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 60
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THE FARMERS' MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF MONROE AND WAYNE COUNTIES
For forty-nine years this staunch and prosperous institution has been one of those whose record is of the highest. One of the charter members and for many years its honored president was the late Hon. A. J. Keeney, of Erie. For nearly as many terms Hon. E. W. Hilton, also of Erie, has been, as he still is, its secretary. The organization in its membership and
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operation is limited to Monroe and Wayne counties. The membership on October 1st, 1912 was 9,672, the amount at risk on that date was $17,936,800, no losses unpaid, the year closed with only, $29,155.77 of losses and damages. The officers are Jas. H. Vreeland, president; Frank G. Brunt, vice-president; E. W. Hilton, secretary ; Joel J. Bradner, treasurer. The office of the association is at Erie, Monroe county.
CHAPTER XXXVII CIVIC AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
WORK OF THE POLICE-QUESTION OF WATER SUPPLY-STREETS, PARKS AND BRIDGES-LIVE STOCK AND LIGHT-THE LIBRARIES OF MONROE- MONROE HISTORICAL AND LIBRARY ASSOCIATION-THE CIVIC IMPROVE- MENT SOCIETY (BY MRS. W. VAN MILLER)-THE NEW GOVERNMENT POST OFFICE
The municipal affairs of the City of Monroe, have been usually conducted with economy and with reference to the comfort and safety of its people. It is an orderly community, such as one might expect to find in the class of people who compose it-and its treatment by the officers of the peace is such as to contribute to its harmony and well being.
WORK OF THE POLICE
A large police force is not deemed necessary, but the members of the present force discharge their duties with fidelity and alertness. This is apparent from a perusal of the record for the three years presented in the latest report by the chief of police, John W. Forner.
There were 252 arrests made, 106 of which were. taken before the justice courts and all pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against them; seventy-six were taken on city charges and of these sixty-three paid a fine and costs and thirteen were sentenced to the county jail from ten to thirty days.
Thirty were taken on county charges; eleven paid fines and costs and ten were sentenced to the county jail for from ten to thirty days; six were sentenced to the Detroit House of Correction from sixty-five to ninety days and three were sentenced to Jackson prison. Four boys were taken before the juvenile court and sentence suspended.
The report showed that 2,319 tramps or hoboes were taken to the police station for safe keeping and during the year there were 5,476 calls which the police department responded to.
There were 425 police calls from other cities investigated and five children were reported, lost all of which were found and returned to their parents. Five calls from other cities for lost children received and seven boys from six to fifteen years of age were picked up and returned to their parents in Detroit, Windsor, Canada; and Toledo.
Fifteen persons wanted in other cities were located here and five wanted for forgery were placed under arrest and turned over to officers of Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Twenty-three cases of contagious diseases were quarantined and in eight cases necessities of life were looked after, two or three times a week, by the chief.
Twenty-nine bicycles were reported missing and twenty-two were located and returned to their owners. Seven horses sick or crippled were
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reported and five were shot. Forty-nine calls for dangerous dogs were received and nineteen canines were killed.
QUESTION OF WATER SUPPLY
One of our American humorists, possibly Artemus Ward, once sagely declared that water was very useful for manufacturing purposes, but as a beverage was somewhat thin. This may be accepted as more or less a prejudiced view ; but there are a great many more people directly interested in the water question from the standpoint of individual con- sumers, than in the consideration of it in any other aspect, manufacturing or otherwise.
Monroe, in former days was dependent upon the well, and the cistern for domestic supply, and the well sweep "the old oaken bucket," the suction and chain pumps were the means of obtaining it from Mother Earth. The question of the dangers of contamination, of the source of supply, and the irregularity of it did not particularly disturb the earlier inhabitants, but the world became enlightened upon these matters, and the advancement of civilization brought with it a better under- standing of domestic comforts and hygienic necessities-and the demand for pure water and modern facilities for obtaining a certain and con- tinued supply for cities became universal.
