USA > Michigan > Alpena County > Centennial history of Alpena County, Michigan > Part 7
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and the river was meandered up to the section line between sections 21 and 22. The base line was carried east, across the river, to a point designated by one of the proprietors, and an- other post was planted, and another meridian line projected, and named Fletcher street. On this meridian line, south thir- ty-nine degrees east, to the bay, posts were set at proper dis- tances, between this line and the river. The meridian line was also extended north, thirty-nine degrees west, from the said post, to Beech street, and posts set at proper distances on this line, and between it and the river. Then Beech street was run north, fifty-one degrees east, to Oldfield street, and thence on Oldfield street to Bridge street, and posts set on these streets, at proper distances; thence north, fifty-one degrees east, on Bridge street, to Miller street, and thence north, thirty-nine de- grees west on Miller street to Mackinaw street, and posts were set at proper places. Soon after the field work was completed, the writer made a map of his work, and presented it to J. K. Lock- wood, who approved of it, and went with the writer to Mortimer L. Smith, in Detroit, who made two copies on cloth, one for Mr. Lockwood and one for the writer, and which copy the writer has yet in his possession. Mr. Fletcher was not satisfied with the survey, for the reason that some of the streets reached the river, and that the meridian, on both sides of the river, was too close to it for mill purposes. The proprietors, after making many important alterations, had the mutilated and changed map of Oliver's survey lithographed and put upon the records, ostensi- bly as the survey of E. A. Breakenridge.
There is no acknowledged survey of the city on record, nor is there any original field notes on record. E. A. Breaken- ridge is credited with the survey, and Oliver with the mistakes, if any are found. The west square, belonging to the county, was named Victoria Square, in respect to the proprietors who resided in the Queen's Dominion; and the east square was call- ed Jessie Square, Jessie being the name of the wife of General
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Fremont, after whom the village was named. One half of the proprietors then resided in Canada, and hired their help there; and the other half resided in Michigan, and per sequence the town and county received their immigration from both places. They were hardy, industrious and enterprising people, who came for the purpose of making for themselves homes, and to build up communities and industries for themselves and their children; and to learn how well they have done their task, you have only to look over Alpena county in 1876.
In January, 1859, provisions began to be very scarce in Fre- mont and in the lumber camps, and by the last of February, many people were reduced to whitefish and bread. It was ut- terly impossible to get anything from Saginaw, by land, and the writer having people at his place ( Ossineke. ) to care for, could render but little assistance. The people bore their pri- vations with remarkable fortitude. All remained at their work, as though they had plenty, until in March, when they were re- lieved by the appearance of Mr. Lockwood's schooner, the J. S. Minor. This visit from "General Scarcity" was repeated for several years, but only once succeeded in driving any one away. This shortage of provisions was occasioned, not so much by the inability or unwillingness of the proprietors to furnish the sup- plies, as by the incalculable increase of population, outside of those employed by the proprietors. Every year the supplies were largely increased, but the increase of consumers was still in advance of the supplies, and it was not until outside parties began to bring in provisions that the defect was remedied.
