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 52
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From the raw material every step or process in the manufacture of wood and fibre board filing and office equipment is done by this company. From the kiln drying. of the lumber to its ultimate finishing in the form of filing systems, bookcases for home and office, etc .; the cutting, scoring and printing of all index and guide cards; the entire production of advertising printed matter and catalogs, which was formerly done out- side, is all accomplished in the one institution. The product of this company is known wherever business letters are written or received. The domestic business ranks well with other longer established concerns in the same line and the export demand for Weis goods is growing rapidly.
A. L. Weis is president and general manager; O. T. Weis, secretary and treasurer ; F. N. Weis, vice president. These men, with W. C. Weis. E. J. Weis and II. C. Weis, are the board of directors. All are actively engaged in the business of the company.
THE MONROE BINDER BOARD COMPANY
was organized in Monroe, June 12, 1906 with a capital of $260.000.00. for the manufacture of paper boards, a product which is used mainly as a substitute for manufacturing shipping packages and for bookbinder's work. The firm claims to be the largest manufacturers of binder's board in the world, having a capacity of sixty tons per day. The plant is located in the first ward, near the tracks of the Pere Marquette, and the L. S. & M. S. R. R., affording excellent shipping facilities for their large product. This embraces binder's board, trunk board, veneer board. templet board, leather board, air dried straw board, fibre shipping case board, cylindrical fibre cheese boxes, coffee drums, spice drums and candy pails; to which list additions are made as required. In addition to the Monroe plant which employs approximately 150 men a factory is operated at Aurora, Ill.
The officers and directors of the Company are as follows: L. W. Newcomer, President ; E. C. Betz, secretary ; L. W. Leathers, treasurer ; L. C. Knapp, vice president, who are also directors together with I. A. Newcomer, M. F. Leathers, Charles Eggert and Don Leathers.
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RIVER RAISIN PAPER COMPANY
The River Raisin Paper Company was organized June 20, 1910, with a capital stock of $150,000, although at the present time about $300,000 is invested in the business. There are employed steadily, one hundred and twenty-five people and there is paid out, annually, $80,000 for labor. The business comprises the manufacture of fibre shipping cases, which are used for shipping merchandise of all kinds, either by freight or by express, largely taking the place of wooden shipping cases. On account of the high price of lumber, it became necessary to find some substitute, and the fibre shipping case seems to fit in here to good advantage; the demand for this product is far in excess of what was anticipated. The market is practically unlimited. These cases are shipped all over the United States and Canada.
The material used in making these cases is largely paper stock that is gathered up in the various cities all over the country, although the outside lining, which necessarily must be of tougher material is imported from Sweden.
The officers and directors are as follows: president, Mr. D. C. Jen- kins, Kokomo, Indiana ; vice president, treasurer and general manager, G. II. Wood, Monroe; secretary, A. W. Stitt, Monroe; directors, F. P. Walter, Monroe and J. Frank Gray. Chicago, Ill.
The plant occupies a floor space of 125,000 square feet.
The mill is located on the site of the historic River Raisin battle ground, where the bloody engagement was fought between the British and Indians, and the Kentucky troops, who had come to the rescue of the imperiled settlers and where the frightful massacre occurred, in January, 1813.
In the course of excavating for foundations and cellars for the mill, a large quantity of relics were exhumed. consisting of well preserved skeletons, tomahawks. hunting knives, military buttons, articles of pot- tery. rosaries and a few coins, also a few cannon balls six pound calibre. One of the skeletons evidently was that of an Indian chief of very large proportions with whom were buried his implements of war. The collection of relies has been carefully preserved by the mill proprie- tors and is exhibited to visitors.
THE ELKHART MANUFACTURING COMPANY
This is one of the new manufacturing plants added to the industries of Monroe during the year 1912. It was formerly located at Elkhart, Indiana, where they were engaged in the manufacture of alternating current magnetos for stationary and marine gas engines. They re- moved to Monroe and reorganized the company November 1, 1911, the stock $60,000 being largely subscribed here; the following comprise the officers of the company : H. S. Hubbard, president; E. C. Rauch, vice president ; E. L. Kerstetter, secretary and manager; B. Freidinburg, treasurer; F. P. Becker, general superintendent; Walter Brown, sales manager. The present output of the factory is about 100 machines daily with a capacity of 250. Since the establishment of the company in Monroe, the capital stock has been increased seventy-five per cent. to $110.000, all being subscribed for by present stockholders. Their out- put is sold to manufacturers of gas and gasoline engines furnishing a better machine for much less money than their competitors are doing.
