History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 58

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166

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The Black Diamod Mining Company is one of the latest products of discovery and enterprise. It appears that in April, 1880, H. C. Yerby, while drilling a well six miles north of the city, found that coal existed at a depth of 40 feet. He communicated his discov- ery to his attorneys, Messrs. Gould & Pease, who organized the above named company. This mining association was incorporated May 25, 1880, with Hon. James Gould as President; Val. H. Grout, of Leslie, Vice President; Verne S. Pease, Secretary, and Marshall E. Rumsey, of Leslie, Treasurer. The directory comprised James Gould, Verne S. Pease, Valorus H. Grout, Marshall E. Rumsey, Wm. A. Moseby, Jacob Longyear, and Henry C. Yerby. The company holds a lease of 380 acres in this new coal district, and from the reports of prospectors it is learned that a vein of good coal, from 18 to 54 inches thick, underlies the entire tract. The J., L. & S. R. R. passes through the land. This fact with the in- telligence and wealth of the company, may lead to great results.

The present building was erected in the spring of 1879, by Corfon & Thurston. The company now employ 23 inen. During this summer (1881) the M. C. R. R. Co. will lay a track to the mines and the business will be largely increased. The shatt is but 38 feet deep, and originally cost, including building and machinery, about $25,000. It is at Trumbull's station.

The Wolverine Gold and Silver Mining Company, organized Dec. 9, 1880, under the State statutes of Michigan, is another invest- ment which may possibly reap a rich reward for the projectors and stock holders. The property of the company is situated in Gunni- son county, Cal. At its inauguration the stock was offered, in shares of $25, at $2.50 per share. The officers for 1881 include the following; A. N. Perreault, President; Miar MeLaughlin, Vice President; Geo. F. Anderson, Secretary; Chas. A. Knapp, Treas- urer; H. G. Sutton, Superintendent.

The latest offspring of home enterprise is the Jackson Bonanza Mining Company. The prospectus of the associated miners sets forth that this corporation, which was organized July 13, 1580, under the laws of the State of Michigan, is formed "for the object and purpose of engaging in and carrying on the business of mining, crushing, smelting and preparing for market, coal, copper. silver, gold or other metals and minerals, found on, in or under the lands now owned, or which may at any time hereafter be acquired by this corporation by lease, gift, purchase or otherwise." The company has a capital of 82,500,000, divided into shares of $25 each, which stock is all paid-up stock, and unassessable, having been paid for by the transfer of the mines, mill-site and other necessary property, to the company.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

In the early days of gold mining, labor was substantially all that was needed for success. With his shovel and pan, each miner, by his own individual labor, took out his dust, picked up his nuggets and made his pile. Now, a combination of enterprise, labor and capital is necessary to success in mining, expensive machinery be- ing absolutely indespensable for deep mining, and heavy and costly mills necessary for reduction of ores. But with these, mining for the precious metals is to-day far more certainly remunerative than in the early days. This co-operation and massing of capital makes it necessary to distribute the stock of mining corporations to capitalists, or what we think better, among the masses, thus in- teresting many persons in such enterprises. Hence, of the 100, 000 shares of stock mentioned above, we have appropriated 20,000 shares to make a working capital, and offer it for sale at very low figures to secure funds with which to develop and work the mines and prosecute the business generally, and for which purpose only, said funds may be used. Now, what are our prospects of success in the economical and judicious expenditure of our working capi- tal? And first, the property of the company consists of six mining locations, each 300x1,500 feet, and a mill site of five acres, all be- ing situated near each other in the Wallapai Mining District, Mo- have Co., Arizona Territory, near the town of Cerbat, and at an average distance of six miles from the county seat, Mineral Park.

The list of officers comprises the following names:

President, M. A. McNaughton, Jackson, Mich.

Vice-President, James Blakely, Jackson, Mich.

Secretary, Verne S. Pease, Jackson, Mich.

Assistant Secretary, R. T. McNaughton, Jackson, Mich.

Treasurer, M. A. McNaughton, Jackson, Mich.

General Superintendent, William Calver, Cerbat, A. T.

Attorney, Wm G. Blakely, Cerbat, A. T.

Board of Directors:

Erastus Peck, Jackson, Mich.

