The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-02-15
THIS IS SETTLED.
Falrmont Gets the WatonWan Val.
ley Railroad.

Falrmont Gets the Watonwan VAL
ley Railroad.
It was stated in these columns
last week that the line between
Fairmont and Madelia was sure
thing. It is to be constructed by
the Watonwan Valley Railroad Co.,
of which w. A. Scott of the Omaha
system, is president. The state
ment made by the official who gave
the news to The GAZETTE is con-
frmed this week, direct from Fair
mont, where, it appears the Waton-
wan Valley company has worked
the citizens for right-of-way through
Fairmont. The News says that a
meeting of citizens was held two
weeks ago, at which steering COM
mittee was appointed. This COM
mittee met E. E. Woodman, secre-
tary of the Omaha, on Tuesday of
last week, who told the committee
that the route his company intended
to take would pass about three
miles east of Fairmont, and that it
would cost in the neighborhood of
$50, 900 more to put the line through
Fairmont, in case the change was
made. He asked the steering COM
mittee to submit a proposition. The
latter, after consultation, offered the
company right-of-way through the
town and suitable grounds for de-
pot, free of charge, one citizen, A.
L. Ward, donating the right-of-way
through his land for an entire mile.
The secretary recommended the
acceptance of this proposition, and
later in the week the offers and
acceptances were placed in writing,
and Fairmont gets the road.
The St. Louis system is still look
ing after the field, and is making
three different surveys, General
Manager Day saying that one Of the
surveying parties has taken the
direction of Madelia, Fairmont and
Emmettsburg, Iowa. Anotherparty
went through St. James, Sherburn
and Esterville, Iowa. Still another
will go in thedirection Of Buckfeld,
Jackson and Spirit Lake.
Mr.. Day said it was impossible to
know at the present time which line
would probably be taken. It will
be some time before the matter can
be determined. The Minneapolis &
St. Louis is in no particular hurry
to build the line. The Illinois
Central will have an extension from
Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Omaha. It
can there make connections with
the Minneapolis & St. Louis, and
the result will be good short line
to Omaha. Of the roads building to
Omaha it is an understood fact that
the Illinois Central will be the first
to complete it's work, which will
probably be some time in the fall.
That will give the Minneapolis &
St. Louis a chance to take it's time,
and the indications are that it will
do so.
The Chicago & North hwestern will
build two extensions in Iowa. A
line from Dennison to Wall Lake
and one from the latter point to
Mondamin, on the Sioux City &
Pacific, are projected. The North
western net earnings for the year
are reported at $13, ,138, ,433 and
surplus $3,O17, ,2O5, after all charges,
against $2,279,OOO in 1897 and
1907, ,524 in 1896. The Northwestern
statement for the calendar year
shows an increase in net earnings
of $542, 255 over last year.
~
Since the above was put in type a
New Ulm special claims that the
route of the new st. Louis road
south of New Ulm has been estab-.
lished. The special says: The
party surveying south of this city
for the proposed Minneapolis & st.
Louis extension to Omaha have met
the surveying crew from st. James,
and the line is now definitely To-
Gated between this city and that
point. Plans and specifications for
the bridge across the big Cotton
wood river, two miles from this
city. on the proposed route, are now