Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-05-20


Lancaster having some weeks since
given Mr.. Robbins chance to talk
| about the Importance of Lancaster
having a railroad from Platteville,
and about the incompatible advan-
tages of the broad or standard gauge
over the narrow gauge having done
this it was but fair for narrow gauge
friends from Galena to be heard upon
topics connected with the extension
of their road through our county. So
on Saturday last, on the occasion of
the presence of several of the officers
of the Galena & Southwestern Wis
consin r. r. Co., aud Mr.. NJ. Y. John
son, the reported father of that road,
a meeting was held in the court.
house. About one hundred were in
attendance, but double the number
would doubtless have been present
bad longer notice been given. Sur
veyor Harding who lately Conduct
ed the railway survey from Lancas-
ter to Pla,toville, spread upon the
table maps showing the line survey,
ard profile Of the route. He explain
ed the genersl lay Of the land and
the grades on the entire line, section
by section, to Platteville ln order
to build a road over the line survey
ed grades as heavy as one hundred
feet TO the mile must be accomplish
ed in several places. He then read
the estimate of the cost of building
the road and equipments of the same:
APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF cosr-srANDARD GAUGE
East, l9OT7O yds, at rs cts. ....s47, 692 so
Rock IA 500 yds, at 81 25........ IS, l25 90
Masonry End c, ,l01 yds, at S.. 5.505 90
Masonry Sd c, LOIS yds.at 50 80 6,652 90
Truss Bridging, $50 IT at $50. 1.O40 90
Timber in Open Culyerts, rs 800
Cross Ties 60 1850 at IS cts 81 262 so sos e16 so
Cost Grading Masonry, Bridging 4 Ties s1O5.9 so
Right Of Way, 2iO acres, at s50.-sl200o 90
Cattle Guards, Road Crossing. $500 90
Fencing, 20 miles, at ss0o..... 10000 OO
Station Buildings, Tanks and
urntables................... 3ooo W 54oOo w
Grading without ron ...... ......... $iSs. 9l6 so
sUPERsTRUcTURE.
1920 Tons So ID iron, at s55 tel-lO0,l0O 90
1870 splice bars and bolts com
- pie Plsts 70 et; :; az -: Si iss GO
% miles track laying at 5000. 1920 90
IL frogs switch complete 100 200 90 sl24,o64 90
EQUIPMENT.
locomotives $500 each......... Is 500 90
so cars, at 650....... o2,oOO w ol,Ooo w
ro.al. ................ 1924 $50 so
Engine sring legal expenses. office and
contingencies 10 per cent...-.--. ~, iss 20
Total cost Of completed road ....... s357, AIS SIS
Length, including switches, % miles, per
mie..........-.... io<fS "
1t was noticed that the items above
footing $4,000, being the right of
way, grades, crossings, fencing and
station buildings, were not read to
the assembly. To be plain, there
seemed to be an effort to cover up
this additional item of cost in the
construction that would when the
railroad be built form part of the
total amount to be raised by the peo-
pie along the line. Mr.. Johnson ad-
dressed the assembly on behalf of the
G. & S. w. r. r. Co., and made a
very ingenious argument in favor of
extending that road to Lancaster.
His ideas upon the general subject of
the narrow gauge, the cheapness in
construction, equipage and running
expenses over the standard gauge
were admitted as correct. He sup
ported his statements by quoting
various reports aud authorities most
of which has heretofore appeared in
the HERALD. An informal meeting,
was again held in the evening in the
office of Col. Clark at which tho sub
iect OF the two gauges OF railroads
was further discussed. No PROPOSE
ton was made to the Grant County
Railway Go. by any Company TO
build railroad, nor was ono asked.
On the whole the information obtain
ed was useful, and we regard that
another step has been taken towards
securing the building Of the desired
railroad 10 Lancaster. The next
step will be taken when the Directors
receive defuite reply from Mr..
Beecher or his agent, Mr.. Cobb.
Ooe or the other will likely be heard
from in few days.