USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 36
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 36
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PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING.
In April, 1902, Andrew Carnegie made a proposition to donate twenty thousand dol- lars to the city for the erection of a home for the public library, on condition that the city would agree to appropriate not less than two thousand dollars annually for its main- tainance and furnish a suitable site. The offer was accepted, and two sites have been offered, one of which was accepted by the city council and the other by the board of library trustees, and as there was a conflict
of authority the matter was referred to the courts to settle, which body possessed the power to act. At present time, April 15, 1903, the court has not given an opinion, although the case was submitted several weeks since. When a decision is reached the building will undoubtedly be built.
NORTHERN MICHIGAN ASYLUM.
The Northern Michigan Asylum is one of the finest public institutions of the state and is located at Traverse City. The first . appropriation for the institution was made by the Michigan legislature in 1881, and in November, 1885, the structure was com- pleted and the first patient received. At first it was erected with a capacity to care for five hundred patients, but it has been en- larged and added to until at the present writ- ing there are about forty buildings on the grounds. These include the main building, several cottages for patients, nurses' home, finely equipped engine house and boiler rooms, electric light plant, laundry, fire de- partment, vegetable cellars, barns, tool sheds, etc. The investment by the state up to the present writing has been very nearly one million dollars. The grounds are sit- uated upon high ground southwest of the
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city, from which a fine view of the bay and of the city is obtained. The grounds are beautifully laid out and cared for. There are at the present time one thousand, one hundred and twenty-five patients cared for in the various buildings, and the total num- ber of people employed are two hundred and seventy-five. The annual pay roll for the employes is not less than ninety thousand dollars. Besides this amount paid in salar- ies to employes, the expenditure for main- tainance aggregates two hundred thousand dollars. More room is needed and an ap- propriation will probably be made by the legislature of 1903 for the erection of two more cottages, and some other necessary im- provements
The institution is under the immediate
charge of Dr. J. D. Munson, who has held the position of medical superintendent from the first opening of the buildings to patients in November, 1885. The assistant superin- tendent is Dr. A. S. Rowley. A large staff of competent physicians are also employed.
C. L. Whitney has been for several years steward of the institution, under whose man- agement the extensive farm and gardens of the institution have been made to blossom as the rose and are models of their kind .. The stock of the institution is also some- thing to be proud of. The trustees of the asylum are Messrs. Thomas T. Bates and Harry C. Davis, Traverse City ; George A. Hart, Manistee; Charles F. Backus, De- troit; W. W. Mitchell, Cadillac; C. F. Tem- ple, Muskegon.
CHAPTER XXI.
MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
The manufacture of pine lumber was the first manufacturing industry started in Tra- verse City. In the establishment of this business the firm of Hannah, Lay & Com- pany were the pioneers and for many years the principal actors. In 1886 the firm sold its timber and mills to J. M. Torrent. Since that time the saw-mill plant in the city has changed owners a number of times, during which the pine timber has all disap- peared and the manufacture of hemlock and
hardwood has taken the place of the pine. In 1899 the firm of John F. Ott & Com- pany became the owners of that plant and have operated it very successfully since. The company gives employment to an average of about one hundred men.
The Oval Wood Dish Company moved to Traverse City from Mamcelone in 1883. It is an incorporated company and consists of H. S. Hull, president ; J. M. Longnecker, secretary and treasurer, and A. L. Flack,
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general agent. Three hundred and twenty- five hands are employed, and the factory is kept busy the year around. The establish- ment manufactures oval wood dishes, wire end dishes, wash boards, clothespins and lumber, using fifteen milion feet of logs every year. The dishes made in this factory are used in every grocery store in the United States.
William Beitner was the pioneer in the manufacture of hardwood lumber in Grand Traverse county. He commenced opera- tions by building a small mill about five miles south of the city on what is known as Beit- ner's creek. Besides the manufacture of lumber, Mr. Beitner in a few years added the manufacture of chair stock. About 1887 or 1888 the plant was removed to the city and the business greatly increased. The business was the manufacture of lumber, chair stock and curtain poles. After operat- ing here about five years and doing an ex- tensive business, the plant and a large amount of completed stock ready to ship was destroyed by fire, the loss being between seventy-five thousand dollars and eighty thousand dollars, with but small insurance. Inside of sixty days the plant was rebuilt and again in running order, and has been operated ever since, with constantly in- creasing output. The curtain-pole branch, which for a long time sent out the poles in white, has been fitted with a finishing de- partment and the product is now sent out complete in every detail. They are finished in antique oak, natural oak, mahogany, ebony, cherry, walnut, sycamore and white maple. The plant gives employment to one hundred hands.
