The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-03-27


place to it with pleasure, as we will
to any article upon this subject:
MEssRs. EDIToRs:-Thev value, if not
the necessity, of railroads to a COM
munity, is so generally conceded that
it is useless to advocate them, but there
are some truths in regard to them that
are not generally realized.
The first is that the owners of real
estate in the vicinity of the road, and
not the shareholders in the compa-
ny, as such, are most benefited by the
construction of the road, and to such
an extent is this the case, that while the
shares in manyrOads haveproved worth
less, we do not know a railroad whose
completion has not been attended by
a rise in the value of real estate along
and near the line Of the road, more
than sufficient of itself to pay the cost
of building the road.
Secondly, each community will hence
forth be compelled to build its own
roads, excepting in the case Of IA few
important trunk lines, whose cOnstruc-
ton is necessary for the prosperity of
the cities connected by them, and such
connecting roads rs railway companies
are compelled to build in order to pre-
vent the diversion of their trade. The
dream that the people of Pennsylvania
have indulged, ever since the commu-
tation of the tonnage tax, that the
Penna. II. r.. Co. would build all the
roads they wanted, has at last been
dispelled, it is hoped, forever, and
those who desire railroads must OBJ
tain them as they obtained their prop
erty, by investing their means in
them.
Thirdly, the interests of a commun-
ity are best served by the ownership of
the railroads residing in the cOmmun-
ity itself.
Admitting the foregoing premises,
and that Bedford County has not such
railroad accommodations as are essen
tial to its prosperity, thequestiOn arises:
In what railway enterprise should the
people of this county invest their
means?
In answer, the following reasons for
preferring the proposed road from the
town of Bedford to Bridgeport, on the
route of the Pittsburg and ConneIs-
vile Railroad, are submitted:
AS to distance, suppOsing the distance
from Bedford to Bridgeport to be -
miles, then the distance to Baltimore
by that route will be 214 miles against
235 by the way Of Huntingdon, and to
Pittsburg l58 against 203 via Hunting
don, while to Washington, via the
branch now being constructed from
Point of Rocks, the saving will be
much greater, and these markets both
for buying and selling are as good as
the more distant ones of Philadelphia
and n. York.
By this route another coalfeId will
be opened to Bedford, furnishing bet
ter coal than the Broad Top coal, and
the more scarce and expensive article
of lumber will be obtained more easily
and conveniently.
The cost per mile of the proposed
route is much less than from Bedford
to Mt. Dallas, making it a more prof.
table investment +; for on the supposi-
ton that there would be the same a.
mount Of traffic on either line, and that
the line to bridgeport will cost one
third more than the other, the earnings
of the former would be three times as
great, making the proportion Of earn
ings to the capital invested p times as
great.
This project is not antagonistic to
the extension of the II. & 3. r. r. r.
to Bedford, but will render that extern
sion certain; first, by endangering the
prosperity of that road in its present
condition SO that the completion of the
road to Bedford will be necessary to
prevent the loss of a large portion of
its most profitable business, and, sec
Ondiy, by creating a considerable addi-
ton to the business, it would have, if
completed alone to Bedford, and the
prospect of this large increase would
enable that company to obtain the nee
ess2ry means.
If these reasons are sufficient for pre-
ferring the line to Bridgeport before
others, the all important question re-
mains, How can the means be obtained
to build it, if no help can be obtained
from abroad?
There are, we think, twenty men, at
least, in the town of Bedford, who are
abundantly able to invest $1,000 each in
the stock of the company. AS many
more can contribute $500 each, and an
equal number $3.50 each, on the aver
age, making total of $4,000, and the
townships through which the proposed
route lies can, without difficulty, con-
tribute the following amounts:
Bedford Township, $50 600
Napier " so, 600
Harrison - $1,000
Londonderry " $4,000
Making, with the town of Bedford, the
sum of $l06,0 900, and other townships
might lie relied upon to contribute e.
nough to cover any excess in the fore
going estimate.
The second resort, which should be
OnlV auxiliary tn nrivata SuhGcrintinn