  raised 
my  voice  on  an  Indian  whoop  (which  was  a  signal  in  all  emergencies),  and 
was  answered.  I  soon  saw  Mr.  Jewett  and  two  other  men  floating  on  a 
raft  of  sawed  lumber.  Had  I  been  three  minutes  earlier  or  later  I  would 
have  missed  seeing  them.     The  raft  was  guided  to  the  shore  and  I  joyfully 


70S  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

leaped  aboard,  when  Air.  Jewett,  considering  he  had  a   full  crew,  dismissed 
the  other  men  to  return  to  Flint,  and  we  two  floated  leisurely  down  the  stream. 

"After  Mr.  Simpson  had  left  Flint,  Jewett  purchased  a  quantity  of  lumber 
from  Rufus  Stevens  at  his  mill  on  the  Thread  River,  and  hauled  it  across  t<> 
the  Flint,  where  he  built  a  raft  to  float  as  far  towards  Saginaw  as  it  would 
run.  There  was  no  horseman  or  footman  passing  from  Flint  to  Saginaw 
whereby  he  could  send  word  to  his  family  of  the  cause  of  his  delay. 

"Before  night  on  the  day  I  met  Jewett,  the  further  progress  of  the  raft 
was  stopped  by  driftwood  in  the  river.  We  went  to  the  wigwam  where  I 
spent  the  night  before,  and  remained  until  morning,  when  we  went  home 
through  the  hrst  snow  of  the  season.  .Mr.  Jewett's  arrival  caused  great 
rejoincing,  the  alarm  having  increased  at  his  long  absence,  and  the  settlers 
were  preparing  to  turn  out  and  search  for  him. 

"I  purchased  a  part  of  the  lumber  from  Air.  Jewett,  and  decided  to  build 
a  frame  house  instead  of  a  log  block-house.  The  lumber  was  taken  out  of 
the  river  and  piled  on  the  bank,  from  which  point  it  was  hauled  in  winter 
about  eight  miles  to  the  place  where  I  intended  to  build.  This  was  in 
December,  1832.  a  month  the  weather  was  very  mild  and  continued  like  Indian 
Summer  until  the  first  week  in  February,  and  on  account  of  the  mud  1  was 
unable  to  remove  my  effects  from  Grand  Blanc  to  Saginaw.  It  was  not  until 
the  thirteenth  of  February  that  we  were  able  to  start  with  our  household 
goods  on  sleds  drawn  by  two  yokes  of  oxen,  with  our  cows  and  hogs  driven 
behind  the  1<  iads." 

First  Vessels  on  Saginaw  River 

The  first  craft  to  sail  the  Saginaw  River  was  a  small  sloop,  named  the 
Savage,  of  only  forty  tons  burden,  which  was  used  by  the  American  Fur 
Company,  about  1831  and  a  few  years  after,  for  carrying  furs  from  their  posts 
on  the  river  to  Buffalo.  In  June,  1832,  a  vessel  of  fifty  tons  burden  came  into 
the  river,  and  after  discharging  a  cargo  of  supplies  for  the  fur  company,  sailed 
up  the  Tittabawassee  to  Duncan  McLellan's  farm  and  took  on  a  load  of 
potatoes.  This  was  the  first  cargo  of  farm  produce  shipped  from  the  Saginaw 
Vallev.  Five  years  later  Captain  George  Raby  sailed  into  Saginaw  River  as 
master  of  the  schooner  North  America.  Captain  J.  D.  Smith  commanded  the 
Richmond,  formerly  the  Conneaut  Packet,  which  was  wrecked  on  the  Canadian 
shore  of  Lake  Huron.  There  was  also  a  small  schooner  named  the  Mary, 
Captain  Wilson,  which  sailed  between  Detroit  and  Saginaw,  but  in  the  Fall 
of  1836  was  wrecked  proving  a  total  losx. 

Building  of  the  "Julia  Smith" 

Nelson  Smith,  a  brother-in-law  of  Norman  and  Colonel  W.  L.  I".  Little, 
who  owned  the  Mary,  then  decided  to  build  a  larger  vessel  to  supply  the 
demands  of  the  increasing  trade  of  the  Saginaw  River.  He  thereupon  em- 
ployed a  Frenchman  who  devised  a  neat  model  of  a  vessel  well  adapted  to 
river  and  lake  navigation,  and  several  shipwrights  were  brought  here  for  the 
construction  of  the  boat.  Furnishing  the  timber  for  the  shipbuilding  opera- 
tions kept  neighboring  farmers  busy  with  their  teams:  and  Jewett's  Hotel  was 
well  filled  with  boarders  from  the' little  shipyard.  The  vessel  was  of  about 
seventv  tons  burden,  strongly  built  of  the  best  oak  timber,  of  which  there  was 
an  abundant  supply  nearby,  and  when  fully  loaded  had  a  draft  of  four  and  a 
half  feet.  The  construction  work  was  directed  by  Captain  Lock,  of  St.  Clair, 
and  he  was  the  first  master  of  the  vessel.  When  launched  the  new  boat  was 
named  the  Julia  Smith,  after  the  owner's  daughter. 

After  fitting  out  and  commencing  regular  trips  to  Detroit,  the  Julia  Smith 
proved  a  great  convenience  and  benefit  to  the  settlers  at  Saginaw.  Wants 
which  could  not  be  supplied  by  the  small  trailers  were  looked  after  by  Captain 
Lock,   who   made   the   purchases  in    Detroit   without   charge   for  commission, 


TRANSPORTATION  709 


only  charging  for  freight  on  the  goods;  and  large  sums  of  money  passed 
through  his  hands  for  that  purpose.  This  was  before  the  days  of  steamboats 
on  the  river,  and  the  settlers,  when  they  could,  took  passage  on  the  sailing 
vessel  in  going  to  and  from  Portsmouth  and  Lower  Saginaw  (Bav  City). 

(  >ne  evening  late  in  November,  1837.  a  pioneer  settler  boarded  the  Julia 
Smith  at  Lower  Saginaw,  hound  for  Saginaw  City.  Scarcely  had  they  cast  off 
from  the  dock  when  a  heavy  storm  of  rain  and  wind  came  up,  but  they  passed 
Portsmouth,  the  Lone  Tree,  Devil's  Elbow  and  Willow  Island  without  much 
difficulty,  and  at  dark  came  to  the  critical  point  in  the  navigation  of  the  river, 
tlic  Carrollton  bar.  The  willows  from  which  an  acute  angle  to  the  left  was 
to  be  made,  were  visible,  the  helm  was  put  down  to  guide  the  vessel  through 
the  narrow  channel  across  the  bar  to  deep  water  above.  But  the  captain 
had  not  made  sufficient  allowance  for  the  strength  of  the  gale,  and  they  soon 
ran  hard  aground  on  the  south  side  of  the  channel.  That  night  the  passengers 
retired  on  board  the  little  vessel.  The  weather  became  cold  and  in  the 
morning  the  ground  was  covered  with  eight  inches  of  snow,  through  which 
the  settler  waded  three  miles  to  his  home. 

The  Julia  Smith  left  the  Saginaw  River  trade  about  1850.  but  as  late  as 
1S71  was  still  a  staunch  and  sound  craft  sailing  on  Lake  Michigan.  Captain 
Lock  was  swept  from  the  deck  of  the  schooner  in  a  severe  storm  on  Lake  St. 
Clair,  in  1857,  ami  drowned. 

Coming  of  the  First  Steamboat 

As  early  as  1836  the  waters  of  the  Saginaw  River  were  churned  by 
steamboats,  the  first  of  which  to  enter  the  river  was  the  Governor  Marcy, 
commanded  by  Captain  Gorham.  She  was  a  logy  old  boat  of  only  sixteen 
tons  net  burden,  and  was  chartered  by  Norman  Little  for  Mackie,  Oaklev 
and  Jennison,  who  were  then  engaged  in  building  up  Saginaw  City.  A  full 
account  of  the  coming  of  this  steamboat  is  given  in  Chapter  VIII,  pp.  125-6. 

First  Steamboat  Built  on  Saginaw  River 
In  1847,  at  a  suggestion  of  Captain  Mowry,  who  had  navigated  the  upper 
Ohio  River  and  knew  the  requirements  of  navigation  in  shallow  waters,  James 
Fraser,  Daniel  II.  Fitzhugh,  Curtis  Emerson  and  Captain  Mowry  formed  a 
company  to  build  a  steamboat  for  use  on  the  Saginaw  River.  The  keel  of 
the  vessel  was  laid  at  the  mill  of  Emerson  &  Eldridge,  and  that  summer 
Messrs.  Fraser  and  Fitzhugh  went  to  Pittsburg  and  contracted  for  the  engines. 
The  steamboat  was  completed  in  1848  with  oak  timber  and  other  materials 
furnished  by  Mr.  Fitzhugh,  and  was  given  the  name  Buena  Vista.  It  was  a 
i|ueer  looking  craft,  having  a  large  stern  wheel  with  two  engines  placed  in 
the  stern,  and  the  boiler  at  the  bow,  the  steam  being  conveyed  to  the  engines 
by  cast  iron  pipes  placed  under  the  upper  deck.  Although  a  slow  and  awkward 
vessel  the  Buena  Vista  tilled  very  well  the  purposes  for  which  she  was  built, 
and  did  a  goodly  amount  of  business,  both  as  a  tug  and  packet,  in  navigating 
the  upper  streams.  The  early  residents  looked  upon  her  as  a  marvel  of 
speed  and  convenience,  despite  the  fact  that  her  movements  were  somewdiat 
asthmatic  and  noisy;  and  she  was  a  favorite  means  of  communication  between 
the  settlements  on  the  river.  (  For  an  illustration  of  this  strange  craft  see 
the  picture  on  page  141.) 

Before  the  Detroit  &  Milwaukee  Railroad  was  built  across  the  State, 
the  settlers  of  Shiawassee  County,  who  needed  some  means  of  getting  their 
produce  to  market,  proposed  to  build  a  plank  road  from  Owosso  to  the  forks 
of  the  Bad  River  i  now  St.  Charles),  ami  secure  the  steamboat  Buena  Vista 
to  take  their  wheat  and  other  products  to  Saginaw.  In  the  Summer  of  1849, 
Andrew  Parsons,  of  Corunna,  afterward  a  governor  of  this  State,  and  Amos 
Gould,  of  Owosso,  and  other  prominent  men  explored  the  route  for  the  plank 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


road,  and  came  to  Saginaw  to  confer  with  the  owners  of  the  steamboat  as  to 
the  feasibility  of  the  plan.  As  the)'  were  to  return  on  the  Buena  J'ista,  it  was 
arranged  to  run  an  excursion  up  the  river,  and  on  the  appointed  day  an  early 
start  was  made  in  the  morning  with  the  expectation  of  getting  back  to  Sagi- 
naw by  noon  or  a  little  later. 

Almost  the  whole  of  the  adult  male  population  went  along,  but  without 
any  lunch  or  drink  (except  whiskey).  The  boat  passed  up  the  Saginaw  and 
Shiawassee  Rivers  without  difficulty,  though  making  slow  progress,  until  it 
entered  the  Bad  River  which  was  narrow  and  so  crooked  that  the  boat  some- 
times became  wedged  between  two  points,  thus  filling  with  mud  the  pipes 
that  conveyed  water  to  the  boiler,  bong  before  the  boat  reached  the  head 
of  navigation,  the  water  ran  low  and  she  was  propelled  by  heated  gas,  blue 
streams  issuing  from  every  joint  in  the  boiler  and  molten  lead  from  the 
joints  of  the  steam  pipes. 

The  progress  of  the  steamboat  was  thus  impeded,  and  the  engineer  waded 
beside  the  hull  in  an  effort  to  open  the  pipes  to  the  boiler,  but  in  this  he 
tailed  and  very  fortunately  for  all  on  hoard,  for  had  a  dash  of  water  entered 


THE    '■SKYLARK"     LOADING    AT    SAGINAW 
The   Third   Man    from   the   Bow  was  Walter  Frazee 

the  boiler  in  its  overheated  condition,  an  explosion  would  have  scattered  all 
to  the  four  winds.  In  this  dilemma  with  fifty  hungry  men  sixteen  miles  from 
their  base  of  supplies,  no  dwelling  house  within  several  miles,  and  no  road 
in  any  direction,  a  council  was  held;  and  Daniel  L.  C.  Eaton  and  E.  F.  Bird 
volunteered  to  go  to  Saginaw  in  a  canoe  and  bring  a  supply  of  provisions. 
A  little  after  midnight  these  sturdy  pioneers  returned  to  their  friends  with  a 
canoe  well  filled  with  cooked  food,  which  the  women  of  Saginaw  City  had 
hastily  furnished  from  their  larders.  A  real  banquet  was  partaken  of  in  the 
wilderness  to  the  enjoyment  of  all,  and  which  was  never  forgotten  by  those 
present.  As  the  boat  had  no  cabin  and  only  rows  of  benches  for  seats,  there 
was  not  much  sleep  that  night  for  any  one,  and  they  whiled  away  the  time  as 
best  they  could  until  morning. 

What  canoes  there  were  were  then  quickly  manned  for  the  return  trip 
to  Saginaw,  and  the  balance  of  the  crowd  wended  their  way  through  the 
woods  to  the  Indian  settlement  at  Swan  Creek.  From  there  they  tramped 
over  the  country  to  their  homes,  and  being  Sunday  some  of  them  were  deeply 
humiliated  at  seeing  their  Indian  friends  engaged  in  their  devotions.  The 
Buena  J'ista  remained  at  the  forks  two  weeks  for  repairs,  when  she  returned 
to  deep  water.  That  experience  ended  the  project  for  a  plank  road  and  river 
navigation  of  the  upper  rivers  to  Saginaw. 


TRANSPORTATION  711 


Shipbuilding  on  the  Saginaw  River 

Some  of  the  largest  and  most  seaworthy  vessels  on  the  lakes  in  the  old 
lumbering  days  were  built  on  the  Saginaw  River,  the  general  excellence  of 
the  oak  timber  in  these  parts  being  recognized  by  all  vessel  men.  For  flexi- 
bility, elasticity,  toughness  and  durability  it  was  pronounced  equal  to  the 
old  English  oak,  and  superior  to  most  of  the  ship  timber  found  elsewhere  on 
the  lakes. 

The  second  steamboat  built  here  was  the  General  Walcott,  launched  in 
1850  by  Captain  Darius  Cole,  and  used  in  the  trade  between  Saginaw  and 
Bay  City,  constituting  the  first  river  line.  About  that  time  Daniel  Johnson 
built  at  Zilwaukee  a  small  steamboat  named  the  Snow ;  and  Curtis  Emerson 
launched  a  barge  called  the  Ethan  Allen,  at  his  mill,  the  occasion  being  cele- 
brated in  his  usual  flamboyance  with  a  banquet  at  the  Webster  House.  Soon 
after,  propelling  machinery  was  placed  in  the  Whitney,  built  by  Thomas 
Whitney  &  Company,  of  Bay  City,  and  commanded  by  Captain  Burns.  This 
was  the  first  steamboat  at  the  lower  end  of  the  river.  In  1854  Captain  Cole 
ran  the  Columbia  between  Saginaw  and  Detroit;  and  four  years  later  he 
established  a  line  between  Bay  City  and  Alpena,  with  the  same  steamer.  The 
tug  Lathrop  came  to  the  river  for  towing  in  1853.  and  the  next  year  the  Fox 
appeared,  commanded  by  Captain  Wolverton,  followed  by  the  Ariel,  Ruby, 
Magnet  and  Evening  Star. 

In  the  early  fifties  and  for  some  years  after,  Jesse  Hoyt  had  a  ship  yard 
on  the  east  bank  of  the  river  at  a  point  where  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette 
Railroad  afterward  crossed  the  river.  At  this  yard  a  number  of  barques, 
brigs  and  schooners  were  built  for  a  fleet  formed  by  Mr.  Hoyt,  the  cost  of 
which  aggregated  a  considerable  sum.  In  1858  the  Hoyt  fleet  comprised  the 
following  vessels : 

Barque Sunshine 516  tons  cost  $23,000 

Barque Jesse  Hoyt 472  tons  cost    21,000 

Brig Starlight'. 400  tons  cost     20,000 

Schooner Quickstep 300  tons  cost     16.000 

Steamer Magnet 600  H.  P.  cost    30,000 

Steamer Alida cost     10.000 


Total $120,000 

The  steamer  Magnet  was  a  low  pressure  tow  boat  adapted  to  freight  and 
passenger  business,  with  an  engine  of  six  hundred  horse  power;  and  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Martin  Smith.  She  was  built  in  1855  after  the  mode* 
of  Maine  shipbuilders,  who  favored  vessels  rather  blunt  at  the  stern;  and 
when  Captain  Marsac,  the  veteran  mariner  of  Saginaw  Bay,  first  saw  her  he 
said:  "Be  gad!  been  in  this  countree  good  many  time,  seen  great  many 
steamboat,  never  saw  him  built  straight  up  and  down  behind,  before."  The 
Alida  was  a  smaller  boat  of  the  same  class. 

Other  craft  in  the  lake  and  river  trade  were  the  steamers  Traffic  and 
Comet,  the  propellers  Coaster  and  Odd  Fellow,  Emerson's  steam  ferry,  one  steam 
dredge  and  three  scows.  For  many  years  these  vessels  plied  the  lakes  in  the 
increasing  trade  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  Lumber,  shingles  and  lath  were  the 
principal  products  shipped  to  lower  lake  ports,  and  to  Chicago  and  Mil- 
waukee, and  general  merchandise  and  household  goods  of  emigrants  consti- 
tuted the  return  cargoes,  together  with  as  many  passengers  as  could  be 
accommodated. 

For  several  years  the  schooner  Quickstep  was  commanded  by  Captain 
William  Blyben,  a  well-known  lake  captain  and  vessel  owner,  who  came  here 
in    1854   and    lived    at    Water    and    Miller    (Carlisle)    Streets.     It    was    this 


712  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

vessel  that  brought  in,  on  August  8,  1859,  the  furniture,  carpets,  china  and 
glassware  and  kitchen  equipment  for  the  Bancroft  House,  which  was  opened 
a  month  later.  This  merchandise  was  insured  in  transit  for  ten  thousand 
dollars,  which  sum  was  about  two-thirds  of  the  actual  value  of  the  furnishings. 
Captain  Blyben,  who  had  been  known  to  Jesse  lloyt  from  his  youth,  looked 
after  the  rigging  and  fitting  out  of  the  hitter's  vessels,  and  sailed  a  number 
of  them  in  the  river  and  lake  trade  for  more  than  twenty-five  years.  He 
owned  a  part  interest  in  several  boats  he  had  sailed,  and  when  the  schooner 
Henry  C.  Potter  was  built,  having  taken  particular  pride  in  the  way  she  was 
rigged  and  finished,  he  told  Mr.  lloyt  he  would  like  an  interest  in  the  new 
boat  and  offered  to  give  a  mortgage  on  some  Saginaw  real  estate  as  security. 
Mr.  Hoyt  willingly  consented  to  such  an  arrangement,  and  Captain  Blyben 
assumed  command  of  the  vessel.  Another  boat  of  which  the  Captain  was  part 
owner  as  well  as  master  was  the  A.  B.  Moore,  one  of  the  I  toyt  Fleet. 

Years  after,  when  Captain  Blyben  was  very  ill  and  not  expected  to  live, 
Mr.  Hoyt  came  to  see  him  and  at  his  bedside  said:  "1  want  to  give  you 
back  your  mortgage."  And  he  did.  Mr.  Hoyt  was  greatly  beloved  by  the 
children  of  the  neighborhood,  because  he  was  interested  in  their  pleasures 
and  played  games  with  them  in  the  evening;  and  one  of  them.  Jessie  Blyben. 
was  named  after  him.  But  he  would  not  wear  a  collar  to  go  to  church,  and 
was  chided  by  the  children  who  told  him  that  "in  the  city  men  wear  collars  in 
church." 

During  the  early  period  of  shipbuilding  on  the  Saginaw  River,  Stephen 
R.  Kirby  and  Captain  Martin  Smith  were  employed  by  Air.  lloyt  in  his  ship 
yard.  The  former  designed  the  vessels  and  prepared  the  plans,  while  the 
latter  superintended  the  construction  of  them.  Afterward  Captain  Smith 
took  over  the  shipyard  business,  which  included  the  repair  of  all  kinds  of 
boats.  In  this  connection  it  was  stated  by  Fox,  the  pioneer  historian,  that 
"the  amount  of  business  done  at  the  shipyard  in  this  place,  which  is  con- 
ducted by  Captain  Martin  Smith,  will  average  about  fifty  thousand  dollars 
yearly.  The  grand  facilities  which  the  surrounding  country  affords  for  ship- 
building, renders  this  one  <>f  the  best  points  in  the  State  for  the  shipyard." 
Captain  Smith  was  a  prominent  figure  in  marine  shipping  circles  of  this 
section  ;  and  his  residence  was  on  \\  ater  Street  north  of  Carroll,  in  the  house 
for  main'  years  occupied  by  Wickes  Brothers'  office.  Later  he  built  a  palatial 
residence  in  the  Grove,  the  house  now  occupied  by  Sanford  Keeler.  lie 
removed  from  the  city  about  1869. 

Late  in  the  eighteen-sixties  shipbuilding  on  this  river  began  to  increase, 
and  the  two  shipyards  (the  other  being  at  Emerson's  old  mill  site,  and  con- 
ducted by  the  father  of  Frank  W.  Wheeler)  were  busy  places.  During  1867 
the  following  vessels  were  built  at  the  different  ship  yards: 

Tonnage  Tonnage 

Bark I.   C.   King 512         Tug -lima  Moiles   72 

Bark W.   II.   Vandcrbilt 615         Tug Ballentinc   7i 

Barge...    Wolverine   141          Steamer.    Johnny    ?2 

Barge...    A    F.  R.   Braley 391          Barge...    Samuel  Bolton    330 

Barge...   G.  W.  Wesley' 244         Barge...   /.  L.  Ketcham   425 

Propeller  J.  M.   K.   Hilton 166         Barge...    Charlie    109 

Propeller  /.   Stewart    51          Barge.  .  .   Joseph    293 

I  large .  .  .    T.   V.  Sheldon    186         Scow ....  Pioneer    17 

Barge...    /.  A.  Holland  157         Scow....   Dolphin    43 

Total  Tonnage 3.877 


TRANSPORTATION 


713 


CAPTAIN    WILLIAM     BLYBEN 


CAPTAIN    MARTIN     SMITH 


The  extent  of  shipbuilding  on  the  river  between  1868  and  1873,  inclusive, 
is  shown  by  the  following  table  : 

Barks  Barges       Schooners    Sloops      Propellers      Tugs 

1868  1  4            2 

1869  5  12            1 

1870  8  3            1 

1871  1  3 

1872  3  6 

1873  3  12                         4 


icrs 

Scows 

Total 

Tonnage 

3 

3 

13 

1,608 

9 

11 

1 ,795 

9 

4 

18 

2,171 

9 

9 

8 

1,493 

1 

1 

11 

2,882 

2 

1 

2  ? 

8,663 

Total 


1 


U 


5 


10 


13 


83 


18,611 


In    1873    the    following  vessels   were   built 
extensive  lumber  and  salt  trade  of  the  Valley 

T  mnage 
Propeller  David  Ballentine   ...        972 

Schooner  ./     I'>.    Moure 

Schooner  C.  H .  Burton  .... 
Schooner  Journeyman  .  ... 
Schooner  R.   T.  Lambert   .  .  . 

Propeller  J.  C.  Liken   

Tug Wesley   Hazvkins 

Propeller  .  Ircnac 

Scow.  . ..    Iosco    

Barge.  .  .   Joseph   Sparrozv    264 

Barge...   F.  A.  McDougal    ....    41o 


built,   chiefly   to    accommodate   the 


1,069 

535 

235 

54 

79 

4', 

63 

231 


Barge.  .  .    W.  L.   Peck    

Schooner  Buckeye  Slate  

Propeller  II'.  R.  Quimby  .... 

Schi  mner  Queen  City   

Scln  inner  Chester  B.   Jones... 
Schooner  ll~.   S.    Crosszvaite. 

Schooner  L.  C.  Butts   

Schooner  Benjamin  F.  Bruce 
Schooner  Grace  A.  Channcn. 
Schooner  B.  B.  Buckhout  .  .  . 
Tu«' Fannie    Tnthill    .... 


Tonnage 
....   366 

526 

....     39 
....   700 

4'4 

672 
504 
72" 
2?7 
352 
30 


Total   Tonnage 8,663 

During  the  seventies  the  activity  in  the  Saginaw  shipyards  continued 
and  with  the  improvement  of  the  river  channels  larger  vessels  were  built. 
The  government  engineering  work  on  the  river  in  the  period  from  1870  to 
1885  was  extensive.  The  bar  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  had  been  removed  in 
1867,  and  the  Carrollton  bar  dredged  to  an  average  depth  of  twelve  feet  and 
the  channel  protected  by  revetments.  But  before  the  decline  in  lumbering 
set  in,  shipbuilding  fell  off,  and  the  old  shipyard  on  Emerson's  bayou  was 
closed  and   dismantled.     In   1889  operations  at   this   place  were  resumed   by 


714  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

the  building  of  a  steam  barge  and  one  tow  barge — the  last  wooden  craft 
built  at  this  end  of  the  river.  The  keels  were  laid  on  the  site  of  the  steam 
power  plant  of  the  Saginaw  Power  Company,  on  South  Washington  Avenue, 
and,  as  the  vessels  neared  completion  they  attracted  much  attention.  The 
steam  barge,  of  six  hundred  and  eighty-three  gross  tons,  was  named  the  S.  S. 
Wilhelm,  and  the  barge,  of  eight  hundred  tons,  was  named  the  Twin  Sisters. 
They  were  of  such  dimensions  that  in  order  to  launch  them  safely  into  the 
bayou  it  was  necessary  to  dredge  a  channel  through  the  middle  ground 
directly  opposite  to  where  they  lay.  Many  of  our  citizens  will  recall  the 
scene  at  their  launching. 

The  Rise  and  Decline  of  River  Commerce 
Before  1855  no  record  was  kept  of  vessel  arrivals  at  Saginaw,  as  the 
number  of  boats  then  coming  to  the  river  could  not.  have  exceeded  twenty-five 
in  a  year,  and  did  not  justify  the  keeping  of  a  single  tug  boat.  Some  idea  of 
the  traffic  at  that  period  may  be  formed  by  a  glance  at  the  accompanying 
table: 

Barks  Brigs  Sch  >oners  Steamboats  Total 


1S55 

31 

176 
50 
69 

277 
375 
340 

109 

57 
107 

593 

1856. . 

...  11 

493 

1857 

14 

540 

66  295  992  273  1,626 

In  1867  the  whole  number  of  vessels  passing  the  Genesee  Avenue  Bridge 
was  reported  as  exceeding  a  thousand  in  one  month,  and  this  did  not  include 
all  boats  that  came  to  the  river,  as  many  stopped  at  Bay  City  and  other  points 
below.  Besides  the  general  shipping  there  were  several  regular  lines  of 
steamboats  to  Detroit,  Cleveland.  Toledo,  Goderich  and  all  points  on  the  bay 
and  lake  shores,  which  carried  both  freight  and  passengers.  The  following 
statement  shows  the  volume  of  river  and  lake  shipments  in  1867: 

Lumber — feet,   board  Walnut   lumber — feet    12.000 

measure    358.001 .930         Staves    5.206,472 


lath — pieces   44,175,591         Shooks — bundles    10,468 

Shingles    44,350.000         Hoops   1,330.000 

Salt— barrels    403,393         Pickets    595,205 

Oak  Timber— feet    708,720         Pail    Bolts— cords   50 

Oak  Timber — pieces   ....  7.340 

With  the  natural  increase  in  lumber  production  in  the  prosperous  years 
of  that  industry,  came  a  greater  demand  for  vessel  tonnage,  and  before  and 
after  the  height  of  the  lumber  business  in  Saginaw  Valley,  the  river  was 
literally  jammed  with  shipping.  There  were  long  rafts  of  logs  being  towed 
from  the  upper  "sorting  gaps"  to  the  mill  booms,  and  many  vessels  of  all 
classes  passing  to  and  from  the  lumber  docks  for  loads  of  lumber  and  other 
products.  In"l882  the  steam  barge  Ontonagon  and  barges  William  Lewis  and 
R.  J.  Carney  were  the  first  regular  lumber  traders  to  leave  the  river  for 
Buffalo,  while  the  barge  B.  B.  Buckhout,  under  tow  of  the  steam  barge 
George  L.  Colwell,  was  the  last  to  leave  for  that  port. 

In  1883  the  vessels  in  the  river  and  lake  commerce  were:  the  Dove, 
Dunlap,  Metropolis,  E.  T.  Carrington,  Luther  Westover,  Emerald.  Sea  Cull:  the 
propellers  Arundel!  and  C.  A.  Forbes;  the  steam  barges  George  King,  Baldwin, 
J.  I'.  Donaldson,  D.  F.  Rose,  Nelson  Mills.  Fred  McBrier,  Sanilac  and  Benton; 
the  barges  Brightie,  Bascobel,  Marine  City,  Racine.  Jupiter.  Leader.  Yautic,  Bah 
uma.  Tailor,  Gchhart,  Florence  M.  Dickinson,  Lilly  May,  Colorado.  Tannic  Veil 
Levi  Rawson,  C.  L.  Young,  Galatea.  Ajax.  Oconto.  E.  A.  Mayes.  Nelson.  Favorite, 
Roscins,  Iceman,  Grace  Whitney,  Melbourne,  G.  W.  Bissell.  J.  S.  Austin.  Amaranth, 
William    Treat.    T.   G.  Lester.  J.   L.  Ketcham  and  /..  B.  Crocker. 


TRANSPORTATK >N 


il5 


Among  the  numerous  tug  boats  on  the  river  were:  the  Music,  Ella  Smith. 
Peter  Smith,  S.  S.  Rumage,  A.  F.  Bartlett,  William  Park,  Charles  Lee,  C.  M. 
Farrar,  Marian  Teller,  E.  I'.  Mundy,  Witch  of  the  West,  IV.  E.  Quimby,  W.  A. 
Avery.  Annie  Moiles,  Buffalo,  Cora  B.,  E.  M.  Peck,  C.  C.  McDonald.  T.  M. 
Mo, 're.  George  B.  Dickson,  E.  Haight,  Maud  S..  Harley.  Challenge.  Laketon, 
Toledo,  Robert  Boyd,  R.  H.  Weidemann.  There  were  also  the  steam  yachts 
Handy  Boy.  J.   Gordon.  Camp,   C.   B.  Hall,  J.  S.  Hubbard  and  Cora  K.  D. 

In  1886,  a  year  which  fell  below  the  average  of  lake  traffic,  four  hun- 
dred and  fourteen  steamers  and  one  thousand  and  eighty-eight  other  vessels, 
with  an  aggregate  tonnage  of  four  hundred  sixty-three  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  ninety-five  tons,  arrived  at  the  river;  and  four  hundred  and 
twenty-one  steamers  and  thirteen  hundred  and  seventy-one  other  vessels, 
with  an  aggregate  tonnage  of  four  hundred  ninety-three  thousand  and  ninety- 
one  tons,  cleared  from  the  river  ports  in  the  same  year. 


STEAMBARGE     "MAINE"     AND    TOW     BARGES 


River  and  Shore  Lines 

A  small  vessel,  named  the  Reindeer,  came  out  in  1856  and  was  employed 
on  the  river  for  some  time,  and  later  sent  to  Detroit.  At  about  this  time  a 
small  propeller,  named  the  Odd  Fellow,  appeared  in  the  river  and  was  pur- 
chased by  Michael  Jeffers.  She  was  good  for  about  three  miles  an  hour,  but 
was  afterward  seized  for  violation  of  an  ordinance  in  not  being  provided  with 
a  spark  catcher,  and  sold.  The  Little  Nell  came  in  1857  and  soon  after  her 
boiler  exploded,  killing  Andy  Fraser,  her  captain,  and  two  or  three  of  her  crew. 

About  1860  the  steamer  Ariel  came  to  the  river  and  was  employed  in  the 
local  trade.  Later  the  Ajax,  built  by  Captain  Hubbell  and  commanded  by 
Captain  O.  K.  Downs,  was  a  familiar  vessel  to  most  of  our  pioneer  citizens. 
The  Belle  Seymour  was  another  of  the  early  river  boats  and  ran  up  the  Titta- 
bawassee  River.  The  Little  Eastern  appeared  in  1860  and  the  following  year 
collided  with  the  Fox  near  Saginaw  City,  and  was  sunk. 


716  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

From  an  early  day  of  steamboat  navigation  there  was  a  regular  river 
line  of  steamers  running-  between  East  Saginaw  and  Bay  City.  In  the  early 
sixties  the  sidewheel  steamer  L.  G.  Mason  was  brought  to  the  river  by  Captain 
J.  E.  English,  and  placed  in  command  of  Captain  Meany.  Soon  after  the 
steamboat  Evening  Slur,  Captain  '1".  M.  Hubbell,  appeared  on  the  same  run  in 
opposition,  and  the  competition  between  them  was  so  keen  that  steamboat 
riding  on  the  river  was  very  cheap.  For  a  time  the  regular  fare  between  the 
two  cities  was  ten  cents,  and  in  frequent  races  the  excitement  ran  high.  As 
an  inducement  to  ride  on  the  Evening  Star  the  passengers  were  furnished  with 
a  copy  of  the  Daily  Enterprise  or,  if  they  preferred,  a  drink  of  whiskey.  The 
steamers  made  three  round  trips  each,  daily,  the  Mason  landing  at  the  old 
steamboat  dock  at  the  foot  of  Tuscola  Street,  while  the  Star  docked  just  above 
where  the  "free  bridge"  was  afterward  built.  To  the  Mason  Captain  English 
added  the  Eva  English  and  Minnie  Sutton,  small  steam  craft,  both  of  which 
plied  upon  the  river  between  the  two  cities. 

The  steamer  Daniel  Ball  was  brought  to  the  river  from  Muskegon  in  1871, 
and  was  considered  the  crack  boat  on  the  route  between  Saginaw  and  Bay 
City.  She  was  commanded  by  Captain  Robert  Aledler.  In  1873  this  boat 
was  purchased  by  Root  &  Midler,  of  East  Saginaw,  who  also  secured  control 
of  the  L.  G.  Mason  and  the  Cora  Locke.  The  latter  vessel  was  a  sidewheel 
steamer  used  as  an  extra  boat  on  Sundays  and  holidays,  when  the  river  traffic 
was  heavy.  This  firm  then  controlled  the  passenger  business  by  water  be- 
tween the  cities,  which  it  succeeded  in  maintaining  for  about  fifteen  years. 
The  steamer  Mason  was  entirely  rebuilt  in  the  Winter  of  1875-6,  and  came  out 
in  the  Spring  of  the  Centennial  Year  as  fresh  as  a  daisy.  Site  measured  one 
hundred  and  thirty-nine  tons,  and  was  one  of  the  favorite  river  craft  for 
many  years,  probably  making  more  river  trips  than  any  other  boat  that  ever 
plied  in  these  waters.  The  steamer  was  commanded  by  Captain  John  Rogers, 
but  in  1881  was  succeeded  by  Captain  William  Monroe. 

In  (  Ictober,  1876,  the  Daniel  Ball  took  lire  while  on  her  way  down  the 
river,  and  just  above  Stone  Island  was  run  ashore.  The  passengers  escaped 
to  the  shore,  but  the  staunch  old  steamer  burned  to  the  water's  edge  and  sunk, 
thus  ending  the  career  of  a  favorite  steamboat. 

A  New  Steamer  Replaces  the  "Daniel  Ball" 

In  the  Winter  of  1870-7  the  keel  of  a  new  steamer  was  laid  at  Gould's 
shipyard  in  Carrollton,  and  in  the  following  Spring  the  boat  was  completed 
and  launched  into  the  river.  No  expense  was  spared  in  the  construction  to 
make  her  a  safe  anil  serviceable  craft,  and  resulted  in  the  trim  and  handsome 
steamboat  which  was  named  Wellington  R.  Bail,  in  honor  of  a  wealthy  lumber- 
man and  prominent  citizen  of  East  Saginaw.  The  Burt  was  a  sidewheel 
steamer  of  two  hundred  and  fifty-two  tons  measurement,  modern  in  build  and 
equipment,  was  licensed  to  carry  five  hundred  people,  and  was  commanded 
by  Captain  "Bob"  Medler,  formerly  of  the  Daniel  Ball.  She  was  a  low- 
pressure  steamer,  and  was  a  well  patronized  and  popular  boat  on  the  run 
for  almost  fifteen  years.  At  that  time  there  was  heavy  travel  on  the  river, 
not  only  by  lumber  and  river  men  in  going  to  and  from  the  saw  mills  and 
salt  works  scattered  along  the  river,  but  also  by  visitors  and  all  classes  of 
people,  win  i  were  fascinated  by  the  strange  scenes  of  activity  and  river 
ci  immerce. 

The  Saginaw  River  with  its  humming  industries  was  one  of  the  wonders 
of  Michigan,  and  was  a  resort  and  show  place  for  all  strangers  to  the  city. 
The  round  trip  fare  to  Bay  City  lit  one  remained  on  board  the  boat  at  that 
place)  was  only  twenty-five  cents;  and  no  more  interesting  or  delightful 
trip  in  this  section  of  Michigan  could  be  indulged  in  than  by  an  afternoon 
trip  on  the  Burt.      Excursions  were  run   frequently  to  Point   Lookout,  a  pop- 


TRANSPORTATION 


717 


ular  summer  resort  on  the  Bay  shore,  and  were  enjoyed  by  a  large  number 
of  people.  Later  the  screw  steamer  Lucille  replaced  the  Mason,  and  ran  on 
the  river  for  several  years. 

About  1889,  several  years  after  the  decline  in  lumber  production  had 
set  in.  these  popular  steamers  were  withdrawn,  and  left  the  river  service 
to  Armstrong's  fleet  of  faster  boats.  These  were  the  converted  yacht  Handy 
Boy.  which  had  been  built  in  1874,  the  Plow  Buy.  which  came  out  in  1887, 
the  Post  Boy.  in  1888,  and  the  News  Boy  a  year  after.  These  boats  were 
equipped  with  powerful  fire  pumps  and  plenty  of  hose,  and  in  their  regular 
scheduled  trips  on  the  river  afforded  a  valuable  and  efficient  fire  protection 
service  to  the  many  mill  owners,  who  were  only  too  willing  to  avail  them- 
selves of  it.  But  these  steamers  also  had  their  day  of  usefulness  in  this 
service,  and  in  a  few  years  were  withdrawn  and  sold  to  Lake  Michigan 
vessel  men.     One  or  two  of  the  "Boy"  boats  are  still  in  use  in  those  waters. 


THE     POPULAR     STEAMER     ■'WELLINGTON     R.      BURT''     ENROUTE     FROM     SAGINAW     TO 

BAY     CITY     ABOUT     1887 

Captain    "Bob"    Medler   in    Front   of  Wheel   House 

The  Lake  Huron  shore  line  of  steamers  operated  between  Saginaw, 
Bay  City  and  Alpena,  stopping  at  ad  intermediate  points.  Before  the 
Detroit  and  Mackinaw  Railroad  was  built,  the  shore  line  formed  the  only 
means  of  rapid  communication  between  those  points  and  the  Saginaw  Valley, 
and  considerable  traffic  was  accommodated  by  the  side-wheel  steamers  Dove 
and  Metropolis,  and  later  by  the  Arundell  ami  other  propellers.  About  l'-'OO 
the  coast  shipments  having  fallen  off,  the  line  was  abandoned. 

There  was  also  a  popular  line  of  steamers  running  to  Cleveland,  Detroit 
and  shore  points,  consisting  of  the  propellers  Sanilac  and  Don  M.  Dickinson, 
and  later  by  the  steam  barge  John  If.  Paiily.  Years  after,  several  business 
men  of  Saginaw  formed  a  company  which  purchased  ami  operated  the  old 
side-wdieel  steamer  Flora.  After  two  seasons  of  unprofitable  operation  be- 
tween Saginaw,  Detroit  and  Cleveland,  this  boat  was  taken  off  and  later 
resold  to  Chicago  men,  who  soon  after  took  her  there  where  she  burned  a 
few  months  later.  At  about  the  same  time  the  Detroit  &  Cleveland  Navi- 
gation   Company    operated    their    iron    steamer    State   of    New    York    on    this 


718 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


'[€^m^Wf^P 


■ 


i   a 


..  ;i . 


THE     "WENONA."    WHICH     PLIED     BETWEEN     SAGINAW     AND     ALPENA 

route,  l>ut  after  three  years  of  failure  to  enlist  the  consistent  support  of  the 
valley  cities  in  the  lake  line,  the  steamer  was  placed  "ii  its  former  run 
between   Toledo   and    Put-in-Bay. 

