Bay City & Alpena railroad → Detroit, Bay City & Alpena railroad → Detroit & Mackinac railroad
Reorganized: BC&A in 1883. Line from Prescott to East Tawas.
Operated: 11 Years
Became: D&M in 1894.
Reference: [MRRC]
Bought the Black River Railroad in 1886. Line completed from Alger to Alpena in 1886.
1883. There was organized yesterday the DBC&A railroad with Gen. R.A. Alger as President and General Manager, and John S. Newberry as Secretary and Treasurer. Some time ago these gentlemen purchased the Tawas & Bay County Railway, and afterward became the owners of the franchise of the Bay CIty & Alpena Railway Company. Since then, the articles of association of these two companies have been so amended as to make feasible the company just organized, and the new articles go into effect today,
The Tawas & Bay County Railroad last fall purchased a large number of cars, 13 miles of steel track and a new Mogul engine from the Baldwin Locomotive Works. They now have 134 cars and 20 miles of 50 pound steel rail, besides ordering a heavy Mogul engine, which will make the 5th in the company's service. The present road, which is 28 miles long, extends from East Tawas towards and within 9¼ miles of Wells Station on the Mackinaw division of the Michigan Central, and this line is being re-laid. The road also has 12 miles of branches.
The company has no immediate plans for extending the road to a junction with the Michigan Central. The general business of the road now is the hauling of logs to Tawas. If, however, sufficient encouragement is met, the line will be extended and a passenger business done between Wells and Tawas before the end of this season.
Should the Oscoda and Au Sable people be wiling to hold out the inducements formerly offered the Bay City & Alpena Railroad, it is strongly probable that the road will be completed to Au Sable this year.
The road is at present a narrow gauge one and will remain so, but it is being fitted with ties of standard length, and its bridges are so constructed that they are sufficiently strong to hold any sized train. Thus it is possible to change the gauge at any future time. The cars are all 8 feet in width and the running gear so constructed as to make the least possible expense in the change.
Milo Eastman, who has been for many years connected with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern, has been engaged in the capacity of General Superintendent, and will take charge of the road the present week. A.P. McCaul, a brother of J.C. McCaul, Secretary of the Alger, Smith & Co., has gone to Tawas to take charge of the books, finances, etc. of the company. [DFP-1883-0403]
1883. December 2. General R.A. Alger and Hon. John S. Newberry, owners of the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena railroad, A.N. Henry, the attorney of the road; C.H. Ellis, chief engineer, and W.G. Henry made a tour of inspection of the road accompanied by representatives of the Free Press, Post and Tribune. The party left Detroit by the 11:30 train on the Mackinaw Division of the MC, General Superintendent C.C. Brown having placed his private car at the disposal of the party. After breakfasting at West Bay City, they proceeded to Alger, the junction with the DBC&A, situated about ¾ of a mile beyond Wells.
At Bay City they were joined by Milo Eastman, Superintendent of the road and a number of newspaper men and citizens of Bay City and Saginaw. A box car and flat car carried the party from Alger to the Rifle River, 2½ miles distant, where a transfer was made to the regular train waiting across the river. (The bridge was not done yet). The day coach of the road was sent up Friday but had not yet been put upon the narrow gauge tack. It will be ready next week and will be used to carry passengers at this end of the line until the bridge across the Rifle is completed.
J.M. Eastman, an old newspaper man from the Saginaw Valley, now Master of Transportation of this road, joined the party here and formed a valuable aid to the newspaper fraternity, being an encyclopedia of information concerning the region through which the road passes. Dinner was taken at Au Sable, and the return trip commenced, the special train reaching Bay City in tie to attach the private car o the regular Mackinaw train, reaching Detroit at 10:15 o'clock Saturday night.
The line of the DBC&A now completed from Alger to Au Sable is 47.5 miles long with 12 miles of branches and 7 miles of sidings. It has a gauge of 3 feet two inches, the same as the old Prescott logging road (the Tawas & Bay County), which was utilized for part of the distance. The gauge of the old road was determined by the first locomotive used on it, which was first bought and the road then fitted to its tracks. This engine has now been dismantled and its boiler will be utilized to run a pile driver.
