A B R I E F HISTORY OF T H E , Chicago, M i l w a u k e e & S t . P a u l Railway 1851 —1900 A BRIEF HISTORY OF T H E G R O W T H OF THE Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway A N D OF T H E D E V E L O P M E N T O F T H E TERRITORY T H R O U G H W H I C H IT R U N S R E V I S E D AND REPRINTED Written for the " Milwaukee Sentinel" Close of the Century Edition; August 14, 1 9 0 0 BY LUIS JACKSON, Industrial Commissioner CHICAGO: CORBITT R A I L W A Y PRINTING 1900 CO. The o r g a n i s a t i o n o f t h e 0 . Mt 4 S t . P* Hy. OoDQ|>any i t founfletil u p o n and JJFOWI o u t of the J§a- Omm® ft M i l w a u k e e t a i l reaA Company and i t * as-* i s o l a t e l i n e s . (See page 13 of O a r y ! H i s t o r y m e n t i o n e d on p a g e 5 o f this publication*) 1 The p r o p e r t y o f t h e Milwaukee & M i s s i s s i p p i l a i l r o a d 0 amp a n y p a s t e d t o the. M i i w a t A e e & P r s i r i # Au O h i e n R a i l w a y Com­ p a n y J a n u a r y 31* t , 1 8 6 1 • (See page 8 5 Oary*s H i s ­ tory. ) The M i l w a u k e e & P r a i ­ r i e to O U e n R a i l w a y Com­ p a n y 0Oiw©yed i t * p r o p e r ­ t y t o t h e Milwaukee Is S t . P a u l %AIwa^ Company D e e ember 3 1 s t , 1 8 6 7 (See p a g e 97 O a r y * s H i s t o r y . ) 1 Mote* The f i r s t p a r a g r a p h should t h e r e f o r e read as eorreet^t opposite* Ii» J * A B R I E F HISTORY OF THE C H I C A G O , MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY AND OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY T H R O U G H W H I C H IT R U N S O N TUESDAY, F e b . 25, 1851, t h e shrill b l a s t of a locomotive whistle announced t h e opening for traffic of a r a i l w a y line from Milwaukee to W a u k e s h a , a d i s t a n c e of t w e n t y miles. This w a s t h e first railway in ttie^state of Wis-, oonsin, and this s t r e t c h of railway^wapf thei pioiioor, •foundation and boginning of w h a t is a w - k n o w n t h e world over as t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway; the Hl$torjf of UjJvitTv Twonty miloe of r a i l w a y in "February, 1851! 6,306 miloe of railway in F e b r u a r y , 19001—Thio roproconts tho growth of tho Chioago, Milwaukoo & St. P a u l rail way system and its h i s t o r y is largely t h e h i s t o r y of t h e development and p r o g r e s s of W i s c o n s i n and t h e surrounding states. T h e railway w a s opened with g r e a t eclat as will be seen by t h e following p r o g r a m m e : M I L W A U K E E & MISSISSIPPI RAILROAD PROGRAMME F o r t h e Occasion of opening t h e Rail Road to Wau­ k e s h a on T u e s d a y , F e b . 25th, 1851. T h e Cars will leave t h e Depot a t Milwaukee at 10 o'clock A. M. precisely. F a r e for each P a s s e n g e r out and r e t u r n i n g $1.50. All P a s s e n g e r s by t h e T r a i n will receive a Dinner T i c k e t free of Charge. HESS' BAND W I L L ACCOMPANY T H E T R A I N . DINNER Will be Served in t h e Company's new and spacious Car House, u n d e r t h e direction of t h e Commit­ t e e of A r r a n g e m e n t s a t 1 o'clock P . M. Precisely. AFTER T H E REMOVAL OF T H E CLOTH A d d r e s s e s will be m a d e . A m o n g those who will a d d r e s s t h e Company, it is expected will be J u d g e Hubbell, Mayor TJpham and Governor T a l l m a d g e . Ladies a r e expected to p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e festivities of t h e Occasion. THE RETURN TRAIN Will leave W a u k e s h a a t 4 o'clock p. m. precisely. 4 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Officers of t h e d a y : B y r o n Kilbourn, p r e s i d e n t ; J o s e p h T u r n e r , W a u k e s h a ; Rufus King, M i l w a u k e e ; J o s e p h Goodrich, Milton; H a n s Crocker, M i l w a u k e e ; S. B. Grant, M i l w a u k e e ; Rufus Cheeney, W h i t e w a t e r , vice-presidents. Committee of A r r a n g e m e n t s : J o h n P . Story, W. D. Bacon, I s a a c L a n e . AN EVENING TRAIN Will leave a t 6 o'clock p. m. t o . t a k e out t h o s e who de­ sire to p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e festivities of t h e evening. F a r e for single gentlemen, t h e u s u a l r a t e s . F o r a g e n t l e m a n and lady, out and back, two dollars. E. D. H O L T O N , Supt. COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS. J. P . Story, Isaac Lane, S. H. Barstow, W. D. Bacon, J. Smith, William Smith, O. M. H u b b a r d . T h e t r a i n w a s cheered all along t h e line to Wauke­ sha, and, a t t h e dinner t h e r e t h e following t o a s t s and e x t r a c t s from t h e speeches a r e indicative of t h e ob­ j e c t of t h e e n t e r p r i s e : " T h e first link in t h e g r e a t r a i l w a y from L a k e Mich­ igan to t h e Mississippi." "To c a p t u r e t h e t o w n s with our iron h o r s e and en­ rich our neighbors as well a s o u r s e l v e s . " "Our iron h o r s e shall drink a t L a k e Michigan and s l a k e his t h i r s t a t t h e Mississippi." "All t o w n s shall be m u t u a l l y a n n e x e d . " T h e s e s e n t i m e n t s w e r e in line w i t h t h e s p e e c h e s t h a t h a d been previously m a d e at public m e e t i n g s in Milwaukee and other t o w n s in t h e S t a t e in order to help on t h e e n t e r p r i s e . Such s p e e c h e s and resolutions w e r e filled with t h e spirit of d e t e r m i n a t i o n , for i n s t a n c e : " T h a t t h e r o a d o u g h t t o be built and we believe t h a t it c a n be done by vigorous and united effort, and w h e r e t h e r e is a will t h e r e is a way, and w e pledge ourselves t h a t t h e will is n o t w a n t i n g . " " L i k e m e n we will be up and doing." " T h e r e w e r e calls for Dr. W u n d e r l y , who a d d r e s s e d our G e r m a n fellow citizens in his n a t i v e l a n g u a g e in favor of t h e r a i l r o a d e n t e r p r i s e . On t h e doctor re­ s u m i n g his s e a t t h e r e w a s g r e a t cheering for t h e railroad." CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY 5 N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g all t h e prior e n t h u s i a s m , however, it took t h e p r o m o t e r s of t h e railroad over a y e a r to get t h e n e c e s s a r y funds t o g e t h e r t o build t h e line from Milwaukee to W a u k e s h a , and only t h e n after indomitable e n e r g y a n d p e r s e v e r a n c e . T h e chief p r o m o t e r of t h e e n t e r p r i s e w a s Byron -JCilbourn, p r e s i d e n t and chief engineer of t h e com­ pany. In less t h a n two w e e k s after opening to Wau­ k e s h a h e announced t h a t t h e railroad "is now being 3 a r r i e d forward to W h i t e w a t e r " (50 m i l e s ) . H e says h e is laying down a h e a v y iron rail ( a t $52 per t o n ) . T h e "heavy r a i l " m a r k s t h e beginning of t h a t sub­ s t a n t i a l i t y in construction of line and rolling stock t h a t h a s always been c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h e "Mil­ w a u k e e " railway. At t h e time of t h e opening of t h e railway Milwaukee had a population of 20,000 and t h e s t a t e a population of 305,000. T h e "Milwaukee & Mississippi" with several other r o a d s was subsequently absorbed by t h e Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway Company, which company w a s organized May 5, 1863, and t h e n a m e of t h e Mil­ w a u k e e & St. P a u l R a i l w a y Company w a s on Feb­ r u a r y 7, 1874, changed to t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway Company. To r e l a t e t h e growth of this system in g r e a t detail, to show t h e d a t e s of all t h e lines c o n s t r u c t e d and n a m e t h e r o a d s acquired by p u r c h a s e and m a d e p a r t of t h e system, would occupy too m u c h space and is not intended by this article. Such a history to d a t e would occupy a large volume with fifty a n n u a l r e p o r t s a s a n addenda. In fact such a volume h a s been published, entitled " T h e Organization and H i s t o r y of t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway Company," by J o h n W. Cary, g e n e r a l counsel. (1891). A s u m m a r y showing when t h e principal lines of t h e company w e r e completed can only be given h e r e . T h e development of t h e r e s o u r c e s of t h e S t a t e w a s of course materially helped on by t h e construction of t h e railway. T h a t t h e people of Wisconsin w e r e actively b e n t on industrial development is plainly seen by an ad­ v e r t i s e m e n t published in Milwaukee in F e b r u a r y , 1851, t h e citizens of E l k h o r n offering t o donate $2,000 to p a r t i e s who would p u t up a s t e a m flouring mill. T h e y say t h a t E l k h o r n is well situated on t h e Racine and Janesville P l a n k road. W h e a t w a s t h e n t h e leading crop. It