RAILROAD COMPANIES OF MICHIGAN.

The following condensed and admirable history of railroad enterprise in Michigan, so far as it appears from the old laws and from the records in the State departments, is taken from the Lansing State Republican, for which it was recently prepared by Mr. James W. King, of that paper. In its compilation, Mr. King was greatly aided by the extensive experience of Hon. William Humphrey, Auditor General, and by facilities furnished by Gilbert M. Hasty, Esq., Deputy Secretary of State. Full-faced type is used to indicate roads now in active existence.

CHARTERED COMPANIES.

ALLEGAN & MARSHALL.

Incorporated by act approved March 24, 1836; capital stock $400,000. Termini: Allegan and Marshall. Act 121, 1838, authorized the Gov. ernor to make a loan of $100,000 for the relief of this company; Act 22, 1842, authorized the company to discharge its indebtedness to the State on account of bonds issued under Act 121, 1838, by Stite bonds, stock, Auditor General's warrants, or Treasury notes at their par value.

AUBURN & LAPEER.

Incorporated by Act 174, 1838; capital stock $300,000. Termini: county site of Lapeer and village of Auburn, Oakland County.

BATTLE CREEK & GRAND RAPIDS.

Incorporated by Act 104, 1846; capital stock $600,000. Termini: Battle Creek and Grand Rapids; Act 89, 1847, amends act of incorporation.

CENTERVILLE & NILES.

Joint Resolution No. 12, 1838, ordered the survey of a route from Cen terville to Niles, the expense of said survey to be paid by the State.

CLINTON & ADRIAN.

Incorporated by act approved March 28, 1836; capital stock $50,000. Termini: Clinton in the county of Lenawee, and Adrian.

CONSTANTINE & NILES CANAL OR RAILROAD.

Incorporated by act approved March 26, 1836; capital stock $250,000. Termini: Constantine and Niles.

DETROIT & MAUMEE.

Incorporated by act approved August 25, 1835; capital stock $1,000,000. Termini: Detroit and Maumee Bay. Joint Resolution approved July 26, 1836, authorized the Governor to receive proposals from this company for the purchase of their charter. Act 35, 1837, changed

route.

DETROIT & MILWAUKEE.

Formed by the consolidation of the Detroit & Pontiac and the Oakland & Ottawa Railroad Companies, taking the name of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad Company; capital stock, $10,000,000. Termini: Detroit and Grand Haven. Act 112, 1855, fixed rate and amount of taxation to be paid to the State; Act 123, 1857, authorized the establishment of an office for transfer of the company's shares in the city of London, or in any other place in the kingdom of Great Britain. Act 126, 1857, designated it as one of the land-grant companies; Act 14, 1858, authorized the Directors who reside out of the State to be represented at meetings of the Board by proxy; Act 134, 1859, authorized this company to purchase the property, rights and franchises of the Port Huron & Milwaukee Railroad Company; Act 37, 1859, legalized certain loans, and provided for further loans; Act 94, 1861, authorized the Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad Company to issue stock in place of the original stock of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railway Company; concurrent resolution No. 5, 1867, directed the appointment of a joint committee of the two Houses to inquire why this company acted as a corporate body.

DETROIT & PONTIAC.

Incorporated by act approved March 7, 1834; capital stock $100,000. Termini: Detroit and Pontiac. Charter amended by act approved March 26, 1835; Act 120, 1837, authorized the purchase of the road of the State; Act 20, 1838, provided for the relief of the company by the issue of State stocks to the amount of $100,000; Act 111, 1839, extended time for completion of the road; Act 88, 1841, restored the company to corporate rights, privileges and franchises; Act 22, 1842, granted the company privilege to discharge its liabilities to the State in State bonds, stock, Auditor General's warrants, or Treasury notes at par value; Act 81, 1844, directed the transfer, to Alfred Williams and others, of a mortgage to the State upon the Detroit & Pontiac Railroad, upon their tendering amount due upon said mortgage in liabilities of this State; Act 96, 1850, granted the company the right to form connection with the

Oakland & Ottawa Railroad, and to issue bonds for certain purposes; Act 112, 1855, determined rate of taxation; Act 140, 1855, authorized the company to consolidate with the Oakland & Ottawa Railroad Company, and to take the name of the Detroit & Milwaukee Railway Company.

Incorporated by Act Detroit and Shiawassee.

DETROIT & SHIAWASSEE.

111, 1837; capital stock $500,000. Termini: Charter amended by Act 106, 1839.

DETROIT & ST. JOSEPH.

Incorporated by act approved June 29, 1832; capital stock $1,500,000. Termini: Detroit and mouth of St. Joseph River. Charter amended by act approved March 7, 1834; joint resolution approved July 26, 1836, authorized the Governor to receive proposals from this company for the purchase of its charter.

DETROIT, ROMEO & PORT HURON.

Act 87, 1848, changed the name of Shelby & Detroit Railroad Company to the Detroit, Romeo & Port Huron Railroad Company; capital stock $100,000. Termini: Detroit and Port Huron. Charter amended by Act 264, 1849, which authorized the company to arrange with any railroad company for guarantee of bonds: Act 137, 1855, authorized increase of capital stock.

ERIE & KALAMAZOO.

Incorporated by act approved April 22, 1833; capital stock $1,000,000. Termini: Kalamazoo and Port Lawrence. Act approved March 7, 1834, extended time for completion of road; charter amended by acts approved March 26, 1835; March 28, 1836; Act 67, 1845; and Act 158, 1846.