Rapid   Decline  in   River   Commerce 

Aside  from  the  loss  of  lumber  and  salt  shipments  following  the  natural 
exhaustion  of  the  pine  timber  in  Michigan,  the  decline  in  river  commerce 
and  the  ill  success  of  all  efforts  made  in  recent  years  to  revive  it,  are  due 
to  economic  causes  and  underlying  conditions  of  water  transportation.  As 
lake  navigation  is  now  conducted,  with  a  large  proportion  of  the  vessel  ton- 
nage comprising  huge  freighters  of  eight  to  fourteen  thousand  tons,  the 
smaller  vessels  of  the  type  that  could  come  into  the  river  with  full  loads, 
meet  a  destructive  competition.  These  vessels  can  only  operate  on  routes, 
either  as  line  boats  or  "tramps,"  that  aftVinl  them  cargoes  at  both  ends  or, 
at  least,  at  ports  not  distant  from  the  point  of  discharge  of  their  cargoes. 
To  have  cargoes  only  one  way.  thus  returning  in  ballast,  is  utterly  de- 
structive of  profits  to  these  small  craft. 

The  chief  obstacle  to  Saginaw  river  commerce  is  our  inability  to  sup- 
ply  return  cargoes  for  the  steamers  which  might  come  to  the  river  with  a 
great  tonnage  of  general  merchandise,  and  iron,  coal  and  stone.  The  rail- 
roads serving  the  Saginaw  Valley  are  naturally  opposed  to  a  revival  of 
river  and  lake  commerce,  and  have  placed  every  obstacle  in  the  path  of 
vessel  men.  The  chief  disadvantage  water  transportation  struggles  against 
is  the  fact  that  fully  ninety  per  cent  of  all  commodities  originate  on  rail- 
road tracks,  and  must  be  delivered  on  team  or  factory  sidings.  Lake  navi- 
gation for  this  great  bulk  of  general  merchandise  is  thus  only  a  connecting 
link,  and  often  the  costs  of  handling  and  warehouse  charges  offset  the  lower 
rates  of  water  transportation.  This  does  not  apply,  of  course,  to  iron  ore, 
coal  and  grain  shipments  between  the  head  of  the  lakes  and  Chicago  ami 
Buffalo,  but  it  does  apply  with  deadly  effect  to  Saginaw  River  commerce. 
It  is  extremely  doubtful  if  any  considerable  commerce  on  the  Saginaw  is 
created  until  conditions  of  water  navigation  change  or  are  overcome. 

Early   Railroad   Projects 

Long  before  Saginaw  City  was  more  than  a  frontier  settlement,  the 
pioneers  looked  forward  to  the  building  of  a  railroad  to  connect  them  with 
the  outside  world.  They  seemed  to  realize  that  it  was  the  one  thing  need- 
ful to  develop  the  material  resources  of  this  region,  and  to  firing  in  emigrants 
for  the  consummation  of  this  object.     In  1835  a  company  was  organized  to 


TRANSPORTATION 


719 


build  a  railroad  from  Saginaw  City  to  Mt.  Clemens,  by  the  way  of  Lapeer, 
a  distance  of  about  ninety  miles.  All  the  stock  in  the  company  was  taken, 
but  the  projectors  were  about  twenty  years  in  advance  of  their  time.  A 
period  of  business  depression  throughout  the  country  set  in  soon  after  their 
plans  were  made,  immigration  fell  off  at  that  time,  and  nothing  was  done 
on  the  actual  construction  of  the  road.  The  Saginaw  and  Genesee  Railroad 
was  incorporated  in  1837  "to  commence  at  Saginaw  City  and  intersect  with 
the  Northern  Railroad  at  some  point  in  Genesee  County,  length  about  forty 
miles,  to  be  finished  in  six  years  from  commencement."  Like  the  other  rail- 
road project  nothing  resulted  but  visions  and  plans  on  paper. 

Building   the    Flint   &   Pere    Marquette 

It  was  not  until  1857  that  any  definite  action  was  taken  toward  building 
a  railroad  from  the  Saginaw  Valley  to  southern  and  western  points  in  the 
State.  On  January  21  of  that  year  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad 
Company  was  organized,  and  on  February  24  following  the  company  ac- 
cepted the  provisions  of  the  law  donating  lands  to  it.  Preliminary  surveys 
were  made,  first  from  Midland  west  to  the  Muskegon  River  ami  to  Pere 
Marquette  (Ludington),  which  point  was  reached  on  June  20,  1857.  This 
work  was  put  through  under  the  direction  of  William  1'..  Sears,  now  dean 
of  Michigan  civil  engineers.  The  map  of  location  of  the  line  was  filed  in 
the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State  on  August  7,  and  in  the  General  Land 
Office,  Washington,  on  August  18,  1857. 

Meanwhile  a  line  had  been  surveyed  from  Flint  crossing  the  plank  road 
six  ami  a  half  miles  from  that  place,  through  Birch  Run  toward  Saginaw. 
But  in  the  Pall  of  1857  the  original  promoters  of  the  road  met  with  financial 
reverses,  due  to  many  bank  failures  which  occurred  at  that  time.  The  sur- 
veying partv   was   laid   off   and,   as    there   was   no   money   to   pay   the   wages 


ZZsaa 


A    COMMON     TYPE    OF    STEAMBARGE,    CALLED    ••RABBITS" 


720  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

due,  Mr.  Sears,  who  had  four  hundred  dollars  in  a  belt,  loaned  it  to  the 
president  of  the  road  to  help  stem  the  tide  of  discontent  which  threatened 
to  break  into  a  riot.  Work  was  not  resumed  until  the  following  May,  the 
location  line  being  completed  to  Saginaw  by  Mr.  Sears  in    lulv,  1858. 

Air.  Sears  remained  with  the  road  until  1860,  when  he  went  to  Missouri, 
but  in  the  Spring  of  1862  he  returned  to  Saginaw  and  made  miscellaneous 
surveys  in  the  city  for  Addison  1'.  Brewer  and  others.  In  the  following 
winter  he  was  called  upon  to  lay  nut  the  line  of  the  railroad  between  Mt. 
Morris  and  Flint,  and  later  that  section  between  Midland  and  Averill.  In 
1866  Henry  C.  Potter,  who  was  then  in  charge  of  the  operation  of  the  Flint 
&  Pere  Marquette,  recognizing  the  good  work  of  Mr.  Sears,  appointed  him 
chief  engineer,  a  position  which  he  retained  until  1900,  when  he  was  made 
consulting  engineer  of  the  road.  In  186"  he  revised  the  location  work  as 
far  as  Midland,  and  in  1874  had  charge  of  the  track  laying  between  Reed 
City  and  Ludington.  Later  he  changed  the  location  line  of  the  Holly, 
Wayne  and  Monroe  Railroad,  which  had  become  a  part  of  the  Flint  &  Pere 
Marquette. 

"Just  as  the  accuracy  of  the  survey  of  the  Mason  &  Dixon  line  by 
George  Washington  has  challenged  the  attention  of  engineers  of  the  present 
day  for  the  decision  of  the  landmarks,  so  did  Mr.  Sears'  work  of  location 
of  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  evoke  the  admiration  of  Dean  M.  E.  Cooley, 
who  made  the  appraisal  of  the  Pere  Marquette  Railroad.  Looking  over  the 
location  of  the  line  after  a  space  of  fifty  years  he  pronounced  it  faultless,  and 
in  recognition  of  this  the  I'niversity  of  Michigan  conferred  the  degree  of 
Master  of  Engineering  upon  Mr.  Sears,  lie  also  holds  the  distinction  of 
having  planned  the  first  steel  bridge  across  the  Saginaw  River. 

Mr.  Sears,  who  was  born  on  the  Sundley  Farm  in  Fairfax  County,  Vir- 
ginia, on  November  26,  1831.  at  present  (1917)  is  in  his  eighty-sixth  year. 
He  was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  Parish,  of  Flint,  on  January  5,  1865.  and 
the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  that  event  was  celebrated  in  1915  with  ceremonies 
befitting  the  occasion  —  a  commemoration  of  a  half  century  of  happy  home 
and  social  life. 

Why  Saginaw  City  Was  Cut  Off 

Tradition,  as  handed  down  by  pioneer  citizens  whose  memory  is  still 
keen,  explains  how  it  happened  that  Saginaw  City  was  entirely  cut  off  from 
the  first  railroad  built  from  this  valley.  It  was  originally  planned  to  enter 
East  Saginaw  from  the  southeast  near  Brady  Hill,  and  cross  the  river  in 
the  vicinity  of  Bristol  Street.  (  In  the  east  side  of  the  river  there  was  to  be 
a  depot  and  freight  house  about  where  the  City  Hall  stands,  and  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river  another  depot  near  the  present  residence  of  Clark  L. 
Ring.  At  this  central  point  was  eventuallv  to  be  built  the  main  shipping 
yards  to  serve  both  cities,  and  shops  and  supply  station  for  the  entire  road. 

This  plan,  though  a  very  feasible  one,  met  with  decided  opposition  of 
the  citizens  of  Saginaw  City  who  fought  every  improvement  promoted  by 
outsiders.  Led  by  George  W.  Bullock,  Peter  C.  Andre  and  other  obstruc- 
tionists, they  exerted  every  influence  to  defeat  the  project,  believing  that 
since  theirs  was  the  older  town  it  only  was  entitled  to  the  road.  In  order, 
therefore,  to  cut  off  East  Saginaw  from  any  connection  with  the  new  road 
they  insisted  that  it  should  come  in  further  south  and  cross  the  river  near 
Mackinaw  Street.  This  plan  provided  for  a  depot,  yards  and  shops  near 
Gratiot   ami    Mackinaw    Streets. 

But  their  folly  defeated  their  own  object.  Enst  Saginaw,  promoted  by 
more  enterprising  anil  progressive  men.  was  forging  rapidly  ahead  ami  it 
was  apparent  to  all  was  destined  to  be  the  railroad  center  of  Eastern  Mich- 
igan.    Thoroughly   disgusted   by  the  tactics  of  the   narrow  men  of  Saginaw 


TRANSPORTATION 


721 


PETER    C.    ANDRE 
A  real  estate  owner  who.  it  is  said,  opposed  public  improvements  generally  of  Saginaw  City 

City,  as  Jesse  Hoyt  had  been  ten  years  before,  the  railroad  projectors  de- 
cided to  shut  them  off  entirely.  They  accordingly  located  the  line  to  enter 
East  Saginaw  to  the  north  instead  of  the  south  oE  the  business  section,  and 
purchased  a  large  tract  of  land  near  the  river  for  a  depot  and  terminals. 

The  work  of  grading  the  road  was  commenced  in  the  Fall  of  1858,  at 
several  points  in  Saginaw  County,  by  F.  \Y.  I 'an!  who  had  entered  into  a 
contract  to  build  the  mad.  This  contract  covered  the  line  from  Flint 
through  Saginaw  to  Pere  Marcpiette,  on  Lake  Michigan,  a  distance  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy  miles.  By  March,  1859,  about  ten  thousand  dollars 
had  been  expended  in  grading,  when  Samuel  Farwell  and  Henry  C.  Potter, 
his  son-in-law,  of  Utica,  Xew  York,  and  T.  D.  Estabrook,  of  Great  Bend, 
Pennsylvania,  became  associated  in  the  contract.  During  1859  twenty  miles 
of  line  were  graded  from  the  Saginaw  River  southeasterly,  and  eight  miles 
of  rail  were  laid.  The  first  rail  was  laid  at  the  edge  of  the  river  on  August 
19,  1859,  and  a  large  company  of  citizens  participated  in  the  driving  of  the 
first  spike.  Among  them  were  Colonel  W.  L.  1'.  Little,  Curtis  Emerson, 
Henry  Hobbs,  proprietor  of  the  new  Bancroft  House,  and  Reverend  W.  C. 
Smith. 

The  arrival  of  the  first  engine  for  use  on  the  road,  named  the  "Pollywog," 
was  another  event  in  the  history  of  the  city  and  of  the  road.  It  was  a  small 
second-hand  affair,  bought  at  Schenectady,  New  York,  for  two  thousand 
dollars,  and  arrived  on  the  schooner  Quickstep.  Captain  Muir,  on  August  31. 
The  unloading  of  this  antiquated  machine,  showing  long  service  and  an 
honorable  age,  on  September  2,  was  eagerly  watched  by  a  crowd  of  people, 
when  Colonel  Little  gave  expression  to  the  general  disgust,  by  the  remark: 
"That  is  no  Pollywog,  but  a  d — d  old  frog."  The  same  engine,  however, 
was  thoroughly  repaired  by  Sanford  Keeler,  a  young  engineer  employed  by 
Mr.  Potter,  and  the  name  changed  to  "Pioneer." 

During  the  Fall  of  1859  Mr.  Keeler  ran  this  engine  in  hauling  ties,  rails 
and  supplies  from  the  dock  to  points  on  the  line  where  they  were  needed 
in  track  laying,  and  in  carrying  workmen  to  and  from  their  work.  The 
following  year  operations  were  resumed  and  early  in  September  track  laying 
was  extended  to  a  point  twenty  miles  from  the  river.  During  that  Summer 
the    East    Saginaw   Salt    Manufacturing   Company    needed    a    large    quantity 


722  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


of  wood  in  salt  making  at  their  plant  in  the  north  end  of  the  city,  and  train 
loads  were  hauled  from  points  along  the  line  to  the  salt  works,  a  track 
having  been  laid  out  there  by  Mr.  Keeler  and  put  in  by  the  road  gang. 
Two  or  three  other  engines  (all  second-hand)  were  purchased  by  the  road, 
overhauled  by  Mr.  Keeler  and  put  in  service  as  traffic  demanded.  One  of 
these,  named  the  "Pontiac,"  No.  4,  formerly  used  by  the  Detroit  &  Milwaukee 
Railroad,  had  a  single  pair  of  driving  wheels,  with  cylinders  six  and  three- 
quarters  by  eighteen  inches,  and  could  haul  only  three  loaded  cars.  It  had 
inclined  cylinders,  outside  connected,  which  was  quite  a  curiosity  as  all 
others  we're  inside  connected.  The  "Buena  Vista,"  No.  2,  with  cylinders 
only  thirteen  by  twenty  inches,  could  haul  only  a  few  cars,  but  since  the 
entire  equipment  of  the  road  in  the  early  days  consisted  of  only  ten  flat 
cars  and  two  or  three  box  cars,  this  limited  capacity  of  the  engines  did  not 
matter  much.  Afterward,  as  the  repair  work  increased,  difficulties  arose 
and  Mr.  Keeler,  who  had  done  much  of  the  mechanical  work  himself,  aided 
by  the  mechanics  and  facilities  of  Wickes  Brothers,  induced  Mr.  Farweil, 
who  was  then  in  charge  of  the  mad,  to  erect  a  machine  shop  suitable  for 
their  needs.  This  was  done  and  two  lathes,  a  planer,  drill  press  and  wheel 
lathe  were  bought  and  set  up  in  a  wooden  building,  directly  opposite  Union 
Station,  which  for  many  years  has  been  used  as  the  paint  shop. 

At  the  annual  election  held  July  6,  1860,  Captain  E.  B.  Ward  was  chosen 
president,  M.  L.  Drake,  of  Pontiac,'  secretary,  and  A.  T.  Crossman,  of  Flint, 
treasurer;  and  the  other  directors  were:  Charles  A.  Trowbridge,  of  Detroit, 
B.  Pierson,  A.  J.  Boss.  William  Hamilton  and  G.  M.  Dewey,  of  Flint,  and 
II.   D.  Faulker,  of  New  York. 

Although  the  track  was  completed  in  1860  to  a  point  twenty  miles  from 
East  Saginaw,  the  road  was  not  opened  to  regular  traffic  at  that  time,  but 
all  efforts  were  concentrated  on  extending  the  line.  Much  work  had  yet  to 
be  done,  and  as  the  sales  of  land  which  the  road  had  received  by  grant,  on 
September  5,  1860.  for  the  first  twenty  miles  of  track  laid,  were  slow,  it  was 
late  in  the  Fall  of  1861  when  the  iron  was  laid  as  far  as  the  crossing  of 
the  Plank  Road,  now  Mt.  Morris,  twenty-six  and  one-half  miles  from  the 
Saginaw  River. 

The  Opening  Excursion 

The  formal  opening  of  the  road  took  place  on  January  20,  1862,  when 
an  excursion  was  run  from  the  end  of  the  line  near  Washington  Street  to 
Mt.  Morris.  This  was  an  auspicious  event  and  about  one  hundred  citizens 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  railroad  officials  to  inspect  the  road  and  travel 
on  the  first  passenger  train  to  depart  from  Saginaw.  The  train  consistedof 
one  wheezv  engine,  a  baggage  car  and  one  coach,  the  entire  passenger  equip- 
ment of  the  road,  and  the  trip  was  slow  and  halting.  A  heavy  fall  of  snow 
covered  the  tracks  and,  although  scrapers  had  been  put  on  the  pilot  of  the 
engine,  progress  was  impeded  and  it  was  not  until  one  o'clock  that  the 
primitive  railroad  train  reached  the  other  end  of  the  line.  After  a  brief 
stop  the  return  trip  was  commenced  and  the  train  arrived  at  East  Saginaw 
without  mishap,  all  passengers  agreeing  that   they  had  had  a  "good  time." 

The  mad  was  at  once  opened  for  business,  but  the  traffic  was  very  light 
at  first,  only  one  hundred  and  two  dollars  being  received  from  ticket  sales 
during  the  first  week  of  operation,  and  only  five  hundred  and  seventy-two 
dollars  in  the  month  of  February,  1862.  The  gross  earnings  to  December 
31  of  that  year  were,  on  passengers,  nineteen  thousand  two  hundred  and 
fifty-four  dollars,  and  on  freight,  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  and  ten 
dollars,  a  total  of  thirty-one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars. 

In  December.  1862,  the  track  was  extended  to  the  first  ward  in  Flint,  and 
on  January  5  following  Governor  Blair  certified  the  road  as  completed  thir- 


TRANSPORTATION  "23 


teen  and  seven-tenths  miles  for  further  land  giants.  The  Flint  &  Holly 
Railroad,  seventeen  miles  in  length,  projected  by  Henry  H.  Crapo,  William 
W.  Crapo,  his  son.  and  others,  was  built  in  1864  and  opened  for  traffic  in 
November  of  that  year.  This  opened  railroad  communication  with  Detroit 
and  the  East,  South  and  West,  and  was  a  great  stimulus  to  immigration. 
The  first  schedule  of  trains  between  Saginaw  and   Detroit  was: 

Going  South 

East    Saginaw,    leave 7 :00  A.   M.     12 :1S   P.  M. 

Flint     8:45  A.M.       2:00  P.M. 

Holly    10:00  A.  M.       3  :00  P.  M. 

Detroit    12 :30  P.   M.       5  :25  P.  M. 

Going  North 

Detroit,  leave .10:30  A.  M.       5  :30  P.  M. 

Holly  1  :00  P.  M.       8 :00  P.  M. 

Flint  2 :00  P.  M.       9 :15   P.  M. 

East  Saginaw,   arrive 4:00  P.   M.     11  :00  P.   M. 

In  the  following  Spring,  through  a  contract  with  this  road  and  the  Detroit  & 
Milwaukee  Railroad,  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  secured  an  entrance  into 
Detroit,  an  important  event  in  its  history.  On  December  3,  1868,  through  the 
efforts  of  President  Eber  Ward,  the  Flint  &  Holly  Railroad  was  absorbed 
by  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette,  and  while  the  former  lust  its  identity  as  an 
integral  railroad  property,  the  new  interests  thus  introduced  into  the  direct- 
orate of  the  latter  road  became  the  dominant  ones  in  its  councils.  The  two 
new  members  were  William  W.  Crapo,  of  New  I'.edford,  Massachusetts,  and 
Jesse  Hoyt.  of  New  York,  both  of  whom  were  to  play  important  and  dis- 
tinctive roles  in  the  expansion  of  this  transportation  system. 

In  1865  Tared  Lapham,  of  Northville,  and  a  group  of  business  men  under- 
took to  build  a  railroad  from  Holly  to  Wayne,  but  they  experienced  inability 
to  finance  their  project,  and  after  the  line  had  been  extended  in  a  state  of 
partial  construction  it  had  to  be  abandoned.  The  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette 
Railroad  acquired  this  road  in  1872,  and  the  line  was  soon  completed  to 
Wayne,  and  two  years  later  to  Monroe.  This  extension  gave  the  Flint  & 
Pere  Marquette  direct  connection,  by  the  Lake  Shore  &  Michigan  Southern, 
with  Toledo  and  the  South.  At  this  time  a  twenty-year  contract  was  made 
with  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  giving  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  an 
entrance  of  its  "trains  into  Detroit  by  the  way  of  Wayne.  This  route  was 
used  until  1893  when  the  railroad  entered  Detroit  over  its  own  lines  and  the 
tracks  of  the  Wabash  Railroad. 

Meanwhile  the  road  had  been  extended  westward  through  Midland, 
which  was  reached  December  1,  1867,  to  Clare,  in  November,  1870,  and  Reed 
City,  in  December,  1871.  The  remaining  link,  from  Reed  City  to  Ludington, 
was  completed  in  1874,  thus  opening  through  railroad  communication  be- 
tween Lake  Michigan  and  the  East.  The  East  Saginaw  &  Bay  City  line  was 
built  in  1867,  and  the  Flint  River  Railroad,  from  a  point  three  miles  north  of 
Flint  to  Fostoria.  a  distance  of  fourteen  and  one-half  miles,  was  completed 
September  1,  1872.  Two  years  later  the  total  mileage  of  the  Flint  &  Pere 
Marquette  was  two  hundred  and  fifty-five. 

Land  Grants  and  Earnings 

The  extensive  land  grants  conferred  upon  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette 
Railroad,  under  an  act  of  Congress  approved  June  3,  1856,  for  the  construc- 
tion of  its  original  line,  amounted  to  five  hundred  and  eleven  thousand  four 
hundred  and  ninety-two  acres,  but  one  hundred  and  thirty-one  thousand  acres 
of  these  grants  were  held  jointly  by  it  and  other  railroads  which  crossed  its 
line.  For  many  years  the  disposal  of  these  lands  to  settlers  in  the  counties 
through  which  the  road  passed,  was  in  charge  of  William  L.  Webber;    and 


i24 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


A     PIONEER     ENGINE,    "WILLIAM     L.     WEBBER."     F.    &     P.     M.     R.     R. 

the  revenues  thus  derived  were  used  in  extending  the  line  to  Lake  Michigan. 
The  vast  timber  resources  of  this  section  of  Michigan  furnished  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  heavy  tonnage  of  the  road  fur  nearly  thirty  years;  and  the 
clearing  of  the  land  and  the  consequent  increase  in  agriculture  added  appre- 
ciably to  the  business  of  the  road. 

In  1873  the  earnings  of  the  road  were  one  million  one  hundred  twenty- 
six  thousand  one  hundred  and  ninety-seven  dollars;  and  the  development  of 
traffic  may  be  seen  by  a  comparison  of  the  lumber  and  forest  products  moved 

in  1863  and   in  1873:  ,_,„  ,_„,, 

1863  18/3 

Lumber-— feet,  board  measure 7,442,262  96,049.000 

Staves    1,017,200  2,850,200 

Shingles  6,312,750         171,600,000 

Salt— Barrels    6,100  261,679 

But  at  length  this  traffic  began  to  wane  and  it  became  necessary  to 
acquire  renewed  strength  by  controlling  more  territory.  This  is  the  reason 
for  the  acquisition  in  1889  of  the  Port  Huron  &  North  Western  Railroad, 
a  narrow-gauge  line  to  Port  Huron  and  into  the  "Thumb,"  the  Saginaw, 
Tuscola  &  Huron  Railroad,  which  had  been  built  by  Jessie  Hoyt  and  William 
L.  Webber,  and  the  later  consolidations  which  eventually  brought  eighteen 
hundred  miles  of  Michigan  railroads  under  one  management  —  the  Pere  Mar- 
quette system. 

In  1S74  the  Board  of  Directors  was  composed  of  Captain  E.  B.  Ward, 
president;  Samuel  Farwell,  vice-president;  Henry  C.  Potter,  general  man- 
ager, secretary  and  treasurer;  William  1..  Webber,  land  commissioner  and 
solicitor;  Gilbert  W.  Ledlie,  auditor;  and  Jesse  Hoyt  of  New  York,  John  II. 
Prentiss.  Chicago,  James  K.  Hitchcock,  Cornwall,  New  York,  ami  William 
W.  Crapo,  of  New   Bedford.  Massachusetts. 

A   Mutuality  of  Interests 

There  has  always  been  a  peculiar  inter-dependence,  a  mutuality  of  inter- 
ests, existing  in  the  relations  of  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad  with 
the  Saginaw  Valley.  Neither  could  have  done  without  the  other.  From  the 
day  that  direct  communication  by  railroad  was  opened  with  Detroit  and  the 
East,  the   Valley  began  to  forge  ahead  with    East  Saginaw  as  its  industrial 


TRANSPORTATION  725 


center.  This  railroad  was  essentially  an  East  Saginaw  road,  having  been 
promoted  and  built  by  the  enterprising  men  of  this  hustling  city;  and  it  is 
an  unquestioned  fact  that  no  institution  in  the  last  fifty  years  has  done  so 
much  for  the  material  advancement  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  as  the  Flint  & 
Pere  Marquette  Railroad. 

For  many  years  the  most  important  local  industry  has  been  the  I 'ere 
Marquette  shops  and  railroad  center  thus  created,  giving  employment  the 
year  round  to  from  fifteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  mechanics,  train  men 
and  laborers.  In  1874  the  shops  consisted  of  a  car  shop,  under  the  charge 
of  John  Lundger,  eighty  by  two  hundred  feet  in  dimensions;  a  blacksmith 
shop,  under  the  charge  of  John  West,  eighty  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet; 
a  machine  shop  in  charge  of  Sanford  Keeler,  sixty  by  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet  in  size;  two  brick  engine  houses  and  a  supply  store.  The 
capacity  of  the  car  shops,  which  had  six  tracks,  was  four  box  cars  per  clay 
and  six  passenger  coaches  in  a  year  employing  two  hundred  men.  The 
blacksmith  shop  had  a  capacity  for  forty  forges,  besides  machinery  for  mak- 
ing and  cutting  bolts,  tapping  nuts  and  drilling  iron  work  for  the  car  shop: 
and  had  two  steam  hammers,  bending  rolls,  shears  and  punches,  and  a  com- 
plete brass  foundry.  The  machine  shop,  in  which  locomotives  were  over- 
hauled and  rebuilt,  was  completely  equipped  with  giant  lathes,  planers,  drills 
and  presses,  some  of  which  were  said  to  be  "human  machines"  in  the  excel- 
lence of  their  performance.  Mr.  Keeler,  who  had  charge  of  this  shop  since 
April,  1860,  was  made  assistant  superintendent  of  the  road  January  1,  1874. 
Peter  McNoah  was  foreman  of  the  bolt  works  and  brass  foundry;  Thomas 
M.  Hays  of  the  locomotive  shop  and  engine  houses;  bred  Scheover  of  the 
pattern  and  cabinet  shop,  and  I).  Herbage  of  the  paint  shop. 

The  Steamship  Line 
The  steamer  line  on  Lake  Michigan,  operating  between  Ludington,  Man- 
istee and  Milwaukee  and  Chicago,  was  started  in  1876;  and  for  many  years 
was  managed  by  Captain  Duddelson,  commodore  of  the  fleet.  During  the 
navigation  season  one  steamer  left  Milwaukee  and  Ludington  every  night 
(except  Saturday),  affording  direct  connection  between  the  Northwest  and 
the  Eastern  seaboard.  In  1NN7  the  line  consisted  of  the  steamers  F.  &  P.  M. 
Nos.  1.  -.  3  and  4,  and  did  an  extensive  business  principally  in  the  salt  trade. 
Later,  when  car  ferries  were  introduced  thus  obviating  breaking  bulk,  several 
large  ferries  were  built  and  operated  between  Ludington,  Milwauke  and 
Manitowoc.  At  length  the  smaller  steamers  were  entirely  displaced  in  the 
lake  service,  and  were  either  leased  or  sold. 

The  Jackson,  Lansing  &  Saginaw  Railroad 

The  construction  of  the  Jackson,  Lansing  &  Saginaw  Railroad,  the  first 
railroad  to  open  Saginaw  City  to  the  outside  world,  was  first  projected  in 
1856  the  year  the  State  of  Michigan  was  empowered  by  Congress  to  grant 
public  lands  in  aid  of  construction  of  railroads.  The  act  of  Congress  pro- 
vided for  a  road  from  Amboy,  in  Hillsdale  County,  near  the  south  line  of 
the  State,  by  the  way  of  Lansing,  to  some  point  on  Traverse  Bay;  and  the 
Amboy,  Lansing  and  Traverse  Hay  Railroad  Company  was  organized  Jan- 
uary 23,  1857,  with  a  capital  of  five  million  dollars.  The  grant  of  land  was 
conferred  by  the  Legislature  and  formally  accepted  by  the  company  on 
March  5,  1857.  Among  the  directors  named  in  the  articles  of  incorporation 
were  Hiram  L.  Miller,  of  Saginaw  City,  and  Morgan  L.  Gage,  of  East  Sagi- 
naw; and  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  stockholders  George  \Y.  Bullock  ami 
Colonel  \Y.  L.  P.  Little  were  added  to  the  directorate. 

The  financial  crash  of  1857  followed  soon  alter  and  nothing  was  done 
on  the  construction  of  the  road  until  1859,  when  the  line  between  Albion  ami 
Owosso  was  laid  out   to  connect  the    Michigan   Central   and   Detroit   &•   Mil- 


726  HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW   COUNTY 

waukee  Railroads  at  those  points.  The  first  iron  was  laid  from  Owosso  south 
and  twenty  miles  were  completed  and  accepted  by  the  governor  on  December 
28,  1860.  The  -work  progressed  very  slowly  and  it  was  not  until  September 
17,  1863,  that  the  road  was  completed  to  Lansing,  nine  miles  further.  Grad- 
ing had  been  done  for  thirty  miles  south  of  Lansing,  but  the  company  was 
unable  to  procure  the  iron  and  never  performed  any  further  work  on  this 
line. 

Shortly  after,  the  Lansing  &  Jackson  Railroad  Company  was  organized 
with  a  capital  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  to  build  a  railroad  between 
those  points,  a  distance  of  thirty-nine  miles.  In  order  to  secure  to  the  new 
corporation  the  lands  which  it  was  apparent  would  be  lost  to  the  State 
through  the  inability  of  the  original  road  to  construct  more  of  its  line,  its 
articles  of  incorporation  were  amended  by  changing  the  name  to  Jackson, 
Lansing  &  Saginaw  Railroad,  by  increasing  its  capital  to  one  million  five 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  by  designating  Saginaw  as  its  northern 
terminus.  An  extension  to  seven  years  for  completing  the  road  was  granted 
by  an  act  of  Congress,  and  the  grant  of  land  was  disposed  of  by  the  Legis- 
lature at  its  session  in  1867,  upon  the  Jackson,  Lansing  &  Saginaw  Railroad 
Company.  This  company  then  proceeded  with  the  work  of  completing  the 
road  with  such  energy  that  it  was  extended  to  Saginaw  in  November,  1867, 
and  to  W'enona  on  January  7,  following.  In  1871  the  railroad  was  absorbed 
by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  and  became  known  as  the  Saginaw 
Division. 

From  W'enona  northward  the  route  of  the  road  lay  through  an  un- 
broken forest  far  beyond  the  rudest  settlement,  and  the  work  of  construction 
was  suspended  for  two  years.  In  March.  1871,  the  route  north  of  W'enona 
was  relocated,  construction  work  commenced  and  completed  to  Wells,  forty 
miles  north  of  W'enona,  in  December  of  the  same  year.  At  the  end  of 
another  year  the  road  was  extended  to  Otsego  Lake,  a  distance  of  one  hun- 
dred and  nineteen  miles  through  a  dense  forest.  But  the  rapid  growth  of 
towns  and  villages  along  the  road,  and  the  extensive  lumbering  operations 
soon  begun  fully  justified  the  sagacity  and  foresight  of  the  projectors  of  the 
road.  Sixty-eight  miles  more  completed  the  road  to  the  Straits  of  Mack- 
inaw*, its  northern  terminus. 

The  number  of  acres  patented  to  this  company  was  three  hundred  forty- 
eight  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty-three,  and  the  sales  of  land  com- 
menced in  1868.  James  Turner  was  the  first  land  commission,  but  Augustine 
S.  Gavlord,  of  Saginaw  City,  assumed  the  duties  of  this  office  on  August 
15,   1872. 

Early  in  the  seventies  the  Detroit  ec  Lay  City  Railroad  had  been  built 
from  Detroit  by  the  way  of  Rochester,  Lapeer  and  Yassar  to  Bay  City,  a 
distance  of  one  hundred  and  nine  miles;  and  in  1879,  after  the  road  had  been 
acquired  by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  this  road  built  a  branch  from 
Denmark  to  East  Saginaw.  This  branch  line  was  fifteen  miles  long  and 
opened  another  route  from  the  Saginaws  to  the  East  and  South.  A  substan- 
tial bridge  was  built  across  the  river  at  Emerson  Street  to  connect  with  the 
Jackson,  Lansing  &  Saginaw  line;  and  passenger  trains  were  run  from  a 
depot  at  Hayden  and  Franklin  Streets  to  Vassar.  where  connections  were 
made  with  the  main  line  trains  between   Detroit  and   Bay  City. 

But  the  Michigan  Central,  with  all  its  resources  and  connections,  was  not 
getting  anywdiere  near  its  share  of  Saginaw  business,  the  bulk  of  which  went 
to  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette.  The  latter  road  was  first  and  last  a  Sagi- 
naw institution,  and  its  policy  was  so  shaped  that  this  city  reaped  great 
benefits.  It  was  the  one  popular  road  of  the  Saginaw  Valley.  The  big 
shippers  and  merchants  here  were  induced  to  ship  and  route  all  their  goods 


TRANSPORTATION 


727 


over  this  road  by  the  granting  of  rebates  and  gratuities  in  the  form  of 
annual  passes  over  the  line,  for  themselves  and  families.  Thousands  of 
passes  were  distributed  yearly  to  our  business  men,  most  of  whom  could 
well  afford  to  pay  their  fares.  This  practice  became  so  extensive  as  to 
seriously  affect  the  passenger  revenue  of  the  road,  and  a  curtailment  of  the 
privilege  was  absolutely   necessary. 

About  1884  the  officials  of  the  Michigan  Central  awoke  to  the  situation, 
and  at  once  adopted  measures  to  combat  these  conditions  and  gain  a  larger 
share  of  the  traffic.  Their  first  move  was  to  send  Spencer  Goseline  to  this 
city  as  freight  agent,  lie  was  a  man  of  vital  force,  experience  and  tact,  and 
possessed  a  genial  nature  which  quickly  made  for  him  many  friends.  By 
the  exercise  of  rare  sagacity  and  thoughtful  attention  to  the  needs  of  shippers, 
he  soon  had  a  firm  grasp  of  the  whole  situation.  He  rearranged  and  im- 
proved the  old  freight  schedules,  speeded  up  freight  deliveries,  extended 
track  connections,  and  thus  gradually  gained  a  rightful  share  of  the  freight 
business.  During  the  twenty  odd  years  of  his  life  in  this  city  he  rendered 
valuable  service  to  the  city  as  well  as  to  the  railroad,  and  he  was  highly 
regarded  by  our  substantial  citizens.  Upon  his  death,  which  occurred  Octo- 
ber 12,  1905.  S.  S.  Armstrong  succeeded  to  the  position  of  freight  agent,  which 
he  still  holds.  He  has  been  connected  with  the  local  office  of  the  Mich- 
igan Central  since  1887,  and  has  seen  the  traffic  increase  from  a  small  volume 
to  the  heavy  tonnage  moved  by  the  road  in  recent  years. 

The  passenger  train  service  of  the  Central,  rendered  by  its  branch  line  to 
Vassar,  was  never  adequate  to  the  needs  of  Saginaw  whose  citizens  were 
accustomed  to  travel  by  through  trains  to  and  from  Detroit,  and  by  through 
sleeping  cars  to  Chicago,  daily.  It  was  therefore  deemed  expedient  to  place 
Saginaw  on  the  map  of  the  Michigan  Central,  and  to  this  end  the  branch  line 
to  Denmark  [unction  became  a  part  of  the  main  line  between  Detroit  and 
Mackinaw.  About  1890  through  service  was  inaugurated  with  three  trains 
daily  to  Detroit  and  the  East,  and  two  to  Mackinaw  and  the  Northwest, 
stopping  at  the  new  brick  station  on  West  Genesee  Avenue,  the  old  station 
at  llayden  Street  having  been  abandoned.  In  recent  years  a  small  station 
was  built  at  Emerson  and  Washington  Streets,  for  the  better  accommoda- 
tion  of    the    East    Side    business.     The    passenger   service    to    the    East    was 


A     WAY     STATION     IN     THE     FOREST     WILDERNESS 


728  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

further  improved  about  eight  years  ago  by  operating  a  daily  Pullman 
sleeper  through  to  New  York,  leaving  here  at  noon  and  arriving  in  New  York 
the  following  morning.  Meanwhile  the  service  to  Lansing,  Jackson  and 
Chicago  was  increased  by  a  sleeper  train,  running  as  a  limited  to  Chicago. 
All  main  lines  of  this  road  are  now  operated  with  modern  equipment  and 
powerful  and  fast  locomotives.  In  1910  a  new  brick  station  at  Court  and 
Niagara  Streets  replaced  the  old  depot  which  had  been  in  use  for  more  than 
thirty  years. 

The  Saginaw  Valley  &  St.  Louis  Railroad 

A  railroad  promoted,  financed  and  built  entirely  by  enterprising  men  of 
Saginaw  City  was  the  Saginaw  Valley  &  St.  Louis,  which  was  organized 
April  28,  1871.  The  officers  of  the  company  were:  David  H.  Jerome,  pres- 
ident; George  F.  Williams,  vice-president;  Ezra  Rust,  secretary,  and  Ammi 
\Y.  Wright,  treasurer.  These  officers  and  Newell  Barnard,  Amasa  Rust, 
George  Jerome.  L.  II.  Eastman,  Timothy  Jerome,  John  L.  Evans,  James 
1 1  ay.  Benton  Hanchett  and  J.  E.  Shaw  comprised  the  board  of  directors. 

The  line  of  this  road  was  surveyed  in  June.  1871,  by  Frank  Eastman; 
and  in  September  of  the  same  year  the  clearing  and  grading  was  commenced 
by  Alexander  McDonald.  On  September  15.  1872,  the  first  spike  was  driven 
and  only  three  months  after  the  first  train  passed  over  the  line  to  St.  Louis, 
a  distance  of  thirty-four  miles.  The  formal  opening  of  the  road  to  business 
occurred  on  December  31,  1872,  uniting  the  city  with  the  already  rich  agri- 
cultural district  of  Gratiot  and  adjoining  counties,  and  rendering  available 
an  extensive  belt  of  pine,  hemlock  and  other  limber. 

Although  one  of  the  shortest  railroads  in  the  State,  its  roadbed  was  first- 
class,  and  its  lulling  stock  consisted  of  four  engines,  tun  passenger  coaches, 
twelve  box  and  forty  flat  cars.  Its  total  earnings  in  1873,  the  first  year  of 
its  operation,  amounted  In  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  operating  expenses  were  forty-two  thousand  dollars,  which  was  con- 
sidered a  very  good  showing  for  a  new  road.  In  addition  to  paying  its 
annual  interest  charges,  a  considerable  number  of  bonds  were  retired.  At 
that  time  the  shipments  consisted  very  largely  of  forest  products,  including 
staves,  shingles  and  bark,  while  general  merchandise,  agricultural  implements 
and  household  goods  comprised  its  outbound  freight. 

This  railroad  was  afterward  extended  to  Ithaca,  Alma,  Edmore  and 
Howard  City,  and  late  in  the  eighties  passed  to  the  control  of  the  Detroit, 
Lansing  &  Northern  Railroad.  Thereafter  its  trains  were  run  through  to 
Grand  Rapids  over  the  Grand  Rapids  &  Indiana  Railroad  from  I  loward  City. 
In  1900  this  railroad  and  the  Chicago  &  West  Michigan  were  consolidated 
with  the  Flint  ec  Pere  Marquette,  becoming  an  integral  part  of  the  Pere 
Marquette  System.  The  line  is  now  known  as  the  Grand  Rapids  Division, 
and  is  a  very  important  route  to  Chicago  and  the  West. 

