Part V - Government, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.

OLD PAPERS PROVIDE GLIMPSE INTO HISTORY OF BIG RAPIDS
By Jim Bruskotter, Managing Editor

An 8 X 10 manilla envelope stowed away in a nook of the desk of longtime city employee Roger Schneidt contains materials that provide a glimpse into the history of Big Rapids.

Typed on the front of the envelope is a description of the contents: "Contracts & Agreements Good for Historical Records Only.....1895-1951

Inside are numerous yellowed documents providing the legalese of past dealings between the city and other parties.

For instance, the packet contains three oil and gas leases for various city owned mineral rights within Big Rapids with individuals in the oil and gas business, including the most famous of all in the history of gas exploration in Michigan. Big Rapids own W.C. "Top" Taggart, who once held the title of "King of Gas" in the state. After all Taggart was involved in nearly all the gas finds in the early years of the industry in Michigan.

Other documents include:

A letter addressed to Big Rapids Mayir L.S. Griswold on July 5, 1895 proposng that the city provide a $5,000 bonus to F.E. Hood and G.A. Wright to construct a veneer and wood paneling company in the city, with notation that the parties would prefer to locate in Big Rapids despite offers from other cities of up to a $15,000 bonus and the offer of buildings for the business.

A Sept. 14, 1014 agreement between the city and Hood and Wright, a veneer manufacturer located on the east side of the Baldwin Street Bridge.

The agreement called for Hood & Wright to provide the necessary gravel and earth to complete the filling of of the old east raceway bridge that crossed Baldwin Street and followed along the edge of what is today the Riverwalk immediately behind the newly constructed condominiums behind Sawmill Pointe. The contract also called for Hood & Wright to construct a new segment of sidewalk in the vicinity.

Individual agreements dated May 19, 1938 from Falcon Manufacturing Co., Hanchett Manufacturing Co., Big Rapids Furniture Manufacturing Company, and Consumers Power to allow the city to fill the west raceway which began at the dam north of Baldwin Street and extended to the city water works south of Baldwin Street.

An Aug. 10, 1914 contract with Michigan Wood Preservation Company of Pittsburg to provide 1,500 linear feet of 2" by 3" of creosoted yellow pine to improve and repair the Maple Street Bridge at a cost of $3,875. The contract also listed specifications for the yellow pine for use as paving blocks, treatment and inspection of the blocks and the design of the flooring sytem.

Contracts dated Aug. 25. 1921 with VanderVeen Construction Co. of Grand Rapids for the bitumimous concrete paving of Maple Street from the east end of the Maple Street Bridge west to State Street and State Street between Maple and Cedar.

An agreement between M.E. Darrah and the city of Big Rapids on Sept. 6, 1934 to deed the property formerly occupied by Darrah Milling Co., which burned down in 1923 to the city of Big Rapids for $250 with the city to pay all back taxes. The property in question is now the site of the city's water plant.

An agreement dated Nov. 19, 1934 with Pate & Hirn Engineering to provide engineering services for the construction of a water filter plant.

^Two documents dated in the early part of 1931 which point to a taxation problem on the new Bell Telephone offices constructed and opened in 1930 on the north side of Maple Street, in the middle of the block between State and Michigan.

The first was a sworn statement from a company official that the company had been using the location for telephone purposes since Aug. 15, 1930.

The second was a letter from city attorney J.E. Dumon to Mayor D.W. Rowe advising that he believed that state statutes exempted Bell Telephone as far as "general tax is concerned in this city," and that "the state tax being all that can be required of them."

A contract on June 17th, 1914 between the City of Big Rapids and Daniel J. Shafer for the construction iof a sewer through the alley between State and Marion, commencing at the suth edge of Williams Street and extending to the sewer heading west at Grand Traverse.

A contract that was to become effective June 1, 1937 between the city of Bg Rapids as the seller and four companies as the buyers of portions of the city's upper dam and power output from an existing central plant under construction by the city.

The other parties involved in the contract were Cosumers Power Co., Hanchett Manufacturing Co. and Big Rapids Furniture Manufacturing Co.

The lengthy contract set down the portions of ownership of the dam, the generating plants and equipment and electric output of the facilities.

An agreement dated Nov. 1, 1916 between the city and the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railway Co., allowing the city to lay a four inch water main along Colburn Avenue as it passed through the rail company's right of way.

A boulevard lighting contract between the city of Big Rapids and Consumers Power Co., for a period of five years beginning April 24, 1926 for 50 lamps extending along Michigan Avenue from Elm to Pine.

An alysis provided May 16, 1936 by Compers Power upon the request of the city of the application of new Standard Lighting and Power Rates for both commercial and residential customers.

A depository agreement between the city of Big Rapids and Citizen's State Bank dated Nov. 12, 1932.

An agreement dated July 31, 1908 leasing a 100 by 100 foot lot east of River Street from the Soldiers and Sailor's Reunion Park Association to the city of Big Rapids to be used as a site for a contagious (detention) hospital.

A lease agreement dated May 1, 1896 between Martin P. Gale and the city of Big Rapids, providing a five year rental agreement in the Northern Hotel Block for use of a city office.

An agreement between the city and A.J. Dibble for "rent of land known as the pest house ground" with "Mr. Dibble to furnish everything and sell everything turning over to the city one-third of the proceeds derived from sale of everything raised on aforesaid land." The seemingly ambigious agreement was dated May 10, 1923.

A one-year lease, renewable for two years, between Max Marz and the city of Big Rapids for rental of Lot 21, Block 2 of Warren and Bronson's first subdivision and the building thereon.

A six month lease on April 27, 1935 between George W. Milner and the city for Lots 3 and 4 of Block 21 of Throp's addition to the city of Big Rapids to be used for "park purposes."

A five year lease beginning Feb. 4, 1946 between the city of Big Rapids and Ferris Institute for property in "the flats" to be used by the school for trailer type housing for veterans attending the school and their wives and single veteran students as well.

A similar lease for property in "the flats" beginning in February of 1951, but designating usage for "school purposes" only.

Rental agreements between the Treasury Department, Procurement Division and the city of Big Rapids for the former's use of an upstairs room at City Hall as a "work room" during the years of 1936 and 1937.

A lease agreement between Luce Redmond Chair Co, on East Maple Street and the city of Big Rapids for a building used as the hose house for the Crawford Hose Company. The ten year lease provided that the city pay $1 rental per year in addition to watering the lawn at the Luce Redmond factory building and sprinkling the road in front of the facility.

Return to Mecosta sesquicentennial Page

Return to Home Page