The Owosso
Times Jan. 6, 1899
Ann Arbor Shops and Railway.
Engineer
R. C. Stever, of Durand, was in this city Wednesday on business.
George Sutter has returned to Durand to work in the roundhouse
there.
The boys were quite interested in a letter received from
Sergt Jack Thompson this week the letter, written from Pnar del Rio.
gives a graphic and (non-readable) account of the principal railroad
and numerous items of interest in connection with his work which is
now with signal corps service instead of the regiment of engineers
with which he volunteered.
J. C. Walsh, of the Galena Oil Co., In
the city Wednesday and has since rat a trip to Frankfort and back
taking notes on the use of oils along the road and in structural the
men in its use where necessary. This company's contract with the Ann
Arbor company calls for the proper lubrication of the company's
rolling stock and all other bearings requiring the use of oils,
everything in fact to be properly taken care of, without exceeding a
certain amount of oil and a certain corresponding expense. The
agent's presence is brought about by the necessity of instructing
some of the men in the proper use of the oils.
W. Barnes removed
the dynamo recently put up in the shops and got it ready for shipment
to Whitmore Lake yesterday. It will be used there to light the Toledo
Ice Company's large establishment and will be set up under the
directions of Electrician McGrail. a larger dynamo has been secured
for the shops here and Mr. Barues sat it up in running order
yesterday. Lights will now be furnished for the carpenter shop.
The
annual inventory is being taken all along the line this week.
The
greatest cause for excitement at the shops this week was the arrival
yesterday morning of two new fine Baldwin locomotives of the most
powerful type now on the road. The engines are six drivers and weigh
about 125,000 pounds apiece. Though not quite as heavy the
consolidated type in use on this road, they are more powerful as they
have 19x26 cylinders which are an inch greater in diameter with two
inches longer the than the consolidation type. They are fitted up
with 9 ½ inch Westinghouse air pumps and have a braking power
of 70,000 pounds. Air signal whistles are furnished and automatic
bell ringers operated by compress air are also furnished. The boiler
are five feet in diameter with some 260 two inch flues twelve feet
long in each. The arch in the fire box is made of brick. Though the
drivers themselves are five feet two Inches In height, the big
boilers sit up high above them and make the engines seem unusually
tall. The tenders are built with steel frames and elliptic springs
and hold 4,000 gallons of water each. The engines, are numbered 41
and 42 and the first will probably be given trial runs today by
Engineer E K. Cole
Aurora
Daily Express Jan. 9, 1899
The Ann Arbor railroad has its
surveyors looking over new terminals west of Lake Michigan. One is to
be at Menominee.
Ludington Daily News Jan. 12,
1899
Menominee Herald: The Ann Arbor railway company is preparing
to handle more freight across Lake Michigan than ever, during the
present winter. In addition to three car carrying steamers, the
Hennepin and Alice Stafford will handle bulk freight. The points to
be covered from Frankfort are Manistique, Menominee, Kewaunee and
Manitowoc.
The Owosso Times Jan. 13, 1899
Ann
Arbor Shops and Railway.
John McCullan has recovered from his
siege of Illness enough to be back at work
Supt. W. F. Himlley
was in the city Thursday on business.
Engineer Harry Bradley, of
Toledo, was in the city Tuesday.
T. H. Howard returned to
Philadelphia Tuesday, after remaining to see the two Baldwin
locomotives properly delivered, and accepted by the Ann Arbor Ry.
George Palmer was in Durand Wednesday and Thursday to work on
slight repairs tor one of the engines.
Engine No 6 came into the
shops Tuesday with a broken driving tire.
No. 7 came in Monday
with a broken circulation tube.
Engine No. 201 is in the shop for
new truck wheels and a snow plow.
Engine No. 26 went out of the
shops Tuesday after slight repairs.
Nos. 5, 18, and 21 are still
in the shops.
Coach 14 is being overhauled in the carpenter shop.
Master Mechanic Robert Tawse was in Toledo on business Monday and
Tuesday.
Engine No. 27 broke twelve inches off the flange of one
of the drivers Wednesday morning, near Clare, and is now in the shops
here for repairs.
The grip has done its work in the shops this
week and the following Is a partial list of this week's victims of
the malady: W. Barnes, Victor Darling, J. Stewart, Walter Darling,
Charles McCarty, A. Amspoker, Ed. Koch, ('has. Thlede, Henry Ackron.
James Thompson, and W. L. Fauser. S. R. Van Tifflin was strack on the
nose by a stick of timber while directing the unloading of some heavy
lumber and was quite severely bruised. He has been laid up several
days as a result.
Jake Haupt Is acting as night watch in place of
Fred Sanftleben who is taking a vacation long enough to go north and
look over a farm which be owns.
Geo. O. Dyke, of Mt. Pleasant,
spent Tuesday and Wednesday in this city visiting friends.
John
Bowles, who was so severely injured December 17th while working on
the big punch, returned to work for the first time the latter part of
last week. His face shows by its scars that the wounds were no slight
ones.
Two Owosso boys were sent to Frankfort Monday to help take
care of the increased business at that terminus.
Floyd Bailey
will aid as operator and Arthur McDanel as car checker. Ed. Broeffle
and John Flemmlng were in Durand Tuesday night and a part of
Wednesday looking after coach repairs
Engine No. 41, one of the
new Baldwin received last week, was found to have a slight scratch on
one of the main Journals after getting It here and It has been in the
shop most of the week having it fixed up again. The engine was
accepted by the Ann Arbor company, however, as no other defect showed
up and this was one probably received on the way out here from the
shops.
Engine No. 42, the other big new Baldwin, went through
Owosso, north bound, Tuesday morning with the "Cannon Ball"
through freight.
While here No. 14 was unable to start out with
its load and partly to test No. 49, It was coupled to the other and
started it out at a lively rate, drawing the other engine as well as
its train. The two engines, 41 and 42, are likely to be favorites.
The new Baldwin No. 42 had its cab badly smashed by colliding with a
coal chute near Cadillac Wednesday, and is in the shops for repairs
before being run a half week. -
Petersburg Sun Jan. 13, 1899
Frankfort citizens are very wroth because the Ann Arbor railroad company makes South Frankfort its stopping place, and the Frankforters have to go three miles to carch a train or ship their freight. They will appeal to the state authorities.
The Owosso Times Jan. 27, 1899
The
Ann Arbor train south Tuesday evening was nearly three hours late
owing to a wreck on the road. A train was made up here to leave at
the usual hour.
The Owosso Times Feb. 3, 1899
Ann
Arbor Ry Shops, and Personal Items
Passenger coach No. 20 and
combination coach No. 105 which were damaged by fire Ann Arbor last
week were brought to the Owosso shops Tuesday for repairs.
Thos.
Gordon returned to work this week after a month's absence on account
of the loss of a finger which got caught under a tailing tank.
George Sutter, patternmaker, returned to work this week after an
absence about nine weeks, caused by the severe cut in one of his
hands, made by the gouge with which he was using at the time. The
hand is now nearly well.
Jack Tawse spend Sunday and a part or
Monday in Cohoctah.
William Griffin and James Wonuacott returned
to work this week after an absence of nearly two weeks with the grip.
William Matthews who scalded both legs quite badly last week
while attempting to locate a leak in the steam healing pipe is
getting along well this week.
Tbos. Kerwin, chief clerk in the
master mechanic's was in Ionia, Monday, on business.
