Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-02-18
THE RAILROAD.
Enthusiastic Railroad Meeting
at Dubuque.
The Dubuque, Potosi and
Lancaster Railroad
Company.
Election of Incorporators, Committees
Etc, Etc.
THE MEETING ON THURSDAY.


one from Lancaster, and the other
from Potosi, arrived last evening, tc
confer with our citizens as TO the
best method of constructing rail
road between Dubuque and the
points named. There was slim
attendance at the court house, q:
our people generally did not expect
the delegations to be present.
The meeting was called to order
by Gen. Geo. w. Jones, who nomi-
mated Mr.. NJ. S. Robson for chair
man. The nomination was approx
ed. Gen. Calls was elected associate
chairman, and Mr.. John G. Clark
and General Warner Lewis were
selected as secretaries.
Gen. Jones stated the object of the
meeting to be to create a feeling in
Dubuque in favor of running a rail-
road through Grant county, Wis.
and especially to Lancaster and
Potosi. If but one mile was built
he felt sure that it would be the be-
ginning of a road that would reach
to the seabord in the East and tC
Mexico in the South. 1t would at.
tain the length of thousands of miles.
Grant county had the best mineral,
the best land, the best wood and the
best water power of any county in
the United States. The General then
gave an account OF the failure to
secure the Monroe road, and pro-
ceeded to show the necessity for the
one now projected. If he could not
have iron rails, he would have wooden
ones if he could not have a wide
gauge, he would have a narrow
gauge. With wooden rails, which
had been demonstrated to be useful
the road could be completed il
twelve months. The pontoon bridge
would be the last link in the railroad
and over it trains could pass al
rapidly as if on land. The construc'
ton of the road would help the
construction of the bridge.
The chairman, Mr.. Robson, apolo>
gized for the paueity of the numbers
present, and explained the cause.
Judge Mills, of Lancaster, in reply
to call made for speech. said he
was not q railroad man, though be
had travelled on them and considered
them superior to sleighs. 1t was
impossible to tell the number Of
teams that the delegation met on
their way to this city, that were
returning to their homes after delivo
ering their produce in Dubuque.
This was the main trading point for
the greater portion of the popula-
ton of Grant county, and was the
largest city on the vert bank of the
Mississippi, north of St. Louis. The
utility of railroads was partially
demonstrated by the fact that on
the completion Of the 9 ID. Il Nj. to
Specht's Ferry, not much over two
years ago, the trade of Potosi was
drawn to Dubuque. Railroads, the
Judge remarked, make cities and
destroy them. He referred to the
damaging effect to Galena of the
pushing of the Illinois Central to
Dunleith. That city was stricken
and declined for several years but
she had aroused and completed 20
mile in length narrow gauge railroad
penetrating Grant county, and was
again on the upward track. The
terminus of the Gaena road was 1G
miles from Lancaster. There is a
large area in Grant county not
reached by railroads. We come &c
see with what commercial points
this portion can have communication
Col. Jones, who has map Of the
road, says it viii 60 to the north
star and to Mexico, when the latter
is annexed. The greater part Of
Grant county people prefer dealing
with Dubuque to Galena on account
of the Mississippi. If Dubuque builds
one mile, and organizes a company
it would excite a railroad Juror IN
Grant county that would test the
peoples earnestness. When they
send mon out such a day as this, you
can depend upon it that they will
contribute literally to the building
of a railroad. Grant county ha.
about 10000 population, and viii
pour the products of her farms, hoi
manufactures, and her live stocF
wood and mineral into the lap Of
Dubuque if the road is built. Rail
roads were both curses and blessings
They were necessary robbers. They
never stole SIS though, that they
didn't leave $500 after them. They
were mans omnipotence. He was
not afraid of railroad corporations
for legislation could control money
in their hands better than if it were
10 the hands Of individuals. In cases
where legislation has injured rail
roads, the stock was owned by q
few and not by the many. When
the citizens of towns along the line
of railroad own the stock, there il
no danger that they will send repro
senatives to inj1re them.
Judge d. s. Wilson, of Dubuqno
said that whatever could be done al
the meeting would be for the best
interests of the parties concerned
He had gone through some of the
townships OF Grant county, anC
found that the people had good sense
on the railroad question. After max
ing statement with regard to tbs
failure of the Monroe project, h;
stated that wherever railroads were
built, business was created. If thC
North Pacific coull create bushes,
in an almost barren waste, why
should not Dubuque enjoy business
that was only awaiting the building
of railroad to make it source o
revenue :? A line of road through
Grant county would enable the farm
ers there to buy lumber and Other
necessaries cheaper, and it was biz
experience that in consideration o
this the people would subscribe fol
tho st0rk There was no usa discuss.