The Empire County argus., 1854-01-21
Correspondence Of the Argus.


There are those in midst, and perhaps not q
few. and among them the editor of our local paper
the Republicans who seem to be laboring to prove
that Pacerylle is on the decline. and attribute it
solely to the participation Of the merchants and
traders in certain mining canal, that however ne
eessary in itself for the successful prosecution of the
mining interest, does not necessarily imply duty
the part Of every citizen to invest his capital in
work so entirely foreign to his purposes and ex-
pectations when embarking in business the
various canal enterprises of our State and county.
am led to these remarks by an article that ap-
peared in the Republican of January 7th. do not
attribute the sentiment OF the getting up of so
fair missile to the Editor, although it appeared as
his leader | am inclined the contrary to attrb-
ute it to some one of the few, who having as
think invested unwisely too large q share of their
active capital in the South Fork Canal finds him
self in i'll luck, to say the least, and nov would, if
possible, throw the responsibility Of stagnation in
every department of business upon those who, by
choosing to mind their own business and asking aid
from one, to help manage their own financial
matters are in condition now to lend, rather than
60 into the market as borrowers of money.
There is not a doubt that the completion of the
South Fork Canal would at once give new life, Vi
taty and prosperity to Placerville and large dis
trict of country in its vicinity but who is to be
blamed for its non completiong Certainly not those
who have never had the management of its con-
Germs, and who from the first never wished or desired
to participate in its construction, management or
dividends
AS a resident of Pacervlc since 1850 | have
endeavored to so shape my business transactions, as
to be ready to meet such emergencies as in nv
judgment would be likely to arise in business pui-
suits the prosperity, temporary SUSPENSION or abso-
lutte decline Of the place, as circumstances might
conduce to effect. | have asked no one to embark
in schene, because | chose to make it hobby
and now why this wholesale abuse of men because
they have not seen fit to mount blind folded and
ride to the death, the darling hobby of another
But let us look at the very enterprise Of which so
much has been said and Of which the Editor him.
self, was no silent Trustee Director of the COM
pany In eandor ask him to tell u.s. those who he
now calls upon with so much of seeming fervor and
oarnestness, to come forward and prosecute the
work to final completion, what were the salaries
paid and what the number of officers and the ac-
tual expense incurred simply in the management of
its concerns, for the first twelve months And if it
does not show an utter disregard of every thing like
economy then out with it, and show to the capital
lists at home, if we have them, if not, then to those
that abroad. that the original Board were wor-
thy the confidence Of prudent men, wishing to in
vest their means in the prosecution of works eco
nomcally conducted.
When this is shown, it will of itself be sufficient
guaranty that continuation of the same good poll
cy can be relied upon. But until this is done. or
some assurance other than bitter complaint and in
'"Ooi'0 "S"hoo oul CitiAcHs uOl advancing with
their means, work which they never advocated as
within their own ability to prosecute however great
the good that might result from its accomplishment
such attacks will ever prove anything but conducive
to the completion of the work
And though our Editor of vast ability and known
requirements may persist in calling us "brainless
scoterS and adlow-paed ariSeocres,n advising us to
sacrifice One-haf the present value of our property
than to let the South Fork Canal Incomplete we
think we can with equal justice and full as much
good sense and propriety advise the stockholders to
sacrince One-haf their stock. thing of their own
creation before asking citizens who never wished to
De stockholders to sacrifice theirs in aid of a COM
Pany proVerblal TOR their extravaganza and mis-
management.
II the stockholders will sell onehalf their stock
or controlling interest at it's market value. there
will be no difficulty in completing the work but
until this is done, and capitalists Who are ready to
engage In 1T can control their own money it will be
in vain that such epithets as shallow wnated wise
acres or brainess scOfers' are uttered: something
more will be required for the completion of the
South Fork Canal
regret that it should be necessary to send this
communication to Coloma for publication We |
ought to have paper here worthy of the place and
Its people, and one in whose columns Justice can he
meeted out alike to all but entertaining the views
expressed by the Editor of the Republican in the
article alluded to- (for if not his views receiving
his endorsement) | shall consider as homeless an9
request might make for the publishing of the fore
going in his columns IUSTICE
Placervillc. January 18th, 1854.
"A drunken chap blunderine tbrougb tbo dorLonod