[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 39 (Thursday, April 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E577]]
                     100TH ANNIVERSARY OF BAY CITY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 6, 2005

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a community in my 
district that is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a city. Sunday, 
the residents of Bay City, Michigan celebrate their history that 100 
years ago was the result of a true tale of two cities. Much of this 
history is documented in two excellent articles in the Bay City Times 
by local reporter Tim Younkman.
  Like many of the towns in my district, it was the lumber industry 
that brought people, commerce, growth and prosperity to the Saginaw Bay 
area to found the village of Bay City at the mouth of the Saginaw River 
in 1857. It later became a city in 1865 but was known as the ``East 
Side'' because on the opposite side of the river, the ``West Side'' was 
comprised of three small communities.
  In the late 1800's, the Bay City area was nationally known for being 
a boom town. The success of the lumber mills attracted pioneers and 
early entrepreneurs from the far reaches, including New York City. One 
pioneer in particular, Henry Sage, teamed with local businessman, John 
McGraw, to build the world's largest sawmill, which is now known as 
Veterans Memorial Park.
  Sage was also credited with creating one of the three West Side 
communities known as Wenona. In 1877, Wenona consolidated with the 
community of Banks, named after the Civil War General Nathaniel Banks, 
and the community of Salzberg, the region of Germany where local 
settlers came from in the old country, to form West Bay City.
  At the turn of the 20th century, lumber tycoon Spencer Fisher and 
shipbuilder James Davidson worked with local West Bay City families to 
campaign for the consolidation of the east and west communities into 
one community to promote more business growth. However, West Bay City 
Mayor C.J. Barnett, who feared an East side political take-over, 
opposed the idea. While East Bay City politicians supported the move, 
East Side business owners feared a rise in property taxes due to the 
poor financial health of the communities across the river.
  A dual city vote in 1903 on the proposal lead to a stale mate when 
East Side voted in favor and West Side voted against. The measure was 
then taken to the Michigan Legislature to create a combined city 
charter to incorporate these municipalities into a unified Bay City. 
Governor Aaron Bliss signed the single city charter into law in June of 
1903. However, in a surprise move by the West Side City Council voted 
to pass costly community improvement projects onto the united Bay City 
so the East Side voters retracted the deal and ended the consolidation 
effort.
  To make the retraction effective, the State Legislature passed a law 
rescinding the consolidation charter and awaited then Governor Fred 
Warner's signature for completion.
  Businessmen still in favor of consolidation lobbied for a veto and 
those opposed to the consolidation urged the Governor to sign. Governor 
Warner met with both sides for one hour on February 16, 1905 before 
departing Lansing for a meeting. Four hours later, he wired back to 
Lansing saying, ``I have decided to veto bill. You can make this 
known.'' While some were unhappy with the decision, both sides greeted 
the Governor's veto, which unified Bay City, with marching bands, 
banners and a celebration upon their return to Bay City. The newly 
elected Mayor Gustav Hine held the first meeting of the Bay City 
Council on April 10, 2005.
  In a recent letter from current Mayor Robert Katt and Deputy City 
Manager/City Clerk Dana Muscott to local clergy on upcoming centennial 
events, they stated, ``it took an act of the State Legislature to force 
the merger of the two Bay City's. But unified we were. And unified we 
remain. And that is worth celebrating.''
  While other cities have struggled after the early lumber boom, Bay 
City has persevered through innovation and maintained their prosperity. 
In a city of over 36,000 people and resting at the junction of I-75 and 
US 10, Bay City now benefits from large auto, chemical and sugar 
manufacturers. As a leading recreational port, a city that loves to 
celebrate its famous waterways is particularly proud of two Tall Ships 
events that bring historic sailing ships to their shores. I can 
personally attest to the broadly shared opinion that Bay City is a warm 
and welcoming community which is proud of their history and how far 
they have prospered together.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the United States House of Representatives to join 
me in congratulating Bay City and its residents on their first 100 
years and in wishing them well through the next century.

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