In the twentieth century one is inclined to wonder how it was possible for people ever to have lived without water works! With the waters of Lake Erie almost at the doors of Monroe; or to be exact, two and one half miles distant, it would seem but a natural step to bring them into every house in the city at a nominal expense. But water works are not established and conducted upon any other basis than a large outlay of money and the direct financial return on this outlay. Monroe considered this proposition seriously for some months, when it was proposed to inaugurate a system of public water supply. Municipal ownership of public utilities had not, in the 80's been so conspicuously in the public eye as since, and even if it had, the doubt existed whether Monroe would be favorable to a plan for shouldering a heavy debt and the possibility of failure to make a plant successful. Various plans were discussed and estimates obtained for a city water works. An engineer of some reputation was employed to make surveys and submit plans and specifications for a plant capable of serving the city, not only for its present wants but to provide for a prospective growth for years.
The plans provided for a generous distribution of mains throughout the city, both for domestic uses and for adequate fire protection. The common council then advertised for sealed proposals to construct a plant upon the plans and specifications prepared by Mr. J. D. Cook, a hydro- graphic engineer of Toledo. Several proposals were received and opened on February 18, 1889, when the lowest bidders were found to be W. S. Packer & Company of Pontiac, Michigan, whose bid was accepted. The "Monroe . Water Company" was then organized and incorporated, the officers being as follows: W. S. Packer, president; George M. Landon, secretary ; and George Spalding, treasurer. Mr. Packer at a later date resigned and retired from the company.
The statement of the operations in establishing the plant and operat- ing the same was given by an officer of the present company: "The original plan contemplated the use of 61,256 feet of pipe of the required sizes, or an aggregate length of pipe in distribution of the supply required, of about thirteen miles. Commencing at a point in Lake Erie where a depth of seventeen feet of water was obtained, a crib was sunk into which the water supply from the lake is admitted. Thence it is carried in twenty
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inch mains submerged in the lake in a closed trench where the land is reached, about a mile to the northwest, where the intake pipe opens into a well, divided into two sections. The pumping station is situated near this well, and supplied with two direct pressure Worthington pumps of a capacity of three million gallons of water per day of twenty-four hours. From this supply well the water is carried in a sixteen inch main to the city limits, where connection is made with the distributing system, consisting of pipes of the sizes of twelve, eight, six and four inches. Under the contract with the city, there were installed 132 hydrants for which they were to be paid a rental of $6,200 per annum; the option to purchase the plant by the city within one year at a stipulated price was incorporated in the contract, or at any time within ten years, by agreement, upon terms. The water works have been in operation con- tinually since the first day of operation, and the city has enjoyed an ample supply of good water. One or more fountains in the public square and elsewhere were provided for in the franchise, together with a supply of street drinking fountains, and troughs for horses.
A recent request for an analysis of the water was made to the University of Michigan by Mr. W. C. Sterling, which brought out the following report from Professor Vaughan :
"UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN (1912).
"Laboratory of Hygiene-Report of the condition of water sent by W. C. Sterling, Monroe Water Co., Monroe, Michigan.
"Source of the water with remarks on sanitary surroundings-Water taken from one of water works taps in a drug store. The Water Com- pany furnishes this water by pumping it in from Lake Erie, several miles from any river or sewerage outlet.
Physical Properties
"Color-Colorless
"Odor-Odorless
"Reaction-Alkaline
"Hardness-137.51
Inoculation experiments
"Kind of animal inoculated with germs-Guinea pig.
"Method of inoculation-Introperitoneal.
"Results of inoculation-Negative.
"Conclusion : I can find no fault with this water. I do not think it can cause disease.
"V. C. VAUGHAN,
"Director of the Michigan Laboratory of Hygiene."
The officers and directors of the Monroe Water Company are as follows: Gen. Geo. Spalding, president; W. C. Sterling, vice-president ; W. C. Sterling, Jr., treasurer; Geo. M. Landon, secretary : directors. George M. Landon, Gen. Geo. Spalding, W. C. Sterling, W. C. Sterling, Jr; J. C. Sterling, superintendent.
The former contract with the city called for $500 for hydrant rental. The total amount now paid is $6,000 per annum.
