The Chesaning Argus, November 7, 1877

While the second issue of The Chesaning Argus doesn’t contain anything as singular as last week’s frolic with a naked wildman, it does capture an important moment in Chesaning’s transition away from its reliance on the lumbering industry to a more diversified economic base.

How often during the past few years have we heard the people complaining of "hard times" and the press has taken up the subject and now all over the land comes the same complaint of "hard times." The first thing that greets you on meeting a friend or making a new acquaintance, is the condition of the "times."

There are but few who suffer for want of food or clothing and the majority of these were in the same condition in more prosperous times. The great trouble is the fact of not having their pockets full of money or a surplus which they did not appreciate, or attempt to better their condition with. But we do not propose writing the old story in all its details, it is known by every one the only trouble is, they do not stop to think where the trouble lays.

In fairness to the complainers, this editorial did appear during the tail end of what became known as The Long Depression, a severe recession that lasted from 1873 to 1879.

All should take into consideration that it is an actual necessity to live within their income, whatever that may be, but we are more interested in our immediate vicinity, and this is what we wish to write of. How are we affected? And what is our prospects? These are the questions which occur to us at once and we look about in search of an answer. Of course it is well known that our past support throughout the valley has been lumber. In some sections it continues to hold life in the towns and villages, but it is fast failing and all are looking forward to something to succeed the lumber trade, and farming appears to be the only sure business left them, of course, as the farmers succeed, other business follows which is built on a sure foundation.

The great trial to our villages which have been built on the pine foundation, comes when they change from lumbering to farming. And it takes several years for this change to become fully established.

Chesaning has already passed through this ordeal and is now on the road to prosperity. It has left behind the bad effects of the pine woods, and is now assuming a firm stand which can never be overcome. It moves onward with a support of men who are interested in the village and in the surrounding country. The farmers have their lands cleared and are nearly all on a square footing with the world and each year adds to their surplus, and soon they will be in the best of circumstances, and now we see the good effects of the hard times. Every man and woman sees the necessity of living within their means, and laying up something for further hard times.

While Chesaning has the best of society, the most enterprising merchants and the best of schools, who can see a possibility of anything but a bright and prosperous future.

To offer some background, by the 1850s the Saginaw Valley was already the largest supplier of lumber in the state of Michigan, and Chesaning was a key part of that thriving industry.

Chesaning, for the past year, has done well in improvements, and is destined to be a place of importance, on account of its position and vast lumbering interests.

East Saginaw Courier, September 27, 1860.

The harvesting methods employed by the lumber barons were anything but sustainable, however, and soon much of the local timber was gone.

[Chesaning is] a flourishing lumbering village on the Shiawassee river... The surrounding country is being devoted more to agriculture than heretofore, as the lumber has been cut off so that the nearest lumber camps are from 10 to 12 miles distant.

Michigan State Gazetteer (1875), R.L. Polk & Co., pg 180.

That’s not to say that lumber would not remain a major component of the local economy. There were still several saw mills operating within the village, and many others throughout the surrounding area.

Things were trending downward, however, and it’s a credit to the community that they were able to anticipate the long term decline of the lumbering industry and prepare accordingly.

The current economic circumstances were still less than ideal, and the publishers of The Chesaning Argus had to adjust accordingly.

There are many farmers that would like to subscribe for the ARGUS, but they have not the ready money to pay down for the same, as is required by our general rules.

To all such we would say that we have concluded to accept in such cases, vegetables, produce and wood. Thus all you have to do is to bring in enough to pay the subscription price of the Argus for one year, and thus be supplied with the best of reading matter for the coming long winter evenings.

Don't forget to bring butter and eggs or even wheat, corn, potatoes, chickens, turkeys, hogs, cattle, horses and other articles to numerous to mention.

We want all to have the Argus and we want them now.

With these weighty matters behind us, we can turn our attention to the more mundane goings on around the village.

On Monday last, a brass store-door key was lost, and the finder will confer a favor by leaving the same at this office.

Clearly it’s been a slow week for news.

The most notable event is perhaps the grand re-opening of the Waverly House.

Once more the old Waverly House is open to the public. The weary traveler finds a place to rest on the east side of the river.

The Waverly House was a hotel located on top of the hill overlooking the river on the east side of the village, and was already in operation by the autumn of 1869, when it was the sole survivor of a fire that destroyed an entire block of stores on the north side of Broad Street.

The owner and proprietor was Garrett Post (1823-1898), a former blacksmith who had settled in Chesaning back in 1875.

G. Post, of the Waverly House, is talking about a social hop in commemorating the opening of his house.

This week also gives us our first mention of the community of Sunlight Corners, although I’m not sure where exactly this community is located.

Ettie Craig is to teach the school at Sunlight, which commences Monday next.

If we comb through the records, we find a young lady by the name of Etta Craig living on her father’s farm in Albee Township. The 1880 census lists her occupation as schoolteacher.

The 1877 map of Albee shows the Craig farm was located near the intersection of Burt Road and Gasper Road, only a short distance away from a schoolhouse.

So was Sunlight Corners in Albee Township?

We also have several items from the newspaper’s correspondent in Spencerville, someone calling themselves Jasper Jack.

Our club last Saturday evening was a success as usual. Our paper "The All Sorts," was read by Mrs. Barton, and proved very interesting. The next paper is to be read in two weeks, edited by Mrs. E. C. Spencer, formerly of Chesaning. A party of three, viz: N. and C. Ballard and W. T. Fay, started for the great hunting region, where the deer dieth not and where the game is not quenched, one day last week, and we are in hopes they will not loose their ammunition.

Here we are given plenty of names to aid us in our search for Spencerville, and sure enough they all appear as residents of St. Charles Township, close to where the railroad tracks once crossed over Fergus Road.

Happenings

"Snow, beautiful snow," and it came for the first time this season, on Thursday last.

H. S. Allen has a cabinet shop on Liberty St. and gets out some very fine bracket work.

Owing to the late storm, work has been suspended on the store of Gould & Oliver, but this morning the carpenter are all on deck.

We notice many improvements in progress among our farmers. Mr. Race on the town line, near Tuft's mill, is clearing his farm and has built a neat house.

Misfortune

Jessie McIntosh, of Chesaning, arrived in town Wednesday morning, and in the evening went to Alcona, where he has been employed by Mr. Beard in the telegraph office. Jessie informs us that he has just recovered from a very severe sickness with the diptheria, same disease of which his brother, Artie, recently died.

Marriages

At the residence of A. W. Austin, Chesaning. November 3, 1877, by Rev. J. H. McIntosh, Chas. E. Davis of Evart and Miss Viola Bennett of same place.

We finally have our very first marriage notice published in the new Chesaning Argus, although neither party is from here.

I’m assuming the groom got cold feet and fled from Evart in hopes of reaching the Canadian border, but only made it as far as Chesaning before being apprehended.

The Chesaning Argonaut