Histories: Trempealeau Co. Historical Accounts:
"History of Trempealeau County Wisconsin, 1917":
Chapter 23: More Historical Papers
The Green Bay & Western Railroad
-As transcribed from pages 905 - 908
The Green Bay & Western
Railroad has been one of the principal factors in the development of
central Trempealeau County. Incorporated by special Act of the
Wisconsin Legislature, the company was, April 12, 1866, chartered as
the Green Bay & Lake Pepin Railway Company, with Wabasha as its
objective western terminal. Four miles were graded in 1869 and 30
miles in 1870. Track laying was commenced in the fall of 1871,
and completed 39 miles from Green Bay to New London, Dec. 20,
1871. Four days later the first passengers were carried by
special train. During the summer of 1872, 110 miles between New
London and Merrillan Junction, in Jackson County, were graded and the
tracks laid. The whole work was completed at 5 o'clock on the
afternoon of Dec. 24, 1872. During the summer and fall of 1873
the tracks were graded and iron laid from Merrillan Junction to
Marshland, where connections were made with the old La Crosse,
Trempealeau & Prescott Railroad, now the Madison division of the
Chicago & North Western. The first regular passenger service
between Green Bay and Winona was inaugurated Dec. 18, 1873. Sept.
5, 1873, the name was changed to the Green Bay & Minnesota
Railroad. At that time it was believe that the road would be
consolidated with the Winona & St. Peter, John I. Blair being a
large stockholder in both roads. But the Chicago & North
Western absorbed the Winona & St. Peter, and the Green Bay was left
to its own devices. The struggle was a severe one. Running
through 209 miles of a new and sparsely settle country, the receipts
were not sufficient to maintain it. January 24, 1878, it went
into the hands of a receiver and remained in the receiver's hands until
sold, Oct. 15. Jan. 20, 1881, it was sold to John I. Blair,
representing the bondholders, and reorganized as the Green Bay, Winona
& St. Paul Railway Company. Articles of incorporation dated
May 6, 1881, filed in Wisconsin May 16, 1881. The company
defaulted on bond interest and the Farmers' Loan & Trust Company
was appointed Trustee in Possession, the trusteeship continuing from
March 23, 1885, to Oct 25, 1886. A second default was made on the
bond interest and the Farmers' Loan & Trust Company again appointed
Trustee in Possession. Trusteeship from Aug. 1, 1890, to June 10,
1896. The property was sold under foreclosure May 12, 1896, to
Mark T. Cox and tohers. The deed of sale from Mark T. Cox and
others to the Green Bay & Western Railroad Company is dated June 5,
1896.
In 1891 a spur track was completed from Marshland to East Winona, and
the Winona terminal was established at the Burlington station instead
of at the North Wester station.
At the time of building the Green Bay & Western Railroad through
the fertile Trempealeau Valley in 1873, the now prosperous cities of
Dodge, Arcadia, Whitehall and Blair were but little hamlets.
Little was known of them for the reason they were so small, one passing
through the country would not consider a few houses grouped together as
of sufficient importance to give them a name.
The railroad crossed the Jackson and Trempealeau County line three
miles east of the now prosperous city of Blair, which was so named in
honor of the famous and well-known pioneer railroad builder of the
West, Hon. John I. Blair, of Blairstown, N. J. He was the first
man of great wealth who, far in advance of the times, realized the
vastness of the great Northwest and lavishly advanced his money in
building railroads to develop the country now so fertile. He
trused with unerring judgment to the future to bring returns on his
investments, and, thanks to the all-wise Providence, his life was
spared to see his judgment confirmed and his investments in several of
his railroads, notably the Chicago & North Western Railway, bring
ample returns, for he lived to the ripe old age of ninety-five years.
At the time the railroad passed the present location of Blair, there
were but a few scattering farm houses, and the store of T. I. Gilbwert,
which was at the west limits of the present village. The first
store in the village was built by C. C. Hanson and T. I. Gilbert in
1874, and was burned in the fire of 1891. Blair is now a very
thriving village of about 700 people, doing a large business in general
farm products.
The next hamlet passed by the railroad on its westerly course was what
is now known as Whitehall, a beautiful and thriving little city of
about 1,000 souls, on a broad, flat plateau of land between picturesque
hills on the north and south sides and is the county seat of
Trempealeau County, the county seat having been moved there from
Arcadia in 1878. The first store was built by H. E. Getts in 1874
and still stands just north of the John O. Melby Bank. At the
time of the advent of the railroad there was but one farm house to mark
the location. Like Blair, it derives its support from the rich
farming land surrounding it in every direction and from the very
fertile Pigeon Creek Valley leading to the northeast.
Independence, the next thriving little city six miles west of
Whitehall, was a farm owned by Jake Pampuch at the time the railroad
was built and until it was bought by D. M. Kelley in 1876, and thre
present village of Independence was platted May 30. There are
about 900 people living in this village, which is supported by a very
rich farming community.
Arcadia, eight miles to the west, with a population of 1,200, is a very
prosperous city. At the time of the building of the railroad
there was a little hamlet about one mile to the southeast of the
present business location of Arcadia. The first store was built
by A. F. Hensel in 1874 and was operated as a general store by Bohri
Bros. The first elevator was built in 1873 by Remby, Canterberry
& Smith on the site now occupied by the W. P. Massuere & Co.
elevator. The same year Elmore & Kelley, of Green Bay, Wis.,
built an elevator at Arcadia, they being the first two elevators built
along the line of the railroad in Trempealeau County. Arcadia was
for a time the county seat, having been moved there from the village of
Galesville, wher it was located for many years. It is supported
by a very large area of very productive farming land.
From Arcadia westward the railroad followed the low land bordering on
the Trempealeau River, which in the early days got on an annual rampage
at the opening of the spring and caused very great damage to the
railroad, notably in the great floods of March, 1876, when the railroad
between Arcadia and Marshland was nearly obliterated and was out of
commission for two months.
Thirteen miles to the west of Arcadia we arrive at the village of
Dodge, at the west side of Trempealeau County. It was named in
honor of William E. Dodge, of New York City, a prominent financier for
many years. He was associated with John I. Blair, Moses Taylor,
Joseph H. Scranton, E. F. Hatfield and many other well-known financiers
of New York in the pioneer railroad building of the West. He was
also connected with many philanthropic institutions and at one time was
treasurer of Protestant Syrian College at Constantinople, Turkey.
Unfortunately for the village of Dodge, it was located too near the
city of Winona, Minn., where the farm products were mostely
marketed. However, within the last few years conditions have
changed and the business has improved very much.
From Dodge the railroad passes into Buffalo County and soon passes over
the Father of Waters into the beautiful city of Winona, Minn., the
history of which is well known.
- by F. B. Seymour, Oct. 10, 1917.