New stock
yards have been completed this week which are a welcome convenience
to all live stock shippers from this station. The yards are located
just east of the freight house where the old ones were, but will
accommodate about three times the amount of stock and are equipped
with scales for the quick and accurate weighing of all stock just
before being loaded on the ears
Engine No. 41 suffered the
accidental breaking of its big draft casting and the surrounding
timbers while at Frankfort. Monday. The engine was brought into the
shops Tuesday to have a new casting put in and to have the timbers
replaced. This is one of the two large new Baldwin engines put into
service but a few weeks ago. The injury was received by its being
backed into by switch engine No. 8.
Joseph Campbell and George
Walton went to Frankfort Monday to repair the boiler of a switch
engine at that place.
George Martin was in Cadillac the first
half of the week, relieving the regular car inspector at that place.
Fred Brown returned Wednesday to Cadillac to resume his duties as
car inspector.
J. A Miller, purchasing agent for the road, O. D.
Richards, chief engineer, were in Owosso on business Wednesday.
Thomas Veit, of Durand was in the city Tuesday.
Engineer J.
O'Connor, of Durand, was in the city Tuesday and Wednesday.
Frank
Seymour, of Marshal, a machinist, began work in the shops
Tuesday
morning. He expects to move bis family here soon.
W. l. Beckwith
has been in the master mechanic's office, assisting in writing up
reports of the inventory.
W. J. Walsh, traveling representative
of the Galena Oil Co, of Ohio, has been in the city a few days this
week looking after the use of oil in the shops and on the road.
Foreman C. J. Matthews and W. T. Filmore were on the sick list
the first of the week for a day or so.
John Woodman, machinist,
spent the first half of the week visiting relatives at Battle
Creek
Among the large number of workmen who have been absent all
or a part of the week on account of tbe grip are the following: John
Fleming, foreman of the tin shop; Henry Williams, late of Co. G,
blacksmith; Miles Crawford, Chris. Hux, Wm. Holmes, Harry Noble, Ed.
Cbing, Fred Townsend, Wm. Markbam, O. T. Graham, Jas. Thompson,
Charles McCarty, J. Kneeland, J. Williams Lou Gilbert, John Williams,
Steven Hathaway, Lloyd Webb, and A. L. Goddard.
Victor Darling,
foreman of the car department, was in Bancroft Monday to inspect the
railway cars belonging to the Mat Wixom show, Mr. Wixom proposing to
know their actual condition early in tbe season.
Benzie banner Feb. 9, 1899
The
captain of Ann Arbor No. 3 told a Welling man yesterday that Lake
Michigan was frozen clear across, a ever known before. We are
informed that about 10 years ago it was frozen over.
The Owosso Times Feb. 10, 1899
Ann
Arbor Ry. Shops, and Personal Items
Ex-aid. J. J. Mackey has
returuned to work after a vacation enforced by sickness.
Master
mechanic Robert Tawas returned Wednesday evening from a trip to
Frankfort.
Snow plows have been kept busy along the south end of
the road this week,
George Krause has gone to Cadillac to assist
in repairing cars there. The work will keep him about two
weeks.
Railroad men insist that Cadillac besides being the highest
point on the Ann Arbor system is also the coldest point, the the
thermometer registering lower there than at Frankfort.
Gus Suttor,
who but recently returned to work after being laid up with a cut
hand, has left the shops and will run an engine on the road instead
of the up pattern making any any longer. He began began running a
locomotive for the company this week.
Alex. Barrisford is the
latest addition to the force of painters,
David McWhinney, Chas.
Handy, Thos. Markham, Fread Townsend, David Fillmore, Wm. Holmes, and
A. L. Goddard, are among about thirty of the men who have been off
all or a part of the week on account of the grip..
H. H. Mackey,
of Durand, visited his father in this city a part of this week.
The
small six driver switch engine No. 102 has been sold to a lumbering
and logging company and will soon be seen around the yards no more,
Its companion engine No. 101 was sold last fall. The engine will be
in the shops until it has a new fire box put in and is otherwise in
first class condition. Engine No. 3 has been brought up from Ann
Arbor to do the switching here. [Author note AARR company records
show engines No. 101 and 102 are 2-6-0 wheel arrangement purchased by
Toledo, Ann Arbor & North Michigan.]
The company is soon
to make an extensive order for more equipment, not all of which is as
yet decided on. About three hundred new flat cars of stronger and
heavier build than the old one will included among the new
equipment.
The car ferries have been having hard times for for a
number of days past and yesterday the lake was frozen over for about
thirty miles from east side, leaving a strip of water only about
eight or ten miles wide in the center.
Benzie Banner Feb. 16, 1899
Ferries
Nos. 1 and 3 and the Stafford have been in the ice outside the piers.
They are supplied with coal by teams. The three boats, after a week's
hard work in tho ice, succeeded in making the harbor Wednesday
evening about 5 o'clock.
The Owosso Times Feb. 17, 1899
Ann
Arbor Ry. Shops, and Personal Items.
Mike Pureed, of Toledo, was
in the city Wednesday.
Jas. Dean Is now back at work after two
weeks sickness.
Four cars of live stock were shipped from the
Owosso yards Wednesday.
Engine No. 13 was in Tuesday and a part
of Wednesday to have its tank repaired.
Master Mechanic R. Tawse
was in Toledo Wednesday on company business.
General Manager H.
W. Ashley was in the city Monday and Tuesday going on to
Frankfort.
The baggage and waiting rooms have been overhauled this
week and fitted out with a new floor.
Engine No 5 was taken out
Wednesday by Engineer Wm. Pureed. It has been In the shops over a
month.
Joe Sharp, one of the carpenters employed about the yards
froze his nose quite badly during the severe weather.
The
Wolverine, the Ashleys' private car, is being repainted preparatory,
it is said, to making an extensive southern trip.
Lou Gilbert,
one of the car repairers, late of Co. G, is still on the sick list
and expects to go to Detroit for treatment.
Warren Heck with, who
has been assisting at the master mechanic's office during the
inventory, finished bis work Tuesday.
Engine No. 12, which has
been used in Cadillac for switching, was drawn into the shops early
in the week for an overhauling.
Mat Wixom's two large railway
circus cars are in the shops for repairs. They will be fitted up in
good shape before the coming season.
U.J. Williams, another Co G
boy, who has been assisting in the blacksmith shop, is suffering from
malaria and has gone to his home near Flushing.
H. S. Powers,
Thos. Marabam, Harry Noble, Donald Ferguson, Fred Townsend, and Alf.
Fillmore are among the number who are still kept from work by the
grip.
One of the longest trains ever sent through Owosso went
north Tuesday evening. It consisted of eighty-eight cars, nearly all
of which, however, were "empties."
Stationary Engineer
A. L. Goddard is still quite sick with the grip. He has been having a
bard siege with the disease, having been laid up for considerably
more than a month.
Coach No. 13 is receiving new bead linings.
Combination coach No. 105 which was badly burned in Ann Arbor is
nearly repaired again.
No. 15 is ready for use once more.
Engineer O'Brien and his assistants are helping rebuild the steam
shovel. As soon as the weather and the frost subside the" shovel
will be used on the north part of the road to level down hills.
The
Ann Arbor ferries reached Frankfort Tuesday after being frozen up in
the ice for several days. The No. 1 was first stuck ten miles out but
finally reached the No. 3 which was frozen in near the Ella Stafford
about three-fourths of a mile out. The lake is frozen its entire
width, the first time such a condition has been known for twenty-six
years. The No. 1 which, though not the largest boat, is the best lee
crusher, was expected to start out again Wednesday. This boat can
make five miles an hour running through eighteen inches of ice, a
condition It has to face nearly or quite all the way across.
