, 1873-08-04
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.


Burlington, Ocdnr 1snpiis d N1lnno-
Hotn Railway Compnny.-A leHllrohd
Wow Of the kit1snt f0lt--tFhc Grnngors
Called to Account.
10 tho Editor ~ tho Farmers Journal:
III atbwer to your lottor Of inquiry, have TO-
any that tho aetlon ct the drnnge.a thus fur,
md thclr future losign Of controlling our state
GoyGri'ment, ns proclaimed py tholr lcaa9ss ms
resulted IN dass9log the aen confidence OF Has'e n
panios beyond Ss recovery tka year, and not MI
tikoly for years to como, should tho class OF
!egslation' hreatoneu 10 eafs'eo INTO ekean sat
nuollco, @ suffered to no inconsdcrabio ottent, It
tias boon compelled to abandon tho construction
wost from Tuna county, md nlso tho important
extension OF the Muacatlnc Division woat from
johnson County to the coal-lolds of Mahasla
County. 49,
now construction. worry many othor and lmpor-
tni,t improvements upon our main limo will bo
doferrod until wo ca, havo sonlo assurance of a
tangible character TINT legislation will inanro
to nil othor rights. Neither this or my other
now railway-c0mpany can plnco its bonds on u
eingle milo Of projootol4work in this Stnte 30
long as this attitude by tho poopo is main
Tho 1ibornl local aid heretofore tondorcd rail-
organizations, together with tho pluck and
energy OF ambitious, tlard-working mon, las
given railway-conRtruotion an impetus III this
within our borders immigration, civilization, and
woalth that no othor influence could have
brought herc In tho samo longth Of time; but
tho bulk OF money required In tho building and
road assessed for State. purposes last year ut
aggregate yaluo Of s18,942, 500, Ina been fur
nished by Eaatorn capitalists, who have II the
past lad unlimited confidence In the ability OF
$11vz1 n11T} In fNfn
:, This gratifying degree Of confidence has boon
based solely upon our rapid increaso in pop
.ulation, from immigration, tho romarkablo
Justice Of oir laws. It would Beom tint tho
more Intelligent portion Of tho organization in
question ooutd readily discover that with the
end Of relwsy-constructlon IN Iowa comes IN On
Improvement Of our vacant farming-lands, re-
auting In an Indirect loss to tho State Of tho in
crease Of wealth which tho improvement OF land,
revenues Of necessity, Bring.
Railways depend wholly upon tho carrying
business Of tho territory through which thoy
pass. Tho moro completely that territory is set
tied by people representing producing industries
like commerce, farming, and manufacturing in
forests, tho grcater our rovenuoB become, mud.
as our traf1lo-incomes increase, tho better wo
IRE onabled to adjust our traffic from timo to
time upon a lower, and consequently, upon 4
moro satisfactory, bass for all concerned.
If o certain class Of tho people OF this 6tato
will foster railway enterprises by, local mid and
friendly legislation, and direct tho same. onor-
GIGS now being displayed in another direction to-
ward encouraging immigration, and tho groat il.
industries which make people and Stato in1e-
pcndont and prosperous, tho rillago Of the soil,
.and establishment Of manufactures Of oyory do
;scription,-tho day would soon como whom tho in-
,creasod tonnage OF railways would easily onablo
Them to rnduco their rites to as low figures
40 tho most enthusiastic Granger could expect
or DESIRE
The main line Of thiB Company, on tho 1at day
Of January last, passed through Dos Moines,
Louisa, Muscatino, Cedar, johnson, Linn,
Deuton, Dlachhawk, Dutlor, Dremor,. Floyd,
ana cerro aordo Counties and' with 1T Its
channn, and Allnmakoe Counties, showing MI
aggregate Of s0a miles,. as assessed for State
of $500 per milo, thero being but ton out Of
The thrty-thrce lines In the State which were as~
,aossod ut higher valuation.
This amount is distributed In the different
il Louisa, sas,ole; slascetine, slle,o ooda1,
f3a,934 JolM,aon, $751;, SD: Linn, s19G, 1le !;
Benton, sl44,o5s; Floyd. e7771o; plaekhawk,
e124,719; Butler, ESQ 1o1 cerr6 oor4o, ss2.-
Sos9so; M'nanSo and n 1s bponor % conty, slt ii
haIition to these heavy taxes ie pnother con-
Bsautly-accruipg benefit to the section Of country
through which our line pnssos, IN tho large sumH
sA-o
AMOUNTS paid for pormnnont repairs and i'm
proyemont upon roadNays, buildings, bridges,
machinery, aud now construction: Tho first
Item for Tho year ending Dec o.S 81 j l9a2 " was
4461, ,171.40 tho second ono, $3.50, 1h503, or q
total Of S711 ,347.33, The gross earnings OF tho
limo in this Etato for the aamo period were
$3.50, ,G57.32 leaving as not earnings 3228, ,32o.9o
from which are to bo deducted ta1os intorest
Of over $40 600 per mile, pad ,at tho ratio OF
per cont, gold, per annumi tho natural Weai
and tear upon property and other, depreciation
OF vIues, and n general loss and dn1nage &c
II an Intelligent "Patron Of Husbandry,'
aud m adept as figuros, will tako tho trouble tc
ascertain the precise net prohtH accrutng IRON
this class OF raroading, and then cling with tle
same tonncity to his pot scheme Of tlrottlfne
tho struggling raiway-organ2ationB Of Iowa,
shall havo lost all confidence in the brightest
side Of loyo and humnnity,-1a love OF equal and
exuct Justice. WILLIAM GREENE.
From The Huntington (1a.) Ha.rk-Eyt, July 81.
JUDGE uREESE's lie rrEn.
Tho Hon. William Greene, President Of tht
Burlington, Cedar Rapids i allnnoaota Railwa.
Company has written letter, which wo co. c0py
discussion. He writes FROM railroad stand
point, mud represents railroad corporations "a al
Lonaat, innocent party, just now tho victims O.
the malice and folly Of tho Patrons 81 q Hus
towaIs brought to a stand-atiu on account of tn
menacing attitude of tho drangors; that capital
lists viii not purchase tho bonds OF any new rail
way because thoy fear unfriendly legislation.
As We have frequently remarked 1t il poAsb
that tho reaction and sudden stop put to railway
building in the West hayo hoen hsstened by tn
uprising Of tho pcoplo, but It's coming was III
eYitab|o from othor caABoB. The fact thRt Hooras
II not hundreds, Of new railroads hayo boon III,
ablo to pay accruing interest, is Of itse1f aui
flciont to put u check upon tho bond-markot, an
lead the capitalist to think long and carofnll
before he put lis money into similar invoh
monts, Millions Of money hayo boen sunk !
such schemes, for example, as the Rockford
nock Island j. st. Louis, and bond-buyera nj
coming to understand that q lno scheme on papt
may po very u,,Bnfe Investment, md that the
might almost as we'll throw their money into IL
ocoun as 10 put it into some Of tho now railway
It is not quito fair for Alr. Greene to put ti
responsibility Of tho present stagnatlon In raj
TIC rnad-hulIlcra themselves, many Of Who