Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1900-11-15
WANTS AN ELECTRIC ROAD.
The section 20 the East OF Belding watch
ing Developments Anxiously

The BANNER as all its readers are
aware has been an advocate of an cleo
trio road running east or northeast
from Belding. Such a line would in our
opinion be OF great benefit TO this city
and one OF the principal reasons why we
have favored the Grand Rapids line
was and Is the belief that it would re-
suit in the above named extention. The |
people OF that section are very anxious
for it as will be seen by the following
letter:
Palo, Nov. II, 1900.
Belding BANNER:-The citizens OF
Orleans and Ronald in Ionia county,
and Bloomer aud Crystal in Montcalm
county are looking for an electric road
either from Ionia or Belding. notice
in the Grand Rapids Herald that there
is line laid out from Grand Rapids to
Bedding and Greenville to be known as
the Grand Rapids, Bedding and Green
vile Electric Railway, the line already
surveyed and the franchise granted and
| assure you will be built in the near
future and Belding should use all the
influence in its power to continue this
road on to Palo, Butternut and Crystal
Lake. Alma should be the terminus
and would be the cheap route from
the Saginaw Valley to Grand Rapids.
Here are four townships unsurpassed
anywhere between Saginaw and Grand
Rapids, watered by Fish and Prairie
creek. There is no competition, every
thing hauled out on wagons. We have
had some encouragement from l.. G..
Howard of Grand Rapids by the way OF
Ionia, but have heard nothing from
him for some time, but undoubtedly
VIII now that after the second battle,
Bryan and Organism are buried head
down and will dig in instead of out.
The country will continue under the
gold standard and while there were
electric roads built all over the east
ern and middle western states, the four
years just passed, we see no reason why
idle capital should not continue TO
build paying roads as we know this
road would pay If built. A road TO
Crystal Lake would be to Bedding what
Reeds Lake is to Grand Rapids.
The road would be incomplete unless
built from Crystal Lake on to Alma, a
northeast direction through Sumner
and Arcade townships in Gratiot county
1t has been said that Mr.. Wright would
meet any electric road coming north
east from Crystal Lake with road at
his own expense from Alma. 10 my
letter 30 G. S. Johnson | pointed out
the possibilities Of a road from Grand
Rapids via Bedding touching the viii
lagos OF Shiloh, Palo, Hubbardston,
MapleRapids and on to Owosso in Shi-
wassee County. f. KENDALL.
Mr.. Kendall also enclosed the follow
ing letter which he had received from
Mr.. Johnson
Grand Rapi Is, Mich Nov. 8, 1900.
Mr.. ELMER KENDALL,
Dear Sir: Your letter OF November
Bird has been received and read with
very much interest. 1t is natural that
the promoters OF road from this city to
Belding should have their eyes on the
territory contiguous, and should have
in mind also the possibilities OF extern
sions TO that line, but until the main
part of the road is built and In oper-
alton it is hardly worth while TO con-
slider, in detail, such extensions as out
lined in your letter. 1t is very inter
esting, however, and | promise you
that when the line is once built To
Bedding an examination of the route
suggested by you will be made l
have no doubt such IA project would re-
suit in paying property.
You will note probably from the pa
pers from time to time how we pro-
gress with the proposed line to Beld
ing and when that is successfully car
ried out / will be very much pleased
to meet you and discuss the project
suggested by you. In the meantime
permit me to thank you for your let
ter and for your interest in the matter.
Yours truly,
G. S. JOHNSON,
Pres. Grand Rapids, Bedding 81 Green
Vile Railway Company.