The following letter, from E. K. Potter to the writer, and dated June 2d, 1876, with liberty to use, graphically and hu- morously characterizes the events at that time. He says:
"In the fall of 1858, Lockwood & Minor inaugurated the first lumber operations on the Thunder Bay river. Contracts were let to Archibald and Murray, and Alvin Cole. It being
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something new to provide a supply of everything for six months, in a country as new and undeveloped as this was, it is not to be wondered at that the supplies run short long before spring, and by the first of February, 1859, that 'General Scarcity,' you spoke of, was here in full dress uniform. I was in the lumber camp that winter, and with sorrow beheld the last piece of pork hung up by a string, over the center of a rude table, as a re- minder of happy by-gone days of peace and plenty. Mr. Whitefish stepped in and took the place of honor which had been occupied by Hog, and held the balance of power from that time until the 16th of March. Mr. J. K. Lockwood being informed of our sad state, had his good schooner, the J. S. Minor, fitted out and started for Alpena, or Fremont, as it was then called at that time, with pork, beef, sugar, etc., and she arrived as above stated, on the 16th of March, and to all ap- pearances, it was just as cold and winter-like as at any time during the winter. We all felt rejoiced to hear the news in camp, that the Minor had arrived with provisions, and we all sung Mr. Lockwood's praise, as many a poor man and his fam- ily have had occasion to do since; and I will here say to Mr. Lockwood, more than to any other man, belongs the credit of starting and keeping in motion the then small lumbering oper- ations which gave employment to the few who were here, and thus securing the necessaries of life until better times should change the then discouraging situation of affairs, it being right after the dreadful panic of 1857, which will be remembered by all, as the hardest times this country had seen for fifty years. Messrs. Lockwood & Minor built the so-called 'Island Mill,' in 1860, which was the principal means of support for this then small and poor village, for three or four years. One pair of horses did the log hauling for the mill in the summer, and the lumber woods was the present site of Alpena. Down timber and burnt timber, and in fact" everything that would make a piece 6x6, was hauled to the little mill, and squared, and the
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block ends cut off, and shipped to Cleveland, and pork, flour, tea, sugar, etc., brought back in return, and thus, from year to year, the 'log' was kept rolling, until to-day we have, from this small beginning, which has been so imperfectly described, a city of nearly, if not quite, five thousand inhabitants, an honor to the founders, who, while striving to advance its interests and that of its inhabitants, in all proper ways, have not, by selfish- ness, grown rich in this world's goods, but they have the satis- faction of knowing that they helped their fellow man.
"Yours respectfully, "Signed,
E. K. POTTER."
The writer would here suggest, that those who have come to Alpena, of later date, who cannot do a day's work for the city or county, or even for the celebration of the "Glorious Fourth," without being paid for it; who came here after a town was made for them, by the old pioneers, and when the coffers of the treas- ury were well filled; who never underwent any hardships or expense for the city or county, should well remember, that many privations had to be endured, and many days' labor per- formed for the city and county, without pay, by the proprietors and first settlers, ere a town was built up for their reception ; and the men who were wise, prudent and persevering enough to build up and govern the county, until it had grown to opu- lence and influence, should be allowed at least a complimentary voice in making the laws, and not considered over-selfish if they wish to have a "hand share" in the spoils, when any are had.
Mr. Fletcher and the firm of Lockwood & Minor having fail- ed to build the two water mills referred to, were anxious to have their logs manufactured into lumber, and gave sufficient inducement to Messrs. Obed Smith and Harman Chamberlain, of St. Clair county, to determine them to erect a steam sawmill at Fremont; and in the spring of 1859, they commenced the
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work of building the first steam sawmill in Alpena county. They pushed forward the work with vigor, and in August or September of the same year they sawed the first boards. This was an important, and an encouraging event. All before had been failure, disappointment and expense, without any ad- equate returns. Now the mill would give employment to the people, and the proceeds would furnish the means to purchase the necessaries of life. The first work done by this mill, was to cut the logs belonging to the firm of Lockwood & Minor. This occupied the balance of the season of 1859, and a part of 1860.
In the summer of 1859, Mr. J. K. Bingham came to Fre- mont. He brought with him, what was then considered a large stock of merchandise. He landed his goods on the north side of the river, (the reason will be given in the chapter on tem- perance, ) and proceeded at once to erect a store, on Dock street ; and in a few weeks a second store was added to the village .. He then commenced the erection of a public house, near his store, on Dock street, and some time in September, the first hotel in Fremont was finished and opened to the public.
