Railway Construction in 1882. In regard to the prospects for future construction, we note the important fact that of the 316 roads which are covered by this record at least 140 are still uncompleted, and on many of these work will be resumed in the spring, if it is not continued during the winter. Bearing in mind that the number of lines on which grading was actively in progress during the year, although no track was laid, is very large, and that a host of new projects have been inaugurated upon which no tangible work has yet been done, and it appears that railway building is likely to be active during 1883, though it will probably be better for the country if it does not proceed with the extraordinary speed which has characterized the past two years." Wisconsin has received her share of the activity in railway building, and records 390.29 miles of new track laid during the year. The largest portion of this is in the northern and comparatively undeveloped sections of the state. The Legislature of 1882 by chapter 10 of the laws of that year, transferred to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Company the rights and privileges theretofore enjoyed by the Chicago, Portage & Superior. The transfer of the land grant, claimed by the latter company, to the Omaha, was made on condition that the Omaha Company complete its line into Superior before the 1st of December, 1882. About the middle of November, the provisions of the law were complied with. The line was completed and opened to the public and daily trains between St. Paul and Superior put in operation. The Chippewa Falls & Northern has just completed its line from Bloomer through the counties of Chippewa and Barron, and into the county of Burnett, forming a junction with the North Wisconsin Division of the Omaha road, a short distance north of Shell Lake and about six miles south of the junction of the Superior and Bayfield branches. It will be operated by and belong to the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, when opened for traffic. This company has also extended its Bayfield branch by laying track to a point 30 miles north of Cable. It has about completed the grading of its line into Bayfield, and has finished the grading of a spur to Ashland from the main line, and will C- - RAIL. COM. Railway Construction in 1882. undoubtedly have that portion of its system in operation early in the spring. The line connects with the Northern Pacific at Superior, and gives that road connection with a nearly direct route through the center of our state to Chicago, independent of St. Paul and Minneapolis, through which cities all its business has heretofore passed. Besides opening up large tracts of undeveloped country, valuable for its pine forests, these extensions of the Omaha line are of incalculable importance to the western and northern parts of our state, as well as the extensive country west of us tapped by this system, as they open a new way to the commerce of the lakes by short lines and easy grades. The magnificent harbors of Superior and Bayfield will naturally draw to those places commerce which would otherwise seek water communication at Milwaukee, Green Bay or Chicago, for the east. These lines complete the system of the Omaha in that portion of the state, with the exception of a short line from Chippewa Falls to connect with the main line at some point east of Eau Claire. This company has also built extensive shops at Sunnyside, about two miles east of Eau Claire, and generally improved the line to make it capable of doing the large business demanded of it. From being only a few years ago one of the poorest paying lines in the state, it has advanced to be one of the best. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul is developing and maturing its system, building spurs and branches as local business demands. A spur has been built in the city of Stoughton to accommodate the flouring mills there; one near the village of Waterloo to stone quarry, and one in the city of Beaver Dam. A line from Brandon in Fond du Lac county to Markesan, in Green Lake county has just been completed. The Chippewa Valley & Superior commenced in 1881 was completed early in the summer, and passed into the hands of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. This line besides opening up the new territory on the banks of the Chippewa river, is of great importance to the large lumbering establishments of Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls by offering this new outlet to their produce, and enabling them to reach this important system of roads in Minnesota, Iowa and Dakota over its own line. The road follows the banks of the Chip Railway Construction in 1882. pewa river from Eau Claire to its mouth. At Reed's Landing it crosses the Mississippi river on a pontoon bridge, similar in construction to that at Prairie du Chien, and, as the Commissioner is informed, owned and operated by the same parties. A branch has also just been completed, leaving the main line on the east bank of the Chippewa near the mouth of the Red Cedar river, crossing the Chippewa, and following up the banks of the Red Cedar, through the city of Menomonie, in Dunn county, to Red Cedar Falls, a short distance north of where the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha crosses that stream. The Wisconsin Central has added to its system a new line, built during the summer, from its line in the city of Neenah south through the cities of Oshkosh and Fond du Lac to a junction with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul at Schleisingerville; from which place it uses the road of the latter company into Milwaukee. The Central in this manner gains an entrance into Milwaukee independent of the Milwaukee & Northern, which road it formerly operated from Neenah south. A branch is also in process of construction from Chelsea northeasterly. The Packwaukee & Montello line, mostly built during the year, is operated by the Central. The Milwaukee, Lake Shore & Western is pushing its branches steadily into the different sections of the upper]Wisconsin valley, and is doing for the development of that portion of the state what the Omaha company does for the northwestern extreme part. The road has been extended from Summit Lake north to a point 112 miles north of Monico, with a branch from Monico to Rhinelander on the Wisconsin river. A branch has also been built from the main line at Antigo easterly to Bryant. The Chicago & Northwestern has built a line from Trempealeau to Galesville, to aid in the building of which the latter'town voted the company $12,000.00. The Northern Pacific has extended its line to a point southeast of Superior, about two miles, with a view of extending it to Ashland, and built a spur along St. Louis Bay to a point opposite Duluth and has under construction extensive docks in Superior harbor. The Wisconsin & Michigan has extended its line north from Stiles 40 miles. Railway Construction in 1872. The St. Paul Eastern Grand Trunk, after many disappointments, through the persevering industry and steadfastness of purpose of the men in charge of the enterprise, has at last got fully under way. The first 10 miles west of Oconto is opened for traffic, with the expectation of constructing at least 60 miles the coming year, part of which is now ready for the ties. A review of the work in this state during the calendar year gives results as follows: From nine miles north of Superior Junction to Northern 51.43 Wisconsin Central (operating)—. Neenah to Schleisingerville (Milwaukee & Lake Winne. bago).... Packwaukee to Montello (Packwaukee & Montello). License Fees. 100 The total number of miles of railroad in Wisconsin at the close of 1882 was 3,833,4 miles, a gain of over 11 per cent. of the total mileage at the close of 1881, 3,436 miles. Besides the increased length of track the Northwestern has replaced the narrow gauge road from Montfort to Lancaster, Grant county, and from Montfort south to state line and Galena, with a standard gauge track. All the narrow guage now belonging to that company in this state is the line from Lancaster Junction to Woodman, on the Wisconsin river, a distance of 1846 miles. This line and the Fond du Lac, Amboy & Peoria, with an aggregate length of 48,4 miles, is all the narrow gauge left in the state. The mileage of standard gauge is 3,785. 100 The map following this report shows the lines as constructed at the end of the year, and also has indicated the projected lines as placed thereon by the engineers of the different companies. How much of this contemplated building will be completed during 1883 it is impossible to foretell; but the railroad building in the state will scarcely reach the extent it did in 1882. LICENSE FEES. The total income from railroad license fees for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1882, is reported by the Secretary of State at $586,328.58, derived from the following companies. (Full returns of gross earnings for the year just closed have not yet been received, but the license fee for 1883 will not fall much short of $700,000): License fees paid in 1882. Sleeping car companies located outside the state are not under the present law compelled to make reports, and do not pay any license fee to the state, the law only applying to companies and |