Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-02-20
Correspondence.
Ledoux, Mimi, Feb. II, 1879.


Ledoux, Minn., Feb. II, 1879. u.
Editor Of the Transcript: .~> ~. 'a;s=r
In your last issue I see that Little
Texas is becoming quite excited about
issuing bonds to aid in the construc>
ton of the Little Falls & Dakota rail-
road. There are some people who
seem unable to bear civilization and
prosperity. The idea Of paying a few
cents in taxes to improve the country
aud give US facilities to earn ten dol
lars where we can now earn but one,
seems hard to get into their brains.
Perhaps we are in error in using the
word brains, for a man blessed with
brains would hardly work enthusiast
ically against his own interests. The
very thought of hauling wood and ties
only one mile to the proposed new
road instead of ten miles, as Little
Texas is now doing, is a sumner.
We want some cheaper and easier way
of conveying our wood aud produce to
distant markets than by hauling with
teams.
At present our -four has to be
shipped to US by rail from distant
places, although there is plenty Of
grain in the country. Give us the
proposed railroad and we will have
mills to do our grinding without send~
ing to Minneapolis, Little Falls will
become city where we can dispose of
our produce at living rates, If the
construction of the road is secured the
improvement Of the water power at
Little Falls will follow. The rapid
groth and improvement of Little Falls
that will necessarily result will enhance
the price of land and bring in money
and men, so if person wishes to leave,
as Little Texas will doubtless want to
if the country improves any, he will
be able to sell his property for cash.
He can then 60 where no improves
ments would be likely to worry him.
1t takes money to make money; and
for every dollar of taxes that We will
have to pay to secure the building Of
the road we will gain twenty, for the
amount of money expended in the
county will be largely increased. AL
though the most of US pay only small
sums of money for taxes each year, we
find it very difficult to pay our taxes,
because there is now but little money
expended in the county, and what lit.
tie there is comes from the railroad we
now have. The new railroad would
bring in large amount of money,
which would be distributed among the
people, and this would be in addition
to all that they are now getting, SO
that they could easily bear large in
crease of taxation. But the tax would
not be increased over one>tenth. Lit
tie Texas would save the hauling o1
perhaps hundred loads of wood and
ties distance Of ten miles by hauling
to the line Of the Little Falls and Da>
kcta road which would run within a
mile of his farm, and his portion of the
increased taxation would probably not
exceed ten cents per annum. Very
likely his theory is thatit pays to hau
the longer distance at the same price
as it would afford man business dur
ing the entire year; whereas, if b,
should haul only one mile, he woule
be out Of work by the middle Of win
ter, and thus suffer great loss O.
time. I am some what curious to know
if Little Texas does not sometime
send his boy to mill on horseback, will
a stone in one end of the sack to bal
ance against the corn in the other end
! A. K. MILLER.