USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.. > Part 77
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The officers from ISI9 to 1556 are named as follows:
Presidents-L M. Mason, 1549: M S. Gillett, 1850; D. B. Harrington, IS51; Alonzo E. Noble, 1852: Wellington Davis. 1553: Alvah Sweetzer, 1551; Newell Avery, IS55: John Mil ler. 1856.
Recorders-James Grover. IS19: Alfred E. Pochet, 1550; John T. Hamilton. 1951; Alfred E. Fechet. 1852-53: Bethuel (. Farrand, 1851 55; F. H. Vanderburg. 1856
Trustees- - M. S. Gillett. W. Davis. J. W. Campfield, John Wells, Robert Hickling. H. L. Stevens, 1819: William T. Mitchell, John Miller, Tone P. Tucker, 1850; Alonzo & Noble. Elijah Burke, Nelson D. Horton, J W. Campfield, J. S. Bottesford, L. M. Mason, 1551; M. S. Gillett, H. L. Stevens, James W. Sanborn, John Hibbard. A. Fish, Jr., David Whitman. 1852; O. D. Conger, John Howard. Perry Dale, John W. Campfield. A. Sweetzer. D. Whit man, 1553: E. R. Sweetzer. Asa Larned, John T. Travers, David Whitman, John C. Forbes. James Baird, IS51; James Baird. Asa Larned, John Miller, Elias R Sweetzer. Allen Fish, Jr. David Whitman, 1855: Wellington Davis, Josoph P. Minne, William T. Mitchell, John Hit- bard, Nelson Roberts, David Whitman. 1856.
Assessors --- Joseph P. Minne. John L. Beche, 1550; Josoph P. Minne, G. A Eldredge. 1951; Joseph P. Minne, W. H. B. Dowling, 1552: Joseph P. Minne. H. L. Stevens, 1953: Joseph P. Mini, Allen Fish. ISM: Joseph P. Mini, John Howard. 1555; Joseph P. Mini, Along E Noble, 1556.
Treasurers George D. Pinkham. 1550: George D. Pinkhem, Ist: John T. Hamilton. 1852.
Marshals-Seth L. McCarts. 1919: Newton L. Carpenter, 1551; J. K. Bailey. 1552; D. McKellar, IS53: Noah T. Farr, IS51 55; Amos James, 1856.
ORGANIZATION OF THE CITY.
The city government was organized. under legislative authority. in ISST. The charter was amended in April, 1569, and again, under the act of March 29, 1577, it was subjected to other changes. Under the an endatory act of the last date. it was ordered that. The territorial limits of said city shall consist of all that tract of country in the county of St. Clair bounded and described as follows: Commencing at a point on the national boundary line in the St. Clair River, directly opposite and in a line with the south line of fractional section fifteen in the township of Port Huron, and running thence westerly along said south line of said fractional section fifteen, to the east line of section sixteen; thence north along said line, and said line extended to the middle of Black River, thence up said Black River to the northwest corner of the military riservati ri: there . cisterly on the north line of stid military reservation to the national boundary line in the St. Clair River, thence southerly along said boundary hne to the place of beginning.
The first election under the City Charter, was held within the Port Huron Engiur Hilse April 6, 1857. John Miller, William T. Mitchell and I. H. Vanderburg were In-pertors. 41
500
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
R. Crowell and F. H. Vanderburg, Clerks. The total vote cast was 474. The officers elected were:
Mayor-William L. Bancroft, 279 votes.
Recorder - Frederick L. Wells, 243 votes.
Treasurer- John P. Nizziman, 261 votes.
Street Commissioner --. William Thompson, 282 votes.
Marshal -Amos James. 303 votes.
School Inspectors -Thomas Hollihan, 253 votes; John McNeil, 215; John S. Bottsford, 218; George B. Eingle, 264.
Overseers of Poor-William H. B. Dowling, 215 votes; Norman Nash, 263; John Hib bard, 211: D. MeKellar. 252.
Supervisors. - Harmon L. Stevens, 258 votes; Martin S. Gillett, 115.
Aldermen -- John Davidson, 179 votes: Newell Avery, 124; Cyrus Miles, 179; James Beard, 124.
Treasurer -- First Ward, Charles H. Travers, 180 votes: Second Ward, Elias R. Sweet- zer. 119. Constable-Atnos James. 199 votes: Noah T. Farr. 119.
