History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I, Part 21

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Detroit, Pub. by S. Farmer & co., for Munsell & co., New York
Number of Pages: 1094

USA > Michigan > Wayne County > Detroit > History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I > Part 21

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When the city took charge of the works, the superintendent had charge of assessments and col- lections. In 1845 the rates were collected by the city collector. The following advertisement indi- cates the sternness of municipal management in that day

PAY YOUR WATER TAXES .- I will be at the Common Council Room every morning from ten until half-past twelve o'clock to receive the delinquent water-taxes. Every man and woman who does not pay up by Monday, the 21st instant, will be reported to the Council, and the water in every case shut off. I am not joking.

MORGAN BATES, City Collector.

DETROIT, April 10, 1845.

In 1848, under a permissive ordinance of 1842, assessors of water-rates were appointed by the council. At the present time, and since the crea tion of the Water Commission, the board appoints the collectors.

The assessors of water-taxes appointed by the council were as follows : 1848, W. Barclay, E. Ben- ham; 1849, N. B. Carpenter, G. Spencer ; 1850, L. D. Clairoux, John E, Norton; 1851, N. T. Taylor, Francis McDonald.

From 1836 to 1849 the council appointed the superintendent of the works. The salary in 1839 was $500 a year. By charter of 1849, it became an elective office, and so remained up to the creation of the Water Commission in 1853.

The following persons served as superintendents : 1827-1833, A. E. Hathon ; 1833-1837, David French ; 1837, Sanford Brittain; 1838-1840, Ed- ward M. McGraw; 1840-1843, William Barclay ; 1843, B. B. Moore; 1844-1846, David Thompson ; 1846-1848, James Stewart; 1848, Washington Bur- ley, N. Greusel; 1849-1851, David Edsall; 1851- 1854, E. McDonald.

The engineers have been as follows : 1830-1840, Charles Howard ; 1840, E. H. Rees ; 1841, Benja- min Keeney ; 1842-1861, F. M. Wing; 1861- , J. E. Edwards. In 1853 Jacob Houghton was ap- pointed general superintendent and engineer and served until 1861. In 1872 D. Farrand Henry was appointed chief engineer. Under his supervision the new works were carried into successful operation. B. B. Moore was appointed Superintendent of Ex- tension and Repairs in 1850, and continued to serve until his death. In April, 1877, he was succeeded by Henry Bridge, who became also Chief Engineer and Superintendent of Construction. Robert E. Roberts was appointed secretary on the organization of the board, and continued in office until 1872,

when he was succeeded by Henry Starkey. George E. Kunze, the receiving clerk, has been in the office since 1872.

The Act creating the Water Commission named five commissioners, who were to serve for three, four, five, six, and seven years respectively ; and in April, 1856, and yearly thereafter, one was to be elected annually by the Common Council for the term of five years. They were to serve without compensation. Under law of 1879 their terms were to begin on the first Tuesday of May, and by Act of 1881 members of the commission can be appointed only on the nomination of the mayor. The board organized May 16, 1853, and consisted of S. Conant, president ; J. A. Vandyke, W. R. Noyes, E. A. Brush, and H. Ledyard. In 1855 James A. Van- dyke died, and A. D. Fraser was appointed to fill his place. At the expiration of the term of S. Co- nant in 1859, he was succeeded by J. D. Morton, and the same year John V. Ruehle was appointed suc- cessor to Henry Ledyard, who removed from the city. In 1861 J. V. Ruehle entered the army, and his place was filled by Chauncy Hurlbut. His term expired in 1863, and S. G. Wight was appointed. In 1865 W. R. Noyes resigned, and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Jacob S. Farrand. In the same year the vacancy occasioned by the decease of J. D. Morton was filled by the appointment of John Owen. In 1868 E. A. Brush resigned, and Caleb Van Husan was appointed, and the term of S. G. Wight having expired, Chauncy Hurlbut was again appointed a member of the board. The term of A. D. Fraser closed in 1871, and Samuel F. Hodge succeeded him, and the next year Elijah Smith took the place of Caleb Van Husan. He was succeeded in 1877 by Michael Martz. In 1879 James Beatty was appointed in place of S. F. Hodge, and John Pridgeon in place of John Owen. In 1885 S. G. Caskey took the place of C. Hurlbut, and E. F. Conely was appointed in place of J. Beatty. Mr. Conely soon resigned, and in 1886 was suc- ceeded by M. H. Godfrey.

