History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 80

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan > Part 80

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The plans of the building were completed and the first appropriation of $100,000 toward the work made March 3, 1873. It is of rich light-bluish sandstone, three stories in height, hip or square roof, and surmounted by a dome. The style is composite, the Italian predominating. Its exterior in the main is plain, though the carved stone cornice and pilaster capitals are handsomely and richly ornate. The dimensions of the structure are: Length, 113 feet 10 inches; breadth, at the ends, 62 feet 7 inches; at the center, 67 feet 7 inches; height from the basement to the eaves, 53 feet; to the summit of the dome, 105 feet; to the top of the flag staff, 144 feet.

As above stated, the first appropriation, $100,000 in amount, was made March 3, 1873. The subsequent appropriations were, $75,000, June 24, 1874; $25.000, March 3, 1875, and $36,000 for completion of building, and furnishing the same, July 31, 1876. The work of excavation was begun in August, 1873, under the supervision of Henry N. Wright, of this city, who remained in charge until the arrival of Mr. George H. Sease, the present Superintendent, who came here in October of that year from St. Paul, where he was just completing the United States Court House and Post Office at that point. Mr. Sease, who is one of the most capable . builders in the employ of the Government, besides the St. Paul building, had also super- intended the construction of the Cairo, Ill., Court House and Post Office, and was thoroughly familiar with the task before him, which he at once entered upon with vigor, and has prosecut- ed most faithfully and successfully from that time to the present. He has given close per- sonal attention to the minutest details, and not one cent of the Government's money has been wasted. He first completed the excavation and procured the material for the concrete founda- tion. The excavation extended three feet below the floor line, which space was filled with concrete composed of limestone, broken into pieces about the size of a hen's egg, mixed with a composition of coarse gravel, sand and cement. As the concrete was laid the system of drain- age was also constructed. This is of the most perfect and substantial character. Water from the roof is conducted through cast iron pipes in the wall into two stone drain pipes underneath the basement floor, extending the full length of the building, with lateral branches. These pipes are provided with stench traps that prevent gas accumulating in the sewer from coming up in any part of the building, and empty into a 15-inch stone pipe leading to Black River. The laying of the concrete was about two-thirds completed when the weather became so cold that work was necessarily suspended and Mr. Sease proceeded to St. Paul to close up his super- intendency there and accompany his reports to Washington. He returned here in February, 1874, and as soon as the weather would permit resumed work.

The putting down of the concrete was finished and the laying of stone in the basement story begun May 1. Work was pushed rapidly forward and the corner-stone laid October 8,

(we Blaus

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

1874, with imposing ceremonies. The occasion will be remembered. The Flint Blues with Gardner's famous band, Detroit Knights of Pythias, officers of the Grand Lodge of Michigan, Knights Templar, various Masonic Lodges, and other home societies, and a large concourse of people participated. The oration was delivered by Hon. O. D. Conger, to whom, as much as any other person, the erection of the building is due, and in it were included some statistics concerning the business of the district, which were probably new to most of his hearers, and which we cannot do better than to reproduce here for the purpose of showing the importance of the business interests of this district, for the accommodation of which this new building has been erected:

MR. CONGER'S ADDRESS.

" We have met, fellow-citizens, to assist in the ceremonies of laying the corner-stone of a beautiful edifice designed to promote and foster the commerce and navigation of our country, facilitate the reception and distribution of letters and literature, provide for the administra- tion of justice, and subserve the necessities of the people.

The peculiar Masonic ceremonial of occasions like this, originated in that early period of man's history when increasing civilization required the magnificent structures dedicated to com merce, religion and social life, and when the 'level, square and plumb' ever heralded man's progress as the emblems and implements of architectural symmetry, beauty and grandeur.

The Pyramids of Egypt attest their presence. The Temple of Solomon acquired its mar- velous symmetry and beauty "from foundation to cap-stone" by their application. The splendid ruins of Palmyra are mute but eloquent witnesses of the antiquity of the Order and the per- fection of the Craft.

In theory and practice, the ceremonial of laying the corner-stone of the magnificent edifices erected for the public welfare has accompanied man, in the East and the West, from his earli- est civilization through all ages of his progression down to the present time.