CITY OFFICERS FROM 1858.
Mayors-Edgar White, 1858; Newell Avery, 1839; John Miller, 1860; Calvin Ames, 1861-2: Frederick S Wells, 1863; Cyrus Miles, 1864-65; Jared Kibbee, 1866; John Johnston, 1867; John L. Newell, 1868; John Hibbard, 1869; Samuel L. Bovce, 1870; John Miller, 1871-72; John Johnston, 1878; Nathan S. Boynton, 1874-75; S. L. Boyce, 1876; Daniel N. Runnells, 1877-78; Edmund Fitzgerald, 1879; Joseph Jacobi, 1880; Ezra C. Carleton, 1881.
Recorders-Robert J. Baker, 1858: JJohn McNeil, 1859; William T. Mitchell. 1872.
Treasurers-John Hibbard, 1858; Antoine Marentette, 1859-62; Horace Baker, 1863-65; Daniel Rvan, 1866-67: P. M. Wright, 1868: J. B. Hull, 1869-70; Sigmond Goodman, 1871; Antoine Marentette, 1872-73; John E. Miller, 1874; Henry McMoran, 1875; Carleton W. Rob- inson. 1876; Martin Huner, 1877-78; Charles Grieb, 1879 -81.
Marshal-Amos JJames, 1858; E. R. Sweetzer, 1859; W. P. Edison, 1860.
City Clerk-Frederick L. Wells, 1859-61; F. A. Weyers, 1862; Hermon Herzog, 1863; Julius M Carrington, 1864; Lewis Atkins, 1865-66: Albert Dixon, 1867-68; Anson E. Chad- wick, 1569; Albert Dixon, 1869; Lewis Atkins, 1870-72; Bennett H. Welton, 1873; Lewis Atkins, 1874; B. H. Welton, 1875; Frank Follensbee, 1876-80; Louis N. Minnie, 1881.
Aldermen -John S. Crellin, William Kerwin, James Beard, 1858; William Kerwin, Samuel Hamilton. Allen Fish, Cyrus Miles, Henry N. Wright, George W. Millen, Frederick Hubert. Calvin Ames, 1859; Lewis Atkins, Jacob F. Bachelor. John S. Crellin, James H. White, 1860; John S. Bottsford. Allen Fish, Jr., Joseph Smith, Nelson D. Horton, 1861; Michael McAaron, Newell Avery, O'B. J. Atkinson, George W. Miller, 1862; William Kerwin, Jacob F. Bachelor, Thomas K. Whitman, Hiram P. Vroman, 1863; Amos James, Henry How- ard. Anson E Chadwick. Frederick L. Wells, 1864; William Allen, John Johnston, T. K. Whitman, W. R. Mulford, 1865; William Kerwin, Henry Howard, Cyrus Miles, James H. White, 1866; Henry McMoran, Samuel L. Boyce, Henry Fish, E. M. Carrington, 1867; Albert Hendricks, S S. Penney, Tewkesbury Strout, Henry Howard, 1868; Robert Walsh, A. L. Stebbins, W. D. Wright, Albert K. Comins, 1869; Edmund Fitzgerald, Henry Howard, ('Brien J. Atkinson, Frederick L. Wells, 1870; Daniel Ryan, Abram L. Stebbins, Jacob P, Havnes, Carleton W. Robinson, 1871: O'Brien J. Atkinson, E. Ortenburger, Daniel N. Run- nells. Edmund Fitzgerald, 1872; George F. Adams, Henry Howard, Albert Hendricks, Freder ick L. Wells, Martin Huner. 1873; Benjamin Karrer, D. N. Runnells, John Russell, Martin Huner, 1874; Edmund Fitzgerald, George F. Adams, Peter Schweitzer, Charles Wellman, 1875: Amos James, Guy Kimball. George Brooks, Edwin S. Petit, Otis Joslyn, James Beard, 1876; Edward Fitzgerald, Henry Huner, Sigmond Goodman, John G. O'Neil, Stephen T. Probett, James Golden, James H. Stone, 1877; Henry Huner, Frank Whipple, William Wan .
501
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
less, Hiram R. Mills, Duncan Campbell. Orrin L. Jenks, 1878; W. D. Wright. Sigmund Good- man, John G. ('Neil. Chester Kinney, Myron Northrup, Henry W. Cooley, 1879; Henry Huner, Jared Kibbee, Charles Wellman, John McCormick, S. T. Probeti, Otis Joslyn, Jacob Eisenhaner, ISSO; Dennis Jones, William Springer, E. B. Harrington, Frank W. Parsons, S. T. Probett, James Golden, John Chambers, ESS1.
