The Van Buren press., 1870-08-30
VAN BUREN,, ARK, AUGUST 80, 1870.
ired thousand dollars in bonds payable

terest to be paid annually, after the road
is completed to Fayetteville, TO pay which
at the present valuation Of property
would require a levy OF three eights OF
one per cent beg you to bear in mind,
that when this road is commenced, or 1t
is even believed that 1t will be built, tide
OF immigration will pour into the coun
try. bringing to ms additional wealth,
vastly increase the value of orr property,
and thereby give us material aid, not
only in the payment OF this tax, but in
dividing with US the hurthen Of taxation
generally. Add to these two sums the
additional sun Of say seventy-Gve thous-
and dollars in stock and donations, and
it will make a total Of one million nine
hundred thousand dollars, which how
ever, Is sabjec, to deduction Of depre
ciate6 value of bonds, as per quoted val
ue of State bonds now in market, say
thirty-three per cent. The costs OF the
y proposed road,will suppose, be about
thirty thousand dollars per mile, or In
round numbers, for the whole road say
three million Of dollars.
may be asked will the road be profit.
able to common people2 Unquestionably
they are the persons who will certainl,
be benefited, even il individuals lose by
such Investment the people of the coun-
try through which the line runs, will be
reimbursed more than threefold by the
rise in value Of their lands and produc
tions the road when completed become
the permanent property OF the people 1t
will never cease to be operated for their
benefit; it Is never to be taken from
them and thus become perpetual home
stead to them and their posterity forever.
The road itself when finished increases
the wealth of the country, aid Is ciasscd
with other taxable property, the never
ceasing tide of immigration will bring
additional wealth and enterprise amongst
us, and with the increase OF wealth and
population, the burthons Of taxation will
be more diffused and easily borne. Will
it be paying institution to the stock
holders. All countries abonnding in
agricultural and mineral wealth possess
the greatest capacity Tor supporting rail
roads, the whole of Southwest Missouri
and Northwest Arkansas, presents more
attractions to the farmer, the fruit grow
err, the grazier and the manufacturer,
than can be found combined elsewhere
in the most favored regions Of the west
The country through which the road
will run, is rich plateau Of the Ozark
Mountains of vast extent, drained on the
east by White River and its numberlcss
tributaries, and on the west by the Neo
.h ~, pI ihatr Fri hnfu
ries, which form in their meaudcrs vast
system Of rich alluvial bottoms, not in
tcrior to the valley Of the Nile, or the
plains Of Poland, producing abundant
crops of coin, wheat, oats, timothy and
tobacco, now awaiting transportation.
The uplands are fertile, and admirably
adapted to the production Of clover,
small grain, grapes and fruit of all kinds,
all OF which are now being proiltably
grown. ] have already alluded to the
numerous rivers and small streams, and
when ] contrast our Clear and Usage
Creeks, and White and Illinois rivers,
some of which take their source from
springs from which issue volume OF
water, OF itself sufficient to propcl heavy
machinery, increased as they are in vol
ume at every step, with descent sufficient
to be used successfully as motive power
for machinery every mile or two, until
they swell into navigable rivers. with the
scanty streams which ] have lately seen
in Massachusetts, caught up BY the cum
ming hand Of skill and wealth, and used
again and again, never resting for mo.
ment in its native channel, to perform its
ceaseless toll as motive power, to WELD
sledge or drive the saw the plane and
the spindle, giving profitable employment
to greater numbers Of her people than
now inhabit a dozen such counties as
ours, and when remember that we have
no ice grass of winter here to hold our
streams in check for months, whilst our
streams have perpetual dow, thar we have
TO make no weary voyages to bring to US
i lint for manufacture, that our forests of
lumber and mineral already at hand with
a temperate, healthy climate, and exhaust
less supplies of food for subsistence,
lacking only facilities for transportation
to bring into our midst many thousands
Of cnterprising useful people, and In I'D.
dition to these, the large number ot
horses, mules, cattle hogs, and other
stock, the merchandise, the manufactured
products, and the passage travel the
country would furnish taken together.
make il an enterprise alike OF benefit to
us asd the capitalists who own the road.
These are some Of the considerations
which should stimulate us to action, and
give assurance to capitalists that their
Investments will be profitable
i | have thus, my fellow citizens, laid be.
fore you the results Of my miss on to
Boston, and although not entirely salts
factory owing to the delays which may
arise in procuring charter, yet ] think
it is encouraging | have also ondcav-
ored to place before you some OF tho
principal features OF the contemplated
enterprise. and some ofthe most obvious
arguments ia It's favor; that a railroad is
not only good in itself, but absolutely
necessary to the wants Of modern civil
ization; that 1t Is oi easy and cheap con-
struction through onr country. the ca
pacty Of the country for supporting q
railroad, the great inducement It soirers to
farmers, miners and manufacturers, that
the great mass Of the people are the true
bcnedciaries, and that II will be profitable
+, the stockholders who may invest their
means in its construction. If in the
4 A.