Mr. Hurlbut, who died in 1885, left to the board a valuable library and an estate of about a quarter of a million, which was to be devoted to the increasing and care of the library, and the improvement of the grounds.

The work of the board is sytematized by the ap- pointment of various committees, and regular meet- ings of the commissioners are held monthly on the Wednesday after the first Saturday in each month. About forty persons are constantly employed by the board, with salaries varying from $100 to $2,200 yearly. During the summer season, when new pipes and extensions are laid, from seventy-five to one hundred and fifty additional men are employed, and $60,000 is yearly paid out for salaries and labor.

PUBLIC DRINKING FOUNTAINS.

Both citizens and dumb animals are indebted to Moses W. Field for the suggestion of public drinking fountains. He petitioned the council in regard to them on May 23, 1871. On the 30th a committee reported favorably, and on June 27 the comptroller was directed to advertise for seven. Nine more were ordered in July, 1874. They are generally placed at the intersection of streets. In 1887 foun- tains were located at the corner of McDougall and Jefferson, Orleans and Franklin, Riopelle and Gratiot, Gratiot and Randolph, Congress and Bates, foot of Woodward, First and Jefferson, Twenty-first and Woodbridge, Twelfth and Fort. Fourteenth and

Michigan, Twenty-fourth and Michigan, Cass and Ledyard, Grand River and Trumbull, Twelfth and Baker, and at East and West Hay and Wood Mar- kets. It is the duty of the gas inspector to care for them.

The Bagley fountain, which is by far the most elegant of any in the city, is located at the intersec- tion of Woodward Avenue and Fort Street, and cost upwards of $5,000. Its erection was provided for by the will of the late John J. Bagley. It was unveiled on May 30, 1887, and during the same year over $1.500 was raised by private subscription to add to it a bronze bust of the donor.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE PARKS AND THE BOULEVARD .- PASTURES AND POUNDS.

THE PARKS AND THE BOULEVARD.

WE are certainly indebted to Chief Justice Wood- ward for our half-acre parks and broad avenues bordered with thrifty elms and maples. His sug- gestions were embodied in one of the earliest Acts of the Governor and Judges, which made provision for the planting of trees on the streets, squares, and avenues. Of all the smaller parks, the Grand Circus is the most beautiful. . As we rest in the shade of the trees, enjoy the plash of the fountains, or watch the children at play upon the lawns, it is hard to realize that up to 1844 these parks were ponds and marshes, enlivened only by the music of the bullfrog, and used as a place of deposit for refuse of every kind. In that year a number of citizens combined for their improvement, and, under the direction of H. H. LeRoy, the grounds were raised from one to four feet.

In 1846 the council appropriated a lot on the southwest corner of Clifford and Adams Avenue, and also a lot on west side of Macomb Avenue near Clifford, to pay for additional improvements, and directed that the lots be sold at auction on July 26, -the first lot to be sold for not less than $150, and the other for at least $125. In the spring of 1853 the further sum of $1,500 was expended in setting out trees and building fences. The park on the west side of Woodward Avenue received the most attention, a fountain being there erected and walks laid out in the summer of 1860. In September, 1866, the speaker's stand was moved from the -Campus Martius to the park. It was erected on August 27, 1862, on the present site of the City Hall, for use at the reception of General O. B. Will- cox. In 1874 a fountain was placed in the East Circus Park. Two years later it was removed to Adelaide Campau Park, and replaced by another.

