History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II, Part 78

Author: Mills, James Cooke
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters
Number of Pages: 838

USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II > Part 78

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The line of this road was surveyed in June, 1871, by Frank Eastman ; and in September of the same year the clearing and grading was commenced by Alexander McDonald. On September 15, 1872, the first spike was driven and only three months after the first train passed over the line to St. Louis, a distance of thirty-four miles. The formal opening of the road to business occurred on December 31, 1872, uniting the city with the already rich agri- cultural district of Gratiot and adjoining counties, and rendering available an extensive belt of pine, hemlock and other timber.

Although one of the shortest railroads in the State, its roadbed was first- class, and its rolling stock consisted of four engines, two passenger coaches, twelve box and forty flat cars. Its total earnings in 1873, the first year of its operation, amounted to one hundred and thirty-five thousand dollars, and the operating expenses were forty-two thousand dollars, which was con- sidered a very good showing for a new road. In addition to paying its annual interest charges, a considerable number of bonds were retired. At that time the shipments consisted very largely of forest products, including staves, shingles and bark, while general merchandise, agricultural implements and household goods comprised its outbound freight.

This railroad was afterward extended to Ithaca, Alma, Edmore and Iloward City, and late in the eighties passed to the control of the Detroit, Lansing & Northern Railroad. Thereafter its trains were run through to Grand Rapids over the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad from Howard City. In 1900 this railroad and the Chicago & West Michigan were consolidated with the Flint & Pere Marquette, becoming an integral part of the Pere Marquette System. The line is now known as the Grand Rapids Division, and is a very important route to Chicago and the West.

The Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad

One of the many projects of a thoroughly practical and beneficial nature to this city and county, which were put through by Jesse Hoyt, was the building of the Saginaw, Tuscola & Huron Railroad. This road was com- pleted as far as Sebewaing in 1882, and proved of great value by connecting the Saginaw Valley with a territory directly tributary to it. Before the road could be extended further into the "Thumb" country, Mr. Hoyt died. but the work was pushed forward by William L. Webber and tracks were laid as far as Bay Port, a village on Wild Fowl Bay. A delightful summer resort was here created by prominent citizens of Saginaw, and a hotel with one hundred rooms was built for pleasure seekers during the heated term. A club house and a number of cottages were subsequently built on Heistermann Island, at the outlet of the bay, which for several years was a popular place

729

TRANSPORTATION

of resort. This enterprise was afterward abandoned and many of the cot- tages removed on the ice to Point aux Barques.

From Bay Port the road was then extended to the valuable stone quaries owned by Saginaw interests, and later to Bad Axe, the county seat of Huron County, where it connected with the Port Huron & North Western Rail- road. Although a narrow-gauge railroad it served the country, through which it passed, in a satisfactory manner, and its aggregate movement of stone, hay, grain. staves, tan bark and coal amounted to a considerable volume of business. The excursions to Bay Port on Sunday during the Summer were a feature of the amusements and recreations of the people, and were largely attended. About 1890 this railroad was absorbed by the Flint & Pere Marquette, and soon after was made a standard gauge road.

The Port Huron & North Western

Coincident with the extension of railroads from Saginaw was the entry into this city of the Port Huron & North Western Railroad, a narrow-gauge line promoted and built by capitalists of Port Huron. For several years this road had been building toward Saginaw Valley, and on February 22. 1882, the first regular trains entered the Union Station over the Pere Mar- quette, from the eastern limits of the city. A great extent of territory was opened up to the trade of the valley by this road, but so discriminatory were the traffic arrangements in favor of the city on St. Clair River. that the results to Saginaw merchants and business men were rather disappointing.

This railroad, however, was a valuable link in the transportation systems of Saginaw Valley, and it opened a direct route for passenger travel from Lake Michigan and the Northwest to Canadian points. Buffalo and the East, through its connections with the Grand Trunk Railroad at Port Huron. It was a popular route for all classes of the people, and during the winter season carried thousands of lumber-jacks to and from Canada to this city, which was then the center of lumbering operations of a vast territory to the West and North. Its trains were equal to those run by competing lines. those between Saginaw and Port Huron hauling drawing room cars; and the time was fast for that period, being a little more than three hours for the run of ninety-one miles, including stops.

