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

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

L. Miller, Supervisor of Saginaw township; Thomas McCarthy,
Supervisor of Tittabawassee; Ebenezer W. Perry, Supervisor of
Tuscola, and John Farquaharson, Supervisor of Taymouth, met
and organized, with Hiram L. Miller as chairman, and J. J. Malden, clerk.
Among the first acts of the board of supervisors was the granting of a license to G. D. Williams, authorizing him to keep a ferry
on the Saginaw, one mile up and down the river, from the Mackinac road, for three years, ending July 7, 1845. The following
rates were recognized: Foot passengers, 12jc each; man and
horse, 25c; man with horse and wagon, 371c; man with two
horses and wagon, 50c; cattle or horses, 10 cents eaclh; sheep or
hogsP 6Gc each. The price was not to be increased' upon the ferriage of horses and wagons, even though more than one person
accompanied each and all of them. In ferrying cattle, sheep or
hogs, the drivers were to cross free of charge.
THE BAYOU BRIDGE.
The board contracted with G. D. Williams for the construction
of a bridge over the bayou on the east side of the Saginaw river,
on the line of the Saginaw turnpike.
THE LITTLE PROPOSITION.
The proposition of W. L. P. Little, presented to the supervisors July 6, 1842, stated that to the board would be given a choice
of the lands lying between Cass and Flint rivers, at the rate of $5
per acre, on condition that the price of such lands should be taken
in payment of the debt of the Saginaw City Bank on the bond
given by the county to the bank, and in any and every other way,
the selection to be made by the board between the two rivers
mentioned, for which a good title would be given free of incumbrances, except the taxes now due, for which other lands would be
deeded. The board accepted the proposition, on the understanding
that the property be transferred to the county within a reasonable
time, and after the parties concerned could agree as to the indebtedness of the bank to the county. A few days subsequently, several
citizens signed a protest against the acceptance of Little's proposition. The board replied laconically, regretting that the remonstrance was not made prior to the record of the acceptance of
Little's proposition. E.W. Perry was appointed to examine the
lands offered, and to make such selections therefrom as might be
considered most valuable.
The troubles arising fiom the $10,000 bond given to the Saginaw
City Banking Company by the Board of Supervisors proved longlived, but the matter was ultimately settled March 8, 1844. On that
day, the committee appointed to settle this business submitted a report, from which the following extract is nad'e: "The county is to
give a bond, payable in four annual payments, for $5,257.75, and