USA > Michigan > Monroe County > History of Monroe County, Michigan : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests Volume I > Part 48
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It was originally contemplated by the state of Michigan that the Central Road from Detroit should terminate at St. Joseph on Lake Michigan and the Southern Road at New Buffalo. By the terms of sale of the Central Road, the company was authorized to terminate their road "at any point on the lake, accessible to steamboats navigating said lake." Under this license the Michigan Central Railroad Company finally de- cided to make New Buffalo the terminus of their road, and in order to reach that point they run southerly from Paw Paw, to Niles, and from thence to the lake, thus bringing the western portion of their road for more than twenty miles within five miles of the north line of the South- ern Road. This rendered it expedient in the extension of the latter, to avoid competition and conflict with the Central Road, by adopting a more southerly route, after passing Coldwater, through the northern counties of Indiana as above indicated ; a circumstance, in the view of the directors, not to be regretted, as it secured a more direct route towards Chicago, and at the same time passing through a rich and populous region of country, having no other means of outlet to market.
ERIE AND KALAMAZOO RAILROAD COMPANY INCORPORATED
As early as the year 1835, the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Company was incorporated by the Territory of Michigan for the purpose of con- structing a railroad from Toledo (which was then embraced in the Ter- ritory of Michigan), to Kalamazoo, the object being to open the market at the head of Lake Erie to the interior of the territory by the most direct route. Under this charter, the company completed their road from Vol. 1-24
370
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
Toledo to Adrian (33 miles) where it connected with the Michigan South- ern road. For a considerable period this road was run in competition to the Southern, owing partly to the rival and conflicting interests of the cities of Monroe and Toledo. The directors of the Michigan Southern then leased the Erie and Kalamazoo as the easiest way out of the com- petitive circumstances, and proceeded to operate it, as the "Erie & Kalamazoo branch," thus securing a terminus at Toledo, and a connection with the travel and commerce of the lake, the Wabash & Erie and Miami canals, and the lines of railroad which connected with the Lake Shore Railroad between Buffalo and Toledo.
Having made this favorable arrangement, the directors now turned their attention to extending the road west from Hillsdale to Chicago, 175 miles. The suspension of lake navigation for an average period of five months in the year by reason of ice, and the risks and detentions to which boats are always exposed during the season of navigation on Lake Erie, made this connection at Toledo of vital interest to the railroad, as it was obviously then a most important link between the east and west. The cost of extending the road and constructing the 175 miles to be covered was estimated to reach $4,450,000-or an average for the total length of 248 miles of $17,943 per mile. The receipts of the Michigan Southern for the year 1847-48 were $173,196.63, and the operating expenses for the same time were $76,613.91. Some of the items of the estimate by the engineer are of interest, to contrast with construction and equipment of 1912: "Iron rails sixty pounds per yard for 175 miles, and five miles for turn outs at $50 per ton, delivered, $900,000;" "for grading, ma- sonry, bridging, timber, chairs, spikes, laying track, right of way and miscellaneous, $1,600,000." The builders of the road west from Monroe to Hillsdale were Mr. Thomas G. Cole and Walter P. Clark, prominent business men of Monroe, the former became the first superintendent. Mr. Cole was also the builder of the Detroit, Monroe and Toledo Railroad or that division from Monroe to Toledo-and was one of the directors of the road, which afterwards was acquired by the Lake Shore Railroad- and became a part of the Vanderbilt Systems. Ransom Gardner built the road from Monroe to Detroit.
The position of railroad superintendent and manager, in the early days of railroading, it is very readily perceived to have been anything but a bed of roses and its duties the farthest thing from a lucrative sinecure; the correspondence and official papers of Thomas G. Cole afford the most abundant proof of this if any proof is necessary. He was elected superintendent of the Michigan Southern Railroad in 1849, very soon after the purchase of the property from the state by this company. He was an excellent executive officer, a man of large business experience and a trained railroad man who had been interested in constructing the line when it was projected by the state. General Humphry was also a subcontractor under Mr. Cole in the construction of one of its branches and who thoroughly completed the road through to Hillsdale, which for a considerable time was the western terminus. During the half dozen years when it was operated by the state few repairs to the line were made. the equipment was inadequate both in quantity and quality and the road evidently was run in a very hap-hazard manner. The rolling stock was almost a joke, and the locomotive power nearly so. All of which through careless or incompetent management, rapidly deteriorated, so that when the road passed into the hands of the new corporation it was in a deplorable condition, and the price which the state received from the sale, though not one-half of its actual cost, was afterwards considered a very dear one by the purchasers, upon an examination into its actual physical condition. Under these circumstances the burden resting upon
-
371
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
the shoulders of the superintendent was a heavy one, not the least of which was occasioned by the rival interests of Monroe and Toledo; especially after the lease of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad. These two eastern termini of the route were exceedingly jealous of each other and in operating both lines to the satisfaction of all parties and at the same time conserving the interests of the railroad company, required on the part of Mr. Cole, great tact, and foresight. To this was added the perplexing demands for shipping facilities by the warehousemen and millers at Hillsdale for meeting which there was no adequate means.
