Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-26
MINNESOTA MIDLAND.

MINNESOTA MIDLAND.
It's Recent Transfer to the Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paula Description of the
Route--The Town OF Zumbrota and
Mazeppa.
The establishment of this line of road upon
firm basis by its transfer to the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul company, is result
highly Satisfactory to the friends of the road.
The able superintendent of the Minnesota
branches of that great railroad system, oper-
ates his road for money rather than for
glory, and as road must pay in order to
to become a success, the change
is, as we. have said, graf
flying. The Midland as projected finds its
initial point OF eastern terminus at Wa
bashaw, where transfers can be made from
the cars to the barge OF steamer. The direc-
ton is nearly west via Zunbrota and Fari-
bault to the foot of Big Stone lake. Thus
far this may be said to have been, strictly
speaking, home enterprise, as the first
sixty miles already constructed, were built
by town bonds given by the people to the
amount of 100000. The moving spirits
most part Wabashaw people who have for
years past been laboring for some Connection
with the interior. To the future growth and
prosperity of their fine young city this road
must be of immense advantage, and will
furnish the means of connecting the lumber
district Of the Chippewa with a thickly set
tied and productive region of country, other
wise remote from railroad facilities as we'll
as to render accessible and aid in develop
| ing the numerous fine water powers of the
| Zumbro river.
| Ground was broken on the Midland about
| September LIST, 1877, but track-laying was
| interrupted during the winter SO that the
cars only reached Zumbrota about June list,
since which good business has been done,
Zumbrota alone shipping 100000 bushels of
wheat and the large mills at that point and
| Mazeppa their productive of flour. The
route of the Midland from where it crosses
the Chicago, Milwaukee 81 st. Paul five
miles below Wabashaw) is up the right
bank of the Zumbro river following the
serpentine course Of that stream--doubling
upon itself, shooting around the point of
bluffs at almost incredible angles, making
in point of fact over 600 curves in sixty
miles, large part of them such as no com
mon gauge road could operate
Mazeppa and Zumbrota, fine towns of 600
and 1000 respectively, are the principal
points of interest, though smaller villages
are fast springing into being alone the line.
The beautiful scenery afforded by this val
ley, new even to many of the inhabitants of
this locality, charms and enraptures the be
holders. In many places the road sweeps
around the base of some huge bluff 500 to
1000 feet high and nearly perpendicular,
crowned at its summit by masses of ponder
GUS rocks, often assuming the shape of some
castle or fortress with their turrets and
bastions frowning down on the valley below
! Sometimes there is a wall so or 100 feet
high as perfect IN its construction as if il
were built by the plumb and level of art in
stead OF fashioned by the great architect OF
the universe. Again, where the further
bank IS more sloping and covered with q
mantle of emerald green foliage, it looks
like carpet Of green leaves-not a trunk OF
branch is visible, not a rock or spot of earth
is in sight. Later when these beautiful
slopes are touched by the hues of autumn
leaves replace the emerald grab that erst
they wore the view will be still more en-
trancing. Another feature of interest to be
seen is the immense land slides. At some
points for several hundred feet the rock
rests rpon piles to prevent its being crowded
into the river by vast quantities of earth
that at times buries the track several feet
deep. AS soon, however, as these regain
their natural slope they will sod again, and
the roots of the grass and underbrush re
strain the downward tendency of the sliding
land
corps of engineers is at present engaged
in locating a branch some eight miles in
length connecting the village of Oronocc
with its fine water power and splen-
did mills with the main line. Passenge,
trains on the Midland connect with the
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul river division
at Midland junction, making pleasure
trip up the Zumbro valley feasible and
pleasant undertaking. That the future ex-
tension and successful operation of this line
of road is fixed fact, is matter of con.
graduation not only to the enterprising ane
plucky originators of the scheme at Waba
shaw, but, also to the entire region of coun
try through which it passes, and that The
management of the great Milwaukee roat
should appreciate its Importance to theil
river line as a feeder is not at all strange
The gauge of the Midland is three feet, it.
rolling stock frst-class, its road-bed very
level and we'll ballasted and travelling as safe
pleasant and speedy as upon any road in thu
State.