Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-05-16

in time for publication last week but was de-
ferred because it would have appeared at q
time that it might have interfered largely with
both personal and public interests and the
parties interfered with would have claimed
that they had no opportunity to be heard in
answer. The HhaALD invites fair discussion
on all subjects. The Editor is not disposed to
use the advantages of his position in enforc-
ing his opinions on personal or merely business
matters. -EDIroR.
NARROW GAUGE R. R. CORRESPONDENTS
Boscobel, April 80, 1878.
Ii. @. Atkins, Supt-Dear air,-I am in
formed by Mr.. G. 4. Dean, of this place, an
ex member of the Legislature, that D. r. Will.
liams, OF Narrow Gauge notoriety, is repre-
senting to the people, that this company have
agreed to put in transfer station and track.
two miles east of Wauzeka, Wis, and also ali
low him to lay third rail on third Wisconsin
River Bridge, for his trains to pass over. He
has carried FenniInore for 81, 1000. Mr.. Dean
thinks these statements, if not true should be
met by this company. Yours.
F. B. BURDICK, Agent.
Milwaukee. April 80, 1878.
F. B Burdick, Agent-Dear sir.-Yours OF
the goth at hand ana noted What Mr.. vii.
lams of Narow Gauge fame says is not So
The manager tells me that no arrangements
have been made with him in any way, and YOU
can say so to Mr.. Dean. Yours, &c.
II. @. ATKINS, Supt.
The foregoing correspondence
shows coDcIusively that the very
first step Mr.. Williams should have
taken before going on to build his
contemplated N. G. r. II. has no,
been taken. He starts from no.
where and is likely to terminate at
nowhere so far as r. II. connection
is concerned.
The Mil. 81 ST. p. Co. cannot fail
to understand, that this ia a hostile
enterprise, proposing to take bus
mess from it's road rather than to
add business to it. 1t can have no
claims then upon the liberality or
even courtesy of the Mil. & st. P. Co.
Mr.. Williams will find it difficult,
perhaps Impossible. to negotiate a
transfer connection and a rebate
with this Company, and there is not
law enough under the circumstances
togive him power to compel trans
fer connection. There are besides,
most serious natural obstacles in the
way.
We are familiar with this ground,
helped to locate the r. r. line where
1T is over "a years ago, and have
some small amount of knowledge OF
Il. X. construction. We trust that
we shall not be considered intrusive
if we seek to impart some of this
knowledge to others having large in.
terests at stake, whose opportuni-
ties for information upon the mat.
ters at issue, have been slight, or
have come through the er.parte rep.
sensations ofinterested parties.
Mr.. Williams's original plan while
at work upon the north side of the
Wisconsin river, was to connect
Tomah with Wauzeka. 1t is not too
much to say, that, upon this distinct
promise or expectation, the large
amount of work done there was SO,
cured and 80, we think the people
there yet believe this will soon be
accomplished. Further, they were
promised road in operation from
Reedstown to Wauzeka to carry of
their crops, in the Fall Of 1876.
But Mr.. Williams now says
though be states it craftily and rath.
er ambigu usly-that it is not bis
purpose to go to Wauzeka. but eli
Their to run direct from the point
where the Kickapoo debouches from
the bluffs to the mouth of Green riv.
er, or to run up the NJ. & st. P.track
to Woodman, laying third rail on
it's track. The above correspondence
disproves of this latter proposition
La relation to the former one, in
an engineering point of view, it il
the only proper route, inasmuch al
1T would shorten the distance by
over two miles, and it would locate
the bridge over the Wisconsin river
at right angles to the current, with
direct, instead Of curviture approaches
But yet there are serious object
ions to this route. 1st, the ground
from the river bank north for mile
or more, is swampy and subject tc
overflow semi-annually to the deptt
OF six feet. The M. & St. P. Co
would not suffer an embankment te
be thrown up across the direction Of
the current. tor it would hold the
flood, and thus imperil its road
bed. This distf nee would then have
to be built over with piled trestle.
work which is liable to displacement;
in soft foot hold, and is expensive
Then, there certainly would no,
be transfer station created in tina,
swamp under such conditions, and
within two miles of a regular station
on either side, by the M. & st. P. Co
or, if otherwise created, that would
be recognized by this Company. I,
would be the height of folly to cal.
culate upon any such connection.
Again we estimate the width Of
the river at this point and for con.
siderable distance both up and down
the river at about 1900 feet, an IN.
usual width, and all clear waterway
This river is now in charge of u. S.
engineers engaged in improving i,
for ship navigation. They claim the
right to decide upon all plans Of
bridges to be erected over the stream,
and they have the power, undoubt.
eddy, to overrule all other authori.
ties seeking to have control of this
subject matter.
1t may surely be counted on, then
that no cheap and temporary bridge
structure will Re permitted TO be
placed over this river hereafter.
The safest aud most substantial
wooden bridge for r. r. or other
crossing purposes, is generally ad.
mitted to be the Howe Truss. bat il
is expensive. The Boscobel bridge,
$50 feet waterway, cost the city
about $4,000 and the contractor
probably about $50 per RAINING foot
S22 500. yet only about 600 feet of it
is full truss. 1t has pile supports for