The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-10-13
BOARD UNANIMOUS TO PRE-
VENT ABANDONMENT
Authorize. District Attorney
With Aid of Attorney Gen.
eral and State Railway Com
mission to Make Fight.

The special meeting of the coun.
ty board held at the court heuse in
the city on Tuesday, called for the
purpose of taking action to prevent
the Northern Pacific from being
granted permit to abandon and tear
up their branch line of railway in
Bayfield, county, extending from Iron
River to Washburn, resulted in un-
animous action being taken by the
Board in instructing the District At
torney to begin the fight which would
have for its object the denial of the
petition of the railway company for
a permit to abandon the road.
There was not a Dissenting vote to
the resolution asking that the Dis
trict Attorney take in hand the fight
and it was proposed that the aid of
the Attorney General and the State
Railway Commission of Wisconsin
and Senator Lenroot and. Congress-
man Nelson be enlisted in the bat
tie.
A number of those interested in
the fight were present at the meet
ing to offer their aid. 7. N. Oker-
strom the grand old man from Port
Wing, and one of Bayfield, County's
most enthusiastic boosters, gave a
very fine address before the Board
in which it was shown that the Nor
thern Pacific has wilfully neglected
this territory in not seeking busi-
ness. or making an endeavor to get
business. Mr.. Okerstrom gave fl
CURES to show the amount of settle
ment which was dependent on this
railroad for service, how the entire
northern AMI central part OF Bay
field county would be effected by the
abandonment of the railroad, and
what blow it would be to the en-
tire northern part of the state. For
years Mr.. Okerstrom has been en-
deavoring to build up the Port Wing
territory, agriculturally, and ne has
been wonderfully successful in his
efforts, and he stated that it would
be a crime against these settlers to
take away from them at this time
their only means of transportation.
Mr.. Okerstrom was followed by
Winfield E. Tripp of the town of
Tripp, who is also progressive
farmer Of the town of Tripp. The
speaker told of the wonderful loss it
would be. to the people of his town
and for every town in Bayfield, coun-
ty to have this road abandoned.
P. j. Savage, editor of the Iron
River Pioneer ,endeavored to show
the Board what kind of fight would
be necessary in order to bring before
the Commission facts which would
cause them to consider well before
they granted petition for the aban-
donment of the road.
M. H. Sprague, President of the
Washburn Commercial Club, said
that all of bayfield, county should
join the fight for the loss to the coGn-
ty would be a big one, while the bad
effect in. an advertising way would
would be felt throughout Northern
Wisconsin. He promised the sup.
port of the Commercial Club.
The resolution unanimously pass.
ed provided that the District At.
torney C. F. Morris should take
charge of the fight and engage with
him such counsel as would be neces
sary in order to gather data ant
facts upon which to base their fight
The resolution provided for the
appointment of a committee of th'
County Board to work with the dis
trict attorney this committee named
being Peter Soronen, chairman of tn
town of Clover; Luke LAWN, chair
man of the town of Trip; and Ott'
Regeline, chairman of the town 0.
Barksdale.
At a meeting held .. Iron Rivel
last week a committee was named
representative of many towns direct
ly effected by the removal of th'
road and representatives of the
other towns of Bayfield, county viii
also be sought, to aid the Distric
Attorney and County Board Com
mittee in every way possible in gath
ering data and facts which will b