Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 September 1907 — SOUND REASONS FOR THE SUBSIDY [ARTICLE]

SOUND REASONS FOR THE SUBSIDY

Some reasons why we should favor the electric railroad subsidy to be voted for on Tuesday, the 10th day of September, 1907: Ist The law requires that no moneys of said subsidy shall be paid to said railroad company until a train of cars be run oyer the line, or until we assured of a railroad. ts 2nd. It furnishes a permanent revenue to the township which it runs thru in the shape of taxes and the money in time returns to the donors, and thereby benefits every taxpayer, and these taxes will never cease so long as the road exists. 3rd. The opportunity _ to get a railroad comes so raiely, that I believe we will make a fatal error if we lose the present one. 4th. The practical consummation of the purchase of the Gifford road by the Vanderbilts means the extension of that line from McCoysburg south to Lafayette and north to Chicago, which in my humble opinion means a greater calamity to Bensselaer than the McCoy bank failure, unless we are successful in getting the present electric line.

The tax amounts to fifteen dollars on every thousand dollars of assessed valuation of real and personal property, to be collected, as I understand the law requires, one half in one year, and the other half the following year, without interest and cannot be collected or turned over to such railroad company until the road is assured. Bespectfully,

WARRBEN ROBINSON.