In order to insure the perfect rooting of the trees and grass, the parks were kept closed until May, 1866, when they were opened to the public on Sun- days. In July, 1873, the fences were removed from all the parks except the Clinton and Cass. The fence of the latter park was reduced in height at the same time, and in 1879 was entirely removed.

All the smaller parks have been much used and appreciated since they were thrown open. Linden

Park, located in the township of Hamtramck, is three miles from the City Hall, about three fourths of a mile beyond the eastern limits of the city, and half a mile north of the river, between Lincoln and Bald- win Avenues. It contains twenty-five and seventy one-hundredths acres. It was given to the city by Moses W. Field, on October 1, 1875, upon condition that the city appropriate $3,000 annually for im- proving it. On February 25 Mr. Field gave an- other piece of land six hundred feet wide, on the north side of the park, and so modified the condi- tions of his first gift that, upon spending $4,500 in improving the grounds, the city should have a full title. Including Linden Park, seven of the thirteen parks have been given by individuals. The list is as follows :

NAME.

LOCATION.

GIVEN BY.

WHEN GIVEN.

Elton

( and Orchard,

Crane & Wesson Dec. 28, 1850

Crawford

§ Intersec. of 5th

Crane & Wesson Dec. 28, 1850

Cass

§ 2d St bet. Led-

Lewis Cass,

July 10, 1860

Stanton

/ and Marquette

S. K. Stanton,

July 23, 1861

Macomb

§ Intersec.of 17th and Rose,

S. K. Stanton,

July 23, 1861

AdelaideCam- pau

Intersec.

Jos.

T. J. & D. J. L Campau,

Sept. 6, 1865

Campau and

Clinton Aves.

Centre Park, named February 1, 1840, is between Farmer, Farrar, and Gratiot Streets, and is occupied by the Public Library. School Park, between Gris- wold, Rowland, and State Streets, is occupied en- tirely by the High School buildings. Clinton Park is part of the old City Cemetery. It was dedicated as Clinton Park on August 7, 1868. It is located between Gratiot, Clinton, Paton, and St. Antoine Streets. Randolph Park was so named April 27, 1869; it was formerly called Miami Square and also North Park. East Park is located between Farmer, Bates, and Randolph Streets. In 1883 it was given to the police commissioners as a site for a new building to be occupied as their headquarters. West Park lies between West Park Place, Park Place, and State Street. The following table shows the number of acres in each park, except Belle Isle : Adelaide Campau, 95-100 acres; Linden, 25 and 71-100;

§ Intersec. of 5th

and High,

/ yard and Bagg

j Intersec. of 17th

THE PARKS.

Randolph, 24-100 ; Centre or Library Park, 27-100; School, 524-1000 ; West, 524-1000; Grand Circus, 4 and 595-1000; Clinton, I and 32-1000; Elton, 703-1000; Crawford, 703-1000 ; Stanton, 611-1000 ; Macomb, 489-1000; and Cass, 4 and 18-100. Total, 40 and 53-100 acres.