The  Saginaw,  Tuscola  &  Huron  Railroad 
One  of  the  many  projects  of  a  thoroughly  practical  and  beneficial  nature 
to  this  city  and  county,  which  were  put  through  by  Jesse  Hoyt,  was  the 
building  of  the  Saginaw,  Tuscola  &  Huron  Railroad.  This  road  was  com- 
pleted as  far  as  Sebewaing  in  1882,  and  proved  of  great  value  by  connecting 
r lie  Saginaw-'  Valley  with  a  territory  directly  tributary  to  it.  Before  the  road 
could  be  extended  further  into  the  "Thumb"  country.  Mr.  Hoyt  died,  but  the 
work  was  pushed  forward  by  William  L.  Webber  and  tracks  were  laid  as 
far  as  Bay  Port,  a  village  on  Wild  Fowl  Pay.  A  delightful  summer  resort 
was  here  created  by  prominent  citizens  of  Saginaw,  and  a  hotel  with  one 
hundred  rooms  was  built  for  pleasure  seekers  during  the  heated  term.  A 
club  house  and  a  number  of  cottages  were  subsequently  built  on  Heistermann 
Island,  at  the  outlet  of  the  bay.  which  for  several  years  was  a  popular  place 


TRANSPORTATION  72!) 


of  resort.     This  enterprise  was  afterward  abandoned  and  many  of  the  cot- 
tages removed  on  the  ice  to  Point  aux  Barques. 

From  Bay  Port  the  road  was  then  extended  to  the  valuable  stone  quaries 
owned  by  Saginaw  interests,  and  later  to  Bad  Axe,  the  county  seat  of  Huron 
County,  where  it  connected  with  the  Port  Huron  &  North  Western  Rail- 
road. Although  a  narrow-gauge  railroad  it  served  the  country,  through 
which  it  passed,  in  a  satisfactory  manner,  and  its  aggregate  movement  of 
stone,  hay,  grain,  staves,  tan  bark  and  coal  amounted  to  a  considerable 
volume  of  business.  The  excursions  to  Bay  Port  on  Sunday  during  the 
Summer  were  a  feature  of  the  amusements  and  recreations  of  the  people, 
and  were  largely  attended.  About  1890  this  railroad  was  absorbed  by  the 
Flint  &  Pere  Marquette,  and  soon  after  was  made  a  standard  gauge  road. 

The  Port  Huron  &  North  Western 

Coincident  with  the  extension  of  railroads  from  Saginaw  was  the  entry 
into  this  city  of  the  Port  Huron  &  North  Western  Railroad,  a  narrow-gauge 
line  promoted  and  built  by  capitalists  of  Port  Huron.  For  several  years 
this  road  had  been  building  toward  Saginaw  Valley,  and  on  February  22, 
1882,  the  first  regular  trains  entered  the  Union  Station  over  the  Pere  Mar- 
quette, from  the  eastern  limits  of  the  city.  A  great  extent  of  territory  was 
opened  up  to  the  trade  of  the  valley  by  this  road,  but  so  discriminatory  were 
the  traffic  arrangements  in  favor  of  the  city  on  St.  Clair  River,  that  the 
results  to  Saginaw  merchants  and  business  men  were  rather  disappointing. 

This  railroad,  however,  was  a  valuable  link  in  the  transportation  systems 
of  Saginaw  Valley,  and  it  opened  a  direct  route  for  passenger  travel  from 
Lake  Michigan  and  the  Northwest  to  Canadian  points,  Buffalo  and  the  East, 
through  its  connections  with  the  Grand  Trunk  Railroad  at  Port  Huron.  It 
was  a  popular  route  for  all  classes  of  the  people,  and  during  the  winter 
season  carried  thousands  of  lumber-jacks  to  and  from  Canada  to  this  city, 
which  was  then  the  center  of  lumbering  operations  of  a  vast  territory  to  the 
West  and  North.  Its  trains  were  equal  to  those  run  by  competing  lines, 
those  between  Saginaw  and  I'ort  Huron  hauling  drawing  room  cars;  and  the 
time  was  fast  for  that  period,  being  a  little  more  than  three  hours  for  the 
run  of  ninety-one  miles,  including  stops. 

In  1888  the  entire  railroad,  including  the  lines  from  I'ort  Huron  to  Sand 
Beach,  Bad  Axe  .and  I'ort  Austin,  and  the  branch  to  Almont,  a  total  of  two 
hundred  and  eighteen  miles,  with  thirteen  miles  of  sidings,  passed  into  the 
control  of  the  Flint  ec  Pere  Marquette.  The  importance  of  this  acquisition 
was  such  that  the  latter  road  at  once  prepared  to  change  the  gauge  to 
standard,  and  the  line  from  Saginaw  to  Port  Huron  was  thus  modernized 
the  following  year.  It  gave  to  the  Pere  Marquette,  in  connection  with  its 
lake  lines,  a  direct  route  across  Michigan  from  the  Northwest  to  Port  Huron, 
where  the  connection  with  the  Grand  Trunk  afforded  the  most  direct  route 
to  the  eastern  seaboard,  shortening  the  distance  from  Minneapolis  to  the 
East  by  sixty-five  miles  over  any  other  route.  The  value  of  this  connection 
was  further  enhanced  by  the  completion  of  the  tunnel  under  the  St.  Clair 
River  at  Port  Huron.  In  recent  years  the  acquisition  of  the  Detroit  River  (S.- 
Lake Erie  Railroad,  in  the  Province  of  Ontario,  by  the  Pere  Marquette,  added 
considerably  to  the  importance  of  this  Michigan  railroad  system. 

Cincinnati,  Saginaw  &  Mackinaw  Railroad 

The  third  railroad  promoted  and  built  entirely  by  Saginaw  capitalists 
was  the  Toledo,  Saginaw  &  Mackinaw,  afterward  "known  as  the  Cincinnati, 
Saginaw  &  Mackinaw.  For  several  years  the  need  of  a  new  road  to  con- 
nect the  Saginaw  Valley  with  the  East,  West  and  South  was  apparent,  and 
in  1886  a  company  was  incorporated  to  carry  out  this  project.     The  charter 


730 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


authorized  the  company  to  build  a  railroad  to  Mackinaw,  hut  Wenona,  on 
Saginaw  Ray,  was  the  immediate  objective  point  at  the  north,  while  Durand, 
the  junction  of  the  Detroit  &  Milwaukee,  the  Chicago  <&  Grand  Trunk,  and 
the  Toledo,  Ann  Arbor  and  North  Michigan  Railroads,  became  the  southern 
terminus. 

The  officers  of  the  Toledo,  Saginaw  &  Mackinaw  Railroad  were:  Animi 
W.  Wright,  president;  Philip  H.  Ketcham,  vice-president;  Wellington  K. 
Burt,  treasurer;  William  C.  McClure,  secretary,  and  these  men  with  Charles 
W.  Wells,  Thomas  Merrill  and  |.  M.  Ashley,  Junior,  comprised  the  hoard  of 
directors.     John  A.  Edget  was  solicitor  for  the  road. 


UNION     STATION,    AND    DEPOT    CAR     USED    IN    THE     EIGHTIES 

This  railroad  was  laid  out  and  the  first  section  was  built  in  1887.  It 
was  constructed  with  solid  roadbed  laid  with  steel  rails  of  standard  size, 
and  was  regarded  as  a  model  road.  The  line,  which  passed  directly  north 
through  Flushing  and  Montrose,  entered  the  city  near  Sheridan  Avenue, 
crossed  the  Belt  Line  east  of  Jefferson,  and  swinging  to  the  west  came  down 
South  Franklin  Street  to  Thompson,  where  the  depot  and  freight  house  were 
situated.  This  section  of  the  road  was  opened  to  traffic  in  1888.  and  proved 
another  important  outlet   for  the  products  of  Saginaw    Valley. 

The  road  then  crossed  the  river  at  Thompson  Street  and  followed  the 
river  through  Carrollton,  Zilwaukee  and  Melbourne  to  Salsburg  and  West 
i'.a\  City,  where  at  Midland  Street  a  station  handled  the  business  of  the 
Bay  Cities.  An  extension  of  four  miles  to  Wenona  completed  the  road. 
This  point  soon  became  a  popular  resort  for  summer  outings,  and  excur- 
sions were  run  almost  daily  during  the  heated  term  from  Saginaw  and  West 
Bay  City  to  the  bay  shore,  at  a  minimum  rate  of  fare  which  attracted  thou- 
sands to  the  cool,  refreshing:  breezes  from  off  the  lake. 


TRANSPORTATION  731 


About  1893  the  road  was  leased  to  the  Chicago  &  Grand  Trunk,  and  has 
since  been  operated  as  the  C.  S.  &  M.  Division.  As  a  feeder  for  this  great 
railroad  system  it  is  of  greater  value  than  ever,  and  serves  the  Saginaw 
Valley  very  acceptably.  In  recent  years  the  freight  traffic  has  increased 
very  rapidly,  necessitating  the  relaying  of  the  track  with  heavier  steel,  and 
otherwise  improving  the  road.  In  1913  a  project  long  contemplated,  namely, 
to  enter  Bay  City  and  secure  a  share  of  the  business  of  that  place,  was 
brought  to  a  focus.  A  substantial  steel  bridge  was  built  across  the  river  at 
Twelfth  Street,  and  a  modern  terminal,  for  both  freight  and  passenger 
business,  was  built  within  a  few  squares  of  the  business  center  of  Bay  City. 

Interurban   Electric   Traction 

The  beginning  of  interurban  travel  by  electric  traction  was  in  1S''4,  the 
year  Isaac  Bearinger  became  interested  in  improving  the  transportation  facil- 
ities of  the  valley  cities.  Entirely  through  his  efforts  and  largely  with  his 
capital,  the  first  electric  line  was  built  from  Saginaw  to  Bay  City,  with  a 
length  of  fifteen  miles,  and  at  a  cost  of  more  than  a  half  million  dollars. 
This  road  entered  the  city  by  the  way  of  North  Michigan  and  Genesee  Ave- 
nues, and  its  terminus  was  at  Washington  and  ( lenesee.  It  follows  a  devious 
course  through  Carrollton  and  Zilwaukee,  crosses  the  river  at  a  point  below 
the  mouth  of  Cheboyganing  ('reek,  and  enters  Bay  City  at  Bullock  Road. 
The  line  was  well  equipped  with  the  best  type  of  cars  then  in  use,  which 
were  operated  at  half-hour  and  forty  minute  intervals.  After  creating  a 
steady  and  growing  patronage  the  road  was  sold  in  1898  to  the  Saginaw 
Valley  Traction  Company. 

<  )ther  interests  a  few  years  later  built  and  equipped  an  electric  road  from 
Saginaw  to  Bridgeport  and  Frankenmuth,  which,  after  a  troublous  career 
involved  in  litigation,  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver  and  was  sold  to 
A.  J.  Groesbeck,  of  Detroit,  Soon  after  this  road  was  purchased  by  the 
Saginaw  Valley  Traction  Company,  rebuilt  and  extended  from  Frankenmuth 
Junction  through  Birch  Run,  Clio  and  Alt.  Morris  to  Flint,  where  it  con- 
nected with  the  Detroit  &  Flint  Railroad  to  Detroit.  In  1('12-13  a  new  rapid 
traction  line  was  built  from  Saginaw  to  Bay  City,  on  the  east  side  of  the 
river. 

Street  Railways 

Since  1863  the  citizens  of  the  Saginaws  have  had  street  car  service, 
though  it  must  be  admitted  that  in  those  times  there  were  lacking  the  con- 
veniences of  rapid  transit  in  warm,  comfortable  cars,  now  enjoyed.  The 
first  action  taken  to  connect  Saginaw  City  with  East  Saginaw  by  street 
railway  was  taken  in  the  former  city,  by  the  organization  of  the  Saginaw 
City  Street  Railway  Company,  with  a  capital  of  thirty  thousand  dollars. 
David  II.  Jerome  was  president,  George  L.  Burrows,  secretary  and  treas- 
urer, and  S.  S.  Perkins,  superintendent.  The  line  was  two  and  three-eighths 
miles  in  length,  running  from  Hamilton  and  Mackinaw  Streets  down  Ham- 
ilton to  Madison,  to  Washington  i  Michigan),  and  thence  to  Genesee  Street. 
At  that  time  Genesee  was  merely  a  slab  and  saw  dust  road  crossing  the 
marsh,  and  during  spring  freshets  was  covered  with  water  to  a  depth  of 
four  to  six  feet.  The  track  of  the  street  railway,  which  connected  the  busi- 
ness sections  of  the  two  cities,  crossed  the  marsh  ami  bayou  on  a  trestle 
of  piling,  and  thence  by  the  bridge  to  the  Bancroft  House.  A  picture  show- 
ing this  terminal  with  one  of  the  old  horse  cars  then  used  will  be  found 
on  page  two  hundred  and  forty-seven. 

The  street  railway  was  opened  to  travel  on  December  8,  1863,  with 
loud  acclaim  of  the  residents  of  Saginaw  City  who  prided  themselves  on 
the  enterprise  which  the  railway  displayed.  It  was,  indeed,  a  step  in  ad- 
vance in  the  slow  march  of  progress  made  by  the  older  city,  and  gave  the 
residents    a   closer   connection    with    the    Flint    &    Pere    Marquette    Railroad, 


732  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


which  they  had  lost  through  their  own  folly.  The  railway  gave  employ- 
ment to  sixteen  men  and  used  thirty  horses  and  five  cars.  The  track  was 
built  with  strap  rails  laid  on  wood  stringers,  the  mode  then  followed,  and 
the  equipment  was  light  enabling  the  trip  from  the  Bancroft  House  to  the 
Taylor  House  to  be  made  in  less  than  twenty  minutes.  The  road  proved  a 
great  accommodation  to  both  cities  and  was  well  patronized. 

The  business  men  of  "East  Town,"  not  to  be  outdone  by  their  worthy 
neighbors,  soon  after  organized  the  East  Saginaw  City  Street  Railway,  and 
built  a  road  from  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  depot,  at  Potter  and  Wash- 
ington Streets,  up  Washington  to  South  Saginaw,  a  distance  of  three  miles, 
with  a  short  branch  line  on  Brewster  Street  to  Jefferson.  The  company  was 
organized  November  10,  18(4,  with  a  capital  of  sixty  thousand  dollars. 
William  I.  Bartow  was  president  and  superintendent,  Moses  B.  Hess  was 
treasurer."  and  T.  E.  Morris  was  secretary,  and  they  and  Jesse  Hoyt  and 
James    F.    Brown   comprised  the   board   of   directors. 

This  railway  was  completed  and  made  ready  for  travel  on  April  4. 
1865,  thus  identifying  South  Saginaw  with  its  prosperous  neighbor,  and 
bringing  a  considerable  trade  from  the  thriving  village  of  twenty-five  hun- 
dred people,  to  the  city.  The  company  owned  seven  cars,  three  of  which 
ran  regularly  every  twenty  minutes  the  entire  length  of  the  line,  using 
twenty-six  horses  and  giving  employment  to   eleven   men. 

Twenty  years  after,  the  twin  cities  having  grown  rapidly  and  together 
acquired   a   population   of    more   than   forty   thousand,    an    expansion   of  the 
street   railways  seemed  both   desirable   and  expedient.     "Little  Jake"    Selig- 
man,  who  at  that   period   was  a   most  active   spirit,   secured  control   of  the 
old  East  Saginaw  City   Street    Railway,  and  gave  the  new  corporation  then 
formed  the  name  of  Union   Street    Railway.      In  order  to  reach  the  business 
and   residence    sections  of   Saginaw   City,   which    hitherto   had   had   only   the 
limited  service  of   the   old   horse  car  line,   he   organized    the   Central    Bridge 
Company    which    purchased    the    Bristol    Street     I '.ridge,    rebuilt    tin    .super- 
structure, and  made  it  ready  for  use  by  the   Union  Street  Railway- 
He  then  extended  the  line  from  Washington  and  Bristol  Streets   across 
the  bridge,  and  by  the  way  of  Fayette  and  Washington  (Michigan)   Streets, 
to  and  up  Court  Street,  and  by  Mackinaw  Street  to  South  Saginaw  where 
the   track  joined  the  end   of  the  old  line.     A   loop  was   thus   formed   around 
which  the  dinky  horse  cars,  with  the  words  "Court  House"  painted  in  large 
script  on  their 'sides,  and  not  much   larger  than   the  present  enclosed  motor 
"jitneys,"    with   door  and   step   at    the   rear  end,    ran   on   a   regular  schedule. 
The   cars   painted  a   bright    blue   ran   west  over  the    Bristol   Bridge,   through 
the   business   section   of   Saginaw    City,   across   the    Mackinaw   Street   Bridge 
to    South    Saginaw,    and    thence    down    Washington    Street    to    the    end    of 
Potter   Street,  while  the   yellow  cars  reversed   the  route.     The  red  cars_  ran 
from   Potter  Street  oxer   the   same   route  as  the  blue  cars,  but   at   the  Court 
I  louse  ran  up  and  down   Court  Street  for  a  distance  of  about  one  mile,  and 
back  to  East  Saginaw  over  the  same  route.     This  arrangement  of  schedules 
was  quite  an  innovation  in  the  transportation  facilities  of  the  Saginaws.  and 
the  citizens  generally  prided  themselves  in  the  excellent  car  service  afforded. 
The  prospective  opening  of  a  competing  street  car  line  to  Saginaw  City 
had  an  instant  effect  on  car  fares,     'flu  old  company,  which  had  strenuously- 
opposed    the    granting   of    another    franchise,    anticipated    a    complication    of 
rates  and.  before  the  new  road  was  completed,  reduced  its  fare  from   seven 
to  five   cents  and  afforded  six  tickets   for  twenty-five   cents.     Of   course  no 
transfers   were   granted,  but  as   the   newer  company  reached   a   much    larger 
territory  at  both   sides  of  the  business  centers  than  the  old   road,  it   gained 
a  o-ood  share  of  the  travel  between  the  two  cities.     Within  a  year  after  the 


I  \<  VXSI'i  iRT  \TI<  >N 


733 


better  service  had  been  inaugurated  the  old  street  railway  reduced  its  fares 
to  three  cents,  or  ten  tickets  for  twenty-five  cents,  at  which  rates  it  was 
said  to  have  made  a  profit.  For  the  short  run  between  the  business  centers 
it  was  decidedly  the  popular  line,  and  enjoyed  its  full  share  of  the  city 
travel. 

Beginning  of  Rapid  Transit 

The  use  of  electricity  as  a  motive  power  for  street  cars  was  vet  in  the 
experimental  stage,  when  it  was  decided  by  the  Union  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany to  abandon  the  old  slow  horse  cars  and  adopt  rapid  transit.  "Little 
Jake"  Seligman,  who  had  extended  the  line  to  Saginaw  City  and  given  the 
people  an  idea  of  what  street  car  service  should  be,  had  disposed  of  his 
interests  in  the  mad;  and  in  1889  those  in  control  of  the  property  applied 
for  a  license  to  change  the  system  to  electric  power,  and  to  operate  its  cars 
by  that  medium.  An  ordinance  was  duly  prepared  and  passed  by  the  coun- 
cil, and  the  electrification  of  the  street  railway  proceeded.     The  tracks  were 


AN     ALL-STEEL     ELECTRIC     TRAIN     ON    THE     MICHIGAN     RAILWAY 


not  changed  beyond  bonding  the  rails,  but  the  overhead  work  and  the 
equipping  of  the  cars  with  motors  took  some  time,  and  it  was  not  until  the 
Fall  of  1890  that  electric  power,  which  was  furnished  by  the  Bartlett  Illum- 
inating Company  under  contract,  was  turned  on. 

The  operation  of  the  first  electric  cars  in  the  streets  of  Saginaw  was 
one  of  the  important  events  in  the-  history  of  this  city,  and  was  proclaimed  a 
d'stinct  step  forward  in  the  march  of  progress.  The  equipment  then  used 
would  look  very  crude  today  beside  the  cars  now  in  use.  as  the  first  electric 
cars  were  merely  the  old  bob-tail  horse  cars  mounted  on  light  motor-driven 
trucks.  But  when  it  is  recalled  that  this  street  railway  was  the  second  or 
third  street  car  line  in  the  State  to  be  electrified,  and  electric  science  as 
applied  to  traction  purposes  was  still  very  much  of  an  experiment,  compari- 
sons are  hardly  in  order.  It  was  all  so  new  and  wonderful  that  no  one 
thought  of  criticizing  the  system  in  any  way.  Some  persons,  however,  were 
quite  timorous  of  the  electric  cars,  and  when  they  observed  the  sparks  some- 
times thrown  off  by  the  wheels  or  trolley,  declared  that  nothing  would  ever 
induce  them  to  ride  on  the  "fire  spitting  devil"  cars.  A  large  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  had  no  such  fears  or  prejudices,  as  was  evident  by  the  patronage 
accorded  the  electric  line. 


734  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  success  attending  the  operation  of  the  first  electric  cars  on  Wash- 
ington Avenue  to  South  Saginaw,  led  to  the  equipping  of  the  West  Side 
lines  and  that  running  out  <  ienesee  Avenue  for  electric  traction,  and  in  a 
short  time  all  cars  of  this  railway  were  being  operated  by  that  power.  As 
the  running  time  was  materially  shortened,  fewer  cars  were  required  to 
maintain  the  old  schedules,  and  in  some  instances  the  service  was  con- 
siderably improved.  Meanwhile,  the  old  Saginaw  City  Street  Railway  still 
operated  its  cars  with  horses,  at  the  greatly  reduced  rate  of  fare,  but  in 
1895,  when  it  seemed  imperative  that  the  line  should  be  changed  to  elec- 
tricity, the  entire  property  and  franchises  were  sold  at  a  good  price  to  the 
other  and  more  progressive  company.  As  the  old  Saginaw  City  line  afforded 
the  shorter  route  between  the  business  centers  of  the  two  cities,  and  the 
exigencies  of  the  service  demanded  it,  this  line  was  electrified  during  the  Sum- 
mer, and  early  in  December.  1895,  the  first  electric  cars  were  run  across  the 
Genesee  Avenue  Bridge  and  on  (Ienesee  and  Michigan  Avenues  to  the  Court 
Mouse.  Afterward,  the  short  stretch  of  railway  out  West  (ienesee  to  Union 
Park  was  also  equipped  for  electric  traction,  and  an  extension  built  on 
Gratiot  Street  to  near  the  city  limits.  New  cars  built  especially  for  electric- 
traction  replaced  the  old  converted  cars,  and  the  horse  cars  of  a  previous 
decade  became  only  a  memory. 

The  Good  Roads  Movement 

The  prosperity  of  both  city  and  rural  districts  is  so  dependent  upon 
good  roads,  and  the  whole  subject  looms  so  large  in  the  public  eye,  that  it 
is  highly  important  that  an  account  of  the  progress  made  should  be  recorded 
here.  The  subject,  however,  like  some  others  treated  of  in  this  work,  is  so 
big  that  not  much  more  than  a  brief  outline  of  the  action  that  put  the  good 
roads  movement  into  being,  can  be  given.  To  treat  it  in  an  exhaustive  man- 
ner would  fill  an  entire  volume,  ami  would  be  beyond  our  purpose  and 
intent. 

The  actual  start  for  g 1  roads,  which  for  semie  time  had  been  debated 

in  this  city,  was  made  on  July  12,  1898.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Retail  Mer- 
chants' Association  on  that  day  Archibald  Robertson,  who  had  long  espoused 
the  cause  of  road  improvement  in  this  county,  argued  in  favor  of  abolishing 
toll  roads  and  bridges,  within  one  year  or  eighteen  months,  and  this  object 
was  finally  accomplished.  The  association  at  the  same  meeting  appointed 
a  committee  to  present  the  matter  in  proper  form  to  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors, which  was  composed  of  A.  Robertson,  chairman,  Charles  II.  Peters, 
Senior,  and  James    II.   Davitt. 

At  that  time  the  old  plank  road  out  Genesee  Avenue  was  still  main- 
tained in  fair  condition  for  about  eight  miles  by  an  old  plank  road  company, 
which  claimed  perpetual  rights  under  an  ancient  charter;  and  there  were 
several  bridges  still  exacting  toll  from  the  people,  including  the  Gratiot 
Road  Bridge,  and  the  Bristol  Street  Bridge  in  the  City  of  Saginaw.  All 
other  roads,  including  the  State  Road  to  Bay  City  and  those  south  and  west 
beyond  the  Gratiot  Street  Bridge,  and  the  Sheridan  and  Bridgeport  Roads 
from  the  south  limits  of  the  city,  were  in  wretched  condition;  and  the 
roads  through  Buena  Vista  and  Blumfield  Townships  were  not  much  better. 
About  the  only  good  roads  in  the  count)'  were  those  built  and  maintained 
by  Frankenmuth  Township,  which  was  the  pioneer  in  road  improvement  in 
this  county. 

At  the  January  session  of  1899  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  by  the  chairman  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  com- 
mittee of  the  Retail  Merchants'  Association;  and  the  committee  was  com- 
posed of  the  following   members:     Reuben   Beeman,  of  Swan   Creek  Town- 


TRANSPORTATK  >X 


735 


.  if* 


;  i i±S 


CONSTRUCTING     STONE     ROAD     THROUGH      SAND     RIDGE 


ship;  John  Gerber,  of  Kochville  Township;  Andred  Stacey,  of  Bridgeport 
Township;  and  William  Rebec,  of  the  Second  Ward,  and  Mr.  Gage,  of  the 
Twelfth  Ward,  of  the  City  of  Saginaw.  Upon  the  meeting  of  these  com- 
mittees in  joint  session  the  matter  began  to  take  definite  form,  and  a  proper 
course  of  action  was  taken. 

From  this  preliminary  action  resulted  the  original  County  Road  Bill, 
or  Enabling  Act,  under  which  the  subsequent  road  improvement  was  put 
through.  The  bill  was  drawn  by  James  H.  Davitt,  with  the  aid  and  coun- 
sel of  William  L.  Webber,  John  Moore,  Henry  M.  Youmans  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  aforementioned  committees.  Upon  completion  of  this  work  it 
was  discovered  that  the  bill  was  unconstitutional,  and  an  amendment  to 
the  constitution  was  then  in  order,  in  April,  1899,  the  Legislature  sub- 
mitted a  proper  amendment  to  a  vote  of  the  people,  which  was  carried  by  a 
majority  of  one  hundred  and  forty-two  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty- 
four.  This  enabled  the  counties  as  well  as  the  townships  of  the  entire  State 
to  build  and   improve   their  own   highways. 

The  county  road  law.  or  Enabling  Act,  as  passed  by  the  Senate,  was 
known  as  Act  No.  419  of  the  Local  Acts  of  1899,  and  was  approved  by  the 
governor  on  May  17,  1899.  Saginaw  County,  however,  operates  under  a 
specific  act  with  reference  to  stone  roads  subject  to  State  awards,  the  same 
as  if  it  were  operating  under  the  State  law.  Senator  H.  S.  Earle  originated 
the  bill  in  the  Legislature  creating  a  good  roads  commission. 

After  considerable  delay  in  effecting  organization,  testing  materials  and 
arriving  at  the  best  methods  of  stone  road  construction,  actual  work  was 
commenced  in  I'.uena  Vista  Township  on  June  14,  1902.  This  event  was 
made  the  occasion  for  a  celebration,  which  was  planned  and  carried  out  in 
a  highly  satisfactory  manner  by  Herman  11.  Eymer,  then  county  road  com- 
missioner and  the  moving  spirit  of  the  celebration.  At  one  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  that  day  a  long  procession  composed  of  county  officials, 
speakers  of  the  day,  Companies  C.  and  F.,  M.  N.  G.,  and  representative 
citizens  and  farmers,  moved  from  the  Court  House  through  the  city  to  the 
Watrousville  road  where,  just  beyond  the   Pere   Marquette  tracks,  the  cere- 


736 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


^H&^h AW       BOfl 

SAGINAW,  MICHIGAN 


UNITED  STATES  CENSUS  FOR  1910  POPULATION  50510 
CITV  DIRECTORY  ESTIMATE  FOR  1916  POPULATION  76080  - 
100  MILES  OF  FINELY  PAVED  STREETS 


TO  MAfjMNAW  VIA 
MIDLAND  IHLAXD 
LARES  AND  STATE 


■  "HI  AL    i 

0RAN0  TRAVERSE 
ROUTE 


SAGINAW  HAS\ANX 
AREA  OF  SIXTEEN 
SQUARE  MILES\ 
300  ACRES  t)F  PARKS 
WITHIN  CITy  LIMITS. 

CITY  AUDITORIUM 
IS  THE  LARGEST  IN 
MICHIGAN  WITH  A 
MAGNIFICENT  PIPE 
ORGAN  THEREIN 


ROUTE     MAP    OF    SAGINAW.    MICHIGAN 


monies  were  held.  After  short  speeches  by  Mayor  William  B.  Baum,  Gov- 
ernor Aaron  T.  Bliss  and  others,  the  chief  act  of  the  day  took  place.  Gov- 
ernor Bliss,  surrounded  by  hundreds  of  enthusiastic  citizens,  grasped  the 
handles  of  the  plow  and,  with  cheers  of  the  assembled  throng,  vollies  fired 
by  the  militia  companies,  and  shrieks  of  whistles,  turned  the  first  furrow  for 
about  sixty  feet  in  good  roads  making.  This  act  was  followed  by  speeches 
hy  C.  K.  Dodge,  director  of  road  inquiries,  Department  of  Agriculture, 
Washington.  D.  C,  and  Judge  Emmett  L.  Beach,  thus  concluding  the  inter- 
esting ceremonies. 

In  the  active  operations  which  followed  this  auspicious  beginning,  Will- 
iam L.  Webber  and  William  II.  Wallace  were  deeply  interested.  The 
former,  through  his  large  interests  in  the  Bay  Port  quarries,  was  instru- 
mental in  providing  sufficient  stone  properly  prepared  for  road  making; 
and  the  latter,  by  reason  of  his  intimate  relations  with  beet  growers  under 
contract  with  the  Sebewaing  sugar  factory,  who  were  greatly  benefited  by 
improvement  of  the  roads,  and  his  connection  with  the  quarries,  rendered 
valuable  personal  services  in  the  cause  of  good  roads.  Archibald  Robert- 
son for  many  years  has  persistently  advocated  the  building  of  stone  roads 
throughout  the  county,  and  deserves  great  credit  for  his  efforts  in  crystaliz- 
ing  public  attention  and  interest  on  this  subject. 


TRANSPORTATION  737 


The  Cost  of  Road  Improvement 
During  the  last  fifteen  years  nearly  two  million  dollars  have  been  ex- 
pended (including  the  expenditures  to  be  made  in  1917)  for  building  and 
maintaining  good  roads  in  Saginaw  County,  which  now  has  two  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  of  improved  highways.  The  funds  for  these  improvements 
was  raised  by  the  City  of  Saginaw  and  the  several  townships,  and  at  Feb- 
ruary  1,    1915,  were   summarized  as  follows: 

City   of   Saginaw,   raised  by   tax $    524,160.00 

Townships,    raised    by    tax 371.840.00 

Townships,    raised   by   bonds 361,000.00 

State    Award-     134,370.00 

Total    $1,391,370.00 

At  the  above  date  the  improved  roads  built  and  maintained  by  this  expen- 
diture consisted  of  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  miles  of  Macadam,  twenty- 
one  miles  of  gravel,  twenty  mile-  of  -hale,  and  fourteen  and  one-half  miles 
of  field  stone,  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  thirteen  and  one-half  miles. 

In  1916  the  expenditures  for  improvement  of  highways  amounted  to 
one  hundred  and  eighty-seven  thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
dollars,  of  which  seventy-two  thousand  five  hundred  and  sixteen  dollars 
were  for  repairs  of  roads  and  bridges.  Twenty-two  and  three-fourths  miles 
of  road  were  graded,  fifteen  miles  were  made  into  stone  highways,  or  given 
stone  bottoms  and  gravel  dressing  and  otherwise  improved.  The  Merrill 
Bridge  span  was  reconstructed,  a  new  forty-four  foot  steel  and  concrete 
bridge  was  built  on  Fast  Street,  and  a  sixty-foot  steel  and  concrete  bridge 
was  put  up  <>n  the  Spaulding  and  Bridgeport  Townline  road.  Twenty-six 
concrete  culverts  from  four  to  sixteen  feet  in  width  were  put  in  to  replace 
plank  bridges.  In  addition  to  this  work  more  than  forty  miles  of  Macadam 
road  were  treated  with  oil  automatically  fed  from  tank  wagons,  the  labor 
cost  of  applying  it  being  thus  reduced  to  an  almost  insignificant  figure. 
The  results  of  this  treatment  of  stone  roads  is  very  satisfactory. 

The   Value  of  State  Awards 

In  aid  of  this  work  the  money  received  from  State  awards  for  new  con- 
struction amounted  to  twenty-eight  thousand  and  sixty-three  dollars,  for 
repairs  two  thousand  and  eighty-five  dollars,  and  from  the  automobile  tax, 
for  repairs,  nineteen  thousand  three  hundred  and  twenty-six  dollars,  a  total 
of  forty-nine  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy-four  dollars.  The  total 
amount  received    from  this   source   is   nearly   a   quarter  of   a   million  dollars. 

County  Road  Commissioner  John  W.  Ederer,  in  his  last  annual  report 
(1916),  says:  "All  of  the  roads  constructed  by  myself  and  my  predecessors 
were  good'  for  what  they  were  intended,  namely,  wagon  roads.  The  traffic 
in  the  last  five  years  lias  multiplied  many  times  and  the  main  travelled 
wagon  roads  today  have  become  speedways  and  no  material,  no  matter  what 
kind  it  may  be,  will  take  care  of  the  traffic  unless  some  bituminous  binder 
or  concrete  surface  takes  its  place.  The  extensive  repair  of  existing  roads 
was  made  possible  by  the  automobile  tax  of  approximately  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars,  which  enabled  us  during  the  early  part  of  the  season  to  make 
the  repairs  which  were  made  absolutely  necessary  by  the  unfavorable  winter 
and  spring  of  1915-16.  The  City  of  Saginaw  portion  of  this  tax  was  used 
for  repairs  on  roads  commencing  at  the  city  limits  and  continuing  away 
from  the  city.  This  tax  has  been  the  means  of  saving  the  roads  of  the 
county  the  past  year,  while  it  was  not  sufficient  to  do  all  that  was  necessary, 
it  enabled  us  to  come  a  little  nearer  it.  I  regard  the  repair  and  mainten- 
ance of  roads  as  the  most  important  of  the  many  problems  that  will  always 
confront  the  road  commissioner." 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

BANKS  AND  BANKING 

Lax  Banking  Laws  —  Advent  of  Territorial  Banks  —  A  Period  of  Speculation  — 
Organization  of  "Wild  Cat"  Banks  —  Saginaw  City  Bank  —  Workings  of  the  Law  — 
How  a  Bank  Created  Specie  —  Financial  Ruin  —  Currency  of  the  Bank  of  Zilwaukee  — 
Recovery  Was  Slow — Beginning  of  Sound  Banking — Merchants  National  Bank  — 
Home  National  — The  First  National  Bank  —  Second  National  —  Savings  Bank  of 
East  Saginaw — East  Saginaw  National  Bank  —  American  Commercial  and  Savings 
Bank— George  L.  Burrows  &  Company  —  First  National  Bank  of  Saginaw— A  Run 
on  the  Bank  —  Citizens  National  Rank  —  Saginaw  County  Savings  Bank—  I  he 
Strength  of  Saginaw  Banks  —  A  Comparative  Statement—  Banks  and  Financial  Institu- 
tions in   1918. 

FROM  time  immemorial  the  laws  of  all  countries,  concerning  banks  and 
paper  currency,  have  been  notorious  in  attempting  to  create  value 
where  none  existed.  Paper  currency,  which  only  promised  to  pay 
money,  has  often  been  confounded  with  money  itself  and  been  largely 
treated  as  possessing  real  value.  Hut  whenever  the  issue  of  this  currency 
exceeded  the  money  it  promised  to  pay,  its  value  depreciated  to  the  amount 
of  actual  money  in  the  country,  or  even  lower,  and  often  became  worthless. 
Early  legislation  in  the  United  States  showed  little  wisdom  in  regard  to 
banking,  and  until  our  National  banking  system  was  established,  authorized 
excessive  issues  of  paper  currency  and  with  no  reliable  security  for  bill- 
holders.  Absolute  security  of  the  circulation  and  government  inspection  of 
banks  are  safeguards  established  scarcely  more  than  fifty  years  ago. 

The  first  bank  in  what  is  now  the  commonwealth  of  Michigan  was  the 
Bank  of  Detroit,  organized  under  an  act  passed  by  the  governor  and  judges 
cf  Michigan  Territory  September  19,  1806.  This  act  was  not  approved  by 
Congress  and  the  bank  was  forced  to  suspend  business  and  wind  up  its 
affairs.  But  it  mattered  little  to  the  scant  population  which  needed  only  a 
small  amount  of  money  to  carry  on  its  business.  Detroit  was  a  mere  trad- 
ing post  on  the  outskirts  of  civilization,  and  the  surrounding  country,  which 
was  as  Nature  made  it,  was  uninhabited  by  white  men.  The  Indian  brought 
in  his  furs  and  skins  to  be  exchanged  for  beads,  brass  buttons,  blankets, 
guns,  and  fire-water.  No  agricultural  products  sought  a  market  there.  Trade 
was  done  by  "dicker,"  or  barter  of  one  kind  of  goods  for  another,  and  using 
only  gold  and  silver  as  a  circulating  medium.  There  was  little  use  for  that 
commodity  which  is  requisite  to  the  successful  conduct  of  a  bank. 

Advent  of  Territorial  Banks 

While  Michigan  was  still  a  territory  there  was  no  general  banking  law, 
and  what  banks  there  were  were  incorporated  by  special  charters  which  were 
substantially  the  same.  The  capital  of  each  bank  was  nominally  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars;  and  the  circulation  of  paper  currency  could  be  three 
times  the  amount  of  the  capital  paid  in.  no  security  such  as  bonds,  stocks, 
mortgages  or  anything  else,  being  required.  The  excessive  issue  apparently 
was  based,  not  on  the  ability  to  redeem  on  presentation,  but  the  ability  to  pay 
when  the  notes  which  had  been  taken  for  the  bank  bills  issued  were  collected. 
The  territorial  banks,  eight  in  number,  were:  Bank  of  Michigan,  chartered 
in  1817;    Bank  of  Monroe,  in  1827;    Bank  of  River  Raisin,  in   1832;    and  the 


740  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

Bank  of  Pontiac,  Bank  of  Washtenaw,  Bank  of  Wisconsin,  Bank  of  Erie  and 
Kalamazoo,  and  the  Bank  of  Merchants  and  Mechanics,  chartered  in  1835. 
All  these  hanks  failed  mainly  for  want  of  a  proper  capital  as  compared  with 
their  circulation. 

When  the  United  States  Bank  of  national  fame  was  liquidated,  its  stock 
sold  and  paid  into  the  public  treasury,  the  hanks  in  the  several  States  were 
designated  as  banks  of  deposit,  and  were  used  fur  collecting,  transferring  and 
disbursing  the  public  revenues.  There  was  then  a  surplus  in  the  United 
States  Treasury,  and  after  a  long  ami  exciting  debate  in  Congress,  in  the 
session  of  1835-6,  it  was  determined  ti>  distribute  this  surplus  among  the 
several  States  in  proportion  to  their  representation  in  Congress,  to  be  de- 
posited in  the  several  banks  for  safe-keeping. 

A  Period  of   Speculation 

This  disposition  of  the  public  funds  was  followed  by  one  of  the  wildest 
eras  of  speculation  the  country  has  ever  seen.  Money  was  abundant,  the 
coffers  of  the  government  were  overflowing,  the  country  was  prosperous  and 
cvervbud\  seemed  bent  i>n  making  a  fortune  as  quickly  as  possible.  The 
banks  of  this  State  had  abundant  means  on  hand,  and  they,  too,  shared  in  the 
spirit  of  speculation.  Why  should  not  they  make  the  most  of  the  means  at 
their  command?  They  therefore  loaned  out  the  money  which  hail  been  de- 
posited with  them  to  the  red-lmt  speculators  who  were  buying  government 
land,  were  laying  out  and  building  cities  in  the  wilderness,  and  were  con- 
necting them  by  roads  and  canals.  These  loans  were  given  on  what  was 
supposed  to  be  good  security,  such  as  real  estate  taken  at  its  speculative 
value,  or  city  lots  in  cities  where  scarcely  a  tree  had  been  hewn  down  or  a 
spade  had  turned  the  soil. 

At  the  height  of  this  period  of  speculation,  in  January,  1837,  Michigan 
was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  State.  The  exploitation  of  lands,  wild  and 
partly  cultivated,  continued  unabated  and  lots  in  prospective  villages  and 
towns,  which  now  are  little  or  nothing  but  the  recorded  plats  in  the  office 
of  the  register  of  deeds,  to  indicate  their  location,  changed  hands  at  exces- 
sive prices.  This  speculation  was  no  doubt  largely  owing  to  the  great 
amount  of  paper  money  afloat  in  the  State.  It  took  a  great  deal  of  the 
inflated  currency  to  buy  property,  so  real  estate  was  called  high,  when  it 
really  was  the  money  that  had  depreciated  in  value. 

