The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-06-15
WAR ON RAILROAD RATES.

! WAX ON hHlIhOAO IA
If ever there was al unjust and
unreasonable warfare waged On this
mundane sphere, it is against freight
! rates on the railroads in the United
! States.
Take any business on earth except
railroads, and not one word is said
about controlling the business by
legislative acts and bringing the
| profits of the concern to a certain
per cent of the gross earnings, no
matter how enormous that profit may
! become.
Let us paint word picture by way
Of explaining our idea Of the situa-
| tion as it now stands: There was
large area of fertile land in Central
Texas that was sufficient in extent to
furnish comfortable homes for thous
ands Of Industrious farmers, but there
were no railroads within hundreds of
| miles. A few hardy sons Of toll
went into this section and with axe
and plow established farms. They
hauled all of their farm products to
Houston in OK wagons and brought
their provisions and clothing On tie
return trip. It took from two to
four weeks to make the trip, yet, the
people continued to 60 to this rich
section to secure their homes. A
hundred and sixty acres was given
each family by the state, if they
would settle on it as homestead,
and as much more as they wanted
could be purchased at fifty cents per
acre.
A railroad was put into this section
and small towns began to spring up
as it by magic along It's line. Town
lots began to bring good prices and
state lands went up to s1.50 per acre
while other lands ranged from $500
to $500 per acre. Finally the road
penetrated the rich black lands OF
the state and they we're settled upon
and fine farms were built where the
buffalo and deer had been wont to
roam at pleasure. Soon a town was
laid out, lots sold from 10 to Is dol.
lars, owing to location near the
depot. The years went On and the
town grew as the farms increased
property began to increase in value,
cotton could be hauled to Houston
in day and the provisions returned
the next Cay and there was content.
ment in the land.
Another railroad was put through
this section and crossed the first one
at the town we have mentioned.
The lots that had sold for 10 to so
dollars now brought from 100 to 500
dollars. Lands went up to IS and 80
dollars per acre in the country near
this town. Another railroad came
to this town, houses were built on
vacant lots for rental purposes to
furnish homes for the army Of rail-
road men, clerks, carpenters, brick
masons, ETC., that began to swarm
to this city and these little cottages
brought from ten to twenty dollars
per month on an investment Of from
300 to $50 dollars.
Another railroad came and prop
erty went up at a rapid rate, lots
that sold for 100 to 500 dollars, add
ed another cipher and rents went
up consequently. Another road
came and the town began to put on
city airs. One lot on principal
street was sold at public auction, in
the settling up Of an estate, and
brought s5o,ooo spot cash. Stores
rented from 60 to 300 dollars per
month, dwellings rented as high as
Is dollars per month, according to
style and location, farm lands sold
as high as 100 dollars per acre within
a radius Of five miles, and three
weeks ago $40 acres, that is twelve
miles from the crossing Of the first
railroad, sold for $3.50 per acre,
bringing the tidy sum Of s800,000
for body Of land that was bought
before the railroads came for a pair
Of mules, the man who had received
it from the state, taking the pair Of
mules and going back to Arkansas.
All this time not one word was said
about the earnings OF the railroads,
but there came time when men in
their greed began to look with longing
eyes at the reputed earnings Of the
railroads, and howl went up.
Saloon men who bought whisky at
two dollars per gallon and sold it for
six, undertakers who bought burial
outfits at nine dollars, sold them for
thirty.fve, eggs that were bought
from the farmers at S cents per doz.,
sold for Is cents, clothing merchants
sold FIVE dollar suits for fifteen,
furniture men sold ten dollar bed
room suits for twenty, and II on the
installment plan, fer forty, hard
ware merchants that made from so