In like manner, on this day, the representatives of the mystic craft, whose labor and skill have adorned the pathways of human existence through all the ages with the most enduring monuments of symmetry, beauty and usefulness, according to ancient custom, lay the corner- stone of this edifice, erected by a free people to subserve the growing necessities of their ad- vanced civilization.

This building, spacious and beautiful as it seems to us, with its estimated cost of $200,- 000, though rather insignificant when compared to the magnificent structures for similar pur- poses at New York, Boston, Chicago and other places, at a cost respectively of from $3,000, - 000 to $10,000,000, is necessary for the wants of the Government, necessary for the interests of the people of this customs district, and of all the North western States.

It is designated for a custom house for the District of Huron, which extends from Lake St. Clair to Mackinaw, with a shore line of over 550 miles, and embracing twenty-two counties. For a bonded warehouse for valuable imported articles for the benefit of all the importers of the Northwest, who from Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and other cities, petitioned Con- gress to provide for its erection.

For a court house for the administration of justice, and for a post office, not only for the convenience of the people of this city, but for the reception and distribution of all the mails of a hundred post offices and mail routes of Eastern Michigan and the Upper Lakes, so that this edifice, although local in situation, is national in its objects and usefulness.

The District of Huron, of which Port Huron is the port of entry, was organized October 1, 1866, only eight years ago.

In the belief that some statistics of the district would interest you, and not be inappropri- ate to the occasion, I have procured some tables from the custom house reports and other sources, which I shall present with these remarks, and to some of which I wish to refer more particularly as I proceed, and while I am presenting some of the leading items of the business of the district during the eight years of its existence, I will ask you to reflect that all this vast business of this vast Northwest has come into being during the lifetime of many who listen to me this day.

Fifty years ago there was no commerce on these great lakes, only one little steamer on all

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these waters, and even that was declared unprofitable because its draft of seven feet of water prevented its entrance to most of the harbors of Lake Erie. No railroad in all the land- scarcely a wagon road.

A few frail vessels, a few wandering batteaux, a few Mackinaw boats, a few bark canoes, and here and there an Indian trail, furnished all the means and modes of commerce, trans- portation and travel.

A few thousand people numbered all who dwelt along these beautiful straits, and in the vast territory bordering upon the Upper Lakes.

The fields yielded no products for commerce, the forests no timber for transportation, the fisheries were unvexed by the seine, the waterfall was unused for the mill, and the steam en- gine was unknown in the land. The iron mountains were undiscovered, and the copper mines were suggested only in the traditions of unsuccessful explorers and the vague reports of the early missionaries.

In all this marvelous region of the Upper Lakes, o'er all the boundless prairies, through all the gloomy pine forests, amid the mountains of iron and the ancient diggings of the cop- per mines, even among the lonely Indian tribes, reigned a mysterious silence, a supernatural re- pose, as if all nature were hushed to temporary rest, before the new era of steam and strife, of business and bustle, of surveying and settlement, of civilization and commerce, should burst upon the land and the lakes.

And then, you came hither, bold pioneers of the vast northwestern lakes and shores, you, and thousands like you came up and possessed the land; came with your wives and little ones, or came singly and alone; came as pioneers, or came following your friends, and raised the log cabin, cleared the land, builded the mill, launched the vessel, opened the roads, erected the schoolhouse, planted the towns, reared the churches, and with privation, patience, toil and en- ergy, you developed the marvelous growth and civilization of this wonderful, beautiful land, and rendered necessary the erection of the building whose corner-stone we are laying to-day.

Brave old settlers of the early days! As you see this day all these evidences of growth and prosperity, where once you found a wilderness, do not the toils and dangers of former times fade from your memory, while your heart glows with the proud consciousness of having borne an honorable part in such a glorious transformation ?

And you who came later, to enjoy the fullness of this beautiful land, should never forget the gratitude due to those who first traveled the wilderness alone.

With this brief reference to the past, let us now return to the consideration of our present condition, as suggested by the occasion which calls us together. Michigan is divided among four Customs Districts. Detroit District has the southern part, with Detroit for its port of entry. The City of the Straits, to me the most beautiful city of the Union, our commercial metropolis, with its steady growth, its ever increasing manufactures, its unrivaled harbor, its great mercantile and shipping interests, and its splendid situation on the great highways of commerce both by land and by water.

