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

LANSING TOWNSHII AND) CITY, W\ITHI HISTORY

503

have induced vibrations in Lansing's circumambient ether which
are productive of many interesting recollections.
"With apologies to Orah Glaister Emery I beg to differ as to
the stylishness of Miss Moody. Please bear in mind that the socalled photo of '72 was taken in September, 1873, and that styles
changed even in those days. That slender waist, those Sis Hopkins braids, that Dolly Varden dress, all proclaim their era, and
if that hat is not of 1873 I will eat it.
"The other day a gang of boys on their way home from school
went through the basement of the Capitol. They were into
everything as they went, running about and yelling, regardless of
the work that was going on. Another gang going through on
the first floor slyly filled some paper drinking cups with water and
were out on the front porch ready to duck the first gang when
they came out of the basement. I wondered if any of them had
ever heard or could imagine what the Capitol grounds looked like
fifty years ago. Could they imagine that their grandafthers or
great uncles, prodding around there fifty years ago, had nearly
been scared out of their wits by stumbling over human bodies and
severed arms, and legs and heads. I know two little boys living
today in Lansing whose grandfather was in that gang, and Auditor
General Fuller vouches for the truth of the statement that the
whole gang went down a ladder at the same time. The boys of
1920 are after all not so very different from those of 1870. And I
wonder if any young lady in Lansing high school today can
imagine her grandmother sliding down the bannister of the old
frame high school of fifty years ago. But that is another story.
"Picture to yourself a field containing 11 acres. Near the
center on a slight elevation, an enlargement of Lansing's new comfort station, and you have the Capitol grounds as they looked to
me 50 years ago. The building, composed of red brick, which now
makes the Butler block,had been the State offices, but was temporarily occupied as a medical college and was soon afterward
torn down to make way for the present Capitol building. The
dissecting room of the College was one from which a safe had been
removed by way of a hole through the floor. One bunch of school
kids put a ladder up through this hole and another bunch gained
entrance through the door by picking the lock. The first ones in
were scared nearly as stiff as the 'stiffs' on the tables, but those