The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-04-26
The valuation of the state of
Average valuation TO | mile
of railroad in each of the 3

q
The reason for this great disparity is
easy to find. In the former six States
there is one mile of railroad to each 7.70
square miles of area, so that the entire
area is Influenced, as TO its value, by the
ncaruesS of means Of transportation. In
the States Of Virginia, North Carolina and
Tennessee there is but one mile of rail
road to 27.H square miles arca.
The average distdHco from RdircddS IN
NdSSdchHscHs is OHe mile, and IN the SIX for
mcr States il is one and thrcc-f0urthS
mile while in the three latter States il is
over six and One-half miles.
Thus il is seen that the farmer of Nir
ginia, Tennessee and North Carolina has
to incur six ana One-half times rs much
expense in getting his prOduCctothe rail
road of the Massachusetts farmer, and
over three and one-half times as much rs
the farmers of the six States mentioned
above. 1t costs more to move 100 pounds
one mile upon wagons than it does to
move one ton one mile upon railroads.
What fearful disadvantage the farmers
in States deficient in railroad facilities
are aboring under. The average valua-
ton of land in counties in the western
part of Virginia which have railroad la-
| cilities--viz: Montgomery, Pulaski ,Smyth
| Wythe and Washugtou-SI.20 per acre.
/ In the counties of Patrick, Craig, Lee,
| Wise, Carroll, Gleyson and scott where
/ the timber and soil are better and their
mineral wealth far greater, the valuation
! is S2.W per acre.
Virginia is especially fortunate at this
! time that capitalists are seeking to give
I her the means whereby Crnatural riches
may become available. In granting ch lr-
| tors, so long as the Assembly does ntJ ~ tut
those which prohibit other roads from beng
built, it matters littIo what powers are given.
| There is one great principle which regulates
all railrOads-thdi Of competition. II Il railroad
company is foolish cnOugu to take advantage
of liberal privileges given in lts charter 81
as to charge eNorhliaut rates, or OthCrwio'
oppress the people they vii not patl0nI2a it
lithUir is sufficient business for road they
will, if they persist in their unwise course
wake up some fine morning and find another
road alongside of tn" one they did not know
how TO manage. The people like lair play,
and no coruOratiOns or individuals will pros
per long who do MT regard the interests Of
those VIII, patronage them. The Leg stature
should grant all the charters for railroads tha'
are asked for Perhaps the company Witch
seems to be the least likely TO build my h,
the first to put its road in operation. Ii two
or more parties each want a ch lrtrr for a raj
road over substantial ly the same route, grant
one to each; they will provo incentive To each
other, or they may urite-put their brain.
and pui srs tOgethrr-aud push the cuterp. Sc
through WIlch might II ave lautu II tflu ny
either party alone. A far better plan is {,
pass an amendment to the general railroad
law, allowing any five or more persons tt
tOlm themselves into II body corporate and
polite upon fling u copy of their charter ant
by laws with the Sccre ary of state. with au
thority to build railroa IS wherever they may
see fit, Having done this. grant no spccia
, privileges unless in the matter of county city
or township subscriptions upon petition of tn,
! ciiiypus thereof. A general law will saw,
J much time for the Legislature, much lobby I'M
/ by intere stcd parties. remove all temptation
t TO corruply IL lluence members, and grea Il,
{ promote the travel and material interests o
70 The State When each party has n Chartc
they all stand alike, and consolidation of IN