c a n b e g a t h e r e d from t h e speeches m a d e at t h e b a n q u e t a t W a u k e s h a t h a t t h e principal occupation of t h e people in Wisconsin in 1851 w a s mining and 6 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE agriculture, although t h e l u m b e r i n d u s t r y h a d also begun to t a k e its rise. Lead and zinc w e r e t h e chief metallic products, and S o u t h w e s t e r n Wisconsin t h e t e r r i t o r y w h e r e t h e m i n e s w e r e located. L e a d and zinc m i n i n g is still conducted in t h a t district; b u t compared to other regions it would only be counted as mining in a m o d e r a t e way. T h e r e is, howevei" a t Mineral P o i n t a very l a r g e zinc paint manufactory shipping to all p a r t s of t h e United S t a t e s . A few small factories existed in Milwaukee in 1851. T h e r e is a difference b e t w e e n t h e t h e n and now. T h e r e w e r e no g r e a t hotels in Milwaukee in 1851; no m o n s t e r b r e w e r i e s world r e n o w n e d ; no engine w o r k s such as a r e to-day supplying t h e power p l a n t s for t h e s t r e e t r a i l w a y s in London, Glasgow, Dublin and o t h e r g r e a t cities of t h e world; no electrical ma­ chinery m a n u f a c t o r i e s such as a r e a t p r e s e n t attract­ ing b u y e r s from all t h e world to Milwaukee. Neither K r u p p of Germany, nor t h e Berlin S t r e e t Railway Company could cable to Madison to ship on first t r a i n a l a r g e sized steel boring m a c h i n e . Beloit could n o t t h e n supply p a p e r mill m a c h i n e r y to t h e g r e a t paper m a k i n g c e n t e r s of Wisconsin and t h e country, m u c h less to J a p a n a n d Sweden. T h e iron ore now b r o u g h t from N o r t h e r n Michigan and N o r t h e r n Wis­ consin from t h e m i n e s a few h u n d r e d miles n o r t h of t h e city and now m a n u f a c t u r e d into pig and b a r iron and steel in Milwaukee was t h e n asleep in t h e ground. T h e p a c k i n g houses, t h e g r e a t t i n w a r e in­ d u s t r y now of gigantic p r o p o r t i o n s ; t h e clothing factories t h a t can supply an a r m y , and t h e i m m e n s e l e a t h e r w o r k s covering acres and whose product is to-day shipped not alone all over t h e United S t a t e s and E u r o p e , b u t h a s invaded India and Australia, t h e n belonged to t h e future. T h e engine is, however, r e s t l e s s and t h e t r a i n m u s t on. T h e r a i l w a y line w a s extended to Milton in 1852, Madison in 1854 and r e a c h e d t h e Mississippi river at P r a i r i e du Chien in 1857. T h e express to t h e lead­ ing t e r m i n a l s can now only be t a k e n in t h e course of t h i s article. T h e road via P r a i r i e du Chien, Mc­ Gregor, Cresco, O w a t o n n a and F a r i b a u l t to St. P a u l and Minneapolis w a s opened for business its e n t i r e length in 1867. This road w a s constructed by start­ ing a t Minneapolis and a t McGregor and m e e t i n g a t Rose Creek, n e a r Austin, Minn., 1867. This was t h e first road to connect St. P a u l and Minneapolis with Milwaukee and t h e E a s t . It w a s t h e pioneer line which connected St. P a u l and Minneapolis directly CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY 7 w i t h t h e civilized world. In honor of t h i s one of t h e g r e a t t r a i n s of t h e road is called t h e "Pioneer Limited." In 1873 t h e Milwaukee & St. P a u l e n t e r e d Chicago over its own rails from Milwaukee. Its first regular p a s s e n g e r t r a i n s being r u n b e t w e e n t h e s e points on F e b r u a r y 16, 1873. P r i o r to t h i s it h a d done its business over a line owned by a c o m p a n y called t h e Chicago & Milwaukee Railway Company, which line was completed and connected t h e two cities in 1855. W h e n t h e Milwaukee & St. P a u l proposed to come into Chicago t h e r e w a s g r e a t excitement in t h a t city. Chicago had not t h e n t h e n u m b e r of r o a d s it h a s now, but it w a s working up t o w a r d s becoming t h e g r e a t m e e t i n g point of E a s t e r n and W e s t e r n t r u n k lines. T h e Milwaukee & St. P a u l with its, for t h o s e times, i m m e n s e mileage behind it, and t h e only line f a r t h e s t into t h e N o r t h w e s t , w a s hailed by t h e people as a g r e a t acquisition to Chicago. T h e company had in 1872 a