68 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
“ The West Wisconsin Railway .—This new railroad extends 
from Tomah, on the La Crosse division of the Milwaukee and 
St. Paul Eailway, through the counties of Monroe, Jackson 
Eau Claire, Dunn, Pierce, Buffalo and St. Croix, to Hudson 
and St. Paul, a distance of 172 miles. Sixtj-six miles of the 
road are completed and in operation, its present terminus being 
the village of Augusta, 25 miles from Eau Claire and 90 miles 
from Hudson, on the St. Croix river. The construction of the 
road from Augusta towards St. Paul, is being vigorously push¬ 
ed forward. It is to be completed to Eau Claire by the first 
of July next, and to St. Paul within a year from that date. 
The region through which the road passes abounds in all the 
essential elements that contribute to the prosperity of a rail¬ 
road, in a new country—rich soil, extensive water powers, 
abundance of timber ; and at Black Eiver Falls, 80 miles from 
Tomah, is one of the most valuable beds of iron ore to be 
found in the state. A stock company was recently organized 
and sufficient capital subscribed to erect a blast furnace at 
Black Eiver Falls, for the manufacture of pig iron from this 
ore. The (*.onstruction of the road is developing the great re¬ 
sources of the northwestern part of the state, and thriving 
villages and cities are springing up all along the route. 
“ In addition to the advantages of opening to our city a. 
valuable section of the state, hitherto almost inaccessible to 
us, the construction of the West Wisconsin Eailroad is im¬ 
portant to Milwaukee in establishing the shortest possible 
route betwen St. Paul and Lake Michigan, via the Milwaukee 
and St. Paul Eailway from Tomah to Milwaukee. The dis¬ 
tances are: 
Miles. 
St.Paul to Tomah.. 172 
Tomah to Milwaukee. 153 
Total distance from St. Paul to Milwaukee. 325 
“ This is claimed to be about 50 miles shorter than the line 
of the river road, and 81 miles shorter than the Prairie du 
Chien route. The energy displayed by the managers of the 
West Wisconsin Eailroad, in its construction thus far, fur- 
