The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-03-03
THE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
His Recommendations to the Special
Session of the Legislature.

o6SSl0n OF tne LEGISLATURE.
A Statement of What has Been Done 70
the Relief of the Fire Sufferers.
Their Future Needs as Estimated by
the State Commission.
SENATOR'S AND GENTLEMEN OF TN
HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES, constitu
ton of the State provides that "the Govern
or may convene the Legislature on extraor
dinary occasions" Such an occasion has
been reached. An emergency of pressing
character has caused me to exercise the pow
er at an earlier day than would otherwise
have been necessary.
A district covering portions of Huron,
Sanilac Tuscola, st. Clair, and Lapeei
counties was widely devastated in September
last by forest fires, the property of 1921
families destroyed, and Ia ,438 persons made
dependent upon public aid. In this calam-
ity 1,521 dwellings were consumed, together
with l,480 barns, hundreds of miles of fem
ces, domestic animals i'll great numbers,
and vast quantities of household furniture,
accumulated stores of food. The losses of
those who have asked and received aid, as
shown by sworn appraisals, amounttd d to
for each family. To add to
the terrible aspects of these
dreadful misfortunes. nearly 300 human
beings perished in consequence by suffoca-
ton and by burning No reference is made
in this estimate to the losses of those who
have neither asked nor required assistance.
which is known to have been of great mag
nitude; nor to those of a public nature,
among which were Of school ol-houses and a
large number of churches and highway
bridges.
The destruction thus wrought left men,
women and children destitute of either
clothing food or shelter-an that was COM
bustible had been swept away. 1t covered a
territory of over eighteen hundred square
miles, and in the progress of its ravages
swept the entire district within from two to
four hours after it began. No time was
given to save even household treasures
With q furious wind came smoke and in
tense darkness, followed quickly by fervent
heat that nothing could withstand The
wonder is not that so many persisted, but
that 80 many escaped. -
The urgent necessities created by thi,
calamity demanded instant relief. Before the
fires were exhausted food and clothing were
being administered from neighboring com,
munities. The people of this state and
and of other states responded to appeals to
their humanity with broad and kindly
generosity that can never be forgotten.
Seldom within the memory of this gener-
alton has the kinshlp of mankind been de-
monstrated by more marked and tangible
manifestations. The thanks of the State
are due to every individual who came to the
help of our suffering fellow-citizens at this
trying juncture, and they especially belong
to the men and women of our SISTER COM
monwealths and the neighboring British
provinces. In addition to large amounts
contributed for this relief by churches, SO
cieties, and individuals directly to the suf-
ferers of which there is no attainable
record but which is known to aggregate
many thousands of dollars, there has been
received by the State Fire Relief Commission,
the Detroit and Port Huron Committees,
and committees of other localities, as re-
ported to me, the sum of $623, 1859 in cash,
together with donations in kind which when
added to the cash contribution would equal
the sum of one million dollars.
agricultural, without other local Industries to
furnish employment, consequently after the
first distresses were relieved, the unfortu-
nate people whose wants we are now consid-
ering, being left with nothing but bare land,
were compelled to elect between seeking new
homes elsewhere-or to depend upon being
sustained by other than their own resources
until they could reach self-support from the
product, of their own farms. They chose
the. latter course. with the most encouraging
results thus far, and have devoted their en-
ergies and labor 10 rebuilding houses and
fences and TO sowing fall grain, the returns
from which can only be realized at the COM
ing harvest .--sss.'--- .. .a--' as.s -rs -
In order: to succeed in the course adopted
and to continue in the occupancy of their
lands az homes,' these people must be sus-
tanned until their crops mature. They must
have food until harvest, and food for their
animals until the grass grows They also
require seed for their spring crops. The
contributed funds wiil.soon be spent and the
harvest is months in the future.
The -exigenciee of ting case demand -ac-
ton, and to afford relief is no longer n a
question of policyszzit is an imperative duty.
The State cannot permit. its people to want
for food = In 1859, under similar circum-
stances "a a limited extent citizens were
aided from the treasury of the State, and
the act was IN harmony with the Judgment
and sentiment of the people, -
For more specific information you are
respectfully referred TO the report of the
State Fire Relief Commission, which covers
the transactions of committees at Detroit,
East Saginaw, Bay City, and Flint and TO
the statement Of the Port Huron committee
both of which are hereto appended. I COM
mend the wants of these unfortunate citizens
to your generous consideration.
The tax rolls for the townships of Fores-
ter and Evergreen. in the county of Sanilac
were destroyed in the general confagration
and legislation is now asked to legalize the
action of their authorities in making subse-
quent provision for the collection of the
taxes in those townships. l recommend
that the necessary action be taken, t.
TAX COMMISSION.
During the last session you made pro
vision for the appointment of a commission
to prepare bill for the assessment, levy ,and
collection of taxes. The commission ap
pointed has performed its work with mucf
labor and intelligence. The bills so pre-
pared are herewith submitted for your con
sideration. have confidence that upor
examination the work of the col mission
will commend itself in it's comprehensive
ness as a great improvement over the pres
ent system, and will receive at your hand
such careful consideration a. the importanc
of the subject demands.
CONGRESSIONAL APPoRTIoNkENT.
a -