One of the letters from George Bliss, president of the road, upon this subject and the superintendent's reply, are illustrations of the state of things existing during the dark days of the road in 1849. The locomo- tives were deficient in numbers and power; there were not half enough cars to serve patrons ; the road bed was in bad shape and the strap rail worn out and continually giving trouble. Derailment was frequent, with none of the modern wrecking equipment to cope with the diffi- culties. There was an embarrassing lack of funds for repairs and pur- chase of new material, employees were pressing for their pay, (often being a month or two in arrears.) Mr. Cole resigned his position as superintendent in 1852.
In 1855 Mr. Cole undertook a contract with the Detroit, Monroe & Toledo Railroad Company, under a general contract, to construct their line from Monroe to Toledo, completing it within the stipulated time.
FOURTH YEAR OF MICHIGAN SOUTHERN
The volume of business done by the Michigan Southern Railroad in the fourth year after it was taken over by the new company, by purchase from the state, was not overwhelming, as will be seen from the annexed statements of freight moved during the month of December, 1853. Interest attaches to it as showing the remarkable variety of products of the new state.
Statement of freight moved during the month of December, 1853.
Articles
Quantities
1. Apples
Bbls.
266
2. Ale & Beer
Bbls.
1701/%
3. Ashes
Tons
3
4. Barley
Bushels
16701/2
5. Beef
Bbls.
239
6. Beans
Bushels
1313/4
7.
Bran & Shorts
Tons
10
8. Buckwheat Flour
Tons
1
9. Butter
Tons
5
10.
Cheese
Tons
13
11.
Coal
Tons
239
12.
Corn
Bushels
18891%
13.
Cornmeal
Bbls.
10
14.
Cranberries
Bbls.
1041%
15. Dried Fruit
Tons
29
16. Flour
Bbls.
5353
17. Furniture & Luggage
Tons
210
18. Grass & Clover Seed
Tons
20
19. Hams & Bacon
Tons
2
20. Highwines
Bbls.
70
21. Iron & Nails
Tons
171
22. Lath
Tons
5
372
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
23. Lead in Pig
Tons
5
24. Lime
Tons
53
25. Lumber in feet
235,050
26. Millstones
Tons
4
27. Miscellaneous Merchandise
Tons
1541
28. Oats
Bushels
6658
29. Other Agricultural Products
Tons
18
30. Pelts, Hides & Skins
Tons
29
31.
Pig Iron
Tons
65
32.
Plaster
Tons
48
33.
Pork in Bbl.
Bbls.
525
34.
Pork in Hog
Tons
195
35.
Potatoes
Bushels
9121%
36.
Salt
Bbls.
2601
37.
Shingles
M
1141/2
38. Staves, Heading & Hooppoles
Tons
106
39.
Stone, Sand & Brick
Tons
8
40. Wheat
Bushels
31197
41. Whiskey
Bbls.
141
42.
Wool
Tons
141
43.
Cordwood
Cords
36
44.
Neat Cattle
No.
28
Horses
No.
78
Hogs
No.
53
Sheep
No.
890
Total in Tons
5746
ADVERTISEMENT OF OPENING OF RAILROAD TO DETROIT IN 1857 RAILROAD UNDER WAY AT LAST (DETROIT, MONROE, ADRIAN)
MICH. SOUTHERN & NOR'N INDIANA RAIL-ROAD. OPEN TO DETROIT. TWO DAILY TRAINS, EACH WAY.
ON AND AFTER WEDNESDAY, MAR. 25th, 1857, at 7 A. M., trains will run as follows between
DETROIT AND ADRIAN.
