Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-01-18
Cedar Falls and Minnesota Railroad


considered it to be almost certainty
that the Cedar Falls and Minnesota
Railroad would be extended northward
from Waverly the coming season. BY
a letter from Plat Smith, am inform
ed that, at the meeting of the Board
of Directors held in New York on the
23d of last month, the question of ex-
tending the road up the valley was in.
definitely postponed. This action on
the part of the Company means, if !
interpret it correctly, simply this: We
are ready to receive propositions from
the people along the line of the road,
but are not ready to make any
When Mr.. Smith was here, in No
vember, he informed those with whom
he conversed, that it was expected
that the citizens of the place, and
those between here and the southernly
line of the county would procure the
right of way and donate at least eigh-
ty acres of timber and the depot
grounds to the Company. The first of
these conditions, is difficult to comply
with from the fact that the proposed
line seriously damages the farms
through which it passes. We have no
right to ask any of the farmers thus
affected to give the right away in or
der that we may obtain the road more
expeditiously and at less cost 1t is a
burden that all should bear proportion
ately to their interest and ability. The
farmer either side of the line is bene-
fitted to an equal extent with him
through whose farm the road passes
and without the accompanying injury.
Let that man who is damaged deduct
the accruing benefit from his damages
and he that is benefited contribute
from the profit to pay the damages.
In this town we have every thing
to make and but little to risk in hast
ening the building Of this road. Cap
italists are not philanthropists. as a
general rule, and certainly never build
railroads for any thing but selfish ends.
1t is folly for us to say that they will
build the road, without any induce
ments being offered on our part. The
investment in this particular road may
be and doubtless is a good one for the
future, but it is well to consider that
there is long time in which it is all
outgo, while the income waits for BUSH
ness and good management before it
blesses even railroad corporations.
The more we do, the more we increase
the value of the investment and the
greater certainty we have of hasten
ing the completion of the road to this
point.
Enticing speculations are constantly
alluring capital away from railroads
and all public improvements, and
shrewdness suggests that we should
entice capital to come and do for us
what we cannot do for ourselves. The
road undoubtedly will be built when
the actual necessities Of the country
demand, but we cannot forecast the
future sufficiently well to tell whether
the necessities will demand its con-
struction on this line or east or west
of it. 1t is in our power now to snatch
the solution of this problem from the
future and make it present certain
ty.
! propose that arrangements be
made for public meeting in this place
as soon as may be, at which full and
free discussion of this matter can be
had, and at that meeting we decide
either to do or desist from talking.
Truly yours,
WIN. b. FAIRFIELD.