Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-02-06
And to Connect Grand Haven, Hichi.
gan, With POstOrla, Ohio.
Napoleon ON the Route.
Probably.

but the prospects are good for max.
ling Napoleon the end of the road in
Ohio, where it will connect with the
Lima Northern for the Jackson coal
fields, q coal field which the project
ed new line wishes to reach above all
other connections.
Col. Jerry w. Boyton, the noted
railroad boomer and President of
the Central Michigan Railroad
Co., paid Napoleon a visit on Mon
day for the purpose Of business. He
had been here before in looking over
the line, but this time he came for a
decided purpose, and that was to give
Napoleon preference for the new
road.
| A preliminary meeting was held in
the Probate Court room on Monday
evening, which was quite largely at
tended and considerable interest
manifested in the project, Col. Boyn-
ton was present and gave a review
of the intentions of the company in
building the line over the old Cold
water road-bed. Josiah Roller was
made President of the meeting.
Col. Boynton said he had now been
laboring for four years upon the pro-
ject, and that daylight had been
reached and the road was a fixed
fact and that it's entire length would
be constructed within the present
year. His company has secured valu-
able terminal facilities at Milwaukee,
Grand Havenand other points, about
9-1O of the right of way secured
through the State of Michigan, and
the biggest end of it through Ohio, or
the counties in Ohio through which
the road will pass.
Marine interests have guaranteed
the erection of car ferry system be-
tween Grand Haven and Milwaukee.
Boats large enough to hold forty cars
will be constructed for this service,
and the distance made between the
two points will be covered in seven
hours. These boats will be over AGO
feet in length.
The bonds for this new railroad
project, amounting to $3,00O,0O0 have
been placed, and the money for the
building of the line will be forthcom-
ing as fast as the work can be pro-
jected.
The road will be known as the
Michigan Central and Ohio and
Michigan Belt Line, and will be an
additional outlet for the immense
freight business of st. Louis, Chicago
and milwaukee, as well as reaching
the great lumber regions of Michigan
and the rich coal fields of Ohio.
The road will cross the Wabash,
Detroit Division, at Kunkle, the G.
J. & M. at West Unity, Lake Shore
at Archbold, and the Wabash again
at Napoleon.
Before the meeting adjourned a |
committee of five was appointed, con-
sisting of J. Roller, NJ. Donnelly, J.
G. Saur, d. Meekison and M. E.
Loose, to confer with Col. Boyton
Tuesday morning, and report to an
adjourned meeting to be held Tues
day evening.
At this conference we understand
an understanding was arrived at by |
which Napoleon was to be made a |
point on the road, provided it's citi-
zens raised the amount of $1,000, 3d. |
500 to be paid Immediately and 81, 500 |
to be paid when the road is complet-
ed. The payment of $4,000 to be Sc
cured satisfactorily, with guarantee |
that the amount is to be refunded
providing the road is not built to Ma
poleon.
The committe went to work at once
to raise the amount and by Tuesday |
evening had $2,O10 of the sum SUBJ
scribed, which they reported to the
meeting held in the evening.
The Tuesday evening meeting was
poorly attended, which was not very
encouraging to the committee and
those making an effort to secure this |
new and important line of railway |
for Napoleon. Property owners and
business men should throw off their
apparent apathy and come to the re-
lief Of the committee with their sub
and their presence at thel
next meetings,
At this meeting an auxiliary COM
mite, consisting of Messrs. Henry
Rohrs, H. @. Groschner, John Woke,
Geo. Hildred and r. w. Cahill, was
to assist in raising sub
scriptions.
p. S.. Since the above was in type
we learn the committee has thro wn
up.the sponge and quit operations,
and that Col. Boynton has left the
city with the impression that Napo-
leon don't want his line of railway,
and with the determination of max
ing overtures with other places which
have asked for the road and promis-
cd liberal donations.
This is q bad state Of affairs forl