West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1906-03-15


lets TO deep water and the sea at
Norfolk and Newport news.
We state it as proposition sus.
cepuble of abundant proof that the
railway high ways, not less than the
turnpikes and other public roads,
should be owned and controlled ty
the State or subject to its jurIsdlc-
ton and control. In such condi.
ton the determination of the rates
of transportation are wholly under
the control of the owners and ship.
pers of freights through their re
presentatives in the Legislature, and
a tariff Of freighis in consonance
with their geographical location is
absolutely secured. OF course other
roads than those owned by the State
must regulate their charges by those
fixed by legislation for their com
petitors-the State roads-and this
advantage alone is very potent
reason for the construction OF such
a sys TEN OF roads as is here propos.
ed. Other important reasons why
the State should build and own these
roads are found in the fact that the
original cost OF construction is
greatly cheapened because the public
credit enables the State to borrow
funds at much lower rates of interest
than can individuals or incorporated
Companies. Thus the fixed charges
being kept at a minimum, the
charges for freights and fares are at
the lowest possible rates.
But more important than all of
these advantages is the fact that the
owners of the soil adjacent to. and
served by, State roads will reap the
advantage of the rise in value of
land which their construction always
brings.
AT present our people depend
entirely on foreign capital to build
our railroads, and those who fur
nish II usually embrace in their
scheme, as a condition precedent
to the construction of the road.
either a gift or purchase, of the
most valuable mineral and timber
lands along the route, so that the
development caused by the build
ing Of the road inures to themselves
and not to the original owners of
the soil. In such cases where the
lands are purchased the owners re-
ceiye in consideration for them only
the "wild land" price for their
estates, and this is so insignificant
as compared with the developed
values, as to produce only a very
meager sum. If the State builds
the roads they will prove the means
of enriching the people to the
extent of the development values of
the lands involved. 1t is therefore
practically the difference to them
between one dollar per acre-the
wild land price-and fifty to one
thousand dollars per acre as the
developed land value. The aggre-
gate sum involved amounts to an
almost fabulous sum.
In the one method there is
comparative poverty, in the other
comparative riches to our citizens.
1t is estimated that the building
of six hundred miles of narrow
guage railroad will accomplish the
end desired and be, for the present,
sufficient to largely develop the
sections now lacking this species Of
transportation this TO be followed
with other sections of road, in the
way of tribu taries, such as may be
found necessary. The cost Of con.
struction, aside from that of right
Of way, which will be largely con-
tributed free, need not exceed the
rate Of eight thousand dollars per
mile, or say FIVE millions OF dollars.
The vast amount of traffic which
such system of public improve.
ments will induce and develop. it is
believed will enable the State to
lease the plant for sufficient to pay
the interest and provide a sinking
fund that will ultimately discharge
the original loan.
II the people deem it proper to
cause the State to embark in this
work it will be necessary to amend
the Constitution so as TO permit
them to authorize such a loan as
may be necessary, if not, it may
be that some other method may be
contributed whereby the desired
result may be attained"
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The bust Of Captain John Smith,
which was modelled by General Bad
90, Doll H. 49, ~