Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-12-31
PINE BLUFF. ARK. DEC. 3i 1896.
LOCAL RAILROAD
PROSPECCT4SS. TSS.

PROSI,EC1iS.
 Little Rock is manifesting much interest in applying the convict labor of the State to railroad con struetion, which Pine Bluff might we'll sanction and emulate. They referred the legal phrase of the question to committee of eminent iurists, and the following Is their report on three cardinal questions relative to the project:
 l. There is no legal objection 10 the State building, equipping, owning and operating railroad or leasing it to others to operate.
 2. There is no legal objection to the State issuing bonds to be se- cured by mortgage on the railroad bed and property of the railroad alone, to pay for the iron and roll ing stock of the railroad, expressly stipulating that the State assumes no personal liability.
 3. We think it would be legal for the State to employ her surplus con yicts in building a railroad or by leasing them to some railroad com pany.and taking pay for use of such eonvicts. in bonds secured by Q mortgage on the property, or she could hire them for normal con- sideratioh..
 These propositions conceded to be correct, the next question is the policy of the movement.
 We cannot conceive of doubt as to this: Every railroad which en- ters the State, besides bringing inn mediate developments along It's line, adds to3tAe integral wealth and inn provement of the entire State.
 The State has been, and is now, engaged in the share-crop expert ment, and while it is possible ex- pedlent for the use of its convicts, it is subject to the objections natur- ally arising from our crop infirma- ties-such as arise from weather vicissitudes. It would be impossible, so fise .'are her resources, to run a railroad through any part of Ark ansas, which, economically handled, would not furnish remunerative dividends. This being true, the State would be amply secured either In using or for the hired use of this siabor for this purpose. When once constructed, its lease. if owned by therState, or the taxes. f belong ing to company, arising from it., would be valuable to the people.
 When enterprising capitalists see that they can get good labor to handle the simple construction ma chinery and do the work necessary to construct railroad, on time, secured, by, the construction, they will eagerly take hold of it,
 We have fully 800 able bodied men in. ,the penitentiary, and this force, with modern railroad build ing 'machinery, can affect very great mileage of new road each year.
 Of course, if the State should un. dertake, the work, there would be some jealousies and bickerings as to location, but our people are rational, patriotic and conservative, and this trouble would adjust itself If this should be the policy, there are men in Pine Bluff who would not be lacking in ingen ndity to ac. complish something for her.
 If the labor is to be leased to a company then our business men, il they would arouse themselves and organize; at very little outlay oi cash, we can get direct connection with Malvern and Warren within two years. Eaca of ttese lines would go, through as fine timber belts as there is in the South, and uplands of. the finest grade for farm. ing, now dependent upon long dis tance wagon hauls.
 Col. G. W, Sappington, of Little