Arrive at Detroit.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
P. M.
8,10
4,55
DETROIT,
1,10
7,50
9,05
6,00
Wyandotte,
11,50
6,45
9,25
6,25
Trenton,
11,25
6,25
9,45
6,55
Huron,
11,00
6,00
9,58
7,20
Swan Creek,
10,35
5,40
10,30
7,55
MONROE, Ida,
9,22
4,52
11,13
8,50
Petersburgh,
8,58
4,33
11,26
9,04
Deerfield,
8,42
4,20
11,55
9,50
ADRIAN,
8,00
3,50
P. M.
A. M.
Arr. 9,15
8,15
CHICAGO,
Le. 9,00 p m 7,00 a m
4,20
1,50
TOLEDO,
12,05 a m 1,25 p m
9,30
7,20
CLEVELAND,
6,00 pm 8,30 a m
All trains connect at ADRIAN with Express trains to
CHICAGO AND CLEVELAND,
And at Detroit with trains on the Great Western, Detroit and Milwaukie, and Michigan Central Railroads.
SAM BROWN, Gen'1. Sup't
7,30
Stoney Creek,
9,50
5,15
10,55
8,25
9,24
Wellsville,
8,23
Leave Detroit.
5,45
Ecorces,
12,00
10,18
373
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
Railroads did not altogether displace the plank roads in the county, for there was room for them where their steam competitors could not reach. The old Monroe & Saline road reaching to the latter town was sometimes very much the "worse for wear"-especially after the spring rains and freshets-but the directors of this corporation "braced up" in time to get a mead of praise from the weekly paper, like this : "Monroe & Saline Plank Road .- We are happy to say that the Monroe and Saline Plank Road is in fine order this spring. It presents a smooth and even surface, and no one can complain of the tolls on that road. It should be sustained by the community. Farmers can not but feel its value this spring."
The expected early completion of the railroad from Detroit to Mon- roe and Toledo, engaged the attention of Monroe in 1857 to the exclusion of almost all other local topics, and the progress of the contractors who were actively engaged in its construction was considered far too slow, considering the weighty matters that were at stake in Monroe. Every line printed in the newspapers touching upon this enterprise was read with the utmost avidity. Items like the following, clipped from the Monroe weekly newspapers of the time, were the most thrilling of each issue :
"The new railroad from Detroit to Toledo is a matter of great im- portance to the citizens of Monroe, and knowing that they take much interest in it, we have endeavored to keep them informed in regard to its progress and prospects. The work is now rapidly approaching com- pletion. The grading on the northern division is all done and the present week will see the whole of it completed, including the southern division. All the bridging of the north end will be finished by the end of the present month, and of the Toledo end by January 1st. The track- laying is also in a state of forwardness. Ten miles of track north of Monroe and six south of Detroit are already laid down,-and the com- pany have gangs of men at each end, engaged in raising and surfacing the track in a suitable manner,-so that our road when finished will be a good one. Mr. Gardner, the energetic contractor, proposes to com- plete the connection between this city and Detroit by the first or the middle of December. We congratulate the company and their officers and contractors on the unusually favorable season which they have had for the prosecution of this important work; and hope soon to realize the long-expected pleasure of the excursion trip to Detroit over the new road."
Everything is said to be great or small, good or bad, only by com- parison. In this view of a national proposition we are attracted and edified by the comparison of the present facilities for transportation with those of fifty or sixty years ago; the evolution from merely nothing to the advanced conditions of the present. Does it not seem incredible that one of our greatest railroad lines should have advertised in 1843 as an attraction to the traveling public, that it would cover the distance between Detroit and Chicago in thirty-nine hours? The proof that this was a fact is given in an advertisement of the Central Road which appears below :
1843.]
DETROIT AND CHICAGO. THROUGH IN 39 HOURS, By the Central Railroad Mail Line.
[1843.
The cheapest, safest and most expeditious route to the West, being 48 hours quicker than the Lake route.
The Railroad Cars leave Detroit daily (Sundays excepted), at 8 o'clock A. M., arrive at Jackson, 80 miles, same day at 2 P. M. leave Jackson at 3 P. M. in Coaches, arrive at St. Joseph at 5 P. M. next day; leave St. Joseph, on the arrival of the Stages, in Steamboats, 69 miles to Chicago, and arrive at one A. M.
374
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
This route was established at a great expense in 1842, and its success warrants the proprietors in extending the facilities for 1843. A new Steamboat of 270 tons burthen, with a powerful Low Pressure Engine, will take the place of the Steamboat Huron in July.
Extras always in readiness.
Office in Chicago at the General Stage Office. In Detroit, at the Railroad Ticket Office.
T. W. WELLS, Act. Com. C. R. Z. TILLOTSON & Co., S. P. E. B. & S. WARD, S. B. P. may29dtf
Jackson, May, 1843.
