USA > Michigan > Kent County > History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 82
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Silas Hall, Aug. 31, 1871 ; K. S. Pettibone.
828
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
James W. Brown, Sept. 12, 1871 ; W. L. Coffinberry.
Elizabeth L. McConnell, July 28, 1871; John F. Tinkham.
Jacob Quintus and Gerrit Heyboer, April 25, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry,
Salen F. Kennedy. April 29, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Truman Godfrey, George B. White and Edward P. Ferry, March 30, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Louisa M. Ditts, May 17, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Ebenezer K. Powers, May 31,41872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Onzo J. Bissell, June 15, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Alpheus and Melville R. Bissell, May 21, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Richard Long, jr., June 4, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry .
Josiah Burton and Smith G. Ketcham, June 11, 1872; K. S. Pettibone. Nelson W. Northrop, July 3, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Timothy J. Tanner and Henry Miller, June 14, 1872; Wm. Thornton.
Benjamin V. Page, June 3, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Eliza Scribner, Seldon and Alfred B. Turner, Oct. 28, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Alpheus and Melville R. Bissell and Benjamin A. Harlan, Nov. 16, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Adolphus L. Skinner, April 6, 1873; E. W. Muenscher.
Ebenezer K. Powers, July 14, 1873; W. L. Coffinberry.
Emma R. Carpenter, Sept. 12, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
Arthur R. Morgan and E rma M. Pierce, Sept. 25, 1872; John F. Tinkham.
Melville R. Bissell and Henry B. Davis, Oct. 5, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
C. M McLaren, Oct. 12, 1872; E. W. Muenscher.
John Mohrhard, March 28, 1873; E. W. Muenscher.
James W. Carr, March 28. 1873: E. W. Muenscher.
Luman R. Atwater and Willard F. Capen, April 18, 1873; Dorr Skeels.
Julius Berkey, June 7, 1873; M. Wheeler.
Henry Fralick and Adelbert E. Worden, May 29, 1873; Coffinberry, Skeels &- Collar.
Hobart H. Chipman, May 31, 1873; C., S. & C.
John B. Colton, June 13, 1873 ; C., S. & C.
J. W. Converse and William D. Tallford, June 20, 1873 ; C., S. & C.
Allen McDowell, Sept 6, 1872; W. L. Coffinberry.
Benjamin V. Page. Sept. 10, 1873; W. L. Coffinberry.
J. L. Curtis, Aug. 26, 1873; C. L. Merrill.
Henry Fralick, Sept. 25, 1873 ; W. L. Coffinberry.
Patrick Tregent, Sept. 29, 1873; W. L. Coffinberry.
William P. Innes and Benjamin F. McReynolds, Feb. 3, 1874; E. W. Muen- scher.
Freeman and Silas F. Godfrey, George H. White and James A. Rumsey, Sept. 22, 1873; E. W. Muenscher.
Ganis W. Perkins, April 11, 1874; W. L. Coffinberry.
Extension Island Addition, March 26, 1874 ; John F. Tinkham .
Allen McDowell, April 23, 1874: W. L. Coffinberry.
Elisha Kellogg, April 17, 1874; K. S. Pettibone.
Canton Smith, May 9, 1874; A. B. Coffinberry.
William G. Beckwith, May 9. 1874.
John Caulfields, June 29, 1874; E. W. Muenscher. Henry Fralick, May 20, 1874; A. B Coffinberry.
Charles H. Taylor and Andrew T. McReynolds, Jan. 19, 1874; K. S. Pettibone. William E. Grove and Annie E. Brewer, July 27, 1874; A. B. Coffinberry. Weston, Dudley & Sonle's, Dec. 1, 1873; J. B. Soule.
J. Aldrich Smith, April 15, 1874; A. B. Coffinberry.
Loran M. and John S. Page. Sept. 24, 1874; W. L. Coffinberry. Samuel White, Oct. 12, 1874; A. B. Coffinberry.
Jonas B. Everett, Sept. 29, 1874 ; A. B. Coffinberry.
James, McConnell & Barnards, July 10, 1874; W. L. Coffinberry.
Sidney F. Stevens and Harry H. Pierce, March 3, 1875; A. B. Coffinberry.
