History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 26

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page
Number of Pages: 380

USA > Michigan > Bay County > History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 26

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A REMINISCENCE.

Mrs. A. E. Felt, formerly Miss A. E. Robinson, who succeeded Harry Campbell, is now a resident of Flint, Mich. In the Winter of 1882-'83 Mrs. Felt wrote in response to our inquiries, and in her sketch it will be observed there is a slight variance from the state- ment of Mr. Rogers, in regard to the years 1848-'49-'50; but the matter is so unimportant as to be of no consequence. Mrs. Felt writes as follows :

" Thirty-six years ago this Winter I taught school in Lower Saginaw, now Bay City. The place was a little hamlet on the bank of a broad, beautiful river, and the few families scattered up and down for a distance of three miles, decided to collect the children and open a school. I occupied the position of teacher two Winters and an intervening Summer. The whole number of pupils was about thirty, and the average attendance about twenty-five. The schoolhouse, a small wooden building, stood not far from the river, in a pretty bend of the stream, and from the windows of the school- house we could look up and down as far as the eye could reach. The patrons of the school were almost without exception people of edu- cation. Mr. James G. Birney was then a resident of the place, and occupied a pretty vine-clad cottage. A broad stretch of river was his foreground, and a beautiful flower garden almost surrounded his home. The latter was Mr. Birney's especial care and delight. Pictures upon the walls and a well stored library spoke of elegance

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

and refinement within. Mr. Birney's farm one-half mile below the schoolhouse was the limit of civilization in that direction. The only street in the town followed the river not far from the Birney cottage. The river was the only avenue of ingress and egress to and from the town. Women and children as well as men paddled canoes. Upon the opposite bank of the river was as beautiful a park as any ever fashioned by art. Tall trees scattered here and there spread their wide branches from early Spring till lingering Autumn. A carpet of wild flowers extended to the water's edge; such beautiful wild flowers, and in such abundance I have never seen elsewhere. The green sloping bank of the other side was a great attraction to all. It requires some credulity, as one looks upon the unsightliness commerce has wrought, to believe that one of the loveliest of rivers found its peaceful way to the broad bay below only a few years ago.

In 1854 a new building was erected on Adams Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, whose accommodations, calculated for the

CENTRAL SCHOOL BUILDING, BAY CITY.

children of the entire township, provided for the instruction of about 160. This building served the needs of the youth until 1865. But multiplication was going on so rapidly that addition became necessary. In September, 1865, the inspectors formed the "school district of Bay City," and this was regularly organized the October following. Up to that time the schools were under control of School District Number Two, of the township of Hampton. The amount of school taxes fixed for that year was $2,616.29. On the 4th of De- cember, 1865, another school was opened in a rented building in the Third Ward, where there were fifty-six sittings and eighty-nine pupils. In January, 1866, the School Board bought the property on the corner of Adams and Eighth Streets, with the building thereon, for $3,000, and a school was opened there on the 22nd of the same month, with 120 sittings.

In April of the year 1866, the project of a high school was agi- tated, and at several meetings held in May, the matter was fully discussed. The result was that the Board was instructed to buy the high school site, which is the block bounded by Ninth, Tenth, Grant and Farragut Streets. The price paid for this property was $4,400. In the October following, the site for the First Ward school building was bought for $2,400; and in November the entire block 268 was bought of James Watson for $2,800. The following year buildings

were put up on these sites, and a building on Saginaw Street, between Fourth and Fifth, was rented for school purposes. At this time the aggregate enrollment of pupils was 522.

March 20, 1867, the Governor approved the act of the Legisla- ture organizing the Union School District of Bay City, and the first School Board under it was chosen the succeeding month. The new buildings in the First and Fifth Wards were opened in August of this year. In September, 1867, the contract for the high school building, a massive three-story brick edifice, was let to George Campbell at $67,350, and on the 6th of the following May the corner-stone was duly laid. In April, 1869, schools were opened in the high school building.

The rapid growth of the school establishment continued during the years following those just mentioned, and the Board was con- stantly taxing its means to provide adequate accommodations. During the Summer of 1869, an addition was made to the Second Ward building, and next year it became necessary to put an addi- tional room on the Fifth Ward branch building. In the Summer of 1871 a two-story addition was made to the First Ward building.

On the 1st of April, 1869, the superintendency of the Bay City schools was assumed by Prof. D. C. Scoville, who at once began a most thorough work of organization and discipline. Under his able administration the schools were graded, and by his efforts and those of his assistants, the standard was brought up to a high point.