STREETS, PARKS AND BRIDGES
Those who were interested in the naming of the streets of Monroe, referring especially to those which appear upon the early plats of the
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WASHINGTON STREET, IN MIDSUMMER
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village, gave evidence of a patriotic inclination to perpetuate historic characters and the names of those who were prominent in the nation, state, and in the community in which they lived and moved. The name of Washington naturally stands first, Adams, second president, Monroe the fifth, and Harrison, the ninth, are remembered, but the list of presidents is now ignored until the name of Lincoln is reached and more recently Roosevelt. Lewis Cass, the first real governor, the "grand old man" of Michigan, is in good military company with General Alex- ander Macomb, and Winfield Scott, both commanders-in-chief of the United States army. General James Winchester, the unfortunate but patriotic Kentuckian who met disaster at the River Raisin in 1813; Hull's disgraced name is only recalled by the "Hull's Road"-not to honor, but to hold him up to shame and obloquy and to indicate only the military road over which the troops of Harrison used in passing on their march from Fort Meigs to Detroit and the River Raisin. The names of La Salle, Franklin, Navarre, Roberts, Anderson, Noble, Winchester, Kentucky avenue, Godfroy, Bacon, Custer, Wadsworth are all familiar ones in the history of this region.
"The public square," one of the most attractive public grounds in the state, retains the name employed in the original deed of gift from Joseph Loranger in 1817. Proposals and suggestions have at different times been made to select some more graceful or euphonious designation, but the name "public square" carries with it the acknowledged intention of the donor, that this tract of publie ground should be "used by the citi- zens of Monroe forever, provided that it be used for no other than public purposes, in the event of which, however, it should revert to the owner, or his heirs." So the "Public Square," like "Boston Common" remains.
Monroe has not deemed the question of "Public Parks" a very im- portant one demanding consideration.
"Memorial Place," made possible by the Monroe Civic Improvement Society, has been converted from an abandoned and unsightly cemetery of the earliest days, to a beauty spot, and appropriately selected as the site of a handsome dignified monument to the soldiers and other victims of the massacre at the River Raisin-"Michigan's Tribute to Kentucky." Had this patriotic and industrious company of the women of Monroe done nothing more than to have so gloriously achieved this result, their names should be gratefully remembered by every man, woman and child who has any sense of appreciation of unselfish devotion to the beautifying of the resting places of the patriotic dead. It had always been fondly hoped in the past that the city would acquire either by dona- tion or purchase the property known as "Noble's Grove" comprising several blocks of beautifully wooded ground on Washington street whose magnificent oaks, relics of the original forest, invited the admi- ration of all passers by, and of those who participated in the celebrations and other fêtes for which it was so admirably adapted. The opportunity passed, however, and Monroe has never ceased to cherish regret that the hoped-for park did not materialize. It is now covered by tasteful and attractive homes of our business men.
The Civic Improvement Society recently interested itself in the purchase of an unimproved tract in the Third ward, on the south bank of the river, which the city afterwards acquired-with the purpose of creating a "children's play ground." This is being slowly improved, and will eventually become a pleasant and ornamental breathing spot for the children of the city.
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THE BRIDGES OF MONROE
The bridges of Monroe, by the reason of the fact that the River Raisin passes directly through the city its whole length, from west to east, have been prominent and expensive factors in the city's affairs; the traffic of no less than twenty city streets and five railroad lines must cross the river on these six bridges.
The first bridge of any considerable importance built to connect the north and south sides of the town, was one authorized by the county supervisors and the common council in 1819, and a franchise given to Oliver Johnson and John Anderson in June of that year, "to build and maintain for a period of twenty-five years, a toll bridge across the River Raisin from Anderson street and Elm avenue, to connect with Monroe street." This was a covered wooden bridge, rather a dark and dismal tunnel, than a bridge, but served the purpose for many years, until destroyed by a flood in the river, and was succeeded by an open, heavily timbered affair in the same place, and which met the same fate as its predecessor. This was a free bridge, built at the joint cost of city and county. Another wooden bridge was afterwards built at Macomb street, which was also carried away by freshets, and aftewards replaced by an iron structure, at a cost of some $15,000. This too, found a watery grave in the river, during an unprecedented breaking up of the ice in the river, and the extraordinary volume of water that rushed between its low banks in the spring of 1878.
The two fine iron structures were built at a cost of $10,000 each and are supposed to be equal to any reasonable demands upon their stability ; that at Monroe street is used not only as a wagon bridge, but also by the Detroit United Railway on their Detroit, Monroe and Toledo Electric Short line, which is included in their franchise from the City of Monroe.
