Telegram-herald., 1891-03-15
BAxTER'S NEW HISTORY.
A Concise, cOmprehsnsise and iasaiu
able Volume OF City Lore.

able Volume of City Lore.
Albert Bakers History OF Grand
Rapids IS al last ready for distribution.
Knowing that the work was n prepaTa-
ton by one 50 vel qualified for the
work. the general public has been inn
patiently awaiting It's issue, and now
that the book Is cut 10 can not tan Ia
meet the most sangalne expectation OF
those VINO are interested III IL. The
book consists OF 500 pages, printed IN
the best style OF the typographer's art,
protusely illustrated with line steel eu-
Cravings and meZzotlnts OF the promin-
ent citizens and pioneers OF the Valley
City. In addition TO these are numer-
GUS wood cuts of the city at various
stages OF its existence, from the time
when Joel Guild. the venerable pioneer,
pitched his tent at the foot OF Prospect
hill. on the river bank where the Natl.
onal City Bank now stands, down TO
the present day. Maps of the river.
showing the islands that xlsted when the
deep channel of the river ran through
Csmpau-sI. wall also heof great interest
As well as the first plat OF the town laid
out by Louis Campau. The printing
and binding was executed by the Dean
printing company and the Chllyer
book b.ndery respectively, and the work
IS credit 10 both Institutions.
The authors dedication OF the work
is rather comprehensive, but first and
foremost Is the name of Aunt Hattie"
Burton, the first bride of the wilderness.
There Is also an excellent portrait OF
the dear old lady and her husband
Barney Burton. she is the sole sur
vlvor of the family or Joel Guild and
has witnessed the growth of this city
from an Indian trading pest.
4 vast amount of interesting matter
has been gathered by the compiler and
10 this has been added special chapters
by several local writers. Dwight Goss
contributes L highly entertaining chap
ter upon the Indians of the Grand river
valley, Rev. Peter Moerdyke gives a
complete account of all the churches
anu religious organizations of the city,
and Harry l.. CresweIl handles the sub
lect OF public schools and the press,
giving a complete list of all the journal
lstlc infants that have been born in the
| city, the names of their progenltors
and the cause of their demise. Cholera
| lntantum seems 10 have been the
| prevailing malaGy. In addition to
these special articles are history OF
the banks OF the city 10y Harvey j. Hoi.
| lister, brief biographies of the medical
men of the city by Drs. Graves and
| Miner and the history of the bench
aud bar of Kent county by Willard l.
/ Brigham. the chapter containing
/ personal "reminiscences of the early
| settlers and a chronological chapter OF
events during the past forty years viii
| be OF general interest.
| The prominent landmarks of the city
are illustrated by wood cuts, and the
buildings with history will be known
| TO those of the present and future gen
eratIons who read the book.
The work, from beginning to end, il
: of high character OF excellence, the
information beng gathered from mum
J erous and reliable sources, and ably
edited. Every biography can be de
pended on for absolute accuracy, a:
the article has IN each case been sub
mltted to the person whose history i
records, or the nearest available Iela
! tive, and has been approved before pub
/ llcatlon. The engrayings are excellent
! with one or two exceptions. Some oil
! the gentlemen whose port ats appear
evidently preferred to tee handed dowr
IN history as they looked twenty year.
/ ago, and consequently few old por
traits appear. The men they represent
are hardly 20 be recognized without tht
/ label, but this is not the fault of the en-
! gravers.
/ W. G.. Phillips furnished the greater
/ part of the line steel engravings, and j
/ X. Campbell the mezzotlnt plates. The
! wood cuts were made IN this city.
| The index at the end of the book is 9
I complete digest of the contents, and
each mention of person or thing may