Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1855-09-27
For the Tribune & Telegraph.

Kenosha and Beloit Railroad
This enterprise for the last six months has been
in sort of somnambulic condtion-thc cattle
(of less than thousand hills) have trod upon
its banks-the beasts Of the forests have bur-
rowed therein-grass and noXious weeds have
grown upon its bed, and stiffness like unto
death has pervadcd the whole thing.
1t is not that this project lacks importance, or
that its merits are any less than they ever were
or that our familiarity with it has d" bred con-
tempt;' or that we have lost our interest in its
growth and prosperity. None of these. Every
day we feel more and more the want, nay, the
necessity of this enterprise to our commercial
importance, and the general benefit of the coun-
try. 1t has been in this amentable condition,
only because the burden Of building it has thus
far fallen upon few public spirited, cnterpris-
ing men, and they have been unable to prosecute
the work farther Incapable Of completing the
work themselves to have continued would have
insured pecuniary ruin without concentrating
their object and not meeting with the aid they
had reason TO expect from those as deeply inter-
estcd and TO be equally benefited, they ceased
their operations i'll its behalf, and chose to lose
what they had already expended rather than sac
rifce themselves entirely for the public good
No sooner however had the work ceased than
every one was clamorous to express his regrets,
and during its somnoence has rackcd his brains
and concocted novel plans to drag it from its ap-
parent grave, rcsurrect it into new life, and send
it on its way rejoicing.
1t was desperate undertaking because mems
pockets were to be reached, which can only
be done by stout hearts and vigorous arms.
But with the magnitude Of the undertaking rose
the capacity of the undertakers, and a plan has
been adopted having the merits of fairness, feas-
Utility, case and the certainty of completing the
work at an early day, without any more stoppa-
ges OF delays. To a certain extent this plan has
already been put in operation successfully, and
we can see no reason why it viii not succeed
equally well hereafter.
From the condition of things, it was found
necessary to raise one hundred and sixty-six
thousand dollars. either in actual cash or such
securities as would be Immediately available
The cash we have we hadn't got, nor could we
get; so some other financial scheme had to be
devised, which resulted in the city Of kcnosha
taxing herself lin addition to what she had al
ready taken in the work. the sum of sixty-six
thousand dollars, leaving one hundred thousand
dollars yet to be obtained from other sources.
Until this amount is obtained, or satisfactory
assurances that it will be forthcoming when call
ed for the enterprise must and will remain just
as it now is; because 10 commence it without
this amount would be sure sooner or later to run
into bankruptcy and ruin, inextrcable embar-
easements and perhaps total loss of all that
viii then have been expended. Under these
circumstances we may reasonably ask, where is
this one hundred thousand dollars 10 come from
Kenosha city can't raise il, she has already upon
her shoulders three hundred thousand dollars
for this enterprise alone, to say nothing of other
taxes and expenses she must necessarily bear.
With a population of but 1900, and an aggre-
gate assessment of $3.50, 800, this amount is S75
per head of her entire population or over one
third of the assessed value of her property
This, considering that kenosha is vet new
place and possesses no very rich men-no mil
lionaires who could launch out their thousands
of dollars without IN any way interfering with
their business, is doing most nobly We believe
such an effort in behalf of any enterprise, under
all the circumstances, IS unprecedented in the
United States. We of course cannot expect this
aid from foreign sources. Our enterprise, tho
to US of vital Importance, is not sufficiently great
to attract the attention of foreign capitalists
Besides, aside from this amount, large portion
of the money necessary for the completion of the