Note that this comes from an old journal that was scanned digitally, hence some of the words weren't interpreted by the software correctly.
WISCONSIN LUMBERMAN.
VOL. I.-FEBRUARY, 1874.-NO. 5.
THE MILWAUKEE A ST. LOUIS AIR LINE RAILWAY.
The Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line Railway Company was formed by the consolidation of the Milwaukee & Northern Illinois R. R. Co.. and the Varna, Peru, Mendota & State Line Railway Co. The consolidation was effected on the 1st of October, 1873. The MiWwaukee & Northern Illinois R. R. Co. was incorporated in 1853 by special act of the Wisconsin legislature, under the name of the Fox River Valley L. R. Co., and the name was changed to Wisconsin & Northern Illinois R. R. Co. by act of Wisconsin legisl ture in 1859. The Varna, Peru, pghdota & State Line Railway Co. ii of more recent birth, having been organized in the spring of 1873 under the general railroad law of Illinois. At a recent meeting of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line railway company in this city the following gentlemen were elected
OMORS 01 THE ROAD.
JOSHUA STARK ....... Milwaukee .......... Piddu.
TzeROg D. BROWsTSR.Perc, Il . ..... sace Presdedt.
WIL G. PARSONS .. . Milwaukee .......... Sete".
JOss BLACK .......... i Mlwaukee .......... Treasurer.
JOHN F. MUR"IL, Cbicag . .... . Chief Engineer.
DIRBCTORS.
JOBN H. VAR DT, . . Milwaukee.
ONo.s BRsEAN........................
XDWAZr P. ALI ........... ...... .....
GUIDo PSTR........... ...............
Joan BLACK .............................
RoRr W.PIK ............... . Milwaukee.
JOSHUA ST A RK...........................
PHILO Bz r ................... Rocbester, Win.
J. H. Jomisox .................. . Woodstock, IlI.
TmbDox D. BURWsTzR ............... PerU,
CARLS Km= ................... Sycamore,
C. V. MARSH ............ 4.........
C. C. MZRAIcK ...................... Chicago, "
EXECUTIVE COMIYITTEE.
JOSHUA STARK, TERxOs D. BRzwsTER,
JOHN BLACK, R. W. PIECE,
0. C. ZRncx.
The line contemplated by the management of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line, and as thus far developed by preliminary examination and survey by chief engineer Murrell, will form a direct route via Waterford, Rochester and d3urlington in Wisconsin, thence through Richmond, Woodstock andSycamore, and probably through DeKalb and Mendota, in Illinois, to Peru on the Illinois river, thence via Varna and the most direct route to St. Louis.The distance between Milwaukee and St. Louis on the lines now traveled by the way of Chicago, is 379 miles, while the route of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line as now contenplated would not exceed 346 miles and a very practical and desirable route would be but 340 miles in length. There would be at least a difference in the through line of 33miles in favor of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line. A still greater difference in favor of the Air Line is apparent when comparisons are noted with reference to certain towns in Illinois. For instance, the distance from Milwaukee to Peru or La Salle is but 140 miles, while the distance from Chicago to La Salle is 101 miles, The distance from Milwaukee to Peoria (should the line be built that way) is 182 miles. From Milwaukee to Peoria by way of Chicago the distance is 246 miles; extra travel of 64 miles. Other instances might be cited, but the above are sufficient to illustrate. The Milwaukee & St.
Louis Air Line will of course intersect the various lines of railroad running west and northwest from Chicago, and the Western Union at Burlington, Wis. The projected line passes through a remarkably fertile and well-developed agricultural region which has long felt the necessity
of a through route to Milwaukee, and which is willing to contribute largely to the stock of the company, as it is well understood that their only hope for a competing road and a competing market lies in the success of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line. Previous to the construction of the Green Bay division of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway the food crops of Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin found market in Milwaukee; and with the construction of the new road those localities would renew their former relations with this market and city. A large and rich field would also be opened to the wholesale merchants of Milwaukee, to which, although so near, they have of late been entirely debarred, but which should always have remained tributary to this city. A feature of perhaps greater importance is the fact of direct connection by means of the Wisconsin Central railroad with the pineries of central and northern Wisconsin and by lake navigation with the lumber products of western Michigan; giving promise that at no distant day Milwaukee will assume her proper position as one of the of the country, and develop an industry which would do more for the rapid advancement of the city than
almost any other single interest. Lumber from western Michigan and the Green Bay district can now be freighted to Milwaukee by lake at a cost of from 25 to 40 cents less per thousand feet than it can be delivered in Chicago, and with proper dockage, easily obtained, Milwaukee
would soon become the source of supply for the lumber wants of a considerable local trade that now depends exclusively on Chicago. At least along the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line, for a distance of eight or ten miles on each side of the road, the lumber wants of the people would
be supplied from this city. If favorable rates and suitable accommodations should also be the pleasure of the Milwaukee & St. Paul R. R. company, there is no doubt but Milwaukee would soon rank as one of the largest and most favorable lumber markets. Under the present railway
management of the roads leading out of Milwaukee, the Air Line route would become the best distributing road of lumber running out of the city, and it would be safe to estimate that twenty car-loads of mixed lumber, shingles, etc., would be shipped from Milwaukee on this road, daily.
