Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-03-11
THE RAILROAD
The Meeting Last Wednesday
Night at the Court Houe.
A Citizens Opinion OF the
General "Outlook
Letter to the Dubuque Times rom a
Lancaster Correspondent.

Lancaster Correspondent.
It is Not All Talk-A Road Lapaster
Must and will Have.
The railroad meeting at Lauaster
on Wednesday evening of last week
was we'll attended by citizens oiLan-
caster, as well as of many other owns
in the county. In fact, the courtroom
was full of people enthusiastic Tor a
railroad. Hon. Hammer Robins,
Judge Mills, Messrs. Jones and
Seaton, and Judge Cothren made
speeches, showing the importance to
the people of the county generally OF
better railroad facilities. Two routes
were suggested by Phtteville and
the other by Dubuque-te nectthis
section by railroad with he East and
South. No conclusion vas arrived at
as to a preferred route, IS the meeting
was held to listen only 70 the views
of number of citizens upon the rail-
road question, and especially to hear
Mr.. Robbins views as to where and
how build a road He spoke them in
an earnest manner and cited the
struggles and final triumph Of Platte
vile in the great undertaking to Sc
cure rail connection. Mr.. Seaton
stepped down and out, making some
very plain and sensible suggestions to
Lancaster upon the question in dis
| cus.ion and Messrs. Mills and Jones,
who seemed to be hanging upon the
ragged edge of railroad discomfort,
| also glanced the field over. Meantime
the people of Lancaster are anxiously
waiting for the report of the ''Railroad
Committee" into whose hands were
left sometime ago our railroad for
tunes.
Correspondence and selected articles
upon the railroad subject as follows
will be read with interest:
THR MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
WHAT A CITIZEN OF LANCASTER SAYS.
Mr.. EDIToR:-That railroad lee.
ture last week by Mr.. Ham el
Robbins was received with much
relish, for its oandor upon the
surface: yet many thought he
was careful to preserve the shell Of
the cocoanut, least the milk might be
distasteful He traly sings the old
tune of zone hundred thousand
strong" with very good effect upon
an audience. La his lecture ho told Us
a number Of things; and some things
he did not tell as at all. He read US q
long list of Platteville subscribers
with their several amounts attached
to construct the Calamine road. This
list was about as long "a our nation al
list of Senator'S and Representatives
and was read with elaboration, ocoa-
sionaIly giving emphasis to pfomin ent
characters. Query: How does this
list apply to Lancaster ?-unless il
were duplicated for this end of the
road?) He told us of one lonely
widow who subscribed 800; but he
did not tell us how soon her Loneliness
ceased by reason OF her generosity.
He also told US of one poor shoemaker
who subscribed SO; but, he did
not tell as how much additional he
was paid for making pair of boots
by reason thereof. He also told US
of one Hammer Robbins who subscri-
bed $4,000, and had to borrow the
money to pay it; but he did not tell
US how many times he doubled his
subscription by reason of being the
constructing agent thereof. Ha also
told US how cheaplv he could carry
our wheat and pork to Chicago; but,
he did not tell US how cheaply he could
carry our pork and potatoes t.Louis.
He did tell Us how he could freight
our produce to Chicago cheaper than
we could ship from Galena or Dubu-
que-by the Illinois Central-from
the fact that that road had to use
two engines to ascend Scales Mound;
but, be did not tell Us to what
extent the Chicago, Clinton and
Dubuque road takes into considera-
ton whether the Illinois Central has
to use one or ten engines to climb
that elevation. He did also tell us
that railroads required experts to run
them on paying scale, and that
any one putting stock therein must
keep their nose out and pay the
same to ride thereon as any stranger;
but, he did not (and of course we did
not expect it) tell US how experts
manage to make paying thing ont
of them. He tells US that the rail-
road company will put more money
in the enterprise than we will; but, he
does not tell us that they (the COM
pany) will ever after control the
entire thing.
| think if the speaker had satisfac-
torily explained the points he omitted
we could very easily construct his
road; because, he would have thereby
enlisted the interest aud cooperation
OF our widows, of our shoemakers,
and large list of construction agents;
the latter of which we could furnish
at least one hundred, and from them
alone develop s250,000, provided they
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