History of Livingston County, Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 37

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" With characteristic energy, however, Mr. Melvin commenced a new building while the embers of the old were still burning, and two days had not elapsed ere the 'anvil chorus' was ringing in his new shop."


On both the occasions above mentioned the only means employed, or at hand, for arresting the progress of the fire was the demolition of threat- ened buildings (or the spreading of wet blankets and carpets on their roofs) and the throwing of water from hand-buckets. But even if fire-engines had been on the spot they would have been use- less, for lack of an adequate supply of water. Im-


mediately after the fire which destroyed the Phoenix Foundry a meeting of citizens was held in Howell (March 6, 1860) to take measures for procuring a fire-apparatus for the village; but no results fol- lowed.


By the provisions of the act incorporating the village the Common Council was authorized and empowered to compel the owners of buildings to procure and keep in readiness such number of fire- buckets and ladders as shall be ordered by the Common Council, and also to " establish and organ- ize all such fire-companies and hose and hook- and-ladder companies, and to provide them with such engines and other instruments as shall be necessary to extinguish fires and preserve the property of the inhabitants of said village from conflagrations, and to appoint, from among the in- habitants of said village, such number of men, willing to accept, as may be deemed proper and necessary to be employed as firemen,"-the number of men so appointed not to exceed 50 for the man- agement of any one engine.


On the 18th of January, 1868, the Common Council passed an ordinance establishing and de- fining, within the village of Howell, certain limits within which the erection of wooden buildings was prohibited. These limits have since been revised and enlarged.


The question of procuring fire-apparatus for the village, which had first been seriously agitated at the meeting held immediately after the fire of Feb- ruary, 1860, continued to be held under advisement and occasional discussion for about ten years before any definite action was taken, many arguing (and very reasonably) that it would be useless to pro- cure an engine until some means had been devised whereby such engine could be supplied with water in sufficient quantity to be of service in case of need. This objection of lack of an adequate water supply seemed well - nigh insurmountable, but finally, on the 24th of January, 1870, it was by the Common Council


" Resolved, That Mr. J. L. Stone be authorized to procure for the village of Howell, and deliver the same on or before one month from this date, a fire-engine, called in the printed catalogue ' The Fire King,' and the Common Council will then pay for said en- gine; provided that on a fair trial it shall prove to be as good as recommended,-that is to say, the said engine shall throw water one hundred and fifty feet at an angle of forty-five degrees, after being forced through fifty feet of hose, and that the machine shall be a first-class machine in workmanship and material."


But the trial of this engine did not prove entirely satisfactory ; and there is little doubt that this re- sult was a most fortunate one for the village of Howell, for it induced the adoption of a different and (for this place at least) a more efficient fire- apparatus. On the 3d of January, 1874, the Coun-


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VILLAGE OF HOWELL.


177


cil resolved " that the Champion Fire Extinguisher, now here on trial, be purchased for the sum of $2000 ; $1000 to be paid in six months from date, and $1000 in eighteen months from date ; and that the president and recorder issue their orders ac- cordingly." This resolution was duly carried into effect, and so the village was at last provided with an efficient apparatus and equipment for the extin- guishment of fires.


Having now an apparatus, it became necessary to form a company to have charge of and operate it ; and on the 14th of January in the same year, the Common Council


"Resolved, That the following-named persons be constituted a fire-company, to wit : John Neary, John McCloud, William F. Griffith, Patrick Hammill, Thomas Clark, Leonard Fishbeck, George Harrington, Perley Skilbeck, Frank Ackerman, Frank Archer, Charles G. Jewett, Mark Rubert, Homer Beach, Theo- dore Huntley, E. A. Young, Thomas McEwen, Henry Wilber, Peter Clark, Burt F. Parsons, Edward Waldron, H. F. Brown- ing, Edward Greenaway, F. G. Hickey, H. G. Sellman, William Beattie, George L. Clark, G. S. Burgess, R. H. Brown, Cassius Austin, Thomas G. Switzer."


On the next day these members met, and organ- ized as "Champion Fire Company, No. I, of Howell," the following being elected as its first officers : John Neary, Foreman; Thomas Clark, First Assistant Foreman; Edward Waldron, Sec- ond Assistant Foreman ; R. H. Brown, Pipeman ; John McCloud, Second Pipeman ; E. A. Young, Superintendent of Chemicals ; Henry Wilber, As- sistant Superintendent of Chemicals ; William F. Griffith, Secretary ; Patrick Hammill, Treasurer.