The annexation of Portsmouth, in 1873, enlarged the field of labor, and the rapid increase of population since that time has called for additional facilities adequate to the demand.

In the Summer of 1874, Prof. I. W. Morley, who came to Bay City with Prof. Scoville in 1869, succeeded the latter in the office of superintendent, and has continued in that capacity to the present time, with marked success. In 1875 there were six school buildings, and thirty-five teachers were employed. At the present time there are nine school buildings and forty-nine teachers. In March, 1882, the official report showed the value of school lands and buildings to be as follows:

Value of lands, buildings, etc., March 22, 1882:

First Ward School,

$ 14,000 00

Second Ward School.

5,000 00

High School.

40,000 00

Fitzhugh Street School.

1,000 00

Bowery Street School.

4,000 00

Sixth Ward School.

7,500 00

Seventh Ward School.

6,500 00

Fourth Ward School.

25,000 00

Total $103,000 00

During the season of 1882 the new High School building was finished. This building is located on the corner of Madison and Eleventh Streets and is an elegant specimen of architecture. A new building was also erected on Woodside Avenue at a cost of $3,800. There is nothing connected with Bay City that reflects greater credit upon its people than the pronounced excellence of its public schools.

SCHOOL STATISTICS.

The following table shows the comparison between the early and later years:

YEAR.

NO. SCHOOL CHILDREN.

NO. ENROLLED.

1866.

1,063

576

1867

1,270

842

1868,

1,533

1,197

1869

1,941

1,220

1870.

2,102

1,822

1871.

2,225

1,851

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

1872

2,428

1,906

1878

4,375

2,160

1879

4,211

2,484

1880

.5,411

2,402

1881.

5,153

2,628

1882

.6,318

2,728

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

President, H. H. Hatch; clerk, Thomas A. Delzell; First Ward, Andrew Walton, Alexander Folsom; Second Ward, Lucien S. Coman, George H. Shearer; Third Ward, H. H. Hatch, John L. Dolsen; Fourth Ward, C. F. Newkirk, C. F. Gibson. Fifth Ward, J. M. Laing, William R. McCormick; Sixth Ward, George Lewis, M. A. Rose; Seventh Ward, J. D. Lewis, O. A. Waters.

In addition to the public schools are seven miscellaneous schools, all of which are liberally sustained and maintain a high rank.

The Board of Education held a meeting in April, 1883, at which some facts and figures were presented, which we give as fol- lows :- "Ten years ago the amount of money used for teachers' sal- aries was $17,000 for thirty-three teachers. We now employ fifty- five teachers, and paid last year for salaries, $15,000. We had no training school at that time and consequently had to hire our teach- ers from other localities at higher salaries.

Since the organization of our training school, in 1877, we have had applicants from the graduating classes who intend to pursue teaching as a calling, to fill up the school, and we now employ thirty-three teachers who have graduated from our high school, and who taught one year in the training department under the direction of our training teacher. This department of our schools has evidently been a success, and is still doing good work, both as to furnishing teachers and the quality of the work done by these teachers. We find upon investigation that the pupils from the training schools pass from it to the grammar department as creditably and as quick- ly as they do from the primary department of the other schools. In other words, the advancement of the pupils, under the tuition of the training school teachers, is as rapid and as thorough as that of any of the other primary schools. We have six teachers engaged in the work beside the training teachers, each one of whom receives $75 per annum, their combined salaries amounting to $1,050, including the principal, making an actual saving to the city of $1,200 per year and doing equally as good work.

REAL ESTATE.

The Board of Education now own in real estate, at cash valua- tion, $36,700 and buildings and furniture, $117,848, making a total valuation of school property, $154,548.

In 1873, the Union School District of Bay City owed $30,000, in six bonds of $5,000 each, since which time these bonds and in- terest have all been paid, the last one falling due this year. The money is now in the treasury for its redemption. The only indebted- ness of the Board is for two school sites purchased last year, one in the First Ward for $1,000, and one in the Second Ward for $5,000, leaving the entire indebtedness of the School Board, up to this date, $6,000, which is not yet due, and which is drawing interest at 7 per cent."

Superintendent Morley submitted a statistical report for the month ending March 30, 1883:

Number of pupils enrolled. .. 2,983

Number of boys 1,494

Number of girls 1,489

Number of pupils from eight to fourteen years old .. 1,712

Average attendance for each day 2,056

Percentage of attendance

.93.72

BAY CITY POSTOFFICES.

