Year: 1866

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The Grant Co. Herald understands tha
the Dodgevile route of the road, at frs
considered favorably for its directness, wa
found altogether impracticable for its many
deep cuts and necessarily steep grades anC
expensiveness. The He3uzd considers it
certainty that the military road must bt
reached somewhere west Of Dodgeville
thence by some route to the Mississippi
somewhere between Cassville and Dun
lieth.


It is quite natural that the Herald
should understand exactly as it does, fol
if the road takes the most direct route
which is from Portage to Mazo Mamie, VI
the Mill Greek Valley 20 Dodgeville, and
thence south to the Mississippi, il
will leave Lancaster far to the north of it
which would materially damage the pros
poets of that place. But our understand
ing Of the matter is somewhat different
we have talked with the Directors Of tht
road both from Grant and other counties
and they express it as their wish and in
tention to make this road as direct and
straight as possible, making it the most
direct and shortest route between the Miss
issippi, Iowa, and the Western States and
Territories, and the Eastern States-
This route, if it is made as straight as pos
sible, will save the distance Of the whole
length of Lake Michigan, nearly three hun
dred miles. The directors wish to run
this road through rich and paying sec
ton of country; Green Bay, the starting
point Of this road is place of near three
thousand inhabitants; it is in the lumber
region, and is one of the best lumber mar
kcts in the state. The harbor at this
place, although not at present one of the
best, the large appropriation made by the
last Congress, judiciously expended, will
make it the very best and safest harbor on
the lakes. Oshkosh, which is directly in
the line Of this road, is a city of nearly
ten thousand inhabitants. 1t is without
exception the largest and best lumber mar
lct in the state, there being sawed in that
county during the year 1865, fifty-seven
million two hundred thousand feet of lum-
Der, more than twice as much as any other
county in the state, and we hear from a
lumber enough at that place alone, to keep
the road running six months. Portage,
another objective point OF. this road, is sit
mated at the great bend in the Wisconsin
river, and taps another great lumber re-
gion. 1t is place of over three thousand
inhabitants. From Portage, to be d.
rect route, which we are informed the di-
rectors particularly desire, it must strike
for MaZo Manic, or somewhere near that
place; and Mazo Mamie in our opinion
would be the very best place for it to cross
the Milwaukee and Prairie du Chicn road.
1t is easy ofaccess, splendidly located and
settled with a community of the most en-,
terprising people in the state. Leaving
Mazo Mamie, it would run west for about
six miles, nearly parallel with the NJ. and
P. du c. r. R., and then strike up the
Mil Greek Valley to Dodgeville, or run
twenty miles further in a parallel direction
with the NJ. and ?. du G. r. r., and strike
up Otter Creek Valley, missing all that
wealthy tract of of country lying east of
Linden for more than twenty miles, and
going considerable out of the regular
course of the road No better paying
route or easier constructed road could be
found than the route up Mill Greek. We
have Travelled through that valley hun
drcds Of times, and know that there is not
route either east or west Of Dodgeville
by which the military road could be
reached as easily as by this one. Leaving
Dodgeville, to take natural and direct
course, it must run in westerly
direction to Platteyille ana thence to the
Mississippi River, at or near Dubuque.
This road, ifrun by the above route, will
be the most direct and straightest road in
the state, will go through the greatest
lumber region, the best farming district
and the richest mining region in the state
This route is the one designed by nature
the one designed by the directors, and tho
one demanded by the people of the whole
state, and We hardly think the citizens o
Lancaster, with the assistance Of th(
Herald VIII be able to draw the roat
twenty miles out Of its natural course fol
the benefit Of that place.


EA correspondent Of the Richlan(
county 0bSerreg tells a story of a younG