Page images
PDF
EPUB

rather than have it in an upward ward where it would be comparatively inexpensive to locate, and not cut into the business heart of the city, and where, in the language of Gen. Warren, it would "bring the railway into the main street, where its use is dangerous, where the right of way is expensive, and where the passage of trains endangers life." Gen. Warren also said: "The location of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad bridge, with the modifications indicated, will not interfere with navigation, and the question for him (the Secretary of War) to decide is whether a due regard to the request made by the citizens of La Crosse will authorize him to compel the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Company to change their location without unduly disregarding the interests of that company and their rights under the law approved April 1, 1872. This question is not one of engineering nor of obstruction to navigation."

Notwithstanding the report, a board of engineers was convened, composed of Col. J. M. Macomb, Maj. Weitzel and Mayor William E. Merrill, and on June 29, 1872, their report was made. They disapproved of the location of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad bridge. To use the language of the report: "One objection is the unsuitableness of the locality for highways. Another objection is the necessity which the construction of the bridge would impose, of the protection of the shores of the main channel by revetting. This would have to be done by the railroad company, and is not, of itself, difficult. With revetting and obstructions, as indicated, the channel crossing will not be unfavorable, as there is a good straight stretch of river, with a good entrance to the draw, both above and below."

They also say: "It would be very inconvenient to the Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad." That inconvenience is adjusted, as is shown above. The Southern Minnesota road, in making Eastern connections, would have to change its first three miles and make a new terminus at La Crescent, but it would not be materially lengthened." As the engineers considered projected wagon roads in their report, as well as various unbuilt, visionary railroads, the Attorney General gave his opinion that such projects did not come within the scope of the law. The board was reconvened on this account to reconsider. On September 26, they reaffirmed their former decision, by which they located the bridge at the foot of Mount Vernon street, in the heart of La Crosse, lengthening the line of the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway one and onehalf miles or thereabouts-as the board over said, two miles in fact. The Secretary of War approved of the report. The Attorney General again decided that the engineers had exceeded their authority in locating. The Attorney General held that the company could select its site, and the Secretary of War then disapproved of the location of the Milwaukee & St. Paul road. That company, to test the question, drove a few piles in the river. The Attorney General then caused suit to be brought against the company in the United States District Court at La Crosse, to enjoin them from building on the disapproved location. The court held that the St. Paul company could not build on their site unless the Secretary of War first approved. District Judge Hopkins, in his decision, said: "The Attorney General, in his opinion, read on the argument, holds that the Secretary had not authority to locate, but had the authority to disapprove of a location selected by the company, and that when he does so the bridge cannot be constructed by the company at such point. That construction is in accordance with my interpretation of the law. The defendants have made a very strong case in their affidavits read on this motion, upon the merits of the case, and have shown by affidavits of men skilled in the navigation of the river and in the construction of railroad bridges over navigable streams, that this location is far less injurious to the navigation of the river than the one selected by the Secretary of War, and that it is equally as convenient and accessible to other railroads and highways. If we are at liberty to pass upon that branch of the case, we should feel compelled to hold so."

In the same connection, Judge Drummond said: "It may be difficult for us to understand, as a matter of fact, looking upon this river, how it is that a bridge cannot be built anywhere else than at the foot of Mount Vernon street, between the counties of La Crosse and Houston; but still that is not a question for our consideration."

The winter previous, the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company asked Congress for relief. It was not given. They had 500 miles of road, broken in two parts, and waiting on the banks of

[graphic][merged small][merged small][graphic][merged small]

a great river, asking for no more than has always been accorded like enterprises. A bridge would have been a much lighter burden on trade and travel than was this break in a line of railroad communication, necessitating a ferry. The commerce of the company was subjected to delays, and their travel was diverted. The site selected by the army of engineers they could not take, because it was in possession of a lot of Wall street speculators, who had tacked it on as a plaster to the Southern Minnesota Railroad mortgages, and got a decree of the United States Circuit Court at St. Paul, authorizing them, if they build a bridge to charge $7 per car for crossing, with a reduction which could never get below $3 per car, a practical levy on commerce, which would ruin the most successful road ever operated. The line of distinction between that decree and robbery was so dim and shadowy that it was hardly conceivable. The engineers said that the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company's location was objectionable to navigation-that it would not as well accommodate other roads. The Judges said: "Had we to decide, we should say that their location is far less injurious to navigation than the one indicated by the Secretary of War, and that it is equally as convenient and accessible to other railroads and highways."

On Friday evening, March 6, 1874, the Wisconsin State Senate concurred with the Assembly in the passage of the bill giving authority to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company to bridge the Mississippi wherever they chose. Accordingly, work was commenced on the 10th day of June, 1876, and the whole structure was completed on the 26th day of November, together with over half a mile of trestle-work approaches. No bridge over the Mississippi has ever been finished in so short a time from its first conception, and no other will compare with it in beauty and strength, with the single exception of the Government bridge at Rock Island.

