The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-10-09

me history of railroad management In this |
state, thought not 10 be expected that cap,
italists can be found willing to furnish uponIf
the security of these roads aione, more
than the iron and equipment, Or three
hiths OF The entire cost, and it these roads
are to be built at all, ourewn citizens must
In some way provide the capital on we'll as
sured municipal credit in two fifths of this
cost, or sufficient to secure the right of way
and construct the tracks and keep them
unincumbered and unbounded except for
the purpose of purchasing. the iron and
equipments. WORKS of internal Improves
ments should only be entered upon by the
state aid municipalities for the promotion
OF general interests, and not for the pur>
pose OF deriving revenue from the stocks,
nor for mere rivalry, nor for the benefit OF
spectators in stocks or lands; but on the
well ascertained facts that railroads gen.
orally create business equal to their capacl
ties, aid by the state proposed may with
safety be given b &
We may feel well assured that capitalists
will hereafter carefully scrutinize and estlA
mate the merits of any railroad enterprise
seeking money in the market; and having
no further interest in the development
thereby of the resources of The country than,
that they furnish revenue to pay the inter>
EST and principal on the Investment when
due, they will not invest in any of the rail-
road projects that may appear of doubtful
character, or to have been originated for
speculative purposes aud We need not ar-
prehend that the lines OF railroads such as
we have mentioned, which may hereafter
be built In the State, will not pay as great
revenue in the same number OF years of
IL 4
We have no doubt that one thousand
miles of these several roads would be COM
pleted within ten years, and the remaining
five hundred within fifteen years from the
date of the adoption by the people Of the
amendment to the constitution proposed by
the resolution under consideration.
We do not hesitate to say that we have
no doubt that these several roads, thus
commenced, prosecuted and completed,
would, within the same number OF years,
by rapid development of the vast natural
resources of those regions where our 81 eat
est wealth now lies hidden, and fifty per
cent. more to the wealth and population,
and confer larger benefits upon the whole
people of the state, than has been done and
conferred by the railroads now in operation.
j TO illustrate our last proposition
west, over which that city now derives It's
their benefits are limited to, two ffths of
the area of the State and since their COM
pletion to the Mississippi, in 1857 and
1860, strong and steady tide of emigra-
ton has carried by them into Iowa and
Minnesota-the larger per cent. into the
latter state.
From 1851 to 1866, grants of land were
made by Congress to Minnesota, aggregat-
citizens have prosecuted with an energy
and enterprise worthy of imitation, but
with an extravagance of State aid that our
people will assuredly avoid and she has
now 44S miles Of road completed within
the same period. Like grants have been
made to Iowa, of over 1900, 600 acres, APP
pllcable to the construction of railroads liz
the northern portion of the State, in which
Wisconsin is Interested, as furnishing con
Meeting lines with her own road. south aud
southwest. These roads have been prose-
cuted with vigor, and now extend two hun
drcd and thirty two miles.
During the period of the prosecution of
these roads west Of limited extent of our
western boundary, into purely agricultural
but fertile regions OF new territory, aided
by the capital and energy OF citizens of
Milwaukee, these portions of Iowa and
Minnesota have appreciated In value and
increased in population far more rapidly
than any portion Of ourOwn state. s3e
In 1858, Minnesota and Northern Iowa
from Wisconsin largely of bread
stuffs, grain and farm stocks but to day,
and mainly through the influence of our
railroads and their own, they are capable
of furnishing, and for the past four years
have annually furnished to the city of Mil
waukee very large share of her merchan-
dize traffic, and nearly or quite one half of
her grain receipts.
Minnesota to-day has become a most
formidable rival of Wisconsin as a wheat
growing state, end she cannot fail of sue
cess unless we shall soon change our policy
ON the subject of railroads, and by new
lines extending through the centralinto the
northern and northwestern portions of the
state, open them up to settlement and im-
provements.
The rapid development of the agricuItur-
al resources and growth in wealth of those
sections OF country on our western border,
has created demand for facilities, which
must be afforded and continually increased,
Tor the transit OF their immense annual
supplies of grain to the eastern markets
and 1T should be the desire and aim of our
people to keep this carrying trade under
their own control, that the profits from and
incident thereto may be enjoyed by our
own citizens and there is no doubt in the
minds OF your committee, that within the
next ten years Wisconsin will have to
quadruple her present facilities, by rail and
other means of transit, to meet the de-
mands of the west, for the successful move
ment, annually, OF its vast crops, to our
lake ports. This must be conceded by all
who may examine this subject, while they |
may differ as to the means to be employed
for the accomplishment of results so i'm
portant to the interests of the state; but it
Is to be hoped that those who have their
homes and business and property in the
southern railroad counties, in their investi
CATION OF the subject of the necessities of
having other works of internal improve
ment in the state, and how the best inter
ests OF the whole people can be promoted
thereby, will look beyond the limits ofthis
''pent up Utica" of theirs, and learnsthe
fact that We have within cur own borders
1000 square miles of territory, possessing
more natural wealth and capabilities of sus-
tanning greater density of population |