History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

SAGINAW CITY.

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population was estimated at about 12,000. Judging from these
statistics, the era of great advancement was between the inauguration of the salt manufacture and 1866; but, in reality, that marked
progress which characterizes the city depends not now on such
statistics; as railroads, improved machinery, and new methods of
manufacturing lumber and salt reduce manual labor to something
nominal. The increasing number and capacity of the lumber mills
and salt factories, and the opening up of the country in the vicinity
of the city, must be taken as the basis of progress. However extensive may be the utilization of labor-saving machinery, its producing power will always tend to insure an increase of wealth, as
well as an addition to the population; for wherever a great industrial center is found, there also is the steam-engine and all that
machinery which the genius of modern mechanics has introduced.
SAGINAW IN 1857.
During the years succeeding the "wild-cat" times the city of
the Valley made comparatively little progress. The first panic
reduced its population of 900 to about 450; but even with this small
number of inhabitants holding on to the ship, which so many
deserted, the settlers were confident of ultimate success. In 1848-'9
they beheld the return of the immigration tide; during those years
a few men came here to make a permanent settlement, their example was followed, until in 1857 the population was increased to 536.
The city was incorporated that year, while yet its commercial
and professional interests were represented by only 65 offices,
stores and shops, with four churches, two society rooms, the
Union and two select schools, the court-house and old-time county
jail. The streets were laid off, shade-trees planted and many
dwelling-houses constructed. Looking over a list of the professional and business men of the period, one must be reminded of
the many changes which later years have effected. Among the
lawyers of that time were Sutherland, Benedict, W. H. Sweet-and
E. C. Newell, with offices on Water street; Moore, Gaylord and
Hiram S. Penoyer had their offices in the court-house; and C. D.
Little, at the corner of Washington and Madison streets.
Doctors J. B. White, D. F. Mitchell, M. C. T. Plessner, Dion
Birney and Dr. J. Smith located their offices on Water street; N.
D. Lee on Jefferson, and S. Franke at the corner of Franklin and
Hamilton. A. 0. T. Eaton Brothers carried on the drug business
in a store at the corner of Court and Water streets.
The hotels comprised the Webster House, with Lester Cross proprietor, located at the corner of Washington and Jefferson; the
Saginaw City Exchange, on Ames and Water streets, operated by
Horace Douglass; the Shakspeare Hotel, kept by C. T. Brenner,
at the corner of Adams and Hamilton; the iEtna House, by Geo.
W. Beeman, on the corner of Van Buren and Water streets; the
Stage House, at the corner of Throop and Water streets, and C.
F. Esche's " Sylvan Retreat," on Court street.