Telegram-herald., 1890-08-02
ON THE WEST SIDE
improvements That Have Been
Made During Ten Years,
LINCOLN PARK AND BALL FORTY
IA IL the misunderstanding Fortaos ol tAs
sity--Serns of ths kleEAas basl-
Iess hlscks-fhe stsess
Tar Service

Residents Of the Fast SIDE who pay
bat little attention 10 the growth and
Improvement OF the city, otherwise
than merely the East SIDE, would be
surprised 10 know what has been ac-
oomphshed in the way OF improvement
on the West Side Of the river during the
past ten years. Il has had 8 ventable
boom during thIs time and everything
looks most favorable for a continuance
Of tins healthy advance during the
coming decade.
lthas been, and is the opinion Of some,
that the location of the West SIDE is
low and must necessarily be al un-
healthy place 10 live. Tins Is a wrong
impression. II was shown IN a. article
IN the TELEGRAM -HFKAAnno long since
that there was much lower death rate
on Tie West Side, ln comparison 20 lts
sihe, than that Of the east portion oi
the city.
Ia few notes i VIII be- shown that
/ the West Side mas equalied and in some
cases surpassed tue East Side ln ul-
/ provemenL Ten years ago there were
three bridges across ibe rlNer, and these
were all wooden structures. A0a there
arc four iron bridges and one wooden
one. lt is found that On account oi
/ the increasing traffic that lt wlll be-
/ necessary 10 build one from Wealthy
ave. across, and the West SIDE continual
/ ton OF Mealthy-aXe. ls being graded,
preparatory 10 building the Hidgc.
! Ten years ago there was but one cloth
/ ing store, one boot and shoe store, and
/ one hardware store On West Budge-st.
/ Today there are three frst-class CLOTH
ing stores, four boot and shoes stores,
4 three hardware stores, four drug stores,
/ two dry goods stores, ten groceries and
numerous other establishments. West
1 Fulton, Leonard and Stocklng-sts have
/ to- e. built upaimostennrely ln ten wears.
| The merchants found lt necessary. on
account OF growing business, 20 have
| bank, consequently the Fifth National
with n capital OF 100000 was es-
! tabllshed three years ago, and ls pay
| ing regular dividends. The Western
/ Hotel would be credit 10 the nam
! portion OF any city. There have been
| several business blocks erected during
| the last few years that are models
of architecture and appearance.
The Strahsn, Ieheman, Hammer
schmidt, Thumb. Derby, Boston. New
! England and Steketee blocks are a few
4 tnat deserve special mention. Most of
principal furniture factories are located
| on the West Side as well as number
of machine shops, etc. The MlddicOmb,
which ten years ago occupied one
small shop and employed two hundred
| hands, now occupies SIX large factories
/ .as-rarraf 4 y hrarrff
! hands, across from these are the Glea-
son Wood Ornament factory and the
! Widdicomb Maniel Company which
| have been started during the past six
years, and give employment 10 several
hundred men.
Thc Phmnfx. which is known all over
/ the world. has also doubled it capacity
| in a few years. The School Furniture
| Company, employing four hundred
! men, with factories on Broadway coxer-
ing over five acres, is one Of thc most
/ prosperous manufacturing firms iu the
city, and finds Il necessary, in order 70
! keep up with their orders. to run two
gangs Of men part OF the
! wear The Fox Machine Com
| panv. the Perkins Machine Company.
/ the Grand Rapids Brass Works. tie
! Powers & Walker 1asket Company, the
/ Veneer and Panel Works, and the star
! and Crescent Flour Mills are all worthy
of special notice. IA regard t. thc 500
! cicty West Grand Rapids Be- made ug oi
some OF the ciiy's n.0si popular aud fn-
/ fluonUal citizens. as vel as "A good class
/ OF working people, most OF whom Own
/ Their homes.
The Bal Forty and lincoln Park
which arc beng improved, wiii prove "a
. great attraction % people aN over tie
! ctv. Ten years ago there was not "a
I street car lluc or tbe West Side. bat
nov the residents find ample acoomm0-
! dation with Eve finely equipped hone
= ar lines, and thP change Df toe stock
/ ing-st. Inc o. electricity VIII De- COM
! monccd at once.
station A, Of the postcfficc depart
I menf. for the saleuf stanlpf and the &C.
commodation. 81 che tasty increasing
/ West SIDE, was established two wears
ago. with y. 4 MeWillisms in charge
The school facilities are OF tho best il
every ward. An addition IA being huat
70 the mon School. which VIII cnahlo
the students n get the cntrc High
4 School course without gong 10 the Cen
trai binding.
Many other ImurOVeUTnts might ho
I mentioned that haYe been made oa tho
West sdeduring fhe laTt few years. and
the prospect of ine future, hut Ii % safe
~ say that II i keeps up ths rapid ad-
7 vanceguent the East edc viii have r.