Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-18

several OF the latter above the village,
along the rapids. A foot bridge across
the river was also built that year.
Merchandise from the east via the Erie
canal, the lake. and Grand riyer began
to arrive IN quantities that year. A
woelrn mill was erected In lssS.
The First Bridge.
A company wac organized in 1874 10
build free bridge, and was subsidized
by legislative grant of 6 600 acres of
land. The original court house and
jail were burned July IL of that
year. The rlvtr steamer Empire was
built here complete-engines and all
IN 1915, and, with another similar
craft. formed a regular line 10 Grand
Haven. The free bridge was CON-
pleted that year. and local census
was taken, showing a population of
1910. A river and harbor convention,
held at Chicago July 5, 1877, was at
tended 10y a Grand hapids delegation
numbering ;hlrty-slx parsons.
The city of Grand Espids WAS incor-
pora,sd April 2, 1850: the charter MAS
ratified by an election held May I, aud
On the ll;h of the same month "A second
election was held for city officers. Eve
stage lines were IN operation thls year.
running coaches daily TO and from
Lansing, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo.
Jackson aud Muskegon. which, with
the steamers on Grand river, furnished
excellent travelling facilities for that
time, though shipments. principally Of
land plaster, were confined 10 ;he
river route. Except the steady growth
in population and commercial TOR
lance little OF interest occurred IA
Grand Rapids until 1858, when the rail-
road agitation began. A new steam
boai-the Michican--was launched
March -, aud Powers a Ball built and
started large steam sanmill. The
year 1854 WAS marked by the first
steamboat explosion on Grand river
that of the Humming BiTd-hy which
bov was killed aud che man per-
manently disabled.
The Newspapers
Previous 10 1855 there were two
weekly newspapers here the Times
and tile Enquirer. II that year the
first daily vac issneds Tie GRIND
Rapids and Kalamazoo plank road was
completed this year. tonsidersile
bodybuilding ~ss done IN 1856. A Toll
bridae was built nj Leonard street ia
1857, street improvements were greatly
pushed, aud November L., for tie first
time, the thororgbfares was Lighted nv
ras. April b. 1858. the lriege street
bridge aud several factories burned.
Trains began tanning regularly Of the
Detroit. Grand Haven 4 Milwaukee
railroad July 10. on July II ground
wss broker for the Grand Isapids A
lad ana railroad, August IS the Il. g..
II & II. railroad irlcEe wac finished.
sud TIE lattice bridge a. Bridge street
was opened fer tfafic September I. Ga
tie 18th II the same month the bret
l,ae IL telegraph wss formally opened
- peftmt. The Leonard street fridge
apa the Pearl street bridges we're
o.saee respectively On The eist and the
eafh OF October.
LARD plaster shipments by raj heEsn
81 if.q. whsch was = f,usT year, huiid-
ngs g. the yalne Of <iS6. Gao being
erected, Tie ssenmer Michigan
tofttd gnir ~. 1860. year nuted for
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