The history of Sebewaing, Michigan Sugar factory

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The history of Sebewaing, Michigan Sugar factory

and one of the men to join the ranks of the leading sugar barons, Mich., John C. Laeken. It was almost 70 years ago when the idea hit him and already rich beyond the dreams he probably when he carved sticks barrel for a living as an immigrant in need in New York by more than fifty years. By 100, he worked in big business in a small town that is referred to as the father town because of his job creation that brought people to the city.

His annual sales in the years preceding 100, in modern terms, the equivalent of about $ 7.5 million. The combination of the companies that used two hundred people, he runs four factories saw primarily engaged in the sticks barrels manufacturing, many of which were shipped to Germany, the two flour mills, the main retail equipment and dry goods outlet, groceries, and medications that in 1884 used nine clerks.

based institutions Laeken in a small town in the "thumb" of Michigan. The city was Sebewaing, a small group of rural homes are located on the eastern shore of Saginaw Bay, some twenty-five miles northeast of Bay City. The population of day laborers who worked in one of the institutions Laeken or at one of the surrounding farms, or fishing in the Grand Saginaw Bay, which lapped the shores of the city within walking distance.

Sebewaing borrowed its name from the Chippewa word for crooked creek and some of the wealth and abundance of fishing in the Gulf. It was not long before the 19th century came to a close, the surrounding woods to fast axes fell, making room for German settlers who quickly set about the dual tasks of removing stumps and planting crops.

Laeken, a native of the state of Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany met Wallburga Kunkle, the woman who would become his wife, in Binghamton, New York. She was born in Bavaria and bore the name Bricks nun who traveled to Germany from England in 748 to perform good works. St. Wallburga became the patron saint of epidemics and famines and a host of other inconveniences, including dog bites. John was Laeken arrived in Binghamton after working for passage aboard a sailing ship.

after the birth of their fourth child, Emma, ​​in 1864, who joined her siblings, Mary, who was born in 1856, Hannah was born in 1858, and Charles, who was born in 1859, John and moved Walburga family of Sebewaing, It Lutheran settlement, which attract fishermen, farmers and timber men. The population of the city upon his arrival in 1865 is not enough to proclaim it over the village, but with the arrival of John Laeken, who was about to change. He founded the sawmill where he made staves barrel. Later, he put retail outlets, and lab dairy, cereal, ships, and include in the person of a single source for all the goods and services needed by the local agricultural community. Cream and crops, he put on boats and shipped about thirty miles along the shoreline Saginaw Bay to Bay City, a city bustling and growing where the daily demand on groceries rose by leaps and bounds with increasing the number of the population. It was in this regard, shipping, he became acquainted with the ship owner Captain Benjamin Boutell and it was through Captain Boutell he knows the chances of sugar.

grown village to village, and town folk began to think of Laeken the father of the city. Having two daughters and son in the community, who like to bring their father was all good shape, good health, good cheer, it was not unexpected that resembles began to add significantly to the population. Mary took to the husband, Richard Martini and a few years later, Hannah Christian allowed Bach young people to turn her head (in later times, adopted the Christian middle name, a unique name given his preference. And appears in sugar Michigan records authored by Daniel Gutleben as CF Bach.) Charles and his wife, Elizabeth, and settled in the community to take over the management of his father's affairs.

John Laeken Oldenburg had left his home at the age of eighteen years after the completion of vocational training for four years in barrels of Commerce. He said he knew of sugar beet because of that experience, and certainly did not know that men from his homeland has enjoyed some success with them in the county Bay, Mich., Where the three factories, and in the process, and was one of the most current and after the last under construction in Saginaw.

