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CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL Running through the county of Monroe are two good systems of railroads which have brought not a little to the development of the resources and interests of this county, as well as of the state of Wisconsin, and a brief outline of the history of these two great lines deserves a place in this work. For after all that may be said it is plain to be seen from the records of the past that the real development of the county began with the establishment of the railroad system affording, of course, a rapid and cheap method of transportation when otherwise food, clothing and supplies of all kinds and public travel were accomplished by means of the old-fashioned stages and freight-hauling lines, with teams. The LaCrosse and Milwaukee Railroad Company was incorporated by an act of the legislature, approved on the 2nd day of April, 1852. Its first president was Byron Kilborn, a man who played such a prominent part in the development of the city of Milwaukee and of the state. In 1854 stock subscriptions were obtained, and a survey having been made the general line of the road was established on what is practically the same route now used by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway between Milwaukee and LaCrosse. Previous to this, however, in 1851, the Milwaukee and Fond du Lac Railroad Company was incorporated and in 1853 the company received its charter under the name of Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Green Bay railroad. By an act of the legislature, approved June 27, 1853, these two railroads were allowed and authorized to consolidate, which they did, and began the building of the road towards Fond du Lac later on in 1854. The Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Green Bay railroad was consolidated with the LaCrosse and Milwaukee company, assuming the latter name and proceeded with the construction of the road already commenced, by turning it in the direction of LaCrosse. In 1836 congress donated a large grant of land to the state to assist in railroad purposes, and the western part of this was conferred by the state to the LaCrosse and Milwaukee company after the consolidation, and on March 14, 1857. the road was completed as far as Portage, ninety-eight miles from Milwaukee and just about one-half way to what is now the city of LaCrosse. The times were hard during the year 1857-58 and the railroad, in common with other business interests, suffered very much and there were a number of changes in its officers. The end of the year 1857 found this little railroad with a debt of $8,263,660.91, while the entire stock issue of the road amounted to $7,687,540.26. The annual report of that year is truly a story of financial embarrassment and business difficulties. The report set out as fully as the officials dared to but in a much guarded manner the disastrous results of the acts of the legislature and other official corruption by which the land grant of the previous year was obtained. On the 27th day of September, 1857, the road passed into the hands of Selah Chamberlain, who had been the original contractor and builder of a portion of it. He leased it from the LaCrosse and Milwaukee company and continued with the construction of the road, and the whole line was opened up from Milwaukee to LaCrosse on the first day of October, 1858. In 1860 Chamberlain surrendered the lease to Messrs. Broson & Sutter, the trustees of the second mortgage holders at this time. An order was made by the United States District Court appointing Col. Hans Crocker as receiver of the western division of the road from Portage to LaCrosse. He was also subsequently appointed receiver of the eastern division from Portage to Milwaukee, and after taking possession of the entire road he operated it until the 12th day of June. 1863, when by an order of the court he surrendered the western division to the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company as purchaser, and turned over the eastern division of the same company to operate under him as receiver, in which capacity he continued to act until January 9, 1866, when the entire road went into the possession of the Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company. Previous to this the Chicago and St. Paul Railroad Company had been organized and started to build a line between Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul, and on the first day of January, 1872, the Milwaukee and St. Paul company formally purchased the Chicago and St. Paul railroad. This was made by giving the bonds of the St. Paul company for about $4,000,000 in gold, payable in London in 1902, bearing 7 per cent interest. The road between Milwaukee and Chicago was not completed until 1872, and in the following year was transferred to Milwaukee and St. Paul company and a route 410 miles long between Milwaukee and St. Paul then completed. The road continued to operate under the name of Milwaukee and St. Paul railroad until February. 1874, when by an act of the legislature the name was changed to the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company, which name it has borne ever since. In 1874 the legislature passed what was known as the "Potter" law, which limited the rates for passengers and freight traffic, and this provided for a board of railroad commissioners. This law went into effect May 1, 1874, and George H. Paul, John W. Hoyt and Joseph Hosborn were appointed railroad commissioners. At about this time there was considerable feeling on the part of the people against the railroad company on account of the fact that the railroads regarded the "Potter'' law as unconstitutional and refused to reduce their charges for the passage and freight traffic until compelled to do so by a decision of the supreme court of the state. In 1876, however, the "Potter" law was repealed and a law passed establishing the maximum prices for freights, and since