- Bookwood Historical Collection, Star Lake
Special to the Journal.
Ontonagon, Mich., Aug. 23.--There is reason to believe that the Milwaukee road contemplates extension of its Wisconsin Valley division to the Lake Superior region. Evidence is seen in construction work under way. At Ontonagon a large bridge to span the Ontonagon river has been started, and it is announced that the Nester-Sullivan logging road will be extended to the Wisconsin border, six miles to be constructed this year, preliminary to which the Ontonagon & Southwestern line has just been incorporated. The present northern terminus of the Valley division is Star Lake, Wis. At that point, also, grading is in progress, fourteen miles of new line to be built before cold weather.
The fact that these two roads are to be extended toward each other is considered significant. A continuation of the Valley division northward to a junction with the Ontonagon branch would tap a district rich in timber and minerals, and would give the Milwaukee another line to the borders of copperdom. It would prove of value as concerns the transportation of freight, particularly the traffic from the west and northwest tributary to the Wisconsin Valley branch, while no little new passenger business would be obtained.
It is the general belief that the Milwaukee will take over the Copper Range line if opportunity is offered. The Copper Range people, it is said, value their railroad holdings at $4,500,000.