The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-05-13
The Meeting on Friday night.


The Meeting ON Friday night.
The meeting held at the Court House, on
Friday night, had under consideration sub
ject worthy the most serious consideration of
our citizens. Its object if carried to consum-
nation cannot fail to produce results which
will have a most important bearing on our
future-by adding TO a greater opening up
of our sections of country and its resources,
bringing capital among us, fostering enter
prize, and building up of a prosperity such as
even with the experience of the past, we lit
tie dream of.
Who that remembers, and reflects over our
status of twenty years ago, can fail to appre-
ciate the great stride we have made in pros
perity aud wealth during that period? Who
can fail to comprehend the great advantages
we have derived from the building of the
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad
even though, as all must confess, our gain
was purely incidental, aud grew out Of it in
spite of the sefshness of management,
which would, if it could, have retained all
the advantage within itself? The D. L. &
w, has proved, in its every phase, a close
monopoly-a monopoly which has hemmed in
every thing, and every where, to add to It's
Golfers at the expense of country dependent
upon the use of its grudgingly bestowed
facilities. And yet, what that we are to-day,
in point of prosperity and wealth, do we not
owe to the fact that it was built and has been
operated.
What were we twenty years ago? A mere
hamlet of few houses, hemmed in by creeks
on three sides, and by a line on the north
parallel with McMichael's creek and barely
more than 600 yards from it at the widest
point Our houses were scattered-our bust
ness confined to two or three country stores
our means of support scarce and uncertain,
and our products not sufficient to furnish
bread for the sparse population which occu-
pied the soil. Abroad, ours was noted
chiefly as a dead, dull village, and our pro.
ducts accounted, and with truth, as bark.
hoop poles, bull pine, and spindle oak. These
with labor, composed our chief currency, and
rentals barely approached the shadow of
three per cent. interest on the investment.
1t is not an elevating picture this; and yet,
as hundreds will agree with US, it is the only
picture we could paint and approach the
truth. But then approached the railroad.
Its building gave US the start, and from the
day the first shovel for its construction was
thrust into the earth, began to draw for US
that prosperity which has caused us to ex-
pand, and to continue to grow, until now two
villages occupy the locality where but one
stood before-either Of them more conipactly
built up and populated, more generally en-
ployed in mechanical and business pursuits
possessed of more wealth, intelligence and
general prosperity by an hundred fold, than
the Stroudsburg Of twenty years ago. And
all this, as we have already said, the inciden-
tai result of the working of monopoly.
With this experience of the past before US
what may we not expect from the breaking
of the power of monopoly by the successful
introduction Of competition? Monroe is to-
day, worth, by four fold, more in material
wealth than it was twenty years ago or before
the railroad. No one can successfully con-
trovert the truth of this assertion. Now
build the Lehigh and Eastern road, as con-
tcmplated, and what will be our statue twen-
ty years hence? Our past score growth has
been made without special facilities--indeed
against draw backs TO be found in the great
advantages afforded to Scranton and other
points where the d. i. & w. Company s.
chief interests lay. Competition will most
assuredly remove these drawbacks and afford
the facilities we need, by furnishing US with
a choice as to where we may bestow our pat
ronage This choice, as in every like case,
will become key Ia our hands, by means of
which the door to still greater prosperity can
readily be opened. Let the new road be
built and reduction Of tolls, reduction in the
price of coal, and accommodation carefully
accorded, will induce investment here that
would never think of coming-aye have
been driven away-under the narrow policy
off cur railroad monopoly. And this remov-
ed, who, in view of the past. can doubt our
growth in the future
And what is demanded of US, as our share
in securing this great boon, SO sure to be
fulfilled? Merely that we help to build the
road to our more certain prosperity merely
that of our means we contribute the COM
partivey insignificant sum Of $25 900 for
this purpose Of the sum onef:ftii was sub
seflbcd hy three gentlemen at the meeting