Year: 1868

The engineer of the La Crosse, Viroqua
& Mineral Point Railroad, has just COM
pleted a survey and estimate of the grad
ing and bridging of road from Lacrosse
to the Wisconsin River. lie has been at
considerable trouble to ascertain the most
feasible route, and after four surveys, has
concluded that the one down the Bad Axe
valley would be the cheapest and most
practicable one. He estimates the cost
per mile for grading ard bridging at 3d.
45O, which is not considered large sum,
especially considering the importance of
the road.


The engineer concludes his report with
some general remarks in relation to the
railroad system of the Northwest, which
may not be uninteresting to our readers
He says:


"Your project contemplates the building
Of road from La Crosse to Mineral Point
thus connecting the railroad system of
Minnesota terminating at or near Lacrosse
with Chicago. 1t is absurd to suppose
that one line, viz: the Milwaukee and st.
Paul, can control the entire railroad bus:-
ness of Minnesota; or that the fast in
creasing business of that state will not
soon, if it does not already. demand
more than one outlet. This line Is
without doubt the shortest link between
the Minnesota system Of railroads and
Chicago. At La Crosse this road would
connect with the Southern Minnesota road,
a land grant road, running westwardly two
hundred and fifty miles across the state of
Minnesota, thirty miles of which are COM
pleted, and one hundred and fifty more
under contract.


Three and one-half miles north-westerly
from La Crosse, this road would connect
with the La Crosse, Trempeleau and Pres
colt road, now in process of construction,
and thus be in connection with the VII
mona and st. Paul road, another land
grant road, extending across the state of
Minnesota, and one hundred and fifty
miles of which are already completed.
Another road is being built from St. Paul
down the Mississippi river to the state
line; and by the building of this road, all
tLI sC vi ttiSSc iiil'ol td1I MNilieSOIit NIicS
are afforded the shortest possible route to
Chicago. The distance from La Crosse to
Chicago by this road to Mineral Point, is
t,osnty-sig miles nearer than by any other
completed or contemplated route, and when
built, this road must be the route over
which the through traffic of Minnesota as
controlled by the aforesaid lines will pass,
while the local business of the line would
Of itself probably justify its construction.
The county of Vernon alone, one of the
counties through which it would pass, had
last year a real estate valuation of over two
million dollars, an assessment of probably
about one half the real value of the prop
erty assessed. This county alone could
well afford to take ten per cent. Of its as
scsscd valuation in stock in this road, and
the same may be said of Richland and
other counties through which it will pass,
while to the city of La Crosse the enter
prise commcnds itself as one particularly
bearing upon her present and future pros
perity.


With this road constructed, and with
the Southern Minnesota built two hundred
and fifty miles eastward through the gar
den of the state of Minnesota, and with
connections by means of the Trempeleau
& Winona road with the other Minnesota
roads, all bringing through La Crosse to
this line the harvest wealth of that great
state, it cannot be doubted that her des-
tiny as one of the most important cities of
the Northwest would be secure"