The entire road has been built and that part of the old Prescott line which is utilized entirely overhauled since June, yet the road-bed is in excellent condition. It was finished as the construction proceed, so that every mile built should be in condition for use. A good test of the condition of the road is a ride over it in the cars which are used, which are standard size, placed on narrow gauge trucks. Though wide, the cars rock but little.
The present equipment of the road consists of four engines, two logging, one passenger and one mogul. A combination baggage, express and mail car, a smoker, a day coach, a sleeper, four box cars, 49 standard flat cars and 160 small four-wheeled logging cars. There are coming next week another engine, four box cars and 156 slats, all eight-foot decks by 34 feet long.
The junction of Alger, the southwestern terminus of the line is 40 miles from Bay City. There is yet no city to be seen. Side tracks are being put in, and the Central road will erect a turn-table and a two-story passenger house, with accommodations for meals and will move its tank and other station fittings from Wells.
The stations, counting from Alger, are as follows: Moffat (at Rifle River, 2 1/2 miles; Prescott, 4 1/4 miles; Mills 4 1/4 miles; Whittemore, 3; Charleton 4 1/2; McIver, 3 1/2; Hale, 2; Tawas City 5 1/2; East Tawas, 1 1/2, Bristol, 3; Au Sable, ten. It will be seen that the new stations are all named after prominent lumbermen and land owners along the line. As yet there are no depots on the road, but the work of building them will commence immediately.
About half a mile of grading and track-laying is still to be done to bring the road into Au Sable and Oscoda. Free busses now run from the terminus into the city. Passengers will be transferred by a tote road across the Rifle River until the bridge is finished which will be in the middle of December.
The Rifle River bridge will be 76 feet above low watermark - the highest railroad bridge in Michigan. Its total length will be 986 feet, with two truss spans of 100 and 150 feet, combination of wood and iron. The rest of the bridge consists of trestle work, with 12 8 x 8 posts in each bent. It will have a strength of two tons to the foot, sufficient for any standard gauge road.
The trusses will be put in by the Smith Bridge Co. of Toledo. The trestle work is being done by A.J. Dubuis of Detroit. It will continue over a half million feet of timber and will cost about $30,000. The timber is all white pine, which grew on the banks of the Rifle River, was rafted to Detroit, sawed in Detroit by Moffat, Eatherly & Co. and shipped back to the Rifle. Viewing the bridge from the wagon road below, it bears a striking resemblance, though on a smaller scale, to the great Portage bridge at Hornellsville, NY.
Next in importance to the crossing of the Rifle is the bridge across the Au Gres. This is also a trestle and truss bridge, is 42 feet above the bed of the river, and is 1,100 feet long. There is a heavy grade at the northern approach to the bridge, which will be taken out. This is the only point where any considerable grading had to be done.
The history of the DBXC&A under its present management is about as follows: In July, 1882 the Tawas & Bay County road was bought by G.P. Smith, R.A. Alger and M.S. Smith, G.P. Smith taking 1/4 in interest and the other two 3/8 each. The road was improved and operated until December 1882 when Gen. Alger and Mr. Newberry bought the road, taking equal interests. Last June they commenced rebuilding the road, and subsequently extended it to Oscoda and Alger.
The larger share of this work has been done within the past 2 months. Neither Mr. Newberry or Gen. Alger own any pine on the line of the road, their interests being further north. No bonds have been issued or shares sold. Neither has it been built to sell or for speculation in stocks. They have taken pride in putting in a finely equipped road, and will operate it as an independent road, but connecting with the Michigan Central. The Western Union will immediately put up a telegraph line along the route.
The ties are standard size. It is laid with 50 pound rails and all the rolling stock, with the exception of the locomotives, of standard size so that in the event of a change to standard gauge the cars could all be placed on broad trucks and new locomotives would be the only required change in equipment.
In regard to an extension, nothing is yet decided, through a route will be looked over along the west side of Hubbard Lake, tapping the 500 million feet of pine owned by Alger, Smith & Co. in Alcona cunty, and looking to Alpena as a terminus. This would allow Alger, Smith & Co. to make up their rafts forty miles nearer Detroit then Black River, their present rafting point, and in a safe harbor. It is hard country to build through and all will depend on the amount of aid Alpena people are willing to furnish.
