The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-03-05
noIlnraY a0Ans VS.. aAILROAps.


COUNTRY ROADS VS., RAILROADS,
Railroads la tho future will only be
built where the absolute needs Of COM
moroe demand, and then only as pure
spooulatlons on the part OF their pro-
leo,ora, There Is certain sum TO DO
paid 10 transport the productions OF
certain district 10 market, II the sum
Is sufficient TO tempt q corporation 70
build, built II will be- or II the outcome
oilhe futurJ Is sufficiently promising
80 lar ~ the development OF the oonnS
uy, consequent upon the completion OF
a road, that circumstance will aid IN
determining iIs fate Railroads OF
doubtful profit or speeula two advantage
for tho future will rarely be built
Many roads have been projected, simply
TO afford tho projectors u prolll upon
construction, They arc not Intended
10 be sustained by business OF q leRlt'
mate kind after completion Ihey
inevitably pass into tho hands OF reoelV
ers, and after ioverlSh ana
ohequered career, involving the innoN
cent and trusting bondholdor die out
or pass into the hands OF those who
take their own proper turn al BANK
ruptcy Certain districts Of country
have too many roads, and the evils VI"
tending the condition are many and
mcat, while other districts again nave
too few Texas, when the war CONS
menced, had hardly heard or even do
sired 10 hear the scream OF u locomo'
tive. She has now perhaps nearly
three thousand miles in operation
This Ia but meagrc showing when we
consider her vast extent and the won
derful rapidity with which abe IL sets
Ting up and developing, But taken
with reference TO the date Of this new
impetus, II ia most wonderful, Our
people for years yet will find field for
all their superabundant energies IN
building railroads. But while doing
this wa should be careful not TO neglect
other interests of equal, and--locally
considered--even greater Importance
than railroads,
The natural highways Of Texas are
for considerable part Of the year the
finest on the earth, but for the remain
der the very worst During the wet
seasons business IL absolutely sus.
pended, 10 the manifest detliment Of
every enterprise of our people. While
we are projecting aud building railroads
which are necessary, lot ps not forget
the other duty and necessity which app
proachos our very thresholds every
time tho "dews Of heaven nre distilled
upon the earth" A tenth Of the money,
muscle and mind expended upon rail-
roads would make our dirt roads all
they should be, and these in their turn
would become excellent feeders for the
railroads, IA well aa the local means Of
working out satisfactorily tho difficult
problems OF winter transportation.
Men who own property which Is
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 and states
also lend money and credit, or make
absolute contributions to these enter,
prises. This is all right and proper,
but to our judgment the policy Of assists
ing literally in the construction of dirt
roads, the necessary passways of the
country, is equally important, and should
claim and receive IA much at the hands
of property holders and others interes,
ted in the wel.beingland prosperity OF
the country,
The local experience OF every town in
Texas last winter, was the Same 30 far
Us the roads are concerned. For sew
eral consecutive months, the roads Of
the country were impossible, business
was at n stand st;ll, every energy was
paralyzed, property deprecated, and
positive and severe loss was sustained
We can guard against this by Givin.
our aid to our city and county authori'
ties in the noble efforts they are now
making to remedy this crying evil, anc
to insure the correction of it.