In the summer of 1860, John Trowbridge & Bros. leased the Smith & Chamberlaiu mill. They also purchased Mr. Fletch- er's logs, as they were then situated in the river. They thought they could get better sawyers in the State of Pennsylvania, than they could in Michigan, and there they engaged Mr. George Bundy, to come with a crew of men, and saw their lumber. When Mr. Bundy came with his men, to saw the logs, behold! the logs were all fast on the "Big Rapids," and nothing less than a big flood would get them off. Trowbridge & Bros. then procured a charter from the Board of Supervisors, to build a dam across Thunder Bay river, in section 1, in township 31 north, of range 7 east, for the purposes of flooding and manufac- turing. Then they proceeded to make the dam, and in Septem- ber or October it was ready for the first flood. A few of the
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logs reached the mill that fall, and the balance in the spring, and were sawed during the season of 1861. All the lumber sawed from these logs, was made into one raft, and towed to Chicago. It reached that place without much, if any, in- jury, and was the first and last raft of sawed lumber taken from Thunder Bay river. At this time, a bitter feeling existed be- tween John Trowbridge & Bros. and the proprietors of Fre- mont, growing out of an affair that took place in 1858 and 1859. In Thunder Bay river was a middle ground, covered with wa- ter, except in low stages of the river. The Trowbridge Bros. claimed that this middle ground was an island, unsurveyed, and consequently belonged to the United States. The proprietors of Fremont claimed that it was a middle ground, and a part of the river, and the right to it was purchased with the adjacent lands. On this middle ground, the Trowbridge Bros. built a board shanty, to hold it by pre-emption, and the proprietors of Fremont, or some of their representatives, pulled it down. This was repeated two or three times, and the Trowbridge Bros., finding they could not hold it in that way, resolved to have the disputed "middle ground" surveyed by a United States Deputy Surveyor, as an island. In order to do this, it was necessary to bring into this survey, certain other unsurveyed islands in Thunder Bay and vicinity. These islands the writer, a short time prior to this, had been authorized by the Surveyor General to survey. By false representations, the order to the writer to survey the islands, was revoked by the Surveyor Gen- eral, and a Deputy Surveyor sent on to make the survey. Af- ter the surveyor's report was sent to Washington, and a strong remonstrance was sent from the proprietors of Fremont, the writer sent a detailed account of the whole transaction to the Surveyor General, and nothing since has been heard from the survey, and the islands remain as they then were, and the pro- prietors of Fremont were victorious.
In 1860, Lockwood & Minor, finding the Smitli & Chamber-
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lain mill was in the hands of John Trowbridge & Bros., and operated by them, foreign to the interests of Fremont, resolved upon building a steam sawmill on the disputed "middle ground." They commenced the work accordingly, some time in July, and pushed it with such vigor, that in six weeks from the time they struck the first blow, they were cutting lumber with one six- feet circular saw. This was called the "Island Mill," because it. was situated upon the disputed island. The importance of this mill is given in Mr. Potter's letter, to which the reader is re- ferred.
Some time in 1859, Mr. Hilliard Broadwell came to Fremont. He came for the purpose of locating a site for a water mill. He was very conservative in his principles, firm in his own opinions, and familiar with water sawmills in the "old way," and nothing would do him but a water sawmill. He selected a site on the long rapids, and in the spring of 1860, commenc- ed to erect a mill dam across Thunder Bay river, on section 7, in township 31 north, of range 8 east, which was finished in July or August of the same season. He then erected a saw- mill, on the east bank of the river, having two upright sashes, carrying two saws each. The lumber was taken to Trowbridge Point, on a tram railway, and shipped. This mill was operat- ed a few years by Mr. Broadwell, but was found to be too prim- itive to be profitable, or compete with later improvements in milling, and was abandoned, and is now one of the old things of Alpena county.
A large portion of the improvements made in 1861, 'consist- ed in finishing up buildings, clearing the ground around them, making fences, etc. Some short sidewalks were made this year. From 1858 to 1862, a number of dwellings had been erected, and among the most noted were: One by J. S. Irwin, a cottage, between River and Minor streets, and then "way up in the woods"; one built by A. F. Fletcher, on the corner of Water and Second streets, a two story building, and for a long
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MRS. SARAH L. CARTER,
ONE OF THE FIRST WOMEN SETTLERS OF ALPENA COUNTY, AND IN THE EARLY DAYS, THE ONLY PHYSICIAN IN THE COUNTY.
time the best dwelling in the village. It was occupied for a time, in 1861 and 1862, by Mr. Leroy Bundy, as a hotel, for the best visitors to Alpena. Mr. Bundy was Postmaster for a short time, and was Deputy County Clerk in 1861 and 1862. John Cole built a large dwelling near the corner of Water and First streets, and Samuel Boggs built a cottage on River and Second streets. Jolin W. Glennie built a two story dwelling on the corner of Chisholm and First streets; and William E. Jones built a cottage on the corner of First and River streets. David Plough built a cottage on First and River streets; Mar- tin Minton, a cottage on the northeast corner of River and Sec- ond streets; and on the opposite corner Oliver T. B. Williams erected a large dwelling, which was destroyed by fire before it was entirely finished. Daniel Carter lived on Water street un- til 1859 or 1860, when he erected a large dwelling on Chisholm street, and moved into it, from Water street, the same year. At his house on Water street, was held the first election,
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the first session of the Board of Supervisors, the first session of a court. It was made the first postoffice, the first boarding house, and for a long time the hospital, where all the sick and wounded, who had no home in the village, were taken and cared for by Mrs. Carter, who was the only physician in the coun- ty, and she did good service, as many have good reason to re- member.
