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Opening Of Ypsi-Saline Road

Opening Of Ypsi-Saline Road image
Parent Issue
Day
8
Month
September
Year
1899
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

OPENING OF YPSI-SALINE ROAD

Trip of Officials on Three Cars.

CELEBRATING THE EVENTS

With a Fine Dinner at the Hawkins House--Description of the Trip.

The trip over the Ypsilanti-Saline electric railway this morning, which was the first number of the formal opening of the road, was a happy conception, and was carried out to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. The trip was under the direct management of General Manager Merrill of the Detroit, Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor electric road, of which the Saline road is a branch. He placed three cars at the disposal of officials and citizens who desired to make the run over the new track. The cars left Ypsilanti at 9:15 o'clock, and were comfortably filled with Ypsilanti officials and prominent citizens. Among the members of the city government on the trip were Mayor E. P. Allen, Aldermen Dawson, VanFassen, Worden, Lamb, Davis, Shaffer and Ferguson. Representing the board of public works were Ex-Mayor Wells, Sumner Daman, N. B. Perkins. Henry P. Glover, who has been a leader in the enterprise and untiring in his efforts to bring the project to a successful issue, was probably the happiest man and the proudest in the company. Such a man as he is, is a valuable citizen to any community, and he appears to be thoroughly and justly appreciated by all Ypsilantians. He is to be congratulated on the completion of his undertaking. Robert Hemphill, of the Ypsilanti Savings bank, is another whose efforts in behalf of the road are deserving of the greatest credit.

The road runs the whole of the way along the old United States mail route and is a pretty road and passes through as fine a section of country as can be found in Michigan. The track is in fine condition for so new a road, being much less uneven than was the Detroit line when cars were first run over it. As the car passed along, Mr. Glover pointed out and named the farms and farm buildings of the wealthier residents along the road and the various points where the progress of the line was stopped by injunctions, and showed without words the satisfaction he experienced that the project was finally completed and all obstacles overcome. The feeling when the road crosses the Ann Arbor road is a tremendous one, the road running probably thirty or forty feet above the Ann Arbor track.

A stop of perhaps a half hour was made at Saline, where were taken on the village officials and those of the townships of Saline and Pittsfield. Representing the village were President E. A. Hauser and Trustees W. J. Jackson, George Schier, G. Burkhart, F. Henne and J. A. Fish. Also G. J. Nissly, president last year, when the road was projected; also George Schoem of last year's council, and Editor A. J. Warren of the Saline Observer, along with a number of prominent citizens. Supervisor Will Fowler of Saline township and Justice J. M. Grass also accompanied the party back to Ypsilanti. Supervisor Case of Pittsfield and Township Clerk Webb were likewise of the party. Representatives of the other two townships, Ypsilanti and York, were on hand, but the Argus failed to see them.

On the return trip Ex-Mayor Wells distributed 100 tickets to invited guests to dinner at the Hawkins House.

The intervening period from the time the party reached Ypsilanti was spent in running about the city and in inspecting the Ypsilanti power house. Here the ponderous machinery which makes the lightning for sending the cars over the rails was found in fine condition, indicating skill and painstaking in its handling. After careful inspection of everything of interest about the power house, the party returned to the Hawkins House, where dinner was served to the invited guests at 1:30 o'clock. The dinner was : served in Landlord Jones' best style, and put all in the best good nature. Beautiful souvenir menu cards, containing, besides the bill of fare, the words "Welcome, Citizens of Saline," were presented to each guest When dinner was finally over, so many had left the dining room that no speeches were made, and the guests scattered, each to do his own sweet will.

However, the opening of the road has passed off very auspiciously, and Ypsilanti is wide awake to the advantages it brings to her. That it will lay considerable more territory directly contributory to Ypsilanti is unquestioned. Ypsilanti merchants are already taking advantage of their opportunities and advertising with a view to that trade. It is just that kind of push and energy which conceived and built the road, and it is bound to win.