The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-08-10
The Railroad Bonus Election.

many weeks, and is generally, UNDER
stood in all its details. 1t is proper
that it should be fully understood, and
decided on its merits, not, either
crowded through by those who, for
local reasons, are the friends Of the
proposition or defeated by those who.
for similar reasons, are its enemies. A
debt of $4,000 should be incurred by
a frontier County, only, after full
understanding as to the burdens it
will impose and the benefits that will
accrue. 1t is reprehensible for COM
munities to contract debts that bring
no benefits, or benefits that are not
proportionate to the attendant burdens.
It is, probably, not as reprehensible in
communities to be "penny wise and
pound foolish" as it is to be recklessly
extravagaut but it is fully as disastrous
to material progress and prosperity.
The people Of Redwood County are
brought face to face with this phase OF
the question, now, and the wisdom or
folly that may characterize their action
remains to be seen. Every thinking
voter desires to inform himself, cor
rectly, as to the burdens the proposed
issue of bonds will impose and what
advantages may reasonably be depend
ed upon as certain to inure from the
building Of the proposed railroad. If
the advantages to be derived from such
a road are not general the County
should not be called upon to contribute
to the building Of it. That the Village
of Redwood Falls and the Country
within six or eight miles of it will re-
ceive greater benefits than more dis
tant portions oft County will receive,
is not denied, but, that every portion
Of the County will be benefited beyond
it's proportion of the cost, we believe
as firmly as We do our own existence,
and believe, too, that it can be demon
strated to the satisfaction Of every fair
minded person. The payment Of the
bonds fifteen or twenty years hence is
a matter about which We are not, at
present, greatly concerned, but the
interest must MUST be met promptly
and We are directly concerned to know
all about it.
The amount of bonds proposed to be
issued Is $4,000. The interest, seven
per cent, will be $500 annually. The
assessed valuation of Redwood County
is about $4,000: To raise the
amount Of money necessary to pay tn g
interest will require four aud one
third mill tax, which will amount to
about forty three cents on each one
hundred dollars of the assessed valua
ton of the County. Almost any one
can tell just what his railroad tax
would be on his present assessment.
On a quarter section Of land assessed
at $3.50. the tax would be one dollar
and ninety-five cents, and that is fair
average. Many Of the farms, occupied
by actual settlers, are assessed at $500.
and the majority do not exceed $500
No bonds can be issued until the road
is complete and the cars running there.
on to the Village of Redwood Falls.
The time agreed upon for that event
is July 1877 and about one year from
that date the first interest would be
payable. Within the next two years a
large amount of land will be deed.
ed and become taxable. that is not,
now, subject to taxation, and each sue.
ceeding year will increase the area of
taxable real estate. Every acre of
of land that may be added to the tax
able property OF the County and every
article Of personal property that may
be brought in by new settlers will re-
duce the rate Of taxation. $500 is
the sum of money to be raised and the
amount payable on each quarter sec.
ton and on each article of personal
property will decrease as the quantity
Of each increases and the railroad bond
tax will grow lighter each year. We
do not think any one will say that we
have stated the matter incorrectly or
unfairly, nor do We think any one will
claim that the proposed bonus will be
burdensome to any BODY. Such a one
could not reasonably expect their opin-
ions to carry much weight
There is no necessity for US to
explain the benefits that the proposed
road would bring That it would largely
increase the value Of all property, give
value to some kinds that have none
now, bring people and money into the
County, furnish work to many who
need and cannot get it and put back
bone into the whole body, is an asser-
ton that no one will dispute. We
could cite farms which the owners
cannot now sell fer $1,000 that if a
railroad was an assured thing, they
would not take $1,000 nor $4,000 for
them. The fact that the Village will
receive the greatest benefit is balanced
by the other fact, that, in addition to
paying full proportion Of the County
tax it will have Village tax fifty
per cent greater. Even those sections
the most remote and deriving the least
direct benefit will have the advantages