Benzie Banner Feb. 23, 1899
Ann
Arbor No. 2 was sighted Sunday noon but on account of about 15 miles
of ice on this shore it was unable to get in until Monday afternoon.
The ice has now left this shore and the boats were all here yesterday
and are again making regular trips.
The Owosso Times March 3, 1899
The
Ann Arbor Ry. discontinued the express business Tuesday and the
American Express Company began doing business over the Ann Arbor
lines again Wednesday.
The Owosso Times March 3, 1899
Ann
Arbor Ry. Shops, and Personal Items
Jack Tawse Tawse returned
Wednesday evening from Toledo where he has been at work on the
transfer train.
Frank Seymour returned to his home in Marshal
Tuesday to resume his former position with the C. & N. Ry. He
came he with the intention on of moving his family to Owosso and
making his home here, but on on going back to Marshal last last week
found that a better place had opened to him where he had been
employed and he accepted the same.
Harry Mackey was in the city
Tuesday.
Cortland Carpenter has resigned his position in the tin
shop under Fore Fleming and expects to to leave next week for
Sacramento, Calif.
Wm. Holmes and A. L. Goddard are at at last
back at work after long, hard sieges with the grip.
Engines Nos.
15 and 24 were sent out from the shops yesterday.
Engineer E. E.
Lovett, of Durand, was in the city yesterday.
Coach No. 20 which
was damaged about $2600 by fire at Ann Arbor has had its insurance
adjusted and is now in course of repair.
S. Robinson, foreman at
the Manhattan yards, was in Owosso Friday.
Wm. Matthews who was
badly scalded a few weeks ago while searching for a leak in one of
the steam heating pipes returned to work Monday.
Engineer Al Veit
bought in engine No. 18 Tuesday for general overhauling.
The
repair on Mat Wisom's circus cars has have been completed and the
have been turned out of the shops.
The Owosso Times March 10, 1899
Ann Arbor Ry. Shops, and Personal
Items William Barnes, one of the most efficient machinists In the
employ of the company, suffered a very bad accident Friday night,
which will lay him up for many weeks, and perhaps leave him a cripple
for life. While working over time in the dark he fell into the turn
table pit and broke his leg just above the ankle. Both bones were
broken and the injury is so near the ankle joint that there is
considerable danger of its leaving his ankle stiff permanently. Mr.
Barnes has frequently acted as foreman of the machine shop in the
absence of Foreman C. J. Matthews. His regular work was the
supervision of the air brake system, both car brakes and the engine
condensers in which exacting work he was an expert. He also bad
charge of the school of instruction for train men, and will be missed
while laid up by a large proportion of the employees of the road.
W.
H. Brigham, who has been In the employ of the C. & N. at
Marshall, and later was in Battle Creek, has been added to the force
of machinists.
Ed Cblng, one of the helpers In the blacksmith
shop, is laid up with a smashed toe.
Victor Darling returned
Wednesday morning from a business trip to Cleveland.
Work has
just been begun in the car department on the construction of twenty
new flat cars of 60,000 pounds capacity each.
Engines Nob. 32,
18, and 12 are in the shops for a general overhauling.
Miss Mabel
R. Darling, who has worked a part of the time in the office of her
father, Victor Darling, as timekeeper for piece work, was married
Wednesday evening to Mr. John Deederly, an employee in the Kstey
factory.
Ellsworth Millis, yard master, was knocked down Monday
night by a piece of the pushing stake with which the crew were
switching some cars in the Estey yards. The heavy wooden bar broke
from the strain and the piece which struck Millis hit him with
sufficient force to use him up for some time.
The men about the
shops and offices enjoyed a visit from the Mesdames M. D. Fobey and
Arthur Stotenburg Wednesday afternoon and with great cheerfulness
shelled out quarters from their pockets in exchange for tickets to a
benefit supper for the Durand Catholic Society to be given in the
near future. G. W. Wren and son, Frank, were in Vernon the first of
the week called there by the serious illness of a daughter of the
former.
John Tawse spent Sunday in Ionia.
M. D. Berry was in
Durand Monday.
Robt. Tawse has spent considerable time in
Frankfort this week looking after the large amount of work which is
being done there.
Harry Noble has returned to work this week
after a long siege with grip.
Cyrus Hall has returned to the
throttle of the yard engine after a period of sickness and Thomas
Lamb, the supply, has re turned to Bay City.
Geo. Sawyer and the
wrecking crew have had another job picking up logs which fall from a
train near Peek's Siding this week
Two more coaches have been
turned out of the paint shop this week.
Engine No. 40 met with a
slight accident near Ithaca Tuesday evening which kept it In the
shops for a short time until the draft castings could again be
adjusted.
Ann
Arbor Argus Democrat March 10, 1899
RAISE THE ANN
ARBOR RAILROAD TRACKS
And Have No More Grade Crossings in the City
of Ann Arbor the Latest Scheme
WOULD HELP WEST SIDE AND NOT HURT
THE ROAD
The Road Would Cross Twenty Feet Above Huron Street and
Twenty-Six Above Miller Ave.
It Would Obviate Necessity of
Building Overhead Bridges, Would Enable Two New Electric Lines to
Cross in Safety and Would Greatly Increase the Value of Property in
the Second and Third Wards, While Relieving the Ann Arbor Road of its
Present Heavy Grades in This City.
Now that two electric lines are being pushed from this city westward, one to go to Chelsea and Jackson and the other to Dexter and Lansing, both of which will be obliged to cross the Ann Arbor railroad in this city talk of an overhead bridge over the Ann Arbor railroad is again being revived. It would be an exceeding dangerous thing to have these electric lines cross on grade especially as the cars would have the momentum of a heavy down grade as they reached the track of the Ann Arbor road and sometime a brake might not work and a heavy loss of life might result.
Of course, outside of the question of safety for street car passengers, the people of the west side have had to contend with crossing the railroad track on grade. They have frequently complained of cars waiting on the tracks at crossing of the streets and there has alway been more or less of danger to foot passengers as well as those with, horse, and especially to the children. It has been one of the things which has kept down the value of property on the west side.
As the country becomes older there is always a growing feeling against grade crossings. They introduce a large element of danger, which could be avoided by forcing the railroad companies to cross above or below grade and in many cities this has been done.
The question, then, is, instead of building overhead bridge across the Ann Arbor track in this city, cannot the Ann Arbor road be forced to raise its track so as to cross all the streets of the city above grade and on bridges.
As a matter of fact the ground lays so that this could easily be done and the road would find it much easier hauling.
Before S. State street was cut down., where the Ann Arbor road crosses it, it was on a level with the top of the brick chimney of the electric light works and the Ann Arbor railroad bridge across the Huron river. In other words the road now has a heavy grade down and up grade inside the city limits. This could be eliminated by making nearly a level grade from S. State street to the railroad bridge. If this were done and the passenger house of the Ann Arbor road raised, the road would bridge every street in the city, crossing Huron St. 20 feet above its present level and Miller ave. 26 feet above present level of that street. It would obviate all objections to the opening of W. Ann st. through what could then be valuable property. If the grade to the railroad bridge was started at the passenger house, Huron, Ann and Miller ave. would be bridged but William and Liberty would have to be crossed on grade. This project is of vital importance not only to the people of the west side, but to the merchants who receive farmers trade on the roads leading into the city. It means much to our people. Now is the time to agitate the question.
