The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1905-02-24
UP TO US.
Committeeman Discuss Railroad
riatters With Officers of
South Dakota Central.

Mayor A. G. Schmidt and Chas b.
Kennedy returned last evening from
Sioux Falls whitner they had been in
the interest of securing to Madison the
South Dakota Central railroad. The
gentlemen were much pleased with
their reception by P. F. Sherman, pres
ident of the company. They were in
vited to ride over the con. pleted portion
of the road from Sioux Falls to Cotton
and return, which they did At Cotton
| they met j. E. Cotton, one of the direc-
tors, who also received them cordially
In general conversation they learned
that the completed road is a paying in
yestment, Notwithstanding the expense
necessary in transferring cars to the
Milwaukee system at Sioux Falls which
has so far cost the company IS per car
to have it received by the Milwaukee
company on their track for forwarding
east. These transfer charges have in
| some cases cost the company $500 in a
| month which indicates the through
freight business the company has been
doing along it's twenty miles cf road
| this winter
Messls Kennedy and Schmidt found
at Cotton all the facilities for grading
an extension of the road north from
| Cotton, including horses, scrapers. etc.
| 1t is the purpose of the company to
commence extension work just as soon
as it is possible to get to work in the
spring.
AS to Madison getting the road from
Cotton or whether the crossing of the
Milwaukee will be made east of this
ely, at Wentworth OF elsewhere. the
chances are about even. Messrs. Sher-
man and Cotton showed a friendly spir-
| it toward Madison, but other directors
felt that Madison had not given the
company sufficient encouragement, in
the way of kindliness, to warrant them
in making any very great effort to en-
ter into negotiations with the people. .ot
this city. They expressed the opinion
| that Madison had always shown spir-
| it of Indifference, and encouragement
| being long deferred, the company had
also become indifferent and cared little
| whether they came to Madison or not.
Their purpose is to pass through the
| territory unoccupied by railroads
northeast of us and they can reach that
country cheaper by direct line from
Cotton than by yeering to the west to
take in this city and then bending east
in passing out of the city to reach the
| country they desire to occupy.
However, Messrs. Kennedy and
Schmidt were not discouraged in their
talk with Messrs. Sherman and Cotton,
but express the opinion that Madison
must put up unanimous front in the
matter of public sentiment and encour
agement if this city is included on the
| line of extension. OF course money to
provide right-of way in addition to
friendly public sentiment will be neces-
sary, and it will require unanimous
effort on the part of our citizens to
bring this about.
1t would seem that the day had gone
by for any division of sentiment on this
proposition. 1t is a foregone conclu-
sion that the road will be extended
from Cotton this summer. Whether or
not the line com3s to Madison, it will
pass through Lake county. Is it nee
essary to say to good business man
that it would be fatal to Madison to
have a railroad pass through Lake
county and not pass through Madison
There will be a meeting of the direc-
tors of the South Dakota Central rail
road held at Sioux Falls next week to
finally decide upon the route of exten
sion from Cotton. This meeting will
be final. 1t is then Madison must get
onto the band wagon or forever after
listen to the whistle of the trains of
the Central road as they pass through
the county a few miles to the east of
the at present best town in the county.
In the language of our Kentucky friend,
"What are you all going to do about
itT"