The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1871-02-11

for the purpose Of securing the credit Of the In
corporators in raising funds 20 build the road.
And who are to determine whether the tax
payers are 20 so tar themselves or not? Not
the rabble who have no taxestc pay, but the
Representatives Of tWo-thirds o. the property ia
themselves II is not the pauper voting away
the property Of the citizen for the benefit Of
himself, by way of contracts or some other
source, but the substantial citizen is to de-
termine for himself whether the advantages
that he will derive from the construction and
successful working of a railroad from Elko to
White Pine, with perhaps q further extension
to Phoebe and Colorado river. will equal or
exceed the few dollars extra taxes that he will
be compelled to pay for the purpose Of sustain
ing the credit of the individuals who are will
ing to risk their ALL in the construction Of
the road. Thus We see one very Questionable
feature generally attending bills Of this charac-
ter-that those who have nothing to loose are
voting away other peoples money-is obviated
IN this instance. Another objection to the
measure which is urged by parties owning
property outside of the town of Elko is, that
no one except the citizens Of Elko will be
benefited by the construction Of the road.
Smith and Jones say the farmers are to be
taxed to keep up the town of Elko. Let us see
about this matter. or what use are farms il
there Is no market for agricultural products?
And TO what source do the farmers of Nevada
look for their principal market? Where do
they find consumers for the products of their
soil: 1t Is true that during the construction of
the Central Pacific Railroad the employees of
the road consumed large portion Of the pro-
ducts Of the soil adjacent TO the road, and a
few of the early settlers, by reason of said
market, became comparatively wealthy. Such
will undoubtedly be the case if the road from
Elko to White Pine shall be constructed A
large number Of men and teams must necessa-
he IN ra1 fhsr nj
and teams must be fed from the products of
the ranches on the South Fork, in Huntington
Star and Ruby valleys. II is admitted that the
principal market for the agricultural products
of this State is created by the mines and min
ing population. Without the mines, Nevada
to-day, would be the same barren waste that il
was twenty years ago. But, says one, we have
the mines, and railroads do not create mines.
Perhaps not. But of what use are mines to
farmers or 10 any one else. unless they are de-
veloped. The mines Of Nevada may have ex-
listed since the flood, but they were of no use
to any one until the metal was extracted and
thrown upon the market. There are to- day
millions of tons of what is termed "base bull
lion" within the mining districts to be tapped
by the road under consideration. To open up
and develop those mines, is to furnish an in
exhaustible market for the farmers of Eastern
Nevada; and to do 50, cheap transportation is
indisputable, not only for shipping the bullion
but for furnishing supplies and machinery
for working the mines. Hundreds Of tons of
this bullion are now being shipped monthly by
the slow and expensive process Of mule and
bull teams, from White Pine and Eureka to va
nous points on the Central Pacific Railroad
and by said road shipped to San Francisco and
Swansea for reduction. Without tlse aid of the
road not one pound of sGid bullion would pay
the costs of shipping. II these vast mines
were immediately connected By railroad with
San Francisco or the East, thousands of tons
would be shipped where hundreds now are,
and a proportionate number of men employed
III the development of the mines, and eonse-
quently proportionate amount Of agricultural
produce consumed. For these reasons alone,
1t seems to me if farmers would study their
own interests they would favor the road There
are other reasons urged against ths eonstruc-
ton of the road, which may refer to at some
future time. IHR.