Fillmore County, Minnesota - Chapter 12: Coming of the Railroads, 1912

Fillmore county is served by five railroad routes, operated by three companies, and cutting into thirteen of the twenty-four townships. The Southern Minnesota division of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul crosses the county from east to west, passing through Rushford, Arendahl, Holt, Carrolton, Fountain, Fillmore and Sprmg Valley townships, with stations at Rushford, Peterson, Whalan, Lanesboro, Isinours Junction, Fountain, Wykoff and Spring Valley. The Preston-Reno division owned by this coinpany extends from Preston in a southeasterly direction toward Prosper, and then in an easterly direction until it leaves the county. It touches Preston, Harmony, Canton and Newburg townships and has stations at Preston, Harmony, Canton, Prosper and Mabel, and a flagging point at Hutton. The Preston-Isinours division, owned by this company, is located in Carrolton and Preston townships, with stations at Preston and Isinours Junction and one or two flagging points at crossroads.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Osage division of the Chicago, Great Western crosses the eastern portions of Spring Valley and Bloomfield, with stations at Spring Valley and Ostrander.

First Railroad Project - tThe first legislation concerning railways Which applies to Fillmore county was introduced in the Minnesota territorial legislature of 1854 by Joseph Renshaw Brown. A bill to incorporate the Minnesota & Northwestern Railroad Company, introdueed by this pioneer, was passed on the last day of the session and contrary to expectation Gov. Willis A. Gorman signed it. The route designated was from some point on Lake

Superior by way of St. Paul to the Iowa state line in the direetion of Dubuque. This route, it will be seen, might be coustrned as erossing Fillmore county. June 29, 1854, congress passed an act to aid the territory of Minnesota in the constructing of the railroad over practically the route which had heen designated for the Minnesota & Northwestern, and granted for the purpose of aiding such a railroad, every alternate section of land, six sections in width, designated by odd numbers, on both sides of the road. These lands were to be at the disposal of any future Minnesota legislature. The congressional act provided, however, that the road should leave the Iowa state line somewhere between ranges 9 and 17, thus making the possibility that it cross Fillmore county still more definite. However, it was not until many years after that the county had a north and south road.

Mississippi and Missouri. Soon after Brownsville, in Houston county, was settled, a charter was obtained with the mouthfilling title of ''Mississippi and Missouri Railroad Company.'' That road was to start up the Wild Cat valley, but was never built.

The Root River Valley Railroad Company was organized under territorial auspices in 1854. Clark W. Thompson, of Hokah; T. B. Twiford, of Chatfield; and T. B. Stoddard, of La Crosse, and their associates were those interested.

The Land Grant Roads. By an act approved by the Minunesota territorial legislature May 22, 1857, four railroad corporations were granted alternate sections, designated by odd nunbers, six miles in width on each side of the roads and their branehes, this being in accord with the liberal railroad land grant by congress. These four railroad corporations, viz: the Minnesota & Pacific Railroad Company (changed to St. Paul & Pacifie Railroad Company), the Minneapolis & Cedar Valley Railroad Company, the Transit, Railroad Company (changed to Winona & St. Peter Railroad Company), and the Root River Valley & Southern Minnesota Railroad Company. The companies were to pay 3 per cent of their gross earnings in lien of taxes and assessments, and the lands granted by congress were to be exempt from all taxation until sold and conveyaneed by the companies. The corporations were generally given ten years to construct their respective roads. The financial embarrassiments of 1857 retarded the progress of raiJroad building, and it also became evident that the parties who had obtained the railway charters mentioned had neither the money nor credit to complete these great highways of internal improvements.

