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Autos Across Mackinac:
PART 3 GETTING THEIR ACT TOGETHER Governor Groesbeck had not been immune to all the calls for a state-run ferry. At a speech in Sault Ste. Marie near the end of 1922, he publicly endorsed the plan. His stamp of approval was seemingly all that was needed, and soon a bill was drafted for the Michigan Legislature to put the state into the ferry business. In his remarks to the Legislature, Groesbeck advocated quick adoption so the ferry could begin in the coming 1923 season. A dispatch from Lansing reported Groesbeck also felt that U.S. Shipping Board vessels might be available for donation, as the ferry would be a continuation of the Federal Good Roads Project.
Even western Upper Peninsula editors climbed on the bandwagon. The editor of the Manistique Pioneer Tribune wrote that the ferry would make travel to the Lower Peninsula easier for his readers, and Benjamin Gerro, vice-president of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway, said such a service would benefit Michigan residents in every section.
Asked if that was satisfactory to the people of the Soo, the governor was assured that it was. At the same time, Groesbeck balked at the idea that motorists with U.P. license plates pay a reduced licensing fee. "We must not reduce our highway funds," the governor replied, "nor must state legislators pass some bill to make allowances for drivers who cannot operate their cars in winter." Ferry momentum was picking up steam. In preparation for the ferry, State Highway Engineer French visited the Straits in February and made soundings at several locations to determine the depth of the water at points where a ferry could possibly land. In St. Ignace, French made soundings at the Jones slip and at the Murray and Chambers Docks, saying at the time that he preferred the Jones slip. St. Ignace Mayor Bert Highstone also implored him to try at the City Dock, and afterwards French said he found that location to be satisfactory as well.
Rep. Osborn introduced the ferry measure into the Legislature on March 1. Its companion, Senate Bill 177, was also introduced the first week of March. Presented by Newberry Senator Frank P. Bohn, the Senate version carried an appropriation of $150,000, $50,000 more than the administration had originally planned to seek. The extra money was for the purchase of docks in St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. The measure also authorized the State Administrative Board to acquire steamers, docks, and to supervise the operation of the service. It provided that the rates of service should be sufficient only to meet the costs of operation and interest on the investment. Governor Groesbeck, meanwhile, wrote to Edwin Denby, the Secretary of the Navy, in hopes of acquiring one or more surplus ships owned by the Federal Government at a favorable price. Quite a few vessels of various types had been built for emergency service in WWI, but had not been needed after the conflict. While the governor's letter asked for no specific ship or ships, he hoped something suitable might be offered by the secretary. Of course any time the government wants to spend money, there are those who would oppose it. The Michigan ferry proposal was no exception. This time, editors in both Eastern and Western U.P. took a dim view of the plan. Lower Peninsula papers some distance from the Straits also showed disdain. But automobile clubs and civic boosters throughout the Straits area, and across the state as a whole, rallied to condemn the opposition. The Chippewa Auto Club drafted and passed a resolution which it forwarded to the Governor, Representative Osborn, Senator Bohn, and any newspaper editor who would read it. The resolution roundly endorsed the ferry measure, condemned the Mackinac Transportation Company, boasted of civic spirit, and debunked anyone who would not support a state-run ferry service. It also praised the City of St. Ignace for its offer of free property for ferry docks and approaches. Despite the resolution, some editors continued to oppose the ferry bill. The Marquette Mining Journal compared the proposed state fares with the costs of operating the railroad ferries, concluding the state boat would not pay. The St. Ignace Enterprise countered that the state boats would be smaller, requiring fewer highly paid engineers and operators. The state's ferries would only run in the summer, the Enterprise said. They wouldn't have to break ice, because the roads weren't open in the U.P. in winter, anyway. The Enterprise concluded that correct calculations meant the fare could someday be reduced to as little as $1.50 per automobile and still keep the ferry self-supporting. Apparently, the Legislature agreed, and on May 2, "Public Acts, 1923 - Number 107" was passed authorizing the creation of a ferry service across the Straits of Mackinac as part of the Michigan State Highway system. CAUGHT UP IN THE ACT The Ferry Act, which Governor Groesbeck readily signed, provided as follows: Section 1. It shall be the duty of the highway commissioner to operate a ferry line as part of the highway system of the state across the straits of Mackinac for the purpose of transporting vehicles, freight and passengers between the upper and lower peninsulas. Section 2. Suitable boats, docks or landings shall be secured by said commissioner through purchase, lease, condemnation or agreement, so as to adequately accommodate highway traffic across such straits. Section 3. The installation of such service and its maintenance and operation shall be subject to the supervision of the administrative board. The state highway commissioner shall be the agent of the state for the purpose of complying with federal navigation laws. Section 4. The charges and tolls for such service shall be fixed by said commissioner on the basis of cost including interest on investment and proper allowances for depreciation. Section 5. All revenues from such service shall be placed in the state treasury in a special fund and all operating and other expenses shall be paid therefrom in accordance with the accounting laws of this