Books › Saginaw City Directory 1928, 1928 › scan 6
Scan 6
Saginaw City Directory 1928, 1928
19 lines. Read by computer on 17 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1In 1873 the process of incorporating these settlements into a single city began with the merging of East Saginaw and South Saginaw under the name of the former. This was followed in 1890 by the consolidation of Saginaw City, the original settlement, with East Saginaw to form the present city of Saginaw.
3INDUSTRY SUCCEEDS LUMBER
4Toward the end of the nineteenth century the lumber which many had thought inexhaustible began to give out, and as a result the sawmill industry commenced to languish. Two forces combined to save the city from the stagnation or total disappearance which was the fate of many of the early Michigan lumbering towns. One was the discovery in the closing years of the century of large deposits of soft coal in the valley, easily accessible. The other was the introduction into Saginaw of many large manufacturing plants. These grew rapidly and soon succeeded lumber as the dominant influence in the valley. Their development continued until the present day and, still gaining headway, has accomplished the transition from lumber to industry in a manner so gradual that residents of the city hardly realized it until the change had been made. Lumber is still an important factor in the city's business, but the several big plants devoted to the industry derive their supply of raw materials from Georgian Bay and from the south or the Pacific coast states rather than from the Saginaw valley itself.
6SAGINAW NOW INDUSTRIAL CENTER
7While millions of feet of pine lumber from the Saginaw valley once floated down the river to scores of sawmills, it is as an industrial community that the city now has its greatest influence. Industries numbering 150 manufacturing 125 main classes of products with many associated articles.
9Many of these industries furnish products that are nationally known. 5 Plants of the General Motors Corporation group of industries manufacture automobile motors, steering gears, crankshafts, malleable iron castings, plate glass and other products for General Motors and other cars. The Grey Iron Foundry of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company is among the largest foundries in America.
11SAGINAW'S OIL WELLS
12A great promise of future value to the community is contained in the already considerable development of oil resources discovered during 1925 in and adjacent to the northwestern part of the city. Much work already has been done, with local corporations sharing the field with large producers from other states, including the Ohio Oil Co., a Standard Oil subsidiary, the Sun Oil Co., and the Ohio Fuel Corporation. While not large as compared with western standards, the Saginaw wells average a production of 15 barrels or more and field conditions are such that wells of this size are decidedly profitable. The oil is of excellent quality, ranking with the best Pennsylvania crude. During the latter part of 1926 and 1927 more than 250 wells were producing and this number was rapidly being increased.
14FINANCIAL STRENGTH
15Local banks are all strong and prosperous institutions. Four in number (three of them state and one national institutions) they show a stability and size which cause them to rank among the leading financial institutions in Michigan. Total banking figures: Resources $46,600,000; deposits $36,700,000.
17COMMISSION GOVERNMENT IN FORCE
18Saginaw is governed under the commission system. The governing body of the city is a five-man commission, including a mayor and four councilmen, each elected for a four year term. They constitute both the legislative and executive body of the city, the council as a whole exercising the legislative functions, while each of its members is head of an administrative department of the city government. Police and fire departments are operated by this city government in an efficient manner and are well provided with necessary men and apparatus. The police department has 90 men, while the fire department has 107 men and 14 pieces of motor apparatus.
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