repository for the weekly newspaper and the occasional letter to the pioneer settler was provided. But in the days of twenty-fivecent postage, portmanteau mail bags, and equestrian postmen, the duties of the postmaster on the frontier were not arduous. With the introduction of railroads, cheap postage and the growth of the commonwealth the postal business of Jackson has become an important feature, as the statistics of 1880, kindly furnished by Mr. Seaton, the postmaster, will show. There are 11 persons employed in discharging the duties in connection with the office in the several capacities noted below:

W. L. Seaton, Postmaster; Frank Knowles, Mailing Clerk; Lillie Smith, Money Order Clerk; Flora Taylor, Delivery Clerk; Julia Taylor, Stamp and Delivery Clerk; W. C. Howe, Superintendent of Carriers; W. E. Carter, E. B. Cooper, C. H. Smith, George Thompson and Frank McCracken, Carriers.

GENERAL BUSINESS.

Receipts from the sale of stamps, stamped envelopes, postal cards, etc.. $22,009.79 Receipts from box rents....

886.50

7.60

$22,903.89

$ 6,952.10 15,951.79

For the ten months after the carrier system was adopted, March 1 to Dec. 31, 1880.

Registered letters delivered..

Mail letters delivered...

1,688 377,682

The following are the names of the postmasters in the order of their succession:

H. Thompson, Mr. Coleman, George B. Cooper, Wilbur F. Story, James A. Dyer, R. S. Cheney, Joseph P. Shoemaker, Amos Root, W. L. Seaton.

"

was

Fire Department. The first fire company in Jackson was organized in 1843, with Peter E. De Mill as foreman. The first engine, "Protection No. 1," was a goose neck. The fire department was reorganized in 1856, the old engine sold to the State for the use of the prison, and two new engines purchased, "Protection No. 1," J. B. Tomlinson, Foreman; and Neptune No. 2," L. A. Pennoyer, Foreman. In 1858 the third engine was bought, "Liberty "76," Calvin T. Beebe, Foreman. This engine was sold in 1865 to the city of Marshall. In 1866 the name of "Neptune changed to "Germania.” Three hose companies were formed, "Protection No 1," Charles Beebe, Foreman; Germania No. 2, George Fleisher, Foreman; and" Liberty' 76," Edwin Hague, Foreman. Peter B. Loomis was first chief engineer in 1857. He served two years and was succeeded by Henry A. Hayden, who served in 1860–61. In 1861 T. E. Hayes was elected chief enginHe performed his duty in a manner so satisfactory that he was re-elected annually to the time of his death. He was succeeded by Thomas Budington. Thomas E. Lusk was chief engineer from 1864 to 1876. George Lake was chief engineer from 1876 to 1877. Thomas E. Lusk is now chief engineer. J. W. Hewitt was connected with the fire department from its organization until two years since.

eer.

The fire department of Jackson in all the days of hand engines, was one of the best organized and decidedly the most efficient of any in the State. In the several contests and tournaments with companies from the other cities and villages of the State, their success reflected great credit upon Jackson. When the chief engineer of the Jackson fire department called upon his forces to "man the brakes," whether at a fire or in a friendly contest, it was understood that work was to be done such as any company might well be proud of. In every contest Jackson fire companies were victors. They carried off the prizes at seven tournaments.

Each

chief engineer can boast of his silver trumpet, and Jackson won and held the champion banner against all competitors.

In 1865 the city bought a rotary steam fire engine, called "Phil Sheridan," afterward changed to "Gen. Sherman." From this time the hand engines fell into disuse, but the efficiency of the fire department of Jackson has been in no way impaired by the change, and its members feel the same pride in the discharge of their duty as when their predecessors stood by the brakes.

In 1870 the city constructed water-works on the Holly plan, and they have been the main reliance for the extinction of fires, although the steamer has been retained as a measure of protection for the districts not reached by the Holly Works. The Holly system has been severely tested several times, and has, so far, proved an entire success. It has always prevented the spread of the flames, and there has usually been more damage from the flood of water than from the fire.

The force now employed consists of one chief engineer, Thomas E. Lusk; one first assistant engineer, John Cudihee; two hook and ladder men; two foremen-one for each hose-cart; two drivers—one for each hose-cart; eight pipe-men-16 in all. Sixteen men, one hook and ladder truck, two hose-carts and three horses.

THE POLICE FORCE

of the city is well organized. Duty is the first object of the men employed, and thus the spirits of evil, who are generally found in such cities, are kept under surveillance, and their various attempts to perfect their little tragedies nipped in the bud.

JACKSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

School District No.1.-The early history of the district is involved in some obscurity, as the brief records from 1831 to 1849 have been lost, and all that we now know of the management of the schools during that period must be gathered from the early settlers who still survive.

The district was first formed Aug. 10, 1831, by the school commissioners, W. R. De Land, Oliver Russ and S. Stodard. It embraced a large tract of country lying west of the meridian line, so large, in fact, that it must have been very difficult for the children living in the remote parts of it to attend school. In 1834, however, May 31, many of the outer sections were cut off, and July 21, 1849, it was again diminished to its present size.

