The Salt City of the Inland Seas
Anniversary Number of the Manistee Daily News
Historical and Industrial Record of the Great Salt City
Published May, 1899
My arrival in Manistee for the first time dates back to a mild night in the month of October, 1853. In company with my father, mother, brother and two sisters, I landed from a vessel's yawl on a slab dock at what is now the Canfield and Wheeler Company's lumber dock, at the hour of twelve, midnight, after a stormy passage on the schooner Louis C. Irwin from Racine, Wisconsin. The only means of communication with what was called the outside world was by sailing vessel. There were no roads or paths leading to or from Manistee, except into the deep, dark forests surrounding it on three sides, and the only highway leading to Manistee was Lake Michigan.
Vessels of the time were very small compared with those that come to Manistee at the present time. The average lumber carrying capacity being about 70 M feet. These small craft were too large to enter the shallow river. There were no docks to confine the water and deepen the channel, and it was quite shoal. The outlet of the river was about half a mile north of the mouth of the present harbor. Vessels, not being able to enter the river, came as near to the mouth as was deemed safe, and anchored. Lumber was towed out to them in rafts by means of vessel yawls, with sailors pulling oars for motive power. It was necessary to have smooth water for loading, and work was kept up night and day until loading was finished, or storms put a stop to it. It often happened that storms came up suddenly, and prevented men who went from the shore to load vessels from getting back, and that necessitated letting go of the rafts, with the result that the lumber was washed ashore and scattered along the beach and there was much loss in this way. The men remained on the vessel, and often had a long trip lakeward, for if the storm was very severe, vessels could not safely remain at anchor for fear of being driven on shore, and had to "slip and run." The most exciting occurrence was that of "working a vessel off the shore," and there were many narrow escapes from going on the beach, and much fame was earned by captains and crews by taking their vessels into safe water. It sometimes happened that the vessel got so close to shore that the seas broke over her, and that the men who stood at the helm had to be lashed fast, and that the remainder of the crew went into the rigging to keep from being washed overboard. I have lain behind logs on the beach, to keep the driving sand from filling my eyes, and watched vessels wallowing in the surf, portions of their canvas being blown to shreds, with almost certain destruction awaiting them, when night, dark and terrible, shut them from view, there was fearful foreboding for the morrow; and when the patrol sent along the beach to watch for the coming ashore of the vessel, returned reporting that she had weathered the storm safely, there was much rejoicing. Early in the fifties, a dam was built across the river at a point about a half mile from its outlet, where it made a bend at an obtuse angle to the north, and a ditch was cut across a narrow beach between the river and Lake Michigan, and the course of the river changed and made straight. The water was confined at the mouth by slab docks, and the channel deepened sufficiently to allow the small vessels to come into the harbor, which they did.
At this time there were five saw mills in Manistee. Two owned by ROSWELL, CANFIELD & Company, located on the present site of the CANFIELD & WHEELER company mill; two owned by Joseph SMITH, located at the junction of Manistee lake and river; and one at Old Stronach on the little Manistee river about one mile from Manistee lake. Before the channel of the river was deepened, lumber was brought in rafts from mills of STRONACH and SMITH, through Manistee lake down the river to vessels, a distance of six miles. When vessels began to come into the river it was necessary to devise some means for getting them up against the strong current. They could sail in, but could not sail up the river, unless the wind was just right, and this was seldom the case. Joseph SMITH built a slab dock on the north side of the river, extending from Manistee lake, down the river to a point nearly opposite of the present water works building. Oxen were used to tow vessels up the river, and the dock answered for a tow path. When coming down the river, vessels came stern first and dragged an anchor to check their headway. Vessels bound for Stronach sailed up and down Manistee lake. Contrast this method of shipping lumber with the present one of a boat going under her own steam from Lake Michigan to the head of Manistee lake, taking on 500 M feet of lumber in 10 hours, and steaming out without assistance, as compared to the old way of loading 70 M feet in a week or more.
In the year 1856, our citizen, Captain Charles GNEWUCH, brought a small tug named Boole to Manistee from Milwaukee, and began towing vessels, displacing the primitive ox team; thus paving the way for a large fleet of fine tugs that followed, and which he commanded eventually. The mills of 1853 were crude affairs compared with those of the present time. The best mills contained two muley saws and siding mill and a single saw edger. They were operated day and night. It will give an idea of the capacity of the muley saw to state that one moderate man wedged the lumber apart, adzed the stub end off, loaded it on travois at the foot of the slide, carried lumber to be edged, and piled it at the side of the mill, ready for the horse to haul it to the water to be rafted, and for James Dempsey, Sr., to edge, and was not overworked to handle twenty-four hours output in twelve hours. The working day has grown shorter since than, and wages and commissariat are much improved.
