USA > Michigan > St Clair County > St. Clair County, Michigan, its history and its people; a narrative account of its historical progress and its principal interests, Vol. I > Part 46
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"The location at Palmer was urged for a variety of reasons, and among others, that in addition to the business the road would do, if eommeneed at Black river, a rich and productive part of Macomb eounty would at once furnish produee and business enough to pay the interest on the cost of construction for at least that distance of the road; and minute calculations were made in proof of these statements. That the prineipal business of the road would be to and from the city of Detroit and the east, and that by commeneing at Palmer, twelve or fourteen miles of diffieult and often tedious river navigation would be avoided; that Palmer was an old settlement, and was, and long had been, the county seat of St. Clair county. That in relation to the termination of the Canada road, interest would induee that company to terminate their road opposite the commencement of the northern road, wherever that should be.
"These arguments, with others not here enumerated, had their weight with the commissioners."
After deeiding in favor of the Port Huron terminus, the board next decided to have the line run and terminate on the south side of Black river. Contraets for clearing and grubbing were made and in 1838 the board reported an expenditure of $12,772.44, with contracts let involv- ing an estimated expenditure of $85,204. Governor Mason in his mes- sage to the legislature in January, 1839, says that contracts to clear and grub have been let from Port Huron to Lyons, Ionia county, and that $20,998 had already been expended. By 1841 the end had been reached of the vast projects of internal improvement in which the new state had so light-heartedly engaged. In order to carry them out a loan of five million dollars had been authorized, and negotiated but the banking in- stitution which had engaged to place the bonds had failed, and there was no money forthcoming to complete the railroads and canals. The visions of Port Huron as a great railroad center, the terminus of the Northern railroad through Michigan, and the Canadian railroad through Ontario, vanished into thin air, not to be revived for nearly twenty years.
It was felt, however, that all the work done and money expended upon the Northern railroad, which by January, 1841, amounted to near-
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ly $70,000, should not be allowed to go entirely to waste, and at the legislative session in April, 1841, an act was passed reeiting that a large amount had been expended in chopping, grubbing and clearing the road, which, if left in its present condition, could be of no value to the people in its vicinity, and as it was impolitie in the existing embarrassments of the state to make further expenditures for a railroad, and it was the wish of the people that for the present the railroad should be converted into a turnpike or wagon road and thereby render the money already ex- pended available for the best interests of the people in the northern sec- tion of the state, it was provided that $30,000 of the unexpended balance be expended in bridging, clearing and grading so as to make a good passable wagon road. Later, in 1848, 20,000 acres of swamp land were appropriated to aid the same road. The line of the Northern Rail- road, which was first surveyed to cross Black river and have its terminals on the north side (probably owing to the fact that at that time the larg- est part of the industries and population was on that side) was actually laid out and the work done from Seventh street west on the line of La- peer avenue as now existing.
It took the country and state several years to recover from the con- sequences of 1836. When the people of Michigan came in 1850 to pro- vide a new constitution for themselves they were still suffering, and they put in an express prohibition against the state engaging in works of in- ternal improvement.
In 1847 the legislature chartered the Port Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad Company to build a line of railway from Port Huron to some point on Lake Michigan, at or near the mouth of Grand river. The company had an authorized capital of $2,000,000, and was required to begin construction of its road within five years and complete it within fifteen years. In 1855 the act was amended increasing the capital to $8,000,000, and extending the time of beginning work to ten years, and the time of completion to twenty years.
No construction was done under this eharter until after it was re- quired in 1865 by W. L. Bancroft and his associates, but in the same year, 1855, under the general railroad law the Port Huron and Milwau- kee Railway Company was incorporated to build a railroad from St. Clair county to Shiawassee county. This company completed its organi- zation and in 1856 bought considerable land in Port Huron upon St. Clair river both north and south of Griswold street, for terminals and rights of way. In several cases it paid a part of the purchase price and gave back a mortgage for the balance, which upon the failure of the company to build its road, was foreclosed and the company's right extinguished. Considerable work was done in Port Huron, the roadway was made through the hill over which the Military street railroad bridge was built, and some clearing and grading done. It was in anticipation of the completion of this road that the villages of Capac and Emmet were platted.
Financial difficulties soon arose and the enterprise had to be aban- doned, and the hopes of Port Huron for a railroad communication seemed destined never to be realized. The title to nearly all the Port Huron property came back by mortgage foreclosure to the original
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owners, and Lake Michigan, and the western country were. farther away than ever.
