Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-06-13

THE ST. CLOUD. MANKArO = AUSTIN
RAILROAD.
The Surveyors at Work-Everything Looks
Promising. :a
Maukato Review, June5. -
At the annual election of directors of
this road, held in this city the early part
of last month, three directors resident in
Minnesota, were chosen, but for some
reason their names were not made public
We since learn that Gen. ]. w. Bishop,
H. P. Upham, President of the First
National Bank of st. Paul, and c. Gotzian,
all of St. Paul, were the gentlemen so
chosen. The remaining directors, num-
bering five, we believe, are residents of
the east and members of the construction
company contracting to build the -oad.
1t is understood that Gen. Bishop is to be
president of the road, and Mr.. Upham is
the financial agent and custodian of the
bonds voted as local aid.
At meeting of directors held in St.
Paul last week, Gen. Bishop stated that
he had received from the eastern parties
the money necessary to make the survey,
and that surveying corps was being or
ganized to start northward from Mankato
this week.
This looks as if the road was to be
built, and in view of the deep interest
felt all along the line, the Reoieao is happy
to be the medium of transmitting this
cheerful news.
The selection of Gen. Bishop as presi
dent, in charge of the construction, is
gratifying to the friends of the road, for
in addition to his experience and ability
as a railroad manager and contractor, he
is an earnest, sincere man, and will push
the business.
These facts will go great ways to dis
pell the uncertainty and uneasiness that
have prevailed this spring in regard to
this road and hopeful of its ultimate
success we shall look forward to the day,
not for distant, when dirt will fly and
actual construction commenced.
Since writing the above, surveyor 0. D.
Brown has arrived, is organizing his
force, aud expects to start out to-day,
working nOrthward towards St. Cloud
from Mankato. The survey will be pre-
liminary, but made with thoroughness,
and when completed will not be much
changed by future surveys. The survey
will be pushed to Hutchinson as direct as
the condition of the country will admit.
Aankato Free Press, June 8.
The survey will first be made to Judson,
on the Nico1let side of the river, and at q
convenient point the table lands will be
reached. The party yesterday crossed the
river, and If this survey be maintained the
point near Davis slaughter house in West
Mankato. It is expected that six weeks
will be consumed in making the survey.
Gen. Bishop, of st. Paul, President of
the Board of Directors, was in the city
the first of the week, and while rather
reserved in his remarks about the positive
construction of the road nevertheless gave
1t as his opinion that work would soon
be commenced on the line. What partic-
ular significance the tags attached to the
surveying instruments, bearing the in
scription from the Manitoba railway Co %
have, is not quite clear. but the natu-
raj inference to be drawn is that James
Hill has finger in the ''pie' notwith-
standing the denial of certain persons to
this charge. So far as this goes, it makes
little difference to the people residing
along the line of the proposed route
whether the Manitoba or some other COM
pany have the construction of the road.
What is wanted IS to see the dirt fly, and
until this is observed, there will be a sus-
PANAOA OutCA t0AACO VuuV C1C Nv. L huA ulICC-
tory will eventually defeat the original in
tention of the construction company, and
manipulate the affairs as best suits the
interests of the regal city of the North
west.
Free Press, June l.
Report has been rife upon our streets for
the past four or five days that the fran
chise of the Austin, Mankato & St. Cloud
railroad had been sold out to the Manitoba
road, and taking the report as true, NO
little indignation has been felt on the part
| of our citizens
From General Baker, however, who
was in the city Wednesday and Thurs
day, we are informed that there is no
truth in the report. He has all along
maintained relations with the directory Of
the road which gave him access to the in
side workings of the company, and no
trade or ''sell out" such as has been re-
ported would be likely to occur without
his knowledge. The following letter is
self explanatory:
Office OF the Railway Improvement Com
pany of North America,
No. 123 Pearl street,
NEW YORK. May 10, 1883.
]. II. BAKER, ESQ.,, St. Paul, Minn.:
DEAR Saviour favor of the LIST inst. was
duly received and contents noted. This COM
pany has been deferring putting engineers
into the field until after the annual election of
Directors Of the St. Cloud, Mankato 4 Austin
railroad, which now having taken place, beg
is organized, we will commence work at once.
Very truly yours, j. o. BLOss, Pres.
While this letter ante-dates the report
ed exchange of the St. Cloud, Mankato &
Austin road, Mr.. Baker assures US that
no new features have arisen to give color
to the truth of the report that the road
will not be built, or that it has changed
hands.
St. Paul Globe, June 9!
A number of gentlemen interested in
the construction of the St. Cloud, Man
kat0 & Austin railroad, being in the city
yesterday, an informal meeting was held
to talk over plans looking to the early
| building of the road. Nothing of impor-
lance was accomplished, however, save an
adjournment, which was voted for unan.
imously. A meeting of the directors will
be convened next Tuesday at General
Bishops office, at which active efforts will
be taken to inaugurate the business of the
undertaking.
Mankato Review, June IL.
The first meeting of the new board of
directors is to be held at St. Paul to-day,
when the officers will be elected, and the
important question of whether work is to
be commenced this season, definitely de-
termined. 1t is now the general belief
among the best informed friends of the
road that it will be built, but there is
some doubt whether work will be pushed
this season, for the reason that the COM
pany has no ties or piles, and the grading
can not be used until these articles can be
secured in the fall and winter. There is,
however, a good deal of heavy work to
be done in this vicinity, and good share
of the summer and fall could be used to
advantage, without making much pro-
gress in miles.
1t is reported that a surveying corps on
the southern division, started out about
a month ago, from Dubuque, and is work
ing northward. expecting. to reach Man
kato about the time the survey is COM
pleted ON the northern division. If there
is any truth in this statement, it will tend
to disabuse the public mind from the
general belief now prevailing that Mr..
Hill, of the Manitoba company, is the
owner of the charter and franchises of the
roo1