The Cairo bulletin., 1906-12-11
OF CAIRO & THEBES
RAILROAD SAYS PEOPLE ARE
UNGRATEFUL.
ATTEMPTS AT HOLD UP
Says Mr.. Smith-courts May Be
Appealed TO For Adjust.
ment OF Values.
Cairo. Ill.,, December 10th, 1906.


payers of Cairo ever realized how I'M
grateful some people are? We have
people IN Alexander county who were
never known TO give their support
much less lend financial aid To enter
prlses that would surely better their
condition But on the contrary these
to allow others to put their shoulders
to the wheel. contribute their money
land energy toward increasing land
values, good roads, etc.
There Is a portion of Alexander
county which, nos more than five
years ago, was considered as being in
| the bacswoods and fifty years behind
time in the way of civilization | re-
| fer particularly TO that section be-
tween Beech Ridge and Santa Fee
where the Mississippi river was fast
cutting away its banks with good pros
poets of following its old course and
washing away a large section of our
county which it had once placed there
The local organizations of Cairo set
To work spent time and money. and
interested the U. s. Government in
protecting these banks. We were
then colled upon by these people TO
assist them In making their farms ac-
cessible TO the county seat. as they
lived In a section that was almost i'm
possible to reach six months OUT of
the year, on account of impossible
to see wa CONS and buggies strung
along the road In mud up to the bed.
They wanted good roads; our enter
prisn g citizens came to their rescue
and through our local organizations
secured the passage by the legislature
Of what was known as THE High
water Hard Roads Bill They were
successful In having bill passed
whereby 100000 could have been
been raised for their purpose and
good roads provided TO all parts Of
Alexander comfy. but unfortunately
the matter was contested and de-
clared unconstitutional. Not discour-
aged by the defeat they set to work
and agreed to stand by the county
commissioners If they followed up the
work and ordered a section of road
built each year out of the county
funds. which has been done and to
her credit, all for the benefit of that
section of the county that was fifty
years behind the timec. MOI more
lhan five or six years ago land
owner could not come To Cairo and
secure a loan of more than $40 TO SIS
IN acre for the best improved farms
IN hat section and almost any farm
could be bought at that price; no.
more than five or six years ago a per
son taken suddenly Ill would be dead
and BURIED before a doctor could
reach them, yet through the efforts
Of Cairo organizations. the greater
part OF the cost being borne by Cairo,
through taxation. this section has at
least advanced twenty-five years
There is a movement on foot now
Tor a telephone line between Cairo
md Thebes which will further ad-
vance their interests. Cairo's enter
prising citizens have been called up
IN and contributed literally toward
H. The greatest undertaking put
forth by one local organization to re-
ieem these people aud that section |
ntirely put them TO a market get !
hem out Of the rut and place them |
70 to date along with other civilized |
'ec ions and increase their land val |
To-. is the Cairo & Thebes railroad, |
nut strange 10 say after all has beer |
lone by the efforts OF Our local organ !
Estions to help these people aud in !
crease their values. they appear I'M |
and are retardng it's prog /
ress. Every effort has been made by |
The Cairo e. Thebes Railroad COM |
pany 20 effect a settlement for right |
( way with these people. al prices
greatly in excess Of the real value, /
and at many times the assessed value
or taxat on. Some of The land own
srs claim they win be damaged by 1
he construction Of the G e. T. rail.
road, and they should be paid heavy
damages, but when the officers Of the
road ask II they would be willing to
allow them 10 per cent on the in
creased value of their farms by The
OF the C. & T. railroad
hey decline the propo ition. and
when an offer is tthen made TO buy
their farm al a IA r price they say
be farm is not for sale Do these
people deserve any further aid ef
'orts or energy spent On them by our I
local organizations 10 better their DIN
litiou ard increase their value. or
should they be made to work for
themselves and hy themselves Ia i'm
prove their own sec ion without our
They al o should bc
permitted to continue taking four
horse team from tue field in order
% haul four or FIVE bushels Of corn
or other products TO market.
ealizing a dollar OF two thereon.
gh Oh is all brought abost by inability
o haul a fair load over miserable |
Dads. II is about time for these PEG
Ne TO wake up to the situation. or
.lse il is time for our local Orgsniza-
ions "a diecunffnuo their afforfS and