Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-08-12
GRANT COUNTY RAILROADS.
Thirty Years of Hard Work
Thirty Roads Not
Built.
Iron Steeds Bound for the
Pacific Strangled at a
"Point in the Mis-
sissipp1."
An Interesting Historical Review.


roads have been projected into
and through Grant county, and yet
the county is almost without rail-
road! IF one had all the speeches
that have been made upon the sub.
iect and review before him of all the
work that has been done, he could
imagine that large portion of the
people had spent much of their time,
from an age past, figuring upon the
subject of Grant county railroads.
Those who have not thought of it
will hardly believe that railroad was
mentally projected for Grant county
as early as 1913. At a time that
there was scarcely foot OF railroad
west of the Allegheny mountains, and
when, indeed, they were ill construct
ed and clumsily managed things every
where, Grant county was set down as
in the line of railroad destiny. But
the reader if not already posted, will
be equally surprised to learn that this
road was to begin at Lake Michigan
and-not to terminate until it reached
the Pacific ocean!
In 1843 and 1914 there was much
discussion throughout the Union as
to whether Oregon belonged to this
country or to the British crown. Peo-
pie were urged to 60 and settle there.
Many meetings were held for this
purpose and the press had much to
say by way of inducement But it
was very difficult-it was great nm
dertaking to go there. The anxiety
to people the country and the necessi-
ty of an easier mode of access sug-
gested to Asa Whitney, of New York,
the construction of railroad from
the lakes to the Pacific, with the
help of the Government. He me.
morialized Congress upon the subject
in 1874. In May, 1916, he addressed
the people Of the United States in or
der to bring a strong influence to bear
upon Congress. In that address he
spoke of the work as one which would
"change the world" as one which
would enable the people "to do more
than all mankind before had done;"
as "the greatest, the most magnificent
work of all ages and of all time;"
which "must civilize and christianize
all mankind" which must "place us
in the centre of the world, compelling
all Europe to pass through US to Asia
and Africa" etc. Then he asked
Congress to give him strip of land
sixty miles wide, extending from Lake
Michigan to the Pacific Ocean. He
thought the cost of the road would be
$50,O0O,00O. 1t seemed to be under.
stood that this road would come from
the Lake to the mines, striking the
Mississippi at Galena or Potosi; but,
July lst, Whitney was at Prairie du
CHEN, and informed Rev Alfred
Brunson that he had concluded to
start at Green Bay and go west,
crossing the Wisconsin either at Por-
tage or at the Dells, and thence on a
continuous ridge" to Prairie du
Chen. He chose that route because
many Of the lands south had already
been appropriated. Ira Brunson af-
forwards showed that the Galena or
Potosi route would be in many ways
preferable, and had Whitney's road
been built it is very probable it would
have passed through Grant county.
The people of Grant county, espec-
tally the miners, did not, however,
rest their dependence upon Whitney's
chances. Aside from that project the
first thought of railroad west of Chi
cage appears to have originated in
this county It's people had more
need of road than any other people
in the west and their necessity, like
the Oregon settlement incentive for
Whitney, was the mother of their in
vention. Vast quantities of lead were
the product of our mines and to ship
by way of New Orleans was very ex-
pensive. The subject was agitated in
1843 and grew warm in 1874. The
people here were enthusiastically in
favor of the road, but it met with
some opposition from Galena. Such
a road would take from that young
city her ''jobbing" trade. She was
supplying all the miners and all the
up country people. Potosi was anx-
ious for road and expected that and
her navigation Improvement to put
her ahead of Galena. A committee
was appointed, Of which Maj G. M.
Price, of Cassville, was chairman, to
report to the House of Representa-
tives upon the practicablity and ex.
pediency of the construction of rail-
road from Potosi to lake MICHIGAN.
He made very excellent report.
One route was to go up the rill which
runs through Potosi, and following
the ridge above its source, the road
would pass near Lancaster and Fen
whence there is a continuous
ridge TO Madison. have seen draft
of such road lately made by Survey
or Wilson, of Cassville. Looking at
it one can't help thinking that some