Daniel W. Coit, April 27, 1875; A. B. Coffinberry. H. A. Vedder, June 2, 1875; K. S. Pettibone.
L. G. Mason, July 8, 1875; Lyon and Johnson.
Reuben H. Smith and Laughlin McCurdy, June 30, 1875; K. S. Pettibone. Gustav Christ, July 17, 1875; A. B. Coffinberry.
829
GRAND RAPIDS CITY.
Nelson W. Northrop, Oct. 29, 1875; Dorr Skeels.
Charles Jones, July 5, 1876; William Thornton.
Dennis Crowley, June 29, 1877; Dorr Skeels.
Joseph Penney, July 17, 1877; E. W. Muenscher.
Adolphus L. Skinner, Sept. 8, 1877; A. C. Sekell.
H. G. Stone, March 29, 1878; Dorr Skeels. Jacob Nagele, May 8, 1878 ; E. W. Muenscher. Benjamin A. Harian, Oct. 14, 1878; Dorr Skeels.
Leander H. Knapp, March 21, 1878; H. S. Knapp.
Sarah Caulkins, July 7, 1879; Dorr skeels. A. B. Watson, March 8, 1880; W. L. Coffinberry. Dennis and Andrew S. Campau, May 9, 1881; Dorr Skeels.
ORGANIC.
An act of the Legislature, approved April 5, 1838, authorized the inhabitants of Kent township to organize a village govern- ment. The first section of the act provided:
"That all that tract of country situated in the town and county of Kent embraced in the following bounds, viz .:- beginning at a point on the east side of Grand river, where Fulton street as laid down on the original plat of the village of Grand Rapids, recorded in the Register's office of the county of Kalamazoo, intersects said river, and running east on the south bounds of said village to the southeast corner of a certain tract known as Hatch's addition to said village, thence north along the east line of said addition and north to the point where Hasting street, as laid down on the vil- lage plat of Kent, being also an addition to the said village of Grand Rapids, if extended would intersect the same, thence west along said Hasting street to the west line of Canal street, thence south along the west line of said street to the point where the same strikes the Grand river, and along the shore of said river to the place of beginning. be, and the same is hereby constituted, a town corporate, by the name of the 'Village of Grand Rapids.'"
CHARTER ELECTION.
Pursuant to public notice, the voters within the chartered limits of the village of Grand Rapids convened at the court-house on Monday, the first day of May, 1838, for the purpose of selecting seven trustees to represent the village, when Henry C. Smith and John Ball were chosen Judges of the election, and William G. Henry appointed Clerk. Louis Campau received 141 votes, Will- iam A. Richmond 136, Richard Godfroy 129, Henry C. Smith 79, Charles I. Walker 73, George Coggeshall 71, James Watson 70, William Stoddard 70, Henry P. Bridge 68, Samuel F. Butler 67 and Myron Hinsdill 65. Whereupon Louis Campau, William A. Richmond, Richard Godfroy, Henry C. Smith, Charles I. Walker, George Coggeshall were declared elected, and a tie proclaimed between James Watson and William Stoddard.
The following is a list of voters present, Thursday, Nov. 21, 1839, at the village meeting: J. M. Haldane, F. J. Higginson, Geo.
.
830.
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Coggeshall, J. W. Pierce, Thomas Lewis, H. P. Bridge, J. Almy, A. Warner, G. M. Mills, W. G. Henry, E. Emerson, W. P. Mills, W. L. Granger, S. S. Hoskins, E. Jewell, A. H. Smith, S. A. Cook, G. C. Nelson, K. Woodward, James Barr, Geo. Martin, Sylvester Granger, W. Reynolds, John Ball, Luther Beebe, Charles Shepard, Aaron Dikeman, H. Dean, H. C. Smith, Amos Roberts, John T. Holmes, J. M. Nelson, James B. Lyman, Cyrus Bennett. J. T. Finney. The election resulted in the choice of Antoine Campau, who received 23 votes, Charles Shepard 20, C. J. Wal- ker 11, S. F. Butler 6, and A. H. Smith 9. The total number of freeholders present was 35.
The following were the village officers to 1849 :
TRUSTEES.
1838.
Henry C. Smith, Pres.,
John Almy, Pres.,
William Peaselee, Pres.,
Louis Campau,
S. F. Butler,
Harvey K. Rose,
Richard Godfroy,
W. G. Henry,
Charles Shepard,.
