History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

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Ashley, Jacob Tucker, Ignace Morass and Joseph Hayes. Under the
act of incorporation, the company was required to clear out the river to
the east line of Oakland county. The work was to commence, at latest,
by July I, 1827, and when the stream had been made navigable for flatbottomed boats the company could collect toll not exceeding fifty cents
per ton for the entire distance and a proportionate rate for a less distance. Parties owning water-power on the river below the east line of
Oakland county were required to construct locks at every dam sufficient
for the passage of the company's boats. The river above the said line
was declared by the act of incorporation a public highway, but persons
owning land extending across the river had the right to construct dams
for water-power purposes by putting in the necessary locks, or the company could construct them at the expense of the parties owning the
lands. The improvements were finally completed as far as Rochester,
a portion of the state loan of $5,ooo,ooo being appropriated therefor.
Business was carried on to a small extent for a number of years, but the
enterprise was never a prosperous one.
FIRST MICHIGAN RAILWAY CHARTERED
In the meantime the subject of railways had become an earnest subject of discussion and even an object of legislation. Oakland county has,
in fact, the honor of inducing the legislative council of the territory to
incorporate the first railway company chartered in Michigan; that event
occurring July 31, I830, when Governor Cass approved the act conferring a charter on the Pontiac and Detroit Railway Company. Its
original incorporators were John P. Helfenstein, Gideon O. Whittemore, William F. Moseley, William Thompson and Hervey Parke, "and
such other persons as shall associate for the purpose of making a good
and sufficient railway from Pontiac to the city of Detroit." Nothing
practical was done under this charter.
DETROIT & PONTIAC RAILROAD COMPANY
A second company was formed and a new charter obtained, which
was approved by the governor March 7, I834. Under this act William
Draper, Daniel LeRoy, David Stanard, Johnson Miles, Seneca Newberry, Elisha Beach, Benjamin Phelps, Joseph Niles, Jr., and Augustus
C. Stephens, were appointed commissioners to receive subscriptions to
the stock of the Detroit & Pontiac Railroad Company, the amount of
which was fixed at one thousand shares at $50 per share. The company
was vested with the power to construct a single or double track, but the
work was to be commenced within two years from the passage of the
act and completed within six years, or otherwise the rights, privileges
and powers of the corporation were to become null and void.
The principal stockholders and managers of the new railroad company were Alfred Williams and Sherman Stevens of Pontiac, and their
control continued until I840. But as they gave more attention to "wild
cat banking" than to the Detroit & Pontiac Railway, the progress of the