The Owosso
Times March 10, 1899
Ann Arbor Ry. Shops, and Personal Items
William Barnes, one of the most efficient machinists in the
employ of the company, suffered a very bad accident Friday night,
which will lay him up for many weeks, and perhaps leave him a cripple
for life. While working over time in the dark he fell into the turn
table pit and broke his leg just above the ankle. Both bones were
broken and the injury is so near the ankle joint that there is
considerable danger of its leaving his ankle stiff permanently.
Mr.
Barnes has frequently acted as foreman of the machine shop in the
absence of Foreman C. J. Matthews. His regular work was the
supervision of the air brake system, both car brakes and the engine
condensers in which exacting work he was an expert. He also had
charge of the school of instruction for train men, and will be missed
while laid up by a large proportion of the employees of the road.
W.
H. Brigham, who has been in the employ of the C. & N. at
Marshall, and later was in Battle Creek, has been added to the force
of machinists.
Ed Ching, one of the helpers In the blacksmith
shop, is laid up with a smashed toe.
Victor Darling returned
Wednesday morning from a business trip to Cleveland.
Work has
just been begun in the car department on the construction of twenty
new flat cars of 60,000 pounds capacity each.
Engines No. 32, 18,
and 12 are in the shops for a general overhauling.
Miss Mabel R.
Darling, who has worked a part of the time in the office of her
father, Victor Darling, as timekeeper for piece work, was married
Wednesday evening to Mr. John Deederly, an employee in the Estey
factory.
Ellsworth Millis, yard master, was knocked down Monday
night by a piece of the pushing stake with which the crew were
switching some cars in the Estey yards. The heavy wooden bar broke
from the strain and the piece which struck Millis hit him with
sufficient force to use him up for some time.
The men about the
shops and offices enjoyed a visit from the Mesdames M. D. Fobey and
Arthur Stotenburg Wednesday afternoon and with great cheerfulness
shelled out quarters from their pockets in exchange for tickets to a
benefit supper for the Durand Catholic Society to be given in the
near future.
G. W. Wren and son, Frank, were in Vernon the first
of the week called there by the serious illness of a daughter of the
former.
John Tawse spent Sunday in Ionia.
M. D. Berry was in
Durand Monday.
Robt. Tawse has spent considerable time in
Frankfort this week looking after the large amount of work which is
being done there.
Harry Noble has returned to work this week
after a long siege with grip.
Cyrus Hall has returned to the
throttle of the yard engine after a period of sickness and Thomas
Lamb, the supply, has returned to Bay City.
Geo. Sawyer and the
wrecking crew have had another job picking up logs which fall from a
train near Peek's Siding this week
Two more coaches have been
turned out of the paint shop this week.
Engine No. 40 met with a
slight accident near Ithaca Tuesday evening which kept it in the
shops for a short time until the draft castings could again be
adjusted.
Ann Arbor
Argus Democrat March 19,
1899
RAISE THE ANN ARBOR RAILROAD TRACKS
And
Have No More Grade Crossings in the City of Ann Arbor the Latest
Scheme.
WOULD HELP
WEST SIDE AND NOT HURT THE ROAD
The
Road Would Cross Twenty Feet Above Huron Street and Twenty-Six Above
Miller Ave.
It Would Obviate Necessity of Building Overhead
Bridges, Would Enable Two New Electric Lines to Cross in Safety and
Would Greatly Increase the Value of Property in the Second and Third
Wards, While Relieving the Ann Arbor Road of Its Present Heavy Grades
in this City.
Now that two electric lines are being pushed from
this city westward, one to go to Chelsea and Jackson and the other to
Dexter and Lansing, both of which will be obliged to cross the Ann
Arbor railroad in this city talk of an overhead bridge over the Ann
Arbor railroad is again being revived. It would be an exceedingly
dangerous thing to have these electric lines cross on grade
especially as the cars would have the momentum of a heavy down grade
as they reached the track of the Ann Arbor road and sometime a brake
might not work and a heavy loss of life might result.
Of course,
outside of the question of safety for street car passengers, the
people of the west side have had to contend with crossing the
railroad track on grade. They have frequently complained of cars
waiting on the tracks at crossing of the streets and there has
always been more or less of danger to foot passengers as well as
those with horses, and especially to the children. It has been one of
the things which has kept down the value of property on the west
side.
As the country becomes older there is always a growing
feeling against grade crossings. They introduce a large element of
danger, which could be avoided by forcing the railroad companies to
cross above or below grade and in many cities this has been done.
The
question, then, is, instead of building one overhead bridge across
the Ann Arbor track in this city, cannot the Ann Arbor read be forced
to raise its track so as to cross all the streets of the city above
grade and on bridges.
As a matter of fact the ground lays so that
this could easily be done and the road would find it much easier
hauling.
Before S. State St. was cut down, where the Ann Arbor
road crosses it, it was on a level with the top of the brick chimney
of the electric light works and the Ann Arbor railroad bridge across
the Huron river. In. other words the road now has a heavy down and up
grade inside the city limits. This could be eliminated by making
nearly a level grade from S. State street to the railroad bridge. If
this were done and the passenger house of the Ann Arbor road raised,
the road would bridge every street in the city, crossing Huron St. 20
feet above its present level and Miller Ave. 26 feet above the
present level of that street. It would also open up William and
Liberty and Washington Sts. and would obviate all objections to the
opening of W. Ann St. through what would then be valuable property.
If the grade to the railroad bridge was started at the passenger
house, Huron, Ann and Miller Ave. would be bridged but William and
Liberty would have to be crossed on grade. This project is of vital
importance not only to the people of the west side, but to the
merchants who receive farmers trade on the roads leading into the
city. It means much to our people. Now is the time to agitate the
question.
Ann
Arbor Democrat March 17, 1899
The Ann Arbor road
will put two night trains on the road in June with sleepers.
Ann Arbor Democrat March 17,
1899
Allen creek was on the rampage Saturday evening, the melting
snow having swollen it so large that the culverts would not allow the
water to pass. The culvert on William street although 8 by 10 ft.
could not carry the water, and it backed up the freight house,
undermined a pile of telegraph poles and ties, and they were all
afloat. Baggage Master Elliot and Assistant Stoll watched all night
to see that the timber was not carried down stream. The water also
undermined a side track west of the Ann Arbor depot making it unsafe
to be used by a locomotive. In the yard of Karl C. Joerndt, on S.
First st. the water stood two feet deep. The west branch of the creek
was also greatly swollen, but no damage is reported.
Ann
Arbor Democrat March 24, 1899
The Michigan Central
are receiving from 30 to 40 car loads of flour daily, from the Ann
Arbor line, for the east.
Ann Arbor Democrat March 24, 1899
The Ann Arbor road is crowed with freight trains. At Frankfort the road is burdened with the large amount of freight they have to handle, four and lumber make the bulk of stuff handled. – Two Clover Leaf engines begin soon to help draw the trains south. – Owosso Argus.
Ann Arbor Democrat March 24, 1899
Judging from the amount of freight on the Ann Arbor road at present, its management will experience no trouble in meeting the increased taxes under the Atkinson law. Saturday night the road delivered 70 cars of freight to the Michigan Central bound east. Yesterday six double headers went through Ann Arbor each heavily laden.
The
Owosso Times April 14, 1899
Ann Arbor Ry. Shops, and
Personal Items.
Wm. Barnes, who suffered a compound fracture
of his ankle while working in Durand one evening a few weeks ago, is
able to get about on crutches. He visited the shop Monday for the
first time since the accident.
Jack Tawse went to Toledo Tuesday
morning to do repairing on engine No. 39.