The District of Michigan, with its port of entry at Grand Haven, includes western Michi- gan, with its great lumber regions, its marvelous growth of fruits, its numerous harbors and the boundless West for its market.

The District of Superior, with its port of entry at Marquette, the Upper Peninsula, with its untold wealth of copper, its mountains of iron, its forests of pine, its undeveloped fisheries along the shores of the three bordering inland seas, and last, but by no means least, the District of Huron, embracing Eastern Michigan, with its port of entry in our own prosperous city.

Within our borders is the best white winter wheat region of the State; the best pine ever sent to any market in the world; the wonderful Saginaw Valley salt basin; almost the entire salt manufactories of all the Northwest; some of the finest flocks and choicest herds of the country; the finest fisheries on the lakes; the best and largest ship yards in the West; the port of entry of nearly all the commerce and immigration by rail from the St. Lawrence; the only open channel upon the straits for winter crossing of railroad communication, and the most northerly practical point of connection between the Northwest and the East, whether by rail. or by water.

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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.

And here, my fellow-citizens, at this great eastern gate of commerce, we may, if we will, sit and hold the keys, and lock and unlock the portals through which will pass a wealth of commerce unrivaled in the land. From the East the Grand Trunk and Great Western Rail- roads pour their vast wealth of freight upon our shores. From the West, the South and the North, the Chicago & Lake Huron and Grand Trunk Railroads and the waters of the straits and of Lake Huron bring to our door the wealth and commerce of the whole region of the lakes. In the season of navigation of 1871, the aggregate number of steamers and vessels pass- ing the Gratiot Light House was 26,486; in 1872, 32,976, and 1873, 39,188. On what other waters of the world floats such a fleet of commerce?

In the last eight years, there have arrived at this port 316,419 immigrants-enough to form a State-a greater number than at any port in the Union except New York, and here they pay no head money and are subject to no swindling or extortion.

The importations for eight years at this port amount in value to $7,612, 759, and the ex- portations in value to $21, 719,084. During the same time the duties and fees collected and paid into the Treasury from this District, amount to $1,295, 716, and from other places on goods entered at this port but transferred to interior ports under consular act and interior port of entry act, $1,312,244, making a total for duties and fees for goods entered at this port of $2,608,990.

Should not the Government have some better place than a rented room and a wooden ware- house to accommodate a business, of such proportions?

In the last eight years, there have been built in this district of steamers, barges and other vessels the number of 335, with a tonnage of 86,027 tons, at an estimated value of $9, 312,295, of which probably about $7,000,000 was paid out in the district for labor and material.

The principal ship yards are at Algonac, Marine City, St. Clair, Port Huron and on the Saginaw River, with some ship-building at other places in the district.

Some of the largest and finest steamers, barges and vessels on the lakes were built in this district, and our ship-builders have acquired a reputation surpassed by none in the country for the excellence, almost perfection of the craft they put afloat, and every year there is an in- crease in the size of the vessels built. As the Government by liberal appropriations improves the harbors and deepens the channels of our waters, the ship is increased in size, and transpor- tation is rendered more secure and cheaper for the producer. As an illustration of the magni- tude of the ship building interest, I am furnished a statement of the value of ship-building and repairs in Fitzgerald's yard in this city, by which it appears that during the last eight years the amount at one yard was $558,000, and in this city there are four other ship yards, whose business statistics I have not on hand.

The Grand Trunk Railway has some 1, 100 miles of track connecting our city directly with Buffalo, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec and Portland, crowded with an ever increasing business, sending daily from twenty to twenty-five trains of cars, and for the month of September, 1874, sending 6,285 cars to the East. 3,660 to the West, or about 10,000 cars for the month, being an increase of fully 50 per cent over the corresponding month of last year.

When the Chicago & Lake Huron Railroad shall have finished its line by the completion of its short portion between Flint and Lansing, which will be done within the coming year, our city will be upon the place of crossing of the most direct and shortest routes of railway com- munication across the continent, and directly upon the line of the only water communication between the East and the West, where the transportation by land and by water meets and may pass on or diverge as the necessities of commerce shall require.

