Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1857-05-07
Kenosha, Rockford and Rock Island
Rail Road.
ROUTE.

Kenosha, Rockford and Rock Island
Rail Road.
ROUTE.
This road commences on the harbor at Keno
sba fftv three miles north efChicago, and thir-
ty-fiye miles south of Milwaukee, and runs IN
south-westerly direction crossing the State line |
Illinois. into 81 miles frsm Kenosha, and thence |
to the city of Rockford: distance OF seventy
miles, From Rockford, the read will be contin-
ned down the valley of the Rock River, through
the Aourishing towns of Byron, Oregon, Grand
de Tour Dixon, &c, to Rock Island on the Mis-
sissippi distance from Rockford oc one hun
dred and Eve miles, and from Kenosha to the
Mississippi, one hundred and seventy-five
miles.
ORGANIZATIONS
The charters of tho Kenosha and Rockford,
and Rockford and Mississippi Railroad, with
ameHdatory acts and articles OF consolidation,
will be found in an accompanying pamphlet, at
length, to which it is only necessary to add, I'M
der this head, the following resolution, which
was unanimously adopted by the Board OF Direc-
tors Of the Rockford and Mississippi Road, alta
meeting held March 4tli, 1857:
Res5lusd, That in the opinion of this Board, it
is highly important that consolidation should
be formed, at the earliest practicable period, be-
tween this Company and the Kenosha and ROCK
ford Railroad Companies of Wisconsin and llll-
nois, so that a continuous Railroad, under one
management, may be completed from Inc city OF
Kenosha, through the Rock River Valley to the
Mississippi"
CITY OF KENosHA-THE STARTING POINT.
The CITY OF KENosHA is situated six miles
from the southern line of Wisconsin, on the
western shore of Lake Michigan. 1t is the Sc
cond commercial City of the State in the amount
of its grain and other exports, and the third in
popGlation-its present number of inhabitants
being not less than $500. II is connected with
Chicago and Milwaukee by the Lake Shore Rail-
road and during the season of navigation by
regular lines of steamboats,. 1t is the county
seat of Kenosha county, one of the best settled
and richest agricultural districts of Wisconsin.
1t has heavy and increasing manufacturing in
terest; and ranks among the first cities of the
State in its Educational advantages. During the
last year many substantial and elegant private
and public edifices have been erected and in all
departments of Improvement, the city is rapidly
advancing.
The road, as has already been observed, com.
mences on the harbor at KenoSha. The Compa-
ny have largo extent of wharf accommodation
with ample room for ware houses and depot
grounds A number of large and substantial
ware houses will be erected on the harbor at Ke-
nosha the present season, which, added to the al.
ready extensive ware house accommodation will
be adequate to meet the increased demand crea-
ted by the Railroad. In addition to tho lots on
the harbor, the Company have secured several
acres of valuable land, about one-third of mile
from the harbor and near the crossing of the Chi
cage and Milwaukee Railroad. The real estate
property of the Company on the harbor, and else
where in the city of Kenosha, is soao worth al
least 100000.
KEHOsHA HARBoR.
The harbor a. Kenosha has been pronounced
by experienced Lake navigatOrs, as one of the
most advantageously situated, to be made acces
Sihe in a II Vya fharc of IN fha
efLake Michigan. During the several years the
work on the harbOr has been iii progress, there
has been expended on it from government
appropriations and city taxation, 100000 The
season of navigation last year was the first the
harbor has been available to any considerable ex.
tent for commercial purposes; vessels drawing
ten feet water, entering it without difficulty
The work ofdredging between the piers and deep.
ening the inner harbor, will be vigorously pros.
ecuted the present season-funds for this pur.
pose having been provided by city tax The
Kenesha and Rockford Railroad Company are
also preparing to accomplish large amount OF
dredging. new and powerful dredging machine
combining all the latest improvements, was pro-
cured by the city Of Kenosha last season, and
this spring it will have full equipage of scOws
and boats, to render its operations complete. 1t
is confidently expected the capacity Of water in
the harbOr, will be made amply sufficient, during
the present season, to admit the largest class
prof A. c. Twining,) extensively known in
some of the Middle and Western States, as a
gentleman OF much practical experience speaks
i'll relation to the Kenosha Harbor as follows:
THE harbor at Kenosha, is improbable for the
accommodation of shipping to any amount that
can be required. Its ample basin is embosouled
in the city without 0bstructing its streets mate
rally, and with an ample depth of water, opens
naturally, both south and north. by broad pas
sage offering nearly mile of front. along the
main shore, and sheltered for that extent, by
what was originally All island, but is now PEN
insua-yet susceptible Of being easily res tored
to its insular condition"
Lieut. Col. Graham, of the u s. Topographic
cal Engineers, in official report, has spoken
equally decided, as to the natural advantages OF
the Kenosha Harbor.
CITY OF ROCKFORD.
As has already been remarked, the city of Rock
ford is at present the westerly Termination of the
line of the KenOsha & Rockford Railroad The
citizens of Rockford ara earnestly aud unanin-
ously enlisted in the project of building the road
from that city to Kenosha, with the view of OBJ
tanning nearer route TO tho lake shore, than they
at present enjoy by Railway. From the gener-
al interest manifested by the people of Rockford
IN this enterprise, and the certainty of its prov
ing desirable channel o. communication with
Lake Michigan it is reasonable to conclude that
large proportion of the freighting business OF
that city, will be tranacted on the Kenosha and
Rockford Road, For the purpose CT giving a
Just idea of the importance of the city of Rock
ford in a business point of view, some statistical
facts are here given.
The last annual report of the Galena and Chi
csgo Union Railroad, shows that the receipts for
freight at Rockford were nearly one-tenh of the
total receipts for the entire line of the road incln
ding all its branches The following statement
is derived from the books of the Company -
CASH RECEIPTS.
Local charges on freight received. -. .s74,773 SIS
Advance " " " " ,4Sl AZ
Prepaid charges on freight forwarded. III .943 s.
sl57 ,269 Il
Local charges freight for.
warded, .,..-.............S 47 $40 IS
Advance l2S9 90
Total business Observation-Disclosures. S2e6, 800 Sc
Total tonnage of freight handled during the yeai
estimated az 95 600 900 lbs which includes the fol
lowing items received
Lumber, --...--......... 9 763 OBS feet
Lata, ---------.... Is, 4SlO00
shingles, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 1928 600
Coal. ], Asa tons
The amount of Grain and Pork shipped is of
Wheat, 242, sci bush
Oats---------- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 14445
Rockford is without doubt. the largest manu-.
featuring city in the State of Illinois, except Chi
cage. 1t possesses an immense water power,