Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-05-23
Shore Railroad.

The following, from the Bay City
Tribune, will give our readers some
idea of what the Bay Citians would
like to have accomplished:
The Legislature will probably refus,
land grant for the Alpena railroad. Il
Is shameful that the unreasonable jeal
ousy and prejudice OF the central por
ton OF the State should thus refuse q
simple act Of justice In encouraging aI
enterprise necessary TO the development
Of an important section like the shore
region. The State would ultimately ge,
more out OF these lands by appropriat
Ing them to build the road, through the
increasing value Of the property which
the road would cause, than it ever could
any other way.
But as minority Of the Legislature
seem determined to block the wheels Of
progress (the appropriation requires a
two-thirds vote) let Bay City and AL.
pena and the country between them
unite and do something for themselves
Let them build road that will be strict.
ly local road for the benefit of the two
cities at either end OF the country along
its route. Let us build narrow guage
road from Alpena to Bay City.
A narrow-gauge road can be built and
equipped for less than one-half what IL
would cost to build and equip a road OF
ordinary width. A narrow gauge road
can be operated so much cheaper that
there is no doubt that narrow-guage
road between the two points would pay
its running expenses from the start, and
ultimately good dividends on the in
vestment. Such q road would be Of
vastly more benefit to Bay City than
wide-guage road, as 1t would make this
city its terminus and point OF tranfer,
and make US the metropolis OF all the
shore country. A narrow-guage road
would also be fully as advantageous to
Alpena.
Yes, 1t would be to the advan-
tage of Alpena to have a railroad;
but the road that is of most i'm
portance to this city is one from
here to the interior of the State
one that would open mp the now
vast wilds of northern Michigan,
and thus open an avenue which
would tend to the settlement and
of the country lying
back Of Alpena, the products of
which should naturally find ship
ping port here. Alpena has the
best harbor on the shore, and is by
far better situated for the trans
portation Of the products of this
vast region than any other port on
or along the shore.
We know that shore road would
be Of "vastly more Importance
to Bay City," for it would throw a
good portion of the trade of the
shore towns to that place; but the
advantages to be derived by ship
pers is not so great as the Tribune
would have the people believe, for
after freight had been taken by
rail from Alpena to Bay City, it
would then be some sixteen miles
farther from Detroit or Buffalo, by
water, than 1t was before it left AL
pena; and il a shore road is to be
built for the benefit Of Bay City,
let the business men of that place
60 to work and build the road, for
we are Of the opinion that Alpena
people would contribute very spar
ingly toward such an enterprise.
Any man who has half an eye,
can see by referring to the map of
Michigan, that Alpena is the nat
ural, and only natural, outlet for
the interior of the northern por-
ton of the lower peninsula, and
we are yet Of the opinion that q
railroad from Alpena to the interior
Of the State will be the first one
that is built to this city.
We want q railway, that is true
and II we are to have one at all,
let us have one that will be of ben
eft to Alpena and not to Bay City
alone.