The most prominent public square is the Campus Martius, so named after the principal square at Marietta, the first settlement and capital of the Northwest . Territory. That square was named Campus Martius by the directors and agents on July 2, 1788, because the blockhouse stood in the centre of it. The Campus Martius of ancient Rome was the most celebrated of its parks or public grounds. It was at first set apart for military exercises and contests, but afterwards became a public park or pleasure-ground, with gardens, theaters, baths, etc. It received the name of Martius from being origin- ally consecrated to Mars, the God of War. One would think that our Campus Martius had been dedicated to every deity, for everything in turn has centered at this hub of the city. It has been occu- pied as a hay and wood market, as a standing-place for farmers' wagons, and a rendezvous for hucksters and peddlers of every kind. Here patent medicine- men, "lightning calculators," cheap jewelry auc- tioneers, peddlers of knife-sharpeners, cements, toy- balloons, oranges and bananas, have filled the air with their cries ; and "lifting," "striking," "electri- cal" and "lung testing" machines have all been operated on this famous square. Huge bonfires have often illuminated the surrounding buildings, and hundreds of political speeches have here been made to the throngs that so many times gathered at this grand old meeting-place. It was not always so attractive as now. Rough, muddy, unpaved, and uneven, only a prophet could have foreseen the present beauty of the place and its surroundings. The first step towards its improvement was made on April 22, 1835, when the recorder of the city sub- mitted a resolution for a committee to cause the Campus Martius to be graded, enclosed, planted with trees, and sodded. The resolution was adopted, and the recorder and Alderman Palmer were appointed as said committee. Under their direction the square was graded down fully four feet, and the earth dug away used to fill in the valley of the Savoyard. The decorating was left until more recent years; and now the wide walks, the plats of grass, the fountains, the flower-beds, and the view afforded, are worthy of any city.

A Committee on Parks was first appointed on May 30, 1854; and in 1863 a superintendent was appointed to serve during the summer season. Since 1870 the smaller parks have been under the care of the Board of Public Works. The following persons have served as Superintendents of Parks:

1862, Timothy Ryan; 1863, G. F. Jones; 1864- 1867, Timothy Ryan; 1867, Luke Daly and A. Blumma ; 1868- 1870, George Henrion ; 1870, August Goebel.

No history of the parks would be complete without some reference to the Park Question which agitated all Detroit from 1870 to 1873. The desirability of a park or parks and a boulevard had been the sub- ject of numerous articles in the daily papers during the fall of 1870, and on June 24, 1871, an informal meeting of citizens was held at Young Men's Hall to consider the subject. The project of laying out a large park met with great favor, and on April 15 the Legislature passed an Act appointing commis- sioners to receive propositions for sites and giving them power to decide as to location.

The commission met and organized, and soon re- ceived offers from various parties for locations in all parts of the city and its suburbs. They decided that the most desirable location was a tract of land in Hamtramck, a little over three miles from the City Hall, embracing parts of Private Claims 180 and 734, with a river frontage of half a mile. The decision of the commission was unsatisfactory to many, but the council approved their action, and on November 21, 1871, a resolution was offered author- izing the comptroller to prepare bonds to the amount of $200,000 to pay for the grounds.

The resolution was postponed for two weeks, when, on December 27, at the call of the mayor, a citizens' meeting was held in the Circuit Court room, to vote on the question of issuing the bonds. There was an immense crowd present, and amid great con- fusion the vote was declared carried ; but there was so much doubt and dissatisfaction that neither the council nor the citizens regarded the vote as decisive. In order to obtain a more satisfactory vote the council, on April 19, 1872, requested the mayor to call another meeting to reconsider the question. Accordingly, on May I, a meeting was held at the Griswold Street front of the City Hall. Again a great crowd assembled. There was plenty of amusement and much confusion, but no decision was reached.

This was the last so-called citizens' meeting. It was unsatisfactory to all good citizens, who were gen- erally agreed that some better method of approving the tax estimates should be devised. Meantime, on March 14, 1873, the Legislature, by special Act, gave the Park Commissioners power to purchase the grounds, and directed "the council to provide means to pay for them." Soon after they passed Acts abolishing citizens' meetings, providing for a Board of Estimates, and annexing a large part of the townships of Hamtramck and Greenfield to the city. It was generally believed that these Acts were drawn in the interest of those who wished to have

THE PARKS.

the park located in Hamtramck, and the opponents of the park united in an endeavor to secure a Board of Estimates who would oppose the purchase of the park. On April 2 they held a large meeting at Young Men's Hall, and so successful was their pro- test that on April 7 a board was elected composed of persons known to be unfavorable to the location of the park in Hamtramck.

