The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-09-18
From the Cincinnati Gazette.
Railroad from Cincinnati to Mackinaw
CrNcIN NATL August 2Otl

the attention OF the business men OIL our
city in reference to the future business Of
this place. You have labored hard in
endeayoring to show the great hdTanta-
ges which would result to our business
from the completion of the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi, and Lexington and Danville
Railroads. l would like further to call
the attention of your readers, and our
business men, to the consideration of an
other line of Railroad. which has been
projected for these two years, but which,,
owing to the stringency Of the times, has
not yet been pushed forward by its pro-
jectors This road is known under the
title of the Cincinnati and Mackinaw
Railroad, and will form in connection with
the various lines of Railroads now in con-
struction at the South, an all.important
link in the chain of Railroads which is
binding together our common country,
from its most distant parts. think ] can
show, from accurate statistics, that this
road is one Of the utmost Importance to
our city, and one in which our business
men have deep interest.
In the first place, will give descrip-
ton of the location, and a history of the
road up to the present time. The citizens
of some Of the northwestern counties OF
this State, some two years since, wished
for some direct Railroad communication
with our city, and visited the south-wes-
ter portion of the State, to consult with
some of our leading men in regard to it i;
and from that consultation, it wss pro-
posed to organize a company to construct
Railroad from Cincinnati to the Straits
of Mackinaw. A meeting of the friends
interested in this project was held at Van.
Vert, Ohio, July 8, 1858, and compa-
ny formed, according to law, known as
the Cincinnati and Mackinaw Railroad
Company. In October, 1853, the first
election for Board of Directors was held
at Greenville, Darke county, $500, 600
worth of stock having been taken. From
that time to this, nothiHG having been
done 10 advance the project with the ex-
cepion of keeping up the organization by
the annual election of Directors, having a
survey and reconnaissance of the route of
the proposed Railroad, and report of the
same by an engineer, and the sending of
an agent to Washington City, to urge up
on Congress the importance of the route,
and to secure if possible, the aid of the
General Government, by grant of lands
to assist in the construction of the road !;
but no bill was ever brought before Con.
gress.
The proposed line of the road is, to
cinnati Hamilton and Dayton Railroad to
Carlisle Station, point on that road
thence by the Twin Greek and Grecnvillc
and Miami Railroads, to Greenville
thence due north, through Celina, Van
Vert and Bryan, the county seats of the
western tier of counties Of this State, to
Hillsdale, on the Southern Michigan Rail-
road thence to Jackson, on the Michigan
Central Railroad thence to Lansing, the
capitol of the State of Micigan and
thence due north to the Straits of Mack
NAV. A single glance at the maps Of
the States Of Ohio and Michigan cannot
fail to show the direct course this route
takes The distance from Cincinnati to
Greenville is eighty-four miles, and the
road, for the most part completed, from
Greenvlle TO the State line of Michigan,
III miles, and from the State line to the
Straits, 1876 miles, making the whole dis
tance by this route from Cincinnati to the
Straits, 48O miles. The cost Of construc-
ton of that part of the road lying in this
State will be about 100000 and that
part lying in the State of Michigan ST.
OOO, 900; $9,000,O00 will complete the
whole road. In order to raise the means
to construct this road, it is proposed to
raise as large an amount of stock as pos
siblc along the route of the proposed road,
and from individuals interested, and also.
to obtain from Congress the -right-sor the
State of Michigan to purchase for the
purpose of constructing the road, 2,000,-
600 acres of Government land lying with
in twelve miles Of the road, at Congress
prices, on credit to the State for f2
/, years, without interest, the Government
issuing patents for the land as fast as they
+ are paid for, holding the whole amount Of
appropriation to the benefit of the State
! or railroad until the 12 years have ex-
,, pired and then, if there are any lands
/ unpaid for, they shall then I've taken back
again by the Government. The State of
4 Michigan shall then give up her right to
!, the Railroad Company on the same terms
I as the Government relinquishes its right
to the State, with the restriction that the
!, : proceeds from the land shall be used in
! the construction of this road. BY this
e proemption right given to the State, the
|. Government is made whole in the sale of
b the lands, and that State secures to itself
an important road besecting its southern
peninsula from the north to the south, and
places the State in direct communication
6 with our city and the whole South.
The rise on the price Of land above the
4 Government price, will insure the means
' necessary for the construction of the
d Road. l have thus briefly as possible
o given you the history and present eondi
n ton of this important project. Now il
d may be asked, what effect will the con
't struction Of this Road have upon the bus
y mess Of Cincinnati? In the first place
!. contend that our city will in the future bs
,r obliged to derive its butincss from th'
20 North and the South, as the cities in th
at Mississippi Valley will in short tim
r. monopolize that trade to themselves, an,