that time there has been considerable legislation which has resulted in the present law giving supervision of railroads to the jurisdiction of a railroad commission appointed by the governor. The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway has completed the line to the coast, beginning at Mobridge, South Dakota, where it joins on to the end of the old line under the name of Chicago, Milwaukee and Puget Sound railway. While the two systems are practically one they are run under separate management, and through this county there now passes daily two of the finest passenger trains, perhaps, in the world, the '" Olympian" and the "Columbian," fitted with every convenience known for the comfort of a traveler. THE NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY In the year 1873 the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company constructed its line through this county. This company was first organized as the Illinois and Wisconsin Railway Company and was to run the line from Chicago to the Wisconsin state line. It was consolidated, however, with the Rock River Valley Union railroad, which was to run from the state line to Fond du Lac and thus to form what was afterwards designated the St. Paul and Fond du Lac Air Line Railway Company. In 1859 the road was sold to a syndicate of capitalists and was reorganized under the present Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company. Subsequently the Dixon, Rockford and Kenosha and the Galena and Chicago railroads became consolidated with and a part of the Northwestern in June, 1864, and in October that same year it absorbed the Peninsular railway, and in 1869 the Detroit and Madison railway, and in 1871 the Baraboo Air Line, running from Madison, and in due course the Northwestern absorbed the Winona and St. Peter running from Winona to New Ulm, Minnesota, and thence extended to Lake Kanipeska, Dakota, 320 miles from the Mississippi river. The line was built from Madison to Elroy, where it formed connections with the West Wisconsin railroad, and this and the other line formed the shortest route from Chicago to St. Paul, only lacking a short length to fill the gap between Winona and Elroy, but while this was not a very great distance and the difficulties encountered in constructing this line were tremendous. There was in existence a company called the LaCrosse, Trempeleau and Prescott Railway Company which contemplated building a railroad from Winona, running southwest into Monroe county. The Northwestern company purchased this road from Winona junction, finished the track to Sparta, Monroe county, and opened the whole line for regular traffic with a grand excursion on the 25th of September, 1873. The line from Madison to Sparta passes through one of the most picturesque portions of Wisconsin, and nowhere in the state can more beautiful scenery be found. Passing through Madison, the lake country, it skirts the shores of Devil's lake, goes by the dells of the Baraboo river, and runs into the beautiful hill country between Elroy and Sparta. But this beautiful hill country was the means of a vast expenditure of money, perhaps greater than any other present road in the middle west. Among the difficulties met with were the numerous springs of water, and many devices had to be resorted to in order to continue the work and take care of the flow. It became necessary to make three long tunnels between Kendall and Sparta, the longest of which, "No. 3," is situated in the town of Ridgeville and is 3,800 feet in length and cost nearly $1,000,000 to construct. The other two, "No. 1" and "No. 2." between Norwalk and Wilton, and Wilton to Kendall, are about 1,700 feet in length. This great company has grown to be one of the important railroads of the country, and a map of its lines shows the vast territory reached by its various ramifications; and the traffic has demanded not only the building of direct routes, but great hauling capacity for freights to and from the far west, so that in order to avoid the heavy grades between Elroy and Sparta the Northwestern company caused to be incorporated in 1910 what is known as the "Milwaukee, Sparta and Northwestern Railway Company" which has constructed an air line in the short space of one year from Milwaukee to Sparta, passing through the eastern and central portion of the county, piercing the range of hills at Tunnel City, near the tunnel of the St. Paul company, and crossing the tracks of the St. Paul a few miles east of the city of Sparta. At the time of this work will be distributed trains will be in operation on this road. Chapter 8 Closely connected with the history of the village, now the city of Tomah, was the constuction of what was known as the West Wisconsin railroad, from Tomah to Black River Falls. There was considerable agitation with regard to the building of this road among the citizens of both places, and in view of the advantages for transportation purposes, the two communities subscribed for a large amount of stock in order that the road might be built. Accordingly the movement was set on foot to take advantage of national aid by the granting of lands in this state to assist in the construction of railroads. An act of Congress passed the 5th day of May, 1864, among other things made a special grant of certain lands in this state for the construction of a railroad from Tomah, in the county of Monroe, to the St. Croix river or lake between townships twenty-five and thirty-one. and from thence to Lake Superior and Bayfield. To digress a moment, the construction of this road as contemplated, if it had been completed clear through to Bayfield and in operation today, undoubtedly would have had a great influence upon the past history of not only the city of Tomah, but the citt of Black River Falls, for it would run through a rich country. On March 20, 1865, the legislature of this state by a joint resolution
accepted the grant as provided in this act of congress. Previous to this a