WILLIAM L. BANCROFT
Matters slumbered another decade, when the subject was taken up onee more and pushed slowly and with many drawbacks to conclusion, and the credit for this result should be largely given to William L. Ban- eroft.
Mr. Bancroft was born in Martinsburg, N. Y., August 12, 1825, and died at Hot Springs, Ark., 1901. In 1832 his father moved to Detroit with his family, where they remained a few years, going from there to Milwaukee. In 1844, Mr. Bancroft, who had had some experience in newspaper work, came to Port Huron and purchased the Lake Huron Observer, which he managed until 1848, changing the name to the Port Huron Observer. Selling out his paper, he went back to New York state to study law, and returned in 1851 to Port Huron to engage in the practice of that profession, going into partnership with Omar D. Con- ger. In 1854 he was the Democratic candidate for secretary of state, the same year his office burned and as his eyes had already given him much trouble, he bought an interest in the Port Huron Commercial, which he edited for two years and then sold out. The following year, 1857, he established the first bank in Port Huron, in company with Cyrus Miles, as Cyrus Miles & Company. After about a year he withdrew, and engaged in lumbering in Sanilae county, but retaining his residence in Port Huron. In November, 1858, he was elected representative in the state legislature. In 1864, he became interested in the railroad situation and to it devoted all his abilities for several years. He got up all the rights of the old Port Huron & Lake Michigan Railway Company and of the Port Huron & Milwaukee Railway Company and united them, and in the fall of that year was elected to the state senate.
The legislature in 1864 had passed several aets authorizing the munie- ipalities along certain specified proposed lines of railway to aid in their construction by giving their own bonds upon certain conditions to the railroad companies. In 1865, several more similar aets were passed, in- cluding one which authorized municipalities in the counties of St. Clair, Lapeer, Genesee and Shiawassee to assist the Port Huron & Lake Michi- gan Railroad. Governor Crapo vetoed a number of such bills but they were carried over his veto. The general public sentiment throughout the state was at that time strongly in favor of such legislation, and giv- ing such assistanee. In 1866, the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Com- pany began to purchase land in Port Huron necessary for terminals, and to arrange for the construction of the road. Mr. Bancroft had the foresight to see that Chicago was destined to be the great railroad center and connection there was vastly more important than with Lake Mieh- igan, he accordingly began negotiating with the Peninsular Railway Company, which was formed to construet a railroad from Lansing to Battle Creek, and these negotiations finally culminated in the formation of the Chieago & North-Eastern Railway Company to unite both eom- panies and extend the road to Chicago.
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In 1867 a general law was passed by the legislature to authorize mu- nicipalities anywhere in the state to vote aid to railroads up to ten per cent of their assessed value.
In 1869, the city of Port Huron voted in favor of loaning the Port Huron and Lake Michigan Railroad $42,000, and the bonds, bearing ten per cent interest were executed and delivered. With this and other as- sistance and the ability of Mr. Bancroft in smoothing out difficulties and convincing investors, the road was finally completed to Flint. Before that, however, in May, 1870, the decision of the Michigan supreme court had been made which declared all railroad aid bonds illegal and worth- less. This merely added one more to Mr. Bancroft's difficulties, which he overcame. After serving as manager of the railroad and receiver of it, he retired from the railroad business in 1876. He was an able. incisive writer, a strong partisan of the Democratic party, an eloquent speaker, and for many years one of the most generally influential men of this locality.
The road was completed sufficiently to do business to Capae in June, 1870, to Imlay City, the following month, to Lapeer in June, 1871, and to Flint in December, 1871. This was all that was ever built of the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Railroad, and it is hard now to realize the troubles, discouragements, and almost impossible difficulties which were surmounted to complete it. The story of how the chain in which this road formed a link, extending from Port Huron to Chicago, was finally finished, and at last became the Grand Trunk Western, a part of the great Grand Trunk system, is one well worth telling, but would fill a volume of itself. and is not specially connected with the history of St. Clair county.
