History of Michigan, / by Charles Moore. [Vol. 3]

HISTORY OF MICHIGAN

1611

lanau, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon,
Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa and Wexford. It is a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Michigan, not for a pecuniary
profit, and as an organization has no land to sell. It represents every
diverse interest of the twenty counties comprising its territory, and during
the five years of its successful existence has been kept clear and free
from the influence of the real estate promoter. It maintains a statistical
department which gathers reliable facts concerning the industries already
established in the various counties and keeps in close touch with what
is being done for the betterment of agriculture in the world; it maintains
also a department for the building up of the home market to keep pace
with the increased production of the farms, and has established an inspection service which is available to any one who desires to pack fruit under
the brand "Sunnyripe" adopted by the bureau. This has done much to
secure better prices for Western Michigan products. The work of the
bureau is diversified, and each department has had the helpful advice
and wise counsel of Mr. Perkett. He ships and handles over one-half
of the No. I apple crop of Grand Traverse and Antrim counties, as well
as Leelanau county, and has taken a leading part in bringing about a
reduction of freight rates within this district, all important documents
referring to this matter passing through his hands. Through his activities
a saving of 112 cents per hundredweight has been secured between Michigan points and Chicago markets, as well as a large reduction on fruits,
and thus a saving of $75,000 annually to the shippers and growers has
resulted permanently. Mr. Perkett is a stockholder of the First National
Bank of Traverse City, a director of the Traverse City Refrigerator
Company, and organizer and president of the Traverse City Humidity
Regulating Company, manufacturers of electric cigar moisteners and
electric incubators. He is a charter member of the executive board of
the Michigan Shippers' Association. Formerly Mr. Perkett was actively
engaged in politics, and served as alderman and supervisor, offices to
which he was elected on the Republican ticket, but of recent years his
great business interests have been such as to preclude any idea of his
being active in the political arena. At this time he supports the principles
of the Progressive party. With his family, he attends the Roman
Catholic Church.
Mr. Perkett was married first to Miss Mary Kilty, at Tustin, Michigan,
December I, I88I. She was a native of Western New York, and died
April 14, 1899, having been the mother of two sons: Louis Raymond,
born at Marquette, Michigan, September 29, 1893; and Oliver, born at
Traverse City, Michigan, April Io, 1899. On May 2, I906, Mr. Perkett
was married at Traverse City, to Miss Florence I. Jackson, a native of
Grand Rapids, Michigan, daughter of William and Katherine (Tarbuck)
Jackson. Mr. Jackson is owner of the Jackson Iron Works of Traverse
City, and inventor and patentee of the machine for the manufacture of
climax baskets.
BURTON F. BROWNE. In his native state of Michigan Mr. Browne is
one of the widely known newspaper men, and as editor and publisher
of the Harbor Beach Times possesses one of the model weekly papers of
the state, and one that ably exploits and furthers the interests of Huron
county. Having almost grown up in the newspaper profession, Mr.
Browne has been associated with the Press fraternity for the past twentyfive or thirty years, and enjoys an esteem among Michigan newspaper men
that has resulted in several important associations. For three years Mr.
Browne was president of the Eastern Michigan Press Club, and for two
years was president of the Wolverine Press Association, from which latter office he retired in February, 1914. Locally Mr. Browne is one of the