The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1853-08-20
THE MIN SO TIA N
Saint Yau!, sataTaaq, lugn5t %, 1853.
wisconsin Northwe stern Railroad.

Wisconsin Northwestern Railroad.
1t will be recollcctcd, that during the past
winter, and previous thereto, the Minnesotian
took occasion to point out the feasibility and
vast advantages that would accrue TO the poo
pie of Eastern Minnesota and Western Wiscon-
sin, by the construction of direct line Of rail-
road to tap the great lines which diverge to the
east and south from the southern bend of Lake
Michigan. The road from St. Paul to the head
of Lake Superior is all well enough in its way
We 90 in for building that also, as soon as the
proper arrangements can be made. The Lou
isiana and Minnesota road running longitude
nally through the heart of the recently purchas-
ed Sioux lands west of the Mississippi, must al
80 be constructed as soon as circumstances will
permit. But we want direct road to connect
us with the great lines of communication South
and East and the shortest and most feasible
way to accomplish this end, strikes us as being
road from here directly to Madison, Wiscon-
Gin. They talk OF a road from Milwaukee to
La Crosse. This would strike the Mississippi
one hundred and eighty miles below St. Paul.
still leaving us shut out from the rest of the
world five months in the year. We are clearly
not much interested in helping to construct
that road. Then there is the Milwaukee and
Mississippi Railroad, terminating at Prairie du
Chen, which is now all under contract, and
will be finished in two years. That leaves us
still further off, and of course we feel still less
interest in its construction. And again, some
time or other, exceedingly indefinite as yet,
there is to be q continuous line from Chicago to
and through Galena to a point on the Missis
sippi opposite Dubuque, which is entirely too
far off for Minnesota to care anything about. if
shc can get cast or south by divcrging from
any point nearer home.
1t is about time that we set up for ourselves
And as remarked above it appears to be the
most practicable way of doing so, and doing so
soonest, by taking advantage of the liberal
charters granted last winter by the Lcgisla-
lures of Wisconsin and Minnesota, for the con-
struction of continuous line between this
point and Madison. The estimated distance
from Madison to the st. Croix is $50 miles, from
thence to st. Paul, Is miles making the entire
distance 29S miles The route has been par
TALLY reconnoitrcd and found highly practical
for the construction of "a road at as favorable an
outlay as through any other portion of this
Northwestern country. 1t has been estimated
that the road can be built and furnished with
oil the necessary depots and rolling stock at an
expense of SlS,0O0 per mile. This will leave
the entire cost from Madison to st. Paul at
fraction rising 100000 At St Paul a con-
nectiOn will be formed with the ST. Paul and
ST. Anthony ailroad,-already provided for
thence running west and northwest and, if
we have good luck with our northwestern route
to the Pacific, will form part of that great ma
tional thoroughEare.
DR.. Otis Hoyt, of Hudson, Wis, who has been
leading man in this enterprise, and with great
energy and ability advocated the charter for
this line Of road before the Legislatures of Wis
consin and Minnesota, last winter, has just re-
turned from Madison, where he has been TO at
tend the organization of the Company which
proposes to construct that portion of the road
within the limits of Wisconsin The meeting
was spirited one, and the citizens of Wiscon-
Fin laid hold Of the project with determination
to put it through in the shortest practicable
time. The Company was organized by the APP
pointment of the following Directors. all of
whom had previously subscribed to large
amount Of the capital stock Otis lIoyt, Henry
u. Clark. Timothy Jackman, Joseph B. Doe,
James Fermiley, Benz. Allen, John p. Hoyt
John Mitchell.
The Company was subsequently fully organ
lied by the appointment of the following Off
GERS:
OTIs HoYT, President;
JOSEPH B. Doe, Treasurer:
JAMES NERMH.Ey, Secretary;
Benz. ALLEN, Attorney.
We are indebted to DIR. Hoyt for the estimates
below. in regard to the business resources of
the country which this road will traverse
They are compiled from accurate data, and will
no doubt be found rather under than over the
true figure:
WISCONSIN RIVER, LAST YEAR.
700 tons freight at 81 so per ton. $50
LOCO Passengers at Sl2............. 1900
Total. ...............". S7, $50
BLACK RIVER.
800 tons freight at $40 per ton, which
is boated up from the Mississippi in
nat poats. ........ ................ 5000
800 Passengers at S3............... 1900
Total. ...................... 81 800
CHlPPEwA, MENoMtNEE, EAU GALA & EAU CLAIRE.
500 tons freight, Sl3 per ton. $4,000. TO- 400
l,20OPassengcrs at S4............., 5000
Total. Ooo
ST. CROIX VALLEY.
Freight estimates taken from merch-
ants anu iumbermen. .............. 2S.400
= 4