William A. Rcihmond,
J. M. Nelson,
David Seymour,
Charles I. Walker,
H. K. Rose,
Antome Campau,
David Bennett,
Z. G. Winsor,
James M. Nelson.
1839.
George Coggeshall, Pres.,
Louis Campau, John Almy,
Daniel Ball,
Charles H. Taylor,
George Coggeshall,
Julius C. Abel,
George W. Mills.
1844.
John Almy, Pres ,
Antoine Campau,
J. C. Abel,
George Coggeshall, Pres , Joshua Boyer,
Thompson Sinclair,
William Peaselee,
William H. Godfroy,
George Kendall,
Abram W. Pike.
1849.
George Coggeshall, Pre s.
Harry Eaton,
Luther N. Harmon,
Henry Leonard,
( Neglected to qualify, and Thompson Sinclair,
board of 1844 held over Solomon O. Kingsbury, another year.) Julius C. Abel.
CLERKS.
J W. Pierce
.1838-46 | S. O. Kingsbury . . . . 1849
S. R. Sanford 1847-8
1847.
George Coggeshall, Pres., Amos Rathbun,
George C. Evans,
William H. McConnell,
William H. Godfroy,
Boardman Noble,
Kendall Woodward.
1848.
John Almy, Pres.,
Charles Shepard, James M. Nelson,
Josiah L. Wheeler,
Samuel F. Perkins, Israel V. Harris.
1841.
John Almy, Daniel Ball,
Amos Rathbun, George C. Evans,
George M. Mills, Canton Smith,
De Witt C. Lawrence.
Samuel F. Butler.
1842.
1846.
William Peaselee,
George Coggeshall, James Watson.
Charles I. Walker. 1843.
John Almy, Pres., Lucius Lyon,
Henry P. Bridge,
Francis J. Higginson,
William G. Henry, Henry C. Smith.
1840.
Jobn Almy Pres , James M. Nelson, William G. Henry, Antoine Campau, Harry K. Rose, Charles I. Walker.
G. M. Mills,
C. H. Taylor, George Coggeshall. 1845.
831
GRAND RAPIDS CITY.
TREASURERS.
C. I. Walker. 1838
.1839
Henry Seymour
1846
William G. Henry
.1840-41
Antoine Campau. ..
George Kendall 1848
James M. Nelson (resigned)
1842
--
Harry Eaton. 1849
S. F. Butler
MARSHALS.
1838-39
George C. Evans. 1844
Gideon Suprenaut
1840
J. W. Winsor
1846
W. O. Lyon.
1841-42
Ira S. Hatch. .
.1847-48
William I. Blakely
Henry Dean. .. 1843
--
Michael Connelly 1849
The city of Grand Rapids was organized, under charter granted by the Legislature, May 20, 1850. The members of the city gov- ernment, together with the officers elected since that period, are named in the following list:
MAYOR AND ALDERMEN.
1850-Henry R. Williams, Mayor; Amos Roberts, Charles W. Taylor, Lovell Moore, Dr. Joseph Penny, Isaac Turner, Aldermen.
1851-Ralph W. Cole, Mayor; Amos Roberts, Martin L. Sweet, George Kendall, Wm. C. Davidson, Loran M. Page, Aldermen.
1852 -- Wm. H. Withey, Mayor; Wilder D. Foster, David Caswell, Aaron Dikeman, Silas Hall, Jacob Woodward, Aldermen.
1853-Thomas B. Church, Mayor; Charles Shepard, David Cas- well, Noyes L. Avery, Eliphalet H. Turner, Ralph W. Cole, Alder- men.
1854 -- Wilder D. Foster, Mayor; Charles Shepard, Martin L. Sweet, Benjamin B. Church, Eliphalet Turner, P. H. Bowman, Aldermen.
1855-Charles Shepard, Mayor; Alonzo Platt, Alexander Mc- Kenzie, Wm. N. Cook, Wm. K. Wheeler, Philander HI. Bowman, Aldermen.
1856-John M. Fox, Mayor; Thomas Sinclair, Harry H. Ives, George W. Allen, James P. Littlefield, Lucius Pattison, Aldermen.
