The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-11 00:00:00

Miles.
40
3.47
13.35

Level
Grade from 2to 3 feet per mile ......
IP 3to 7 „
PP 7 to 15 „
15 to 19 „
PP 28 PP
PP 33 PP
I PP 42.0'7 PP

30.02
10.10
2.50
3.13
1.43

Total distance,

94.00

I was much pleased with the general management of the
road, not only from my own observation, but from the inqui-
ries I everywhere made; and when it is remembered that
this road, both near and at the coal regions, is like the
trunk of a tree with numerous branches, especially at
Schuylkill Haven, five miles on the Philadelphia side of
Pottsville, some idea may be formed of the prudence and
judgment required in the management and freightage of
such a road. But the fact is, all the officers and directors,
from the president, Mr. J. Tucker, downwards, have the
advantage of several years' experience, and a thorough
acquaintance with their duties. Here lies the secret; fur
certain I am that to manage such an extensive and com-
plicated undertaking must require at least an apprentice-
ship, and that new and inexperienced hands would inevit-
ably entail embarrassment, loss, and perhaps ruin, upon the
stockholders. The present directory consists of Mr. John
Tucker, president ; Messrs. S. Norris, C. S. Boker, R. D.
Cullen, G. W. Richards, M. S. Richards, and Chas. Loeser,
as managers; and Samuel Bradford, as secretary and trea-
surer. I should here remark that Mr. R. D. Cullen is a
manager representing the English stock and bondholders,
and although not acquainted with that gentleman, -yet I
am enabled to say on reliable authority that he fulfils his
duty to his constituents with rigid fidelity---nay, it in
even said that his judicious and economic counsels have
already saved hundreds of thousands of dollars to the road;
while at Pottsville, in Philadelphia, among the clerks and
on the route, ho is vigilant in seeing that all the employes
are attentive to their work. But the president, Mr. Tucker,
is the master spirit ; for when, years ago, he was elected
to office, the road was deeply embarrassed ; and now, by
his management alone, it is fast emerging from its difficul-
ties. The fact that 2,060 men are employed by the com-
pany will show you that the task of Government is no
joke. But to results :

The receipts of the road in 1853 were 52,688,288
Thus :
From c0a1....
Passengers
Merchandise
The expenses of the road in 1853 were
Such were the sums total.
I find on inquiry that there are employed on the road
Steam-locomotive engines lO3
Coal cars
4,792
General freight cars
Passengers cars
40
Stationary engines lO
Water-power engines lO
Steam-wood cutting engines 3
Snow ploughs
Carts and waggons
Horses
Then there are machine-shops, foundries, wheel-shops,
carpenters' ditto, smiths' ditto, at the termini, Reading,
I learn that on a recent day no fewer than 2,500 cars
were sent down the road from Pottsville and Schuylkill
Haven to Philadelphia, each car containing 4 tons of coal.
The receipts are frequently 20,000 dols. per day. The
present freight for coal to Philadelphia (Richmond) is
2. dols. per ton. The coal by railroad reaches the market
in six or eight hours ; by canal it requires nearly as many
days. By way of illustration as to the quantities con-
veyed down from the mines to tide-water, I take last
week's accounts :

$2,254,694
225,783
180,612
$1,048,163

Tons.
By Reading Railroad — 53,155
By Schuylkill Canal
By Ly Lehigh Navigation, &c 41,931
I also take the freights of all for this year thus far, show-
ing their respective increase and decrease :

Reading Railroad, 1854
Ditto, same time last year

Toni.
1,514,928
1,154,638

Increase in 185 i --
360,290

Schuylkill Canal, 1861
To same time last year

648,006
582,541

Increase in 1854 65,465
The Lehigh region, 1854
794,174
(This is an increase, but I cannot get last year's return.)
The Reading Railroad has been the means of converting
the upper part of then ity of Philadelphia, called Richmond,
into an American "Newcastle-upon-Tyne," a fleet of coal
schooners, brigs, and barques always lying there. Tou will
judge of the extent of the Richmond traffic, when I inform
you that there have been at the wharves this year, since
January 1, 6,229 vessels for coal, with an aggregate ton-
nage of 955,951, against 765,140 for the same time last year.
Last week the clearances at Richmond were 188 vessels.
With regard to the Lehigh Navigation, I find that 19,700
doLs. of its stock, and 434,000 dols. of its bonds, aro held in
England. The freight and tollage on a ton of coal are
aond tons
interest
er of e
sott other
freight. lower than the Reading freight. It conveyed to tido-water
t o
last yearigh
t. 1,
The lO 0, 00 0
companytons
paysof coiatls,
dividendsa nd 200
,00
re-
gularly.
in TEhnee.
ISacnhdu.y in 18
l Canals 3 i
hta
Omarket, and 350,000 tons of other freight. Its traffic is in-
CSDnvieYy3eBd3, 838689, 9c dols.
. tons i n
bonds
of
coal hold
creasing rapidly, but at present it only pays the interest on
its loans, which interest lastyear amounted to 343,083 dols.
Then there is the Little Schuylkill, and the Schuylkill
Talley, the latter having 072,000 of its stock held in Eng-
land. But any detailed notice of these lines and other minor
roads would render any communication too long for your
columns. I must not forget to state, however, that an-
other great coal railroad will be opened from the Lehigh
region in the ensuing spring,
connecting with railroads or
water navigation both to N Y d Philadelphia.
This will be called the
L ew or a
u ke h
ti go h as
tl Valley R4a6l lmr oi
la
eds andse
vw,e- ini l
reach from Mauch Ghn
B.
eighths of the whole line are already finished. But the
great and fast increase in both the demand and suppl) of
abont new Reading
coal will prevent this road—
any of its competitors. There is
to be a ,
this article without reminding your
Railroad—from injuring
a blti n
must an t tnr arcot
closefor all .
readers who are interested in the coal regions of thi try
of the immense advantage of railroads over canZlesounThe
former are open and iu action all the year, whereas the
latter are closed by ice all the winter. The average annual
navigation of the canals is only 35 weeks. Besides, canal

banks, especially in the slack water of rivers, are liable to
be washed sway, and lockage to be swept away by sudden
floods.
With regard to coal railroads, although from the great
outlay incurred in their first construction, they may not
pay as speedily as they ought ; yet as, with proper repairs,
they last for ever, and as the demand for coal so rapidly
augments, their ultimate success can only be regarded as a
mere matter of time. In relation to the supply, I will
only say that the single anthracite field to which this letter
refers is sufficiently rich to furnish all mankind with fuel
for countless ages.