USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 51
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In the thirty years which have elapsed since its importation the carp has thriven and spread in a most remarkable manner, equally astonishing in fact, as the extraordinary increase and dispersion of the imported English sparrow, until, as in the case of the sparrow, it has become perfectly apparent that the day has passed when it could be exterminated, and that for better or worse it has come to stay.
The carp has been dubbed the "hog of the waters" and the simile would not appear to be inapt, for, living as it does in comparatively shallow waters and feeding chiefly on the bottom, almost anything in the shape of vegetable or animal life that will pass into its small mouth appears good to it as food, and it will grub and burrow in the mud, digging up the vegetation in search of roots or, perhaps, various forms of animal life. It is a hardy fish, as evidenced by the varying conditions and temperatures to which it will adapt itself. Indeed, instances have been known where the fish has been frozen stiff for considerable periods and resuscitated when thawed out, while in Germany, where the fish is much appreciated and its consumption is general, it is frequently packed for the market in wet moss and under these conditions remains alive for no little time. It is recorded also that the top layers of these fish, when packed on ice and shipped by freight from Ohio to New York, are frequently found to be alive on reaching the market.
It is held that the carp will live to an extraordinary age, 100 to 150 years, and attain a weight of from eighty to ninety pounds, and although there appears to be little reliable evidence as to the correctness of these statements, at least it is certain that under favorable conditions the fish will live a great many years and attain a very considerable weight, specimens well over twenty pounds having already been caught in the waters adjacent to Monroe.
The carp, which commences to breed, apparently, in its third year, is remarkably prolific, as evidenced by the fact that one reliable authority
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has placed the average number of eggs of a four to five pound fish at 400,000 to 500,000, while other instances are recorded of larger fish con- taining eggs to a number exceeding two millions. It is a school breeder, however, and particularly careless in the matter of its eggs, which are scattered over the vegetation in the shallow waters and left to take care of themselves without any further precaution on the part of the fish. To this fact may, perhaps, be attributed in part the abnormal increase in the carp in the waters of this continent, for the habitual enemies of spawn would not have been seeking for it in the open places in which it is left by this imported fish, and thus an abnormal percentage of eggs would have been successfully hatched.
The carp has been accused of many villianies, chief amongst which are that it drives the black bass from its nest, that it is a spawn eater, that it devours the young of other fishes, that by rooting in the mud it renders the water so roily that the breeding grounds of other fishes are spoiled and the fishes themselves forced to abandon the locality, and lastly, but by no means least, that it destroys the beds of wild rice and celery which in the past have been favorite feeding grounds of the wild ducks. To this latter charge, at least, it would appear that the carp must be held guilty, although, perhaps, not quite to the extent to which it is accused, for there are well-known instances, such as certain portions of the St. Clair Flats and in some of the marshes around Monroe, where since the appearance of this fish in numbers the wild rice and celery beds have rapidly disappeared. The rooting habits of the fish, previously referred to, would account for this, especially as it is par- ticularly fond of weedy and marshy places such as are afforded by beds of these descriptions. The other charges, however, are not so easily established. The male black bass on its nest is no despicable warrior, and it is more than doubtful whether the sluggish and cowardly carp would not prefer to retreat than to give battle to such an antagonist. Possibly schools of this fish passing over the district in which the black bass were nesting might dislodge the guardians of the nests, but there is no authentic proof of this as yet, while specific instances have, on the other hand, been adduced of an improvement in the bass fishing coincident with the arrival of the carp. Doubtless if the male bass were absent for any reason from the nest, the carp would eat the spawn if it chanced that way, as it would other spawn that it might come across in the course of its painstaking search for food, for, as before stated, to the carp all food is desirable which will pass into its mouth, but the carp has yet to be proved guilty of being a regular and persistent spawn seeker and eater, investigations of the stomachs of many of them having failed to establish any such proclivities. The feeding methods of the carp cannot fail to render the water roily, and it is, therefore, well possible that when the carp takes possession of more or less restricted areas of water, such a clean water loving fish as the black bass will depart, but other deep water sporting fishes, such as the pickerel and lake trout, would not be affected, nor does it seem probable that the spawning beds of those fishes which seek the sandy or rocky reefs could be materially injured by the carp. As to the charge of voraciousness in regard to the young of other fishes, the small, sucker-like mouth and general sluggish disposition of the carp are against the supposition that it can be a persistent hunter of swimming fishes, although undoubtedly it would gladly devour any small fishes that it could easily secure, so that its depredations under this head are assuredly insignificant. On the other hand it has been established that young carp are very acceptable food to the black bass and other sporting and predaceous fishes.