The Bond Issue. The territory of Minnesota was admitted to 'statehood May 11, 1858. The constitution ratified «and: adopted October 13, 1857, provided, in article 10, section 2, that "'no cor- porations shall be formed under special acts exeept for municipal purposes;'' and it still further provided that ''the eredit of the state shall never be given nor loaned, in the aid of any individual, association or corporation.'' Notwithstanding the strong feeling worked up over the talk of getting bonds in the aid of railroads so badly needed in the state, the first act of the legislature, which was approved March 9, 1858, before the state was admitted, was to submit an amendment to the constitution, providing for loaning the state's credit to the four land grant roads to the extent of $1,250,000 each, or $5,000,000 in all, provided $100,000 for every ten miles to be graded, and $100,000 for every ten miles when the cars were running regularly. In return it required the roads to pledge the net income to pay the interest on the bonds, and io convey the first 240 sections of Jand from the government grant to the state, and to deposit in first mortgage bonds an amount equal to the loan from the state for security. This proposal occasioned much uneasiness among the most prudent of the citizens in the state; and though publie meetings were held denouncing the measure, it was, however, upon being submitted to the people, on the appointed day of a special election, April 15, 1858, carried by a large majority, there being 25,023 in favor to 6,733 against the amendment. The measure afterward became known as the Five Million Loan Bill. The state bonds were of $1,000 denomination, had twentyfive years to run, with interest at 7 per cent, the railroad eompanies to pay the interest, and were to he delivered to the incorporators of the companies when ten miles of the road was graded and ready for the superstructure. Owing to technicalities, it was extremely difficult to market these bonds. Times were hard and the companies were unable to pay the reqnired interest.

On the assembling of the legislature in 1860 the interest on the state bonds having been defaulted, an amendment to the constitution was adopted and submitted to the people expunging the section sanetioned and approved by them April 15, 1858, reserving only the state's rights. The electors of the state, at the general election of November 6, 1860, with unanimity, by a vote of 27,023 to 733, approved of the amendment.

Of the subsequent history of the Five Million Dollar Loan Bill the Minnesota Legislative Manual says: '"'Along with the prosperity of the state, caused so largely by the rapid railroad building, the state pride began 1o assert itself with more force, and the promiment citizens eontinued to urge an adjustment of the dishonored railroad bonds. In 1877 a proposition setting aside the proceeds of 500,000 acres for internal improvement lands in settlement was by aet of the legislature submitted to a vote at a special election called for June 12, and was voted down by the decisive vote of 59,176 against to 17,324 votes for the proposition. This vote was largely owing to the fact that the state at that time had almost an entire new population that had come into the state long after the bonds were issued and had no definite knowledge of the history of the original indebtedness.

In 1881 the legislature enacted a law providing for the adjustment of these bonds, and designating the judges of the supreme court as a commission to make the settlement. The constitutionality of this law was questioned, a writ of injunction was served, and the final determination of the supreme bench was that the law was unconstitutional, as also the amendment of 1860, prohibiting any settlement without a vote of the people. This latter act had previously been determined unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of the United States. An extra session of the legislature was called in October of the same year, when the final adjustment was authorized by act of the legislature, on a basis of 50 per cent of the amount nominally due, and, after a careful examination of all the claims presented the bond question was forever set at rest by the issue of adjustment bonds to the amount of $4,282,000 to parties entitled to receive them. For the payment of these bonds the proposition of setting aside the proceeds of the 500,000 acres of internal improvement lands was again submitted at the general election in 1881, and by a vote of 82,435 votes in favor and 24,526 votes against, the action of the legislature was ratified and the stigma of repudiation removed. which had been fastened upon the state by the popular vote of 1877."'

The Root River Valley & Southern Minnesota Railroad was ehartered by the territory of Minnesota March 2, 1855. The act to incorporate was passed on the above date hy the territorial legislature. The charter granted the privilege of eovering almost everything in the southern end of the state, provided the eastern terminus remained at Hokah, viz: ''from the village of Hokah, in the county of Tlouston, and territory of Minnesota, westward by the most feasible and practicable route to some point between the south line of the territory and the point where the township line between 110 and 111 crosses the Minnesota river, thence west by the most direct and practicable route to the great bend of the Missouri river, with the privilege of a branch starting from Hokah and running to the west bank of the Mississippi, via Target Lake to Eagle Bluff in Winona county. Also the privilege of building a branch from some point on the' main line east of range 12, west of the fifth principal meridian, and west- ward through the counties of Mower, Freeborn and Faribault, to the west line of the territory; also the privilege of constructing a ship canal from the main channel of the Mississippi river to Target Lake."'

On November 3 the officers met at their headquarters at Chatfield. The board then stood as follows: Clark W. Thonipson, president; C. A. Stevens, viee-president ; H. L. Edwards, seeretary; T. B. Twiford, treasurer; H. W. Tolley, chief engineer. The executive committee were T. B. Twiford, Edward Thompson, T. B. Stoddard, William B. Gere and T. J. Safford. Soon after this a survey was made by the chief engineer, H. W. Holley, from the Mississippi river to Hokah.

