History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 72

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761

USA > Michigan > Kalamazoo County > History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan > Part 72

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

# Since deceased.

266

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

Besides those enumerated there have been, at various periods, many other publications established in Kalamazoo.

As early as 1835 there was a paper published by Dr. Bennett, called the Vegetable Herald, devoted to the spread of vegetable medicines. It did not continue long.

About 1838 a political paper called the Western Banner, devoted to the interests of the Whig party, made its ap- pearance, and was continued for four or five years.

A monthly periodical called the Michigan Literary Gem and Parlor Companion was issued for a time by H. H. Heath, about 1841.

Among others in later years have been the Kalamazoo Times, Michigan Freemason, Bill-Poster, and Business College Record, mostly devoted to special subjects. A por- tion of these are still issued, we believe.

There have undoubtedly been others which had an ephemeral existence, but we have no certain information of them. For notice of the State Grange organ see Chapter XX., and for list of papers published in other parts of the county see histories of the respective townships and villages.

UNION HALL.

This popular place of amusement is located at the south- west angle of Main and Portage Streets, fronting entirely on the latter. Messrs. Chase & Brown first began to erect the building on the lot which they had purchased for the purpose. Before much more than the foundation had been laid, Mr. Brown sold his interest to Mr. Johnson, the builder, and the work was completed by the new firm of Chase & Johnson in 1865.

The building is of brick, with cut-stone trimmings ; is 60 feet deep (east and west) by about 150 feet in length, and cost over $30,000, although it could now be built for much less. About 1000 persons can be seated in the auditorium and gallery.

The stage, at the south end of the hall, is of ordinary size. The lower story of the building is finished off into six stores. Messrs. Chase & Johnson are still proprietors. Several features of the hall itself would probably be remedied should another one be built. The floor is level, and the acoustic properties are not all that could be desired, yet it is the principal amusement hall in the village, and as such is the place where play-goers " most do congregate." It has two wide entrances, and by provision of a recent law of the State regarding public buildings, its doors have been reset, in order to swing outward, and the hall may be con- sidered safe from any great disaster in case of fire.

TOWN-CLOCK.

In 1855-56 a town-clock was placed in the spire of the First Baptist church, costing, with fire-alarm, $400. It is still in use, although considerable repairs have been made. Until about 1870 it did not give entire satisfaction, and needed much attention. About that year the church was extensively repaired, and the clock was also remodeled, having new dials six feet in diameter put on in place of the old ones, which were three and a half or four feet only. William H. Snow, who made the necessary repairs, has been in charge of the clock to the present time, the ex- pense being paid by the corporation.

KALAMAZOO FIRE DEPARTMENT .*

June 5, 1843, an ordinance was passed by the village council requiring all householders or occupants of dwelling- houses, stores, shops, or officers, within the corporation of the village of Kalamazoo, to each furnish himself " with one suitable ladder or ladders of sufficient length to ascend from the ground to the roof of his said building, and one suitable roof-ladder to hang over the roof of his said build- ing, which shall be marked legibly with the said owner's name;" also requiring them to procure pails or buckets for use in case of fire. Any neglect to comply with the pro- visions of this ordinance made the person liable to a fine of $1.+

Feb. 5, 1844, Nathaniel A. Balch, Luke H. Whitcomb, Luther HI. Trask, Charles E. Stuart, and Israel Kellogg were appointed fire-wardens, with specific duties. Oct. 7, 1844, it was ordained that no bonfires should be kindled in any of the streets within the corporation during the time from half an hour after sunset to sunrise, under a penalty of $5.

Early in 1846 the " Kalamazoo Hook-and-Ladder Com- pany, No. 1," was organized, and apparatus for its use at once purchased,-hooks, ladders, 100 buckets, etc. A peti- tion was sent in May 3, 1847, asking that a tax be levied and a fire-engine purchased. A committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of a suitable engine, and reported that a "first-rate fire-engine, new, may be bought for about $700 to $800; inferior ones from $300 to $500; that a second-hand good engine might be obtained for about $300 ; hose, 80 cents per foot ; and also that an engine could be or- dered of any pattern at Grand Rapids, and we could have a > considerable credit for one-half the purchase money." The committee recommended that a tax of at least $1000 be levied. In 1848, a committee under the new board thought $700 would be sufficient. In October, 1848, a committee was appointed to ascertain whether the waters of Arcadia Creek could be used in case of fire.