May 24, 1875, the Common Council passed a resolution to purchase from William McPherson & Sons a lot for an engine-house site, on the west side of East Street, north of Grand River Street- 25 feet front and 50 feet deep-at $875, payable in three equal payments ; and the president and re- corder were authorized and directed "to issue orders for said amounts of money." Mr. H. Hal- bert was appointed building committee, and was instructed "to do all acts and things relative to said building of an engine-house that in his judg- ment shall be expedient, and that he complete the same as soon as practicable, in such manner and style as shall be appropriate." The contract for building the engine-house was awarded, July 6, 1875, to Franklin Kelly, who completed the work in the fall of that year, and was settled with on the 29th of October, as follows :


Amount of contract ..


$2857.17


Cistern


50.00


Other extras


10.35


Total cost. $2917.52


exclusive of the bell, which was procured after- wards.


The village has now a good fire apparatus, well housed, and in charge of an efficient company, whose officers for 1879 are Thomas Clark, Fore- man ; L. Ebner, First Assistant Foreman ; Thomas Fraser, Second Assistant Foreman ; Thomas Wine- gar, Treasurer ; W. A. Tucker, Secretary ; H. D. Wilber, Superintendent of Chemicals ; M. L. Mc- Kinley, Assistant Superintendent of Chemicals ; W. R. Knapp, First Pipeman; R. H. Brown, Second Pipeman.


HOWELL POST-OFFICE AND POSTMASTERS.


The Howell post-office was established by the Post-Office Department, on the 15th of January, 1836. Following is a list of its several postmas- ters, with the dates of their appointments:


Flavius J. B. Crane, appointed Jan. 15, 1836. Under Mr. Crane the office was kept in the Eagle Hotel of Amos Adams.


Ely Barnard, appointed June 13, 1839. Under Mr. Barnard, the office was first located in the frame building which stood on the northeast cor- ner of the "old public square," but afterwards made John Curtis his deputy, and removed the office to the E. F. Gay store building, opposite the southwest corner of the same square.


Almon Whipple, appointed Feb. 9, 1841. Mr. Whipple, under this appointment, held the office less than four months, and during that time the business was continued in the Gay store, where it had been located by John Curtis, under Mr. Barnard.


Wellington A. Glover, appointed May 31, 1841. During his term the office was continued in the same place. Mr. S. F. Hubbell, who was then reading law in the office of Mr. Glover, recollects acting for a time as his deputy.


Almon Whipple (second term), appointed Sept. 1, 1843. During this term Mr. Whipple kept the office in his store on the north side of Grand River Street,-the place now occupied by the store of Greenaway & Son.


George W. Lee, appointed April 14, 1849. Of- fice located in the store of Lee & Brother, where F. N. Monroe now is.


Derastus Hinman, appointed June 7, 1853. Mr. Hinman removed the office to his store, in the building known as the "old fort," on the south side of Grand River Street.


Frank Wells, appointed Feb. 25, 1855. The office was kept by Mr. Wells in the drug-store, south side of Grand River Street, where now is Griffith's furniture-store.


Leander C. Smith, appointed March 16, 1861. For four years, under Mr. Smith, the office was located where it had been kept by George W. Hosted by


23


178


HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Lee. After that time it was removed to the south side of Grand River Street, just west of Alexander McPherson's bank.


Henry T. Clark, appointed March 8, 1866; re- appointed June 1, 1868. The office was continued where it had last been kept by Mr. Smith, until the building was destroyed by fire, when it was re- moved to a building standing on what is now the site of the National Hotel.


William W. Kenyon, appointed Aug. 20, 1868; reappointed Dec. 10, 1873, at which time the Howell Post-Office became presidential. Under Mr. Kenyon the office was first located on the north side of Grand River Street, one door west of the store of William McPherson & Sons; it was next removed to the south side of the street, where now is the drug-store of Spencer & Hutton; next to the Cardell Block, and finally to the quar- ters which it has occupied to the present time.


