Page 280 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

276 WISCONSIN HISTORICAL COLLEOTIONS.

own individual necessities? Some wise men looked on and
shook their heads, and there were many croakers. But in the
minds of those who had assumed the undertaking, there was a
sober earnest purpose to do what they could for its occompliah-
ment. It mas demanded of our own people that they should
lay aside all their feuds and personalities, and one and all join
in the great work. To a very great extent this demand was
complied with, and gentlemen were brought to work cordially
and harmoniously together, who had stood aloof from each other
for years. The spirit of union, harmony and concord, exhibit-
ed by the people of the city, was most cordially reciprocated by
those of the country along the contemplated line of road. Sub-
ecription books were widely circulated, and the aggregate sum
subscribed was very considerable. I said we had no money,
but we had things, and subscriptions were received with the
understanding that they could be paid in such commodities as
could be turned into the work of constructing the road. This
method of building a rail-road would be smiled at now, and was,
by some among us, then. But it was, after all, rt great source
of our strength and of our success ; at any rate, for the time be-
ing. The work was commenced in the fall of 1849, and for one
entire year the grading was prosecuted and paid for by orders
drawn upon the merchants, payable in goods - by carts from
wagon makers, by harnesses from harness makers, by cattle,
horses, beef, pork, oabs, corn, potatoes and flour from the farm-
ers, all received on account of stock subscriptions, and turned
over to the contractors in payment of work done upon the
road. A large amount of the grading of the road fram here to
Waukesha was performed in this way. Upon seeing this work
go on, the people began to say everywhere-why, there is to be
a railroad surely, and the work rose into consequence and pub-
lic confidence. It having become settled in the minds of the
Directors that they could make headway against all difficulties
in casting up the road-bed, the pressing inquiry was, how can
the road be ironed? Iron costs money, and money we have