The question, however, was still unsettled, as both the council and the Park Commission desired to purchase the ground selected for the park. Those opposed to the plan did not relinquish their efforts, and on August 18 and 21 anti-park meetings were held to protest against the providing of money by the council to pay for the lands contracted for. The Park Commissioners, however, proposed to complete the purchase. The question of their right to do so was brought before the Supreme Court, and on December 3, 1873, they reported to the council that the court had decided they had no power to bind the city to pay for the lands; they therefore asked the council to determine what action they should take. The council took the ground that, as the Park Act said, " The council shall provide money to pay for the purchase of the park," they were under obligations to do so, and on December 12 they recom- mended the issue of bonds to the amount of $200,- 000, and directed the comptroller to prepare them. On December 16 Mayor Moffat disapproved of the action of the council, as the law creating the Board of Estimates provided that no bonds should be issued unless authorized by them, and the coun- cil, on the same day, again directed the comptroller to prepare bonds. On December 30 the Park Commissioners reported that they had bought the lands. Meantime the bonds had not been prepared, and on January 6, 1874, the council again directed the mayor and comptroller to issue them. On Jan- uary 9 Mayor Moffat returned unapproved that part of the proceedings relating to these directions for the same reasons given by him on December 16, and said moreover that the council was without authority over his actions and could not compel him to sign the bonds. The council, for the third time, re- peated its order to issue the bonds, and on February 20 directed the city councillor to take legal proceed- ings to compel the mayor to sign the Park Bonds. The council persisted and the mayor resisted, and finally the question was brought before the Supreme Court, where, on May 12, 1874, it was decided that the purchase must be approved by the Board of Estimates. Their approval could not be obtained, and the subject dropped.

Thus ended one of the most persistent and bitter conflicts in regard to municipal matters that ever transpired in Detroit. The idea of purchasing Belle Isle for park purposes was first conceived by L. L.

Barbour. He consulted the several owners, ob- tained refusals of their interests, and arranged that the contracts to sell should be made in the names of several gentlemen whom he interested in the sub- ject. On April 8, 1879, these gentlemen, Messrs. George C. Langdon, J. J. Bagley, Bela Hubbard, C. I. Walker, M. S. Smith, and D. O. Farrand, sent a communication to the council suggesting that the city purchase Belle Isle; they stated that they had procured agreements which would give the city the entire island for $200,000, and that the proposal was entirely devoid of any personal or pecuniary interest. Another communication from leading citizens pe- titioned the council to seek legislation for the pur- pose of buying the island and building a bridge. It was a favorable time to present the project, for the question of bridging or tunneling the river for rail- road purposes was then being discussed. The communication was favorably received, and a reso- lution was adopted praying the Legislature to pass an Act authorizing the city to issue bonds to the amount of $700,000 to purchase Belle Isle and con- struct a bridge.

Many citizens objected, but on May 27, 1879, the Legislature authorized the city, with consent of the . Board of Estimates, to issue bonds for the amount proposed, a portion of them to be used to secure the building of either a bridge or a tunnel. The Act also gave the council power to improve parks either within or without the city limits.

On May 27 the Legislature passed an additional Act authorizing the council, with consent of the Board of Estimates, to purchase the island and improve it as a park, to issue bonds for not more than $200,000, and giving them power to erect a bridge to the island.

On June 30 the Board of Estimates approved of the purchase, and on September 25 it was consum- mated. The care of the park was next considered, and on December 23, 1879, acting under the old Park Act of 1871, Mayor Langdon nominated and the council confirmed six commissioners. On Janu- ary 3, 1880, they organized, and on May 28, 1880, the council voted to turn over the park to their care. The next day, during the absence of Mayor Thomp- son, Charles Ewers, as acting mayor, approved of the proceedings of the council. During that same day Mayor Thompson returned, and in a communi- cation to the council disapproved of their action of the 28th, on the ground that the Act under which the commission had organized was a nullity. He also claimed that the approval of the action of the council by the acting mayor was not legal, inasmuch as he had not been absent from the city long enough to make action upon the proceedings neces- sary. The opinion of Mayor Thompson was sus- tained by the Supreme Court in a decision rendered

THE PARKS.

