Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1915 — INTERURBANS RAISE PROPERTY VALUES [ARTICLE]

INTERURBANS RAISE PROPERTY VALUES

Morocco Courier Conducts Investigation and Finds That Merchants Also Are Pleased. Morocco Courier. In order that we might give our readers some actual facts relative to the advantages or disadvantages if there are any of an interurban line to the town and country, we wrote several letters to get facts .and opinions of people who live in similar towns which have interurban lines and people who are qualified to speak with authority on the subject. The first letter we quote from is from Frank Best, of Franklin, a man known to most of our readers because he lived in this community most of his life. He says: We have one of the leading interurban roads through here. A local is run every hour, six limited and four freights during the day. Express is carried on every car and one can get freight shipments quickly. The road increased the price of farms wonderfully. The prospective buyers usually ask whether the land is one the car line, if not, flow far away. Any one desiring to*sell his property commences the description stating that it is on the car line or so many squares from the line. One of your questiohs was, “Is it injurious to the merchants’ business?” I am sure there is' not a merchant here who would have the Interurban line removed if he could. I, myself, would like to see such a line through Morocco and Beaver township and I think it would be a wonderful improvement to the whole community. Harry Bridges, of Franklin, county treasurer of Johnson county, answered as follows: The interurban is assessed as follows: Main line $8,500 per mile, side track $1,500 per mile, and rolling stock SI,OOO per mile. This valuation is exceedingly low compared to that of steam roads. It is estimated that the assessed valuation of me road through here, considering the kind and quality that is proposed to be constructed will be assessed at about SIOO,OOO. Now .at an average usual tax rate for town and country of at least two per cent the annual tax the railroad would pay would amount to $2,000. Now ‘figure this as interest on the $22,000 that we propose to pay or invest with them, they will in taxes be paying us about ten.per cent, or another way we would get back out investment in about 11 years. So it is not a gift to the company but a loan or investment returnable in annual taxes on the road. It is an advantage to the business of our city. I think the price of farms near the car line has increased 75 per cent. It does not hurt the residence property past which it runs. George H. Miller, of Mulberry, whe owns a large farm northeast of Morocco was written to but answered in person because he was here. Mr. Miller was a successful merchant in his town both before and after the road went through and we thought 1 his statements would be valuable. He said that although they are located between Lafayette and Frankfort, the interurban very materially helped his business and he was quite sure other merchants could say the same, because they carried good stocks, in fact large stocks and are doing a splendid business and would not have the road removed for anything. He stated that he took the time to inquire of real estate men and found out that residence property on the car line had advanced in price and was considered more desirable* That since the line went through there had been much more building done, attributable to the fact that people moving from the country or town always choose, where possible, a town with an interurban.,Then a number of commercial travelers have moved from Lafayette or Frankfort to Mulberry because they like to live in a smaller town and share hourly service to all connecting points. He said further it was a great thing for a town ajod community to have the advantages of such a line, that he would not live in a town that did not have an interurban and tear the absence of one at Morocco wa# all that Jcept him from moving here, for he h«u« more interests now near here than he has at Mulberry. Some merchants might say that people would trade more at Lafayette or Kankakee. Why don’t they do so now—they can go to the latter place, have about five hours there and return the same day and no doubt the merchant would be glad to pay the fare if they buy a reasonable order, but very few go. Then why should they? Can our merchants not sell as cheaply as any other retail men-

chants?. If not, why not? Give them a chance, you will likely be convinced that they dan and do. t The $22,000 we propose to invest in tha foad will be but slightly over one per cent on the assessed valuation of your property at the tjme it is collected add what is. true of Beaver township is about equally true of Jackson township. “We can’t afford to miss it.” Be a Booster.