The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-09-09
Permanently Competing Railroad.
From the Oshkosh Journal. I

other railways as means of affording per
nsanent competition III transportation OF our
lumber and products to either given mar
ket or choice of markets, is obyious to
every luniberman, manufacturer and BUSH
ness man OF the city of Oshkosh In the
project for building railway from Osh-
kosh to Mississippi, or to Freeport, or both
the same necessities for permanent coMpe-
ton with the consolidated monopolies of
the Northwestern and ST Paul Railway ex>
lists at Ripon, Portage, Madison, Monroe,
Mineral Point, Dubuque, and at every
intersecting point with the present mo-
nopoiy as means of affording them a
choice of markets, by allowing them to
ship -four and grain east by way of Green
Bay or Manitowoe aud the kes, or to
ship their wheat TO the Touring mills at
Neenah and Menasha, and all along the
Lower FOX river water power to be con>
verted into -four and forwarded to market.
At this time when the agitation OF this
most important work Is again being renew
ed, to be followed up we trust, to a final
consummation, and before it has become
chronicay fixed in any given corporation
under which the work must be organized
constructed and consummated, We desire
to say word that would seem 10 US impor-
tant especially in view of the history of
former corporations that have received
their charters from the State, there
under constructed their TO DIS, and that
have In turn each become consolld ted into
one or the other of the combined monopo-
lies OF the Northwestern and st. Paul
Railways: monopoiies that are now dlcta-
ting for freights and passage their own
prices, prices that are enormously high,
that are onerous and depressing to the ma
teriai interests oil the State and that exceed
several times the amount necessary TO pay
dividends on the reasonable cost OF con
structing and stocking the roads by them
operated. These statements are notorious
Is true, and we conclude that when atten-
ton is called to them are sufficiently mani
fest Tor present purposes.
The general object to be attained in COM
structing railway from Lake Michigan
and the pineres of Northern Wisconsin to
the Mississippi River and the prairles of
Wisconsin, illinois and Iowa, the motive
that prompts it, the moving power, Is the
opening OF new markets for produce, AID
an exchange of commodities,
The pralries require our lumber shingles
agricultural implements aud manufactured
articles generally we need the grain In
the lumber camps, and III our cities and
villages, and to keep up the whir OF indus
try IN the vast brigade OF Touring mills
Oh the Improvement
All the important towns along the pro
posed road have railway facilities and
might now obtain our products, or pro
ducts of ike character, might ship their
grains to the mills equally near or more
convenient Then why the necessities Of
further railroads ? The Northwestern and
ST. Paul railways might furnish all the Ia
clllties of transportation that co Id posi-
bly, be required under any contingency to
ship our lumber and manufactured articles.
Then again why the necessity OF further
railroads? 1t Is competition that Is needed
which Will remove the existing embargo,
that by high tariffs rule out the pro1uc
tions of certain markets. The construction
OF the road under consideration, II properly
guarded, will give the people along the route
competition In transportation aud compet>
ing markets as we'll What they desire is
a permanently competing railroad; and
not a railroad that Is SO owned and control
ed that as soon as it is constructed and In
operation, the stock can be bought up by
the existing monopo,ies. and added to auu
consolidated with them as another link in
the ir chain that has already well nigh be-
come thespower that throttles and controls
the material interests of the State. rather
than as corporation whose tranchs Sc
came from the people through the Legis-
lature, the consideration of which was the
influence they would have in developing
the resources of the country and bringing
permanent and continuous prosperity 10
the same: with the privilege OF charging
for passengers and freight whatever
rates would return to the corporation a
liberal percentage on the reasonable cost of
their railway.
The question now is, how can we secure a
permanently competing road?
To our mind it is simple, and is for the
load to be owned and controlled by the
people In their corporate capacity, along
the line OF the route of the proposed rail-
road counties, cities, towns and villages
along the route, taking and owning the
stock, or a majority OF it, say two thirds
and paying for tn, same portion in mon
ey and the balance in bonds payable at
some future day when the road shall have
been built and put IN operation. The
stock so oWaed and controlled by COUNTIES,
cities, to3cas and uiliages to be non transfer
able, and 10 be Jorerer the property Of SAID
corporations.
Thus might the railroad be owned and
controlled by the existing monopolies.
No route would afford more business
or be more certain to sustain itself. We
would second the move of the Wisconsin,
State Register for meeting at Madison
OF the representatives OF every section IN
terested in the construction of this road
and especially in view of securing perma :
nentty competing road If the press along
the route will take hold with a will, and
bring the subject properly before the PEG
pie; let them know OF is advantages, how
1t alll increase the value of their property,
give an impetus to manufacturing, improve
their local markets build up cities, and
towns all about it, we believe they would
furnish the means to build road and tina
speedily.
KINDNESS TO Mich Cows. Mr. Will
lagd says, in the Utica Herald; 1--WE
have often wonderediwhy men OF natural,
Iy saving disposition, who would be shocked
to see a pint of milk spilled in the milk
house, should allow quarts and gallons to
be lost in bad management Of the herd in