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 83

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434

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 83

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).

" There were 137 hydrants, of which 20 were post hydrants, manufactured by the Ludlow Valve Company, of Troy, N. Y ., and the remainder Lowery hydrants, located directly over the mains and underneath the surface of the street. The Ludlow hydrants had two openings and the Lowery four, including one steamer con- nection. A large number of hydrants in additional were put in by individuals for the protection of their property. There were. 73 check valves in the system, by means of which portions of the system could be shut off for repairs.

"The pipe system was connected with sewer pumps belonging to manufacturing establishments, of which five run by water and two by steam, so that in case of an extensive fire eight pumps, in addition to the large engines, could be brought to bear upon it at once, with the supply in the reservoir in reserve. Without the pumps the reservoir gives a pressure sufficient to throw over any building on the lower levels of the city."

The engine now in use was patented by Wm. Turner in 1879. The fly wheels are 14 feet in diameter, weighing 17,000 pounds each. The pumps are double acting, each drawing 100 gallons every revolution. There are two boilers, six and one-half feet in diameter and 16 feet in length, with 90 four-inch tubes. The system is perfect in its workings. The works were constructed at an expense of $341,000. The entire works cost about one-half million dollars.

The Board of Works, under which this great public improve- ment was effected, comprised Thomas D. Gilbert, President; John L. Shaw, Lewis C. Davison, Wellington Hibbard, and William T.

540

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

Powers. The first officers of the works comprised: Peter Hogan, Consulting Engineer; Demetrius Turner, Mechanical Engineer; E. W. Muenscher, City Engineer; William Thornton, Assistant Engineer, in charge of Reservoir; N. T. Smith. Assistant Engineer, in charge of Distribution; H. A. Collar, in charge of Street Work; R. C. Greiner, Draughtsman; F. A. Twombley, Rodsman.

THE POLICE FORCE.

In August, 1881, this force consisted of 23 men. Of this num- ber it is absolutely necessary that there be two men on duty at police headquarters during the day, and two at night. One of these men is subject to calls from any part of the city, and hardly an hour passes that an urgent request does not come requiring his immediate attention. The calls are so frequent and of such urgency the janitor has to be pressed into the service and sent to do police duty many times during the 24 hours. One man is detailed to act in the capacity of detective, which duty engages his entire time. One man is required to attend police court, and upon days when there is an unusal number of cases on trial a second man has to be taken from patrol duty to assist him for a time. The working force then for patrol duty should be 17 men, but this number is reduced, by reason of sickness, special duty or a vacancy, to a daily average of 16 men. This patrol force is divided into two squads of eight men each, one for day and one for night duty. A committee of the Common Council in reporting to the Council, Aug. 19, 1881, in favor of increasing this force, states :

"Our city covers an area of more than two and one-half by three and one-half miles, and its railroad stations and factories are located at a considerable distance from the business center, and are very much scattered; so that in every quarter in the outlying wards will be found groups of small business houses, which in the very nature of things have become a center for their district, and a class of loafers and disreputable persons gather in the neighborhood, and are a constant source'of annoyance to the people. From the residents and business men in all these quarters requests have come in to place a patrolman on duty at such points. But we have not the men to spare, and are unable to do more than render as- sistance when called upon. There should be a man detailed to attend all public entertainments at the opera house, public halls and variety theaters, for the purpose of keeping order, or to ren- der assistance in case of an alarm of fire; for any insane person, by raising a cry of fire, might cause a panic that would result in a los, of life; but we have no man to spare. In conclusion, your Committee would suggest that if the force is to be increased at all, that there be added seven men, making a total of 30 members, which would give us a working force of 24 men. But we feel that in laying the facts, which seem to us to warrant an increase as recommended by the Council, before you, for your consideration, we have discharged our duty."

841

GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

In view of the steady advance in population, and consequent necessity for a greater number of peace protectors, there can be little doubt that this useful force will be increased in compliance with the recommendation of the committee.