The cost of shipping lumber from Stevens Point, on the Wisconsin river, by rail to East St. Louis is now $9.50 per thousand feet. The cost of running the same lumber to St. Louis by river is from five to six dollars per M. vihile the risk on the rapids, the actual loss and the damhge to the lumber is such as to almost balance the difference in cost of the two methods of shipment. It seems reasonable to suppose that with the construction of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line the rates could be so materially reduced as to at least al low of the shipment of dressed lum-
ber from the Wisconsin river pinerie to St. Louis. Should the Wisconsin Central construct their direct line to Portage city, there can be no doubt but a most important feeder to tho Milwaukee & St. Louis road, would result therefrom; the larger portion of the lumber from the central piner
of the state would seek the outlet thus formed and undoubtedly be able to reach St. Louis by rail at cost not exceeding the present expense of running in rafts. Milwaukee possesses such grand natural facilities for handling cargo lumber and is so near the seat of manufacture, that with the construction the long needed air line to St. Louis there is not a doubt but this would increase its lumber traffic five or six fold. The lumber trade Chicago.is one of the great feature
of the success and growth of the city. Annually nine thousand cargoes of lumber are unloaded at Chicago wharfs, constituting three-fourths of the shipping business of the place. Not less than $3,000,000 is the sum of lake freights on lumber centering at Chicago. The construc-
tion of the St. Louis Air Line is one of the important conditions necessary to the development of the lumber trade of Milwaukee; and with that accomplished the minor obstacles in the way of that development, would be speedily removed. Still another feature of vast importance pertains to the and of the Illinois Valley, in the vicinity of La Salle.
-Along the whole length of the road, after leaving Woodstock, the inhabitants are compelled to use coal for fuel, no wood of any description being in that part of the country. The coal now must be hauled to Chicago, a distance of at least 100 miles; a there transferred and shipped to
i points along this road, making the y hauling distance, in most cases, 160 t to 170 miles to points that are not on Ian average more than forty to sixty a miles distance from much superior coal. It is easily to be seen that all the coal consumed must necessarily a- find its way over this road to supply, the wants of the people along the line of the road and its vicinity. The of same argument also applies to all s, roads intersected by this, for railroad corporations, like individuals, generally seek the cheapest and best market. Coal could be delivered to es the points of crossing those roads at cheaper than those roads can buy delivered on cars in Chicago, thus saving to them a hauling distance of about seventy miles, which at the
lowest hauling cost, one cent per ton per mile, would equal $7 per car-load. The same argument applies to the towns and villages on most roads running west, and all running northwest from Chicago. The road would act as a feeder and supply for them all. The value of cheap, good coal to Milwaukee would soon be felt in the increased stimulus given to man-
ufactures, not only of iron, but other products. The city of Milwaukee alone would consume in its furnaces, water-works and other public works, domestic wants, etc., 300 tons per day.
The certainty that the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line railroad would soon become one of the most profitable lines of the central railroad system of the United States, seems assured when we realize the late, but rapid and wonderful development of northern Wisconsin and the Peninsula of Michigan. Untold wealth lies dormant in the iron mines, the forests, and in the agricultural and cranberry lands of that region. Capital and immigration are turning in that direction. Milwaukee, by the possession of the Wisconsin Central, has power to establish and maintain controlling commercial interests there with; but the construction of the Milwaukee & St. Louis Air Line is an absolute essential to the grand results which would soon become apparent as the trade and commerce of northern Wisconsin and the Peninsula of Michigan sought its proper channel to the valley of the Mississlppi. The through east freights from St. Louis and the south-east would seek like shipment at Milwaukee; an increased commerce would necessitate new and, extended wharfs; manufactures would be greatly stimulated; and Milwaukee would be forced to utilize their natural advantages of her location and surroundings. The question of the building of the road is of vital importance to this city, and is within the power of easy solution. Consid erable work was done several years ago on the line of the former Milwaukee & Northern Illinois road, and that work is now the property of the proposed route; there is no doubt but liberal subscriptions from the line of the road will greatly increase
the capital stock of the company; and it remains for Milwaukee and St. Louis to extend every possible assistance and encouragement. From the report of the chief engineer, John F. Murrell, we append the following estimates as to the probable business of the line if constructed:
"From careful calculations and estimates founded on the basis of other
roads, I find the business that must necessarily find its way over this
road for the first five years of its working, would not be less than
$5,500 per mile per year
a little less than one-half the earnings per mile of the Chicago & Northwestern railway. That for 140 miles would be $770,000 per year total earnings. Deducting 56 per cent., the average working expenses and repairs of railroads, $431,200, leaving a balance of $338,800 to be- applied on the interest and dividends on a basis of 8 per cent., that represent interest on a stock and bonded indebtedness of $4,235,000, or inter.est 8 per cent. on $30,250 per mile
-cost. According to the estimates herewith submitted, which have been all very carefully considered and calculated, and everything allowed and treated in a liberal manner, the cost
per mile for the completed road is $18,631.64, including rolling stock; or total cost from Milwaukee to Peru 2,622,403.22, which require net receipts of road to amount to (after
paying working expenses,etc.,)$209,792.25, to pay interest at 8 per cent., ,or a total gross earnings of $3,406 per mile per year. There can be no doubt that the total earnings per
mile will far exceed that amount. I think double it, for I cannot see why the receipts per mile per year should not equal the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway as soon as the road gets reg-
ulated and in good running order. And I have no doubt, should the road be constructed, that the future operations of the road would satisfactorily prove such to be the result." The clerks in Ingram, Kennedy & Mason's store recently presented Mr.Mason with a beautiful silver pitcher and goblets to match. The presentation was made by Mr. Kennedy, followed by an appropriate speech by Mr. Brown, after which Mr. Mason returned thanks in a neat little speech, and festivities ensued. The Juneau Co. Argus in its annual commercial review of New Lisbon says:
There are two saw mills, one operated by steam the other by water. The steam saw mill is owned by Hon. H. F. C. Nichols, and is run to full capacity during the summer and fall months
at the close of which mill hands are assigned to the supervision of logging camps in the woods during the winter. The water mill is owned by the firm of -J. & E. Smart, who are also owners of
the flouring mill. Both estabshments are considered handsome property for one manufacturing firm to own and of Course are run with suceess.