Supervisors-H. L. Stevens, M. S. Gillett, 1858; H. L. Stevens, M. S. Gillett, James Heald, Edward W. Harris, 1859; H. L. Stevens, Edgar White, David Whitman, E W. Harris, 1860; William Kerwin, Edgar White, David Whitman, E. W. Harris, 1861; H. L. Stevens, Edgar White, George Phillips, E. W. Harris, 1862; Edgar White, E. W. Harris, David Whitman, H. L. Stevens, 1563: Edgar White, E. W. Harris, James Talbot, H. L. Stevens, 1864; E. W. Harris. F. Schulte. E. White, E. M. Carrington, 1866; R. W. Matthews, John L. Newell, Richard Cassler, Joseph Wellman, 1857: E. Fitzgerald. Edgar White, Joseph Wellman, E. M. Cady, IS68: Edmund Fitzgerald, Edgar White. T. K. Whitman. Horace A. Beach. 1869; Charles Samberg, Edgar White, T. K. Whitman, Carleton W. Robinson, ES70; Charles Samberg, Edgar White, Otis Joslyn. Ernst Orttenburger. 1871: Thomas Dunford, Edgar White. Thomas K. Whitman, Bothnel C. Farrand, 1872; C. B. Hubbard, Edgar White, George Brookes. Bethuel C. Farrand, 1873; C. B. Hubbard, Edgar White, George Brooks, S. T. Probett, 1871: Sylvester H. Robinson, Frank Whipple, Henry A. Bachelor. Edgar White, 1875; James Talbot, Edgar White, Joseph Wellman, J. B. Montross, Henry Bradbeer, Thomas W. Ward, 1876; James Talbot, Edgar White, Josoph Wellman, J. B. Montross. Henry J. Brad beer, Orin L. Jenks. 1877: James Talbot, Edgar White. Joseph Wellman, J. B. Montross. H. J. Bradbeer, T. W. Ward. 1878; Sylvester H. Robinson, Edgar White, Daniel J. Penney, Jeremiah B. Montross. Joseph K. Gardner. T. W. Ward, 1579; R. W. Matthews, Edgar White. Joseph Wellnan, James H. White, Thomas H. Schneider. Frank Ufford, ISSO; S. H. Robin- son. Edgar White, Napoleon Roberts. J. B. Montross, T. H. Schneider. Thomas W. Ward, 18SI.
Controllers -- E. P. Tibbals. 1877: J. B. Hull. 1878; L. B. Wheeler, 1879: Edmond Fitz gerald, ISSO; Lewis Atkins. ISS1; F. L. Follansbee. 1881; Edgar White, 18S2.
FINANCIAL HISTORY.
Provions to the war, the financial history of the city does not present even one extraordi- nary feature. In 1869, however, the old conservative system of voting moneys for necessary improvements was cast aside, and one more worthy of the spirit of the times adopted. A sum of $80,000 was voted to aid the P., H. & L. M. R. R., but owing to the decision of the Su- preme Court, declaring bonds issued by town or city governments in aid of railroads invalid. the sinn voted could not be legally raised, and thus the question rested nutil 1871 75. During the years 1871 75, the contest over the railroad bonds issued by Port Huron and other munici- palities of Michigan ended in the United States Courts, by decisions which rendered if certain that all such bonds must be paid. Judgments to the amount of $10,000 or more were rendered against Port Huron, and efforts were made to self & per cent refunding bonds to pay the judg- ments. No bids wore received. however, and 10 per cent bonds were then offered and sold at a little above par. It being universally conceded that there was no escaping judgments on all the outstanding bonds, action was taken by the municipal authorities to confess judgments and make as little costs as possible. In this way all the bonds when due were paid, refunding bonds being sold to raise the necessary funds, a portion of them bearing S per cent interest. This left abont $37,000 of original railroad aid bonds outstanding and yet to mature. all bear. ing 10 per cent interest. On these the city paid interest from year to year, and saved the costs of judgment.
