The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1881-02-24

In fact he IL . livery distant relative"
being . cousin Of Mr.. Faulkner's
brothers wife.
RAILROAD.
EDITOR JOURNAL: In your last ID
sue there appeared an article over the
signature Of Railroad" In opp6si-
ton to the proposition to aid the con-
struction Of the Topeka, Salina and
Western Railroad by the issue Of $751;
600 In county bonds
The language Of the article betrays
the author - an opponent Of the en-
terprise In question, but without ques-
tioning his good faith In striving to
subserve the best interests Of the coun-
ty, let us examine the assumed reasons
presented In support Of the position
taken.
The great importance Of the subject
In its bearings upon the agricultural
and commercial interests of Saline
county will justify the concession of
space which you are asked to make for
this article.
There never has been, and probably
never will be In Kansas, an enterprise
Of this character, born from the neces-
stiles Of the people, struggling into
existence against the powerful Opp0si-
ton Of the great corporations which
control the carrying trade Of the State.
which holds out brighter promises Of
success than the project to build the
Topeka, Salina and Western Railroad.
The business men Of Topeka are COM
bined to secure trade footing In Kan
sas, and in the propositions to connect
with the Rock Island & Pacific at Leav-
enwOrth, extend the Missouri Pacific
from Ottawa to Topeka, and build the
Topeka, Salina and Western road,
they recognize . system which places
the business future Of the Capital City
on secure and permanent fOunda-
ton.
The commercial interests Of Topeka,
backed by the farmers of Shawnee
county, are pulling together to secure
this railway system, and all along the
line in Wabaunsee, Morris, Dickinson,
Saline and Lincoln counties, earnest
efforts are being put forth to aid the
construction Of the line west from To-
peka.
Notwithstanding the severity Of the
weather engineer corps have surveyed
and staked out the line, Q practicable
grade has been found, and profiles and
estimates for the work are rapidly ap-
preaching completion.
Surely these are evidences of cour-
age and good faith, which commend
themselves to the judgment of fair
minded men, and ought to weigh more
than the skeptical sneers of those who
are protested opponents Of this or any
other line not endorsed by the railroad
magnates, who at present dictate terms
to our people.
The writer of the article referred to
assumes that because he resides in the
western part Of county the road, IT
built, will not benefit him. This is
indeed . narrow view to take Of the
question, for every citizen ought to be
willing to cOncede that which will
benefit the county at large besides
this, II lower rates are secured on the
shipments Of freight to or from Salina,
o corresponding reduction will be
made by the Kansas Pacific at Brook
vile. Bavaria, New Cambria, Assaria
and Bridgeport, in order to protect the
interests Of that company, and thus all
will be benefited by the construction
of the new road.
Our friend says that while the men
who compose the Topeka, Salina and
Western Railroad company are men Of
good executive ability, It IL not claimed
they have the means to build . rail-
road, and that he has net been able TO
discover at the court house any evil
dence that the enterprise IL backed by
any railroad corporation. This IL all
true, but IL does not justify his assump-
ton that because 1t IL true there IL no
practicable way to build the road.
The money that builds railroads comes
from those who invest In the securities,
and - 1t IL not good business sense for
men to publish their plans to the world
In an enterprise Of this character
it II enough to say that the Topeka,
Salina and Western Railroad Com
pany can command the money and
materials to build their road II the aid
asked from the townships and coun-
ties along the line II granted, and that
they will be prepared to begin the
work just - soon - the frost 10 out Of
the ground.
He states that the road can not be .
through line, because Leavenworth IL
forty miles north Of Salina, ETC., but
he probably was not aware that the
projected route Of the line to LeAven-
worth 10 several miles shorter than the
distance by any line from Salina now
running to that city.
The statement that great stress II
laid upon the value Of the stock to be
issued 10 the county In exchange for
the bonds IL not correct, for the county
receives value for the aid extended,
independent of the stock, but - the
friends Of the company are challenged
to name three counties In the State
that have ever received anything for
their railroad stock, We will mention
Shawnee, franklin, Sedgwick, Har-
vey, Cowley and Miami counties, all
of which have sold county and, town.
ship stock ut prices ranging nom forty /
cents to par, and there are, NO doubt,
many other instances which might be
cited. Another point made In the ar
ticle under consideration h I" that the
law requires the time 70 BE- specified
when the road b to be completed, and
that under the proposition Q contin-
gency might arise whereby the COM
pany would refuse to build the road
for twenty years, and thus prevent the
people from aiding some other enter /
prise" Now let n see. The propo-
sition states that the rod must b.
built within twenty months from the
time the bonds are voted and the sub
scription made. Now, - the people
vote the bonds, and the County Com
sionefs, - the agents Of the people,
make the subscription, and the twenty
months allotted for the completion Of !
the rod through SALINE county starts
to run from the time these thfngs ere
done, Il must Be clear 70 any mind that
the company most either build theif
road within twenty months from the
date Of the subscrfption, OF forfeit all
right to the bonds, Just = the proposi-
tion distinctly stAees; therefore, the
above point b pointleas, and h wholly
unsupported By any possible coostruc-
ton which the Rost accommodating
brain could place upon the terms q |
the propoaltion.
Bat perhaps the great point In this
lAbofed afRument aGainst the Topeka,
6alina and Westefn Railroad 3 the
following: The peppoeitioa statss
that the boads mus b paassd In The
hands of the 6tAte TrGasufo4 % b
held In seefoW, while The law. ays
that boods q this class shall not = J