The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-30
RAILROAD GOSSIP.

! NH iSNOhD oOcCII.
] NJ. Ashley, Jr., of the r., A. A
& N. Nj. X. r. visited Mt. Pleasan
one day last week, and while there
was interviewed by the editor of the
Times of that place. The result i.
thus given below;
Last evening the railroad reporter
Of the Times interviewed Mr.. Ashley
on the subject of the proposed south
ern route. He was accompanied by
J. and A. f. Greenough, of New
York.
"Good evening, Mr.. Ashley" oul
reporter said, show is the railroad
business? Have you brought up the
rails with your"
Hardly that" answered Mr.. Ash.
ley. awe have come here, and in.
tend to drive through to Evart on a
prospecting tour to morrow morn
ing"
"Do you intend to Gloss the j.. &
P. Nj. at Evart instead of at Farwell,' u
inquired the Times man.
81 think so,' he answered.
"Why so?" was the inquiry. "There
was a railroad meeting held at Far
well and Mr.. w. H. Stafford was ap.
pointed secretary, and the result was
that correspondence was opened
with your folks, resulting in a map
being sent 10 the Farwell folks, on
which that town was plainly desig-
mated as the place Of crossing; why
have you changed your ideas' A
few miles north OF Farwell there is
the old road-bed of a logging road
you could utilize"
THAT road bed, being abandoned
would indicate that the timber had
been. removed from that section,'
replied Mr.. Ashley, "and besides
Evart seems to be better place"
"Mr. Ashley" We inquired, "dt
you not think that if, instead of quib
bling about the Wright road, we hac
signed your notes--that is, If we hac
concluded we wished Mt. Pleasant t.
be a way station on through road
do YOU not think your road woslc
have been here by this timer"
"The panic stopped railroad build
ing" he said.
"How about that unfinished gal
between South Lyons and Owosso?'
ave will begin work on that il
the spring." he answered.
GLOW about the idea of your max
ing a curve from St. Louis around b,
way of Alma, and from there to Mt
PLEASANT" asked the Times man
"Do you think of doing it,
"Oh, l don't know" replied tn
Toledo & Ann Arbor man, nervous
ly.
"What would be the extra dis
tance?"
-Four miles, replied Mr.. Ashley
cit is TX miles from St. Louis, ant
by Alma it would be 2IH miles"
"Did not the notes given to tn
Lansing & Alma road, especially
those at Maple Rapids, expire b.
limitation on January ~
eyes," he answered.
"How about that map giving Far
we'll as the crossing?"
"Oh, railroad companies can max
plenty Of maps" said Mr.. Greenough
laughing.
The subject of Mr.. Wright's in
vestments at Alma was then canvass
ed, and also the fact that large nun
Der Of Isabella county farmers wen
there to sell their grain.
"Do you think that there is re
bate granted to Alma and St. Loui
shippers, which gives them the ad
vantage over us?" inquired the Time
man.
"The F. & p. M. have said tina
they would meet any terms made b
any other route"
"How could the +. & p. M. NEE
a rebate, the amount of which is KEEP
a secret between the parties1" we IN
quired. "They certainly could no
be expected to rely on the bare asser
ton of any interested person."
"They have a rebate" said MI
Ashley, "but / cannot see why Mr.
Wright would want to build a roa,
simply from one county to another.
"Why, simply to control our mar
kets," we answered.
The gist Of the matter is, that i,
our opinion the feud between MI
Ashley and Wright can be healed b,
a curve through Alma, and from Their,
line to Mt. Pleasant. From Mt
Pleasant the road will go north. w,
will have something to say on thi
subject in the future.