Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-02-08
Business Statistics of Alpena for the
Year 1892.

We have been engaged for some
time past in collecting statistics to
show tho amount Of business done
in A lpena during 1892. but were
unable to get all we desired until
last week. and we present such as
obtained. because they frequently
become important for reference. as
well us to show Whist has been done
in this city during the past wear.
The principal business of Alpena
has been, and is yet, that of manu-
featuring lumber. lath and shingles.
and the reports furnished by the
various mill owners show that l72.-
9O0.OO0 feet of lumber, 5O.351. 900
pieces of Iath and 25.5OO.OOO shingles
were manufactured bv the eleven
lumber and four shingle mills.
The custom house books show
that 4S1 900 cedar posts. 500 600
railway ties, 1.763 tamarack pond
net stakes. and l25 cords of cedar
were shipped from this port last
year.
The new industries of Athena
consist of the sulphite paper pulp
factory. the hemlock bark extract
factory, the roller process -four mill.
and the stave works. The latter
has not vet been operated, being
erected late last fall. The manu-
featured products of the new in
dustries. in 1892. were as follows:
Pounds Of sulphite paper pulp.
made from spruce and balsam wood,
7,l2l,445. Barrels of hemlock bark
extract. 5000. Tons of excelsior.
700. Bushels of wheat. mostly
farmers grists. 2O.OS3. The spool
factory made l85. 600 gross of spools,
100000 cedar gill net floats, and 49,
600 feet Of wire rolls.
Alpena has always been an i'm
rortant fishing point, and the catch
last year amounted to 700 tons.
At the U. S. fish hatchery 10000
white fish were Matched.
This region is one Of the best for
the production Of huckleberries and
black Ferries. and some 1000 bush
els of such fruits were shipped from
this port last year.
The water company furnished the
citizens 5S7,26732O gallons of
water. In summer time eight pas
senger boats called at this port, and
made 353 round trips. of which 200
were between Detroit and this port.
and IA between Bay City and this
port.
The number of marriage licenses
issued in 1892 was 1873.
The receipts of the postoffice
during 1892 amounted to S0.853.38.
The county has population of
1881. and the city 1928.
The city has both the arc and in
candescent electric light. Of the
arc light 65 are used. mostly for
street illumination, and 1,700 in
lights are in use.
The telephone exchange has 10
telephones in use.
For protection from fire Alpena
has system of water works unex-
celled in the State. consisting of %
miles of mains, 200 fire hydrants,
$50 service pipes. The fire de-
partment is first class.
The gas company has four and
miles of mains laid in the
streets.
The principal streets are paved
with cedar blocks for a length of
30.lO0 feet, containing 98.815
square yards. and cost $87, 1858.
It was paved cheap, owing to the
cedar being easily obtained. and the
contract price ranged from 63 cents
to SO cents per square yard. The
city has also crushed stone pave
ment for length of 2.278 feet.
The sidewalks extend length of
AZ miles, and the total length of
the streets is 63 miles.
There are eight artesian wells,
ranging in depth from 500 to 1,267
feet. The deepest strikes the salt
rock, and is the celebrated magnetic
well of the Alpena Sulphur Spring
Co. which have erected one Of the
finest bath houses in the State. It
is located in the heart of the city.
The city has two beautiful stone
of Alpena's fine building
stone, five brick churches, four
wooden churches, about 100 brick
stores, 4 beautiful Opera House, one
bank, one State hank, one