Ou December 8, 1856, a publie meeting of those favorable to the construction of the road was held in Chatfield. The meeting was called to order by William B. Gere, who stated the objects of the meeting, and gave a brief history of the enterprise, stating that it was chartered in 1854, and that $50,000 had been subseribed to the stock. G. W. Willis was appointed chairman of the meeting, and Edward Dexter was selected for secretary. Earnest speeches were made by several gentlemen. A committee Was appointed to solicit subscriptions to defray the expenses of an agent to Washington, to secure, if possible, congressional aid in the form of a land grant. It was understood that this committee succeeded in raising about $1,300 in Chatfield, and James M. Cavanaugh, afterwards member of Congress, was appointed to proceed to Washington and look after a land grant. The thanks of the mecting were voted to Col. Thomas B. Stoddard, of LaCrosse, for his untiring energy in the service of the enterprise.

The charter was amended February 27, 1857. In the meantime the land grant had passed congress, as heretofore stated, and was sigued March 4, 1857, by President Franklin Pierce, being one of his retiring acts. May 22, in accordance with this act, the Minnesota legislature passed the Land Grant aet by which the territory of the road was extended, and all the land grants applicable to its route duly conferred. This was one of the original land graut roads bought in by the state of Minnesota, which Jater re-issued its charter and loaned the credit of the state.

The Southern Minnesota Railroad Company was the name taken by the Root River Valley & Southern Minnesota Railroad, May 23, 1857, the day after the land grant was conferred. On April 3 the railroad had a meeting at La Crescent, and a survey by the chief engineer, H. W. Holley, was ordered to be made at once, to begin at or near St. Peter and to extend thence eastward to La Crosse.. The party, accordingly, started to make this survey from Chatfield to St. Peter on April 6, 1857. The survey from St. Peter to La Crescent was completed early in June. About this time the Milwaukee & La Crosse company became interested in the proposed road.

After the Five Million Dollar Loan Bill was passed, the company executed a mortgage, issued honds and deposited them with the state, receiving therefor $575,000 in state bonds, having at that time graded thirty-seven and one-half miles on its main branch up the Minnesota, and about twenty and one-quarter on its Root river branch. The company defaulted on the payments April 1, 1860, and the governor advertised and sold the property and conveyed the same to the state. The state conferred the property, ete., on divers occasions to various parties during the years 1861 and 1863, but they faited to comply with the conditions.

March 4, 1864, under the revived title of the Southern Minnesota Railroad Company, T. B. Stoddard, C. D. Sherwood, Clark W. Thompson, H. W. Holley, Luke Miller, Hiram Walker and their associates reorganized the company and obtained from the legislature the franchises and lands of the old company, upon the condition that ten miles should be completed in one year. But the time elapsed and the ten miles did not materialize, and the next year the legislature gave the company another year, and this time it sueeeeded in making the trip, and having the requisite ten miles in running condition by December 25, 1866. During the previous winter an effort had been made to secure an additional grant of land from Tlouston to the western boundary of the state, which was suecessful, and this aid was secured July 4, 1866. From this time the progress of the road was rapid. As ubove stated, the road to Houston was opened and running in 1866; to Rushford and Lanesboro in 1868; from Ramsey to Alden in 1869, and from Laneshoro the road was pushed on to Ramsey in 1870; the total distance being 167 miles. It will thus be seen that the road was finally constructed and put in operation by practically the same men who conceived the project in {territorial days, and obtained, through their efforts, the donations that iade its success possible, and without which it might never have been built. As to the personnel of the early and the later management, Col. T. B. Stoddard, of La Crosse; C. W. Thompson, of Hokah, and his brother, Edward Thompson, of the same place; and Hon. H. W, Holley, the chief engineer, who were on the board of directors, may be mentioned as standing by the company watil, in 1870, the first division, from La Crosse to Winnebago City, was completed. As to the last land grant in 1866, without whieh the road could not, or would not have been extended west of Houston, perhaps the most eredit-should be given to Charles D. Sherwood, Dr. Luke Miller, C. G. Wykoff

In relation to the route of the road west of Lanesboro, where it leaves the Root River valley, the inside history would be remarkably rich reading if faithfully portrayed. Chatfield, being on the main stream, had no shadow of doubt as to its going there; Preston, the county seat, confidently expected the road. Either way would have avoided the grade west of Lanesboro.