Although the Chicago road was the first railroad in Port Huron upon which work was actually begun, it followed in completion by several years, another road. It will be remembered that the promoters of the Huron Land Company, in 1837. were confident of an immediate con- struction of a railroad through Canada which would connect at the head of St. Clair river with a Michigan road west. They were correct in their anticipations. except that they under-estimated the time by twenty years. The Grand Trunk Railway Company of Canada finally com- pleted its road to Pt. Edward and. in 1859, built under the name of a Michigan corporation (Chicago. Detroit & Canada Grand Trunk June- tion Railway Company), the railroad from Port Huron to Detroit. This road was located without reference to existing communities, but simply to connect its line with Detroit.
During the years immediately following the completion of the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Railroad, the air was full of railroads in which St. Clair county was interested. Roads from Port Huron to Saginaw, from Saginaw to St. Clair, from St. Clair to Chicago, and of all these the only one to materialize was the short road from St. Clair to Lenox, built in 1873. a part of the projected Michigan Midland & Canada Southern Railroad. Another company, the Chicago, Saginaw & Canada Railroad Company, expended considerable money in right of way and grading between the same points in the same year and then abandoned the project.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
ST. CLAIR TUNNEL
The Grand Trunk Railway system was owned by English capital, and for many years was a by-word for its lack of progressiveness, and slow business methods. It finally secured a Chicago connection for its large eastern mileage through the purchase of the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Railroad and other links. Its president, Sir Henry Tyler, was a capable clear-headed man, and saw that although the Rapids furnished the best river crossing anywhere between Lake Huron and Lake Erie, there were many drawbacks to a ferry erossing, from ice and other causes, and to him is due the credit of conceiving and carrying out the great railroad tunnel under the St. Clair river. He persuaded his fellow directors of the Grand Trunk to join with him and the St. Clair Tunnel Company was organized to build the tunnel. Two different methods were tried in 1886 and 1888 and abandoned, and then the successfully used method of the shield system was adopted. Large open euts were made at each portal and in July, 1889, actual tunneling began and was completed in 1890.
The total cost of the completed tunnel was about $2,700,000, its length from portal to portal 6,025 feet, the grade one in fifty. As an engineering proposition it was completely successful, and ereditable to Mr. Joseph Hobson, the chief engineer.
The use of the tunnel began in 1891, and while highly satisfactory in many ways, developed a trouble which was serious and caused a number of deaths. The locomotives in their passage through generated a con- siderable volume of gas which took time to eseape, and when from any eause trainmen were compelled to stay any length of time in the tunnel this gas was apt to be fatal.
After long and thorough examination it was decided, in 1907, to use electric power to haul all trains through the tunnel, and a contraet was let to the Westinghouse Company to install the necessary equipment. This was completed in 1908 and now large electric locomotives of 1,500 horsepower each take all trains, freight and passenger, through a well- lighted, pure-air tunnel, a most happy and satisfactory outeome. The system used is single phase alternating current with overhead working conduetor.
PERE MARQUETTE RAILWAY
To Port Huron enterprise is due the considerable railroad system, now ineluded as a part of the Pere Marquette Railway, which for several years was known as the Port Huron & Northwestern Railway. During 1877 and 1878 there was much talk of building a railroad from Port Huron north through Sanilac and Huron eouties, which enlminated in 1878 in the formation of the Port Huron & Northwestern Railway Com- pany, composed of D. B. Harrington, John P. Sanborn, William Hart- suff, Charles R. Brown, Fred L. Wells, Henry Howard, James Beard, Henry MeMorran, S. L. Ballentine, C. A. Ward and P. B. Sanborn. Large subscriptions in aid of the proposed road were obtained and con- struction of a narrow-guage railroad began in the fall of 1878.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
The first section, to Croswell, was opened for business May 12, 1879, and the road was completed to Harbor Beach in September, 1880. In the meantime it had been decided to build to Saginaw, and starting from a point on the main line in the south part of Grant township a branch was built, and completed to Saginaw, February 21, 1882. Subsequently, this line was changed to start in Port Huron, on the south side of Black river and not erossing that stream, and a part of the former line aban- doned. In October, 1882, the branch to Almont was completed, under the corporate name of the Port Huron & South-Western Railway, and in December, 1882, the branch from Palms to Port Austin via Bad Axe was completed.
In June, 1880, Congress gave permission to the city of Port Huron to give the railroad a right of way through Pine Grove Park, which was done, and the road from the north was extended to cross Black river, and the general station built at the foot of Court street in 1881 and used as the passenger station of all the railroads entering Port Huron.
