Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-01-11

Toledo TO 90 there and take charge
Of a stock Of goods. They were
making great improvements in the
building OF docks, warehouses, hotel
and a bank, the first on the Maumee
river and other valuable improve
men,s. | engaged 10 90 and SO told
the cashier that ! had bargained 10
20 up 20 Manhattan the name Of the
CITY or the Maumee river. "You
have lac says. Don't you 90, if
son want 10 live, don't GO, for you
won't live there SIX months and say.
ug all be could TO discourage me
from going. told him II guessed |
would take the stage that night and
20 nap and If | didn't ike il | would
come back ""Well, he said perhaps
TIA, viii Il but take my word aud
come back went up AMI found
DE hammer aud the saw busy put.
ing up houses every day and il
looked pretty wei, he river frozen
over, and made up my mind 10
take my chances thcre and ! have
been thoro ever since, 80 years.
Ia 1899 came the great panic
Vncn banks suspended, specie pay.
ments; the old United States bank
bill WAS vetoed bv President Jack.
son, The government funds were at
that time deposited in the local
banks of the country and il was
vilhdrawn. The banks closed their
doors, business men failed and such
hard times came a. was never known
before or since anu never will be
again for the country is now rich
hon IT. was then poor a bank.
rapt bill was passed TO let business
men out of their trouble and begin
anew.
Well 90 90 back to Manhattan;
lie company after spending over
half q million there, closed up their
hu~iuess and retired and left the
place 10 take care OF itself. They
would not sell, give or lease, nut
fioely locked up the town plat and
failed 10 carry ont their agreement
with me and left me TO take care Of
myself the best way could.
! was elected Associate Judge Of
the Court of Common Pleas for
seven years in 1912, al salary of
81 80 per day aud had to take my
pav in county orders "a there was %
money in tho treasury, only enough
- pay the treasurer and auditor,
they got it all. | had 10 sell my
orders At 30 or sometimes 90 cents on
HE dollar which didn't paw and so
after serving two years | resigned
and took the Office of clerk of the
court and county clerk which paid a
little better. held that Office ten
years AID retired and have not held
or desired any Office since. Have re
NAMED there ever since, dealing
principally in real estate, in which |
always had greet faith, but for a
long time il grew very slow and real
estate in the defunct plot, which is
now the first ward Of the city, went
down 10 n mere fraction. Property
that tie company at one time would
not sell for 1000, | bought in ls4S
for $40 Lots that they refused
800 for afterwards bought for
cine and ten dollars a lot and land
Just outside Of the city bid of at
auction n 81 80 per acre now worth
from $500 TO $1,000 per acre.
One block of two acres that ! paid
sl70 for 7 sold two years ago for
%45 GOO Well, | think have said
nj that is necessary about myself
and Toledo, only that / have seen It
from the stump 10 be great and
douri,hing city Of $4,000 souls and
Increasing rapidly.
now wish to say little about
Alma, your beautiful little city.
which and the whole country about,
ras inhabited when ! settled in To.
lido 10y Indians and wild beasts and
away down below Lansing il was a
bowling wilderness. Michigan was
a territory and the capitol at Detroit.
T. las become great, rich and beau
t'ful state and growing richer fast.
This part and particularly Alma /
have fell in love with. With its
Grand Sanitarium, College, school
churches, hotels, water works, elec.
rric lights, fine residences and rail.
road facilities and not mentioning
many others, such fine farms and
Pine RIVER, 1t must progress and be-
come one of the fnest locations in
the state. If the capitol was 10 be
located nov on ever removed il
would in my opinion be here. do
rot prophesy TO be more far seeing
'han many others, butt have not
lived 50 year. without some obser-
vation Of men and things, and ! can
look hack and sec when men s,ernly
fought against Toledo and insisted
that up the river ten miles from To
ledo at the foot Of the rapids would
be- the great city on the Maumee
Ill