Altogether, a total of one tenth factories beet sugar and inject soon profits to cities Michigan if one believes the hoopla generated by the railways, and others who will benefit from the construction of factories. Excitement that may raise farmers and investors across the state leaked to Sebewaing. Laeken saw no need to enlist the support of the usual methods, holding town meetings, recruit the editors of local newspapers, and gangs recruit and front men to call on farmers. He was convinced of the need for sugar beet factory and since a large portion of the local wealth reside in the vaults, and said he sees no need to convince others to adopt the case. It has looked like enough resources to build the plant.

and the formation of a committee currently consists of hock his son, Charles, Richard Henry Martini, and the husband of his daughter, Hannah, and the husband of his daughter, Mary, Fred Christian Bach. Each of the three has held important positions in Laeken institutions for many years, and all were in the late 30, and thus steeped in experience. In addition, the three reside next to each other on Center Street in Sebewaing, with a martini in the number of 69, Charles next door at 68, and Bach in the number of 67, so the trio could be held at a time and without formalities. Must be approved by the committee is the idea, that the plan is moving forward without the usual sale of shares to members of the community. It did not require a great deal of research on the part of the Commission. They had a lot of arable land at their disposal. Laeken family controlled thousand acres on his own account, who along with others, eliminating the need for a railway line to transport beet plant is located on Lake Huron's shore. They have the financial capacity.

John C. were generous. Each of his daughters and his son enjoy a full-time staff in their homes, and it was all well off enough to invest in a new sugar company self-employed and had all proven managerial ability over a long period of time. They had all the necessary trait for success in this new industry save one ... experience in sugarbeets. News of activity in Laeken headquarters and leaked to the society as a whole and inspired some farmers to grow beets, and although the plant was completed nearly two years in the future. Those beets, were shipped when ready for market, to the city of Bay for processing.

thinking to add the missing element in the equation of the ideal of success otherwise, Laeken John Benjamin Boutell and a few trusted friends invited to participate in this endeavor. As a result, in a short time I learned Laeken directly, and how it came camel's nose under the tent tale into existence. Boutell, no doubt happy that his expertise was in increasing demand of money, quickly recruited men of wealth and experience. Among them was John Ross, who will soon become the treasurer of German-American Sugar Company, the last of four sugar beet factories built in Bie province. After that, loggers Frederick Dorot, William Smalley William Penoyar, and the ship owner named William Sharp came. When he pointed men standing bin Boutell and Penoyar best interests, and opened the door. More men of wealth demanded to buy a stake in the new company. A pair of lawyers Saginaw Watts S. Humphrey and Thomas Harvey jumped on board as George B. Morley, the legendary act of grain dealer and banker. Rasmus Hansen, a woodcutter wealthy Grayling, and the future president of the German-American sugar company, bought in as William Wallace H. reaction, a quarry worker in the Gulf port of destination.

unintentionally, Laeken in attracting investors from the Saginaw and Bay City, and included two distinct groups, which can be described as two separate circles of influence. Boutell circle consisted of investors Province Bay, Woodworth, Ross, Smalley, Sharp and Penoyar. It included George Morley Department James MacPherson, Humphrey, Harvey, William H. Wallace, all residents of Saginaw, despite the fact that Wallace was a native of Port Hope recently was a resident in the long run from the port of the Bay, a village snuggling beach thirteen miles north-east of the Sebewaing. In the wings was Ezra Rust, a resident of Saginaw wealthy, who won a fortune in the timber industry. While all investors Bai Province has interests wood, Saginaw group MacPherson was only in the background of wood. The two departments take sport in the fighting once the new company got underway.

representatives of what amounts to three distinct groups, Bay City and emergency Boutell, faction Saginaw Morley, and the family of John Laeken, and gathered in Saginaw Watts Humphrey's office in July 101 to address the issue of regulation. Humphrey that fame does not come from sugar manufacturing but from the fact that his son, then 12 years old, George m. Humphrey, will come one day achieve the status of the post of Secretary of the Treasury under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, serving from 1953 until 1957.

wasting no time, and the organizers had in hand, and four representatives of the construction companies specializing in the construction of processing plants beets. They Fuehrman and Hapke, EH Dyer, Kilby manufacturing, construction, and Oxnard. It was expected that as soon as I took stock of the audience, will be awarded one contract of the four bidders. Benjamin Boutell Bay and a group of his city, there was only one attempt of any interest to them and that was one of the Kilby Manufacturing of $ 00,000. The price was a hefty $ 1,500 per tonne of beet slicing ability, nearly double the $ 850 per ton in the price of factory Essexville and almost $ 0 more per ton than the price of German-American Sugar Company plant, which was under construction. Beaten attempt to Oxnard from a little over $ 1,800 per ton (including, as usual, a Stevens process) and close to the minimum bid $ 1,416 per ton in Dyer by Fuehrman and Hapke in the winning bid of $ 1,320 a tonne total price $ 792,000.

