Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

LANSING TOWNSHIP AND CITY, WITII HISTORY

475

clanging through the streets. At night the bells could be heard
under the windows of the hotels and of private houses.
There were no factories in Lansing at that time, and no railroad. The first railroad, the "Ramshorn," ran from Lansing to
Owosso. This was constructed somewhere about 1860. The
trains ran very slowly and Mr. Dart states that people could get
off the train and pick berries, then run and catch the train again.
Wood was used to fire the locomotive.
Mr. Dart recalls the time when a plough was used on Washington Avenue to turnpike it. That was in 1855. The first paving
that was used on Washington Avenue was cedar blocks. But the
people thought that this was a wonderful improvement over the
dirt roads, says Mr. Dart.
Mr. Dart is still hale and hearty and hopes to have many more
birthdays. His memory is excellent. During recent weeks he
has been living over again the olden days. When he tells of
those times his speech is so graphic one almost sees the State,
muddy trails, the log cabins, and the Indians of which he tells.
Mr. Dart has reaped the best fruits of life, he has worked and
played in the city of Lansing, and now enjoys the restrospect on
useful, enjoyed years.-State Journal, 1919.
LITTLE JOURNEYS TO THE MUSEUM-WHEEL WITH
A HISTORY.
High on the shelf in the Museum of the State Pioneer Society
is a wheel of the type that was used before the modern bicycle
came into general use.
The wheel, pictures of which are familiar to everyone, has the
enormous front wheel and miniature back wheel of the general
type.
Unusual interest is attached to the bicycle because of the fact
that in its youth it was owned, ridden and fallen from by the
Hermann brothers, who are now staid Lansing business men. It
is related that the brothers saved their money bit by bit until
they had saved $160 with which to buy the wheel, which was
considered very stylish in the days of the last century.