The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-07-27
A. & N, L. RR,,


mutual enterprise
! While on late business visit to Mani
| towoc we took occasion to post ourselves
as to the workings and the prospects of
| the railroad from that city to Appleton
| and to New London We visited not
only the depot grounds in Manitowoc,
but also various points along the line of
the road. In the first place we were
stEaek with the fine appearance of the
! country along the route from this city to
Manitowoc Instead of the road running
as we had supposed through the dense
| woods and uncultivated farms, we found
! the whole country dotted with noble
farms, with their fruitful grain fields and
broad meadows. A wild country Not
| a bit of It. The lands for every mile be-
tween tn nd NJ. are of rolling nature
and of good soil. We saw some of the
best farms on this road that the State
affords, and all that is wanted to devel
op one of the best farming sections in
the west, is railroad, by which farmers
can ship their produce, and also make
their timber of use and value, by being
able to transport it in a manufactured
shape, or raw to manufacturing city.
At the Railroad Company s wharf in
Manitowoc we saw enough of the railroad
iron, with the spikes, &c, to iron first
class railroad distance Of twenty-eig ht
miles, which statement will give our
readers a more definite idea of the amount
Of iron there than the figures in tons.
The engine and platform cars were put
together and ready for work, and we
| noticed they were lettcred "A. & n. i.
! r. r. :" The bridge over the river at
| Manitowoe was completed, and the bridge
over the ravine west of M. was so far
completed that the next day after our
visit, saw it finished. This left the road
bed to the Branch-a distance of seven
miles-all ready for the iron, the laying
of which we were told was to commence
on Wednesday, the day we left for home
| And we do not doubt but that the actual
work of laying continuous rail on the
track on the A. & n. L. r. r. common
ed on that day. AT the Branch is a
rayine that will require from four to six
weeks to bridge The timbers for this
bridge are on the ground. Upon its
completion the entire line of 20 miles to
the county line is now ready for the iron,
the deep cut through Nettle Hill being
completed, we should judge, by this
lime. The cattle guards are put in at the
| crossings, and ties line the route A
good share of the route we walked over
We saw men at work al the places along
the line of the road not already fully
graded. There has been large amount
of money spent on this work, as we could
readily see, and Manitowoc is certain to
have a railroad outlet to the west of her.
Whether this outlet will be at Appleton,
or at rival city, remains entirely with
our people to determine for themselves.
For our part, we desire that the engine
''Benj. JONES'" which we saw standing
with its head light pointing toward APP
pleton, may not be turned around TIL it
reaches this city. Thus much of what
we saw of the railroad We heard no
vain boasting in Manitowoc-only earn
est and cheerful work, the manifestations
of a people conscious of their ability and
disposition to help themselves, and
unanimous in the work. 1t means bust
ness, and that railroad from Manitowoc
| is fixed fact now in spite of all the OBJ
stacles conflicting interests can throw in
its path.
While we are opposed to the whole
principle of bonding. we consider that
there are exceptions to the rule, and the
railroads now being built to encircle US,
and to leave Appleton powerless in the
clutches of giant monopoly, make this
one of them. Appleton must help itself.
or forever stand in the background. We
have thought 800, 600 too much to pay
for a railroad from Manitowoc to the
| west of Appleton. We now think, land
we base our apinion on actual observa-
tion,i that Appleton cannot afford to lose
| this road at any cost 1t is her life or
death. With the road we shall progress
as we should; without it, our noble col
lege, our grand water power, our manu-
featuring facilities, and all of our present
advantages will avail us naught. We
say this as our candid belief and if we
are wrong the error is of the head and
not the heart. Our interests are all in
| Appleton, and we desire to work only for
| Appleton welfare in this as we'll as in
every other matter. Others have right
| to their opinion, and we would not inn
pugn wrong motives to those who differ
with us In regard to the importance OF a
railroad to Manitowoc. We look on The
project as of vital interest, and we cannot
conscientiously allow the project
to pass before our people without
making our earnest appeal in its behalf.
| We have devoted much space to the sub
ject, but 1t is one that interests not only
our city, but our county from its eastern
line through to New London. 1t means
choice between railroad running
through our county and for oar o,cn in
terests, or for railroads running around
our county aud for the interests of
rival city. We claim to stand by our
own peoples interest in city and county
III this matter, and shall abide the re-
suit, confident that fair understanding
of the merits of the proposition before