East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-10-21
Focal Matters.
Four Years Ago,

fOur ears Ago,
This section--though known rather
more extensively than favorably, on &C
count Of the sharp lumber and other
operations Of some of its early and il
lustrous financiers-was comparative
" obscure. Outsiders were altogether
incredulous concerning any statements
made, and even our staid neighbors OF
the City of the Straits though dis
posed 20 be patronizing, were inveto-
rate skeptics in regard to the sound
ness of everything and everybody in
Saginaw. We well remember how the
mostsublime event of those days--"the
opening OF the Bancroft House"-was
treated by those deluded people. The
Mayor, and few others were, by over
persuasion induced to come, but the
press, notwithstanding Buffalo and sew
eral other cities, East and West, were
represented did not deign to venture
even "supe," and the Free Press,
then in its glory as a medium ofnews,
and Boosting reportorial force I'M
equaled in the North West, favored
the occasion with only this "most un-
kindest cut" to which we at that
time made most indignant allusion,
as in duty boundl
GREAT TINES AT SAeISAw,-They
have great times at Saginaw to day,
Sept I, lS50--on the occasion of
the opening of new and magnificent
hotel which is just completed. This
institution is said to be one of the
finest in the country, the furniture
alone costing $4,000. 1t is of brick,
and nearly or quite as large as the
Biddle House. What they intend to
do with such an immense concern it is
difficult to imagine.
tits fitted with all the modern inn
provements, such as steam heating APP
paratus, gas works &c. The owner is
u Boston gentleman, who has taken
this mode Of disposing of some of his
superiluous cash for the benefit OF
other property owned by him, and OF
the place in general.
"7cmp0ra mataRtuv et nos nutGD,Ur IA
Ills" and so has the Free Press. Since
that time it has made ample amends
for all sights, and the Detroit
city press, and for that matter the
press throughout the Union has laid
us under mighty weight of obliga-
ton by Its gratuitous attention. The
change here is indeed marvellous; the
Bancroft, upon which the infatuated
"Boston gentleman" was squandcr-
ing some of his surplus funds, has
boon crammed to suffocation for the
past eighteen months, and is, Of ne
cessity, now being enlarged to twice
its former capacity, another new brick
hotel with Accommodations for as many
guests as the Bancroft was designed
for at the outset, is soon to be opened,
our population has nearly doubled,
travel increased ten-fold, trade and
commerce and the facilities therefor,
more than quadrupled, and progress,
backed by permanent and enduring
resources, made throughout the val
ley such as no section of this or any
other State can boast
Inasmuch as it taxes the memory
but slightly to recall these incidents o.
our days Of adversely, it is pleasant &c
review them occasionally, and consider
with gratitude the means in some re-
CARDS so Providential both as to en-
dowal and development, by which the
change has been wrought We canno
wondoratthe opinions entertained ofu'
four years ago in view of some of the
experiences of previous years, neither
are we fully able to appreciate the
wonder with which the skeptics o
thosedaysnow view the progress made
and which they then had good reason
10 believe was impossible.