The weekly Butte record., 1867-04-13
The Oroville and Oregon Railroad,

Or, more properly speaking. the California and Or
egon Railroad, to connect, at the State line. with
the Oregon Central Railroad, is an enterprise Of
of such vast importance, and promises re-
suits beniieent in their character TO the people
of the State that it must not, cannot, shall not be
permitted to sleep. We pleased TO see that the
Marysville appeal has taken up the subject the
fact that has done rebounds greatly TO its cred
it, and trust that it will be untiring in its efforts
in behalf Of this great work How shall we account
for the silence of the press Of the State sub
ject of such exceeding interest TO its people, that
will add so much to its material wealth and pros
perity. If they would cease their vaporings about
Bidwel, who is in no danger OF being electe d,
about the South, whose people long since ground
ed the arms of their rebellion, and are now too in
tent On procuring bread to keep their wives and
children from starving to threaten the peace of the
country, and unite in arousing our public servants
and capitalists to a sense of their duty touching
this great enterprise, complete success would be
sure to crown their exertions There never yet
was an object to be accomplished which could resist
the combined efforts of the press. 1t is power,
when united, for good evil, that is wholly ire
sistibIe. Then let this subject at once engross their
attention let them insist that in the approaching
State election, representatives to the Legislature
be elected with direct reference to the question
and that pledge be exacted from them that they
use their best endeavors to have the State foster
the enterprise in every way that it do We
make direct appeal to the Red Bluff, the Shasta,
the Trinity county, and the Yreka papers to speak
out on this subject. nor to do until the snort
of the iron horse reyerherates alono rheir n,onn
tain sides and their valleys They are loca-
ted on the direct line of this road and their indf-
ference to the subject would be criminal. If our
representatives in Congress had been as much de-
voted to the interests of the State as they were to
the advancement of their personal fortunes, there
would have been no necessity for article of this
character from Us. and the work would now have
been in healthy state of progress. In the extract
which we give below from the Marysvlle Appeal
we ask the reader to ponder well the views it
introduces from Missouri paper Whatever prom
ises an addition of wealth and population to the
State, should receive the cordial endorsement of
the people of every section of it. Such an enter
prise we believe the California and Oregon Rail
road to be, and bespeak for it that consideration
its importance merits
"The extension of the Oroville Railroad to Shas-
Ia and the completion of the Vallejo Railroad, are
two enterprises so papably important to the pros
perity of this section that the delay of the work is
almost astounding. The road to Vallejo is under
rapid construction but there is great apathy il not
total indifference to the equally important road
from Oroville up the Valley. Touching this sub
ject find the following in Missouri paper which
seems to touch our situation The editor says:-
Build railroad into county hitherto without
railroad communication and the value of real
tate in that county will be doubled within tive
years. The statement may seem incredible to some
people, hut the experiment has been tried all over
the Northern States. and the result is about
tain as the law of graviation. Now if any county
has real estate worth five millions. and railroad
outlet, II can afford to give two millions to bnild
Not the pitiul sum of two hundred
thousand dollars, is usual but two millionS-and
the people of the county will make three millions
in five years by the operation. But giving largely,
the county can control or partly control the road
that it builds. Combining with other counties
along proposed route, it can furnish so large
part of the capital required, that the counties
control their own road and see that it is managed
for the interest OF the people. As matters are now
contrved. county puts in its little pittance and
obtains for it no share whatever in the control of
the road. The money is used and the road is
aged as the capitalists who control it may please,
and ii they live in Boston or New York, or care
about getting large freight contracts or put
ting money in their pockets in other ways than
about the convenience of the road to the public the
citizens OF the county are snubbed and cheated Tor
awhile and finally the road is sold to some body
else. But men will say, cannot afford to give so
much; the county cannot stand the burden. On
the contrary. can the county afford to go without
its railroad! Can it afford 10 lose the three mil
lions which it might make in the increased value Of
taxable property? The taxable property increasing.
county tax no heavier than is now required will
more than meet the additional burden in less than
five years. Can the farmers aford to continue to
haul their produce thirty fifty miles to the
est station when with railroad they could get as
good price at their own doors!