GENESEE & OAKLAND.

Incorporated by act 202, 1848; capital stock $250,000. Termini: Pontiac and Flint. Act 12, 1858, extended time for completion of road; Act 258, 1859, authorized the company to sell property, rights and franchises to the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway Company.

GRAND RIVER VALLEY.

Incorporated by Act 98, 1846; capital stock $1,000,000. Termini: Jackson and Grand Rapids. Charter amended by Act 87, 1847; Act 16, 1858, granted right of way on the line of road between Jackson and Lansing; Act 159, 1861, granted right of way and extended time for completion of road; Act 111, 1853, also extended time for completion of road; Act 67, 1864, authorized the towns and cities within the counties of Jackson and Eaton to loan money to said company; charter amended by act 67, 1864; and again amended by Act 208, 1865.

HAVRE BRANCH.

Incorporated by act approved March 28, 1836; capital stock $100.000. Termini: Havre, Monroe City, and Maumee Branch Railroad. Act 67, 1837, authorized the purchase, by the State, of the chartered rights, privileges, and franchises, and appropriated $30,000 for its purchase and construction; time for completion of road extended by Act 68, 1840; and time of completion again extended by act 12, 1844.

JONESVILLE.

Incorporated by Act 103, 1848; capital stock $50,000. Jonesville and Indiana State line.

Termini:

KALAMAZOO & GRAND RIVER.

Incorporated by Act 82, 1847, capital stock $600,000. Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.

Termini:

KALAMAZOO & LAKE MICHIGAN.

Incorporated by act approved March 28, 1836; capital stock $400,000. Termini: mouth of the South Black River and Kalamazoo.

KALAMAZOO RIVER.

Incorporated by Act 154, 1846; capital stock $500,000. Termini : Kalamazoo and mouth of Kalamazoo River.

MEDINA & CANANDAIGUA.

Incorporated by Act 96, 1838; capital stock $100,000. Termini: Morenci and a point in the county of Lenawee.

MICHIGAN CENTRAL.

Act 67, 1837, directed a survey of road from Detroit to the mouth of the St. Joseph River, and commissioners were authorized to purchase the road of the Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad Company: capital stock $2,200,000. Act 76, 1838, made appropriation for construction; Act 89, 1838, provided for the adjustment of damages consequent upon the location of the road; Joint Resolution No. 21, 1838, authorized the Commissioners of Internal Improvement to extend the track from its termination in the city of Detroit so far as they might deem best; Act 116, 1839, made appropriation for construction of road; Act 25, 1843, also made appropriation for construction; Joint Resolution 14, 1843, directed inquiries as to feasibility of constructing a lateral track to wharves on Detroit River; Act 50, 1844, made further appropriations; modified by Act 51, same year; Act 15, 1845, provided for the completion of the road from Marshall to Kalamazoo; Act 67, 1846, provided for the completion of road from Jackson to Kalamazoo; Joint Resolution 14, 1846, prohibited further expenditures upon the Michigan Central Railroad;

Act 42, 1846, authorized the sale of the Michigan Central Railroad by the State to the Michigan Central Railroad Company; Act 71, 1847, amended act authorizing the sale and to incorporate the Michigan Central Railroad Company; acceptance by Michigan Central Railroad Company of the conditions of Act No. 42, 1846, laws 1847, page 215; Act 197, 1848, amended the act of incorporation so as to make it lawful for the company to aid and assist any incorporated companies having power to build a railroad from the southern line of this State, near Lake Michigan, to the city of Chicago; Act 139, 1855, amended act of incorporation; authorized increase of capital stock, issue of bonds, and making of business contracts with other railroad companies; Act 95, 1859, amended act of incorporation and limited the power to contract with other companies, issue bonds, and sell stock; and provided for semi-annual meeting of stockholders.

MICHIGAN SOUTHERN.

Act 67, 1837, authorized the survey of a route from Monroe to New Buffalo; Act 50, 1838, authorized a change of route; Act 76, 1838, made appropriation for construction; Act 116 also made appropriation for construction; Joint Resolution No. 20, 1838, authorized the Board of Commissioners to change the route between Petersburg and Monroe; Joint resolution No. 26, 1839, authorized payment of survey of portion of route; Joint Resolution No. 17, 1841, authorized the extension of the road to Jonesville; Joint Resolution 24, 1841, declared the railroad purchased by the State of the River Raisin & Lake Erie Company, a part and portion of the Southern road; Act 79, 1846, provided for the payment of amounts due for the completion of a branch of the Southern Railroad; Act 113, 1846, provided for the sale of the Southern Railroad and the incorporation of the Michigan Southern Railroad Company; capital stock $500,000; Act 129, 1849, amended act of incorporation by extending time for completion of the road; Act No. 213, 1849, permitted road to use "T" rail and extended time for completion of branch to Jackson; Act 195, 1850, amended act of incorporation by extending time for completion of road, and provided for the payment of purchase money to the State in any of the classes of State indebtedness, and authorized the issue of bonds, and the issue of construction stock; also fixed rates of toll for freight and passengers; Act 138, 1855, authorized the company to consolidate with the Northern Indiana, under the name and title of the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana Railroad Company; Act 154, 1857, authorized the latter company to consolidate the stock of the Detroit, Monroe & Toledo with its own.

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