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