Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-01-27
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.
A BETTER Plan Co Build the Eureka
and Colorado River Railroad.
Ex-,ru. IT, 0s 1905

A BETTER Plan 60 Build the Eureka
and Colorado River Railroad.
EUREKA. Jan. IS, 1881.
EDIroR SENTINEL: After reading sew
eral communications on the railroad ques-
ton / will again come to the front and
answer "Citizen's" query, why don't the
opponents Of the subsidy scheme suggest a
better plan to build the Eureka and Colo
RADIO Railroad ?' This question has al
ready been answered by more than one.
First Of all, the opponents are not the pro-
motors of this road;~ secondly, they are not
prominent citizens, but poor, honest tax
payers; consequently they have neither the
means nor the power to push such a nice
little scheme through our Legislature.
| Now If Citizen would have read my last
| communication thoroughly he would have
seen that l made a suggestion how this
road could be built without the aid Of any
counties. According to some Of the pro-
motors own figures, taking them as cor
| rect, this road il to extend about 400 miles;
| the cost of said road, with rolling stock and
necessary improvements by their own fig
nres. wonld be 50 88n, 900; they claim they
have subscribed already $500, 00o. and will
still get more subscriptions. Now. / ask
them, why don't they do like other great
interpretations; throw their stock on the
California or Eastern markets, start TO
build the road. and if the road will psy as
big as they claim their stock would soon
be at a premium, and they would them
selves derive a handsome profit from the
dividends; or, if they could not sell their
stock. they would easily find capitalists
that wa1I5 a1vapca than monnv nm = oil
interest for a mortgage on their road, and
certainly, with the large profits they
intend to make, the interest and cap
ital of this mortgage could easily
be paid. But mo-: it seems
that these prominent citizens prefer
burdening the counties rather than to take
the risk themselves, or are so benevolent
that they do not care to make all the prof
its themselves, but want the counties to
share with them. Some of the promoters
give figures in order to make this subsidy
very plausible to the public for instance,
Fair Play" in his communication of
Jan. 81. quotes the taxable property this
road would make in White Pine and Lin
coin Counties, but he seems to forget all
about the 500, 400 that is asked from Eu-
reka County, and how much taxable prop
erty it would make in this county, so l
Will HctD TIC 6cbtiCLudns anu use Ills OWL
figures
10 miles roadbed. at 90. 900 per mile 500 COO
Value of rolling stock. .............-... 500
Side. tracks, d-pots and other improve
menfs 1870
10 miles Of telegraph................. $500
.s7s. roo
Taxed at 8 per ceut-revenues derived 2.280
The county will have to pay interest on
bonds issued. $40, 900, besides taxes to the
State for securities on hand, and | ask any
man. Where is the profit for Eureka
county? Why shall this county pay $780, |
900 for a road only worth $40 900? Then.
again, "CitiZen." in the Leader OF the 22d
instant, pretends to make this plausible by
quoting tie small amount of additional
taxes it would make to the smaller tax
payers but he forgets to tell them
whether it will make their wages higher,
or the profits of the smaller dealer any
larger. | will answer for him, and say,
Surely, no. 1t will make the miners,
the mechanics and the laborers'
wages smaller, by a little larger
influx of Eastern labor. But the rich COM
panies will increase their profits by getting
cheaper labor and transportation. Still,
the poor taxpayer will have to pay these
additional taxes. 1t is plainly seen. in
reading the Perley bill. that granting this
s0-called loan is neither just nor honest to
the poor middle class of this community.
II it were SO, the promoters of the same
would not have been afraid to discuss it
through the press before introducing the
bill to the Legislature, without even giving
the people. if passed, a chance to vote ON
the question, but simply to force them to
give 500. 600 against the will Of a MAORI
ty. AS / am writing some Of the promi-
nent citizens are circulating a petition for
furthering this subsidy business, and l
have even heard the argument that the
w~orkingmen necessary to construct the
road would largely benefit our town. Bnt,
who gives even al assurance that white
labor will be e~mployed2 Will they not
try to build the road as cheap as possible
and employ Chinese labor? Taxpayers
should be on the watch. and1 wonid sng-
gest that a mass meeting be held to remon-
strate against the passage of this bill and
the resolutions Of the will of the people he
sent to Carson. so that onr representatives
will know that the people do not want to
give $500. 900 to a few prominent citizens
for the furtherance OF their own schemes.
Poor TAXPAYER.