MAIL FACILITIES AT AN EARLY DAY.

People who now wait impatiently in their comfortable homes or places of business for the mail carrier, who visits them twice each day, would feel that life was hardly worth its troubles if they were compelled to return to the mail facilities of forty or fifty years ago. Judge Albert Miller tells how the early pioneers were served, as follows:

"The first postoffice established north of Pontiac was at Grand Blanc, in 1830, which was supplied with mail from Pontiac once in two weeks. Rufus W. Stevens was postmaster, and received the gross proceeds of the office for carrying the mail, and did not get rich at that. I have heard a neighbor say as the mail was passing, 'There goes the Grand Blanc mail, and I will venture to say there is not a letter in the muil bag.' The postmaster could not afford to hire a person to take a trip to Pontiac every time the mail should go. So it was agreed among the settlers that any one having busi- ness in town during the week the mail should be carried, should transport it there and back without charge. One person having the mail in charge, not requiring the whole of his wardrobe on his person, solicited the postmaster at Pontiac to put the garment into the mail bag as the most convenient way of carrying it, but when he arrived at Grand Blane and the mail bag was opened he was notified by Postmaster Stevens that there was $4 postage due on his coat, but the matter was compromised by the mail carrier pay- ing for the drinks for the company. The postmaster at Pontiac considering it rather a loose way of doing business to deliver the mail to any person who might bring it from Grand Blanc, required any one but a sworn mail carrier to go before a justice of the peace and be sworn before he would deliver the mail to him. That would cost two shillings, which was a drawback on the free transportation of the mail. After awhile parties receiving the mail at Grand Blanc would be addressed by the postmaster with an oath and directed to take that mail to Pontiac and return with one from that point with- out delay. Parties under such strong directions, upon being ques- tioned by the Pontiac postmaster as to their qualifications, would state that they had been sworn before leaving Grand Blanc.

"During the first three years of my residence in Michigan all my mail facilities were furnished by the Grand Blanc postoffice. At different periods during that time I resided at Flint, Grand Blanc, and Saginaw. The accommodating postmaster at Grand Blanc was accustomed to forward all Saginaw letters by travelers passing the office and going to that point, and run his risk of collecting the postage afterwards, but I think he never suffered any loss on that account, for the people appreciated his kindness, and promptly paid all demands for postage whenever the opportunity presented itself for so doing.

"In 1833, or else in the Spring of 1834, a postoffice was estab- lished at Saginaw. Thomas Simpson was the first postmaster, and Joshua Terry was the contractor for carrying the mail. Forty-five years ago, Mr. Terry was known as 'Little Josh.' At that time the adjective had no reference to his size (for he weighed 175 pounds), but was a designation of earlier days given to distinguish him from an uncle of the same name.

"Mr. Terry was a natural woodsman and pioneer; if he had a journey before him in the wilderness, he would be as likely to start at sundown as at any other time of the day. His food while on his journey was simple, and for a stimulant, instead of taking the fire- water that was so much in vogue in those days, he used tea, and chewed the dry leaves, instead of preparing it by the usual mode of infusion."

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

FIRST POSTOFFICE.

The first postoffice established in what is now Bay County, was at Portsmouth in January, 1837. Judge Albert Miller was doing bus- iness there at that time, and was obliged to send to Saginaw every week for his mail. For the additional trouble of carrying the mail for the public and attending the postoffice he could have the benefit of the franking privilege. Some of his friends in Detroit anticipating his wants, sent to Washington and got a postoffice established. Judge Miller was appointed postmaster upon the condition that the mail should be carried from Saginaw once a week for the receipts of the office at Portsmouth. After Judge Miller removed from Ports- mouth early in 1837, Albe Lull was appointed deputy and had charge of the office until the time of his 'death, which occurred in September, 1838. After that the late Thomas Rogers had charge of the office until it was discontinued in 1839.

HAMPTON POSTOFFICE.

The first postoffice in Lower Saginaw was established about the year 1846, and Thomas Rogers was appointed postmaster and mail carrier. The office was named Hampton, that being the name of the township. Mr. Rogers held the office until 1850.

