The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1888-10-12
4. q, v. AND o. m.

e
ready to begin operations al once On
the 4. q, w. and G. Rosd-if the
parishes and towns along the line
would decide the question Of tax. The
city Of Lske Charles has already
spoken IN unmlstakable tones on the
subject. Nov let the parish come
to the front and vote the tax and re
verify believe every parish aud town
along the line vii. 90 the same. The
work viii then begin al once and be
pushed to completion.
We hsve c0nyersed with number
Of citizens in the country many Of
whom are outspoken in favor of the
tax, while others oppose ii. We have
on former occasions shown to our
readers that the building of new roads
in a country is Eeducer of taxation.
This has been the experience of every
community voting tax on themselves
for the purpose of building arailroad.
The road itself when completed and
assessed TO say nothing Of the intro
duction Of thousands Of dollars from
persons Influenced to the section BY
the building Of the road will swell the
taxable property to a sum so great
that it will require a less rate of taxa
ton to raise a given amount, thus it
becomes q redncer of taxes.
The idea has gotten into the minds
Of some that the tax will be- so enor-
nous it will work a hardship on the
poor man. This is not SO, where for
merly mans tax amounted to IS he
would with the tax added pay perhaps
81 more.
| In conversation sometime since with
a friend who seemed quite bitterly
opposed to the lax he SAID hls taxes
now were only about $3.50 per year.
He wanted 1t distinctly understood he
was favorable to the road and was
willing to give s25 cash 10 help build
| il, be was only fighting as he said this
enormous tax. When we explained
to him that his tax in ten years would
perhaps not reach she S25 he was as
tOnished and then expressed himself
as alright for the road. We mention
the above case because we believe this
is the best way to present the matter
to the people Il will disabuse their
minds at once of the grouudiess opin-
ion that it will work a hardship
There is another idea extant among
some, and it is this: They think the
country will not be benefited, Int only
the city Of Lake Charles, and perhaps
two or three small towns along the
line of the road. A little careful
thought on this should convince any
one that the farmers are the ones Of
all others who will be most benefited
Il would require an article much long,
er than we have space 10 give 10 tel
of the many advantages that would
be derived By the farmers.
As an argument in favor of building
railroads we point our reader tc
Shreveport now enjoying fine outlet.
to all points of the compas. We cllr
the following from the Shreveport
Times trade edition.
Since the last trade edition, issued
by the Times on Monday, October 4
1887, there has been remarkable de-
yelopment in the railroads cenlering
in Shreveport, and The Shreveport and
Arkansas, a branch of the ST.. Louis
Arkansas and Texas, has been added
to increase the facilities aud growing
demands Of the freight and passenger
traffic.
The influence of railroads on thu
commerce of this city has been grea
and reversed the ancient order of do
ing business through the tedious al,
uncomfortable process of OK wagons
The railroads have been the silen
agent in contributing to the increas
of the population and to the value 0
property by opening new territor
and building new towns. The aeliv
competition sustained between tb
rival lines combine an reducing fh
cost of carriage of freight and mel
chandise to all points, which enable
the merchants and business men G
Shreveport TO compete successful
with New Orleans, Dallas, HOusto
and other important trade centers.
1t further says, in speaking Of PR
iected roads: aBesides the roads no
in full operation and enjoying a rie
harvest 10 the shape of heavy freigl
and passenger traffic, which is steadil
on the increase, other lines have bee
informally discussed and have bee
noticed occasionally through the 60
nmns Of the Times. An extension
the Natehiioches tap to ShreTepo
has been under favorable consider
! ton by men having influence and az
4 pie capital. The road from Lal
X Charles, called tic Gulf, Watkins an
4 Kansas City railway, has also BIZ