" Rescue Hook-and- Ladder Company," organized March 9, 1850, had 41 members on the 4th of March, 1851, and at the latter date was officered as follows : Foreman, Benja- min F. Orcutt : Assistant Foreman, W. W. Paige ; Secre- tary, D. S. Merritt; Treasurer, L. C. Starkey ; Collector, C. M. Burdick.

The citizens having become anxious that a fire-engine should be purchased without delay, sent in an urgent peti- tion to that effect in May, 1851, asking also that an en- gine-house be built. A committee was appointed to report on cost, etc., but was restricted to no larger sum than $800. And that was the last of the business until Aug. 19, 1853, when Mr. Potter, who had visited several manufactories of fire-engines in the East, reported in favor of purchasing one at Rochester, N. Y., for the sum of $900, with hose at 75 cents per foot. He was at once authorized to procure an engine and $200 worth of hose. This engine, manu- factured by Wright & Bros., and costing, with 200 feet of

# As early as the beginning of May, 1837, a meeting of the citizens was called at the school-house, to take into consideration the subject of purchasing a fire-engine, but there is no record of the meeting showing what was done.

t The portion of this ordinance here quoted was repealed Feb. 5, 1850, and the village marshal directed to procure six ladders at the expense of the corporation.

267

VILLAGE OF KALAMAZOO.

hose, $1050, arrived in December, 1853, and was placed in charge of " Burr-Oak Engine Company, No. 1." A small engine called the " Cataract" was also purchased. Feb. 20, 1854, " Excelsior Fire Engine Company, No. 2," was organized, with 27 members, and given charge of the " Cat- aract." The officers of the company were: Foreman, George H. Gale ; First Assistant Foreman, Milo W. Barrows; Sec- ond Assistant Foreman, Leonard T. Smith; Third Assistant Foreman, T. F. Pickering ; Secretary, W. C. Ransom ; Treasurer, C. L. Cobb.

The building known as " Firemen's Hall" was erected in 1853-54, by the " Firemen's Hall Association," and used by the fire department.

" Excelsior Fire Company," some time after its organiza- tion, petitioned for a new engine, but it was not furnished by the corporation, and the company purchased one on its own account, paying $150 towards it. In December, 1855, the corporation upon petition assumed the debt upon the engine, and left the latter in the company's charge.

" Burr-Oak Fire Company, No. 1," on the 11th of Feb- ruary, 1856, had a membership of 44, including some of the most prominent men of the place: David G. Kendall, merchant ; Amos D. Allen, county clerk ; James Henry, Jr., register of deeds ; Joseph Miller, Jr., George D. Rice, Thomas R. Sherwood, attorneys, and others.

A new fire-engine, known as " Germania, No. 3," was purchased in March, 1864, of Messrs. Button & Blake, Rochester, N. Y., costing, with expressage, the sum of $852.13. It was placed in charge of " Engine Company, No. 3," which had been organized several years pre- viously.

In March, 1870, the department was reorganized into 4 hose companies, of 15 men each. The old hand-engine, No. 1, was subsequently sold to the corporation of Fort Smith, Ark., for $900. In March, 1876, the department was again reorganized, and made to consist of " Eureka Hose Company," " Vigilant Hose Company," and " Empire Hook-and-Ladder Company." The companies on the 17th of April, 1876, were No. 1, Eureka ; No. 2, Excelsior ; No. 3, Vigilant ; No. 4, Victor; with a total membership of 85 men. October 27, 1877, Trustee Dewing, Chairman of the Fire and Water Committee, reported in favor of dis- missing from further service " Eureka Hose Company," and of employing in their stead 3 more firemen than were then in service, to act both as firemen and policemen, and to sleep at Firemen's Hall; report accepted and adopted. Trustee Cellem offered a resolution that six men be employed in place of "Eureka Hose Company," to be paid stipulated wages by the corporation ; also adopted. The headquarters of the " Vigilant Hose Company" were removed to a hose- house on North Burdick Street, built by John Dudgeon, and leased to the corporation for 10 years from December 1, 1877. November 5, 1877, Mr. Dewing was instructed to place 4 fire-alarm boxes at different places in the corpo- ration, at a cost not to exceed $650. The number has since been increased to 7. The department now consists of " Hose Company, No. 1," paid by the corporation, Captain B. J. Healey and 5 men; and volunteer companies " Vig- ilant Hose Company, No. 3," located on North Burdick Street, and " Victor Hose Company, No. 4," located on

Portage Street, the whole constituting a very efficient force .* Thomas O'Neill has been chief engineer of the department for a number of years.