THE POSTAL SERVICE

in those days was a primitive affair, and the transportation of the mails was attended with more hardship and fewer complications. Bernard Cunningham used to go to Saginaw in a canoe or on foot and bring the entire mail for this office in his coat pocket. Mr. Jesse M. Miller, still a resident of Bay City, used to start on horse- back for Saginaw, when the ice was not strong enough to bear him in safety, and after going a short distance to a squatter's cabin, would be obliged to leave his pony and proceed on foot, wading sometimes to his knees in the half frozen marsh.

The dog train that used to make the trip to Mackinaw once a month, traveling on the ice, is well remembered by the older resi- dents. A half-breed had three dogs gaily caparisoned, and harnessed to a sled, in which were loaded the mail bags. This train was operated up to about 1859 or 1860. Now gorgeously equipped mail cars rushing through space with the speed of light can hardly trans- port mail swiftly enough to satisfy a restless and impatient genera- tion.

In 1850 Israel Catlin was appointed postmaster, and the office was kept at his house on Water Street. Mrs. Catlin used to take the week's mail in her pocket on Sundays and distribute it at church. It used to be said, indeed, that Mrs. Catlin served a double purpose in this way. She saved the people the trouble of coming up to her house after their mail, and she likewise saved her scrupu- lously neat domicile from the profanation of tobacco spittle and the like, which profanation could hardly have been escaped had the rude forefathers of the hamlet lingered thereabout waiting for the mail.

In 1853 Mr. Catlin was succeeded by Dr. George E. Smith. By this time the office had grown to some importance. In 1857 the name was changed to Bay City. Dr. Smith continued in the office until 1861, and at that time the office was kept in his store, at what is now the corner of Fourth and Water Streets.

In June, 1861, Henry S. Raymond received the appointment of postmaster, being the first Republican postmaster in Bay County. He removed the office to the small frame building opposite where the Campbell House now stands. Soon after taking the office, Col. Raymond went to the war, where he rendered distinguished service and earned the commission of colonel. He retained the office until 1870.

In 1870 Col. Raymond was succeeded by T. C. Phillips, who

removed the office in 1871 to commodious quarters in the Westover Block, where it still remains. Mr. Phillips settled in Bay City about 1862, and from the first has occupied a leading position in the county.

In 1878 Frederick W. Dunham succeeded T. C. Phillips, and held the office four years, and in the Spring of 1882 was succeeded by the present incumbent, F. L. Westover.

F. L. WESTOVER,

the present postmaster, is one of the representative young men of Bay County, and is proving himself a capable and efficient public officer. He was born at Sheffield, Berkshire Co., Mass., in the year 1853. He settled in Bay City in 1866, and was admitted to the practice of law in the Summer of 1879. In March, 1882, he re- ceived the appointment of postmaster of Bay City, an important office, and one which Mr. Westover is well qualified to fill to the advantage of the service and satisfaction of its patrons.

The business of the office in the sale of stamps and rent of boxes for six months ending December 31, 1882, was as follows:

Box rents $ 1,298 50

Sale of postage stamps, etc. 11,756 11

December 1, 1882, the system of free delivery went into oper- ation, which clothed the service in Bay City with the fullest metro- politan honors.

THE PORTSMOUTH POSTOFFICE,

now at South Bay City, was re-established in 1857, the business of the place having reached a magnitude that warranted a nearer . office than the one at Bay City. The first postmaster was H. D. Braddock. He was followed by Winterhalter, Cummings, and C. D. Fisher, the present incumbent, who has held the office since 1869.

Mr. Fisher is not only a veteran in the postoffice service, but is one of the early settlers in the Saginaw Valley. He was born at Ovid, Seneca Co., N. Y., in 1829. He learned the ship-carpenters' trade at an early age, and, having a brother at Flint, concluded to visit this remote part of the country. He came West in 1850, and worked one Summer on a steamer at Zilwaukee. He afterwards worked at the carpenters' trade until 1864, when he bought a farm a short distance east of Portsmouth. In January, 1856, he married Miss Alvira M. Miller, daughter of Dr. J. T. Miller, who settled in Portsmouth in 1836, and was the first physician in what is now Bay County. He, however, remained here but a short time. In 1869 Mr. Fisher was appointed postmaster, and still retains the office. He was told before coming here that everyone who under- took to live here would die with ague, but he has waited over thirty years for it to get the best of him, and is still apparently as rugged as at first. When he came here there were but two teams of horses in this region, and at an early day he cradled oats and cut grass upon ground that is now in the business part of South Bay City. They have four children, two sons and two daughters. One son, Albert W. Fisher, has a cigar and tobacco store in the postoffice building.

