Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-01-27

tions or $4,000 acres more land
than the seven northern town
ships. The c. o. r. r. commenced
running in 1855-was in full operation
by 1860. Ten years after that time the
appraised value of the property in the
same nine southern townships had
increased to S9,60i, ,2S5, while the
seven northern townships are ap-
praised at 9,405, ,099. In other
words the southern townships made
up the great difference in valua-
ton and have a surplus of about $780,
900. These southern townships have
maintained this great excess from that
time to the present. And lad it not
been for the large gains in PeaSe town.
ship, having the benefit OF the G. 4 2.
r. r., the northern townships would
be behind to-day about S1,00O,0O0. TO
make it still more plain let Us compare
the valuation of some townships that
were about equal in valuation in 1886,
when we had no railroad in the coun-
ty. Let us first compare Warren and
FIushing-the extreme west bound
townships. Warren has So sections,
and was appraised in 1850 at S59l, III.
Flushing has 80 sections and was ap-
praised at S445, 500. The difference in
the amount of area will make the
valuation near enough equal to make
com parisonS. Warren township with
the G. O. r. r. passing through her
territory places taxable property on
the duplicate of 1875 10 the amount OF
81. .096, $50, while Flushing has only
S9l6, ,466 on the same duplicate. In tif-
teen years Warren with railroad has
added 260 per cent. to her valua-
ton, while Flushing without rail
road-which she might have had with
proper effort-has only added a small
amount over 100 per cent to her valua-
| ton.
In 1870 Warren township had 81 ,943,.
900; in 1876 Warren township had 81
096, ,682; an increase Of S152, 1872. Flush
ing had in 1870, 1888 500; Flushing had
i'm 1875, S946, ,466; an increase of only
Sl2, 2,666. Warren increases at the rate
of $50, 900 annually, while Flushing in
creases at the rate of $500 per annum.
Would it pay Flushing township 10
give S100, 900 and get railroad?
So il is with Smith and >COlerain. In
1850, Colerain with but 24 sections OF
land, had $417 200 ON the duplicate,
while Smith having Sc sections, had
but $685., 900. la 1875 Smith has 81 ,O62,-
l34 on the duplicate, and Colerain is
left behind with but s924, 900. Smith
has gained Sl74,000.
| Wheeling township with q sections
had in 1850 1892 on the duplicate,
while Goshen with 36 sections had but
| S473 90. Now, Goshen has 81 q l16, ,493
while Wheeling township falls behind
with only 81 ,076,000 Goshen has gain
ed more than $50, 600.
| Notwithstanding that the northern
townships had the best farming land
smoother and better cultivated, the
southern townships make steady and
certain gain from year to year. But
| look for moment at comparison O
Pultney and Pease townships, both
having railroad, but Pultney with the
advantage oi the terminus of two
In 1850 Pultney placed ON the tax du
plicate 1857 ,225; P,.ase placed OH the
same duplicate SS75,475. Pultney
places on the duplicate of 1875, 81, &c.,.
225, while Pease has but 50 700, 1913 on
same duplicate. In other words Putt
ney township has gained over 600 pel
cent, while Pease has only gained bul
little over 200 per cent. In 1850 Flush.
ing township had ZOO more taxable
property than Pultney. Now Pultney
township has over - ,000. 600 more than
Flushing. We do not claim that the
railroad causes all this difference, bul
we do claim these figures show what a
railroad would Go on the north side ol
Belmont county. We know figures
are very dry reading, but let US look a
another benefit that the county at large
receives. The G. O. r. r. placed on
the tax duplicate of Belmont county
for 1915 S442, ,053, which is so, 900. more
than the total duplicate OF Pultney
township when this railway was com
menced. The c. & 2. Road placed on
the duplicate of 1915 S334, ,S33; add the
two amounts and we have SIG, ,636 ol
taxable property listed by these COM
panies. Belmont county took stock to
the amount of $4,000 in the e. .. r.
r.; she has $4,000 of this amount, on
which she receives interest. The
amount the county received for taxes
on this SIG, 1856 added To the amount
of interest she receives, will pay her
$40 per cent. interest on the original
Investment of 100000. If we add local
levies the citizens OF this county are re.
ceiving at least II per cent. on the orig
inal amount of stock taken in this road q.
With these facts IN view Ian we excuse
ourselves for any want of interest tu
the g., Il. V. & W...RaiIway. rhiscom-
pany has come to US with a c0mre-
tent corps of engineers, and at her
own expense surveyed and located her
line through part of our county; no one
has paid one dollar for this. In addi-
tion to this at the suggestion of some OF
our citizens she surveyed a route for a
branch TO st. Clairsville. This was not
suggested TO create any "division" or
to attract attention from other proposed
improvements. 1t was suggested long
before these were spoken of, and accu-
rately made, that citizens of Richland
township might know what this
6Ianch could be- made for. The map
showing grades, distance, &C., is open
to the inspection of any pnrs0n; also
the estimate OF cost; and we most re-
specifically suggest that the proposition
is at least entitled toa careful investi-
CATION by the citizens of your own
town and township. We have not one
word to say against the other proposed
road; build IL if you can. RichIand |
township and st. t.Clairsville will be well
paid if she invests $4,000 and secures
both OF these improvements. No man
should say one word against either.
The figures we have given show plain
ly that we want every foot of railway