HOTELS.

The Guild, Hinsdill, Eagle, Bridge Street, National, and the Rathbun houses referred to in the history of the county, were the first hotel buildings raised in Kent. Of those old hostelries the Rathbun and Eagle remain.

The Rathbun House of to-day comprises the old Campau House, erected in 1834, at the corner of Waterloo and Monroe streets. This old souvenir of the pioneer settler forms the second and third floors of the present hotel. Stretching along Waterloo street is the solid stone addition built by Charles Rathbun in 1846; farther down is the entrance to the brick building known as the Gilbert block, added in 1875. The house passed into the possession of A. R. Antisdel, in 1872, having been previously constructed by J. F. Antisdel and I. Hawks. This hotel employs 40 hands, con- tains 117 rooms, and is under the immediate management of the proprietor and Mr. Rogers, chief clerk. The proprietors of the Rathbun, in order of occupancy, were J. T. Finney, T. H. Lyon, 1844 ; Charles Rathbun, W. L. Granger, Dorsey, Julius Granger, De Witt Shoemaker, T. H. Lyon, jr., John F. Antisdel and A. R. Antisdel. After Campau left, the house was rented by the Misses Baylies, who opened it as a boarding house in 1838; afterward it was opened as a hotel.

The National was built for Myron Hinsdill, by Hilton and Granger, as mentioned in the general history, was partially de- stroyed by fire in 1840, rebuilt for Canton Smith in 1841, and again burned in 1846, and rebuilt for Smith and Morton. It occupied the site of the Morton House of the present time. During the holding of the State fair of 1873 this hotel was totally destoyed by fire. The proprietors of the National, in order of time, were Myron Hinsdill, Wm. Stoddart, Hiram Hinsdill, Tom Sargeant, Canton Smith, A. X. Carey, P. Robert, M. Collins, Hiram Rathbun, and Campbell & Beach.

The Eagle was operated first by William Godfroy; next by Louis Moran ; and afterward by Lonis Davis, Canton Smith, 1839; L. Luce, Barnard & Tromp, 1844 ; Fisher, W. R. Barnard, Geo. C. Evans, A. R. Antisdel and James K. Johnson, the present pro- prietor. The original building now forms part of this hotel.

The Bridge Street House was built by John Thompson, for Carroll & Sargeant, in 1836. Solomon Withey, T. H. Lyon, W. H. Tryon, Jude Boyer and - Moore and Mr. Christ, succeeded Mr. Thompson. During the occupancy of Christ, the house was destroyed by fire in 1850. The hotel was not rebuilt until about 1856, when Christ purchased the property, and carried

842

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

on the business until succeeded by Boxheimer. Pearsons, Box- heimer and Morhard, the present occupier, were the respective operators since 1856.

Of the modern houses of the city, Sweet's Hotel is the oldest. It was built for Martin L. Sweet, in 1869, and opened the same year by Lawrence & Beach. The building is six stories in height, in- cluding the basement, with a frontage on Canal of 131 feet, and on Pearl street of 178 feet. The fire of Feb. 20, 1872, destroyed the upper floors of the house, which necessitated its closing for repairs. Within a period of a little over two months the hotel was reopened, May 7, 1872. Two years later it was raised four feet and one inch, by the Chicago house-raisers, Coughlan & Hollinsworth. The hotel was conducted by T. H. Lyon for many years, then by Mr. Pickering, and again by Sweet & Sons. In 1881 Mr. Johnson became proprietor.

The total number of established hotels is 40, the number of well appointed boarding-houses 35, giving a total of 75 hostelries.

ESTABLISHMENT OF POSTOFFICES.