A new frame and running
gear is being built in the round house for the tender of engine No.
32.
Wm. Holmes, one of the company's best blacksmiths, who has
been laid up several months with grip and rheumatism, is back again,
working only on half time until he gets stronger.
George Carland,
a former employee of the shops, visited the ; shops Saturday and
Monday before going to Battle Creek to work for the Grand Trunk.
Eugene Gregg has been laid up a part of the week with an injured
back.
The same complaint has also kept Joe Ackerman on the shelf
part of the week. He strained his back while working on an engine in
Durand last week.
Engine No. 8, which goes by the name cf
Flossie, went out Tuesday evening after a week in the shop. Engineer
Swinelord was up from Durand to take the engine out.
All
departments have been putting in considerable over time lately but
are now practically caught up in their work again and are running on
regular time.
Master Mechanic Tawse was in Toledo on business the
first half of the week.
Engine No. 35 came in Monday for general
repairs.
Robert Mackey, who was hurt quite severely by jumping
from the engine on which he was firing when it left the track at Boon
Hill, some two weeks ago, was brought to this city Monday and taken
to the home of his parents.
Chief Engineer O. D. Richards, of
Toledo, was in the city Tuesday.
The work of repairing and
fitting up the steam shovel is about completed. The shovel will
probably be run out next week and taken by a crew to Boon Hill where
a big cut will be made.
The Evening Argus April 21, 1899
Ann
Arbor engine No. 8, run off the track in front of the depot this
morning. A gang of workmen, trained to such tasks, soon had the big
locomotive on the rails.
The
Owosso Times April 21, 1899
Ann Arbor Ry. Shops, and
Personal Items.
Passengers are already beginning to on the
vast improvement in the road bed south of Durand. The change to
chiefly due to the replacing of the old light weight rails with heavy
steel rail which make a wonderful difference in the smoothness of the
running of trains.
Engine No. 32 has been in the paint shop all
the week after an overhauling in the machine shop.
Engine No. 6
and 36 have been receiving various repairs.
Mail car No. 308 and
baggage car No. 102 are being attended to in the carpenter shop while
coaches 8, 12 and 18 are now in the paint shop.
The ash elevators
for Ferry No. 2 have been completed in the machine shop and are ready
to be taken to Frankfort and placed in the boat.
W. J. Walsh the
Galena Oil Co. representative, spent some time about the shops
Tuesday and Wednesday.
The reboring of a locomotive cylinder when
in position on the engine presents a new interest since the
introduction of the compressed air drills into the shops. Formerly
after the cutting tools and the tar carrying them had been placed in
position a set of gears was connected up to the bar and the tools
were turned by a crank. Now there still remains much of the gearing
but it is connected with one of the new compressed air rotary drills
which is in effect a miniature engine under complete control of the
machinist doing the work. The result is both a saving in time and
also the end of a very wearisome job of turning a crank by hand
The Evening Argus April 27, 1899
The
Ann Arbor steam shovel will leave the shops Friday for Boone, where
the summer's work leveling grades will be commenced.
The Owosso Times May 5, 1899
A.
A. Ry. and Shops.
Foreman N. D. Berry has put on two nwq
painters this week.
A new coach is being built in take tahe the
place of the burned at Ann Arbor last winter.
Harry Thompson and
Charles Bradley has resigned their positions and begun work for the
Grand Trunk Ry, at Port Huron.
Fred Ward is the new night
watch.
Crystal Lake has long been the most popular resort resort
on the Ann Arbor road and now the fact that Owosso man has purchased
the house and boats in the lake nesides having leased the park near
the hotel for term of years, will make it a still more popular resort
for Owosso people. Mr, George Chariton has besides the boat house
twelve new tents each 12x16 sit six foot walls which will he will put
put up in the park. Each one will be fitted with a matched floor. The
Boat house is fitted out with thirty fourteen foot boats.
The Owosso Time May 12, 1899
There is a possibility that new steel rails may take the place of the light rails now in use by the Owosso & Corunna street Ry. If this change is made street car passengers will no longer need to imagine themselves rough riders – as the smooth running of the car on south Wash Washington street where heavy rails are laid in the pavement clearly shows.
The Owosso Times June 2, 1899
The Ann Arbor Ry. Has recently secured terminal facilities at Menominee and is planning to build a depot and warehouse in that city. The ferry business across Lake Michigan is growing to important and profitable proportions.
Ann
Arbor Democrat June 2, 1899
Conductor Tom McMahon
and Brakeman Fred Rheinhart, of the Ann Arbor passenger train north
this morning, appeared resplendent with new cap plates Tom's plate is
gold and Fred's German silver. They will have to put in their spare
time keeping them bright.
The Owosso Times June 16, 1899
A. A. Ry. Relief Association.
The
matter of providing their own accident insurance has occupied the
attention of the Ann Arbor Ry. and steamship lines employees for some
time past after has now been definitely settled. The result is that
beginning with July is the employees of the Ann Arbor if begin paying
their premiums into the treasury of the Ann Arbor Railway and
steamship Employees Relief Association and the Standard Company, of
Detroit, will cease to make a profit on. their wages.
The reason for the now organization was made apparent at a mass meeting of the company's employees in Durand Sunday when Supt. W. F. Bradley, who has given the matter considerable study and some of his best efforts, presented spine figures to the men which left no doubt in their minds as to the proper course to be pursued. "From figures on file in his office Supt. Bradley informed the men that during tho throe years ending Dec. 81 1898. they paid over $16,000 in premiums to the Standard while only about $5,000 had been, paid by the Standard Company to them in the form of indemnities, leaving a balance of over $11,000 in the hands of the Standard people with which to pay high salaries and dividends. With this mutual organization almost the entire amount of this difference can be saved or else can be used in paying large indemnities.
The following list of officers was confirmed by the men at their meeting Sunday and on Monday the board organized by electing H. A. Beach, of Owosso, president and Dan Prendorgast, of Durand, as vice president. The complete list is: President H. A. Beach. Vice President Dan Prenuergast. Secretary and Treasurer Frank J. Roth. Assistant Thomas Kerwin. Board of Trustees, each branch of the service represented M. J. Bright, Toledo, conductor; J. A. Gilmore, Durand, brakeman; J. W. Hunt, Durand, engineer; Dan Proudergast, Durand, fireman; H. A. Beach, Owosso, machinist; David Duff, Owosso, carpenter; J. O. Brien, Howell, sectionman; G. A. Foley, Toledo, switchman; W. F. Bradley and F. J. Roth of the office force.
The Owosso Times June July 2,
1899
The Ann Arbor Ry. has recently secured terminal facilities at
Menominee and is planning to build a depot and warehouse in that
city. The ferry business business across lake Michigan is growing to
important and profitable proportions.
The Owosso Times June 23, 1899
Floyd
Bailey has been transferred as operator for the Ann Arbor Ry. at
Whitmore Lake to Cadillac, a better position.
Several of the the
Ann Arbor's boilermakers went to Frankfort Saturday evening to work
the boilers of one of the ferries this week.
The Milwaukee Journal June 26, 1899
A
New Industry That Will Necessitate Invest of Over $3,000,000
The
Plant Will Eventually Employ 6,000 Men – Menominee's New
Railway to St. Paul
Menominee, Mich. June 26 – Today for the first time, the wealthy me of Menominee who are interested in creating a steel plant here, gave to the public an idea of the magnitude of the project.
It is a stupendous enterprise involving the invest of over $3,000,000 and the eventual employment of 6,000 men.