second route to St. Paul, t h e line from St. Paul, Red Wing, W i n o n a and River Junction being completed and connected in t h a t y e a r with its line from Milwaukee to L a Crosse. In his a n n u a l r e p o r t Mr. Alexander Mitchell (who h a d been elected presi­ dent of t h e company on J u n e 30, 1865) s a y s : "Your company now owns a complete line of railway from Chicago by way of Milwaukee and L a Crosse to St. Paul, which is t h e s h o r t e s t and m o s t desirable r o u t e between t h o s e cities." After t h e line h a d reached Chicago t h e m a n a g e m e n t of t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway Com­ pany did something t h a t surprised t h e t r a n s p o r t a ­ tion world. In judging of a p a s t e v e n t one m u s t h a v e t h e faculty of seeing t h i n g s a t t h e t i m e in question in relation to c o n t e m p o r a r y s u r r o u n d i n g s . W h e n t h e g r e a t idea of connecting t h e Atlantic and Pacific by railway commenced to t a k e p r a c t i c a l shape an im­ p o r t a n t c e n t e r a t t h e foot of t h e lakes was in t h e minds of m a n y about to loom into view as t h e ter­ m i n u s of E a s t e r n r o a d s and t h e s t a r t i n g point of W e s t e r n ones. Some t h o u g h t a point directly at t h e foot of t h e lakes would become t h e g r e a t railroad center, even superior to Chicago, which w a s a little way around t h e corner. B u t Chicago h a d acquired m o m e n t u m and b e c a m e on account of its geographical position, coupled with its e n t e r p r i s e , t h e t e r m i n a l point. Milwaukee, eighty-five miles n o r t h , w a s too g r e a t a d e t o u r ; b u t to overcome t h i s geographical d i s a d v a n t a g e and r e a p t h e benefits of proximity to 10 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE Chicago and t h e direct E a s t e r n lines w a s a p r o b l e m t h a t p r e s e n t e d itself to t h e m a n a g e m e n t of t h e r o a d a n d w a s ably solved. T h e independent c o m p a n y previously connecting Chicago and Milwaukee w a s one with little .prestige so far as t h e g r e a t Eastern, t r u n k lines w e r e concerned. This independent road, subsequently fell into t h e h a n d s of t h e Chicago & N o r t h - W e s t e r n Railway Company. T h e Chicago, Mil­ w a u k e e & St. Paul, with its lines of railway into n e w a n d growing t e r r i t o r y behind it, w a s a road of pres­ tige and importance. A traffic c o n t r a c t w a s proposed to and accepted by t h e E a s t e r n t r u n k lines placing Milwaukee, a t t h i s t i m e becoming to be known in t h e E a s t as a g r e a t L a k e Michigan shipping p o r t with a future before it, on t h e s a m e basis as Chicago in re­ lation to New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Balti­ more. T h e r e v e n u e to t h e "Milwaukee" road w a s from t h i s a r r a n g e m e n t for a long t i m e very thin b u t manu­ facturing had been given an impetus t h r o u g h t h e c o n t r a c t and began to develop in Milwaukee as well as in Chicago and t h e east-bound and west-bound freight ultimately a s s u m e d an i m m e n s e volume. In 1864 lines c o n s t r u c t e d by or subsequently ac­ quired by t h e Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway com­ menced to build in Iowa. In 1855 a line w a s built w e s t from Racine. In 1873 a line w a s s t a r t e d directly w e s t from Chicago, via .Elgin, 111. Suffice it to say t h a t t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway system, over its own, or on lines subsequently ac­ quired, directly, by continuous t r a c k from Milwaukee or Chicago reached— Council Bluffs and Omaha, 1882; K a n s a s City, 1887; Janesville, Wis., 1853; Ripon, Wis., 1856; Mason City, la., 1869; Dubuque, la., 1871; Oshkosh, 1871; Cedar Rapids, la., 1872; Davenport, la., 1872; Mank a t o , Minn., 1874; W a u s a u , Wis., 1875; Merrill, Wis., 1879; Fond du Lac, Wis., 1877; Sioux Falls, S. D., from t h e Iowa and Dakota Division, 1880; Sioux City, la., from t h e Iowa and Dakota Division, 1880; Aber­ deen, S. D., via t h e H a s t i n g s and Dakota Division, 1881; Chamberlain, S. D., t h e t e r m i n u s of t h e Iowa and Dakota Division, 1881; Woonsocket, S. D., via t h e S o u t h e r n Minnesota Division, 1883; Ottumwa, la., 1884; F a r g o , N. D., 1884; S t a r L a k e , Wis., 1895. In 1873 