The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-02-23
A wisconsin Midland Road to Chiea.


Mr.. E. B. Phillips, recently President
of the Lake Shore & Michigan South
ern Railway, has become identified with
a projected enterprise Of the first i'm
portance to Chicago and the Northwest.
1t is that of a great trunk line running
midway through the entire length of
Wisconsin, y. ". and s. +. with
branches across the entire breadth of the
State, its northern terminus Superior
I City; perhaps also at point on the
Northern Pacific Road, giving nearer
route to Chicago, in effect, Ike southern
terminus of the system.
Let the following points be taken;
Madison, Wis. (present the terminus of
Mad Div. G.. s N. W. 13S miles
from Chicago Portage So miles north
of Madison, to which railway has just
been been completed; Stevens Point
| 70 miles north Of Portage, ON the Wis
consin river; Bayfield,, POS miles or Du-
Iuth Tor Thomson on n Pac) abuut $50
miles N. n. W. of Stevens Point.
Here you have route in round num-
bers Of 40 miles from Chicago. to a
connection with the Northern Pacific
Road, parallel IN its general direction
with the lines now pushing on through
ST. Paul to junction with that great
highway Uia the ST. Paul & Pacific r. r.
Branch. This is the natural ultimate of
the system which Mr. Phillips is under
stood to have identified himself just as
the termini Of the great Gulf and Next
can lines are the detectives of the Joy
and Missouri, Kansas & Texas SYSTEMS
of the Southwest. It is no step from
the sublime to the ridiculous to descend
from the project so vast to beginnings
which are small only because they are
recent. Everything is suspicious of the
realization of the scheme, the directness
and Typographical practicability of the
route; the vast through" interests
which attract railway progress toward
THE Northwest the franchises placed
within its reach and the wealth of the
soil, forest and mineral along the entire
| line and last but not least the capital
that has been attracted to it, and the
men who have taken hold of it.
From Manitowoc midway on the west
coast Of Lake Michigan, about 100 miles
north of Milwaukee, a road has been
long located to the foot Of Lake Winnie
baeo, and "a little northwest to Stevens
Point projected thence due west to the
mouth of the Chippewa River, about so
miles above Winona. This is known as
| Tue NldUltUWOC O N1lHHGSOid llOdu anu
it is now practically identified with the
and Superior Railway Companp OF
this Co. Hon. Geo. Reed is the Presi-
dent 1t has government land grant,
located, at the Northwest extension of
the line as projected, on the divide be-
tween the Wisconsin and Chippewa riv-
ers, and that separating the tributaries
of these and the Mississippi, from
those flowing northward into Lake Supe-
rior.
The area embraces the choicest and
most accessible timber of Wisconsin
growing in a soil Of great agricultural
fertility ; and the undeveloped new
fields Of upper Lake Superior. An ex-
animation was made last summer of the
entire line and the country around it !;
and with the portion to Stevens Point.
Mr. Phillips has made himself familiar
by observation. This examination had
reference to proposed arrangement
with Eastern capitalists represented by
Gardner Colby of Boston.
The negotiations resulted in contract
between the r. r. Co. and Messrs.
Phillips and Colby, contractors, by
which the latter are to build the road
from Manitowoc to Stevens Point, about
ITO miles, provided satisfactory
local aid IS extended On the eastern por-
ton.
This Company have consolidated with
the Portage, Stevens Point & Lake Su-
perior r. r. Co., CIV. w Corning, of
Portage, Pres and will build the ex-
tention of the Madison & Port r. r.
from Stevens Point, about y miles, the
survey to be made within 60 days, and
the road to be completed by, or before
the fall of 1872.
The financial basis of the enterprise is
most adequate. The cash subscriptions to
the stock amount to 50, 900, 900; and to
these have been promptly added by mu-
nicipal vote the local aid asked-the
towns of Neenah and Menasha. 800, 600;
| Weyauwega and Waupaca, $l00,0 !;
| and Stevens Point and Portage Co.,
800, 600, together with the right Of way
| for the road.
Leaving wholly out of the account the
! land franchises OF the company, and the
value OF the timber and mineral pro-
| duets Of its domain north Of the line of
| present settlement, 1T is sufficient to
remind our readers that the lines which
we have described as under immediate
construction lie wholly within the best
| developed wheat and manufacturing re-
gion of Wisconsin The enterprlsing
towns of Neenah and Menasha, at the
| foot of Lake Winncbago, have no less
than 6 Touring mills, and their lumber
manufactures (both rough product and
skilled work. are already Of first import
ancc. We speak of these particular
towns not on account of THEN want of an
| outlet (Which they already have over the
G.. & n. ". r. r.. but simply as illus
trating the general character Of the en-
tire country, rich in soil, timber and
mineral, and with water power unlini-
| ted.