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- Description:
- One booklet entitled, "State Savings Bank, Detroit, Mich." and "Statements of Detroit Banks, December 13th, 1900." Handwritten text shows "State Savings Bank Building, Erected 1900." This booklet has a white paper cover that shows an engraved drawing of the State Savings Bank in Detroit. The 32 interior pages are printed in black text on slightly yellowed paper and list the names of various Detroit banks along with brief statements of their assets and liabilities as of December 13, 1900. Several loose slips of paper have been inserted in the booklet which give the names of the officers and directors for some of the banks. These loose slips have been cut from another publication.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This 2-page letter was handwritten in black ink on slightly yellowed paper by Orrin R. Baldwin, president of the American Harrow Company as well as president of the Merchants and Manufacturers Exchange. The paper has the watermark, "Crane & Co., Dalton, Mass., 1900 Bond No. 21." It was placed in a heavy tan envelope that was sealed with black wax that was impressed with the letter, "B." The text of the letter has been transcribed as follows: "Detroit Mich. Dec. 31 1900 To Detroit's First Mayor of the 21st Century Greetings: I have been requested by our present Mayor the Honorable Wm. C. Maybury to look into Detroit's Industrial and Commercial possibilities a full century and make a prophecy thereon. This is quite a problem and I will undoubtedly be wide of the mark but for your assessment and possible enrichment I cheerfully comply. Today we have about 2000 manufactories, none of which have been established a Century and nearly all less than one fourth of that period. Assuming that the number will increase one percent annually and those now in suburban territory, being then within the city limits, Detroit will have on January 1st 2001 about 5000 manufacturing plants. With the increase in number and the natural growth in size, employment will at that time be given to 500,000 employees supporting 2,500,000 inhabitants. (estimated) I predict that nearly all of Woodward Avenue, from the River north to the Grand Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue east to Belle Isle Bridge will be occupied by business houses. I predict also that Detroit then as now will possess its own Capital and maintain its Conservatism as its people will continue to cherish and keep their success and it will take more than one hundred years to make Detroit thoroughly progressive. I predict further that Sandwich, Windsor and Walkerville now in Canada will be a part of the City of Detroit and that Ontario will be a state of the United States of America. Also that the factory products will be largely transported in Air Ships and discrimination against Detroit shippers will then be a thing of the past; that mechanical skill will control the river's current and the rays of the sun to make power for the industries. Also that Detroit will have a Common Council that will adopt and keep a Time that is standard and in harmony with other great cities of our country. With all due respect for you and your posterity. Yours, Orrin R. Baldwin"
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
323. Banking Interests
- Description:
- This slightly yellowed paper envelope contained a 4-page letter that was written George H. Russel who was the President of the State Savings Bank. The front of the envelope is entitled in handwritten text, "Banking Interests" and is signed "Geo. H. Russel, Prest. State Savings Bank." The return address of the bank is printed in black text in the upper left corner of the envelope. The back flap is secured with red wax seal that has been impressed with the seal of the bank.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This folded sheet of writing paper was from the personal stationery of Charles L. Freer. It is slightly yellowed and the sender's address, "33 Ferry Avenue," is printed at the top in black text. The paper also has a watermark that shows "Scribner's Vellum." The handwritten text is transcribed as follows: "Hon. W. C. Maybury, Mayor etc., My Dear Sir: In compliance with your courteous request, I have taken pleasure in writing a few lines on the "Possibilities of Detroit as a Manufacturing Center," and beg to hand you the same herewith enclosed. Your plans to entertain our friends of a century hence is excellent and I only regret that my little paper is not more worthy of the occasion. With every good wish and heartiest New Year greetings, I am, Faithfully yours, Charles L. Freer."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
325. Police Headquarters
- Description:
- This cyan halftone picture was cut from a page and shows a view of the front of the Police Headquarters building. A handwritten date at the bottom of the cutout shows "Jany. 1st 1901."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This white paper envelope contained a 6-page letter that was written by Edward F. Marschner who was the president of the Detroit Board of Education. The upper left corner of the envelope shows the return address of the sender, "Ed. F. Marschner, 980 Meldrum Ave., Detroit, Mich.," which is printed in dark blue ink.
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- 1-page letter written by William E. Quinby, President of the Detroit Free Press. It is a blue carbon copy which was typewritten onto thin linen paper and has the watermark, "S & B Paragon Linen, Made In U.S.A." The writer has signed in black ink, "William E. Quinby."