BAY CITY NEWSPAPERS.

The first newspaper established in Bay City was in 1859, when Mr. William Bryce commenced the publication of the Press and Times. Some two or three years before that Perry Joslin, of Sag- inaw, issued two or three numbers of a newspaper here with the hope of securing the publication of the tax list, but failing in that, he discontinued the publication of the paper, which was called the

HISTORY OF BAY COUNTY.

Bay City Press. It was not intended to be a permanent institution. The Press and Times was discontinued in 1864, to be succeeded in the same year by the Bay City Journal, Mr. John Culbert, editor, which, in 1871, became a daily as well as a weekly publication, under the editorial management and proprietorship of Robert L. Warren, being discontinued in February, 1873, to be again reissued by the Hon. James Birney, as the daily and weekly Chronicle, ceasing as a daily in 1875; the weekly Chronicle still continuing under the charge and proprietorship of Mr. Arthur M. Birney, son of Hon. James Birney, until it was merged into the Tribune in 1879. The Chronicle was Republican in politics, and ably con- ducted.

THE Lumberman's Gazette, devoted to the interests of lumber and salt manufacture, was established in 1872, by Henry S. Dow, and in 1874 was purchased by Edwin T. Bennett, under whose pro- prietorship it still continues. It is a very useful and prosperous publication.

THE BAY CITY Tribune was instituted as an evening daily and weekly paper, independent in politics, in 1873, by a company com- posed of John Culbert, Thomas K. Harding, Edward Kræncke, and Griffin Lewis, who associated themselves for the purpose of doing a general jobbing, newspaper and book-binding business. The com- pany was subsequently dissolved, Mr. Henry S. Dow becoming the purchaser of the paper. The weekly issue was suspended in 1875, the daily continuing. The Tribune was published by a stock com- pany until September, 1881, when it was purchased by the present proprietor, Mr. Edwin T. Bennett. The Tribune is now a morning Republican paper, and the printing office the most extensive one in the city. There is a large and well equipped job printing office con- nected with it, which does an extensive business. The weekly edition of the Tribune is published under the name of the Chronicle and Tribune. Edwin T. Bennett, the proprietor of the Tribune and Lumberman's Gazette, and part owner of the Evening Press, is one of the representative business men of Bay City. He came here from New York State in October, 1866, and worked on the Lum- berman's Gazette for a time, becoming its proprietor in 1874, as already stated. He is a business manager of more than ordinary ability, and has not only made journalism profitable, but has, at the same time, succeeded in giving to his papers positions of im- portance and commanding influence.

THE Evening Press was started in June, 1879, by Moran & Hardwick, and shortly after was purchased by Mr. Edwin T. Ben- nett. In October, 1881, Mr. D. M. Carey purchased an interest and became its editor, the proprietors being Bennett & Carey. Mr. Carey came to Bay City in February, 1880, and was a writer on the News for a time. The Press is an independent paper, and has a large circulation.

The Freie Presse, an independent German paper, was started in 1878 by the present proprietor, Mr. G. Reuther, who came here from East Saginaw.

THE Morning Call, a Democratic daily newspaper, was started by a few Democrats of Bay City, who placed Bert Moran, a practical printer, in charge, with Leonard Cline in charge of the advertising department, and C. S. Wilson to furnish copy. Few newspaper men in the West are better qualified for a task of that kind than Mr. Wilson, as has been abundantly attested. The first number of the Call was issued April 13, 1881. Early in May following, George F. Lewis assumed the management of the Call, and in June he assumed control as proprietor. September 12, 1881, James Gray became associated with Mr. Lewis as business manager, doing also the duties of city editor, which he continued until February 5, 1883, when George F. Lewis once more assumed full control, and Mr. Gray continued the job printing business, in which he has been

for several years engaged. While connected with the Call, Mr. Gray was very successful in his efforts to aid in bringing the Call up to the position it now occupies. The Call is a live newspaper, active and zealous in advancing the interests of the city and county in which it is published, and is an able and earnest exponent of the principles of the Democratic party. Mr. George F. Lewis is pro- prietor and managing editor, and his labors are supplemented by the usual staff of assistants. Mr. Lewis is a veteran printer and journalist, as will be seen from the following personal sketch:

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History of Bay County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 26

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page Number of Pages: 380

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : H. R. Page
Number of Pages: 380