LIVE STOCK AND LIGHT
The rus in urbe of Monroe in the Arcadian days of 1857, was more conspicuous than we find it in its city garb, aggressive movements and the absence of the rural customs and methods of half a century ago. The pasturage in the public square and along the avenues was very tempting to the bovine in those days, and much more appreciated by the cows and the sheep and the horses running at large at their own sweet will, than by the citizens who were disturbed by the evidences of country life shown in the following extract from the proceedings of the Common Council :
COUNCIL, PROCEEDINGS
"Council Chamber, June 13th, 1857: Minutes of proceedings of last meeting read, approved and signed.
"Petition of J. L. C. Godfroy, and sixteen others, citizens of the city, calling the attention of the Council, to the great inconvenience to the petitioners, arising in consequence of permission given to owners of cows and cattle generally in running at large within city limits and especially on Front street, and the Public Square, and in the front of Churches, and asking the Council to make such prohibitions and restric- tions, as would meet the case in point. After an interchange of the views of Council in reference thereto, the same was, on motion of Ald. McBride, referred to City Solicitor."
Likewise, did the question of light interest the good people, who were impatiently waiting some radical change from the "age of darkness," oil lamps, and liberation from the periods of total nocturnal obscuration
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of the beauties of the "City of Flowers." At last in 1858, there were evidences of the dawning of a gas light company, as is evident by the following extract from a local print :
"SHALL MONROE HAVE A GAS LIGHT COMPANY?
"Mr. E. A. Coen of New York has made a proposition to establish a Gas Com- pany in the City of Monroe. The proposition is as follows: He will build Coal Gas Works in the city on condition that a Company is formed with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars, five thousand four hundred dollars of which must be taken by citizens of Monroe, and paid in installments as the work progresses; he will furnish the remaining twenty thousand dollars; the Company to furnish a suitable lot for the works, to be paid for in stock, also, to obtain a grant from the Common Council giving the exclusive right to use the streets, lanes, and alleys in the city; he will lay down five thousand four hundred feet of main pipe and eighty meters for the use of consumers, and furnish a good article of Coal Gas at $3.50 per thousand feet, as good as any furnished at Detroit or Jackson; if five hundred burners are used per night he will guarantee to the stockholders ten per cent per annum: and for every additional one thousand dollars of stock subserip- tion over and above the five thousand four hundred, he will add one thousand feet of main pipe."
Price was certainly no object, apparently, for the consideration of $3.50 per thousand feet would paralyze the consumers today, who are asked to pay $1.00 per thousand feet.
THE LIBRARIES OF MONROE
The attempts to provide public circulating libraries were begun at an early day in Monroe, and in the year of 1827, a small library was in existence which was begun and sustained by the village through its officers, mainly the village clerk, but the number of volumes was so small and they were of such an uninteresting character, that little attention was paid to the matter; in addition, the money necessary to promote and maintain such an institution was difficult to obtain. The first city library that is remembered was a small collection of books placed in the care of the city clerk as librarian, who was James B. Whipple, and the repository was in a small building standing at the southeast corner of the public square, formerly used as the United States land office-afterwards as the city clerk's office. Not until 1866 did the public library assume any important functions in the affairs of the city. In that year the books were decently arranged and catalogued and a small appropriation made by the common council for the purpose of books, which did not exceed $150. The room allotted to the library adjoining the city clerk's office was enlarged somewhat, and with the arrival of the new books, the place began to assume something of the appearance of the nucleus of a public library. The legislature of 1873 passed an enactment, under which the library was removed from the particular care of the city fathers, and placed in the custody and man- agement of the board of education, and so remains to the present time.
This was a wise and beneficial change and the library, under capable librarians, has been one of the most acceptable and valued of the city's institutions. There is one thing still very much to be desired, namely a suitable fireproof building wherein could be housed the now credit- able list of books, and rooms for the purposes of an historical association where relics of the interesting past of Monroe, of which there are many extant, individually owned in the county.
The present librarian is Mrs. Jennie S. Wallace, through whose courtesy the author is enabled to give the most recent data in connection with the library as shown in her annual report for the year ending July 1. 1912, as follows : Number books drawn, 13,777; number using reading rooms, 4,696; total number using library rooms, 18,473; number cards
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issued, 997; amount fines collected, $31.34; amount express charges, $28.60; amount on hand July 1, 1911, $13.66; number volumes added, 256; total number books rebound, 76; amount fines on hand July, $17.40.