The St. Clair Branch of the Canada Southern Railroad also crosses the straits in this dis- trict, and when its western connections are completed will add largely to the commercial im- portance of this district. The Flint & Pere Marquette and the Detroit & Bay City roads pass for a considerable distance through the District of Huron, and furnish transportation for the immense business of the Saginaw Valley and the interior counties.

Fellow-citizens, it was in the interest of so great and so widely extended commercial in- terests and postal service, as well as for the benefit of this people and the growing local im- portance of our city, that Congress has provided for the erection of this building at the port of

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entry of Huron District. Its dimensions are about 130 feet in length by 67 in width, with an elevation from the floor of basement to the top of the dome of about 120 feet. About 26,000 cubic feet of Sandusky limestone are used for the foundation and basement, and nearly the same quantity of Berea sandstone, with some 800,000 St. Clair brick for the superstructure. The plans and general direction of the work of the building are under the control of A. B. Mul- let, Esq., the accomplished architect of the Treasury Department, while its immediate super- intendence is committed to the care of George H. Sease, Esq., whose courtesy and ability, well known to our citizens, has been heretofore proven at other places, in an erection of some of the finest Government buildings in the Western country.

And now, my fellow-citizens, having briefly and imperfectly, in obedience to your invita- tion, presented for your consideration such suggestions as seemed to me befitting the occasion, there remains the pleasing duty of returning thanks in your name, to the distinguished socie- ties and visitors, who have gratified us by their presence, and honor this occasion by their at- tendance.

And while our guests receive from me the assurance of your cordial thanks for their friend- ship and courtesy in rendering this occcasion so pleasant and interesting, I am proud to be- lieve that they rejoice in your good fortune, and are gratified by the evidences of the growth and prosperity of our goodly city, and that we all together may feel a common pride in the commercial advantages of this and other portions of our beloved State --- the land of our pride and our hope, the home of our adoption and choice.

How beautiful is her situation! Enthroned in the midst of her crystal lakes! The white- winged messengers of commerce hovering on every shore, and seeking shelter in every harbor; her iron roads traversing every portion; her fields yielding abundant harvests, and her orchards o'erladen with fruit; unrivaled wealth in her mines; abounding riches in her forests, and con- centrating in herself all the elements of prosperity and greatness, our Michigan is to-day the home of virtue and intelligence; the abode of peace and prosperity, and has fair promise of a more glorious future in the development of her agriculture and commerce, and the perfection of her free institutions."

Later statistics would make the showing still larger and enhance the importance of the District in the eyes of the reading and business public. The exports of later years were more than twice as great as the average cited by Mr. Conger, while the freight and transfer business of the Grand Trunk was very much larger than in any preceding year, 140,000 cars (an aver- age of 440 per day) passing through the hands of the customs officials during the twelve months ending June 30, 1875. The duty collections in some single months exceeded $ 10,000 gold, outstripping anything known in the Detroit District. The Chicago & Lake Huron Railroad, now completed, and which must hereafter prove a great trunk line, is now running. This will largely increase business at this point, and must aid in making Port Huron one of the leading points in business importance on the Northwestern frontier.

The basement story is 10 feet 4 inches high in the clear. The walls are of blue Sandusky limestone and massive work of masonry. The outside foundation walls are 3 feet 6 inches in thickness and the interior walls 2 feet 6 inches. On the southern side is an area the whole length of the building 53 feet wide in the center and 8 feet wide at the ends. There is also an area around each window and the retaining walls of all the areas are very heavy. The base- ment is designed for the heating apparatus, closets, water supply, sinks, hand basins, storage of bonded goods, etc. There are in all in the basement 30 massive stone arches, and the base - ment walls are unquestionably as good specimen of rubble masonry as there are on this conti- nent. They are sufficient to sustain with safety a building of twice the size and weight of this structure. The basement floor is of brick, stone flagging, and marble and slate tiling. In the larger room in the north half of the basement is the heating aparatus. This is one of the latest and best designs, constructed by the Detroit metal and plumbing works, at a cost of $5,550. The building is warmed by indirect heat from the circulation of hot water. The water is heated in one immense boiler with 53 tubular flues. The heat creates an expansion of water and thus a circulation. The water is forced into coils in brick chambers, from which it returns to the boiler as it cools. The coils are fed with pure air from out of doors, through

