ANNUAL KEPORT—COMMERCE. 
65 
a year they have added 111 miles of new road to their lines, 
the greater portion of which was upon the extension of their 
Dakota division, through the great wheat district of norterh 
Iowa. The company are pushing this line forward without 
interruption, and by next harvest expect to have it completed 
to Algona, fifty miles beyond its present terminus, and 160 
miles west of PrairiAdu Chien, and ’before the close of 1871 
to Yankton, on the Missouri river, 493 miles west of Mil¬ 
waukee. This will undoubtedly be the first railroad line to 
reach the borders of Dakota, and from its location, will neces¬ 
sarily become the main channel of travel and traffic between 
that state and the east. Every mile of this road penetrates a 
region of unsurpassed fertility, the resources of which are yet 
comparatively untouched. 
“ The Milwaukee and St. Paul Company have also built 
two connecting links at this end of their roads, of great 
importance in facilitating the transportation of both freight 
and passengers. The one from Sun Prairie to Madison, twelve 
miles, shortens the distance fifteen miles and gives them an 
almost air line from Milwaukee to Prairie du Chien. The other 
connecting branch just outside the city limits, between the 
northern and Prairie du Chien divisions, by which the cartage 
df freight from the northern division through the city is 
avoided, and all passenger trains enabled to depart from, and 
arrive at a common depot. The unnecessary expense of a 
separate depot for the northern division is also saved by the 
building of this connecting piece of road, five miles in 
length. Any of the company’s grain elevators may be reached 
by all of these roads, and the stock yards are made equally 
accessible as the union depot, while through eastern freight, 
from any point within range of these lines can go forward via. 
Chicago without breaking bulk. The company are also build¬ 
ing a branch road from Eagle, thirty-six miles west of Mil¬ 
waukee, to Elkhorn, a distance of fourteen miles, by which 
they will secure an unbroken connection over the Western 
Union Kailroad with Savanna, Pulton and Kock Island. 
Ag. Tr.—6. 