While this state of affairs existed. in the years 1572 73, the city water works were con- structed, at a total cost of $170,000. all of which was borrowed at 10 per cont interest. This investment has never been regretted by the people of Port Huron. The works have more than paid all the expenses of running and maintaining them, have proved a sure protection from ex- tensive fires, and have so benetited the public health that the death rate of the city has been redneed nearly 50 per cent. In the year IS78, a considerable amount of money had accumu- lated in the sinking fund. and by nnaminous vote of the Council, a portion of the outstanding
502
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
railroad aid bonds were purchased and canceled, and another portion refunded at 7 per cent inter- est. This left but $17,500 of the original railroad aid bonds outstanding. Of these, $7,000 mature during the present year, $9,500 in the year 1883, and $1,000 in 1889. The total bonded debt of the city, January 1, 1880, not including accrued interest, was $370,960. Port Huron suffered greatly from the financial panic, through depressions in marine business, and through the practical annihilation of its large lumber business by the destruction in 1871 by fire of the timber adjacent to the streams which have their outlet at the foot of Lake Huron. From 1873 to 1879. the city had no actual growth, either in business or population, the large acces- sions on account of its increasing importance as a railroad center being fully neutralized by its losses through the disappearance of its lumber traffic and the dopression of marine and ship building interests. This being the condition of affairs, it will not appear strange That the burden of a high rate of interest on so large a debt was seriously felt after the decision of the United States Courts had rendered valid the railroad aid debt, increased by about $60,000 accu mulated interest and costs. Tax-payers began to look about, for some measures of relief, but could find no prospect of any, for years to come. as nearly all the bonds had from ten to twenty years to run, and could not be called in and paid until maturity.
During the disagreements in the Council during the year 1879, the city defaulted in the pay - ment of interest on her bonds. A public meeting was therefore called and a committee, con- sisting of two Republicans and three Democrats, was appointed to negotiate with the holders of 10 per cent bonds, and see if they would not consent to a reduction in the rate of interest, or to the payment of their bonds. After two or three months of correspondence, the consent of the owners of nearly two-thirds of the 10 per cent bonds to refund at 7 per cent had been obtained, with fair prospect that all others would consent to a similar arrangement.
A meeting of the Council was then hehl to consider the question of refunding the entire debt ; but a resolution favoring a total refunding was negatived, and instead one passed for the issue of $200,000 of 7 per cent refunding bonds, to take up a similar amount of 7 per cent bonds, excluding all those issued for railroad purposes. This killed the refunding scheme. as the consent of bondholders to refund had been coupled with the condition that the refunding should cover all the outstanding bonds.
The beneficial results of the financial policy adopted were made manifest May 20, 1882, when canceled bonds and other evidences of the city's debt were burned by the Treasurer. D. N. Runnels, in presence of William Hartsuff, S. L. Boyce, R. Walsh, John McCormick, James Moffat and Edgar White.
The census of the city. taken in July, 1854, by J. P. Minnie, gives the following figures:
Males (married).
561
Grand total. .3,088
Males (unmarried)
1,053
Population in 1850. .2,303
Total .. 1,620
Increase
1,386
Females (married ).
5:7
Population of the village .2,292
Females (unmarried)
931
Population of the village (1850) 1,484
Total
1,463
Increase
NOTE .- Deaf and domub, 2; insane, 5; colored, 13; number of marriages during the year, 65; number of deaths, 51.
The census of the city in 1866 was as follows:
Total (First Ward).
1,325
Total (colored).
18
Total (Second Ward)
1,083
Total (Fort Gratiot).
45
Total ('Third Ward)
1,060
Total (Fourth Ward)
1,173
Grand total 4.701
The census of Port Huron in 1870 shows the following figures:
WARDS
Inhabi- tant».
Deaths.
Mann- fact- urers.
Dwelling-
WARDS.
Inhabi- tants.
Deaths.
Manu- fact- urers.
Dwellings
First Ward.
1361
31
232
Fourth Ward.
1936
19
5
396
Second Ward.
1235
17
39
208
Third Ward
1.441
12
10
1
23.1
Totals
5973
70
88
1070
503
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
The column of deaths includes those who died from June 1. 1869. to May 31, 1870. The population of the city in June, 1880, is given in the general history, as 8,883 persons. Owing to important railroad changes, and the prosperons condition of commerce, this number is thought to be under the actual population by about 2,000.
THE SAW MILL CITY.
