Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-10-04
The Grand Trunk Railroad and
Vanderbilt.

We expressed the opinion at the
time Vanderbilt secured the control of
the Michigan Central Railroad and the
link from Flint to Lansing in the
Grand Trunks independent Chicago
connection from Port Huron, that his
victory would prove barren one, i'll
asmuch as it would be impossible for
Vanderbilt to control for any length of
time the Grand Trunks Chicago con-
nections. That the opinion was a
sound one is verified by the facts as
they now exist. We learn from one
of our Western exchanges that the
Grand Trunk is moving actively to
secure connections independent of
Vanderbilt's control, having secured
control Of railroad reaching from
Ridgeway, . station upon its Port
Huron and Detroit section, % miles
from Port Huron, to Washington, Ma
comb county, Michigan, This rail,
road is 20 miles in length. At last
accounts Mr.. Il. p. Hanaford, Chief
Engineer Of the Grand Trunk, was at
Romeo, and had let out contract to
finish line from Washington to Pom
tiac. This line only needs the rails,
having been graded some years since.
Mr., lIanaford has contracted with
parties to have the extension to Pom
tiac graded and laid with a 60-pound
steel rail by the 18th of November.
From Pontiac the Grand Trunk has
the option of constructing line to the
Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, rea-
ching Lansing, the Eastern terminus
of their independent Chicago connec-
ton. Constructing new railway to
Charlotte upon the same line, or to
jackson, Michigan, either Of these
routes will give the Grand Trunk in
| connection with its Buffalo and Huron
road shorter line from Buffalo to
Chicago than the present Vanderbilt
routes via Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern or Canada Southern. In con-
| nection with the near approach Of the
| UtiiO WYNN olS III lS D HCW COulCCLlOu
via the Tunnel will be open, this op-
portunity to secure q connection to
Chicago free from arderbilt's con-
troll is Of great Importance to Boston.
1t is rumoured in railroad circles that
the Great Western Railroad of Canada,
growing FESTIVE under the demands
made by Vanderbilt, reducing its pro-
portion of the Blue Line business from
50 per cent. to 80 per cent, proposing
to abolish tue North Shore Dispatch
Co., etc., Is about to unite with the
Grand Trunk in securing u connection
to Chicago independent of the Mich
gan Central. If the Great Western
should carry out the scheme, and its
purchase OF the Detroit and Milwaukee
road few days since helps the project,
we fear the prospects OF the stock
holders of Michigan Central, once such
Q favoprite investment here in New
| England, will not be brilliant in the
future. or as long as il cqGtipues in
the bands of its present speculative
controller. With the Erlc's third rail
or narrow gauge Completed to Albany,
and soon to be extended to New York
city, the railroads west Of Buffalo are
not SO much in the power Of Wander
bilt rs they were previously, while
Vanderbilt's large interest and divir
dend accounts to be met make tAeil
business more desirable than ever.
1t is nos surprising that Vanderbilt
desired to retain his present contro
Of New England business when YC
learn Of it's magnitude. The reports Of
our railroads show that the through
business of the Boston and Albany
Railroad with Boston alone in 1877
was 88l ,265 tons. From way stations
it must have been at least 100000
tons. The Funnel report for the same