Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-07-28
To THE VoTETs OF HENRY COUNTY /:

]
To THE VoTETs OF HENRY COUNTY
The undersigned were appointed a
Central Committee for Henry County,
by large meeting of the citizens oil this
county, 10 prepare an address. setting
! forth the advantages that would result to
| them in the construction Of the RAIL
ROAD from Burlington to the Missouri
| River.
We would therefore respectfully ap.
peal 10 the Independent voters OF Henry
county, anG ask Them TO give this imPor-
tant subject their candid attention.
| Our interests and your interests, our
prosperity and your prosperity are The
same. We all acknowledge the duty
! to promote, as good citizens, the honor,
and The wealth Of Henry county. Il is
our duty, as individuals, and as commu-
mites TO labor. by all honorable means,
TO promote public improvements. that
our people of all trades and occupations
may reap the just reward Of honest toll.
! Ii is well known that in any country
where there is good land, industrious
people and good market, prosperity,
peace and plenty are sure results. The
soil may be good, the eultiVator may be
| industrious, and vet if The market is
| poor there is stagnasion and death to bu.
siness. If the farmer pros2ers, laborers
mechanics and all others prosper. IL
the farmer cannot sell his corn d. wheat
and pork at fair price. then come hard
times and encouragement. They have
| plowed the ground. sowed the seed and
reaped the harvest. bui there is no re-
ward for all their toll and labor--deb,s
TO pay and no money--plainly because
there is no market. Fellow. citizens,
/ are not these things SO TO great extent,
even now, III our own county? Ought
they so to be! Need they continue if we
but do our duty TO ourselves and our
county! Will not the proposed RAIL
| ROAD open TO us a good market right
hcle in our midst!
A responsible company of well known
ability, say to US, '.If he people OF Des
Moines, Henry, Jefferson and Wapell o
counties, want RAIL ROAD, we will
build one and have it completed TO the
Des Moines River, distance of 80
miles, in one year and half, if you, the
voters, will take one third of the stock
in the road in Other words, they will
| spend two dollars So our one, in building
the Road. They do Not ask us to pay
one-third down, they only ask US to pay
the interest annually on the amount Of
L.. hn ia IA
all the money and build the Road, and
the county will pay the inseres: in the
| sum they loan TO US. .....
Des Moines county proposes to take
$l50,000; Henry county, 500 900; JET
ferson county, 100000, and Wapello
county, 100000; Monroe county, or,
individuals, will take $50, 1000; making
IN all $500000. -.
This sum will, if voted for by the PEG,
| pie of the counties named, insure the
building of the road as fast as men aud
money can build it. The character uf
the President of the company. and those
connected with him, makes II as morally
| certain as that the sun will continue 10
shine in the heavens. People of Hen
~ county il you wan. the Road, vote
| for it.
1t is mistake to suppose that the road
will be made anyhow. The company
say TO the people, "we want your good
will, and prove TO us you want the road
by subscribing stock" There is no of.
| fer TO build the road, there is no talk of
building il nor is there The shadow of
any evidence that it will be built, unless
the people vote to subscribe stock. The
only question now befoie the ,eople is,
in fact, Rail Road or no Rail Road"
If the independent voters of Henry
county declare on the LIST day OF August,
"ior Subscription" to the Rail Road, then
the County Judge will issue the bonds
or notes of the County to the amount
subscribed payable in twenty years bear
iEg interest al the rate Of eight pc, cent.
per annum.
The people of Henry county will be
taxed only to pay this interest and not a
mill more until the profits from the road
will pay It. The county will not even
ha'C h'o iu'Oics! w pay On VIC HHtiit
sum until the road is nearly completed.
The stock taken will mol all be put into
the road at one time. Ii amounts to this,
that the people of Henry county agree
to pay small additional tax for two
years at most TO secure grea. benefit.
A man worth one hunGred dollars
would pay TO the Rail Road about three
cents, one worth thousand would pay
so cents. one worth three thousand would
pay about 80 cents. Taxation without
any benefit would be an outrage upon
justice and common sense. but taxation
| with great benefit resulting 10 the tax
payer cannot alarm any man who has
common sense. People of Henry coln.
ty, have you thought of the great benet tit
that Railroad would be to you? Would
not your houses and lands be worth
from one fourth to one half more? The
increased value of your land and of your
farms would be worth TO many of you
five hundred dollars. 10 some a thousand
dollars and TO others more. 1t is the
farmers who are to receive the most ben.
a ID