Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1876-01-07
Extension of the Mineral Point
Railroad.

Upon the principle that it is always
pleasant to contemplate good thing,
whatever the prospects for its rcaliza-
ton may be, we copy the following ar
ticle in relation to the extension Of the
M. P. r. R. from last weeks Darling
ton Republicans:
We don't think that the outlook for
railroad extensions or new railroads is
at present very suspicious. One effect
of the Potter Law, and the one that is
the most noticeable, is the almost entire
deadening of all railroad enterprises.
Railroads that were projected;surveyed
and being worked on, a few years ago,
are now almost forgotten enterprises,
the work has been stopped, and the
prospect for their completion is SO poor
that they are hardly ever mentioned.
In OUT own part Of the State, which is
probably suffering more for want of
railroad facilities than any other, we
might mention the extension of the
Platteyille road to the Mississippi, the
the road from Monroe west through
our county, Tbs Milwaukee and Du-
buque Narrow Gauge the proposed road
from Platteville to Lancaster, and the
extension of the Mineral Point road to
Dodgeville, and thence north to the
lumber and iron fields of the State.
The demands for this latter road, if
properly represented, could overcome
the burden of the Potter Law, and all
other encumbrances, and if engineered
by able, honest and enterprising men,
could be pushed to an early completion.
For nearly fifteen years we have taken
an interest in, and favored the con
struction of this extension, and it does
seem to us that the most favorable time
for the success Of the enterprise is just
now. The Mineral Point road, al
though very short one, has for several
years has been doing a very fine pay
ing business, which is yearly increas-
ing. It's owners, having thoroughly
studied up the prospects ahead, are
anxious to extend it SO as to make
some connection north. (This we
have from good authority. The same
rolling stock and the same hands would
operate road five times as long. Iron
which during the war was worth $ll0
per ton, is now offered for $50 a ton,
wages are lower now than then, and
the grading and tieing could be done
cheaper. If the road was only extern
ded to Lone Rock, it would connect
with the Prairie dn Chen road, and
with the road to Richland Center,
which is rapidly nearing completion,
and would attract very large amount
of through traffic and travel over this
road. If Dodgeville would renew her
offer of 100000 bonus, which was al.
most unanimously voted few years
ago. and the other towns in Iowa couns
ty, through which the road would pass,
would help to the extent Of their abili-
ty, we have reason to believe that the
citizens of Lone Rock would make up
sufficient to insure the extension of the
cad to that place. The citizens Of
three counties are vitality interested in
this enterprise. The owners of the
Mineral Point, backed by all the nee
essary capital, are anxious to push it
ahead, and it appears to us that all
that is wanting is an understanding
among the different interests, and a
concentration of effort. For the pur-
pose cf accomplishing these results let
us hear from the business men In the
three counties, and the railroad men,
through their local papers, Darling
ton Republican.