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

Vi,:VAY TowNShIP1 ANI) ITS HISTORY

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which in spite of all their faults were an improvement on the
candles of our grandmothers. But when the electric fixtures left
our homes they took with them a long train of comforts. for the
stoves, grills, fans, toasters, vacuum cleaners, washing machines
and flatirons went also, and there was nothing to do hut bring
back the tubs, brooms and dusters.
With the going of electricity went also the new power which is
eventually destined to move all our railroad trains, as well as the
cars we can see crossing the country in every direction.
Somewhere along the backward road that leads to "the good old
times" we lost our telephones, and we c(anl no longer (1all uI)
Central -and ask for long distance to Detroit or Cllicago, or even
talk to our next door neighbor, whlen we o 1 not (azre to go out of
the house.
Furnaces are becoming uinklnown'; tlle city water works are
gone and with them all our bathrooms, and the "moss covered
bucket" and plumlns are inl general use again. Pavements and
good roads are an unknown quantity, and we flounder through
spring mud, summer dust and winter snow; even the sidewalks
are nearing the vanishing point and are of wood, and narrow. In
1874 we find that the city officials-village it was then-refused to
order a sidewalk built on Oak street from B to A street, and on
the north side of Ash street from B street to Sycamore Creek.
Now we are back fifty years and must hasten and build fences
around our premises, for the cattle are using the streets for a pasture, and many of them are wearing bells which make night
hideous. A good strong fence is a prime necessity if we would
protect our lawns and gardens. Not only the cows but the hens
of the neighborhood are working over union hours in their endeavor to dig up and destroy all the gardens in sight, and making
a success of the undertaking.
The News at that time was published by Kendall Kiltridge (the
writer's brother). Those old papers when compared with our
present publications look very crude witch their four pages. Later
it became Ian eight page paper, with patent insides; the mechanical work is good and clear if it was only a hand press d; it
was a clean sheet and carried a great deal of information.
The business directory of 1870 makes one dream dreams.
The Republican ticket for that year was as follows: Sheriff,