THE MONROE GLASS COMPANY
has been among the active enterprises of Monroe for several years, in- creasing its plant twice. and enlarging the scope of its business of manu- Vol. I-26
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facturing specialties in glassware, jars, etc. The plant is located on First street, one block east of the Michigan Central Railroad, the business being under the management of A. L. Parker.
THE MONROE WOOLEN MILL
For more than fifty years, this name has been a familiar one in Mon- roe. Their original line of manufacture was woolen cloths, flannels, blankets and yarns. The Norman brothers, Thomas and John owned the mill for many years, also Noble and Redfield, and others have oper- ated it. Some years ago it passed into the ownership of Plewes, who invented and manufactured a sanitary all-wool bed comforter, substi- tuting a specially prepared wool hat in place of cotton, as ordinarily made, which has been successful. In 1812 Ed. G. J. Lauer and Capt. I. S. Harrington bought the property and continued the business with Mr. Plewes as superintendent. The plant is located on the River Raisin in the suburb known as Waterloo, and is operated by wire drive from the Waterloo mills, adjacent.
THE MONROE FOUNDRY AND FURNACE COMPANY
The present large and flourishing institution, located in the block at the corner of Monroe and Fifth streets succeeded the firm of Smith & McLaren, foundrymen.
When the manufacture of the Floral City warm air furnaces began, a company was incorporated in 1900 under the name of the Monroe Foundry and Furnace Company, and the business greatly increased by the addition of local capital. The product of the factory is marketed in Michigan and the Middle West. The death of the president of the company, Mr. Andrew Baier, in 1908, was a severe blow to the business, for it was by his energetic efforts that the large business was built up and maintained. His son, Walter P. Baier takes his place with A. Goetler as principal traveling salesmen. Another son, Francis; is also connected with the company. The officers at the present time are : Andrew Wagner, president; Mathew F. Sieb, vice-president; W. P. Cook, secretary and treasurer; Geo. G. Goetler, superintendent; A. Wagner, assistant superintendent.
The above, with Jas. Eisenman, Walter P. Baier, W. C. Sterling, Benj. Sturn, George Gassel, constitute the board of directors.
CHAPTER XXXI THE NEWSPAPER PRESS
"MICHIGAN SENTINEL," BY EDWARD D. ELLIS-MONROE "JOURNAL AND COMMERCIAL"-WIIIG ORGANS-THE "MONROE COMMERCIAL" AGAIN MONROE "DEMOCRAT"-UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURES-MONROE "REC- ORD-COMMERCIAL"-OUTSIDE OF MONROE
In Monroe was founded the second newspaper in Michigan.
It is a singular fact that between 1806 and 1820, no provision had been made for publishing the territorial laws, and some of them had been lost and were never found. In 1816, a meager volume was pub- lished in Detroit, printed so poorly that the matter was scarcely legible, containing the titles of some laws, and abstracts of others; but very few were completed; this was caused by the want of adequate means. In 1820, Congress appropriated $1,200 for the publication of existing laws, when the legislative board compiled and revised their legislation, putting it in good form to supply the place of a code. This was probably the first effort made in the territory to acquaint the people with the proceed- ings of the government's formulating laws for the regulation of matters of public and private concern.
"MICHIGAN SENTINEL" BY EDWARD D. ELLIS
In 1825, but two newspapers existed in the territory, and one of these, the Michigan Sentinel, was established in Monroe, the other being the Gazette published in Detroit. The first published in Detroit was "The Michigan Essay" by Father Gabriel Richard in 1809.