The present schedule time by the same route is not more than seven hours ! Monroe was a long time in realizing the actual fact of even this snail's pace. The western tide of travel in 1856 between Monroe and the great developing west was by the Michigan Southern Railroad, the first stage of which extended from Monroe to Adrian. The necessity for any special time for a train on this road to leave or arrive at either terminal seems to have been somewhat of a vague conception as shown by the following item from one of the local newspapers of 1856 :
"Change of Cars .- The passenger train runs but once each way, each day, between this place and Adrian. It leaves Monroe about eight o'clock A. M., and arrives from the west about six P. M."
Nevertheless the hunger for railroads increased and every item of encouragement to the people that they were soon to realize the bliss of going to Detroit and Toledo by rail, were awaited with the utmost im- patience, hence the necessity for the newspapers to present every crumb of comfort that came to the editors table, such as this :
"Our road to Detroit has become a verity-a tangible, rideable verity. For some days past cars have passed the whole length safely, and with tolerable speed. We shall soon have two or three trains each way, per day, giving the long hoped for means to get out to see the world, and in fact to bring the world to see us. This is an important era in the history of Monroe. There is nothing to hinder her now from taking a stand with the towns along our lake shores. The season has been an exceedingly good one for pushing the work forward, and the energy and enterprise of the contractors were not loth to take advan- tage of the same. We shall have a road to Toledo by the opening of navigation. That branch of the road is all graded, several of the bridges built, and mostly ready to lay down the track as soon as the iron comes."
Such was the activity of railroad building and promoting in the early days that it might well be designated as the "railroad epoch." The ambitions of wealthy and influential men of the eastern states for investments in substantial and needed improvements to develop a rich and rapidly growing state such as Michigan was confidently expected to become and which must logically require large sums of money to carry on these extensive public works, and for men of sagacity and known ability to conduct them drew public attention to Monroe and Toledo on Lake Erie as the points from which the railroads must radiate, to take care of the lake commerce to and from the rapidly filling up west. It is not strange that in these circumstances there should appear another class of men with more activity and ingenuity in promoting visionary schemes than financial ability to carry them out. These were mainly from New York, Boston and Buffalo, who had a numerous following of "local tal- ent" on the scenes of their lively activities. Railroads, plank roads, har- bors, ship-building and locating of new towns-to become "great cen- ters of commercial operations" were glibly talked about, and many en- terprises were incorporated with large capital-on paper.
Every now and then there emerges from the misty past a legal docu-
375
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
ment which embodies the schemes of more than one John Law which, like his glittering "bubble" on a smaller scale, shone with all their bril- liant rainbow hues for a few months, and then rudely burst, to the con- sternation of too confident and confiding investors. There were the "Manhattan and Havre Railroad Company." the "River Raisin and Grand River Railroad Company," the "Maumee Branch Railroad Com- pany," the "River Raisin and Lake Erie Railroad Company," besides canal companies, improvement companies, abundant and bewildering.
MAUMEE BRANCH RAILROAD COMPANY
The Maumee Branch Railroad Company was incorporated by the terri- tory of Michigan in a bill dated August 22, 1835, from whose charter extracts are made. This road was apparently intended by its promoters to absorb and otherwise "do up" the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad for their prospective benefit.
"An act to incorporate the Maumee Branch Railroad Company, passed the Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, August 22, 1835.
"SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the legislative council of the territory of Michigan, That David White, Salmon Kinney, Jacob A. Barker, John T. Hudson, Stephen G. Austin, John W. Clark and Charles Townsend, be, and they are appointed commissioners, under the direction of a major- ity of whom, subscriptions may be received to the capital stock of the Maumee Branch Railroad Company, hereby incorporated, and they may cause books to be opened, at such times and places as they shall direct, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions to the capital stock of said company, first giving reasonable notice of the times and places of taking said subscriptions.
"SEC. 2. That the capital stock of the said Maumee Branch Railroad Company shall be one hundred thousand dollars, in shares of fifty dol- lars each : and that as soon as one thousand shares of said stock shall be subscribed, the subscribers of said stock, with such other persons as shall associate with them for that purpose, their successors, and assigns, shall be, and they are hereby created a body corporate and politic, by the name of the 'Maumee Branch Railroad Company,' with perpetual succession, and by that name shall be capable in law of purchasing, holding, selling, leasing, and conveying estate, either real, personal, or mixed, so far as the same may be necessary for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, and no further ; and in their corporate name, may sue and be sued, may have a common seal. which they may alter and renew at pleasure, and shall have, enjoy, and may exercise all the powers, rights, and privileges, which appertain to corporate bodies, for the purposes mentioned in this act.
