Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-05-22

c. H. DAVIDSON, Editor ssss Proprietor.
AUSTIN, MINNESOTA:
THURSDAY MORNING. MAY q, 1879.

THURSDAY MORNING. NAY q, 1879.
AUSTIN, MANKATO AND ST. CLOUD RAIL
ROAD ORG GANIZATlON.
As every citizen of Austin is deeply
Interested in the new railroad project
referred to in the title of this article, We
present below portion OF the excellent
report Of the railroad meeting, held al
Mank ato, on the 18th inst, as published
in the Rerie,c, of Tuesday Of this week
some friend having very kindly furnished
us with an advance copy.
Since the preliminary organization OF
the MankatO & 81. Cloud railroad com.
pany in February last, the project Of
building railroad from Austin to Man
kato, in the interest ofthe Illinois Central
and proposition made to combine both
enterprises under one organization. A
committee Of prominent gentlemen, rep
resenting the business interests of Austin,
were appointed to examine the route be-
tween that city and Mankato, attend the
meeting of the st. Cloud company, and
take such action rs would lead to the
Accomplishment Of that object. In addi-
ton to the four gentlemen present from
Austin, there was also committees and
representative citizens lpresent from Nc
Pherson, Medo, Alma City, and other
intermediate points, constituting very
respectable meeting, both ia numbers
an intelligence.
AT two o'clock on Tuesday afternoon,
th meeting of the MankatO and st Cloud
r.'lrnad company was convened at the
City Hall, a large number "t citizens also
being present. Business tending to per
feet the organization, Was considered
until about three O'Clock, when a recess
was taken, and citizens meeting was
organized, with Gen. Baker in the chair,
and Mr. II. W. Page, Of Austin, acting as
secretary. The chairman stated briefly
the object of the meeting, which was to
secure, at an carly day, the building OF
the proposed road from the present ter
minus Of the Illinois Central railroad 1t
Nona, Iowa, via Austip and Mankato to
St. Cloud, and that one purpose OF the
present consultation was to devise ways
and means for collecting facts pertaining
to The population, business and future
prospects of the adjacent country.
Mr.. II. W. Page. from Austin, said that
the committee from that city had started
out to see if feasible route could be
found Tor a road from Austin to Mankato.
They had found one, and IN consultation
with the people along the line, found
them heartily in favor Of such an enter
PRISE He thought the chief importance
was in the value Of the eastern outlet
which this undertaking would secure.
Austin was very anxious for this road,
and would furnish right OF way and
do the grading from the State line to
Austin, a distance of about thirteen
miles. lie thought the proper route
would be via Turtle Creek into the towns
Of Moscow and Newry, Freeborn county,
each Of which might be relied upon for
bonuses to the extent of the constitution
al limit, probably $4,000 each; then con-
tuuing north OF Geneva LAKE, which
would give from s., 500 to $4,000. He
spoke Of the lively interest felt by the
people of that point, and thought it pos
sible that they might yet be represented
here. He mentioned Mr.. Gibbs, late
speaker of the house, and Mr.. Jones who
owns large landed interests there, who
would labor for the success Of the road.
BY heading westerly through Bath, and
thence into Richland, Waseca county,
$4,000 could be secured in Bath and pos
sibly as much more in New Richland,
though at first the latter was not found
very favorable, but might be worked up
to Ihat amount. Thence the road would
run through Freedom, (where the people
are much Interested, and had sent repre-
sentatives here,) entering Blue Earth
county through the town of Mcpherson.
He thought the road could be graded at
an average cost OF $500 to $500 per
mile, and Mr. Farley thought it might be
built at a cost not exceeding $4,000 per
mile. At least that gentleman said he
would be- willing to contract at that
price, without making q further exami-
nation of the country. He thought that
local aid to the amount Of 81 600 per
mile would be raised, aud possibly g.,
500. 1t was his impression that
$500 to $4,000 per mile would be
required to insure the success
of the road Citizens Of Austin had
received promise from an officer of the
Illinois Central company, that in the
course of three weeks he would have leis.
ure to drive over the route. If he can
come lie will see country that will fur
nish large local trade. and if extended
to St. Cloud valuable through traffic
that will be very much to their interest
to secure, and an inducement for that
company to take hold Of the enterprise.
The distance from Mona to Mankato,
over the route Indicated, was about 80
miles-it would not vary ten miles either
way.
Mr.. Ketchback, a mile: Of Alma City,
Mr.. Henry Foster, OF Mcpherson, and hr
Hoverson of Medo, speaking for the locali.
ties which they represented, put them
selves on record he earthly in favor of the
enterprise.
Mr. Buck, of Mankato. explained that
there was q misapprehension about the
amounts towns can vote, the prevailing
opinion being that they were limited by
tie constitution to I'VE per cent. OF their
assessed valuation The constitutional
limit IS now ten per cent. A proposed
amendment was passed last winter maxim 6
it five per cent, but the people vote ON it
this tall and will have to ratify it before
it goes into effect. Ten per cent is the
present law, and towns can vote TO thai
amount. This road, if built by the Iii
nois Central, would be powerful and
independent outlet competing with Other
roads, asking no odds of any one, anc
independent of pooling combinations
The line runs through one of the best ant
richest wheat districts in the State, ant
extended to St. Cloud it would tap a valu
able timber district, besides giving US thu
benefit of direct and competing line tc
Lake Superior.
After remarks from J. F. Meagher, o.
Mankato, and Mr. Stevens, of Meekel
county,
Speaker Gilman of st. Cloud was in
troduced: OF all projects tending to pro
mote the development and prosperity o
St. Cloud, none had been or is now 81
highly prlzed by his people as the roat
to Mankaio. For the past ten years, tn
aspirations of his locality had not bee,
so hopeful as formerly: While the!
were equally desirous Of securing tn
road to Mankato, the importance of whicl
had increased rather than diminished
with advancing years, they had met will
20 many disappointments, and thei
efforts to secure State aid hac been 8:
often thwarted by cities that owed thel
importance to just such aid, but wer
now Jealous of like EavOrs being besiOWe