The  reaction  from  this  inflation  came  only  too  soon.  Hard  times  op- 
pressed the  country.  The  government  had  use  for  the  public  money,  and 
called  upon  the  banks  with  which  it  hail  been  deposited  to  return  it  in  coin. 
But  the  banks,  which  had  loaned  it  out  to  speculators,  had  it  not;  and  the 
speculators  were  unable  to  realize  even  their  investments  at  the  fancy  prices 
at  which  they  had  been  made.  The  security  for  such  loans  proved  of  so 
little  value  that  the  banks  were  sore  distressed  to  meet  their  obligations  to 
the  government.  In  this  cramped  position  the  banks,  in  order  to  save  them- 
selves, were  compelled  to  proceed  with  the  utmost  caution  and  specie  pay- 
ments were  suspended.  They  redeemed  their  paper  currency  as  rapidly  as 
they  could,  and  refused  to  put  it  out  again,  resulting  in  a  scarcity  of  money. 
From  a  superfluity  of  currency  a  little  while  before,  there  now  was  not  enough 
to  supply  the  necessary  demands  of  business. 

From  this  financial  condition  the  people  were  clamorous  for  relief;  and 
there  was  an  outcry  against  the  chartered  banks.  They  were  declared  to  be 
monopolies  hostile  to  the  spirit  of  our  free  institutions.  Everything  else  in 
this  country  was  free,  therefore  banking  should  be  free,  the}  argued.  The 
situation  was  critical  and  something  had  to  be  done.  On  March  15.  1837. 
a  general  banking  law  was  enacted,  making  the  business  free  to  all.      By  its 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  741 

provisions  ten  or  more  persons  could  organize  themselves  into  a  corporation 
for  the  transaction  of  the  banking  business,  and  were  subject  only  to  the 
law.  The  general  provisions  of  this  law  were  fairly  drawn,  except  that  in 
the  two  important  features  which  must  concerned  the  public  —  security  to 
its  bill-holders,  and  a  bona  fide  capital  to  secure  the  depositors — there  were 
none  adequate.  The  capital  of  each  bank  must  be  not  less  than  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  not  more  than  three  hundred  thousand,  divided  into  shares 
of  fifty  dollars  each;  and  the  issue  of  paper  currency  could  be  two  and  one- 
half  times  the  capital  paid  in.  The  interest  on  discounts  could  not  exceed 
seven  per  cent;  and  the  security  for  payment  of  the  hank's  obligations  were 
tn  he  bonds  and  mortgages  on  real  estate,  to  be  held  by  the  bank  commis- 
sioner— a  State  officer,  and  the  specie  in  the  vaults  of  the  bank.  Few 
hanks  had  this  specie,  though  the  law  required  thirty  per  cent,  of  the 
capita]  to  be  paid  in  in  "legal  money  of  the  United  States." 

Organization  of  the  "Wild  Cat"   Banks 

Under  the  banking  law  forty-nine  banks  were  organized  and  went  into 
operation  up  to  April  3,  1838,  when  the  Legislature  suspended  the  provisions 
of  the  law  as  to  the  creation  of  new  associations.  The  nominal  aggregate 
capital  was  about  four  million  dollars,  which  added  to  that  of  the  fifteen 
chartered  hanks,  namely  seven  millions,  made  the  nominal  aggregate  capital 
in  the  State,  in  the  Spring  of  1838,  about  eleven  million  dollars.  The  cir- 
culation of  paper  currency  must  have  reached  at  that  time  ten  million  dollars 
or  more  —  a  very  large  amount  considering  the  small  need  of  money  for  com- 
mercial and  manufacturing  enterprises. 

The  population  of  the  entire  State  was  only  about  one  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  was  of  essentially  an  agricultural  character,  while  the  whole  of 
the  vast  territory  north  of  the  old  territorial  road  was  almost  an  unbroken 
wilderness.  Pioneers  were  hewing  down  its  forests,  breaking  up  its  oak 
openings,  and  shaking  their  teeth  loose  with  ague  chills  over  its  miasmatic 
marshes.  They  were  doing  well  if  by  hard  toil  in  Summer  they  raised 
enough  produce  and  fodder  on  their  lands  to  keep  their  families  and  their 
cattle  comfortably  through  the  Winter.  They  had  little  to  sell  and  but 
little  use  for  money.  The  amount  of  bank  bills  in  circulation  was  at  least 
one  hundred  dollars  for  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  the  State,  which 
illustrates  the  extremity  to  which  the  banking  mania  carried  the  people. 

The  Saginaw  City  Bank 

Among  the  hanks  organized  in  the  Summer  of  1837  was  the  Saginaw 
City  Bank,  which  was  promoted  by  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  place. 
Its  president  was  Norman  Little,  the  projector  of  the  promising  settlement, 
and  the  cashier  was  Nelson  Smith,  a  prominent  settler  who  in  the  same  year 
built  the  first  sailing  vessel  on  the  Saginaw  River.  Though  this  institution 
was  classed  with  those  banks  termed  "wild  cats."  it  was  undoubtedly  organ- 
ized in  good  faith,  with  the  hest  intentions  —  to  further  the  material  inter- 
ests and  advancement  of  this  valley,  and  in  all  probability  was  honestly  con- 
ducted. It  had  a  brief  existence,  however,  going  down  in  the  financial  crash 
of  1838,  an  echo  of  its  affairs  being  heard  in  the  legal  proceedings  to  require 
from  the  county  the  payment  of  a  bond,  in  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars, 
which  had  been  negotiated  by  the  hank,  hut  not  all  of  the  proceeds  paid 
over  to  the  county  treasury.      I  See  Chapter  VII.  pages   109-10.) 

It  is  unfortunate  that  so  little  record  of  this  primitive  hank,  after  a  lapse 
of  eighty  years,  is  now  to  be  found.  A  careful  search  of  the  county  records 
reveals  nothing  of  tangible  evidence  concerning  its  career.  About  all  the 
direct  evidence  of  its  existence  is  some  of  its  original  paper  currency,  bear- 
ing date  of  December  26,  1837,  which  apparently  was  circulated  at  that  time. 


742  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


Whether  it  was  ever  redeemed  by  the  hank,  or  was  in  the  hands  of  un- 
fortunate holders  at  the  time  of  its  collapse,  is  not  known.  At  any  rate  a 
large  package  of  the  paper  money,  which  shows  nunc  or  less  handling,  was 
laid  away  by  somebody,  and  only  came  to  light  about  twenty  years  ago. 
In  clearing  out  the  storage  vaults  of  the  old  Home  National  Bank,  on 
fanuary  1,  1896,  when  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Saginaw  moved  into 
the  banking  office  which  years  before  had  been  occupied  by  the  Merchants' 
National  Bank,  the  "Id  currency  was  found  and  was  justly  regarded  as  a 
real  curiosity.  The  "Id  Saginaw  City  Bank  was  capitalized  at  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  but  how  large  an  amount  of  bank  bills  was  circulated  is  not  known 
It  may  l>v  the  old  law  have  been  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  and  whatever  the  am.  mm  outstanding,  the  collapse  of  the  banking 
svstem  brought  a  heavy  loss  and  distress  upon  the  people.  The  greatly  in- 
line.] circulation,  so  inadequately  secured  by  their  genuine  or  pretended 
capital  of  specie  in  vaults,  stores,  grocery  stocks,  log  houses  or  pretentious 
frame  houses,  was  in  the  hands  of  people  who  had  sold  their  wheat,  corn 
and  in >rk  fur  it,  or  who  had  performed  manual  labor  for  it,  and  was  all 
swept  away  by  the  great  financial  storm,  newer  to  appear  again. 

Working  of  the  Law 

While  some  of  the  hanks  organized  in  1837-8  were  bona  fide  institutions, 
tin-  law  was  taken  advantage  of  by  dishonest  men  to  practice  the  grossest 
frauds  and  swindles.  The  law  practically  permitted  these  frauds,  and  the 
State  officials,  though  striving  honestly  to  do  their  duty,  were  powerless  to 
prevent  them.  The  State  was  large,  the  swindlers  were  many,  and  the  bank 
commissioners  could  not  be  everywhere  and  have  their  hands  on  all  of  them 
at  the  same  time.  As  a  consequence  of  the  physical  conditions  of  the 
country  and  the  lax  provisions  of  the  banking  law.  hanks  were  established 
in  the  smallest  villages  and  hamlets,  and  even  in  the  most  inaccessible 
places,  which  it  was  not  likely  the  holders  of  the  hank  bills  could  ever  find, 
and  hence  the  hanks  would  not  he  asked  to  redeem  the  hills. 

A  traveller  once  coming  through  the  forests  of  Shiawassee  County,  on 
his  way  to  Saginaw,  when  the  country  was  very  new.  with  only  here  and 
there  a  log  cabin  in  a  little  clearing,  found  a  trail  which  had  newer  been 
worked  and  was  principally  indicated  by  "blazed"  trees.  Toward  night  he 
came  upon  a  fork  in  the  path,  and  was  uncertain  which  branch  to  take.  He 
had  not  gone  far  upon  the  one  which  he  finally  chose,  before  he  became 
satisfied  that  it  was  only  a  path  used  for  hauling  out  wood  or  timber.  But 
as  the  day  was  late  he  had  no  time  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  pushed  on  in 
hope  of  reaching  a  human  habitation  in  which  to  spend  the  night.  He  had 
not  proceeded  far  when  in  a  small  clearing  before  him  there  loomed  a  large 
frame  structure,  across  the  front  of  which  was  a  conspicuous  sign  "Bank  of 
Shiawassee."  It  was  one  of- the  "wild  cats"  quartered  in  the  native  haunts  of 
that  animal,  the   depths   of  the   forest. 

The  Bank  of  Sandstone,  in  Jackson  County,  had  an  extended  circulation 
which  was  put  out  by  an  ingenious  plan.  It  loaned  a  large  sum  of  money  — 
its  own  paper  currency  —  on  lots  of  some  imaginary  city,  to  a  man  wdio  went 
through  the  State  buying  everything  he  could  convert.  He  bought  horses, 
cattle,  sheep,  swine,  produce  of  all  kinds  and  everything  which  could  be 
turned  into  real  money,  at  the  seller's  price,  paying  for  it  with  the  hills  of  the 
Bank  of  Sandstone.  Very  few  persons  knew-  where  Barry,  the  seat  of  the 
hank,  was,  or  any  good  reason  why  the  bills  of  its  hank  were  not  as  good 
as  any  other,  so  he  had  little  trouble  in  passing  them.  Thus  the  paper  cur- 
rency of  the  Bank  of  Sandstone  had  a  wide  circulation,  hut  the  holders 
might  as  well  have  had  so  much  brown  wrapping  paper  instead. 


SdiJ&iiir/r  rrtc/'Ttemk 


///  A//// 


T  f.Iii.H.£  'M  D.LXAJi£3  <  //  s/>///f///// 


.    ^i;Oju;^ 


■  V//Z/  TEN  DOLLARS 


'■■//////  ///S////'/ 


A 


//////>,/»  FIVE  DOLLARS  <//^Ww/ 


OLD    CURRENCY    OF   THE    SAGINAW    CITY    BANK,    CIRCULATED    IN    1837 


744  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


The  hanking  law  required  a  certain  amount  of  specie  to  be  kept  in  the 
vaults  of  the  bank,  but  this  provision  was  evaded  by  some  banks  in  the  most 
flagrant  manner.  The  same  specie  served  for  exhibition  for  a  dozen  banks, 
at  various  intervals;  and  the  bonds  and  mortgages  which  were  deposited 
were  upon  "city"  lots  in  the  woods,  or  on  real  estate  at  fictitious  values. 
The  notes  of  one  "wild  cat"  bank  were  often  held  as  capital  for  another  wild 
cat,  and  they  fraudulently  put  out  a  much  larger  circulation  than  the  law 
allowed.  In  man}-  other  ways  they  practiced  outrageous  swindles  upon  the 
public. 

It  was  told  of  Alpheus  Felch,  afterward  governor  of  this  State,  that 
while  he  was  a  State  bank  examiner,  as  he  was  going  from  one  bank  to 
another  he  noticed  a  familiar  look  in  the  l».xes  containing  the  silver  held  by 
various  banks.  Though  finding  all  the  banks  properly  supplied  with  coin, 
lie  suddenly  turned  back  on  his  course,  re-examined  the  banks  and  found 
them  without  coin.  The  banks  had  by  preconcerted  arrangement  kept  the 
specie  in  boxes  ahead  of  the  commissioner,  a  man  named  Isaac  Alden  driv- 
ing the  team  which  carried  the  coin  from  bank  to  bank  for  the  commissioner 
to  examine. 

How  a  Bank  Created  Specie 

Among  the  nefarious  practices  of  this  unstable  period  was  the  "creating" 
of  specie  by  a  banker  named  Lewis  Goddard.  He  had  a  unique  theory  in 
regard  to  new  bank  bills  fresh  and  crisp  from  the  printers,  well  adapted  to 
the  times  when  the  banks  were  required  to  redeem  their  bills  at  their  own 
counters  in  specie.  As  the  banks  had  little,  if  any,  coin,  he  believed  there 
must  be  some  way  of  obtaining  it.  He  said  it  was  not  necessary  for  a  bank 
to  have  specie  of  its  own;  a  bank  should  create  specie.  The  pioneer  stock- 
holders and  directors  were  bewildered  and  unduly  influenced  by  his  reasoning 
on  creating  specie,  and  permitted  him  to  carry  out  his  theory. 

"What,"  said  he,  "is  a  bank  good  for  unless  it  is  well  enough  conducted 
to  create  its  own  specie?  In  order  to  create  specie  of  your  own  you  must 
exchange  your  circulation  for  it,  and  take  your  bills  away  from  home  so 
they  will  be  slow  in  returning  for  redemption — taking  away  the  specie  you 
have  created.  The  way  to  obtain  this  specie  by  exchange  is:  first  get  the 
hills  of  other  banks  with  your  bills,  take  these  bill's  of  the  other  banks  to  their 
counters,  get  the  gold  on  them,  bring  it  home  and  put  it  in  your  own  vaults. 
By  this  means  you  have  created  specie  and  provided  your  bank  with  the 
material   money  for  redeeming  your  bills." 

This  was  a  remarkable  plan,  peculiar  of  the  times  and  worthy  of  the 
projector.  The  bank  suspended,  and  in  court  proceedings  which  followed 
an  employee  declared,  "they  broke  the  bank  the  first  night." 

A  Legislative  Report,  dated  January  18,  1839,  stated  that  "no  species  of 
fraud  and  evasion  of  law,  which  the  ingenuity  of  dishonest  corporations  has 
ever  devised,  have  not  been  practiced  under  the  banking  act.  The  loan  of 
specie  from  established  corporations  became  an  ordinary  traffic,  and  the 
same  money  set  in  motion  a  number  of  institutions.  Specie  certificates, 
verified  by  oath,  were  everywhere  exhibited,  although  these  very  certificates 
had  been  cancelled  at  the  moment  of  their  creation  by  a  draft  "for  a  similar 
amount;  and  yet  such  subterfuges  were  pertinaciously  insisted  upon  as 
fair  business  transactions,  sanctioned  by  custom  and  precedent.  Stock  notes 
were  given  for  subscriptions  to  stock  and  counted  as  specie,  and  thus  not  a 
cent  of  real  capital  existed,  beyond  the  small  sums  paid  in  by  the  upright 
and  unsuspecting  farmer  and  mechanic,  whose  little  savings  and  honest  name 
were   necessary  "to   give    confidence    and    credit.     Quantities    of   paper    were 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  745 


checked  out  of  the  banks  by  individuals  who  had  not  a  cent  in  bank,  with 
no  security  beyond  the  verbal  understanding  that  notes  of  other  banks 
should  be  returned  at  some  future  time." 

Financial  Ruin 
As  a  natural  result  of  the  speculative  mania,  inflation  of  the  currency 
and  the  fraud  and  trickery  of  the  banks,  a  violent  reaction  set  in  in  the 
Summer  of  1838.  and  all  the  wild  cat  banks  were  at  once  in  dire  distress. 
It  was  either  a  case  of  redeeming  their  currency  in  specie,  or  suspend,  and 
eventually  all  were  forced  to  the  latter  alternative.  When  all  the  banks 
had  been  swept  out  of  existence  there  were  bills  afloat  representing  millions 
of  dollars.  Many  of  these  were  in  the  hands  of  bona  Me  holders  who  lost 
heavily  thereby,  wdiile  some  had  never  been  in  circulation,  and  were  then 
given  away  promiscuously.  Children  used  to  play  with  them,  and  in  the 
rural  districts,  where  paper  hangings  were  scarce,  people  papered  their 
rooms  with  them  making  the  walls  of  a  log  cabin  look  rather  grotesque,  and 
they  were  thrown  into  old  garrets,  closets  and  bookcases,  to  be  at  last 
forgotten  by  their  once  prosperous  holders. 

Currency  of  the  Bank  of  Zilwaukee 

In  this  connection  Ezra  Rust  related  an  amusing  incident  relating  to 
the  bank  bills  of  a  proposed  banking  institution,  styled  the  Bank  of  Zilwau- 
kee. In  1849  Johnson  Brothers  came  to  Saginaw  Valley,  and  at  a  point  on 
the  river  which  marked  the  head  of  deep  water  navigation,  laid  out  and 
started  a  village  which  they  confidently  expected  would  become  the 
metropolis  of  the  valley.  Having  not  the  slightest  idea  that  the  Carrollton 
bar  would  ever  be  dredged  to  admit  a  large  class  of  lake  vessels  above  to 
Saginaw  City,  they  proceeded  to  build  a  dock,  warehouse,  saw  mill,  several 
houses,  and  opened  a  store  stocked  with  general  merchandise.  From  clear 
cork  pine  from  the  forests  of  the  Cass  River,  they  cut  heavy  planks  and  built 
a  road  to  Saginaw,  thereby  connecting  their  embryo  city  with  civilization. 
To  further  their  aims  they  planned  to  open  a  bank  of  their  own,  to  be 
named  the  Bank  of  Zilwaukee,  and  had  a  quantity  of  very  fetchin.!,;-  currency 
printed  for  its  circulation.  But  their  hopes  of  building  up  a  prosperous 
community  were  not  realized,  for  East  Saginaw,  although  occupying  a  no 
more  favorable  location,  was  forging  rapidly  ahead,  and  about  1858  they 
failed. 

At  this  juncture  their  saw  mill  property  was  purchased  by  James  EI. 
Hill,  and  Mr.  Rust,  who  had  recently  come  to  Saginaw,  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  lumbering  operations.  At  intervals  during  the  following  years,  one  or 
other  of  the  Johnsons  would  come  into  the  mill  office  and  look  longingly  at 
an  old  iron  safe  in  the  corner,  of  the  ancient  kind  which  opened  with  a  large 
brass  key.  Several  times  they  remarked  that  there  might  be  some  their 
personal  papers  in  the  safe  that  the}'  were  looking  for,  but  as  the  key  had 
been  lost  Mr.  Rust  refused  to  break  open  the  safe,  merely  to  satisfy  the 
curiosity  of  its  former  owners. 

About  1863,  when  the  operations  of  Mr.  Hill  at  Zilwaukee  were  con- 
cluded, the  affairs  there  were  wound  up  and  the  office  records  and  furniture 
were  moved  to  Saginaw.  The  last  thing  to  meet  the  eye  of  Ezra  was  the 
old  iron  safe  within  which  he  had  never  looked.  The  mystery  surrounding 
Johnsons'  actions  in  relation  to  it,  came  back  to  him  in  a  flash,  and  he 
resolved  to  open  it.  Securing  sledges  and  chisels  the  door  was  soon  forced 
open,  revealing  to  their  astonished  gaze  package  upon  package  of  clean  and 
crisp  bills  of  the  Bank  of  Zilwaukee,  which  apparently  had  never  been 
circulated.  The  Bank,  indeed,  had  never  opened  owing  to  the  failure  of  its 
projectors.  Hastily  filling  his  pockets  with  the  bogus  yet  interesting  cur- 
rency, Mr.  Rust  replaced  the  safe  door  and  returned  to  Saginaw. 


74i ; 


HISTORY   OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


vi 


■>,  y/Lf'-~//r 


ts'i  HL-EJST=-\or»V«j«w 


SPECIMEN    OF    THE    UNCIRCULATED    CURRENCY    OF   THE    BANK    OF    ZILWAUKIE 

For  some  time  he  displayed  the  paper  money  of  the  bank  that  never 
existed,  to  the  great  amusement  of  his  friends;  and  in  writing  to  some  others 
m  the  Union  Army  he  slipped  in  a  bill  or  two  as  a  curiosity.  The  effect  of 
this  action  was  surprisingly  manifested.  In  an  incredibly  short  time  letters 
by  the  score  began  to  pour  in  on  Mr.  Rust  thanking  him  for  the  "good" 
currency,  and  having  one  common  appeal.  "Send  us  more  of  that  pretty 
money,"  the}'  said,  "the  people  down  here  like  it  better  than  their  own  shin- 
plasters." 

The  Recovery  Was  Slow 

The  financial  highway  travelled  by  our  Michigan  pioneers  illustrates  the 
weakness  and  dangers  of  a  system  which  strives  to  create  something  from 
nothing,  and  brings  out  in  strong  contrast  the  strength  and  security  of  the 
National  Banking  and  Federal  Reserve  Systems.  To  reach  our  present 
national  financial  soundness,  with  its  stable  yet  elastic  currency,  the  country 
passed  along  a  road  stewn  with  the  ruins  of  corporations,  business  firms  and 
individuals.  Looking  backward  it  is  hard  to  understand  how  men  of 
ordinary  wisdom  and  prudence  could  have  been  led  into  such  a  wild  and 
reckless  system  of  banking  as  existed  eighty  to  fifty  years  ago.  Individual 
and  State  credit  were  ruined,  and  all  suffered  severely  for  it.  Michigan, 
which  was  being  rapidly  settled  by  a  sturdy  New  England  population, 
received  a  check  in  her  immigration  and  commercial  prosperity,  from  which 
she  did  not  recover  for  many  years.  Saginaw  Valley  severely  felt  the 
depression,  and  not  until  the  coming  of  enterprising  men  with  capital  to 
develop  the  timber  resources  of  the  Michigan  forests,  did  the  county  awaken 
to  industrial  and  commercial  activity. 

Beginning  of  Sound   Banking 

The  first  banking  institution  in  Saginaw  Valley  conducted  on  sound  and 
enduring  principles  of  finance  was  the  bank  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  *X:  Company. 
This  private  banking  office  was  organized  at  Fast  Saginaw  in  November, 
1855,  with  a  capital  of  ten  thousand  dollars.  Jesse  Hoyt  being  the  silent 
partner.  The  bank  occupied  rooms  up  stairs  in  the  Exchange  Block,  at 
Water  and  Genesee  Streets,  and  for  several  years  was  the  only  financial 
institution  in  this  section  of  the  State,  extending  north  as  far  as  Upena  and 
Cheboygan.  In  August,  1859,  the  banking  office  was  removed  to  a  ground 
floor  room  in  the  new  Bancroft  Mouse  Block  on  Genesee  Street. 


BANKS  AND   BANKING  747 

In  October,  1856,  James  F.  Brown,  who  had  come  to  East  Saginaw  in 
1853  and  found  employment  in  the  mercantile  house  of  Mr.  Little,  became 
connected  with  the  hank  in  the  capacity  of  general  utility  man.  He  built 
fires,  swept  out  the  office,  collected  checks  and  drafts,  attended  to  the  cor- 
respondence, received  and  paid  out  money,  and  did  about  every  thing  else  in 
connection  with  the  financial  relations  of  the  people.  About  1860  the  capital 
of  the  hank  was  increased  to  twenty  thousand  dollars,  which  was  ample  for 
the  business  needs  of  the  times.  Through  all  financial  storms  of  this  forma- 
tive period,  this  private  hank  survived  with  the  full  confidence  of  the 
community. 

Meanwhile,  the  city  had  grown  and  prospered  to  a  surprising  degree  and 
in  August,  1865,  the  organization  of  a  hank  under  the  new  national  hanking 
law,  was  first  discussed.  In  (  )ctober  of  that  year  a  charter  was  granted,  and 
on  January  1,  1866,  the  hanking  office  of  W.  L.  P.  Little  &  Company  was 
merged  with  the  new  hank,  having  a  capital  of  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  which  was  named  the  .Merchants'  National  Bank  of  East  Saginaw. 
William  L.  I'.  Little  was  president,  James  I".  Brown  was  cashier,  ami 
Douglas  Hoyt  was  assistant  cashier,  of  the  new  hank.  Upon  the  death  of 
Mr.  Little,  on  December  9,  1867,  James  F.  Brown  was  elected  president  of 
the  hank,  Douglas  Hoyt,  cashier,  and  L.  C.  Storrs,  assistant  cashier.  Later. 
when  Mr.  Storrs  became  assistant  treasurer  of  the  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette 
Railroad,  the  office  of  assistant  cashier  of  the  hank  was  abolished. 

The  old  hanking  office  on  Genesee  Street,  though  centrally  and  con- 
veniently located,  was  far  from  being  adequate  to  the  business  transacted, 
and  in  1X72,  when  the  capital  and  surplus  of  the  bank  amounted  to  three 
hundred  and  seventy  thousand  dollars,  an  elegant  stone-front  hank  building 
was  erected  on  North  Washington  Street,  at  a  cost  of  fifty  thousand  dollars. 
This  modern  fire-proof  structure  with  large  vaults  extending  through  the 
third  floor,  and  with  massive  walnut  furniture  and  fixtures,  was  one  of  the 
show  places  of  the  city,  and  the  office  was  well  arranged  for  the  transaction 
of  a  large  business.  For  the  last  twenty-two  years  this  building  has  been 
occupied  by  the  Second  National   Bank. 

The  growth  of  the  Merchants'  National  Bank  is  shown  by  its  increase 
in  deposits,  from  1866  to  1874  : 

April.  1866 $102,000  March,  1871   $334,000 

April.  1867  241,000  \pril,     1872  445,000 

April.  1868 221,000  Sept.,     1873  (bef.  .re  panic ) .    373,000 

April.  18i,0  256,000  May,      1874  |  after  panic  | .  .    236,000 

March.  1870 305.000 

An  exhibit  of  the  condition  of  this  hank  is  shown  in  the  statement  of 
May  6,   1881  : 

Resources  Liabilities 

Loans  and  discounts $557,464.88  Capita!   stock    $200,000.00 

U.S.   Bonds 125.000.00  Surplus   100.000.00 

Stocks,  mortgages,  etc.. .  31,500.00  Undivided   profit-    69,848.74 

Due  from  hanks 115,141.56  National    hank    notes...  112.500.00 

Real  estate    54,525.00  Individual  deposits 522,790.10 

Current  expenses,  taxes.  4,613.28  Other  deposits  7Hj<'<3.?7 

Specie  and  currency    ....  186,964.69 

Redemption  fund.  etc....  8,625.00 


$  1 .085 .852.4 1  $  1 .0X5 .852.4 1 


74S  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

The   Home  National   Bank 

Early  in  1882  the  Home  National  Bank  was  chartered  under  the  National 
Banking  Association,  and  took  over  the  business  of  the  Merchants'  National. 
The  new  hank  was  organized  by  Wellington  R.  Burt,  Temple  E.  Dorr, 
William  C.  McClure,  James  H.  Booth  and  others,  and  began  business  in 
the  banking  office  formerly  occupied  by  its  predecessor,  W.  R.  Burt  was 
president,  James  II.  Booth  was  cashier,  and  A.  11.  Comstock  held  the  office 
of  assistant  cashier.  It  was  the  largest  banking  institution  in  Saginaw 
Valley,  having  a  capital  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  a  surplus  of 
fifty-four  thousand,  and  because  of  its  strong  financial  backing  and  con- 
servative management  enjoyed  the  patronage  of  the  largest  lumber  operators. 

In  April.  1882.  Asa  W.  Field  was  engaged  as  teller  of  this  hank,  and  from 
that  time  until  its  liquidation  in  1896,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  months, 
he  continued  in  this  position  and  that  of  assistant  cashier.  No  banking 
official  in  this  city  was  better  and  more  favorably  known.  He  was  a  close 
student  of  finance  and  was  very  well  informed  on  the  best  hanking  systems 
and  forms.      He  died  in  the  Fall  of  1914. 

Every  institution  serving  the  public  must  run  its  course,  and  in  the  case 
of  the  Home  National  this  was  accomplished  on  December  31,  1895,  the  date 
the  business  and  banking"  property  was  sold  to  the  Second  National  Bank. 
Some  time  before,  Mr.  Hurt,  in  the  belief  that  Saginaw  was  on  a  downward 
course  and  would  never  recover  from  the  depression  following  the  decline 
of  lumbering  anil  salt  manufacture,  had  determined  to  close  out  all  his 
business  interests  here.  Enlisting  the  co-operation  of  his  friend,  Temple  E. 
Dorr  i  in  whose  combined  interests  the  control  of  the  stock  was  vested)  he 
forced  the  liquidation  of  a  very  successful  bank  much  against  the  wishes  of 
the  other  stockholders.  In  some  respects  his  hasty  and  arbitrary  action 
touched  violation  of  the  national  banking  act,  but  as  no  formal  protest  was 
made  nothing  came  of  it.  Much  feeling  as  to  the  injustice  of  the  action,  in 
respect  to  the  interests  of  other  stockholders,  was  aroused,  which  called  to 
mind  his  similar  procedure  in  closing  up  the  tool  work-,,  the  saw  and  file 
works,  and  his  efforts  to  that  end  in  the  case  of  the  Saginaw  &  Bay  Salt 
Company,  several  years  before.  Whatever  credit  is  due  Mr.  Burt  for  his 
benefactions  in  behalf  of  education  and  civic  progress  for  the  benefit  of  the 
people,  and  of  which  full  account  has  been  gi\en  in  the  preceding  pages,  little 
may  be  said  of  him  in  a  complimentary  way  concerning  his  disposition  and 
policy   toward   industrial   or  commercial   projects. 

Other  private  banks  in  the  early  period  of  banking  in  East  Saginaw 
were:  the  Saginaw  Valley  Bank,  established  b\  l'diss.  Fay  &  Company  in 
1863,  which  did  an  extensive  business  for  a  time:  Thurber  &  Hollon,  opened 
in  1868,  and  John  Gallagher  &  Company,  in  1870.  The  business  of  these 
banks  was  well  conducted  for  several  years,  but  owing  to  the  increase  of 
national  and  savings  banks  here,  the  capital  employed  by  the  smaller  institu- 
tions was  withdrawn  and  otherwise  invested. 

The  First  National  Bank 

Shortly  after  the  National  Banking  Association  became  an  actuality 
Erastus  T.  Judd,  Samuel  II.  Webster,  William  II.  Warner.  DeWitt  C.  Gage 
and  others  organized  the  First  National  Hank  of  East  Saginaw,  which  was 
the  first  institution  to  be  established  in  this  valley  under  federal  supervision. 
Its  capital  was  fifty  thousand  dollars,  but  was  later  increased  to  one  hundred 
thousand;  and  its  banking  office  was  in  the  Bancroft  Mouse  I'dock,  on 
Washington  Street.  A  number  of  years  after  the  bank  built  a  three-story 
structure  at  Genesee  and  Cass   (Baum)    Streets,  in  which   it  transacted  con- 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  749 

siderable  business  for  an  extended  period.  The  first  officers  were  E.  T. 
Judd,  president,  C.  K.  Robinson,  cashier,  and  L.  A.  Clark,  teller.  Afterward 
.Mr.  Clark  was  elected  cashier,  which  position  he  held  until  Clarence  L.  Judd 
assumed  the  responsibilities  of  the  office.  In  the  Fall  of  1896  this  bank- 
became  deeply  involved  by  reason  of  some  very  questionable  lumbering 
investments,  and  was  forced  to  suspend  to  the  considerable  loss  of  its  stock- 
holders. This  was  the  only  bank  in  Saginaw  that  ever  closed  its  doors 
because  of  unlawful  and  reckless  action  of  its  executive  officer-. 

Savings  Bank  of  East  Saginaw 

Until  1872  there  was  no  savings  bank  or  special  facilities  to  encourage 
the  saving  of  money  by  thrifty  people,  but  in  March  of  that  year  Henry  C. 
Potter.  Edwin  Eddy.  Augustus  Schupp  and  others  organized  the  Savings 
Bank  of  East  Saginaw.  The  bank  was  incorporated  April  1  under  State 
charter,  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Its  banking  office 
was  in  the  basement  of  the  Merchants"  National  Bank  building,  on  Washing- 
ton Street.  11.  C.  Potter  was  president,  Edwin  Eddy,  vice-president,  and 
A.  Schupp  was  treasurer  of  the  bank. 

As  shown  by  the  statement  made  July  4,  1887,  this  bank  had  a  surplus 
of  thirty-eight  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars;  and  its 
deposits  amounted  to  six  hundred  seventy  thousand  eight  hundred  and  forty- 
six  dollars.  Its  loans  on  real  estate  and  other  securities  totaled  five  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  thousand  two  hundred  and  three  dollars,  and  bonds  of  East 
Saginaw  and  school  district-  of  the  county  amounted  to  thirty-one  thousand 
nine  hundred  dollars.  In  1887  the  directors  were:  H.  C.  Potter,  William 
L.  Webber,  Edwin  Eddy.  W.  J.  Bartow,  George  C.  Warner,  Emil  Moores, 
H.  C.  Potter,  Junior.  James  I'..  Peter,  Charles  Lee  and  Henry  Melchers. 

In  1890,  having  outgrown  its  office  facilities  in  the  bank  building  on 
Washington  Street,  the  Savings  Hank  purchased  the  property  at  310-12 
Genesee  Avenue,  and  erected  thereon  an  imposing  four-story  brown  stone 
office  and  store  building  with  a  frontage  of  forty  feet.  The  west  half  of  the 
ground  floor  was  occupied  by  the  banking  office,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
building  was  leased  to  Henry  Feige  for  his  large  furniture  business.  From 
that  time  the  business  of  the  Savings  Bank  increased  very  rapidly  and  at 
length  reached  such  a  volume  that  it  was  necessary  to  make  use  of  the  entire 
building.  The  structure  was  entirely  remodeled  and  the  floor  space  arranged 
to  meet  the  needs  of  the  future  as  well  as  those  of  the  present.  The  banking 
office  was  refitted  with  modern  furniture  in  marble  and  mahogany,  and  the 
private  offices  and  ante-rooms  were  sumptuously  furnished.  In  May.  1907, 
the  business  and  valuable  property  of  the  Savings  Bank  was  absorbed  by  the 
Bank  of  Saginaw,  which  has  since  occupied  the  banking  office  for  its  East 
Side  bank. 

East  Saginaw  National  Bank 

The  national  banks  of  Saginaw  were  augmented  in  1884  by  the  organi- 
zation of  the  East  Saginaw  National  Bank,  whose  office  was  at  108  South 
Washington  Avenue.  John  G.  Owen,  who  was  largely  instrumental  in 
organizing  the  bank,  was  president ;  Edwin  Eddy  was  vice-president,  and 
S.  S.  Wilhelm  was  cashier.  Its  capital  stuck  was  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  As  shown  by  a  statement  of  its  condition  on  August  1.  1887.  its 
surplus  and  undivided  profits  amounted  to  twenty-two  thousand  two  hundred 
and  fifty-three  dollars.  At  that  time  the  directors  were:  Max  Heavenrich, 
D.  B.  Freeman,  Louis  Quinnin,  Edwin  Eddy.  William  B.  Baum,  and  S.  S. 
Wilhelm,  president.     William  T.  Wickware  was  cashier.     The  bank  outgrew 


750 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


its  cramped  quarters  and  removed  to  the  office  in  the  I  Miss  Block,  vacated 
by  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad  ticket  office,  now  the  store  of  I.  Will 
(  frant.     A  few  years  later  the  bank  liquidated  its  affairs. 

The    American    Commercial    &    Savings    Bank 

In  the  Fall  of  1891,  believing  that  the  business  interests  of  the  city 
would  appreciate  the  services  of  a  bank  extending  liberal  facilities  to  the 
people,  a  number  of  enterprising  men  organized  the  American  Commercial 
and  Savings  Hank,  with  a  paid-in  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Isaac  Bearinger,  who  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  this  project,  was 
elected  president:  William  L.  Webber,  vice-president;  and  George  W. 
Emerick,  cashier.  The  hank  was  located  in  a  two-story  office  building 
adjoining  the  Bearinger  Building  on  the  south,  where  it  remained  until  1898, 
when  the  bank  purchased  the  bank  building  of  the  old  First  National  and 
moved  into  it.  William  Barie  meanwhile  became  president  of  the  bank, 
and  Hugo  G.  Wesener,  who  had  been  assistant  cashier,  was  advanced  to  the 
cashiership.  (  )n  January  1,  1899,  the  business  and  property  of  the  bank  was 
turned  over  to  the  Bank  of  Saginaw,  which  at  once  moved  its  East  Side 
office  to  the  banking  office  of  the  former  at  Genesee  Avenue  and  Batim 
Street.  The  affairs  of  the  American  Commercial  and  Savings  Bank  were 
then  closed  and  its  stock  liquidated. 

George  L.  Burrows  &  Company 

The  first  solid  financial  institution  at  Saginaw  City  was  the  private  bank 
of  George  L.  Burrows  &  Company,  which  was  formed  in  1862.  It  was  at  a 
time  when  banking  facilities  of  the  lumber  town  were  greatly  needed,  and 
to  provide  a  suitable  counting  room  for  his  bank  Air.  Burrows  in  the  follow- 
ing year,  built  the  first  brick  block  on  Court  Street.  In  1869  Fred  II.  Potter, 
for  years  well  known  as  the  veteran  banker  of  the  West  Side,  became 
associated  with  the  Burrows  Bank.  With  the  rapid  development  of  the 
lumber  and  salt  business  of  the  Saginaw  Valley,  the  bank  extended  its  scope 
of  usefulness,  and  came  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  solid  institutions  of  its 
kind  in  Michigan. 

The  enormous  transactions  and  business  of  the  Bust  Brothers  and  other 
lumbermen  interested  in  large  timber  land  deals,  were  largely  made  through 
the  Burrows  I '.auk.  and  it  acquired  a  reputation  for  conservative  management. 
In  the  financial  panics  of   1873  and   subsequent  years  this   bank   was   justly 


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SCRIPT    OF    THE    CITY    OF    SAGINAW.    CIRCULATED    IN    THE    E I GH  TE  E  N  -SI  XTI  ES 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  751 

held  to  be  one  of  the  strongest  banks  in  the  State,  having,  it  was  said,  more 
specie  in  its  vaults  than  many  large  city  banks  of  two  or  three  times  the 
liability.  After  a  successful  career  of  fifty-three  years,  nearly  all  of  which 
was  spent  in  the  one  banking  office,  its  business  was  taken  over  in  1915  by 
the  Bank  of  Saginaw. 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Saginaw 

This  bank  of  long  and  honorable  career,  like  some  others  of  this  city,  had 
its  origin  in  a  private  banking  institution.  In  1866  the  banking  house  of 
.Miller.  Braley  &  Company  was  funned  by  Marry  Miller  and  Alfred  F.  R. 
Braley,  which  soon  acquired  a  profitable  business.  So  successful  and  solid 
was  this  bank  that,  as  the  city  grew  and  greater  banking  facilities  were  needed, 
it  was  merged  into  the  First  National  Bank  of  Saginaw.  This  bank  was 
organized  in  1870  with  J.  E.  Shaw  as  president  and  Smith  1 'aimer  as  cashier. 
Air.  Smith  was  succeeded  by  Alfred  F.  K.  Braley  who  continued  in  the  office 
of  cashier  until  his  death  in  August,  1880.  In  1881  the  officers  were:  Ammi 
\Y.  Wright,  president;  Charles  \Y.  Wells,  vice-president;  William  Powell, 
cashier,  and  Smith  1 'aimer,  assistant  cashier.  These  officers  and  Reuben 
Kimball  and  Gordon  Corning  composed  the  board  of  directors. 

The  condition  of  this  bank  on  May  9,  1X81.  is  shown  by  the  following 
statement : 

Resources  Liabilities 

Loans  and  discounts $753,860.14  Capital    $200,000.00 

U.   S.  bonds    50.000.00  Surplus  and  profits    ....     71,827.53 

Due  from  banks    7JH7.70  Bank   notes  outstanding.      45,000.00 

Furniture   and   fixtures..       3,000.00  Deposits    560,273.49 

Current    expenses    5.226.14  .Votes   rediscounted   3X.?'J2.22 

Specie  and  other  cash.  .  .     93,569.26 
Redemption    fund    2.250.00 

$915,693.24  $915,693.24 

Afterward  Thomas  W.  Stalker  assumed  the  office  of  cashier,  which 
position  he  held  until  the  bank  was  absorbed  by  the  Bank  of  Saginaw,  in 
1898.  For  several  years  after,  its  office  was  used  by  the  Saginaw  County 
Savings  Hank,  which  had  been  organized  by  Richard  Khuen,  A.  P.  Bliss, 
[saac  1 'arsons  and  others,  but  it  in  turn  was  consolidated  with  the  Bank  of 
Saginaw  which,  by  previous  acquirement  of  banks  in  this  city,  has  become 
the  largest  bank  in  this  section  of  Michigan. 

