Incorporated As A City

INCORPORATED AS A CITY
HISTORY OF MANISTEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
of Some of Its Men and Pioneers.
Published 1882 by H.R. Page & Co., Chicago

An informal meeting of citizens was held at the office of the county clerk, January 8, 1869, to consider the question of securing a city charter.It was decided to have Manistee incorporated after the general plan of the charter of Bay City, and to include all of Sections 11 and 12 and 1 and 2 lying west of Manistee Lake, and the northeast quarter of Section 13, the line to extend into Manistee Lake fifty rods from the shore. It was also decided to divide the city into four wards.

The matter was taken to Lansing, and the charter granted by the Legislature the first week in March. On the 12th inst. there was a people's caucus and a Democratic caucus, and on the 13th the Republican's held a caucus.

The first charter election was held on the 15th inst., and resulted in the election of the following ticket:

Mayor, George W. ROBINSON, 115 majority;
Recorder, J. L. TAYLOR, 124 majority;
Treasurer, M. FAY, 83 majority;
Marshal, L. S. JOHNSON, 102 majority;
Justice, S. S. CONOVER, 130 majority.
Aldermen:
First Ward, C. M. DANFORTH, F. McCORMICK;
Second Ward, B. MILMOE, B. M. CUTCHEON;
Third Ward, Joseph BAUR, A. E. CARTIER;
Fourth Ward, S. W. HOPKINS, N. NORMAN.
Supervisors:
First Ward, W. B. HORTON;
Second Ward, T. J. RAMSDELL;
Third Ward, Peter JONES;
Fourth Ward, W. S. KENDALL.
Constables: J. E. O'CONNOR, S. S. GLOVER, A. S. JENKINS, Geo. S. ALLEN.
The whole number of votes cast was 441.

The board of canvassers for the city met at the office of the county clerk, March 18, and declared the result of the first charter election as above stated. The board was composed of W.B. Horton, S.W. Fowler, B.W. Kies and W.S. Kendall.

The first meeting of the common council was held at the office of M.S. Tyson & Co., march 23, and the amount of bonds to be given by the recorder, treasurer and street commissioner fixed. At the second meeting, which was held March 30, the following officers were elected:

Street Commissioner: George A. SHACKELTON
City Attorney: D.W. DUNNETT
City Surveyor: H.S. UDELL
Harbor Master: J.S. TAYLOR

At the end of the year the aldermen voted themselves $50. each for their services, and still there was money left in the treasury.

Treasurer's Report of Receipts and Expenditures Year ending March 7, 1870
RECEIPTS Saloon licenses $4,400.00 Hotel licenses 205.00 Billiard licenses 160.00 Ten-pin licenses 20.00 Peddler's licenses 7.00 Auctioneers' licenses 6.00 Concert licenses 5.00 Circus licenses 69.00 Butchers' licenses 100.00 Dray licenses 110.00 Fines by justices 645.65 Poll-tax 495.00 Highway tax 1,779.00 City tax 493.00 Total $8,494.65
EXPENDITURES Highway purposes $2,349.41 Police force 817.43 Pound 92.90 Clerks, rent and room 154.03 Sheriff and jail fees 510.92 Salaries 1,672.95 Office rent and furniture for marshal 123.50 Hooks and ladders 70.78 Eight aldermen 400.00 G.W. Robinson's traveling expenditures in connection with river and harbor improvement 200.00 Office rent of recorder and making tax roll 100.00 J. McGregor, for destruction of building by fire 175.00 B.M. Cutcheon, for drafting ordinances 37.50 Record books and stationery 61.87 Printing and binding charter 57.90 M.S. Root, board of crazy woman 2.00 Sibbens & Co., ballot boxes 25.00 Reward for recovery of body of H. Field 200.00 Salary of supervisors 180.00 S.W. Fowler, printing 147.90 Tribune printing 2.87 Total $7,381.96

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1882 History of Manistee County

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