Station: Alger, MI

Alger, in Arenac County, became a station on the Michigan Central Railroad when the Detroit, Bay City & Alpena railroad came to town to provide for an interchange of their line. The DBC&A became the Detroit & Mackinac railroad, which later changed their terminus to North Bay City and removed the connection.

Image info: Top photo, a passenger train is stopped in front of the Alger depot in the early 1900's. The contraption at the left near the box car is for hanging mail, and the sign warns pedestrians to watch for flying mail bags. There is also a hand-pump well next to the station. [CMUL]. 2nd photo, another view of the depot showing the nearby water tower.

Notes

As the photo indicates, this station had a large water tower and standpipe next to the MC main line.  The photo also appears to show either a second standpipe or some type of semaphore signal.  Use of such standpipes for a town the size of Alger would be unusual, but may be related to the early D&M operation.  The date of the photo is not known. (The line was a manual block route so the reason for the signal is not known).

In 1871, this may have been known as Rifle River Station. The Alpena Argus reported that a hotel was built in 1871 at "Rifle River Station".

See also Wells, MI.

Time Line

1883. The junction of the DBC&A and Michigan Central railroads a short distance above Wells, will be named Alger, in honor of General Alger, president of the new road. [CCA-1883-1129]

1883. The DBC&A road-bed at Alger where it crosses the Mackinac Division of the MC, is considerably higher than the latter track. Between the tracks is a skidway about as high as the log cars of the Alpena road. From this is a slight drop to the ground and to a level with the top of the Central cars. The transfer is made from one road to the other by means of these two descents. [DFP-1883-1130]

1883. The new town of Alger is located in about the center of the northwest township of Bay County, equidistant from the Michigan Central Railroad stations of Wells and Culver. As yet there is not a single building to indicate that a town is to be built, but Messrs. Alger and Newberry (owners of the new line) have a contract with the MC whereby the company agrees not to build a competing line to Alpena, there is great hope that the new town will grow with a boom which shall be permanent. Messrs. Alger and Newberry left with a party last night to make a tour of inspection over the new road. [DFP-1883-1201]

1884. August 1. Forest fires the other morning destroyed the second house and section car-house. Large forces of men were fighting the flames [HBT-1884-0801]

1896. September 26. Through the breaking of connection between the Michigan Central and Detroit & Mackinac railroads, the once flourishing Village of Alger is to be given a body blow. The Detroit & Mackinac will abandon and take up the track from Prescott to Alger, and the Michigan Central will shut up the union depot. [DFP-1896-0921]

1899. Roundhouse moved. The Michigan Central railroad is tearing down its roundhouse at Alger and will move it to Grayling. [Ironwood Times-1899-0513]

1907. March 30. While a south-bound freight rain was pulling through Alger station last night at high speed and on short time, a log fell off a car in the middle of the train, striking a switch stand just north of the depot and setting it for sidetrack, throwing the balance of the train on the freight house track. A steel coal rack, which was in the siding was struck with such force that it was derailed, striking a corner of the freight depot and crushing the whole depot to the ground and pushing the roof over into the street.

The agent, W. Reminder, wife and child lived in this depot and were pinned between two large timbers and they had to be pulled out. The night operator, A. D. Wright, was thrown under the stove and burned about the arm and leg. Fire then started from the hot stove, burning the building and contents. The flames spread to Mr. Greinter's general merchandise store, post office and residence, totally destroying the building and nearly all the contents. Nine cars were also destroyed by fire. Wires were down and telegraph business was suspended for four hours. The track was torn up for 1/4 of a mile, delaying traffic considerably. [DFP-1907-0331]

1917. The MC has an agent/operator on the day and night shift here. [TRT]