Another possibility in the way of extension is that the line will be built along the shore to Black River, utilizing 12 miles of logging road belonging to Alger, Smith & Co., already built and thence to Alpena. This also will depend on the citizens of the latter city. [DFP-1883-1202]
1884. January. The DBC&A railroad will put up temporary depots for sheltering passengers until spring. All freight is offered that the road wishes to carry, as the transfer y wagon around the Rifle river bridge is accomplished with a great deal of trouble. The trestle work on the bridge is finished and all of the truss-spans will be put in this week. The completion of the line into the depot grounds at Au Sable will also be made this week. A passenger on the down train narrow gauge said it had over 100 passengers and the express company paid the railroad $100 for that one day's service. [AAN-1884-0102]
1884. February 6. Time Table No. 2 of the DBC&A shows one round trip train between Oscoda and Alger. The "Mail and Express" leave Oscoda at 11:05 AM arriving at Alger at 2:50 pm. The return trip leaves Alter at 3:15 pm arriving at Oscoda at 6:55 pm. Regular stops at Bristol, East Tawas, Tawas City, McIvor, Emery, Whittemore, Prescott and Moffatt and flag stops at other locations. These trains are daily except Sunday. [AAN-1884-0206]
1885. November. The new (rail) road is now graded past the head of Van Ettan Lake. Another gang of men has been put on at the Black River end, and the work will be competed as soon as possible. The grading through Alcona county will be most difficult work on the whole line. The rails are now laid and ballasted to Vaughn's farm. No work has been done o track-laying this week on account of the non-arrival of the rails from Cleveland. The Manistique, with a cargo, has been obliged to la in sand Beach harbor nearly all week on account of the storm. The work on the Van Ettan Creek bridge will be completed in two weeks. It will keep all hands busy now to the first of January if trains are running (from Oscoda) to Black River by that date.
1886. We boarded the train at Black River at 10 o'clock and the train pulled out for Alger with a respectable list of passengers. The first train (south of Black River) was Henry, about midway between Black River and West Harrisville, or Twin Lakes. As yet there is nothing here to mark the town save a deep cut and a cross road, but the site is a good one no doubt there will some day spring up in the vicinity a flourishing little business center.
The next station was West Harrisville, at the crossing of the state road, where is situated the lumber camps of Archie Donald, one of Alger, Smith & Co.'s foremen. Near this point is also located the shingle mill of Crowley & Lott, with the Frazer camps. Here is an excellent site for a flourishing village. The next stations are West Greenbush and Gustin, but as yet there is only a good cross-road to mark each point. The new village of Gustin Center is located about a mile and a half west of the railroad.
Leaving West Greenbush the train makes a long run over a very smooth track to Au Sable, a distance of 14 miles. There is a flag station between the two points names Handy, but no stop was made. To be sure there are many heavy grades and curves to make among the hills ling between West Greenbush and Black River, but these will not impede the time making of the passenger trains after the engineer becomes familiar with the route.
About three miles south of (West) Harrisville needs ballasting before the road can be said to be in good condition its entire length, but the construction train is now at work upon the job. [AAN-1888-0108]
1887. March 9. The railroad company have their telephone line completed between Alger and Black River, and will soon have it extended to this city (Alpena). The wire used is No. 9 telegraph wire, and can thus be used if a regular telegraphic system is used. It will be of great convenience to those who have business with the various trains, when the entire line is completed. [AArgus-1887-0309]
1889. August. It is rumored that General Alger is about to dispose of the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena railroad to the Grand Trunk for a northern outlet to their Durand road. [PHTH-1889-0803] Editor's Note: This did not occur.
1892. September. General Alger has denied in a round-about way, and to the casual reader very effectively, the rumors that have gained circulation about the reported sale of the DBC&A railroad to the Chicago & Grand Trunk. For some reason all the facts have not been given to the public. The general has evaded making a statement that would convince every reader that a deal has not actually taken place.