NOTED FIRES.

The first serious fire of which we find any account oc- curred on the morning of Feb. 9, 1850, in the block on the north side of Main Street, west of Burdick Street. It raged for three or four hours. The weather was intensely cold, the mercury being near zero, and the wind blowing strong from the southwest. Five mercantile establishments and three carpenter-shops were totally destroyed, and the Tele- graph newspaper office was burned out. This fire burned over the ground where the Burdick House now stands.

On the 7th of May, 1851, the large flouring-mill owned by James Allen, and located south of the Michigan Central Railroad tracks, west of Rose Street, was destroyed. It was at the time one of the finest mills in the State.

The extensive foundry and machine-shop of Turner, White & Co., and the carpenter-shop and planing-machine of A. G. Hopkins, and the shingle and patent fence ma- chinery of Hopkins & Trowbridge, were destroyed on May 5, 1851. Loss stated at $10,000.

On the 17th of September, in the same year, the blast- furnace of Woodbury & Potter, situated outside the limits of the village, near where the " Cold Spring Flour and Grist- Mills" now stand, was burned. The fire is said to have originated from an explosion of gas in the stack. The loss was stated at the time at $8000.

In the latter part of May, 1833, occurred one of the most disastrous fires that had been seen in Kalamazoo up to that time. It originated in a boarding-house and drink- ing-saloon near the railway depot, and destroyed, besides the buildings where it commenced, the passenger depot, Messrs. H. Cock & Co.'s warehouse, a large quantity of wood belonging to the railroad company, and another drinking-shop, kept by an Irish woman. A man by the name of Backus perished in the boarding-house, which was kept by one Minton. The total loss was about $10,000.

About the 1st of October, 1855, a serious conflagration occurred in the Burdick House block, which destroyed all the buildings (frame) between the hotel and the corner of Rose Street. The losses aggregated about $10,000. The Burdick House had a very narrow escape, and suffered con- siderably by water and the removal of furniture.

In March, 1857, Dr. Charles Mottram had an unfinished building destroyed near where Firemen's Hall now stands. Walbridge's store was burned in June of the same year.

Feb. 10, 1858, occurred a severe fire in the unfinished Asylum for the Insane, causing a damage to the State of about $70,000. (See Chapter XXIII.)

On the 15th of December, 1858, the steam flouring-mill of W. W. Alcott, situated adjoining the Michigan Central Railway station, was wholly destroyed.

The old River House, at the foot of Main Street near the bridge, was destroyed Oct. 8, 1859.

* One of the old hand-engines was sold to the corporation of School- craft in January, 1879. It was the one formerly in charge of the Excelsior Company.

268

HISTORY OF KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

There have been no serious fires for nearly twenty years. This fact is due in a great degree to the excellent system of water-works which the village authorities have adopted and put in operation. . The outlay has been considerable, but no better investment could have been made by the tax- payers. The saving of property has no doubt been many times greater than the cost of the water works and fire department.

CORPORATION HALL.

In the spring of 1867 the building in use by the fire department being in bad condition, it was resolved to erect a corporation building, and proposals for its construction were advertised for. Bids from three parties were opened March 4, 1867, as follows : Alexander Cameron, $14,500 ; L. H. Trask, $16,750 ; John C. Hays and David S. Hop- kins, $17,087.50. That of Mr. Cameron was accepted, and the committee directed to close a contract with him. It appears from the record, however, that the contract was finally given to Messrs. Bush & Paterson for $15,500, which included pay for removing No. 2 engine-house and hook-and-ladder house from the premises. The buildings removed were to be used for the same purposes as previously until the new structure was ready. Allen Potter, Esq., was appointed to superintend the construction of the build- ing, and performed that duty to the general satisfaction of the board and citizens. The hall was completed in 1867. It is two stories in height, built of brick, with cut-stone trimmings. The fire department occupies the lower story, and on the upper floor are the rooms occupied by the presi- dent and trustees, marshal, public library, and free reading- room. The two south rooms on this floor were first oc- cupied by the Ladies' Library Association, which now has a fine building of its own on Park Street.

STREET GRADING AND PAVING.

