At one point in the United States there seems to have been a craze for convincing a town to borrow money to bring the railroad to town, whereupon politicians and other scoundrels would run off with the money and the railroad would never materialize. I’ve found examples from a several places. They come to my attention because the ripped-off citizenry would often balk at raising taxes to pay off the bonds that were issued to fill the robbers’ stash bag.
Here’s another example, from the Cuba, New York, Daily News:
There is much opposition in the town of Lewiston, Niagara county, to pay the railroad tax. This tax is to pay off the bonds of the town for the Lake Ontario Shore R’y, which, it is claimed, were fastened upon the town by unfair means. Many are unable to pay the tax and others refuse to pay this part of the annual levy.
