The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-02-15
OUR RAILROADS.

A'SSA Ho~NSuS We may e1PecL 10 nave pup
lio improvements without working for
them.
r. The Neosho Valley Road seems to be
still agitsted at Washington. Senator
Pomeroy has introduced bill amendsto-
~ Of last Writer'S Immigrant. Exactly
what this amendment is, the telegraph
does not condescsnd to inform US. How
ever, we have a pretty strong lobby. and
the Cherokee donation has had its effect.
Final action may very probably be delay
ed ill the Southwestern States are recon
Btructsd;-an event which seems likely
to occur this winter, or at least before
next July, The extension of the line up
the Republican must produce good re-
suits. Very recent explorers declare this
valley to be the very garden of Kansas.
From the Lawrence and Emporia road,
the REPORTS are even more favorable. We
must all agree that the Valley road would
do more to build up. and populate this
part of Kansas as a whole, but that the
Emporia Branch would do more for our
own town. This would undoubtedly be
the terminus for number of years, and
its effect upon our growth and progress
would be incalculable. All persons in
this region would be glad enough of Ell
ther. We feel safe in saying that the
people Of Lyon county would willingly
subscribe $500, 900 OF $3.50, 900, if that
Sould positively insure the construction
of one or the other of these great high
ways. We should lend the most hearty
and unressrved support to both. The
more railroads the better.
If both projects fail. there is still way
The gods help those who help themse
The distance from here to Topeka is
scarcely ore then fifty miles by the sur.
vey. The road could probably be graded
and tied at cost of $4,000 per mile;-
making an aggregate cost Of $500. 600
Three counties have a vital interest 10
the Project-Shawnee, Usage. and Lyon.
Itwould be highest possible economy for
them to secure the road, even though each
should be compelled to vote 100000 Of
bonds for the purpose. 1t would give
Topeka new infusion of strength aud
life. Her present relations are with a
clnss Of men who
'.Run to the capital, and nothing else,
And then haetr al L..
A southern railroad connection would
open to Topeka Vastsr field of business
enterprise than anything beside is likely
to afford. 1t wouldat ooce inaugurate a
Wholesale traffic fully equal to that which
Lawrence at present enjoys. We do not
need to argue the matter; business men
understand it, and Topeka would jump
at the opportunity to cooperate with us
in this way.
AS to Burlingame and Emporia, it
matters little to them whether their north
eFn connections are with Topeka or Law
renee. We firmly believe that. if means
for grading and tieing the track could
be thus supplied, eastern capitalists would
Be glad to furnish iron and rolling stock,
and run the road. 1t would be paying
investment from the start, aud its bust
ness would increase in gsometIic ratio.
We make these suggestion, not to pre-
cipitAtS action IN this direction, but only
to show that we are not entirely helpless;
that if other means fail, we can help our
sslVGs. For the present, our support is
pledged to the NeOsho Valley Road and
TO the EmporiA Branch ofthe Galveston
Road. Let us be straightforward and un-
Wavsring. II the Galveston directors are
striving in good faith to push = line in
this direction, let us meet them with a
most liberal encouragement. Only-we
repeat tiff these enterprises fail, let us
not fold our hands in despair. There is
nothing impossible to him who Wills.
One point before closing: Some yremb-
ling souls may be unwilling to assume
such a responsibility as 5000. 900 or
$3.50, 900 subscription to railroad to or
through this county. Let us see. We
now cast about 700 votes in this county.
which indicates population ofsome four
thousand persons. A railroad interssct-
ing the county would treble this in two
years. A county subscription of $3.50
900 would thus entail upon each person
. debt Of q fraction over twenty dollars.
and the annual interest would be 81 so
each. Does this seem 50 very terrible,
in view of the contingent advantages ?
AgsiO:-Lyou county has an area, We
believe, of about one thousand square
miles. or Gao. 900 acres. A subscription
OF S2oO.oOo would thus impose a debt
OF about SO cents on each acre How
mGny dollars per acre would be added 10
the market value of the land BY the road9
And how would the cost of frsiebts. Of
travel, Of ali imported goods, be dimin.
is6ed by this great improvement ?
But sSough of argument. Not one oil
chr readers N-ill DENY the economy of lib
Cr.l donations witch viii insure the con,
structiOn of the roHd. We must hav'
r.sIrOad connections; t., Fort hilsy an'