The Placer herald., 1863-04-18
Michigan Bluff correspondence.
Against the Railroad Subscription
MICHIGAN BLUFF, April 10th, 1868

Against uHe hdllTOdu OuUSCIlptAoH'
MICHIGAN BLUFF, April 10th, 1868.
Messrs. EditorS:-I'm half persuaded
with your permission, to say word to the
people of Placer, against the last grand
swindle attempted upon the future welfare
of the County. 1t does seem as if ouI
county is regarded as some scaleless, dorsal
filmed fish, ready to be hooked or potted by
every rascally angler in the land. Not satl
istied with eighteen hundred thousand dollars
and ten miles wide of territory, winding
along our farest valleys like huge Ana
conda, this great national enterprise asks
to roll up the very tlanks of the county. Is
the Sacramento Central Pacific Railroad
Company afraid of United States Bonds!
Or are they fearful of the soil of old Placer,
that they desire subscription of two hum
bred and fifty thousand dollars? 'Tis true
they propose to run the fifty miles, for which
be it remembered) they ask the county to
subscribe $3.50 900, through the heart of
Placer for a distance of thirty miles. And
this section of ten miles wide ought to be
satisfactory of itself No, they are not tim,
id in regard to the land. 1t appears the
General Government have granted the no.
bIest franchise within its power. If tardy
in doing this, certainly the munifcence of
the grant ought to make amends for its tardi-
ness. In addition 500 square miles of land,
for fifty miles of road, the Government
issues its Bonds for about 81 800 900; or
$4,000 per each mile of road Now we
are informed that this 500, 900 per mile will
more than bridge, grade, and cuvert, any
railroad track below the foot hills. What
then are we asked to do, and why?
This very wealthy Company, who no doubt
are properly incorporated, do not, most Ger
tanly, ask or county to guarantee the par
value of U. S. Bonds? Were it necessary
to sustain the National credit, it might be
an appeal to our loyalty, not to be ignored
We would endorse those Bonds. But we are
not asked to do this, for twould add MOTH
ing to the Capital Of the Company. All
we aie asked to do, is to pay nearly one
half for the bridging, grading and culvert
ing the thirty miles of the fifty for which
we are to subscribe. That's all. In other
words, 80 miles are in our county, and the
cost of preparing the same for the iron may
be $4,000; we pay $25o,ooO relieving
the Company to this extent. Should Sacra
mento, Ell Dorado and Nevada, each contrib
ute like sum upon other sections of the
road, a nice million of u S. Bonds would
be left t. Company to Bank upon under
the new general Act. This appears to AM
swer what and why we are called upon to
subscribe to the railroad
Men of Placer, remember how recently
tho Hbuntv bns raliav.A ;,colf he b;,,l, .,yoc
of the improvdence of years. Remember
that the sum asked, while it will impovelish
the County, will not carry the road one mile
to right or left Of the best route over the Ser
ia Mountains. Had Congress contemplated
the construction Of the road by County sub
scription, no franchise of the kind could
have passed. 1t was to place the bui.Iing
OF the road beyond any such contingency,
that the millions upon millions and vast
territorial domain WAS voted away by the
General Government. An equal opportuni-
ty upon faIrcr terms, was offered Us two or
more years ago. May the same fate attend
the present scheme, "a scheme not to benefit
this County, or with any serious idea of con
tlnuing the road for the nations benefit,
The Sacrament Union offers the only rea-
son for our subscription of S25O,O00: I'VE
will not be ga led upon to add another doll
lar, except interest,"" What a consolation,
Its other reas N that the property of the
County will be increased beyond estimate"
is what we don't understand Perhaps the
Union means the inestimable increase of
value in the sacramento Central Pacific
Railroad Company's Dutch Flat Turnpike,
over the mountains?
BY dint of the hardest struggle, with an
upright administration of county affairs, we
are in an enviabe losilion. Owing nothing,
able to bestow something upon School and
Agricultural interests, but still unable to
build County buildings or County roads, we
are sought after as prize worth contending
for. More money will be expended by these
cormorants to obtain this County's vote on
the 18th of May next, than they will exl
pend upon the road until after the vote is
determined Will we heap this immense
burden upon Placer County? | hope not.
TAXPAYER.