The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-11-01
TIE GRAM THryK RArLwAY ExrrysIoy

TIE GRAND Trunk RAILWAY EXTENSION.
AT a meeting held in the city Of Jackson
on Saturday evening, last to urge upon the
people OF thar city the i0aDing of the credit
Of the county oi Jackson % the Grand
River Valley Railroad project TO the amount
OF 500. coo, VI o. u. Bennett made the
following remarks:
"He spoke Of i meeting. composed OF
friends OF railroads. al the Marion House.
before the Lansing Railroad enterprise vas
commenced. lie thought then that some
place, somewhere in Michigan. was 10 be
the great railroad centre and c great town,
where manufacturing interests would cen
/ ire He expressed The opinions then that
I the location Of tits great centre would lie
between Lansing and Jackson. The for
mer is located ia one Of the richest valleys
in the State. Il haG grown thick.y settled,
and the people had become wealthy. Is
soil was Of Tie most fertile character. The
farmers there were now raising too much
grain 10 cart IL forty or fifty miles 10 mar
ket.
Those people are now seeking an outlet
for the products OF their farms. The Great
Western and Grand Trunk line or Railways.
are reaching out ~ ge. direct cOmmunica-
ton with Chicago. The Grand Trunk rail
way is now running from the borders Of
this State 10 the seabOard. II IS az IN
weldly affair and the stockholders aud
managers End they have an elephant or
their hands. They now want 10 lind feed
ers. These companies Will eventually 20
10 Chicago aud run further on % the west
They Will take the route that viii afford
them the most facilities FOR construction, I
trade ami traffic. They will either 20 10
Lansing Or come 10 this city. II Lansing
is selected il viii develop and settle up a
rich agricultural country, possessing fne
water power ami IL Will give Lansing a.
many advantages 10 become great busl-
ness centre as we have here"
Jackson IS laboring hard to become the .
great railroad centre Of Michigan We 10
not blame her people for this, but look up
on the efforts Of her citizens in this direction
as decidedly praiseworihy. Mr. Bennett.
whOmade the above remarks. il viii be- seen.
said that either Lansing or Jackson would
become the great railroad center Of Michi-
gan We. too, believe this. and believe the
advantages TO lie with Lansing.
1t was urged by other speakers at this
netting that the building OF the Grand
River Valley Railroad would secure to the
city Of Jackson the Grand Trunk Railway
Extension. II our people but secure the
completion Of the railroad proposed from
.onia 10 this city, this road Will give 10 Ian
ing as great II not greater advantages than
he Grand River Valley road Will Jackson.
mi as this road is but "a miles Ia length il
AN be easi.y constructed the coming sea
on, which will be at least one or two years
'eiore the Grand River Valley road caL pos
ably be constructed, and Will tend strongly
o entirely defeat this project. The COM
'leiion OF the Ionia road viii. therefore. de-
rive Jackson Of one OF the inducements
ver Lansing which she expects 10 offer 10
be Grand Trunk Railway Company to make
hat city point in the proposed extension
t their road
But With or without this iOnia road con-
tructed, we contend that the advantages OF
be Lansing route are far superior TO those {
I the Jackson route for the Grand Trunk :
Hallway Extension. The farming country
long the line OF an east and west road pass
~ through the tier OF counties in which Ing
am IS embraced, IS superior 10 any other ;
ection ot Michigan, and such route will
i've as much aid to the road pecuniarlly to :
ecure it, and more, than the Jackson route,
nd when once constructed will Afford ten
mes as much local business. The tier Of Il
ounties lying between the Michigan Cen =
raj and the Detroit and Milwaukee railroads
re determined 10 have an east and west "
abroad which will make Chicago point
u the west, and if tie Grand Trunk Rail -"
BAD does not care to secure the great adj -
antages OF this route over any and all 9th IL
IS that can be proposed for lis connection ~
ith the great west, We presume the Great u
'estern Railroad will De eladtO DO 50 either :
Detroit or Port Huron =