Monroe was very fortunate indeed, in having attracted hither, as its first journalist, a most enterprising and capable young man, Mr. Edward D. Ellis, who arrived in June, 1825, and prepared to locate permanently in the active, rapidly growing and pleasant village on the Raisin. He was the man preeminently fitted for the opportunity, and the people received him in the most cordial spirit, realizing that the principal factor in the development of the new territory and in furtherance of the rela- tion of Monroe with the outside world, and the lively politics of the times, as well as the potentiality of the commercial greatness of the town would now be supplied. Mr. Ellis brought with him from Buffalo, the press and other equipment for the newspaper ; a convenient printing office was secured for him by the business men of the village, and the Sentinel was in due time launched, receiving the liberal support of the townspeople, in advertising and subscriptions. I have three consecutive numbers of this old paper, kindly loaned by D. R. Crampton, of the Monroe Democrat. Its local news department is full of information in regard to the events and enterprises of the day. The following extract will afford an excellent view of the active business doing in real estate, shipping and merchandizing :
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HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
ERIN
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MAP OF SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF MICHIGAN (1835) Published by Chas. Farmer, showing old boundary line between Ohio and Michigan, Toledo and Maumee Bay, being then in Monroe County
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"SALE OF VILLAGE LOTS"
"The sale of property in our village continues unabated, and sales thus far obtain the same high prices of the preceding two weeks; and we may truly say lots have risen considerably within the last week, inasmuch as none can be purchased at former prices. Many landholders in town have refused one hundred per cent advance on last week's purchases. Farms a little below the village, and bordering on the river, have risen about eighty per cent. The Stuart farm, originally containing one hundred and fifty acres, has been sold (or a considerable part of it). Sixteenths (of an acre) were bought a few days ago at $566; they are now selling readily for $1,000 and $1,200. Lots near the landing have been selling at $30 per front foot, and these lots are one mile below the village. We know of one individual making a purchase of a village lot at $2,000, less than two weeks ago, which now is worth $6,000, or an advance of three hundred per cent. Another who paid $9,000 for a block of village lots, about the same time, for which he has been offered $17,000 and refused. The amount of the sales for this week is about $55,000. It has been thought that the cheering intelligence relative to the passage of our ship canal bill in Congress had caused this rise in property in our village, what speaks loudly for our place is the great amount of general business doing here at present. We noticed, the other day, the erection of 20 to 30 new buildings in Monroe ; and this in the heart of winter. Monroe has a population now of about three thou- sand, and supports twenty-eight dry goods stores, fourteen groceries, two hardware shops, three cabinet shops, five hotels, etc., etc." [The "dry goods stores" were probably general stores. Ed.]
There was certainly "something doing" in Monroe in the old '36 days ! The map of the city published about the time noted, shows the growing village of three thousand, expanding eastward until it included most of the marsh lands, to the borders of Lake Erie, an area sufficient to pro- vide for a population of three hundred thousand people! The map shows that in the surveys for the ship canal a huge "basin" was in- cluded, which would accommodate a fleet of vessels of no insignificant proportions. Warehouses were projected to take care of the expected commerce on the lake, and it was no doubt the intention to construct an auxiliary town or suburb on the site of this paper city near the marsh, when afterwards only a part of these dreams of opulence were realized. There are probably three hundred thousand population, but they are naturalized "Musquash." Ship-building was a factor in the great wave of prosperity, and several boats were built in the neighborhood of the old docks. An item in the Sentinel of January 24, 1836, shows very plainly the interest that prevailed in marine matters:
"STEAMBOAT 'MONROE'
"We are glad to see a disposition manifested by our worthy citizens to retain the stock of this boat among them. It was supposed, a short time ago, that it would be sold out to Buffalo and Detroit parties. Noth- ing gives us greater satisfaction than to learn that Monroe is determined to own something that shall benefit our flourishing village. We know that this steamboat has, without the question of a doubt, been the cause of the rise in the price of some of the property in our village. We can give the names of many who took passage at Buffalo on board of the 'Monroe,' with the intention of going farther west, but who, on arriv-
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ing in Monroe, have remained here and become citizens. Thousands of emigrants have taken passage on this boat at Buffalo for the west, and landing at Monroe have thus had an opportunity to see our town and its many natural advantages. This, it will be conceded by all, is a decided advantage to any place; and if a benefit, why should not our citizens reap the harvest ? The boat has done a very large and profitable busi- ness on the lake. The captain is popular, and justly so. It is learned that at a recent public meeting held in the village $15,000 has been sub- scribed, and that there is an assurance of all the stock being taken here."