About 1857 Messrs. Hannah, Lay & Company purchased two portable grist-mills
and placed them in the building erected by Mr. Boardman for a saw-mill, but which was no longer in use as such. These were the first mills for the manufacture of flour in the region. They were operated by water here, but a couple of years later were moved into the lower story of the first steam saw- mill built by the same company, the use of which for the manufacture of lumber had given place to a new and larger one built where the present John F. Ott Company plant stands, which consists in part of the original frame. In 1867 Hannah, Lay & Company built a dam across the Boardman river about midway between Union and Cass streets. In 1868 the foundation and basement walls for the present flour mills were laid, and during the following year the mill was erected and completed. It is a large wooden building, fifty by eighty feet, four stories high and basement. At the time it was built it was fitted up with the best ma- chinery then in use. In 1885 it was over- hauled and changed to the full roller system, and in 1898 it was again overhauled, the old water-wheels taken out and three new Leffel wheels put in, at a cost of ten thous- and dollars. The value of the plant is es- timated at forty thousand dollars, and the annual output is over one hundred thousand dollars.
One of the important manufacturing es- tablishments of the city is that of the J. E. Greilick Company. The business was es- tablished and for many years owned by Joseph E. Greilick, and upon his death was incorporated under the name of J. E. Grei- lick Company, the stockholders being Mrs. J. E. Greilick, Clarence L. Greilick and Ern- est W. Greilick. It ranks among the first factories of the kind in northern Michigan.
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The annual output is now over one hundred and forty-five thousand dollars. It gives employment to an average of one hundred hands the year around. The business of the factory consists of the manufacture of sash, doors, store fixtures and interior finishings, and the company also owns and operates its own lumber, lath and shingle mill.
The Traverse City Iron Works is the pioneer foundry and machine shop of the Grand Traverse region. It was established in 1874 by William Holdsworth, the work for several years being done almost entirely by his son, the late Pereguin Holdsworth. The business is now conducted by B. Thirlby and W. F. Calkins, Mr. Thirlby entering the firm in 1882 and Mr. Calkins in 1890. The firm is now doing a business of over forty thousand dollars a year, and employs about twenty-five men. The concern makes a speciality of the manufacture of saw and shingle-mill machinery, and the greater por- tion of machinery of this description used in the Grand Traverse region is manufactured by them. Of course it is supplied with a complete outfit of all kinds of tools and ma- chinery necessary to a first-class foundry and machine shop.
Caldwell & Loudon, manufacturers of wagons and sleighs and general black- smiths, are among the old established firms of the city. Having started in business twenty years ago, there has been a steady and gratifying growth from the start, their trade gradually spreading out till it ad- vanced beyond the bounds of the city and be- came a large manufacturing industry in- stead of a merely local business. The firm manufactures all kinds of vehicles, including wagons, carriages, sleighs, delivery wagons, drays, mill cart, and make a specialty of the
manufacture of sleighs, their annual output being four hundred sets. Another branch of the business which is a specialty with the firm is the manufacture of big logging wheels which are equipped with patent hubs of Mr. Loudon's own invention. Both the wood- working and the blacksmithing departments are fully equipped with the latest machinery. Fifteen hands are employed, nearly all skilled labor, in the various departments, who are given steady work the year around.
