The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-04-26
The Davenport g. st. Paul Road
and Local aid

| AhAi So'SSNS WV PoA -
competition in trcights and the
necessity in building up prosperous
farming communities, that there
should be competing lines Of rail
road.
All do not however, SO we'll un-
derstand how railroads arc built.
This, it is important they should
understand, for it is question OF
fact that should in a measure, gov
ern the action Of the people when
applied to for aid, asked by the
construction company. They
should also understand that the
Davenport and St. Paul road, un.
like many of the important lines
being constructed, does not re.
ceive any aid in the way OF land
grants, or congressional bounty.
The local aid usually given en-.
-terprises of this character is from
three to FIVE thousand
dollars per mile. This sum is put
into the road bed, after which cap
italists furnish the iron, the rolling
stock, and the depots, and put the
road to practical benefits for those
interested. The construction COM
,pany Of this road instead of de-
handing either Of these sums,
promised the road on the condition
that local aid to the amount Of
$4,000 would be furnished be-
tween Faye;te and the State line,
the distance being about IS miles,
and the amount asked less than
1000 per mile. 1t sent out it's
agents to ascertain what the peo-
pie would do for the privilege Of
having the competitor in treights
to be thus secured. These agents
returned with assurances that led
them to believe that the small sum
demanded in the way Of local aid
would be cheeri'ulIy and promptly
voted, and on the strength of this
assurance they went before East
ern capitalists and received of them
assurances of aid for the iron and
rolling stock as rapidly as the peo-
pie through their local aid
would prepare the road bed.
After survey Of the situation
the construction company is COM
PEELED to report a deficiency of
$4,000. Under such state of
facts i, it to be wondered at that
eastern capitalists and railroad
kings should decline to advance
the funds to do for the people
what they expect the people to do
for themselves. These railroad
men and capitalists are pressed on
every hand to aid enterprises that
promise all the profit that ours
does, and with rs much or more
local aid furnished than is expect
ell or asked Oh tits line in any con-
tingehcy.
From these facts it will be seen
that the local aid is really bull
ding the road, because Oh it's
strength comes the immense sums
included in iron, rolling stock and
depots. From them also may be
deducted the Importance to Its
success, in having every interested
locality come forward promptly
with such assistance as may in a
measure correspond with the
benefits it may receive.
Three or four thousand dollars
may seem like an insignificant sum
to railroad. Yet when every To-
cali,y has done all it can in the
way of taxes and subscriptions,
and there remains deficiency that
capitalists demand shall be furnish
ed before they advance any funds
it may be the very means of its
defeat or success. These general
reflections we throw out for the
consideration of our friends in
Orleans township, assuring them
that if they want the benefits Of
competition, they also must do some
thing toward paying for it. Now
if this aid is not furnished Oh this
line then it must be expected that
the construction company will
adopt one that will furnish it if
such a one can be found, or thu
one that will come the nearest it's
requirements. Crssco Times.
g. Al