Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-01-18


NaIue Of water pnWcr........., .,..-. l41tO1 90
Value o. personal property, ...,.....' 10000 90
From which deduct product fromlands s72so,o %
Balance. ...,..'...... '''''.'.-.' S,Zo'pVu W
This being the deliberate opinion OF three highly
honorable ana competent gentlemen, who fully eG-
umiucl he whole question, there IL every reason
Ia believe that the award y just and il IL hoped
that Congress will accept the same The company
il in honor and IN law bound 10 abide HE award Il
The importance Of this Improvement il fully
understood by the people east and wesi. Its na-
tiuna importance is acknowledged on III! hands.
therefore recommend that you take such steps
az will lay The question in all its bearings before
Congress. There ought 10 be 10 hesitation on the
part of the General Government to promptly accept
the award and continue the work until the line Of
water communication between HE great lakes and
the Mississippi is improved as to answer all the
demands OF commerce.
RAILROADS
Among the causes which have led to the rapid de-
velopuent OF the material interests Of the state rail-
roads may be regarded a. the most important, and
tho past year has witnessed the construction of a
greater number of miles OF railway than any Ireyi-
Gus year.
road to hudson has opened out region OF country
greatly IN need Of such !ipe Of communication,
and the large and increasing business that it is
transacting, shows that its construction not III
advance OF the business by which It is to be sup
ported.
The Central Wisconsin, which has built and
placed III operation sXtysIN miles this from
Meuasha to Stevens Point, is rapidly pushing for
ward to Bayfield, on Lake Superior, which point it
is expected viii be reached within the present year,
and viii open up vast country to settlement,
which hitherto has echoed only to the sound Of the
lunbermans axe or the rifle Of the huntsman,
while the Northwestern railroad has pushed with
energy It's northern extension from Green Bay
until il has reached the Meuomonee rIEer and in a
few months will be IN connection with Lake ST.
peror aud its Northwestern "'t1nslon now COM
peted to keedsburg, 1t Is expected w!ll Teach the
NJ ssissippi river at La crosse WI twelve months.
The milwaukee and Northern ralGoad passing
through a rich ana populous country and one
greatly in need Of such facilities, will soon be in
connection with Fond du Lac and Menashu..
Oshkosh has joined hands with Ripon, aud Fond
Gu Lac viii soon do SO. Green Bay is rapidly con-
structng line to the Mississippi, While the Madi-
son and Portage is being extended up the valley Of
the Wisconsin to Grand Rapids and stevens Point.
The rapid and easy tran sit of passengers and
freight by rail, has given that mode OF conveyance
the preference all other systems and SO strong
~ impressed is every community with this fact,
that they are often induced to giant aid, to secure
near at hand, this most desirable method of trans
portation, greatly in dsproportlon to their ability
10 paw aud greatly i'll excess of the advantages to
be obtained.
On the first day of January, 1871, there were in
operation withiu the limits OF the state, ,2JS
miles Of railway, and on the first day OF January,
1872 Lass miles, representing cost either actual
or fctiIieas of nearly one hundred millions Of dol
lars This vast concentration of capital Ia one in
state, and il may with truth be SAID, that there Is
40 branch of industry within the state that Is not
dependent apon railway facilities, and which I'M
friendly action on the part of railway managers
may not ~ any Inc crush ont
The railway interests OF TIL state have grown to
their present pro portions without any general sys
TEN and with little responsibility to the people Of
the state, and the opinion among railway managers
seems generally TO prevail that their will is the
supreme law. This Is an error which ought to be cor
rected.
Railroads are public corporations, and as such are
authorized TO take private property on making just
compensation right which can only be given where
property is taken f0V public use.
Ii then, railroads are public highways, the public
are entitled TO the fullest benefits to be derived
thereiron, after allowing the stockholders reason
able dividend their capital invested and to secure
both parties in the fun enjoyment OF their Just
rights the most adequate protection should be given
[ do not regard the railway management Of this
state az less air liberal than that OF other states
Trains are ran with regularity and safety, and the
travelling public has been wei accommodated SO far
as theI physical comfort and safety Is concerned.
Nevertheless, there ire c Wplalnts OF unjust dls-
elimination il particular localities, Tor winch itls
claimed tutIc no redress ana mat fAtts 81
trans psrtatlOn generally are unnecessarily hsh.
pass no Judgment upon these Complaints as
have no such personal knowledge ~ to enable me
TO do so; hut this interest has become 50 Important
and is so vital to the prosperity OF the whole state,
that | recommend the organization OF 4 board or
Railroad commissioners, with power 10 inquire
into al complaints and abuses, ana 70 exercise
General Superyision over the operating OF the
e-aI railroads within the state and to recommend
euch le,i,atatiuu as may seem 10 them eNpediert,
and report annually 10 the Governor
rfrronsteiy our constitution gives TO the Leg
is,sr5re a Quite control oveG jhs Whole question,
pud hope that there viii Ne no hesitation IN APP
pIvinr an adequate remedy 20 every Just cause OF
we racrice Of giving bonuses iu aid Of the coz
-tructiau OF railways, il not 70 De condemned
where the communities cnuuue themselves within
rag.onabe limits, and the bonus is not dispro-
portioEed to the benefits to be derived ihut there
bss been degree Of geckessuess IN this regard
thng has brought great distress ON many localities.
After Jhe explosion vt the farm mortgage system,
,girf, brought hundreds OF farmers % bankruptcy
ANA ruin the next device was to iuGucg the towns,
counties ana e,ties TO loan their credit in aid Of
various railroads Towns that Wr tue most prom.
isng %. amy IN the stste, N evil hour were pei
suadyd 60 loan their tar beyond ear talr all
itv aidn the construction 81 railways the eNpec
tatiau that the ben fits would add largely 70 their
business and prosperity that they could easily pay
the debt created fer that object. In almost every
instance disappointment has been the res suit and in
stead II the great advantages predicted, they find
. themselves buried beneath almost hopeless debt,
and ther prosperity greatly impaired qr destroyed
WIN .ac many example, u 'a'- Sind which the
state afuls-fTst, in he ruined farm nort-0Eurs
and. next III the embarrassed aua .Eg>lr4lC towns
-it was reasonable % cNpect tlattaa people would
he morc cautions about luro wing themselves iu
debt beyond t.e'g reasonable ability % paw But
-Bla appears ult tn be the taet, and as near Sc
can learn There bass hgru as much TrgAle--u essaF
ever during rae uus year j.. voting sgeh bauuties
IHe a.>ga, ton ~ eEe ~ btS Tor future genera
ti01s ga paw appears universal.
Aa.tl taUte my be no CREST aettIan 70 ans
community .4S.R- itself eaga year ~ limited
amount % 4u nt sgsn public -a EruFcMelt- IS tie
uNaF.. NAV .e-8 Eeau-s-rr t8g g1e lNh.i WEI
saza-t1 saaa En@-grIrF with NeA1| aeais Tor
.aaa aa sTi- San only result E 5s'l'at. ~ aA4
disgrace. AS S reHuarar. measure & s.fety,