Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-06-26
WATERFOWL AND MADISON
RATTPOA0.


and prominent citizen of this place. The
subject to whic1a it relates is one ofvast
importance, not only to our. city, but to
all the towns along the line of the Water
town and Madison railroad. 1t is now
more than ten years since this road vas
chartered BIZ the Legislature, and our city
pledged its credit for large sum to aid in
its construction. And what have we
gained BY it2 To-day we are very little
better off than if the road had never been
commenced. Waterloo, and the other
towns west of here, who did so much to
aid in building the road, have been very
poorly accommodated by it. Why this
railway was built 80 far and no farther, is
question that has been asked a thous-
and times, and has been answered in al
most as many different ways. Whenever
the St. Paul company have wanted any
help from our city to aid them in carry
ing out their ambitious schemes, they
have talked of completing the road from
Sun Prairie to Madison It has been a
sugar plum, which they have held up to
our view until they have secured what
they wanted, add then the plum has been
lain aside to serve the same purpose on
another occasion. as7# All 10
Some two years since the st. Paul
Company inaugurated measures to force
O consolidation with the Prairie du Chen
Company In this they have been success
ful. and thus have obtained another avenue
to Madison than by the way Of Sun Prairie.
The consolidation of these two roads onue
effected the construction of the link from
Sun Prairie to Madison became matter
Of secondary importance. with the com
pany, and they are now carrying out a
gigantic scheme of consolidation with the
railroads Of Iowa and Minnesota
The correspondent of the Journal sug-
sests the propriety of obtaining a new
charter, and allowing new company to
build the road Such course may be-
come necessary. We hope, however, that
the St. Paul company will not longer out
rage the sentiment of our people, but will
consult their duty, and we believe their
own interests, as we'll as the convenience
of the travelling public, and giveg Water
town and milwaukee, direct communication
with Madison. g.. 1T Il r.,e.5...~t a,.t
The following is the letter:
Il. WATERroWN, June Is, 1867
Ep1ToRs STATE j JOURNAL - ~ sag
Why in the name Of common sense
don't the Milwaukee and st. Paul Com
pany build that little nine mile piece of
road between Madison and Sun Prairie?
Do YOU know Of any good reason why?
Do they not want to have nearer and
more direct route between Prairie -du
Chiel and Milwaukee than what is af-
forded by the large and graceful curve
of the Prairie du Chen road that sweeps
off towards Chicago, and finally, after
losing half its freights and travel, which
bv this means gets into the whirlpool OF
Chicago trade, brings up at Milwaukee?
Do they not want to benefit Milwaukee
by accommodating the trade and travel OF
the west and northwest? This little but
vastly important nine mile link of road
if completed. would greatly accommodate
the whole state Every one having bust
ness in Madison being in the north part
of the state knows the great incongen-
fence Of getting there by way Of Milton
Junction, and we have suffered it for 5
or 10 years, and even during the war,
when thousands have been compelled to
go to Madison, by that junction, on a
freight train, eHg#a 4ni a~.a
Now, why is it thus? Watertown is
still indebted by 100000 in bonds and
interest of eight or ten years, and Madison,
not long since, was, by 100000 and in
terest, for the building of this very road
through, between Madison, Watertown,
and these localities; and the people OF
this state have suffered long enough un-
der this ''dog in the manger" policy
The miserable and paltry reason assigned
for this long outrage upon the travelling
and trading public is, that the completion
of this piece of road, making nearer and
more direct line between the East and the
West, through Madison, will @injure, to
some extent, the old line Of the Prairie
du Chen road, from Madison to the
Junction; and that the stock of thai com.
pany would fall in market. Why, don
they know that the completion of their
direct line would, in two years, save, in
machinery. cost of renairs. labor. distance