A  Run  on  the  Bank 

Many  years  ago,  when  confidence  in  our  banks  was  less  firm  and  univer- 
sal than  now,  there  was  a  miniature  run  on  the  national  bank  at  Saginaw 
City.  It  started  from  so  ridiculous  a  cause  as  to  he  a  matter  of  amusement 
to  all  who  knew  about  it.  Dark-  whispers  passed  from  ear  to  ear  that  "some- 
thing was  rotten  in  Denmark."  or.  in  other  words,  that  a  heavy  depositor 
had  called  for  his  money  to  the  great  inconvenience  of  the  bank,  and  the 
shaking  of  its  financial  base.  It  was  a  very  nonsensical  piece  of  business, 
and  according  to  A.  F.  R.  Braley,  cashier  of  the  bank,  publicity  was  simply 
mixing  the  sublime  with  the  ludicrous. 

"On  Wednesday  last."  said  Mr.  Braley,  "a  German  by  the  name  of 
Schick,  who  keeps  a  saloon  in  the  city,  came  to  me  and  asked  me  to  sign 
a  petition  for  him  to  obtain  a  renewal  of  his  license.  This  I  refused  to  do, 
stating  that  I  had  signed  one  already  and  that  the  law  did  not  contemplate 
a  man  signing  more  than  one  petition  for  the  same  purpose.  At  this  reply 
Air.  Schick  became  very  much  incensed  and  said: 


752  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

'  'Mr.  Burrows,  he  sign  four  petitions,  why  you  no  sign  mine,  eh?' 
''Mr.    Burrows   may   sign  a   hundred   if  he  pleases,  that  is   none  of  my 
business,'  J   replied. 

"  '\\  ell,  I  got  money  in  this  bank  and  I  take  him  out.' 
''Do  so,  sir,  you  know  the  method  to  pursue  in  the  matter." 

"  'Well,  I  draw  my  check  and  I  demand  my  money.' 

'  'All  right,'  1  said,  turning  away.  'Mr.  teller  pay  Air.  Schick  the  balance 
of  his  account.' 

"This  was  done  and  Air.  Schick's  check  for  thirty-three  dollars  and  fifty 
cents  was  immediately  cashed,  to  his  great  astonishment,  and  he  departed. 
Yesterday  we  were  surprised  and  somewhat  annoyed  by  a  constant  influx  of 
depositors  with  their  several  checks  calling  for  sums  of  from  five  to  twenty 
dollars,  to  the  number  of  home  thirty  or  forty.  This  constituted  the  run  on 
the  bank  in  which  the  footings  of  money  paid  out  did  not  anywhere  near 
approximate  other  busy  days  within  the  month. 

"Alter  standing  on  the  corner  for  several  hours  talking  about  the 
grievances  of  their  friend  Schick,  and  noting  the  usual  heavy  deposits  being 
made  in  the  bank  by  the  merchants  and  regular  customers,  the  money  in  their 
pockets  began  to  grow  heavy,  and  one  by  one  they  slipped  back  inside  and 
redeposited  it.  Xo  person  with  knowledge  of  the  strength  of  this  bank 
could  for  a  moment  have  thought  of  its  failure.  It  never  yet  had  to  sue  for 
the  payment  of  a  note.  It  has  not  one  dollar  charged  to  profit  and  loss 
account,  and  can  pay  one  dollar  and  fifteen  cents  on  the  dollar  tomorrow,  if 
demanded.  This  is  stated  to  show  the  ludicrous  character  of  the  whole 
business." 

Citizens'  National  Bank 

The  second  national  bank  to  be  organized  at  Saginaw  City  was  the 
Citizens'  National,  which  was  chartered  in  October,  1880.  Daniel  Hardin 
was  president,  Lewis  Penoyer,  vice-president,  and  D.  W.  Briggs  was  cashier. 
The  officers  and  C.  II.  Green  and  Benton  Hanchett  composed  the  board  of 
directors.  Its  capital  was  .  itie  hundred  thousand  dollars;  and  it  did  a  general 
banking  business  including  the  "issuing  of  exchange  upon  the  leading  cities 
of  this  and  other  countries."  (  In  <  tctober  5.  1887,  its  surplus  and  undivided 
profits  amounted  to  fifty-nine  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-two  dollars; 
and  its  total  resources  were  six  hundred  fifty-five  thousand  six  hundred  and 
seventy  dollars.  Not  long  after,  because  of  differences  among  the  directors, 
this  bank  was  liquidated,  the  Bank  of  Saginaw  and  the  Commercial  National 
Hank  resulting  from  the  dissolution. 

Saginaw  County  Savings  Bank 

The  organization  of  this  bank,  which  was  the  first  of  its  class  at  Saginaw 
City,  was  effected  on  December  1,  1886,  but  it  was  not  until  February  1, 
1887.  that  it  began  business  with  a  capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The 
banking  office  was  located  in  the  Parsons  Block,  at  Hamilton  and  Ames 
Streets.  In  1905  it  removed  its  office  to  the  old  First  National  Bank  building, 
at  Hamilton  and  Court  Streets,  the  national  bank  having  dissolved  several 
years  preceding.  Until  January  1.  1907,  the  Savings  Hank  was  purely  a 
savings  institution,  but  on  that  date  the  articles  of  association  were  changed 
to  permit  the  transaction  of  a  general  commercial  business.  Like  other  local 
banks,  it  was  absorbed  by  the  Hank  of  Saginaw.  Charles  A.  Khuen,  its  presi- 
dent and  former  treasurer,  becoming  vice-president  and  assistant  cashier  of 
the  larger  institution. 


BANKS  AND   HANKING 


753 


NOTE    SCRIPT    OF    THE    TITTABA  WASSE  E    BOOM    COMPANY 
This  scrip!   circulated  as  currency   In   the   Eighteen-seventies  and  drew  interest   at   the  rate 
of  ten   per  cent,    per  annum.     At   that   time   this   was   the   prevailing   rate   of   interest    on    loans, 
and  savings  deposits  and  certificates  drew  six  per  cent,    interest. 

The  Strength  of  Saginaw  Banks 

It  has  been  truly  said  that  the  banks  of  a  city  may  be  regarded  as  the 
guardian  of  the  people's  exchequer,  and  as  a  barometer  of  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  any  community.  A  wise,  conservative  banking  system,  tinc- 
tured with  a  progressive  spirit,  is  one  of  the  corner  stones  of  financial  pros- 
perity, and  in  this  respect  Saginaw  is  in  the  front  rank  of  cities  of  its  class. 
In  times  of  panic  and  business  depression  our  banks  have  ever  stood  the 
stress  and  strain  without  serious  disturbance,  and  there  has  been  a  notable 
growth  in  the  business  transacted,  that  could  come  only  from  wise  and 
conservative  management. aided  by  steady  progress  of  the  community. 

In  1907  the  capital,  surplus  and  deposits  of  the  live  national  and  State 
banks  were  as  follows : 

Capital  Surplus  Deposits 

Second  National   $200,000.00  $563,478.00  $3,955,502.49 

People's  Savings    50,000.00  65,243.91  894,036.81 

Commercial   National    100,000.00  128,198.82  1,005,889.83 

Bank  of  Saginaw   400,000.00  425,382.57  5,587,088.60 

Saginaw    County    Savings 50,000.00  94,976.51  S73.O15.02 


$800,000.00     $1,275,279.81       $12,315,532.75 
George  L.  Burrows  &  Company  (private  bank,  no  report.) 

A  Comparative  Statement 

A  condensed  comparative  statement  of  the  Saginaw  banks  for  1897,  1907 
and  1917,  shows  a  remarkable  growth  of  banking  business  in  twenty  years, 
and  reflects  the  development  of  manufactures  and  mercantile  trade  of  the 
city  in  that  period : 

Resources 

May  14,  1897  May  20,  1907  March  5,  1917 

Loans  and  discounts  $4,230,141.53  $7,352,428.19  $12,336,739.64 

Bonds  and  stocks    1.407,380.42  4,549,062.99  6,712,863.50 

Banking  houses  and  other 

real   estate    198,800.25  159,572.94  349,035.00 

Cash  and  due  from  other 

banks 1,074,700.83  2.626,243.44  4,844,259.95 


$6,911,023.03        $14,687,307.56        $24,242,898.09 


754 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


Liabilities 

Capital    stock    $    '00,000.00 

Surplus  and  undivided  profits      724,328.46 

Circulation    267.815.00 

Premium  and  reserve  for  int. 

Deposits    5,018,879.57 


800.000.00 

1.275.274.S1 

296,500.00 

12,315,532.75 


$1,300,000.00 

1,973,778.52 

250.000.00 

95,736.07 

20,623,383.50 


S«  ,,911 ,1  )23.i  i3         $14.i  i87,3l  >7.?<  i        S24.242.898.09 

The  very  satisfactory  showing  of  the  banks  on  March  5,  1('17.  the  date 
of  an  official  statement,  is  clearly  evident  from  a  casual  study  of  the  following 
figures  presented  in  condensed   form: 


Lank   of    Saginaw 
Second   National 
( ierman-American 
People's    Savings. 
Commercial    Nat'I 


Bank   of   Saginaw 
Second    National 
<  ierman-American 
People's    Savings. 
(  <  immercial    Nat'I 


Resources 

Loans  and 
1  liscounts 

Bonds  and 

Stocks 

Banking 

Houses 

Restrve 

.  .   $5,217,675.23 

.  .     4,499,862.41 

..     1,080,371.56 

756,969  .  i 

781,861.00 

$3,572,087.78 
1,611,680.52 

74(..041.54 
517.370.86 
265,682.80 

SI-  '7.500 
45,000 

31.800 

i    —  -» - 
.ii  >.,  5b 

38.000 

$2,435,412.78 

1,394,048.04 

454,762.33 

420,931.78 

139,105.02 

12,336,739.64 

$6,712,863.50 

$349,035 

$4,844,259.95 

Liabilities 

Capital 

.  .  $500,000        J 
.  .     500.1  '  '  I 
.  .     100,000 

Surplus,  etc.        Pre 

5896,136.30 

696,745.09 

62,975.93 

120. 5  23.7D 
197,397.50 

tniuni,  Cir. .  etc. 

$85,736.07 
260,000.1  0 

Deposits 

$9,940,803.42 
6,093,845.88 
2,  149,999.50 

.  .     100,000 

1.511,483.38 

100,000 

927,251.32 

$1,300,000     $1,973,778.52        $345,736.07        $20,623,383.50 

<  hi  January  1.  1918,  the  capital  and  surplus,  cash  and  reserve,  and  de- 
posits of  the  five  Saginaw  hanks  and  one  trust  company  were: 

Capital  and  Surplus       Cash  and  Reserve  Deposits 

Bank  of  Saginaw $  1.434.529.30  s  2,812,374.32  $10,614,850.55 

Second  National  1.228.375.38  1,048,807.94  h.209.888.12 

American    State   Bank 161,299.58  535.SS3.12  2,298,298.16 

People's   Savings    Bank....  218.121.43  288,829.77  1.334,106.30 

Commercial    Nat'I    Hank...  200,996.21  246,089.54  986,240.53 

Saginaw  Valley  Trust  Co...  250.000.00  46,791.38  100,109.05 

$  3,4' »3.321. 'i0        $  4,978,776.07        $21,543,492.71 

Probably  few  cities  of  the  size  of  Saginaw  can  show  a  more  substantial 
growth  in  the  business  of  its  banks.  In  twenty  years  the  capital,  surplus 
and  undivided  profits  of  our  banks  have  doubled,  and  the  deposits  have 
quadrupled  now  exceeding  twenty  million  dollars.  In  the  same  period  the 
loans  and  discounts  have  trebled,  investments  in  bonds  and  stocks  more  than 
quadrupled,  and  the  cash  resources  increased  from  one  million  and  seventy- 
four  thousand  ti  >  four  million  eight  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  dollars. 
These  figures  certainly  reflect  the  thrift  and  prosperity  of  the  people,  and 
encourage  the  hope  that  a  still  brighter  era  is  opening  for  this  city. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  755 


Bank  of  Saginaw 
The  standing  of  every  community  is  to  a  certain  degree  based  upon  the 
soundness  of  its  banking  institutions,  and  the  progress  made  upon  the  broad 
yet  conservative  management  of  its  bankers.  The  Bank  of  Saginaw  has 
been  a  tower  of  strength  in  the  upbuilding  of  Saginaw,  and  is  one  of  the 
pillars  upon  which  the  commercial  rating  of  the  city  depends.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  1888,  succeeding  to  the  business  of  the  Citizens  National  Bank  which 
was  one  of  the  leading  banks  of  Saginaw  City. 

The  Citizens  National  Bank  was  organized  in  1880  by  the  later  Daniel 
Hardin.  Washington  S.  Green,  L.  Penoyer  and  others,  and  conducted  an 
active  and  prosperous  business,  its  safe  and  conservative  methods  commend- 
ing it  to  the  confidence  and  approval  of  the  citizens  of  Saginaw  and  vicinity. 
Transacting  a  general  banking  business,  loaning  money  mi  approved  security, 
discounting  acceptable  commercial  paper,  issuing  exchange  upon  the  leading 
cities  of  this  and  foreign  countries,  and  paying  careful  attention  to  collections, 
the  bank  built  up  a  large  business.  The  officers  were:  1).  Hardin,  presi- 
dent; L.  Penoyer,  vice-president;  and  I'.  \\  .  Briggs,  cashier;  and  the  bank- 
ing office  was  located  at  400  Court  Street. 

The  Hoard  of  Directors  was  composed  of  the  officers  and  \Y.  S.  Green, 
of  Green,  Ring  &  Company,  Green  &  Noble.  Green.  Hardin  &  Company  and 
the  Tobacco  River  Lumber  Company;  P.  Bauer,  the  well  known  clothier: 
and  ( i.  K.  Grout,  an  attorney  of  twenty  years  experience.  The  condition  of 
the  bank  on  (  Ictober  5,  1887,  as  shown  in  a  published  report,  had  a  paid-in 
capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  a  surplus  fund  of  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  undivided  profits  of  thirty-four  thousand  three  hundred 
dollars,  while  its  resources  amounted  to  six  hundred  fifty-five  thousand,  six 
hundred  and  seventy  dollars. 

Upon  acquiring  this  valuable  banking  business  the  Bank  of  Saginaw, 
with  a  capital  and  surplus  of  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  was  in  a  position 
to  extend  its  field  of  legitimate  banking,  and  accommodate  the  large  lumber- 
ing interests  in  extensive  timber  land  deals  and  in  huge  lumbering  operations. 
The  directors  were:  Aaron  T.  Bliss,  Myron  Butman,  Peter  Bauer,  Arthur 
Barnard,  W.  S.  Green,  Benton  Hanchett,  Thomas  Merrill.  Clark  L.  Ring  and 
James  E.  Vincent.  The  increasing  business  of  the  bank  was  in  charge  of 
Myron  Butman.  president ;  Benton  Hanchett.  vice-president;  I).  V  .  Briggs, 
cashier;    and  A.   1).   F.  <  lardner,  assistant  cashier. 

In  its  equipment  and  facilities  for  doing  an  extensive  business  the  Bank 
of  Saginaw  is  unexcelled;  and  its  history  shows  a  constant  growth.  Not 
only  has  it  gained  a  high  place  in  the  confidence  of  the  people  and  extended 
its  business  along  progressive  and  safe  and  conservative  lines,  but  it  has  added 
greatly  to  its  prestige  and  the  volume  of  its  transactions  by  the  acquisition 
of  other  and  smaller  banks  in  Saginaw,  by  absorption  and  consolidation.  Its 
advancement  in  this  regard  is  very  marked,  no  less  than  live  prosperous  insti- 
tutions having  been  brought  under  its  management.  This  expansion  has 
resulted  in  a  general  broadening  of  its  operations,  and  it  reaches  out  to  every 
section  of  the  city  for  increasing  business,  and  at  the  same  time  affording 
banking  facilities  to  business  men  and  others  never  before  directly  served  by 
any  bank. 

The  first  bank  to  be  consolidated  with  the  Bank  of  Saginaw  was  the  First 
National  Bank  of  Saginaw,  whose  president  was  Ammi  W.  Wright,  of  Alma. 
This  amalgamation  took  place  early  in  1898,  and  added  a  considerable  busi- 
ness to  that  of  the  former  bank.  At  this  time  Thomas  \Y.  Stalker,  cashier  of 
the  First  National,  joined  the  official  force  of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw.  For  about 
eight  years  he  held  the  position  of  first  assistant  cashier,  but  ill  health  com- 
pelled him  to  resign. 


756 


HISTORY    UF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


EAST    SIDE    OFFICE    OF   THE 
BANK    OF   SAGINAW 

On  January  1,  1899,  the  American  Commercial  &  Savings  Bank,  of  which 
William  Barie  was  president,  sold  its  business,  good  will  and  banking  prop- 
erty to  the  Bank  of  Saginaw.  The  East  Side  office  of  the  latter  bank,  which 
had  been  established  December  1.?,  1897,  was  thereupon  removed  into  the 
banking  office  of  the  American  Hank,  and  Hugo  1 1.  Wesener,  former  cashier, 
assumed  the  office  of  assistant  cashier.  The  business  of  the  older  bank  was 
thus  greatly  increased,  and  from  this  time  began  to  be  regarded  as  a  large 
factor  in  financial  affairs  of  the  East  Side. 

The  policy  of  encouraging  consolidation  of  the  banking  interests  was 
continued,  and  in  May,  1907,  the  extensive  business  and  valuable  banking 
office  of  the  Savings  Bank  of  East  Saginaw,  on  Genesee  Avenue,  was  taken 
over  by  the  progressive  Bank  of  Saginaw.  This  was  a  master  stroke,  as  the 
amalgamation  added  a  large  savings  bank  business  to  the  latter  bank,  and  at 
once  made  it  the  largest  and  most  powerful  banking  institution  in  Saginaw 
Valley  and,  indeed,  in  the  whole  eastern  and  northern  sections  of  the  State, 
and  it  is  now  the  largest  bank  in  Michigan  outside  of  Detroit.  The  deposits 
of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw  at  that  time  exceeded  five  and  a  half  million  dollars, 
and  its  total  resources  exceeded  six  and  a  half  millions. 

Still  not  content  with  the  magnificent  business  thus  attained  by  these 
consolidations  and   by   the   natural   increase   in   business   due   to   careful   and 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


757 


conservative  conduct  of  its  business,  the  bank  absorbed  the  savings  bank 
business  and  property  of  the  Saginaw  County  Savings  Bank,  a  solid  and  suc- 
cessful institution  which  had  been  founded  by  the  late  Richard  Khuen,  Aaron 
T.  Bliss,  Isaac  Parsons  and  others,  nearly  thirty  years  before.  This  consoli- 
dation resulted  in  Charles  A.  Khuen,  former  treasurer  of  the  savings  bank, 
being  elected  vice-president  and  first  assistant  cashier  of  the  Bank  of  Sagi- 
naw, a  position  he  has  since  held.  In  1915  the  business  of  the  private  bank  of 
George  L.  Burrows  &  Company,  the  oldest  banking  institution  in  the  valley, 
was  taken  over  by  the  big  bank,  further  reducing  the  number  of  banks  in 
this  city. 

To  keep  pace  with  the  expanding  business  and  offer  superior  facilities  for 
the  accommodation  of  the  people,  the  bank  purchased  the  property  at  the 
corner  of  Court  and  Hamilton  Streets,  and  in  1911  and  1912  erected  a  line 
modern  banking  office,  splendidly  equipped  with  every  appliance  and  con- 
venience for  the  rapid  and  successful  conduct  of  its  large  business  on  the  West 
Side.  Meanwhile,  the  business  of  the  East  Side  office,  which  had  become 
extensive,  had  been  moved  into  the  fine  banking  office  of  the  old  Savings 
Bank  of  East  Saginaw,  which  offered  superior  facilities  for  conducting  an 
increasing  business. 

The  expansion,  so  far  as  office  equipment  and  conveniences,  did  not 
cease  here,  and  in  1912  the  bank  purchased  the  private  bank  of  Lockwood  & 
Barnard,  at  South  Saginaw,  which  had  been  established  several  years  before. 
Soon  after  a  new  and  complete  banking  office  was  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Fordney  and   Center  Streets,  the  center  of  the   business  section.      Not   long 


SPACIOUS     AND     CONVENIENTLY     ARRANGED      BANKING     OFFICE 
AT  310-12  GENESEE   AVENUE 


758 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


after  another  branch  office  was  established  at  North  Saginaw,  in  a  modern 
business  block  which  had  been  built  some  time  before  by  the  late  Aaron  T. 
Bliss,  once  governor  of  Michigan.  The  total  assets  of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw 
are  now  i  1918)  in  excess  of  thirteen  million  dollars. 

The  officers  of  the  Bank  of  Saginaw,  in  1918,  were:  Benton  Hanchett. 
president;  Otto  Schupp,  vice-president  and  cashier;  C.  A.  EChuen,  vice-presi- 
dent and  assistant  cashier;  S.  S.  Roby,  F.  J.  Schmidt.  A.  B.  Williams,  R.  T. 
Wallace,  assistant  cashiers;  and  J.  Hollandmoritz,  auditor.  The  directors 
were:  Benton  Hanchett,  II.  I'..  Allen,  William  Baric,  Arnold  Boutell,  Charles 
F.  Brenner,  Edgar  D.  Church.  William  C.  Cornwell,  Fred  J.  Fox,  Theodore 
Jluss,  C.  A.  Khuen,  J.  <  i.  Macpherson,  E.  A.  Robertson,  (  )tto  Schupp,  G.  M. 
Stark.  William  J.  Wickes  and  George  W.  Weadock. 

Statement  of  Condition 
At  the  Close  of  Business,  December  31,  1917. 

Resources  Liabilities 

Loans  and  Discounts.  .$  5,991,813.01      Capital   Stock    $      500,000.00 

Bonds  and  Mortgages..     3,470,708.66      Surplus    700,000.00 

Banking  Houses,  etc..  .        202,242.93      Undivided   Profits  234,529.30 

Cash  anil  in  Banks 2,812,374.32      Bills  Payable  &    I'rem.        427,759.07 

Deposits    10,614,850.55 

$12,477,138.92  $12,477,138.92 


THE    WEST   SIDE   OFFICE   OF  THE    BANK   OF   SAGINAW 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  759 

The  Saginaw  Valley  Trust  Company,  Saginaw,  Michigan. 

This  strong  and  well  managed  trust  company,  the  youngest  of  Saginaw's 
financial  institutions,  received  its  charter  from  the  banking  department  of  the 
State  of  Michigan,  and  opened  its  doers  for  business  on  January  3,  1917.  The 
capital  stock  as  originally  subscribed  was  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and 
the  surplus  fund  was  fifty  thousand,  a  financial  backing  of  ample  strength  ti> 
enable  the  company  to  handle  any  and  all  business  that  may  be  entrusted  to  it. 

If  this  of  itself  were  not  sufficient  to  create  for  it  a  permanent  feeling  of 
security  and  stability  among  the  people,  its  list  of  more  than  one  hundred 
stockholders,  who  comprise  the  most  substantial  and  successful  business  men 
of  Saginaw  and  Eastern  Michigan,  would  certainly  place  the  institution  in 
the  forerank  of  Michigan  trust  companies. 

Its  first  board  of  directors  consisted  of  George  A.  Alderton,  William  J. 
Orr,  Samuel  E.  Symons,  W.  I.  Rachow,  Benjamin  G.  Appleby,  William  B. 
Baum.  W.  I  .  Cooper,  Peter  Drummond,  Otto  Dittmar,  Joseph  W.  Fordney, 
Julius  R.  Liebermann,  Charles  E.  Lown,  August  C.  Melze.  Harry  E  Oppen- 
heimer,  John  II.  Qualman  and  William  C.  Wiechmann,  of  Saginaw;  and 
William  C.  Fitzpatrick,  Frank  W.  Blair  and  John  P.  Hemmeter,  of  Detroit; 
C.  F.  Bach,  of  Sebewaing;  H.  A.  Chamberlain,  of  Standish,  and  George  M. 
Nason,  of  Chesaning,   Michigan. 

Its  first  officers  were:  George  A.  Alderton,  president;  W.  J.  <  >rr,  S.  E. 
Symons  and  W\  J.  Rachow,  vice-presidents;  W.  J.  Rachow,  secretary: 
William  Meissner,  assistant  secretarv ;  William  B.  Baum,  treasurer:  and 
Charles  F.  Peckover,  manager  of  the  abstract  department. 

The  banking  house  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Trust  Company,  conveniently 
located  at  109  South  Jefferson  Avenue,  is  well  appointed  and  properly  ar- 
ranged for  the  transaction  of  business  which  comes  to  its  several  departments. 
At  the  front  is  the  conference  room  and  office  of  the  secretary,  adjoining 
which  is  the  savings  department  with  its  burglar  proof  vaults.  In  the  large 
space  at  the  rear  of  the  office  is  the  Abstract  Department,  in  which  is  filed 
the  only  complete  set  of  abstract  books  of  Saginaw  County.  The  department 
is  in  charge  of  competent  and  experienced  clerks,  who  make  abstracts  of  title, 
check  up  and  extend  old  abstracts,  and  attend  to  business  of  this  nature. 

The  company  does  a  general  trust  business  and  acts  as  executor  under 
wills,  administrator  of  estates,  trustee  for  bond  issues  or  for  minor  children; 
receiver  or  assignee,  registrar  and  transfer  agents  for  corporations,  and  in 
all  other  recognized  trust  capacities.  There  is  a  large  field  in  this  section  of 
the  State  for  the  exercise  of  these  functions,  and  this  company  is  perfectly 
equipped  to  care  for  all  the  business  offered. 

A  feature  of  the  Savings  Department  is  the  liberal  form  of  its  Certifi- 
cates of  Deposit,  which  yield  interest  at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent,  per  annum. 
Certificates  are  issued  in  any  amount  from  one  hundred  dollars  and  upward, 
and  may  be  sent  through  the  mails  without  risk  of  loss  or  theft.  Interest  is 
computed  from  date  money  is  received;  and  if  funds  are  not  withdrawn  the 
certificates  automatically  renew  each  year,  the  holder  receiving  the  interest 
semi-annually  by  mail  as  long  as  the  deposit  continues.  All  the  necessarv 
records  of  certificates  are  kept  by  the  company,  thus  relieving  the  holder  of 
watching  interest  dates.  The  certificates  are  the  direct  obligation  of  this 
company,  secured  by  the  capital  stock,  surplus,  and  an  additional  stock- 
holders   liability   of   two   hundred    thousand   dollars. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  stockholders,  on  December  11.  I'M/,  the 
number  of  directors  for  the  second  year  was  reduced  to  seven;  and  the 
officers  were  re-elected,  with  the  exception  of  treasurer  whose  office  was 
combined  with  that  of  the  secretary. 


760 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    SECOND    NATIONAL    BANK    BUILDING 


The  Second  National  Bank. 

The  Second  National  Bank  of  Saginaw  was  organized  and  incorporated 
in  December,  1871,  and  has  successfully  passed  through  the  financial  vicissi- 
tudes of  the  past  forty-eight  years,  with  an  unbroken  record  of  conservatism, 
fair-dealing  and  absolute  safety  to  its  depositors. 

The  history  of  this  old  and  sound  bank  rightly  begins  with  a  reference  to 
the  banking  house  of  C.  K.  Robinson  &  Company,  which  was  established  in 
January,  1866.  Its  office  was  originally  in  a  building  erected  on  the  ground 
where  the  old  Exchange  Hotel  stood  "before  the  tire."  The  capital  of  this 
private  bank  was  twenty  thousand  dollars,  composed  of  equal  shares  paid 
in  by  C.  K.  Robinson,  Doctor  George  W.  Fish.  W.  W.  Woodhull  and  N.  C. 
Richardson.     C.  K.  Robinson  was  manager,  and  W.  E.  McKnight  was  teller 

and  bookkeeper.     In  the   Fall  of   1867  Mr.  W Ihull  withdrew  his  interest, 

which  was  followed  by  the  same  action  of  some  other  partners,  so  that  in 
December.  1870,  Mr.  Robinson  was  the  sole  representative  of  the  original 
concern.  In  the  following  January  Alice  L.  Coats,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  W. 
L.  P.  Little,  having  invested  five  thousand  dollars  in  the  capital  of  the  bank, 
became  an  equal  partner  with  him. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  761 


On  March  12,  1872,  the  banking  house  of  C.  K.  Robinson  &  Company 
was  taken  over  by  the  Second  National  Bank  of  Saginaw.  The  capital  stock 
was  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the  first  officers  of  the  latter  insti- 
tution were:  C.  K.  Robinson,  president;  Roswell  G.  Horr,  cashier;  and  Y\  . 
H.  Coats,  assistant  cashier.  The  directors  were  C.  K.  Robinson,  R.  G.  Horr, 
A.  B.  Wood,  George  W.  Morley  and  F.  P.  Sears.  The  banking  office  was 
conveniently  arranged  in  a  central  location,  adjoining  the  Bliss  Block  (Mason 
Building)  on  Genesee  Street,  which  it  occupied  for  nearly  twenty-four  years. 
Its  success  in  the  banking  world  was  based  on  a  due  regard  for  the  safety  of 
its  patrons  and  strict  adherence  to  a  narrow  road  of  caution  and  integrity. 

On  January  1,  1896,  the  Second  National  Bank  took  over  and  absorbed 
the  Home  National  Bank  of  Saginaw,  which  went  into  liquidation.  This  was 
an  important  move  for  the  former  bank,  as  it  gained  a  large  and  profitable 
business,  and  its  prestige  was  correspondingly  increased.  The  bank  thus 
fell  heir  to  the  oldest  banking  institution  in  Saginaw  Valley,  which  traced  its 
origin,  through  the  old  Merchant's  National  Bank,  to  the  private  bank  of 
\\  .  L.  P.  Little  &  Company  which  was  established  in  November,  1855.  It 
is  a  historical  fact  of  some  interest  that  The  Second  National  Bank  of  Sagi- 
naw, and  the  banks  to  which  it  succeeded,  have  been  in  continuous  business 
in  this  city  for  a  period  of  sixty-three  years. 

The  Second  National  Bank  at  once  removed  its  banking  office  to  the 
Home  Bank  Building,  which  is  advantageously  situated  on  North  Washing- 
ton Avenue,  near  Genesee  Avenue,  close  to  the  center  of  the  city's  business 
section.  The  banking  office  was  remodled,  enlarged  and  refitted  throughout 
much  to  the  improvement  and  convenience  of  the  bank:  and  alterations  have 
since  been  made  which  have  rendered  the  office  well  appointed  and  fully 
equipped  for  the  transaction  of  a  large  business. 

All  branches  of  commercial  banking,  including  foreign  exchange,  are 
conducted;  and  a  savings  department  and  safety  deposit  vaults  are  main- 
tained. Each  department  is  managed  by  a  competent  head,  with  capable  and 
courteous  employees.  The  commercial  department  is  located  on  the  main 
floor,  where  the  largest  part  of  the  bank's  business  is  transacted.  Here  are 
also  the  offices  of  the  president  and  cashier;  also  a  director's  room.  On  the 
ground  floor  are  the  savings  department  and  safety  deposit  vaults. 

Interest  on  savings  deposits  is  paid  at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent,  per 
annum,  and  savings  accounts  may  be  opened  with  a  deposit  of  one  dollar  or 
more.  A  savings  account  will  provide  for  emergencies  which  are  likely  to 
arise  in  the  best  regulated  families.  The  husband  and  wife  saving  for  less 
prosperous  days,  the  child  forming  the  habit  of  saving,  the  professional  man 
laying  away  the  fruits  of  an  exceptional  year,  or  the  business  man  putting 
safely  away  his  private  income  and  surplus  profits,  should  all  open  a  savings 
account.     For  this  purpose  The  Second  National  Bank  offers  every  facility. 

The  bank  gives  particular  attention  to  its  Safety  Deposit  Vault  Depart- 
ment, which  offers  absolute  security  against  fire  or  burglary  at  a  moderate 
rental.  The  boxes  are  of  various  sizes  to  meet  every  need;  and  the  vaults  are 
in  charge  of  a  special  custodian  and  afford  the  utmost  privacy  and  protection. 
The  continued  growth  and  influence  of  this  bank,  as  indicated  by  its 
statements  and  the  good  will  of  its  patrons,  are  very  tangible  evidences  of 
the  high  regard  in  which  the  institution  is  held  by  the  business  interests  in 
this  section  of  the  State.  With  ample  capital,  a  wide  banking  experience 
and  conservative  management,  this  bank  offers  every  reasonable  inducement 
and  facility  which  a  commercial  and  savings  bank  can  offer.  It  offers  to  its 
patrons  the  service  of  trained  minds  for  advice  in  business  matters,  and 
many  a  Saginawian  has  received  counsel  as  to  the  business  that  has  been  in- 
valuable and  brought  success  to  his  efforts. 


762  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


This  branch  of  its  activities  has  brought  The  Second  National  Bank  of 
Saginaw  into  close  touch  with  commercial  affairs,  and  has  bound  many- 
patrons  by  ties  of  gratitude  and  obligation  that  are  as  real  an  asset  as  actual 
cash  in  making  for  strength  and  solidity.  This  bank  stands  for  the  best 
principles  in  banking,  and  not  in  the  slightest  degree  does  it  deviate  from 
this  standard,  public  confidence  and  trust  being  exemplified  in  every  way  by 
those  who  come  into  touch  with  the  institution. 

In  1918  the  officers  of  The  Second  National  Bank  of  Saginaw  were: 
George  B.  Morley.  president;  Walter  S.  Eddy,  vice-president;  Albert  H. 
Morley,  vice-president;  Edward  W.  Glynn,  cashier:  and  Alfred  11.  Perrin, 
assistant  cashier.  The  directors  were  George  B.  Morley,  Walter  S.  Eddy, 
Stanford  T.  Crapo,  Frank  D.  Ewen,  Arthur  D.  Eddy,  James  B.  Peter, 
William  H.  Wallace,  Frederick  Carlisle,  Peter  Corcoran,  Charles  A.  Bigelow, 
and   Elmer  J.   Cornwell. 

George  W.  Morley  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  this  bank  in  1871,  be- 
came a  director  at  that  time  and  remained  a  director  for  forty-three  years. 
For  twenty-four  years,  from  1877  to  1901.  he  was  president  of  the  bank. 

The  years  of  his  service  covered  an  eventful  period  in  the  country's  his- 
tory. They  were  years  of  the  opening  and  settlement  of  a  vast  new  domain, 
of  the  building  of  railroads,  of  the  re-establishment  of  specie  payments  fol- 
lowing the  paper  money  of  Civil  War  days,  of  the  rapid  growth  of  cities  and 
of  great  private  fortunes ;  of  change  from  individualistic  to  corporate 
methods.  His  mind  comprehended  the  great  movements  of  his  times,  and 
his  good  sense  and  sound  judgment  made  his  voice,  in  counsel,  always 
weighty,  and  his  unimpeachable  integrity  (the  dominant  characteristic  of  the 
man)  made  him  a  tower  of  strength  to  the  bank  and  in  the  community. 

The  entry  of  George  B.  Morley  into  the  institution  was  in  the  early  days 
of  its  existence.  He  began  as  a  teller  in  the  bank  in  February,  1876,  and  rose 
through  various  positions  to  that  of  cashier  in  1882.  an  office  which  he  held 
for  many  years.  This,  however,  was  not  the  zenith  of  his  banking  career, 
for  in  1901  he  was  elected  president  of  the  bank,  which  he  still  holds.  Mr. 
Morley  is  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  big  bankers  of  the  Middle  West.  He 
is  a  diligent  student  of  finance,  ami  has  held  the  office  of  president  of  the 
Michigan   Bankers'  Association. 

Walter  S.  Eddy,  long  connected  with  the  bank  on  the  board  of  directors, 
was  elected  vice-president  in  1901.  In  this  advisory  relation  to  the  inner 
affairs  and  policy  of  the  bank,  he  has  given  willingly  of  his  time  and  counsel, 
much  to  the  aid  of  the  other  officials.  Mr.  Eddy's  large  commercial  interests 
in  Saginaw,  as  well  as  his  active  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  city,  entitle 
him  to  the  high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  by  business  men  and  citizens 
generally. 

Albert  H.  Morley,  vice-president,  who  formerly  was  treasurer  of  Morley 
Brothers  large  hardware  establishment,  came  to  the  bank  in  January,  1901. 
lie  lias  since  acted  in  a  fiduciary  capacity  with  ability  and  entire  confidence 
and  satisfaction  of  the  bank's  customers. 

Edward  W.  Glynn,  the  cashier,  joined  the  bank's  forces  on  January  22, 
1883,  and  has  risen  to  the  position  of  executive  officer  through  practically  all 
the  various  positions  in  bank  work.  He  started  as  messenger  in  the  old 
Merchant's  National  Bank  in  1872,  and  by  sheer  force  of  character  and  native 
ability  rose  to  the  position  of  paying  teller.  In  188"  he  was  elected  assistant 
cashier  of  the  Second  National  Bank,  and  in  1901  was  advanced  to  the  cash- 
iership,  which  has  has  since  held.  He  has  a  large  capacity  for  handling 
details  of  large  enterprises  and  responsibilities,  and  no  one  has  a  broader  or 
firmer  grasp  of  the  bank's  affairs  than  lie. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


763 


Alfred  W.  Perrin,  assistant  cashier,  began  in  the  service  of  the  bank  on 
February  1,  1884,  filling  the  position  of  individual  bookkeeper.  He  was 
advanced  to  general  bookkeeper,  succeeding  John  S.  Goldie,  and  later  was 
teller,  following  the  service  of  Albert  J.  Morley,  now  a  resident  of  the  State 
of  Washington.  After  serving  as  teller  for  many  years  Mr.  Perrin  was  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of  assistant  cashier,  which  he  still  holds. 

Eugene  Dietz,  auditor,  is  next  to  the  oldest  employee  of  the  bank,  and  its 
predecessors.  His  service  in  the  one  banking  office  covers  a  period  of  more 
than  forty-four  years.  He  joined  the  force  of  the  old  Merchant's  National 
Bank  on  December  18.  1873,  was  transferred  to  the  service  of  the  Home 
National  Bank,  when  its  business  was  taken  over  by  the  latter  institution  in 
1882,  and  his  services  were  once  more  sought  by  The  Second  National  Bank, 
when  it  purchased  the  Home  National  Bank,  on  January  1,  1896.  This  is  a 
record  of  long  and  faithful  service,  in  practically  similar  capacities,  seldom 
equalled. 

Statement  of  Condition 
At  the  Close  of  Business,  December  31,   1917 


Resources 

Loans  and  Discounts 
United  States  Bonds. 
Other  Bonds  Owned. 
Federal  Reserve  Bank- 
Banking  House  ... 
Due   from   U.   S.   Treas'r 


$5,090,277.06 

667,615.00 

1,553,957.31 

30,000.00 

45,000.00 

15,500.00 


Cash   and   Banks 1,048,807.94 


Liabilities 

Capital   Stock    $    500,000.00 

Surplus    Fund    500,000.00 

Undivided  Profits  .... 
Quarterly  Dividend  3% 
Special  Bond  Deposit. 
National  Bank  Notes. 
Mills  Redisc< lunted  .  .  . 
Deposits    


228.375.38 
15,000.00 
240,000.00 
250,000.00 
507,893.81 
6,209,888.12 


$8,451,157.31 


$8,451,157.31 


MAIN    BANKING    OFFI 


OND    NATIONAL    BANK 


764 


HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


People's  Savings  Bank. 

For  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  People's  Savings  Bank  of 
Saginaw  has  been  one  of  the  strung  hanking  houses  of  this  city,  as  well  as  of 
the  State.  It  was  organized  under  State  charier  on  November  17,  1886,  very 
largely  through  the  efforts  of  former  Judge  John  A.  Edget ;  and  opened  for 
business  in  February,  1887,  in  a  temporary  banking  office  in  the  Bliss  Block, 
at  Genesee  and  Washington  Streets.  Shortly  after  the  bank  removed  to  a 
well  appointed  office  in  the  Weaver  Block  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Genesee 
and   Franklin  Streets. 


THE    PERFECTLY    APPOINTED    OFFICE    OF    THE    PEOPLE'S    SAVINGS    BANK 

The  capital  stock  was  fifty  thousand  dollar-,  and  the  original  list  of 
stockholder-,  was  composed  of  such  substantial  business  men  as  John  J. 
Rupp,  Philip  II.  Ketcham,  William  C.  McClure,  John  W.  Howry.  Gurdon 
Corning,  George  B.  Wiggins,  Henry  A.  Batchelor,  Edwin  N.  Wickes,  Jacob 
Schwartz,  Lorenz  Hubinger.  William  B.  Baum,  Charles  H.  Eames,  Benjamin 
F.  Webster,  John  A.  Fdget  and  John  F.  Boynton.  The  first  officers  of  the 
lank  were:  John  A.  Edget,  president;  John  J.  Rupp,  vice-president;  and 
fohn  F.  Boynton,  secretary  and  treasurer.  Fred  C.  Zimmerman  was  the  first 
teller,  succeeded  in  ISSN  by  Herman  A.  Wolpert. 

