Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-06-29
ANOTHER NEW ROAD.
A GiltEdsed Drcan or Monopoly BY
Meneyless Men.

carson Appeal
Constable Stern discovered in the CITY
Jail map of the United States and some
railroad connections which were entirely
new to him. On making inquiries it was
dissolved that the map had been drawn
by couple Of trnmps and was the
ground plan of big railroad scheme
Ii which the two were interested.
eve purpose, said one of the tramps,
80 to start a new railroad system begin
ming at Carson and ending in New
York" =,
when will you begin the preliminary
survey?" queried the officer.
"Oh, as soon as We get out. Now let
me outline my plan. We start out with
some pins, chains and compasses and
make survey. We announce through
the press the proposed Carson, Arizona
and Texas Line. Then we incorporate and
let In lot of the solid citizens. We get
the country excited and the people sub
scribe for the bonds they go like hot
griddle cakes. We build few miles OF
road and then we mortgage it for some
more backing. Do You catch the idea 2"
The Constable began to grow inter-
ested and nodded his head.
well, we then apply for govern
ment subsidy, throw few thousand
shares around Congress, get some of the
orators to talk of the country about to be
opened up and the things done. Then
we sell the land at IS an acre, and the
treasury begins to bulge. We push
our road right through to Texas"
You get quite start" said the off,
Ger, !" but who pays off the hands?"
Oh, we don't pay EN- at all. We
couldn't get the road started if we paid
the hands. But these are minor de-
tails. Now our next point is New Or
leans. We want more money, so we
serve writs of eiectment on the fellows
who have improved our lands and sell
'em again at higher figures. We find
flaws in the original bill of sale and it
don't go. This gives us another raise
and then we freeze out the original
stockholders and then we water the stock
like the devil and give everybody q
chance
But the law steps in"
"Oh, d-n the law. The law doesn't
cover railroads railroads are too lively.
When We get our road to New Orleans
out of the taxes we should have paid the
government, Uncle Sam swoops down,
calls for his money and threatens to take
the road. Well, there's nothing small
about us, we say take the old road it's
q busted concern anyhow Then he
don't want 1t so bad, you see, and we
continue business"
"But how do you freeze out the
stockholders"
"Why, we hire Commissioner French
to make a report and bear the stock.
That shakes the holders out and we rake
it in in blocks"
" But this costs money; you need a
good lot"
Cant we make it in k-freights
and sockin' it to the non competitive
points?"
The policeman had no reply.
"Then from New Orleans we go to
New York"
al But have you made enough to build
the New York road. The Eastern people
won't stand the back freight racket"
"Of course not; but they are always
keen to put up for railroads. They are
always ready to build the road and let
the company run it.
How'd you get on to all this p asked
the officer.
" Four years in the same cell with the
President of an Eastern railroad, and he
occupied his idle hours learning me the
business. He's got ten years to serve
yet, and he'll watch my career with a
tutors interest"
"Of course you'll give him fat Office
when he gets out"
"Oh, no; if he got chance to sell
peanuts on the train he'd own con-
trolling interest In the stock in two years.
III give him two hundred dollars and
let him start road of his own just to
keep him quiet"