The main objections to the carp would thus appear to be that it
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renders waters roily and destroys much aquatic vegetation suitable as food for ducks, and that in so doing it may be disturbing aquatic conditions generally to a degree sufficient to materially affect the exist- ence of other forms of fish and animal life.
In favor of the carp the most salient feature is undoubtedly its commercial value. Already a considerable market for it has been devel- oped in the larger American cities, the average price to the fishermen being from 11/2 to 21/2 cents per pound, and the chief consumers, Germans and Jews. Trade in this fish from the waters of Lake Erie has already reached no small proportions. Special seine licenses are issued for its capture, the carp being such an active and wary fish that it can but rarely be caught in gill or pound nets, and by means of these seines many tons are now annually removed averaging from five to eight pounds in weight. It is plain, therefore, that the carp will afford a cheap food, not only to the Germans and to the Jews, whose fore-parents better understood how to prepare the fish for the table, but also to the poorer classes of the community. Moreover, a red caviar, much esteemed by the Jews, can be manufactured from the roe of carp, and since no means as yet has been discovered of rendering this caviar the blue-black color of stur- geon caviar, it is always easily recognisable, so that there could be no objection to the development of this enterprise. The palate, some- times called the tongue, is in some portions of the world considered also a great delicacy. Further, if no other use could be found for carp, at least a profitable industry could be founded by turning them into valuable fish fertilizer.
Dr. S. P. Bartlett, a champion of the carp, claims for its superior edible qualities, which however, are not verified among epicures in this vicinity. He claims, among other things that the popular dislike of carp is due in part, at least to prejudice, for, he says, there are instances on record of this fish having been served in hotels and restaurants under other designations, such as blue fish, red snapper, without apparently being detected by the majority of the guests. Moreover, Germans will sometimes select this fish by choice to the finer American varieties, while as already noted, the Jews are particularly partial to it. As sport for anglers, the carp can lay small claim to distinction whatever may have been written about it. As a game fish and so long as black bass, trout, pickerel or pike, even, survive, there is little inducement to seek the carp as a substitute, although Mr. D. M. Harley, a sportsman of Peoria, Illinois, takes this view of the matter :
"Carp fishing with hook and line has now taken its place with bass and other kinds of fishing. All along the river in this locality carp are being caught freely with hook and line this year, and to say that they are gamey is not half expressing it. I have talked with no less than twenty-five persons, who were busy catching carp and in every instance I was told that it was rare sport to hook a carp, as it was quite as much a trick to land one as it was to land a bass. Dip nets were used generally to land the carp, as the activity of the fish when jerked out of the water would tear the gills and free the fish quite often. The bait used when fishing for carp is dough balls and partly boiled potatoes, the latter being the best in the opinion of the majority. The carp will bite on worms also quite freely. An old German, who lives here, goes daily to the rivers with a regular fly-casting pole and reel to fish for carp. Of course he exchanges the fly for the regulation hook, but he uses his reel in landing, and says that there is no finer sport than fishing for carp. As for the sport of catching carp with hook and line I consider it equal to anything in the way of pleasure fishing, as the fish is gamey and will fight as hard against being landed as bass or other game fish, and is to be handled with
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precaution on account of the tender gills, which will often tear when hooked by an inexperienced angler. In the past two years carp have become popular where they were unpopular, because of the wearing away of the prejudice that they were of no benefit to the angler on account of the belief that they would not take the hook. Now it is different, as the very ones who were so loud in their protests against the carp have found great sport in taking them with the hook and line, and it is wonderful to hear the change of sentiment as to the carp for food purposes. They are a good fish now and fit for a king in comparison to what was said of them while the prejudice still existed. To my mind the carp is a good fish for food purposes and is fast finding favor in the west in every way, now that the angler has found that it is the coming fish for sport."