t h e Milwaukee & N o r t h e r n had r e a c h e d Green Bay. T h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l p u r c h a s e d this road in 1890. T h e s e d a t e s a r e given from t h e best sources avail­ able and though in some places t r a c k s t h a t a r e now CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY 11 p a r t of t h e system existed before t h e d a t e s men­ tioned, t h e foregoing d a t e s as stated show when these points were reached by continuous t r a c k from Milwaukee or Chicago. To give t h e d a t e s of the e n t r y of this railway over its own rails into m a n y other p l a c e s ; to enum­ e r a t e t h e b r a n c h lines and extensions, is as stated, outside of t h e scope of t h i s article. But to show t h a t it is "still achieving and p u r s u i n g " : It e n t e r e d Des Moines in 1899 and is constructing extensive new lines in t h a t p a r t of Iowa, and h a s j u s t completed a new line giving it a direct route from Chicago to Pox, P i s t a k e e and Nippersink L a k e s , 111. Mr. S. S. Merrill, who had been with t h e railway since its start, w a s elected general m a n a g e r a t t h e general m e e t i n g held J u n e 30, 1865. Building r a i l w a y s in E u r o p e from one thickly set­ tled district to a n o t h e r with a b u n d a n t capital await­ ing i n v e s t m e n t t h e r e is one t h i n g ; and building lines in a new country and extending t h e m fifty miles be­ yond t h e last farm calling their t e r m i n u s "End of track," is another. It is safe to say t h a t to-day an a v e r a g e price of $50 per acre for all t h e land in t h e "St. P a u l ' s " terri­ tory is a low e s t i m a t e . In 1850 $1.25 per acre for t h e s a m e body of land w a s dear. In fact g r e a t b a r g a i n s in land can to-day be secured in some of the farther W e s t e r n S t a t e s ; also in t h e W e s t e r n p a r t s of Brazil and Bolivia. Unfortunately t h e r e a r e no railroads there. It is not believed, however, t h a t any railroad m a k e s t h e p r e t e n s e of constructing lines with t h e charitable i n t e n t of increasing land values. To m a k e profit is t h e object of a railroad. W h e r e t h e g r e a t e n t e r p r i s e is well directed everything in its path is benefited. One of t h e first things t h e railroad had to do as it began to extend into t h e N o r t h w e s t w a s to secure s e t t l e r s along its lines, for, according to t h e census of 1850, t h e following w a s t h e population of t h e s t a t e s in which it was i n t e r e s t e d : Wisconsin, 305,391; Iowa, 192,214; Minnesota, 6,077. Dakota had no place in 1850 in t h e census r e t u r n s . At an early date t h e company i n t e r e s t e d itself in immigration and subsequently established an immi­ gration bureau and m a d e successful efforts in E u r o p e for securing settlers, especially in Germany, Den­ m a r k , Norway, Sweden, England, Scotland, Ireland and W a l e s ; and also in Holland, Belgium, Poland, Russia and Bohemia. F r e n c h Canadians also settled 12 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE on its line. T h e company also m a d e g r e a t exertions t h r o u g h o u t t h e E a s t e r n s t a t e s of t h e United S t a t e s to secure s e t t l e r s and helped to a t t r a c t to its terri­ tory a class of f a r m e r s which, t a k e n as a whole, canr not be m a t c h e d by any like body in t h e world. T h e railway w a s p a r t i c u l a r l y fortunate in t h e clas< of foreigners t h a t settled along its lines. They w e r the sturdiest, h e a l t h i e s t and m o s t e n t e r p r i s i n g clafo of E u r o p e a n s . They grappled with t h e land an m a d e it bring forth its fruits. During t h e W o r l d ' . F a i r in Chicago in 1893 t h e railway company invite< the foreign g o v e r n m e n t commissioners and foreign p r e s s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s to t a k e a trip over t h e lint (the special t r a i n carried t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o twenty-seven nations and fifteen l a n g u a g e s were spoken on it) to note how t h e i r former countrymen were a component p a r t of t h e progressive Upbuilders of t h e United S t a t e s . T h e commissioners w e r e as­ tonished at t h e a r r a y of fine farms, dwellings and b a r n s along t h e whole line; at t h e progressive farm m a c h i n e r y every f a r m e r h a d a t his command, and a t t h e public schools a t every crossroad. T h e census of s u b s e q u e n t decades showed t h e following: 1860. 