"The rapid growth of nearly, or quite, all the localities which boast of being lumber man- nfacturing centers is phenomenal. Scarcely one of the towns which had pine forests in prox- imity but has, within the past twenty years, made rapid advances in the matter of growth and development far in excess of other localities equally well situated for manufacturing enter- prise, but lacking the accompaniment of the forest. In no branch of industry has a greater stimulus been given to inventive genius; and the saw mill of to-day is in but few respects the likeness of those of a quarter century ago. The incentives to improvement in saw mill ma- chinery have been extended as well to all branches of wood-working industry; and where. in the past, the manufacture of furniture, agricultural implements, wagons, etc., was wholly dependent upon the skill of trained mechanics, whose preparation was accomplished through long years of close apprenticeship, the present time finds them carried on with the aid of labor-saving devices worked by unskilled youth, or men educated at the machine which is de- voted to but a single portion of the mnititudinous details of the work to be aggregated in a grand and perfected whole. With the decadence of the pine supply, it is the part of wisdom for those localities which will presently find themselves put upon a shortened supply of the pine timber which has formed the basis of their growth, and the foundation of their prosperity. to take steps to continue in the path of manufacturing progress by the establishment of works which shall utilize the timber which has been considered boundless in quantity, and of but little value in comparison with the greater importance of the pine.
Wagon and agricultural implement and furniture factories are valuable adjunets to the prosperity of any locality, and withal their products are not only in increasing demand as the country develops, but the hands employed at them form a valuable adjunet to the population of the village or city where they are located. An agricultural implement or wagon factory re- quires the adjuncts of foundries and iron-working establishments, while those towns which boast the possession of furniture factories find other industries following in their train as a matter of necessity. Many largo establishments are located at points remote from the produc- tion of the timber which enters most largely into their manufacture, and the item of transpor- tation is of no inconsiderable importanee as a factor of original cost to the finished product. Factories located at the point where the lumber is originally sawed enjoy the advantage of a reduced cost of handling several times, added to the cost of transportation. They, too, are en- abled to purchase their raw material at a cheaper rate, inasmuch as they can enjoy the advan- tages of that by no means small proportion of the log stock which, while too coarse to bear the cost of transportation, is yet excellently adapted, in a large proportion of its bulk, for what is known as " cutting up." the valuable portion being utilized without the expense of transport- ing that which is worthless. In the near future it will be found that those lumber centers of the past which, with wise forethought among the capitalists and business men, have secured the establishment of manufactories for working up the oak, maple, beech and ash, with other of the hardwoods now in many localities looked upon as of little or no value, will find their prosperity not only assured. put permanently promoted in a direction doubly advantageons, in that it will increase the population, utilize a comparatively useless product, and add to the workl's resources in commodities which must always be in demand in an ever-increasing ratio.
In 1854. tho pine lumber trade was the great and absorbing business of this place and the surrounding country. By careful estimate, the lumber manufactured in St. Clair and San ilae Counties amounted in 1853 to 92, 900,000 feet.
FRE1.
Logs furnished by these counties, and sawed value .. . . Quantity of lumber and log- for 1854 1-15,090.000
13,190,000
by mills on Detroit River .. .33,000,000 New mills erected during the past winter equal to .. 6,000,000
Add 10 per cent for increased machinery and improvements, and general advance in
Worth at a low estimate ( $ 10 per thousand ). amounting to $1. 150,000
504
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
Add to this sum the value of lath. shingles. fish, staves and spars, and the exports from the two counties named above will not fall below $2,000,000 the present year. To this immense trade Port Huron is mainly indebted for its hitherto rapid growth and present prosperity. It continued to increase until the trade had reached its maximum-until the forests disappeared.
The saw mill interest of the city to-day is extensive-it is a great industry; but, like the forests of the county, it will fall unless auxiliary manufactories are established.
Port Huron had, in 1867, seven mills, which produced lumber and lath during that year as follows:
NAMES.
Lumber (feet.) Lath (pieces.)
NAMES.
Lumber (feet.) Lath (pieces.)
Avery & Murphy
5,000,000
3,000,000
A. & H. Fish.
6,000,000
3,000,000
Howard & Son.
3,200,000
2,000,000
Z. Bunce.
1,200,000
1,500,000
W. B. & J. Hibbard.
4,006,000
237,500
N. & B. Mills
4,000,000
John Wells & Son.
3,500,000
1,800,000
Jacob F. Batchelor.
