The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-06-20
UR TRIP TO BAY COUNTY.


"River Park Farm" noted in our
last issue, we started out early, from
the Frazer House, to inspect the beau.
ties and business industries Of Bay
City and its surroundings, escorted by
Mr.. E. ]. Hargrave, one of the wealthy
manufacturers of that enterprising
city. Seated in his carriage behind
one of his noted roadsters, we drove
about the city for an hour, and it is
not to much to say, that in the ten
years that had intervened since our
last visit there, the city has been COM
pletely rebuilt, and is to-day for the
beauty of its pablo buildings and
private residences the equal of any
city in the state, Detroit excepted;
and on every hand the evidences of
business prosperity are so abundant,
that we were not surprised to
hear leading citizen who is prom
inent merchant, and an ex-member of
the State Senate, say they did not
know what hard times meant in Bay
City.
The hour at our disposal passed all
10 quick, and before we had seen
half we desired in the residence part
of the cityy-we reluctantly turned
away from these scenes of loveliness
and beauty and passed down upon
the middle land to take look at
some of the business industries which
have made Bay City, what it is to-day,
and which show more conclusively
than words can tell, what a protective
tariff has done to build up the produc-
tive industries of our state. Passing
several large lumber mills, and salt
we stopped at the
lumber mill of E. J. Hargrave & Son.
This is one Of the largest mills N the
city, and provided with all the mod
ern improvements, and every facility
that human ingenuity has devised for
the convenience Of the workingmen.
These mills stand on made land or
more strictly speaking decayed and
decayiug refuse from the lumber
which for a quarter of century has
been filled in along the center of the
river, and to-day forms an island per.
haps half mile long on which mil.
ions of capital is invested in active
industries. The Messrs. Hargrave
employ about 100 men, and several
,eams, cut nearly 100000 feet of lum-
Der each day, running about eleven
hours. When we were there they had
oiled up on the dock. which has a
liver front of 1900 feet about 1000,
,oofeet of lumber. The quantity of
ogs seemed inexhAustable, and Mr..
i. said they had enough to keep
heir mill running until cold weather,
It daily cut of 1905 feet. This
act, taken in connection with the
'ther, that there are probably 20 such
Mills in and about Bay City, shows
he extent and value of the lumber
interests of that city. The salt pro-
luction is, also, very large, but we
we're not fortunate enough to obtain
my reliable statistics; yet we knew
nough of it to know that it is rapid
y forming the basis of such solid |
nd substantial wealth, as the result of
he enterprise, as would have been
couted at but few years since, as
'eing in the range of possibilities. :.
The Messrs. Hargrave, are, also
engaged in stock breed
ng, and agriculture. Their farm, of
re believe, 24o acres, is situated near
he Bay, about 4 miles east of the
ity, on that plat of clay lands that
as made the agricultural industries
f Bay county so valuable, and which
ertainly has the appearance in the
niles we passed over it of being as
Productive as any part of the state.
IN their farms they have the plant
Or an exceedingly fine herd of Jersey
attic selected with great care, and
urchased regardless of cost; and
idging from their appearance we
hink no mistakes have been made in
heir selection. They, also, have
ONE fine Holsteins and other thor.
ugh bred cattle that make up the
-. n . lu-1 ...t...L -. 4. e.. 800 -. |