1870. 1880. 1890. Wisconsin 775,881 1,054,670 1,315,497 1,686,880 Iowa 674,913 1,194,020 1,624,615 1,911,896 Minnesota 172,023 439,706 780,773 1,301,826 Dakota 4,837 14,181 135,177 N. D a k o t a 182,719 S. D a k o t a 328,80F T h e census of 1900 will show a further increase. In addition to t h e above s t a t e s t h e Chicago, Mil­ waukee & St. P a u l Railway t r a v e r s e s N o r t h e r n Mich­ igan, Illinois and Missouri. T h e new s e t t l e r s along t h e lines in Iowa, Minne­ sota and t h e D a k o t a s gave a m o n g other t h i n g s an i m m e n s e i m p e t u s to t h e l u m b e r i n t e r e s t s of Wiscon­ sin. T h e w h i t e pine of t h e S t a t e was hauled into t h e s e s t a t e s by t h e t r a i n load. In addition to supply­ ing t h e m a r k e t s south of Wisconsin t h e new W e s t e r n m a r k e t s opened a field for lumber i m m e n s e and con­ tinuous in its demand, giving a mighty impetus to t h e sawmill i n d u s t r y on t h e lines of t h e railway in Wis­ consin. T h e r e a r e over 100 sawmills of t h e great kind on t h e company's lines in t h e State, to say noth ing of t h e smaller o n e s ; for instance, in M a r a t h o n county alone, outside of t h e g r e a t sawmills at Wausau, Schofield and Mosinee, over fifty small and port­ able mills w e r e recently counted in t h e hardwood timber. T CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY 13 In agriculture t h e development h a s been something marvelous—a country sparsely settled and largely wild land in 1851, to-day one of t h e principal grana­ ries of t h e world. T h e principal grain crops hauled m t h e i r order of quantity a t p r e s e n t a r e wheat, barley, »ats, corn, flax seed and r y e . T h e a g r i c u l t u r a l proucts include tobacco, which in t h e s o u t h e r n p a r t f Wisconsin is a large and famous crop sought after y cigar m a n u f a c t u r e r s a s a choice binder. As t h e railway continued to grow it found t h a t in .he m a t t e r of r a w m a t e r i a l within t h e b o u n d a r i e s of its own rail (an a r e a a s large as t h a t of G e r m a n y and Holland combined) it comprised an empire in it­ self. It h a d coal m i n e s on its line in Iowa. Mystic, la., and several other points on its K a n s a s City division a r e i m p o r t a n t coal mining c e n t e r s a n d t h e output is continually g r o w i n g ; it h a d iron ore on its line in N o r t h e r n Michigan; t h e ore is shipped from h e r e to Ohio and P e n n s y l v a n i a , to Milwaukee, to Chicago and other g r e a t c e n t e r s w h e r e iron and steel a r e m a n u f a c t u r e d ; it had timber—pine, hemlock, basswood, maple, birch, red and w h i t e oak, elm and a s h ; fireclay, copper, granite, iron pyrites and a host of other r e s o u r c e s on other divisions, and with en­ larged resources it m o r e and more vigorously pushed their development by providing t h e best of facilities. Manufacturing in t h e W e s t e r n c o u n t r y is t h e growth of t h e p a s t fifty y e a r s a n d t h e "Milwaukee Road" (the line is called t h e " M i l w a u k e e " in t h e W e s t and t h e "St. P a u l " in t h e E a s t ) h a s quite a s h a r e of it. T h e bulk of t h e famous b r a n d s of beef, h a m s and bacon p u t up in every way and of t h e other packing house products one sees advertised all over t h e world a r e p r e p a r e d in cities on t h e "St. P a u l " railway. T h e s a m e can be said of m a n y of t h e well k n o w n b r a n d s of b r e a k f a s t foods and other edibles. T h e output of flour in t h e Minneapolis mills during 1899 w a s over fourteen million b a r r e l s . Shoe factories, cotton mills and woolen mills a r e established, and in t h i s con­ nection even pearl b u t t o n s from t h e clam shells of t h e Mississippi a r e being m a n u f a c t u r e d in a large way. T h e hardwood resources h a v e a t t r a c t e d furni­ t u r e factories; carriages, wagons and all classes of vehicles, including bicycles, a r e m a n u f a c t u r e d on a g r e a t scale, while some of t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l i m p l e m e n t w o r k s on t h e "St. P a u l " line h a v e a