River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-10-18
The Duluth. Red Wing 3 southern.

Z
and we take pleasure In laying the re-
suit before the readers of the Journal.
As our readers are aware Red Wing
is situated at the head of Lake Pepin,
and at an early day its advantages
were understood by enterprising men
who made it a home, and as very
many of its first inhabitants were men
of wealth and excellent taste and who
have possessed large amount of pub
lie spirit it has always been city of
importanceand centre of much politi-
cal and commercial influence. The fact
of the local pride of its citizens and
their determination to make this
place their life long abode has result
ed in the erection of very many ele-
CANT houses which evince the taste of
their owners.
Among the more prominent citizens
whom we have had the good fortune
to meet are Mr.. F. w. Hoyt, president
of the Duluth, Red Wing & Southern
Railroad, Messrs. F. B. Sheldon and S.
,. Foote who have spent large por-
tion of their lives in matters of public
interest, Gov. Hubbard, who has a
fine residence in the city and takes a
deep interest in the welfare of the
place, DIR. G.. Ii. Crary, who is well
known to most of our readers and who
has acquired by his sagacity and pub
lie enterprise a comfortable fortune,
and others who take much interest in
the development of the country.
Such men seeing the advantage of
direct connection with the lake ports
aud being wide awake to the advan-
tages possessed by Red Wing for man.
ufacturing have conceived the idea of
building a railroad from the fertile
fields of southern Minnesota to the
head of Lake Superior via River
Falls.
President Hoyt who has been identi-
fed with the project from its concep-
ton is a man of large views possessing
in great degree that combination of
shrewd business talent with an enlarg-
ed public spirit which makes a good
citizen, has thus far taken the lead in
the enterprise. He is also interested
in many other projects of public
nature.
With Mr.. Hoyt are associated
Msssrs. Foote and Sheldon who have
put considerable capital into the COM
pany, Messrs. Boxrud Brothers whose
enterprising spirit is well known to
our readers, DR.. Crary who is a firm
friend of our city, and others. These
persons first organized the road under
the title of the Duluth, Red Wing &
Southern Railroad and invited the CO.
operation of persons residing along
the route. a surveying party was
sent out aud the proposed route hav-
ing been proved practicable the
speedy construction was decided upon
and the construction company organ
lied with Gov. Hubbard as president.
The contract has been let to Heating
Bros. & Co., of Pittsburg, Penn, for
the construction of the road from Red
Wing to Albert Lea, distance of
ninety miles.
At the invitation of Pres. Hoyt we
rode up the Hay Greek valley to wit
ness the actual operations now in pro-
gress. This valley terminates at the
city of Red Wing and is one of the
most picturesque we have ever seen.
Hay Creek, small but beautiful
stream, traverses the valley affording
some water powers which have been
utilized for mills and large tannery.
AS its name indicates the valley is a
succession of hay meadows from
which are annually gathered large
crops of hay, while the uplands are
| fine farming lands. The products of
this valley alone will give large local
traffic for the road. AS one instance
of this it may be mentioned that the
carriage of the clay for the Red Wing
Pottery Works now costs nearly or
| quite as much as the expense of Oper-
ating a train would be from Zumbrota
to Red Wing. the clay being procured
at bank twelve miles from the city
and a large number of teams being
employed for its transportation.
We found large crews of men at
work at all available places along the
line and were told by one of the con-
tractors that they now have a force OF
six hundred teams and over seven
hundred men engaged in the actual
work of grading and bridge building.
They claim that the progress thus far
made is without parallel in the annals
of railroad building. They expect to be
able to finish and iron the twenty-five
miles between Red Wing and Zum-
brota this season and yet work was
only commenced as late as the first of
September.
The parties interested in the road
seem sure of it's early construction.
The question of money, which is of
course the main matter required, has
been thus far well provided for. The
places along the line of the road have
contributed liberal local aid and the
construction company have provided
ample funds for present necessities.
The contractors receive quite Large
portion of their pay in stock and
bonds and there are good reasons for
| believing that the full amount of
bonds needed will be readily flC tied in
European markets and an agent is now
| there for such purpose.
1t is the present intention of the
| company to construct the road to AL
bert Lea next season and if practi-
cable to also extend the line north
from Red Wing TO River Falls.
Our own people have thus far taken
too little interest in this road which
when built will open up for US new
and direct route to the great lakes.