Electric Line To Chelsea And Jackson

To Be Completed by October1, 1899. --The Right of Way Has Been Secured.

IT WILL HELP IN STARTING A BIG ANN ARBOR BOOM

T. D. Kearney and Arthur Brown Have Secured the Franchises for Right of Way.

The Road May Built by Way of Dexter. --It will Go from Chelsea to Cavanaugh Lake, Grass Lake, Leoni and Jackson. --Details of the Route.

Ann Arbor is to be connected with Chelsea and Jackson by an electric line, which it is expected will be finished by Oct. 1, 1899. This is the glad tidings which the Argus brings to its readers tonight, and which should give new zest to the growing feeling for pushing the city which now seems to have come to our business men.

For some time past Thomas D. Kearney and Arthur Brown have been quietly at work obtaining franchises for an electric road to connect Ann Arbor and Jackson and pass through the villages of Chelsea, Grass Lake, Leoni and possibly Dexter. Yesterday they were granted a franchise by the town board of Leoni township and they now have secured practically the entire right of way from Ann Arbor to Jackson. 

There is some doubt about which route will be taken out of Ann Arbor. The question is whether the territorial road will be followed to Chelsea, or whether the road to Dexter will be chosen and from there to Chelsea. The farmers living on the territorial road are very anxious to have the line built on that road. The roadbed is wider and the grades somewhat easier and the line could be constructed more cheaply on that road. But these electric lines have to be placed where they will pay the best. Dexter is a thriving village and is anxious for the road. The citizens of Chelsea, also, desire to have the road go through Dexter village, while the farmers living on the road between Dexter and Chelsea insist upon the line being built upon that road. If the road goes through Dexter some arrangement will have to be made with the Lansing, Dexter and Ann Arbor road as their franchise for a right of way precedes that of Mr. Kearney and Mr. Brown, on the Ann Arbor and Dexter road.

From Chelsea west, in order to escape some bad hills on the territorial road, it is probable that the new electric line will follow the highway, which nearly parallels the Michigan Central tracks. It will probably run from Chelsea to Cavanaugh Lake, thence north to strike the territorial road west of the hills, and from that point on through Grass Lake and Leoni on the territorial road to the eastern end of Main st., Jackson city, where they will connect with the Jackson city railway and some traffic arrangements will have to be made with them.

In due time the Ann Arbor city council will be asked for a franchise out West Huron st., but whether the franchise will be asked for on that part of the territorial road in the city or on Dexter ave. remains to be determined in the next few days.

The Argus is unable to state just who the parties are who are back of the road but it is known that some of the parties connected with the Detroit, Ypsilanti & Ann Arbor road are interested in this.

The projectors hope to have the road completed and running by Oct. 1, 1899, and then Ann Arbor may expect a large increase in the number of its visitor and this of course means more trade.

The people along the line of the road are very enthusiastic over it and there has been no opposition from any point. Farmers have offered their services in work on the construction of the road bed and the road has been everywhere regarded with favor. 

News of the new line may come as a surprise to many of our readers, the work on it having been quietly done with evident intention of having the work as complete as possible before news of it was given to the general public.

Just as soon as some further arrangements can be made the new company will be organized and the Argus will then be at liberty to give the names of those interested to the public.

The benefit to Ann Arbor of the new road may be seen at a glance. The road to Detroit has benefited Detroit more than Ann Arbor but the road from Jackson to Ann Arbor will open up a large territory for trade to Ann Arbor merchants and by cheap and rapid transit make it a profitable one. Every citizen of Ann Arbor should rejoice with the Argus over the good news.