Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1891-05-17
The Carlin and Boise lsailroad.

There has been "A great deal OF un-
favorable comment upon the notion Of
the delegates from Eiko county u n
corning the introduction by them OF
the CIrlin and Tuscarora Railnad
bill; aud l desire through the columns
OF Your paper 20 give my reasons for
favoring il; which, l believe arc also
the reasons Of my associates In 1851
| | first BECAME familiar with the coun-
try through which ditfe-en: routes
from the c. z. Il X. TO TuscarCra and
North could be built. Before that
lin. routes frsn Battle Mountain
North aud to IuScarora had been
examined, and for u number OF years
past Efforts have been made to con-
struct a railroad from that place TO
tap Tuscaro-a and connect with the
Oregon Short Line. On all occasions
when 1 have met parties Interested in
such Il line l have e~ndeavored . on
vince them tina, tue road If buili
should be started a: some place in
Elko county. But there are only two
gooi points in this county IL start
from-iallS.k Station and Carlin-
and from CdrIin north is far the
better route OF the two. \ couple
years ago it was confidently expected
that a railroad would b. constructed
from Battle Mountain to Tuscarora ut
once | do not know how others felt
yer the prospect, but, for my part. |
regarded it as Il calamity 10 the
greater part of the county and did
what little / colld 10 discourage the
building trou there. There is agreat
difference OF opinion as u the benefit
of any railroad tapping Tuscarura at
al all: but my opinion all along has
been that II a road is to be built al
all, the ueare- We 4 Sc. the starting
point 10 US the less harm Il Will do. IL
1t cause more harm than good. l
knew nothing however OF the bill We
introduced, aad had not thought Of
such a thing until asked il l would
favor Il bill II encourage the con-
~strUct!oE Of the road from Carlin.
Upon asking in what manner the road
Was 10 bs encouraged / was hold by
RENTING the tax on the road and
property for all but State and Schgo!
purposes, AMI that the bill was drawn
on the same lines as what is known as
the White Pine Railroad Bill Of 1857.
Prior 10 1857 twenty bills granting
the right OF way, or to encourage the
construction OF Railroads had bsrn
passed by different Legislatures; but
very few OF them were ever made uss
of. In that Year three bills were
passed d..fcrln, from any Of the
others 10 rcnit,inS taxes on railroads
that might be built in certain local
tiles. To understand these bills il
must be borne Ia mind that Section >.
Article 5, of oar Constitution pro-
hlbIts the exemption from taxation U!
any corporation property whatever
except Tor charitable, religious or edu-
catioaal purposes. But The trainers
OF the bills hoped that by a remission
OF part OF the tax, capital could be IN
duced to invest in their section; and
tue only way to do this is by some
such roundabout way as has been
adopted in these bills. Tne-first bill
OF 1887 was Tor Il railroad in Lincoln
county; bonds were to be issued
which would remit the tax for seven
years only. The second was The
White Pine Bill" fJr tho Nevada x
Southwestern Railway" to run
through White Pine, Lincoln. Nye
and Esmera!da counties. With binds
to be issued, which were to run for
% years, but which, by the way in
which the bill was drawn, would for
ever remit 20 the road the tax for all
but State and school purposes, unless
the Railroad property became 81 valu-
able that the tax would pay OF both
interest and principal which is not at
all likely. The las, bill was for the
"Nevada. Idaho and Montana" a road
from Wiunemucca north. The pro.
visions OF this bill are practical ly the
Same rs tho White Pine bill; that is
bonds to be issued that would remit
the taxes forever. Upon reading the
bill over, before we introduced II, |
Feared the county might, by some
United States Law, or judgments Of
the Supreme Courts. b, held spon-
slblo for the bonds or the interest
thereon, 50 | personally took the bill
TO Supreme judges Blse!ow and Bel.
KNAPP ~scOarately, and asked them il b.
any means the county could be held
responsible. They both answered
NO" Then | asked what tho bonds
were good for anyway. They said
tncy were good for nothing eycept
for the amount & tax that would be
rcmilied TO The ROAD by them. Having
received tho opinion ot what I deem
the best legal talent in the State on
the subject, the next question vas
whether wc ought To remit the tax
forever. provided We favored the bill
Mt all. We concluded % years vas
10 ~ enough, and Mr.. Arnlcy changed
the bill 10 that effect. Having satis.
tioh ourselves that tho county could
lose nothing by issuing the bonds,
hut that u schools would gain by
the additional taxable property in tko
county, there were only too PROPOSE.
lions left TO consider. First. n n