Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-04-22
THE RAILWAY SYSTEM OF WIS
00NSIN.
Al inssFview with Q B0scohel Grain Buyer
How the Railways UDlus,iy Discrinal.
Bato-Whst Merchants have TO say
OfFrcighs Rates-TreubIes
&C other Points Ia
she state.
foorrs.nonasnca = q. rnt.r.ooaanA


Boscobel, Wis. April !. 1873.
This town of 1000 inhabitants is
located on the Prairie du Chen di.
vision of the Milwaukee and ST. Paul
Railway. twenty.eight miles from
Prairie du CHEN and 166 from Mil
waukee. 1t nestles in the narrow
valley Of the Wisconsin River, about
one mile south of that stream, and
is the principal point for the trade
and products OF the fertile region ~
ing back of the bluffs on both sid.
of the river. The chief source of n
come of its Inhabitants is derived
from the exchange of gouds, wares,
merchandise and currency foi the
grain and live stock of it's neighbour
ing farmers. The chief item OF ex-
penditure is that paid to the station
agent of the Milwaukee and St. Paul
Railway for freights on receipts and
shipments. The town is not a COM
peting point, and according to the
system of tariffs in force on railways
in this State the freights are higher
according as the competition is less.
The Wisconsin river joins with the
Mississippi about thirty miles below;
but on account of intervening shoals
and bars boats seldom ascend thus
far. The only article upon which
there is no embargo is lumber, and
this is sold at low price beause ca
silly RATED down the Wisconsin from
the prairies further north. The
town is a type of class of equally
unfortunate municipalities located on
the Lacrosse aud Prairie du CHEN
divisions of the Milwaukee and ST.
Paul Company. Their residents and
neighbors twenty years ago invested
in these enterprises, and materially
assisted in tbs construction of both
roads, which were known as the Mil
waukce and Lacrosse Railway. L.
dividuals became subscribers 10 the
stock of the corporations, giving a.
security interest bearing notes Sc
cured by real estate mortgages, and
received in return bonds for stock
The Milwaukee and Mississippi and
the road to Lacrosse failed to pay in
terest on their bonded indt btedness
and upon foreclosure were sold
They were sold several times under
different mortgages, and finally came
into the possession of the pre,ent
owners. During the process the
bonds for stock and the stock deliv-
cred were rendered worthless bat
not so with the citizens. Payment
Of those was enforced to the last dol
lar of principal and interest, except
in some instances where compromises
were effected. Here in Boscobel
there was pointed out to your CORES
pohdent a number of men now poor
and earning q precarious livelihood,
who were once owners of improved
farms, but who aided the railway as
stated, and were finally driven pau
pers from homes as the sheriff sold
them out under the mortgages.
Not alone in this place are such men
found, but all along both these lines
they exist. One of them, formerly
the owner Of 200 acre farm which
was sold by the railway, is nov
working as common section hand
upon the road be has thus helped Is
build. These obligations sre GATED
"farm mortgages" and this term
throughout the State is but svBo-
nym for misfortune, by reason of the
history which attaches to the origi-
nails. The country was then more
sparsely settled than now, aud prop
erty was less valuable bat even un-
der such circumstances the railways
secured notes and farm mortgages"
to the amount of S1,775,O00. La ad.
dition to this aid Grant County, in
which Boscobel is located, has voted
subscription of $4,000 for like
purpose. After all this Improbable
experience Boseobel still remains
mele local, peting point
on the Prairie du CHEN division.
She paid to have a railway she has
one, and pays what her inhabitants
deem an unreasonable amount for
its support. Spring wheat is the
principal product of the surrounding
country, although winter wheat bar
ley and cats are raised extensively.
But little corn is shipped, that which
Is produced being fed to live stock
During the past year more than 50O,-
600 bushels of grain have been ship
ped and more than 1000, 300 pounds
of dressed hogs. BY far the greater
part of this freight has been con-igr-
ed to Milwaukee, although The Il 5
stock has found a market ia Ch,cag 4.
There are here four parties, or firms,
engaged in the business Of buying
live stock aud produce Without
exception they complain of the exor-
biant freight they are compelled to
pay, and to their grievances are ad-
ded those of the whole mercantile
and business community.
INTERVIEWS.
An interview was sought with F.
McSpaden. ESQ a grain buyer, who
stated that from his experience he
believed the railway fixed its freight
tariffs upon an unjust basis, not so as
to obtain fair rate, but on tho prin-
cipal of "keep all you get and get all
you can" He had shipped his
wheat uniformly to Milwaukee, be-
cause the inspection was more favor
able there than in Chicago, averag-
ing fully two cents better per bushel,
but shippers can sell by sample on
Change in Chicago and realize high
er prices than by sample or inspec~
ton in Milwaukee. The wheat about
Boscobel was of choice varieties, and
sought for far and near. He had re-
Gently shipped toSt. Louis 1876 sacks
of wheat, containing 33l bushels up
on which the freight was sil0 80
OF this amount for haul Of csc
miles the Milwaukee, and s.. Pan
received s6030, and the Chicago
Alton ard St Louis road for han