Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-09-16

| - = - 81 IE'b1 bhCti JlOuuCiS GA l
the Mississippi and then back again
the same as putting two great river.
between themselves and their eastern
Iiniarket. Agior river transportation
1t may be reached from reveral small
points in Grant county
But some of our citizens see OF
picture they see a smoke rising from
the locomotive Of a narrow gaaee
radiating from Milwaukee and coming
direct to Grant county certainly to
Lancaster The general laws Of the
State authorize any persons not les,
than five to organize themselves into {
railroad company. There isa narrow
gauge railroad company organized in
that city for the purpose Of SO building
narrow gauge and branches in any
direction where the people along the
route will furnish them the money to
build it. That company comprehend
the situation. Roads must hereafter
be built by the people along the route
We can organize a company here in
Lancaster to build to Milwaukee on
the same principle and with as much
prospect of success as that company
can build road to Lancaster. You
can not find company or even a pri-
vate person but that will build us a
road if we furnish the money. Mr..
Robbins will build us a road, NJ. Y.
Johnson will build us q road-on
these terms, and guarantee us in adj
vance some $4,000 nearly on the
freights we will deliver to his narrow
gauge at Plattevile.
1t is the policy OF this system OF
roads (and they are capable Of doing
so,) to spread out into many branches
and without doubt if such road ever
comes from Milwaukee, a branch viii
come to us if we will furnish the
money to build it. But we do not
wish to be humbugged, to be cheated
out of practicable, invaluable and
ar immediate connection with Platte
vile by exaggerated reports of a mil
lion of dollars already subscribed in
Milwaukee for the construction of this
cherished railroad that capitalists in
England have already forgotten the
Potter Law, and have agreed to in
vest $1,000 or $4,000 per mile in such
a road. If the company has the capi-
al of John Bull under its control, in
the name Of Heaven, shy does it not
| 90 to work and at least commence
building the road. The country is
open for them Everybody knows
who has studied the matter, that the
business men of Milwaukee will not
spend millions of dollars upon mar
row gauge from their city to Dubuque
when all they have to DO TO connect
themselves with the centre Of Grant
county at Platteyilc is to complete
the % miles Of railroad between Mon
roe and the Mineral Point road -
from P}atteville to Dubuque there
would be about the same distance.
Milwaukee would then have a broad
gauge connection terminating at Du~
buque, another a. Prairie du Chen
The country between would be raked
by narrow gauge feeders. When
ever the business men Of Milwaukee
| ucNCi llllllC Oll h COIhtSth'l III - u
buque they will doubtless carry out
their original programme, which now
only lacks 40 miles OF completion.
The Importance Of completing this
connection has been insisted on by
delegations from the west one head
ed by Hon. H. S. Magoon made a
deep impression on the Milwaukee
Chamber of Commerce, but it ended
in smoke. And now there is another
smoke rising in that city which some
of our hopeful citizens are sure will
light on the earth and solidily into a
narrow gauge which is to reach Ian
caster.
We tell our people with confidence
that the wealth of Milwaukee is not
in such insane hands that it will be
trmbled by millions into narrow
gauge connection with Dubuque,
when 40 miles of broad gauge road
will complete that connection, and
enable that city to realize something
from its immense outlay in running a
road as far west as Monroe.
SO if the people of Lancaster desire
a narrow gauge connection with Mil
waukee, let them organize a company,
get the money along the route and
build it. We can do that as easily as
the Milwaukee company can build
toward Us, for we can begin our road
at that city, if we can get the funds.
But we can get a connection with
Chicago and with Milwaukee too
when the Monroe road is extended
by building some 90 miles of road to
Plattevillc We ought to do it.
But how shall we raise the funds.
Suppose the people Of Lancaster vote
a tax OF S43, 900. Then let individual
citizens after the town has subscribed
the $4,000, subscribe some 800,
$500, $500 or $1,000, perhaps more.
Then let every taxpayer who cannot
subscribe a larger amount, subscribe
at least per cent on his assessment
for 1874. In many cases these sub
scriptions would be paid in labor and
in furnishing materials. This would
yield us in the aggregate at least $780,
900. The bonds coullnot be used till
the road is completed in whole or in
part. The subscriptions would have
to pay for labor and materials as tho
work progressed. If put to the worst
Mr.. Bell, one Of Pittsburg firm en-
gagged III the manufacture of narrow
gauge engines, says that he will bring
us contractor and viii engage to
grade, tie and equip road with
wooden rails for that sum, and fur
nish us with one engine. He will en-
gage the road, will do all our business