and the first from the business called for the election of officers and directors, usually quiet affair when the founders of one other company, and so did the pool at Humphrey Office knows. To secure representatives from each of the groups the main contributor to the three sites. Lumberjack Bay City, was given a toilet Penoyar presidency, while Christian Bach Sebewaing took over the post of vice president, he saw Saginaw group took William Baker and Thomas Harvey, the Minister and the Secretary of seats Fund. Benjamin Boutell William Wallace joined the Executive Committee. At the top of the agenda was the issue of deciding on the winning bid to build the plant, which will be, as usual, delivered the whole key process. That's when fractured in a temporary alliance between Bay City, Huron County, Saginaw County and investors.

crowd Boutell, he made a low bid is no difference, they would accept not only one introduction of Kilby. Saginaw to the group, this was as drawing a line in the sand. They firmly believe in the awarding of the contract to the lowest price. Accordingly, representatives of Sebewaing Saginaw-dominated three of the positions officer, ignoring the fact that Boutell and his associates control 45 percent of the company and a member of their faction to secure just the presidency, gave the signal to Fuehrman and Hapke. Boutell Inc. recoil from the suggestion that anyone except Kilby will build a factory in which they had invested, the abolition of securities subscriptions have resigned their positions and withdrew from the Board of Directors.

When the dust settled, Boutell he and his co-investors and staged unity Saginaw a controlling stake in 55 percent, with control divided between Morley families and rust. The family, headed by Ezra Rust rust left its mark on the city of Saginaw in the form of a city park and a main street bearing her name. Ezra confidence in the sugar industry may have stemmed from a task he served as an engineer in a Cuban sugar mill during his youth. Morley held 5,000 shares in his name, while holding various family members rust 4,000 shares. Family members and friends of John Laeken holding 45 percent.

sudden withdrawal investors Bay City necessitated a second election. Thomas Harvey went presidency. John kept Laeken's son-in-law, Christian Bach, vice president and director's seat on the table. Laeken son, Charles, and agreed to his appointment as treasurer, but have not won a seat on the Council. It became William F. Schmidt, a simple shareholder and sister Emma suitor Christian Bach, Minister. In time and after it has been tested by fire, and he proves to give it was perfectly entitled to his skill, not in connection with the Bach family. In 106, he took responsibility for the factory Sebewaing who then led for six years before leaving the company for high office with Continental sugar company. Administration, in addition to Harvey, Christian Bach, included William Wallace H., Watts Humphrey, George W. Morley, James MacPherson, who replaced Benjamin Boutell Mahal, and Richard Martini.

contractor appointed to build the plant, Henry Theodore Julius Fuehrman, addressed naturally as Gul, from New York where he had built a similar plant in Lyon, and before that, Beijing, Illinois. It appeared in the September groundbreaking ceremony. With him was his partner, Theodore Hapke, who won great appreciation from the farmers field of German extraction sugarbeets because of his knowledge and his ability to explain the subject in their native language.

may

Fuehrman participated closely with the construction of the beet plant in Grand Island, Nebraska, who for his good fortune happened to be in place after Germany, he called home. He was the only son of Henry and Tulia Fuehrman Brunswick, Germany. Starting from the age of fourteen, he served an apprenticeship in the trade and Mason. Having decided to prepare himself to the duties of an architect, he devoted himself to the study of architecture in various applied science institutions all over his native land. When twenty years of age, entered the Army, Germany, and serve one year, and in 1882, he emigrated to the United States, where after spending two years in Chicago settled in Grand Island. There has agreed to a number of committees, including the city hall design, the church, the university, and finally the sugar beet factory in Oxnard Big Island.

attracted success Fuehrman company Architecture prestigious Post and McCord, the company that built the roof over Madison Square Garden, ferrous metals and tires for large skyscrapers that dot Broadway and Wall Street in 1931 will be to build the world's tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building. Last McCord and in partnership with the American Bridge Company prestigious on an equal footing, and thus was destined to form the plant Sebewaing to be building a solid foundation. With William Wallace H. workers in the boardroom, and the question of whether the foundation was going to be made of solid stone or new building materials, concrete, it was resolved without discussion. It came quarrying Wallace, thirteen miles distant from where it was carved by an expert him in arenas that are consistent with the specifications of the architect workers. Making gravel roads from the same source for hauling equipment and later, and beets to the factory. If a community enjoying the fruits of the presence of a sugar factory and improved roads and richest economy as workers jobs rewarding to discover many of the crews of the work required for the formation of the plant, which will soon win recognition as one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

