Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-01-31
SUBSCRIBED $4,000
At RAILROAD MEETING
Proposed Electric Short Line
Given Splendid Boost.
The $4,000 Needed for Organization
of Company and the Preliminary
Work is Now Raised.

The meeting Of citizens held at
Knapp's rink last Friday evening for
the consideration of matters pertain
ing to the proposed new electric
Chicago Short Line Railway"
being promoted by Thomas Nc
Donald, was quite largely attended by
a solid class Of Lancaster men, the
explanations concerning the project
listened to attentively. and much
enthusiasm manifested so much, in
fact, that when it came TO the matter
of raising $4,000 more money toward
completing the 500, 600 needed for the
organization Of company, the survey
Of line and other preliminary work,
this sum was subscribed by those
present very short order.
Mayor I. Bennett was made
chairman the meeting. The plan
proposed for the organization of a
company and the construction Of
road was explained in detail and at
considerable length by Mr.. Mcdonald.
This has already been outlined in The
Herald. but is briefly retold herewith.
The proposed line will be a
standard built road, over which the
trains of any standard steam road
could be operated, but if this line is
built it will be operated with electric
equipment.
It is the intention to build belt
line, about sixty miles in length,
starting at Lancaster and making a
circle through the western portion of
Grant county, touching the villages
Of Beetown, Bloomington, Patch
Grove, Mt. Hope, Fennimore and
Sitter and traversing portions of the
towns of South Lancaster, Beetown,
q len Haven. Bloomington, Patch
Grove Mt. Hope, Mt Ida, Fennimore,
Liberty and North Lancaster, opening
up the rich farming country Of that
entire section to transportation
facilities it has long and badly needed.
From Lancaster, running east and
south the belt line will be continued
with a direct electric line through the
towns of Ellenboro, Lima and Platte
Vile and the city Of PIatteville,
then continuing across Lafayette
county and connecting with the Great
Western railway near Stockton. ILL.,,
making a direct route from this
country to Chicago, greatly shortening
the distance it is now necessary to
travel to reach the western metropolis.
lie the proposed line should be bui 1t
it will not only mean direct and
frequent electric trains east and west
from here for passenger travel, but
will offer as we'll much needed trans
portation service for freight, placing
such service within convenien
reach Of about 800 600 acres of the
choice farming section of western
Grant county-the richest and best
agricultural county in the state.
In the construction and operation of
such a road it will be necessary to
have at least four large electric power
plants 1t is proposed to establish
three of these in Grant county ny the
means of two big dams on Grant river
and one on Platte. with fourth one
located on Apple river, in ILL
nois, and in addition thereto an
auxiliary steam power plant of large
capacity to be located at Lancaster,
for generating sufficient electric power
to provide for any contingency that
may arise.
It is proposed to have inter urban pas
senger and freight service on the belt
line and regular electrically propelled
trains between Lancaster and Stockton,
for both passenger and freight traffic,
with an arrangement by which the
Great Western equipment will pass
over this line and the equipment of
this line pass over the Chicago &
Great Western rails to Chicago.
Should the road be built it would
also result, without doubt, in the
Northwestern materially improving
the service it now accords to this
section of country and do away with
much of the annoyance and delay
now consequent to railway travel.
And surely nothing could be of more
value to the people of a county
located as Grant county is than
transportation facilities that would
make it more accessible for quick
shipments to the great commercial
centers. The benefits that shot Ii
accrue from such facilities could
conservatively be expected to increase
real estate values in the territory to
be served by this proposed road more
than the cost of building the road
This initial $25, 900 having been
now practically all subscribed,