Re: jackman mill.
This man said he remembers the mill next to the tracks up near the west branch area back in about the 1920s. Him and his friends used to grease the railroad tracks and laugh as it made the locomotive struggle harder too gain traction. I found a map of the west branch area showing a branch line spurring off the mainline about 3 miles or so south east on the line out of west branch. I have detected traces of other sections of this line leaving the line at Rhodes MI. After following it a ways it vanishes in spots but is heading up in that general direction of west branch wheree it appears the was a junction there. I believe this is the line the old timer is referring too. Theree are department store and stuff south west of west branch that are built over part of the old row. And a pond area. Where the row appears again. This may be the location he is talking about. I'm gonna check on historic aerials site on the topo maps and see if they show any line there back then. And also the old aerial views.
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