Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-12

commercial transactions Of YanktOn were
given In convincing figures aud the produc.
ton Of the region tributary to our city va
shown to be already suficient to make this
end Of the road q paying investment. All
these facts were listened 10 with the closest
interest and the conference resulted 10 as
surances which give Q reasonable probabil.
lily that Milwaukee and Yankton will at no
distant day be Joined together by 4 contin.
uous line of road. No decided assurance
can be given until after the meeting of the
directors of the road, which will be hello 10
New York some time this month. Presi-
dent Mitchell was very fayorably impress.
ed with the showing made by the Yankton
delegation, which was TO him a new revela
ton. A subsequent session of the commit.
tee was held with Manager Merrill at which
the same ground was gone over and With
results fully as favorable as those
which came out of the first meeting. Mr..
Merrill was deeply interested in the project
and discussed matters fr0h the practical
standpoint of a successful railroad man who
has never made q move but for the advance
ment ofthe interests Of his company and who
has never failed to achieve the best results.
The conference with this gentleman was
long and animated and at its close a most
hearty acknowledgement of the advantages
possessed by Yankton was given, coupled
with the assurance that the engineers Of the
line would give the proposed route their i'm.
mediate attention. MI. Merrill expressed y
desire to have the peopls Of Ysnkton place
reliance upon the intentions Of his company
and to mske no effort to divert any other
road in this direction. Thus the talk with
the manager was fully as satisfactory as was
that with the president. All conclusions
reached seem to justify the belief that the
officers Of the road have decided, 90 far as
they can decide without the confirmatory
action Of the board Of directors, to run
their line to Yankton and to here cross the
river and seek the far west trade by a route
up the N.obrara valley, through the Black
Hills and thence towards the setting SUI
by way of Central Wyoming. tits a grand
scheme and one which would give us an
important position upon one Of the main
arteries of the continent and enable US to
occupy a prominent position in the future
Of the great vest.
The business men of Milwaukee, men of
wealth and vast influence 10 public matters,
held several formal and informal interviews
at the Plankintou house with the Yank-
ton delegation at which the strongest, inter
est in the project under consideration was
evinced. They were fully informed at
to the resources Of southern Dakota, and tn,
more they learned upon this point the great
ter became their interest in the success of tn,
mission. Milwaukee and Milwaukee's cap
ital are with US in this railroad enterprise
and in that vigorous, earnest manner which
is of itself almost equivalent to favorable
results. The fact that Yankton did not ap
pear before them in the attitude of a suppl
cant for favors without rendering a return
was a strong point in our favor. Through
our representatives we asked that they aid
our progress by giving us a trunk line, and in
exchange We demonstrated that we were in
q position to render handsome returns for
investment. 1t was a gathering together of
men belonging to Two separate communities
possessing identical interests, to dircusa
measures for mutual advancement. Upon
this common ground Yankton and Milwau.
kee met and out of it comes a harmonious
agreement that both would reap Immediate
results from the consummation of the
scheme.
Returning from Milwaukee we passed
over the road which it is proposed to extend
to Yankton from its present terminus, sixty
five miles east. A portion of this road is
the oldest owned by the company, having
been constructed some thirty years ago.
The route runs from Milwaukee
westward through Madi< on, Prairie du
Chem. McGregor, Mason City, Algona and
Sheldon, terminating at P~attersonville, q
few miles east Of the Dakota boundary
line. About one hundred miles of this
road. from Algona westward, has been
built during the present year and we'll built
Too. The Milwaukee company, with its
long experience, abundance of money and
perfect appliances constructs rapidly and
in the most perfect manner. At presen,
sleeping cars are run as far west as McGre
gor. bu: with the completion the line to q
point like Yankton 1t is probable that
would be lun over the
entire distance. 1t would be
something Of a:luxury in the way of travel
the people Of this region to be able to
step into a palace car at the Yankton depot
md step out at the Milwaukee or
depot. to enjoy all the comforts Of
home while being carried along to distant
points ct rapid speed and to avoid the pres.
mt poor accommodations, frequent changes