In 1888 the entire railroad, including the lines from Port Huron to Sand Beach. Bad Axe and Port Austin, and the branch to .Almont, a total of two hundred and eighteen miles, with thirteen miles of sidings, passed into the control of the Flint & Pere Marquette. The importance of this acquisition was such that the latter road at once prepared to change the gange to standard, and the line from Saginaw to Port Huron was thus modernized the following year. It gave to the Pere Marquette, in connection with its lake lines, a direct route across Michigan from the Northwest to Port Huron, where the connection with the Grand Trunk afforded the most direct route to the eastern seaboard, shortening the distance from Minneapolis to the East by sixty-five miles over any other route. The value of this connection was further enhanced by the completion of the tunnel under the St. Clair River at Port Huron. In recent years the acquisition of the Detroit River & Lake Erie Railroad, in the Province of Ontario, by the Pere Marquette, added considerably to the importance of this Michigan railroad system.

Cincinnati, Saginaw & Mackinaw Railroad

The third railroad promoted and built entirely by Saginaw capitalists was the Toledo, Saginaw & Mackinaw, afterward known as the Cincinnati, Saginaw & Mackinaw. For several years the need of a new road to con- nect the Saginaw Valley with the East, West and South was apparent, and in 1886 a company was incorporated to carry out this project. The charter

730

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

authorized the company to build a railroad to Mackinaw, but Wenona, on Saginaw Bay, was the immediate objective point at the north, while Durand, the junction of the Detroit & Milwaukee. the Chicago & Grand Trunk, and the Toledo, Ann Arbor and North Michigan Railroads, became the southern terminus.

The officers of the Toledo, Saginaw & Mackinaw Railroad were: Ammi W. Wright, president ; Philip II. Ketcham, vice-president ; Wellington R. Burt, treasurer ; William C. MeClure, secretary, and these men with Charles W. Wells, Thomas Merrill and J. M. Ashley, Junior, comprised the board of directors. John A. Edget was solicitor for the road.

UNION STATION, AND DEPOT CAR USED IN THE EIGHTIES

This railroad was laid out and the first section was built in 1887. It was constructed with solid roadbed laid with steel rails of standard size, and was regarded as a model road. The line, which passed directly north through Flushing and Montrose, entered the city near Sheridan Avenue, crossed the Belt Line east of Jefferson, and swinging to the west came down South Franklin Street to Thompson, where the depot and freight house were situated. This section of the road was opened to traffic in 1888, and proved another important outlet for the products of Saginaw Valley.

The road then crossed the river at Thompson Street and followed the river through Carrollton, Zilwaukee and Melbourne to Salsburg and West Bay City, where at Midland Street a station handled the business of the Bay Cities. An extension of four miles to Wenona completed the road. This point soon became a popular resort for summer outings, and excur- sions were run almost daily during the heated term from Saginaw and West Bay City to the bay shore, at a minimum rate of fare which attracted thou- sands to the cool, refreshing breezes from off the lake.

731

TRANSPORTATION

About 1893 the road was leased to the Chicago & Grand Trunk, and has since been operated as the C. S. & M. Division. As a feeder for this great railroad system it is of greater value than ever, and serves the Saginaw Valley very acceptably. In recent years the freight traffic has increased very rapidly, necessitating the relaying of the track with heavier steel, and otherwise improving the road. In 1913 a project long contemplated, namely, to enter Bay City and secure a share of the business of that place. was brought to a focus. A substantial steel bridge was built across the river at Twelfth Street, and a modern terminal. for both freight and passenger business, was built within a few squares of the business center of Bay City.

Interurban Electric Traction

The beginning of interurban travel by electric traction was in 1894, the year Isaac Bearinger became interested in improving the transportation facil- ities of the valley cities. Entirely through his efforts and largely with his capital, the first electric line was built from Saginaw to Bay City, with a length of fifteen miles, and at a cost of more than a half million dollars. This road entered the city by the way of North Michigan and Genesce Ave- nues, and its terminus was at Washington and Genesee. It follows a devious course through Carrollton and Zilwaukee, crosses the river at a point below the mouth of Cheboyganing Creek, and enters Bay City at Bullock Road. The line was well equipped with the best type of cars then in use, which were operated at half-hour and forty minute intervals. After creating a steady and growing patronage the road was sold in 1898 to the Saginaw Valley Traction Company.