The Potato Implement Company was started originally as the Potato Planter Company, organized to manufacture a potato planter invented by Mr. Black, a farmer of East Bay. In 1895 it was reorganized un- der the present name. The officers are : President, Charles K. Buck; vice-president, Charles P. Buck ; secretary and treasurer, J. W. Milliken. The plant is valued at thirty- five thousand dollars, and occupies an entire block on West Front street. There are eleven different articles manufactured by the company, including potato planters, corn planters, sprayers for vines and for potatoes, hand spray pumps, powder guns, etc. The annual output reaches forty-two thousand dollars. During the busy season fifty-five hands are employed, running as low as ten during the dull season. The payroll amounts to about twelve thousand dollars a year. Orders for the products of this estab- lishment are received from all over the United States, the bulk of the trade, how- ever, being from St. Paul to St. Louis in the west, and extending east to the Atlantic coast. Besides this there is a lively demand for potato planters from New Zealand, Aus- tralia and Finland, and for miscellaneous shipments from England, Germany, the Netherlands, Russia and Mexico.
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The basket factory of Wells-Higman Company is one of the largest manufactur- ing establishments in the city. It was estab- lished in 1892, and employs three hundred hands eight months in the year. It consumes about three million feet of logs during the year, the most of the timber being basswood and elm. The annual payroll amounts to sixty thousand dollars. The goods manufac- tured consist of the "Climax" peach and grape baskets, bushel baskets, berry crates and veneer. The annual output in packages consists of three million peach and grape baskets, six hundred thousand bushel baskets one hundred thousand berry crates, besides a few other styles of baskets and veneer.
William Jackson has been in business in Traverse City over twenty years, eleven of which he spent as partner in the Traverse City Iron Works. In 1893 he branched out for himself. His business is the manufac- ture of various kinds of machines and the re- pairing of machinery, a large amount of work being done in the latter line for the factories in the city and surrounding coun- try. He makes a specialty of basket ma- chines, which were designed, patented and built by himself, the patent being afterwards sold to the Wells-Higman Company, who are the largest basket manufacturers in the United States. Previous to this invention the baskets manufactured here were all made by hand, but the machine was so practical and proved so successful that the factory has been fitted out with them, both for the manufacture of the "Climax" and bushel baskets, Formerly one man could make from four hundred to five hundred "Cli- max" baskets in a day; the machine has a record of one thousand, six hundred and fifty and instead of four hundred bushel baskets
1 by hand the machine can turn out from two thousand to two thousand two hundred.
The Fulghum Manufacturing Company was established in 1891, the firm at that time consisting of E. J. Fulghum, L. Roberts and M. C. Oviatt. In 1893 Mr. Oviatt retired, L. H. De Zoete taking his place, and in 1901 Mr. Roberts was succeeded by W. E. Will- iams, of Reed City. For the first few years the factory was devoted to the manufacture of all kinds of building materials, with sev- eral side issues, such as the making of fold- ing tables, etc., a specialty being made of maple flooring. The latter industry has de- veloped to such an extent as to crowd out all other departments, and the factory is now running entirely along this line of work. The annual payroll of the factory amounts to thirty-three thousand dollars.
About twenty-two years ago the firm of V. & A. J. Petertyl was formed and com- menced the manufacture of buggies, car- riages, wagons, cutters, sleighs and all kinds of vehicles, as well as the carrying on of a general blacksmithing and horseshoeing business. About five years ago V. Petertyl bought the interest of his cousin, A. J., and has since carried on the business alone. The concern enjoys an extensive trade, and gives employment to nineteen hands, the an- nual payroll amounting to ten thousand five hundred dollars. Mr. Petertyl's output amounts annually to over thirty-five thous- and dollars.
A. J. Petertyl, who was for many years in partnership with his cousin, Victor Peter- tyl, in the manufacture of buggies, carriages, wagons, cutters, sleighs and a general blacksmithing business, a little over four years ago went into the same kind of busi- ness for himself. He purchased a lot on the
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corner of State and Union streets and erected thereon a fine two-story brick shop. He has already succeeded in building up a good trade. He employs nine hands, the yearly payroll amounting to about five thousand dollars.
R. W. Round & Son started their foun- dry in Traverse City a little over three years ago, during which time they have built up a ,large business. They make a specialty of heavy castings, such as building columns, door sills, etc. Orders for this kind of work are received by the firm from all the towns in the region.
One of the important industries of Trav- erse City is the candy factory of Straub Brothers & Amiotte, which was established in 1899. From a comparatively small be- ginning the institution has grown until it oc- cupies an entire brick block on Front street, fifty by eighty-five feet, two stories and base- ment. The output is three thousand pounds a day throughout the entire year, making a total of nine hundred and thirty-six thousand pounds for the year. Forty-one hands are employed, a number of them girls. The payroll amounts to fifteen thousand dollars annually.