2,800,000
1,500.000
Totals
29,706,000
13,037,500
The numbers of logs sawed was 112,000, and about one seventh of the Inmber produced was clear stuff. The greater part of the lumber was shipped to Ohio markets, but some of the clear went to Albany. About 1.100,000 pipe and hogshead staves were shipped. worth $60 per thousand, yielding $66,000; beside a considerable quantity of cedar posts, shingles, tan bark, etc.
The total amount of logs inspected in Black River during the year was 64, 700,000 feet of the usual board measure.
The following interesting statistics, dealing with manufacturing statistics from 1867 to the centennial year were published by A. Marontette in 1876:
Hibbard's mill started sawing each year, beginning with the spring of 1867, to the spring of 1876, and the amount of money paid each year for labor in manufacturing lumber and lath. Also the total amount paid to the fall of 1876. Also giving the date of the first boat from Detroit to Port Huron each year:
MILL STARTED.
1867
April S
1868
.March 30
1869.
April 12
1870
.April 11
1871
March 16
1872
June 10
1873.
April 29
1874.
April 27
1875
April 16
1876.
April 21
1867, April 14, Genesee Chief came from Alpena.
WEEK- MILL RUN.
1867
.20
1868
.33
1869
1870
.353
1871
29
1872
13+
1873.
281
1874.
213
1875
163
1876.
18
FIRST BOAT FROM DETROIT.
April 15
1868.
. March 26
1869.
April 18
1870
April 10
1871
March 27
1872.
April 17
1873
. April 9
1874
.April 10
1875
April 26
1876.
. April 5
No ice in the lake.
PAID FOR LABOR.
1867.
$ 9.172 00
1868.
12,376 00
1869.
14,057 00
1870.
13,525 00
1871.
11,003 00
1872.
5,737 00
1873.
11,249 00
1874.
8,597 00
1875.
5,067 00
1876.
5,190 00
$96,273 00
2,989 00
In 1875-6 rebuilding mill, labor only
Total.
$99,262 00
·
186%
505
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
These figures do not include clerk hire or offire expenses, neither or linary expenses for furnishing and repairing mill, which is quite an item, as for bolting. saws, tilo, oil. tallow. timber for repairs, otr.
In Sanilac County, the lumber was sold for an average of $16 per thousand foot, a total of $1,110,000 and the lath realized the sum of $15,000. The number of shingles manufactured was 15,000,000, which sold for an average of $1.50 per thousand, realizing the sum of $67. - 500; making the total receipt for lumber. lath and shingles, $1,552,500. Between 20,000,000 and 30,000,000 feet of logs were floated down Black River and Elk Creek to Port Huron dur. ing the spring of 1867.
The firm of W. B. & J. Hibbird was the oldest lumbering firm in existence in the city in On account of the destruction of their mill by fire on the 3d of September. IS75. work ceased for awhile; but they rebuilt on a larger scale than before. They purchased the inter- est of the Horton estate in the site of the old mill. and broke ground in October, 1875, for the new building. The site, at th > confluenes of the St Chair and Black Rivers (the most easterly point of land in Michigan) is not surpassed anywhere for mill purposes. It consists of eighteen lots of land fronting on both rivers. The new mill is 120x36 feet in size, containing one large circular saw, gang edger, lath mill, planing mill, dry kiln. etc .. and adapted to fill all orders for the retail trade, which the firm made a specialty. The cost of the new mill was from SI0. - 000 to $15,000. The firm was composed of William B. Hibbard, of Milwaukee, and John Hibbard, of Port Huron. They continued in uninterrupted business for over a quarter of a century at Port Huron.
The Port Huron Ferry Company's now steamer is one of the finest ferry-boats on fresh water. It has been named " Omar D. Conger," in honor of the talented Senator. in ISS2.
The Omar D. Conger is 101 feet in length, and 31 in width; depth of hohl. 103 feet; the engine has a 213-inch bore and a 30 inch stroke. The engine was built by the Cuyahoga Works of Cleveland, Ohio, and the boiler by Messrs. Desotell & Hutton, of Detroit. The main aft cabin is about twenty feet square, and is finished in an elaborate style. The doors, window frames and monldings are made of walnut, and the wood work is grained in imitation of mahogany and bird's-eye maple. The floors of the cabin are covered with Brussels carpets, and the seats upholstered with red plush. The hull and upper works are painted white, and present a fine appearance. The side cabins and alley ways are grained in oak.
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