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apertures extending through the walls. The air is warmed by passing through the coils and rising, reaches the different offices of the building through flues extending from the basement to all the floors. The superiority of the apparatus over others lies in the fact that the air is always pure, and there is at all times a perceptible circulation like a gentle summer breeze. The other rooms in the basement are for the storing of bonded goods, closets, etc. with an el- evator in the southeast corner running to the third story. From the solid foundation rise the walls of the building. They are of handsome sandstone blocks, backed with brick. These blocks are laid in courses about 15 inches high, and vary in weight from 1,000 to 8, 000 pounds each. They are smoothly finished, the lower story in miter joints. At the top of the first story is a heavy broad belt or first story cornice. The first floor, which is laid on iron beams and brick leveled up with concrete to the proper height for the tiling and wooden floors, is gained by the one staircase of stone steps in the east end, from which one passes into a public hall, out of which an iron staircase leads to the upper stories. The public hall is 12 feet wide, and runs from the north side to the elevator. The east front door opens into this hall, and is the main entrance to the custom house and other offices up stairs. An inside door communicates with the post office corridor, which is 11 feet wide and runs the full length of the post office screen, 70 feet. Two outside doors also open into this corridor, from the north front. The floor of the corridor and lower hall is of slate and white marble tiling in alternate square blocks, with neat slate border on the outer edge.

The general business office of the post office is a noble room 70 by 45 feet in size and 17 feet 4 inches in height. The floor of this is of black walnut and ash alternating. In the room are eight iron columns 14 inches in diameter to support the upper floors. The ceiling is plas- tered on iron lath, and is a beautiful piece of work. The mails are to be conveyed into this gen- eral office through the doors in the rear, or south side of the building. and in this large room is the post office furniture, all very ingenious and labor-saving, built on the premises. The furniture for handling the mails consists of two "general delivery cases," two "assorting tables," one "stamping" or "canceling table," one "distributing oven," sometimes called a "throwing table," one "mailing case," one case for advertised letters, transient newspapers, etc., and three standing desks. The screen which separates the general business office from the public cor- rider is now being put in place. The frame work is of walnut and butternut, with oil finish. In it are the drawers and boxes to the height that a man can conveniently reach, and above that glass reaching to the ceiling. Two-thirds of the space designed for that purpose is now occupied by the drawers and boxes, of which there are 24 drawers, 16 newspaper boxes, and 1, 250 lock boxes. Of the latter, 910 are No. 1 size, 23 by 43 inches, and 360 No. 2 size, 43 inches square. They are of metal frame fronts with small glass in each behind the frame through which the box owner can see whether mail is in the box without unlocking. The locks are manufactured by the Johnson Rotary Lock Company, of New York, and are very similar to the Yale lock. Nothing could be better or more convenient. At the west end of the corrider is the money order and registered letter department, a large corner room 22 by 20 in size, to which there is also an outside entrance. Here also the mail carriers and route agents will leave their mails and registered letters, exchange receipts, etc. Adjoining this depart- ment are public and private offices of the Postmaster, 22 by 11 feet, and 22 by 20 feet in size respectively. These will be carpeted and handsomely furnished, and provided with the usual office conveniences. Thus it will be seen that the whole of the front story is assigned to post- office uses, and in elegance and convenience of arrangement equals anything to be found in any city of 100,000 inhabitants in this country. The second floor is devoted to the Custom House and Court Room. It is laid on iron beams and iron arches. It is reached by the broad iron stair case at the east end of the building. A hall 12 feet wide, well lighted, and with marble and slate tiling floor, reaches from the east end to the court room door. Immediately at the head of the stairs in the east end is the water supply for the second and third stories, closets, wash hand basins, etc. The height of rooms on this floor (except the court room) is 14 feet and 6 inches. On the left of the hall is the office of the Collector, 21 by 23 feet in size, and adjoining it on the west a large room 24 by 34 feet in size for general purposes, Across the hall opposite the Collector's office is the room of the Special Deputy. This room

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History of St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources, its war record, biographical sketches, the whole preceded by a history of Michigan, Part 80

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, A.T. Andreas & Co.
Number of Pages: 818