Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-05-26
Of Railroads OM the
Value of I.alsi. ....

The experience Of Massachusetts. New York
and Ohio, affords abundant Illustrations of the
great addition impaired to the value OF lands
and other real property l'y the construction of
In Massachusetts, for example,
railroads have more than doubled the value of
property, as exhibited ii the Auditors reports.
and have reduced the average rate Of taxation
In the State more than one.half. The increase
of value is not confined to the immediate vi
cinity of lines. though OF course grea.est in
those localities; In proof OF which We may cite
the fact that in lei9 the value Of property in
tho,e counties Of Massachusetts through which
no railway passes exhibited an increase. oom1
pared With the value in lel0. Of 81 Sc 900 600
as tlieNssect of TIE power 0vsucff IN
proyen,ents. In Ohio, where the works are Of
more recent growth, and where as vet, no
complete system is in operation, correspond.
ing results have been announced from time to
time, less general perhaps, iu their operation
but serving sufficiently to foreshadow the ad
vantages soon to be diffuscd over the State.
The current number Of De Bows Review
contains a statement prepared by the promo
ters of the New Orleans and Opclousas rail
road, which embodies facts Of similar nature,
but less generally known, with regard to
Southern States. Georgia lands that were in
market in lS46 Mt from ten to fifty cents per
acre commanded in lS49--whcn Chattanooga
| railroad was in opcratiun-from ten to twenty
dollars The same road, in its extension from
Chat,a anooga to Nashville, Tennessee, passed
through the counties Of franklin, Bedford
Rutherford, and Davidson; and the Auditors
books for these counties show an advance in
the value Of their property of s. SD ,639 in one
year. So of the Mobile and Ohio railroad
lands that had been in the market without 1
purchaser for thirty years have since the laying
out of that road advanced to three and in many
instance as high as eight dollars per acre. II
South Carolina. again, Colonel Gadsdcn. Stat
Superintendent of railroads, aflrms THAT th'
immense increased value to lands is from 5O
to 5000 per cent"
Facts Of this description might be multiplied
to an almost indefinite extent; but we have re
capituated sufficient to exhibit the importan
bearing which proper railroad projects hav
upon the material interests Of the country, an
the gain which the whole country may there
fore expect to derive from many of the under
takings that now await the favorable action q
Congress. Viewed in this light the grants 9
public land that have called forth bitter ho,
tility in many quarters are in reality base
upon the soundest financial policy, and. il hor
estly improved, will be the means Of swellin
the receipts Of the national treasury to an e,
tent Of which it is diihcnlt to perceive the limi
: The appeal to Congress csllk,ot upon the col
u lectures Of spectators; but on the well asce
tanned results of railroad enterprise in the old
states; and judicious restrictions on grantee
) coupled with businesslike management Of Il
reserved sections, are all that can be needs
j for n repaymen: of both principal and in,eres
The Government as trustee of the public d.
main, is asked to do nothing more than is dor
daily by private landed rroprietors, or priva
capitalists in every branch Of trade. Outla,
d for purposes of improvements. If managed vii
integrity, rarely prove Improbable; and the
i is no reason that we can perceive for imaginil
that the outlay in the form of land grants W
!. present an exception to the rule. Iowa or A
u kansas may be the first to reap the benefit, b
= sooner OF later just proportion will accrue
all the States, east and west Virginia Al
Massachusetts will then discover that gre
gifts aud great losses in this matter by
means identical Washington Republic.