The only settlements in Manistee County were near the mouth of the river, junction of the river and Manistee lake, and Stronach. Forests came close to these settlements, and there was not a building east of the high sand hill until Manistee lake was reached. The white population of the county was very small, probably less than five hundred; Indians out-numbering the whites. It was a custom of the Indians to to spend fall and winter in Manistee and live on their planting grounds in the summer. It was interesting to see the Indians depart and arrive in their mackinaw boats, which were invariably rowed in and out of the river by squaws. On the lake, sails were used, except in calms. The Indians did not allow the squaws too many privileges, and managed the boats when under sail. In the winter they hunted, trapped and fished. They brought with them on their return from their planting grounds in the fall the crops they had for sale, consisting exclusively of "Opins," the Indian word for potato. They also made maple sugar in granulated form, which was put up in birch bark packages called "Mococks," containing about thirty pounds each. The sugar had a smoky taste, but was quite palatable, notwithstanding the tradition that Indian dogs were regularly boiled in the syrup from which the sugar was made. Indians had large numbers of dogs, and were generally credited with making food of them. Game was plentiful at this time, and it does not seem that they should have preferred dog meat to venison, rabbits, partridge and fish. I may add that Indians were the only agriculturists in the country, and vegetables were very scarce. Horses and cattle for work about the mills and woods were brought from Wisconsin and Illinois by vessels, and lowered over the side into Lake Michigan and started for shore, vessels not being able to enter the river. They sometimes refused to swim away from the craft that had been a stable to them for days, and had to be chased away by men in a boat. When they once scented land, however, no more urging was needed, and they hurried to get on it. I can testify to the good swimming qualities of horses, having ridden many across the Manistee river. I learned how to swim horses soon after coming to Manistee, and was in good demand for getting them across the river. I never expected or received compensation, other than the sport it afforded. The principle craft for going about on the river were Indian canoes, in the handling of which most of us became quite proficient. The amount of skill required to stand up in a dinky (small canoe), and pole it in a straight line, or reasonably so, without getting a bath, will never be realized without accomplishing the feat. Bataux were used for getting supplies to logging camps up the river. They were constructed with runways on the top side, and men walked along these runways and forced the boats with poles. This method gave way later to the using of teams for supplying camps, as roads were cut into the wilderness.
Whisky was plentiful. There was no common council to prescribe rules for drinking, and the only limit placed on it, was the quantity one could hold.No screens were at windows and one who could not drink with the crowd and in the open, was in danger of being hurt. Sunday was the convivial day of the week. There was no day or Sunday schools, no churches or preachers; and when a funeral occurred, rites were simple. My father officiated by reading a passage of scripture and singing a hymn at the grave. Most burials took place on the large sand hill west of the water works building. The winters in Manistee were much as they are now, so far as weather conditions are concerned, but vastly different in most respects. As stated previously, there was no way of communicating with the civilized part of the country except by way of Lake Michigan, and navigation closed about December 1st, and did not open until the forepart of April, residents of Manistee were shut in during this time, and it was necessary to get enough supplies on hand before the close of navigation to last until vessels could come in the spring, or in the case of failure to do so, pay the penalty of going without, and it sometimes happened that we were short on rations. The variety was very limited, too, and at the present day one could not keep house on it. We managed to thrive on the fare, and I for one do not wish to obliterate from my memory, the privations of early times. There are a number of people now living in our midst who will recall the anxious watching every spring for the white winged messenger, that would bring needed supplies, and with what pleasure the sight of her sails on the horizon was greeted.
There was no mail route in Manistee. During the season of navigation, mail came and went by vessels, and when the last vessels sailed away in the fall, no mail came until they returned in the spring. We were really a little world within ourselves. About the only amusements were card playing and dancing. The games and dances were not so aesthetic or frequent as at the present time and the orchestra did not consist of as many pieces as our present Elite Orchestra, but I am sure there was as much genuine fun derived from dancing and cards as now, and I should be competent to judge, having participated in the past and present. Our Orchestra is still living near High Bridge on the Manistee river, in the person of "Jim Siverly." The dress of the present day is not fashioned after that of Manistee in 1853. The swallow tail, and patent leathers would not come out of the rough and tumble fights incident to most dances of that time, in as good condition as a red flannel shirt and moccasins, and this may, or may not be the reason for not wearing them in the early days.
The first steam craft to ply regularly between Manistee and Milwaukee was the propeller J. Barber. She steamed into Manistee early in 1866, and loaded a cargo of lumber belonging to FILER & TYSON, for Milwaukee, and came back the property of Nathan ENGLEMAN. This was the beginning of a line of fine boats placed on Lake Michigan by Nathan and Michael ENGELMANN, some of which formed a daily line between Manistee and Milwaukee, and which resulted in great benefit to Manistee.
The professions were not represented in the population, and law, order and medicine were not a part of us. As we advanced in civilization, the professional men found us out, and came to minister to our necessities, and as I understand the first among them to come is to contribute to early reminiscences of Manistee. I think I shall do wisely by letting him begin his story at about this stage of the civilizing influence which advanced Manistee to a place in the front rank of Michigan cities. I might relate personal anecdotes that would amuse old residents, but they would not be interesting in an historical sense. Many pioneers are gone forever from our midst, but not from memory, and I often bring them to mind when recalling early experiences in Manistee.
