Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1902-07-26
THAT RAILROAD.


railroad to Tonopah
In our last issue appeared an
article relative to the broadening OF
the gauge of the c. Il c. railroad
from Mound House to Rhodes Marsh,
below Sodaville, and the extension OF
the road into Tonopah. The South
ern Pacific Company, owners of the
c. q c., have agreed to make this
change if bonus of $3.50, 600 is paid
to the company by the mining com
panies of Tonopah when the change
in gauge and the extension is com
pleted. Since the offer was made it
has not been learned that the Tono-
pah people have taken any action in
the matter but it may possibly be
too soon to learn what they think of
the proposition.
However, it is not too soon for the
people of Lyon county, and particu-
larly Mason valley, to think about
what they would be willing to do to
secure the broad gauging of the c.
& c. As before stated, such a
change would be of inestimable value
to this section 1t would put our
great agricultural section in direct
communication with the great mining
section to the south of US, and in
which a ready market at good prices
could be found for years to come for
every pound of agricultural produce
that could be raised here. Not only
this, but the facilities for shipping
beef cattle out OF our valley would be
so greatly enhanced that thousands
of head of cattle would be fed here
during the winter, instead of hun
dreds. This would make further
market for all the hay that could be
raised With this condition would
come home seekers, our large tracts
would be cut up into small farms,
and our fertile valley would be dotted
with pleasant homes and prosperous
families. Furthermore, there would |
be a demand for the settlement of
the water question, an irrigation dis
trict would probably be formed and |
thousands of acres now not under
cultivation would be brought into |
bearing Would it not be worth |
while for Lyon county people to 90
to some trouble and expense to bring
about such results ? In our article |
of last week no intimation was made |
of how assistance could be rendered |
the Southern Pacific Company in car
rying out its proposition, Some may |
have inferred that it would be neces-
sary to bond the county. Such a
measure we should be opposed to,
but there is way in which we could .
show our good will and be of some |
assistance, and that is to remit the
taxes on the companys road and |
holdings in our county for term of
years. This would not be an actual
donation, and would come in way
which would be little felt by our tax
payers. To be sure, the Southern
Pacific Company has not asked Lyon
county to do anything of the kind
but if the Tonopah mining companies
think the bonus asked is too large,
the proposed change in gauge and
extension will not be made. In fact,
there is possibility that the road .
from Eureka might be extended
south to Tonopah and all supplies
taken in and out of that camp by
that route Such an arrangement
would cut this section off the map
entirely as "a base of supplies for
agricultural products, and for all
time
Lyon county has in her treasury
to-day something over SIT 600 of IA
surplus. The C. & C. road is assessed
at about 5000, 900 in round numbers
the taxes raised at the present rate
on this amount are $1,000 in round
in five years the amount
of remittance would be about Sl8, 900,
or trif1e over the amount now in
the treasury, and for which there is
no particular use. IT spent in this
way it would add from a third to
half more taxable property to our
assessment roll, and this alone would
be worth the investment.
If the people of this section really
want broad-gauge road to be made
Of the c. d C. it would seem as
though now was the time to say so
have meeting of taxpayers, confer
with the railroad company and the
Tonopah mining companies, and also
the Esmeralda county people, who
would be greatly benefited by the
acceptance Of the railroad company's
and see if by concerted
action all along the line an induce
ment cannot be made to the railroad
people which wifi be acceptable Now
is the time to do something besides
wish
John W. Mackay died in London
on the goth inst, aged sixty seven