Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-11-26
Wanted-A Railroad.


selves to b isolated every Spring
and Winter by circle of snow and
mud 80 or 40 miles in diameter, and
out of sight and hearing of the iron
horse at all times, without losing our
present prominence among the grow
ing towns and villages in the western
part of the State. We shall lose our
present political, social and business
advantages. Our most enterprising
citizens will go where there is more
hustle and business, and our lack of en-
terprise will expose us to the ridicule
of localities whose active men have
more foresight, boldness and push
about them. Lancaster has certain
ly not satisfied its ambition and
realized all its wishes by sending
down TO Galena a deputation of lis
citizens as it did few weeks since
live had the means, or the money,
or as some think, if the Changers had
withheld their fire a little lpnger,
some eastern capitalists whose funds
are idle might have been persuaded
to invest money in a broad gauge
competing line from Dubuque
through central Grant TO Madison.
But this project, if it ever existed in
any sane mans brain, has been
smashed for years TO come, and We
are only left to send an invitation to
our great grandchildren to celebrate
the commencement and completion
of that job.
Late years there has sprung up an
active trade between Lancaster and
Dubuque. Some say, let US build
railroad from Lancaster to Dubuque.
Who will help US? Dubuque is al
ready loaded down with city indebt-
edness for railroads and public works.
A railroad to Dubuque would ship
our hogs, live stock, wheat and heavy
freight To Dunleith. 1t would never
cross over TO Dubuque and thence
back again on it's way to Chicago.
Such a road would empty its freighrs
at Dunleith, which would ma urally
fall into the hands of local or Chicago
buyers at that place, and would be
of no more advantage to Dubuque
than if landed at Galena. Dubuque
builds and helps to build roads on
the west of her. She will not aid in
building a road east as long as the
great river divides her from Wiscon-
sin. A railroad from Lancaster to
DunleiLh would help that place, but
it has no capital to help US build
such road. One or two towns in
this county alone would have to turn
ish the money.
1t is wasted breath to talk how
much better a connection With Madl-
son would be to Us than one with
Plattevile and Galena. But as sure
as railroad reaches Lancaster from
any direction, it will draw and bend
other roads toward US. But to say
the least, Lancaster and the sur
rounding country should not object
TO a connection by rail with Platte
Vile and Galena and the southern
part of the county. Both trade,
business, travel and the future wei
fare of the county demand such a
connection. 1t is the only one pos
sible at present, and for years to
come Then let Lancaster and the
adjoining towns go 10 for 1t, II 1t can
be had on reasonable terms.
This matter of transhipment at
Galena has been a great scare 10 cur
mind as In the minds of others. AT
ter Investigating the mysteries OF
railroad competition, we find that
the narrow gauge feeders, Several OF
which roads are 10 project to unite
with the Illinois Central and Mil
waukee & St. Paul roads, will be al
lowed to share their earnings with
the main trunk on the same terms
as though they were of broad gauge
width. THIS very liberal treatment
of the narrow gauge is to prevent
competing lines of this new system
of roads being extended to Chicago
and Milwaukee. The narrow gauge
begins in the interior, and the wide
roads VIII capture them until they
begin at the lake cities and extend
into the country.
In fact if the people of Lancaster
and central Grant do not wake Up
and make some attempt to link our
village and surrounding territory
with the busy, growing market cen"
ters and the rest of the world, the
next best thing is to apply to Uncle
Sam and have him build "a wall
around US fifty feet high, after pre-
posed model be is considering for
the purpose of enclosing the great
national park in Idaho, in which
living specimens of all the wild and
native aboriginals and animals are to
! be kept and preserved to satisfy the
curiosity of the enterprlsipgi tourist
Perhaps he may pay Us visit IN our
happy enclosure.
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