The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1917-01-26


so far ahead of us that we will never
catch up with 1t.
Seward county is at the present
time the foremost of all the extreme
southwest Kansas counties. We
have the opportunity to make this
permanent if we but will.
The road will doubtless benefit
Liberal in a commercial way to a
greater extent than the balance of the
county, but at the same time the
city will also have to pay the diff
ference, so this fact need not be TAX
en- into consideration by the outside
territory when dwelling on the mer-
its of the proposition.
The real fact is that the territory
in the extreme north part of the
county will receive greater proper
tionate benefits than the town Of
Liberal. 1t is admitted by all that
there will be two towns in the coun-
ty on the new line, one on each side
of the river. These towns will en-
able the people of that territory to
buiid-up a better system OF schools,
and bring a good market within easy
reach. This, 1t is plain, VIII cut off
some trade from the north, but the
new line will create greater trade
nearer home, and we will also be able
to do considerable wholesale business
with the new towns. To the people in
that section of the county the new
road should appeal strongly. 1t will
cause land values to rise more rapid
ly and prove a great convenience.
On the other hand the people of
Liberal township will also receive a
direct benefit. With such road 1t
is hard to tell what proportions Lib
eral will assume. Many are Of the
opinion that there is a chance here
to build a town the size of Hutchin-
son. Granting that we can gain half
that population, land values will
double, and people living in easy
reach of the town will profit by hav-
ing city close at hand, with all the
1t offers.
It is also thought that If this line
can be secured that there is a good
chance of getting an extension Of the
branch of the Santa Fe.
giving us a direct line to Wichita.
This is very plausible idea, as we
know that when once town shows
that 1t will likely become railroad
center it is a comparatively easy mat
ter to get additional railroads.
There are many angles from which
this proposition may be viewed, but
nowhere is there anything that may
be said against 1t. At first glance
the amount to be paid may seem
large, yet when the true facts Of
the case are arrived at that becomes
a poor argument against the PROPOSE
tion. The fact of the matter is that
even If this road would not
add cents worth of taxable value to
the county outside Of the road itself
it would be an excellent investment.
The Rock Island this year paid into
the county treasury something like
$4,000 in taxes. This road has in
the last five years paid an. average tax
Of $18,157.41. Railroad bonds may
cover period of thirty years, bearing
5 per cent interest. The total amount
of the bonds asked by the proposed
road is 100000. II the Rock Is
land average annual tax were paid in
for a period Of thirty years it would
amount to .$544,722.30. 1t will readi--
ly be seen that even with a much
lower valuation the proposed road
would return to the county In taxes
much greater sum than the amount
of the bonds and interest, and the
county would receive the benefit Of
that tax money forever without more
outlay.
Figuring along these lines the road
would cost nothing in the end, and
most anyone will agree that 1t is a
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