Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-04-20
THE RAILROAD.
Letter from the President of tho 1. G. n. u.
Conc Aid from that Quarter.

Conc Aid from that Quarter.
AT the railroad meeting held In
Lancaster on the 9Th instant there was
much anlmadversion because the Illi-
nois Central Railroad Company had
not been definitely and fairly inquired
of as to their willingness to iron sub
structure from Dunleith to Lancaster.
As soon as the meeting closed Col.
Clark addressed letter upon the
subject to the President of that CON-
pany, and on Saturday evening last
received the following reply:
PREsIDExr's OFFICE, I. c. r, r. Co.
CHICAGO, Ill. April IA, 1875
JONI g. CLARK, Esq,
Sec. Grant Co. BY. Co.
Sir Your favor of the 8th inst is receiv~
ed There are many reasons in favor OF your
proposed road, but the times are so hard tor
money, and railway investments are paying
go poorly that do not believe the Directors
Of this Company could be induced to invest
the money necessary to purchase the iron.
Yours Respectfully,
john N. DOUGLASS,
President.
This is evidence of the unwilling
ness of the Illinois Central to render
the desired assistance, that will have
to be accepted by the most jealous
pleaders for road to Dunleith. The
distance is not less than thirty miles.
There are no estimates of the cost of
a common gauge railroad below Sl5,
900 per mile. Based on this low es-
innate that road would cost $450,000.
Will any person in the community
claim that we can raise that amount ?
Certainly not. Then the only tangi-
BILE project now before us is to unite
solidly for the Platteville road. The
farmers of Lancaster township, and
others who want Lancaster to be
their market town have sincerely be-
lieved that the best road for them
would be the road to Dunleith. AL
though unalterably of this conviction
they have heretofore submitted with.
out such evidence as they should
have that the Dunleith connection
could not be made, to a vote of S43,-
900 tax and, at railroad meetings,
have withdrawn any opposition to
the Platteville project. Feeling that
their interests were all the other way
and that the possibility of gratifying
them had not been tested, they yet
withdrew all opposition to the
Platteville road when it was on trial,
and some of them also subscribed
literally. Now that the necessary in
quiries have been made and the i'm
possibility of presently securing a
road to Dunleith is established, the
willingness of the farmers to with
draw opposition, it is believed, will
grow into active utilization, and the
farmers who will be SO greatly bene-
flied by road to Lancaster will join
the business men of the village in
swelling the subscriptions for stock
to the amount required to secure
road. Every farmer within ten miles
OF Lancaster and many in Liberty,
Beetown and Little Grant, and some
in the edges of other surrounding
townships will be benefited to the
amount OF three to five cents for
every bushel of produce, and one-half
cent per pound for every animal he
has for market, by the road to Lam
caster. IF this statement is correct
these farmers could themselves raise
the amount required and pay it out of
what will be gained on this years
crop. The letter of president Doug
lass certainly settles the question of
assistance from the |. G. r. II. Co.
in the proposed Dunleith railroad,
and we now urge all-farrners and
village men-to join heartily in the
movement towards Platteville.