The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1870-09-29

Line to the Fondulac road, and distance
beyond the latter, is gently undulating with
no steep hills nor deep ravines, requiring
only the plainest engineering skill to devel-
ope line that is all that could be d. sired.
The land is covered with a thick growth of
oak, hard and soft maple, yellow and white
birch, with now and then tall pine, and
but little underbrush. The soil is sandy
loan with clay subsoil, and exceeding rich
for farming purposes. At Fitzpatrick's,
Stull's, Dunphy's and other farms along and
near the line, corn, barley and oats, pota-
toes, turnips, cabbages, onions, &c. of re-
markable size and fine quality are raised
hat field of Norway oats at Fitzpatrick s
was the finest they ever saw in any coun-
try.
AS the road approaches the Lake Supe-
rior & Miss. and Northern Pacific II. Il. s
the country becomes more broken and
billy, but yet presents no particular obsta-
Gle in the way of a good railroad line. At
the present rate of progress the party will
reach the Northern Pacific junction in .
few days, but after reaching that point
they VIII likely spend week or ten days
longer in the woods, definitely locating the
line.
Great is the difference between the route
of the State Line II. r. and that Of the
Lake Superior & Miss. r. r. from the
Lake to the Northern Pacific Junction.
The latter is over two miles longer, fully
third we should think, is built either
through deep cuts or over high trestle work,
and in the last seven or eight miles, be-
tween Fonduiae and the St. Louis crossing,
the rise of land, some 500 feet, has to be
overcome, necessitating grade of 50 and
20 feet to the mile. In this distance the
road runs over one of the toughest pieces
of country to be found anywhere. 1t is a
succession of high hills with precipitous
sides and deep ravines, rocky gorges, and
chasms grand and terrific to the behoider.
Here are long and gigantic trestle bridges
$50 feet high, and cuts through the rock
of equal depth, with many sharp curves,
several of them Oh the trestles and in the
cuts. The building of this short piece of
road cost millions of dollars, and occupied
more time than the whole of the balance
Of the road, it being the last to be finished.
One Of the contractors informed us some
time since that the simple grading of the
line in this place cost over $4,000 per
mile! Although the road is in very good
condition, passengers have a mortal dread
of this part of the line, and nothing could
induce them to travel over it, were there
another and safer route.
That other route will be found in the
State Line II. II. which will run on an al
most east and west line from the Northern
Pacific Junction to the Bay of Superior,
being, as it will be, direct continuation Of
the N. P. into Superior over compara-
lively level country, following the " divide"
between the Nemadji and St. Louis Rivers,
with grade nowhere to exceed 80 feet to
the mile, no curves, and a shorter line
Who then can deny that Superior has
advantages superior to any other point at
the head of the lake? In addition to her
fine natural facilities Cor railroad connec-
tions she has splendid natural harbor Ca
papable of floating the shipping Of the
world, magnificent site 3or a great city,
\ surrounding country rich in timber, min
erals, and agricultural capacity, and eli
mate unsurpassed for health; and what
more need she ask?
We answer: capital, energy and emf
grafton, to assist us in building our rail
roads, in starting manufacturing, and in
developing our land and varied resources.
Let these be induced to come into the
country and our prosperity is assured.