In early days the mails were brought from Gull Prairie, or Kala- mazoo, on horseback once per week. During the terms of Nelson and Rathbun, they were brought by stage twice per week. Wm. H. Withey and Col. Stuart had the contract for carrying the mails from Battle Creek. It is said that Canton Smith was interested in this line. The time named in the contract for the journey from Battle Creek was 12 hours; but during the spring and fall the time occupied in making the trip was usually 36 hours. The postage on a letter at that time was 25 cents, and even then its transmission occupied a few weeks. At the beginning, the Rev. Leonard Slater was made the custodian'of the mails; subsequently, Joel Guild was appointed to receive and distribute the letters.

The first regular office was opened at Grand Rapids in 1836, with Darius Winsor, the father of Zenas G. and Jacob W. Winsor, post- master. He was a heavy built, jolly old man, familiar with every one and happy at all times, though hobbling on a crutch and full of the infirmities of old age. His first office was on Monroe, nearly op- posite the Rathbun; subsequently the office was in the building on Justice street, or Ottawa, now occupied by a harness manufacturer. A number of rough and rickety steps admitted the then wide-awake inhabitants of the " city" into the office, the contents of which, by the way, could be carried away in the coat pocket of the good-nat- ured postmaster.

Alfred D. Rathbun was appointed postmaster in 1837, when Da- rius Winsor was removed. His office was in a small building on Prospect Hill, opposite the present county buildings. Rathbun's law office was in the same building.

James M. Nelson was appointed postmaster in 1841, under the administration of President Harrison. He erected a postoffice building, now the site of the Twombley block. Martin & Johnson had their law office in Nelson's building at that time. Judge

813

GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

Withey, of the Supreme Court, then clerk for Martin & Johnson, acted as deputy postmaster for Nelson during 1841-'3. In 1844, Truman H. Lyon was appointed postmaster under the administra- tion of President Polk. His office was located in a one-story wood building, near the corner of Pearl and Canal streets, where is now the Lyon block, near where Nelson & Caton subsequently carried on the book trade. In 1849 President Taylor appointed Ralph Cole postmaster, who opened his office a few doors north of the Lyon office, on Canal street. Cole's deputy or clerk, at that time, was Charles Mosely. Mr. Cole was a member of the bar. His death, from small-pox, occurred in 1855.

:. Truman H. Lyon was reappointed postmaster in 1853, and held the position until 1858, when Harvey P. Yale was appointed under the Buchanan administration. The office was removed to the Ex- change Place alley, where it continued until the Taylor & Barnes block was rebuilt, after the fire destroyed the county offices. Noyes L. Avery was appointed postmaster at the beginning of Lin- coln's administration, and held that position until the appoint- ment of C. H. Taylor by the Johnson administration. S. O. Kings- bury succeeded Mr. Taylor. In April, 1868, the first building which partook of the characteristics of a city postoffice was opened by Kingsbury on the ground floor of the Eagle building on Lyon street, opposite the old postoffice. Aaron B. Turner was appointed postmaster by President Grant's administration in 1868, and for a period of eight years held that position. He was succeeded by P. R. L. Pierce, recently deceased. The latter was appointed post- master by President Hayes' administration in 1876. James Gal- lup, the present incumbent of the important office, was appointed on the death of Mr. Pierce. Under his administration, the office was moved from the Eagle building to the United States building Oct. 15, 1880. The following statistics, for the month ending July 31, 1881, will convey an idea of the magnitude of this department of the public service at Grand Rapids:

ORDERS ISSUED.

Received for Domestic orders.$9,278 48

Received for Canadian orders. 183.70

Received for British orders. . 126 07

Received for German orders. 502 28

Received for Swiss orders ... 20 50

Received for Italian orders .. .

40 60

Total received.

$10,151 63

ORDERS PAID.

Domestic orders paid .. $28,596 64

Canadian orders paid. 237 50

German orders paid .. 1,149 49

Total orders paid .$30,065 26

These figures show an excess of nearly $20,000 paid upon or- ders more than was received during a single month.

