Des Arc weekly citizen., 1867-03-09
(coMMuNIcATEp.l

ton, should be read and re-read, by every citizen of Dcs Arc, until each in- dividual could De made to realize the fact that we arc living in an age ofpro- grces; that our ncighbors, although not so favorably situated as ourselves, arc alive to the necessities of the day. We profess to be public spirited and enterprising community, and have shown this to be a fact by the number of great enterprises. and the liberality of our citizens in subscribing funds to carry them through. Last year we voted S50,o00 for railroad enterprise, but unfortunately found that that sum was but drop in the bucket, compared with the amount required evep to com mence the road, with prospect of suc- cess. More recently our city fathers have been agitating the question of a road from this point to Cotton. Plant, but again this is dying out, and it is feared that laudable enterprise may fail, in consequence ofits being beyond the abilities of our city. In fact, am afraid we arc too proud; that we arc not willing to learn to creep before we walk. Let us not despise the day of small things, but measure our strength, learn what we arc able to do, and then do it. Let us name q small amount, say $6,000, that the city could raise in the next twelve months, without any one scarcely feeling it.
 In the first place it would be well to initiate q progressive movement by commencing something that we know we can complete within the year, and thereby give plain demonstratioa of the fact that public enterprise, when properly conducted, pays, and thereby educate our citizens up to the standard that only part arc how trying to act upon.
 You arc now prepared to ask, what great enterprise could we complete with this small amount? Pardon me ifI advise the abandoning of those great enterprises, that we may really accomplish one or two small ones.-- One half of the above sum, say S3,000. would build and furnish very neat and commodious building, two stories high, containing four rooms, for an academy or college. Or, three of them might be used for that purpose, and the other for a town hall, for n year ortwo, or until we feel able to build hall.-- The other half, with some assistance that might be looked for outside. would complete a good bridge across bayou Des Arc, and thereby open an avenue that would bring more trade to this city than could be brought here in any
 other way. with the same expenditure
 All of this we can do, and begin to re- alize the advantages derived thcrefrom
 within twelve months from to-day
 and notwithstanding the cost, there is
 no doubt but in March, 1868, we would
 be better prepared to lend our credit tc
 railroads, plank roads, and cxtensiv,
 turnpikes, than we arc now.
 Already I imagine I hear the san Aguinc, part of our citizens shouting
 .ss. "iftsfraa TOT tnc 'collegc anuo sridge !--- Let us have them immediately :" and amid the uproar, l hear few faint and feeble voices whisper, as though fear ing to be heard, "I'll give a hundred, ' fifty, ten" or, perhaps, some one bolder than the rest, judging of the fu- ture by the past, shouts bravclv, "Ill givea thousand,s with the firm expec- tation of never being called upon for his subscriptions You may all take courage gentlemen, for there is little fear of your subscription ever becom- ing due. And you. gentlemen, in St. Louis, Memphis, Cincinnati and New York, in the highways and byways of the whole country, who own lots in Des Arc, that gleam of hope will fade from your happy faces before WE will ever take such stcpsto double the value of YOUR property, while you sit idly waiting for us to heap wealth in your coffers. Ifyou wish to reap the Iary- est you mustsow the seed and till the soil. "Thcn where," you ask, twill we get the funds to carry this out2"
 It is estimated that one-third of the property in Des Arc is owned by non- residents. Then we will letthose non- residents pay one-third of the sum, for surely they as deeply interested in the increase of the value of property here as any one, and have no power to oppose their bigotry and old fosyism to our laudible endeavor for advance ment Well, that reduces the amount onc-thipd, or to Sd,000. and the rub is how to make sure of that. Well, sir. ifl am right in stating that such an en- tcrprise would benefit every one, just in proportion to the amount of proper ty he owns in the city, l am also right in saying that every ono should contri- bute in that proportion. In other words, every dollars worth of person. al property and real estate in the city, should be taxed to raise the fund If we hope to ever do anything of this kind by public subscription, I fear we will hope in vain. The only sure way is to levy tax. Let us try that once, and if it fails, we may continue to ad mire our beautiful location for a city. but look in vain to see our bright visions offuture greatness any nearer a reality than we do to-day. But out of the hills of Austin, and the mud of Devalfs Bluff, will rise cities that will