In 1889 the road was sold to the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway Company, and thus passed out of the control of Port Huron citizens a road which through its construction has been of the greatest value to Port Huron, and which is a monument to the enterprise of its citizens.
PORT HURON SOUTHERN
In January, 1900, the owners of the Port Huron Salt Company, whose plant is located a short distance below Port Huron, built a rail- road about three miles long to connect their plant with the Grand Trunk and Pere Marquette railroads. A corporation was formed under the railroad act called the Port Huron Southern Railroad Company and a well-constructed road built, its business being practically confined to hauling away the product of the plant and bringing in its supplies.
RAPID RAILWAY
In August, 1895, the Detroit & River St. Clair Railway Company was incorporated under the Street Railway Act to build a railroad from a connection with the Grand Trunk Railroad to St. Clair river. Fran- chises were obtained from the townships and villages from Chesterfield east and building of the road began. Financial difficulties soon came on and for the double purpose of protecting creditors and completing the road, in January, 1897, James G. Tucker was appointed receiver. Under his management enough funds were obtained to complete the road from Chesterfield Station, on the Grand Trunk, through New Baltimore, and along the north shore of Lake St. Clair, and through Algonac, to Marine City in 1899. In the meantime Judge C. J. Reilly, and C. M. Swift, of Detroit, the owners of the Rapid Railway, an electric line from Detroit to Mt. Clemens, had organized in March, 1899, the Detroit, Mt. Clemens & Marine City Railway Company, and during that year the latter eom- pany built from Mt. Clemens to Chesterfield and in December. 1899, purchased from the receiver all the rights of the Detroit & River St. Clair Railway.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
In April, 1899, Messrs. Albert Dixon, F. J. Dixon and W. L. Jenks, the owners of the City Electric Railway of Port Huron, organized the Port Huron, St. Clair & Marine City Railway Company, obtained the necessary franchises and began the construction of an electric road from Port Huron to Marine City. This road was completed in 1900, and the following year all the different corporate rights in the electrie roads between Detroit and Port Huron were purchased by the Detroit United Railway of Detroit, and in 1902 a cut-off branch was built from Marine City to Anehorville.
The company operates a steam freight car service from Chesterfield to Marine City, and a double line of electric service, one by way of Algonae and one by the cut-off. The electric line between Port Huron and Detroit is operated by a large central power station at New Balti- more, where the electrical current is generated, transformed to a high voltage, carried to various sub-stations along the road, and there re- dueed in voltage and converted to direct current, which is used in the cars. The construction of this road has operated to open up and develop the southern portion of the county better than could be done by a steam road, and in consequence the entire lake and river shore from New Baltimore to Marine City has been built up by summer residents.
PAPER RAILROADS
The following is a list of railroad companies organized in Michigan, whose roads would, if constructed, have affected St. Clair county, but which were never built.
Detroit, Romeo & Port Huron Company, a railroad chartered orig- inally under the name of the Shelby & Detroit Railroad Company, by aet No. 87 of 1848, changed to the Detroit, Romeo & Port Huron Railroad Company, with a capital stock of $100,000. Its termini were Detroit and Port Huron. By subsequent acts its charter was amended so as to au- thorize the company to arrange with any other railroad company for a guarantee of its bonds, and also for an increase of capital stock.
Air Line Company of Michigan. Its articles of association were filed April 28, 1869, authorizing a capital stock of $4,000,000, with termini Port Huron and Indiana state line.
Canada, Michigan & Chicago Railway Company. Articles filed February 8, 1872, capital stock $4,000,000, termini Lansing and St. Clair.
Chicago & Lake Huron Railway Company. This was formed by the consolidation of the Peninsular Railroad Company, whose termini were Lansing and Battle Creek, and the Port Huron & Lake Michigan Rail- road Company. Its articles were filed August 15, 1873; capital stoek $10,000,000; termini Port Huron and Chicago.
Chicago, Saginaw & Canada Railroad Company. Articles filed Jan- uary 4, 1873; capital stock $4,200,000; termini Grand Haven and St. Clair.
Detroit & Port Huron Railroad Company. Articles of association filed March 26, 1858; capital stock $500,000; termini Detroit and Port Huron.
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Detroit, Port Huron & Sarnia Railroad Company. Articles filed March 27, 1858; capital stock $1,200,000; termini Detroit and Port Huron township.