In 1870 the Southern Minnesota railroad undertook to build a branch from Fountain to Chatfield, aud the town of. Chatfield voted bonds to the amount of $65,000, provided it was eompleted to that point by July 4, 1871. Work was commenced and some of the deeper euts exeavated, and it is reported that $70,000 was expended before the project was abandoned, which was done, as is alleged, on account of the great expense.

Soon after the building of the railroad through Fillmore county the road was involved in extensive litigation, and after various troubles the company was reorganized as the Southern Minnesota Railway Company under chapter 50 Laws of 1876, of the State of Minnesota.

The Southern Minnesota Railway Company was organized Mareh 3, 1877. The Southern Minnesota Railway Extension Company was also organized. January 1, 1880, the Southern Minnesota, after receiving a deed from the Extension company, deeded its road from the Mississippi river to Sionx Falls, and the braneh from Wells and Mankato, to the Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, the latter issuing bonds and taking possession of the road May 1, 1880.

Reno-Preston Branch. Early in November, 1873, the people of Caledonia, handicapped greatly by laek of railroad facilitics, organized 2 railroad company, calledl the Caledonia and Mississippi, with a view to building a stub from Caledonia to the Mississippi river. The officers were: President. Thomas Abbotts; vice-president, A. D. Sprague; treasurer, Nicholas Koob; seeretary, N. E. Dorival. This company procured a right of way and did some grading.

Nothing came of this idea, however, until the Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroad Company, desiring feeders for its river road, conceived the idea of building a road froin the Mississippi westward, through Caledonia. Accordingly this company made an offer to complete the road, iron and equip it, in consideration of certain bonuses to be voted by the citizens of the territory through which the road was to pass.

The old Caledonia & Mississippi was reorganized as the Caledonia, Mississippi & Western, and surveying and the purchase of a right of way was extended vigorously. No mention had been made of Preston in the plans of the company. The road was to pass south of Preston, and the townships of Canton and Harmony were each asked to vote a bonus of $12,000. Caledonia voted $25,000. Canton and Harmony, however, refused to vote the bonus asked, and the company turned its attention to Pres- {on, agreeing to make Preston the terminus of the road on eondition that the eitizens of Preston vote a bonus of $25,000 and persuade the citizens of Harmony and Canton io change their opinions. After a bitter fight, the conditions were fnlfilled, Preston voting $25,000, Tlarmony, $12,000, and Canton, $12,000.

The bonuses voted and the right of way secured, it did not take long for the narrow gauge road to be built. The first shovel of dirt was thrown in June, 1879, and on September 7; 1879, the first rail was laid at Reno. The first train reached Caledonia, September 25, 1879. On Christmas day, 1879, the gang was within sight of Preston, but the cold was so intense that work was suspended and it was not until toward evening on December 26, 1879, that the first train reached Preston. This first train, a work train, was in charge of Conductor W. W. Feot and H. G. Velsey, engineer. The first passenger train, in charge of the same engineer and the same conductor, started running regularly January 19, 1880. During the construction of the road Frank Adams was constructing engineer and F. 0. Wyatt, superintendent.

In April of that year the officials of the Chicago & Northwestern went over the line with a view to purehasing it, and continuing the tracks to Chatfield. But the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul heard of this, and at once purchased the road from the eastern stockholders.

From that date until 1901, the line retained its narow gauge tracks, with poor connections at Reno, and with all the freight disadvantages attendant upon the necessity of a transfer at Reno. In 1890 Senator Richard E. Thompson introdueed a bill in the Minnesota legislature, authorizing the railroad and warehouse commission to order the gauge broadened. The towus along the line took up the agitation, and the company eoneluded to comply with the wishes of the people. Work was commenced in the summer of 1901, and the first standard gauge train reached Preston, Monday morning, November 11, 1901, at 5:30 o'cloek. The train consisted of engine 1343, a combination mail, baggage and smoking ear, a day coach and the superintendent's private ear, occupied by several officials. The train crew consisted of W. W. Foote, conductor; Robert Byrens, engineer; J. D. Hanton, foreman; J. D. Schwartz, express messenger and brakeman, and H. M. Rollins, mail agent. Fe was accomplished with little delay. The narrow gauge passenger train brought the mail as usual on Saturday, November 9, and immediately returned to Reno. Monday morning the mail left Preston on time, as usnal, on the wide gauge train and the change became an aecomplished fact.

