Telegram-herald., 1888-05-08


Of flowers which made the room pleasantly
redolent throughout the who.e evenings
very delicate aud fitting introduction of the
flowers that bloom IN the Spring, botani-
cal and political. Each alderman. officer
and reporter had aboutonniere. and Mayor,
Clerk aud Attorney were each presented
With an elaborate hand bouquet.
Then the new body settled down 10 busi-
ness and listened first 10 the excellent in
sugursl address of Mayor Weston at which
the following is full report:
Gezterses Of tie Common C0ttRcR.
Just fity years ago today on the hist Monday
in May 1879 the i4l voters who occupied the
iew primitive h01ses on the present site OF tnis
city assembled aud held their fHt municipal
eiecti,n under the new village charter which in-
coEp)rated them as the village Of Grand Rapids,
ia tue township of Kent ia the county of kala-
mazoo Folr years previous, April ). 1884, the
township OF Kent held It's first election at the
house OF Joseph Guild, where the National City
Bank Aiding now stands. when nine voters
were present 20 elect seventeen township officials.
Eyery voter obtained one otfic- aud four received
two each, and two were compelled TO receive
three each. Twelve years After our first villsge
election the village charter of Grand Rapids was
changed by the Legislature OF 1850 to full city
charter.
the l4i voters who participated in that first
municipal election dry years ago. several are vet
active business nell in our ely But one OF the
Trustees then elected is living. Hon. Charles /.
walker. our flf-t lrcdsQ now n practlclIg
lawyer in Detroit, who was afterwaris dislin-
guished Judge and professor OF law In CIR state
University.
atious OF pc :ulltige pioneers, doubt If one of
these II cary settlers honestly believed that on
is semi-ceutennial anniversary Grand Rapids
could have at aimed It's present population, wealth
FROM few scattered primitive cabins we have
grown TO . magnia cent metropolitan city OF 49,,
o o inhaoi.an $ = ith lJO miles o. streets paved
III hsaFt
Thee lii intelligent, enterpdsing men who
had The lOreSight 10 discern the great natural adj
vautages OF this locality at the head OF Steamboat
navigation on Grand River, and started the
iouadatlon of the second city in
the State, builded wiser than they
knew. Today the survivors OF those nobe pio-
neers see eight railroads. and steamboat hue to
Lake Alchtgs bringing 10 our city thu vast
trade aud commerce OF Western Michigan aud
giving positive assurance of our future growth
ard prosperity as great commercial center.
During every ten years since its Incorporation
Grand Rapids has AZ least doubled in pop alton
and 1870 win surely bring US lOJ o. or a. increase
Of 200 Per cent over l3>) Our furniture and
other steam ard water iactocies give en- ployms Mt
TO upwsrd vf iu.COj operatives whose produ IS
are shipped 10 Amos; every civilized country in
the world Our business blocks and private
residences are among the fnesi u be found in
any city OF equal size in the country. Our
magnificent river. fowing through the heart of
toe city one fifth Of a mi c in width. is spauned
by ei ht splendid bridges. of which six are iron
structures OF the latest and most approved de-
signs
twenty two school houses give educational
aec0rmodations 70 700 children. Our new
City Hall Is the finest public building I'm nc sac
and our schools. fire departments and other city /.
buildings are ia keep ng with t.
Four daily papes and seven banks. five
national and tao SAFE are well patrOnized and
supported. are require 20 supply the wsnts of
She city. Our street railway system, which in
cludes horse cars. cable 10 yer aud steam otors.
il one OF the most extensive complete and per
iect IN its cons ruciio equipment and operation
10 be found IN he United states.
Our Telephone Exchange has 300 subscribers
which Is positive proof OF the activity of businss
IN tie city. our ~ churches occupied by 81
active csergynien inciuding two bishops. are
Enmiztakabie evidences Of moral aud law
abiding community.
Aside from lis great natural advantages, / at
tribute the remsssaole snd gratifying growth Of
Grand Rapids manly % three causes
first-We we're fortunate In the character OF
tue settlers who s-srei h city. They were men
of intelligence. industry aud enterprise As fast
as they secDrsulated q surplus 4 was put into
manufacturing or Commercial enterprises which
sac employment 10 other men. built up the
city. and yielded hen islr turns on their cap
itsL They hsd no Ise far hO1t or farm NOR sgc
investments. They pursued a hbersi DOlicy
toward their employees, which insured fsom them
eortiisl cocPeration n the work Of ofdevelOpi1g
great manufacturing city.
sec0ad--Our city bss Always been favored with
a class Of orkInen remarkable for their ifteti
gence. industry and thrift- Although e~rnsisily
a X usnufscturiDg city. We have never been re-
tsrfed b. sdisuroiug strike Of any importance
4 m1tllsi feeling Of fair sess has ever prevailed
on the part OF both employees and employees
which prevented anything Of mat character The
btssaBs .dvpsstes Il snsrch . con 4 never snd
q iis'e1er among our law aiding ana intelligent
workmen- We are proud Of our subs anita bus-
ness blocks. the "a ala re idelce on oar f&sn
ionsble avenues. and car handsome and com no
dious p1bir builiingS but We have m1ch
eater ress',B tn BE proud OF the mil II stres =
hoed y he balf f-ome ho-es II or gorzmeo
Their sxisi snd iniuSt7v we sivays commanded
liberal vsEez sad II "a asy Their TEN pirate
hsoiis have assured pfo<peTitT. snd ser com
folts1le. tsSfy h,Eses owned ~ the ~crspsnts q
the r1le snrrg theT. A srEe uaiortry % the
churches il the cify ae s1Op rted oT them snd
taey sc the prsacipal Istrnns . sss- of or
dsily pspeTs Ass ciss they sac ss-heNei a
desevvcd property y hich we she1id 30 cur NJ
most to Eronofe sBd encourage
Thir1 OR cItE hss neea l11stIa ~ to-f n nste
n iss o4ieiss irteliizsnee inies7ifT and eeor-
ouy have se~u re -.i.e Ees erning oar n1niclpal
afsars- can not ess 20 mind = 4 &c eaSe 81
IN he s7israenf. deffl = 01 cr 8serT- sit0er
f-ra pe7-onai kaes esizs - hear-ss. sasong . e.
sx.stso.-- Frr fhs rensrSahle rac1rd ~aieb
hss 20 farzsfr sesrfr rufef ~ orr pT1srs rirr ws
rs-iSs Nv .nsch 81 tne -rsfi - t1e wlTE1rn
w hare Cssf nsi sftfg - TIE Ve-es sn1 held
rs,ssrilx ~ "a ofIe-s 81 aur clfT TIE Sssa
xhtsh rre~ssIS srs7rE eerfsln risss thsr 49,.
r,ea are aBss - - sec z1Fe- srae1ssl sfsnz
- heen taeranahfT sx1hs1ei a srani 2so..tH
IN sh.,rr s~sfrr-sfag car5fells.s 5nre5fi cent
sra~xrapu All nsres cffcis1s hste nsaiae -
raxe ffraad Hap.0> vast - We w8o errsri-
l-ltst % FrIflltlt-I9k TIE @n1f0-
vss- ssre rnsh % a. 20 neez tae requirements
~ t-s- r-eat sl1S r-rwfrg cfte- sn1 rsntsia ics
--,.-sa t,- ,rsefsl sffcscv Tse fasrrfsi "a -
~ r,e ctr - xeor1 - - verr shse repo~1 -
ssp r~s=<szrer rrzoiisae1 issf week az il vs-g
sss s~faf ~ con.filesn. u sccEs or bouded m
.ssa.seisse<< - - aaliors.
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