Other interests a few years later built and equipped an electric road from Saginaw to Bridgeport and Frankenmuth, which, after a troublous career involved in litigation, passed into the hands of a receiver and was sold to A. J. Groesbeek, of Detroit, Soon after this road was purchased by the Saginaw Valley Traction Company, rebuilt and extended from Frankenmuth Junction through Birch Run, Clio and Mt. Morris to Flint, where it con- nected with the Detroit & Flint Railroad to Detroit. In 1912-13 a new rapid traction line was built from Saginaw to Bay City, on the east side of the river.

Street Railways

Since 1863 the citizens of the Saginaws have had street car service, though it must be admitted that in those times there were lacking the con- veniences of rapid transit in warm, comfortable cars, now enjoyed. The first action taken to connect Saginaw City with East Saginaw by street railway was taken in the former city, by the organization of the Saginaw City Street Railway Company, with a capital of thirty thousand dollars. David 11. Jerome was president, George L. Burrows, secretary and treas- urer, and S. S. Perkins, superintendent. The line was two and three-eighths miles in length, running from Hamilton and Mackinaw Streets down Ham- ilton to Madison, to Washington ( Michigan), and thence to Genesee Street. At that time Genesee was merely a slab and saw dust road crossing the marsh, and during spring freshets was covered with water to a depth of four to six feet. The track of the street railway, which connected the busi- ness sections of the two cities, crossed the marsh and bayou on a trestle of piling, and thence by the bridge to the Bancroft House. A picture show- ing this terminal with one of the old horse cars then used will be found on page two hundred and forty-seven.

The street railway was opened to travel on December 8, 1863, with loud acclaim of the residents of Saginaw City who prided themselves on the enterprise which the railway displayed. It was, indeed. a step in ad- vance in the slow march of progress made by the older city, and gave the residents a closer connection with the Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad,

732

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

which they had lost through their own folly, The railway gave employ- ment to sixteen men and used thirty horses and five cars. The track was built with strap rails laid on wood stringers, the mode then followed, and the equipment was light enabling the trip from the Bancroft House to the Taylor House to be made in less than twenty minutes. The road proved a great accommodation to both cities and was well patronized.

The business men of "East Town," not to be outdone by their worthy neighbors, soon after organized the East Saginaw City Street Railway, and built a road from the Flint & Pere Marquette depot, at Potter and Wash- ington Streets, up Washington to South Saginaw, a distance of three miles, with a short branch line on Brewster Street to Jefferson. The company was organized November 10, 1864, with a capital of sixty thousand dollars. William J. Bartow was president and superintendent, Moses B. Hess was treasurer, and T. E. Morris was secretary, and they and Jesse Hoyt and James F. Brown comprised the board of directors.

This railway was completed and made ready for travel on April 4, 1865, thus identifying South Saginaw with its prosperous neighbor, and bringing a considerable trade from the thriving village of twenty-five hun- dred people, to the city. The company owned seven cars, three of which ran regularly every twenty minutes the entire length of the line, using twenty-six horses and giving employment to eleven men.

Twenty years after, the twin cities having grown rapidly and together acquired a population of more than forty thousand, an expansion of the street railways seemed both desirable and expedient. "Little Jake" Selig- man, who at that period was a most active spirit, secured control of the old East Saginaw City Street Railway, and gave the new corporation then formed the name of Union Street Railway. In order to reach the business and residence sections of Saginaw City, which hitherto had had only the limited service of the old horse car line. he organized the Central Bridge Company which purchased the Bristol Street Bridge, rebuilt the super- structure, and made it ready for use by the Union Street Railway.

