Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-03-06
From tie Genera Express
The Kenosha snd Beloit Railroad.

We have watched with no ordinary interest
the operations of this enterprise, from its exs-
tence up to the present time, and made oursel-
yes as familiar as an outsider could, perhaps be-
come with its financial condition, cause of delay,
and prospective operations.
We were of the few, toO,who believed the in
terestS OF the country would demand this
enterprise, as to secure its building much sooner
than was generally anticipated by its best
friends; and that its Importance would be great
er than many other roads, about which there
was greater noise.
The basis for this belief was the data and ex-
perience furnished by other parts of the country
that had passed through their Railroad excite
ment, and that for years had been accomplishing,
evidence for the actual demand of certain chan
nels, and against the want of other certain out
lets, concocted by spectators and forced
through, rather than created, by the demands of
trade, and the support of the people. 1t is I'M
necessary to cite instances in illustration of this
point. Interests may be affected thereby and
we cannot but presume our readers are intel
lgent enough upon Railroad matters to cite
their own eases.
We know, and so does every man who knows
anything about the matter, that the grain, pork,
peef, corn, &c, OF this part of the country, and
large section lying south and west of us, finds
its way to Kenosha as the nearest and most
feasible point at which to reach the lake, and
that these same sections of country have been,
and are supplied from that point with such lum-
Der, lime, iah, coal and other articles as the in
habltants are consumers of. That Kenosha is
our natural market, and our business flows there
Just as reasonably and naturally as a river
flows INTO its gulf. Nor have any of the in
ducements yet offered been enabled to take away
THIS business permanently from its natural mart.
ANY occasional deviatOnS from this course of
things have been temporarily fed upon excite
ment that little time has regulated and direct
ed Alright.
1t is fixed fact-a law of trade-that the
surplus products of any section of country will
ind the great natura. outlets at the nearest pos
sible point. All the surplus produce of this part,
and OF large district west of us, seeks Lake
Michigan, whence it is shipped to the eastern
consuming districts, or the Atlantic ports for
European markets. Now, what POSSIBLE object.
we ask, can our producers have in conveying
their products diagOnally across the country, a
distance OF seventy five or eighty miles to Chi
cago-or distance of fifty or sixty miles to Mil
waukee to find the lake-when they can do so
directly within distance of thirty miles We
certainly are unable to determine; and the facts
show they have none. If one or the other of
these points proposed some great advantage over
the other--in consequence of which a larger
price could he obtained ut this favored point for
this produce, then we could conceive how the
business would be attracted there. But does
such an advantage exist? Do not Milwaukee,
Racine and Kenoshs all purchase for shipment
10 the same market-with view to the same
hazards, losses and profits Have they not each
equal harbor and shipping conveniences Have
they not each monied institutions enough for the
legitimate business Is there not about the same
competition at each of these points, in proper
ton to their respective quantities of business
1t is true, that occasionally one of these points
may receive an order to fill for some eastern or
European operator, that for a time gives that
a fri nd hu4 tba
aud does occur at other points. The bushes of
this kind, experience demonstrates is almost
equally divided.-Hence we see no reason WHY
the legitimate business OF one of these places
will leave it fof the other, but every reason to
presume that each will command its own.
This road, we thus argue, is demanded by the
wants of the country aud when built will be
sustained III defiance OF any competition now in
operation or prospect.
We had indulged the hope that Genera would
be made in its western course; but it seems
obstacles of an insurmountable character present
themselves, and the Company are now direct
ing their attention to Genoa in Bloomfield
Township. Considering that we now have a
Railroad from Geneva to the State line passing
through Genoa, the construction of the ke-
nosha Il Beloit Railroad to that point affords us
an nutet to the lake nearly as favorable as
though the kenOsha road run into Geneva. This
will be especially true, should the Wisconsin
Central, and the Kenosha s. Beloit Railroad
make such connections as the interests of both
enterprises will prompt them. We must look
to the Kenosha road for an outlet to the lake
shore, and those advantages to our place such
an avenue would give us if constructed directly
here. We are avoided by the Racine road, and
situated so as to be beyond the reach of any
other naural outlet. Our interests have ALWAYS
been with this road = and must continue to be,
unless it goes beyond our reach.