The total length of the bridge from the eastern bank of Black River to the Minnesota shore is one and four-fifths miles, and that of the bridge proper, over the channels of the Mississippi, 1,688 feet, with 660 feet of trestle-work across Campbell's Island. The whole of the superstructure of the bridge is of iron, and was manufactured by the American Bridge Company-a large portion of the material being the product of Wisconsin-and consists of five spans of 150 feet each over the east channel of the river; across the west channel are two spans, of 164 feet each, one span of 250 feet, and the draw span of 360 feet. There is nothing particularly showy about the entire fabric, but everything is constructed in a handsome and substantial manner, that does credit not only to the company, but to the contractors who so faithfully performed their work. The contract test of the bridge was made by a double-loaded freight train, and the strain was found to be remarkably sustained by every portion. The completion of this magnificent structure represents a total cost of over half a million of dollars

LA CROSSE STREET RAILWAY.

In 1865 or 1866, articles of association were adopted and a charter procured by David Law and others for the construction of a street railway, but no advancement was made toward its construction at this time.

In 1872, another stock company was formed, consisting of Abner Gile, Ruel Weston, N. B. Holway, John H. Weston, C. C. Washburn, David Law, I. H. Moulton, G. C. Hixon and S. L. Nevins, also for the construction of a street railway, with a capital stock of $16,000, but, from various reasons, the construction of the road was not undertaken then.

January 19, 1878, articles of association were again adopted and another charter procured, this time by David Law, G. C. Hixon and P. S. Davidson as incorporators, investing a capital stock of $12,000. In September of this same year, Horace Baker, William F. Sommerfield and Daniel A. McArthur applied for and obtained a charter from the State for the construction of the road, and for a time a heated discussion arose among the members of the Common Council as to which company should be granted the charter and right of construction from the city. It was finally granted to Law, Hixon and Davidson. In November following, they began the purchase of material, and commenced the construction of the road May 8, 1879, which they completed so the first cars passed over it on the 4th day of July of the same year. At this

time, the company purchased three cars, later in the fall two more, and in 1880 the sixth one was procured. Fourteen horses are used in drawing the cars over the road, from the north side of Main street to the south side of Windsor street-a total distance of 9,745 feet, or a little more than one and three-fourths miles. Eight men, including the superintendent and clerk, are regularly employed at a weekly compensation of about $75. Three trips are made every fifty minutes, making in all about fifty trips per day.

The present officers of the company are P. S. Davidson, President; David Law, Secretary; G. C. Hixon, Treasurer. It is currently rumored that the new company contemplates extending their road from its southern extremity on Main street southward to the depot of the Green Bay Railroad. A new company has recently been formed and its organization fully perfected by the signing of articles of incorporation and the election of officers and directors, as follows; James Vincent, President; Fred Tillman, Vice President; Mills Tourtelotte, Secretary; Joseph Tuteur, Treasurer; Fred Tillman, Mons Anderson, George F. Gund, B. E. Edwards and James Vincent, Board of Directors.

The capital stock of the company is $25,000. It is the intention of this company to construct a road from the corner of State and Second streets, in front of the Cameron House, and will run south to Pearl, east on Pearl to Fourth, south on Fourth to Cass, east on Cass to Fifth, south on Fifth to Market, then east again on Market to Seventh, and on Seventh to the Green Bay Depot. By the provisions of the charter granted the La Crosse Street Railway Company, they have the right to build street railways in the city during twenty-five years succeeding 1878, with the exception that in case another company is desirous of building a railway in the city, the Common Council shall notify the old company that they must build the contemplated line of road within a limited time fixed by the Council, or they will forfeit the privilege of construction to the new company. The Common Council have allowed the old company until the 1st day of September to construct the line of street railway. It will thus be seen that La Crosse will have a line of street railway to the Green Bay Railroad Depot, no matter whether the old road builds it or not. In case the old company takes the matter in hand, it will be an extension from the corner of Main and Third streets to the Green Bay Depot. In case they refuse to do so, the new company will build it, so La Crosse will have it in either case.

The City Street Railway Company broke ground for their track on Second street, in front of the Cameron House, on Monday, August 22, and pushed the road forward as fast as men and energy could accomplish the work.

CLIFFWOOD.

The views from the bluffs which bend down over the city of La Crosse from the east and the west have been the subjects of eloquent tribute and poetic rhapsody, but neither periods nor verses can convey an adequate idea of what is indeed indescribable.

Many have been impressed with their beauties, and with the grandeur of scenery spread out before mankind as viewed from their summits, and the verdict was rendered that at an early day in the history of La Crosse they should be made available for purposes of pleasure and relaxation by those whom succeeding years attracted to the city.

To the end that this view might be conserved, and that a desire for the beautiful in nature might be administered to, Mons Anderson has availed himself of every opportunity to secure the most favorable localities on the eastern bluffs, which, owing to the peculiarities of topography and other causes, has not been attained without extreme difficulty. This he has in part accomplished with the assistance of J. W. Losey, G. M. Woodward and others, and "Cliffwood" and its additions, most delightful retreats from the cares of business and the heat of a tropic day, are the results.

At an early period in the growth of La Crosse, the late Gov. Campbell with others entered a forty-acre tract of land upon a point most eligible for a project then contemplated, laid the same out in village lots and mortgaged it to the State as security for a loan. This practically took it out of the market.

In time the property was sold under foreclosure proceedings and bid in by the State. Subsequently it was purchased by Stodgill & Daniels, and the title became vested in Mons Ander

« PreviousContinue »