1857-Wm. T. Powers, Mayor; Warren P. Mills, H. H. Ives, Amos Rathbun, Jonathan F. Chubb, James N. Davis, John Clancy, Robert Hilton, Ransom C. Luce, Leonard Covell, and Philander H. Bowman, Aldermen.
1858-Gilbert M. McCray, Mayor; John McConnell, John Almy, Noyes L. Avery, John M. Williams, James N. Davis, John Clancy, Robert Hilton, R. C. Luce, Leonard Covell, Philander H. Bowman, Aldermen.
1859-George K. Johnson, Mayor; John Clancy, Harry Ives, R. C. Luce, Wm. A. Hyde, Chester S. Morey, John McConnell, John Almy, Noyes L. Avery, John N. Williamson, James N. Davis, Aldermen.
1
W. G. Henry 1843
---
Amos Rathbun. 1847
832
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
1860-Martin L. Sweet, Mayor; Charles L. Henderson, Elijah D. Waters, Alfred X. Cary, Leonard Covell, Isaac Turner, Alder- men.
[The aldermen are now elected for two years, so half of the coun- cil will be those in the first list last year. ]
1861-George H. White, Mayor; Wm. H. Godfroy, James F. Grove, Henry S. Smith, John T. Elliott, Martinus Ceator, Alder- men, with those elected last year.
1862-George H. White, Mayor; Israel L. Crittenden, George M. Huntly, Ransom C. Luce, John R. Long, Newton T. Smith, Aldermen.
1863-Charles C. Comstock, Mayor; Wm. H. Godfroy, Robert Davidson, Win. H. Stewart, Alexander Milmine, Thomas Doran, Aldermen.
1864-Charles C. Comstock, Mayor; Julius Houseman, George C. Fitch, R. C. Luce, Lowell Hall, George R. Pierce, Aldermen.
1865-Wilder D. Foster, Mayor; Wm. Riordan, David P. Clay, Edward Mohl (to fill vacancy), Simeon L. Baldwin, Franklin B. Day, Isaac Turner (to fill vacancy), Charles G. Brinsmaid, Alder- men.
1866-W. D. Foster, Mayor; Julius Houseman, Benton C. Saun- ders, R. C. Luce, Joseph Tompkins, Francillo Hall, Aldermen.
1867 -- John H. Champlin, Mayor; Dennis W. Bryan, Simeon L. Baldwin, Harry H. Ives, William Widdecomb, Adolphus L. Skin- ner, Aldermen.
1868 -- Moses V. Aldrich, Mayor; Julius Houseman, Benton C. Saunders, Ransom C. Luce, Isaac Turner, Chester S. Morey, Alder- men.
1869-Moses V. Aldrich, Mayor; Thomas Smith, Harry H. Ives, Simeon L. Baldwin, Alexander Milmine, Thomas Doran, Alder- men.
1870-Moses V. Aldrich, Mayor; John S. Farr, Henry Spring, Wm. Greulich, Adolph Leitelt, Daniel E. Little, Aldermen.
1871-Leonard H. Randall, Mayor; John Grady, Thomas Smith, Henry Miller, George G. Steketee, John A. S. Verdier, Peter Granger, John Dale, James R. Lamereaux, David Lemon, Alexan- der Milmine, Thomas Doran, Aldermen.
1872 -- Julius Houseman, Mayor; Dennis W. Bryan, John Ken- dall, Simeon L. Baldwin, Adolph Leitelt, Robert W. Woodcock, John French, Samuel O. Dishman, William H. Powers, Aldermen.
1873-P. R. L. Pierce, Mayor; John Grady, Thomas Smith, George G. Steketee, John S. Verdier, Ichabod L. Quimby, Freder- ick J. Little, Alex. Milmine, Peter Weirich, Aldermen.
1874-Julius Houseman, Mayor; Patrick O'Niel, John Kendall, Wm. B. Remington, Frederick Leitelt, B. C. Sanders, John French, Samuel O. Dishman, Alfred Crawford, Aldermen.
1875-P. R. L. Pierce, Mayor; John Grady, Charles W. Caukin, Lewis W. Heath, Charles A. Hilton, Samuel A. Hogeboom, Isaiah Stewart, Alexander Milmine, Peter Weirich. Aldermen.
833
GRAND RAPIDS CITY.
