Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1870-02-24
Are we Alive or Dead?

holder, every business man, every
farmeris vitally interested. ToSse-
cure our advancement it is requisite,
nay, absolutely necessary, that we
should awake from the Rip YAM
Wrinkles sleep, that for years and years
we have been buried in, and reallz-.
ing the progressive spirit of the age
in which we live, grasp the oppor-
tunities offered to us and ride upon
the top wave of q true progressive
spirit to a grand and sure success.
To do this, requires energy, labor
and a free out-fowing of money.
We cannot sit down in idIeness and
expect it to come to us. We must
meet it more than half way and con-
troll it to our own profit. The AL
MIGHTY has given US every natural
advantage, far beyond our neighbors,
but He expects and demands that
we shall shoe our own potatoes" In
the present age of improvement we
must be up and doing. Inactivity
is slow, but none the less, sure death
death to every interest-agricul-
Observation-Disclosures.
The opportunity is laid down be-
fore us-so plainly that blind man
may realize it-for direct railroad
connection between the great and
growing Northwest and the Allan
tic seaboard, by the building of a
comparatively few miles,, through
our county. WE CAN DO IT IF WE
WILL. We have the wealth--all the
natural advantages secured to us by
the 'God of Nature the advantage
in distance, in cost of construction,
in fact in everything entering into
the construction of a first class road.
"Sill one thing thou lackest' EN-
ERGYl Citizens of Gallia county,
one question comes home to each
and all of you, question ofvital i'm
portancc. "Shall it be bnilt, and at
once?"
We think we are safe in saying
that every mile of railroad con-
structed in the United States has in
yariably paid for itself. How? In
the increase in value of ali real es-
tate lying along the line-and in the
cities-in the increase IN mercantile
business and the impetus given TO
labor of all kinds. A railroad con-
nection, through our county, be-
tween the great Northwest and the
Atlantic seabGard, will give an i'm
petus to our agricultural, mechanical
and mercantile interests, which
would in less than five years, in
crease the value Of each and every
interest to such an extent as to pay
for thirty miles Of railroad twice
over. On great through route, as
this would inevitably be-more or
less money would be disbursed eve,
ry year--as Faif-road SHOPS, frT'u
works, &C., &C., would have to be
kept up here. 1t would be the great
through route, because the most di-
rect and cheapest, between Chicago
and the .seaboard. We can have
this if we will. But supineness, in
activity, laziness and lack of en-
ergy will not bring it. We have
got to show our faith by our works.
We must build our portion of the
road and that at once. We are COM
mitting suicide every day We wait
to see what our down river neigh
bors are going to do. Now is our
time to secure the victory. Delay
is dangerous, ruinous to every in
terest of our county. We want ac-
tt0n--action productive Of good and
permanent results. No mere talk
ing-no waiting for this, or the other
corporation to step in and help US
no halfway measures, no waiting
for our rich or influential neighbor
to take the lead, but q united, con-
certed action On the part Of all the
people, be they ever so humble and
poor. you have but a dollar of
surplus, show your spirit like man,
you will get it back twice over in an
increased demand at increased wages
for your labor, your farm VIII double
itself in value-your mercantile in
terests will treble in value. What
has been the result in every other
locality will be the result here.
Then put your shoulder to the wheel,
resolving that this great improve
ment shall be pushed ON to a trium-
phant success, cost what it will Do
this and success is as sure MS that the
sun rises and sets.
Week after week have We, to the
best of our ability, placed this matter
before our readers in as strong a
light as possible. We have scolded
and abused you most numerically,
o, good friends, firmly believing it
was for your pecuniary interest to
do so. We can see the great advan-
tage which will necessarily accrue
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