November 10, 1880, and a fur- ther decision on June 15, 1881, declared that the commissioners appointed by Mayor Langdon had no legal control over Belle Isle Park.

Under ordinance of August 29, 1881, the following persons have served as a Board of Park Com- missioners : 1881-1883, M. I. Mills, A. Marxhausen, W. A. Moore, Jas. McMillan ; 1883, A. Marxhausen, W. A Moore, W. B. Moran, Jas McMillan ; 1884- 1886, A. Marxhausen, W. A. Moore, W. B. Moran, D. M. Ferry ; 1886, A. Marxhausen, F. L. Seitz, Elliott T. Slocum, J. A. Marsh : 1887, F. L. Seitz, E. T. Slocum, J. A. Marsh, F. Adams.

The board organized on Sep- tember 8, 1881 ; on December 17 elected John Stirling as sec- retary, and soon after contracted with Frederick Law Olmstead to lay out the park. A survey was made by Eugene Robinson in 1882, and the work of planning and preparing the island for park purposes was begun. In 1882 the council appropriated $20,000 for the park, and $4,000 additional was received for rent of fishing grounds, ice privi- leges, restaurants, etc. Of these amounts, $14,504 were expended in that year. By law of March 28, 1883, the board was given full control over all taxes levied for the purpose of maintaining the park.

Abundant indications of the appreciation of the privileges of the island are afforded in the fact that between May 10 and September 23, 1886, 152,000 adults visited the park.

During 1883 the circular canal at the upper end of the island, shown in the proposed plan, was completed at a cost of about $11,000. The canal is five feet deep and fifty feet wide.

During the French occupancy of Detroit, Belle Isle, a portion of it at least, was treated as an appendage of the garrison and

BELLE ISLE PARK

PRELIMINARY PLAN

ACALE_

PARADE GROUND

G Seats overlooking Parades

. Bout hauses worth seeks pourlechiny Pepitas

B. Superintendency.

D) Dothing Edablut ment.

.F. Pumping Stations

A Prosted Tower.

K Moich Ground

PLAN OF BELLE ISLE PARK.

THE PARKS.

POLICE STATION, BELLE ISLE.

used as a place for pasturage. On June 12, 1752, the governor and intendant granted the island to M. Douville Dequindre, but it is probable that this grant was not confirmed by the king, as there are indica- tions that the Government continued to exercise control over it.

On May 9, 1763, when Pontiac's conspiracy was discovered, a party of Indians crossed to the island, and finding there Sergeant James Fisher, his wife

and two children, killed them, and also the twenty- four cattle belonging to the garrison, which had been left in their charge. During the subsequent siege most of the wood for the fort was obtained from the island by sending large parties there under the protection of armed schooners.

On May 4, 1768, George III. and his council gave to Lieutenant George McDougall permission to occupy the island so long as the military establish-

SUPERINTENDENT'S HOUSE, BELLE ISLE PARK.

THE PARKS.

ment was continued at Detroit, provided that he could do so without causing dissatisfaction to the Indians, and that the improvements he made should be of such character as to be of service in supplying the wants of the fort and garrison. On June 5 of the following year Lieutenant McDougall bought the island of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians for five barrels of rum, three rolls of tobacco, three pounds of vermilion, and a belt of wampum, an additional three barrels of rum and three pounds of paint to be delivered when possession was taken. The value of the island was estimated at £194 IOS.

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History of Detroit and Wayne County and early Michigan: A Chronological Cyclopedia of the Past and Present, Vol. I, Part 21

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902 Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Detroit, Pub. by S. Farmer & co., for Munsell & co., New York Number of Pages: 1094

Author: Farmer, Silas, 1839-1902
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Detroit, Pub. by S. Farmer & co., for Munsell & co., New York
Number of Pages: 1094