1875-Peter R. L. Pierce, Mayor; Patrick J. Britton, Jefferson Morrison, George Cook, George M. Huntley, Adolphus L. Skin- ner, Billins Stocking, Lewis Martin, James N. Davis, Aldermen. 1876-P. R. L. Pierce, Mayor; Patrick H. O'Niel, Orson A. Ball, George G. Steketee, Frederick Loettgert, Robert B. Wood- cock, James Patterson, Henry M. Cadwell, Alfred Crawford, Ald- ermen.
1877-Geo. W. Thayer, Mayor; John De Graff, Charles E. Frey, Philip M. Graff, Adolph Leitelt, Samuel A. Hogeboom, Isaac F. Lamereaux, Samuel O. Ishman, Peter Weirich, Ald- ermen.
1878-Harry S. Smith, Mayor; John L. Curtis, Ansou A. Ball, John L. Shaw, George Thomson, Joseph N. Fisher, Adelmer D. Plumb, John Lindsey, Thomas Doran, Aldermen.
1879-Francis Letellier, Mayor; John De Graff, John Perry, John Benjamin, Adolph Leitelt, Samuel A. Hogeboom, David Winter, Robert B. Swain, William A. Hayes, Aldermen.
1880-Henry S. Smith, Mayor; John Grady, Nathaniel A. Earle, Daniel F. Thurston, Joseph B. Griswold, Burton C. Saun - ders, Geo. W. Stanton, Charles E. Belknap, Joseph Schursh, Aldermen.
1881-George G. Steketee, Mayor; Charles C. Groger, John Perry, John Benjamin, William Cartwright, Thomas Nestor, Charles I. Howard, Robert B. Swain, Frank Warzburg, Alder- men.
RECORDERS,
Leonard Bement. 1850
Charles C. Calkins 1859-60
Franklin Everett. .1851
John W. Champlin 1861-62
Leonard Bement. 1852
Charles C. Calkins 1863-64
John F Godfroy. 1853
John T. Miller. . 1865-66
Ebenezer S. Eggleston. 1854
Birney Hoyt .. 1867-70
Lovell Moore. ..
1855
Stephen G. Champlin.
1856-58
This office was abolished by Legislative act of May 3, 1875, and . that of "Judge of the Superior Court of Grand Rapids " estab- lished. In Chapter X reference is made to the judges of this tribunal.
COMPTROLLERS.
Nelson Robinson.
. 1857-60
Fernando Page. 1871-74
Edward Mohl.
1861-62
John A. S. Verdier
1875-76
Frederick L. Mayor.
1863-64
John Van Strion. .1877-78
Hendrikees De Jonge
1865-66
Henry Bremer.
1879-82
James Vander Sluis
CLERKS.
Aaron B. Turner. 1850
1851-52
George W. Thayer
1864
Peter R. L. Pierce. 1853-55
James Blair. .. 1856
Robert Wilson. 1866
Benjamin F. Sliter. 1867
Everett M. Douole lay
1859-60
Charles W. Warrell 1868-80
Charles W. Eaton ..
1861-62
William H. Powers 1863
Amos H. Smith
Edwin Baxter. 1865
Charles B. Benedict. 1857-58
1857-70
G. Chase Godwin .1871-74
John J. Belknap. 1831
834
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
TREASURERS.
Wilder D. Foster. 1851-53
John F. Baars. 1864-68
William T. Powers 1853-54
James D. Lyon 1869
Edson Fuller. 1855
John F. Baars. .
1870-74
Ebenezer Anderson 1856-57
Leonard H. Randall
1875-76
Francis Vogt ..
1858
Crawford Angel
1877-78
Adolphus F. Rau
1859
William Sears.
1879
Paul Stekeles
1860
Edwin Hoyt, jr
1880-81
Noah Stevens
1861-63
Edwin S. Pierce
1881-82
MARSHALS.
Alfred X. Cary 1850
George W. Dodge 1863
Abram W. Pike ..
1851
Henry Bremer.
1864
William C. Davidson
1852
Buel H. Babcock. 1865-66
Robert I. Shoemaker
1853-54
Ebenezer Anderson 1867
Leonard Covell
1855
Miles S. Adams 1868
Ira S. Hatch ..
1856
Allan P. Collar 1869-71
Daniel S. T. Weller
1857
James De Lyon 1872
George C. Evans. .
