The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-06-27
Communicated.
SUPERIOR AND ST CROLY LAND
GRANT


roads,. Paul Press, 24th
In the above article question is distinctly
put and it is the endeavor of this article. at
least in some particular, to answer it. Why
parties (and the Pennsylvania delegation par
ticularly) will vote for one grant, and refuse
to vote for another equally meritorious and
needed by much the same section of country
and people, is the question.
1t is we'll known in this section that those
interested in the Lake Superior & Mississippi
R. R have always been the active and un-
compromising opponents of this grant. The
parties principally interested in the above
mentioned R. r. are Jay Cooke and his co.
horts, Pennsylvania men. Is it strange that
they with their means and influence should
have succeeded in arraying the Pennsylvania
delegation against this grant?
Jay Cooke, the Bane of Wisconsin" once
bought and held this grant for the purpose Of
killing it. He and his agents and friends
have by both fair means and foul, always
used their best endeavors to the same end
both in and out of Congress.
Now for some of the reasons.
It is well known that Cooke and his friends
are the principal holders and owners in the
Lake Superior 4 Mississippi R. r., a road
running from St, Paul, Mimi, to the Bay of
Superior at Duluth, on Lake Superior, dis
tance of l56 miles 1t is also well known
that until the last year this road has hardly
earned its running expenses (as shown by r.
R. Commissioners Report for Minnesota) to
say nothing of the interest on its debt of ST.
100000. It IS solely to protect tbs personal
property that Cooke and his firie,eds have used
their best endeavors and spent their time and
money for years to defeat this grant, by any
and all means, in season and out; to protect
their interest they are willing to sacrifice
to keep its northern half wilderness, to er-
act tribute from every bushel of wheat raised
in Minnesota and Wisconsin that they can
get TO carry, and all this-why? because they
oceH knoD should the Superior 4 Saint Croix
railroad be built the Lake Superior & Missis-
sippi railroad would be practically useless
because more expensive) as an outlet to
Lake Superior for both Minnesota and Wis
consin.
Let US look at its comparative carrying ca
pacity as a railroad, compared with the Supe-
rior and St. Crox railroad if built The L.
). Il NJ R. R., as to the location of its Saint
Paul end, may well, and successfully, chal-
lenge comparison with the location of most
any r. R. in the United States, as a n,oua
nse,t of engineering stupidity and ignorance.
Leaving the st. Paul depot it passes up Pha-
lan's creek with a gradient of l07 feet to the
mile, and on it sharp reverse curves without
tangents. An engine that will draw 81 cars
on a level viii draw but 10 on a gradient of
loo feet to the mile. This may give some
idea of the capacity of the St. Paul end OF
the road. The main line of the road for say
l30 miles is nearly straightand without OBJ
jectionable curves or gradients.
Let US look at miles of the 2f leading
down from the Height Of land at Dalles of
the ST. Louis river to waters of Lake Supe
ror at Fond du Lac. On these 7 miles there
is a continuous gradient Of G6 feet per mile
with curves of 81 deg. radius, and five or six
high trestles, one of 10 feet. Here the law
of the road-to. sqtety-has at short intervals
placed large conspicuous signs that he who
rur (the engine1 may read, . S7oac your train
to to,a miles a, hour"-why? simply because
it is dangerous to run on those light built tres
ties any faster.
An engine that will draw "a ears on a level
will draw but II on a gradient of 66 feet to
the mile! Here there is an exhibit of the
carrying capacity of this road-the main line
of the road being controlled by about not to
exceed 10 miles of its two ends-limiting its
ability very materially as an outlet for Min
nesota lfor which purpose it was prolessedly
built) and on account of expense of running
adding largely TO the cost of transportation
on the same Grain from the Sioux City R.
r. necessarily goes over the St. Paul end of
this road, but the bulk of the Minnesota and
Wisconsin grain seeking an outlet to Lake
Superior takes this road at Saltwater, Lake
ST. Croix, thus avoiding the expense of the
l07 feet grade at St. Paul
The Superior 4 St. Croix railroad if buil5,
would leave Lake St. Croix TAT Hudson,
Wis., and reach the Bay of Superior with a
length of line say I3S miles with no gradients
TO much if any exceed 40 feet to tie mile, or
curves of over I deg. radius. An engine that
will draw 81 cars on level viii draw % on
a 40 feet gradient, to say nothing of the diff
ference as between s. deg. curves on the L.
5. Il NJ r. 4. as against 1 deg, curves on the
5. 4 St. c. r. r.
The above reasons "a knowledge of which
they have) may in some measure account tor
the violent and unreasonable opposition OF
Cooke and his friends, as shown through the
PENNSYLVANIA delegation, in their votes on
this land grant measure.
The Minnesota delegation in Congress land
out we believe have always worked manfully
for this grant-the building of road on
which they well know would add so much to