world-wide repu­ tation. On May 29, 1844, Prof. Morse opened his telegraph 14 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE line b e t w e e n Baltimore and W a s h i n g t o n ; four y e a r s later Milwaukee was connected with t h e B a s t by t e l e g r a p h via Chicago; to-day e v e r y t h i n g connected with t h e t e l e g r a p h and telephone i n d u s t r y and with t h e electrical power i n d u s t r y is being manufactured on t h e line of t h e St. P a u l railway, and largely from t h e r a w m a t e r i a l found on t h e line, even t h e heavj mining m a c h i n e r y t h a t lifts t h e r a w m a t e r i a l is als manufactured there. Railroad facilities h a v e b r o u g h t t h e w a t e r power; into utility and t h e r e h a s grown in Wisconsin an in­ dustry—paper making—which brings t h e State in line with t h e g r e a t s t a t e s of t h e Bast. At Appleton Neenah, Menasha, and along t h e Fox river almost every available w a t e r power is t a k e n up by larg plants and print, book and w r a p p i n g p a p e r is manu­ factured. At t h e e a s t e r n end of t h e S t a t e M a r i n e t t e is t u r n i n g out p r i n t and m a n i l a paper, while a t t h e w e s t e r n end E a u Claire is m a n u f a c t u r i n g p r i n t paper and sulphite pulp, and in t h e c e n t e r of t h e State on t h e Wisconsin river nine g r e a t mills, t h e first of which w a s s t a r t e d in 1891, a r e t u r n i n g out p r i n t paper for t h e g r e a t n e w s p a p e r s by t h e t r a i n load. On t h i s river water-powers up to 15,000 horse-power in a single power a r e still awaiting development. B u t to go into t h e details as to t h e g r o w t h and development of m a n y other i n d u s t r i e s would be too long a story. Suffice it to say t h a t a glance a t t h e classified business directory of t h e S t a t e of Wisconsin alone would astonish t h e citizens t h e m s e l v e s in t h e diversity ot industries established in t h e i r own State. N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g all this, m a n u f a c t u r i n g in t h e W e s t is in its infancy. F r o m t h e Atlantic seaboard to t h e Mississippi river can now be said to be t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g t e r r i t o r y of t h e United S t a t e s ; manu­ facturing h a s not yet crossed t h e Mississippi in any g r e a t sense of t h e word. Iowa and Minnesota a r e probably t h e n e x t g r e a t m a n u f a c t u r i n g s t a t e s . Iowa mined five million tons of coal l a s t year. Minnesota last year mined eight million t o n s of iron ore. T h e lines of t h e Chicago, Milwaukee & St. P a u l Railway Company now gridiron t h e country from L a k e Michigan to t h e Missouri river. It owns 6,396 miles of m a i n t r a c k and 1,824 miles of second track, connecting t r a c k and sidings a t o t a l of 8,220 miles. Its roadbed is of t h e h i g h e s t class, its rolling stock of t h e m o s t solid construction. It h a s always aimed a t a high s t a n d a r d in p a s s e n g e r service. No b e t t e r CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL RAILWAY 15 illustration of the fact t h a t t h e company h a s through­ o u t recognized t h a t a p a s s e n g e r service, frequently far in advance of t h e times, helps development can be given t h a n t h a t no sooner was t h e line opened to St. P a u l and Minneapolis, t h e n but insignificant out­ posts, a metropolitan p a s s e n g e r service w a s inaugur­ ated. In t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n of freight its facilities a r e of t h e most progressive order and with an eye to t h e volume of business it h a s always been as zealous in the securing of t h e 25 cent p a c k a g e as it h a s of t h e twenty-five car-load s h i p m e n t ; to t r e a t local stations with t h e s a m e degree of fairness as competitive points is a s t a n d i n g order of its traffic d e p a r t m e n t . It h a s always aimed a t t h e development of t h e indus­ trial resources of its territory. T h e whole policy of t h e company is to promote, energetically, t h e in­ t e r e s t s of its entire territory. Mr. Roswell Miller was elected p r e s i d e n t of t h e company on April 25, 1 8 8 8 . On S e p t e m b e r 23, 1899, he w a s elected c h a i r m a n of t h e board of directors and on t h e s a m e day Mr. A. J. E a r l i n g