resolved to raise $1,570.59 to be applied on building a county jail in the "city" of Saginaw.

The board of supervisors met at the clerk's office, Oct. 3, 1837. Jeremiah Riggs, Supervisor, Albert Miller, J. P., E. S. Williams, and Samuel G. Watson were present. J. Riggs was chosen chairman, and Samuel G. Watson, clerk. The first transaction of the new board was a direction to the clerk to notify the inhabi tants of the township and county of Saginaw that they would be required to vote, on the 6th and 7th of November, 1837, for or against a loan of $10,000, for the erection of a court-house and jail, and also to have such notice published in the new paper called the Saginaw Journal. The vote on the question of the day was duly taken, a loan of $10,000 made, bearing 7 per cent. per annum interest, negotiated with the directors and company of the Saginaw City Bank, and the bond signed by Andrew Ure, Jeremiah Riggs, E. S. Williams, and Albert Miller, binding themselves, and their successors in office to pay the banking company the amount of loan, with interest, within 10 years from Jan. 1, 1838. The members of the board assembled March 8, 1838, at the house of Joseph J. Malden, when the following proposals for building a court-house were handed in: Asa Hill and Benj. Severson, $11,500; Wm. L. P. Little, $12,000; R. H. Renwick, $11,000; Bunker A. Tuthill, $11,950. This action was followed by a most singular result. On motion of Albert Miller, it was resolved to sell the contract for building, at auction, reserving the right of sale. This procedure resulted in reducing the proposals to $9,510, Hill reducing his price $1,990. At a meeting, held within five days, a contract was awarded to Asa Hill, on condition that the court-house be completed June 1. 1839, and that 10 per cent. on the amount of contract be retained until the work was finished, and accepted by the county board. The expenses, attendant on making loan, drafts, contracts, etc.. aggregated $157.75, paid out as follows: Benj. Severson's account for drafting, $50; Asa Hill's, for ground plan, $18; Jeremiah Riggs, for services, $14; E. J. Williams, for services, $14; A. Miller, $14; A. Ure, $8; W. F. Mosley, $6; S. G. Watson, $32 75; Saginaw Journal, for advertising. $12. Ephraim S. Williams was appointed building superintendent, and Samuel G. Watson additional superintendent of the work.

During the year 1837, the census of the county was taken by A. Butts, Collector. His pay was $1 for every 100 persons, or $9.20, which shows that in that year, there were only 920 people in the county. The board, however, in consideration of the great number of miles traveled and money expended by him, granted him an addititonal sum of $50. Asa Hill died in 1838, and his securities were empowered by the county board to take possession of all building material and proceed with the work.

In November, 1838, Sheriff Elijah N. Davenport was directed to lease from Abraham Butts a block-house standing in rear of his dwelling, to fit it up as a jail, and use it for a house of detention.

The county commissioners of Saginaw met at the clerk's office Nov. 19, 1838, when lots were drawn for terms of office. Duncan McLellan drew for a three years' term, Cromwell Barney for two years, and James Fraser for one year. The board organized by electing James Fraser, chairman and C. S. Palmer clerk. During the years 1839-'40 nothing of importance was transacted by the board, with the exception of arranging many little disputes arising out of the erection of the county buildings by the executors of Asa Hill. In January, 1841, the Saginaw City Bank building was leased to the county at $50 per annum by Wm. L. P. Little. The board authorized the clerk to subscribe for the Detroit Daily Advertiser, then edited by Dawson & Bates. James Fraser, Ebenezer Davis and Duncan McLellan formed the board of commissioners in January, 1841. Any two members of this board took to themselves some extraordinary powers, among which may be mentioned that of appointing another member, as a substitute for an absent member. In April, 1841, a committee composed of Ira T. Farrand, Cromwell Barney, Thomas McCarthy, Eriel Barber, E. N. Davenport, G. D. Williams, and John Farquaharson, was appointed to superintend the work of Norman Little on the courthouse and jail; while Farrand, Barber and Samuel Shattuck were appointed appraisers of the material supplied to the original contractor, Asa Hill. The expense of one meeting of this committee, together with the work of the appraisers, was $39.94; nor did this settle the matter; it is evident from entries made June 18, 1841, that Little did not agree to the terms proposed, for on that date it is recorded that Eriel Barber was appointed by the board to superintend the building of the courthouse in the most economical manner; to procure lime, brick and stone for foundations, and to hire mechanics and laborers.

