Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1879-09-13
THE MARQUETTE AND MACkINAC
RAILROAD.

Pursuant to adjournment the Board
of Control of state swamp lands met at
the Michigan exchange in Detroit,
Thursday afternoon of last week, to ex-
ecute the contract for building a rail-
road from Marquette to the straits of
Mackinac. There was present of the
Board of Control Gov. C. Nj. CrOswell, At
tOrney General Otto Kirchner, State
Treasurer B. D. Pritchard, Secretary of
State VIM. Jenny, Auditor General W. /.
Latimer, and James Nj. Neasmith, COM
missioner of the land Office. Railroad
Commissioner Williams was also pres
ent. OF the Board of Directors of the
Detroit, Mackinac and Marquette rail-
road company, there were in attendance
James Mcmillan, John S. Newberry, Fran
els Palms, Waldo Nj. Johnson, w. X.
Muir. and w. B. Moran.
Attorney General Kirchner presented
contract which he had prepared, and
the provisions of the same was thorough
ly discussed by the contracting parties.
1t will be remembered that at the meet
ing Of the Board of Lansing the repre-
sentative of the Detroit company prom
ised in case the company got the contract
that twenty miles of the road would be
completed this fall. President Mcmillan,
at the meeting in Detroit, stated that it
would be absolutely impossible to obtain
iron or steel rails so as to complete that
amount of the road, but that it was the
intention of the company to go on with
the grading during the fall and winter
and would do all that could possibly be
be done. 1t was finally agreed that
work should be commenced at once, and
at least 20 miles of the road be cOmplet-
ed by July 31st, 1880. Elsewhere on this
page we give the contract as agreed up
on and signed.
The Detroit Post and Tribune says:
'The company have already commenced
negotiations for beginning the work.
The profiles and surveys are in the hands
of an expert. Some portions Of the
road will be surveyed anew, but prOba-
bly, that portion between Marquette and
Munsing will be substantially as already
laid out. Work will commence on that
end Of the road, and getting out ties,
clearing the roadway and rock excava-
ton can go on all winter. The purpose is
to make the road as direct and short as
possible. The belief of its promoters is
that it is to become link in the great
Northern Pacific route, and the interests
of the through route will be considered
rather than any mere local cOnsidera
tiOns. The intention of the company is
to put the Chippewa lands into the
market at once. There has been some
clamOr for these lands, and the company
do not desire to stand in the way of the
settlement of the county. They will,
therefore offer these lands to actual set
tiers at low prices and on long time.
They can make conditional contracts
now and little or nothing will be re-
quired to be paid down. This will be safe
ON the part of the purchasers and will
give them an opportunity to go on with
their improvements with confidence as
to the future. There are said to be some
squatters. These will be offered an OPP
pOrtunity to contract and thus secure
themselves.
The straits of Mackinac will be cross
ed by transfer ferry. The ferriage dis
lance will be about 81 miles. NegOti-
atiOns are in progress for railway con-
nectiOns, and it is not improbable that
Mr.. Vanderbilt, owning the Detroit and
Bay City and the Jackson, Lansing and
Saginaw, will not only complete the lat
ter to the straits, but will join in push
ing westward of Marquette to connec-
ton with the Northern Pacific at Mon
treal river.