Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-03-09
STEALING A RAILROAD.
Low an Unpaid Contractor lev
ied'' on the Original Wis
consin Central.

o,er know that a railroad in Wisconsin
WAS lonee stolen and carried away?'
asked Edward Barber. an early-day rail-
road man of Wisconsin, and now the
well-known real estate dealer of Milwau
kee.
Never heard of novel case like that,
eh? Wen, [ was very much of an in
terested spectator of the stealing cf a
railroad in Wisconsin in the early days
of struggling railroad enterprises, and as
one of the officials of the fated road |
was compelled TO stand alongside the
right of way and see our railroad picked
up and hauled aWay-a genuine case of
stealing-and it was all done before the
company could get out any legal papers
to stop if. because the road was stolen on
q Sunday.
Mr. Barber then proceeded to give the
details which are of particular interest
Just now in view of the semi-centennial
Of the Chicago, Milwaukee Il St Paul
road
The Original Wisconsin Central.
1t was along in 1859 that the railway
enterprise known as the Wisconsin Cen
trail Railway company mot related, or in
ans way connected with the present road
of the same name) had its beginning i'll
Illinois and Wisconsin. Its projectors
were capitalists interested in both states,
and the plan was to construct and oper
Lake Geneva, and from the latter point
to Whitewater and Jefferson. Wis. The
original projectors secured, and paid for
the RICH. of-way from Elgin to the Wis
consn state line and from the boundary
TO jefferson, and later up as far as Co
Iumbus. in this state. The road, CON
structed of ''strap-iron." placed on scant-
ling run leugthwise, like the original
tramways in England. was completed
and operated from Elgin to Lake Gene
va. No attempt was made at extension
for some time, but later the enterprise
was taken hold of by New York capital
lists, headed by Euclid Chadsey and 9th
ers, and an effort was at once made to
construct the road to jefferson and
Whitewater, from Geneva. The new
promoters issued $1,O0O00O in bonds.
which were in addition to the farm and
town bonds already issued and sold for
the benefit of the enterprise. \ contract
was then made with the Canadian rail-
way construction firm of George f. Har-
ris q Co. Harris Immediately came to
Wisconsin from Canada, bringing with
him a large outfit consisting of steam
shovels, experienced workmen, etc, and
started in dead earnest. He secured W.
H. Bradford. now n well-known retired
citizen of Milwaukee, as his private sec
rotary.
Paid $4,000 Duty on Rails.
About the same time the new owners
ordered 1900 tons of English ''T' rail,
to be delivered in Milwaukee. These
rails were finally unloaded at the dock at
Milwaukee, in bond, and the sec
rotary of the road, Edward Bar
ber was called upon by Collector
of Customs Gotleib Weiss to plank down
$4,000 in gold as duty on the foreign
iron" Harris went to work grading the
road from Geneva north and did some
heavy cutting through the Whitewater
bluffs and on through to Jefferson, where
he put in a bridge over the Rock river. to
connect the road with the Northwestern
line The English rails were taken to
Whitewater and laid for a distance of
about two miles, making a spur from
the Milwaukee & Mississippi road.
Then rumors of war depressed bust
ness, capitalists became timid and hard
times set in and the companies with com
peted roads found it very hard to make
both ends meet to say nothing of the
prospect for new enterprises. The bonds
Of the Central would not sell, and its
funds got low. Harris had big bill
due on work faithfully performed. The
company met and decided to give him
the bonds to see what he could do with
them. He could do nothing. of course,
and the company is still in his debt.
lie wanted his money, and his men were
damoring for their pay.
Began to Pull Up the Track.
One bright Sunday morning someone
reported to the chief engineer of the new
road, Frederick Starin, that long train
Of hatcars had arrived at Whitewater
junction and that the tranmen had brok-
en- the swtchlocks on the track connect
ing the Milwaukee 4 Mississippi and the
Wisconsin Central's two miles of spur.
Starin got the secretary. Edward Barber
and both FASTENED to the scene to learn
Just what was up They found their
contractor Harris, III charge of the train
ana he had q big crew of his men with
nm. He ran his special up to the far
end of the road, two miles beyond the
junction, and there, on that beautiful
sunday morning, when courts were not
IN session and injunctions could not be
mad, his gang proceeded Systematically
10 Load the Wisconsin Central railroad
on MS special train-tIes, rails and ali
me men would take up and place n sec
lion OF the railroad on the fiat cars and
me train would then retreat far enough
20 give the men 4 chance to work on the
neNt section, TINS taking up the track
~ the wake of the train until all of the
1Mo miles Of railroad were on board
lhen Contractor-Condu Harris gave
me signal and his train with its load
~ English rails pulled out on the main
me OF the Milwaukee & MississipD and
disappeared around a curve.
Never Saw Harris Afterward,
lll we no. eNCjdinCU Secrp-
}ary Barber. "WeH, what could we
10: Harris had our road aboard h
ram; 1t was Sunday. and besides he had
q oiS gang of Irishmen with him. and
Nt decided. under the circumstances, t.
et nam steal the road. We knew he
puId not get his money and we did not
ul"he him much. As his train passed
~ Win our railroad on board, he smiled
VWraclously at us and waved a goodby.
ne never saw Harris after thar. TIE
leA3inder of our railroad in Illinois
I.doually disappeared. also: we never
anew how or where. But the right-of-
"dy IS still there. paid for In later
Jrs Edwin H. Abbot and George Is
EErly Of Whitewater. the inventor Of the
El.steFly reaper and header. made an ef-
UT 10 revive the project. bnt withou:
steSs' and il was never built. Had
-94e through. it would undoubtedly be
lie HS nght-of-way ran directly through
central part Of the ate."-Eyening