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This 3-page letter was handwritten in black ink on a folded piece of slightly yellowed paper by Rev. Charles L. Arnold. His letter is entitled, "The Arnold Home for the Aged and Hospital for Incurables," and the text of the letter has been transcribed as follows: "The Arnold Home for the Aged and Hospital for Incurables. In December 1899, the Rev. Charles L. Arnold, rector of St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church, at that time the third parish in Detroit in number of Communicants, and situated on the corner of Church St. and Michigan Ave., came to realize the great need existing in our city of a "House" for those who by reason of age or other hopeless infirmity are unable to care for themselves. Through the kindness of the Trustees of the diocese of Michigan, the founder secured the free use of the former Episcopal residence, at 226 Fort St. West. Here Mr. Arnold gathered a score of the aged and incurable, and through the liberality of a number of gentlemen, notably, Hon. D.M. Ferry and Oliver Goldsmith Esq., was enabled to conduct the affairs of the "Home" with marked success. The first bequest to this institution was made by Mrs. Hannah Titus, who died in March 1900. With the amount of this bequest, about seven thousand dollars, the Arnold Home is to be incorporated on the day following the sealing of this box, and steps have already been taken for the acquiring of valuable real estate. No charity of this city today is more popular or more highly appreciated than this one, that has just entered upon, what we hope will be, a perpetual and enduring career of usefulness and beneficence. The earnest hope of the founder is that its existence may reach far beyond the limits of the century. 'Morituri salutaris' C.L. Arnold"
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
329. This 1-page letter was handwritten in black ink on slightly yellowed paper by Herbert J. Greville
- Description:
- This 1-page letter was handwritten in black ink on slightly yellowed paper by Herbert J. Greville who was the ex President of the Trades and Labor Council. The paper has a watermark that shows "Hampshire." The handwritten text is transcribed as follows: "It was our fathers who created the condition under which we live, and it is us who created the condition under which our children shall live. Herbert J. Greville ex President of the Trades and Labor Council"
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society
- Description:
- This 2-page letter was handwritten in fine black script on both sides of a slightly yellowed paper by Clarence M. Burton. The paper is printed with light blue lines and has a double red line near the top. The handwritten text is transcribed as follows: "Real Estate Titles in Detroit, Past Present and Future. Detroit's Founder, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, came on the 24th day of July 1701 and immediately commenced the erection of a palisaded fort. This work accomplished he set about purchasing food from the Indians, sufficient to keep his garrison and his Indian friends from want during the succeeding winter. Indians flocked in great numbers to his settlement, so that before the first years had passed he had nearly or quite 6000 people here. Cadillac understood that his appointment of Commandant gave him the ownership, and civil, and military control of the entire country and acting upon these rights he settled the Indians at various places near the new fort but he did not undertake to convey to them any parcels of land in fee simple. He gave them merely the right to occupy during his pleasure. As he was intent on building the post into a permanent colony, he proposed to give his soldiers and the civilians who came here, parcels of land with rights of ownership, and, with that ends in view, he settled many of these persons on garden plots and farms and village lots, promising to make them good conveyances when he might be permitted, by the French Government, to make proper deeds. In 1704 he obtained this authority and at once set about making transfers, to the citizens and soldiers, of the lands they were occupying under him. All of these transfers were similar in character to the feudal holdings in France. In all of them Cadillac, as lord of the manor, reserved certain rights to himself, such as a fine upon alienation; the obligation on the part of the grantee to set up a May Pole each year in front of the house of the commandant; the obligation of the grantee to grind his wheat at the mill of commandant; the payment of small annual dues for privileges of carrying on a trade, and make other like obligations. Cadillac was removed from his place in 1711 and the post fell to decay. The French Government refused to recognize the deeds Cadillac had made but it did not undertake to dispossess the people who held deeds from him. In the next forty years only a few patents or land transfers were made by the Governor and Intendant of New France, and none whatever were made by the succeeding commandants of Detroit. The Registry of Deeds that had been opened in Detroit by Cadillac was continued until it contained fifty or sixty pages of manuscript and was then removed and stored in the French Archives, and lost to every one interested, until accidently found and transcribed for me a few years since. The French ceased to govern Detroit upon the advent of Robert Rogers in 1760, and from that date until 1796 the English were in possession. Very few transfers of land were made during that period, excepting that there were many conveyances from Indian tribes to the English and French. A new registry of deeds was commenced about 1763 and maintained as long as the English remained here. General Anthony Wayne with the United States army under his command took possession of the post in 1796 and from that time dates our modern history in this department. Titles were very uncertain; generally without any solid governmental foundation; resting largely on possession and in tradition. The first effort was to begin anew with an undisputed ownership and, looking to that end, our government, in effect, set up title in itself to all lands. Commissioners were appointed by Congress to investigate and settle titles in the Detroit District, and those who had, before the coming of Wayne's army, been in possession of lands, laid their claims and proofs before these commissioners. If their claims were well founded and undisputed, or, if disputed, were found to be established, the commissioners accepted them and certified their finding to Congress. The government issued a patent, which was undisputable, to the applicant. This is the basis and foundation of all titles at the present time, and in theory and in proper practice no system of titles and transfers could be more simple. The grantee from government who wishes to transfer his title, has the proper deed of transfer drawn up and he executes it in due form and it is recorded with the County Registry. The new owner when he comes to sell, goes through exactly the same process. There are no fines to pay, no public officers to superintend the transaction, no unreasonable expenses to be borne. The process is simple, rapid, and inexpensive. Various modes have been devised to make the transfer of real estate more simple, but I doubt if this can be done in but one way. The only troubles we meet with now, are that conveyances and notaries are careless and owners of real estate are still more careless and indifferent. If some way could be devised so that conveyances could only be drawn by persons skilled in their work, and could be recorded, as soon as the transaction in completed, by a register who would employ only competent assistants in his office, there would be small need of delay in any real estate transfer. This is the millennium I am looking forward to in the century that will be ushered in at midnight to-night. December 31, 1900. C. M. Burton"
- Date Issued:
- 1900-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Data Provider:
- Detroit Historical Society