East Saginaw & St. Clair Railway Company. Articles filed October 31, 1872; capital stock $1,000,000; termini East Saginaw and St. Clair. Fort Gratiot & Lexington Railroad Company. Articles filed April 30, 1872; capital stock $200,000; termini Port Huron and Lexington.
Michigan Air Line Extension Company. Articles filed April 15, 1870; capital stock $1,000,000; termini Ridgway and St. Clair.
Michigan Midland Railroad Company. Articles filed July 4, 1870 ; capital stock $3,000,000, increased in 1872 to $6,000,000; termini St. Clair and a point on Lake Michigan in the township of Holland.
Port Huron & Owosso Railroad Company. Articles filed May 24, 1869 ; capital stock $1,000,000; termini Port Huron and Owosso.
Port Huron & Saginaw Valley Railroad Company. Articles filed January 16, 1873; capital stock $1,000,000; termini Port Huron and Saginaw river.
Saginaw & St. Clair River Railroad Company. Articles filed April 25, 1870; capital stock $3,000.000; termini East Saginaw and St. Clair. St. Clair & Chicago Air Line Railroad Company. Articles filed April 8. 1872, under name of St. Clair River, Pontiac & Jackson ; capi- tal stock $1,200.000. Amendment to changing name to St. Clair & Chicago Air Line and increasing capital stock to $1,700,000, filed October 2, 1872; termini St. Clair and Jackson counties.
Capac & Northern Railway Company. Articles filed November 11, 1879 ; capital stock $300.000 ; termini Capac and Marlette.
Bay City, Caro & Port Huron Railroad Company. Articles filed February 15, 1886; capital stock $1.000,000; termini Bay City and Port Huron.
Bay City & Port Huron Railroad Company. Articles filed 1904; capital stock $1,000,000; termini Bay City and Port Huron.
Port Huron & Lexington Railroad Company. Articles filed 1895.
CITY STREET CAR LINES
For some years after the Grand Trunk Railroad was built in 1859, Port Huron passengers to or from Detroit or points east were compelled to walk or take a bus to the railroad station at the extreme northeast corner of the Military reserve. As there was considerable in and out travel, Gurdon O. Williams, of Detroit. and some associates, thought a horse-car road from the center of Port Huron to the railroad station would be profitable and in 1866 they organized the Port Huron and Gra- tiot Railway Company and obtained from the city of Port Huron a fran-
chise to operate horse cars on Huron avenue. In the meantime, on January 31. 1866, Congress had passed an act granting to Williams and his associates the right of way across the Military Reservation to the Grand Trunk station, and during the year 1867 the new road was built along the river bank through what is now Pine Grove Park, from the station to Huron avenue and down the latter street to River street, and later extended across the bridge to Pine street, and proved a great con-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY
venience and also reasonably profitable. The fare during the daytime was ten cents and at night twenty-five cents.
The success of this company aroused emulation and, in 1873, after a large part of the Reservation had been platted and sold, the City Rail- way Company was organized to construct a street railroad from the Grand Trunk station, west on Michigan (now State street), south on Stone to Pine Grove avenue, down that avenue to Erie street, south on Erie street and Seventh street to Griswold street, thence east to Port Huron & Lake Michigan depot, with a branch on Butler street, from Erie street to St. Clair river. The necessary franchises were obtained and a grant from Congress to construct a curve track on the reservation at the corner of Stone and Michigan streets. The old road then obtained a franchise to build from IInron avenue up Pine Grove avenue to Elk street, withdrawing its track from Pine Grove Park. Both roads en- gaged in a large amount of new construction, a considerable amount un- necessary and duplicated. In 1874 the franchise to the City Railway was amended so as to permit the construction of its road on Pine Grove avenne to Superior street, down that street to Broad, east on Broad to Huron avenue, down that street to Butler street, and cast to St. Clair river. It built from the north end and when it came to Huron avenue found the old road constructing a second track on the west side of its first track, thus interfering with the proposed construction of the City Company's track. Immediately trouble arose, suits were brought, in- junctions were issued, appeals to the supreme court taken, but after some years of warfare and loss to all concerned the fight was ended by the formation of a new company, the Port Huron Railway Company, in 1877, and its acquiring the rights of both former companies and the taking up of track now rendered unnecessary, and the making of one line from the Grand Trunk station west on Michigan street to Stone, down Stone to Pine Grove avenue, then to Huron avenue, down that street and Military street to Griswold street and east to the Port Huron & Lake Michigan station.
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