Chapter 11
THE PORTAGE BRANCH
During the period 1873-1875, a final survey was made and the right-of-way
approved from Portage City to Stevens Point. The right-of-way of the Portage
branch, as it has always been known, was easy going over flat level country
through an extensive sand belt. As the problems of road building in this
section were elementary in character, the Branch Line was an ideal location
for the education of Phillips & Colby in the actual work of railroad
construction. It was a simple matter for Phillips to scrape up sand embankments
through Portage and Waushara Counties; to make a sand fill across the corner
of Buena Vista Marsh. On October 15, 1875, construction of the Portage
Division was begun at Stevens Point, and before winter closed in on them,
Phillips & Colby had placed the 54 pound iron rails to Hancock, 27
miles south of Stevens Point. In the spring of 1876 construction was resumed
at Hancock southward, and on October 15, 1876, the line was completed to
Portage City, 71 miles directly south of Stevens Point.
The purpose of the Wisconsin Central in building the Portage Branch
was to obtain, temporarily, an auxiliary outlet to the city of Milwaukee
via the C.M.&St.P. As will be seen in later developments, the owners
of the Wisconsin Central entertained a plan of expansion involving the
continuation of the line from Portage City southeastward to Burlington,
thence south to Chicago. Thus the line from Ashland to Chicago would be
shortened by about 35 miles. This plan of extension from Portage City was
revived periodically but never carried forward.
The road was seriously handicapped in the lack of a Company owned terminal
in Milwaukee. The line of the leased Milwaukee and Northern Railway carried
the Wisconsin Central load to Schwartzburg only, a point 9 miles north
of Milwaukee. From Schwartzburg to Milwaukee trackage rights over the C.M,&St.P.
were in effect. From 1873 to date the Wisconsin Central has been dependent
upon the C.M St.P. for trackage and terminal facilities in Milwaukee. In
fact, the W.C. and the C.M.&St.P. were so closely linked by trackage
rights and other mutual interests, that the C.M.&St.P. transportation
rules, whistle, and train signals and time regulations were used as standard
by the W.C. until the latter built its own line to Chicago in 1886.
Construction began October 15, 1875 at Stevens Point, and before winter
set in 54-pound iron rails had been placed to Hancock 52 miles south. In
the spring of 1876 construction was resumed and on October 13, the line
was completed to Portage City, 71 miles from Stevens Point.
In 1881, the Portage Branch displayed increased activity; the Central
was aiming at the valuable quarries of high grade Granite at Montello,
7.5 miles east of Packwaukee. Beginning at a point on the Central's Portage
Branch, 16 miles north of Portage, a branch line called the Packwaukee
& Montello RR Co. was built east-ward along the shore of Buffalo Lake
(a widening of the Fox River). During the days when granite paving blocks
were vogue in larger cities, the Central carried from 20 to 50 carloads
daily out of Montello.
The Packwaukee and Montello Railroad Company was incorporated July 14,
1881, by the same group that controlled the Wisconsin Central. Constructed
by Colby and Finney, contractors, the P.&M.R.R. was placed in operation
January 31, l882, on which date it was leased for sole operation to the
Central, and remained in this status until July 13, 1899, when it was sold
to the newly organized Wisconsin Central Railway Company. |
