The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-21


be, as honestly and sincerely believe
that we shall have the best, the cheapest
and the most profitable railroad, connect
ing Lake Michigan and Mississippi River
We have no disposition to take from any
road what justly belongs to it, and pro-
ceed upon the principle that all well loca
ted roads between Lake Michigan and the
Mississippi will have as much business as
they can do; still, we think the position Of
our road gives it, with its connections,
advantages that no other road constructed
between these points has.
I will hero briefly allude to few facts
upon this point. ... ..
In the first place our road terminates
on the Mississippi River, about seventy
miles above any other. Now, five con-
der Chicago as the starting point, we can
take passenger thence over the Chicago
and st. Paul Road to Janesville, and thence
over one hundred and forty miles of our
road to Prairie du Chen, from eight to
ten hours inadvance of the route via Dun
leith, which advantage is sufficient, in my
judgment, to give to at least one hundred
and forty miles of our road the great bulk
of travel to Northern Iowa, Minnesota,
St. Paul, and the Upper Mississippi coun-
try. Then, if we start at Milwaukee, we
shall find our road has connection with
Chicago via Lake Shore Railroad, and is,
in the course of next year, to have con-
nection across Lake Michigan to Grand
Haven, which is directly east of Milwau-
kee, and thence, with the Detroit and
Milwaukee Railroad, with the New York
Central and Erie Railroads, and with the
Grand Canada Trunk Railroad, extending
to the Gulf fist. Lawrence. These routes,
for at least nine months of the year, are
the shortest. cheapest and quickest from
the principal Eastern cities, and from New
England through the Grand Trunk Rail-
road through Milwaukee and over the
Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad to
the great Northwest.
From the two connections above men
toned the NJ. and N. road is to receive an
amount of through business which will
have scarcely parallel in the West, and
which, added to our already large local
business (which up to this time has been
our only business, must fully establish
the position l started with, that the M.
and NJ. Railroad would be the best paying
road west of Lake Michigan.
Happily for the railroad interest of our
State, for its prosperity, the prosperity of
our State generally, and for the City of
milwaukee, especially, all our conrlicting
railroad interest, have been adjusted.
The M. and NJ. railroad is to occupy
the central portion of our state, and thro'
it's Southern Wisconsin branch, (of which
propose to speak more particularly, the
southwestern portion of the state, between
which lines the great lead mineral wealth
of Wisconsin lies. The La Crosse, with
its branches. is to occupy the northwest
ern portion of our state, and the North
eastern Land Grant railroad is to occupy
the route running nearly north and south
along lake Michigan; each occupying an
important portion of our state, and neither
conflicting with or drawing from the 9TH
er, and all having Milwaukee as their COM
mon starting point.
Some, who have not been familiar with
our Southern Wisconsin Branch, so call
ed, have doubted whether its construc-
tion would add to the value of our stock.
This road leaves our main line at Mil
ton, 60 miles west of Milwaukee, and as
its construction is at present provided for,
is to pass through GAINESVILLE and Monroe,
in Green Co., to Warren, on the Illinois
Central railroad, &c miles east of Galena,
to which point a favorable contract has
been made for running arrangement on
the Illinois Central railroad.
By a contract recently executed, the
Galena people are to build from Warren
to point on our main Southern Wiscon-
sin line, distant from Warren about 8 |
miles, which brings it within Is miles of
to which point the Southern Wis
consin is now under contract and nearly
graded. This arrangement, therefore,
leaves the Milwaukee and Mississippi
Railroad company but 13 miles to build
west of Monroe, to complete line of rail-
road in connection with the southern por-
lion of the Milwaukee and Mississippi
railroad to Galena and Dubuque, making
he entire distance from Milwaukee to Ga
ena $50 miles, and to Dubuque 167
miles. The distance from Galena to Chi
,ago being III miles, and from Dubuque
1873 miles, makes saving in favor of Mil
waukee of 81 miles-about oue-eighth of
he entire distance. Beside, for all freight
there would be further
saving in favor Of Milwaukee of water
of 80 miles. being the dis
ance between Milwaukee and Chicago,
,r saving of abont one-tenth of the dis
ance from Milwaukee to Buffalo; so that
. propeller can save about one trip in ten
between Milwaukee and Buffalo, as COM
pared with Chicago.
This arrangement is independent of,
md has no connection with the extension
If the Southern Wisconsin from the point
where the Galena branch divcrges, as an
line, to Dubuque. From
Dubuque west into Iowa, some three or
four hundred miles of railway are in
course of construction, which have re-
,eived new impetus by the grants of
and recently made to that state, and to
thesn among other lines of railroads in
hat state |