M. A. McNaughton, Jackson, Mich.

R. T. McNaughton, Jackson, Mich.

Rodebaugh Manufacturing Company .- George W. Rodebaugh and Hamilton Stone, of Detroit, and Rufus H. Emerson and Chas. B. Wood, of Jackson, organized a corporation under the name of the " Rodebaugh Manufacturing Company," for the purpose of making and selling Rodebaugh's saw-mill dog, head block, set works and mill machinery. The term of existence of this corporation is fixed at 17 years, and the capital stock is determined at $26,000, divided into 1,040 shares of the par value of $25 each. The stock is held as follows: George W. Rodebaugh, 280 shares; Hamilton Stone, 280; Rufus H. Emerson, 400; Charles B. Wood, 80. The office for the transaction of business is located in Jackson. The articles of association were filed Dec. 6, 1879.

Western Union Telegraph Business .- The telegraph is an in- separable companion of and cotemporary with the railroad. The

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Western Union Company, now the only one represented in the city, save the lines owned and operated in the interests of the rail- roads directly, has had an office in Jackson for many years. The Atlantic & Pacific Company also had an office here some years, until the Western Union bought their lines in 1878. . The Jackson office is situated on Sonth Mechanic street, near Main. John M. Myers, its gentlemanly manager, employs six operators, two messen- ger boys and a delivery clerk. They work 16 wires, over which pass 12,000 messages per month, and earn an average of $1,000 for the same period. This is the second office in Michigan in the magnitude of its business.

The Express Business .-- The express business is a twin sister with the railroads, and its history coeval with them. Its lines, like the arteries of the circulatory system, ramify to the remotest limits of civilization. Few inland cities have express facilities equal with Jackson, through its network of railroads. Previous to Sept. 1, 1877, the American and United States Express Companies had each an office in the city; but at that date they were combined under the efficient management of Mr. Edgar Burnett, who has since had charge of the interests of both companies. The office is located in the Goldsmith Block, on the corner of Mechanic and Courtland streets. The Jackson office is third in the State in ex- tent of business, and second in the amount of transfer matter. Packages are sent and received on 30 trains every 24 hours, reach- ing an aggregate of 3,000 per month, exclusive of transfer matter. Mr. Burnett has 25 men on his pay roll, including messengers and the entire working force; and the office does a business of $40,000 a year.

The Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Jackson County was organized in 1862. The articles of association were signed Jan. 8, 1862, by Sidney Smith, Dorman Felt, Solon S. Clark, William Winegar, William T. Bush, Edmund Robinson, Moses Longyear, Richard R. Hooker and Jonathan Cady. The first charter was adopted March 27, 1862. The first temporary officers were: Ransom E. Aldrich, President; W. R. Waldron, Secretary. The first regular officers were: Ransom E. Aldrich, President; Sampson Stoddard, Vice-President; Henry E. Osborn, Secretary; William Winegar, Director; C. Van Horn, Collector.

At present Richard Townley is President, W. H. Smith, Di- rector, and Benj. Trumbull, Secretary.

The company does business only in Jackson county and insures only farm property against loss by fire and damage by lightning. It now has 1,867 members and $3,970,820 of property at risk. It makes an assessment each year to pay losses and meet current ex- penses. The average of such assessments since the organization of the company has been $1.40 on the $1,000 at risk per year, or $26.55 on $1,000 for 19 years.

The Water Works of the city of Jackson were formally opened Ang. 24, 1870. The building containing the machinery, supply

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

pipe, etc., is situated on the mill-pond near the M. S. & L. S. R. R. depot. It is built of brick after the designs of J. F. Coots. The engine house, etc. is rectangular, 56x76 feet, 20 feet in height, with a tower 45 feet, rising from the main building, and close by the lofty octagonal chimney shaft rising to a height of 78 feet. The roof is a mansard, slated and tastefully ornamented after the French style of architecture. The machinery comprises four steam-engines, two of 200-horse power each, one of 125-horse power, and a pony supply engine. Each engine is independent in its workings. Two of Holly's elliptical power pumps are employed and are capable of discharging 2,000,000 gallons of water every day. The design of the three engines is to vary the supply of water according to the demand, only one being needed for the ordinary supply, and the others in case of fire. An extra supply is commanded by simply opening a hydrant, and be it ever so far away this action acts auto- matically on the machinery, gives fresh impetus to the pumps, sup- plies the increased force necessary for the extra flow in a few seconds, and simultaneously sounds an alarm to warn the engineer, so that the accessory engines may be set in motion. The water is forced through a 12-inch main to the pipes running beneath the principal thoroughfares, and thence through smaller pipes leading to the less populous districts of the city.

