The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-06-08

The Ideal City Of Gen.
trail Michigan.
THE HOME OF 10000 PEOPLE
Alive with Manufacturing, Industries, all
Running Full Time;;.sNO Cessation
Of Business. Notwithstanding
The Quiet Times.
A HIVE OF INDUSTRY L AND
POWER WHERE THE RAIL
WAYS MEET.
Population: $780, a,5oo--Is9o, 6,572--
1894 10000.
Population: 1880, 2,5oo--1s9o, 6,572-
1894 10000.

N1NfNHEN A. l.. Williams beached
6flIt -. his little craft and made his
1ll1llL way through the oak open
ing to the ridge where
Oliver street now crosses Washington,
his exclamation to his dusky compan-
ion, "Owassa nong," was no doubt
Justified The words mean beautiful
spot" and it does not require very
vivid Imagination to follow him through
the picturesque valley of the Shiawas-
see for twelve miles with his Indian
guide, s'Little Bear" 1t was lin the
spring of 1881 and the solitude and
quietness of the dense forests was only
broken by the howl Of wild animals and
the roaring of the swollen river. But
Mr.. Williams was not seeking pleasure
nor solitude; his mission in penetrating
the forest was for the purpose of locat-
ing land and opening the country to
settlers, as he was at that time conduct
ing trading post in company with his
brother at Knaggs Creek, twelve miles
up the river. They landed at the foot
of Washington street, where the river
makes broad curve in the form of a
half circle, and after satisfying himself
of the desirability of pre-empting the
land on account of its natural advan-
tages, they again resumed their journey
little dreaming that they had located
the site of what was destined to be one
of the greatest manufacturing cities of
Michigan.
1t is not our purpose to follow the
early settlers through the privations
and hardships which they endured be-
fore making any substantial progress.
They were sturdy sons of toll and had
q firm belief in the future greatness of
the primitive Owosso and their faith
was not misplaced as they bequeathed
to their children a royal Inheritance.
AS previously stated the first visit was
in the spring of 1881, and as soon as
practicable the Williams brothers pur-
chased the first land conveyed to an
individual in this township, it being a
part of section "a and conveyed to them
August 2, 1888. They subsequently pur-
chased additional lots in section 10, be-
ing in all about 200 acres. The first
house was built on what is now Main
street, on the west side and near the
river, for Elias Comstock. This house
is still standing, but has been remodeled
and the log cabin of the original settler
would not be recognized. Not until
the fall of 1885 were there any steps
taken to settle Owosso. At this time
A. L. and b. O. Williams returned here
with a surveyor and plated the village
of Shiawassee Rapids and petitiened
the territorial government for a priv
lepe to dam the river at this point. The
petition was granted March 20, 1885,
and an arrangement was entered into
with Daniel Ball & Co. to build the dam
and erect saw and grist mill The
dam was completed in 1887. BY this
time a number of families had located
here and the place had become an inn
portant trading post; the Exchange,
as Williams Brothers store was called,
being an important factor. During this
year company was formed with a
capital stock of 800, 10000 to make the
river navigable to Saginaw so as to give
them an outlet for their product. This
venture was only partially successful
as only boats capable of carrying 200
barrels of flour were the largest ever
run on the river, though thousands of
dollars were expended.
On the 18th of October, 1888, the orig
inal plat of the village of Owosso was