History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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nuisances-the latter, "inasmuch as it disturbs the public peace and is
considered by the physicians as injurious to those who may be sick,"
also the dam and millpond across the Clinton river and the residence of
Sewell Wisson.
THE MILL POND NUISANCE
The two mill ponds long remained public nuisances and objects of
contention, legal and otherwise, between the village and the city and
owners of abutting properties. As late as 1840 the channel of Clinton
river was badly obstructed with brush and dead timber, and in September of that year we find the council ordering the same removed, from
"H. N. Howard's dam to the Yellow mill," the job to be let to the lowest bidder. The work seems, however, to have hung fire, for in June,
1841, petitions were circulated and presented to the council praying that
Clinton river and Pontiac creek might be cleared of rubbish, and the
marshal was instructed to remove carcasses from the river at fifty
cents each. A low water mark was established on the mill dams below
which the mill owners were not permitted to draw water under penalty.
It is impossible and would answer no good purpose to go into details
concerning the litigation extending over a period of some sixty years
by which the Corporation, or the People, endeavored to abate an evil
which often threatened the public health. A compromise was finally
effected by which the city agreed to erect banks around the offending
mill pond and narrow the channel of the river. This work was not fully
completed until about I902, but now the old-time pond, with its freeflowing outlet, the Clinton river, is a thing both of beauty and sanitation.
THE FIRE OF 1840
The village had not even a hand engine when the fire of April 30,
1840, broke out in the Exchange, recently occupied by E. Burlington,
corner of Saginaw and Lawrence. The flames soon swept across Saginaw street, which they swept clean to Pike street. Twenty-five buildings were destroyed altogether, at a loss of some $25,ooo. These figures
do not now look appalling; but they did at that time, as they represented
the destruction of the business heart of Pontiac. The Jacksonian says
that at the time the fire swept along Saginaw street "the spectacle was
truly awful and sublime"; further, that "every one acted with commendable coolness. The ladies, who turned out and carried buckets, water,
etc., are worthy of all praise."
EARLY BRIDGES
During the summer of 1841 bridges were built over the mill pond
at Pike street and over Pontiac creek at Clinton street. In the following year the Pontiac & Detroit Railroad was approaching the place, and
the question of the right-of-way began to be discussed.
"COMMON COUNCIL," THE GOVERNING BODY
The election of officers for May, 1842, was held under the amended
charter, which changed the title of the corporation from "president