Name/Title
A Visit to Newark 1857Entry/Object ID
2023.50.20Scope and Content
A Visit to Newark
From the "Holland Register," August 24, 1857
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"Where is Newark?" Well, reader, if you had asked us the question a few weeks ago we should have said, "why that is the high falutin name for 'the flats' at the mouth of the Kalamazoo river, principally celebrated for its great trade in rot gut, fever and ague, and an extensive Indian cat fishery."
Well, when we got there, we hardly knew the place, so much has it changed since our former acquaintance with it.
Then, Mike Spencer was trying experiments with one of the Ann Arbor pop gun saw mills and had almost got it so that it would pay running expenses, by throwing in his own time and hoarding himself. This, with Mr. Morrison's tannery was the sum of manufacturing of the place and a whiskey grocery or two represented its commerce.
Now, there are sixteen saw mills busily at work. We call upon Mr. John P. Wade, told him what our business was, and pen in hand, jotted down the following items of what Newark is doing.
[Ed. Note: Although the newspaper clipping clearly says "sixteen," the number is spelled out in print, the reporter actually lists only seven mills. This would be six if the two Singapore mills were counted as one, so the discrepancy might be simply a typographical error. In fact in the third paragraph from the end he specifically lists the number of Newark mills as six. Or perhaps the sixteen refers to the number of saws.]
The first mill on the lake is that of butcher, Stickney & Co., driven by an engine with cylinder 18 inches diameter, and 30 inches stroke; this drives two large circular saws, edgers &c., and a gang of lathes for turning cabinet work. This will keep two vessels running, and probably cut 150,000 ft. B. M. per week. The capital invested is estimated at $30,000.
Next comes Wells & Johnson's mill, driven by two engines, each of about 25 horsepower at low ordinary pressure, propelling two large circular saws, a complete gang of lath saws, picket saws, edging saws, and a shingle machine. They are
making about 150,000 ft. B. M. per week, and have not less than $50,000 capital in use in their lumbering operations.
The next saw mill is a steam shingle machine, to use an Irish form of expression. Messrs. Dunning & Co. make from 60 to 70,000 cut shingles per week by steam power. Their investment is probably about $3,000.
Elnathan Judson's saw mill comes next. It runs one large circular saw and edger and a lath gang. Saws about 75,000 feet B. M. per week. Capital invested, estimated at $10,000.
Moore, Twist & Co. drive one large circular saw, cutting about 100,000 per week. Their investment is estimated at $12,000.
We next come to the Singapore mills, nearer the mouth of the river. Stockbridge's upper mill has two muley saws, an extra sized siding mill, edgers, lath saws, &c., and it is capable of cutting 150,000 ft. per week. His lower mill has a single gang of 17 saws, which walks the logs through, converting them into piles of boards at once. This probably makes 75,000 ft. B. M. per week. Mr. Stockbridge must have invested in his lumbering operations not less than $75,000.
There are in the Township two tanneries, Mr. S. A. Morrison's at Newark, and Messrs. Wallins. Both are doing a large and profitable business and we should judge that they must be using from $15,000 to 20,000 capital. This is however a random estimate, as we did not see either of them to get the amount of their business.
Mike Spencer came in while we were taking the assessment, looking much more hearted and contented than he used to be when he was obliged to keep constantly exercising his wits to hold his head above water, and to keep the old pot gun mill running. We were making some inquiries about the shipping. By referring to his memorandum book, he informed us that 46 different vessels had visited Kalamazoo river this season, and that 25 vessels are running regularly. An A. l. steam tug is daily expected, which will wait on them out and in, in the most approved style -- He says more lumber has been shipped this year than ever before. There is now 7 ft. water on Kalamazoo bar.
Newark has two stores, kept by T. H. Marsh and S. D. Nichols. A fine looking Hotel, kept by A. R. Smith, and five boarding houses. The population of the village is estimated at 600.
Now let us post up our entries and see what Newark is doing. Number of saw mills, 6. Saws running (exclusive of edgers, lath saws, &c) 26. Amount of lumber manufactured per week, 700,000 ft.-- Amount per season, of 30 weeks, 21,000,000 ft. worth $210,000. Capital invested in manufacturing probably $195,000.
Newark is one of our Eastern shore towns and has a harbor which the United States ought to, and must improve, sooner or later. We shall count on the Newark boys to make a strong addition to our
Eastern shore party, to demand justice for our harbors.
It will also be a point on our Lake Shore railway and its business would make no contemptible item in establishing the probable local trade of the line.Context
Detailed account of mills and industries in Saugatuck, circa 1857
Newark later renamed Saugatuck was bypassed as a point on the Lake Shore railway when tracks were built in 1871. Most mills closed when the supply of ready timber played out about 1875 although specialty mills continued in the community until early in the 20th Century.Collection
SDHS NL Inserts, Tanneries, Industry and manufacturing, 1835 Logging and LumberingCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2023.50Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionNotes
SDHS Newsletter insert pages 45-46Location
* Untyped Location
Digital data in CatalogItRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Griffin & Henry Lumber Yard/Griffin & Henry Sawmill/Griffin & Williams/Stockbridge & Johnson/Wells & Johnson/M.B. Spencer Mill, Judson, Elnathan 1804-1881, Stockbridge, Francis Brown 1826-1894, Morrison, Stephen A. Jr. 1815-1905, Wallin, Franklin Bogue 1832-1908, Spencer, Michael B. 1820-1891, J.C. Wallin & Sons TanneryGeneral Notes
Note
This information was OCR text scanned from SDHS newsletter supplements. A binder of original paper copies is catalog item 2023.50.01Create Date
November 8, 2023Update Date
March 29, 2025
