Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-12-03

Riverdale Is one al those sections
of Gratiot county there early pio-
neers hewed their Wy into unbroken
forests to establish ,f.eir homes. Like
all the county. its wonderful pioneer
era laps on its pres mt period. Many
of those who came 10 Riverdale and
helped found this I irving little viii
lage are still enrol among it's hust-
ling inhabitants, a they are as ev-
er watchful. alert az alive to advanc-
ing Riverdale toda as they were in
those early days. ri their work to-
day is as creditabia as it was years
ago.
Look over Riverdaie today and you
cannot but respect nd admire these
men who were the Founders of this
hustling village. Tn name OF Mablo,
Bradley, Talland aud Houck, and many
others are still % be found here
Their work was the creative work.
that of making, in tie face of almost
unsurmountable otsta cies. home and
a village. Throug 1.-The lumber days
when all central sehigan was alive
| W NAC cOuhN VI tAt ~ anu saw. NV
erdale had a natril boom. Then
came the period wen depression set
in caused mostly by the sudden stag
nation of the greas lumber business
which went as quickly as it came
And here more thin anywhere else
was shown the lIuck and staying
qualities of these men.
But gradually new blood began TO
work into the community and assimi-
late with the old. 'ther men began
TO move into the village. The stump
lands came into dens-nd as farm lands
and land rose rapidly from 81 an acre
until it has reached the present day
price of from $40 70 $50 per acre.
And now we comn to the more re-
cent date. when attiacted by the ac-
tivity of the VILLAGE, outside capital
and business men csiAe to the village.
They brought with them renewed
stimulation which was quickly COM
bined with that of those present. and
Riverdale began to make them all sit
up and take notice
! First came the elevator. built by
V. =. Cash. This gave the town and
surrounding country a ready market
and was Of inestimable value. One
followed another. Wyeth G. Son OPP
ened big store. LIBBY, Mcneil and
Libby built a big pi kle station. "
n. Owen zEa1s@ ~ 1asis.i.s g.. La,..
store. And right here came the big
gest lift of all, the Riverdale bank.
All of these new men were hustlers
and they were not inactive very long.
AS a result the town has enjoyed
building boom and a consequent slim
illus that has brought it right up to
the front rank of growing Michigan
towns.
/ Today 1t possesses six live general
stores, the chief of which are r. e.
Moblo & Co., Houck & Son. Wyeth &
Son and F. c. Hyde. II also has the
bank, elevator, a new jewelry store.
the pickle station, two backsmiths
and woodworking shops, a millinery
store, good, clean, well-managed ho- /
tel, we'll furnished livery stable, an
efficient shoe cobbler and harness ma
ker, barber shop, a church furnished /
with a parsonage, an excellent school
building, fine layout OF sidewalks
and then a man we all love and re-
spect, a wide-awake, generous-heart-
ed doctor who entertains that high |
regard for his profession that puts
the love of science first and the
thought of reimbursement last
always last.
The village numbers close to 500
now and is situated on the p. M.
railroad, thus giving 1t an excellent
outlet 1t is the natural shipping
point for territory IL to Is miles
north and south. We can, in closing,
give you one sure tip-and that is,
watch Riverdale and be prepared to
hustle If you want to keep up to the
pace they are setting down there
Riverdale has enjoyed building
boom in the last three years that any |
town might be proud Of Briefly we
mention some OF the buildings and
houses that have gone up and some
OF the improvements that have been
made.
The Riverdale bank built In 1905 is
handsome cement building, nicely
finished inside and out. 1t cost
$1,000.
Libby, Mcneil & Libby built the
pickle station in 1904 at a cost of
$1,000.
Wyeth & Son built their new store
last year, taking an outlay OF $500.
w. A. Bradley's new building cost
him $4,000.
Maynard and Elliott spent 81 500
in building and equipping their new
wood working establishment and
blacksmith shop.
The new M. K. parsonage was err
ected this summer at a cost of 81 800
DIR. c. b. Gardner bought the old
Strong hotel this summer and has
expended several hundred dollars in
fitting II up as a residence and pri-
vate hospital
w. ID. Owens, the druggist. built a
$4,000 house this summer which he
has just occupied.
Earl Houck has gone them all one
better In his new $4,000 house built
this year
c. e. Going has built two new |