Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-02-14
The Chicago & Tomah &. R-The
Company's Acts and What may
be Expected Of them.


l take the liberty to say a few
words rs to the Chicago & Tonah
Railroad with the view of giving
some information to the public.
In August last, after the town of
Fennimore had agreed to aid in the
construction of the Chicago & Tomah
Railroad, Mr.. Samuel Stewart, Viii
liam Bowers, and myself visited
Crawford County with the view to
learn what We could as to the opera
tions of the Chicago & Tomah Rail
road. We were furnished every fa-
cility for attaining all the informa>
ton desired. We were satisfied that
the management of the road was in
the hands of a board of directors,
who would guard the interests Of
the public, and whatever is done by
the Chicago & Tomah Railroad is
done honestly and in good faith. We
found q large quantity of grading
done north of the Wisconsin river,
and every statement made by the
agents Of the company in their can
vass to Fennimore was in accor.
dance with the facts.
The expense of grading the line
north of the Wisconsin river is
greater than on the south side. Grad
ing the line through Crawford county
would in my opinion cost about as
much per mile as grading through the
town of Fsnnimore. l believe from
what / saw, that the expense of
grading the road north of the Wis.
oonsin river, is at least three times
the cost per mile of grading the road
through Grant county. The agents
of the company represent that on the
81 miles north of the Wisconsin river,
which is under construction, the
quantity of earthwork, according to
estimate of the engineer, was 40, 900
yards of this amount to complete
the grading of the "a miles, from
Wauzeka to Bloomingdale, only
about 10000 yards remain to be
finished. We understand that the
work was undertaken by the people
of the Kickapoo valley. and with the
help of Mr.. Willisms, aud 9th ,r
agents of the road, the above work
has been accomplished. We found
the people along the road satisfied
with the management of the road,
and that those who had been doing
most were satisfied with the plans,
progress and prospects Of the road.
There was no iron laid on the road,
and we understood that it is the in.
tention of the company not to lay
any till next spring. Efforts are now
being made with prospects of success,
to procure the right of way, and pro-
vide for the grading of the road from
Wauzeka to the south line Of the
state. If the people of Crawford and
Vernon counties, who live adjacent
to that line, have provided for the
grading of that part of the line, it
seems to me to be entirely practical
bic for the people adjacent to the
line south of the Wisconsin river to
do the same on this part Of the line.
and put it ready for the iron. LITTLE
money - required, the teams and
labor required being in surplus. The
people who work for the road do not
make donations to the road but are
made preferred creditors whose
claims take precedence Of every.
thing except the first mortgage
bonds which are reserved for the pur
chase of IRON and rolling-stock, the
mortgage being limited to 81, 900 per
mile. The average mortgage in
debtedness of the roads of the State
of Wisconsin lie 800 900 per mile, and
yet the line Of the Chicago & Tomah
Railroad is as good line for traffic
as any In the state. Under these
circumstances we think an invests
ment in the Chicago & Tomah Rail-
road is safe when it might not be If
the road WAS TO have a mortgage
debt of $40, 900 per mile. The gem
eral Office Of the Chicago & Tomah
Railroad Company is at Wauzeka,
Crawford County, Wisconsin. and
any letter addressed to the Secre-
tary or President of the road, will
receive prompt and respectful atten.
ton. G. SHUTTLEwoRTH.
Fennimore, Wis.,. Feb. 11,'78.