The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-09-09
Dane County's Unique Railroad charm
ing Town of Cambridge.
(FrOm State JOurnal.)a


(From State Journal)s
Did YOU ever ride over the Chicago
and Lake Superior railroad? You can't
get on either at Chicago or Superior, but
perhaps in time these places may grow
to meet it so that you can. There is one
county in Wisconsin (Adams) that has
no railroad, but Dane county boasts
whole system of its own. The Chicago
and Lake Superior system is just 81
miles long all comprised within the
towns of Deerfeld and Christiana, in
Dane county. The principal owner,
George Dow, died in Cambridge last
week. He had worked on and ridden
over the first railroad built in this coun-
try, at New York city, and this little road
at Cambridge may have looked not un-
like an imported section of that same
primitive road. But it wasn't. It was
built but half dozen years ago. Its
promoters, chief among which was Her
man Henry of Milwaukee. had dreams of
eventually doing up Rockefeller and Jim
Hill when this line should cross the
great commonwealth owned by Bob Lee
Toilette and eventually absorb the Van
derbilts and other competitive systems.
But the enterprise fell on evil days.
After reaching from London to Cam
bridge it was unable to extend it's atten
uated length any farther and sat down
for rest. 1t is resting yet. Even Mr..
Dow, the sturdy Scotchman with gen
JUS for big things, was unable to rejuve-
nate it. But he bought it up and kept it
going till his death.
The system includes 81 miles of track,
an engine and two cars Zone reserved for
great occasions) conductor, an engineer
and two section hands. It is the only
road in the country in which the board
of directors exceed the number of en-
ployes. The train runs front end fore
most from London to Cambridge and
backs up on the return trip. When you
step up to buy your ticket the station
agent pompously reaches up for it, but
doesn't ask "Where to-" That's unnec-
essary. The ticket reads, "Good for one
tirst-class passage from London to Cam
bridge. Chicago and Lake Superior
Railway, Herman Henry, general man
ager." There are two kinds of tickets,
white one for single passage and color
ed one for round trip.
There is no danger of collisions on this
road and no train dispatcher is ever sent
to the madhouse through it's complex
block system. But don't make too free
with the system. The engine jumped
the track one day and ran off into corn
field because somebody said something
disparagiDg of il. 1t was finally found,
but refused to be coaxed back to work
till persuasive derrick FROM the North
western gently lifted it and set it down
on the track again. In the meantime
there was congestion Of traffic along
the whole system. The road also has
another way of impressing its import
ance upon an unappreciative public. 1t
leaves Cambridge SO early in the after
noon that the traveller who would con-
meet with the Northwestern at London
must wait nearly two hours at this name
sake of the worlds enterprise. The
spunky little train waits also. Why it
takes two hours to insure getting to
London is not known unless it be to clear
the pumpkins and drive the COWS off the
track.
The one coach behind the engine
makes a brave attempt 10 be up to date.
It is divided through the center, the
front half front when going south) is for
the ladies and the elite. The other half
is the smoker, mail, freight, baggage and
seattle" car. Here you can sit with your
feet hanging out of the car and gaze
upon the baronial domain of forge
Thompson and blow your nicotine In
scense to the gods out over a lovely land
scape. Or you can hold down the little
iron box containing the treasure that is
supposed to haunt express cars. There
are no other seats. The conductor is
doc" Matson, genial fellow, who wears
a white vest between stations which he
covers up with jacket when he gets to
the end Of the route and has to hustle
baggage.
The engine is quaint old affair but
like the balky horse at the foot of the
hill "is there every time" 1t is an out
rageous libel, however, 10 say that it has
to stop when it wants to whistle. for the
writer remembers distinctly that it
footed twice and the speed was only
slightly slackened. Don't ask the engi-
neer if he is not afraid it might blow up.
The writer did so and the burly stoker
pulled his overalls up to his knees and
blew him (the writer) up. The engineer
has no fireman en- which to vent his
steam. He fills both roles himself and
keeps fat on the dual job.
There are no labor troubles on this
road. AS stated, there are only two sec
ton hands and they can 60 out and
work in the tobacco fields on the side so
they have no kick coming. But enough
Of this. II you want quiet delightful
little outing 60 down and ride over the
road to Cambridge. This is lovely lit
tie town, shut off from the distracting
roar of the great world, and with many
traditions to interest the scholar, poet,
and artist. Here George Dow did great
things: here Rasmus Anderson and Jul
ius Olson went to school, here Lars
Haukaness has painted and here DR..
Amundson, the Norwegian Mark Twain,
has written many funny skit. Here
also is the first Norwegian Methodist
church ever built in the world Near at