The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-08-29
The Right of Way Question.

We tried to get some railroad news
| from a member of our Consolidated
Land Co., the other day, but of course
| failed almost totally. However we
got one item, and although it was one
| of complaint, it was to some extent at
least valid and worthy of mention here.
| The Land company as we all know,
have shouldered almost ii not entirely
the burden of securing the Red Wing
and the Winnipeg roads to Superior.
The first work to be done is on the
first named road and is to build six
miles of road from AlloueZ bay to con-
meet with the Minnesota Eastern.
The company has been trying to get
the right of way along this six mile
route, and the complaint lies in the
fact that not a single property owner
outside of Mr. James Bardon and the
Consolidated Land Company has given
or Will give foot of the right of way.
Now there is no statuary law in the
world which will COMPEL a man to
give away his property, but there is an
unwritten law which frequently hobs
up and at least strongly recommends such
course.
The desire to build up the city we
live in; to develop our resources: to adj
vance the commerce Of our individual
locality, often prompts the giving not
only lands which may haye an intrinsc
or imaginary value, but our hard earned
already acquired and "salted down"
gold. These requests are also some
times given from a purely selfish, mon
ey-making standpoint through the the
DRY that by giving, what we retain ac-
quires greater value and we gather
in more revenue from what is left, with
the improvements, than we possibly
could have done by keeping all and
barring out the improvements. All of
this and more Of this unwritten law
applies right here, i'll this paticular
case.
There is not an owner along this
afford from financial stanpoint, to
say nothing of the higher motives, to
give this right of way. We might per
haps exempt in this broad statement
the actual settler who has nothing in
the world but his land, and to all such
the company would not object paying
a reasonable compensation. But for
the rich men who own most of this
land, there is no excuse, under all
our peculiar and existing clrcumstan-
ces. for their refusing to give the
right of way nor yet for asking fancy
prices for the land required.
Our Land company has endured 4
good deal of fault finding, and we
think to very considerable extent
Justly, still we NAV be mistaken in
this, and if we are, we are like the fe'.
low who kissed the wrong girl, we are
matter of railroads we have before
and do now give the company credit of
doing mu CHI, of giving much, and in
short, for securing these roads, and
we think the people, all of them, should
do all they can Ito To assist in the good
work AS we have said, every foot' of
that right of way should be given and
heartily in aid of the enterprises which
are destined to build up our city and
which will double the value of the
property along the Inc.
One Land Company, one set of town
site projectors, one individual cannot
build city, but where all unite and
work together for the common good OF
al then do we see cities built and
prosperity become universal Let lis
all do what we can for the common
good OF all.