The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-06-21
THE EEosHo VALLEY ROAD.

EDIToR EMPoRIA News; ''Thers is a !
tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at
its food, leads on to fortune" This is
equally true of corporations. communi-
ties and nations. Such q tide is now
sweeping through the Neosho Valley.
Shall We launch forth upon it, and ride
into wealth, power. aud all the elements of
material progress and greatness, or shall
we sit down weakly, and allow The golden
moment to slip forever? Shall the
wave roll on, and leave US laundering
in the fast-dryiDg mud of obscurity, pow
erty, and retrogFsssiOn?
Shall We bald the Nsosho Valley Rail-
road, or not?
Never was such an opportunity offered
to as as the present one, for achieving
great results. and it is not likely that it
will ever occur again. At present, the
landed endowment of our road is truly
enormous, and the inducements held out
to capitalists are of corresponding charac-
ter. But the term during which they
may be used is limited. The land will be
forfeited to the Government aud to the
Cherokee Nation, if the railroad be not
built very soon. Can We afford to equiv
Ocats or delay?
The imagination can hardly picture the
magnificent results, in case We secure
railroad communication With Christendom
By almost any conceivable route. At
present We receive only a few scattered
drops from the great stream of emigration
now sweeping up the Kaw Valley and
down the line Of the Galveston Road.
Let it only be made certain that the
road will be built, and the present irfiux
of settlers will increase a thousand fold.
The very wind its coming will quadru-
pie the population of Emporia in year.
Capital, enterprise, skill, all the valuable
material forces Of society, will come with
it. Land will increase in value, p1oduc-
ton will be augmented propOrIiOuably,
the abundant water power of our rivers
be utilized. coal, lumber, and all sorts of
merchandise be brought to our doors at
greatly diminished prices, and in unlim
tied amount, schools, churches, and all
the machinery of refined society, will
flourish. and the Neosho Valley will take
its rightful position, as the very garden
Of Kansas. Compared with these advan
tages, the increased burden of taxation
will be 100 trifing to consider, and even
this will disappear, as the railroad and
Indian lands are made taxable, aud prop
erty appreciates in value.
Almost any railroad would do these
things for Us; and the railroad that can
be built is the one to work for. A short
time ago, the Topeka project seemed to be
the most feasible. All the counties along
the line were expected to vote bonds, and
We had not heard of the liberal overtuTes
of eastern capitalists in behalf of the Val
ley Road. The negative vote of Shawnee
County and the offers made public at the
recent meeting of our Board of Directors,
have reversed the probabilities. Now the
chances seem to be in favor of the Neosho
Valley route. 1t is possible that Shaw
nee may reconsider and reverse her late
action. If so. We must consider what
ought to be done in order to make Empo-
ria the great railroad centre of Southern
Kansas. But let US bind the bird in the
band before attacking that in the bush.
H. n.