In December, 1869, a meeting of the citizens was called for the purpose of voting a snm of money for the purchase of a fire-engine, and of making other arrangements against fire. The meeting was adverse to any expenditure for such, and decidedly in favor of a system of water-works which would vie with or eclipse some of those that were then being used in other cities. In January, 1870, Mayor Bennett invited a party of citizens to visit Kalamazoo, with the object of eliciting some facts in connection with the works then recently erected there. The result of this visit was the formation of a company to take the enterprise in hand, as the charter terms opposed such an investment on the part of the city. A regular meeting of the citizens was held Feb. 6, 1870, which authorized Mayor Bennett to represent the city in its dealings with the Water Company, to purchase 995 shares of stock, amounting to $99,750, and to use his influence for the adoption of the Holly system. This gave the city controlling power, and resulted in the appointment of Mr. Bennett as general superintendent of construction. During March and April the contracts were made for engines, pipes, hy- drants, machinery and buildings. The erection of the water-works house was begun April 26, and completed Aug. 1, 1870. At this time the water of the river was brought through great filters, and formed the only supply; but since that period wells have been erected and a plentiful supply of the best artesian water procured. In case of fire the reservoir is brought into use. The tests were applied to the works Aug. 24, approved and possession taken of them in the name of the Jackson Water Company.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

By the establishment of these water-works, the city has been singularly benefited. A supply of artesian water is brought into the very homes of the people, and hydrants, at regular intervals, are ready to offer opposition to the fire-fiend; but above all else is the high sanitary condition of the people which is insured, so long as they continue to use that mineral water which these works send coursing through the city.

THE GAS WORKS.

The Jackson Gas Light Company was organized in September, 1857, by P. B. Loomis, S. W. Whitwell, William S. Moore, Mr. Copen and others, with a capital stock of $50,000, which was increased in June, 1874, to §200,000. Mr. Copen built the works, situated on Clinton street, and subsequently retired from the company. On March 2, 1872, George F. Sherwood be- came superintendent, which position he still holds. The company have put in 133 miles of street mains, and have 119 street lamps in the city. Pittsburg coal is used in the manufacture of the gas, it proving more economical than the local coal. The product and consumption averages about 40,000 feet per month. It is furnished to 500 private consumers for $2.50 per thousand fcet to the heavier and 83 to the lighter consumers. During the past summer Mr. Sherwood put in over 50 gas stoves for cooking purposes, which have proven very satisfactory.

The present officers of the company are: P. B. Loomis, Presi- dent; N. S. Potter, Secretary and Treasurer; Geo. S. Sherwood, Superintendent.

STATISTICS.

In 1850 the village contained 2,363 inhabitants; 10 years later, or three years after the organization of the city, the population doubled, being then 4,799. In 1870 there was an addition of 6,648 to this number, or a population of 11,447. During the past decade the additions to the city's population brought the total number of inhabitants up to 16,107, showing an increase of 4,660 for the ten years ending 1880, a little less than two-thirds of that reported for the decade ending 1870. The returns of the enumerators of census in the several wards of this city show the following to be the actual population of the city: 1st ward, 1,535; 2d ward, 1,658; 3d ward, 1,017; 4th ward, 2,778; 5th ward, 2,235; 6tlı ward, 2,232; 7th ward, 2,559; 8th ward, 2,107; total, 16,121. There are a few families absent from the city, which the enumerators find it impos- sible to enumerate, but probably not to exceed a score of persons in the whole city, so that 16,150 will be the full extent of the inhabi- tants we number. This is an increase over the census of 1870 of 4,700, a ratio of 470 increase each year, showing a healthy and steady, if not a rapid, growth.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

THE EARLY BAR OF JACKSON COUNTY.

Like all young centers of civilization and commerce throughout the great West, Jackson early attracted men of brain, enterprise and courage as citizens; and among them came members of the Bar. Not unlike a number of Western cities, the pioneer lawyers of Jackson were, as a rule, men of marked ability in the profession. Of the five first attorneys who settled and practiced in the young pe- ninsular city only one now remains, nainely: Hon. David John- son, ex-Judge of the Supreme Court.

