Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-02-02

ally ignored, or the plain teach
ngs and commandments of His
word are wholly disregarded, there
Ill moral duties and social rights
are, in great measure, dependent
upon the more convenience, pas
sion or power of individuals. Be-
sides, in the absence Of proper pro-
visions for the incubation of gen.
eral Bible truths, mans natural
proneness to evil is but the more
developed and strengthened.
Again, the probabilities of gen.
eral thrift as well as of social worth
in a community are much evil
denced by the extent and charac-
ter of their provisions and facili-
ties for the intellectual cultivation
and training of the youth in their
midst. For, upon the proper cul-
tivation of the minds, depend not
only the conception, but the exc
cution of all plans and schemes
for advancement and improvement.
Though it be admitted, that sort
of business tact in some callings
may be acquired by special train
ing, yet without general cultiva-
ton, there can be no general taste
or ambition for the achievement
of whatever makes for the gener-
al good, but the acts and enterprises
of each will partake of their train
ing and be more or less narrow,
circumscribed and selfish. AL
though much of the genius, char
acter and worth of people is to
be determined from the extent
and kind of their school prepare
tons, yet, as the present writer
has no disposition to enlarge on
this subject now, it will be dis
missed with this simple remark,
that with strangers, no induce
ment for pecuniary gain can COM
pensate for the absence of schools.
But there is one other source of
arriving at the character and
spirit OF a people, and that is,
their means of inter-communica-
ton among themselves and with
others about them. Suppose for
example, there is small town in
communication with the outer
world by no other means than one
Railroad and one Turnpike al
most on a parallel line with it.
Now suppose that the soil of the
country in every direction around
this town is rich and productive,
the climate healthy and TIE popu-
lation dense, but that theer-quar-
tiers Of this surrounding country
are secluded and cut off from the
town and Railroad by reason of
having no access 10 them except
by bride paths and few summer
wagon ways. Any one can see,
under such a state of facts, that
there is but little stimulus or en-
couragement for greater farm pro,
ducts than will be needed for home
consumption. New if a good
Turnpike road should be built in
each one of these secluded divis-
ions to the distance of twelve
miles from the common center at
an average cost of two thousand
dollars mile, the grand cost for
the three roads would be $4,000.
But the question here arises, how
can this outlay be regained2 Let
us see. Suppose we take a strip
of three miles on each side of one
of these roads, making a breadth
Of six miles. Now suppose that
bali of the land lying within the
limits along the road is cleared
and tillable. Then suppose that
one-fourth of this half is cultiva-
ted in wheat or rye (which are by
no means the most remunerative
farm products) and that the aver
age yield per acre is ten bushels,
and the enhanced value, to the
of each bushel, is ten
cents, and the enhanced value of
the products on the other three
quarters is equal to this land this
is not an over estimate, then
there will be per annum gain
Of one dollar an acre above the
income before the building of the
road. But within the limit of six
miles breadth and twelve miles
length, there are Sc square miles,
or 23,040 acres, and, according to
our superstition, II, $50 acres re-
turning to the owner an average
increased per annum gain of one
dollar per acre.
Thus, it can be seen that the
land owners of these three narrow
strips would realize, by reason of
these roads, an annual increased
gain of 34.560 dollars, or nearly
half of the entire cost of construc-
ton. A little more than two years
would regain the whole outlay,
and leave the roads as so much
increased capital stock ever after
wards. The influence of roads