Negotiations have already been circulated gor the donation of a site comprising 1,000 acres of land bordering on the city, with a water front of one mile which, when docked out one hundred feet, will give a twenty-foot depth of water.
The promoters of the plant have visited Menominee several times and express themselves perfectly satisfied with the terms offered in regard to the new industry. While the financial backers of the enterprise do not wish their names made public yet, it may be stated authoritatively that their resources are unquestionable. The proposition they have submitted to the business men of this city is as follows.
To build a plant for the manufacture of structural steel at an estimated cost of $3,750,000, which, when in full running order, will furnish employment to 6,000 hands. The building to consist of a blast furnace plant, an open hearth steel plant, a Bessemer steel plant and a construction plant, the main rolling mill to be 2,700 feet long and 750 feet wide, the whole to cover a frontage of 4,000 feet.
The idea is to manufacture structural steel and bridge work under a new patented process which will make the cost of production from $6 to $14 per ton cheaper than it can be manufactured for at present.
The patienter of the new process, in which the ore is taken direct from the blast furnaces and made into the finished product without first making it into pig iron, is financially interested in the new project and was for twenty years the manager of one of the largest steel plants in the country. The methods have been explained at some length to several Menominee business men who are authority for the fact that should the plant be a success, it would revolutionize the steel industry in the west, as at present there is no plant in the United States where steel is manufactured direct from the ore.
Only one difficultly still remains to be overcome before the location of the plant becomes an assured fact, ant that is the relative cost of shipping coal from the east. The promoters stated upon their last visit to this city that their company had under consideration a location in Virginia, among the coal fields, where the cost of shipping coal would be minimized, although the freight on the Gogebie iron was proportionately higher. The plant's coal consumption, when running in full blast, will approximate 1,000 tons a day, and coal freighters will have to be depended upon. If it is found that the cost of shipping the iron ore from the Gogebie range to the Virginia coal fields is greater than the freight on the coal in an opposite direction, then the location of the plant is assured. Joseph Flesheim, secretary
of the Menominee and St. Paul railroad, is authority for the statement that the iron ore rates will be satisfactorily arranged.
Menominee's New Railroad
Papers are now being prepared for the incorporation in Wisconsin and Minnesota of the Menominee and St. Paul railroad, as as soon as the season permits the preliminary surveys will be made, the ten miles of the road in Michigan having already been incorporated.
The benefits from the new road will be many and will assist materially in assuring the future of the city when its immense pine industry shall have ceased to exist and the thriving little town will be dependent upon competitive industries for its business.
The distance from St. Paul to Menominee is 100 miles shorter than from St. Paul to Chicago, an item which will materially affect the shipment of grain in the northwest, as the rate to the seaboard will then be considerably less. Then, too, is the fact that grain for Lake Erie ports shipped by this road to by lake from her, will make the round trip in forty-eight hours less time from here than from Chicago.
The new road will also have traffic arrangements with the Ann Arbor and Pennsylvania roads, materially reducing the rate of eastern ore shipments, as the new system will run direct and do away with the double transfers now necessary. The ore cars shipped to the east will return laden with coke, a feature which obviate shipping the coke north in box cars, which has heretofore been a necessity on account of the fact that it could not be economically shipped by boat because of the loss by grinding.
The road will pass through a wild, new country, heretofore without railroad facilities of any sort and consequently undeveloped, while St. Paul, on the other hand, will be essentially benefited in a reduction of coal rates, the direct route to the coal fields being able to make a better rate than the present one
via Duluth.
Samuel Stephenson of this city is president. Henry W. Ashley of Toledo, vice president and general manager; Jos. Flesheim of Menominee, secretary; and J. A. Miller of Toledo, treasurer of the new railroad company.
The Evening Argus June 27,
1899
EXCURSION RATES
Ann Arbor Railway
The Ann Arbor railroad will sell
excursion tickets as follows at one fare for the round
trip:
Cincinnati, O., June 27th to 30th
inclusive. Return limit July 7th, National Saengerfest.
The Evening Argus June 27,
1899
Sunday July 2nd, the Ann Arbor railroad will give
another of its popular excursions to Lake Erie Park and Casino,
Toledo. That this resort is fast becoming popular with Michigan
people is evidenced by the fact that the last excursion carried
nearly 1,000 people to Toledo. Special train will leave Owosso at
8:00 a. m. Fare for the round trip $1.00.
The Evening Argus June 27,
1899
National Christian Endeavor Convection, Detroit, Mich., July
5th to 10th. For above occasion the Ann Arbor
railroad will sell excursion tickets to Detroit and return at one
fare for the round trip, on July 4th to 8th
inclusive, return limit July 15th, with privilege of
extension to August 15th on payment fee of 50 cents to
joint agent at Detroit. Side trip tickets will be on sale at Detroit
for points in Northern Michigan, New York and Canada at low rates.
For full particulars see agents.
The Evening Argus June 27, 1899
The
Ann Arbor will run special train from Durand to Cadillac and return,
July 4th. It will leave Owosso at 6:25 a. m., and will
leave Cadillac on return trip at 8:00 p. m., Marion 8:40 p. m.,
Farwell 9:25 p. m., Mt. Pleasant 10:15 p. m. Special low rates will
be made for this train to passengers desiring to attend the
celebrations at points named above. For particulars see excursion
posters or call on agents.
The Evening Argus June 27, 1899
The
Ann Arbor R. R. will sell excursion tickets on July 3rd,
and 4th, limited to return to July 5th, to all
stations on its line, also to stations on connecting lines within a
radius of 200 miles from starting point (except to points in Canada )
at one fare for the round trip.
The Evening Argus June 27, 1899
Jas. Stewart, of Port Huron, an
employee of the C. & G. T. car shops, paid the Ann Arbor a visit
Wednesday.
Engineer A. L. Goddard has things as trim and neat in
and around the engine as if he expected the ladies to call on him.
A
new water main is being laid from the river to a reservoir in the
engine room an d from there to the tank at the depot. The work is
under the supervision of Milo Bott.
The new sample frost proof
vegetable car No. 600 is now complete, it is a fine one, indeed. The
company will immediately begin the construction of twenty-five more.
During the winter season they will be used in the transportation of
vegetables, etc., and in the summer ice will be shipped in them.
The Owosso Times June 30, 1899
New route to Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula.
The most delightful to reach the Upper Peninsula now is via Frankfort and the Ann Arbor Railroad Company;s Car Ferries. Theses immense steamers touch two ports on the Upper Peninsula, Menominee and Gladstone, and the trip from Frankfort across Lake Michigan is made during the day. The new night train on the Ann Arbor Ry. Which carries sleeping-car from Toledo to Frankfort, arrives in Frankfort at 8:30 a. m. and the Ferry leaves for Menominee and Gladstone at 9:30 a. m.
The through day train from Toledo Frankfort carries a free reclining chair car and arrives in Frankfort at 6:10 p. m. One of the Company's Car Ferries Leaves Frankfort daily, except Sunday, at 9:30 p. m. for Kewauee and Manitowo, Wis.
Perhaps the most important feature of this route to travelers is the fact that passenger fares are lower to Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula points than via any other route. Ask agents about them.
The Owosso Times July 21, 1899
N. D. Berry returned early in the week from a few days work superintending paint work for the Ann Arbor Ry. Co. at Frankfort.
The Owosso Times July 28, 1899
The street car track was torn yesterday between Washington street and the bridge and the railway company will hasten the work of putting in the new ties and laying the new rails so that the delay in paving will so be over with. One car has been left between the bridge and the Michigan Central to remedy a part of the inconvenience cause by the interruption to the service. In the meantime cars leave the New National corner and Corunna at the regular hours.
