Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-10-05

10 the citizens Of Mineral Point:

| ! can say Will arouse my nelgnbors anu
fellow citizens to a realizing sense Of the
great danger which is impending over
them, growing out of the efforts in pro-
gress to extend our railroad from point
about six miles south of the city, up the
west branch of the Peckatonica, ria
Mififn and Blue River to Tomah And
yet feel that should justly incur their
censnre, if these efforts should prove
successful, and | were TO remain silent,
and raise no voice to avert the danger
1t is unnecessary to depict the disas-
trous results which the extension OF the
railroad from that route would bring up.
on our city. 1t would become the main
line, and the business on so long a
through youte would demand several
trains daily; while Mineral Point would
be only the terminus of IA short spur, six
miles long, so short that 1t is doubtful
! whether the business OF this single sta,
ton would pay the operating expenses
attending it, and we should ha e only
occasional trains, and it is not i'm proba-
! bic that the road would be abandoned
J altoge her 1t is, at any rate certain
that the machine and repair shops would
| be removed to some pOiut on the main
! line, which would be more convenient
for its business We should lose all the
business from film and Linden, and
all the territory West and North OF there,
/ and for a few miles East and South,
while the business we now get from
Dodge lille and its vicinity would be la
/ Bile to be diverted to the Cross Plains
station, which would be only about nine
or ten miles west from Dodgeyilie, over
level ridge road even If not to the Mil,
waukee " Prairie du CHEN Railway by
an Independent narrow guage railroad
which is already in contemplation. Lit>
! tie business would be left US from out
side the city limits, except from the
towns of Mineral Point and Waldwick,
and small part of Willow Springs
! The results upon the business aud Iros.
perity of our town may be imag lined, but
cannot be adequately described
These dire consequences can be avert
! ed, and we not only retain our present
business and prosperity, but greatly in-
| crease 1t, If the proposed extension can
| be secured from this city ria Dodgeville,
Otter Creek and Pine RIVER in Rchand
County, to lomah This is the route
upon which it was first proposed to con-
struCt the extension, and upon which
/ the surveys were made. But that prop,
/ ostlon was made IN connection with the
idea of paying the county indebtedness
| or some portion Of it, and was 50 repug~
! nant 10 the people, that 1t met with but
little favor except in Hpdgeville, and
! he proposition was Withdrawn.
! know that many are resting in the
| bellies It at there is no reason to suppose
| any extension OF the railroad will lie
made on any route. If we were certain
! Of this we might safely continue passive,
/ content with the business we now have,
/, with such increase rs will result from
the natural growth OF the country, and
| from such encouragement as We may
give 10 manufacturers. But | cannot
persuade myself that such belief is
! well founded. On the contrary, | think
! those who entertain It are reposing on
! deluson which will iavolve Us all in the
! calamity of los.n Ous business, destroy
! ing our prosperity aud the value OF our
property, and result IN the emigration OF
oar inhabitants to other and more pros>
porous places; unless we shall take some
/ effective steps to divert the efforts al
rniirord extension from the Mitliln route,
/ which will be SO destructive to our IN
t"rcsts, to the podgcvllle route, VIII ca
/ viii so largely promote them | beg,
implore my neighburs, my friends, and
my .enrmles, if have any, to awake
from their false security, and open their
eyes 10 the ruin which is so imminent
| an no alarmlst, but tell you that the
men concerned in thie railroad extension
mean business, and | hope you Will
! dnd il out before it is too late
/ know full. well that my motives will
/ be assailcd by some who cannot perceive
tho danger which is 40 apparent to me ;
+ bat knovlag AS do, that | have no
other mott than the best good of my
fellow citizens, ana giving this warning
] Voluntarily aud without suggestion or
reques, from any person, assume ehe
lul risk OF all asper8ions that may be
cast upon Cae by any one have stated
/ that the railroad L. to be extended to
Tumah over some route, and | viii give
some Of the reusone upon which that
belief Is founded
LIST When any party has the disposi,
ton, ability and authority to engage in
such an enterprise aud sufficient motive
lsr doing it, and seriously declares the
lnSentiou ~ engaging IN II; the vase
and safe course Is 10 act as though that
,nfaptt,p ,Sautd he mt I'm execution
"a It Is well kYown that the parties
most interested ia tua Mineral Point
Railroad, especially MIR Iayemeysr
ex,Mayor of News York who Is repntcd
10 be a millionaire. possess abundant