Julius D. Smith, appointed Dec. 14, 1877, and the present postmaster of Howell. Mr. Smith has continued the office in the place where last located by Mr. Kenyon, south side of Grand River Street, a few doors west of the National Hotel.


COURT-HOUSE AND COUNTY OFFICES.


The county buildings, consisting of the court- house, the office of the County Clerk and Register of Deeds, and the office of the Judge of Probate and County Treasurer, are located on the court- house square, which lies on the north side of Grand River Street, with Main Street as its west- ern, and Court Street as its eastern, line. The laying out of this square and the erection of the county buildings on it have already been noticed in the general county history.


BANKS AND BANKERS.


The village of Howell luckily escaped the misfor- tune which was visited upon many other Michigan towns about forty years ago,-the establishment of a " wild-cat bank" within its borders. It is said that at one time (in 1837) a plan was suggested for the establishment of such an institution here ; but it failed of encouragement, and the disaster to the village and vicinity was averted.


The banks of Howell have all been private en- terprises. The first of these was the " Exchange Bank," of Brockway, Embury & Co., which was established here in the fall of 1863; located on the south side of Grand River Street, where H. N. Beach's store now is. From this place, in 1865, it was removed by the proprietors to a building, which they had erected for the purpose, on Grand River Street above East,-the same which is now


occupied by McPherson's Bank. The Exchange Bank was discontinued in 1868 by sale of busi- ness, fixtures, and real estate to Alexander Mc- Pherson.


The bank of Alexander McPherson & Co. was opened in June, 1865, for the purchase and sale of government bonds, sale of exchange on New York and all Eastern and Western cities, and the trans- action of a general banking business, for which its capital was and is ample. The banking-rooms at first occupied were on the north side of Grand River Street, in the building previously occupied as a store by William Riddle. At the end of about four years they were removed to the present location of the bank (previously the banking- rooms of the Exchange Bank), south side of Grand River Street, just west of East Street.


The bank of Weimeister & O'Hearn (John Wei- meister and Neil O'Hearn) was opened for a gen- eral banking business in October, 1868, receiving its first deposit on the 19th of that month, and issuing its first draft on the following day. The business was commenced in a wooden building that stood on a part of the site now occupied by the National Hotel. From this place it was re- moved, in November, 1869, to Weimeister Block, a few doors farther west; and on the 9th of Au- gust, 1879, was removed to its present quarters in the brick building (owned by the proprietors of the bank) on the south side of Grand River Street and adjoining the National Hotel on the east.


ORDER OF ODD-FELLOWS.


HOWELL LODGE, No. 44, I. O. O. F.


The original petition, praying for the establish- ment of this lodge, is found on file with the ar- chives of the Grand Lodge of the State of Michi- gan. Of this document-which marks the first step taken towards the organization of a lodge of the order in Livingston County-the following is a copy :


"TO THE GRAND MASTER OF THE GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, OF THE I. O. OF O. F. :


" The petition of the undersigned, holding withdrawal Cards from Lodges legally recognized by the Grand Lodge of the State of Michigan, respectfully represents that it would be consistent with the advantage of the Order to establish a subordinate Lodge, to be located at Howell, in the State of Michigan.


" Wherefore your petitioners pray that a warrant may be issued, in pursuance of the Laws of said Grand Lodge.


" Dated at Howell, this 21st day of August, 1849. (Signed) " JOSIAH TURNER. JAMES MULLOY. LEMUEL SPOONER. JOHN B. DILLINGHAM. L. K. HEWETT. JOHN A. WHEELER. JAMES SWINEY."


Whereupon, on the 24th of August in the same year, John Chester, Grand Master of the Grand


179


VILLAGE OF HOWELL. .


Lodge of the State, issued a dispensation author- izing and empowering the above-named petitioners "to constitute a Lodge in the village of Howell, Livingston County, and State of Michigan, to be known and hailed by the title of HOWELL LODGE, No. 44."


How and when the lodge was instituted is shown by the report made by N. B. Nye, D. D. Grand Master, to Joseph E. Hyde, R. W. Grand Secretary, as follows :


" ANN ARBOR, Sept. 10, 1849.


