The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1868-11-21
TOWN TALK.

Our location Is healthy, river ana rail-
road advantages good, and back country
unsurpassed in richness and fertility, and
everything would demand prosperou.
town at this place The very fact that
the town has existed, doing large bu
sinaSs .i.-a,,sh many wears of misfor
tune, caused by fires, food, and war,
aided by the jars of rival interest and
the illiberal spirit ofmany property own
crs, is proof evident of the absolute
necessity for town at this point. Since
the war, Hickman has improved greatly,
substantially. permanently; but in al
most every instance necessity has forced
the improvement, that is they were made
independent of any encouragement of
fered by property owners. Possibly,
there has been towns which grew into
cities solely by reason of their location
and natural advantages, but it was before
this day of railroads, and telegraphs,
and newspapers, when trade is directed
from one point to another in thousand
different ways Ten years ago Hickman
would scarcely recognize Paducah as a
rival, and now the positions are reversed.
The enterprise and public spirit of Pa
ducah business men and property owners
have changed that little steamboat land
ing of 1886 to fourishing and prom
ising young city of 5000 or 900 pop
uIation These facts address themselves
10 every citizen of Hickman-espeeially
10 every owner of property. We must
have more enterprise-more public spir-
It, Do the owners of town lots see no
incentive to action in the yearly depre-
citation of their property in value? The
great bane of Hickman has been that
its future has always appeared so encour-
aging that parties have bought and held
unimproyed- town lots on speculation,
but tits now patent trath that unless a
change of policy is inaugurated, all will
be losers.
Some method must be adopted TO in
duee population and trade, or our town
VIII continue 80 uIau ss~-- I~s.L-
along unremunerative to any. Our citi-
zens instead of acting altogether for indi-
viduaI gain, must cultivate public spir
it and work together for the prosperity
of our town and community.
These measures must be inaugurated
and sustained by actual property hol-
ders. Many enterprises have been sug
gested in this community and failed,
simply because the really interested par
ties declined to assist, and the projects
have afterwards been laughed at as Wis
ionary by the very men who would have
been mostly benefited, and who should
have sustained them. These are facts
and citizens need only look to the value
Of their property for proof Have not
our lessons ia selfshness been sufficient
ly bitter? Some of our enterprising
men have beer derided by property own
ers. and denominated enthusiasts and
visionary men-because their efforts for
the public good have not succeeded, but
the property owners however much he
may deride IS the greatest loser BY their
non-sueeess.
4 new policy nust be inaugurated,
and it must be done by the owners of
property. Their salvation depends on
it. Nature, and an Industrious people
are willing to help them. We must have
population and that can be obtained by 1
our property owners uniting, and offer
ing proper inducements to people to come
amongst us and stag with us.
Several instances have occurred direct
ly under our own observation where me-
clianics, and men of small means, who
had saved up several hundred dollars
surplus, would have built dwelling hou
.,--. k....s~s 90. y -sz -,zives and children
had it not cost their ready money to buy
the lot Could they have bought lots on
long time, used their ready money to-
wards improving the same, they would
have become permanent citizens, identii-
ed with US in interest, and an active, work
q
ing capital to the town. Would nOt&he
lot owner directly be greater gamer,
his annual installments, than BY
letting his lots remain vacant, paying
heavy taxes, with only the hope in the
future of obtaining $500 or $1,000 down
cash forit.
Everybody knows that had this policy
been adopted, acted upon, and published
10 the world, hundreds of houses would
have been erected here whore there has
not been one.
Men of small means. mechanics, arti-
;ans, workingmen, are the men We want
md can induce. One OF these ''small
builders is worth more to a community
han man of five times his means who
efuses to make any improvements. The
irst is one of us-a citizen-permanent
V Unidentified with US in interest, and
tags with us through sunshine and
torn. while The other Is a speculator.
on the make, and picks up his traps
nd leaves at the first i'll wind The first i,
eserves our encouragement, while the
thcr should be 1nade to pay for their ;
asvs t4sfzssl assre