Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-06-22
$4,000 Tax for a Railroad.

M II, EDIIOh'
wish to modify what am going
10 say in the way of the statement of
facts by saying If anything that shall
be stated as a fact should not be true
it will be because the writer has
been misinfOrmed. No false state
ment will be made with intent, noih-
ing set down in malice. We have
voted tax on Hopkinsville for the
purpose of securing railroad compe-
tition. The direct tax is to be paid
by the city proper, but the surround
ing country will indirectly have to
pay large proportion of 1t, for the
trade of the surrounding country
must make the city able to pay Its
taxes Of every description. Hence
one living contiguous to the city has
material interest in the disposition of
the present tax, though he is not al
lowed to vote on the question or conn
PEELED to pay a direct tax.
We are told the money paid Oh
freights at Hopkinsville amounts to
three hundred and sixty thousand
dollars annually, and it is safe to say
it amounts to one hundred thousand
dollars over and above reasonable
rate. How much would one hundred
thousand dollars over and above our
present income annually, build up
the interest of the city2
Take the figures on heavy wheat
crop in our country, which could be
shipped at fifteen cts. less per bushel.
We have a clear profit of forty-five
thousand dollars besides what is
shipped after being manufactured
into flour.
To illustrate again, take the bust
ness of Forbes Il Bro. How much
would forty-fve thousand dollars in
tho hands of farmers stimulate their
trader Give them cheap coal and
cheap rates on lumber, how much
1t would increase his lumber and
building trade. 1t would cheaper
building material and largely in
crease custom. You may apply 1t to
other business Of the city and it pro-
duces the same result, so much so
that the debt of seventy-five thous-
and dollars would scarcely be felt
to the city.
But suppose we fail to get this COM
petition, we will have the seventy
five thousand dollars to pay and we
will be like the man mentioned in
the gospel, ."The last state of that
man was worse than the first" Shall
we be benefited by past experience
or shall we make the mistake OF
others? This seems TO be our very
last chance 10 get competing freight
rates. Miss this and we are undone.
There is no other prospect in the fu-
ture, we are in the hands and at the
mercy of a powerful railroad corpo.
ration, the tactics of which is TO de.
stroy competition in any country
that is worth SHINING.
About eighteen years ago rail
road was projected from Russellville
TO Owensboro, the purpose of which
was to have road to compete will
the L. & N. railroad. Logan county
voted tax OH itself to the amoun
of five hundred thousand dollars
From some cause the road was only
partly built ;the next we hear ii turnI
up in the hands of the l.. & n. rail
road and they held it in that unfn
ished condition until the State Legis
lature compelled them 10 finish il
Logan county has tremendous tal
on her and is still completely at tn
mercy of the L. & N. road and som,
of us by experience know what tina
means,
To get railroad competition Clarks
willie projected railroad from tia
place TO Princeton to tap the G. & U
, railroad, but by some management
! before the road is half completed wv
arc credibly informed) the L. & n
/ road has enough stock to completed
} control It and to make its victor
: more complete 1t has purchased tn
b line Of boats that heretofore CAV
!. Clarksville competing rates and viz
tually controls the traffic of Cumbel
land river.
q Shall we make a like mistake, lol
n our seventy-fve thousand dollars an
n in few years find ourselves in Il
q same fix as Russellville and Loga
g county, and in worse condition tha
Ia our sister city GAINESVILLE, fC
q she may yet get partial reli
/ by way of the Cumberland riv'
IA for portion of each year. To n
mind there is but one sure way fl
us to get railroad competition, on
one probable, only one plausible WI
n and that is as plain as the nose on
o mans face. That way is to assist Il
g c. g. o. road 10 build a railroad fro
u Hopkinsville 10 connect with the
!. s. o. road, and for said road 10 equ
!. and run it in connection with the
re system of roads. We might get SOL
70 independent company to assist us
y building said road, on perhaps seer
4 ing better terms but road thir
8 miles long from Hopkinsville to Da'
ID son cannot compete with such sy
"a tenn as the G. Sc o. or L. & N. roS