The mail carriers, for the month of July, performed the follow- ing work :

Carriers employed. 10

Registered letters delivered. 1,152

Newspapers, etc., delivered. .. 84,731

Mail letters delivered. . . 118,732

Letters collected. 106,882

Mail postal cards delivered. 35,877

Postal cards collected. 36,022

Local letters delivered. 14,867

British orders paid 81 63

Local postal cards delivered. . . 9,848

Newspapers, etc., collected ..

15,335

844

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

In these figures a retrospect is presented. Forty-four years ago the weekly mail for the whole district could be carried in the post- master's hat; to-day the postal service here requires the attention of many able officers.

The system of mail delivery was introduced into Grand Rapids, Sept. 1, 1873. The city had but just arrived at the dignity and importance necessary to secure the service; now it is one of the im- portant mail centers of the West. In those days there were but five carriers for the whole city. Messrs. C. W. Bignell, C. L. Shat- tuck, J. F. Lamoreaux, R. Mc Gowan and J. Sonkey. There are nine full-paid carriers, one on half pay, and two substitute carriers at the present time, viz .: Messrs. C. W. Bignell, R. Mc Gowan John Sonkey, A. L. Sibley, Julius Caesar, F. K. Wing, A. W. Jones, D. Costigan and W. S. Berry, of the full-paid force; Mr. Alexander Dale on half pay, and Messrs. J. Richmond and J. H. Anderson as substitute carriers, under supervision of W. S. Earle. Three of the five of the original force remain.

Much might be said of the increase in efficiency of the service, since Sept. 1, 1873: then it was new and everything had to be learned, and now it is perfectly systeinized; of the added collections and deliveries made in the business portions of the city; of the fact that scarcely any resident of the city now thinks of going to the postoffice for mail, where scores then refused to allow carriers to deliver it because they didn't take kindly to the change; of other items showing the benefits of the system and its growth here; but for these items, the following statistics, furnished by Supt. Earle, showing how remarkable has been the increase in the mail matter sent to and from this city during those eight years, must suffice :

Sept., 1873. Aug., 1881.

Carriers employed.

Registered letters delivered.

1,012

Mail letters delivered ..

41,718

129,940

Mail postal cards delivered.

4,865

39,274

Local letters deliver d ...

3,521

15,472

Local postal cards delivered.

1,092

9 700

Newspapers, etc., delivered.

16,523

84,894

Letters returned to the office, as persons addressed removed or not found ..

519

Letters collected.

15 353

124 126

Postal cards collected.

1,603

44.092

Newspapers, etc., collected.

949

16 742

STATISTICS.

The results of calculations made by the State Board of Review and Equalization, and the aggregate valuation as estimated by the Supervisors of the county must be taken as the standard of the condition of the county. The State Board of Review and Equali- zation for 1881 estimated the true value of real and personal property in Kent county at $33,000,000; while the aggregate value arrived

845

GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

at by the Supervisors is only a little over $18,000,000, of which $9,457,250 are credited to the city of Grand Rapids, as follows: First ward, $727,985; Second ward, $2,931,333; Third ward, $1,884,259; Fourth ward, $1,831,231; Fifth ward, $617,572; Sixth ward, $280,163; Seventh ward, $524,196, and Eighth ward, $700,511.

Conceding that the State Board arrived at a just ap- portionment of the assessed value, the figures given here represent only about 40 per cent. of the actual valuation.

Population. In the chapters of the county history, almost all the names identified with Grand Rapids village are given, and the population pointed ont. Since its incorporation as a city, we find that in 1850 the number of inhabitants was estimated at 2,669; in 1860, at 8,085; in 1870, at 16,507; in 1874, at 25,989, and in 1880, at 32,015, pointing it out as the 58th city in the Union in point of

Compared with other cities in the State, Detroit is

the 18th, Bay City the 97th, East Saginaw the 110th, Jackson the

137th, Kalamazoo the 193d and Saginaw City the 230th. Of all

these cities, Bay and East Saginaw alone are of later date than Grand Rapids. They were brought into existence by the great lumber and salt industries, as recently as 1859-'60. There is noth- ing to show that when the former industry fails-let us hope many years hence-the two cities on the Saginaw can be sustained by the surrounding country, but will be quiet, German villages, when the " city of the Rapids " will be strong and prosperous, rendered so by purely American enterprise.

