Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-04-08


The Marquette and Mackinaw railroad,
according to the contract entered into at
the last meeting of the State Board, is to
be completed by the end of the year 1877.
The road is to be commenced immediate
ly at both ends and pushed rapidly for
ward. The contracting party consists of
A. b. Stone, of Cleveland; Col. F. b.
LOOMS, wealthy banker and business
man of New London. Conn.,; j. E. Red
field, gentleman of large means in Es-
sex, Conn.,, Hiram B. Crosby AMI w. w.
Lamar, Of New York, and others. Mr..
Lamar is to have charge of the construc-
ton. The new company are to take the
surveys made by the Marquette company
two years ago, and refund to them the
amount already expended on the line.
They furnished to the board abundant
evidence of being able to finish the road
within the time required by the law max
ing the land grant. The arrangement
made meets the hearty approval of the
upper peninsula men, who are especial
ly interested in seeing the road quickly
completed.
Cheboygan is much interested in the
completion of this road, more so than a.
most any other town i'm the lower penin-
sula. Still for all that Cheboygan may
lose nearly all the benefits that she might
obtain. 1t rests with the citizens of this
place to great extent, to what degree
those benefits may be received. 1T we
secure railroad communications both
north and south by means of the Macki-
nav and Marquette road, we will secure
all the advantages that would naturally
come to us. five by inaction allow the
road to go past us, We lose all, and the
future of Cheboygan will be settled. The
natural advantages which Cheboygan is
known to possess, will not compensate
for the loss of the railroad. A place with
many less natural resources, with a rail-
road, would outstrip US, no matter where
1t may be located. Then it behooves us
as prospective city to look after and Sc
cure the railroad if it is possible 10 do so.
We cannot safely sit idly down, feeling
satisfied that the railroad cannot, or will |
not go past us, because ChebOvgan is a
large town and has many advantages not !
possess ed by any other town in northern
Michigan. This is certainly true. but |
railway managers i'm eastern states may
not know it. If the railroad once goes
past us the opportunity is gone forever.
Nothing uncertain is certain, and what
railroad company will do is one of the
most uncertain of uncertain things.
Now is the time to act. Work should
be commenced now and be kept up with
out ceasing until We hear the whistle of
the iron-horse inside our village limits.
In these efforts, i'm which every man,
woman and child are interested, all our
citizens should work as one man.
Secretary of State, E. G. d. Holden, in
a letter to the editor of this paper some
time since, said he liked the people of
Northern Michigan because they were
race Of ''get up and getters." 1t is just
that element of character, that ChebOy-
gan as village must possess if it succeeds
In securing the benefits of railroad.
We can have the railroad if we just "get |
up and get" ir. 1t might come without
ny effort, but We cannot afford to risk it.
The history of every successful town
shows that this element of ''get up and
getism" prcdOminated among its people.
Whatever difference there may be
among the citizens of Cheboygan in poll
tics, religion, or business matters, when
ever there is any project for the improve
ment of the place, let there be but one
principle acted upon, and let that be Che
bOygan first, last, and all the time.