The factory of the Michigan Starch Company was built originally for the manu- facture of potato starch, with corn and wheat starch as a side issue. This was in 1899. The company was incorporated for fifty thousand dollars. In the fall of 1903 the company was reorganized with a capital of two hundred thousand dollars, and the fac- tory changed from a potato to strictly corn starch factory, with a capacity of three thousand bushels of corn per day, which will produce one hundred thousand pounds of
starch. At the present writing the factory is not in full operation.
There are six or eight cigar manufactur- ing establishments in the city, of which that of A. W. Jahraus is the largest and has been the longest in business. His shop employs twelve hands, at an annual payroll of twelve thousand, four hundred and eighty dollars. There are probably now over fifty hands em- ployed in the manufacture of cigars in the city.
The Traverse Manufacturing Company is a new institution, having been in business at this writing less than a year and a half. The company has a fine plant and does a general planing-mill business, and makes a specialty of custom work, manufacturing doors, window sash, and all sorts of store and office fixtures. W. L. Brown is the general manager. The other officers are Allie P. Brown, president, and S. M. Brown, vice-president. The concern gives employ- ment to about twenty men.
The South Side Lumber Company is a new concern, with a capital stock of twenty thousand dollars, located on East Eighth street and Lake avenue, for the manufacture of all kinds of house finishings, both exterior and interior. It has good buildings and is equipped with all the necessary machinery for its business.
One of the greatest factors in changing the appearance of the main business streets of Traverse City from a "Wooden Town" to a brick one has been the brick manufactur- ing establishment of J. W. Markham. While Mr. Markham's brick yards are not located in Traverse City or even in Grand Traverse county, they are essentially a Traverse City industry, as the great bulk of their product
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
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is used in building up Traverse City in a substantial and lasting manner. The yards are located about two and a half miles north of the city in Elmwood township, Leelanaw county, and were purchased by Mr. Markham of the Norris Brothers about 1880. At this time almost nothing had been done in the way of building with brick. Soon after this, how- ever, the Hannah & Lay Mercantile Com- pany erected their store, for which Mr. Markham furnished all the brick. He also
furnished all of the face brick and a part of the common brick for the main building of the Northern Michigan Asylum. Since that time the business has increased until there are between three and four million of Mr. Markham's brick used annually in this vicinity.
The marble and granite works of H. D. Alley, which were established in 1893, and of A. W. Rickerd, established in 1901, are both important industries.
CHAPTER XXII.
TRAVERSE CITY BANKING ESTABLISHMENTS.
THE STATE BANK.
The Traverse City State Bank is the suc- cessor of Hannah, Lay & Company, bankers, which firm constituted the pioneer bankers of Traverse City. The history of the bank dates back to 1856, when the lumber firm of Hannah, Lay & Company had but recent- ly started in the business of manufacturing lumber in the then wilderness. All the busi- ness there was to do was transacted through this firm and gradually a little banking busi- ness sprung up, which was conducted, not so much for the profit to the firm, as for the general accommodation of the people.
For many years the bank and the general office of the lumber business and the store were one and the same place. When the business of the company outgrew the quarters in the original buildings, on the corner of
Union and Bay streets, and the large brick building was erected on the corner of Front and Union streets, rooms were reserved in the southwest corner of the first floor for the bank, which consists of a large general bank- ing room, private office for Mr. Hannah, and vault for the safe keeping of the bank's valu- ables.
. The institution was incorporated under the state law in 1892, for one hundred thous- and dollars. From that time until the pres- ent the business of the institution has in- creased in volume year by year. On No- vember 25, 1902, the deposits were $1,310,- 462.97, and the total footings $1, 491.983.76. July 1, 1903, the capital stock of the bank will be doubled, the capitalization on that date becoming two hundred thousand dollars.
