The Placer herald., 1864-07-23

1864. A full attendance is respectfully request
ed, as business of Importance will come before
the Committee. By order of
JOHN T. CANNON.
Chairman District Central Committee.
WV. S. DEADMAN, Secretary.
July 3d. 1864.
Placer County aud the Pacific Railroad.
A year ago, when the Pacific Railroad
Company, by its members and agents, was
pulling the wires in every part Of Placer
county to secure favorable vote on the ap-
preparation for $3.50, 900, we warned the
people that it was measure fraught with
debt and taxation, whose weight would be
an incubus upon the property and industry
Of the people for twenty years. But voters
permitted themselves to be wheedled into
the support of the appropriation, and a.
result the county has promised to pay $780,.
900, and has issued its bonds for the amour,
upon which we are taxed the current year
$4,000.
AS principal reason why Placer county
should vote the appropriation, it was assert
ed that the building of the road would large.
Iy increase taxable property, and that the
Railroad property itself would not only pay
sufficient taxes TO pay the interest upon the
bonds, but also to pay the Bonds, and be
side help largely in paying current county
expenses. These and other weighty argu,
ments carried the day.
Tho cop,nopv bov opopod h., -
New Castle, and the time arrived for an an,
nual return of property, We now have an op,
porunity Of seeing how far tbs county is to
realize the golden promises made. Sixteen
miles of the road is within the county
Upon this the company receive $4,000 per
mile from the General Government; $3.50.
900 or Sl5,625 per mile from the county;
$4,000 per mile from the State; besides
large grants Of land and timber. Yet, not
outstanding this extraordinary assistance,
the company returns its road upon our tax
roll at $4,000 per mile, and rolling stock,
ETC.. at $43 900 more.
We have been considered as inimcal to
the company and disposed to PREJUDICE them,
but the above are indisputable facts. And
in this connection, to show how the case
stands we extract the following from the
Stars and Stripes, of the goth inst, news
paper known to be decidedly favorable to
the company. That paper says:
"a correspondent who is an influential Union
list, and who was an active advocate of our County
subscription to the stock OF the Central Pacific
Railroad has addressed US the following note:
FOREST HILL. July II, 1864.
Mr.. Editorials you are aware, l exerted my
self considerably in favor of the Pacific Railroad
-,
making many enemies. Within few days have
been bored and annoyed good deal by the anti
railroad men. who say that the Company Fave
given in their property for assessment at $4,000
mile. and have issued full paid stock TO them
selves to the amount of several millions for the
franchise. Will you let us know, through your
valuable paper if this is true not? Will you
also inform us, if possible, what proportion our
stock bears to the whole amount Of stock issued,
and thereby confer favor on
AN OLD FRIEND.
If our correspondent had been the only one Of
our friends who suffered the carpngs of fault find.
ers to annoy him, we would privately advise him
to allow them to rail on, but we have been
flooded with many such inquiries, we have taken
some pains to inform ourself upon the subject of
his note.
On an examination of the books of S. NJ. Ste
vens, Assessor Of Township No. 3, we find a sworn
statement Of Mr. Miller. Secretary of the C. P. R.
Co., dated July l4th 1864, in which the l6 miles
of track in Placer county. valued at $4,000 per
mile. and our county's proportion (0.5l6) of the
rolling stock and other property at $4,000. We
must confess that this exhibit produced somewhat
stunning and Supplying effects upon us. When
we reflected that over and above State and Coun-
ty aid tOrty-eigh thousand doTars a mile had
to be doubled to insure the building of the road,
together with land enough for Principally, to
result in the construction OF property worth but
sir thousand it seems very much like pouring
water into sieve.
Our confidence in the integrity of the gentle
men who have control of this enterprise. forblds
our harboring the idea that they would be so un-
grateful rs to return an unfair or inadequate estl-
mate for taxation. after having received such mu-
n6cent aid from the people, and we are 10th to
record figures which demonstrate such terrible
present losses, even with the hope OF great pros
pective benefits. The sworn statements returned
according to law to cur Board of Supervisors
show an expenditure (for Placer county proper
tom of 1924 ,9l4 % up to Oct. END, 1863 since
which time u large portion of the most expensive
work has been done-enOugh probably to reach
an aggregate of one million dollars, and yet this
immense expenditure produces taxable property
of the value of but one hundred and Mirfy-nint
thousand doars.H
The Stars and Stripes regards the report
that the directors have issued millions Of
stock to themselves as simply ridiculous. 1t
should be so regarded until the facts are
known. The street rumor in connection
with this matter is, that the directors con
slider the grant of lands, timber, etc, by
congress- as a grant to the individuals nam
ed as corporators in the Pacific Railroad
law, and that the corporators propose to ex'
change these requests for full paid stock in
the company, amounting to several millions
of dollars. Like our contemporary we can
not believe the story.
MIxED.-The band Of desperadoes that
robbed the Pioneer stage, short time since,
have been mostly captured and killed. They
were rsported as being jeff Davis men, and