What year the first school-house was erected, or who taught the first school, it is impossible to say; but a small wooden house was erected, probably the next season after the district was formed, on the southwest corner of what are now Main and Blackstone streets. The lot consisted of a sand hill some 20 feet high, and the house was located upon the top of it. This house stood until about 1843we cannot fix the date with certainty—when it was moved off to a

point of land formed by the divergence of Main street and Wildwood avenue, and a two-story brick house was erected in its place. The ground where the new house was located was graded down considerably, so that it seemed to stand in a hollow on the top of the hill, with sand banks around it nearly as high as the second story.

This house served the purpose of the district until 1853. June 16 of that year a contract was let to Messrs. Hubbell, Mosher and Hayes to build, on the same lot where the other two houses had stood, a three-story brick building which was to cost $11,000. The contract was fulfilled and the new building was ready for use the next fall. There was, however, as is usual in such cases, considerable opposition to building so costly a house as that was then thought to be. It was voted Aug. 6, 1851, "to build a school-house upon the school-house lot, to cost not to exceed $6,000," and a committee was appointed to report a plan of building on the first Monday in January. The committee, however, did not report until Sept. 27, 1852, and then their recommendations were laid on the table. April 12, 1853, the district voted to raise an additional $3,000, and on the 7th of June, the same year, the resolution to restrict the cost of the house to $6,000 was rescinded, and it was voted to build a house to cost not to exceed $11,000, which was straightway built, as stated above.

The first male teacher employed by the district, that we can learn of, was James C. Bailey, who taught in the winter of 1834-'5, and he was succeeded the next year by J. L. Videto.

The course of study which was pursued in the district until 1849 was the same as that of the common schools throughout the State; but that year the school was organized under the law for establishing graded schools, and the following officers were elected: Samuel Newbury, Moderator; Samuel Higby, Director; Henry Frink, Assessor; John Westren, Wm. Aldrich, Daniel T. Grinnell and Gustavus L. Foster, Trustees.

The scholars were also graded into the following departments: Primary, juvenile, English and classical, and O. M. Barnes was employed Oct. 7, 1850, to teach the classical department. The above classification remained in force until 1856, when the following was adopted: Primary, secondary, English, academic and classical departments.

Sept. 19, 1854, E. L. Ripley was employed as principal of the graded school in the new house, and he held the position until Dec. 26, 1860, when he resigned to fill a chair in the Normal School. During his administration, Sept. 26, 1859, on motion of Judge David Johnson, the schools were made free of tuition to the scholars of the district. Mr. Ripley was succeeded by Daniel B. Briggs, who was principal until July, 1865. J. C. Lowell was then employed and held the place until April 10, 1868. U. W. Lawton succeeded Mr. Lowell, and is still in charge of the schools of the district. Sept. 21, 1860, the last year of Mr. Ripley's administration, the grading of the schools was again changed, and the

following four classifications were adopted: Primary, secondary, grammar and high school.

From 1856 to 1870 the city grew rapidly, and more school-houses became necessary. Accordingly, in 1856, a small building was erected on Francis street, in the then Third ward, and the next year a similar house was built on Lansing avenue. Another twostory brick school-house was erected on Wilkins street in 1861, and in 1866 the present large brick school-house was erected beside the first one built on Francis street. The West End school-house was built in 1868, and the Bennett school-house in 1869.

At this time the total number of scholars in the district between 5 and 20 was about 1,600, and the accommodations for them were ample. The schools, however, continued to prosper, and a greater effort was made to raise the standard of scholarship, and to increase the number in the higher grades, which was in a measure

successful.

In 1871, for the first time in the history of the district, a class was graduated at the high school and received diplomas. A similar class, constantly increasing in numbers, has been graduated every year since.

Owing to the increase of population in the southern part of the city, two more school-houses were built, in 1877, one called the Summitville school-house, and the other the Wilcox school-house. They are one-story brick buildings, but beautiful in appearance and convenient for instruction. The large three-story school-house which was built on Main street in 1853 had now become defective, and too small to accommodate all in the district, and July 20, 1878, it was pulled down and the present house was erected in its place. It was completed the next summer and ready for occupation, when the schools opened in the fall. The following description of the building is taken from a local paper:

up

The edifice is admirably designed for school purposes. Its rooms for recitation and study are spacious, airy and well lighted. There is not a dark corner in the entire structure. The ventilation of the building is affected by the Ruttan system, which renews each cubic foot of air in all parts of the building every 20 minutes. The fresh air is carried to every room by large ducts which communicate with flues rising above the building. The draft ward creates currents which change the atmospheric conditions of the entire interior three times each hour, as before mentioned. For heating purposes the Ruttan tubular cast-iron furnace is used. Five of these are employed, which it is believed will prove sufficiently ample to warm the building in the coldest weather. The heat ascends from them perpendicularly through brick flues, horizontal flues for hot air being ignored. The structure is piped throughout for gas. A two-inch stand pipe above and below connects with the Holly water for fire purposes, and hose for such emergencies will be supplied for every story. Water for drinking will be attainable on both first and second floors.