Preston-Isinours Branch. In 1870 all the gaps being filled up, the Southern Minnesota was running trains from the Mississippi to Wells. The railroad promoters were interested in Lanesboro. Fountain and Wykoff, and were in hopes that these places would grow in such a manner as to eliminate Preston from wnong the important villages of the county. Accordingly, the company refused to establish any stations between Lanesboro and Fountain, and those desiring to take the train from Preston had to drive to one or the other of these places. Finally the citizens of Preston organized a freighting association and obtained the permission of the railroad officials, to erect a freight house and station, the expense of building, maintaining and operating same to be borne by the citizens of Preston. The building was at onee erected, and W. C. Grant was employed as operator at 445 per month. However, for a time, passenger trains stopped only when flagged. Shortly afterward, in 1871, a postoffice was established there with W. G. Grant as postmaster, and the trains were compelled to stop to leave and receive mail. After a time, when the affairs of the company reached the courts, the court ordered the new company to buy and operate the Isinours station.

When the depot was built, stage and freight lines were established from Isinours to Preston. The stage line was Preston's only public passenger connection with the outside world until the narrow gauge road was built to Reno, 1879. The narrow gauge still left Preston with nothing but the stage lines and private teams to convey passengers to the north and west. H. R. Wells for many years worked for the opening of a branch from Preston to the main line of the Southern Minnesota. Finally the president of the Chicago, Milwankee & St. Paul consented to receive a delegation of citizens to talk over the matter. This committee, consisting of H. R. Wells, R. E. Thompson, Henry Nupson, George W. Hard, J. W. Hopp, 8. A. Languin and A. W. Thompson, met President A. J. Earling, at Chicago, June 6, 1902, and after a long disenssion the president promised that surveys should be made. Several surveys were made during the summer of 1902, and the company decided to build the road providing the citizens of Preston would secure a right of way, free of charge to the company. This was done, and in the spring of 1903 the citizens turned over to the company, deeds to the right of way the entire distance, the cost being met. by an issue of

$5,000 bonds, which were authorized at a special village clection at Preston, only thirteen voting in the negative. The railroad started work in the spring, but owing to the wet season track laying was not completed until the fall. The civil engineer in charge was C. S. Coe. The first train over the new road Ieft Preston at 12:48, Monday, November 23, 1903, eighteen minuies after scheduled time, thus selttmg a precedent for tardiness which has been well sustained in the time which has elapsed since then. Wm. Shook was the conductor; Levi Kline, the engineer; George Laskey, the fireman and J. E. Ford and Gus Schultz, the brakemen. A number of leading citizens had arranged for an excursion, being met at Isinours by many prominent men of Lanesboro.

The Chicago Great Western Railroad, operating what is known us the Corn Belt route, in 1910 succeeded the Chicago Great Western Railway Company, which operated what was then known as the Maple Leaf route. The latter company was organized in Illinois, January 5, 1892, to effect the reorganization of the Chicago, St. Paul and Kansas City Railway Company, whieh was an Iowa corporation and had absorbed the Minnesota & Northwestern. Under an agreement with the Wisconsin, Minnesota and Pacific Railway Company, this company operated, among other lines, that from Minneapolis and St. Paul to Osage, Iowa, the Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pacifie being a reorganization of one of the early Minnesota companies. It was ineorporated in Minnesota in April, 1894. The line operates in the extreme western part of Fillmore county, and was originally known as the Winona and Southwestern. It was built in 1890. The line passes through Spring Valley and Bloomfield.

Chatfield & Eyota. This is a branch of the Chicago & Northwestern, and extends from Eyota on the Elroy & Tracy division. Bonds were voted by the town of Chatfield in 1878 to secure the branch to this place; the work was soon eommeneed and in the fall of 1878 the trains were running. As this is a short branch, the varied history of the Chicago & Northwestern is bevond the scope of this work.