On the 7th of August, 1850,* it was ordered by the village board "that the marshal be instructed to grade Main Street from the centre of Rose Street east to the crossing on the east side of Burdick Street." The following entry appears in the report of Alexander J. Sheldon, village marshal, April 1, 1851: " The different streets leading out of the village have been in a degree repaired, but considerable work is yet needed on them, especially Main Street west of the half quarter line of section 15, the section line road on West Street, and Kalamazoo Avenue. The latter street never had any work done on it till this last year, and, being sub- ject to overflows from the Arcadia, I caused the low places to be filled in, and a culvert to be constructed to carry off the excess of water."

The first Nicholson pavement was laid in 1866, as fol- lows : On Main Street, from Rose to Portage, and on Bur- dick Street, from Firemen's Hall to the Michigan Central Railroad. In 1869 the latter street was paved south to the south line of South Street. The amount of Nicholson pavement in Kalamazoo in January, 1880, was about one and one-half miles, distributed as follows : Burdick Street, from South Street to the Michigan Central Railroad depot ;

Rose Street, from Main Street to the Michigan Central Rail- road ; Main Street, from Rose Street- east to the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad ; Portage Street, extending one block from Main Street; Willard Street, from Burdick to Rose (near the Michigan Central depot). Stone pavement has been laid in places in the Main Street gutters, and more will be done in the same line at an early day

SIDEWALKS IN KALAMAZOO.t

In the spring of 1848 there were no plank or brick side- walks in Kalamazoo, except in front of the few business houses for a short distance on Main Street. The deep, black mud of the previous open winter suggested an im- provement in that direction, when Albert Arms, who was then running a foundry and machine-shop on the ground where the Gale block now stands, drew up a petition for a plank sidewalk, six feet wide, on the west side of Burdick Street, from the depot to Main Street, and having obtained the signatures of the property-owners, presented it to the village board of trustees. The village " fathers" opposed the measure on the ground that it was an extravagant out- lay of money by the property-holders. The petition would probably have been rejected had it not been for the per- severing efforts of Alexander Sheldon, who was then village marshal, who finally persuaded them to pass the ordinance. Mr. Arms laid down the first plank sidewalk in Kalamazoo, except what is mentioned above, and the work has gone steadily forward from that day to this, till now, 1880, there are over one hundred milest of plank sidewalks in the vil- lage.

SEWERAGE.

We quote again from Marshal Sheldon's report for the year ending April 1, 1851 : " Rose Street has been graded during the past year, agreeable to orders, and a sewer thirty rods in length, from the park, has been carried under Main Street. The sewer drains all the territory adjacent thereto, and no more work is called for at present in that section."

This sewer was laid with 4-inch pipe. Several private sewers also exist, running to Arcadia Creek, and a large one was constructed in the fall of 1879, leading from the International boarding-house east on South Street, and con- necting at Pitcher Street with the only public sewer in the village. The latter extends on that street from Main to the Portage Creek. The corporation, by the contract with the parties who put in the International sewer, is accorded the right to purchase said sewer at actual cost at any time.

POLICE FORCE.

Kalamazoo is noted for being one of the most orderly places of its size in the country, hence a small police force is sufficient. Besides the marshal, two regular policemen are employed,-those at present being George Watson, night, and John Lamb, day service. The paid force has existed about six years. Two day and two night police- men were employed for about three years.

WATER-WORKS.

Upon the records of the village of Kalamazoo, and bear- ing date Aug. 7, 1850, is found the following entry :

* It was ordered at the same date "that Luther Trask procure a good and substantial hearse to be made, on the credit of the village of Kalamazoo."

t From A. Arms, Kendall, Van Buren Co., Mich.

į This seems a high estimate .- ED.

269

VILLAGE OF KALAMAZOO.

