The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1878-03-09
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COUNTRY ROADS VS.. RAILROADS

Railroads in the future will only be
built where the absolute needs OF com,
merce demand, and then only as pure
speculations on the part OF their pro,
jec.ors. There is a certain sum To be
paid to transport the productions of a
certain district 20 q market If the sum
u sufficient 10 tempt corporation 10
build, built it will be; or if the outcome
of the tutur4 Is sufficiently promising,
90 far As the development Of the coun>
ny, consequent upon the completion OF
road, that circumstance will aid in
determining its fate Railroads OF
doubtful profit OF specala tive advantage
for the future will rarely be built
Many roads have been projected, simply
to afford the projectors profit upon
construction. They are not intended
TO be sustained by business of legiti-
mate kind after completion They
inevitably pass into the hands of receiy
ers, and after irverish and
chequered career, involving the iuno-
cent and trustiaF bondholder, die out
or pass into the hanIs Of those who
take their own proper turn at bank
ruptcy. Certain districts of COZ ntry
have too many roads, and the evils at
tending the condition are many ana
great. while other districts again have
/ too few Texas, when the war com
meneed. had hardly heard or even de
/ sired to hear the scream Of locomo.
tive. She has now perhaps nearly
| three thousand miles in operation
This Is but a meagre showing when we
consider her vast extent and the won
deriul rapidity with whien she Is set
iling up and developing. Bat taken
with reference to the date Of this new
impetus, it Is most wonderful Our
people for years yet will fad field for
all their superintendent energies in
building railroads. But while doing
this we should be careful not to neglect
other interests Of equal, ands-localig
considered--eyen greater Importance
than railroads
The natural highways of Texa. are
for a considerable part of the year the
finest on the earth, but for the remain
der the very worst During the wet
seasons business is absolutely sus.
pended, to the manifest detriment Of
every enterprise of our people While
we are projecting and building railroads
which are necessary, let us not forget
the other duty and necessity which APP
proaches our very thresholds every
time the "dews of heaven are distilled
upon the earth. A tenth of the money
muscle and mind expended upon rail-
roads would make our dirt roads 3 Il
they should be, and these in their turn
would become excellent feeders for the
railroads, as well as the local means Of
working out satisfactorily the difficult
| problems OF winter transportation.
Men who own property which il
| likely to be enhanced in value by
the construction of railroads always
gladly take stock in them, often lib
orally supplying them with money
and means Cities, counties an d states
also lend money and credit. or make
absolute contributions to these enter-
prises. This is all right and proper,
but to ourjudgment the policy of assist
ing literally in the construction of dirt
roads. the necessary passways of the
country. is equslly important, and should
claim and receive as much at the hands
of property holders and others interes-
ted in the well-beingsand prosperity of
the country
The local experience OF every town in
Texas. last winter, was the same so far
M the roads are concerned. For sev-
ersl consecutive months, the roads OF
the country were impossible, business
WAS at stand st:D, every energy was
paralyzed. property deprecated. and
positive and severe loss was sustained.
We can guard against this by giving
our aid 10 our city and county authori,
ties in the noble efforts they are now
making 10 remedy this crying evil, and
to insure the correction of IT,
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III n