Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-11-18

FELLOW CITIZENS Not merely as Com
niissiOners Of the jackson and Tennesse,
River Railroad, but as citizens OF Hender
son County deeply interested in its welfare
having to bear its burdens and share Ia
benefits, do we propose this evening tC
address you upon a subject OF vital impOr.
tance 10 US all. Whilst other portions Of
the country are making rapid progress in
wealth and improvement, il is left for Us q
determine whether we will stand still and
see the waves Of improvement pass around
Us. We must advance or retrOgrade, not
only in all that enriehes, but in all that en-.
mobiles and eleyates. An opportunity ha:
been offered US to connect ourselves with the
commercial world by a cheap and valuable
line of railway.
We thought proper to reject the propo-
sitiOn for easons which were satisfactory
to a majority OF our citizens, whether they
would have been opposed TO a proposition
in somewhat different form, with more
guards and restrictions, and with better
guarantees, as they might think, for q
proper expenditure OF the money, we are
unable to say. 1t was our intention to
have used the proceeds Of the county sub
scription only in building the road through
the county, and we would not have been
in favor Of issuing the bonds upal
there was a certainty Of the road being built
to the county line. The provisions were
not, however, in the decree, although they
were the purposes OF your Commissioners.
" e would be in favor of embodying these
provisions in any decree submitting another
proposition, il our people so desire.
Again, there may have been some Objec-
tion ia regard 10 the rate of interest. We
would be willing if our people wished TO
reduce the rate of interest to eight per cent,
since we believe that the bonds OF our
county bearing eight pei. cent,payable SENT
annually, would be equal TO the note OF
bond OF any private individual, bearing ten
per cent. The reason we placed it at ten
per cent. in the former proposition was to
cause the bonds 10 meet reader and bet.
ter sale, which we thought would have ben
Gifted the county as a stoekhOlder in The
company. We are disposed TO do whatever
win benefit and be acceptable 10 our people
We need the road, and we should all agree
upon terms which viii secure it. Already
we have lost thousands of dollars 10y not
having county subscription. Soon
had the vote been favorable, we think the
company would have employed at least live
hundred hands in grading the road in Hen.
derson county. The company would then
have paid out for work and labor done and
materials furnished $1,000 each week, OF
$4,000 eaph month. This would have gone
ints the hands OF labOrers, farmers and
merchants, and all classes Of the cOmmu-
nifty would have received the benefits. The
laborer would have received cOnstant en-
ployment and could have paid his mer-
chant; the farmer could have sold his sup
plies, and would have received the money
to pay all his bills; the wagoner could have
been much more proftably employed in
hauling cross ties than in hauling cotton.
This money put into circulation would
have been received in a greater or less de-
gree by ALI the people in the county. But
that Is nov gone. We must look to the
future. Shall we submit another PROPOSE
tion, or shall we abandon the enterprise en-
tirely? That depends upon your action
and your feelings. We donot wish to sub
nit any other proposition unless it Is the
desire of the people.
1t is true, we feel the necessity Of the
road, and we do not believe it can be built
without a county subscription, but If the
county do not desire it, we can endure the
loss as well as our fellow citizens.
We are aware that we are paying every
wear two dollars on each bale OF cotton more
than we would have 10 pay if we had this
road. This amounts TO s20.O0O on cotton
alone. We pay at least $4,000 On articles
brought into the county, such as dry goods,
groceries and other things, more than we
would have to pay if we had this road. Our
corn, potatoes, wheat and other small
grain will not bear the cost of tranSpOrta-
tions TO market in wagons, and therefore
we raise very few Of these things compared
with what we would il we had cheap and
constant access 10 markets. Our fine white
oak and other timber, our mari and our
brown coal or .lignite, we cannot take 10
market, and therefore these elements of
wealth are Yalueless. In fact, we may
safely say that our country is loOSing near
100000 each year fer want Of this road.
Those Of our citizens who live near the
Mobile & Ohio and the Northwestern roads,
and who use them, will save nearly one
fourth Oftheir present freight by the build
ing Of this road. 1t will produce eompeti-
ton and cause these roads to reduce their
freight charges.
Another consideration Of no small imp0r-
tanee in our estimation, is that when this
road is built our county town, Lexington,
in which every citizen OF the county has
an interest, viii be prosperous, flourish
ing town, with five times its present pOpu-
latyon and wealth. SchoOl-houses and
churches will spring upin every direction,
aud in all parts Of our county.
We Will not then be dependent on
other counties for our public printing and
for our means OF education. To show the
effects Of railroads let us compare the
value OF oT county farms with our neigh
boring county, Carroll.
In 1911 Carol had nm. SI,4O7, ,1at
Ia 1874 Henderson had .... SI,3S6,O2
: 7I,IO5
Carroll, then, when neither had a railroad
had only 81, ,Io5 more than Henderson.
In 1S1l Carroll has .......-... 81, ,3lO, ,29I
In IS5 Henderson ha> ISL. ga. .III
;, ,56s, ,l5s
CarreI now has railroad and has 81 ,;5S,.
l53 more IN farms than Henderson. The
average value Of land in Henderson Is 81 A.
per acre, and in Carroll $ -. Eyea the
/ slight increase in Henderson j. owing to the
nearne,> OF portions Of the county 10 rail.
roads. These figures tell the whole tale
They ne,-,i no comment.
We have not alluded 10 the amount oi
business the road will DO in transporting
the iron, marble, limestone, hydraulic ce.
ment and cedar timber from Decatur, Per
ry and Hickman counties 10 the couAtie.
west of Us, which 20 much need these things
We have confined ourselves 10 the benefits
our own county would derive. This road
on account Of it, cheap construction and
immense business would, in our opinion
be very profitable, as an investment for cap
ital. Whilst roads costing S25, 900 per mile
J may not pay, those that cost only Sl2,O0 pei
mile will pay.
Roads Of this description have in all in.
stances paid from ten to fifteen per cent
and 80 well satisfied are we that this road
viii pay that We advise postponing the
payment Of the principal of the bonds foi
i've years. By that time the dividend,
arising from the stock viii pay the Interest