Last Tuesday in a Detroit bank, $3,000,000 was passed over to the credit of the owners of the DBC&A railroad for the complete ownership, or for a very long lease of the Alpena road. The money came from the C> people. They have secured the DBC&A road just the same as they secured the CS&M. Ask one of the men on the C> throne today if his company owns the CS&M and he will tell you that it does not. But the road runs the CS&M just the same.
The Sunday Times feels that if General Alger was so disposed he could tell the people some very interesting news about the DBC&A. He could say that a line will be run from Oaatka beach to a point on the DBC&A and that the northern end will be extended to the straits. [BCT-1892-0911]. Editors Note: This transaction ultimately did not happen.
1892. An official of the GT railway made a statement that the Grand Trunk isn't building or buying roads in Michigan at the present. Arrangements have been made with the firm of Drexel, Morgan & Co. New York capitalists, to build a line from Oaatka beach to connect with General Alter's road. Drexel is heavily interested in the Alger road. If it is completed it will be operated by the GT. [AA-1892-0921]. Editors Note: This transaction ultimately did not happen.
1892. October 18. Rumors are published that the DBC&A will be sold to the Grand Trunk, which has built to Bay City. The rumor notes that this is part of a plan for the GT to reach the Straits of Mackinac. A line will be built north to Emory Junction. The line to Alger will be discontinued. [BCT-1892-1018]
1893. September 11. The DBC&A railroad company is alleged to be insolvent, and application has been made to Judge Swan in the United States circuit court for the appointment of a receiver. Several days ago Russell & Campbell filed a bill against the road, but it was taken out of the clerk's hands as soon as filed and did not become public until this morning when Mr. Campbell appeared before Judge Swan and made a formal motion that a receiver be appointed. He was accompanied by Don M. Dickinson, while E.W. Meddaugh and Henry A. Harmon appeared on behalf of the railroad company.
Mr. Campbell read a statement from Roswell G. Rolston, president of the Farmers' Loan & Trust Co., trustee under a mortgage of the DBC&A railroad dated January 1, 1893, and the deed of further assurance or suppletory mortgage dated June 7, 1887. Mr. Rolston said he had received a written request on behalf of the holders of $1,609,000 of the funds outstanding and secured by the mortgage, setting forth the fact that default had been made in the payment of coupon interest upon the bonds for a period of 60 days and over, and asking that the mortgage be foreclosed and a receiver appointed to sell the property.
Mr. Rolston asked for the appointment of M.L. Scudder, of Chicago IL as receiver. On behalf of the railroad company, Mr. Meddaugh protested against the appointment of Mr. Scudder. He thought if a receiver was named it should be Gen. Alger, who had been president and general manager of the road ever since it was first built.
Don Dickinson remarked that there had been considerable feeling between General Alger and the large bondholders represented by Drexel, Morgan & Company of New York. No reply was made to the bill charging that the road was insolvent.
Judge Swan announced that he would take the matter under consideration. He might decide to appoint some other person instead of either Alger or Scudder.
General Alger was seen at his office in the Telegraph block: "The trouble simply is that the road has not been able to pay the interest on its bonds. Business was very bad during '91 and '92, but it began to pick up last spring and had it not been for the general financial depression the road might have pulled through without going into the hands of a receiver."
How about the charges of mismanagement made by Mr. Dickinson's clients, the reporter asked? General Alger smiled sadly. "That refers to a misunderstanding which can be easily explained. The firm of Alger, Smith & Co. are building a road from Alpena north through Alpena and Presque Isle counties. About 35 miles has already been graded and some track laid. On the line of the DBC&A there was 15 miles of steel which belonged to our firm and had been merely loaned the road. We needed the steel for the new road we are building, and took up its equivalent in rails from the DBC&A. There has also been some disagreement about a stipulation we made in selling our Alcona county road to the DBC&A, providing that our timber from that region should be hauled at a certain reduced price."
General Alger referred his questioner to E.W. Meddaugh for further particulars. Mr. Meddaugh, after going over the details of what General Alger had said, added: "Some weeks ago, before this receivership matter came up, General Alger made a proposition to have the bondholders reorganize, accept 5 instead of 6 percent, interest, and get in shape to take the road now being built north of Alpena. I think this plan will yet be carried out, as soon as all the bondholders come to appreciate the situation. [SCH-1893-0914]. Editors note: Mr. Meddaugh, a Detroit attorney, also represented the Grand Trunk railway system in other matters.
