Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-16
December is, 1885, Witnesses
the Completion Of the
Northwestern to
Yankton.
Its Third Connecting Link
Between the Missouri
and the Lakes.
A History Of Our Successful Project,
with Some References to Past
Accomplishments.

1t would hardly do to let pass this i'm
portant day 10 the history OF
Yankton without some reference
to the Significance of the
event which comes along with it. The
track of the Chicago u Northwestern
was completed into our city to-day, CIV
ing us the second Missouri river termi-
nus of vast western railroad systems.
1t also completes the third continuous
line of the Chicago &c Northwestern be-
tween Chicago and the Missouri river,
opens to our city q vast system of track
age aud gives to- it, that competition in
nal development.
1t is well enough known to our people
that they have fairly earned all the rail-
road facilities they now ENJOY and it is
excusable in them if they look back
with pride upon the success attained af-
ter u long continued series of hard
knocks. No longer ago than 1872 Dako-
ia was destitute of railroad facilities and
Yankton was ambitious to secure steam
connection with the outside world. Dur
ing the previous year this desire
took tangible shape in the
organization at Yankton of the Dakota
Southern railroad company, to which
the county of Yankton voted a bonus of
$500, 900 in county bonds, exchangeable
for stock IN the enterprise. The project
was to build from Yankton to the Big
Sioux. The work was turned over to a
construction company known as Wicker,
Meckling & Co, and the road was built
by them and It's Big Sioux terminus
was extended into Sioux City. This
company consisted Of @. G. Wicker, joe
H. Wicker and j @. Meckling. The con.
struction company finally became the
railroad company and proceeded to op,
erste the road after it's completion to
Yankton in February, 1872. Suisse
q~uently MI. Morrison, of Michigan, pur.
chased Joel Fl. Wicker's interest and be.
came n of the active operators of the
Dakota Southern. After a time John [
Blair succeeded to nearly q half inter
est in the corporation, which he held
until compelled by a court decision tc
sell to the Milwaukee & St. Paul com
pany.
THE MILWAUKEE.
1t as early in 1880 that the Milwau
kee & st. Paul was extending its lowe
line into Dakota and O committee o.
Yankton citizens went to Milwaukee tc
induce the company to send a line into
Yankton. An agreement was reached by
which this company was to build, viz
Eden, on the Big Sioux, into Yankton
our city agreeing to furnish right OF way
from the Big Sioux to Yankton
This agreement was compiled
with and the grade was begun. Abou'
this time MIR. Wicker, of the Dakott
Southern entered into a scheme to sell
that railroad property to the Nil
waukee, John L. Blair opposing thu
deal, with the purpose, as has since beer
developed, of securing the entire roa(
for the Chicago Northwestern. Thu
matter was finally thrown into the dis
trict court at Yankton and that cour
decided hat Mr.. Blair, along
with Mr.. Wicker, must sell thu
the Dakota Southern to thu
Milwaukee. The process of iudica
reasoning by which this conclusion wa
reached has never been clear to the PEG
pie of Yankton, but the edict went forth
the Milwaukee became the owners O
the Dakota Southern and work on til
Eden line was abandoned. So, instea'
of having two roads, as we had bargaine'
for, we were left with only z during
five important years of our existence
1t may have been a providential dis
pensation and it may have been onI.
the natural action OF tn
: elements, but the mex spring the Mis-
!, our flooded the bottoms and almost en-
. tirely destroyed the new purchase of til
: Milwaukee company. The road was re
built when the waters subsidized, but ur
til recently has been only Indifferent
operated. Now it is giving us goo
service.
;, A few years after the purchase of til
= Dakota Southern the Milwaukee con
pany proposed to extend its line nortl
west to a connection with its Runnin
Water branch at Scotland, if the pc,
pie of Yankton would pay for the ri2l
of way. Always ready to meet such pr
: iects half way, the proposition was con
piled with and the right of way donate
to the Milwaukee company.
:" ANOTHER ROAD NEEDED.
Early last spring it became evident
our citizens that Yankton must secu
: more advantageous railroad come
: tions. The subject was Informally d
cussed and these discussions resulted
= a series of meetings. The history of q
II. inception of this movement is best Civ,
! in the following proceedings of the fl
meetings of the spring of 1Ss
Or THE FIRST MEETING.
ID Yankton, Dakota, March lS, 1856
10 meeting of citizens called to discu
n railroad matters and decide upon a pl
" of action convened at s.. a. Gruber
:; Office at eight o'clock p. m. and organ:
e. ed by the election of j. II. Sanbol
n chairman and w. 3. Bowen secretary.
y l.. d.. +. Poore moved that it be {
clared the sense of the meeting that
e. railroad company be organized and or
n cies OF incorporation be drawn up a
,ir fled with the secretary. The mott