" DEAR SIR AND BRO.,-By direction of the M. W. Grand Master, I proceeded on the 5th Inst. to Institute Howell Lodge, No. 44, at the Village of Howell, Livingston County, assisted by D. D. G. M. Little, of District No. 15, and P. G. Grenville, of Washtenaw Lodge, No. 9. After initiating nine new members, and conferring the Degrees upon a number, I installed the Officers Elect for the current term as follows, viz. :


"N. G., Josiah Turner.


"V. G., L. K. Hewett.


"Sec., J. B. Dillingham.


" Treas., Lemuel Spooner.


" There were quite a number of Brothers from the neighboring Lodges in attendance, and everything passed off in the true spirit of the Order. From my own acquaintance with the Officers and Members of Howell Lodge, No. 44, as well as their reputation, I doubt not that Lodge will become an ornament to the Order.


" Respectfully


" Yours in F. L. and T., " N. B. NYE, " D. D. G. M. 3d Dist."'


On the 31st of December, 1849, the lodge con- tained the following-named members in good standing, viz. :


Josiah Turner, P. G.


Scarlet members: Lauren K. Hewett, N. G .; Lemuel Spooner, V. G .; Elisha E. Hazard, Sec. ; James Mulloy, Treas .; Joseph H. Peebles, War- den; John B. Dillingham, Con .; Charles C. Ells- worth, P. Sec .; William B. Smith, O. G .; John A. Wheeler, Fred. J. Lee, Joseph B. Skilbeck, James Swiney, John Kenyon, Jr., Norman W. Hodges, Stephen Clark, Abijah W. Smith, George A. Smith, David Blackman.


Member of the Fourth Degree : Chester Haz- ard.


Member of the Third Degree : John D. Blanck. Members of the Second Degree : Gabriel Scott, John M. Ten Eyck.


Members of First Degree : Henry Carnes, Ros- well Barnes.


Members in the Initiatory Degree: Silas Beards- ley, James Fitz Jerould, John L. Wing, Henry H. Norton, Marvin Gaston, A. Sidney Hollister, Luther M. Glover, William A. Dorrance, William O. Archer, George Taylor, Austin Wakeman.


The above names are copied from the official list made at that time by E. E. Hazard, Secre- tary, and by him certified to the R. W. Grand Secretary.


It has been found impracticable to obtain any information additional to the above concerning Howell Lodge, No. 44, excepting that it con- tinued in existence for a number of years, and is now defunct.


LIVINGSTON LODGE, No. 185, I. O. O. F.


This lodge was organized at Howell, June 5, 1872, with the following-named charter members : Amos Eager, Lafayette Snow, Thomas Jeffrey, James A. Preston, E. B. Hosley, Martin Lignian.


The following is a list of its Past Grands, viz. : Walter D. Whalen, T. B. Knapp, L. Snow, R. H. Rumsey, E. B. Vanderhoof, William R. Griffith, J. C. Axtell, George Blackburn.


The present officers of the lodge are M. Vanzile, N. G .; John Black, V. G .; C. V. Bebee, R. S .; E. B. Vanderhoof, P. S .; W. D. Whalen, T. The lodge now numbers 47 members.


HOWELL ENCAMPMENT OF PATRIARCHS, No. 61, I. O. O. F.


This organization was formed at Howell, Dec. 30, 1873, with seven charter members, namely, Walter D. Whalen, Amos Eager, N. Brayton, M. S. Davis, T. B. Knapp, E. B. Hosley, A. T. Frisbee.


The present number of members is 40, and its officers are : C. P., W. D. Whalen ; S. W., J. C. Axtell; S., R. H. Rumsey ; T. S., T. B. Knapp; T., E. B. Vanderhoof.


MASONIC ORGANIZATIONS.


HOWELL LODGE, No. 38, F. AND A. M.