1858
Isaac Sigler
1877
Leonard Snyder
1859
George E. Kenning 1878
James Cavanaugh
1860
Richard A. Stack ..
1879-83
Leonard Snyder
1861-62
Justice Vickers, the new city Justice of the Peace, or rather the first justice elected under the law making justices city officers rather than ward officers, entered upon his term of office July 4th. He succeeded Justices Sinclair, Williamson and Shinkman, whose terms of office expired, and also succeeded to their dockets.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
As early as 1848 it became apparent to many residents of Grand Rapids that a fire department was an actual necessity. Among the first and most active promoters of the movement to organize such a de- partment was C. H. Taylor. During the winter of that year he drew up a petition to the village council, and obtained for it 124 signers, but the council did not act. Subsequently W. D. Foster was leaving on a business visit to New York, when Mr. Taylor asked him to call at Snooks' foundry at Rochester, and order an engine. Mr. Foster called, did not order the engine, but merely told Snooks that it was the intention of the villagers, headed by Taylor, to pur- chase one. Prior to the return of Foster, the prime mover in the matter drew up a subscription paper, under date of July 29, 1849, setting forth that the subscribers authorize Wilder D. Foster to purchase at Rochester or elsewhere a good engine, hose, etc., at an expense not exceeding $850. They agreed to advance the sums set opposite their names for the first payment, and a like sum one year from the first payment, provided the trustees of the village should vote to purchase the engine and pay interest upon the sumns ad- vanced.
835
GRAND RAPIDS CITY.
Negotiations proceeded until Dec. 17, 1849, when John Cowles, on the part of Thomas Snooks, sold to the corporation of the vil- lage a fire engine, guaranteed perfect in every particular, for the sum of $675, one half of which sum was paid down, and the other half secured by promissory note payable in twelve months.
On the arrival of the engine, "Alert Fire Company No. 1" was organized, with the following as members: C. H. Taylor, Co. Clerk; S. O. Kingsbury, Co. Treasurer; W. L. Coffinberry, draughts- man; John Clancy, W. D. Roberts, D. McConnell, F. N. Godfroy, Wm. H. Almy, T. W. Parry, W. D. Foster, Ira S. Hatch, Benj. Haxton, G. H. White, Wm. Clancy, and H. K. Rose, merchants; I W. Sligh, T. S. Rock and J. M. Stanley, tailors; W. N. Cook, black- smith; Geo. C. Fitch, wagon-maker; John C. Buchanan, gunsmith; Charles Tromp, inn-keeper; W. B. Renwick, farm-mill maker; M. Sparlen, Robert Wheeler, S. F. Perkins, carpenters; R. M. Collins, Jacob Barnes, C. W. Mckenzie, printers; C. H. Tayler, foreman.
Protection Fire Company No. 2 was next organized, with Daniel Hanley, Foreman; D. B. Lyon, 1st Assistant; D. Devendorf, 2d As- sistant; S. Y. Sterling, Secretary. The first members were. James Davis, E. E. Winsor, A. A. Tracy, Gray Martindale, T. H. Pen- ny, Ed. Lyon, J. H. Witney, John H. Slack, Charles McConnell, J. A. Smith, I. Sargeant, T. Sargeant, J. Loughlin, Charles Moore, Chester Stone, N. Stone, A. Scoville, B. S. Rathbone. The burn- ing of R. Luce's store, on Monroe street, was the first conflagration. A line of citizens formed to the river and supplied water for the engine. The house was merely damaged.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 1 was organized Jan. 15, 1850, with C. B. White, Foreman; D. Burnett, Assistant Foreman; Wm . I. Blakely, Robert Hilton, W. H. Dickinson, Pliny Smith, Benj. Luce, B. Morton, H. H. Ives, A. W. Pelton, Godfrey Gill and J. H. Nichols, members. The meeting to organize was held in the shop of Hilton & White, with C. B. White presiding, and Wm. I. Blakely, Secretary. In this manner was begun the formation of a fire department which to-day ranks among the first in the State. Unhappily these companies were not thoroughly organized that year; had they been, the terrible tragedy of Jan. 14, 1850, never could have occurred.
Alert Fire Company, with the hand engine, was present at the burning of the Catholic presbytery, and to it and the earnest efforts of the amateur water-carriers, is due the escape of the stone church.
