The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-06-28
ROUTE OF THE MINNESOTA d
NOkTHERN Railway.

ROUTE OF THE MINNESOTA d. |
NOkTHERN RAILWAY.
AN OVERLAND TRIP 10 VI1W THH
.~, ROOTS.
AZ announced IN last weeks AD-
VANCE. . party Of directors and others
interested in the proposed north and
south railroad, were then on trip
overland to inspect the route and con-
fer with the people. The party was as
follows:
General Manager J. r. Moulton,
Geo. D Dayton and the editor of the
ADVANCE left WOrthington early on
Monday morning, June 18th, and went
by team to Fuldx. Here they were
Joined BY the Surveyor Of the Company,
B. W. Woolstencgoft, editor OF tho Re.
publican, and Banker Dickson. the
latter accompanying the party 90 far -
Tracy. Taking freSh teams at Fulda,
tho party drove to Currie for dinner,
where they were joined by Director
Neil Currie, Secretary J. H. Long and
Auditor A. J. Maxwell, Of the Currie
Pioneer. This constituted the party
which made the run to Fergus Falls.
taking fresh relays of teams at all
prominent points, by Thursday after
noon.
THE ROUTE.
From Worthington to Fulda the
route is practically level and there will
be but few fills and bridges. The
route selected is along quarter lines in
the rear Of farms and the right Of way
Will be mostly donated. From Fulda
to Avoca the route is also a compare.
lively level one. In the vicinity of
Currie the country is more rolling and
it will require some turns, cuts and
flls to get in and out, but there is no
obstacle that is not easily surmounted.
Between Currie and Tracy the coun.
try Is rolling nearly all the way and it
will require some winding in and out
and hugging ravines, as we'll as some
good cuts and fills, but no obstacle. we
believe. equal to the ridge or summit
west of W0rthlington.
The party arrived at Tracy about 8
OK 4 O'Clock Monday afternoon and
stopped an hour or two to confer with
the people and discuss a supper. Here
the work had already been done by
Rev. J. H. Long, the efficient and ac-
tive Sec't'y of the road, who had been
there before and addressed a large
meeting. When the questionwas put as
to voting bonds, every man in the room
responded with an affirmative vote.
Tracy wants the road and has promis-
ed to vote bonus of $4,000 in the
town and township. The vote will be
taken in few days.
After supper the party took fresh
teams and drove to Marshall, the coun'
ty-seat Of Lyon county, arriving be-
country between Tracy and Marshall
mag be called trough" and it would be
an expensive piece of road if this route
should be selected. On this drive, we
passed some of the most picturesque
scenery Oh the route, near the head
waters Of the Cottonwood river, and
also some of the largest and deepest
fills on the Chicago & Northwestern
railroad. At Marshall there was little
or no interest manifested in the road.
They have the Northwestern now, the
WiIimar & Sioux F6lls is now grading
through the town, and the Sioux City
Il Northern is heading that way with a
surveying party making u fetnt ut least.
Tuesday morning the party, fresh
from sleep, with fresh breakfast and
fresl, teams, set out for MOntevideo,
which lies on the Minnesota river, in
the western part of Chippewa county.
The route lay across the northern part
of Lyon county and the middle part of
Yellow Medicine county. The country
is fiat and as it had rained heavily the
night before, We had here the muddiest
and heaviest roads on tho trip. Here
It would be easy to build road ~ the
country 10 level. Between 2 and 8
o'clock in the afternoon, We reached
the rolling and bluffy lands along the
Minnesota and drove into the beauti-
fully situated town of Montevideo.
Hero the party had q pleasant confer
ence with the representative men of the
place. who manifested considerable in
terest and promised to give the matter
immediate attention.
From Montevideo the party drove to
the little and almost deser ted town of
Lac qui Par'e, where supper was secur-
ed 1T the little tavern. The town still
holds 10 the county.seat, although
Madison, to the west. had taken the
records away at ono time. The country
between Montevideo and Lac qui Parle
Is beautiful and bluffy. ss it lies along
both the Minnesota and Lac qui Parle
rivers. West and south of Lac qui
Parle is probably the most beautiful
farming country on the route and here
We saw some Of the finest farms. The
country is cut by two railroads, one
across the northeast and one across the
of Lac qul Parle. A road is demand
ed across the eastern part of the coun.
ty, and the proposed north and south
road is badly needed. From here the
party drove to Appleton, in the south
western part of Swift county arriving
near midnight. In the morning there
was conference with the leading bus
mess men at the hotel, and good deal
of interest was excited when the pro-
| ject was laid before them. This IS =
promising town, with good water pow
er and two railroads already, viz: the
Ortonville and Fargo line of the Mil.
waukee & St. Paul and also one Of
Hills Manitoba branches. The Pomme
de Terre (a2ple of earth, or potato,
river empties into the Minnesota near
the town.
From Appleton the party drove to
| Morris, the c0unty.seat of Stevens Co.,
! arriving about 2 o'clock on Wednesday
afternoon. The drive was part of the
way along the valley of the P0mme de
Terre aud through beautiful farming
country. Along tho valley of this river
there is natural railroad route of easy
grades, nearly the whole way from Ap-
pletOn to Morris. After dinner, q num-
ber of leading business men met the
party at the hotel and took lively in
terest in hearing about the proposed
road, promising to give 1t further at
tention. From Morris, after tea, the
party drove to Herman. in Grant coun.
ty, following all the way along the line
OF the Manitoba road. This WAS one
of the finest drives on the trip, through
q beautiful country, with river bluffs
in the distance and beautiful lakes to
the right and left. Near Herman we