USA > Michigan > St Clair County > History of the St. Clair County, Michigan, containing an account of its settlement, growth, development and resources.. > Part 79
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Mr. ()'Brien J. Atkinson then spoke on behalf of the Common Council, also thanking the Masonic brotherhood for the part they had taken in the ceremonies of the day. This closed the exercises at the stand, and the crowd, which must have numbered two or three thousand persons assembled in the park and streets adjacent. immediately dispersed. Most of the stores were closed from 1 until 3 o'clock and many places of business were handsomely decorated with tlags and streamers. All the exercises passed off pleasantly and satisfactorily. making the affair in every way a success.
THE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE.
During the year 1565, the customs business of this region attained such porportions as 10 convinco the Government authorities that the interests of the revenue service would be ad- vanced by the organization of a new district separate from that of Detroit, of which it was then a part. In the winter of 1565-66. definite movement was made by our citizens to secure the ere- ation of the new district, and a delegation of our leading business men, among them Hon. James W. Sanborn, Henry Fish, John P. Sanborn, H Howard an ) F. G. Wells, proce alel to Washington to labor for the result which was attained in the April following by the passage of the bill creating the "Customs District of Huron," embracing twenty-two counties and all the frontier from Lake St. Clair to the Straits of Mackinaw, a line of coast of fully 550 miles. counting the bays and inlets of bake Huron. The organization of the district was boyun in the fall of 1566, and completed the next spring. since which latter time the upper part of Johnston & Howard's block, on the corner of Water and Military streets, Its been orenpied by the offi ces of the district. This arrangement was, of course, intended from the first to be only tem- porary.
Hon. Omar D. Conger was elected to Congress in ISis, and among the first bills intro- duced in the House by him was one providing for the erection of a Government building at this point. After the usual delays which such measures meet with in Congress, the bill was finally passed June 10. 1972, an lapprovol by the President the same day. It authorized and directed the Secretary of the Treasury "to purchase at private sale or by condemnation in pursuance of the statute of the State of Michigan, a suitable lot of ground in the city of Port
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Huron, State of Michigan, and to cause to be erected thereon a building suitable for the accom - modation of the custom house. bonded warehouse, and other Government offices in that city, the lot of land and the building thereon, when completed, npon plans to be previously made and approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, not to exceed the cost of $200,000." Plans were at once prepared under the supervision of A. B. Mullett, then Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, and steps taken to secure a suitable site for the building. There was some rivalry between the north and south sides of Black River in the effort to secure the location of the building, and various spots were placed in competition, most of which, however, were excluded by the exactions of the Government, which were that the site should be bounded on at least three sides by streets or alleys. The site finally selected by the locating committee (consisting of Collector Sanborn, Postmaster Hartsuff, Capt. E. Fitzgerald, John Howard. W. L. Bancroft, Albert Hendricks and Peter Hill), was the lot on the corner of Sixth and Water streets, fronting 225 feet on the former street and 131 on the latter, and 175 on the alley. The cost of the lot was $10.000. $5,000 of which sum was paid by subscriptions of citizens, so that the cost to the Government was less than had been anticipated. Some fault has been found with the location, but all things considered, it is doubtful if any better one could have been made. It is central. on high ground and convenient of access, which considerations out- weigh the single objection that the building is not as conspicuous as if situated on Military street or Huron avenue.
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 statf, 144 feet.
As above stated, the first appropriation, $100,00) 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 an ] 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 concreto 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 concreto 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 S,
Gas Beans
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IHISTORY 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, varions Masonie Lodges, and other home societies, and a largo 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 whon increasing civilization required the magnificent structures dedicated to com merce, religion and social life, and when the 'lovel, square and plumb' over 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 fonn lition to cap stone" by their application. The splendid ruins of Palmyra ate 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 editices erected for the public welfare has accompanied man, in the East and the West, from his carli- 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 enstom, lay the corner. stone of this editice, 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 8200,- 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 Northwestern 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 countios.
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 sitnation, is national in its objects and usefulness.
The District of Huron, of which Port Huron is the port of entry, was organized October 1, 1566, only eight years ago.
In the belief that some statistics of the district would interest yon, and not be inappropri ate to the occasion, I have proenred 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 partienlarly 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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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
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- searcely 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 follow-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 lakos. In the season of navigation of 1571, the aggregate number of steamers and vessels pass ing the Gratiot Light House was 26, 16: in 1872. 32.976. and 1578. 39.188. On what other waters of the world toats such a fleet of commerce!
In the last eight years, there have arrived at this port 316. 119 immigrants enough to form a State- a greater number than at any port in the Union except New York, and here they pay no heatt money and are subject to no swindling or extortion.
The importations for eight years at this port amount in vale to $7.612.759, and the ox- portations in value to $21. 719.081. During the same time the duties and fees collected and paid into the Treasury from this District. amount to $1,295,71, 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, 812.216. making a total for dnties 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 $6. 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 plees in the district.
Some of the largest and finest steamers, barges and vessels on the lakes were built in this district, and onr ship builders have acquired a reputation surpassed by nono in the country for the excellence, almost perfection of the craft they put affort, and every year there is an in crease in the size of the vessels built. As the Government by liberal appropriations improves the barbors and deepons the channels of our waters, the ship is increased in size, and transpor tation is rendered more soeure antl cheaper for the producer Is 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 $555.000. 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, Momreal, 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. 171. sending 6,255 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 Hinron 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 direet 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 aul by water moets 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 road- pa- 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 hefitting 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 reacting 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 briek, 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 indireet heat from the circulation of hot water. The water is heated in one immense boiler with 53 tubular thues. The heat creates an expansion of water and thus a circulation. The water is foreed 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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