THE STURGEON
Of all fishes to be found in the waters of the lakes region, the sturgeon is individually by far the most valuable at the present time, chiefly owing to the extraordinary commercial value of caviar, which is made from the roe of this fish. The sturgeon formerly abounded throughout the great lakes, running frequently to an enormous size, and was found also in great quantities in the River Raisin, but the rapidly increasing demand led to such a vigorous pursuit of it that in those accessible waters of the state which have been fished commercially, its numbers have dwindled almost to vanishing point. In the proposed code of regu- lations for the international fisheries of the great lakes, attention is strikingly called to this fact by a most wise and timely provision to the effect that no sturgeon shall be fished for in any of the international waters for a period of four years from the date of promulgation of the regulations, and it would seem more than probable that once these provisions are in force it will be found desirable to extend this term in order to give the fish a reasonable chance of extensive reproduction.
The sturgeon was not always held in high esteem on this continent. but on the contrary for a long time was viewed as a nuisance by the fishermen on account of the damage it would do their nets and because, also, white people were prejudiced against its use for food. More often than not the fish, when taken, were knocked on the head and thrown back into the water, or left in heaps on the beach to rot or to be carried off by farmers and used as fertilizer, while during this period, if the fish could be sold at all, they would not bring the fishermen more than ten cents apiece. In striking contrast to this figure is the record of a sale of ninety-six sturgeon in 1899 for $3,923, or a little over $40 apiece. About 1860, the first efforts were made in the great lake region in the direction of smoking the flesh of the sturgeon, and between that date and 1880 the trade in the fish developed in a marvellous fashion, owing to the demand for the smoked flesh and for the bladders, which were manufactured into isinglass, but chiefly on account of the great European demand for caviar, reaching in 1880 for the continent a total of nearly 12,000,000 pounds of sturgeon products.
The River Raisin was once famous for the extraordinary abundance of sturgeon which inhabited its waters, so much so, that the Pottawatamie Indians, whose habitat was in this region, gave it the name of Numa-see- pee, which in their language, signified "the river of sturgeon." The French, however, prefered the more musical designation of Rivière aux Raisins or the "river of grapes." The taste and appetite for caviar did not then develop and the consumption of this great fish was dependent upon the appetites of the French and Indians, who prepared it in various ways when freshly caught, and preserved it for future use by salting and smoking it in enormous quantities.
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EXPORTATION OF CATTLE AND HOGS
The exportation of cattle and hogs from the county during the spring months of 1912 was larger than for the same period in its history. Several carloads of fat beeves were shipped during the first week of May, numbering 150 head from farms along the River Raisin within four or five miles from the city. The exceptionally high prices offered, brought out some very fine beef; the price for the latter averaged $7.75 per cwt. At the same time several car loads of hogs were shipped, the price of which averaged $8.75 per cwt. These are among the largest shipments made from Monroe in recent years. Other large shipments were made during the spring and summer months to eastern markets.
FLOUR MILLS
As early as 1820 the Waterloo Mills were started, and Monroe, from its natural advantages, became the grain market of southeastern Michi- gan. About 1840 the Monroe City Mills were built, and the Erie Mills, of Black Rock, near Buffalo, New York, sent Mr. F. Waldorf to take charge of the former, which, they had rented of Mr. Beach in 1842. and three years later they leased the latter, Mr. Waldorf superintending the working of both, while Samuel J. Holley had charge of the outside work. At this time money did not enter into the dealing in grain, and trade was all in dicker. These being the only mills in this section of the country, parties came from as far as Maumee City and waited for their grist to be ground. About the time the Monroe City Mills were built by Birch & Frost. a water-power and dam had been constructed by Bacon & Lawrence, and prior to the occupancy of the mill by Mr. Waldorf, a quarter interest was owned by each. In 1844 the Erie Mills as a forwarding institution. did not find it to their interest to be known in connection with the mills at Monroe as proprietors, and so persuaded Messrs. Waldorf & Holley to lease them, which was done in 1845. Six years later the Waterloo Mills were thoroughly overhauled and refitted and in 1852 were purchased by Mr. Waldorf. who sold them in 1858 to Messrs. Norman & Perkins, the latter continuing in possession until 1870, when they were sold to Stiles & Harvey. In 1875 Harvey sold his interest to Mr. C. G. Johnson, who continued in partnership until 1881, when Mr. Stiles became the owner by purchasing the interest held by Mr. Johnson. again changing in 1887. with Cyrus Stiles in charge. This left Mr. Waldorf in full charge of the Monroe City Mills.
