Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-14
Reasons Why the City Will Vote Aid
to the Electric Railway.

company, representing large ma
iority Of tda business interests, and
many of the heaviest taxpayers of
the city. are interested in the success
Of our undertaking at the polls next
Tuesday, Aug. Goth.
We take this opportunity to say to
the public generally that our promo
ton is founded on sound business
principles, in nowise to be classed
with stock or bond speculations with
which people are often hum plugged.
In short, if sufficient aid in the ag.
gregate is voted by the affected towns,
this road will be built; otherwise not.
1t cannot be said that standard
road, such as we propose to build,
will not pay, giving service to this
section of country. 1t cannot fail to
pay, and the stock to be given for
the city's bonds will become as
valuable as the bonds themselves.
Frequently the questions are asked
won this hurt Lancaster? Won't
people 60 elsewhere to trader How
would the coming of this or any other
road increase reality values o. These
and myriads of other questions are
asked. enough to confuse the average
mind if we did not know the expert
ence of other localities and small
cities situated similar to ours and
many lacking the rich agricultural
backing possessed here. A high class,
competitive line of road toward Chi
cage, the shortest mileage that can
ever be built, with frequent local
service, both freight and passenger, is
the one and the only thing that can
place this section on par with the
highly developed eastern states
AS an example, take the Mohawk
Valley in New York State, traversed
by the great New York Central
System. (now being electrified.
A four track railroad, parallel with
the Erie Canal every city and village
manufacturing center; farm lands
and homes at prices varying from
$50 to $3.50 per acre. Through Ohio
and west into northern Illinois the
same development is in progress
everywhere that steel has been laid
for electric railways. Will the build
ing of a second railroad cause this
city to lose her retail trade2 Our
business people would resent the in
suit If it were said they could not
retain their places in the business
world, meeting all corners and all
competition
The question has been asked of u.s.
What would happen to our PROPOSE
tion if the women could vot5Y" We
know what would occur; there would
BE- an overwhelming majority for
bonds Women as a rule have keener
perceptions than men, and would not
fail to vote tax on their properties
when they knew it meant returns
to them 4of hundred fold the cost.
Consider we'll before you vote.
Remem Der that erroneous statements
as to the cost to the taxpayer come
only from natural enemy of healthy |
development. And when we say de-
velopment we mean for Lancaster
and the whole area affected by the
coming Of our road-a larger popula-
tion. more money for investment in |
the enterprises made possible by COM
petitive transportation-a condition
that makes it possible for your sons to
live in the land of their fathers. |
Every merchant knows the value of
quick transportation service he
knows the same assortment can be
kept up better. with less confusion,
less worry and less investment. But
60 and ask the farmer what a quick
service means to him, to and from
the great market He can tell you
and if he understands our PROPOSE
ton he will endorse it.
To the young man who is ambitious
for gain of worldly goods we say,
Consider. we'll before you vote =
Those who oppose progress will tell
you that any cost is a burden; we say
that under such conditions as our
company proposes. the cost is an in.
vestment worth a hundred fold to the
community and to yourself.
The supposed argument has been
made that the consumer must always
pay the cost. Literally that is true,
but how does this work out? Would
goods shipped into Lancaster at a
lesser freight than we now have be
sold at the same figure? The bust.
ness man will tell you the benefits
of reduced freight rates MUST go to
the consumer.
To Conclude: Consider we'll be-
fore you vote. This opportunity may
never come again. The large steam
interests don't want any more roads,
and kyhev largely represent the financial