The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-01-16
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT RAILROADS
BIT THE EDITOR.

| A great many persons have asked me-
whether the one hundred thousand dol
lars to be voted for the railroad is a gift
or donation, or whether it is to be stock
in the road. think can make it plain.
The constitution expressly provides
that counties cannot take stock in rail
roads. The law under which the vote is
to be taken provides that, while counties
cannot take stock in railroad companies,
yet counties may build roads of their
own. And in so doing, Cannot they look
to connections with other roads2 No
one doubts that Jefferson township. or
even jackson county, could build a rail
road from Washington and Gallia Sta
ton to the county line near Washington
Furnace. Lawrence county, or Decatur
and Washington townships in that
county, could build road from that
point where our road strikes the county
line, to the end of the Ironton road.
Each county, or. township, as the case
might be, could operate its road, and
receive its profits; or one, or both, could
sell or lease to the Ironton road, or the
Marietta road, or to any other company.
:. Now as to the present proposition. If
two-thirds of the people vote for the tax.
the law provides:
"SEC T. If two-thirds of the votes cast
at such election shall be in favor of con-
structing said road, the county commits
sioners shall, within thirty days. proceed
to advertise for not less than thirty days
nor more than sixty days, in one or more
newspapers, of general circulation in said
county, that proposals will be received
for the construction of said road, accord
ing to the terms of this act; and they
shall enter into contract with the lowest
responsible bidder for theRhole of said
road or with the party that will agree to
build the greatest number of miles OF
road for the sum appropriated, upon
bonds being given to the county with
security, to be approved by said commits
sioners, that said road shall be con-
structed according to said contract"
Under the above advertisement, the
Chesapeake & Ohio Company can say
We will build you five miles of your
road, from the Gallia county line towards
jackson, for your one hundred thousand
dollars. We will build the balance of
the same line ourselves, to the Pike
county line, all to be. done within three
years, or you need not pay US cent.
They build the road within the time,
clear across the county, and the bonds
are handed over. Now jackson county
will have road running across the
county, and in fact from Richmond
Virginia, to Chicago, and the county will
o10,a Jfve miles Of the same, from the Gallie
line towards jackson. Now the county
can receive the profits arising on thi;
much of the road. But as such an ar
rangement would be impracticable, the
law further provides:
"SEC TO- Said county commissioners
) shall have the power and herebv author
lied to lease said road, constructed under
I the provisions of this act, before or aftel
its completion, for term of years, with
the full power to use and operate the
same, to such person or company as will
2 furnish security approved by said com
missionsrs, or to sell the same for sucl
compensation and upon such terms a
may be agreed upon by said commission
ers and lessee or purchaser. Provided
. that no such contract of lease or sal
v shall be valid until the. same is ratified
: by a majority of the electors of sucl
county voting at an election called 70
that purpose"
Now the Commissioners can say to tn
Chesapeake & Ohio Company, 1--WE will
= lease you our five miles of road, if yo
. will pay our interest on our bonds annU
a ally, or we will take one hundred thou
i, sand dollars for our FIVE miles of road.
When submitted to vote of the people
and carried. it will be a valid contract.
! You will readily see that the propos
tion is not gift. 1t is guarded and saf
n at every point We pay nothing unit
: the road is completed all the way acros
the county. Then we pay our $4,000
=. and or0n just SO much of the road as th
. lowest responsible bidder will build fc
,6 the money. The Ironton company ca
Il bid or the South Eastern Ohio compan
r may see proper to bid, or we may gt
n no road after carrying the vote; but tn
N beauty and safety of the matter is, thG
we pay nothing to any company, unit
re the cars are running all the way aero:
of the county.