Station: Fargo, MI

Fargo was settled about 1881 with a sawmill and grist mill being located here. [MPN] It was located at a crossing of the Detroit, Bay City & Western line from Bay City to Port Huron, and a branch of the Port Huron & Northwestern railroad which ran east from Zion to Yale in northern St. Clair County.

Notes

Time Line

1891. When the Port Huron & North Western railroad was constructed about nine years ago, the people of Fargo subscribed about $12,000 as a bonus, besides granting a right of way through their property to the company. These inducements were offered by the people that they might secure better shipping facilities and enhance the value of their property.

Everything was satisfactory until the PH&N was bought up by the F&PM and converted into a broad gauge road. At  this time a new line was surveyed from this village to Port Huron, passing about four miles south of Fargo. The F&PM wished to abandon the Fargo division, claiming they were losing $500 per week by running trains over that line, but the court compelled them to continue running on the section to Fargo. The railroad limited trains to one a day, and finally concluded to run an accommodation when businesses demanded it or when the notion suited them.

Fargoites were not pleased and were going to file a second suit against the railroad, when the railroad took matters into a finale and last Saturday morning put a gang of men at work tearing up the railroad between here (Fargo) and Zion. This step was taken on Sunday that there would be no danger of an injunction being served on them. The track was all taken up and the rails, bolts, etc., ready for shipment Monday morning before the aroused people living along the line could take action.

One things is certain, the people should at least have their bonuses paid back in full and get fair damages, or the government should compel the railroad to relay that section of the road to keep its faith with those who helped built it. [WEX-1891-0724]