In 1841 the townships of Tuscola and Tittabawassee protested against the assessment of real and personal property, stating that it was much in excess of the valuation of Saginaw. The board, having inquired into the matter, equalized the assessment, but decided ultimately that the difference was not so great as to justify the expense which would attend the amendment of the assessment roll. The commissioners, appointed to inquire into the amount of county property which passed into the hands of the administratrix of Asa Hill, reported Nov. 13, 1841, stating that the widow Hill knew nothing positive regarding county property. During this year, the transfer or copy of deeds and mortgages from the records of Oakland county was made, at a cost of $89.19. For this sum copies of 84 deeds and mortgages, together with the plats of Saginaw and East Saginaw, were made by Joseph D. Sharp, Oct. 6, 1841.

SUPERVISORS' COURT.

The government of the county changed in 1842. James Frazer, Andrew Ure, and Ebenezer Davis, the last commissioners, held their last meeting March 18, 1842. On July 4 following, Hiram

L. Miller, Supervisor of Saginaw township; Thomas McCarthy, Supervisor of Tittabawassee; Ebenezer W. Perry, Supervisor of Tuscola, and John Farquaharson, Supervisor of Taymouth, met and organized, with Hiram L. Miller as chairman, and J. J. Malden, clerk.

Among the first acts of the board of supervisors was the granting of a license to G. D. Williams, authorizing him to keep a ferry on the Saginaw, one mile up and down the river, from the Mackinac road, for three years, ending July 7, 1845. The following rates were recognized: Foot passengers, 12c each; man and horse, 25c; man with horse and wagon, 37c; man with two horses and wagon, 50c; cattle or horses, 10 cents each; sheep or hogs 64c each. The price was not to be increased upon the ferriage of horses and wagons, even though more than one person accompanied each and all of them. In ferrying cattle, sheep or hogs, the drivers were to cross free of charge.

THE BAYOU BRIDGE.

The board contracted with G. D. Williams for the construction of a bridge over the bayon on the east side of the Saginaw river, on the line of the Saginaw turnpike.

THE LITTLE PROPOSITION.

The proposition of W. L. P. Little, presented to the supervisors July 6, 1842, stated that to the board would be given a choice of the lands lying between Cass and Flint rivers, at the rate of $5 per acre, on condition that the price of such lands should be taken in payment of the debt of the Saginaw City Bank on the bond given by the county to the bank, and in any and every other way, the selection to be made by the board between the two rivers mentioned, for which a good title would be given free of incumbrances, except the taxes now due, for which other lands would be deeded. The board accepted the proposition, on the understanding that the property be transferred to the county within a reasonable time, and after the parties concerned could agree as to the indebtedness of the bank to the county. A few days subsequently, several citizens signed a protest against the acceptance of Little's proposition. The board replied laconically, regretting that the remonstrance was not made prior to the record of the acceptance of Little's proposition. E. W. Perry was appointed to examine the lands offered, and to make such selections therefrom as might be considered most valuable.

The troubles arising from the $10,000 bond given to the Saginaw City Banking Company by the Board of Supervisors proved longlived, but the matter was ultimately settled March 8, 1844. On that day, the committee appointed to settle this business submitted a report, from which the following extract is made: "The county is to give a bond, payable in four annual payments, for $5,257.75, and

interest on the whole yearly; and the sum of $1,208.25, the interest due on the $5,257.75 up to Jan. 1, 1844, to be paid. The bond to be given by the county to draw interest from Jan. 1, 1844. Upon the payment of the $1,208.25, and the execution of the bond for the $5,257.75, the bond now holden by the State to be given up and cancelled. It is understood that there is to be deducted from the $1,208.25, some $80 paid by the county on the interest. In this settlement the county has been allowed the $650 appropriated by the Auditor General, and $350 of the $700 paid into the Saginaw City Bank. The $1,208.25 to be paid as follows:-The county treasurer of Saginaw is to give an order on the Auditor General authorizing him to apply one-half of the taxes received into his office from the non-resident taxes, returned from said county until it shall be paid, and the said order is to embrace and ratify the $650 already paid by said Auditor General to the Land Commissioner from the taxes received by him for Saginaw county.