He then extended the line from Washington and Bristol Streets across the bridge, and by the way of Fayette and Washington ( Michigan) Streets, to and up Court Street, and by Mackinaw Street to South Saginaw where the track joined the end of the old line. A loop was thus formed around which the dinky horse cars, with the words "Court House" painted in large script on their sides, and not much larger than the present enclosed motor "jitneys." with door and step at the rear end, ran on a regular schedule. The cars painted a bright blue ran west over the Bristol Bridge, through the business section of Saginaw City, across the Mackinaw Street Bridge to South Saginaw, and thence down Washington Street to the end of Potter Street, while the yellow cars reversed the route. The red cars ran from Potter Street over the same route as the blue cars, but at the Court House ran up and down Court Street for a distance of about one mile, and back to East Saginaw over the same route. This arrangement of schedules was quite an innovation in the transportation facilities of the Saginaws, and the citizens generally prided themselves in the excellent car service afforded.

The prospective opening of a competing street car line to Saginaw City had an instant effect on car fares. The old company, which had strenuously opposed the granting of another franchise, anticipated a complication of rates and. before the new road was completed, reduced its fare from seven to five cents and afforded six tickets for twenty-five cents. Of course no transfers were granted, but as the newer company reached a much larger territory at both sides of the business centers than the old road, it gained a good share of the travel between the two cities. Within a year after the

733

TRANSPORTATION

better service had been inaugurated the old street railway reduced its fares to three cents, or ten tickets for twenty-five cents, at which rates it was said to have made a profit. For the short run between the business centers it was decidedly the popular line, and enjoyed its full share of the city travel.

Beginning of Rapid Transit

The use of electricity as a motive power for street cars was vet in the experimental stage, when it was decided by the Union Street Railway Com- pany to abandon the old slow horse cars and adopt rapid transit. "Little Jake" Seligman, who had extended the line to Saginaw City and given the people an idea of what street car service should be, had disposed of his interests in the road; and in 1889 those in control of the property applied for a license to change the system to electric power, and to operate its cars by that medium. An ordinance was duly prepared and passed by the coun- cil, and the electrification of the street railway proceeded. The tracks were

1 55

813

AN ALL-STEEL ELECTRIC TRAIN ON THE MICHIGAN RAILWAY

not changed beyond bonding the rails, but the overhead work and the equipping of the cars with motors took some time, and it was not until the Fall of 1890 that electric power, which was furnished by the Bartlett Illum- inating Company under contract, was turned on.

The operation of the first electric cars in the streets of Saginaw was one of the important events in the history of this city, and was proclaimed a distinct step forward in the march of progress. The equipment then used would look very crude today beside the cars now in use, as the first electric cars were merely the old bob-tail horse cars mounted on light motor-driven trucks. But when it is recalled that this street railway was the second or third street car line in the State to be electrified, and electric science as applied to traction purposes was still very much of an experiment, compari- sons are hardly in order. It was all so new and wonderful that no one thought of criticizing the system in any way. Some persons, however, were quite timorons of the electric cars, and when they observed the sparks some- times thrown off by the wheels or trolley, declared that nothing would ever induce them to ride on the "fire spitting devil" cars. A large portion of the inhabitants had no such fears or prejudices, as was evident by the patronage accorded the electric line.

734

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

The success attending the operation of the first electric cars on Wash- ington Avenue to South Saginaw, led to the equipping of the West Side lines and that running out Genesee Avenue for electric traction, and in a short time all cars of this railway were being operated by that power. As the running time was materially shortened, fewer cars were required to maintain the old schedules, and in some instances the service was con- siderably improved. Meanwhile, the old Saginaw City Street Railway still operated its cars with horses, at the greatly reduced rate of fare, but in 1895, when it seemed imperative that the line should be changed to elec- tricity, the entire property and franchises were sold at a good price to the other and more progressive company. As the old Saginaw City line afforded the shorter route between the business centers of the two cities, and the exigencies of the service demanded it, this line was electrified during the Sum- mer, and early in December, 1895, the first electric cars were run across the Genesee Avenue Bridge and on Genesee and Michigan Avenues to the Court Flouse. Afterward, the short stretch of railway out West Genesee to Union Park was also equipped for electric traction, and an extension built on Gratiot Street to near the city limits. New cars built especially for electric traction replaced the old converted cars, and the horse cars of a previous decade became only a memory.

