1989-03-22; Central Michigan Life

              MOUNT PLEASANT
WHERE'S THE MOUNTAIN?
- *   . - V-,  -i V*M  j. - *K . - -     •  .-V.
■v«i*s*l
■eV-W* A',   (S*i -I ■ +J^J£-V>t*S*. < , * V
,.,■***. .7 -4*V*
?i.,.. ' •—• fv-- ^J^'V*^ £ v^4'«
>a r'is^fi: 'c*-io.'
SECTION A
WEDNESDAY
March 22.  1989
Central
Michigan
VOLUME 71". NUMBER 69
c 1989 CM LIFE
MOUNT PLEASANT. MICHIGAN 48859
(517) 774-3493
2 SECTIONS. 28 PAGES
HmUtr.u vi***
The'Oil Capital of Michigan'still into black gold
hy MARGARET WOLFGANG
I   .-..
M
i •   La..- . ■ ia   ,., M'   ii ;  I''.
,   '. ,!.il   'mil   ,,'   !>..    .  ,!  .   ■   .  o,
•  ,.:i  ti. !,|  n.   l'i.'-   ,,.l  I; .    Lr
,       < >.i   I   .•;..!..I   ,.'   Ma  li,.'   ,r
Mi. In:'., r.  -   I  hi    ,ral  I ,  ,-   \.
, •• -   . -   ..•   .■. , :■,. .   ,,i   .   Ml
...'      I';,    ma-it      ,:,     l'<   ,   :     "m
..Ma   •   ....     .   .     ,a       ,.,   ,,,1     l,  .
■,, M.. oa I-:.
" .   I ,., .,'   [1,  ;
M.   ....   !■
M    ,'       1   '•
II. .'I
.        •  I    ■  .        I
!-,      :   l'l    '  a
l,|,|l„,l     1    -.    Ill     ll.lt!    e'    |1
■   -,-,'.   : i,... r i, , t K r i. i j • |.
a •!,,    D.  ; ■.  - -i.,i,    Me,nit
•m,'. a',    e     ,,..,,,, 1.     I,.*
,.      •>..  ,     ',r...,.'!,!     -.nl     ..
U.   -l!,r,,.,k  -.ml
,■ ■   I' .  ,  ,,.,!   .!■!- in.:   (!;.-
■ a    '   .   ■■   :„,.:,.   a . v. iM
M
OIL
Not much
left to
show for
The Chippewas
lost a lot when the
settlers moved in
hy patty mamlr
K, ■■■..
lla-   1,.,|   , .
TRIBE
When  tho  Great  Depression
came  to  town,   the  people  ct
Mount Pleasant made then o*n    !
money to get by. For *tory, i
pogaBA.
■:£. i&■■$£:. I ^2—.   ■■'--
;J<K$8m^&^§ --
""''''—-	
. ' ^-'--
\
CM UrC'JoKn Stwt*
RED HOT
Fire Inspector Sgt. Duane Hazelton of the Mount Pleasant
Fire Department sits at the wheel of the department's 1921,
wooden-spoked fire truck. The truck was built by the
Transport Truck Company in Mount Pleasant and is one of
three left in the world, Hazelton said. The Transport Truck
Company rolled the first fire truck off the assembly line in
1918 and promised to employ 1,000 people. At that time,
the city's work force numbered 600. By the end of the year
more than 700 people had purchased stock in the company.
The industrial future of the city looked bright, but post-war
economic recession at a time when the company was
overextended — couple with executive mismanagement —
led to bankruptcy in 1923. The truck is equipped with two
30-gallon tanks, and a bell which is 1 foot in diameter is its
only warning signal.
INSIDE
A small village can grow into
a well-known city in a short time
with the construction of a
college, oil booms and available
land. Mount Pleasant will
celebrate its 100th anniversary
with approximately 24,000
residents. For story see page
With strong backing from the
community, CMU began its
humble beginnings on the
second floor of a building on
Main Street. Sixteen men were
instrumental in the birth of what
is now CMU. For story see
page 9 A.
1980-23,746
1950-11.373
/
1970-20.504
l.__
POPULATION GROWTH
In Mount Peasant's l OO >f.nr s as ,1 , ity. /'"> i.«.-. ;/■■ r.i..- [,.-. n I. .■•• iml .Mtfi tla- till.' ci
mayor
IoahE: Royal v. as the t.r<,t mayur H"tnn-n .> i it, .-. .v. .v.cit.- 1 its, Isirtt-r the village of
Mount Pleasant had village presidents .md in lrth'.   I   nn Ma>.'.. II .'.as Mount Pka.ant's/
village president r/i960 -14 875
Seme of the City's former maycrs ha.'e t.-e.-n i hovn tr,' tt..- pt) more than y*-
once and of the 7b mayors only one .v, man       S.tcl.liis       .',,i,, h, -..-n .is y
mayor. Ellis is the -.vife of former CMU president Arthur I 11 r,
Mount Pleasant is governed by the council president torrn of >
government,  which befian in 19? 1. 1920-4.819 .^1940-8,414
1910^3,972   ( yf
\    ^Q "Q   1930-5,211
1890-2,701    _kv—fi	
ETl900 - 3.662