Prior to the opening of the canal, all shipments of flour and other materials had to be made from La Plaisance Bay, to which point a track was laid, and cars drawn by horses as a motive power. There being no warehouses at Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, or in fact anywhere except at Monroe, it was the best wheat market in this section of the country, and it was no unusual thing at early morning to see the streets in the vicinity of the mill blocked with teams waiting to unload, the farmers having come in from taverns near by, where they had remained over night so as to be on hand in time. The mills were run to their fullest capacity day and night, shipments made to the Buffalo market, vessels leaving the bay with two and three thousand barrels of flour, which were frequently sold long before the boat reached its destined point. Buffalo at that time was the great distributing point for that section, and the reputation of Monroe Hour was of the highest. On the comple- tion of the canal warehouses were ready, and wheat that could not be at once used in the mills found a ready sale there, the first ones in the field being started by Sterling & Noble.
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When the railroads were released from the state and passed under private control, competition at other points began and Monroe lost its prestige, although it has ever had its fair share of business in the grain market. About 1875 the machinery of the Bay City Mill at Sandusky (where it had been for forty years) was shipped to Monroe and a mill started by Mr. Boyd, and after passing through several hands, the "Standard" Mill came into the possession of Messrs. Johnson & Stiles in 1879, who operated it till 1883, as Eagle Mills, when it was shut down. The little mill of Caux & Stiles was originally a store about 1875; within a year the machinery of the mill from Adrian was put in operation in the old store room.
THE AMENDT MILLING COMPANY
The Amendt Milling Company came to Monroe in 1895 and purchased the Monroe City Mills. This plant was established in 1840, and placed in charge of Frederick Waldorf as stated at the beginning of this article. The equipment of the mill at the time of its purchase by Mr. Amendt was very much an antiquated affair, and little calculated to compete with modern methods. It had previous to 1885 been operated under water power, and its product so unimportant as to scarcely merit men- tion-nevertheless the first flour ever shipped out of Michigan to the East was a consignment of 200 barrels manufactured at the Waterloo Mills by Miller and Jermain of Monroe in 1827. It went by boat to Buffalo, thence by canal to New York. It sold readily and established a reputation for its excellent quality. The Waldorf Mill as it was gen- erally known continued to be operated by its new owners until 1905 when a company was incorporated and a new, up-to-date roller mill was built in the first ward on the line of the L. S. & M. S. Railroad and equipped with all the most modern devices for manufacturing high grade flour. They found a ready market for their product in the east and south, and in 1912 are using 500,000 bushels of wheat, about 300,000 bushels of corn and nearly 1,000,000 bushels of oats. They employ the utmost capacity of four elevators, located in Ida, Petersburg, New- port and Monroe, besides one lately acquired in Ohio. The demand for the various grains raised in Monroe county and adjacent territory makes this one of the best markets in the state and one of the most active manufacturing establishments in southeastern Michigan. The "Lotus" flour is everywhere noted for its excellent quality and has a large sale locally.
The Waterloo Roller Mills are operated by Scholl & Rath on the same site on the banks of the River Raisin in the little suburb of Monroe, known from time immemorial as Waterloo. They manufacture the "Gilt Edge" brand of flour which has a widespread reputation and is largely sold in the local trade as well as shipped to other places. They manu- facture a high grade buckwheat flour and corn meal, as well as their staple line of wheat flour.
THE BOEHME & RAUCH CO.
