The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-01-08

| would think it could, however be
accomplished by winding back and
forth between the streams, as some
have the best crossing near the
mouth, and some of the ravines
could be avoided entirely by work
ing back one or two miles, but this
would make considerable more mile
age than to drop south to route
No. 2 in the first place, and also
make a road with a greater num-
Der of heavy grades.
| would not want to make an esti-
mate on the cost of road along
the lake shore through Douglas
county without at least two weeks
time to go over it thoroughly, but
am convinced that it could not be
done under $4,000 per mile, includ-
ing bridges. This would make the
cost about $4,000 to $15O,OOO
through Douglas county to the east
city limits of Superior.
In my judgment, the only prac-
ticable way to develop the northern
part of Douglas county is to con.
struct a good main road back far
enough from the lake shore to avoid
most of the bad ravines, and then
run branch roads north and south
between the streams, where good
locations can be gotten without
heavy expense for bridging and cut
ting down hills.
l would estimate the cost of
this route about as follows:
Ashland to Washburn (con-
structed). This portion of the work
has been provided for by the Bay
field county board and will have to
be built in any event.
Washburn to Bayfield, county line,
$4,000 to 100000 exclusive of
Sioux River bridge, which must be
built anyway
Douglas county line to Superior
east limits.
Along lake shore. say $4,000.
Along route No. 2, $4,000.
Estimated total cost via lake
shore, $4,000 to 100000.
Estimated total cost via route No.
2, $15O,000.
The connection between the Bar
rens" and Port Wing could be
opened in good shape for $4,000,
which, with some repairs on pres
ent roads, would make a passable
road through Bayfield, county on
this route The road in Douglas
county would be all new on the
lake shore route and all new to the
Ammicon River on route No. 2.
Route No. 2, (The Center Route.)
This route is the same as No. /,
Ashland to Washburn. From Wash
burn it runs by a new location, not
precisely settled, up the hill to
about the quarter post on the south
side of section 2. From the quarter
post on the south side of section 2
west to. the quarter post on the
south side of section 6, in the same
town, is fairly good road with no
very bad grades. Soil red clay.
At this point we enter sandy soil,
grades not bad for the first two
miles or to the quarter post on the
south side of sections 2-48-6.
From there we would have to
swing northwest regardless of prop
erty lines, as the country is very
hilly to headquarters on the North
ern Pacific Railway.
From headquarters we could fol-
low the town line to the southeast
corner of section 1897, with fairly
easy grades, but as we strike coun.
try ahead that is too hilly to go
through, | would advise turning
northwest. near the southeast corner
of section 35, or possibly further
east, as we have to make a pass in
the range of hills near the quarter
post between sections 20 and 30
1877 and from there work south
along the Northern Pacific track,
crossing just north of Coda and
keeping southwest to the town cor
ners just north of Slowbridge.
This work from where we leave
the south line of 49-7 to the pass
between section 20 and 20 is through
very billy country and will be
heavy work as the hills are all sand
and will have to be cut to easy
grades. All of this stretch to
Slowbridge will have to be located
regardless of property lines.
From Slowbridge west, we can
follow the town line all the way to
the county line, except across the
two forks of the Iron River, where
it will be necessary to make slight
detours in order to get the required
grades.
Inc uTSC CuTG6 ulIlGS W6SL IIOII
Slowbridge is sandy loan, with some
hills; the other nine miles are red
clay and fairly level, except at the
two branches Of the Iron River
and at the Refer, said stream be-
ing in very deep ravines There are
also few small ravines but moth
ing serious.
The Refer and the east branch
of the Iron River have wooden
bridges that would answer for a
few years, but would have to be
replaced by the time the road is
completed and opened for heavy
traffic.
From the county line west
through Douglas county, think the
best route would be to follow the
town line west to the northeast
corner of section 2-48-11, and then
go south two miles and turn west
Gas we find one of the worst ravines
on the route at the northwest corner
of said section p intersecting the
Itasca road ON the south line of Sec
ton 9-48-13 and going in to Superb
or on the said road.
This route is all red clay in
Douglas county.
From the northeast corner of Sec
ton 2-48-10 west for two and one
half miles the road has been opened
up, and there are wooden bridges
across Derman's Creek and across