The Owosso Times July 21, 1899
N.
B. Berry returned early in the week from a few days work
superintending paint work for the Ann Arbor Ry. Co. at Frankfort.
The Evening Argus Aug. 10, 1899
Car
Shop Notes
The blacksmiths say “lots of
work”
Fred Munshart is back at work after two weeks
illness.
Traveling engineer Swineford went to Durand this
morning.
John Fleming, foreman of the tin shops was in Detroit
yesterday.
Engine No. 8 is in the round house getting a new
cylinder head put in.
Engine 42 is in the round house for
repairs. A new tire is being put on.
John R. Mackey's absence is
regretted by his shop mates. He is nursing rheumatism.
Harlow
Beech went to Frankfort Tuesday to be there three weeks, weighing
coal.
Engine 25 which has been undergoing repairs in the machine
shop, went to the paint shop today.
John Bowls returned to work
yesterday after a vacation of two weeks spent in Chicago and the
west.
Three new piece gangs, four men in each, are at work at the
shops this week owning to rush work.
A car of supplies was loaded
this week to be used in overhauling Ann Arbor transfer No. 2 at
Frankfort.
The Owosso Times Aug 25, 1899
Daniel
Griffith, who who has been working with the construction train on the
Ann Arbor at Boone Hill, returned home Tuesday with his face so badly
swollen from poison ivy that he could not work.
Charles Bradley
returned to work in the car shops, Monday, after a nine weeks' lay
off on account of the injuries to his eye caused by a small piece of
flying steel.
The Owosso Times Aug 25, 1899
Durand New Depot
General Manager Ashley, of the Ann Arbor railroad, Superintendent Cotter, of the Grand Trunk, and Architect Cooper were in session Monday in Superintendent Bradey's office approving the final plans for the Durand new union depot. The structure will cost about $35,000. It will be built of brick, two stories high. The office capacity is carefully arranged and will accommodate
a large working force for both railroads. Work will be commenced soon.
The Owosso Times Sept. 22,
1899
Charles Saville has gone to Cadillac, where he will work for
the the Ann Arbor Ry.
The Evening Argus Sept. 27, 1899
The three ferry boats on the Ann Arbor line are not proving to be of sufficient help to do the work that the company would like to have them do. A fourth boat may be added to the line next spring. The company is expecting great things of the line being built beyond the the called the Menominee and St. Paul. It will be three hundred miles long – a most valuable acquisition for the Ann Arbor people. When it is completed the Ann Arbor company will be the only one in Michigan with a road on both sides of the lake.
Ann
Arbor Democrat Sept. 29, 1899
A special train on the
Ann Arbor road arrived at noon yesterday from the north, taking the
place of the regular train which had been detained by a smashup. A
swarm of students alighted from the train. It took half an hour to
unload the trunks.
Ludington Daily News Oct. 5, 1899
The
new smokestack on Ann Arbor carferry No. 1 is the subject of
considerable comment among marine men and land lubbers in Frankfort.
Her stack measures 53 feet in length, oval shaped, and is within five
feet of being the largest on Lake Michigan, the whaleback Columbus
standing first with a 58 foot stack. Ann Arbor carferry No. 2 is
quite a likely looking craft since her repairs were made in the
Milwaukee dry docks. Her upper deck has been shortened some thirty
feet and steel arches have been added as supports to her upper works.
She has a new master in the person of Capt. Henry Wrydt, and an
entirely new crew, with the exception of Chief Engineer Campbell.
The Owosso Times Oct. 6, 1899
The
south bound passenger train on the Ann Arbor, Friday night, was an
hour and a half late, which was not such bad time considering the
fact that at Alma two freights had had a head on collision, one of
the freights having two engines on it,
Engine No. 2 as run out of
the paint shop in the Ann Arbor yards Monday ready to take a run to
Frankfort, from which place it will be ferried across to Menominee.
It will be used for switching in the Ann Arbor yard at the latter
latter city.
The motive power of the Ann Arbor Ry, has been
increased this week by the addition of two Baldwin engines which
reached the shops in Owosso Monday. The new engines are of a
different type from any engines now in use by the road. They are six
driver, heavier than any of than any of the others, and have large
boilers with a consequent great steam producing capacity. The engines
sare nearly new and were purchased by the Ann Arbor from the New York
and Ottawa Ry. which has been selling much of its rolling stock,
since the breaking of its railway bridge across the St. Lawrence cut
down the length of line can operate to about seventy mile. As it will
take three or four years to rebuild the bridge the N. Y, & O.
concluded it was economy for it to turn some of it rolling stock into
cash. Hence the opportunity for the Ann Arbor which needs the added
power. The new engines will be No. 43 and No. 44.
The Owosso Times Oct 6, 1899
Engine No. 2 was run out of the paint shop in the Ann Arbor yards Monday ready to take a run to Frankfort, from which place it will be ferried across to Menominee. It will be used for switching in the Ann Arbor yards at the latter city.
The Owosso Times Oct 6, 1899
The motive power of the Ann Arbor Ry. has been increased this by the addition of two Baldwin engines which reached the shops in Owosso Monday. The new engines are of a different type from any engines now in use by the road. The are six divers, heaver than any of the others, and have larger boilers with with a consequent greater steam producing capacity. The engines are nearly new and were by the Ann Arbor from the New York and Ottawa Ry. which has been selling much of its rolling stock, since the breaking of its railway bridge across the St. Lawrence cut down the length of it can operate to about seventy miles. As it will take three or four years to rebuild the bridge the the N. Y. & O. concluded it was economy for it to turn some of it rolling stock into cash. Hence the opportunity for the Ann Arbor which need the added power. The new engines will be No. 43 an No. 44.
The Owosso Times Oct 6, 1899
The south bound passenger train on the Ann Arbor, Friday night, was an hour and a half late, which was not such bad time considering the fact that at Alma two freights had a head on collision, one on the the freights having two engines on it.
The Owosso Times Oct 20, 1899
Owosso Coal Co. will Soon Have a Track to Its Mine The Output to be Largely Increased. The plans of the Owosso Coal Co. have long included the building of a branch of the coal mine spur of the Grand Trunk to its mines, and now the time has come when the building of the new spur is assured and the work is ready to begin. The contract between the Coal Co. and the Grand Trunk was returned to the former company Wednesday, signed by the Grand Trunk officials.
One of the oldest Grand Trunk engineers, William Anderson, who for over thirty years and until quite recently had much of the laying out and grading of of the "extension of the Grand Trunk system, has been secured to take charge of the grading of the new line and is expected to begin work today. The grading will be started at a rapid rate as soon as one of the Grand Trunk engineers can be got out to pass on the line and formally "set the stakes."
The ties for the new extension are already loaded on cars and are on their way to Corunna and the coal mine branch. The new spur will take nearly a mile of track and grading, including all necessary siding, but the direct line from the shaft to the place where the new line will branch from the old is but about a half mile.
All this ensures the prompt carrying out of a plan which, as said before, the company has long been awaiting the opportunity to put through. It moans the possibility of increasing its output to eight times the present amount of coal mined. When the company sunk its shaft at the present location it made its plans for handling a much larger amount of coal than it has ever mined up to this time. The hoisting engines wore of a special pattern with extra large cylinders and of the latest, most approved, and most compact typo. Ample steam power was provided for, not only for the engines but for pumps. The hoisting machinery outside of the engine room was also of approved types, and the dumping and weighing devices is one of the simplest and fastest to operate of any in use in the coal industry. All above, ground equipment was put in with the idea of filling coal cars from the derrick within a comparatively short time.
