LA CROSSE COUNTY HISTORICAL SKETCHES


  In 1873 a new line, the Keokuk
and Northern, was    built on the
ruins of the Northwestern Union,
the Keokuk and the Northern Line
Packet companies. It continued un-
til 1880 when it went to pieces be-
cause of continued litigation with
individuals.
  In 1876 the railroad bridge was
built at La Crosse, and   the La
Crosse and Milwaukee railroad be-
came a part of the Chicago, Milwau-
kee and St. Paul railroad system.
This extension of the railroad to St.
Paul and Minneapolis robbed the
river of much of its tradeand turn-
ed a dozen flourishing towns along
the Mississippi into dead hamlets.
,Until 1880     the Keokuk    and
Northern Line had a monopoly on
the river trade. During 1880 a new
White Collar line was established
with four ' boats, the "Wisconsin,"
the "Milwaukee," the "Belle of La
Crosse," and the "Alexander Mitch-
ell., .
  The Keokuk and Northern Line
went into   receivership in 1881,
through the mismanagement of the
Davidsons, according to rumor. On
April 18, 1881, what was left of the
company was sold at auction at La
Crosse. The boats sold consisted
of six stern wheel craft, six side-
wheel boats, two wharf boats, and
31 barges. All of these were bid in


by the Davidsons for no one cared
to bid against them.
  In 1881 Payton S. Davidson, La-
fayette Holmes and S. F. Clinton,
all of La Crosse, organized the St.
Louis Passenger and Freight Line
which made tri-weekly trips in com-
petition with the Diamond Joe Line.
It withdrew from   competition in
1882.
  After ten years of petty steam-
boating the Diamond Joe Line, the
only one of importance to survive,
bought the "Gem City" and     the
warehouses and other property in
the Keokuk and St. Louis trade. In
1892 the Diamond Joe took over
the "St. Paul" and remaining prop-
erty of the "Old Line" and became
the only organized steamboat sys-
tem on the river between St. Louis
and St. Paul.
  February   3, 1911, Streckfuss
bought out the Diamond Joe Line
and until the last few years was the
only company running boats on the
upper river. Now the Streckfuss
Line operates a fleet of pleasure
boats.
  Much of the above material, be-
sides being taken from references
quoted in a previous article, was
taken from a series of articles in,
the Saturday Evening Post of Bur-
lington, lIa., written by Merrick.