The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-03-01
ADeadwood Example.

A DeadWOod Example.
A short telegram from Deadwood,
in our dispatches of yesterday, repor-
ted a meeting Of citizens ofthe Black
Hills for the purpose Of petitionipg
Congress for the privilege ofassessilg
all their property to the extent of ten
per cent Gifts valuation as subscrip-
ton toward building a railroad.
There is a real inspiration in this
little dispatch. There is a smacl of
business about it that we relish.
There is a revelation in itof Western
character that tells the whole secret
of Western growth and progress
This little population up there in
the Black Hills are of the kind that
are willing to sacrifice all the COM
forts and conveniences of civilization
for the mighty dollar, but they know
what to do with it when they get it.
They know how to put it where it
will do the most good. They don't
want any government bonds ut 5 and
4 per cent. They don't tie up their
money in old stockings, They have
no moss on their backs or rust on
their small change.
They are men who calculate the
cost OF u railroad enterprise as care.
fully as any other people in any other
locality. They don't build railroads
in the Black Hills for trife. But
while they know the cost, they also
are far.seeing enough to estimate the
returns. Theyare ready torisk their
last dollar in any reasonable project
which gives them odds in favor CT an
increased return. Isolation means
to them as it does to any other people
in this age, years of toll always at a
disadvantage for very meager profits.
A railroad brings with itmore people,
more money, more Of the appliances
of civilization, and an infinite oppor-
tunity to every individual inhabitant
of lettering his condition just in pro-
portion to his capacity to use these
opportunities.
Deadwood is willing to take the risk.
And herein is the whole secret of for.
tune and growth in any community
or private enterprise. "Nothing ven.
ture nothing have" is the law Of
business and money making in all
its ramiications. Risk goes hand in
hand with gain. Risk is the prime
condition Of any measure of profit.
The man Of nerve in business is the
successful man. The community
that will pool their issues and stake
their money and pull together in a
common cause is the growing com.
munity. The individual moss backs
who will conduct a business only on
a margin of safety broader than their
business, and the kickers in q com.
munity who always erect the danger
signal over every public project that
involves expense, are the dead
weights to the worlds progress and
their own prosperity.
1t is true that all public enterprises
involving large OUTLAWS of money, de.
mand and should receive careful con.
sideration and due caution, but when
a community or an individual is bin.
ded by a dime of expense to dollar
OF gain, he has reached the condition
where only retrogression is the rule
and progress impossible.
1t strikes US that there is a lesson
in this Deadwood example that many
localities in West Virginia may pom.
der with profit. The isolation Of
which so many localities Of our State
complain is not so much the result
OF necessity,as Of lack Of nerve. They
are unwilling to take the risk-to
pay the price of relief. Lack Of
money and lack ofpopulation are very
formidable obstacles to building rail
roads, but lack of courage and liber.
ANY IN 4 people are greater ones.
We have in mind several localities
In this State that have all the means
within their reach necessary to SO.
cure ample railroad facilities, but
they wont risk it. They won't pay
the price. They wont spend a dime
al they have a dollar for security.
We ought to have a railroad stretch
ing through the interior counties of
the State and carrying our natural
resources to connection with the
great Pennsylvania system of roads,
and thus distributing them all over
the country, and these counties are
amply able to secure the road, but
they wont. Their population is d.
mlnishing instead Of increasing, and
their natural wealth is languishing
without any return or profit to any:
body, but these people will see it rot
rather than have it taxed into mar
ket; These are plain facts plainly
told, which do not appear TO advan.
tage in contrast with the Deadwood
example :S We have instanced,-R