Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-09-09
#T,om Ue Railfoai ,Inmrndl.

iiNfh hlfI " NJ itllh I"i NV iiii'H "''h" '"'
lainng II Into the hands Of crery property hoidp IN nc
IHian.
The CIloving letter" SAYS the Northern State Jour
nal, us from a gentleman III Boston, II high standing aud
long ~ pfiepcs IN Everything relating Ia he character
and IL ilacnre II railroads an The various inte esis a New
England. aud is III answer toone fruna gentleman e
this Ilacc.. The pubic are requested Ia give II a pc
nrsal. Its d'clflnes are Sound. the Authority Is unques
~tlonalIr, aud it rcla1s 10 SUBJECT of vial Interest 10 tins
country. Let lis abr aud al arouse from Gnr letlarY
and by che u,4la ,flutl accomplish this great Object
Tic God Il Nature has lestawe cd his good giils upon
itla couatry will a bnn'ilnl hand, and II We are Jnst To
ourselves his NUl soen lteol e onc ol the INST desirable
pm ,~usufilo | iul3n.e
Dan Say our inver of The Sd Of August was duly
ntti,cd. aud hasten 10 ansNe II the yarions questions
II pfsenls.
luu ask me to state what connection have
had with railroads. Let me- reply that although
4 rtnlrT Il lie lrgll profession, have Tor the rasl
twelve Nta1s been engaged III The direction al steambuals
aud railroads. and 1T seven yea been 81 sely connected
WITH seectal Il ile musl important ent,ipflzes ii the
Siaic.
Eatl, in $500 was chosen director Of the Western
miIrad. and appointed chairman Of HE committee " Inch
10 that S,sf vst'ed Al any .srcurd the londs ID tlo city.
aud tlauued the extension 81 the Western railroad. H.
lhr Hudson. For lie ipaf following years wa, III the
a = ctlun Il hal enltfFr u, while II %slrueel Il through
The Hanutalus II berkshire. Subsequently have been
dlerjeI al The Flerbafg and Montreal nllroad, the first
81 winch Is IN in'si successful upcuti II, while The sec.
uud iseNpaclel 10 lie sci IN moion the present. fall
Having taken an active Iarl IN conducting these cutter
prlzs. owning u country seal between Ill. Frehburp and
Worcester lines, over 10th 4 which pass often IN sun
meI, and acting As eoaus, alsu III eases Il nearly all our
lines ID ralruad, have enjoyed an opportunity 10 test
The ELECTS OF Il IailIead on The iams aud villages Of our
STATE
Altiouah | feel = deep interest in The progress Of my
naive Staic. aud | lfnsta Iaadab'e rlide IN her rapid ad
ranr,nt0i, ! nus thai do not tor-ct lhat am n.eltiarn
IT the | mon. aud ran permit M Stale lnos Ia llmt my
I pIiltlllllblb. or IthlfaN1 me iIuIl communicative any
light have derived tfon my position. lou ask me If
.llroad, are mpnapolics. Al first our lines woro mol con
Quoted ON The most loial spnll. Onf early dnuclar.
We're nuld, aud the charges were fixed at lolf cents mr
mdc lur passengers, and clghl cents tr freight. have
ever htcn a jealous advocate iut low wiccs, asa like ben
'ficial 10 ia" lines aud the public. F,ra long time
wnle and urged The punt, MAS met nj first by lncrd
ulo'ls smile, aud determined resistance, but argument
aud experience al length prevailed. -Four yers sin 3
ouf RATES ntre reduced ntail, one lalf. and ever sinc,
an increasing prosperity has attended all cur lines. VII
ii2ta ait growing up At every station. farms imp oYlnu
and rstns IN value, and other lines are now conductor
IA a In'sl accommodating sprlt. II monopoljcs, they
are most liberal inonopulbs Tor HE tendency ,f rates is
certainty d n.lllIstitd, aud The accommodation OF the pub
lie III H'efd, cas-, dclols and frequent trains. is anuually
increasing. Abound tie depot al West Newtou u larnc
village Is growing up, and land has r,sen from S,U
u rnets varying irom 800 To $1,000 per acre. At Fllch
hofs The population has risen IN three years from 3uODm
bNo souls-lhe fleet ofihc railroad alone. Milk is
nom carried 10 miles from leomlnsIcr To Boston. and
a Tram oi hive milk ears attached 10 the lasscn.
