The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-02-16
An Open Letter.
Fox LAKE, Jan. %, 1873.

1easlblllty and pract1cablllty of an air
line railroad from Chicago to Duluth
permit us, appointed as committee
by the citizens of Fox Lake, to address
you. We are old residents of the
country, and desire to present some
facts in reference to the air line rs
above Indicated:
Tristan air line is always the
shortest.
Second-We believe that a survey
would determine the important fact
that from Chicago to Grand Rapids
and Centralia, upon the Wisconsin
river, in Wood county, Wis, a dis
lance of $50 miles, track can be
found upon the whole line at a lower
grade than any other road in the state
for the same distance; and northwest
ward toward Duluth, country still
almost unoccupied, would be travers-
cd for $50 miles, to Vesay, where you
would or could strike your road al
ready completed, and thus enable YOU
to bring your road to Duluth and Su
perior City.
We believe that the line from
Grand Rapids and Centralia, from
general knowledge of the country,
could also be built upon an easy grade.
We are certain that from Westfeld,
IN Marquette county, where the straight
line would cross the line being built
by your company from Valley June
ton to Princeton in Green Lake
county; thus making a continuous line
to Fond du Lac and Milwaukee, and
thence on to Chicago-we know that
not only this track, but your main
line now run via Madison, are in many
places over an exceedingly steep grade.
We desire to call your attention to
portion of this short line as we have
indicated, as between Chicago and
Duluth and Superior City, as above
mentioned
By starting from your line being
built from Valley junction to Prince
ton, and if you should start from
Westfield i'll Marquette county, and
run down the valley of the Montello,
river, twelve miles to Montello, the
county seat of Marquette county, and
there cross the Fox river, then you
would strike the valley of the Grand
river, and from there almost upon an
air line to Kingston Ga thriving bust
ness village distance of twelve miles, !
and up the valley to Manchester, five
miles, continue up the valley till the di-
vide between Lake Emily and Fox
Lake is reached, and thence to Fox
Lake village and to Beaver Dam, !
where q survey has already been made |
by your company, as we are informed
until you reach Juneau, the county
seat of Dodge county, and southeast
erly via Hustisford and Oconomo-
voc, and OH to or near Dousman sta
ton on your air line from Madison to
to Milwaukee, where a Junction could |
be formed to run into Milwaukee, on
to Chicago, until your conyeninnce
would enable you to build the whole
line upon the air line from Chicago to
Duluth and Superior City, as indicat-
ed in the commencement.
We are assured that upon the whole
line from Valley Junction to your
junction at Dousman station, by
using the air line as indicated, from
Westfeld, an exceeding easy grade
could be made. In fact, that was full
ly demonstrated nearly thirty years
ago, between Beaver Dam and Mon
tello, at the time the old La Crosse Il
Milwaukee railroad was built The
steepest grade was between Fox Lake
and Lake Emily, which was 80 feet
per mile and all the rest of the grade
was extremely low.
Thus by building about 50 miles
and using your road already built. YOU
could have road for your whole dis
lance upon an exceedingly easy grade
until such time as YOU could complete
the whole ar line road.
With reference to the feasibility of
the route: Any person who will take
the trouble to refer TO the statistics of
the country, in prodution, upon the
whole line, must be thoroughly con-
WINGED, so far as local traffic and trav-
el is concerned.
The great business of any road
comes from its starting and terminal
points; that is, from Chicago, Super
Tor City and Duluth, in this case. Of
the immense prospective business of
Duluth and Superior City you must
be already thoroughly informed, and
of the Importance of reaching it by
the shortest and most level grade.
Is it not most fortunate circum-
stance that on this straight line it runs
throuh the garden of Wisconsin, and,
so far dis that is concerned, the garden
of this Nation In the whole distance
cities and Villages are reached, of
great trade, and that too, upon this
straight and leyel line; and also. so