Emile Brysselbout, Fuehrman and Hapke in the latest partner, was also at hand. Included Credentials Brysselbout in Charlevoix, Michigan beet sugar factory was newly built and had supervised the construction of Essexville factory.

has been the foundation stone was laid on October 21 101 but the lack of qualified engineers delay construction. The architects have seen become higher than the prices in the country suddenly can not be enough sugar beet factory. It was built twenty-five beet sugar factories between 100 and 105, which were ten in Michigan. In addition to the difficulties and the absence of Fuehrman's. He had moved to Dresden, Ontario to build a similar plant for Captain James Davidson, a pole Bay City who had decided to devote part of his fortune to the beet industry.

by appearances, held Davidson held greater significance for the Fuehrman than in Sebewaing. William Wallace, noted for taking the always steady hand, where there is a need for, Brysselbout approached with the insistence that be hired Joseph Eckert. Eckert was a man with a reputation can be done and who would tolerate any obstacles on the way to his goal. Just finished may Eckert of the mission in the West Bay City Sugar Company Mendall Bialy, where he has increased the productivity of more than a third.

Gutleben relates that when Eckert arrived in Sebewaing, he found the busy nature of the task of restoring the site. Herbs and wild flowers occupied a dedicated factory space. And preparing some of the columns that have been installed on the foundations of stone and Wallace as if ready to fall to the ground. Worse yet, there was no gear at the hands of the steel in place to correct or to install the balance of it. Fuehrman promised steam engine but the arrival must wait until the completion of the steel erection work in Dresden. It was April. Farmers wanted to know whether they should cultivate beet crop. "Plant 'em!" Exclaimed Eckert, who then placed an order to provide a steam engine to charge against Fuehrman account and Hapke's. Wallace backed credit. Fuehrman skin turned the color of liver spoiled during his next visit; he launched the innovative architect of the rebellion. Wallace turned around accompanied Brysselbout decision at a meeting with the quick Fuehrman. The

One of the advantages of having Brysselbout and Eckert on staff ability to draw men of similar skill. Brysselbout, inspired by the enthusiasm Eckert and its undisputed head project engineer after Fuehrman effort failed to fire him, securing experienced workers and highly educated, from the likes of Hugo Peters, a graduate in 1898 from the University of Leipzig, which became the first director of Sebewaing factory's. And it was soon followed by James International. He was carrying the practical application of scientific principles and its cool reputation during emergencies. Eckert attracted such outstanding engineers Eugene Stoeckly House Kinyon, a master's degree at the monument theft networks that have become frames for factories. Farms nearby, long experienced with its neighbors William Wallace, "Bill" for all, and John Laeken, both solid leadership can do business leaders, full of confidence that a factory will stand in their midst at harvest time, as promised. They embark on the second crop cultivation of sugar beet in Huron County with the results that would prove fortuitous for themselves and for investors.

When the trees began to fire breezes Red Dawn, orange, cool morning dew dried before stepped farmers from their doors, and wait for the first sugar beet crop in the province in the ranks of neat military men and women and even children to deal with. Rafie, a device designed to ease the beets from holding ground, run farms, the move forward in this area in walking speed. Harvesters will follow, and pull the beets from the ground and then the two of them together beaten to loosen the soil and then throw them in a pile waiting occupies first place. In the end, the motor driven automated machines perform the task, a task that is enhanced by occupies the first place and then cleaning of the beets through vibration and lying in wait trucks system. But now, the work was a brute.

On October 10, 102, it was done. The main building is sixty-seven of 258 feet and five floors of about sixty thousand square feet, made of brick and filled with the latest equipment available to the industry, and opened for business. In a city where the average home consists of less than seven hundred square feet of space, and it was an awesome presence. It was one of the finest and largest buildings constructed in the American Midwest until that time.

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