In 1862, Lockwood & Minor commenced to build another steam sawmill, on the east side of River street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. They had got the frame up, when the fire from the woods, which was near, spread into and through where the town now is,-1876,-by a strong wind, burning the mill frame, together with a number of dwellings, and destroy- ing a large quantity of rubbish. This so happened on the fourth day of July, and admonished the people, more than an oration, to clear away the timber around their dwellings. The mill frame was soon replaced, and in October the mill was com- pleted, running one six-feet circular and a siding mill. This was known as the "Home Mill."
In 1861, Samuel E. Hitchcock, familiarly known among his friends as "The Deacon," came with his family to reside in Fre- mont; and in 1862, erected a fine dwelling on Chisholm street, near the bay. He had his lands surveyed, and made them an addition to the village of Fremont. In pursuance of an agree- ment with the Board of Supervisors, "The Deacon," in 1863, erected a large and commodious building, on the corner of Wash- ington avenue and Chisholm street, and finished it, for county offices, and a room for holding the courts; and also for holding church and Sabbath school. It was known as "The Deacon's Court House." As soon as it was finished, and accepted by the Board of Supervisors, a lease was made for five years, and longer if the county of Alpena desired, with a provision that the court room might be used on the Sabbath, for the purpose of holding church and Sabbath school.
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The year 1863 was not remarkable for the number of new buildings erected, but much improvements were made in finish- ing and enlarging those already erected, in clearing grounds, making fences, and improving the streets with ditches, sawdust and sidewalks; so that, in 1864, the little village began to as- sume the appearance of civilization.
The year 1864 is remarkable in the history of Alpena coun- ty, as the one from which it can date the commencement of its rapid growth and prosperity. "General Scarcity" was su- perseded by "General Plenty," and has held command ever since.
Although a fierce and bloody war had been and was then raging in the southern States, and General Grant was fighting his way from the Rapidan to Richmond, and General Sher- man was advancing step by step from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and a heavy draft, for soldiers and revenue, had been made on the northern States, yet they were prosperous in their busi- ness relations, and rapidly increasing in material wealth. This was particularly so with Alpena. Greenbacks were first issued in 1862, and in 1864 began to be frequently seen in Alpena. The supply of pitch and tar from the southern States, and arti- cles manufactured there, being cut off by the blockade, brought norway pine into demand, and tar and turpentine reached fabu- lous prices. This brought a large number of people to Alpena, to look for norway pine to manufacture into timber and lumber, and the norway pine stumps to manufacture into tar and tur- pentine. Lester, Long & Co. built a steam sawmill, on the east side of River street, between Fifth and Sixth streets. This mill run one large circular saw and lath mill-capacity about two million feet of lumber and one million pieces of lath, and employed about twenty men. They also built a boarding house near the mill. This year, the "Home Mill," belonging to Lock- wood & Minor, was destroyed by fire, involving a heavy loss to them. It was re-built the same season, and now-1876-be-
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longs to Bewick, Comstock & Co. This year-1864-the Thun- der Bay Dam Company's dam was finished, and a large wa- ter mill built, on the east side of the river, by John Oldfield. It run one large circular saw, one muley, with edgers, slab saws and lath machines. It employed about forty men. Mr. Oldfield built, in connection with his mill, a large boarding house, barn, and a few small dwellings. Mr. Bowen built a storehouse and dock, on the south side of Dock street. Messrs. Doer & Fairchild erected a manufactory for making tar and turpentine from norway pine stumps, and many hundreds of these were made into tar, turpentine and charcoal. They sold their interest to Martin Minton, who, in 1865, built another factory, at Ossineke. This was a lucrative business as long as the war lasted, but when the war ended, prices of tar and tur- pentine soon dropped so low that there was no profit to the manufacturer, and it ceased to be an industry in Alpena county. This year-1864-the first bridge was built across Thunder Bay river. (For particulars see chapter on roads. )
