Railroad: Flint & Pere Marquette railroad

Built → Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad → Pere Marquette railroad

Built: 1862 from Mount Morris to Saginaw

Operated for 37 years.

Became: PM in 1899.

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

The Flint & Pere Marquette assembled the following railroads before sale to the Pere Marquette [MRRC]:

• Genesee and Oakland railroad consolidation - 1859
• Original line opened from Mount Morris to Saginaw - 1862.
• Consolidate Flint & Holly - 1868
• Control of Bay City & East Saginaw - 1868 (Consolidate in 1872)
• Consolidation of Holly, Wayne and Monroe - 1872
• Consolidation of the Cass River Railroad - 1872
• Line extended Otter Lake to Caro - 1872
• Control of East Saginaw and St. Clair - 1872
• Line completed Monroe to Ludington - 1874
• Control of Saginaw & Clare County - 1877
• Control of Saginaw & Mt. Pleasant - 1879
• Control of Manistee Ry. - 1880
• Bought Port Huron & Northwestern - 1889
• Built line from Oak (on the DL&N) to Fort Street Union Depot.
• Joint lease of Detroit Union Railroad Depot & Station - 1889
• Joint control of Fort Street Union Depot - 1889
• Control of Monroe & Toledo railroad - 1893 (purchased in 1897)

Photo Info: Flint & Pere Marquette No. 43 pauses for a photo, possibly at Clare in the late 1880's. 

Time Line

1879. The Saginaw & Clare County branch has been completed from the junction with the main line at Budd Lake Junction, 52 miles northwest of East Saginaw north 38 miles. [DFP-1879-0429]

1883.The F&PM finish new coal chutes [sic] at East Saginaw. [DFP-1883-1207]

1889. September 8. Construction of the new [Union] depot [in Detroit] will begin within a few weeks and it is the design of the company to have the foundation in before the approach of winter. About the same time, the F&PM road will begin the construction of a line of its own into the city from Novi, the right of way for which it has long possessed. [DFP-1889-0908]

1891. January. The F&PM railway company has surveyed three alternate lines to reach the new Union Depot (in Detroit). The lines diverge from the main line in the neighborhood of Novi and Northville, and crossing Michigan avenue about five miles from the (Detroit) City Hall, reach the Wabash tracks east of Woodmere, at the Exposition grounds. The company has the right of way about secured and will be ready for the city before the new union depot is built. [OCA-1891-0101]

1891. The Flint & Pere Marquette proposes its own line from Novi, southeast to the Delray area of Detroit to the state railroad crossing board. It included crossing with the Detroit, Lansing & Northern in Redford Township (Oak), the MCRR in Springwells and the Wabash, LS&MS and MC near Woodmere Cemetery (Delray) which the F&PM hoped to cross at grade. The MC was against their crossing at grade, sending a team which included MC President Ledyard, Solicitor Ashley Pond, General Attorney Henry Russel, Chief Engineer J. D. Hawks and Division Superintendent D. F. Sutherland to testify. The MC wanted an overhead crossing of their line in Springwells. The Detroit, Lansing & Northern made no objection to the F&PM's plans. The MC was opposed. [DFP-1891-0512] Note: This line was not built from Novi to Redford Township, but the route from Redford Township (Oak) to Woodmere was built by the F&PM to reach Fort Street Union Depot in 1893. An overhead crossing of the MC in Springwells was utilized. The line apparently used DL&N trackage rights from Oak to Plymouth.

1893. March 23. The declaration of Manager Baldwin of the F&PM railroad, that the company would have nothing to do with the Pollasky road to Toledo, and would build no road nor give an option on any entrance into the Fort Street Union depot for the benefit of Detroit river front real estate speculators, seems to have thrown a wet blanket on the Pollasky. scheme. As a matter of fact, the F&PM road will have its own line to Toledo in 1894.

At this time and until November 1, 1893, the F&PM will have no agent in the state of Ohio on whom process can be served for damages growing out of the disastrous collision at Toledo in 1891. After that date the company will be free to resume its Toledo connection, the period in which suits may be commenced having then expired.

As things now look to the board of directors of the company, the road will be built so as to utilize as much of the existing main line from Wayne to Monroe as possible. A line from Delray junction to New Boston on the existing line is now looked upon as the most feasible route, connecting at New Boston with trackage already existing as far as Monroe, and being then extended to Toledo, so as to enter the Union depot there. The advantage under which the F&PM can build a Detroit-Toledo line is that it will have only a trifle over 30 miles to build, almost entirely through farming country, with cheap right of way. This road will surely be built during 1894. [SCH-1893-0323]

1893. The Flint & Pere Marquette railroad company's contract with the Michigan Central railroad, concerning freight, terminated last Tuesday, and freight trains of the former company are now running over the DL&N from Plymouth to Detroit. Formally they used the Michigan Central (from Wayne). [DFP-1893-0609]

1894. January 21. The F&PM has secured the right of way from Monroe to Toledo but is waiting to sell bonds for the roadway and rail. They could sell the bonds as the line is to prove profitable, but they would not bring a high enough price; and might have a depressing effect on other F&PM securities. So, the project is on hold. [DFP-1894-0121]

1895, October 4. The Flint & Pere Marquette is extending its Harrison branch northwest, and now has it partially completed almost to the Muskegon River. The objective point is not made public, as the surveyors work only a mile or so ahead of the grading forces. [RG]