Article: Shrewd Move by the Michigan Central secures Detroit River shoreline - 1905

From the Detroit Free Press, March 7, 1905

After nearly three years' quiet planning and quieter work, the Michigan Central is prepared to announce that it has purchased a right of way from Waterman Avenue in Delray to 170 feet west of Cavalry avenue; and thence down to, and across River street, thus opening up the river front from the east line of Fort Wayne clear to the forge department of the American Car & Foundry Company, formally and familiarly known as the old Baugh Forge.

This line when extended will give the American Car and Foundry Company, the main plants of which are on the Michigan Central Belt Line, a Michigan Central connection. It will also give the Detroit Copper & Brass Rolling Mills and the McRae-Roberts Manufacturing Company Michigan Central side track facilities.

It was a very shrewd move on the part of the Michigan Central and is an additional link in its virtual control of the important terminal facilities of Detroit. Starting in at the Michigan Malleable Iron Works, the right of way to the neutral spur running down to the Solvay and the Detroit Edison plants, was purchased two years ago, but as usual, looking into the future. Chairman H.B. Ledyard, then president, and General Counsel Henry Russel closed a deal whereby a crossing of the neutral spur was effected at the time the connection with the spur was made. This drove the wedge by which the road worked in to the south of the Union Depot & Terminal tracks, paralleling these for several blocks, then cutting down east of Fort Wayne to the river front, and opening up the several thousand feet along the water for manufacturing purposes, thus adding to a valuable territory railroad shipping facilities.

While no contracts for the sale of land for manufacturing purposes have yet to be closed, several industrial enterprises are negotiating for sites which will give them both lake and rail advantages. The deeds to the property bought by the Michigan Central, costing the road in the neighborhood of $60,000, will be placed on record today. [DFP-1905-0307]