Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-12-31
Plank Road running West.
co NJ Nj u MICA TED,

WALwoRru COUNTY, Dec. %, 1914
FRIEND SHoLEs:-
have long contemplated writing to you
on the subject of thoroughare connecting
Southport and Racine, with the interior, bu
my business engagements have been SC
pressing that have not found time until the
present moment; and even now, mere
glance at the subject is all that shall be
able to bestow. think it very importan
that whatever project is determined upon
that it should partakc in as limited degree
as possible of the monopolizing spirit that
we find pcrvading all the projects of the
kind of any Importance granted by the le-
gis!aturcs of the older states. For this rea-
son | am opposed
1st. To RAIL ROAD, about which
have heard SO much discussion at the Lake
Ports. A good road, would, l admit, build
up largo city at the point of termination
on the lake; but what would it do for the al
ready flourishing villages through which it
would necessarily pass7 Would it be any
benefit TO the Farmers? For an answer to
the first of these questions, would refer you
TO those villages along the route of the Buff:
falo and Albany chain of rail road. No one
presume, will contend that the flour shing
condition of Utica and Rochester can be at
tributcd to rail road influence. The farmers
along the line of that great thoroughfarc, so
many of whom have now become citizens of
this territory, can give the true answers to
the last question.
End. Of Canals, the same objections will
not hold good. | ann aware that this last
project has more advocates than the former,
and if no:hing better fer the whole commu-
nifty could be devised and brought forward.
| would perhaps BE- as Jealous and determ-
ned i'll lis favor IS am now opposed to it.
\ canal would, in measure, distribute its
iayors along the line of its route; but it is
impossible to take from it its great monopo
liZ;ng features. The Erie Canal which has
been productive of SO great change in the
state where located, is made great state
monopoly. The article ofsat alone, is suf-
fcient to show this fact. The price of
freight per 100 lbs. placed upon all other
kinds of salt, except that manufactured by
The State, your merchants Will tell you is
sufficiently largo to entirely prevent its trans
portation on the canal; and this is the reason
why Wisconsin is supplied entirely from the
New York state salt works, although an in
ferior article Of salt when compared with
many Other kinds that nigh. be named. The
greatest evil, however, in my mind, that the
residents of the southern part Of Wisconsin
would be obligedto contend with in the OPP
GRAFTON of canal, would be the entire pros
traiion and ruin of the present business pros
poets Of every village of any note in the in
terror. 1t is an admitted fact, that in order
10 have canal from the lake to Rock river
through the southern tier Of counties, there
is no possible chance without using the wa
tiers from every lake on the heighih of land
within 10 or ID miles of the proposed canal,
and many conjecture the supply will not be
sufficient even then. 1t Is the use ofthc waters
+ of these lakes that will destroy the villages
that now promise so fair; for there is not one
from which much is expected that is not ems
tirely dependant on its hydraulic power, and
there is tao little of that TO supply the wants