Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-12-02
RAILROADS.

We observe, yprv sensible article in the last Cinc::I-
natl Mirror, upon the subject OF railroads anu lncE
r-,.i utility in the cnurs" Of lis Icmlrks. that pap!
lakes occasion 10 state the following ponts:
st |. is fact, that railroad companies have multi
ul!.d within ten years, with unprecedented !ap!d:'y III
En- gland, Ann.rica, France and Belgium
% Il is fact, that this multiplication is founded on
the belief of their immense profit both to the pubic and
the Stockholders.
3D. 1t is fact that in respect TO the first great Gle
mcnt Of commerce, geloclly-no othcr means Vi t''s
puriation can compete with them.
4ih Il is fact that Tho Of railroads has been
continually diminishing. as experience has ImcrraSru
J II is fact that tic cost Of rail roads III The west
and South is twenty -iye per cent less than those made,
under The same circumstances. in the Northern States
Let US illustrate these principles:
LIST As To the existing multi pllcation oil raroaGs-
The British Parliament have just chartered c!eTch nun
drcd miles of rail road in that little sland-a great OK
fcpse to the companirs obtaining the ciaI;cr-wh tile
certainly Of their execution Belgium has just construct
ed rail road from BRUSSELS These are made III c"uii'
tries Glcd with canals, and where great el"s are MADE
TO uduce belief that steam Canals VIII answer the
uuonse of rail roads In this country it is notorious
how large the number Of charters uDtaned but may
not be equally known how vast chain OF railroad com
rnnnica,Iun is constructing and constructed. rfoi
Boston 10 a. York, much Of the way Is complcleG ana
,I,c resi- soon will be- From \. 10 Philadelphia, but Il
small link is wanting TO complete the whG!c. from
Pniladc!ia BallImore-it is all chartered ana con-
sucling From Baltimore to Frederick complete
and To Wheeling is now constructing. From wheel
inc TO the Ohio canal is chartered, the road, we
are CONSIDERING is one link in this vas, chain winch
is TO unite the extreme North with the Ohiu and with
the extreme South for from this place 1t will be con-
srnccd TO Charleston Savannah, Mobile and Fayrltc-
vi!lr If we look 10 the interior Of the North and the
South we shall find railroads, Of immense lcng'l! and
cost actually finished. in the North, we find the Utica,
a;;d the Boston and Providence. In the Middle STATES,
the Columbia In the South, from the Potomac 10 frc-
dpricks burg hence Richmond, To Petersburg to wei
den aud To Rarirh distance of hundred and hiiy-
two mi!:s in continuous line, OF which The greatest
par, is complc,ed From Charleston to Augusta-irom
Athens TO Augusta, constructing, which w!tl MAKE
,xn hundred aud fifty miles III ono line
2I Tia, lir3c made under the belief Oh Frrls is
evident. irun the fact that the great majority OF ei
rs for example the Bostun and Pt"idcncc s'' 5 "a
thsEcw Jersey and all the Southern railroads are Ike
~ to WELD larger dividends than any incorporated COM
,anY in America $500
I'd In respect to velocity it is only necessary to saw
tina, men do and will pay higher for that Than any oihrf
means of commerce. aud that rail roads furnish IL 10 any
! desirable limit = 81,
9TH That experience has diminished the cost oil ran
roads il is only ccrssary to refer TO the eXl!aVagah
! cost of the Liverpool aud Manchester, BatllnoIe and
Frederick compared with tic Utica and the Winchester
9TH That the Of railroads is onc.thrd cheaper III
the West than the East is manifest from two or lIrec
considerations: ISL The level surface I" the cnun
irv ID The softer nature Of the soil. 81. The greater
! cilcn pness of the materials.
From all these facts, it may he safely inferred, Una
Rail roads through rich countries are destined 10 rVhi
and that they must offer the greatest Inducements 1t
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