HIGHWAYS.

Within the memory of those who were here 45 years ago, and who are among the citizens of the county to-day, the Indian trail on the east bank of the river existed. Even in more recent years they traveled over primitive wagon ways, through small seas of mud, and had little hope of living to witness the day when Eastern and Western experiences would combine to render the high- ways equal, if not superior, to the roads of the old Eastern settle- ments. In the county history the efforts made by the State and county to build highways are noticed. Here the names and length of the principal roads, leading from the city, are given:

TO MILES.

.16

Lamont.

Ada.

Fisher's Station.

Muskegon. 40

Alaska .16

Grattan Center. .22

Middleville. 26

Allendale. 18

Grandville

Nunica. 24

Allegan 38

Grand Haven

Newaygo 39

Plainfield. 10

Byron Center. 12

Greenville.

34 30

Ross Station 13

Berlin ..

Holland City

Rockford. 14

Big Rapids

.60

Hastings

Cascade. 10

Ionia. 34

Cannonsburg. 16

Kent City

.20

Spring Lake. 33

Cedar Springs. 22

Kalamazoo

Whitneyville 14

Caledonia Station 18

Lisbon 16

Zeeland

Casnovia. 22

Lowell. 18

TO MILES.

Alpine Station. 8

Coopersville.

Hudsonville

Sand Lake 29

Courtland Center

Sparta Center. 13

population.

846

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

CITY SCHOOLS.

In the pages devoted to a review of the county schools, in the history of Kent, reference has been made to the little centers of learning, both at the Rapids and at Reed's Lake. Again, in the pages dealing with the Slater Mission, the history of the primitive school of that period is given. The first school opened for the instruction of white children, was that which Miss Bond, who afterward married Francis Prescott, taught. The young lady was an attache of the Baptist Mission, and when the settlers erected a log school-house in 1837, she was placed in charge. Mr. J. N. Davis, speaking of this humble institution, states that she taught one year, beginning her labors with the following pupils: George and Emily Slater; Ezra, Samuel M., Selden E. and Alfred B. Turner; Mary and Sarah C. Sheldon; Aaron B., Alzina, Chester B., Clarissa and Theresa Turner; Reuben E., Almira M. and James N. Davis; Lucy Sliter; Cornelia and Henry W. Norton; Sally Willard and Nathan Sibley; George M. and Clarissa White, and Arsnich, daughter of the Indian chief Mec-cis-si-nin-ni. Miss Mary L. Green, now Mrs. Blakely, succeeded Miss Bond.

The school-house was not furnished with furnaces, wood ready sawed and a man to build fires. The caloric was generated by a huge sheet-iron box stove. Each patron of the school furnished so much wood per scholar, and as the wood was generally cut in sled lengths, the male portion of the scholars carried their axes and cut it into stove-wood at noon-time or recess. The "Board of Education " was not pestered at that time for gymnastic apparatus for the purpose of giving the scholars an opportunity for exercis- ing their muscle in order to give tone to their minds, for the teachers furnished all the apparatus necessary for that purpose, and, I may add applied it with severity. The school in those days commenced at 8 o'clock A. M. and closed at 5 p. M., and was kept open six days in the week. Nothing was considered a sufficient excuse for dismissing school save the celebration of the Glorious Fourth. The inside of the house was not furnished with patent desks and seats, but with benches, some of which were made of planed boards, and others of unplaned slabs, flat side up, with pegs for legs. There were two desks for writing, extending the length of the sides of the building. When the hour for writing arrived, the scholars were directed to face the wall. This afforded an excellent chance for the teacher to look over the shoulder of the pupil, see how the quill pen was held, and when the marks were too horizontal and perpendicular. If either were the case, "' a reminder " was put in, the position of the scholar affording too good an opportunity to be lightly thrown away. The result of this "correction " would be the making of sundry lines and curves unknown in geometry.

