The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-12-20
Land Subscription to Railroads, and
Immigration.

The plan of building railroads by SUBJ
scription of land is discussed at some
length in the following remarks made by
VIM. J. Sykes, in his Tuesday nights
speech. We commend them to our friends
in the country along the line of these
projected roads.
Mr. Sykes said he could suggest plan
for building this road, which would bur
den no one, and benefit all There are
within three miles Of the line Of this
road which Is eighty miles in length,
307 200 acres Of land Of this not
more than n fifth is in cultivation. Let
one fifth Of this land be subscribed to the
company. This would amount to I,450
acres. Let tie land be sold in tracts not
exceeding l60 acres, upon a credit Of ten
wears with interest The average value
Of the land would be SI2 dollars per acre,
and this would bring $737 100. This,
with the money subscription already OBJ
tanned, would build the road and equip it.
There would then be additional settlers
TO the amount Of 3S4 families, occupying
these landS. The company could issue
first mortgage bonds fortified by the land
notes, for a sum Amply sufficient to CONS
plete the road in short time In this
way the road would be built and the
country settled with an industrious,
working population who would afford
business to the road. Tho subscribers
would retain four>hfths of their land,
which would then be worth nearly twice
as much as the whole now is. They
would get settlers 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 cul>
tivatiEg the lands retained by the stock~
holders Of the road, at fair wages This
is the best plan, not only to build rails
roads, hut to secure immigration and
labor. The difficulty is in obtaining the
land subscriptions, although men are
doing nothing with their land, and it IL
going to waste They will not subscribe
1t either to build railroads, or to secure
immigration Another suggestion might
be made in regard to locating dep0ts.
and that's this, the company should own
at least one hundred acres,whereyer thev
locate depot, in order to b1ild bapd-
some village at every station. by liberal
policy in establishing schools and
churches by making donations of land
The company should encourage the set.
Element of good citizens by selling lots Mt
cheap rates and on long time la this
way the depopulation Of the country
might be stopped, and the tide turned ia
the opposite direction. by adopting the
plans here suggested, railroads. immigra-
ton, and general Improvement would 60
hand in hand 70 build n railroad
through country of large plantations is
very difficult, and If the country remains
In that condition, is Of very little compa-
alive benefit The road to Tennessee
River can be built in the same manner
If we cannot get one~ffth 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 gsner>
ally adopted, do more to advance the
cause Of education, to improve the sys-
tenn of agriculture, 10 render homes
in the couatry attractive aud desirable
and give political power and strength tc
the country, than any other which can
be adopted The desire on the part OF
our large land holders to retain their
extensive tracts of land, which are yield
ing them no profits, and their antipathy
TO parting with a small portion to im,
prove aud render valuable the remainder
Is. in my opinion, most unwisc, and mos!
Injurious to the country.