Time Line - 1899


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  • March:  The Michigan-Peninsular Car Company is acquired by the American Car & Foundry Company, headquartered in St. Louis, MO.  [HWC]

  • May 1:  Works begins on the Copper Range's Houghton Yard. A few scattered houses on the lake front were taken down.  The main offices for the Copper Range Railroad were established at the east end of the yards, consisting of a rectangular two-story brick building. A 400 foot boardwalk was built around the station. [CRH]

  • May 20:  Ypsilanti & Saline Electric Railway opens line from Ypsilanti to Saline.  [MRRC]

  • July 11:  Work begins on a new wye, which will allow LSMS trains to enter the Michigan Central yards at Kalamazoo.  This was followed by a consolidation of forces at Kalamazoo and the ceasing of operations of the "decrepit" Lake Shore depot.  [LS]

  • September 2:  The interurban line from Ypsilanti to Saline begins operations.  [EMR4]

  • September 8. Owning to the rapid growth of the electric railway system, the State railroad crossing board has decided to require a separation of grades at all crossings of steam tracks hereafter made. This is a measure of safety to the public and is necessary for the making of time, the law requiring a full stop to be made at all grade crossings. [UVC-18999-0908]

  • September 26: Rail is first laid on the Copper Range south from Houghton (75 lb.). Rail is also laid at Maas City. [CRH]

  • September 27:  The first car of the Detroit, Rochester, Romeo and Lake Orion Railway reaches the Rochester bridge.  [EMR4]

  • Fall: The main offices for the Copper Range Railroad were established at the east end of the Houghton yards, consisting of a rectangular two-story brick building.  A 400 foot boardwalk was built around the station. [CRH]

  • November 11:  The Detroit, Plymouth and Northville Railway is opened to Northville.  [EMR4]

  • November 29:  The Grand Rapids, Belding & Saginaw Ry. opens their line from Lowell to Belding.  [L&H]

  • December 7:  Copper Range Railroad opens line from Houghton to Winona.  [MRRC]

  • December 27:  Copper Range RR completed line from Houghton to /Mass/McKeever, 41.11 miles. [MDOT/CRAR/CRH]

  • December, 1899:  A Copper Range train is operated for “trappers” between Houghton and Winona. [CRH]


  • Michigan Traction line completed from Kalamazoo to Battle Creek.  [IT-12/79]

  • D&M reaches Onaway.  [HI]

  • Menominee and St. Paul Railway opens line from Menominee to Wisconsin state line (10 miles).  [MRRC]

  • The Grand Rapids, Belding & Saginaw Railroad builds from Lowell to Belding.  becomes a part of the Pere Marquette.  [PM45]

  • South Haven & Eastern is sold to the owners of the Milwaukee, Benton Harbor & Columbus and converted to standard gauge.   [PMHS]

  • Frank Hecker and Charles Freer, who founded Peninsular Car Co. in 1885, retire, millionaires several times over.  [DWS]

  • Ransom Olds opens the first Detroit automobile factory on East Jefferson Avenue, near Belle Isle.  [BOM]

  • The only copper ore producing mine south of Portage Lake in Houghton County is the Atlantic Mine. [CRH]

  • The United Fruit Company is formed from seven independent companies that had been operating in Honduras in Central America.  [SAM]

 

 Time line Key:

  • Railroad event in Michigan
  • Event relating to mining
  • Event related to car ferries
  • Event outside of Michigan
  • Improvement in Technology
  • Railroad built or extended
  • Railroad abandoned and/or removed
  • Economic panic or depression

 

Bibliography

The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:

  • [AAB| = All Aboard!, by Willis Dunbar, Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids ©1969.
  • [AAN] = Alpena Argus newspaper.
  • [AARQJ] = American Association of Railroads Quiz Jr. pamphlet. © 1956
  • [AATHA] = Ann Arbor Railroad Technical and Historical Association newsletter "The Double A"
  • [AB] = Information provided at Michigan History Conference from Andrew Bailey, Port Huron, MI

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