Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-11-12
The same territory now numbers a pop

ten millions OF feet in 1851. To over on,
thousand millions of feet in 1886 Sag
nav III ls5i had population of tire,
hundred, while il now has within ii,
limits fifteen thousand souls. Eas
Saginaw then had but a handful of PEG
pie. 1t now has twenty-five Thousand
inhabitants. y rope ferry then con
nected the two towns. The first yeal
of Mr.. Wright's residence in the Sagi
nav Valley he devoted To prospecting
lands contiguous To the Cass. Flint anu
/ IlttabawasSee rivers, personally in
speeding large tracts of pine, bravely
enduring the hardships of pioneer life
lie had the enviable fortune of chOOs-
ing the finest pine in the state, and
commenced his lumber operations on
the CasS river in the vicinity of the
present village of Caro-. He first put in
two million feet of logs, running
them down 10 Saginaw and disposng
of them 10 the mills, which in 1913
numbered thirteen and manufactured
about twenty-five million feet of lum-
Der, sent by water to Buffalo. Milwall-
kee and Chicago. Up To 1857 lumber
ing was principally done Oh the tribu-
taries of the large Saginaw river, leav-
ing Il distance of over one hundred
miles on Saginaw Bay unbroken mass
of choice timber to becsme the scene of
future operations.
From 1893 To 1860 Mr. Wright prose-
cuted numbering operations quite extern
SlVely III connection with Messrs. Mil
Ter X Payne. The firm of Miller PAYNE
X Wright purchased what was called
the Big Mill of the Farmers and Me-
chanics' bank of Burlington, Vermont,
and retltted the mill with the best ma
chlnery that could be procured, and
prosecuted business with great energy.
Notwithstanding prices were not very
remuncratlNe. cargOS in 1893 bringing
only three dollars and fifty cents for
cullS, seven dollars for common. twelve
dollars for second clear and sixteen
dollars for clear when delivered in Chi
cago. In 1850 the firm of Miller, PAYNE
n Wright was dissolved and was sue
ceeded by that of \. W. Wright X Co..
company being j. III. Pearson. of Chi
cago, who supervised their large lum-
Der yard IN that city. In 1871 Mr..
Pearson retired from the firm. At that
time Mr.. Wright extended his opera
tons bS establishing the lumber firm of
Wright. Wells X CO.-ChaS III. Davis
and Reuben kimball being the compa-
ny-at Wrlght'S lake, Otsego county
In 1881 MeSsrs. Wells and Kimball re-
tired from the firm. and Wright X Da-
Wis continued the business. In connec-
nectlOn with their numbering interests
Mcssrs. Wright X Pearson in 1867 es-
tabliShed lumberman's supply store
AT saginaw. ana associated with them
selves MeSsrs. NOrthrup and Wells. In
the year following Mr.. Northrup retir-
ed from the firm and Mr.. +. &. Stone
took his place, and from that date the
business has been conducted in the
name of Wells. Stone X Go. In 1871
Mr.. Wright bought ont Mr.. PearsOn's
interest and Mr.. Pearson retired from
the firm. This firm become widely
known 10y It's success. and extended
their large business 10y the pur-
chase of thirty thousand acres
Of pine land in Roscommon, Gladwin
and Clare counties. They established !
4 numbering plant, built thirty-two !
miles of railroad. properly equipped |
With three locomotives and ether neces- !
'uY rolling stock. and cultivated farm |
II one thousand acres. In lSS2 the "A. |
". Wright Laundering company was |
organized and incorporated with capt.
al OF 81 100000, with \. w. Wright. |
PRESIDENT; Charles W. Wells. vice
PRESIDENT: +. {. Stone. treasurer: w.
|. knOWltOn. secretary: and W. III.
" right. mill superintendent. The firm
II Wells. stone X Co.. with all their
ands. railroad and lumber interests.
ma also the firms of A. W. Wright X
o.. and Wright X Knowlton at Sagin-
wv comprising saw mill. salt block.
blaming mill and lumber yards, were
III merged into this corporation. The
operations of this corpora
ION IN all the above named counties
mbrace the cutting and rafting of logs
o their own mills to the amount of
q ZOO, 900 per year In addition to the
BUSINESS of this corporation Mr..
wright ; organizing genius and capacity
on work are seen IN the operations of
he firm of Wright and ketcham. car
led on exclusively in numbering i'm the
OuntieS of Gladwin and Midland.
here they put in 10000 900 logs yearly
18th force of 400 men.
Nj. Wright 5 agricultural tastes form
Il IN his native Vermont. constitute an
element in his character ]
nj have found practical expressions :
/ his love of Improvement and i'm his
of fine farms with their {
eautitul landscapes of meadows. ]
rains and fruit and forests. Early i'm 4
is Michigan activities he cultivated "A |
rye farm in GeneSse county where his /
Imily enjoyed the advantages of home [
te amid rural scenes and industries t
,ngenial virtue and domestic felicity. a
| the present time he has large graz {
e lands III Texas, Dakota and Mon e
ma that are devoted to profitable d
dustry, fine sheep and cattle and G.
rises coming within the range of his II
lculations. His delight in improve v
ents and his interest in whatever v
mes under the head of progress are Il
en in the town of Alma. Gratiot y
unity, Michigan, which is mainly his tn
cation, having a population of nearly d.
70 thousand souls, its situation being a.
pleasant, surrounded by ri
autiful farms. 1t has good sewer ii
e. Holly water works. high school IN
four churches, two wheat ii
'vators, saw, planning and Touring h;
Ills, sash, door and wooden factories. Il
lr railroads, large stores. spacious d,
81 beautiful hotel, medical and sur ii
al sanltarltm in connection with t.
$50