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C M & St Paul Railway Bridge

08 21 1902

Watertown Daily Times

Last Sunday morning the C. M. & St. Paul Railroad bridge over Rock River was removed from its foundation and placed on temporary foundations of piles sixteen feet to the north to make room for the new stone bridge being built. The moving of the bridge occupied 81 minutes, but the adjustment of the approachments and the realigning of track occupied just three hours.

Work was begun at 7 o'clock and everything was in readiness for trains to pass over at 10 o'clock. The work of moving the bridge was superintended by Bridge Engineer Greenwald, of Milwaukee, who had charge of the building of the bridge in 1894.

Two previous wooden bridges spanned Rock River at this place, and the new double track stone bridge now being built will probably last for generations. Its cost will be about $70,000.

The bridge removed is an iron one of four spans each 90 feet long and 30 feet high, and weighs about 250 tons. Hydraulic jacks were used for raising the bridge, and grooved rollers, over and under which were placed iron rails leading to the temporary foundations.

A steam engine placed north of the center of the bridge with tackle attached, and on both ends about a dozen men with tackle, was the power used for removal.

Several thousand people were present to witness the event.

02 12 1903

Watertown Daily Times

The railroad bridge being put in by the Milwaukee Road here is nearing completion. In a few days more the stone work will be completed and the work of filling in between the stone arches with concrete will be done. When finished, the bridge will be one of the finest structures of its kind on the Milwaukee Road system. It is built of four arches of stone resting upon concrete foundations, double-track in width and capable of sustaining any weight. The work of constructing the bridge has been going on since last summer.

06 06 1903

Watertown Daily Times

Tuesday afternoon the new double track arch bridge of the C. M. & St. Paul Railroad over the Rock River in this city was open for passage of trains, the Madison-Milwaukee passenger in charge of Conductor Charles White being the first train to pass over it.

The bridge cost about $70,000, and it is one of the very finest along the system. The old iron bridge is being taken down and will be used on some other portion of the railway.

09 12 1956

Watertown Daily Times

The Milwaukee Road has announced that it currently is putting into service 100 newly built all-steel electrically equipped “bay window” type cabooses. A caboose as most people know is the stubby little car at the end of a freight train. It is the headquarters of the train crew. There the conductor makes out his “wheel report” and attends to other “office duties.” Several of the new cars will operate through Watertown. Originally cabooses were built with a tiny cupola atop. The cupola accommodated two trainmen, one on either side, who from their lofty perch observed if the long string of various types of freight cars ahead were “riding” properly.

06 06 1903

Watertown Daily Times

The drastic cut in track mileage being proposed by the Milwaukee Road in an effort to allow the company to operate in the black may include the Watertown to Madison line, James Scribbins, spokesman for the railroad. Documents were filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago Tuesday as part of a revised reorganization plan for the financially strapped line. Scribbins said, “We have not made a final determination if the line from Watertown to Madison is to be included in our abandonment plans, but it is likely. Business on that track is light and in all probability the line will be up for abandonment.” The track starts at the Milwaukee Road depot in Watertown when it branches off from the main line and travels through Hubbleton, Waterloo, Sun Prairie and Madison. Also being considered for abandonment is the section of that branch line from Madison to Poynette. Scribbins said the distance from Watertown to Madison and to Poynette is 59 miles.

Image Portfolio

Click to enlarge

pre 1903, c1850 Old Bridge Drawn from nature	c1905 S. fr Milw St Bridge	1907	1910
c1910	1912	1970, Milw Rd train

Cross-References:

No 1: C. M. & St. Paul Railway