IC, WC extensions

Wisconsin Central The surveys are nearly complete of the line from Abbotsford to Merrill Wis The line will be 70 miles in length and contracts will be let about Aug 20 It is also stated that a line will be run from Wausau to Rib Lake


Engineering News - July 30, 1887

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Illinois Central On the Chicago Madison & Northern road from Freeport to Chicago about three fourths of the grading is done between Freeport and Elmhurst 19 miles west of Chicago. On the line from Freeport to Madison about 85 per cent of the grading is done and 25 per cent of the tunnelling and half the track is laid. It is stated that surveyors are to take the field at once to locate the line from Madison north to Portage about 40 miles. It is also definitely stated that the rumored extension from Sioux Falls to central Dakota will be surveyed at once.

Wisconsin Central The Chicago Lake Geneva & Pacific Ry Company project a road in this company's interest from Chicago to Duluth via Lake Geneva Whitewater and Portage City. At present however the line from Lake Geneva to Portage 110 miles is the only part definitely planned On this line the right ofway is secured and 60 miles are graded. JoHN E BURTON of Lake Geneva is President and HowARD MoRBIs of Milwaukee General Manager The Wisconsin Central has just begun operations on a line from Lake Geneva to Antioch 20 miles

Engineering News - August 13, 1887

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The Wisconsin Central's completion of extension to Chicago combined with the improvement in the business has sent its earnings up with a rush year they have completed an extension of miles in the Gogebic mining region they have begun surveys on a line which shorten the distance from Chicago to St and Duluth The line will begin at Antioch Ill and run via Lake Geneva Elkhorn Jefferson to Portage City a distance of miles Extensions into the lumber tracts northern Wisconsin are projected from and Rib Lake.


The Illinois Central last year put most of its energy upon extensions in Mississippi This year they are doing but little in the South It is rumored that the company is considering an extension to Decatur Ala from Milan Tenn and also from Aberdeen Miss It has recently placed under survey a line from Jackson Tenn to Memphis about 90 miles which will probably be built The Central Missouri line now building across the State of Missouri is conjectured to be backed by this company for an outlet to Kansas City Whether every railroad manager is so desirous of an outlet to Kansas City as the boomers of that enterprising village suppose may be opened to question. But while the Illinois Central is not taking part in the feverish activity of the South to any great extent it is entering upon a very active extension policy from its northern termini The work on the Chicago Madison & Northern lines from Freeport to Chicago 125 miles and to Madison Wis 65 miles is far advanced and they will probably be open for traffic by the end of the year And the company proposes to own a considerable mileage in Wisconsin. From Madison surveyors are working on a line to run north 40 miles to Portage City and the Freeport Dodgville & Northern line has just been put under contract from near Freeport to Dodgeville Wis, about 60 miles. That this line is intended to extend at no distant day from Dodgville up through the western tier of Wisconsin counties, which are still wanting in railroad facilities, to St Paul there can be little doubt. But it is in northwestern Iowa that the company has just exhibited the greatest inclination to rush things Lines have been recently put under contract from Cherokee Ia to Onawa 59 miles and to Sioux Falls Dak about 90 miles to be ready for in 60 days. We have it on good authority that this is the first move of the Illinois Central toward an active granger campaign and that it will soon push its lines through southern Dakota and northern Nebraska A region which offers abundant opportunities for success in this line.

Engineering News - August 13, 1887