"SEC. 3. Said corporation hereby created, shall have power to con- struct a single or double railroad, from, at or near the mouth of the Mau- mee river, in the county of Monroe, and from thence on an eligible route until the same shall intersect the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad; and to connect with and use the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad, or any part of it when completed, according to the provisions of the nineteenth section of the act incorporating said Erie and Kalamazoo railroad; and with power to transport, take, and carry property and persons upon the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad, or upon any part of it when completed, and upon the railroad herein authorized to be constructed by the power and force of steam, of animals, or of any mechanical or other power, or any combination of them.
"An Act to amend an act to incorporate the Maumee Branch Railroad Company.
"SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the legislative council of the territory of Michigan, That the Maumee Branch Railroad Company, are hereby au-
376
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
thorized to extend said railroad through the southern tier of counties in Michigan territory to the mouth of Gallain River on Lake Michigan, and for that purpose and no other, said company are hereby authorized to increase their stock to any amount not exceeding fifteen hundred thou- sand dollars.
"SEC. 2. So much of said road as lies between the mouth of the Mau- mee River, and the point where said road shall intersect the Erie and Kalamazoo railroad, shall constitute the first section of said road; so much of said road as lies between said intersection and the eastern boun- dary of St. Joseph county, shall constitute the second section of said road, and the residue of said road shall constitute the third section thereof.
"SEC. 3. If the second section be not commenced within five years and completed within fifteen years from the passage of this act, and if the third section shall not be commenced within fifteen years and completed within twenty-five years from the passage of this act, then in either case, this act shall be null and void, so far as it relates to such unfinished part or parts, and no farther.
"Approved August 25, 1835.
"STEVENS T. MASON, "Governor."
"An Act to authorize the Maumee Branch Rail Road Company to pass over The Havre Branch Rail Road, in connection with the Erie and Kalamazoo Rail Road." "SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- tives of the State of Michigan, That for the purpose of enabling the Mau- mee Branch Rail Road Company more conveniently to connect with the Erie and Kalamazoo Rail Road, said company is hereby authorized to con- nect with the Havre Branch Rail Road in the village of Havre, and use said Havre Branch Rail Road under such regulations, and for such tolls, as shall be established by the legislature.
"CHARLES C. WHIPPLE, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
"E. MUNDY, President of the Senate.
"Approved June 21, 1837.
"STEVENS T. MASON, Governor."
RIVER RAISIN AND GRAND RIVER RAILROAD
Another project of splendid magnitude, originating in the fertile minds of the "Get-Rich-Quicks" in Monroe, was the River Raisin and Grand River Railroad, "intended" to traverse the state from Lake Erie to Lake Michigan. The formal announcement of this determination ap- peared in the Monroe papers and is given below: "Notice is hereby given, that an application will be made to the next Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan, or the Legislature of the State of Michigan, as the case may be, for an act to incorporate a Company to construct a "Rail Road" from or near the mouth of the Maumee Bay, westerly across the peninsula to Lake Michigan.
"January 15, 1836."
The legislature of 1835 was "an easy mark," judging by the num- ber of schemes that were given powers to incorporate. Following is the official action taken on the proposed railroad :
"An Act to incorporate the River Raisin and Grand River Rail Road Company and for other purposes.
"SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the legislative council of the territory of Michigan, That S. Blanchard, S. Fargo, J. J. Godfrey, O. Wilder, Ed- ward D. Ellis, Edwin Smith, Reynolds Gillet, Isaac E. Crary and Geo. Ketchum, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners under the direction of a majority of whom, subscriptions may be received to the
.
377
HISTORY OF MONROE COUNTY
capital stock of the River Raisin and Grand River Rail Road Company hereby incorporated, and they may cause books to be opened, at such times and places as they shall direct for the purpose of receiving sub- scriptions to the capital stock of said company, first giving reasonable notice of the times and places of taking such subscriptions.
"SEC. 2. The capital stock of said River Raisin and Grand River Rail Road Company shall be one and a half million of dollars, in shares of fifty dollars each: and that as soon as one thousand shares of said stock shall be subscribed, the subscribers of said stock, with such other persons as shall associate with them for that purpose, their suc- cessors and assigns shall be, and they are hereby created a body cor- porate and politic, by the name and style of the 'River Raisin and Grand River Rail Road Company,' with perpetual succession, and by that name shall be capable in law of purchasing, selling, leasing and con- veying estate, either real, personal or mixed, as far as the same may be necessary for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, and no further: and in their corporate name may sue and be sued, may have a common seal which they may alter and renew at pleasure, and shall have, enjoy, and may exercise all the powers, rights and privileges which appertain to corporate bodies, for the purpose mentioned in this act.
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