In the year 1860, passing on the Indian trail, following the crest of the
sand bluffs about half way between Bear Lake and Portage one's attention
would have been arrested by the remains of a log cabin. Near it stood a large
hemlock tree upon which, beautifully carved, were the words "Capt. J. PATTERSON,
died Nov. 15th, 1835." The cabin was erected to accommodate the crew of a
boat wrecked at that point, belonging to Newberry of Detroit. The crew were
saved but the captain being the last one to leave the boat was so chilled
and exhausted that he died and was buried near the tree. There were sufficient
supplies saved from the wrecked boat to keep the crew during the winter and
in the spring they found their way to St. Joseph. This was probably the first
settlement of any kind made by white men in the county. Two years from this
time, in 1837, parties sought to obtain water power for milling purposes
on the Manistee river and built a house on the river below the mouth of the
south branch which stood for many years and was spoken of as "The Old House."
This house was built to accommodate a crew who were to work on a dam and
much timber was taken out for construction of the dam. Captain Humphrey sailed
a vessel and brought it into Manistee river but had difficulty in getting
over the bar and that fact together with the apparent cost of constructing
the dam discouraged the enterprise and it was abandoned.
"My first visit to Manistee was during the latter part of my summer vacation
in 1876. While visiting in Iowa, I received a very cordial invitation from
Mr. and Mrs. R.G. PETERS to visit them on my return. The friendship was through
Mrs. PETERS youngest sister, Miss Fannie TIBBITTS being a classmate and a
dear friend, lovely in character, charming in manner and a girl of marked
ability, having borne off the honors in both her Greek and Latin class at
Oberlin, a fine conversationalist and thorough musician. She was Manistee's
first music teacher. She died within the year. At the time of her death she
was to have been married to a prominent young man, who is now one of Buffalo's
most prominent lawyers. Miss Mary TIBBITTS taught the first select
On meeting Mr. Henry MARSH he kindly informed me "that none of the young
men were way up in etiquette but that they would make good husbands."
To be reminiscent concerning things occurring during the early history of
Manistee suggests much more than can be put into such an article as this.
Even now there come cherished memories of those who acted their part well
in the formative period of historical Manistee. We remember them gratefully
and obey the mandate "De mortuis nil, nisi bonum." We have no ill to say
or think of them. These early first friends are not all dead, but living
they are remembered and cherished as constant friends now, after a period
of nearly forty years. It is indeed a supreme pleasure to feel that the prime
period of my life was filled by such friendships. I think of the period to
which I shall in the main limit myself, few communities can claim a better
company of men and women. Coming as they did from older communities west
of the lake, they brought the habits, the social amenities, the gentility
and Christian activities not always present in new lumbering towns, and I
am sure that in these interests I should not put the women of the time in
(Dr. Lathrop S. ELLIS was living in Chicago in February of 1892.)
I came to Manistee on the 22nd day of April, 1853, in a small schooner called the Lewis Irwin, and commanded by William HIGGIE. The schooner was one of two owned by Canfield & Sons. At that time what is now the city of Manistee was simply a hole in the woods, with plenty of fever and ague to satisfy everyone, and the mosquito a permanent resident.
During the milling season all of the mills were run night and day, the crews changing every six hours commencing Sunday evening at six o'clock and running to Saturday night at six. Thus all hands had Saturday night to themselves. However, as there were neither churches, schools or theaters it was sometimes uphill work to pass the time from Saturday to Sunday evening. As about nine-tenths of the population unmarried men it was rather lonesome for some of us until John O'Neil started a boarding house and bar across the river opposite the Canfield mill. By a little crowding the ball room could be made to accommodate three sets, providing we were able to secure enough of the female persuasion. Every Saturday night till broad day light we danced, and the program was carried out weekly from about the first of May until New Year's. The orchestra consisted of one violin played by a highly accomplished musician, Dexter F. BEARD, who also did the calling for the different numbers, and on the week days for recreation put in his time as millwright at SMITH's mill. I came very near forgetting the most interesting feature of these rare social functions, the evening dress. Ladies dressed in muslin, lawn, gingham, silk or any other fabric that suited their taste of matched their complection, and the mode was a mere matter of individual fancy, but the ball gowns were not abbreviated as they are now. Among the men the evening dress was arbitrarily prescribed. It consisted of a pair of light dancing shoes, black pants unsupported by suspenders and a white bosom shirt over which a red flannel shirt with collar turned under to expose the white linen beneath, which was further ornamented with several dozens of pearl buttons. Of course on account of the liquid refreshments mentioned above there were occasionally slight misunderstandings, and as it was not the custom to deal much in futures at that time the boys were accustomed to adjourn to the back yard of the O'Neil place and arbitrate the difficulty by means of a fist encounter. These encounters were considered a mere incident to the dance and did not interrupt the progress of the ball. When the fight was over the matter was considered as "closed" and no more was thought of it by anyone. Feeling was not supposed to enter into these minor tiffs, and was discountenanced by all hands.
November 7, 1999.
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