Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1871-04-01
Ara Important QuestAOn.

To the Edtsr 81 ths Dsllas Herald;
have never presumed to come before
the public with my views Oh mGttsrs per-
tanning to their interests. Bong an hmm
bic, private citizen, | An wont to fesl that
whom resPosd to the call of thu tax-gsth-
erer, pay such voluntary contributions to
church, school and other pubis improve.
meats as my mesns will justify, thst |
have discharged my public duty, and hence
devote myself to my individual interest,
leaving the public 10 take care Of their
own. But a thought occurs TO me. Am
not member Of this large family? Should
| not, seeing some of thsm in error in the
settlement Of an important question: offer
my yiews'
Then, not unnecessarily to occupy your
time and space and to discharge this duty,
if such it 10, / wish TO say that the imme-
diate settlement Of the Railroad Depot Is
an important qusTtien And there ars some
features OF it which l do not think have
baen or are properly appreciated by cur
oit7ons, or at least by some OF them; and
tho leading ons, to my Iaind, is an Imn'sa'-
a!e location. do not propose TO argue the
question of the advantages of different
nv argument this question, | will atmit
that my and all of those points posssss
equal advantages far the ultimate spread
aud development Of our town; that locs-
tioH AZ the Fair Ground in two years, Will
prors itself equally beneficial with one
nearer; and will further admit that moth
ing worse can come, (Which dc not how
ever, by any means believe.
I
But, allowing that these may be facts,
still argue the vast Importance of IN 'n'n'e-
didte location nearer the Public square
For the reason: first, it will require, per
haps by experience, two years to settle TINS
question of locality Importance. During
this two years the present town OF Dallas
would stand in siatu quo. Improvements,
except Of small character. would not go
forward at or near the point of anticipated
location until the actual arrival Of tho
road. Hence, there would intervene Pc
riod of say two years of comparative IN
activity. Many good mechanics who are
now hero, and many more who are prepar-
ing to come, would have to loavs or he de-
TERED from comingi thousands OF dollars
now lying in bank awaiting this settle
mont would be otherwise invested; and
from these two causes alone Dallas, where
she now stands, in the sheet space OF two
years, would lose, at moderate estimate,
four times the cost to her, at present, o.
the most expensive Of those locations.
But in addition to these facts, many OF
us have property here which we wish to
sell, or at least part Of which we wish to
sell to enable us to 60 forward in the i'm
provsment Of the balance and we cannot
hope to effect this object to advantage until
We have settled the question of location.--
Hence, IL the value Of onr present incor-
porate limits remains a matter Of doubt,
we must lose this valuable time to ourselves
and town.
Now to make few figures: We will
suppose the real estate in the town, er in
corporation, with improvements, to be
worth 100000, q per cent. on this
amount would give $4,000, which is, with
the liberality of soae of the philosophical
individuals to whom the land desired be-
longs, sufficient to inset the present de-
mand. Now | viii say, for example, that
3 owns two pieces Of property, one worth
81. 900. the other 81, 600 He is called upon
TO nav 81 % tax. Now = has been trying
TO sell this 81 900 lot to improve the other.
Ne would pay good agent $3.50 to effect
sale in ordor that be might obtain The
money to carry out his plans. Now. thea
sirs. firmly believe that il he and AL 9TH
srs will come forward ami settle this ques-
tien at once by to-day voting for the tax
that in twenty days be can sell his proper
AZ more easily for 5000 than al the
srsnts in Dallas could previously have
dsns FOR q, 900. Then FOR the extremely
selfish We will sny that the Is are not The
snlv hsncfciaries in this, for the parties
WHO buy their property viii not stop with
the Simple investment Of purchase money,
but viii add improvements and the b. N
turn. will take the proceeds Of sales ana
make inrrovsnents. And 10 do this work
Of Improvement sEarms Of laborsrs and
mechanics Eill c0ms among ne, al Of whom
aust have places 70 stay, provisions 70 eat
! clothing 10 wear. advertisements % insert
medicine 10 take. csuses % plead. uhi-Eiss
- drink. cigars 70 smoke and tht thou-
sands o. o.fsr life necessities. al u raieh
4 il We eel iiEsreatiT ursi g. elsewhere i5r
I rT5 Tsars and perhaps f9r more.
kzrs already occapied o., much n Jon
-. T-r-.fa Ike a -rr1r Of erue ol1cl