The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-12-23
Wisconsin Railroads-theirC Cost
and Benefits.


ed in the construction Of this Road from
Milwaukee 10 Madison, TO compete with
the Cured line Road already built to con
rect the same points, would have bull. and
put into successful operation, years ago,
the third named Road, running through
and connecting the cities and towns on the
Lake Shore between the State lire on the
south, and Green Bay on the north, and
at the same time saved, to be appropriated
to the other last named project, the sum Of
100000 already expended on the same
line between Milwaukee and the State
line.
That the fourth named road would now
have been completed, or lis completion
been secured beyond contingency, no one
can doubt who knows the fact that the
Lacrosse and Milwaukee has been built at
the enormous cost of s22, Oo0, 900 to COM
pete with the other lines between Milwau-
kee and the Mississippi river, nor by any
one will this be doubted who knows the
fact that Congress made a grant of lands
to Wisconsin for the purpose of aiding In
the construction Of a Railroad on the route
above indicated-that being the most di
rect, as we'll as the only feasible route be-
tween the two extreme points named in
the act of grant by Congress.
We have shown, we think, most conclu-
sively that these four great lines of Rail
road, diyerging from the city of Milwaukee
AS the radiating point, could, and would
have been built, had that city in the out
set adopted and afterwards steadily and
perseveringly pursued that system of Rail
roads which her own true interests and the
interests of the whole State demanded =
Let us look at the map Of the State, and
trace these several lines of Railroad which
could have been built for half the amount
that has already been expended within the
State in the construction Of the competing
lines Of Road, and see what tie effect would
have been upon the city of Milwaukee and
the State at large.
l. These Roads would have commanded
the trade of three times the extent of
country that is now secured by the present
Roads terminating at Milwaukee, Each
would have formed an Independent line.
controlling the business of a certain extent
OF country. and without dispute or com
petition by either of The others, and of
course been selfsustaning.
2. The Road leading south west would
have leen intersecteJ by Roads leading
from the Lake Shore Road at Kenosha and
Racine, which would have been built at half
the cost, and without embarrassment: to
those cities incurred and occasioned by
their present Roads competing with Mil
waukee and Chicago Roads.
5. The Northwestern Road would also
have been intersected by Roads leading
from Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Green
Bay, and brought to them their due pro-
portion Of the trade secured by the main
line, and enabled them, not to rival, but
maintain their natural relative positions to
the city of Milwaukee,
4. The cities of Sheboygan, Manitowoc
and Green Bay, in conjunction with ST.
Paul and other cities on the Upper Missis-
sippi ani the friends Of the northern base |
line Of Railroad across the Peninsula Of |
Michigan, from Port Huron to Pere Mar
quette, did much, if not everything, to Sc
cure the grant of land to aid in the con
struction of this, to Wisconsin, most impor-
tant Road and which grant was diverted
from its Legitimate purposes designed by
the grantor, to the vile use of patching up
n s~indling Milwaukee corporation, and
Milwaukee and the north half Of the State
deprived of the great benefits which would
otherwise have resulted to them.
>. These lines of Road would have been
intersected by Roads connecting with all
the important Inferior cities in the State,
and all parts of the State thereby bound !
by indissouble bands to each other, and
TO the city Of Milwaukee as the great CEN
tire of the trade Of ALL
+. These Roads having been built, Chic
ago would never have constructed its Road
n orth through the State to Lake Winneba.
20 aud the Lower Fox River, and now been
carrying of from Milwaukee great share
of the trade Of large extent of the rich
est portion of the State, and never should
have been mortified and chagrined by Wit
Messing notice in paper published in
one of our interior cities on the line Of this
Road, and connected with Milwaukee by
Railroad, and not fifty miles distant, that
Chicago would draw to itself over this
Road a majority of the trade of the interior
and Of the yailes Of the Fox and Wolf riv.
srs; nor would the people of the State
leen Inundated to witness a Candidate
v ',le canrasSing that portion of the State
f- votes to elevate him 10 the Executive
enair, soliciting the people to trade with