The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-12-06
RAILROAD TALK.
DIFFICULTIES AND HOW TO
REMOVE THEM.
Clear and Comprehensive state
ment From Captain T. w. Pat
tOn-Taxes Will Not be Raised,
but Rather Lowered.


Editor Citizen Very much has been
said and written about county sub
scription to additional railways, and 1t
occurs t. me that on a SUBJECT OF so
great Importance every man should both
form and express an op1nlon,' which,
contrary to the course OF our courts,
nav enable him to be better qualified to
act on the great jury ofelectors to whom
the question must finally be submitted.
Although modesty is my most seri-
ousv besetting sin, will struggle to
,vercome it, so far as to present my
views in few words as possible, and beg
nv friends, whether they agree with my
conclusions or not, to follow my example
ind let their minds be known.
There are two serious obstacles in the
way of securing a county subscription
It this time, vet neither of them OF a
,haracter so serious, that we cannot
.asiv remove them if we go to work in
telligently.
First, so fa1 as have heard, it has
never been suggested in any of the dis
ussions of this matter, to whom the
proposed appropriations should be made
We hear the argument forcibly presented,
chat capitalists will not consider the
suggestion, until tn county subscription
IS actually made, and yet we well know
that vote could not be taken, with any
legal effect, until the electors are ad-
| yised to whom they are voting TO SUD
scribe the county's bonds; so we seem TO
| )e acting like the man who attempted
o lift himself off of the ground by tug
ring at his boot straps, feat winch no
me yet has been able to accomplish.
| Moreover it is entirely unreasonable to
propose to our hardheaded, and com
nonsense people to vote subscription
nless they are first assured that 1t is to
ne made to, and managed by men in
whom they have the most implicit cont-
lence, and these men must be named be-
ore the popular vote is attempted, 9th
rwise the trial will fall fiat, and the et-
tect of a failure wi be disastrous i'll its
influence upon any future effort IN the
same direction.
Second, There seems to be most un-
fortunate rivalry existing between GER
| tain of our citizens, who naturally cOVet
he honor of being in the van OF this
most valuable enterprise. All of this
must surely be removed, before the ques-
|
otherwise we may look forward with
absolute certainty to defeat as lgnobe
IS our scheme is broad and full of advan'
,ages to every section OF the county
However apparent these advantages
may be to you and me, we well kno"
hat Others are Just as sincere as we are
viii take contrary view, and their po
sition will only be strengthened by dlv1s
IONS among ourselves. We will be un
lble to persuade our opponents that W.
have no personal axe to grind II they SCI
us squabbling to secure the management
to ourselves, even though to do SO re
auires us to speak unkindly of ou
brother
These two obstacles must be removed
Dr we may rest assured that the voter
Of Bnncombe county will emphaticall.
say mo app opriation, so it is surel!!
the part OF wisdom to set to work at TIN
Ill important task, and this is my sug
Iestion bv which think both obstacle
I can be removed at one and the sam
i time,
Let us organize forthwith a compan
, of our own citizens, selecting men /
u whom the people generally have lmplcl
. faith both as to intelligence, and bus
p ness tact, and above ALL integrity. LIE
+ Captain Atkinson and Captain Cock
ach unite with this company, to each /
y assigned a position equally responsible
$ and honorable, as they both so we'll d'
V serve Tor the great labor each has pr
:, forth in the cause. The unselhshncss {
a these two gentlemen has been an exam
Il ole we all should follow, and deserve
It Iull recognition and thanks.
To this company should be assigne
, the charters, now existing, and know
u as the Atlanta, Asheville and Baltimo,
n railroad, and the French Broad vale.
It and Asheville and Bristol railroads, II
ps lines of W hich are Identical so tar as tn
NJ county extends.
!" ~ Then let the proposed consolidate
III company secure another charter to bul
Ce a railroad from Rutherford county, nei
H. Fair View, to Madison or Haywot
-, county at the head of Sandy Mush. TIL
:" being done the company is i'll posit1t
IN to go before the people, and ask tor
OF appropriation OF county bonds to secu
all the construction OF these two lines, tn
=, will diagonalize the county, connectl
u" its four extreme corners. centerlng at [
tie county seat, and atfordlng railway TAG
S. ities to every one OF its townships.
,f2 If the proposition is submitted III q
. or some other way equally business III
10 believe it will receive almost una
wv nous vote of the people i'll its favor.
nd The next question is, "how much sh
we ask the people to subscribe ~
would suggest as the maximum, &c
hundred Thousand dollars, of which c
II I,., IN
he railroad is in actual operation from
northeast to the southwest corners.
repeat this should be the maximum
YER ure, and il this home company can
nd complish the objects for any less,
balance should go back into the coul
treasury and it is my belief that posi-
ELL one half might be thus saved
OF But let us suppose that the whole
expended. Even then contend that
is a most wise thing for us to do,
tor will pav magnificent dividends III eV
is direction. No one questions that
effect of these additional railroads vii
to greatly enhance the comfort, and c
wn yenience of all our people, and the va
:, is of every species of property. lhls
been eXemp plihed by the results OF
railroads we always have. Even b
, is man can see it, and no one is so too
to as to doubt it; but the burden OF ta
+o lifts up it's terrible head, and we
frightened at the idea OF burdens
heavy to be borne
ark You will perhaps say that | have
Mr.. my mind, when | contend that the e
tho OF this appropriation will be to le
Wv our burdens-especially those otthe C
she- try townships; yet such is my firm
nest sincere belief, and | derive it from
following calculation.
ais suppose tnat lne Hitiue :it; VI a,J t +he