The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-07-21

)
making it the prominent central county
of the State, increasing the value OF
lands, accutnulating personal property,
stimulating branches of industry now
incousidcrablc or wholly unknown. in-
citing production in many FORMS giving
markc. aud value to many articles
which now have none, starting up en-.
terpriscs not now thought Of. multiply
ing callings, varying their form, CIV
ing employment to tho many and cir
culating money amOng the many, ow.
ing to the variety Of business aud pro-
duction, not Us now circulating for a
short time at long intervals. The bus
iness Of our country at present, valua'
bic as it is, is not sufficiently varied, not
enough diiFusCd into different branches
to give constant and uniform activity,
but comes to our relief only at long in
tcrvals. It has been the experience Of
sections favored with railroads, that
they have q magical influence known
only to those who have enjoyed them,
in increasing growth and tradc, and
adding to the general wealth. Take
for example counties in our own State,
five on tho Northwestern Virginia Rail.
road, Taylor, Harrison, Doddrldgc,
Ritchic and Wood, compared with
scven counties without a railroad, Bar
bour, Randolph, Upshur, Lewis. Brax.
ton, TylOr aud Plcasauts. We give
their Increase in property valuation for
period CT IS yea,s from the coustruc.
,ioa s. that railroad in 1852, to 1870 :
Five railroad Gour.iSsss; .iss increase in re-
atty, SG,4Sy.76G, psrsc~'7 c~'7a!ty'
S4,sas, ,79l-tOtal. S1o,77S,557.-
Seven counties of railroad, increase
in realty, Sl,S47,S92, personally,
Sl.O76, s5S-tOtul, S3,S24. 25O. DIFF.
ference in favor of Railroad counties in
realty, s4,5o2,374, personally,
S2,361, ,933-tOsaa, SG.954,so7. In
these railroad counties the aggregate
valuation Of real aud personal propar ty
in 1852 was S7,51S,SS5; tho mere in
crease up to 1870, in is years, was
Sl0,77S,557. The same ratio on our
present tar basis would in 4 like period
give Lewis county an increase Of
50, 050.000, and make our total valua.
ton sd,75o,OOo.
This increased valuation will de.
crease taxation. In SO fir rs real cs.
tate is concerned increased value will
not infect taxation in Ouc way or the
other, tho sum to DO raised being the
same. For If ten thousand dollars is
to DO raised, it will take ten per cent
upon 800, 900 dollars worth of prop.
erty to do it, but ono per cent upon
$1,000, 900 dollar worth Of property,
will raise the same sum, thus an in.
crease in value Of taxable property will
decrease the percent Of taxation. But
an increase in value Of personal prop
erty will result from an increase Of
property itself, and will increase tho
taxable fund Of tho county aud tend to
decrease tho amount which each tax
payer must pay.
1t is the facility, the certainty and
the regularity of transportation to mar.
ket, with reasonable charges, that
stimulate production and people and
enrich country. Where these arc
wanting population and trade ars wan.
ting.as like the human body they must
be invigOratcd by somo artery to give
them lifo and sustGnance. W. have
good country, and it must grow, and
with it this railroad must grow in i'm.
pOrtancc as carrier for the country and
increase in value as property. We
believe that the county subscription is
merely loan of tho uame Of tho ccun-
ty, and that the road will reimburse
it il properly operated. Tho present
tax basis Of tho county is S2,S0O, 900
its real wealth is double that sum ;
Ju! on this low tax basis, o tax: levy
Of So is on the $l00 would in one
year wipo out the whole 100000.
But We have 20 years in which to pay
it; the county hus the road with the
chance Ofits paying dividends sufficient
to keep down interest and sink the
principal at maturity, aud the county
will own the road. The road without
dividend, would not DO dear to tho
county at q cost Of 100000. Some
years ago, the county voted S125. 900
to tho Northern and Southern West
Virginia road, q foreign corporation,