This lodge commenced working under dispen- sation from the Grand Lodge of the State of Mich- igan in the year 1849. It was chartered Jan. 10, 1850. The regular communications were held first in " Hinman Block," Grand River Street, where Hub- bell Block now stands. After a year or two they were held in the third story of the " Lee Block," on the north side of the main street of Howell. Here they were continued for several years, and then held in Greenaway's Hall. From this place, after a few prosperous years, the lodge removed to Weimeister Block, and regularly held its communi- cations there until 1875, when it was removed to the quarters which have been occupied until the present time,-Masonic Hall, Andrews and Winans' Block, north side of Grand River Street. The lodge has now a membership numbering 88. Its officers for 1879 are : W. M., Sardis F. Hubbell ; S. W., Edwin Hudson; J. W., John W. Wright ; Sec., William C. Rumsey; Treas., Benjamin H. Rubert ; S. D., Robert H. Brown; J. D., Thomas Clark; Tiler, Flavius J. Henshaw, Google


180


HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Following is a list of the Worshipful Masters of the lodge from the commencement of its working until the present time : 1849, Amos Adams; 1850 -53, Gardner Wheeler; 1854-55, Henry H. Har- mon ; 1856-58, Frederick C. Whipple; 1859-60, Sardis F. Hubbell; 1861, Frank Wells; 1862-63, Sardis F. Hubbell; 1864-65, Mylo L. Gay; 1866 -68, Joseph T. Titus; 1869, William C. Rumsey ; 1870, Joseph T. Titus; 1871-72, Albert Riddle ; 1873-74, Sardis F. Hubbell ; 1875-76, Albert L. Hathaway ;* 1877-79, Sardis F. Hubbell.


LIVINGSTON CHAPTER, No. 30, ROYAL ARCH MASONS.


This organization was formed in Howell, April 16, 1863, with nine charter members, viz., C. W. Haze, Henry H. Harmon, Sardis F. Hubbell, War- ren B. Green, M. B. Wilcox, George Wilber, Wm. A. Clark, Joseph T. Titus, C. L. Farnum.


The chapter, now numbering 62 members, holds its regular convocations at Masonic Hall, Howell. Its officers for 1879 are William C. Rumsey, High Priest ; William W. Kenyon, King; Perley H. Sex- ton, Scribe; Edwin Hudson, Captain of the Host ; John W. Wright, Principal Sojourner; C. L. Van- dercook, Royal Arch Captain; Sardis F. Hubbell, Treas .; Hugh Conklin, Sec .; H. H. Clark, Grand Master Third Veil; Thomas B. Clark, Grand Master Second Veil; J. L. Cook, Grand Master First Veil.


HOWELL COMMANDERY, No. 28, OF KNIGHTS TEM- PLAR.


This organization was formed April 7, 1870, the following-named being its charter members: Sardis F. Hubbell, Mylo L. Gay, Henry N. Spencer, T. C. Garner, W. H. Mallory, John Weimeister, B. H. Lawson, C. W. Haze, G. W. Hoff.


At present the commandery embraces 24 mem- bers, with the following-named officers for 1879: Mylo L. Gay, Eminent Commander; Sardis F. Hubbell, Generalissimo; Edwin Hudson, Captain- General; Henry N. Spencer, Senior Warden ; John W. Wright, Junior Warden; Edwin B. Winans, Treas .; William W. Kenyon, Recorder ; Henry H. Harmon, Prelate; Perley H. Sexton, Sword- Bearer ; Ira O. Marble, Standard-Bearer; Halsted Gregory, Warden ; W. C. Loehne, Sentinel.


HIOWELL EASTERN STAR FAMILY.


This society, Masonic in its nature, was organ- ized by Mrs. Mary A. Brown, at Masonic Hall, in Howell, March 6, 1867, with 14 members. The first officers of the society were : Patron, Warren Green ; Patroness, Mrs. Z. F. Crosman ; Conductor,


Joseph Finsterwald; Conductress, Mrs. E. B. Greg- ory; Recorder, Mrs. W. W. Carpenter; Treas- urer, Miss Emily Wheeler; Jephtha's Daughter, Mrs. M. B. Wilcox; Ruth, Mrs. S. F. Hubbell ; Esther, Mrs. H. H. Harmon; Martha, Mrs. Eliza Richards; Electa, Mrs. Joseph M. Gilbert.


On the 7th of March, 1867, an Eastern Star degree was conferred on Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Shively, Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Wisner, Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Crandall, Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Chandler, Mrs. C. W. Barber, Miss Julia Winegar, E. E. Hazard, W. L. Knapp.


