The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-09-28
The Rail Road.
To Me Eaitor pfMe Garette:

~ 'eS -N0ttof " ttS OQ~CttSs
DEAR SIR;--Learning that some per
ions, who otherwise are friendly 10 sub.
the Scioto aud Hooking Val
ey Rail Road, on the part of the county, !
are apprehensive, that il the subscription
De made by the county to the same, that
The fund thus subscribed may be trans.
ferred and appropriated towards the con-
slruction of the road in some other coun.
ty on the line, and thereby The people of
this county again be compelled to make
further appropriations for The conssruc-
tion of the same: Now, in order to set
the public mind at rest on this subject,
that the citizen may act understanding
" when he comes to vote on the question
Of subscription; do hereby state, that it
is understood and agreed by the Board
Of Directors, at late meeting at Chilli
cothe, that all public subscriptions made
in this county shall be expended within
the county, that we shall have our own
Treasurer,to receive aud pay out such
funds, who shall be acceptable to the au-
thorities both ofour county and town who
subscribe, and that both the location and
construction of the road under competent
engineers, shall be made by your Direc-
tor aud experimenting committee of
two of your best and mast experienced
citizens-also it is agreed that the work
on said road shall be commenced at the
same time both at Portsmouth on the
south, and Newark and Lancaster on
the north, and be prosecuted with the
utmost vigor to its completion.
have positive assurance from Mr..
Webb, the engineer of the rail road from
the north TO Newark, that the rails will
be laid on this road and the locomotives
be running on the same to that place in
six months from this time-and have no
doubt, if the subscription be made to this
important work by the county and town
as contemplated, but that we would be
in communication with Newark in eigh-
teen months, the immense Importance OF
which to the county, to the towns
through which it shall pass, and to Lam
caster in common with the rest, would
be apparent to all.
1t must be seen that the purpose IS mol
to make this important public work a
pirate corporation, with power 10 tax
the industry of the people, in charging
enormous tolls on the property carried
on the same, but the design is 10 make it
public highway, to carry the commodi'
ties ofthe people at the lowest possible
rate, adding that difference to the value
of their industry; hence we desire the
people Of the counties and of the impor.
tant towns on the route of the road, tc
vote and make the necessary subscri ptions
for the construction Of the same, rather
than private individuals; which if done
will place the affairs Of the road under
the direction of our own, and other coun
Nv Commissioners and the authorities o
i, our towns, who Of course will vote the
stock thus taken at the election Of the
Directors from time TO time, and thus il
all future time secure the interests oftht
people they represent, against any anC
all encroachments of private corpora
ton. The counties of Licking, Fairfield
Pickaway. Ross, Pike and Scieto, through
which this road will run, can thus taxi
care of the peoples interests, througl
their public officers.
The advantages ofthis road to the peo
Pile of Fairfield county, are Of the frs
importance, and it seems to me, canno
fail to be fully appreciated. Our county
which in point of its utility, and beauty
ranks frs; among the counties of ou
noble State, lies at the head of one q
the best valleys in our State, which i
penetrated by a canal As miles in length
opening its productive minerals and Ium
ber to the capital and enterprise of a
our people, for the transportation c
which, together with the immense pre-
ductions, yielded by our own sol, we mu:
: unquestionably need the aid of such
4. road not only to maintain our relativ
E position with other counties and towns
which make use of these roads, but t
bear these articles of human necessit
: and tra6c to foreign markets. north
5 the Lakes; to the east or west Oia New
> ark, which is convenient dividing poir
to either; to Cincinnati by ChiIIicoth
and Hillsborough, or toPortsmouth on tn
Ohio river, on the south Give the pet
: pie of Fairfield county this road, whic
' will be capable Of carrying these produ
! tons at a cheap rate to market, at all SCI
sons of the year, and at the rate Of fro
20 to 80 miles per hour-and my wol
for it, the first sound of the locomotN
y with it's cumbersome train, resoundir
throughout our valley, will be found to
i ESQ much importance to all our interest
that it wilnot cease soon to be remembe
ed. Very respectfully yours,
l. T. U. WHITE.
~ ..,D NJ - A.,