MICHIGAN CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY Bond 1925. Detroit. Beautiful ABNC VIGS. EF+

Description

Michigan Central Railroad Company. Bond (,000) issued December 21, 1925. Incorporated in 1846 in the State of Michigan.
Embossed company seal lower left. Certificate
No. 2990
was issued to Adams & Peck. Hand signed by company vice president and assistant general treasurer. Certificate is about 9” x 13”.
Beautiful vignettes of steam locomotive at station (center) between farmer and sheep (left) and allegorical woman with farm background (right).
The Michigan Central Railroad was originally incorporated in 1846 to establish rail service between Detroit and St. Joseph, Michigan (on Lake Michigan, in southwest Michigan). The railroad later operated in the states of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois, and the province of Ontario, Canada. After about 1867 the railroad was controlled by the New York Central Railroad.
At the end of 1925, Michigan Central operated over 4,000 miles of track.
The line between Detroit and St. Joseph was originally planned in 1830 to provide freight rail service between Detroit and St. Joseph and via boat service on to Chicago. The Detroit & St. Joseph Railroad was chartered in 1831 with a capital of ,500,000. The small private organization quickly ran into problems securing cheap land in the private market, and abandonment of the project was discussed. The City of Detroit invested ,000 in the project. The State of Michigan bailed out the railroad in 1837 by purchasing it and investing ,000,000. The now state-owned company was renamed the Central Railroad of Michigan.
By 1840 the railroad was again out of money and had only completed track between Detroit and Dexter, Michigan. In 1846 the state sold the railroad to the newly incorporated Michigan Central corporation for ,000,000. By this time the railroad had reached Kalamazoo, a distance 144 miles. The new private corporation rebuilt the original poorly-constructed track and by 1850, completed new track with connections all the way to Chicago. The completed railroad was 270 miles in length.
The Michigan Central Railroad operated mostly passenger trains between Chicago and Detroit. The new service, known as the Canada Division Passenger Service, saw a major surge beginning at the start of the 1920s. Between 1920 and 1923, the legendary Wolverine passenger train began service from Chicago to Detroit and then to Buffalo, making the trip in 4 hours and 50 minutes, an unprecedented achievement. Prior to the automobile, Michigan Central was mostly a carrier of natural resources. Michigan had extensive reserves of timber at the time, and the Michigan Central owned lines from east to west of the state and north to south, tapping all resources available. After the advent of the automobile as one of the most dominant forces of commerce ever seen by the world, with Detroit at the epicenter, the Michigan Central became a carrier of autos and auto-related parts. The Michigan Central was one of the few Michigan railroads with a direct line into Chicago, meaning it did not have to operate cross-lake ferries, as did virtually all other railroads operating in Michigan, such as the Pere Marquette, Pennsylvania, Grand Trunk, and Ann Arbor Railroads.
Condition:  Extremely Fine
, one light center fold, no creasing, no tears, very light signs of any wear/handling/toning (see photos), punch and stamp cancelled.
Printer:
American Bank Note Company, New York.
PAYMENT AND SHIPPING
Please read certificate d
escription details shown above before bidding.
Please contact me with any questions before bidding.
Payment by PayPal
and accepted credit cards
only.
Shipping within the U.S. is by USPS First Class Mail (.00 for packages weighing 13 ounces or less) – shipping for packages weighing over 13 ounces will be shown on your invoice. If another shipping method is requested, a revised invoice will be sent. International buyers need to wait for my invoice before paying.
Combined shipping cost will be offered for multiple items won – please wait for invoice before paying, or if specific shipping method or insurance is requested.
Multiple items will be shipped together in one package; large stocks and bonds may be shipped folded along existing fold lines.
All packages will be shipped with certificates placed in plastic sleeves with cardboard backing and marked “Do Not Bend”.
I do not profit on shipping costs charged.
Items typically shipped within two days of payment.
RETURNS AND GUARANTEE
:
Buyer satisfaction and authenticity of certificate is guaranteed – returns are accepted with 14 days of purchase (buyer pays return shipping cost unless item received is not as described in this listing).
All certificates are originals – no reproductions.