The  People's  Savings  Bank  is  known,  and  has  always  been  regarded,  as 
a  reliable  and  conservative  institution,  a  bank  that  is  pre-eminently  what  its 
name  implies.  Every  branch  of  legitimate  banking  is  conducted,  and  its 
departments  offer  ever}-  courtesy  and  facility  consistent  with  sound  banking. 
Its  commercial  department  carries  the  accounts  of  some  of  Saginaw's  large 
business  institutions;  and  makes  loans  on  securities  and  discounts  approved 


BANKS  AND  BANKING  765 

commercial  paper.  The  savings  department  is  especially  strong,  paying  in- 
terest at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent,  per  annum  on  savings  accounts  and  certifi- 
cates of  deposit.  It  makes  mortgage  loans  on  real  estate,  including  good  farm 
property,  and  affords  every  advantage  for  the  prompt  transaction  of  business 
accorded  it  by  the  People. 

There  are  also  safety  deposit  vaults  for  rent,  which  are  ample  and  well 
equipped  for  the  convenience  of  users,  as  well  as  the  perfect  safety  of  their 
valuables  from  theft  and  tire.  They  insure  absolute  protection  for  deeds, 
mortgages,  stocks,  notes,  wills,  insurance  policies,  abstracts,  leases,  and 
jewels  and  valuables  of  all  kinds.  A  valued  feature  of  this  service  is  the 
security  offered  for  the  keeping  of  costly  family  plate  and  heirlooms,  especi- 
ally  to  persons  closing  and  leaving  their  homes  for  a  time. 

The  business  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank,  covering  a  period  of  thirty 
years,  has  shown  a  steady  and  permanent  growth.  This  was  very  manifest 
shortly  after  1905  or  1906,  and  in  the  latter  year  the  bank  acquired  the  valu- 
able property  formerly  occupied  by  the  Second  National  Bank,  at  204  Genesee 
Avenue.  The  building  was  constructed  for  banking  purposes,  but  it  was  en- 
tirely rebuilt  providing  a  new  front;  and  was  wholly  refurnished  with  marble 
and  mahogany  fixtures.  On  February  22,  1907,  the  bank  removed  its  office 
to  the  new  quarters,  which  were  regarded  as  the  most  sumptuous  and  the 
best  arranged  of  any  bank  in  the  city.  In  the  new  offices  the  business  of  the 
bank  has  shown  increased  growth,  and  the  institution  has  become  more 
popular  than  ever  witli  the  people.  In  1915  the  capital  stock  was  increased 
to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

John  F.  Boynton.  secretary  and  treasurer  from  the  incorporation  of  the 
bank,  came  to  the  organization  from  the  Second  National  Bank,  in  which 
institution  he  had  held  the  position  of  cashier.  For  thirty-one  years  he  has 
served  the  People's  Savings  Bank  with  rare  fidelity  and  steadfastness  of 
purpose,  holding  a  firm  grasp  of  the  bank's  affairs  and  administering  them 
with  ability  and  conservatism. 

Bernard  F.  Griffin,  the  assistant  treasurer,  joined  the  bank's  forces  as  a 
clerk  in  September,  1891.  Through  the  intervening  years  to  the  present  he 
has  filled  every  position  in  the  routine  work  of  the  bank,  and  a  large  share  of 
the  responsibility  of  management  now  devolves  upon  him.  He  has  the  com- 
plete trust  of  the  bank  directorate  and  the  confidence  of  the  public,  which  in 
no  small  degree  enhances  the  success  of  the  bank,  designed  ami  operated  for 
the  People. 

In  1918  the  officers  of  the  People's  Savings  Bank  were:  John  J.  Rupp, 
president;  William  B.  Baum,  vice-president;  John  F.  Boynton,  secretary  and 
treasurer;  and  Bernard  F.  Griffin,  assistant  treasurer.  The  directors  were 
John  J.  Rupp,  Harry  T.  Wickes,  Samuel  I'"..  Symons,  William  B.  Baum,  L.  P. 
Mason,  Charles  W.  McClure,  John  F.  Boynton,  Peter  Drummond  and  Harry 
E.  Oppenheimer. 

Statement  of  Condition 

At  the  Close  of  Business,  December  31,   1917 

Resources  Liabilities 

Loans,  Discounts,  etc...  $1,064,500  74  Capital    Stock    $    100,000.00 

Stocks  and  Bonds   225,586.66  Surplus   100.000.00 

Bank   and    Fixtures 35,000.00  Undivided    Profits    18,121.43 

Premium   and    Overdraft  1,592.22  Dividend  Unpaid    6,000.00 

Real  Estate    7,718.34  Bills    Payable    65,000.00 

Cash    and    Deposit    sub- 
ject  to  Check 2XX,X2'>77  Dep< .sits    1,334,106.30 

s  1 ,( >23,227.73  $1,623,227.73 


766 


HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


MODERN    BANKING    HOUSE,    ERECTED     IN    1909 

The   Commercial   National   Bank 

Thirty  years  ago  a  group  of  prominent  business  men  of  Saginaw  City, 
believing  that  the  commercial  interests  of  the  city  required  another  National 
bank,  organized  The  Commercial  National  Bank  of  Saginaw,  with  a  capital 
stock  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Its  charter  bore  date  of  July  9,  1888: 
and  the  bank  began  business  in  the  Andre  Block.  115  North  Hamilton  Street. 

The  first  board  of  directors  w:as  composed  of  Daniel  Hardin,  Henry 
Bernhard,  Anton  W.  Achard,  George  \Y.  Alderton,  John  F.  Brand,  Chester 
Brown,  Edward  R.  McCarty,  Lyman  W.  Bliss  and  Robert  Ure.  Daniel 
Hardin  \\a>  elected  president,  and  M.  O.  Robinson  chosen  cashier  of  the  bank. 

Mr.  Hardin  held  the  responsible  position  of  president  until  his  death, 
and  in  1903  John  F.  Brand  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy  thus  caused.  George 
A.  Alderton  was  then  elected  vice-president,  and  M.  O.  Robinson  was  re- 
elected cashier. 

On  November  24.  1902,  the  bank  extended  its  scope  by  opening  a  savings 
department,  which  in  due  course  added  considerably  to  its  deposits  and 
brought  it  in  close  touch  with  many  small  depositors.  Accounts  are  opened 
by  the  deposit  of  .me  dollar  or  more,  upon  which  interest  at  the  rate  of  four 
per  cent  per  annum  is  paid. 

Mr.  Robinson  resigned  the  office  of  cashier  on  March  Jo.  1908,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Asa  W.  Field,  an  experienced  banker,  whose  appointment  to 
the  cashiership  was  effective  May  1.  1908.  The  original  charter  of  the  bank 
expired  on  July  9,  1908,  and  was  extended  by  the  Comptroller  of  the  Currency 
on  that  date  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 

The  Commercial  National  Bank  stands  as  a  financial  institution  based 
on  conservatism  and  utmost  care  in  the  transaction  of  its  business.  It  is 
hardly  surpassed  in  safety  and  solidity,  and  is  a  bulwark  of  strength  in  the 
development  of  Saginaw's  growing  enterprises. 

To  further  increase  its  prestige  and  afford  better  facilities  for  conducting 
business,  the  bank  in  1509,  through  the  instrumentality  of  John  F.  Brand, 
purchased  property  adjacent  to  its  banking  office,  and  erected  thereon  a 
modern  stone  structure  of  beautiful  and  ornate  design.     To  the  construction 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


767 


and  equipment  of  this  bank  building  Mr.  Field  gave  personal  supervision,  and 
10  his  lung  experience  and  good  judgment  are  due  in  no  small  measure  the 
convenient  arrangement  and  perfect  appointments  of  the  banking  office.  It  is 
sumptuously  furnished  with  marble  and  mahogany  counters,  with  bronze 
trimmings,  a  mosaic  floor,  and  the  decorations  in  light  and  pleasing  tones 
are  in  harmony  with  the  general  scheme  conceived  and  executed  by  Mr.  Brand. 
The  perfect  lighting  of  the  banking  office,  by  means  of  large  windows  on  the 
front  and  a  high  vaulted  light  in  the  ceiling, is  one  of  its  distinguishingfeatures. 

Besides  the  commercial  and  savings  departments  conducted,  this  bank 
has  a  complete  safety  deposit  vault,  with  boxes  of  various  sizes,  which  rent 
from  two  dollars  to  ten  dollars  a  year,  a  feature  which  is  growing  in  favor. 

Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Field  in  the  Fall  of  1914,  \Y.  L.  Paxson,  who  had 
been  with  the  bank  since  its  organization  and  had  held  the  office  of  assistant 
cashier  for  several  years,  was  elected  cashier;  and  Edward  N.  Burke  was 
elected  assistant  cashier.  <  )n  January  30,  1916,  George  A.  Alderton  was 
elected  president,  Joseph  W.  Fordney  and  R.  T.  Maynard  vice-presidents. 
Mr.  Maynard,  a  banker  of  eighteen  years  experience,  assumed  an  active  offi- 
cial position. 

Mr.  Paxson  retired  from  the  cashiership  on  April  6,  1917,  whereupon  Air. 
Maynard  took  over  the  duties  of  this  official  position.  In  1918  the  officers 
were:  George  A.  Alderton,  president ;  J.  W.  Fordney  and  J.  F.  Brand,  vice- 
presidents;  R.  T.  Maynard,  cashier,  and  E.  N.  Burke,  ass't  cashier.  The  first 
four  officers  and  A.  A.  Alderton,  A.  C.  Melze  comprised  the  board  of  directors. 

Statement  of  Condition 


Resources 
Loans,   Discounts,   etc..  .$ 
Federal  Reserve   Bank.. 

Banking  House   

Due  from  U.S.  Treasurer 
Cash  &  Reserve  in  banks 


At  the   Close  of   Business,   December  31,   1917. 


990,944.70 

o.OOO.OO 
38,000.00 

5,000.00 
24i»,0S0.54 

.286.034724 


Liabilities 

Capital   Stock  

Surplus   

Undivided   Profits   

National  Bank  Notes.. 


100,000.00 

100,000.00 

996.21 

98,797.50 


Deposits    986,240.53 

$1,286,034.24 


THE    CONVENIENTLY    ARRANGED    OFFICE    OF    THE 
COMMERCIAL    NATIONAL    BANK 


768 


HISTORY  OK  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


INTERIOR    EAST    SIDE    OFFICE    OF    AMERICAN    STATE    BANK 

The  American  State   Bank 

The  American  State  Bank,  formerly  the  German-American  State  Bank, 
of  Saginaw,  was  organized  by  Emmet  L.  Beach  in  1911,  and  opened  its  doors 
for  business  mi  Tuesday,  January  2,  1912.  This  was  an  event  of  no  little  in- 
terest in  the  financial  history  of  this  city,  as  the  bank  commenced  business 
in  two  offices,  perfectly  appointed,  one  at  41S  Genesee  Avenue,  in  the  heart 
of  the  business  section  of  the  East  Side,  and  the  other  at  North  Hamilton  and 
Hancock  Streets,  equally  well  located  on  the  West  Side. 

Starting  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  and  a  surplus, 
paid  in,  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  the  bank  occupied  an  enviable  position.  Its 
stock  was  distributed  in  comparatively  small  amounts  among  a  large  number 
of  stockholders,  comprising  prominent  business  and  professional  men;  and 
their  standing  in  the  community  and  the  influence  exerted  by  the  directors 
resulted  in  this  bank  making  a  phenomenal  growth,  and  its  business  is  of  the 
most  substantial  character. 

The  first  officers  of  the  bank  were:  Emmet  L.  Beach,  president;  Edwin 
Kersten,  Ernest  V.  Parsons  and  John  C.  Davies,  vice-presidents;  Henry  T. 
Robinson,  cashier,  ami  Sidney  <i.  Arnold,  assistant  cashier  in  charge  of  the 
West  Side  office.  Upon  opening  for  business  the  bank's  resources  were  eighty- 
seven  thousand  dollars,  and  on  its  last  report  to  the  Commissioner  of  Banking 
on  December  31,  1917,  its  resources  had  grown  to  over  two  million  five  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  a  truly  remarkable  gain  and  one  reflecting  credit  on 
the  management  of  the  bank.  It  featured  certificates  of  deposits,  which 
drew  interest  at  the  rate  of  four  per  cent  per  annum,  and  found  this  liberal 
policv  regarding  interest   payments  to  its  depositors   made  it  many   friends. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


769 


The  bank  has  always  endeavored  to  be  helpful  to  all  legitimate  enterprises 
and  has   constantly   worked    for  a   better  business  and  farming  community. 

From  the  beginning  of  business  this  bank  has  conducted  a  general  com- 
mercial and  savings  business,  savings  accounts  being  opened  with  the  deposit 
of  one  dollar  or  more.  Every  facility  consistent  with  sound  banking  principles 
is  extended  to  depositors,  who  meet  with  every  courtesy  by  obliging  em- 
ployees. The  bank  loans  money  on  approved  commercial  paper,  city  and 
farm  property,  and  on  bonds  of  unquestioned  value.  In  this  department,  as 
in  cithers,  the  greatest  care  and  caution  is  exercised,  conservatism  marking 
all  dealings. 

The  business  that  the  directors  created  for  it.  as  well  as  that  which  came 
through  the  influence  and  standing  of  the  stockholders,  was  considerable,  and 
the  bank  became  recognized  as  one  of  the  solid  and  substantial  financial  in- 
stitutions of  the  city.  Through  the  six  years  of  its  existence  the  bank  has 
helped  by  its  financial  aid  and  counsel  many  concerns  which  today  rank 
among  the  solid  institutions  of  Saginaw.  By  a  judicious  and  liberal  policy 
this  bank  aids  materially  in  promoting  sound  business  enterprises,  and  is  an 
active  factor  in  the  growing  prosperity  of  the  city  and  county. 

In  1918  the  board  of  directors  was  composed  of  B.  G.  Appleby,  Charles 
Bauer,  Emmet  L.  Beach,  E.  T.  Danby.  John  C.  Davies,  <  ).  L.  Dittmar,  \V.  H. 
Filbert,  W.  F.  Hemmeter,  Edwin  Kersten,  A.  P.  Krause,  O.  R.  Krause,  |.  R. 
Liebermann,  C.  E.  Lown,  Henry  Meier,  Henry  C.  Remer.  F.  A.  Richter,  H.  T. 
Robinson,  G.  L.  Schulz,  W.  C.  Wiechmann  and  Henry  Witters.  The  officers 
were:    Emmett  L.  Beach,  president;    Edwin  Kersten,  John  C.  Davies  and  \\  . 

F.  Hemmeter,   vice-presidents;   H.  T.   Robinson,  cashier;   S.   G.    Arnold   and 

G.  A.  Laesch,  assistant  cashiers. 


WEST    SIDE    BANKING    OFFICE    OF    AMERICAN    STATE    BANK 


770 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


THE    HILL    BUILDING 


The  Hill-Carman  Companies 

These  corporations,  which  are  actively  engaged  in  the  real  estate,  loans 
and  insurance  business,  were  organized  December  1.  1915,  and  occupy 
spacious  and  well  appointed  offices  in  the  Hill  Building,  at  116-18  South 
Jefferson  Avenue.  '1  he  incorporators,  the  same  for  all  three  companies,  were 
Roger  R.  Hill,  Burt  A.  Carman  and  Peter  Drummond ;  and  the  capital  stock 
was  $50,000  for  the  Hill-Carman  Company,  and  $25,000  for  the  Hill-Carman 
.Mortgage  Company.  Roger  R.  Hill  is  president,  and  Burt  A.  Carman  tills  the 
dual  positions  of  secretary-treasurer  and  general  manager  of  the  corporations. 

The  business  thus  established  by  these  enterprising  business  men,  with 
offices  centrally  located  and  conveniently  arranged  for  the  transaction  of  a 
large  business,  is  a  very  successful  one.  Its  operations  cover  not  only  Saginaw 
and  adjoining  counties,  but  reach  out  to  more  distant  parts  of  the  State,  and 
wherever  they  go  a  solid  foundation  is  laid  for  future  business.  These  com- 
panies of  wide  scope  and  field,  conservative,  yet  liberal  and  progressive,  are 
semi-financial  institutions  deserving  of  the  large  business  thev  enjoy. 

"l"he  Hill-Carman  Company,  the  principal  corporation,  transacts  a  general 
real  estate  business,  comprising  the  purchase  and  sale  of  city  and  farm  prop- 
erty and  the  handling  of  realty  for  others,  ddiis  includes  conveyancing,  the 
collecting  of  rentals  and  revenues,  the  paying  of  taxes,  insurance  and  other 
expenses,  the  making  of  necessary  repairs  to  buildings,  and  keeping  the  prop- 
erty in  good  condition.  The  examining  of  titles  and  the  discovery  and  correc- 
tion of  defects  or  clouds  to  clear  and  perfect  titles,  is  given  particular  attention 
by  Mr.  Carman,  who  is  one  of  the  most  experienced  real  estate  men  in  this 
part  of  the  State. 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


771 


Another  important  feature  of  this  business  is  the  Home  Building  Depart- 
ment which  aims  to  encourage  and  promote  the  owning  of  permanent  homes 
by  the  people.  It  not  only  builds  houses  on  vacant  property  for  owners  of 
the  lots,  who  repay  the  loans  by  installments  adjusted  to  their  incomes,  but 
also  erects  houses  in  desirable  locations  for  sale  on  its  own  account.  This 
part  of  the  business  promises  to  grow  steadily  with  the  rapid  increase  of  the 
industrial   and   commercial   prosperity   of   the   city. 

A  recent  development  of  the  company  was  the  purchase  of  thirty-two 
hundred  acres  of  cut-over  lands  in  Clare  County,  Michigan,  situated  nine 
miles  north  of  Farwell.  This  land  is  especially  adapted  to  sheep  raising,  and  is 
being  rapidly  cleared  and  made  read)'  for  stocking  with  large  flocks.  Suitable 
buildings  are  in  course  of  erection  to  house  a  number  of  stockmen  and 
farmers;   and  every  indication  points  to  the  establishment  of  a  large  industry. 

The  Hill-Carman  Mortgage  Company's  principal  business  is  loaning 
money  for  themselves  and  others  on  approved  city  and  farm  property.  More 
than  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  is  now  outstanding  on  loans  for  clients, 
all  guaranteed  by  the  company,  the  property  upon  which  the  loans  have  been 
made  being  valued  at  more  than  twice  that  amount.  The  company  attends 
to  the  collection  of  principal  and  interest  on  loans,  sees  that  taxes,  insurance 
and  other  matters  are  paid  and  attended  to,  and  protects  the  owners  in  every 
.way.  A  feature  of  this  service  is  the  privilege  granted  all  clients  to  withdraw 
their  money  on  such  investments  on  short  notice.  The  facilities  of  the  com- 
pany for  placing  loans  enables  it  to  quickly  find  a  purchaser,  or  to  purchase 
the  loan  on  its  own  account. 

The  Hill-Carman  Insurance  Agency  does  a  general  fire  and  liability 
insurance  business,  with  fifteen  large  and  reliable  all-American  companies. 
This  includes  fire,  plate  glass,  automobile  and  all  forms  of  liability  insurance. 
A  large  business  is  being  developed  in  this  line,  as  the  companies  represented 
are  the  oldest  and  most  substantial  in  the  field,  having  large  assets  and  paying 


. 


MAIN    OFFICE    OF   THE    HILL-CARMAN    COMPANIES 


772  HISTORY    OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

all  losses  promptly.     Bonding  and  compensation  are  branches  of  this  business 
that  receive  particular  attention  by  the  officials  of  the  company. 

In  all  the  activities  of  these  allied  companies,  Burt  A.  Carman  is  the 
executive  head.  He  is  a  real  estate  man  of  more  than  thirty  years  experience, 
his  knowledge  of  realty  values,  both  in  the  city  and  in  the  townships  of  Sagi- 
naw and  adjoining  counties,  rendering  his  judgment  of  such  value  in  making 
careful  loans  that  the  supply  of  gilt-edge  security  loans  never  equals  the  con- 
stant demand.  Investors  arc  fortunate  in  securing  loans  which  he  has  ap- 
proved and  which  in  addition  are  guaranteed,  both  as  to  principal  and  interest 
by  the  Hill-Carman  Mortgage  Co.,  before  offerings  are  made  to  clients  for  the 
investment  of  funds. 


WILLIAM    W.    WARNER 

President  of  the  Association,   a   chartei    member,   one  of  the   first   directors,  who 

has  served   on    tin-    Board    for   more    than   thirty    years, 

The  People's  Building  &  Loan  Association. 

On  a  rather  chilly  evening  in  the  late  Fall  of  1886,  in  an  unheated,  inhos- 
pitable room  on  North  Washington  Avenue,  a  group  of  young  men,  interested 
in  the  idea  of  mutual  savings  and  investments,  first  met  to  discuss  the  steps 
necessary  for  the  organization  of  a  building  and  loan  association  in  Saginaw. 
George  j.  Little  was  the  moving  spirit  that  brought  the  group  together;  and 
from  that  meeting  of  less  than  a  dozen  enthusiasts  the  germs  of  mutual  say- 
ings and  home  building  were  inoculated  in  the  community,  and  the  People's 
Building  &  Loan  Association  came  into  being. 

The  building  and  loan  idea  had  its  origin  in  England.  Although  associ- 
ations of  this  nature  had  existed  for  more  than  fifty  years  in  this  country,  and 
had  prospered,  particularly  in  Philadelphia,  at  the  time  of  the  meeting  in 
Saginaw  there  was  no  law  on  the  statute  books  of  Michigan  authorizing  the 
formation  of  such  associations.  The  first  step  was  to  secure  needed  legis- 
lation. The  Legislature  was  then  in  session,  and  William  S.  Linton,  just 
starting  on  his  useful  public  career,  was  enlisted  to  present  the  necessary 
measure:   and  the  law  desired  was  placed  upon  the  statutes  of  the  State. 

Under  this  law  the  local  association  came  into  legal  existence  in  March, 
1887.      The    incorporators    were:      George    J.    Little,    William    W.    Warner 


BANKS  AND  BANKING 


773 


William  S.  Linton,  Theodore  Huss.  Delbert  E.  Frail,  William  Seyffardt,  L.  C. 
Holden,  John  C.  Davies,  David  Swinton,  John  Gerhart  and  J.  J.  W'insor. 
These  men,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Winsor,  and  J.  W.  Billing,  A.  L. 
Button,  John  J.  Granville  and  V.  E.  Widenmann,  comprised  the  first  hoard  of 
directors. 

Upon  its  organization  the  board  of  directors  elected  William  S.  Linton, 
president,  David  Swinton,  vice-president,  George  J.  Little,  secretary,  and 
William  Seyffardt,  treasurer.  The  secretary  was  the  only  officer  to  receive 
any  salarv,  and  that  was  two  hundred  dollars  a  year  fi  ir  such  time  as  he  could 
spare  from  his  regular  work.  On  May  4.  1887,  L.  C.  Holden  was  appointed 
attorney  for  the  association.  After  fifteen  months  of  precarious  existence, 
in  which  business  was  done  "on  the  most  reasonable  terms  possible,"  the 
association  had  assets  amounting  to  only  seven  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
ninetv-three  dollars. 

I 


THE    WELL    APPOINTED    OFFICE     BUILDING 

The  first  office  of  the  association  was  on  the  second  floor  of  the  Heaven- 
rich  Block,  but  in  February,  1888.  it  was  moved  to  the  Avery  Block  at 
Genesee  and  Jefferson  Avenues,  where  it  remained  for  seven  years.  Larger 
offices  in  the  Courier-Herald  Building  were  then  secured  and  occupied  until 


dim 


>f  its  own,  at  209   South 


1915,  when   the  association  purchased   a 
Jefferson  Avenue. 

In  1889  the  association  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  deemed 
expedient  for  its  secretary,  George  J.  Little,  to  devote  his  entire  time  to  its 
affairs.  For  the  first  time  an  air  of  permanency  and  stability  began  to  per- 
vade the  organization,  and  four  prosperous  years  followed.  After  surviving 
the  financial  storm  of  1893,  which  wrecked  realty  values  in  Saginaw  to  a 
greater  extent  than  elsewhere,  because  its  industrial  life  was  changing,  the 
conditions  improved,  and  there  was  fresh  confidence  in  the  soundness  of  the 
building  and  loan  idea. 

It  was  in  1S98  that  the  association  changed  from  the  "serial  plan,"  upon 
which  it  was  organized,  to  the  "permanent  plan,"  giving  greater  equality  and 
justice  to  all  members.  The  change  in  the  By-laws,  in  January,  1909,  per- 
mitted an  interest  rate  to  borrowing  members  of  six  and  twenty-four  hun- 
dredths per  cent.,  instead  of  seven  per  cent.,  was  much  fairer  all  around  and 
proved  an  important  step  forward. 


774 


HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 


OFFICES    OF    THE    PEOPLE'S    BUILDING    &    LOAN    ASSOCIATION 

The  People's  Building  &  Loan  Association  of  Saginaw  is  a  mutual,  co- 
operative, financial  institution,  whose  object  is  to  afford  its  members  a  safe 
and  profitable  investment  for  their  savings,  which  are  loaned  to  members 
only,  and  to  facilitate  their  acquiring  homes.  It  is  one  of  the  soundest  in- 
stitutions of  its  kind  todav ;  and  its  aim  through  co-operation  by  its  members, 
is  t.>  help  each  other  and  thereby  help  themselves.  The  money  saved  by  the 
investing  member  is  accumulated  and  loaned  to  aid  the  borrowing  member  to 
secure  a  home. 

In  1918  the  board  of  directors  consisted  of  the  following  well  known 
citizens:  William  W.  Warner,  president;  Ludwig  Schwemer,  vice-president; 
F.  H.  lerome.  secretary  and  treasurer;  Walter  J.  Lamson.  attorney;  John 
Parth,  Donald  Henderson,  Alfred  H.  Perrin,  F.  J.  Zahner,  John  Popp,  W.  L. 
Miles,  Mathias  Reinert,  Stephen  Winkler,  W.  H.  Miller,  S.  S.  Armstrong  and 
H.  D.'  Richter. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE  BENCH  AND  BAR 


The  Act  of  1859  —  Judge  Sutherland  Was  a  Pioneer  Lawyer  —  Amusing  Mistake 
of  Juryman  —  John  Moore  Comes  Upon  the  Bench  —  DeWitt  C.  Gage  Was  a  Diligent 
Student  —  Peculiar  Experience  With  a  Jury  —  Chauncey  H.  Gage  Followed  —  Creation 
of  Second  Judgship  —  Eugene  Wilber  Was  a  Capable  Judge  —  Early  Contemporary 
Lawyers  —  William  M.  Miller  Was  a  Notable  Figure  —  How  a  Lawyer's  Joke  Won  a 
Case  —  Augustine  S.  Gaylord  a  School  Teacher  —  John  J.  Wheeler  Was  Quiet  and 
Absorbed  —  Prominent  Lawyers  Who  Came  Later  —  Wisner  and  Draper  Won  a  High 
Place  —  A  Lawyer  of  the  "(Did  School"  —  Why  the  Saginaw  Bar  Was  Strong  —  Other 
Prominent  Lawyers  —  Prominent  Lawyers  of  Today  —  A  Humorous  Incident  —  In 
Conclusi'  'ii. 

ALTHOL'GH  some  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Saginaw  Bar  were  here 
long  before  1859,  the  history  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  properly  commences 
with  the  act  of  that  year.  Prior  to  that  date  Saginaw  County,  now 
alone  comprising  the  Tenth  Judicial  Circuit,  was  attached  for  judicial 
purposes  first  to  the  Fourth  and  later  to  the  Seventh  District;  and  the 
Court  was  held  by  the  grave  and  conscientious  Judge  Josiah  Turner,  of 
Owosso,  and  the  scholarly  pioneer  Judge  Sanford  M.  Green,  whose  legal, 
literary  and  judicial  work  commenced  away  back  in  the  early  forties. 

Soon  after  the  act  of  1859  became  a  law  James  Birney  became  Judge 
of  the  Tenth  Circuit,  then  composed  of  the  counties  of  Saginaw,  Gratiot, 
Isabella,  Midland,  Iosco,  Bay  and  Alpena,  and  continued  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  the  office  until  January,  1864,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Jabez  G. 
Sutherland.  Whoever  speaks  of  Sutherland  must  speak  favorably,  or  be 
contradicted  by  the  record  of  his  life.  As  a  lawyer,  scholar,  judge,  repre- 
sentative in  Congress,  and  legal  author  of  more  than  ordinary  fame,  he  was 
one  of  the  members  of  our  Bar  to  whom  every  citizen  of  Saginaw  should 
turn  with  pride. 

Judge  Sutherland   Was  a   Pioneer  Lawyer. 

Judge  Sutherland  was  one  of  the  first  lawyers  to  establish  a  practice  in 
the  county,  and  was  an  active  member  of  the  convention  that  framed  the 
State  Constitution  of  1850.  His  practical  knowledge  of  the  law  was  acquired 
in  sharp  competition  with  John  Moore  and  William  L.  Webber,  who  came 
to  Saginaw  shortly  after  Sutherland  located  here,  and  whose  legal  abilities 
and  reputations  were  a  constant  growth.  These  pioneers  of  our  Bar,  pos- 
sessed of  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  people,  lived  to  see  the  straggling 
village  around  the  stockade,  to  which  the  settlers  had  once  looked  for  protec- 
tion from  the  prowling  Indian,  changed  to  the  prosperous,  growing  and 
wealthy  City  of  Saginaw,  and  the  dark,  damp,  unbroken  wilderness  between 
Lake  Michigan  and  Lake  Huron,  and  extending  to  the  Straits  of  Mackinaw, 
developed  into  an  agricultural  territory  of  vast  extent  and  fertility.  To 
these  results  they  contributed  their  full  share,  not  simply  as  lawyers,  but 
as  business  men  and  leaders  in  the  great  march  of  improvement. 

Before  going  on  the  bench  Sutherland  was  universally  recognized  as 
a  ready  and  able  lawyer,  extremely  zealous  in  the  service  of  his  clients. 
He  seemed  to  feel  honored  by  the  position  of  Judge,  and  took  pride  in  dis- 


776  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

(barging  its  duties  with  judicial  fairness.  Patient,  serene  in  disposition, 
honest  in  purpose,  courteous  in  demeanor,  and  just  and  sound  in  judgment, 
he  gained  the  respect  of  all  and  stored  up  the  learning  that  found  expression 
in  his  learned  work,  "Sutherland  on  Damages." 

Amusing  Mistake  of  Juryman. 

The  "uncertainties"  of  the  law,  as  administered  in  the  early  days  by 
juries  of  curious  cosmopolitan  character  was  often  commented  upon  by 
the  public,  and  not  always  to  their  credit.  An  amusing  incident  illustrating 
this  situation  was  once  related  by  the  late  Dan  P.  Foote,  one  of  the  leading 
lawyers  of  the  Saginaw  Bar,  to  whom  the  historian  is  indebted  for  much 
of  the  material  for  this  chapter. 

"In  1860,  a  farmer  named  Stolze  lost  a  two-year  black  bull,  that  was 
soon  found  in  the  field  of  another  farmer  across  the  line  in  Midland  County. 
On  the  trial  of  a  replevin  suit  before  a  Midland  County  farmer  justice,  the 
proof  showed  that  the  animal  had  a  dark  red  stripe  on  his  back  and  a  few- 
white  hairs  at  the  end  of  his  tail.  The  justice,  after  consulting  with  his 
neighbors,  decided  that  the  bull  had  been  misdescribed  and  rendered  a 
verdict  against  Stolze.  Too  poor  to  appeal  the  case  to  the  Circuit,  Stolze 
appealed  to  a  justice  in  Saginaw  County  and  had  the  farmer  arrested  for 
stealing  the  bull.  The  case  had  become  important  to  the  defendant,  and  he 
employed  Sutherland,  then  in  full  practice  at  the  Bar.  A  jury  was  demanded 
and  drawn,  and  the  court  was  held  in  the  village  hall,  closely  packed  with 
Stolze  neighbors  and  the  people  about. 

"A  certain  man  whom  we  will  call  Mr.  B.  appeared  on  the  panel.  The 
defendant's  lawyer.  Sutherland,  thought  it  proper  to  examine  the  jury  as  to 
their  bias  and  commenced  with  Mr.  1!.  by  asking  him  if  he  had  formed  or 
expressed  any  opinion  upon  the  case. 

"  'No,'  said  B.  his  face  as  innocent  as  a  pumpkin. 

"'But  I  mean.  Mr.  I'..'  continued  Sutherland,  'have  you  formed  or  ex- 
pressed to  any  one  an  opinion  upon  the  merits  of  the  case  f 

"  'No,'  said  B.,  his  face  blanker  than  ever. 

"Sutherland  knew  him;  leaning  forward  and  speaking  in  his  quick, 
pleasant,  persuasive  manner,  said:     'Fred,  whose  bull  is  it."' 

"The  answer  came  quickly.  'He  Stolze  bull,  by  dam.  Jabe;  I  know 
him  dis  tree  year.' 

"After  all  Fred's  real  mistake  was  in  supposing  that  he  was  there  as 
a  witness,  and  not  as  a  juror." 

John  Moore  Comes  Upon  the  Bench 

John  Moore  followed  Sutherland  upon  the  Bench,  and  it  is  impossible  to 
determine  from  public  opinion  of  the  time,  which  was  the  better  judge.  John 
Moore  was  of  English  birth,  but  is  American  in  education  and  sentiment, 
this  country  being  the  land  and  home  of  his  achievements.  To  the  sturdy 
characteristics  of  his  fatherland  he  added  the  genius  and  thrift  and  tact  of 
the  born  Yankee,  and  he  was  a  lawyer  with  a  knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  law,  and  a  skill  and  judgment  in  their  application  equalled  by  few.  He 
always  had  a  clear  idea  where  the  right  lay,  and  the  jury  rarely  differed 
from  him  in  conclusion;  yet  it  was  not  easy  to  point  out  any  error  in  his 
charges,  and  wdiatever  influence  he  exercised  over  the  jury  was  wholesome. 
Sutherland  and  Moore  placed  the  judicial  standard  in  this  county  so  high 
as  to  make  it  somewhat  embarrassing  for  their  immediate  successors. 

This  situation,  however,  on  the  resignation  of  Judge  Moore,  did  not 
deter  William  S.  Tennant  from  taking  his  seat  upon  the  Bench,  in  April. 
1874.      He  was  a  young  man  of  good  general  and  more  than  ordinary  legal 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR 


771 


JUDGE    JABEZ    G.    SUTHERLAND 


education,  of  an  honest  purpose  on  the  Bench,  good  understanding,  and  a 
ready  faculty  of  making  the  most  of  any  good  idea  that  came  to  him.  During 
the  six  years  he  was  upon  the  Bench  much  important  business  came  before 
the  Court,  and  he  held  the  scales  of  justice  with  an  even  hand,  and  enjoyed 
the  full  confidence  and  respect  of  the  Bar.  In  March,  1880,  he  resigned, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Colonel  DeWitt  C.  Gage,  who  for  a  long  time  before 
his  appointment  had  enjoyed  a  large  and  profitable  practice. 

Judge  DeWitt  C.  Gage  Was  a  Diligent  Student 

Colonel  Gage  was  a  practical,  painstaking  lawyer,  and  a  most  diligent 
student  who  relied  upon  his  books,  and  felt  the  greatest  confidence  when 
backed  by  adjudicated  cases.  When  unable  to  find  a  precedent  he  was  little 
inclined  to  make  one,  being  in  every  respect  a  conservative.  He  was  an 
upright,  conscientious  judge,  and  did  not  disregard  the  well-known  and  estab- 
lished landmarks  of  the  law.  II  is  habits  of  thrift  forcibly  brought  to  his 
attention  methods  by  which  the  business  of  the  court  could  be  more  readily 
dispatched,  thus  materially  reducing  the  expense  of  it,  and,  although  inno- 
vations tending  to  accomplish  such  an  object  were  not  introduced  during 
his  short  term,  the  effects  of  his  ideas  have  lived  beyond  him  and  time  has 
justified  his  course  and  seen  his  views  put  in  practice.  The  marked  traits 
of  his  character  were  a  sterling  honesty  that  brooked  no  compromise  with 
wrong,  strong  convictions  fearlessly  expressed  and  defended  with  ardor, 
thorough  attention  to  work  undertaken,  genial  hospitality,  and  a  kindly 
interest  in  the  rise  and  advancement  of  struggling  young  practitioners.  He 
died  on  Sunday,  July  31,  1887. 


778  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 

Peculiar  Experience  With  a  Jury. 

Judges  of  those  days  were  men  of  strong  convictions  of  right,  yet  no 
important  case  is  recalled  by  Mr.  Foote  where  they  unduly  sought  to 
influence  the  jury.  Jurors  did  sometimes  discover  the  bias  of  the  Judge, 
however  discreet  he  may  have  been.  One  of  the  well  known  judges  of  the 
Court,  a  man  of  unquestionable  fairness  and  integrity,  but  of  rather  strong 
notions  of  right,  charged  the  jury  in  an  unimportant  case  in  the  manner  he 
judged  proper  and  sent  them  out  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  to  consider 
of  their  verdict,  and  directed  them,  when  they  agreed,  to  sign  and  seal  their 
verdict  and  deliver  it  to  the  clerk,  supposing,  of  course,  that  they  would 
agree  in  a  short  time. 

On  coming  into  Court  the  next  morning  the  Judge  was  surprised  and 
displeased  to  find  that  the  jury  had  not  agreed,  and  directed  the  officer  to 
bring  them  before  the  Court.  The  Judge  had  received  some  intimation  as 
to  how  they  stood,  that  did  not  tend  to  please  him,  and  in  the  course  of 
his  remarks  to  them  he  said  in  effect : 

"I  am  surprised  that  you  have  not  agreed,  gentlemen;  the  amount  in- 
volved in  the  case  is  small,  its  trial  has  taken  an  unusual  time,  and  the 
evidence  is  such  there  ought  to  lie  little  difficulty  in  agreeing  upon  a  verdict. 
It  has  been  intimated  to  me  that  you  stand  eleven  to  one,  if  I  knew  the 
name  of. the  man.  I  think  I  would  excuse  him  from  further  attendance  upon 
the  Court." 

Thereupon  a  little  old  man  from  the  country,  wedged  in  on  the  back 
seat  between  two  city  men  of  aldermanic  proportions,  hastily  squeezed 
himself  out,  and  stepped  forward  a  bit,  said : 

"No,  no,  shudge,  don't  do  that,  I'm  the  only  man  on  your  side." 

Chauncey  H.  Gage  Followed. 

The  next  judge  was  Chauncey  H.  Gage,  who  assumed  the  office  January 
1,  1882.  He  had  been  prosecuting  attorney,  and  recorder  of  East  Saginaw, 
and  had  enjoyed  a  good  practice.  Although  quite  a  young  man  he  was 
regarded  as  a  good  lawyer,  an  opinion  fully  justified  by  his  course  upon  the 
Bench.  Always  polite  and  agreeable  to  all  having  business  before  the 
Court,  he  became  a  very  popular  judge.  Completely  independent  and  honest 
upon  the  Bench,  no  one  ever  questioned  the  motives  of  his  rulings.  He  pos- 
sessed a  strong  sense  of  equity  and  lively  sympathy  for  misfortune,  so  that 
if  he  sometimes  erred  in  judgment,  it  was  upon  the  side  of  charity.  Judge 
Gage  was  one  of  the  most  companionable  of  men,  open,  honest,  easy  of 
approach,  affable,  free  of  speech,  and  possessing  a  sterling  character  above 
reproach,  he  commanded  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  community  in  which 
he  had  lived  from  early  childhood. 

The  Creation  of  a  Second  Judgship. 

Under  the  amendment  to  the  State  Constitution,  approved  by  the  people 
in  November,  1888,  the  Legislature  provided  another  Judge  for  Saginaw 
County,  and  John  A.  Edget"  was  appointed  to  the  newly  created  judgship. 
He  was  of  English,  French  and  Dutch  extraction,  born  in  Saginaw  Town- 
ship August  8,"  1849,  and  inherited  integrity,  manliness,  ambition  for  better 
things  and  a  will  to  acquire  them.  As  a  lad  he  was  earnest,  studious  and 
persevering,  and  had  ambition  to  excell  in  his  studies  and  to  make  thorough 
preparation  in  the  school  room  for  the  duties  of  life.  He  posseessed  a 
strong  character  and  intense  nature,  which  enabled  him  to  pursue,  without 
flagging,  any  end  at  which  he  aimed.  In  preparation  for  a  career  in  the 
law    he"  entered   with   zeal,   and   soon   found   in   the   study  all   that    his   taste 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  779 

required  and  his  ambition  craved,  lie  read  law  in  the  office  and  under 
the  instruction  of  Chauncey  I!.  Gage,  and  thus  fortified  he  went  to  the  law 
school  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  from  which  he  graduated  in  April, 
1872. 

