The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-04-09
Managers of the Proposed Belt Line
From Waukegan to the North
Approaching Kenosha.
COUNTRY CLUB IN DANGER OF LOSS
Proposed Route of the Line VIII Be to
Enter Kenosha on South Exchange st.
May Condemn Property.

ne proposed Oelt railway, which is
to connect Kenosha with Chicago, is
slowly approaching the limits of the
city and Wednesday deeds were passed
by which Eiba Weyhe, of the town of
Pleasant Prairie, transferred to the
promoters of the company right of
way through his farm just north of
Winthrop Harbor.
This deal was followed by the clos
ing of a deal whereby H. S. VanIngen
sold to the company the right of way
through his property for a distance of
three and one-ha1f miles, thus com
pleting the right of way half way be-
tween Winthrop Harhor and Kenosha.
The right secured from Mr.. Weyhe
and Mr.. VanIngen is strip of ground
100 feet in width, and this has given
rise to the report that the company is
not planning to build an electric line
but that the line will be operated by
steam and will be competitor with
the Northwestern Railway company
The consideration of the deals for
right Of way has not been made public
out 1t is said that the company met all
the demands of the land owners in
this regard.
The identity of the company behind
the building of the road and the pur-
chase of the right of way has not as
yet been discovered, but it is supposed
to be the proposed Chicago and North
Shore Railway company, which has
been the pet plan Of Alexander Clark
and Vo1ney Foster. More recently it
has been stated that the Standard Oil
company is backing the project, but
the truth of this statement has never
been shown. 1t is the alleged plan of
the company to build road to be
operated by third rail system of
electricity, and it Will be both for pas
senger and freight business.
The right of way for the company
has been secured in Chicago and in
much of the territory between the
cities. Waukegan has not as yet
granted franchise to the company,
and in fact has refused the ordinance.
North of Waukegan the promoters
of the company have secured right
of way as far as Zion City, and con-
demration proceedings are now pend
ing to secure right through the
province of Dowie. North of the
sacred city it is evident that the road
will pass through the Weyhe and Van
Ingen farms. The survey for the road
provides for it to enter the city on
South Exchange street at Balm ave
nue.. Surveyors have set stakes to
mark such right of way, but thus far
no efforts have been made to secure a
franchise in Kenosha or to secure a
right of way through the property of
the Balm estate, just south of the city
limits.
This property is now leased to the
Kenosha Country Club and should it
be necessary for the route to be laid
out it would pass directly through the
club house on the golf grounds. Such
a route would meet with great opposi-
ton by the people of the city and es-
PONAdAAy AAOAn LAC "a lac
CountrySC1ub, as the building of the
line would make it impossible for the
use of the grounds longer as pleasure
resort. Of course if the company is
regu1arlysincorporatedi it will be able
to begin condemnation proceedings
and in the courts secure a right
through the;golf grounds.
The promotersshave assured the Ke-
nosha countyss1farmers from whom
right of way hasCbeen purchased that
it will be possible to start work on the
road next Spring, and the time for the
completion of the road is set for the
fall of 1904. It is evident that the city
will have another railway fight on it's
hands during theScoming year and the
people at the coming election should
elect Aldermen who will care for the
interests of the city in a strictly
honest manner.