Toledo And Ann Arbor

Toledo, Aug. 4, 1877. Hou. James M. Ashlky : Deae Sir - You aak my opinión of the iraportauce and usefulness of a railroad line to Alm Arbor, not ouly as a local necessity bufc as a public enterprise, and I answer, as a local enterprise it is valuable to the liue and termini of the road, as it gives eoch a market, and resideuts on the line will see amber wheat- here to-day worth 13Co, and iu Detroit 131o- a saving of 5o per bushel or a liberal railroad freight for your Ann Arbor road OTer Detroit pnces, and the tact that we have a large milling demand from the lumbering and mining sections ot our State and Pennsylvania must sustain our market above them, as Detroit has no 8uch demand without passing through our city, and the freight from Detroit will always sustain the ditfcreuce in prico and protect your road in ad local business. As to through business the usefulness of your road is so large to all intereses that it is Imponible to enumérate them in a lettor of usual length, and I shall only glance at the most important, and look first at the trafile of railroads between the West and East. The West is now getting so large and Btrong that they demand direct commuuication with the East, and all railroad lines have Been, or will soon see the necessity for direct and oconomical lines to compete fot and hold a fair share of the business between the East and West. The price of stock in the aeveral Unes will determine the usefulness and ability to compete for and hold a portion of the trade, and the fact that the Michigan Central stock is the lowest in value of the several hues competmg for the trade, would suggest why. And first I learn from a lettor published by Mr. Jov, somo years ago, that a tunnel or bridge at Detroit is indispensable to crossing the Detroit River economically, and what la an economical croasing ? I am told that the tolls for crossing the International Bridge at Black Koek is $2 for a loaded car and $1 for an ompty car, or $3 for a car and return, and estimating tho same coat by present ferry or proposod tuuuel or bridge ut Detroit, we have 6 cost of transportaron of a car of teu tons of freight two miles. At our preseat rate of freight- twenty cents per 100 lbs. to New York- the $6 for crossing the two rivera will transport the car on our Lake Shore and Michigan Southern or Peunsylvania Kailroads towards New York 111 miles. Deduct the two miles crossing of the two rivers, and we have a constructiva distance or cost of 109 miles in expense ; and we may say the relativo distaucO froin Ann Arbor to New York, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia, will be - Anu Arbor to Toledo, 46 miles Toledo to Pittsburgh, 259 " Fittsburgh to New York, via Alleutowu, 435 " 740 " Ann Arbor to Detroit, 38 " Crossing two rivers, as above, 109 " Detroit to Buffalo, 258 " Buffalo to New York, 440 " 845 " or 105 miles further from Ann Arbor via Detroit to New York than via Toiedo & Ann Arbor Road, estimating the coustruction distance on the only route the Michigan Central Rail. road can compete for passenger trame, as no one would think of going via Detroit from Chicago to Pittaburgh, Baltimore, Washington and Philadelphia, or vice versa, and the question presents itself can the Michigan Central afford to do without the passenger and freight business of the places last named ? Now to control the trafile passengers would have go to Detroit, theu to our place, and the distance saved by a road direct from Ann Arbor would be some 50 miles, and I think that 60 miles could give the Michigan Central, via Anu Arbor, a large part of tha traffic of those cities that ïiow leaves its line by the flrst branch crussing or tapping. Would not a direct line from Chicago via Ann Arbor, to Toledo, enable the Michigan Central to compete wlth other lines from the west for a share of that busi" ness P Again, the Michigan Central Road at and west of Ann Arbor, is supplied with our Ohio niid Peunsylvaina productions of coal and iron, by a railroad route some 50 miles longer than your link from Toledo to Ann Arbor, or by l.ake, and I estímate the coat of Lake higher than the cost by rail. For in'stance, coal is as cheap in Toledo as at any Lake port, and to ahip by Lake the transfer at Toledo, Cleveland or iSrie from cars to vessel, we caü 25c per ton, and Lake freight 50c per ton ; transferring from vessel to cars at Detroit 25c per ton, and 3S mies of road to Ann Arbor, at one cent per ton per niile 38c per ton or $1.38 by Lake and rail and all rail from Toledo via Detroit, 96 miles, 96c per tou, and by your Ann Arbor road, 46 miles at lc per ton per mile is 46c, a saving over present rate by Lake and rail of 92c per ton, and over present all rail of 50a per ton, a saving that would protect manufacturéis on the line of the Michigan Central Road and give that road a large business hat under present embarassments must drift away from it. I can not see any discouragementa for your roiid but think every consideration will make it ubeful and a paying investment. Truly your friend,