Judge Johnson was born in Oneida county, N. Y., in 1809; in 1824 went to Genesee county : there studied law, was admitted to the Bar, and remained until 1836. In the spring of that year he moved to Painesville, Ohio; in the fall of 1837 came to Michigan, and in January, 1838, settled in Jackson, where he has been an active member of the legal profession more than 42 years. Judge is the oldest lawyer, the most years in active practice, and the longest time in the county of any member of the Bar living in it. He was prosecuting attorney of the county at one time; served two terms in the State Legislature prior to 1850; and in April, 1851, he was elected to the Supreme Judgeship, under the new Constitution, tak- ing his seat on the Bench Jan. 1, 1852. During the prime of his manhood Judge Johnson possessed a remarkable physical constitu- tion, coupled with an active and somewhat impulsive temperament; has ever been a man of decided convictions, and gives them expres- sion with much force and emphasis; is a great lover of books, es- pecially of history. In intellect Judge Johnson is analytical and metaphysical, and being well versed in law, he has for many years been conceded a place in the front rank in the Bar of Michigan. In politics he has always been an unswerving Democrat all his life.

The four attorneys who preceded Judge Jolinson, and conse- quently settled in Jackson prior to 1838, were Phineas Farrand, Leander Chapman, William J. Moody and Merrick C. Hough. The exact time of their arrival is not obtainable, but from the best evidence at command they came in the order in which their names appear above. They were all young men and in active practice except Mr. Moody, who was a speculator and a politician. He was chosen a member of the first State Senate of Michigan; served a number of years as justice of the peace, and held the office of county judge at one time. He left Jackson and located in Racine, Wis., where he died about 1852 or '53.

Phineas Farrand was a native of Vermont; studied law at Ann Arbor, from which place he came to Jackson. He was a gentleman of very fine abilities and possessed of inex- haustible resources, especially in handling a difficult case, as the following incident illustrates: On one occasion he moved for a new trial of a cause in which he had been beaten, founding his motion on 27 points; but, upon arguing the case, he surprised the whole Bar by admitting that the first 14

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

points were not well taken, and he should not discuss them. This, however, was an exception to the general rule. He contested his cases inch by inch with a tenacity rarely equaled. No favors were shown to his adversary in the excitement of a trial. Out of the court room, Mr. Farrand was a genial, social, warm-hearted man. For 10 years or more he was a leading member of the Jackson county Bar. He died about 1856.

Leander Chapman was another strong man, distinguished for his superior practical common sense, rather than as an advocate. He was an honorable man, and never did an unprofessional act; was an affable, social gentleman, fat and lazy; or rather inherited indo- lence, and became corpulent. In 1846 or '47 Mr. Chapman was appointed Commissioner of the Land Office at Detroit. This broke up his practice. He afterward moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, where he died in 1863 or '64. Mr. Chapman was a native of Oswego coun- ty, N. Y., where he prepared for and was admitted to the profession, coming to Jackson a full-fledged lawyer.

Merrick C. Hongh was also a native of New York, where he fitted for the law, and practiced for a time after being admitted, in Perry, Genesee Co., now Wyoming Co., before coming West. He did not succeed very well in the profession, and only remained in Jackson a short time; returned to New York about 1840.

In the fall of 1838 Samuel Higby came from Western New York and began the practice of his professional life in Jackson. He was a man of superior mind, a profound lawyer, and an upright gentle- man. Mr. Higby was elected circuit judge in 1870. He died in Jackson in May, 1877.

In 1839 Fidus Livermore, Augustus D. Hawley, Zephaniah Platt, the two Chapins (father and son) and Mr. Parkhurst located in Jackson, adding their names and talents to the legal fraternity of the place. Mr. Livermore was a successful practitioner and a kind, companionable man. Hedied in 1869. Augustus D. Hawley was a native of Ontario county, N. Y., and possessed fine legal abil- ity, which early in life earned him a prominent position in the Bar. He died in 1847.

Zephaniah Platt was a son of Judge Platt, of New York. He practiced in Jackson two or three years; moved to Detroit, and be- came attorney general of the State. He returned to New York about 1848. Mr. Platt possessed a fine personal presence; was courteous and gentlemanly in manner, and a good lawyer.

Mr. Parkhurst remained in Jackson but a year or two, and went away.

The two Chapins practiced in Jackson a short time, then moved to Calhoun county, Mich., and continued in the profession when last heard from.

A few years later ex-Governor Austin Blair, Judge G. T. Gridley, Hon. Eugene Pringle, William K. Gibson, and others, whose sketches appear elsewhere in this work, and who are now prominent in the Bar of Michigan, began the practice of law in Jackson.

