Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-27
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.

4 lHc eACcbslNC rhllTOhu lain VI tho
past few days is sufficient apology
for an article on that subject. The
situation is most serious, projects
are numerous, and the chances to
make mistake are increasing.
The o. V. has been unfortunately
circumstanced. II has failed to put
its line in here because il could not
borrow the adequate amount of mon
ey. 1t may come yet, however, but
let us presume for the sake of argu-
ment that il is dead. Under this
presumption look what happens.
Suddenly it is currently surmised
that all the other enterprises are pure
wind, and a project is born to give
the l.. & N. $4,000 to build us road
to the /. A. & T. This is the situa-
ton pure and simple, and the imme-
diate question is "shall we subsidize
the L. & M"
Those who answer eyes" are in
fuenced by these considerations: We
would thus be put on an equal with
Clarksville for the patronage of South
Christian we would even have the
advantage, for the l.. & N. would pre-
fer to channel freight into this mar
ket that it might get higher rate to
haul it out, this being non-compet-
tive ,roint. A competitive road
would injure us for that would cause
the l.. Il N. to center the trade of this
section in GAINESVILLE where it would
not be annoyed by the opposing line.
Therefore let us pay the l.. " N.
$4,000 TO build the l. A. ~ I. con-
nection.
Those who answer "no" hold these
views: The great object of another
road is to get competitive freight
rates and we can not get this without
a competitor To build branch to
the l. A. & Z. would only give us
a fighting chance in very small ter
rltory. There would be no induce
ment for the L. & N. to center trade
in Clarksville if the same line that
comes here should go TO that place
besides the very efforts the L. & N.
make TO keep out another road dem
onstrate the high value oft. Again,
if the L. & N. should build this
branch, our means of aiding any
other company would be gone, the
l.. & N. would occupy all the terri
DRY, aud not the vestige of chance
would remain TO ever secure COM
1etitive road.
The above are the arguments from
10Th sides, and they are worth con-
idering. 1t will be remembered
hat the L. & N. has twice come to us
With propositions TO build us this
ranch free of charge. Nobody OBJ
ected, in fact everybody wanted it
lone, but the project died both times
strange that so astute an observer as
he l. & N. has not discovered how
enormously she would be benefited
by running the freights of the coun-
ty into this market yet it is said she
has refused to and herself in this way
because we voted $4,000. to another
road and compelled her to pay a bo-
nus for the l. A. & Ia little squirt
of sentimentality railroads are rarely
guilty Of, For our part, we cannot
conceive what the l.. & N. wants with
a branch from here to Bryants,
and we do not believe she will build
it unless we give her enough abso-
lutely TO pay the cost of construction.
According to Mai. Robinette's survey
(lSS5) it will cost $32, 672 80 TO build
the road from here to Bryants ready
for the iron, and $24,505 20 will COM
plete it to Cadiz. Another thing, it
is hardly probable that Hopkinsville
will ever vote this subsidy, and about
the only way to get a connection
with Bryants is either for the L. Il
N. TO build it free, or to get up pri-
vate subscription.
We desire to say that we are not
opposed to the l.. & N. scheme, we
merely think it the least desirable
thing TO do, and, if all orr other ven
lures fail, then let's assist her in the
enterprise. In the meantime, don't
let's get in so big hurry that we will
marry the wrong Girl.