Village Council, 1869:
All the following information comes from the volume of Commission meeting minutes which begins "At a Charter Election held at R. H. Scofield's Hall in the Village of Portland in the County of Ionia and State of Michigan, Monday the 3rd day of May AD 1869 in conformity to Act No. ------ of Session Laws of 1869 entitled an act to Incorporate the Village of Portland, Ionia County, William Root and Milton Sawyer were chosen by Viva Voce to be judges of Said election and George Whitney was chosen Clerk. " This statement begins the record of village Council meetings for the year 1869 to 1870, the first year of the Council proceedings.
Mr. Whitney served as Clerk for more than one term and for a number of years as a Councilman and these records are in his fine, neat script.
The total number of voters at this meeting was seventy-three, and most of the officers were elected unanimously. The list is as follows: President: Robert B. Smith; Corporation Clerk, George Whitney; TreasurerJames M. Webster; Assessor-George Hill; Marshall-Norman Sandborn; Trustees -Lorenzo K. Showman, Almeron Newman, William Dinsmore, Milton Sawyer, William Bogue and Hervey Bartow. These men, so far as we are able to find information, seem to represent a variety of occupations. Robert B. Smith came to Portland in 1860, bought the Neplus Ultra Flouting Mill, and described himself as a "merchant miller". He lived in a large house at the top of Dilley Hill (West Bridge and Grand River Ave), with his wife and daughter, Jennie. He engaged in a variety of local enterprises and passed from the local scene in 1883, when he moved to Chicago.Of George Whitney we know only that he was a Notary Public. George Hill was a partner in Hill & Storm Iron Works. Lorenzo Showman was a photographer. William Dinsmore and James Webster were farmers. William Bogue was a storekeeper and one of the town's oldest residents. Almeron Newman was a miller. Hervey Bartow was an attorney. Norman Sandborn's previous occupation is not known, but he became Marshall and continued in this job or as Deputy Sheriff for forty years.
Following the report of election is a complete copy of the By-Laws and ordinances adopted by the Council. There were thirty-four of these by-laws, ranging from 41, dealing with Vagabonds and Mendicants to 434, concerning Houses of III Fame. In between they covered subjects of shade trees, hitching posts, flying kites, bathing during daylight hours, fire protection, sliding on streets, nuisances, animals at large, and other concerns of the civic welfare. The business of the first year of incorporation was varied and perplexing, as the following items from meetings indicate.
MAY, 1869: Selected a site for Animal Pound (the problem of cows and hogs on Kent Street and in residential areas was troublesome). Made arrangements to build a brick, two-story jail on lot 88 of Bartow's Addition (on the west side, near Alton Park).JUNE 1869: Tried to establish limitations on buildings for fire protection. This occasioned such opposition that the matter had to be dropped.Determined that the firing of cannon be allowed under the direction of the Marshall during the day and evening of July 3. (July 4th fell on a Sunday.) Appointed assistant Marshalls for that day, also.
JULY 1869: Resolved: that the necessary steps be taken to abate the nuisance caused by barns, sheds and outhouses of the Exchange Hotel.AUGUST 1869: The iron sheathing for the walls of the jail cost $125, plus freight. The jail will be two stories high, with iron walls between interior wood and exterior brick.A complaint concerning a ditch dug by the Commissioner of Streets on Maple Street almost cost the Commissioner his job, but it was all literally smoothed over when the Village covered the ditch with dirt.SEPTEMBER 1869: The Council discussed ways to prevent destruction of the newly-finished Animal Pound. Not only were citizens rescuing their animals by going to the Pound at night and prying off boards of the fence, but they were taking the boards with them to use at home. Also, some of the boys of the town were supplementing their incomes by going out early in the morning and driving animals out of the woods outside town to the main street, then turning them in to the pound for the 250 fee allowed a citizen who saved the Marshall the trouble of rounding up a stray. The owners of these animals were irritated by having to pay fines to liberate their animals.OCTOBER 1869: The Council, bowing to public opinion, ordered the Marshall to close the saloon of Aaron O'Dell as a public nuisance.There were no meetings in November.DECEMBER: The Council directed the President to rent the upper story of the jail to a responsible party. It also bought a stove for the jail, voted to pay the construction bill, and ordered the Marshall to arrest all persons found intoxicated within the Village limits. The Council also set the salary of the Clerk at $75.00 for the year and paid him part of it. This was the last meeting held until April.APRIL, 1870: Suspended By-Law 17 to allow cattle to run free until May 15. (This became a yearly custom.) Appointed a committee to investigate the need of a road from the Grand River (on Water St.) north along the west side of Ionia and Lansing Railroad tracks. Received a petition of the Portland Cornet Band for financial assistance so they could hire a teacher. The Trustees presented their annual report.
FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE VILLAGE OF PORTLAND
MAY 1869 - MAY 1870
| Amount of monies levied as per tax roll |
$1,195.58 |
| Less taxes not collectable |
80.00 |
| Amount of taxes collected |
$1,115.08 |
| Pound fees |
12.00 |
| Bonds sold $50.00 each |
1,200.00 |
| Total resources |
$2,327.08 |
| Amount of highway money expended | 350.00 |
| Paid for building Jail | 1,170.00 |
| Other expenses on same | 211.00 |
| Other expenses on Pound | 50.00 |
| Filling and ditching | 20.00 |
| Other expenses | 210.67 |
| Discount on Bonds | 25.00 |
| In hands of Marshall | 56.03 |
| In hands of Treasurer | 9.00 |
| In hands of President | 225.08 |
| $2,327.08 |
On May 2, 1870, the Charter Election put the following men into office:President: Charles Maynard Marshall: Reynolds ScofieldClerk: George Whitney Trustees: Harvey Knox andAssessor: Thomas D. Scofield Orville SatterleeTreasurer: James D. WebsterThe new council went into session immediately and dealt with the matter of getting Mr. Briggs to survey the streets; appointed A. S. Crane as Street Commissioner, and resolved to order Mr. Cadwell to move a pile of building stone with which he was obstructing the street.Portland had passed its first year as a corporation, during which the
Council had dealt with nearly all the matters contained in its by-laws. In the following decade the town would pass through a serious financial depression, encounter the demands for improved streets and sidewalks, fire protection, sanitation, and public morals; experience the departure of many young men for the West; be forced to act on liquor control, public water supply, street lighting, disorder, riot, and public nudity. The railroad caused a sudden change in the climate of the town and each subsequent governing body has had to deal with problems which may seem more complex, but are no more acute than those met by the Council men of 1869.
