Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-17
From Hon. N. Richardson.
-, Little Falls, July IA, 1879.

Editor Of the Little Falls Transcript
believe it is about time to rouse the peo-
pie up again on the subject of the Little Falls
& Dakota railroad. think have pledged
myself to demonstrate the fact that they will
make money out of the railroad project, if it
is carried out as proposed. In the first place
I wish to remark that if a man desires to
know the depth ofignorance to which q pow
erty stricken people will sink in few years,
he should start project like that of building
the proposed railroad from Little Falls to Da-
kota. In the place of nine-tenths taking in
the situation at a glance, and seeing the
great benefit it would be to the country, and
going in for it, large proportion became
fearfully alarmed at the idea of issuing bonds
to assist III its construction, and advance the
most ridiculous and nonsensical ideas imagin-
able, and forthwith some of them set up a
terrific howl and outcry, claiming that they
are about to become the victims of highway
robbers, or something worse. Some even be-
come monomaniacs, and are soon beyond all
hope of recovery. To try to argue the case
with them is something like casting pearls
before swine. Now the first and most COM
mon outcry. is that the burden OF taxes will be
too grevious to be borne; and many who
favor the proposition are laboring under the
that it will increase their taxes
but that they can we'll afford to
pay the additional taxes for the benefits they
are expecting to derive. So, for the benefit
of such, propose to demonstrate that as re-
CARDS taxation it will likely afford relief in
stead of being an additional burden. On
looking up the records in our County Audi
tors office, I find that in 1853 our assessed
was $470,834, and the amount
levied for county purposes was ten mills on
tho dollar. Ten years later, in 1878. the as
sessed valuation was $S45,099, and eight
mills were levied for county purposes, From
these figures important facts may be deduct
ed. First, that Morrison county has been ten
years in doubling the assessed valuation of her
property, and that we can get along with two
mills less tax now than ten years ago for
county purposes. Taking these facts as
basis, and making a comparison with the
county of Hennepin, for instance, we can
easily see the difference in the progress that
has been made in that county and this. Her
assessed valuation in 1878 was twenty-six
million. am sure it was not over one mill
I, non twenty-six years ago. Now this shows
that Hennepin county has added on an aver
age about one million year to her valuation,
being more in each year than Morrison coun-
ty in now worth. When we consider these
facts, and the further fact that Morrison county
is equally favored by nature with chat county,
possessing as good water power andsas good
lands, we are naturally led to inquire why
there is such great difference in its growth
and prosperity. The only reliable answer is
that Minneapolis and Hennepin county were
settled with an enterprising class Of people
who have improved their advantages, gave
aid to all public enterprises, especially to rail-
roads, and have now become great railroad
centre. Their wealth and greatness did not
como to them without an effort on their part;
they worked hard for their wealth, having to
contend against the opposition of the capitol
city of the State, St. Paul. which they claim
has tried hard to keep them down. If we
aspire to wealth and greatness we must
adopt similar policy. Nothing but our stu
pidity can longer keep us down, as q grand
opportunity is now presented to us, by which
we can greatly better our condition. Now as
to the tax, If on doubling our valuation We
have been enabled to get along by levying
two mills less for county purt oses, we can cut
down proportionately as our valuation in
creases. On valuation of one million it
would be necessary to add only about three
mills on the dollar to pay the interest on the
railroad bonds; and as the valuation increas-
es, the amount would diminish. When the
valuation reached two million, double the
present amount, II mills would raise the
amount. By following the matter up a little
you can see that the amount to be levied to
pay the interest on the bonds sinks into in
significance as the county increases in wealth;
and at the same time less mills will have to
be levied to pay county expenses, just how
that the cutting down for county purposes
would soon greatly exceed the amount re-
quired to pay the interest on the railroad
bonds AS to the probabilities of an increase
in property if this road is built, will be mod
est and only claim that Morrison county
would add a half million to her property
yearly, in the place of one million as Henne-
pin county has done. We have, then; our
assessed valuation doubled in two years, 9TH
erWise we must expect to drag along, as we
have done, about ten years before our valua-
tion reaches two million, and in the mean
time be taxed heavily to bear not only the Or
dinary county expenses, but to keep our few
roads and bridges in such a condition that it
will bc possible to get over them. I noticed a
communication in your paper not long since
from q good, law abiding citizen who lives in
the town of Buckman, Mr.. Johnson. He had
discovered a gap in a previous communication
OF Mr.. Clyde, of Swan River, who was point
ing out the necessity for bridge across the
Mississippi river, by which the people on the
west side could more readily get across for
doctors and other conveniences that are locat-
ed on the east side, including the railroad.
Mr.. Clyde forgot to remark that it would be
best for them to go in for the Little Falls &
Dakota railroad, as that would give the west
side people railroad, and would make them
to great extent Independent. Mr.. johnson
made the remark in his letter that the people
in Buckman would not vote for any bonds to
aid any public enterprise, because the county
was too poor to afford it at present, or words
to that effect. The question then presents it.
self as to when we shall get better off by pur-
suing the niggardly policy proposed. The
reason why we want the railroad built into
the county is that we are poor and needy, and
are sure to remain SO unless we can by some
means manage to bring in capital and immi-
grafton to help us out. The town of Buck
man is not in the centre of the county, and
while it is one of our best towns, it is not
wholly independent, as the people Of that town
frequently apply to the county for money to
use on their roads and their wants could not
be fully supplied, owing to scarcity of funds
in the treasury. Yet I believe they have
never been sent away empty handed and I
will venture the assertion which I firmly be
ieve, that the town of >Buckman will receive
more money from the county, in addition to
"A"o ~ "oAAu 6os II tAO PAOPoooO AdAA1> hO 40
not built, to expend on roads and bridges,
than the tax it would have to pay on the rail-
road bonds would amount to. Minneapolis
now pays over three-fourths of the taxes of
Hennepin county; and if this railroad is built,
within less than ten years Little Falls, no
doubt, would pay half the taxes of Morrison.
l think Little Falls now pays only about one
sixth. Would not that change greatly relieve
the farmers of Morrison county And not
only this, but the road would be the means of
making the farming population double what
it would otherwise be, and Of making them
ten times as wealthy as they would be if they
remain in their present condition, with no
more facilities for making money. As to
roads, nearly all the towns are in as bad con-
dition as Buckman, and some much worse.
Much of our best lands are to-day unsettled,
on account of the want Of money to build
roads through them and many are now living
where it is impossible to haul any thing in or
out to their places, except in very dry time
or when the ground is frozen. Roads and
bridges must be built, or the county cannot
thrive and be prospectus. As soon as it be-
comes q fixed fact that the Little Falls &
Dakota railroad is to be built, the march for
ward to wealth and opulence will begin for
Morrison county. The idea that the buildin g
of this road will operate in any sense as an
extra burden of taxation is delusion, wheth-
er entertained by its friends or foes, and its
foes claim to be such only through fear Of ex-
cessive taxation. When this bubble is burst
.