Year: 1872




Paw in responce to an invitation from
citizens of that village to confer in ref
erence TO the railroad interests Of the
two places.


The delegation started at an early
hour Tuesday forenoon, in an open car.
riage, crossing the rich and beautiful
township of Alamo, by way of Alamo
Center, touching the corner Of OsthemO,
and passing through Almena from cor
ner to corner. The highway runs along
the beautiful farming district, within
constant view of the ravine or swampy
woodland which extends the entire dis
tance from Plainwell to Paw Paw max.
ing as it were a natural route for an air
line railway, with not more than eight
or ten feet of grade on any one mile of
the line, which would be about twenty
miles in distance


The committee, Messrs Hicks and
Vinegar, expressed the opinion that the
cost of grading could not in any place
exceed $4,000 per mile. There are no
large streams to cross, except the Kali
amazoo az this place, no clay banks to
excavate, and the work would consist
mainly of leveling up for reception of
ties, great portion of which could be
supplied from timber standing on the
ground. The land through which the
line runs would be benefited rather than
damaged by the building of the road,
and it is probable that the right of way
could be secured at mere nominal ex-
pense


Almena is a quiet little village loca.
ted on a branch of the Paw Paw river,
which affords very good water power,
running a fine large Touring mill and
there is also a saw mill located on the
same stream short distance below
Almena has church, school house, two
stores, several shops. etc, and would be
come quite thriving village # il had
communication y rail with me rest Of
the world.


That this section Of country needs
road and is awake TO the importance Of
securing it, we were fully assured.


On arriving at Paw Paw the delega.
ton were welcomed by the business
men of the place, and brief conference
held at the First National Bank, there
being present Messrs. Sherman, Briggs
Van Aukcr, Fitch and others.


4 map drawn by Mr.. Soule, of this
village, showing the various proposed
routes, was produced for examination,
and the immediate survey Of the air line
from Plainwell to Paw Paw was decid-
ed upon, the work to be placed III the
hands of competent engineers of the
Pennsylvania Central Company. 1t is
estimated that a road could be built on
this line at an expense of $4,000 less
than any other route yet proposed, as
the line is shorter and the grade much
easier.


At the close of the meeting the dele
CATION from Plainwell were recommend
ed to the generous, courtesies of Mr..
Briggs, who had conveyance in wait.
ing to "show them around town." which
he did in most pleasing manner, visit
ing the various mills and manufactures,
showing the ample water power which
with increased fecilities Of transporta.
ton, might be made an element of rapid
and substantial growth. Paw Paw may
we'll feel proud of her beautiful new
school building, which is one of the best
in Southern Michigan. We noticed
number of very elegant residences, and
we're delighted with the charming loca-
ton of the village and its beautiful
streets lined with rows of thrifty naples
and other shade trees. The farming
district in the vicinity is very rich, and
Paw Paw has every element that could
be provided by nature for a thrifty
commercial center. We observed sew
eral churches, and were highly pleased
with the social appearance of the vii
liage-and were not surprised to learn
that every saloon has been closed, that
traffic not being deemed even a necessa-
ry evil.


The feeling of the citizens of Paw Paw
was manifestly in favor of working with |
this village. That village is able and
willing 10 furnish more aid than can be |