River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-02-05
Shall We Lose Our RaiIroad2

On Saturday last a large meeting Of
the business men of Saltwater was
held in the city hall to ascertain the
public sentiment relative to making
an effort to get the main line of the
Chicago, Feeeport & st. Paul railroad
constructed through that city. A
very unanimous sentiment was ex-
pressed in favor of making every pos
sible effort to secure the road, and a
railroad committee consisting of five
of the leading capitalists and mill
owners of the city was appointed to
confer with the railroad company.
By invitation of Senator Sabin, Pres
ident Wright, Gen'l Solicitor Briggs
and Chief Engineer Baldwin visited
Saltwater on Monday and had a very
satisfactory conference with large
number of its leading citizens, and
spent Monday and Tuesday in examin-
ing the manufacturing establishments
| and business houses of the city to OBJ
tain an idea OF the volume of business
to be expected. They expressed them
selves as highly gratified with the
business outlook. While there dis.
patch was received from the President
of the village of Baldwin stating that
that place would vote liberal aid if
the road should be located through it,.
The result of the visit of the rail
road officials is thus set forth by the
Saltwater correspondent of the Pioneer
Press of Feb. 18th:
1.-The citizens committee yesterday
escorted the officers of the Chicago,
Freeport & st. Paul Railroad company
about Saltwater and surrounding
country, for the purpose of giving
them an idea of the grades. In so
short time it was impossible for the
officers to form a very complete idea
of the situation. The engineer thinks
he will be able after this trip to form
pretty fair idea of the obstacles
overcome. The officials and commit
tees met yesterday evening and had
an informal talk over the matter, the
question which the committee desir-
ed to be satisfied upon, is that the
company meant business in their offer
to make preliminary survey. The
officials, in order to settle the question
of good faith, agreed to make an ex-
perimental survey from Eau Gala by
the way of Saltwater to st. Paul, the
company standing One-half the ex-
pense, and the citizens of Saltwater
the other half. The committee ac-
cepted the proposition. E. Baldwin,
the company's engineer, has about
four week work down the line, after
which he will start in upon the pre-
liminary survey mentioned. The
snow is SO deep between Eau Gala
and Saltwater that it would be very
difficult to run the line with a transit
at the present time. The proposition
of the company has inspired the city
with considerable hope, and the feel
ing is quite generally expressed that
its fondest desire is within its reach. -
From the foregoing it is easy to see
that the people of Saltwater, Baldwin
and Wildwood are awake and leaving
no stone unturned to divert our pro-
posed railroad from the line where it
was surveyed through the towns of
Rock Elm, Gilman, Martell, River
Falls, Kinnickinnic and Troy. 1t is
believed that 100000 of aid will be
raised as an inducement for the road
to be located by way of Saltwater.
viii the people of River Falls sit gent
ly by and see Saltwater steal their
railroad without even making an eff
fort to prevent it!
River Falls has promptly voted the
aid asked, but she has neither the
wealth nor the business attractions to
contend single handed against Still
water with it's fifteen thousand popu-
lation, its great lumber and manu-.
featuring interests and it's immense
wealth backed by the towns of Bald
| win and Wildwood.
The other towns who are all inter.
| ested as much and some of them a
great deal more than River Falls must
stand by her in this effort or we shall
| lose the road.
1t is time our people walked up, not
only to the immense Importance OF
| getting this railroad, but to the great
and imminent danger of losing it. II
has now come to that point when it is
evident to any thinking man whs
carefully studies the situation that
unless all the towns interested in get
| ging the road built where it was sur
veyed, stand shoulder to shoulder by
voting the aid asked by the company
from each of them, we are about Ger
tain to lose it. Nothing but prompt
| energetic action before the Saltwater
people get the company tied down t.
their route will save it. Wake up
and go to work, or make up youl
minds to live in the back woods fol
| the remainder of your natural lives.