Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1870-04-26
Fox and Wisconsin River Improvement,

Inc ioiiowing report of the legiS-
lative committee to whom was re-
ferrod parts of the Governors mes
sage rotating to the Wisconsin River
Improvement, is published for the
information of the many in this part
Of the State who are interested in
direct water communication with
the Lakes and East. Tho length of
the report has prevented it's earlier
appearance in the Herald:
The joint Select committee to
whom was referred SO much Of the
Governors message as relates to the
Fox and Wisconsin river improve
ment, respectfully report that tho
practical suggestions and inquiries
submitted to the committee touching
the necessity of legislation to compel
the remodeling of the 'three railroad
and four common bridges on the
Wisconsin river, between Portage
and the mouth, so as not to endanger
the passage of boats" and also the
subject embraced in the resolution of
the PortageConvention, as follows:-
RESOLVED, That the legislature of Wis
consln be requested to make terms with the
Green Bay and Mississippi canal company by
which, IN the appropriation by Congress, the
rights and franchises of said company be sur
rendered to the government or TO the State,
have received their consideration
and as far as the "River Improve
ment' is concerned, legislation for
the reconstruction of bridges can in
no event be necessary until it shall
be definitely determined what plan,
or which OF the plans embodied in
the "tinal and working report" of
Gen. Warren, for improving the nav
igation along the Wisconsin river,
shall be fixed upon. 1t has been in
tlmated to the committee that in his
coming report to the general govern
ment, likely to be made within one
month, Gen. Warren will recommend
and urge the adoption substantially
OF what may be termed the "third
plan" which is to "secure five feet
navigation at low water, all to be
canal ll9 miles" and this plan adopt
ed, as it is TO be hoped it will be,
would obviate the necessity of legis-
lation on the subject Of bridges here
inbefore mentioned.
1t has been urged as an obstacle
TO the promotion of the Improve
ment," that the Green Bay and Mis-
sissippi canal company, a private
corporation, own aud control the
eastern end of this proposed line of
water communication, and that Con-
gress will not appropriate money for
the improvement on the west end
extending from Portage to Prairie
du Chen, until that company shall
surrender its franchises and rights
either to the general government or
the State. The committee have not
had time during the session of the
Legislature to investigate the value
of the property and franchises of
said company, but they have been
informed by the officers of said cor
poration, that the company is ready
| to enter into o contract with the
general government, provided it shall
undertake and carry through the
proposed Improvement, that when
the work is completed the tolls TO be
collected upon the entire line Wis
consin and Fox rivers) extending
from Green Bay to Prairie du Chen,
after providing for repairs and man
agement, shall be applied, one-fourth
to the company and three-fourths to
the United States, until the moneys
advanced by the general government
shall be fully repaid. That the COM
pany will improve the Fox river to
correspond with the Improvement
made by the government upon the
Wisconsin That as soon as the
United States is paid in full they
have the privilege of extinguishiug
the right of the compay to tolls by
proceedings similar to those resorted
to in the ordinary exercise of the
right of eminent domain, the pro-
ceedings TO be had before the circuit
court of the United States, and the
commissioners to be selected from
States not Immediately affected by
the work, and shall have the privil-
eye to be exercised ut once as afore-
said, of paying the sum found 10 be
the value Of the property and inter-
est of said company, by the applica-
ton thereto, SO long as shall be nee
ossary, of the total nett tolls, and
that thereafter the total work shall
be free from toll, excepting for re-
pairs.
| Under this agreement the money
advanced by the general government
to carry forward this great National
enterprise would be repaid by the
improvement, and in the end afford
a "free canal from the Mississippi TO
the Lakes"
The company further offers as a
distinct proposition for the extin-
guishment of their rights and fran
chises, to take the cost with interest
of constructing, repairing and main
tanning this improvement, less nett
land grant and tolls--tho same to be
sscei tanned by fair arbitration. all
things to be considered, the United
States to select one arbitrator, tn"
company one, and the two third
These propositions seem to the
committee equitable and fair on the
part of the company, and it is to be
hoped, will largely remove the OBJ
stacles heretofore in the way of one
the greatest improvements of the
age.
GEO. c. HAZELTON,
Chairman
A BAD OMEN.-One thing was
shown by the Canvass in this Town,
that has never before been known