The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-07-13
OUR RAILROADS,


sition to re-voting the aid of 500, 600 for
the construction of the Manitowoc Rail-
way and states as the principal reason
that Appleton can secure another road of
vastly greater importance by the Milwau-
kee and Northern Railroad, the building
Of which can be secured for the sum of
100000; that during four months the
Manitowoc road would be practically of
no effect. because it is impossible for boats
to navigate Lake Michigan during the
winter months with any degree of speed
or safety, and in short that Appleton will
have less benefit from the Manitowoc
road thar it can obtain for less money by
the Milwaukee & Northern Railroad.
That whole article shows very plainly
where its Inspiration came from and it
would do very well if published by the
Attorney Of the Mil. & Northern Rail
r oad, but for an editor who claims to ap-
proach this question 'a0ithout prejudice
and a0tth an honest desire to guay,d the
public interest," it is barely ridiculous
Where is for instance the VASTLY great
err benefit for Appleton in the Milwau-
kee & Northern Road e? If that road is
ever built, and which is very doubtful,
Appleton will be connected with Milwau-
kee and no other place of the least i'm
portance to Appleton between the two
,,lo Al
itowoc it also connects with all the ls ke
ports between Two Rivers and Milwau-
kee by the Lake Shore road in a direct
communication, and also by navigation
direct frea Manitowoc with the entire
eastern part of the United States, with
all Europe-with the world.
That article further says that it is i'm
possible for boats to navigate Lake Michi-
gan during the winter months with any
degree of speed or safety Now if that
editor had ever been further than Green
Bay, he certainly could not help knowing
better than to tell such stuff; since our
harbor was built, there has not week
passed throughout the whole winter sea>
son that we have not had navigation open
and vessels and steamers entering and
leaving our port; besides this we have
the advantage of the shortest distance
to the Michigan Shore or around the
Lakes of any of the harbors on Lake
Michigan. Is not the Post awfully lame
pt
Where as your boasted advantage by the
Milwaukee & Northern Railroad? and is
such Misrepresentation approaching the
question without prejudice and with an
honest desire to guard the public inter
est ?'' or does the Post rearly think, that
the difference ofthe paltry sum of $780,
90 will balance the scales between Mani
towoc and Milwaukee?
But there is one point in this question
which the Post entirely omits to mention,
and that is the moral point. Something
| over year ago Appleton actually voted
in favor of 100000 aid to the Apple
| ton & New London Railway Company
and that Company made its arrange
ments for the earliest possible completion
by large contracts and heavy purchases
! in full reliance on that aid. By some
legal quibble it has been decided that
Appleton is not legally obliged to fulfil
this promise of aid /; and that it may aid
| the Road legally it has to vote tie same
aid over again. Now to disown this NOR
al obligation would it not be the hight of
infamy for Appleton as much as it would
be for single individual to refuse his full
/ Glmeft of an engagement because he
| cannot be forced to do so by law?
With these few remarks we leave it to
the Post,to acknowledge the error of its
ways and henceforth to try to remedy the
evil it may have already done by an hon.
est, fearless expression in full favor of
the already promised aid to the Apple
ton and New London Railway Company.