After  a  year  of  practice  alone,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  D.  W. 
Perkins,  which  continued  for  several  years.  In  1879  he  became  associated 
with  John  M.  Brooks,  and  their  practice  embraced  every  class  of  civil 
business.  For  three  successive  terms  he  held  the  office  of  city  attorney  of 
East  Saginaw,  and  served  the  city  with  ability  and  unswerving  fidelity.  He 
was  deeply  interested  in  the  discussions  leading  to  the  consolidation  of  the 
Saginaws,  and  was  one  of  the  most  influential  citizens  in  consummating  the 
union. 

As  Circuit  Judge  Mr.  Edget  rendered  admirable  service,  and  was  dis- 
tinguished for  ability,  industry,  and  thoroughness,  and  by  the  promptness 
and  honesty  of  his  decisions.  He  ranked  high  as  an  orator,  and  his  charges 
to  the  jury  were  models  of  perspicuity,  precision  and  accuracy.  Later,  failing 
health  alone  prevented  his  nomination  for  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 
His  mind  was  clear,  his  habits  methodical,  his  capacity  for  work  immense. 
Always  courteous,  always  kind  and  polite  to  everyone,  his  life  seemed  to 
be  beyond  criticism. 

The  Winter  Club,  of  which  Judge  Edget  was  an  honored  member,  thus 
spoke  of  him,  "Genial  and  true  as  a  friend,  he  developed  a  purity  of  character, 
and  integrity  of  purpose  that  no  act  of  his  life  ever  sullied.  Modest  and 
unassuming  always,  we  yet  instinctively  looked  to  him  as  an  instructor, 
adviser  and  friend." 

From  1889  until  December  31,  1893,  Judge  Gage  and  Judge  Edget,  hold- 
ing separate  Courts,  continued  as  judges,  and  were  succeeded  by  Eugene 
Wilber  and  the  late  Robert  B.  McKnight.  The  latter,  after  a  brief  service 
on  the  Bench,  was  compelled  by  ill  health  to  resign,  and  he  died  in  1895, 
on  the  homeward  voyage  from  Europe,  whither  he  had  gone  in  search  of 
health.  Judge  McKnight  was  a  jurist  of  pleasing  address,  affable  and 
kindly  in  manner,  tolerant  of  misconduct  in  every  form,  and  patient  and 
helpful  with  ignorance  and  inexperience  ;  but  any  attempt  at  sharp  practice 
brought  upon  the  offender  his  prompt  condemnation.  Much  important 
business  came  before  him  during  the  short  term  he  was  upon  the  Bench, 
which  was  promptly  disposed  of  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Bar.  Very  few 
of  his  decisions  were  reversed  by  the  Supreme  Court. 

In  September,  1895,  William  R.  Kendrick,  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Bar,  was  appointed  Circuit  Judge  by  Governor  Rich,  to  fill  the  vacancy 
occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Judge  Robert  B.  McKnight.  The  appoint- 
ment came  without  solicitation  on  his  part,  but  was  due  to  an  unanimous 
request  by  petition  of  members  of  the  Bar, without  distinction  of  party. 
Although  active  in  politics  he  was  free  from  partisan  bias  on  the  Bench  : 
and  all  his  court  decisions,  without  exception,  were  sustained  by  the  Supreme 
Court. 

Eugene  Wilber  Was  a   Capable  Judge 

Judge  Wilber,  who  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  judicial  duties 
January  1,  1894,  served  for  a  term  of  six  years,  being  chosen  to  the  position 
(in  account  of  his  recognized  fitness  and  superior  qualifications.  i\s  a  lawyer 
he  was  especially  strong  before  a  jury,  and  as  a  judge  was  very  methodical 
in  conducting  the  business  of  his  Court.  He  went  straight  to  the  core  of  a 
question  or  matter  presented,  and  was  not  disturbed  by  the  plausible  argu- 
ment of  counsel  in  support  of  a  fallacy.  I  Ie  had  the  happy  faculty  of  deciding 
against   a    man   without   offending   him,    his    manner   being   kindly    but    firm 


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THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  781 

when  satisfied  he  was  right.  There  never  was  a  doubt  of  his  integrity  of 
purpose  in  reaching'  a  decision  or  publishing  it.  He  was  strongly  inclined 
to  give  a  young  person  a  chance  to  reform  if  such  a  desire  and  life  of 
honesty  was  sincerely  expressed,  but  on  the  utterly  depraved  and  degenerate 
who  preferred  a  life  of  crime,  he  wasted  no  sympathy.  As  a  citizen,  a  soldier, 
a  lawyer  and  a  jurist.  Judge  Wilber  acquitted  himself  well. 

Early  Contemporary  Lawyers. 

Among  the  earlier  lawyers  who  were  in  active  practice  here  with 
Sutherland,  Moore  and  Webber,  and  who  finished  their  practice  in  the  decade 
from  1890  to  1900,  the  names  of  William  M.  Miller,  Augustine  S.  Gaylord, 
Irving  P.  Smith  and  John  J.  Wheeler,  are  recalled  with  satisfaction  and 
pleasure.  For  men  of  sterling  character  who  left  their  stamp  of  honor  and 
probity  upon  their  careers,  they  deserve  and  are  accorded  brief  mention  here. 

William  M.  Miller  Was  a  Notable  Figure. 

William  M.  Miller  was  a  law  partner  of  Jabez  G.  Sutherland  from  the 
time  he  came  to  Saginaw-  until  the  latter  went  on  the  Bench.  He  was  a 
lawyer  by  inheritance,  his  father  and  grandfather  having  been  leading  lawyers 
in  the  Green  Mountain  State.  The  firm  of  Sutherland  &  Miller  was  a 
strong  one  and  their  business  large  and  profitable.  Both  were  able  lawyers 
and  skilled  advocates,  each  in  his  own  peculiar  way.  No  two  men  ever 
worked  better  together  in  the  practice  of  the  law — each  possessed  in  a 
marked  degree  what  the  other  lacked. 

Mr.  Miller,  always  urbane,  courteous,  and  mildly  earnest,  was  a  master 
of  statement  and  when  he  stated  his  client's  case  or  position  before  the 
jury  or  the  Court,  in  his  frank,  confidential  manner,  his  case  was  half  won. 
Cool,  self-possessed,  he  won  by  candor  where  his  opponent  lost  by  zeal.  He 
was  well  educated,  cultivated,  polite  and  refined  in  manner,  and  with  all 
the  advantages  of  learning  and  wealth  there  was  nothing  in  his  nature  of 
arrogance  or  self-assumption.  He  once  said:  "After  all  it  is  astonishing 
how  little  the  best  of  us  know  of  the  law."  Honesty  was  no  merit  in  Mr. 
Miller,  it  was  a  part  of  his  nature;  he  could  no  mure  help  it  than  the  color 
of  his  hair. 

He  had  a  peculiar  faculty  of  identifying  himself  with  the  jury  so  that 
they  half  mistook  him  for  one  of  the  panel,  where  his  arguments  took  the 
form  of  a  confidential  discussion,  having  no  objection  but  a  correct  deter- 
mination of  the  question  they  were  considering,  which,  somehow,  was 
generally  found  to  be  on  the  side  of  his  client.  He  and  the  jury  generally 
"stuck  together."  An  active  sense  of  the  ridiculous  and  a  quite  way 
nf  rebuking  it,  even  on  serious  occasion,  without  seeming  to  intend  it,  was 
one  of  his  marked  characteristics.  This  was  notably  illustrated  by  an 
incident  in  the  Court  of  an  adjoining  county. 

How  a  Lawyer's  Joke  Won. 

"Mr.  Miller  and  another  lawyer  from  Saginaw  were  associated  as  counsel 
for  the  defense  in  an  important  criminal  case  tried  at  Midland,  soon  after 
Sutherland  became  Judge.  The  charge  was  an  aggravated  one.  the  testi- 
mony of  the  people  direct,  and  the  circumstances  complicated,  while  the 
defendant  was  a  man  of  considerable  importance  in  the  community.  The 
testimony  for  the  defendant — some  relevant  and  some  not  so  relevant- 
occupied  four  days  in  its  presentation  to  the  Court. 

"A  certain  lawyer  from  Saginaw,  whom  we  will  designate  as  A.,  then 
in  the  height  of  his  popularity  at  the  Bar,  had  been  employed  by  the  county 
to   assist   the  prosecuting  attorney.     On   Saturday   he   closed    the   argument 


782  HISTORY   OF    SAGINAW    COUNTY 


for  the  people  at  the  noon  hour.  The  excitement  was  great,  and  the 
Court  House  literally  packed  from  the  time  the  door  was  opened  in  the 
morning.  A.  was  a  stump  speaker  as  well  as  lawyer,  and.  intending  to  be 
fair  to  "the  people  who,  as  he  fancied,  had  come  out  expressly  to  hear  him, 
divided  his  time  impartially  between  the  jury  and  the  audience.  Address- 
ing the  jury  in  a  corner  of  the  room  for  a  few  minutes,  A.  would  suddenly 
swin-;'  around  on  his  heels  towards  the  audience,  and  with  his  arms  spread 
out  as  if  intending  to  scoop  them  all  in,  continue  his  argument  until  some 
stray  idea  impelled  him  to  wheel  back  upon  the  jury  and  resume  his  speech 
for  a  few  minutes,  thus  alternating  for  two  weary  hours,  until  noon. 

"The  Judge,  the  lawyers  attending  the  Court,  and  most  of  the  jury 
stopped  at  Ball's  Hotel,  and  all  were  soon  seated  at  the  long  table.  A.  sat 
across  the  board  from  Miller,  and  as  soon  as  all  were  seated  and  before 
the  dinner  was  brought  on,  Miller  looked  up  and  speaking  so  as  to  be 
heard  by  all  at  the  table,  said: 

"'A.,  who  is  that  good-looking  man  on  the  jury  who  wears  a  black  coat? 
(there  were  five  men  on  the  jury  wearing  black  coats,  and  all  at  the  table). 

"T   don't   know.'   said   A.     'Why?' 

'•'Oh!'  said  Miller,  '1  met  him  at  the  door  of  the  Court  House,  and  he 
asked  me  if  Mr.  A.  was  running  for  Congress.' 

"The  point  of  the  joke  was  recognized  and  appreciated  by  long  con- 
tinued laughter. 

"After"  dinner  the  Judge  charged  the  jury  in  his  usual  clear,  concise 
and  impartial  manner,  "and  they  soon  returned  into  Court  with  a  verdict 
'not  guilty.'  A.  was  afterwards  heard  to  affirm  that  Miller's  little  joke 
knocked  the  bottom  out  of  his  argument." 

Augustine  S.  Gaylord  Began  as  School  Teacher. 

Another  popular  and  successful  lawyer  of  the  early  days  was  Augustine 
S.  Gaylord,  who  was  a  partner  of  Tudge  Moore,  and  later  of  the  well-known 
firm  of  Gaylord  &  Hanchett.  He  was  essentially  a  Saginaw  man  who  "grew 
up  with  the  country."  His  first  employment  here  was  as  teacher  in  the 
village  school  long  "before  Saginaw  aspired  to  the  dignity  of  a  city.  In 
November,  1851,  he  was  appointed  deputy  county  clerk,  and  then,  his  am- 
bition arising  to  become  a  lawyer,  he  became  a  student  in  the  office  of  John 
Moore,  and  later  his  partner. 

Mr.  Gaylord  was  a  large  man  in  every  respect,  intellectually  and 
physically,  and  of  a  social  turn  that  secured  him  friends  whose  good  will 
was  manifested  in  ways  more  substantial  than  mere  words.  He  was  dis- 
tinguished as  a  lawyer  possessing  in  a  considerable  degree  those  qualities 
that  gave  William  M.  Miller  his  influence  with  the  jury.  It  was  said  of 
him  by  a  friend  who  knew  him  well.  "While  his  off-hand  opinions  were 
sometimes  subject  to  revision,  I  would  have  more  confidence  in  his  con- 
clusions after  he  had  examined  a  question  than  in  the  judgment  of  any  other 
lawyer  in  the  State."  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  Solicitor  for  the 
Department   of   the   Interior. 

In  personal  appearance  and  deportment  Irving  P.  Smith  much  resem- 
bled Mr.  Miller,  and  his  character  and  mental  capacity  were  of  a  high  order. 
He  was  a  law  partner  of  William  L.  Webber,  and  during  all  their  association 
they  enjoyed  an  extensive,  important  and  profitable  practice.  As  with  most 
Saginaw  lawyers,  business  thrift  closely  followed  professional  success,  and 
the  one  has  generally  been  the  measure  of  the  other. 

John  J.   Wheeler   Was   Quiet   and   Absorbed. 
John    1.   Wheeler,    a    lawyer   of   retiring   nature    and    modest    demeanor, 
was  nevertheless  a  worthy  opponent  of  his  colleagues  at  the  Bar.     He  was 
not  conspicuous  as  an  advocate,  possessing  in  no  great  degree  those  qualities 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  183 

that  excite  sympathy  or  captivate  the  unthoughtful.  Relying  alone,  and 
with  a  fair  degree  of  success,  upon  the  cold  logic  of  his  argument,  appreci- 
ated in  proportion  to  the  intelligence  of  those  he  sought  to  convince,  he 
presented  his  case  in  the  same  tone  and  manner  with  which  he  would  advise 
a  client  in  his  office.  He  was  kind  and  generous,  but  not  demonstrative, 
and  usually  quite  absorbed  in  his  own  reflections. 

It  is  said  by  a  friend  of  Mr.  Wheeler,  of  a  jovial,  bluff  nature,  met 
him  one  morning  on  the  way  to  Court.  Wheeler  appeared  to  be  lost  in 
thought,  and  as  they  approached  each  other  the  friend  said,  "Why,  John, 
what  are  you  mad  about?"  Wheeler  simply  glanced  at  him  in  an  inquiring 
way,  and  without  further  recognition  passed  on. 

About  a  year  afterward  the  two  met  again  near  the  same  place,  and  as 
it  was  one  of  Wheeler's  off  days  of  mental  absorption  he  heartily  extended 
his  hand  saying,  "Don't  you  remember  we  met  near  here  one  morning 
awhile  ago,  and  you  asked  me  'what  I  was  mad  about?'  Well,  I  was  not 
mad,  I  was  just  thinking  about  a  little  matter  up  in  Court."  Few  members 
of  the  Saginaw  Bar  commanded  more  real  respect  and  esteem  than  John  I. 
Wheeler. 

Prominent  Lawyers  Who  Came  Later. 

Other  prominent  lawyers  who  later  came  to  the  Saginaw  Bar  were : 
William  A.  Clark,  Colonel  George  A.  Flanders,  Oscar  F.  Wisner  and  C. 
Stuart  Draper,  all  of  whom  have  appeared  before  the  tribunal  from  whose 
decrees  there  is  no  appeal. 

William  A.  Clark,  who  soon  took  a  prominent  position  at  the  Bar  here, 
was  a  lawyer  of  considerable  reputation  before  coming  to  Saginaw.  He 
had  a  certain  genius  and  facility  of  resources  equalled  by  few,  as  appears 
from  an  examination  of  our  State  reports  during  his  practice  here.  An 
expert  upon  questions  of  evidence  and  its  tendency  and  effect,  it  was  said 
he  never  made  a  mistake  that  tended  to  his  client's  injury. 

He  once  defended  a  man  charged  with  stealing  wheat  from  a  neighbor's 
barn,  when  a  witness  of  creditable  character  testified  to  seeing  the  defendant 
leaving  the  barn  with  a  bag  filled  with  something  upon  his  back.  The 
witness  also  testified  that  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow,  the  moon 
full,  nearly  overhead  and  shining  brightly,  and  that  he  fully  recognized  the 
defendant.  Mr.  Clark,  producing  an  almanac,  completely  confounded  the 
witness  and  established  the  innocence  of  his  client  by  showing  from  it  that 
the  moon  was  in  its  last  stage  and  not  visible  on  the  night  in  question.  It 
was  subsequently  found  that  the  almanac  was  a  last-year's  almanac,  picked 
up  by  mistake  ( ?). 

Colonel  George  A.  Flanders  was  a  graduate  of  an  eastern  college,  and 
had  a  good  record  as  a  soldier.  Although  possessing  a  cultivated  mind  he 
was  not  a  diligent  law  student,  but  he  discharged  the  duties  of  prosecuting 
attorney  in  an  able  and  efficient  manner.  To  descend  from  the  military  rank 
of  Colonel  and  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  war,  to  the  petty  legal  business 
that  came  to  newcomers  at  the  Bar  of  the  rough  border  town,  was  a  rude 
shock  to  his  proud  and  sensitive  mind.  He  had  little  tact  in  securing 
clients,  but  as  a  jury  advocate  he  ranked  high,  and  as  a  political  speaker 
was  excelled  by  few.  Of  fine  appearance,  agreeable  manner,  and  ready, 
unlabored  eloquence,  he  was  a  popular  man  on  the  stump. 

Wisner  and  Draper  Won  a  High  Place. 

Oscar  F.  Wisner  and  C.  Stuart  Draper  came  to  Saginaw  together  and 

were  associated  in  the  practice  of  law  until  death  closed  the  partnership.     To 

speak   of    Wisner    is    to   think    of    Draper,    though    few    partners    resembled 

each   other   less,  or  were  more   attached   to  one   another.     Mr.   Wisner  was 


784  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

an  eminently  fair  and  just  man,  who  despised  fraud  and  humbug  in  every 
form — in  law,  business,  politics  and  religion.  He  was  a  natural  lawyer  as 
well  as  a  diligent  student  of  law,  and  was  not  wanting  in  the  qualities  that 
make  the  mere  advocate.  He  was  most  confident  in  discussing  legal  ques- 
tions before  the  Court. 

Personally  Mr.  Wisner  was  a  modest  man  never  seeking  office  or 
public  notice,  and  yet  self-assertive  and  aggressive  when  the  rights  of  his 
client  called  for  action.  He  was  not  much  inclined  to  idle  civilities,  but 
proved  a  generous  and  faithful  friend,  and  an  agreeable  companion  with 
those  who  knew  and  appreciated  his  real  character.  His  pleasures  were 
few  and  simple.  A  sail  boat  stocked  with  provisions,  a  single  companion, 
and  a  trip  around  the  shore  of  Lake  Huron,  camping  at  night  in  some 
sheltered  cove  where  the  water  invited  a  long  swim  in  the  morning,  was 
his  ideal  of  a  summer  outing.  As  he  navigated  his  frail  craft  around  the 
rocky  reefs  of  Point  Aux  Barques,  he  felt  a  pleasure  unknown  to  the 
habitues  of  the  crowded  resorts  of  fashion. 

No  man  was  more  thoroughly  appreciated  in  Saginaw  Valley  than  C. 
Stuart  Draper,  who  came  here  a  young  man  and  a  stranger.  His  affable 
manners,  self-possessed  demeanor,  his  talents  neither  paraded  nor  concealed, 
and  his  plain  directness  of  speech  promptly  secured  him  friends  and  clients. 
His  natural  eloquence,  great  store  of  knowledge,  retentive  memory,  and 
logical  reasoning  placed  him  as  a  jury  lawyer  among  the  best  in  the  State. 
Nor  was  he  a  mere  advocate,  but  was  a  most  diligent  student,  and  his  active 
legal  mind  enabled  him  to  quickly  grasp  and  apply  legal  propositions.  He 
never  sought  to  mislead  the  Court  by  advancing  an  unsound  principle  or 
misapplying  a  sound  one.  and  therefore  always  commanded  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  both  the  Court  and  his  opponents.  When  professional  zeal 
sometimes  led  him  to  uphold  a  doubtful  principle,  no  one  thought  of  im- 
puting it  to  a  questionable  motive. 

A  Lawyer  of  the  "Old  School." 

William  J.  Loveland,  a  capable  lawyer  of  the  "old  school."  was  a 
native  of  Vermont  and  received  his  education  at  Dartmouth  College,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  1848.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  three  years  later, 
and  after  some  active  practice  in  Michigan  he  settled  at  East  Saginaw,  in 
1856.  For  a  time  he  was  deputy  Assistant  Assessor  and  Collector  of  United 
States  Internal  Revenue,  of  the  Saginaw  District.  Easy  going,  slow  of 
speech,  plodding  in  his  professional  duties,  Mr.  Loveland  nevertheless 
enjoyed  a  fair  measure  of  success  in  practice,  as  his  ability  and  studious 
application  to  fine  points  of  law  were  generally  recognized. 

It  is  related  of  him  that  while  acting  as  attorney  for  Curtis  Emerson, 
in  some  real  estate  tangles  in  the  East,  he  was  called  one  night  to  the 
bed-side  of  his  client  in  what  proved  to  be  his  final  illness.  After  going 
over  some  legal  matters  of  importance,  his  mind  as  clear  and  lucid  as  ever, 
Emerson  turned  to  him  and  in  vehement  and  picturesque  language,  char- 
acteristic   of    the    pioneer   lumberman,    said:     "Now    none    of   your    d 

procrastination  in  these  things,  you  old  slow  poke.  Get  right  at  them 
tomorrow."  At  dawn  Emerson  was  dead;  and  it  is  not  recalled  with 
what  alacrity  the  attorney  attended  to  the  legal  business. 

Frederic  Lloyd  Eaton,  Sr. 

Frederic  L.  Eaton,  Sr.,  a  well  known  attorney  who  resided  in  Saginaw 
from  1865  until  his  death  on  March  5.  1901,  was  a  native  of  New  Hampshire 
where  his  ancestors  had  lived  for  upwards  of  two  centuries.  He  was  born 
at  West  Swanzy,  received  his  education  at  Mt.  Ceasar's  Seminary  and  at 
Tuft's  College,  and  was  elected  to  the  Legislature  of  New  Hampshire  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years. 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR 


785 


CHAUNCEY     H.     GAGE 
1882-93 


Robert  b.  Mcknight 


EUGENE    WILBER 
1 394-1900 


WELL    KNOWN    JUDGES   OF   THE    CIRCUIT    COURT 


In  1860  he  came  to  Michigan  and  settled  in  Lenawee  County  where  he 
taught  school  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.     Coming  to  Saginaw  County  he 

located  at  Saginaw  City,  and  for  more  than  forty  years  was  identified  with 
the  affairs  and  business  of  the  community-  He  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  health,  as  justice  of  the  peace,  as  city  attorney  and  recorder  of  Sagi- 
naw City.  Of  a  studious  and  reflective  disposition,  with  a  liberal  education, 
he  was  recognized  as  a  sound  lawyer  and  advisor,  cue  who  was  well  qualified 
to  conduct  the  most  intricate  cases  in  court. 

Mr.  Eatnn  was  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  and  in  politics  was  a 
Democrat  of  the  old  school.  He  was  survived  by  his  widow,  Helen  Mead 
Stone  Eaton,  who  is  now  (1918)  in  her  ninety-first  year,  and  by  a  daughter, 
Mrs.  Fred  Buck,  and  a  son,  Fred  L.  Eatnn.  an  attorney,  both  of  this  city. 
Another  sun,  Joel  D.  Eaton,  was  drowned  in  his  sixteenth  year,  while  skating 
near  the  Genesee  Avenue  bridge,  in  the  Winter  of  1880-1. 

Why  the  Saginaw  Bar  Was  Strong. 

That  Saginaw  Count}'  had,  and  still  has,  an  able  Bar  was  due  in  a 
great  measure  to  natural  causes.  Though  this  county,  now  one  of  the  finest 
agricultural  sections  of  the  State,  never  had  a  great  quantity  erf  pine,  its 
geographical  position  made  it  the  lumber  producing  center  of  a  vast  terri- 
tory. Four  large  rivers  with  numerous  tributary  streams,  spreading  out 
like  a  huge  fan,  penetrated  the  great  pineries  of  Central  Michigan  to  their 
source,  and  uniting  only  a  few  miles  above  this  city  form  the  Saginaw 
River,  a  broad  and  navigable  stream.  The  upper  streams,  many  of  which, 
with  the  improvement  of  the  county,  have  shrunk  to  a  small  farm  ditch  or 
wholly   disappeared,   floated    logs   at   certain   seasons   of  the   year,   while   the 


786  HISTORY  OF  SAGINAW  COUNTY 

rivers  into  which  they  flowed  afforded  a  natural  and  easy  means  of  trans- 
porting the  logs  to  Saginaw.  The  logs  were  banked  upon  the  nearest 
stream  that  would  float  them,  even  in  single  file  and  by  means  of  dams, 
and  with  the  spring  freshets  were  brought  down  in  big  "drives." 

The  great  lumbering  operations  invited  settlement  and,  as  the  land  was 
cleared,  the  shores  of  the  principal  streams  became  farms  of  more  or  less 
value.  Securing  the  timber,  however,  was  the  principal  business  and 
involved  the  making  and  breaking  of  many  contracts,  and  a  conflict  of 
interests,  as  well  among  lumbermen  as  between  them  and  the  farmers 
located  on  the  streams;  and  much  litigation  resulted  raising  new  and  im- 
portant questions. 

The  old  rules  of  law  defining  navigable  streams  had  no  application  to 
the  new  situation,  and  many  of  the  rules  regulating  riparian  rights  needed 
to  be  applied  with  qualifications,  adopting  them  to  conditions  not  existing 
elsewhere.  The  importance  of  the  interests  involved  demanded  the  most 
careful  consideration,  and  the  most  diligent  study  of  the  authorities  to 
support  a  new  application  of  conceded  principles.  Trials  involving  many 
thousands  of  dollars,  and  principles  more  important  still  to  those  interested, 
and  occupying  many  days,  were  of  frequent  occurrence.  The  large  logging 
and  lumbering  business,  and  the  energetic  way  in  which  it  was  pushed, 
necessarily  furnished  much  legal  business,  and  that  gave  valuable  legal 
experience. 

The  reports  of  the  Supreme  Court  show  the  diligence  and  ability  of 
the  Saginaw  Bar  in  the  settlement  of  these  questions,  and  many  incidental 
ones  growing  out  of  them,  and  in  the  settlement  of  which  the  leading  mem- 
bers took  an  important  part.  That  the  more  active  and  ambitious  members 
of  the  Saginaw  Bar  should  have  become  successful  and  influential  lawyers 
was  inevitable. 

Other   Prominent  Lawyers. 

So  far,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  we  have  spoken  truly  of  the  departed 
members  of  the  Saginaw  Bar,  who  have  left  their  stamp  of  success  upon  the 
profession;  and  may  not  properly  conclude  the  narrative  of  human  progress 
without  referring  to  William  II.  Sweet,  Charles  H.  Camp,  George  B.  Brooks, 
Dan  E.  Foote.  James  L.  T.  Fox.  Chauncey  W.  Wisner  and  Timothy  E. 
Tarsney.  They  formed  the  connecting  link  between  the  earlier  and  present 
Bar,  but  eventually  retired  in  favor  of  younger  members,  who,  by  a  sort 
of  professional  descent,  inherited  in  no  small  degree  the  qualities  that  dis- 
tinguished the  earlier  members. 

Air.  Sweet  came  to  Saginaw  about  the  same  time  that  Sutherland, 
Moore  and  Webber  became  recognized  leaders  of  the  Bar;  and  was  univer- 
sally regarded  as  an  able  lawyer  and  very  skillful  in  cross-examination. 
A  short  sketch  of  his  life  appears  in  Chapter  XI,  pp  201-3,  and  a  portrait  on 
page  202. 

Charles  II.  Camp's  qualifications  and  reputation  as  a  lawyer  may  lie 
inferred  from  the  fact  in  1887  he  was  nominated  for  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Michigan,  but  went  down  to  defeat  with  his  part)'.  For  a  long 
term  of  years  he  was  a  law  partner  of  the  late  George  B.  Brooks;  and  was 
pre-eminently  an  office  lawyer,  devoting  most  of  his  time  to  the  preparation 
of  cases  for  trial,  in  which  work  he  excelled.  Careful  and  methodical  in 
his  work,  possessed  of  superior  capacity  for  details,  a  fine  perception  of 
the  law  and  its  applicability,  he  was  well  qualified  for  the  preparation  of 
pleadings   of  every  form   and   variety.     In   later  years  the   firm   of   Camp   & 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  787 

Brooks  was  much  engaged  in  real  estate  matters,  and  was  the  first,  in  associa- 
tion with  Harlan  P.  Smith,  to  experiment  in  reclamation  of  marsh  land  for 
agricultural  purposes. 

A  brief  mention  of  George  H.  Brooks  is  to  add  another  leaf  to  the 
crown  of  laurel  that  distinguishes  the  Saginaw  Bar.  Coming  here  in  1866, 
he  at  once  formed  a  law  partnership  with  his  early  friend  and  classmate, 
Charles  H.  Camp,  an  association  which  continued  for  more  than  thirty 
years.  He  was  full  of  vigorous  energy,  and  worked  for  the  rewards  of 
his  profession,  in  1873  being  elected  Judge  of  the  Recorder's  Court,  serving 
six  years.  Later  he  held  the  office  of  receiver  of  the  United  States  Land 
Office  at  East  Saginaw. 

Mr.  Brooks  was  a  man  of  high  character  and  purpose  .and  was  univer- 
sally regarded  as  a  good  citizen.  His  social  qualities  were  estimated  on 
the  same  high  plane  as  his  legal  abilities,  and  his  literary  attainments  were 
ci  msiderable.  He  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  Winter  Club  at  the  time 
of  his  death,  in   1916,  in  his  eighty-second  year. 

Dan  P.  Foote,  father  of  Langlev  S.  Foote,  entered  the  practice  and  study 
of  law  at  the  age  of  thirty-one  years,  after  graduating  as  a  sailor,  miner, 
traveller,  school  teacher  and  farmer.  He  read  law  with  Judge  Sutherland, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  September  19,  1863.  Three  years  later  he 
established  himself  as  an  attorney  at  Saginaw  City,  and  by  diligent  study 
and  close  application  gained  a  reputation  for  successful  conduct  of  legal 
business.  He  served  for  a  long  time  on  the  board  of  supervisors,  especially 
when  Saginaw  City  was  involved  in  contests  with  its  neighbors  across  the 
river.  For  many  years  he  served  as  city  attorney  and  one  term  as  prose- 
cuting attorney.  His  strongly  marked  individuality,  shrewd  judgment  and 
thorough  knowledge  of  men,  accounted  for  the  confidence  reposed  in  him 
by  his  friends  and  clients. 

James  L.  T.  Fox  was  one  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  Bar.  coming 
here  at  the  time  when  the  village  was  exulting  in  its  first  weekly  newspaper. 
In  this  publication  his  professional  card  announced  that  he  would  give 
"particular  attention  to  the  defence  of  innocent  persons  wrongfully  accused 
of  crime.  None  others  need  apply."  For  a  time  his  practice  proved  that 
most  of  those  brought  into  Court  were  "wrongfully  accused,"  but  ill  health 
sadly  interferred  with  his  professional  labors. 

In  Chauncey  W.  Wisner  the  Bar  had  a  notable  member,  for  a  time 
being  active  and  conspicuous  in  local  practice,  lie  possessed  all  the  natural 
elements  of  a  lawyer,  being  well  read,  with  an  active  imagination,  bright 
fancy,  keen  wit  and  a  ready  speech,  but  the  dull  routine  of  court  and  its 
small  unimpressible  audiences  was  less  attractive  to  him  than  the  surging, 
applauding  crowd  gathered  at  the  street  corner  to  hear  political  truths,  as 
he  expounded  them  from  the  top  of  a  dry  goods  box. 

This  trait,  however,  did  not  prevent  his  becoming  a  successful  business 
man.  and  he  gradually  drifted  from  the  law  to  business  speculations  and 
politics,  and  the  Bar,  some  years  before  his  death,  lost  one  who  might  have 
become  a  great  lawyer.  As  State  Senator  he  was  long  remembered  by  the 
people  of  Saginaw.  Personally,  he  was  a  kind  and  agreeable  man,  and 
took  pride  in  being  called  the  "Bridgeport  farmer,"  while  living  at  his  large 
and  valuable  farm  about  three  miles  southeast  of  the  citv. 

Timothy  E.  Tarsney,  a  native  of  Michigan,  was  the  architect  of  a  unique 
and  interesting  personal  career.  Born  in  1849  he  was  at  the  most  impres- 
sible age  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out,  and  with  four  brothers  joined  the 
Union  army.  He  was  first  employed  in  coupling  cars  at  Nashville,  then 
served  as  fireman  on  a  locomotive  in  the  government  service.  During  the 
siege  of  Nashville  he  heard  the  rumbling  of  guns  at  Franklin,  and  imagined 


T        sr*H 


Jhp 


* 


Timothy  10.  Tarsney 


Chauncej    Wisner 


C.   Stuart   Draper 


William  M.   Miller 


Augustine   S.   Gaylord 


r 


^     -w- 


Daniel  P.  Foote  John  J.   Wheeler  Frederic  L.  Eaton,  Sr. 

SOME    SUCCESSFUL    LAWYERS   OF   THE    FORMATIVE    PERIOD 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  789 


he  could  see  a  million  Confederate  cavalrymen  engaged  in  battle,  when  a 
sober  roll-call  would  have  revealed  scarcely  a  thousand  engaged  in  a  hand- 
to-hand  conflict.  He  was  fireman  on  an  engine  which  carried  relief  am- 
munition to  the  beleagured  troops,  and  the  train  "zipped"  through  the  midst 
of  the  combatants,  bound  for  Franklin.  The  engine  was  lost,  but  young 
Tarsnev  escaped,  bought  a  mule  for  a  dollar,  rode  back  to  Nashville, 
eighteen  miles  distant,  and  remained  in  the  government  service  until  the 
close  of  the  war. 

In  1866  he  came  to  East  Saginaw  and  took  charge  of  a  steam  engine 
in  a  saw  mill.  Later,  he  secured  a  marine  engineer's  license  and  for  seven 
years  sailed  the  lakes  on  steam  barges  that  made  this  port.  During  the 
winter  months  he  pursued  some  academic  studies,  and  attended  the  law 
school  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  from  which  he  graduated  with  the 
class  of  1S72.  He  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  East  Saginaw;  and  in 
1875  was  appointed  city  attorney,  an  office  which  he  held  for  three  years. 
In  1879  he  became  the  senior  partner  of  the  firm  of  Tarsney  &  Weadock 
(George  \\  .  Weadock),  which  continued  twelve  years  with  great  success. 
though  defeated  on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  1880  for  Representative  in 
Congress,  he  defeated  his  old  rival  for  the  office,  Roswell  G.  Horr,  in  1889, 
and  was  re-elected  two  years  later.  After  this  public  service  he  resumed 
his  legal  practice,  and  in  1893  removed  t«>  Detroit. 

As  an  advocate  his  intuitions  were  strong,  his  perspicacity  remarkable, 
his  sensibility  impressionable,  his  sympathies  easily  touched  and  his  imagina- 
tion lively.  The  keenness  of  his  perception  enabled  him  to  quickly  reach 
a  conclusion  from  a  premise,  and  yet  his  judgment  was  not  formed  without 
deliberation.  When  a  conclusion  was  reached,  whether  intuitively  or 
logically,  he  moved  with  alacrity,  and  supported  his  position  with  forcible 
arguments  impulsively  expressed. 

Prominent   Lawyers  of  Today. 

Other  leading  lawyers  of  the  intermediate  period,  souk-  of  whom  are 
still  in  active  practice,  were:  Benton  Ilanchett,  Gilbert  M.  Stark,  Gardner  K. 
Grout.  Lorenzo  T.  Durand,  Frank  E.  Emerick,  William  E.  Crane,  Riley  L. 
Crane,  William  Glover  Gage,  Walts  S.  Humphrey,  George  Grant,  Hugo  P. 
Geisler,  Emory  Townsend,  William  R.  Kendrick,  George  W.  Weadock. 
John  F.  O'Keefe,  Walter  I.  Lamson,  Emmet  L.  Reach.  George  W.  Davis, 
James   II.  Davitt,  John   E,  Nolan,  John  A.  Combs  and  Eugene  A.  Snow. 

Among  the  more  prominent  attorneys  of  the  younger  generation  are: 
Harvey  -V.  Penney,  Henry  E.  Naegely,  Ernest  A.  Snow,  fenner  E.  Morse, 
Herbert  A.  Otto,  Robert  T.  Holland,  Robert  II.  Cook,  Fred  L.  Travers, 
Frank  A.  Rockwith,  Floyd  A.  Wilson,  Frank  A.  Picard,  A.  Elwood  Snow, 
Frederick  L.  Eaton.  Earl  J.  Davis,  Raymond  R.  Kendrick,  Bird  J.  Vincent, 
Frank  Q.  Quinn,  Miles  J.  Purcell,  Julius  R.  Kirhy,  and  Vincent  and  Jerome 
Weadi  >ck. 

Biographical  sketches  of  most  of  these  progressive  law  vers,  with  their 
portraits,  will  be  found  in  Volume  II.  the  pages  being  indicated  by  the  index. 

A  Humorous  Incident. 

Humorous  incidents  in  the  early  history  of  the  Saginaw  Bar  were 
numerous,  as  has  been  shown  in  the  preceding  pages,  and  sometimes  led  to 
unpleasant  situations  for  the  lawyers  involved.  One  in  particular,  showing 
the  uncertain  modes  of  travel  in  those  days,  as  well  as  the  dangers  and 
difficulties  thereof,  is  well  worth  telling. 

About  1860,  when  Judge  Birney  was  the  Circuit  Judge  of  the  Tenth 
District,  all  the  country  north  of  Saginaw  as  far  as  Upena  was  included 
within  his  jurisdiction.     The  only  roads   were  mere  trails  through  the  dense 


790  HISTORY    OF   SAGINAW    COUNTY 


w Is,  and  the  only  vessels  plying  along  the  shore  of  the  lake  and  hay  were 

small  schooners  or  sloops.  The  usual  means  of  reaching  Tawas,  the  seat 
of  justice  of  Iosco  County,  was  by  old  Captain  Marsack's  fishboat,  which 
was  not  a  had  craft  fur  those  days. 

The  court  was  to  he  held  at  Tawas.  and  the  Judge,  with  a  proper  com- 
pany of  lawyers  from  Saginaw,  left  Lower  Saginaw  (Bay  City)  for  the  upper 
shore  point'  in  Marsack's  boat.  When  well  down  Saginaw  Bay  where  it 
expands  into  the  lake,  and  the  northeast  wind  comes  roaring  and  whistling 
around  Point  Aux  Barques,  the  hay  suddenly  became  stirred  with  the  heavy 
cross-seas  so  characteristic  of  those  unreliable  waters.  It  was  near  night; 
the  sea  was  running  high — terrifying  to  landsmen,  and  Tawas  a  long  dis- 
tance to  windward. 

[udge  Birney,  who  was  a  conscientious,  dignified  gentleman  as  well 
as  a'  sedate  judge,  feeling  that  the  situation  called  for  a  reconciliation  of 
ill  friends,  said  to  a  certain  lawyer,  whom  we  will  call  A.  in  his  gravest 
manner.  "Mr.  A.,  there  have  been  some  passages  between  us  I  much  regret; 
and  now,  seemingly  upon  the  verge  of  eternity,  I  hope  we  may  as  Christian 
gentlemen  shake  hands  and  forget  and  forgive." 

Here  a  huge  wave  nearly  capsized  the  boat,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  found 
that  it  had  not  gone  over.  A.,  bracing  himself  against  the  weather  gunwale, 
extended  his  hand,  and   in   his  usual   hearty  tone,  said: 

"By  the  eternal,  judge,  I'll  do  it— I'll  do  it.  Judge,  with  this  under- 
standing, that  if  we  ever  do  get  ashore  this  shall  all  he  held  foi   naught." 

The  Judge's  answer  to  the  proposition  thus  modified  was  newer  given, 
for  at  that  moment,  Marsack  suddenly  determined  to  work  under  the  lee  of 
Gravelly  Point,  known  in  later  years  as  Point  Lookout.  The  captain  usually 
navigated  his  craft  in  French,  hut,  in  times  of  peril  like  a  true  sailor,  dropped 
into  "English,  and  he  now  sang  out.  "Ho  dare.  I'ete.  you  black  nigger,  haul 
down   the  ank,  and   trow  overboard   dat    man-sal." 

The  captain's  order,  though  a  little  confused,  was  correctly  understood 
h\  I'ete.  who  comprised  the  crew,  so  he  let  go  the  main  halliards  and  quickly 
cast  the  anchor  over  the  weather  how.  As  the  fore-sail  had  been  left  stand- 
in-  her  how  fell  off  as  the  anchor  caught,  and  I'ete.  skillfully  paying  out  the 
line,  the  boat  drifted  along  the  edge  of  the  reef  and  -rounded  i  in  the  sandy 
beach,  just  under  the  lee  of  the  Ion-,  narrow,  low  point.  At  the  time  the 
point  was  submerged  b)  the  waxes  that  broke  on  its  weather  side,  and 
washed  across  the  low  -round  a  foot  or  more  deep.  The  Judge  and  his 
friends  jumped  overboard  and  safely  waded  ashore  where  they  found  shelter 
further  inland  under  one  of  the  great  sand  drifts  that  the  northeasters  have 
piled  up  on  that  romantic   point. 