The fire department of the present time is an organized body in the truest sense of the word. Henry W. Lemoin is Chief, with S. W. Baxter, Assistant; Thomas Gibbons is Master Mechanic and J. W. Chase, Superintendent of Telegraphs. The city is sup- plied with 83 alarm boxes, and so perfect is the system that within two minutes after the first alarm the firemen are at work. The engines comprise Chemical, No. 1, four steam engines, eight hose carts and a hook and ladder company. The department is one of the city service, and ranks among the first in the Union.
836
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
THE CITY WATER WORKS.
Early in 1873 the question of constructing a system of water- works was discussed. A public meeting of the tax-pavers was held, at which a series of resolutious were passed, favorable to the enterprise. ,July 30, 1873, the citizens were asked to vote $250,000 for the purpose, and in accordance with the resolutions carried at a former meeting, were almost unanimous in their sup- port of this quarter-million loan. The city council lost no time in beginning their construction; so that in 1875 the Grand Rapids system of water-works was inaugurated. From a description of the works prepared in 1875, by J. D. Dillenback, the following is extracted :
" The works, as constructed, combine the reservoir and direct pressure systems; the pumps working directly into the mains, all surplus water passing into the reservoir, which is only drawn upon when the pumps are not running, or in case of emergency. The reservoir is located on the top of the bluff, at the head of Living- stone and Mason streets, having an area of three and one-fourth acres. It is 25 feet in depth, of which five feet are in excavation, and 20 feet in embankment. The water line is 20 feet above the bottom, and when full to this line, will hold six million two- hundred thousand gallons. In plan it is a circle 196 feet in diam- eter at the bottom and 271 feet at the top. The embankment is 12 feet wide on the top, with inner slopes of one and one-half hori- zontal to one vertical, and outer slopes two to one. The bottom and inner slopes are lined with cobble-stone laid in cement mortar, and resting on a bed of concrete. The concrete and stone lining are each eight inches thick on the bottom and twelve inches on the slopes. Underneath the bottom lining is a bed of puddle of clay and sand thoroughly mixed and worked up with shovels while very wet. This bed is from one to three feet in thickness, and extends to the center of the embankment, where it joins a vertical wall of puddle eight feet thick at the bottom and five feet at the top, and rising to within three feet of the top of the bank. The embank- ment is mostly of sand, well sodded. It was substantially built by the contractors, T. C. Brooks and A. C. Sekill, under the superin- tendence of Wm. Thornton, assistant engineer. When full it has a head of 160 feet above Canal street.
" The pumping works are located at the northwest corner of Canal and Coldbrook streets, at the mouth of the Coldbrook creek. The building is cruciform, 75x97 feet in its extreme dimensions, and one story in height, except the front, which is two. The chimney is 101 feet in height. The foundations rest on solid rock and average 10 feet in height. Robert Hilton and R. Davidson were the building contractors.
" The pumping engines were designed by Demetrius Turner, and constructed by Butterworth & Lowe, of Grand Rapids. They are direct-acting horizontal engines with steam cylinders 33 inches
Avery Brace
839
GRAND RAPIDS CITY.
in diameter and six feet stroke, and water cylinders 14 inches in diameter. Before these engines were completed, the city pur- chased and used a Worthington steam pump, with steam cylinders 182 inches and water cylinders 14 inches in diameter and 10 inches stroke. This pump supplied with ease all the water needed in 1875 by the city.
. " At that time the water was taken from Grand river, but as this water is not fit for domestic use during the summer season, measures were taken next season for bringing in a supply of pure water from some of the spring creeks lying outside the city. This. was effected by utilizing the streams known as Cold brook, Carrier creek, 1,900 feet east of the works.
" The system of distribution includes at the beginning about 12 miles of pipe, ranging from four to twenty inches in diameter, ot which about two miles were of cast iron, and the remaining ten miles of wood, manufactured under the Wyckoff patent, strongly banded with wrought-iron bands to give them the required strength, and protected from decay and rust by a coat of asphaltum and coal tar on the outside. The iron pipe was laid by Charles Peterson and the Wyckoff pipe by T. B. Farrington and H. A. Branch. At present there are over 22 miles of supply and distri- bution pipe.
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