Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1849-03-17
From the Wisconsin Argus.
Gold. Free Schools, and Railroad

MEssRs. EDIToRs:-The people of. Wis
consin being OF the progressive sort, il is
not surprising that all measures that receive
their appreciation and support, should he of
the same nature neither should it excite
our wonder or surprise to see our star rise
higher and shine brighter, than any other in
the political galaxy. The fact that our nom
ulatlon IS made up of the g bone and sinewn
of all other States and countries. is a suffi-
cient reason for us to expect such phe-
nomenon. Having a school fund of three
TO five millions of dollars, it certainly will
be our own fault, and most culpable one.
too, If our State does not take higher stand
IN point of education, than any other State
or country occupies on the face of the globe.
But, IN order to attain so desirable station,
our school fund must be properly invested,
land that should form the basis of the next
progressive measure, to which the attention
of the people of this State should be d.
rccted.
There have been so many other measures
brought forward for their consideration, that
this, the most potent of them all, has been
comparatively neglected until there are rea-
sonable fears that the subject will not re-
celve that attention to which it is emnently
entitled, until it is too late.
There has been several propositions made
for investing the school fund, none of which
however, seems to have met with as much
favor as the following, which certainly is
deserving of the sober thought of every man
in the State of Wisconsin.
Should such project be carried out, there
can he no manner of doubt that the revenue
would deiray every item of the expense of
our common schools, throughout the State,
and leave a balance sufficient to establish
and maintain requisite number of normal
schools and school libraries, without raising
by direct tax, dollar.
1t appears by the report of the commits
sioners, that the school fund will amount to
over three millions dollars, allowing that the
school lands sell for no more than the APP
praised value. This sum is more tn an suf-
ficent to construct and put in operation Il
railroad of the first quality from lake Mich
igan.to the Mississippi river. Now, would
ask, in what other way can that fund be in
vested as profitably and as safely as in a
central railroad? Certainly not by loaning
III out in small sums to individuals, for that
would subject us TO numerous losses, beside
making powerful political shaving machine
of it, and leasing the land would be no better,
for in either case, not more than one half of
the funds Cor lands, as the case might beg
would be loaned, nor more than five to sew
en- per cent interest per annum could be re-
allied, which for three millions dollars (the
probable amount a railroad would COST
would be the sum of one hundred and fifty,
to two hundred and ten thousand dollars per
year, and to loan il to a company for the
purpose of constructing railroad, would he
too much like putting club into another's
hands to knock cur own brains out with.
For let company once possess themselves
or such Il mighty eleclioneerlng engine, and
this would be no more enc of the free and
independent States, and its school fund
would be among the things that were.
But let the government construct the road,
and so long as the people elect their officers
to superintend it, there will be safety for the
fund, and more than triple the income than
from either the other methods. Running as
it would, through one of the greatest wheat
growing and mining countries in the world,
it would never lack for business, and the
people would never lack for funds sufficient
to pay for the education of their children
without the annual tax which they at pres
ent suffer.
According to Milwaukee statistics, there
has been during The present season about one
and half millions of bushels of wheat
(folr included) brought into that market
from three counties, which it is well known
has been an uniavorabe season for wheat
and transportation. If they have not exag-
gerated the facts we may set down the
amount that would he conveyed to that mar
ket over a railroad at no less than five mil
lions bushels annually for the first six years.
Averaging the distance at eighty miles, and
the price of transportation at eight cents per
ibushel, the income from these two items
alone wauld amount to four hundred thous-
and dollars per annum. The amount OF
lead and iron to he transported an average
distance Of one hundred and forty miles,
lcannot be less than forty millions pounds,
which at an average rate OF twenty cents
per hundred ssyoud amount to eighty ihous-
and dollars, making for those two items OF
transportation, an annual income OF -FOUR
hundred and eighty thousand dollars, which
may be set down as clear profit. The pas
sengers, lumber, merchandise, &c, would
Weld an income more than sufficient 10 keep
the road in repair, and pay all other lncIden-
tai expenses, so that we may set the nett
proceeds down at half million dollars an
nually, or more than three times the amount
that could be realized from any other mode
of investment. The amount required to
build a railroad from Milwaukee to the
Mississippi river, would be less than three
millions dollars, allowing fifteen thousand
dollars per mile. Now there may be some
who would object because it would not run
through their door yard others would OBJ
iect because they have knD..n OF some m
stances in the Eastern States, where rail-
roads have deleieriousy affected certain
villages aud cities that have been visited by
them but it cannot operate so here, for the
very. good reason that there are no over
grown cities or villages TO be injured by ii.
But on the contrary. a railroad built through
The central portion of the State would cause
villages to spring up as it were by magic.