The  supperless  night  on  the  beach  was  far  better  than  a  berth  at  the 
bottom  of  the  bay,  and  the  sea  and  weather  in  the  morning,  as  calm  ami 
serene  as  A's  conscience,  enabled  them  to  take  an  eight  o'clock  breakfast 
al  Tawas,  and  put  an  end  to  all  peace  negotiations. 

In  Conclusion 

The  bin-  trials,  civil  ami  criminal,  involving  thousands  and  thousands 
of  dollars,  or  rights  and  interests  still  more  important,  the  sharp  contentions, 
the  diligent  and  able  labors  of  counsel,  the  eloquent  appeals  of  the  advocates, 
have  received  no  mention  in  this  work,  as  the  histories  of  many  of  them 
would  fill  a  volume.  The  purely  personal  side,  which,  after  all  is  said,  is 
far  more  interesting  to  the  public  than  dry.  legal  facts  of  weary  trials,  has 
had  almost  exclusive  attention,  although  an  account  of  the  first  criminal 
trial  in  Saginaw  County  is  given  in  Volume  1.  pages  111-13.  and  the  first 
probate  case  in  the  same  volume,  page   114. 


THE  BENCH  AND  BAR  791 

The  failures  of  the  Saginaw  Bar  have  not  been  man}',  and  few  lawyers 
who  came  here  have  failed  to  remain.  Strangers  have  always  been  warmly 
welcomed  and  received  prompt  and  generous  recognition,  hew  enmities 
and  jealousies  have  existed,  ami  the  members  of  the  Bar  have  almost  univer- 
sally been  courteous  and  obliging  to  each  other  in  and  out  of  Court.  This 
has  been  particularly  true  as  to  the  treatment  accorded  the  younger  and 
;s  experienced  members.  All  have  not  succeeded  alike  any  more  than 
men  in  other  occupations  attain  equal  success,  but  all  may  safely  congratu- 
late themselves  that  their  fortunate  situation  in  the  great  and  prosperous 
Saginaw  Valley  has  left  little  reason  to  em  \  those  of  other  localities.  If 
history  shall  fail  to  record  each  one's  name,  those  who  follow  will  not  let 
the  memory  of  the  deserving  grow  dim  and  be  forgotten. 


END  OF  VOLUME  I 


INDEX 

of 

PIONEER  BIOGRAPHIES  AND  INDUSTRIAL 
AND  COMMERCIAL  HISTORY 


A  Page 

Academy    of    Music 670-1 

Achard,  A.  W.  &  Son 619 

Andre,    Peter    C 720 

American    Commercial    and    Savings 

Bank    750 

Au-saw-wa-mic    81-3 

Alderton,  George  A.  iS;  Co 634-0 

American   Cash   Register   Co 521-3 

American   State    Bank    768-9 

Arnold,  The  H.  B.  Co 677 

B 

Barie,  Wm.  Dry  Goods  Co 621 

Barnard,    Arthur,   coal   mine 451 

Beach,    Horace    S 136 

Beach    &    Moores 619 

Beese,  J.   H.   &   Co 628 

Binder,    William     200 

Bliss,   Aaron   T.,   gifts   of 252,   355 

Bliss,  Solomon   Bond 198 

Incident   of    421-2 

Blyben.  Captain  Wm 191,  712 

Boyd,   Robert    631 

Braley,   Phineas  D 122 

Brooks,   George   B 786-7 

Brown,   James   F 17'.)-xl 

Bunnell,"  Willard    Ill 

Burrows,  George  L.  &  Co 750 

Burt,   W.   R„   gifts   of 264-6,   293-4 

Mill    of    410,    421-2 

Busby,   Joseph    120 

Butman,   Myron    200-1,   300-1 

Bancroft    House    609-17 

Bank  of  Saginaw 755-58 

Bartlett,  A.  F.  &  Co 532-5 

Blind    Institution    597-600 

Bliss    Coal    Co 464-5 

C 

Callam,  Wm.  narrative  of 404-6 

Camp,   Charles    H 786 

Campau,   Louis   49 

Cater,  Abram  and  Charles 114 

Central  Agricultural  Society   701 

Cincinnati,  Saginaw  &  Mackinaw 

R.    R 729-30 

Citizens  National  Bank   752 

Clay,  Sam  G 671-2 

Cooper,   Rev.    David    M 314-5 

(  rane,    William    A 165-7 

Cronk,  James  W.  (Uncle  Jimmy)...    139 


Pas,'*.' 

Curtis,    Bliss    &    Co 630 

Cushway,    Benjamin    122 

Caledonia   Coal    Co 452-4 

Commercial    National   Bank 766-67 

Consolidated    Coal    Co 461-63 

Cornwell   Company    641-2 

D 

Davenport,    Elijah    N 100 

Davis,    George    Washington 169 

De  Tocqueville,  narrative  of 66-78 

Dorr,  Albert  H.,  stock  raising  expe- 
riment      691 

Doughty.   T.    E 625 

Draper,   C.   Stuart    783 


East  Saginaw  National   Bank 749 

Eaton,   Frederic  L.,  Sr ',  *4 

Edget.  John   A..  Judge 778 

Edwards,   William    H 420-1 

Ellsworth,    Stewart    S 216 

Elsmore,  O.   E..  narrative  of 424-5 

Emerson,   Curtis 143-7,   396,   709-10 

Estabrook,   John    S 416 

Erd    Motor    Co 509-10 


Fraser,  James 103,  125,  689 

Freeman,    D.     B 621 

First    National    Bank    of    East    Sagi- 
naw        748 

First    National    Bank   of   Saginaw...    751 

Flint  &  Pere  Marquette   R.   R 719-25 

Foote,  Dan   P 787 

Fair,  S.  &  Son,  Inc 558-60 

Fordney  Hotel    608 

Franklin,    Benjamin,    Hotel 617 

Franklin    Theater    673 


Gage,    Chauncey    H 778 

Gage,    DeWitt    C 777 

Gaylord,   Augustine   S.,   teacher 275 

Lawyer    782 

Goff,  Gilbert  B.,  incident  of 496-7 

Good    Roads    Movement 734-7 

Grant,   Charles   W 147,    156-7 

Green,    Washington    S 418-19 

Germain  Manufacturing  Co 578-80 


H                                 Page  Page 

Harvey    &    Coleman 628  Michigan    Employment 

Hill,  Arthur,  gifts  of 2S1  Institution    597-600 

Narrative    of    497-8       Michigan    Salt    Association 439 

Home    National    Bank 74s  Michigan   Sugar   Co.,   trip   through 

Houghton,    Dr.    Douglas 426-28  Carrollton  plant    479-87 

Hovt,  Jesse,  gifts   of 251,304        Mitts   &    .Merrill    542-4 

Herzog   Art   Furniture   Co 568-73       Morley    Brothers    644-7 

Hill-Carman    Companies    770-1  N 

I  Naegely,  Captain,  and  lumber  jacks  407-S 

Ide,   Mary   Hubbard 169       Naegely    House    61S 

Ippel,  J.  W.  Co 622       Nau-qua-chic-a-ming    31 

x  Xay-o-kee-man     30 

Jackson.  Lansing  and  Saginaw  R.  R. 725-7       Neh-wa.y-go    . 93-6 

Jerome.  D.   H.   &  Co 619       Natl<lllal   Engineering  Co .,47-9 

Tewett,  Eleazer 84,  125,  137,  164-5  O 

Jochen,    Emil    ..  619      O-ge-maw-ke-ke-to    32 

Jackson   &  (  hurch  Co. .      . .          ..536-38  s         h  of  at  treat     negotiations.  .     53 

Jackson-Church-Wilcox   Co 53S-41  O-ke-mos                                                          31 

K  O-saw-wah-bon    32 

Kain,    Patrick     233-5  Owosso   Sugar   Co.,   proprietors 

Keeler.  Sanford    431-2.   721-5  Prairie   Farm    694-9 


Kendrick.    Win.    R 779 


P 


Kerngood    Sloman  &    Rosenthal...     624       ParsonSi    Isaac  419 

Ketcham    eV     1  uthill 628       pau-pem-iS-kobe    30 


Kirby,    Stephen    R 430-31 

Kis-kau-kou    62 


Pere    Marquette    39-40 

Port   Huron  &  Northwestern  R.  R...  729 


Koehler  Brothers 88-89  Prairie    |,arnl     development   of. ...694-9 

L  Parker   Dairy    Co 587-8 

Lamorandiere,  Thadeas   de    169  People's    Building    &    Loan   Associa- 

Lefevre,    Father    326  „  tlon  ,'    ■••■•. •  •  •  •, 772'4 

Little,   Dr.   Charles....  ....     84  People  s   Savings   Bank 764-5 

Little,    Charles    David    155  Poison,  Wm.  and  Co. 566-7 

Little.    Norman    132,148-53,    706  Prairie    harm,   stock   raising 698-9 

Little,   Wm.    L.    P 153  R 

Little  &  Co,  Bank  of..  746-7  Richardson,    |,,hn    W 171-2 

Love  and,  Ralph  A. 419-20  Richman    Mr"s.   A.   M„  diary  of 126 

Loveland,  \\  illiam  J.  784  Richlll,,n,    charles    H m 


Lull,   Charles   A 684 


Riggs,  John    98 


x  p     r-      1         c  1  1  ....  ,VIss3,     miiiii     yo 

Lee  &  Cady,  Saginaw  branch..    ..636-38       kt.„     Rev    ;,„,,,,,    343_4 

Mc  Remer    Brothers     628 

McCarty,  Thomas  and  Edward  R...    688       Rudd     Anson      182-3 

McCormick,    William     R 117-19        Rl!st'    Ezra,    park 256 

McDonald,  Wm.,  fur  trader 82,   111  Reminiscences   500-3 

McKnight,   Robert   B.  Judge 779  S 

M  Saginaw    Citj     Bank    741 

Maiden,    Captain     1  in  Saginaw   County     Savings     Bank...    752 

M.i-say-nos    32       Saginaw   Courier    650-2 

Matrau.    Rev.    B.    F 319        Saginaw    Enterprise    650 

Maus,    Rev.    H.    P 326        Saginaw    Evening   Journal    650 

Merchants    National    Bank 747       Saginaw  Journal    648 

Merrill,    Charles    415-6       Saginaw   North    Star    648 

Mershon,   A.    It.,  account   of 413       Saginaw    Republican    648 

Moores,    Emil    A.    L.,    reminiscences  Saginaw  Valley   Herald   648 

of    181-2        Saginaw   Street    Railways    731-4 

Mosely,   Major,   incident  of 139  Saginaw  Valley    Agricultural 

Mower,  T.   Dailey   231  Society    . 700-1 

Melze,  Alderton   Shoe  Co 638-40  Saginaw   Valley  &  St.  Louis  R.  R. . .    728 

Mershon,   W.   B,  &  Co .">74-7       Savings   Bank  of   East  Saginaw 749 

Miller,   Albert    101,   125,   137       Schmitz,   Anton    363 

Narratives  of  685,  691-3,  705-6-7       Schupp  &   Baric    621 

Miller.    Hiram    L 123,   313-5        Seely    &    Spencer 622 

Miller,    Norman    L.,    reminiscences  Secmanii,  Joseph,  sugar  develop- 

of    161-4  nient     471-3 

Miz-co-be-na-sa    32       Seemann    &    Peters    594-6 

Montanus,  Rev.  Emil    ...   320  Seligman,  Joseph    (Little  Jake) ...  .623-4 

Moore,    John,    reminiscences 174-8       Seyffardt    &    Walz 620 

Judge    776       Shaw-we-nos-se-ga    32 


Page 

Shaw,  Bullard  &  Co 630 

Sherman   House    618 

Shop-en-a-gons    28 

Simpson,  Thomas  (Elixir   Boga) 98 

Smith,    facob    (Wa-be-sins) 55 

Smith.   Captain   Martin    711-2 

Stewart,  James   6  '•[ 

Stinson,  James    ''-'■' 

Streeb,   George    174-630 

Sutherland,   Jabez   G.,   Judge 77a 

Swarthout,   Anthony    R 135-6 

Sweeney.    Father    :;4:-' 

Sweet,  William   H 201-3 

Lawyer    ' s(l 

Saginaw  Courier-Herald    652-6 

Saginaw  Creamery   Co .~!l''~\ 

Saginaw   Daily    News    657-62 

Saginaw   Hardware  Co 643 

Saginaw    Ladder    Co 514-5 

Saginaw   Manufacturing    Co 510-12 

Saginaw   Mirror    Works    583 

Saginaw   Plate   Glass   Co 561-3,    140-5 

Saginaw   Press-Publishing    Co     ....662-3 

Saginaw  Sheet  Metal  Works   512-3 

Saginaw  Show    Case    Co 582 

Saginaw  Sugar  Co 47<i -87 

Saginaw  Valley    Development    Co.    503-6 

Saginaw  Valley   Trust   Co 759 

Schwahn-Khuen    Agency    678 

Second    National    Bank 760-63 

Seemann  &  Peters   594-7 

Sommers    Brothers   Match    Co 508 

Symons   Brothers     Co 632-4 

T 

Tarbell,  Professor,  action  of 291 

Tarsney,    Timothy    E 787-9 

Tewell,  Rev.  Joseph  Riley 341 

Tracey,  Joseph   P.,   fiasco  of 499 

U 
United   States    Graphite    Co 564-6 


Valley   Sugar   Co 479 

Vanderbom,    Father    341 

Vanderhayden,  Father   325 

Vinton,   Grosvenor    98 

Valley  Grey   iron    Foundry  Co 545-7 

Valley    Printing   Co 592-3 

Vincent    Hotel     618 

W 

Wah-be-sins  (Jacob  Smith)    55 

Wallis,  George  W 217-8 

Webber,    lames  S.,  diary  of 189-93 

Webber,    William    L.,   coal   mining..    41s 

Webster.  Samuel   H 417 

Webster.    Benjamin    F 418 

Wells-Stone  Mercantile   Co 631 

Wentz,   E.   L.,  narrative  of 128-9 

Wheeler.    John    J 782-3 

Whittier,  Joseph  A.,  reminiscences.  178-9 

Wilber,    Eugene.  Judge    779 

Williams,   Ephraim   S 89-93 

Narrative  of    204-5 

Williams,  Gardner  D 89-93,  394-5 

Williams,   Harvey    (Uncle)    ....87-8,   394 
Williams,  William   A.,   reminiscences   787 

Wisner,    Chauncey    W 787 

Wisner  Oscar    F 783 

Wright,   Ammi    W.,   characteristics. 414-5 

Werner  &  Pf leiderer  Co 550-57 

Wickes    Brothers    524-30 

Wickes   Boiler   Co 530-32 

Wolfarth    Bakery    510-20 

Wolverine   Glove   Co 590-1 

Y 

Youmans,    Henry    M.,    sugar   bounty 
law    +73"4 

Z 

Bank  of  Zilwaukee    745 


INDEX 
of 

SUBJECT       TITLES 

(Chapter  Sub-Headings) 


A                                Page  Pase 

Aboriginal   Stone   Weapons IS       Boiling  Down  Rich   Syrup 483 

Aboriginal   Tribes   in    Michigan 21       Soos,t.ers    Become    Active 490 

Academy,    School,    first    public 285       guiding  Council   House    52 

Academy   of    Music 670-1        Bui  ding   first   Court    House 109 

Vdvent  of  Ottawas  21        Building  of  Bancroft    House     609 

Advent  of  Fur   Traders    4s       Building  Cement    Sidewalks     248-9 

Advent  of  Enterprising   Men    185       Bui  ding  Deep  \\ells    ..  249 

Advent  of  Steam    Fire    Engine 213-5       Bui  ding   Plank   Road  to  Flint 150-2 

Advent   of  Territorial    Banks     739        Budding   of  the    "Julia    Smith    70s 

\dvent  of  the    Automobile    673  Building  of  Flint   &   I  ere 

Amusement.    670        D  Marquette    .      ....  719-20 

Amusing   Mistake  of  Juryman 776  Building  of  Jackson,    Lansing   cV 

Ancient     Fortifications     Found 7  Saginaw    . .... ,2a-< 

Ancient    Pipes                                                    19  Building   ot   Saginaw   \  alley   & 

Anecdote  of   Major   Mosely 139       Tl  St.   Louis 728 

Anecdote   of   G.   D.   Williams 394-5  Building  of  Saginaw,   Tuscola   & 


Antiquities   in    .Michigan 


Huron    728 


\rheiter    Vereins     ........                  .    366  Building    of    Port    Huron    &    North- 

Arbeiter   Verein  of  Saginaw   City...    367  western    .    ■••■-. .■•■•■-. .'    '   9 

\rrival   at    Saginaw    River 75  Building    of    Cincinnati,    Saginaw    & 

\rt    Club  312  Mackinaw    729-30 

Arthur    H ill' Trade   School'. '.'.".'.'.'.'. '.28  1-2       Building  Up  of  Sugar  Bowl        470-1 

Assimilation    with    Chippewas 21       Burt    W.  R    &  Co  s  Saw  Mill 410 

Auditorium    264-6       Burt  Manual  Training  School 293-6 

Business  or   Hamilton   Street 205 

g  Butman-Fish   Memorial    Library    ...300-1 

Bancroft   House,    Opening   of 609-10 

Bancroft  House,  Banquet  and  Caches  and  Corn   Pits 16 

Toasts   610-12       Caledonia    Mine    Wins    Out 454 

Bancroft  House,  Grand  Ball 612       Character    of    Au-saw-wa-mic 81-3 

Bancroft    House,    Proprietors    of....    612  Characteristics   of   Saginaw   Coal....    455 

Baptist    Church,    First    338  Characteristics    of    A.    W.    Wright. .414-5 

Barnard,  Arthur,  begins  mining  coal  451        Chippewas  Wage  Warfare   24 

Battle  of  Skull  Island 25       Church  of  the  Sacred   Heart 343-4 

Beginning  of   Park   System 251       City's    Cemeteries    260 

Beginning   of   Rapid   Transit 733        City   Officials   in    1868 207 

Beginning  of   Sound    Banking 746-7        City   Officials  in    1915 271 

Benefit    to    Farmer 486        City   Exacts  a   Motor  License 676 

Benjamin    Franklin    Hotel 6Vt  City   Government  by   Commission.  .266-9 

Big    Fire    Losses 223        City   Sewer    System    246-8 

Big  Fire  of  May,  1893 224  Clothing  and  Furnishing  Trade. ..  .622-4 

Bit  of  Holland  in    Michigan 697       Close  Association  of  Pioneers 682 

Blind   Learn   to   Read  and  Write 601  Coal  Operators  Regain  Advantage..   455 

Bliss    Park   is    Ideal   Playground 252-4       Coal    Production    461 

Booi   and   Shoe  Trade 624       Coal.  Lime  and  Cement 628 

Bubble    Bursts    135  Coal   Operators   Oppose   Socialists..   452 


Page 

Coming   of   First   Steamboat 709 

Commercial     Interests,     East     Sagi- 
naw,  1858    195-7 

Commercial  Interests,  Saginaw  City, 

1858     203 

Coming   of  Jesuits   ti>   Michigan 35 

Conclusion,    In    790 

Congregationalists    336-8 

Convivial    Habits   of    Pioneers 137 

Consolidation  of  Water  System 230 

Consolidation  of  Coal  Companies...  4(3 1 
Consolidation  the  Only  Remedy....  241 
Controlling   "Red   Sash"    Erigade...    233 

Converting  Syrup  into  Sugar 484 

Copper   Mining  on   Isle   Royal 5-6 

Cork    Pine   of  the   Cass  River 400-1 

Costs  of   Coal   Mining 456 

Cost   of   Road   Improvements 737 

Council    in    1915 270 

Court   Street    Bridge 243 

Currency  of  Bank  of  Zilwaukee .  .  . .  745 
Creation     of     Park     and     Cemetery 

Commission     255 

Curtis    Emerson    Comes 143 

Eccentricities    144-6 

Lays   Out   Village   of   Buena   Vista   147 
Customs   and   Habits   of   Indians....      81 

D 

Dark   Days  for  Sugar  Industry 476-7 

Decline  of   River  Commerce 718 

Decline    of    Salt    Production 440 

Deep   Wells,   City    249 

Derivation   of   "Saginaw" 23 

Development   of   Salt    Industry 435-6 

Development  of  Beet-Sugar 

Industry    468 

Development  of  Coal   Mines 455 

Development  of   Prairie   Farm 0'.i4 

Deviltry    of    Kis-kau-kou 62 

Diary   of   Mrs.   A.   M.    Richman 127 

Diary  of  James  S.   Webber 189-94 

Did  Jesuits    Visit   Saginaw? 42-3 

Difficulties   and    Privations   of   Early 

Pioneer    Life     121 

Difficulties  of  Travel    705 

Difficulties  of  Salt  Manufacturers..  436 
Discovery  of  Coal  in  Saginaw 

County    447-8 

Discovery  of  Great   Lakes 35 

Disruption  of  Board  of  Trade 

Threatened    499 

Dry  Goods  and   Notions 621-2 

Drugs  and  Medicines   626 

E 

Early   Conflagrations    188 

Early  Contemporary     Lawyers 781 

Early  Discoveries   of   Salt    426 

Early   Experiments   in    Beet    Culture  467 

Early  French   Explorations    34 

Early   Fruit    Growing    688-9 

Early  Newspapers    648 

Early  Judges  of  Saginaw   County: 

John    Moore    776 

DeWitt   C.    Gage    777 

Chauncey   H.  Gage 778 

John    A.    Edget 778 

Eugene    Wilber     779 

Early    Methods     of     Salt     Manufac- 
ture     433-4 


I 'a  Sf 

Early  Mining   at    Sebewaing 448-9 

Early   Missionaries    313 

Early   Pioneers     49 

Early   References    to    Saginaw 46 

Early   River   Navigation    706-7 

Early   Railroad   Projects    7ls 

Early  Growth    of    Postal    Business..   667 

Earliest    Saw    Mills 394 

Earliest   Schools    274 

Earthworks   in    Ohio   Valley 2 

East   Saginaw   Club    378-9 

East  Saginaw  in   1854,  A.  Rudd. ...  182-3 
East    Saginaw   Starts    Improvement--  238 
Economics    of    Modern    Salt    Manu- 
facture     440-1 

Edelweiss    Club     312 

Elks   Club,   Lodge    No.   47 384-5 

Emerson     Shipped     First     Cargo     of 

Lumber   from   Saginaw   River. ..  .396-7 
Employment  Suited  to  Blind 

W.  unen    599-601 

Enter  a    New   Element,   Police 233 

Encounter   with    Indian 70 

Enterprise  of  Norman  Little 132-4 

Erection  of  First  Salt   Block 431-2 

Evolution   of  Sawing   Machinery....    397 

Expansion  of  Coal   Industry 449-50 

Expansion   of  Schools    277 

Experiences   in    North    Woods 404-6 

Experiences     in     Early     Road     Mak- 
ing  703-4 

Extension  of  School  System 289-90 

Extermination   of   the    Sauks 27 

Extracting  Sweet   Matter 4sl 

F 

Failure    of   State    Salt    Experiment..    429 

Federal    Building    667-8 

Features   of   Olden    Times 97 

Financial   Ruin    745 

Finding    Human    Remains 3 

Finis  of   Bancroft   House 612 

Fire   Department    208 

Fire  Fighters  of  Saginaw  City 220-2 

First  Auto    Garage    676 

First   Bank   Cashier,  J.   F.   Brown...    179 

First    Baptists     " 322-4 

First  Baptist   Church    338 

First   Church  in    East   Saginaw 327-8 

First   County    Bond   109 

First   Christian    Mission    36 

First  Criminal  Trial    111-3 

First  Plank   Road    705 

First   Probate    Case    114 

First   Presbyterian    Church    of   Sagi- 
naw  City   3  14-7 

First   Mill    at    East    Saginaw 396 

First   Mine   in   Saginaw   County 449 

First  Gas   Propelled  Carriage    675 

hirst   Popular    Gasoline    Cars 675 

First  Steamboat    on    Saginaw    River  125 

First  Steamboat,  Coming  of 709 

First  Schools   at    East    Saginaw ...  .282-5 

First  Settler,   Louis  Campau    49 

First  Taverns    607 

First   Wheat    Raised    684 

First  Vessels  on   Saginaw   River....   708 

First  Volunteer   Fire   Fighters 208 

Fish  Trade   204 

Forest    Lawn    Cemetery 263 


Page 

Franklin,    Benjamin,    Hotel 617 

Franklin    Theater    673 

Fraternal   Orders    389-91 

Furniture  and  House  Furnishing 

Business    625 

G 

Gaylord,  Augustine  S.,   takes  charge 

of   schools    275 

Germania   Society    3r>:_'-:> 

German    Lutheran   Church 32 1 

German    Papers    663 

Ghost  of  the   Sauks 28 

Good     Roads    Movement 734-6 

Grains   and   Vegetables 690 

Grand    Ball   at   Bancroft    House..    ..    612 

Granulation  of  Sugar 4xt-i'> 

Grocery  and   Provision   Trade 630-1 

Growth    of    Factories 491  3 

Growth  of  Postal   Business 667 

H 

llahits  and  Customs  of  Indians 22 

Hardships   of   Pioneer   Life 60 

Hardships    of   Travel    74 

Hardware    Trade    619-20 

Hardy   Pioneer   Life 1 65-6 

High      Place     Won     by     Wisner     & 

Draper 783-4 

Hill  "Puts  One  Over"  on   Wright. .497  8 

Hill   Trade   School    281-2 

Holly   Water   Works 225-9 

Home  for   Friendless 349 

Hotel   Bancroft     (514-7 

I  Intel    Fordney    608 

Hotel   Vincent    618 

Hotels  of   Saginaw   City 607-8 

How   a    Bank    treated   Specie 744 

How   Beets  are  Scoured    4xu 

How  Farmers    Fared    685-6 

How   a   Lawyer's   Joke   Won   a   Law 

Suit     ;sl 

Hoyt    Library    304-7 

Humorous     Incident     789 

I 

Idea  of  Civic   Beauty 251 

Indian    Payment    Days 80 

Incorporation    of    Salina I'.M 

Incorporation    of   Saginaw    City 198 

Incorporation  of  First  Salt  Co 430-1 

Index  to  Portrait  Galery  of  Pioneers 

of    Saginaw    332 

Industry   Among   Blind   Folk 597 

Influence  of  Wah-be-sins 55 

Intense    Rivalry    between    Cities    on 

the    Saginaw    237 

Interest    in   Sugar    Beets 167 

luterurban    Electric   Traction 731 

I  terns  of    I  [istory   604-7 

Items    of    Interest 186 

J 

Jewelry,    etc 0r2.-.-f, 

L 

Labor    Difficulties   in   Coal    Mining..    451 

Land  ( irants  and   Earnings, 

F.   &    P.    M 723-4 

Lawyer  of  i  >ld  School,  W.   I.  Love- 
land  ;*' 

Lax    Banking    Laws    739 


l  'age 

Legend   of  Lone  Tree 29 

Liberal   Christians    322 

Literary    Clubs    307-8 

Little,    Norman,    Founds    East   Sagi- 
naw     148-50 

Locating  Seat  of  Justice 108 

Lost  at   Night  in  Forest 71 

Logs   and    Booms    399 

Lumber    Production,    1858 :;'.>7 

Lumber   Production,   1851   to   1897...     103 

Lumber   Production,   1802 411 

Lumbermen   Gain   Unexpected 

Riches    496-7 

M 

Marshes     \ttract    Buyers 690 

Masonic   Orders    ;;x7-s 

Ma3'ors    of    Saginaw 272 

Mershon-Whittier   Natatorium 259 

Methods   of  Mining   Coal 458 

Methodists  of  Saginaw   City 320 

M  ichigan    Appetite    686 

Michigan    Salt   Association 439-40 

Military   Occupation   59 

Military  Companies  of  Early  Days. 372-5 

Miners    Become    Operators 452 

Mining   Machines   Introduced    458 

Mode   of    Indian    Life 22 

Model    Saw    Mill 410 

Modern  School  Buildings    278-80 

Mounds   and    Ancient    Relics 12 

Mosquito   Road  to   Prairie  Farm ...  695-6 
Mutuality  of   Interests.  Saginaw  and 
old  F.  &   P.  M.   R.  R 724-5 

N        ' 

N'aegely,  i  aptain  and  Lumberjacks.407-8 
New  Steamer  Replaces  "Daniel 

Ball"    716-7 

Northern    Canal    Project 130-3 

Notable   Figure,  Wm.  M.  Miller 7S1 

O 

(  lakwood    Cemetery    260 

(  Iccupation  for  Blind  Men 598-9 

<  (fficial    Proceedings     11.") 

Oil  Development    503- 1 

<  >il  Well   Spouted   High    504 

oil    Speculators    Foiled    500 

Old    Business    Houses    1<>4 

Old-Time    Saw    Mills    408-9 

Opening  of  Treaty  Council 52 

Opening     Celebration     of     Bancroft 

House     .     ..  ... 609-10 

Opening    Excursion    of    F.    &    P.    M. 

R.    R 722  3 

Operations  of   Centrifugals    4S4 

Opposition  of  Eastern  Sugar 

Magnates    477-8 

I  itemization    of    Township 106 

Organization  of  Saginaw  *  ounty...  106 
Organization  of  Board  of  Education   288 

Organization   of   First   Church 313-6 

Organization    of    Saginaw    and    Bay 

Salt    Company     137 

Organization  of  "Wild  Cat"  Banks  7  1! 
Organization   of    Home    National 

Bank 748 

Organization   of   First   National 

Bank    748 


Page 
Organization  of  Savings    Bank    of 

East   Saginaw    749 

Organization  of  East  Saginaw 

National    Bank    749 

Organization  of  American  Com- 
mercial   and    Savings    Bank 760 

Organization    of    G.    L.    Burrows    & 

Co 750 

(  Organization  of  First  National 

Bank,   Saginaw    751 

Organization     of     Citizens    National 

Bank    752 

Organization     of     Saginaw     County 

Savings    752 

Original    Plat   of   East   Saginaw 142 

Ornaments   and   Charms    20 

Other    City     Bridges 243-5 

Output  of  the  Tittabawassee 400 

P 

Packing  and  Meat  Trade 64u 

Packing   Sugar   for   Market 486 

Parks,   Smaller    258 

Parochial   Schools    29li-7 

Penetrating    Virgin    Forest 73 

Period   of   Depression    494 

Period  of  Speculation    740 

Pere  Marquette  Founds  First  Settle- 
ment  in    Michigan    39-40 

Picture   of    Early   Saginaw 76 

Pioneer   Lawyer,  J.    B.   Sutherland..    775 

Pioneer  Life  in  Wilderness 67 

Pioneer  Farming   681 

Pioneers   Were   Migratory,   Some...   083 
Pioneer  Newspapers,  East  Saginaw.650-2 

Pioneer   Teachers.   "Academy"    286 

Plague    of    Blackbirds 140 

Platting   the  Town    107 

Police   Department    231 

Pottery    Exhumed    15 

Practical  Experience  in  Beet  Cul- 
ture   .     472-3 

Predictions   of  Early  Settler 393 

Preparing  the   Ground 681 

Primitive    Coal    Mining 447 

Primitive    (Urn    Planting 682 

Primitive  Trading    Posts    603 

Primitive    Maps    45 

Primitive  Settlement  of  East  Sagi- 
naw        140 

Primitive    Hand   Fire    Engines 211 

Prominent   Lawyers   Who   Came 

Later    783-86-7 

Prominent  Lawyers  of  Today  (1918)   789 

Provisions  for   New  City   Hall 241 

Public  Library 300-302-3 

Purifying    Diffusion    Juice    ( Sugar ).  482-3 
Purity    of   Saginaw    Salt 133 

Q 

Quiet  and  Absorbed  was  John  J. 
Wheeler    782 

R 

Raising   Blooded   Stock,  at   Prairie 

harm     697-9 

Rapid    Increase   in   Agriculture 690 

Rapid    Decline    of    River    Commerce    ;is 

Reach    Flint     River 72 

Reading   Club    311 


Page 

Real    Estate   and    Insurance 627-8 

Reclaiming    Marsh    Lands 693 

Recollections   of   N.   L.    Miller 160 

Shoots    First    Bear    163 

Reconstruction    of     Industrial    Sagi- 
naw      495-6 

Recovery   Was   Slow   in   "Wild   Cat" 

Times     746 

Reporter's    Reminiscences     648-50 

Retail  Grocers  of  Olden  Times....  630 
Reorganization  of  Fire  Department  216 
Retarded   Settlement   and   Causes...      79 

Retributive   Justice    of   Savages 30 

Research    Club     311 

Rescue    Missions    358 

Revival  of  Industries    49S 

Rise     and    Decline     of     River     Com- 
merce     714-5 

River  and   Shore   Lines 715-6 

Rough   Forest   Trails    703 

Run   mi]   ,i    Bank    751-2 

Rivalry  of   Fire   Companies 211 

Rust    Park    Improvements 256 

S 

Sacred   Heart  Church 3  13) 

Saginaw   City    Bank    741 

Saginaw  City   in    1837    128 

Saginaw   in   1851,  John  Moore 174-7 

Saginaw  an   Orderly   City    23t-,"> 

Saginaw   General    Hospital    348 

Saginaw  Club    37s-9 

Saginaw  Country    Club    380-3 

Saginaw  Canoe    Club    383-4 

Saginaw    Lodge,  No.  47  B.  P.  O.  E.. 384-5 

Saginaw    Post    Offices     664-5 

Saginaw    Postal     Business.    1915-6...    670 

Saginaw   Is — Saginaw    Has    679 

Saginaw   County     Farmers'    Organ..    702 

Saginaw  Saw   Mills  in  'so'--    411 

Saginaw   Naval    Reserves    375-8 

Saginaw   Reading   Club    311 

Saginaw    Woman's    Club    311 

Saginaw  Becomes   a    Distributing 

Lumber   Market    413-4 

Saginaw  Sugar  Company  formed...  476 
Salt   and    Lumber    Industries   United   43.:: 

Salt    Production    445 

Salvation   Army    357 

Sauks   and   Onottawas    23 

School  Teacher-Lawyer  was  Augus- 
tine   S.    Gaylord 782 

Semi-Centennial   Celebration  of 

Board  of  Trade,    1913, 500-3 

Shipbuilding   on    Saginaw    River ....  71 1-4 

Shooting    Wild    Ducks,    1831 77 

Side     Lights     on     Pioneer     Lumber- 
men     421-.". 

Single   Germ    Beet    Balls 4S7 

Sluing    Beets    4xi 

Sources    of    Sugar 466 

Speculators    <  (  HI  i    Foiled    506 

Spirit    i  if    Revenge 23 

Shop-ena-gons    Account    28 

Starting    New    Industries    489 

State  Bores  for  Salt 437  8 

State    Reaps    Benefits    (Salt) 133 

State  Salt    Inspection    437-s 

Steamboat  "Wellington  R  Burt"...  717 
Steamer    Lines    725 


Page 

Strength    of   Saginaw    Banks 753-4 

Street   Railways    731 

St.  John's   Episcopal  Church 317-20 

St.   Andrews   Catholic   Church    325-6 

St.   Paul's   Episcopal   Church 334-5 

SS.  Peter  and  Paul  Church 326 

St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church 341-2 

St.  Joseph's   Catholic   Church 342 

St.  John's.  G.  E.  Lutheran  Church .  .344-5 

St.  "Mary's   Hospital 345-6 

St.  Vincent's  Orphans   Home 346 

Summary  of  Factories  and  Labor.. 493-4 
Summary     of     Saginaw      Industries. 

1914    506-8 

Sugar  Making  an  Ancient  Science...  466 
Sugar    Bowl   of   Michigan 468-9 

T 

Test   of   Firemens'    Mettle 213 

Teutonia  Society    370 

Theology  in   Camp    407 

Timber  Supplies  Fail   489 

To   Whom   Honor  Is  Due 98 

Transcript   of   Saginaw   Treaty 56-8 

Trade    Development    Slow 604 

Trail   to   Pontiac    67 

Trail   to   the   North 70 

Treaties.    Other    64-5 

Treaty   of   Detroit 51 

Treaty  Reservations  to  Rileys 80 

Tribute   to   Jesse   Hoyt 17s 

Trip      Through      Carrollton      Sugar 

Factory    479-80 

Trust   Control  of  Beet  Sugar 478 

Two   Postoffices  are   Detrimental...    670 

U 

Um-zoo-ee   Cub 380 

Union   School,   New    275 

Union  School  District 278 

Unique   Character — Sam   G.   Clay... 671-2 

Unique    Garden    Beds    Found S 

United   States    Land   Office 700 


Page 
Utilizing   of    Waste    Exhaust    Steam 

in    Salt    Manufacture    442 

Utilization    of    Beet    Pulp 477 

V 

Value  of  Coal  Lands 457 

Value    of    Beet    Sugar    Industry     to 

Saginaw    County    47S 

Value   of   Bottom    Lands 086-7 

Value   of    State    Awards 737 

Veto    of    Electric    Lighting    Project 

at  Saginaw  City   240 

Village  Sites  in  Saginaw  County....      10 

Voyage    Across    Lake    Erie 06 

W 

Wah-wah-sums    371 

Warren    Avenue    Presbyterian 

Church    339-41 

Webster    House    (old) 134 

Well     Known    Hotels 018 

West    Side    Churches 327 

West    Side    Water   System 229 

When    Changes    Were    Rapid 234 

Why  Saginaw  Was  Slow  in  Starting 

Beet    Sugar    Industry 474-5 

Why  Saginaw  Has  Two  Postoffices. 608-9 

Why  Saginaw  Was  Cut  Off 720-2 

Why  Saginaw  Bar  Was  Strong 785 

Wild    Fruits   and   Berries 088 

Williams  Saw  Mill,  First  in  Saginaw 

Valley     394-5 

Willcox   Automatic   Rakes 442-3 

Winter    Club    308 

Wintering   Stock   on   Rushes 691-2 

Woman's    Hospital    349 

Work    of    Mound    Builders 1 

Working    Up    By- Products 444 

Working  of  the   Banking   Law 742 

Workshops     18 

Y 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  354-7 
Young  Women's   Christian 

Association   350-2 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


History  of  Saginaw  County,  Truman  B.  Fox.  Saginaw  Enterprise  Press..  1858 

History  of  Saginaw  Valley,    Truman  B.  Fox,  Daily  Courier  Tress 1868 

Indian  and  Pioneer  History,  Thomas  Galatin,  in  Saginaw  Directory 1866 

City  of  Saginaw  Directory,  Robert  F.  Dudley 1870 

State  Gazeteer   1863-4 

History  of  the  Saginaws,  W.  R.  Hates  ;    E.  W.  Lyon,  printer 1874 

History  of  the  United  States,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  118-162,  George  Bancroft 
Michigan  Pioneer  Collections,  44  vol.,  Michigan  Historical  Commission 

Proceedings  of  the  Saginaw  Valley  Pioneer  Society 1873 

History  of  Saginaw  County,  Michigan,  Chapman  Brothers 1881 

Portrait  and  Biographical  Album,  Chapman  Brothers 1883 

Industries  of  the  Saginaw,  1.  W.  Elstner  &  Co 1887 

Statistics  of  Lumber  and  Salt  Business  of  Saginaw  Valley, 

Truman    B.    Fox 1866 

Annual  Statement  of  the  Business  of  Saginaw  Valley  and  "The  Shore" 

( rei  irge  F.  Lewis  and  C.  B.  Headley 1867  to  1872 

Saginaw  and  Bay  Counties  Biographical  Pub.  Co 1892 

Lumber  and  Forest  History  of  the  Northwest, 

( reorge  VV.   I  lotchkiss,  Chicago 1898 

Bench  and  Bar  of  Michigan 

Cyclopedia  of  Michigan,  John    Bersey ;  Western   Publ'y  and   Engraving 

Company  1890 

Cyclopedia  of  Michigan,  John    Bersey;  Western   Publ'y  and   Engraving 

(  i  impany   l'JOO 

Saginaw  in  1893,  Annual  Report  of  Board  of  Trade.  S.  G.  Higgins 1X92 

Annual  Reports  of  Flint  &  Pere  Marquette  Railroad 1868  and  1870 

Constitution  of  Saginaw  County  Agriculture  Society,  First  Fair 1866 

List  of  Premiums,  Eighth  Annual  Fair 1874 

Proceedings  of  Board  of  Supervisors 1869  and  1870 

Annual  Report  of  Controller  of  East  Saginaw 1869  and  1870 

Report  of  Saginaw  and  Bay  Salt  Company 1870 

Reports  of  Board  of  Public  Works 1906  to  1.915 

Reports  of  Board  of  Park  and  Cemetery  Commissioners 1908  to  1915 

Reports  of  Board  of  Education 1873  and  1906  to  1916 

Rules  and  Regulations  of  Board  of  Water  Commissioners 1874 

Saginaw,  Michigan,  in   1905,  Industrial  and  Commercial.  Illustrated 

Semi-Centennial  Souvenir,  Saginaw,  Michigan,  Frank  S.  Spencer 1907 

Greater  Saginaw,  II.  W.  Gardner:  Saginaw  Daily  News 1912 


,ViAR  2  4  1955 


HH 


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