Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-16
Sauer KrauG
At BROOKS & HUBBARD's.
just Received.
Forty Cashmere Suits, at
GATES LIVE CLOTHING STORE.
Land subscription 10 Railroads,
and Immigration.

The plan of building railroads by
subscription of land is discussed at
some length in the following re-
marks made by VIM. J. Sykes in his
Tuesday nights speech. We com
mend them to our friends in the
country along the line of these pro-
jected roads.
Mr.. Sykes said he could suggest a
plan for building this road, which
would burden no one, and benefit
all. There are between Jackson and
Memphis, within three miles of the
line of this road, 3O7, 200 acres of
land. OF this not more than fifth
is in cultivation. Let one-fifth of
this land be subscribed to the COM
pany. This would amount to 81, 400
acres. Let the land be sold in tracts
not exceeding 100 acres, upon a Gre
dit of ten years with interest. The
average value of the land would be
$12 dollars per acre, and this would
bring $737 400. This, with the mo-
ney subscription already obtained,
would build the road and equip it.
There would then be additional set
tiers to the amount of 3S2 families,
occupying these lands. The compa-
ny could issue first mortgage bonds
fortified by the land notes, for sum
amply sufficient to complete the
road in a short time. In this way
the road would be built, and the
country settled with an industrious,
working population, who would af-
ford business to the road. The SUBJ
scribers would retain four-fifths of
their land, which would then be
worth nearly twice as much as the
whole now is. They would get set
tiers in the country who would be
in debt for their land, and would
not only cultivate the land they had
purchased, but would assist in Gull
tiVating the lands retained by the
stockholders of the road, at fair
wages. This is the best plan, not
only to build railroads, but to secure
immigration and labor. The diff
Guilty is in obtaining the land SUBJ
scriptions, although men are doing
nothing with their land, and it is
going to waste. They viii not sub
scribe it either to build railroads, or
to secure immigration. Another
suggestion might be made in regard
to locating depots, and that is, the
company should own at least one
hundred acres wherever they locate
depot, in order to build a hand
some village at every station, by
liberal policy in establishing schools
and churches by making donations
of land. The company should
encourage the settlement of good
citizens by selling lots at cheap
rates and on long time. In this way
the depopulation of the country
might be stopped, and the tide turn
ed in the opposite direction. By
adopting the plans here suggested,
railroads, immigration, and general
improvement would go hand in
hand. To build a railroad through
a country of large plantations is very
difficult, and if the country remains
in that condition, is of very little
comparative benefit. The road to
the Tennessee River can be built in
the same manner. If we cannot get
one-fiifth of the land, let us get as
much as we can, and the country will
be benefited to that extent. The
policy here advocated will, if gener-
ally adopted, do more to advance
the cause of education, to improve |
the system of agriculture, to render |
homes in the country attractive and
desirable, and give political power
and strength to the country, than
any other which can be adopted.
The disire on the part of our large |
land-holders to retain their extern
sive tracts of land, which are yield
ing them no profits, and their anti
pathy to parting with a small por-
ton to improve and render valuable |
the remainder, is, in my opinion,
most unwise, and most injurious to
the country.