state. Section 6. The state administrative board shall create a revolving fund of not to exceed one hundred fifty thousand dollars from moneys now available in the fund and shall not otherwise appropriate to make effective the provisions of this act. Adopted May 2, 1923. Highway Commissioner Frank Rogers appeared to waste no time in beginning to work on his new duties. As soon as word of the bill's passage reached St. Ignace, Mayor Highstone wrote to remind him of the council's free offer of the City Dock. Highstone emphasized the location would assure traffic past St. Ignace businesses, and it was "unencumbered by petty squabbling among private owners." Four days after the Ferry Act became law, on Monday, May 6, the commissioner, himself, arrived in St. Ignace. Newspapers reported his visit was to inspect possible docking facilities. The next day, proudly escorted by Mayor Highstone and a hand picked citizen delegation, Rogers and his assistant, Engineer Jackson, made a show of taking soundings at a several locations. The City Dock, Jones Dock, Chambers Dock, and the old Furnace Dock were visited. Without playing his hand, Rogers then left to inspect a damaged Pine River highway bridge before returning to the Lower Peninsula. What Mayor Highstone didn't know, (and Rogers failed to tell him) was that in March, Alex Cunning, the master of the wrecking tug Favorite, had also escorted a pair of state officials, Superintendent of the Capitol Frank A. Kenyon, and a Mr. Price, on tours of potential docks. Capt. Cunning had carefully outlined the benefits and detriments of each site and made careful and informed suggestions. His guests had been very impressed. Mr. Price had agreed with the suggestions and had carried Cunning's recommendations back to Lansing. Two weeks before Roger's early May visit, Cunning had also sent the governor a warning, forwarded by a mutual friend, W. H. Wallace, of Saginaw. The message warned of a "bunch of grafters here that has grabbed up a lot of worthless ground around the point (City Dock) with the belief that if they could swing the State Ferry landing at that location, they could derive considerable profit. The[y] even went so far as to have the City offer the State the City Dock, which is in a state of decay owing to the exposier [sic] of the seas and weather." He described how an already signed petition had been changed from supporting the ferry to supporting the ferry landing at the City Dock. Capt. Cunning concluded, "I would like to beat this bunch of sodbusters at their own game as they are too cheap for any use." In forwarding the warning to the governor, Wallace commented, "Draw your own conclusions as to what is going on at St. Ignace. [But] this fellow Cunning is as honest as God ever made a man. There is nothing in it for him, but he is just so thoroughly honest that he wants to see the state get the best there is to be had, and for the least money." Apparently, Mayor Highstone was using his office to wield influence and play politics, these men thought. During the Rogers tour on May 7, his host, Mayor Highstone, and the newspapers covering the visit also didn't know that a purchase option had already been taken on the site Cunning had recommended at the end of March. The tour to the City Dock and other localities was just for show. The Chambers Dock had already been selected for the state's new landing. The Chambers Dock builders, John, Patrick, and Michael Chambers, had passed away before the ferry move began. Two heirs, Catherine Chambers Gleason of Florida and John Rhodes, the Chairman of the Mackinac County Council who now also managed the late brothers' business, represented their estate. Long before Rogers' May visit to St. Ignace, Rhodes had accepted $10 to hold the dock for the state to purchase once the ferry bill was signed and sealed. The purchase included property with about 135 feet of frontage on State Street, a gravel filled road leading to a dock with 205 feet by 105 feet of marine frontage, and buildings including both large and small warehouses. Kenyon and other consultants reported it was well protected from storms and ice, was centrally located, was well maintained and was the only privately owned dock in St. Ignace large enough and with deep enough water for the ferry to land. But the consultants warned that if word of that got out, the purchase price might be inflated. On the down side, they noted the driveway to the dock was narrow and the only parking available was on the dock itself. Another consultant, State Engineer French, advised that it should not be necessary for the state to maintain a dock for parking purposes. Once the ferry bill passed, the state exercised the option and purchased the Chambers Dock for $10,000, which included the $10 deposit. On the Mackinaw City side, Cunning, Kenyon, and the other consultants agreed no ready-built piers could be found that were both suitable and for sale. For a permanent dock, a long causeway was needed to reach deep enough water. It would be time consuming and expensive, and for service in 1923, there just wasn't time to build one. The only site that already would work was the Michigan Central Railroad Dock where the Algomah, Chief Wawatam, and Sainte Marie already landed. The afternoon of May 7, after leaving St. Ignace, Commissioner Rogers met with F.J. Deimling, the chief engineer of the Michigan Central Railroad in Mackinaw City, and arranged to lease space on the north side of the Railroad Dock where the Algomah tied up. In a telegram to the governor, Rogers confirmed the agreement. But in a second wire later in the day, he also noted the lease should be temporary, as upon further inspection, he'd discovered that weather might occasionally prohibit safe landings on the north side of the dock. He concluded there was probably not sufficient water for a ferry to land on the south side, west of the railroad landing, and, therefore, in shallow water closer to shore. Rogers also wrote a follow up letter to the Governor the same day on MCRR letterhead. He included a map of the dock and noted that a stone-filled crib would be needed, 600 foot of rock fill with a