The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-02-21
The saraaa & wntersmeet r. R

/
Last week tho orcanization Of the
Baraga & Watersmeet railroad com
pany was perfected and the articles Of
incorporation filed with the secretary
OF state. We clip the following partic-
ulars from the Detroit Tribune of Sat-
urday last:
| Col. Elias II. sellers. tho wcll-known
attorney, was one OF tlio busiest men III
Detroit yesterday lie rushed abo,t
with 4 big blank book under his arm
and q bigger loud OF teeming ideas III
his legal train. 70 be perfectly exact,
however, the aforesaid book was not
altogether blank. 1t contained the
rudimcnts of S1.000,00O Michigan
railroad which is about to be built.
Col. Sellers was closely seconded in
his endeavors l,y Joseph W. Alston,
formerly well-known Detroit citizen,
800, 900 or so in an Upper Peninsula
mining Speculation. Mr.. Aston has
Just reached Detroit from Lansing,
where the articles tf incorporation for
the new railroad had been duly signed
and sealed by tie sec eary of state.
The company has already been formed
and oil tue stock taken.
The new road will be known as the
Baraga g Watersr.eet railroad. 1t will
run from Baraga to Watersineet, II dist
an of 40 miles, and pass Though
very important mining sections in
Baraga, Houghton, Ontonagon and
Gogebic counties The capital stock of
the company is 1000, 900. G. A. New
comb, Endicott s. Go, is president;
Joseph w. Alstou, vico-president and
general manager; Enoch G.. Bowling,
the well known Detroit capitalist,
treasurer: and Col T.. III. Sellers, secre-
tary. G. A. Newcomb. j. w. Aston
and Il. G. Bowling are the largest stock
holders. There is board Of seven
directors, as follows: c. a. Newcomb,
f. c. Bowlin I, E. A. Armstrong, L. II.
Sellers, Ii. l.. Gabell, G. q. Pease and
J. w. Alston. Building operations
will be instituted at once.
This road will reduce n former min
ing haul of 102 miles to 10, and save $50
miles of water travel. The proiec' ors
age and the road so palpably fills a long
felt want that after the stock was all
taken there is said to have been still
clamor to secure it on thepart of cap
italists.
Such rond as that outlined above
won 4 traverse country rch in miner
al and timber resources that is not now
provided with railroad facilities, be-
side giving the copper country more
direct route to Chicago and Milwaukee.
Should the Calumet ~ South Eastern
road he built, which now seems likely,
the Baraga & Wateraneet road could
be extended eight miles to Ncwtonville
and thus sec ire an advantageous posi-
tion to command the copper country
traffic, which is very important item.
That such ron I would prove a paying
investment there is no room to doubt.
The history of Upper Peninsula railroad
building shows that where new line
goes through mining or well timbered
region tine local business thus opened
up soon pays the operating cxpcnses.of
the road. The late Thomas Nester at
one time had plans laid for building
such road merely for tho accommoda-
tion of his extensive numbering opera
tions. A partial survey was made,
right of way secured and several
hundred tons of rails were purchased,
but the undertaking was beyond his
financial ability. Had he lived there
is no doubt that he would eventually
have pushed the project through to
completion.