w a s elected presi­ dent of t h e company. F r o m 1851 to 1900 is a s t r e t c h of half a century, and t h e t r a i n s of t h e company a r e t h e progressive successors of t h e worthy little t r a i n t h a t was used in t h e opening of the railway. T h e "Pioneer Limited" is unique in t h a t w h e n it s t e a m s out of Chicago it is probably t h e only t r a i n in t h e world t h a t carries in one t r a i n all t h e equip­ m e n t known to t h e t r a v e l i n g public. It h a s buffetlibrary-smoking car, p r i v a t e c o m p a r t m e n t sleepers, regular sleepers, parlor car, dining car and coaches. "Like a g r e a t ocean liner en r o u t e . " T h e Omaha, Sioux City, Des Moines and Chicago E x p r e s s is an­ other palatial train. " T h e Copper Country Limited," via Green Bay and Iron Mountain to t h e L a k e Superior copper c e n t e r s , won popularity from its start. This like all main line t r a i n s on t h e St. P a u l road is lighted t h r o u g h o u t by electricity. T h e K a n s a s City, Excelsior Springs, Cedar R a p i d s and Chicago Ex­ press, the s p o r t s m a n ' s t r a i n s to the fishing and hunt­ ing grounds of t h e North, t h e daylight t r a i n s between Minneapolis and Chicago, t h e e x p r e s s service to W a u k e s h a , Oconomowoc and t h e Dells of Wisconsin, the t r a i n s t h r o u g h Minnesota, t h e D a k o t a s and Iowa a r e all good t r a i n s , an evolution from t h e t r a i n of F e b r u a r y 25, 1851. To ride on t h e s e t r a i n s as they speed across t h e country is r e j u v e n a t i n g and invigor­ ating. T h e Railroad and t h e Telegraph a r e t h e gifts of t h e 16 A BRIEF HISTORY. n i n e t e e n t h century. T h e y c o n s t i t u t e an e l e m e n t new in t h e history of t h e h u m a n race—rapid and instan­ t a n e o u s inter-communication. T h a t an e n t e r p r i s e originating in t h e S t a t e of Wis­ consin h a s grown to become one of t h e leading rail­ ways in t h e United S t a t e s h a s been acknowledged as a source of pride to all h e r citizens. T h e Useful r a n k s with t h e h i g h e s t and t h e in­ dividual who is thorough in w h a t he u n d e r t a k e s and t h e corporation, an aggregation of individuals, t h a t uses its best endeavors to fulfill t h e objects for which it was created a r e one and t h e same—factors t h a t advance t h e i n t e r e s t s of mankind. I D S RA D P R M N N UT I L EA T E T COAL TIMBER WATER POWERS COPPER IRON ORE T h e n a m e of t h e Chicago. M i l w a u k e e & St P a u l R a i l w a y h a s l o n g been identified w i t h prac' t i c a l m e a s u r e s for the general u p b u i l d i n g of its t e n i t o r y a n d t h e p r o m o t i o n of its c o m m e r c e , h e n c e m a n u f a c t u r e r s h a v e an a s s u r a n c e t h a t t h e y will find t h e m s e h e s at h o m e on the c o m p a n y ' s lines. T h e Chicago, M i l w a u k e e & St. P a u l R a i l w a y C o m p a n y ' s 6 396 miles of railway, exclusive of second t r a c k , c o n n e c t i n g t r a c k or s i d i n g s , traverses eight states, namely: NORTH DAKOTA MINNESOTA NORTHERN MICHIGAN SOUTH DAKOTA IOWA WISCONSIN MISSOURI ILLINOIS Express Passenger Trains, Fast Freight Trains Throughout. w h i c h c o m p r i s e a t e r r i t o r y full of n a t u r a l resources and advantages. T h i s railway is g e o g r a p h i c a l l y well l o c a t e d in relation to the great m a r k e t s a n d distributing centers. T h e Chicago, M i l w a u k e e & St. P a u l R a i l w a y C o m p a n y gives u n r e m i t t i n g a t t e n t i o n to the devel­ o p m e n t of local traffic along its lines and; w i t h t h i s in view, s e e k s to increase the n u m b e r of m a n u ­ f a c t u r i n g p l a n t s on its s y s t e m either t h r o u g h their creation by local e n t e i p i i s e or the influx of m a n u ­ facturers from the E a s t (For o b v i o u s r e a s o n s it t a k e s n o i n t e r e s t in the r e m o v a l of factoiies fiom one p o i n t in the W e s t to a n o t h e r ) I t h a s all i t s territoi^ d i s t r i c t e d i n i e l a t i o n to r e s o u r c e s , a d a p t a ­ bility a n d a d v a n t a g e s tor m a n u l a c t u r i n g . Specific i n f o r m a t i o n furnished m a n u f a c t u i e r s in l e g a r d to s u i t a b l e l o c a t i o n s . Address, LUIS JACKSON, Industrial Cnmniissionei, C M