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

MICHIGAN STATE PRISON.

The enactment of the State Legislature of 1837 recognized the inefficiency of the county jail system, and at the same time the ne- cessity which existed for a central house of punishment, where those to whom the name " convict " properly applies should be held until their crimes were fully expiated. A visitor to the prison in the winter of 1878 inquired closely into the working of every department of the institution, and made the result the subject of an historical sketch. He states that in 1837 the law-makers of the new State realized, even at that early day, the inadequacy of the county jail system to meet the ends of justice, and accordingly decreed that the State prison should be located at the village of Jackson. Some 32 acres of land were donated by individuals to the State for this purpose, the work of erection was begun in 1838, and the building finished during the following year.

Benjamin Porter was the first agent, and the first convict who stepped across the threshold was John McIntyre, who, at the ripe age of 45 years, was sentenced at Detroit, January, 1839, to one year's imprisonment for larceny. He was accompanied by 10 others from Wayne county.

THE ORIGINAL DOMICILE

of chained vagabonds was a long story-and-a-half building, a frame house, and the convicts slept in bunks, five or six tiers in height. To lessen their chances of escape, each prisoner wore a ball and chain, and when retiring for the night these chains were fastened to posts, fixed at convenient intervals. Around the prison buildings was a stout stockade of tamarack poles. 30 feet in height, which gave rise to the cant saying, in reference to a man sent to State's prison, "He's gone to the Tamaracks." There is a tract of land containing 20 acres belonging to the prison on the east and outside the prison enclosure. The most of this was a tamarack swamp and morass. Abont 1860 this was cleared of timber and chaparral and the surface drained, and more recently has been under-drained and made fit for cultivation.

THE FLIGHT OF THE CONVICTS.

As might be expected, the building was soon found utterly unsnit- able for a prison. In 1840, about a year after it had gone into op- eration, a party of eight or ten convicts overpowered the guards and broke ont. For the purposes of offense and defense, they kept together in an organized gang, and traveled over the State in a westerly direction, robbing the farm houses and abusing their occupants on the way. At Spring Arbor a farmer, named James Videto, undertook, with fowling piece in hand, to stop their prog-

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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY.

ress; but, as the old inhabitants relate, " they came near enough to Videto to see that he had no cap on his gun, and accordingly fell upon him and beat him in such an inhuman manner that he was left for dead on the highway." The gang were all re-captured with two exceptions. The leader, George Norton, was shot and killed by Dorus Spencer, a farmer.

A NEW PRISON.

The next Legislature clearly saw that this kind of thing would not do, and made an appropriation for the improvement and strengthening of the prison. A stone wall 14 feet in height took the place of the tamarack poles in 1842, and shortly afterward a stone building, containing a block of cells, was erected. This struct- ure, in the present prison, is known as the "west wing." The block is four stories in height and contains 328 cells, -- precisely alike in size, -- all being three and one-half by nine feet, and seven feet in height, with grated iron door in front, and approached on the upper tiers by iron stairways and galleries on the outside. The east wing, which is almost identical in size, number of cells, and appearance, was built in 1857. The same year a prison was built especially for convicts sentenced to solitary imprisonment for life.

THE SOLITARY SYSTEM

was continued for 10 years, when the Legislature abolished it. Since 1867 prisoners sentenced to solitary imprisonment are treated in the same manner as other convicts. Although discontinued as a sys- tem, it is still enforced for limited terms against prisoners who re- fuse to work, attempt to escape or otherwise violate the regulations.

FEMALE CONVICTS.

In 1856 females were imprisoned here for the same crimes as those committed by males, and a separate building with 30 cells was erected for their accommodation. In 1871 the gallant Solons at Lansing, recognizing the inherent superiority of the fair sex and their power of damaging even the discipline of a State prison, enacted that female convicts, except when sentenced for life for murder in the first degree, shall be imprisoned in the Detroit House of Correc- tion. In 1878 there were but three female life convicts in the State, and only one is an inmate of the prison. Her name is Mrs. Baker, the woman who poisoned her three children at Battle Creek in 1863. At that time she performed domestic duties and lived at the war- den's house. The other two are in the Jackson county jail, for the reason that in the State prison there is "no place to put them." Both of the solitary-imprisonment buildings were torn down. The death penalty was abolished in this State in 1847.

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History of Jackson County, Michigan, Part 58

Author: Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago [Ill.] : Inter-state Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1166