The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1903-03-13

Passed into Control of the Big system
Part OF :. ii. a. r.. to BE In Main Chicago
Detroit Line.
The Detroit Journal of Monday con-
tanned the following railroad news:
"Ever since the change in ownership
which marked the beginning of the de-
velopment of the greater Pere Marquette,
it has been understood that plans were
on foot for trunk line west from De-
troit through Chicago, but the general
public failed to understand how the Pere
Marquette, with its circuitous line via
Grand Rapids could compete with the
Michigan Central and Wabash, both of
which bad much shorter connections.
How the problem has been solved can be
easily seen from the accompanying map.
The old Pere Marquette line via Lam
sing, Grand Rapids, Holland, Hartford
and Benton Harbor is some 40 or so
miles longer than the Michigan Central.
but by the purchase of two small roads
and the building of few miles to con-
meet them the Pere Marquette obtains a
Detroit Chicago line which is only 18
miles longer than the Michigan Central
and % miles longer than the Wabash,
the shortest line between Detroit and
| Chicago.
"The two lines which it is said the
company is about to purchase are the
Benton Harbor & Coloma, from Benton
Harbor to Paw Paw lake, and the Chica-
60, Kalamazoo & Saginaw, running from
Kalamazoo to Woodbury., where it con-
| ko
dotted lines show the connecting link
that remains to be built, but this is
small matter, the distance being only
few miles.
1.-Two other small roads have been pur-
chased, the South Haven q Eastern from
South Haven to Lawton and the Milwau-
kee, Benton Harbor & Columbus, from
Benton Harbor to Buchanan, but these
are only feeders and not entirely intend
ed to be part of the trunk line.
The cutoff between Woodbury. and
Benton Harbor would give the Pere Mar
quette quite direct line between Chica-
go and Detroit as railroad lines go, and
with the building of the eastern extern
sion to Buffalo, would give also a line
between that city and Chicago, which
will be in a favorable position to com
pete with existing lines for through
traffic. The Chicago extension between
New Buffalo and Hammond is now un-
der construction.
"When the short cut is completed the
old Pere Marquette system will consti-
tute merely feeder for the Greater Pere
Marquette, and Detroit will have another
trunk line"
The map referred to in the Journal
article showed the main line as leaving
the present Pere Marquette road at
Hartford, using the S. h. & f.. to Paw
; Paw, the II miles between Paw Paw and
Kalamazoo alone remaining TO be built
in, the route being from Kalamazoo to
) Woodbury. over the G.. X. Il s., thence
over the Pere Marquette to Detroit.
This is revival of the old project that
the West Michigan had in the early
nineties, and The True Northerner
believes it the most feasible route for the
Pere Marquette to use in connecting up
! its system for Detrot-Chicago business,
and there is better prospect of it's GO
! ing though than any railroad plan touch
lug Paw Paw for many years.
The line would be of inestimable ben
eft to Paw Paw and to Van Buren,
, county The town needs nothing but
trunk line to make it an ideal residence
town, and to give such boom to busi-
ness as we have never before enjoyed.
We hope nothing may occur to block
, the negotiations, and that Paw Paw may
yet be on the line of through railroad.
The Kalamazoo Telegraph of Wednes-
day contained the following dispatch
from Benton Harbor concerning the pro-
posed deal
, president Edward Maher of the Mil
waukee, Benton Harbor & Columbus
and South Haven Il Eastern railways
practically confirms the report that the
properties have been sold to the Pere
Marquette to enable that system to es-
tablsh its trunk line from Chicago to
Detroit and Buffalo.
3 "He states negotiations have been un :
:, der way for several weeks and there is
little doubt as to successful conclusion.
The sale OF these properties puts the
{ twin cities on trunk line and citizens
! here are very jubilant."
! The Telegraph further says:
! ut is impossible to learn anything
locally about the proposed Pere Mar
, quette deal. The Benton Harbor dis
! patch would indicate that the Pere Mar
. quette plan would be to extend east from
Paw Paw through Kalamazoo. Just how
q this plan would be carried out must re-
main a matter OF surmise until later. If
the news is correct, it probably means
that Kalamazoo will have another trunk
railway line.
"Officers of the G.. X. & s. reiterated
their denial of any pending negotiations
for the road, and seemed inclined to
think the talk of the South Haven &
!, Eastern purchase as very problematical "
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