The society received accessions until at one time it numbered 60 members ; but no charter was ever applied for, and it finally went down, the last meet- ing being held June 10, 1868. The officers for that year were H. H. Harmon, W. Patron; Mrs. Z. F. Crosman, W. Patroness ; Mrs. F. S. Wykoff, Conductress; Mrs. William C. Rumsey, Chap- lainess ; Mrs. O. Cole, Treas .; Mrs. C. W. Barber, Sec .; Mrs. M. B. Wilcox, Jephtha's Daughter ; Mrs. S. F. Hubbell, Ruth ; Mrs. H. H. Harmon, Esther ; Mrs. Elbert C. Bush, Martha; Mrs. Jo- seph M. Gilbert, Electa ; F. S. Hardy, Watchman.


GOOD TEMPLARS.


HOWELL LODGE, No. 811, I. O. OF G. T.


This lodge was organized in the Presbyterian church, in Howell village, by Past Grand Worthy Chief Templar Charles Russell, October 8, 1874, with J. D. Smith, Worthy Chief Templar; Mrs. H. G. Fry, Worthy Vice-Templar. The meetings were held for six months in S. Andrews' Hall ; then for two years in Greenaway's Hall; from whence, in October, 1877, the lodge removed to its present quarters in Knapp's Block. The mem- bership of the lodge is now 87. The officers for 1879 are W. D. Whalen, W. C. T .; P. O'Brien, Sec'y; T. B. Knapp, Treas .; E. B. Vanderhoof, Deputy.


THE HOWELL SHOOTING CLUB.


The Howell Shooting Club was organized on the 13th day of February, in the year 1878, with the following members: H. B. Blackman, B. H. Rubert, Charles G. Jewett, E. F. Mulliken, J. P. Titus, H. D. Wilber, H. N. Beach, L. S. Montague, P. D. Skilbeck, F. J. Lee, J. H. Galloway, G. L. Woolcott, A. D. Waddell, Judson Hall, B. F. Par- sons, R. H. Rumsey, E. G. Angel, H. Gregory, A. K. Tooley, J. M. Hoagland, Dennis Shields, and E. D. Galloway.


At the same time a constitution and by-laws were adopted, and the following officers were elected : President, H. B. Blackman; Vice-President, L. S. Montague; Secretary, C. G. Jewett; Treasurer, B.


* During 1876 Mr. Hathaway removed from Howell, and his erm was filled by William L. Knapp, Senior Warden,


181


VILLAGE OF HOWELL.


H. Rubert; Executive Committee, H. B. Blackman (ex officio), H. Gregory, H. D. Wilbur, B. H. Ru- bert, C. G. Jewett.


The object of the club is to enforce the laws for the protection of game and fish, and the encourage- ment among its members and others of the healthful sports of hunting and fishing by the active pursuit thereof in the field, supplemented by practice on the grounds of the club.


Many others soon after became members of the club, until the membership at present is more than fifty, including nearly all professions and vocations of life.


True to its purpose, the club soon after its organi- zation began to prosecute all violations of the game and fish laws which came to its notice, irrespective of persons. It met some opposition at first, but soon the public were generally convinced of the impar- tiality and unselfishness of its course, and lent much assistance to it, until a very healthy feeling has taken possession of the community in favor of the enforcement of these laws, as being for the benefit of all.


The club has not been content merely to pre- serve, but has been active in increasing the supply of game and fish.


It has caused 250,000 white fish, 150,000 salmon- trout, and 5000 Hudson River eels to be deposited in the lakes and rivers of this county, and wild rice to be sowed in the shallow lakes to attract ducks and other water-fowl, and has the satisfaction of knowing that, from its measures of protection, propagation, and encouragement, game and fish are perceptibly increasing in this county.


Soon after its organization the club became a member of the Michigan State Sportsmen's Asso- ciation, and has been ably represented by delegates in every meeting of such association since, and thereby has had a direct influence on the legisla- tion and sentiments of the whole State upon the subjects of game and fish.


The club has done very much to promote good marksmanship and to familiarize the public with the use of the gun in the field. In addition to the numerous trials, of skill for prizes, special purses, etc., the club held a grand pigeon-shooting tour- nament of three days, beginning Aug. 7, 1878, and a grand glass-ball shooting tournament of three days, beginning Aug. 6, 1879, both of which were largely attended by sportsmen from all parts of this State, and from many other States, in which the club showed of what material it was composed by its members taking a majority of the purses offered.




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