Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-01-05
NEW MILWAUKEE LINE.
Surveyors at Work Between McGre.
gOr and Charles City Lessening
Grades and Shortening
Line.

If the changes as proposed in the
following article from the Charles
City Intelligencer are to be made
this year, it will materially alter the
railroad map of this part of the
state:
The Milwaukee railroad promises
to be one of the biggest building fac
tors in this city next year. If this
road carries out plans it is now MAX
ing the railroad map about Charles
City will be very much changed be-
fore the year 1910 passes into his
tory. Paul Montgomery, assistant
engineer for the Milwaukee road, to-
gether with nine other civil engi-
neers, are now making headquarters
at the Hildreth Hotel and are sur
veying new route to the east.
There are some very steep grades in
the roadbed to the east of here, caus-
ing the tonnage to be reduced on all
freight trains east bound. The
Double Day hill has always been a
hard grade to climb and has caused
great deal of grief to the road ever
since it was built. The sharp curves
too, have always been a drawback
Mr.. Montgomery has orders to sur
vey another line from here in an
casterly direction, leaving Bassett
and Ionia to the north about two
miles. The new line then swings
back 10 New Hampton and uses most
of the old right-of-way from there
to Lawler. At Lawler the new road
swings sharply to the southwest and
makes new connection with the
Calmar and Davenport division at
point near Waucoma. In all it is es-
timated that at least thirty miles of
new track will be necessary in order
to take out the heavy grades and
make the new connection.
AS is well known, the Milwaukee
is now strong competitor for bust
ness to the great west, since it OPEN
ed its own line to Seattle and Port
land. 1t is the purpose of this artery
of commerce to make this line
through Charles City the main line
for freight. In order to do this, it
is necessary to make the distance as
short as possible.
A new cutoff from Lawler to
Waucoma, will shorten the distance
from Chicago to Seattle many miles,
beside it will eliminate the tortuous
Dubuque river line and the costly
North McGregor hill. 1t is said that
it is not the intention of the Milwau-
kee to leave either Bassett or Ionia
without train service but that the old
line will be retained and that be-
tween here and Jackson Junction
there will be practically a double
track.
1t seems quite likely that the new
line will leave the Milwaukee station
in this city and run almost directly
as it does now. BY going a trifie to
the south of due east, the steep grade
will be reduced to a small fraction of
one per cent, which is desired.
In considering the new connection
with the Calmar line. it should be re-
membered that new division point
will have to be created and that
Charles City may yet realize her
great and long deferred ambition.
From Sabula to this city would make
a good freight division.
Mr.. Montgomery and his corps of
engineers will be busy for several
weeks in and about this city. 1t
takes some time to determine just
what route offers the most advan-
tages. The weather is not of the
best, either. The work has to be
done in the open air, with a great
IDEAL of travel by team.
I Should this new line be built dur
ing the coming summer, as now
seems likely, this city will be the
center of a great deal of railroad
building activity. Add to this the
strong likelihood that new Milwau-
kee station will be built this year
and the reader has a picture that is
more than pleasing"