This report was signed by R. P. Eldridge, Chairman Board of State Auditors; G. D. Williams, Chairman Board of Supervisors, Saginaw county, and H. L. Miller, delegate from the County Board of Supervisors. This affair may be said to have been closed May 9, 1844, when the board executed a bond to the State in accord with the terms of settlement, signed by G. D. Williams, Enoch Olmstead, Murdock Frazer, Lovira Hart, and John Farquaharson.

MUNICIPAL BRIEFLETS.

The six streams above Cass river bridge were bridged in 1842-3. At the same time a scow was provided for the use of the public at the crossing of the river at the Saginaw and Taymouth road. In 1843 the board resolved to have a copy made of all entries of county lands from the Detroit and Flint river records. Authority was given to James A. Kent to establish a ferry over the Cass river, at the crossing of the Saginaw turnpike. The rates were 50 per centum less than those charged by G. D. Williams. In May, 1844, H. L. Miller notified the officers of school district No. 1 that, owing to the proximity of the school building to the new court-house, and the danger in which the latter structure would stand in case of fire, it was deemed proper to cause its removal to a more suitable location.

TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

The organization of the townships may be said to begin in 1840 with Tuscola. Tittabawassee was admitted a township in 1841; Taymouth in 1842; Hampton, now forming a portion of Bay county, in 1843; Northampton, now an integral part of Bay county, in 1846; and Bridgeport in 1848. Chesaning, or "Big Stone," was set off in 1849. Buena Vista was organized in 1849; Midland in 1850.

The townships of St. Charles, Birch Run and Blumfield were organized under authority given by the board of supervisors in session Feb. 9, 1853. Frankenmuth, Zilwaukee, Hale and Pine River, the two latter of which are now embraced in Bay county, were organized in 1854. Emerson, Williams, Thomastown and Kochville were set apart in 1855. Brady was organized in 1856; Maple Grove, Fremont and Portsmouth in 1857; Brant and Spalding in 1858; Swan Creek in 1860; Richland, 1862; Albee, 1863; Chapin, 1866; Carrollton, 1865; Jonesfield, 1873; James, 1874; Lakefield, 1875, and Marion, 1880.

In the organization of these townships the board of supervisors were generally in favor of extending the principle of local government whenever the population of any portion of the county pointed out that course as judicious. However, in the case of Zilwaukee, the board exercised its full powers, and postponed the organization of that portion of the county fully two years. The petition for the organization of Zilwaukee was laid before the board Jan. 5, 1852, and also a petition of remonstrances against such petition, signed by 34 Germans residing within the limits of the would-be organized township. The petitioners for organization withdrew on Jan. 7, 1852, and presented again Jan. 8, a petition with amendments. The board decided against the organization of said township, even with amendments, by a vote of five to three.

TOWNSHIPS OF THE PAST.

The townships organized and now separated from Saginaw, including Williams, was set off Oct. 10, 1855, which comprised township 14 north, of range 3 east.

The first annual meeting for the election of township officers was held at the house of William A. Spafford, on the first Monday in April, 1856, with the following named persons: William A. Spafford, Simon Wilbur and Amos Calbner presiding over such election.

An order of the Board of Supervisors, dated Oct. 9, 1855, directed that the territory known as township eleven (11) north, of range number two (2) west, in Saginaw county, be and the same is hereby set off from the township of Tittabawassee, and organized into a township to be known as Emerson, and that the first township meeting for the election of township officers shall be held at the house of Erastus Iunt in said township, on the 24th day of October, A. D., 1855, and that Isner Allen, Melancthon Pettit and Israel Preston, three qualified electors of said township, be and they are hereby designated as inspectors of such election."

The township of Pine River was organized under authority given by the board, Dec. 27, 1854, in the following order: That the territory known as township number 12 north, of range number 2 west, and township number 12 north, of range 3 west, in Saginaw county, be and the same is hereby set off from the township of Tittabawassee, and organized into a separate township, by the name of Pine River,