84 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
I 
The line between Madison and Portage city has been com¬ 
pleted and is running trains. Several projected roads are al¬ 
ready in progress, promising ear’y railway communication be¬ 
tween Green Bay and the Mississippi and between Lake Su¬ 
perior and Madison, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc and 
Green Bay. 
But since Milwaukee is the only city in Wisconsin’ able at 
present to exert a dominating influence in the formation and 
development of a railroad system ; since such a s} 7 stem is es¬ 
sential to the growth of our commerce and the proper inde¬ 
pendence of the state; and since moreover, our state commer¬ 
cial interests have at length found an able and powerful repre¬ 
sentative in the Milwaukee and Saint Paul Pail way Company, 
it is especially gratifying to be able to record the rapid pro¬ 
gress made by this company in the furtherance of its compre- 
? hensive and truly gigantic plans. 
In making such record, we can hardly do better than to 
■ quote at length from the report of the Chamber of Commerce 
of Milwaukee, which may be supposed to speak by authority : 
“ About one hundred and eighty miles of new road have been added to the 
lines extending westward from Milwaukee, built by Milwaukee corporations, 
and upwards of 150 miles additional built by other corporations, but direct¬ 
ly tributary to Milwaukee roads, making a total of about 832 miles as fol¬ 
lows : 
Miles. 
First Section Milwaukee and Northern R. R. 20 
Eagle to Elkhorn, connecting W. U. R. R. with Milwaukee ... 16 
First Section Sabula, Ackley and Dacotah R. R. 20 
Extension of M. & St. P. R’y from Clear Lake to Algoma. 42 
... .do.do.__ .Austin to Mason City. 40 
... .do.River Road from Hastings to Red Wing. 21 
... .do. do.... Winona towards St. Paul. 20 
West Wisconsin R. R. Augusta to Menomonee. 45 
Extension of Southern Minnesota R. R. 80 
La Crosse, Trempeleau and Prescott R. R. 28 
Total miles new road put in operation in 1870. 332 
“The Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, with its recent extensions, now 
comprises 1,018 miles of road, owned by that company, and 194 miles ad¬ 
ditional of leased roads are operated by them, as follows: 
Prairie du Ghien Division — 
Miles. 
Milwaukee to Prairie du Chien. 193 
Milton to Monroe. 43 
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