The same paper gives the land sales at Monroe in the year 1835, as follows :
"The sales of Public Lands at the Land Office in this place for the southern land district of Michigan, under the charge of Major Gershom T. Bulkley, registrar, for the different quarters of the year 1835:
"First quarter $ 31,282.27
"Second quarter 247,116.90
"Third quarter 279,890.35
"Fourth quarter 274,729.19
"Total $833,108.71
"When it is recollected that this is the smallest land district in Michi- gan and that the lands remaining unsold are, perhaps three-fourths less than those of the western district, we venture the assertion that the sales at Monroe have exceeded the others by fifty to seventy-five percent, and probably the greatest sale that has ever occurred at any land office in the United States in one year."
Honorable Isaac P. Christiancy, then a young man, was clerk in Major Bulkley's land office, which was located in a small frame build- ing then standing east of the site of the present court house.
The Monroe Sentinel continued its useful career until the latter part of the year 1836, when it was sold to Abner Morton & Sons, who removed the plant to Detroit, and in connection with The American Vineyard, which the Morton's were publishing there, it was continued for a short time.
The stirring village, however, was not left destitute of a newspaper, for the Monroe Journal had already been started by Abner Morton, who, like his predecessor, had brought out to Monroe press and equip- ment from the east. Mr. Morton was a born newspaper man and con- ducted a bright and able journal. This, a short time afterwards, was sold to E. J. Van Buren, who was induced by Pontiac friends to remove the establishment to that village (another "Pontiac conspiracy"). Mr. Morton, meanwhile, returned to Monroe and established the Monroe Advocate, the publication of which he and his sons continued until 1839.
MONROE "JOURNAL" AND "COMMERCIAL"
In that year, Levi S. Humphrey, Austin E. Wing, and Alpheus Felch and their friends, purchased the property, changed the name to Monroe Times and conducted it in the interests of their party, all of them being active politicians, and the campaign of 1840 just opening, they flung to the breeze the banner of "Woodbridge and Reform." Al- pheus Felch contributed much of the editorial matter, though the late C. C. Jackson was ostensible editor. The campaign being over, and the Journal having served the purposes of its owners, the paper was bought
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by Edward G. Morton & Co., for a little less than half the price paid at its last transfer. Abner Morton resumed his post as editor, and the old title of the paper was restored to the Monroe Advocate and continued under the same management and editorship until 1849, when the name became the Monroe Commercial, under the sole control, management and editorship of Edward G. Morton. Through the many transformations and change of owners since 1849, its political principles remained un- changed, and its vigorous and independent editor made for the paper a name and reputation second to no other in Michigan .
WHIG ORGANS
There were others who essayed to establish a footing in the journal- istic field in Monroe. In 1836, one of these attempts was made by the Whig element, and Mr. R. Hosmer was engaged by the owners. Dr. H. Conant and Thos. G. Cole to edit the Monroe Gazette. This paper found existence a hard one in Monroe, for being politically on the "wrong side" in Monroe, which was a Democratic stronghold, and party lines being tightly drawn at that time, the essential inspiration, money, was not forthcoming to support a party organ of the opposite faith. This paper aferwards fell to the lot of Charles Lanman; a charming writer in other fields than politics, but without the necessary experience or qualifications for a country editor, the paper's life was prematurely cut short by lack of funds and moral support.
The Whig's, however, were not discouraged, and in 1848, they estab- lished another paper upon the ruins of the last, and called it the Monroe Sentinel, but its career was even shorter than its predecessors; and the publishers, W. H. Briggs & Co., "succumbed to the inevitable." The Monroe Citizen was the name of another Monroe newspaper whose sands of life soon ran out, and whose demise is neither remembered nor re- gretted.
THE MONROE "COMMERCIAL"
The Monroe Commercial as the successor of the Monroe Advocate, under the control and editorial management of Edward G. Morton, was continued as a Democratic paper, and its editor, a pronounced Jackson Democrat, was regarded as one of the most forceful writers among Mich- igan editors, and his fearless and uncompromising editorials are remem- bered to this day. In 1856, however, Mr. Morton felt constrained to accept the offer of a syndicate of local Republicans to purchase the prop- erty. There was only one important consideration that caused any hesitation in the matter, and that was it left Monroe county without a Democratic journal. The Commercial entered upon the Fremont and Dayton presidential campaign with Honorable Isaac P. Christiancy as chief editor, and Edwin Willitts as assistant. These gentlemen were associated together as practicing lawyers, in Monroe, and proved them- selves able political writers, while Mr. Willitts also occasionally showed some adaptability in writing on local themes. Milo D. Hamilton became identified with the paper in 1860, forming a business partnership with T. Scott Clarke, under the name and style of Hamilton & Clarke, with Hamilton as editor and manager. The enterprise of this firm during their first year which was also the year of the election of Abraham Lin- coln as President, and one of great excitement, was prominently shown in the success of the paper, which up to that time, was the best and most prosperous journal yet established in Monroe.