The old "rope walk" established many years ago by the father of the late C. A. Boehme, who conducted the manufacture of cordage in a somewhat primitive way, was the foundation of the present Boehme &
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Rauch Company one of the largest institutions in their line in the United States. In May 1899 a co-partnership was formed, consisting of C. A. Boehme, E. C. Rauch and J. P. Bronson, dealing in cordage and sporting goods, for the purpose of manufacturing paper. They leased the old Waldorf Paper Mills located on the river front at the foot of Sterling street, where the evolution of the present extensive business began. There was one small binder board machine producing about two tons per day. This mill was operated by the Cordage Company for about one year, when they bought the old flouring mill at corner of First and Winchester streets, installed therein four binder board machines and called it Mill No. 2.
In May, 1902, the partnership was incorporated under the laws of Michigan as The Boehme & Rauch Company with a paid in capital of $100,000, and built what is now known as the B. & R. Co. Mill No. 3 with capacity of 30 tons box board per day. In August, 1904, the capital was increased to $200,000 and the factory of the Monroe Folding Box Company bought. This is now known as Plant No. 4.
In 1907 the capital was increased to $500,000 and the box factory enlarged and improved, enabling it to use for the manufacture of boxes all the board made in No. 3 mill. In 1909 the capital was again increased $500,000 and another paper mill built, the one now know as Mill No. 5. This year (1912), buildings are being erected to enable the box factory to use all the box board now made in Mills No. 3, and 5, about seventy tons. The products made will amount to about $1,500,000 in folding paper boxes and fibre shipping cases.
C. A. Boehme, first vice president of this company died in 1909. Otherwise the present officers, E. C. Rauch, president, F. E. Williamson and H. Lee Rauch, vice presidents, J. P. Bronson, treasurer and W. C. Tullis, secretary, have been in active management of the company since its organization. The capital of this company was increased in January, 1913, to $800,000.
The following are the dimensions of the present buildings compris- ing the plant and capacity : Length of front wall, 1,485 feet ; floor space, 223,640 square feet; capacity of board mills, 90 tons daily; output of folding box plant, 4 cars daily.
THE WEIS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
It is a matter of about fourteen years since Mr. A. L. Weis thought well enough of his "Patent Magazine binder" to hitch the two names together and add "Company." Thus the Weis Binder Company, of Toledo, was organized, and to this the Weis Manufacturing Company of Monroe, traces its origin. As is the case in most of our infant indus- tries, the progress during the first few years was slow. Brush tube paste-now sold all over this and foreign countries-was added, the idea of combining a brush with the tube holding the paste meeting with almost immediate favor.
It was about this time that the Card Index and Loose Leaf Systems were first generally introduced. On the wave of "System" which swept the business world-propelled by the enthusiasm and ingenuity of several Weis brothers, the business was so greatly expanded that the facilities offered in Monroe overshadowed the advantages Toledo offered, and so the first of the buildings at Monroe was started in the fall of 1905 and completed early in 1906, at which time the entire operations were transferred from Toledo to Monroe. About sixty people constituted the working force at that time, many of them moving from Toledo with the firm.
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During the following three years many new articles were added to the lines, which caused a general and rapid development of the business -both from the manufacturing and selling standpoint. The sales force was then calling on the stationery trade, which demanded as complete a line as possible. They wanted sectional bookcases. The business, pat- ents, plant, etc., of a firm at Ann Arbor were on the market and the whole outfit was purchased in 1908. For obvious reasons it was not good business to operate two similar plants and the whole Weis organization was finally consoliated at Monroe late in 1908.
An addition to the building-containing more than double the floor space in the first plant, was completed and in active operation by the summer of 1909. The working force had then increased to about one hundred and fifty. During 1912 the increased production of filing de- vices, card index and other office systems, a new line of bookcases and several other important additions, made a third building necessary, which was put in operation in the summer of 1912. This new building is the largest of the three structures, it having a floor space of 45,000 square feet. In November, 1912, the total floor space of the three build- ings was 120,000 square feet with 300 employees and a yearly pay roll approximating $175,000.
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