"Ordered, That Messrs. Buell, Trask, and White be a com- mittee to inquire and report the probable expense of bringing water into the village, to supply the wants of the citizens thereof." This is the first recorded step taken in the matter of providing a water supply, and nothing further seems to have been done until the following year (1851). A special committee on fire and water was in- structed, in May of the last-named year, to report on the construction of a reservoir at the court-house, bringing water to it, setting a hydrant, etc .* This reservoir was prepared, and in 1853 propositions were made to sink public cisterns at various other places in the village. Not until 1855, however, was the latter project carried out. During that year six cisterns were dug at the crossings on South Street, each with a capacity of about 150 barrels; and two on Main Street, at the intersection of Portage and Burdick, with a capacity of about 300 barrels each. In July, 1864, a proposition was made by W. W. Alcott to supply the village with pure water for a certain sum, which was deemed too extravagant by the authorities, and was rejected. Oct. 23, 1865, a proposition in writing from E. W. Wagner, Esq., of Ann Arbor, was received, stating the terms upon which he would sell to the village of Kalamazoo the property and water-power known as the Lovett Eames property. A committee, to whom it was referred, reported that $10,000 was the sum asked, and that the project was advantageous and the investment would be a good one; the committee recommended the purchase of the property at a price not exceeding $10,000. In 1866 the agitation in the matter of securing water-works was very great, and several schemes were considered, among them being the following : One to procure a water supply from the Alcott springs, two and one-quarter miles south of Main Street; and another to utilize Loring's Lake, three and one-half miles southwest of the court-house. Engineer E. S. Chesbrough, of Chicago, was employed to make estimates, and, after carefully studying all the plans, reported in favor of the Alcott springs. The paving of Main and Burdick Streets was then about to be commenced, and Mr. Chesbrough recommended that water-pipes be laid before the pave- ment was put down, in order to avoid extra labor and expense. From the records it appears that pipe was pro- cured and laid, the pavement being set afterwards. This pipe is of cast iron, with cemented joints, and is still in use

Neither of the sources above named were adopted to fur- nish water for the village. The cost of bringing it from Loring's Lake would have been (as estimated) from $250,000 to $300,000, and the water was neither sufficient in quantity nor fit for culinary use. On Saturday evening, Sept. 26, 1868, a meeting of citizens was held at the court- house, for the purpose of taking into consideration the sub- ject of obtaining a water supply at the earliest date. Oc- tober 5th, following, the board appointed a committee of five citizens, consisting of Messrs. H. F. Cock, Allen Pot- ter, L. H. Trask, S. S. Cobb, and C. L. Cobb, to examine and investigate the best systems of water supply, and the

best means of procuring the same. Two months later this committee reported in favor of purchasing the Cold Stream Mills property, from which to obtain water, and of adopting the Holly system of works, propositions having been re- ceived from the company, located at Lockport, N. Y. A contract was made May 3, 1869, for the construction of the Holly works, the citizens voting for the issue of bonds by an overwhelming majority, and the work was proceeded with at once. A lot was purchased on the east side of Burdick Street, from Preston Dekam, for $3500. The completed works were tested Nov. 6, 1869,-Charles Bar- rett having been appointed engineer,-and the greatest satisfaction resulted. In the summer of 1870 the works were extended, more pipe laid, hydrants set, etc. During the year 1871 it was discovered that the well then in use was not furnishing a sufficient supply of water, and that what was used came partly from Axtell Creek, and was therefore decidedly unhealthy and unfit for use. It was also found that in case of a large and lasting conflagration enough water could not be had from both well and creek. After some study it was resolved to construct a new well, with sufficient capacity for any emergency, and William R. Coates, Esq., was given the charge of the work. The new well proved a decided success, and furnishes the purest and cleanest water, not detrimental to health, and sufficient in quantity to satisfy the needs of a city of 50,000 people. It is 24 feet in diameter, and is sunk into the gravel stratum 26 feet below the water-level of other wells. It was finished and tested on the 25th of March, 1872, having cost $9334.

It was found in 1877 that the rotary engines then in use were not equal to the demand which might be made for water in case of an extensive fire, and for other causes also they were taken out and a new " Worthington Duplex Pumping-Engine" was placed in the works during that year, so that at present (January, 1880) the greatest re- quirements can be met. . The total expenditures of the fire and water department of the village for the five years from April, 1870, to April, 1875, covering repairs, new ma- chinery, pipes, hydrants, salaries of employees, etc., were $134,187.95. The first issue of bonds was for $25,000, and like sums were issued twice afterwards,-all during 1869-70. Up to April 4, 1870, the amount of $59,619.26 had been paid out on the water-works account.

A Board of Water Commissioners, to be appointed by the village Board, was established in 1872, and the following persons appointed, viz. : for one year, L. H. Trask, Alex- ander Buell ; for two years, Thomas S. Cobb, George H. Gale ; for three years, Allen Potter, William G. Pattison. The possession and care of the water-works were transferred to them. The ordinance creating the Water Board was repealed in 1873 (May 5th), and the business is now attended to by a person holding the office of water commissioner and collector, the present incumbent being Mr. Fred Cellem, who is also village clerk.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Kalamazoo county, Michigan, Part 72

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott Number of Pages: 761

Author: Durant, Samuel W. comp
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia. Everts & Abbott
Number of Pages: 761