The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1922-03-03
L'ANsE TOWNSHIP HISTORY
Continued from Page One)
Miues

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begun in 1872 by Brown at Whitmore,
tsuperintended by J. J. Williams, under
whom the quarries were opened. These
quarries were gradually increasing
their facilities for getting out roofing
slate to meet the growing demand of
that article at Detroit and Chicago and
the quarries had become great source
or revenue for this section. The slate
taken from these quarries is dark blue
and Of first quality, It was first used
on the Methodist church at LAnse,
when it was built in 1873. The works
closed down in 1877 and were not OPP
ened until 1881 and the name changed
to Michigan Slate Company. This
company operated the quarry for sew
eral years but as the quarry pit was
! getting so deep it took agreat deal Of
work and money to get the slate out,
they closed the quarry.
The Lloyd and Roberts. quarry was
tstarted in 1877. This was located
about two miles southwest Of LAnse
and wes supposed to possess the most
extensive slate strata in the county.
This mine is not working now but at
that time the slate from this quarry
received high praise everywhere.
There were also two brownstone
quarries near L'Anse on the property
that was owned by Peter Crebassa.
One Of these .quarries was owned by
Mr.. Hurley. Later they discontinued
their work because the stone was too
soft to handle. There is a monument
at Belle Isle Park in Detroit made Of
the brownstone from this quarry.
Organizing of Baraga County =.
Baraga county was organized in
1875. the county seat being located at
L'Anse. Before, this section belonged
to Hcughton county, but on April IL,
1875, it separated and the first meet
ing of the county officers was held
with E. L. Mason Of L'Anse township,
chairman of the board Of supervisors,
James Bendry of Baraga township,
Walfred Been of Arvon township and
w. H. Morrison of Srurr township.
The first election Of the county was
held in 1876.
The question of erecting county
court house was brought before the
people in the summer of 1882. and the
vote was taken to raise ten thousand
dollars to build it. The, project was
sustained by vote CT enc hundred
fifty-eight against ninety-five. AS
there was sufficient sum in the coun-
ty treasury to meet this expenditure
the question Of issuing bond was not
then taken up. as had been decided be-
fore. The new Court House was COM
pleted in 1884, having cost eleven
thousand nine hundred fortv-five dol |
lars. The county Jail was built in
1883.
Schools
L'Anse school district number one
then claimed two hundred ninety-three
children of whom two hundred forty
attended school during the year 1881.
There were two frame school buildings
valued at two Thousand dollars.
District number two claimed one
hundred ten children of whom only
thirty attended school. Expenses for
this school for the year 1881 was two
hundred thirty-six dollars and twen-
ty-fve cents.
A census of the school children of
L'Anse was taken by John O'Connor,
in August. 1882, and the total number
was found to be over three hundred
children.
At a special meeting of the board of
education held August 26, 1882, they
were asked for eight thousand dollars
to build new school house. Later in
1906 another school house was built
on the hill upon which the court house
stands. Now with new school, jail
and courthouse, L'Anse entered a Sec
ond era Of progress.
In 1888 a. meeting was held in
L'Anse and it was decided they would
build town hail. The money appro-
priated for the first township hall was
three thousand nine hundred dollars,
Scr the public use of the inhabitants
Of the township and for township pur
poses generally"
L'Anse Fire
Saturday, May 8, 1896, was an un-
fortunate dav in the history of L'Anse.
At four o'clock in the afternoon the
fire bell sounded and before the peo-
pie could realize it, the large saw mill
of the L'Anse Lumber Company was
one mass of flames. The firemen
quickly responded to the call and the
men worked like heroes, but strong
wind was raging, and they were I'M
able to stcp the fire from spreading.
AS soon as IL was seen tndI tiic uic
would spread, the Baraga firemen
were called, but all efforts were use
less, The fire quikcly caught the
lumber piles, containing several mil
lion feet.
J. B. Smiths store and warehouse
were next to fall victims after the
lumber piles; also Mr.. Citizens sa-
loon: Charles Cullnan's saloon and
dwelling; O.. H. Sengebusch's barber
shop; w. T. Menge's store; A. Men
ge's saloon and the bank building on
the corner owned by August Menge
1.-THE second story being occupied by
r. r. McKernan as law office) and
Coster's tailor shop. Other victims
were P. Rupees store, s. T. Harris's
drug store, Town Hall, Sentinel office,
John O'Ccnnor's and John Campbell's
residences.
There was prompt response to the
| call for aid from the various towns
and cities. A carload Of dry goods
and provisions was sent from Mar
| quette, and aid was brought from
/ Barags and the copper country. Eight
| hundred dollars was collected In Bar
ara. The Duluth Souht Shore and At
i0-~>As~ t1-~-l ~ A. ~