them, as proposed by me at our recent interview. The afternoon connection, with the difference of an hour, seemed more difficult, in view of the connections imperatively necessary at Camp Douglas and Watertown, on the part of the Green Bay and St. Paul trains respectively. But he said he would correspond with you and arrange it if possible. If that could not be accomplished he would arrange such connections at Rockford and Caledonia, as would enable persons taking the morning train on the Mineral Point Railroan, to reach Madison at 4 o'clock the same day, via. Freeport, Rockford, Caledonia and Beloit. While in Grant, Iowa and La Fayette counties, I was strongly urged by prominent citizens to effect some arrangement by which they could get to the capital on the day of departure from points on the southwestern railways. Is it not practicable to arrange for the transfer of passengers from one train to another at Beloit with the loss of less time than you name? I suggested that a platform be made at the crossing for the accommodation of passengers wishing to change cars there. Mr. Hughitt thought this difficult. It would involve some extra expense, but I am unable to see that it would be impracticable. It would certainly make a saving of time to both passengers and trains, and form a connection that would be appreciated by the travelling public. Please do the best you can to remove the cause of complaint, and DEAR SIR:-Complaint is made that your passenger train for Wausau passes Junction City twenty-four minutes after departure of the Wisconsin Central train for Worcester. Can you not make arrangements for a close connection of these trains? It would seem to be possible, and it is certainly desirable. A similar inquiry will be addressed to the Wisconsin Central Company. Respectfully, F. O. WYATT, Superintendent. JOHN W. HOYT, F. O. Wyatt to the Commissioners, in reply. OFFICE OF WICONSIN VALLEY R. R. Co., TOMAH, WIS., October 27, 1875. GENTLEMEN:-Yours of the 26th is at hand. We have to rely for our passenger business mainly upon the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, at Tomah, and the West Wisconsin and Chicago & Northwestern Railways, at Valley Junction. We have no other connections for western travel. Enclosed I send you time-card No. 11, in force this season (summer of 1875.) Upon examination thereof you will observe that we are running train No. 1 from Tomah to Junction City, (the crossing of the Wisconsin Central Railroad,) sixty miles in three hours and four minutes, stopping at eight regular stations and four flag stations. We also stop with this train at three railroad crossings, and once for wood and water. This makes the actual running time of the train, fully twenty-five miles per hour. The trains on the Wisconsin Central road pass the crossing twenty-one minutes before this train arrives there; thus making the connection for passengers going north and west. You will I think agree with me, that I am running the trains on this road, for that connection, as fast as safety of the passengers will admit of; and that the connections at Tomah and Valley Junction, are of more importance to the travelling public than the one at Junction City. The trains going south on the two roads connect at the crossing. With these explanations, I leave the matter for your consideration, feeling assured that upon investigation your board will be come satisfied that this road is doing all that can be justly required for the accommodation of the travelling public. Yours, respectfully, The RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS. F. O. WYATT, Commissioner Hoyt to Supt. F. O. Wyatt. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, MADISON, November 1, 1875. DEAR SIR:-Accept our thanks for your esteemed letter of the 27th ult., touching the connection of your own and the Wisconsin Central trains at Junction City. If the time of leaving Tomah is at present as early as you can make it, without sacrificing more important connections with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul trains, we must concede the validity of your explanation, and turn to the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company for relief. Respectfully, yours, JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner Hoyt to Vice-President Colby. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, MADISON, March 1, 1875. DEAR SIR:-Complant has been made that your morning train going north passes Valley Junction some twenty-one minutes in advance of the arrival of the Wisconsin Valley train from Tomah. Having myself experienced the inconvenince of a failure to connect at that point, I am the better able to appreciate their complaints, and accordinly wrote the Superitendent of the Wisconsin Valley Railroad on the subject. In answer he tells me that since their time of departure from Tomah is controlled by the movement of trains on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway, and since running his present rate of speed (25 miles an hour.) is as great as they dare make, it is out of his power to gain the twenty-one minutes in question. and As you have no connections to make above that point, could you not arrange to make this connection? Please try to do so, oblige the complainants. Respectfully yours, CHAS. L. COLBY, Vice-President. JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner. me. E. B. Phillips to Commissioner Hoyt. OFFICE OF WISCONSIN CENTRAL RAILWAY Co., MILWAUKEE, WIS., November 2, 1875. DRAR SIR: Yours of the first to Mr. Colby has been handed to The complaint of the failure to make connection at Junction. City has already received attention, and I hope at the next change of time card, (which will be soon) to remedy the difficulty. We are now in correspondence with Mr. Wyatt, of the Valley road, and if we can arrange for a little variation in their train in the other direction, we can accomplish it. Yours, truly, JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner. E. B. PHILLIPS, President. Chas. L. Colby to Commissioner Hoyt. OFFICE OF WISCONSIN CENTRAL R. R. Co., MILWAUKEE, December 3, 1875. DEAR SIR: A short time ago, in conformity to your suggestion, we changed our time table so as to make connections with the Valley Railroad at Junction City. They now inform us that they will change their tables in a few days so as to break the connection, and by arriving there later than we, they can take our passengers but give us none. I hereby mention this that you may understand that any failure to connect there, is not our fault. It will be impossible for us to connect with them. as they now propose to run, as it would break our connections further east and south. Yours, respectfully, CHAS. L. COLBY. Commissioner Hoyt to F. O. Wyatt. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, DEAR SIR: Some weeks ago I requested of the managers of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, a change in time of the arrival of passenger trains at Junction City, so as to enable northward bound passengers on your road, to make close connections at that point. This request was made because of the representation you made of your inability to increase your speed. The Wisconsin Central recognizing the validity of this reason, made arrangements to have their northward trains arrive at Junction City enough later to accommodate your passengers. It now appears from a letter just received from the Wisconsin Central office at Milwaukee, that you have changed your time so as to break the connection thus formed; and that it will be impossible for them to connect with you, and yet maintain their oonnections further east and south. Is this action on your part unavoidable? Please answer, and oblige, The Commissioners regret to observe that, in many cases, timetables are changed, not only without necesity so far as the public can discern, but without previous conference with, or even notice to, the managers of connecting lines. It is this kind of procedure more than excess of charges that irritates the public and leads to legisative interference. I do not charge that you have so acted in this case, but urge the importance of co-oporations in making the connection, if it can be done. Yours, respectfully, JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner. Supt. F. O. Wyatt to Commissioner Hoyt, in reply. OFFICE OF WIS. VAL. R. R. Co., TOMAH, WIS., Dec. 14, 1875. DEAR SIR: Yours of the 4th is at hand, and has just been read |