The Car Ferry From       La Crosse To Grand Crossing,
                           Minnesota
                         By H. E. RoGERS

    This story of Grand Crossing and of the operation of the transfer
boat refers to the year 1873, when the boat's landing place was at the
foot of Main Street. This boat was the means by which freight, passen-
gers and cars were transferred across the Mississippi from the Mil-
waukee and St. Paul RI. R. to the Southern Minnesota R. R. before the
building of the railroad bridge in 1876. The company owning the b'oat
consisted of Capt. I. H. Moulton, Capt. Lawler of Prairiedu Chien and
Mr. Mitchell.
    Grand Crossing station was built on a platform or dock supported
by stringers on piles, about 150 feet long and 60 or 75 feet wide,at an
angle of about 3.5 degrees to the river bank.
     The distance traveled   by boat from  the Main Street landing
around the end of Barron's island to Grand Crossing was one and a
fourth miles in high water; in low water, it was necessary to go farther
down river so the distance was one and three-fourths miles. The Mil-
waukee railroad depot in La Crosse was three-fourths of a mile from
the Main Street landing. From  Grand Crossing to dry land (not sub-
ject to overflow) on the Minnesota side the distance was three miles,
and to Hokah it was five miles. The round house and switching yards
were located at Hokah.
     At this time the car ferry boat burned cord wood, getting it from
the vicinity of Dresbach. A barge was loaded with 50 or 60 cords of
wood at that place, towed down river and tied up near the Milwaukee
railroad depot, from which the wood was used as needed. Later, mill
refuse was burned by this, as it was by other steamboats. Wood for the
latter was also obtained at Warren's Landing, a few miles below Stod-
dard. But there was no wood cut for this purpose near La Crosse be-
cause the river does not run close to wooded banks.
     Early in the spring of 1873, my mother was entertaining the Lad-
ies Sewing Circle of the church of which she was a member. It was
customary to serve supper at 6 P. M., to which the men of the church
were always invited and they usually came.
     After supper Capt. Moulton came to me and said, "Hemie, what
are you doing now?" I replied, "Nothing. The ice went out yesterday
and I have lost my winter's job." The captain replied, "That is fine. We
    Note: This and the following paper are based partly upon Mr. Rogers' recol-
lections but he is also following "A History of the Milwaukee and Saint Paul Rail-
road and Representative Employes". (Chicago, 1910).
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