The Good Roads Movement

The prosperity of both city and rural districts is so dependent upon good roads, and the whole subject looms so large in the public eye, that it is highly important that an account of the progress made should be recorded here. The subject, however, like some others treated of in this work, is so big that not much more than a brief outline of the action that put the good roads movement into being, can be given. To treat it in an exhaustive man- ner would fill an entire volume, and would be beyond our purpose and intent.

The actual start for good roads, which for some time had been debated in this city, was made on July 12, 1898. At a meeting of the Retail Mer- chants' Association on that day Archibald Robertson, who had long espoused the cause of road improvement in this county, argued in favor of abolishing toll roads and bridges, within one year or eighteen months, and this object was finally accomplished. The association at the same meeting appointed a committee to present the matter in proper form to the Board of Super- visors, which was composed of A. Robertson, chairman, Charles H. Peters, Senior, and James 11. Davitt.

At that time the old plank road out Genesee Avenue was still main- tained in fair condition for about eight miles by an old plank road company, which claimed perpetual rights under an ancient charter; and there were several bridges still exacting toll from the people, including the Gratiot Road Bridge, and the Bristol Street Bridge in the City of Saginaw. All other roads, including the State Road to Bay City and those south and west beyond the Gratiot Street Bridge, and the Sheridan and Bridgeport Roads from the south limits of the city, were in wretched condition; and the roads through Buena Vista and Blumfield Townships were not much better. About the only good roads in the county were those built and maintained by Frankenmuth Township, which was the pioneer in road improvement in this county.

At the January session of 1899 of the Board of Supervisors, a com- mittee was appointed by the chairman to act in conjunction with the com- mittee of the Retail Merchants' Association; and the committee was com- posed of the following members: Reuben Beeman, of Swan Creek Town-

735

TRANSPORTATION

CONSTRUCTING STONE ROAD THROUGH SAND RIDGE

ship; John Gerber, of Kochville Township; Andred Stacey, of Bridgeport Township; and William Rebec, of the Second Ward, and Mr. Gage, of the Twelfth Ward, of the City of Saginaw. Upon the meeting of these com- mittees in joint session the matter began to take definite form, and a proper course of action was taken.

From this preliminary action resulted the original County Road Bill. or Enabling Act, under which the subsequent road improvement was put through. The bill was drawn by James Il. Davitt, with the aid and coun- sel of William L. Webber, John Moore, Henry M. Youmans and the mem- bers of the aforementioned committees. Upon completion of this work it was discovered that the bill was unconstitutional, and an amendment to the constitution was then in order. In April, 1899, the Legislature sub- mitted a proper amendment to a vote of the people, which was carried by a majority of one hundred and forty-two thousand two hundred and forty- four. This enabled the counties as well as the townships of the entire State to build and improve their own highways.

The county road law, or Enabling Act, as passed by the Senate, was known as Act No. 419 of the Local Acts of 1899, and was approved by the governor on May 17, 1899. Saginaw County, however, operates under a specific act with reference to stone roads subject to State awards, the same as if it were operating under the State law. Senator H. S. Earle originated the bill in the Legislature creating a good roads commission.

After considerable delay in effecting organization, testing materials and arriving at the best methods of stone road construction, actual work was commenced in Buena Vista Township on June 14, 1902. This event was made the occasion for a celebration, which was planned and carried out in a highly satisfactory manner by Herman !I. Eymer, then county road com- missioner and the moving spirit of the celebration. At one o'clock in the afternoon of that day a long procession composed of county officials, speakers of the day, Companies C. and F., M. N. G., and representative citizens and farmers, moved from the Court House through the city to the Watrousville road where, just beyond the Pere Marquette tracks, the cere-

736

HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY

FROM SAGINAW BOARD OF TRADE AUTO MAP

ROUTE

BEET SUGAR PLANT 47

AC LEVARD

& SHARE PEL

SHAL TO BEY C TY

UNITED STATES CENSUS FOR 1910 POPULATION 50510 CITY DIRECTORY ESTIMATE FOR 1916 POPULATION 76080

100 MILES OF FINELY PAVED STREETS

TO MACKINAW VIA

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II, Part 78

Author: Mills, James Cooke Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters Number of Pages: 838

Author: Mills, James Cooke
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Saginaw, Mich., Seemann & Peters
Number of Pages: 838