nails during the year, at the same rates they can afford to carry iron ore, brick, sand, coal and such articles which usually go in large quantities, and are loaded and unloaded by the owner, and upon which the risk of damage is very small. Would it not be consistent and proper for you to reply to the merchant at Fox Lake that the law, as it now stands, does not fix rates on bar iron, nails, hardware, and other classified freight? We certainly cannot afford to do the business you speak of at any less rates than we are now charging. Yours, respectfully, JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner. S. S. MERRILL, COMPLAINTS RELATING TO CONNECTION OF PASSENGER TRAINS. Commissioner Hoyt to D. A. Olin. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, MADISON, October 26, 1875. MY DEAR SIR:-Complaint has been made that your noon train going west, passes Beloit some 15 minutes before the arrival of the C. &. N. W. train, so that passengers wishing to go west, via. the C. &. N. W. and the W. Union Railways, are obliged to lie over several hours at the place above named. The difference in time is so short that it would seem practicable that close connection should be made. If, upon inquiry into the matter, you find it possible to make the change desired, please do so; if not, have the goodness to acquaint the Railroad Commissioners with the reasons, and oblige, Yours respectfully, D. H. OLIN, Gen'l Supt. JOHN W. HOYT, D. A. Olin to Commissioner Hoyt, in reply. OFFICE WESTERN UNION R. R. Co., RACINE, WIS., October 29, 1875. DEAR SIR: Yours of the 26th instant in relation to passenger connections with the C. & N. W. R'y at Beloit, is received. I would like very much to make connections there, both east and west, but I see no way that I can do so, (as C. & N. W. trains now run) without the breaking of more important connections both east and west of Beloit. The westward bound train makes close connections with the C & N. W. at Fulton, also with the C. R. P. & P. R. R., at Rock Island; also eastward bound train makes close connections at Rock Island and Fulton with the trains from Omaha. My schedule of time for these trains is as fast now as it should be. Going west, our train would have to wait at Beloit 40 minutes beyond the present time, for passengers to get over from the C. & N. W. depot, and get baggage checked, etc. I could make my train going west 10 minutes later than now, but this would be of no use unless the C. & N. W. train could get to their station at about 11:15, so as to give 30 minutes time for passengers to get to our train from theirs. Coming east, I think there is over an hour's difference in time of arrival at Beloit, and I could not make the connection, (without breaking connections at Rock Island and Fulton,) unless the C. & N. W. train arrives at Beloit later than now-3ay at about 3:20, P. M. Our eastward-bound train now makes close connection with the C. & N. W. train at Clinton for Chicago. Trusting that this explanation will be satisfactory, I remain, Yours, truly. JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner. D. A. OLIN, Gen'l Supt. Commissioner Hoyt to Superintendent Olin. OFFICE OF THE RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, DEAR SIR:-On my return from Chicago, where I saw Superintendant Hughitt, or the subject of the connections at Beloit, I find your favor of the 28th, in answer to mine of recent date. Superintendant Hughitt manifested a disposition to co-operate with you, and said it seemed quite practicable to make the morning connection with your train going west if you could divide time with 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 believe me, Very truly, yours, JOHN W. HOYT, Commissioner Hoyt to F. O. Wyatt. OFFICE OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS, MADISON, October 26, 1875. 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. 1 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, 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. |