ger cars, arrives every moralng at the Clarlestown de
pot.
| ndcr the influence Of railroads, and of manufactures
stimulated Ihcr,l. The old Bay State has ceased 10 be am
tmlgfatlng State. Il receives more than il sends forth.
ana VIII sl'"" by The n NJ census nearly ii not quite a
million oil inlalilants on 100 square mi,-s Of rugged land.
sii'iins hh'er lhe hand 1t unllfing industry, aud spark
Ing with new aud beautiful structures.
ioi ask me 10 compare railroads with canals. Let
me reply mai The iufntr are IN almost every particular
superior. tive me a good and unirammrlled line of all.
road beside YOU Frle canal, and lis branches. and sue
'NsS'ui as II now u.s., think would engage 10 divert
lis tfalIic III hNe years, aud leave it witiou, patronage
sufficient To he = II IN repair In New York you have
as yel ei1"yed no perfect lines OF railroads. cannot re
gard a lime with \ strap rail, nearly incompetent to carry
iIelsh', IKE that from Buffalo In Albany, as n raihoa i.
l hank heaven We have none Of them here. true rail
road Is susceptible OF a speed Of 40 miles per hour, and
lis capacity reaches 10 millions Of tons aud millions of
passengers 10 pass over il annually.
u can live, loo, where a canal must perish for want
ol business. \ Ialll'ad costing but $4,000 per nile.
can i've upon lln3 which sustalns hul four dali, ,tao.s.
an" 'e' oahs laReagc wagons IN each direction. and pay
large dl'ld'hds but a district with Ibis business at ordl
mary '"lls' would net keep a canal IN repair.
u i''li"id Sufii'ounts submits inaccessible To a canal.
u i'ealus moi Tie drought ut summer Ut the ice of win
'eT' By speed II gives value To produce canals cannot
transport, and commands The navel against all epmt,ii.
li"i'. 1t alnhsi annlnlale rs time and space.
~ Massachusetts, We had three canals. First iho Mid
aleseA, Which youT commissioners came h examine be-
lore they begun the Ere. 1t PAID gnd dividends. bul IL
no" Worthless, ior II has been completely rut down by
lie Lowell lailroad built b. side II. Second the Black.
sl'ne' \ rallruad will this fall he opened m lis banks,
aud all or nearly all of The canal viii be abandoned
ih'fd' The Hampshire. from New Haven To Nunhsnip
,n' "A railroad is now IN progress al ~ lis low path
~ hare d0Hc ,riM canals.
iun ask me tho cost of transportation on railroads. l.
FISTS and lis with the quantity conveyed. " hen busI-
mrs itSes To 97V,ulN tons a year. freight can be- trans
i"I'th on a me like yours al 4 ctst 0f SIX lenihs Df a
cent per Ton a milo; exclusive OF ading and unluadinp.
l las been moved ior less. Tins charge would include
me wear aud deterioration uf cars and he T palrs OF the
road.
I'm HE Erie cana the average cost inclusive Of inter
Isl On boats and horses, hat exclusive If canal repairs and
attendance which may be offset, Is nine ientls IT a cent
per ION 4 mite, or hty per cent. more. \ linz like YOURS
WIN Z'o,ou tons could do a most rcinuueraiinu business
a'less Than Two cents per ton To a mile. but with $1,000
Ions only must OF course charge more to c1ver ch ses and
interest on capital, say four cents per ton a mile. Two
10 Two aud olIe-l'alt cents per mile pays well for pssen-
gets-betler than higher charges.
lou ask ne II yoI should raise half the capital cr
your railroad, II You could borrow the residue here. Ii
you move Jndlcio nsly think you may. should beoin
AZ Rome aud build A miles TO the lake, as You su,U,St
'hns make the first division productive. | think Won
could men borrow ON I per cent. bonds enough To move
o"HaI" ana complete the line; but your lands would not
sell nn'll a portion was finished.
The avoidance Of the canal toll and the shorter ,,o r.
your lake port Is accessible, would give you considerable
advantage over the Osmego line, perhaps a d,au. per
ton. -
Al The outset, II seems 10 me. you must RELY un,r
yourselves. uni 81 you look east towards Ocdensbiry
which VIII soon be within Is hons of Bost on. with \
~ iafe. ! ou must like Hercules put your own shout