Railroad: Michigan Southern Railroad Company, The

This line was organized to purchase the "Southern" lines from the State of Michigan in 1846. This included the line from Monroe to Hillsdale, the E&K lease from Toledo to Adrian, and the Jackson Branch from Palymra to Jackson. The Michigan Southern was merged into the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana in 1869. By 1869, the railroad had reached Chicago (1855).

Note: This corganization is different that the new Michigan Southern railroad in White Pigeon.

Southern line (state) → Michigan Southern Railroad → Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana railroad

Purchased: 1846 (Southern line)

Became: Lake Shore & Michigan Southern in 1869

Reference: [MRRC]

Notes

Time Line

1846. Purchased the "Southern line" from the State of Michigan.

1850. February. The subscription of $250,000 applied for by the Michigan Southern Railroad Company for the extension from Hillsdale to Coldwater has been taken, a large portion of it by the citizens of Jonesville and Coldwater and other places along the line. A contract has been made with the Messrs. Harback, Witt & Co. (the contractors of the Cleveland and Columbia Road) for the construction of the division between Hillsdale and Coldwater, the work has been commenced and is now in progress. The division is 22 miles in length and is to be completed by the first day of August next. The cost of it when finished according to the contract price, and laid with a heavy iron rail, will not exceed $12,000 per mile. [ARJ-02/16/1850]

1850. August. This road is to be completed to Coldwater in September or October next. Beyond this point the road is under contract to Sturges (sic), a distance of about 25 miles, to be completed, we believe, this fall. From Sturgis, the distance to the Indiana State-line is about 25 miles. After reaching Indiana, the company proposes to proceed under the charter of the Northern Indiana railroad company. This charter extends to Michigan city. Beyond this, we see it stated that the above company are acting under the western division of the Buffalo and Mississippi charter, is already at work and has twenty miles under contract, to be done by 1st December next. [ARJ-08/17/1850]

1850. November. On the Michigan line they have determined to substitute next year the heavy T rail for the flat bar upon the 68 miles of the railroad now in operation [from Monroe] to Hillsdale and have advertised for 100,000 sleepers [ties] for the work. From Hillsdale to Coldwater, 22 miles, the rails are being laid and the road will be opened in three weeks. The next 24 miles to Sturges (sic) the grading is nearly completed. The rails have arrived in Michigan and will be laid down and this division will be opened early in January next, making forty-six miles of new road this present year. This brings it within 18 miles of the Indiana line. [ARJ-1850-1109]

1850. November. The South Bend Register communicates the following interesting intelligence as to the progress of this road: A general meeting of the board of directors of the Southern Michigan and Northern Indiana railroad companies, assembled at the town of Elkhart, have settled the question that Bristol, Elkhart, Mishawaka, South Bend and Laporte should be points on the main line of the road and a resolution was adopted "that the road from Toledo to Laporte should be completed, and the cars running on the whole line by the first day of January, 1852."

We also learn that arrangements are being made to complete the road through to Chicago in the same time. Proposals are advertised for ties for the road from the Michigan State line to Laporte, and grading and bridging to be let as soon as the next first of February, and a portion probably sooner. [ARJ-11/23/1850]

1869. Became the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern.