Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-07-09
Proposed Railroad Connections with
the Lead Mining Region and
the Mississippi River

From the State Journal
The question is again agitated of
building line of railroad from Lake
Winnebsgo to the Mississippi, and
from the earnest manner in which
the subject is being discussed in our
exchanges, we Judge Il at the people
along the proposed line mean buSi
ness. OF course there are conflicting
interests and honest differing of opin-
ion as to the desirability or feasibiIi-
tv of such a road. The Oshkosh
Northeastern recently says:
To form railroad connection between the
banks of Lake Winnebago and those of the
Father of Waters was the object of those
who procured the charter for the O. & M. X.
r. r. Twenty miles of this road only have
been built, and leased for twenty years to the
Mil. & st. Paul company. This virtually
suspends operations al this end of the line
But the Sheboygan & Fond du Lac railroad
company have extended thei- line from Ripon
westward TO Princeton, VIII ich is nearly on
our proposed line TO the Mississippi. The
question will soon assume practical phsse.as
to the propriety and practibility of forming a
running connection with this road at Rlpon,
and then extending the line from Princeton TO
Portage
The move will start from the southwestern
portion of the State; or, rather, il has already
started. We are informed by Hon. Moses M.
Strong, of Mineral Point, that survey has
been made from Mineral Point to Portage,
and that the sum of $2S0,000 has been guar
anteed by the towns along the line. 1t is sup
posed that this sum will be sufficient, to in
duce the Sheyboygan s. Fond du Lac road to
extend branch from near Princeton to Port
age, to run from thence near Macon anie and
up the valley Of Mill Creek to Dodgevlle and
Mineral Point. Such a road will make a
continuous line from Oshkosh to the centre OF
| the lead mining region of this State. The on
| ly difficulty anticipated is in forming a run
ming connection at Ripon. BY the aid of the
| o. & VI. r. r. r. Co. and our citizens, such
an arrangement is possible, and would solve
the question so long discussed. This will
open to us a shorter route to Minnesota and
Iowa via the La Crosse and Prairie du Chen
roads and give good market for our lumber
and manufactures in the rich lead mines of
Iowa and Grant counties. We refer TO this
project so that our citizens may be ready 10
act when the time comes as they shall deem
for their interest.
1t would very naturally suit our
citizens better if the old line Of the
Oshkosh and Mississippi Railroad
should be followed, via Portage and
Madison, and we firmly believe that
the so-called Military Ridge Road
furnishes the very best and most
feasible route through to the river.
From persons who have recently
visited that section, we learn that
the citizens OF Lancaster. Fennimore,
Cassville, and other points in the in
terror of Grant and Iowa counties,
also prefer this route, as it would
give them more direct connections
with the State capital, as well as the
commercial metropolis of Wisconsin,
and they are determined to have a
railroad, even if compelled to build
and run it themselves.
The Mineral Point Railroad is now
running from Warren to Miner, !
Point, a distance of about SO miles,
and efforts are being made either to
extend it to Dodgeville and further
this way, or to connect and consoli-
date it with some other road that
will fill up the gap. A narrow guage
railroad is already paojected and be-
gun and will probably be built this
season or next, between Galena and
some point on the Milwaukee and
St. Paul Railroad. between Boscobel
and Prairie du CHEN, and the mar
row guage system is growing rapid
ly in favor in all the lead mining re-
gion.
The citizens of PlatteviIle have al
ready shown their pluck by build
ing railroad of their own, Is miles
in length, from PIatteville to Gala
mine, in Lafayette county, and
what they now ask for is an extern
sion of the Milwaukee and st. Pau
Railroad from Monroe, 10 Green
county, from 20 to 20 miles west to
connect with the Mineral Point Rail
road, and it would seem as though
the managers of the Milwaukee and
st. Paul, as well as the citizens OF
Milwaukee. would be very short
sighted if they do not give heed to
this request. By building few
miles of road, towards which the
towns along the line are ready and
willing to contribute their share, Mil
waukee would reach a splendid sec
ton of farming and mining country
from which it is now entirely cut off
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