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| History of the Madison and Portage Road Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad from the Wisconsin State Register - Portage, Wisconsin |
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| Reported in the Wisconsin State Register (Portage) October 29 1870 Progress of the R. R. The bridging of Rocky Run, on the Madison and Portage R.R. was completed early in the week, and the track layers are now so close to Poynette that it is safe to say that village will be reached with an engine before the expiration of this week. Intelligence has been received that the first engine for the road has been received at Milwaukee, together with a quantity of cars, & c. their arrival here is now daily looked for. ******************************************* Reported in the Wisconsin State Register (Portage) November 19 1870 Portage and Madison R. R. The work on this road is progressing finely. We learn from Mr. Peck, that the track has been laid from Portage to the Dane county line, a distance of 20 miles, and that cars run regularly between Poynette and Portage, carrying lumber, wheat & c. Mr. Peck says the cars will run into Madison by the 1st of January. The grading, bridging, & c, along the whole line is nearly complete and, there are 10,000 ties on the ground, and enough more on the way to complete the track. There are one engine and twelve cars on the road, and more coming. Mr. Campbell commenced work on the 15th day of June. The first day�s work was done with one horse, and two men. There was no money on hand, or material paid for, and yet the road of 38 miles is nearly completed. Mr. Peck expresses the belief that the Oshkosh and Ripon road, in the hands of James Campbell, would be completed in 90 days with the means now on hand for that purpose, an expression in which all knowing Mr. Campbell will concur. The road from Madison to Portage is of great importance to this locality, and will be of still greater when the connections between this city and the latter place are made. � Oshkosh Times ******************************************* |
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