The erection of a new home for this bank is now in progress. It is located on
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the northwest corner of Front and Union streets. In size it is seventy-five feet on Front and one hundred feet on Union street. four stories high, and an illuminated tower above. It is constructed of red brick with terra cotta trimmings, supported at the front and side entrances with Vermont marble columns. It will be erected at a cost of not less than one hundred thousand dollars, and when completed will undoubtedly be the handsomest building in the city. It will be not only modern but a model bank building in every way. . The officers of the bank are : President, Perry Hannah ; vice-president, A. Tracy Lay; cashier, Julius T. Hannah; as- sistant cashiers, Samuel Garland, Howard Irish ; board of directors, Perry Hannah, A. Tracy Lay, J. T. Hannah, S. Garland and Howard Irish.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
The First National Bank, which was the second bank established in Traverse City, was organized in 1885, starting in business in what is known as the Leach building, then standing on the corner of Front and Park streets. The officers were, J. C. Lewis, Whitehall, president; J. T. Beadle, vice- president ; C. A. Hammond, cashier ; direc- tors, J. C. Lewis, Hon. D. C. Leach, W. S. Johnson, C. A. Hammond. Of the original directors, J. T. Beadle is the only one re- maining today, though the Lewis estate is represented by M. B. Covell, of Whitehall. On the death of Mr. Lewis in 1895, he was succeeded by J. T. Beadle, who in turn was followed by H. S. Hull in 1896. He re- signed July 1, 1902, to take the position of president of the new People's Savings Bank, but still remains on the board of directors.
He was succeeded by J. T. Beadle as presi- dent. The present officers are, J. T. Beadle, president ; B. J. Morgan and Frank Hamil- tin, vice-presidents; Leon F. Titus, cashier ; W. M. Kellogg, assistant cashier. The di- rectors are J. T. Beadle, B. J. Morgan, F. Hamilton, H. S. Hull, Charles F. Read, M. B. Covell, F. Welton.
C. A. Hammond was the first cashier, resigning his position in 1888, to spend some time in the west. He was succeeded by his brother, W. L. Hammond, who, in 1893, resigned to accept a similar position in what is now the First National Bank of Luding- ton. C. A. Hammond was again cashier from that date until April, 1899, when ill health caused him to resign. Frank Welton, who was in the First National Bank of Benton Harbor, then took the position, which he filled very successfully until May 1, 1903, resigning to accept the position of cashier of the National City Bank of Grand Rapids. Leon F. Titus, a Traverse City boy, who had had fourteen years' experience in the banking business, four years as assistant cashier in this bank, was promoted to the position of cashier.
The bank was incorporated for fifty thousand dollars, and now has a surplus of twenty-five thousand dollars. It has en- joyed a very gratifying growth. On Janu- ary I, 1897, the deposits were $136,597.29, and these increased by over fifty thousand dollars a year until, on April 9, 1903, the deposits had reached $496,704.54. The footings exceeded six hundred thousand dol- lars. The bank moved to its present loca- tion about fourteen years ago, buying a valu- able corner on Front and Cass streets, twenty-four by sixty-five feet, and building in connection with Frank Hamilton and J.
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WV. Milliken. The second floor is used for of- fices, the bank occupying the first floor and basement. The bank is fitted up with all modern improvements, including safe de- posit vaults, to be found in the best institu- tions of the kind.
PEOPLE'S SAVINGS BANK.
The People's Savings Bank is the young- est institution in the city. It was organized in the early part of 1902, and built for itself a home in the business center of the city.
The building is of stone and brick, three stories and basement, built throughout in the most substantial manner, with strictly up-to-date appointments. It is an orna-
ment and a credit to the institution and the city
The capital stock of the institution is sixty thousand dollars, all owned in Traverse City and vicinity. The officers are as fol- lows: H. S. Hull, president; H. C. Davis and A. V. Friedrich, vice-presidents ; C. A. Hammond, cashier. The directors are H. S. Hull, H. C. Davis, A. V. Friedrich, C. A. Hammond, Benjamin Thirlby, F. C. Desmond, J. O. Croster, C. L. Greilick, Stephen Lautner, J. M. Huellmantel, George IV. Lardie, William Loudon, Charles Wil- helm. The bank was opened for business November 25, 1902, and is fast building up a splendid business.
CHAPTER XXIII.
PUBLIC UTILITIES.
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