railroad company had been incorporated by an act of the legislature,
approved April 1, 1863, and was originally The list of the incorporators of this railroad here given contains the names of a number of men who afterwards attained prominence in the state of Wisconsin. Here they are: William Wilson and William Carson, of Dunn county: Joseph Thorpe and R. F. Wilson, of Eau Claire county: Andrew S. Greg and H. S. Allen, of Chippewa county: A. Gaylord, of Polk county; N. S. Dunbar and Charles H. Cox, of Pierce county: H. L. Humphrey, of St. Croix: Miles D. Prindle, of Pepin county: George M. Gilkey. of Buffalo county: R. C. Field, of Trempeleau: Carl C. Pope and William T. Price, of Jackson county: Richard Dewhurst, of Clark county, and C. D. Spaulding, of Monroe county. Afterwards, and on the 6th day of April, 1866, the name of the company was changed to that of the West Wisconsin Railway Company, and the construction of the road was commenced. The first strip of it between Tomah and Black River Falls was built in the summer of 1868, and train service was started regularly between Tomah and Black River Falls, which continued up until November, 1873, at which time trouble arose between the company and the town of Tomah from the fact that the company claimed that the town had not kept its contract with regard to the subscription of stock, and threatened to tear up the line from Warren's Mills to Tomah and thus cut the village off from Jackson county. This threat was finally put into execution and the company sent a crew of men down to that end of the line, and on the last Sunday of November, 1872, they tore up the track between Tomah and Warren's Mills. It was only accomplished after strong resistance by the citizens of the village and the excitement ran high at the time. During the same year, 1872, the company constructed a track through Warren's Mills to Elroy, making a junction at the latter place with the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company, and by this means, as well as by the tearing up of the track from Tomah to Warren's Mills, great injury was inflicted upon the business interests of Tomah and the citizens were very indignant and did not propose to lamely submit to such high-handed procedure. Accordingly, on the 29th of January. 1873, a bill was introduced in the legislature by the Hon. A. K. Bleekman, then the member of the assembly from Monroe county, entitled "a bill requiring the West Wisconsin Railroad Company to relay, maintain and operate its road from Tomah to Warren's Mills in Monroe county." The bill was referred to the judiciary committee, which reported it back again with amendments and recommended its passage, and after a warm fight in the legislature it passed both houses and was approved by the governor February 18, 1873. The company, however, defied this act of the legislature, refused to comply with it in any manner, under the claim that the act was unconstitutional, and thus began, perhaps, the first chapter in the history of railroad legislation in the state of Wisconsin regarding the acts of such corporations. The fact that the company failed to comply with this law compelled the citizens of Tomah to go to the courts, and accordingly upon an application made to the supreme court and on the 29th day of August, 1873, leave was granted to commence action against the company, and the attorney-general instituted proceedings in the nature of quo warranto, to have declared forfeited the defendant's charter, and asked that the company be dissolved under the act of February 13, 1873, above mentioned. The company in its answer to this writ claimed that the net was unconstitutional and nugatory, and demurred to the complaint on the following grounds: First, that the court had not jurisdiction of the subject matter. Second, that the complaint did not state facts sufficient to entitle the plaintiff to the relief demanded herein, or to any relief. This action was brought to hearing upon the demurrer at the January, 1874, term of the supreme court, and the demurrer was overruled. The defendant company then answered and the village in turn demurred to the answer set up by the company on the ground that it did not state facts sufficient to constitute a defense. When the matter came up for hearing the court held that the company, in discontinuing the road and taking up the track from Warren's Mills to Tomah, violated the provisions of its charter and its duty to the state under its charter: and that the railroad company was required by chapter thirty-one of the laws of 1873, being the act of February 13th, to relay and operate that part of the road which it had originally received a charter to build, and was bound to maintain it; namely, that portion of the line which they had, as has been stated, torn up between Tomah and Warren's Mills. The court entered an order, sustained the demurrer to the company's answer with leave to the company to amend by the first day of the next term. This decision of the court was a body blow to the claim of the company, and in order to save further litigation a proposition was made to the village of Tomah to settle the case by a payment of a sum of money. A meeting of the citizens was called and the matter considered, and after one or two stormy sessions the proposition of the company to pay $10,000 in consideration of the dropping of all litigations was finally accepted, and this ended the matter. By an act of the legislature February 13. 1876, the act of February 18, 1873, was repealed and the building of the line from Warren's Mills to Elroy was legalized. The member of the assembly from Tomah at this time was Charles D. Wells. Portions of the old road bed from Tomah to Warren's Mills may still be seen, mute monuments of those stirring times which lead not only to physical violence, but costly litigation on the part of this little community to maintain its rights against a corporation. Chapter 9 |
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