The Chicago, Freeport & St. Paul railroad company are making things lively down the valley, in the way of working up local aid and right of way. Propositions for aid have been filed as follows:
- town of Cadiz, Green county, §5,009;
- town of Argyle, Lafayette county, §15,000;
- town of Blanchard, $5,000.
Hon.M. J. Briggs, who was in town last week, informs us that he has received no instruction as yet to file propositions with any town north of Blanchard, the route north of Blanchardville not having yet been fully decided upon. A meeting of the board of Directors of the old Lone Rock, Dodgeville and Freeport (narrow gauge) company was held at Dodgeville on Wednesday of last week, at which a resolution was passed transferring all the right of way contracts, graded road-bed, etc., of that company to the Chicago, Freeport & St. Paul company.—
Chronicle.
- Iowa County Democrat, 4/18/1884
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The Chicago, Freeport and St.Paul Railroad.
It begins to look as though business was meant by the directors of the Chicago, Freeport and St. Paul
railroad, which is proposed to be built through this county. In an official circular letter (number two,)
under date of October 2d, whichhas been sent to prominent citizens, they say: This new railroad from
Chicago to St. Paul will certainly be built upon some line, and work upon it will be pushed vigorously during the coming summer. Whether it will be built upon the proposed "interior” line or not depends entirely upon the interest manifested by the people along that line. A corps of engineers is to be sent out immediately to locate the line, and also a representative to submit definite propositions to the several towns and cities interested in the construction of the road. The company says it does not and will not ask a dollar from any town on the route until the road is completed
and the cars running into the town voting the aid. The company’s circular also says that while it is
not at liberty to state what corporation is "backing" the enterprise it will, however, say that neither
the Chicago & Northwestern, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul or the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha railway companies have any interest except as rivals in the construction of this road; that it is an independent line, and will be in direct competition with the existing railroad lines every mile of the way from Chicago to St. Paul.
If this new line is built it is more than probable that the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul company
will extend the Richland Center branch north and also build from Lone Rock to Mineral Point, so as
to also have a through line from Chicago to St. Paul. Who knows but what Richland county in the
future will have two great trunk lines running directly through it, one up Pine river, and the other up Mill creek valley or both up Pine river. In either case they would greatly aid in developing the western and northern portions of the county.
—Richland Republican.
- Iowa County Democrat, 10/17/1884
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The Evening Wisconsin says: The Chicago, Freeport & St. Paul railroad may become more than a
possibility. A preliminary survey has been made and a $10,000,000 mortgage given to secure money advanced as the work proceeds, but the enterprise has until this time been somewhat intangible. Senator Warner yesterday introduced five bills in the legislature authorizing the company to begin the work, including the building of bridges over the Kickapoo, Wisconsin, Chippewa, and Black Rivers, and Lake St.Croix. The line if built will enter Wisconsin near the southeastern part of Lafayette county, and it is expected that a spur will extend to Portage from some point in Lafayette, Green, Richland or Iowa county.
- Iowa County Democrat, 1/30/1885
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—Eau Galla (Eau Galle?), Pepin county, will issue bonds in the sum of $9,200 to secure the Chicago, Freeport & St. Paul railroad.
- Iowa County Democrat, 12/12/1884
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Considerable interest is felt in the movements of the Chicago, Freeport and St. Paul Railroad Company, which has just completed an ‘‘inland” survey on the east side of the Mississippi, abandoning the proposed route along the river banks on account of the numerous advantages offered by the former over the latter. The “interior” line runs from Chicago to Freeport in almost an air line, thence northward up the valley of the Pecatonica river, crossing the Wisconsin river near Lone Rock; then along the north bank of the Wisconsin to Mill Creek, in Richland county; thence northward through Boaz, in Richland county; Sparta, in Monroe county; Melrose, in Jackson county; Whitehall, in Trempealeau county; Durand, in Pepin county, and River Falls, in Pierce county, to a point on
Lake St. Croix, in the town Troy, in St. Croix county; thence in a direct line to St. Paul and Minneapolis. The whole line, it is said, will be forty-five miles shorter than any other route between Chicago and St. Paul.
- Wood County Reporter 10/16/1884
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Mr. W. O. Wright, of Freeport, Ill., was in Madison today to file with the secretary of state, for the Chicago, Freeport & St. Paul Railroad company, of which he is president, a mortgage to the American Loan and Trust company of New York, to secure an issue of $10,000,000, forty year, 6 per cent, gold bonds, to be issued on account of the construction and equipment of the road.
This mortgage covers the entire line, of 500 miles and its equipment. The main line extends by a direct route, from Chicago to Freeport, Ill., thence, by the way of Dodgeville, Sparta, Whitehall, and Durant in Wisconsin, to St. Paul and Minne apolis, a distance of about 400 miles, A branch is also to be built from a point on the main line in Green, Lafayette, Richland or Iowa counties, through Dane and Columbia counties to the city of Portage, a dis tance of about 100 miles. That part of the main line north of the Wisconsin river will be located about midway between the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha's line and the Mississippi river, about twenty five miles from each. It is also stated that a strong syndicate of New England and New York capitalists has been formed who are
to lake the bonds of the railroad company to be issued on the line be tween Freeport and St. Paul and
Minneapolis, and that it is the intention of the railroad Company to complete that portion of the road
within the coming year. The road is, according to the report, to be built as an independent enterprise
and to be the shortest line between Chicago and St. Paul. The company is a union of the former Chicago, Freeport & Northwestern Railroad company, of Illinois, the Chicago, Freeport & St.
Paul Railroad company of Wisconsin, and the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Chicago Railroad company, of Minnesota.
- Mineral Point Tribune 12/25/1884
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Articles of association have been tiled in the office of the secretary of state, at Madison, of the Freeport and St. Paul Railroad Company. The contemplated line leaves the south line of the State near the Pecatonica river, running north to some point near the city of Hudson, with a branch from
some point in the town of Moscow, Iowa county, to Portage. Columbia county. The capital stock is $50.000.000. The incorporators are W. O. Wright, of Freeport; E. Baldwin, Cresco, Iowa; M. J. Briggs, Aldro Jenks and J. P.Murrish, of Dodgeville. Wis.; each of the above gentlemen taking one share.
- Iowa County Democrat, 10/07/1881
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John Gorgen, who was at Freeport the first part of the week, has banded us a copy of The Journal
and Republican published at that place, which contains a full report of a meeting held at Winslow, Ill., on Friday, the 21st inst., to consider the project of constructing the Chicago, Freeport and St. Paul railroad. Hon. M. J. Briggs, of Georgetown, Colorado, and Gen. S. D. Atkins, of Freeport, Ill., addressed the meeting and considerable interest was manifested. Among other things, Mr. Briggs said that Mr. Wright had been to New York and made a contract with capitalists, that, provided the right of way was secured for seventy miles, from Freeport to Dodge Ville, and stock subscriptions were again secured amounting to 170,000, or $1,000 per mile, they would furnish the ready money and
complete the road.
- Iowa County Democrat, 3/28/1884