At the outbreak of hostilities between the north and south in 1861. Mr. Clarke sold his interest, and entered the army as lieutenant-colonel
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of the Sixth Regiment of Michigan Infantry. Mr. Hamilton was the purchaser and continued as editor and manager until February, 1888. He had had an extensive and varied experience in newspaper work, and this experience he utilized to the best advantage in his Monroe paper and succeeded in bringing it to the front of Republican papers of the state.
MONROE "DEMOCRAT"
As stated, the sale of the Commercial in 1856, left the Democratic county of Monroe, without a Democratic county paper, but it was not to be supposed that the virile editor would be content outside of a news- paper office, nor aside of the questions to be discussed from a Democratic forum. The Northern Press was established by one, A. C. Saulsbury, who was a greenbacker, with Mr. Morton in the editorial chair. This was not a happy nor successful affiliation for Mr. Morton, and the paper was finally sold to Mr. Babcock, a lawyer in Monroe, who thought he saw a favorable field for a paper "neutral in politics and religion," as Mr. Morton facetiously expressed it. Mr. Saulsbury went into the army, and Mr. Morton went into journalism again, establishing the Monroe Monitor thoroughly and consistently Democratic. Following this movement for some time, Mr. Morton was in ill health, but continued his publication for about twelve years, up to the time of his death in 1875. After the settlement of Mr. Morton's estate, the property embraced in the Monroe Monitor was purchased by a stock company, composed of leading Demo- crats of the county, and important improvements adopted, enlarged to an eight page forty-eight column paper, and the name changed to the Monroe Democrat. The newspaper appeared in March, 1880, with D. R. Crampton, manager, and J. H. Kurz, secretary and treasurer. Under this organization the paper became an important factor in the movement of political and local affairs in Monroe county and its circulation greatly increased, and its influence perceptibly felt, and while retaining its Demo- cratic flavor pursued a conservative course which gained for it the respect of the community, not only, but a high position in the ranks of state journalism. Such it remains to this day.
UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURES
Doctor Edward Dorsch, an eminent German physician, of Monroe in 1858, a gentleman of literary tastes and a profound student of medicine and philosophy, a writer of ability, established a weekly journal, under the name of the Unabhaengige; this venture met with disaster in the early months of its existence, and was succeeded in 1859, by the Staats Zci- tung. Dr. Dorsch being the editor, and for a short period met with suc- cess, but through defective management, encountered the usual snags of newspaper life, when business methods are ignored, and fell by the wayside.
In 1874, there sprang into existence the Monroe Itemizer fathered by two of Monroe's ambitious young men, who thought that they had dis- covered unmistakable symptoms that the city demanded something rather livelier than the more conservative and dignified Democrat and Commercial. The new local "personal and society" journal was cer- tainly a great departure from the course of local journalism of the town, and proved, for a time, the source of considerable amusement, con- sternation and indignation. It treated local topics, "personals" and society matters in an original, but not always a diplomatic style; during the year it was favored with a series of characteristic contributions by an eccentric old resident under the title of "Old Days in Monroe," which
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were sometimes humorous and always readable as backward glances at people and "doins" half a century back, by "A spectator." The paper gradually grew bold and caustic in its criticisms of people and events until it reached that dangerous point where the libel line is drawn, and a suit for damages for libelous utterances ensued, which proved its undoing, and its face was seen no more.
The Monroe Ledger was another unsuccessful newspaper venture, espousing the cause of the Greenback party in 1878, and conducted by Geo. A. Cowan, a clever writer, who made a brave struggle for about a year. One particularly unique feature of the mechanical outfit, was a wooden press, hand-made, and very primitive, possessing a characteristic which appeared to have been intended as a musical instrument combina- tion, possibly to relieve the tedium of working the curiosity by the press- man, who was a colored youth, as much curiosity as the press itself. Musical features in combination with greenbackism did not seem to be appreciated in the community, and before the close of the year, the enter- prise "squeaked its last squeak."
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