1893. October 4. The DBC&A railroad company has not paid its employees for the last two months. It is expected that it will soon be able to pay the wages due. As the winter season commences its business improves. [AArgus-1893-1004]
1894. April 25. The Michigan Central train dispatcher came to town [Alpena] Saturday, in a special car, having done so at the request of the superintendent of the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena railroad, his mission being to test the efficiency of various station agents along the road in regard to the new system of moving trains, soon to go into effect. The telephone system was used from the time the road was first built, and it is to be replaced by the telegraph; hence every station master has to be able to send and receive messages by telegraph. [AArgus]
1894. August 22. The DBC&A bridge across the dam (in Alpena) is being repaired. [AArgus-1894-0822]
1894. October 7. The DBC&A railroad will be sold under mortgage foreclosure at Alpena on November 8. [DFP-1894-1007]
1894. SNAPSHOT. Prior to sale, the DBC&A was 105 miles of main line and 69 miles of branch lines and sidings. It had 32 stations on the line from Alger to Alpena. They employed 160 men, including 5 baggagemen, 14 brakemen, 7 conductors, 9 engineers, 9 firemen, 66 labors (mostly on 16 sections), 17 shopmen and 20 others. It had 13 wooden bridges, 2 iron bridges, 2 combination of wood and iron, and six wooden trestles. It had 20 locomotives, 19 of which were over 30 tons, 5ive 8-wheel passenger cars, 2 express and baggage cars, 37 box cars, 250 platform cars, 5 conductor way cars and 292 timber truck cars (for long poles). The railroad had one derrick. All of the locomotives were equipped with "power" brakes, as were seven passenger cars. Westinghouse air brakes were used on six locomotives and seven passenger cars. American brakes were used on 14 locomotives. The report noted that none of the railroad's freight cars were equipped with automatic couplers (required by law since 1885). The top five commodities transported were Lumber and forest products (81%), merchandise (7%); coal (3%); manufactured products (2%); and grain (2%). The company was served by the American Express Company, and had 210 miles of Western Union Telegraph Co. wires. [MRC-1895]
1894. November 9. Sold for $1,000,000. Alpena, Michigan. The Detroit, Bay City & Alpena Railroad was sold to-day (November 8) to representatives of Drexel, Morgan & Co., of New York for the bondholders, for $1,000,000. The firm holds $1,750,000 worth of bonds, and could not allow any other company to outbid it.
The road will probably be extended to Bay City from a point near Tawas, and to Mackinaw; taking in Rogers City and Cheboygan, from the terminus of the Alpena & Northern Railroad. The opinion prevails that the two roads will be consolidated as the Northern holds the right of way privileges, that are considered very valuable. In case the road is extended to Bay City, it will meet the Cincinnati, Saginaw & Mackinaw at the Kawkawlin river, five miles north of West Bay City.
The Alpena & Northern is only about fifty miles long, extending from Alpena to McPhee. [DFP]
1895. January 1. The reorganization of the DBC&A railroad under the name of the Detroit & Mackinaw (sic) was no great surprise in Bay City. It has been known that the bondholders for whom the road was recently purchased by the representative of Drexel, Morgan & Co. could not sell or operate the road to a profit with Alpena and Alger as the ends of the line.
Bay Citians have been looking for an extension of the road to this city for several years. It is figured here that the D&M company will purchase the Alpena & Northern, and extend the northern end to Mackinaw, and the southern end to West Bay City, along with the bay shore east of the MC. The CS&M road has a track as far north as the Kawkawlin river, and it is probable that this strip, five miles in length, may pass into the control of the D&M, and that a crossing of the river will be made at a point selected by the F&PM railroad near Essexville. It is also considered more than probable that the Bay City & Alpena road will make running arrangements with the F&PM, giving it an outlet to Detroit and Toledo. It is also suspected that the D&M and F&PM may become chains in the projected road of Senator Brice from Duluth to the gulf. [DFP-1895-0101]
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