suitable surface for a roadway would have to be built, a culvert would have to be lengthened, and the railroad's 6-inch water main would have to be moved to the edge of the fill. All told, the improvements would cost about $20,000, but it meant ferry service could start almost immediately. Without much delay, H. Shearer, MCRR's general manager, agreed to lease the slip to the state for $150 a month. The state instructed the railroad to plank over the tracks so automobiles could cross from the south side access road to where the boat was intended to land. So, still unknown to the public, the state now had both places for the ferry to land. But now, in the first weeks of May, the state still had nothing to land there. If a ferry were to operate in the 1923 season, everyone knew the state now had to locate a vessel quickly. Throughout the maritime community, Rogers made it known that the State of Michigan was interested in purchasing a boat to be used as a ferry. An existing ferryboat would have been preferable, but lacking that, any vessel that might be suitable for conversion would be considered. Suggestions poured in. Ship owners with long laid-up vessels sought a chance to unload them. Owners with nearly new vessels looked for a chance to sell out to the state at a profit. The vessels ranged from huge excursion steamships to fishing tugs and pleasure craft. The governor's office got mail. The highway commissioner got mail. State senators and legislators received communications from shipbrokers and constituents suggesting one ship after another. Some writers even went so far as to compare their boat with other, less desirable craft also being offered. At least a dozen vessels of every shape and size were considered, but with the summer season about to begin, a decision had to be made quickly. The Governor's efforts to secure a surplus boat from the Navy had so far been fruitless. As early as March, Navy Secretary Edwin Denby's offer of the former Navy Yacht Vixen had been rejected, since replacing her engines would have been too expensive. Other vessels considered included the Detroit- Windsor Ferry Company's 20-car Victoria; surplus since the new 60- car LaSalle had entered service. DW was asking $20,000. For $60,000, T. L. Durocher of DeTour suggested the steamer Jacksonville. He felt the 153-foot by 42- foot by 8-foot vessel might accommodate 35 cars and up to 2,500 passengers. Rogers told the governor in May that was one of the best propositions he'd found yet. But the suggestions continued. Harold Neff, a Milwaukee marine broker, suggested five possibilities. While he noted each was available and could be made suitable for the state's needs, he neglected to identify any of the ships involved. The Sarnia-Port Huron Ferry Company did name their offer. The relatively new Louis Phillippe could be had for only $75,000. From the American Bureau of Shipping, James D. Morrison suggested the state consider the sidewheel steamer Frank E. Kirby, named for the architect who'd designed the Chief Wawatam and many other Great Lakes ships. But the Kirby could only carry 15 cars. On a larger scale, he also recommended the 200-foot by 32-foot by 8-foot steamer Owana, which might have carried as many as 40 vehicles. D. Sullivan and Company thought the 200-foot by 35-foot by 12-foot Staten Island Ferry Tottenville might also be for sale. Governor Groesbeck wrote to B. H. Nicholson, general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, to see if one of their Port Huronbased car ferries might be available. Nicholson replied he knew of no available boats from Port Huron, but if the offer was right, he might sell one from the railway's Detroit-based fleet. The D&C Line's C. L. Perkins offered either their 1886 built (and appropriately named) City of St. Ignace, which could possibly carry up to 50 cars, or their 1889 vintage City of Detroit II. The state also considered the Morton Salt Steamer John Oades and the Pere Marquette 8 along with any number of Canadian vessels. Then, someone pointed out the provisions of the "Jones Act," which prohibited foreign built ships from trading between two US ports. The search for ships in Canada was immediately discontinued. Since the Highway Commissioner had other duties besides finding a ferryboat, Rogers hired Captain John Stevenson, a former state legislator and a knowledgeable sailor, to take the reins and get the ferry service up and running. Based in the Indian Village Garage at 8755 Jefferson Street, Detroit, Stevenson headed a search committee to find a suitable boat and began the process of finding and hiring crews to man it. After reviewing so many vessel suggestions, the committee visited potentially promising ships located all around the Great Lakes and as far away as the Atlantic seaboard. It quickly became apparent that none of them was completely suitable. The vessels suggested fell into several categories: they were not suitable in any way, they could be made suitable only with time consuming modifications, or they might work, but just barely. Cost was also a factor. With only $150,000 available for total startup funds, expensive vessels or expensive vessel conversions were out of the question. The state was also reluctant to purchase too large a vessel. If the Mackinac Transportation Company's projections of losses with even twice the 1922 auto traffic were right, buying a large, expensive-to-operate state boat would certainly not be prudent. So state planners decided to be conservative and literally "test the waters." Time was now also a critical factor, so a short list of one or two favorable vessel candidates was chosen, though neither was thought perfect for the task ahead. The closest ship in proximity, and the easiest one to inspect, also happened to be the least expensive. Stevenson, who probably was already familiar with the boat, recommended a local ferry be purchased from one of the Detroit River operators and on June 1 paid $10 for an option to buy it. Like the St. Ignace dock, the agreed-to sale price was exactly $10,000. Next week: Michigan's first state ferry. |
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