Below the surface similar precautions were taken. A small steam pump which had, and still has, sufficient capacity to just handle all the water of the mine was immediately supplemented by one of double its capacity, and the company has lately purchased and received another pump of double the size of the latter one. The now pump is now at the mine but has not yet been placed in position below ground. When it is in position a how of seven times the usual now of the mine could be cared for.
The plan contemplated the rise of the old shaft eventually for ventilation, and with that end in view one of the "main entries" at the foot of the new shaft was started in that direction. To get the mine opened up in the most convenient way for the employment of a much larger force of men another main entry was started in the opposite direction from the first, and at intervals of something over a hundred feet, cross entries were cut out from both main entries. From the cross entries "rooms" are opened up at intervals of some thirty feet, the rooms of one cross entry extending backward until they meet those of the next adjoining cross entry, and extending at the sides until they meet the neighboring ones ia the same. It is from these numerous rooms that most of the coal, of course, is taken.
At present about sixty tons of coal are being taken out each day and a force of twelve men only is employed, but as soon the outlet via rail provides a larger and steadier market the whole equipment is ready to respond to any demand up to as high as four or five hundred tons per day, and, just as it is now, could employ three times the number of miners without any of them being in the way of others.
The stockholders and officers of the company are: R. Emmet Travis, president and treasurer; Chas. F. Travis, vice president, and Wm. Beacham, secretary. Mr. Beacham is a new comer in the community and to Michigan, and he has his home in Corunna, but the Messrs. Travis have long been been known to Owosso people and throughout the county in general, and all will receive the congratulations of friends on the promising outlook which has suddenly become. [Note: This siding will cross the Ann Arbor trackage, a half interlocker will be installed]
The Owosso Times Oct. 22, 1899
The
Ann Arbor freight house has been re-shingled.
Geo. Walton has been
appointed assistant air instructor of the new steam heating apparatus
at the car shops.
The Owosso Times Oct. 29, 1899
More
freight cars are being built by the Ann Ann railroad in order to
properly take care of increasing business.
The Owosso Times Nov 3, 1899
Ashley
– The Cope Bros., of Owosso, are painting the depot here in
fine shape.
The Owosso Times Nov 3, 1899
A. B.
Sells, of Marion, is now billing clerk at the Ann Arbor fright
office.
The Owosso Times Nov. 10,
1899
[Durand] Work has been started clearing the ground for the
new union depot which is to be started the 1st of March,
1900. The water tank south of the G. T. depot will have to be moved.
The Owosso Times Nov. 17, 1899
The
Ann Arbor noon train going north now leaves the Owosso station at
11:15 1nstead of 11:30 as before, the only other change in the time
of trains at Owosso is the morning train going south, which leaves
two minutes later at 9:03 instead of 9:01. Trains 101 and 102 running
on Sunday between Toledo and Howell have been discontinued. The
change went into effect Sunday.
Petersburg Sun Nov. 17, 1899
The Ann Arbor railroad had a small accident on the morning of the 10th on a sharp curve one mile east of Copemish. Four cars and a caboose broke loose from an extra freight going east and came back with considerable speed until they met another freight that had come to a standstill. Two cars loaded with ore were reduced to kindling and the caboose left beyond repairs while a new engine lost its pilot. Nobody was hurt.
The Owosso Times Nov. 17, 1899
The
Ann Arbor noon train going north now leaves the Owosso station at
11:15 instead of 11:30 as before, the only other change in the time
of trains at Owosso is the morning train going south, which leaves
two mintes later at 9:03 instead of 9:01. Trains 101 and 102 running
on Sunday between Toledo and Howell have been discontinued. The
change went into effect Sunday.
The Owosso Times Nov. 27, 1899
Frank
D. Collamer is now billing clerk in the Ann Arbor freight house.
Ann
Arbor Argus Democrat Dec. 1, 1899
RAISE THE
RAILROAD TRACKS
WHY SECOND AND THRID WARDERS SHOULD PETITION
The
Good Work Can be Accomplished if it is Only Tried in Earnest
The
question of the opening of W. Ann Street will be solved when the Ann
Arbor railroad tracks are raised. At the present time the road is
naturally unfavorable to this project on account of the risk of
accident on a grade crossing. This fact should spur on the real
estate owners of the Third ward to circulate petitions that the
railroad be made to raise its tracks. No one thing would cause such a
rise in values in the Second and Third wards as the raising of the
tracks. Then all danger of grade crossing would be obviated. It is
not an unreasonable request to make to the railroad because it means
the certainty of missing a large number of damage suits which must
come in time. The Michigan Central appreciates the overhead bridge on
Detroit street for this reason . The city paid for that and will have
more to pay. The raising of the Ann Arbor tracks will have to be paid
for by the company.
Escanaba The Iron Port
December 5, 1899
There will be no winter navigation from
Manistique this year, the Ann Arbor boats used to ferry cars for the
Ann Arbor railroad across the lake will run between Frankfort and
Menominee this winter. This statement comes from Neal McCue,
assistant superintendent on the Soo line at Gladstone.
The Ludington Record Dec. 11,
1899
Arrangements have been made for the ice crusher Algomah to
connect with the boats of the Goodrich line at Sturgeon bay during
the coming winter. They will bring the freight and passengers to
Menominee. The Algomah is already chartered to break ice for the car
ferry steamers of the Ann Arbor line.
The Owosso Times Dec. 15, 1899
John
Fleming has resigned his position as foreman of the tin shop at the
car shops and will go to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to enter the employ of
the Union Pacific Ry.
A large tree was found blown across the Ann
Arbor track north of of the city Tuesday. The south bound passenger
train was flagged Fred Ward in time to prevent an accident.
The New York Times Dec. 17, 1899
TO
USE WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY
Ann Arbor Railroad Adopts the System for
Its Lake Ferry
Chicago,Dec. 16 – A dispatch from Toledo says the Ann Arbor Railroad will put wireless telegraphy to practical test by introducing it in connection with the car ferry business across Lake Michigan. The contract with the Marconi people has closed, and the system will be introduced at once. The stations will be at Frankfort and a point near Menominee, Mich. The distance is about eight-three miles.
The Ann Arbor is attempting to keep this ferry open all winter, and the new method will receive a through test. If it fails a cable will be laid across the lake next year. Representatives of the wireless system express confidence that they will able to give satisfactory service.
The Evening Argus Dec. 19,
1899
Thirty-five men in the employ of the Ann Arbor road the
greater part of the year have been laid off for the remainder of the
winter, the superintendent of bridges doing very little work of that
kind during this part of the year.
The Owosso Times Dec 22, 1899
6,000
Car LOADS OF FREIGHT
The Immense Business Done By Ann Arbor
Railroad Ferries.
Menominee, Dec. 15 – The car ferry
steamers of the Toledo & Ann Arbor line have 6,000 carloads of
freight from this port during the past season. This is an increase of
1,500 car cars over last year. Four hundred carloads of hard wood
lumber were shipped to Cleveland. The city councils of Marinette and
Menominee have agreed to keep the draw of the bridge across the
Menominee river open all winter to accommodate the car ferry
steamers.
The Owosso Times Dec. 22, 1899
The
Ann Arbor Company has made arrangement to use wireless telegraphy at
Frankfort to assist in the carrying on of its ferry business this
winter.