It was the custom in those days to hold evening "spelling- school " about twice in every week. There was a larger attend-

847

GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

ance at this than at the regular day school. The exercises usually closed with the scholars standing up and "spelling down," and the contest was usually attended with considerable excitement.

It is said by a few old settlers, that Miss Page was the teacher of the first white scholars here; but many incline to think that Miss Bond was the first.

Mr. Prescott, who is said to have assisted Miss Bond in the management of the school, returned to New York State, where he was admitted a Baptist preacher. He returned to this city in 1854, where he officiated as pastor of the Baptist Church, and sub- sequently made Rockford his home, at which place he deceased un- der an apoplectic attack Jan. 7, 1864, at the comparatively young . age of 50 years.

The first High School was inaugurated by Henry Seymour in 1837, who subsequently obtained a charter for it under the name ' Grand Rapids Academy." Addison Ballard succeeded Seymour as principal, and he in turn gave place to Prof. Franklin Everett in 1846. The "academy " was successfully conducted by Prof. and Mrs. Everett for over a quarter of a century, until 1874, when he retired and the academy ceased to exist.

The Fulton street school-house, built in 1838, as it existed in 1846, presided over by W. W. Weatherby, with a lady assistant, was attended by 80 pupils. In 1847 Weatherby was succeeded by Marsh, and he in turn by Thomas Cumming, who was principal at the time the building was destroyed by fire in 1849. Zimri Burnham was the teacher of Primary School No. 2, " away up in Kent," where he instructed a quarter hundred of youngsters in the elements of the English language. School No. 3 was located on the west side, near the old Slater School.

Rev. Mr. Taylor inaugurated a collegiate institute, known as " St. Marks Academy," with himself as principal, assisted by three teachers, of whom were Mr. Van Antwerp and Miss Hollister. This enterprise continued to exist during three years, when it fell into the past. Rev. Mr. Staples opened a female seminary, which also fell to the ground after a brief existence. This school-build- ing was on the corner of Bostwick and Lyon streets.

St. Andrews Academy, at the corner of Monroe and Ottawa streets, was conducted by Mr. Kock, under the patronage of the priests of the mission. The present extensive school-buildings were erected in 1871-'2, at a cost of $20,000. They are conducted by the Sisters of Mercy, who came to the city in 1871. Miss Janes conducted the Grand Rapids Young Ladies' Academy until Sep- tember, 1846, when she married William Parks. This school building was located on the north side of Ottawa street, nearly opposite St. Andrews.

Prior to 1849, what now constitutes Union School District No. 1, in the city of Grand Rapids, was comprised in two districts. Neither possessed a school building in that year, as the only one that had ever been erected was burned down previous to the open-

848

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

ing of the Union School. During that year the citizens of the two districts organized under the State law, providing for the establish- ment of Union schools. They voted to raise by tax, for the pur- pose of purchasing a site and erecting a school-house, the sum of $2,500. and proceeded to purchase the commanding site where the stone building of 1867 stood. David Burnett took the building- contract, and fully completed two stories for the sum of $2,700. Isaac Leonard was the mason. The building was completed and the school opened in November, 1849, with Mr. Johnson as prin- cipal, assisted by Miss Hollister, Miss Webster, Miss Hinsdill and Miss White. The building was soon so crowded that in the fol- lowing winter the lower story was filled up, and was also soon filled to its utmost capacity. The district then adopted the plan of erecting cheap wooden buildings in other and convenient locali- ties, for the primary departments, numbering them in the order of erection. In 1867 there were four of such primary-school buildings. In April, 1867, the wooden structure known as No. 1 gave place to. a substantial brick school-house.

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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 83

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1434

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434