In 1865, William Jenney and Elisha Harrington built a large steam sawmill, on the east side of River street, and north of Fourth street. This was, when erected, and is, in 1876, the largest mill in Alpena. They run one gang, one muley saw, and two large circular saws, with lath machines, edgers, slab saws, etc. They also erected, near their mill, a large boarding house, and store, and a few dwellings. This property changed hands, and in 1876 belonged to Hilliard, Churchill & Co. In 1863, the Smith & Chamberlain mill was destroyed by fire, which was strongly suspected to have been the work of an in- cendiary. This year-1865 -- it was re-built, on the site of the burned one. It run one gang, one muley saw, one large circu- lar saw, and lath mill. Has a capacity to cut about six million feet of lumber, and about one and a half million pieces of lath per season. The property, in 1876, belongs to Folkerts & But- terfield. The First Congregational Society of Alpena, com-
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menced this year-1865-the erection of a large and beautiful church, on the north side of Second street. It is a wooden structure, and cost about $6,000-finished in 1868-and is, in 1876, the largest and best church in the city. This year- 1865-two large hotels were being built; one on the corner of Fletcher and Dock streets, by J. R. Beach, and called the Un- ion Star Hotel, and the other on the west side of Chisholm street, by Julius Potvin, and known as the Alpena House. They were finished in a style to accommodate the traveling public, and were expected to supply a need long felt by the cit- izens of the village.
In 1866, E. P. Campbell & Co., built what is known as the Campbell & Potter mill. It is located one and a half miles due west from the mouth of Thunder Bay river, and on its most southern bend. A tram railway was made from the mill to the bay, a little over a mile in length. A large and commodious dock was built out in the bay, for the purpose of piling and shipping lumber, and landing goods. The mill run one muley saw and two large circular saws, and a lath mill-had a capaci- ty to cut six million feet of lumber, and a million and a half pieces of lath per season. At or about this time, G. S. Lester, under the firm name of C. Thompson & Co., erected a large shingle mill, a short distance north and east of the Campbell & Potter mill, using the tram road and dock of E. P. Campbell & Co. for shipping purposes. It run a rotary machine and one Chicago, and had a capacity to cut about ten million shingles during the season. These very important improvements were soon followed by others, as a matter of necessity. The two mills would give employment to about fifty men. who must board near their work; and being separated then from Alpena, by a mile and a half of a dense tamarack swamp, it became nec- essary to erect suitable buildings for their accommodation; and a cluster of dwellings and other buildings were soon erected near the mills, and this cluster of buildings was known as
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Campbellville. The next necessity that presented itself, was a road on the section line, and direct between the two places ; and the first step to be taken in that direction, was to drain the swamps. Two large ditches were made, one near and parallel to the tramway, and the other near and parallel with the section line, to the bay. These ditches drained a large portion of the surface water, and enabled the people to open a road for pedes- trians, but it was some time before teams could travel over it, during the spring and fall. This year-1866-two shingle mills were built; one on the north side of the river, near the bay, by Thomas Robinson, who introduced the first planing machine into Alpena. This was a great desideratum. Prior to this, all lumber had to be dressed by hand, or brought from Detroit, and as mechanics' wages were from three to five dollars per day, and board, it made building very expensive. The other shingle mill was built by Hopper & Davis, on the northi side of the river, and west of Chisholm street. Both of these were burned, the former in June, 1867, and the latter is un- known to the writer. L. M. Mason & Co. completed the water mill, commenced by Lockwood & Minor in 1858, the frame of which was made at that time, by John Cole. This mill is lo- cated on the west side of the dam, and runs one muley saw, two shingle machines, and a lath mill. Although Alpena had as few crimes to punish, perhaps, as any county in the State, of its age and population, yet it was necessary that it should have a place where disorderly persons could go and be taken care of. In 1864 or 1865, the Board of Supervisors made a contract for clearing Jessie Square, and erecting a suitable building for a jail. It was built on Chisholm street, and made of two-inch plank, doubled, and fastened together with spikes driven close together. It had three or four cells, well made, and strong : two light rooms for prisoners, and ample rooms for turnkey and family. Attached to this was a woodshed and stable. It was painted the Scotchman's "muckle dun" color, and made a very
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