Flat River War

Beginning on March 23, 1874, and lasting for days, headlines around Michigan screamed “War on Flat River!” and “The Flat River War.” What was happening on the Flat River that brought out the Grand Rapids Guard to the area by order of Michigan Governor Bagley?

This happened during the logging days. Commercial logging in Michigan flourished between 1870 and 1890. Lumberjack camps were set up near rivers and railroad tracks throughout the state. They cut down the trees, dragged them to the riverbank and marked them. When the spring thaw came, the rivers were used to run logs downstream to sawmills. The annual log drives down the Flat River and into the Grand River were watched carefully by the newspapers that reported the progress. It was common that logs from the main drive would fill the entire length of Flat River, from Six Lakes to Lowell, a distance by river of over 100 miles.

In 1867, the Flat River Booming Company was formed to improve the Flat River and had the job of running the log drives. The company was quite profitable as they charged for running the logs, and they were also able to receive money from the state for improving the river per Special Act No. 363 of 1867.

The log owners felt they were being overcharged so they formed the Grand River and Greenville Log-Running Company in March of 1874. The logs were already in the river. The new company insisted that since five sixths of all the logs in the river were theirs, they would pay the old company for the work already done, and then they would take over.

The old company refused to allow the new company to take over and stated that they would fight rather than leave the logs. Both companies hired unusually large men, referred to as fighters, bruisers, and roughs, and were determined to win by force of muscle. The conflict started in Six Lakes, where the old company tore away dams at the beginning of the river where water was stored. This flooded the river and drove logs out of the river channels and into the woods. The men came down the river to the Gowen area where they collided with the new company’s hired men who were tearing out a dam and log chute, having threatened to tear out all of the dams and chutes in the Flat River.

On March 22, 1874, at 10 p.m., the private secretary to Governor Bagley inquired via telegram to General I. C. Smith, Captain of the Grand Rapids Guard, as to how much ammunition was on hand. The guard was already on alert, as they had heard the rumors of a fight north of Greenville involving 300-400 men. Smith sent a telegram with his inventory totals. The next day, at 11:45 a.m., Smith received orders to proceed at once with his company and report to the Montcalm County Sheriff. The guard went in two shifts by train. They went to Greenville, where they stayed at the Webster House, a hotel located on the site of today’s Winter Inn.

As the story unfolded, it turned out that the sheriff had been away, leaving the undersheriff in charge. The sheriff stated that calling for the Guard was an overreaction on the part of the undersheriff. Because of the show of force and the threats, some prominent Greenville citizens were fearful that the Greenville dam and the city itself would be attacked.

The guard returned to Grand Rapids on March 24, riding on the mail train from Greenville. It was said they “had nothing further to do than to go there, have a good time, and come back.” They were met at the depot by the Valley City Band and escorted to the Armory with flying colors and merry music, “See the Conquering Hero Comes.”

Not a lot is known about the negotiations and what transpired after both sides tempered down with the threat of the guard, but in April the new company, the Grand River and Greenville Log-Running Company, proceeded with the log drive. The Lowell Journal declared that “the booming of logs by the old company has ceased and the glittering canthooks of the new company wave triumphant.”

The Journal also humorously informed readers that “the babbling waters of the Flat River are clear and sparkling once more. Let history record the fact that in less than ten days after the terrible riot at gory Greenville, not a trace of human blood could be found on the fair bosom of the placid stream.”

Images:

Flat River logging near Lowell. Photograph taken by Lowell photographer Milo Hiler. Note the men standing on logs holding their cant hooks, used to push and pull logs in the river.

Logging boom in Lowell. Booms held logs before they went into the sawmill. This was located north of current Main Street near today's library. Photo taken by Milo Hiler.
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Logging Shanty south of Main Street. This was the food tent for the last log run down the Flat River.
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Logging postcard, Lowell.