There are in addition to the public library, not however available for general use, such as that connected with St. Mary's Academy and smaller collections owned by churches and clubs.
THE MONROE HISTORICAL AND LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
This society was organized by the leading citizens of Monroe in March, 1873, for the very laudable purpose of the collection and pres- ervation of such matters, both traditionary and authentic, as should make it feasible to trace the history of this portion of the United States and to mark the changes it has undergone. By judicious exertion, it was hoped to rescue from oblivion many important documents; to dis- cover and disclose many facts and transactions, either wholly unknown or imperfectly remembered, and to bring out and make clear much that was confused and contradictory in the early annals of these regions and especially the intimate connection of the earlier settlers and pioneers with the stirring events of the opening up to civilization of this beautiful region in which we are favored dwellers- events which transpired in our vicinity from the supposed date of Father Hennepin's visit to our shores with his companions, the intrepid Hontan, La Salle, and others of the adventurers and explorers from Quebec and the St. Lawrence country.
The objects of the society, the prospective interest and fascinations of research and investigation met with great favor in the community, from those especially, who realized the wealth of material for history and legend that lay about them on every hand and who hoped that the time had arrived at last, when proper and energetic action was to he taken for the discovery and preservation of this invaluable material. The meeting called for the purpose of permanent organization was an enthusiastic one, the following officers were elected : President, Prof. E. J. Boyd; vice presidents, Rev. D. P. Putnam, M. D. Hamilton; sec- retary and treasurer, John McClelland Bulkley; recording secretary, Irvin P. Boyd. Directors, Hon. Thomas Doyle, mayor, F. H. Hubbard, Hon. E. Willetts, John M. Bulkley, J. D. Ronan, T. E. Wing, O. A. Critchett. Committees were appointed to take charge of the various details of proposed operations and another meeting arranged for, at which the committees were to report progress.
At the public meeting called to formulate a plan of operations for the unlimited work before it, an elaborate programme was prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose and enthusiastically adopted. It comprised preparation of exhaustive treatises on a great variety of topics intimately connected with the early history and development of Monroe county, which were assigned to competent and interested mem- bers, and it is interesting to note that the plans were, by a coincidence, along the same lines followed by the author in preparing the present history. Unfortunately, however, the gentlemen selected for the differ- ent topics found themselves committed to a laborious task, though fas- cinating and intensely interesting. The result was that the generous programme adopted failed of realization. Much historical matter was collected and reminiscences orally delivered at subsequent meetings, but interest flagged, partly because of the absence of any safe storage for collections of manuscripts and books, and partly for reasons al- ready stated, and the society finally passed into history as one of the things "that might have been," to be regretted along with futile efforts previously made, of the same kind.
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THE CIVIC IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY
By Courtesy of Mrs. W. Van Miller
This is pre-eminently the organization in which Monroe takes a most justified pride and to which it is indebted for many notable and beautiful improvements, that might have otherwise been denied. The timely marking of historic spots by bronze tablets, which had never been previously attempted-the campaign of cleanliness, sanitation and ornamentation in the streets and parks, the removal of all fences sur- rounding the beautiful lawns exciting a sentiment of pride and emula- tion in the beautifying of homes on every street the effect of which aided by the thousands of noble forest trees that line the avenues has resulted in converting the entire city into one extensive park, and the successful efforts to continue the good work which already shows such magnifi- cent and satisfactory results. All this has required time, good judg- ment and a refined taste and the loyal support of all citizens as well as by the municipal government who enjoy the reputation which Monroe has gained, and the proud satisfaction which they experience in the feeling of co-operation that has made possible these glorious achieve- ments. The author esteems it a very great privilege to present a review of the work of the Monroe Civic Improvement Society by its accomplished president, Mrs. W. Van Miller, whose devotion to its interests and her self-sacrificing work, at all times has contributed so much to its methods and to its vitality. It has been wholly a labor of love with all of the members of the society, and their labors to promote the aesthetic and the hygienic in civil administration will be more and more appreciated as time matures their wise plans and beneficent work.
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