The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-11-21
From the Norfolk lvs.) Southern Argus
RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS
HENSIyE VIEWS.

ILNSAtL I" -
As Tie subject Of uniting distant paris
Of ouI country BY railroads is one OF me
highest importance. involving interests nol
only of rilics and towns. but OF ihe while
States. we commend To The attention Of four
readers the following extracts from lelrr
&c the Boston correspondent Of The Wash.
inglon Union. The writer awards 10
Norfolk high position. and points 10 her
future growth and prosperity as q natural
consequence of The establishment OF a
chain of communication with the inferior
and far West, with their houndless rrsonr.
ces. which will pour their rich fruits into
her lap:
Railroads ae the great labor.saving
machines 81 the age; their discovery seems
proyideniially made for The especial bene-
&, of our extended Union; and estimating
their utility. we are not 10 look merely 10
lie money dividends earned on their stock,
but The collateral benefits arising from their
construction are also TO be included. The
enhanced value given 10 the real estate
along The lines and near the examinations
moderate estimate, 10 thrice their whole
cost. The rise Of landed property within
Ten miles of this city, where the short
trains run for the accommodation of loo al
travel, will average, since the roads were
projected, a thousand per cent; and in
some particular places it will equal len
times this amount. But lei us look still
deeper. Has any branch Of industry Ian
gnlshed IN consequence OF the laborers be.
ing taken from il and employed in The
construction Of these useful laborsayinp
marhines! The markets are overslork.
ed with agricultural products Of All kinds:
manufactures gui the great commercial
cities; the mechanic arts, commerce, navi-
CATION, the fisheries. rhe learned profess
sions. are all fully supplied with hanls:
and IN giving employment, TO The laborers
on our railroads, a class is rescued lIom
comparative idlcness. or taken from less
profitable work, and are employed in adj
ding TO The enduring wealth ofthe country.
No works OF modern or ancient times have
produced such weslth-creaiing. such magic
results. as the construction in this country
Of railroads. So far from ceasing 10 build /
more. The business may be consierc,l.
even in New England, as YET but in lis
lncipieni state, and hardly commenced in
large sections Of the Union possessing
vast and varied resources.
II is about twenty years since the first
railroads were commenced in this country.
and but about twenty. five years sinre iAe
opening 81 The first railroad in the world
run with locomotive power-ihe Stockton
md Darlington railroad in England. There
IRE now IN operation or nearly complies
- ~ This country some seven Thousand .
niles % railroads. Estimating their aver
lge cost. including all their expenditures ,
2 construction and equipment. AT ihiny I
thousand dollars per mile, il will BE seen {
hal IN the last twenty years more than
wo hundred millions uf dollars have been !
expended on these works. No oiLer +
uilay Of equal amount in any other branch +
business, no equal amount Of labor in S
ny other field Of industry. has been as Il
enehrial in Developing the resources of e
Ie country, in saving time and labor. and 1,
; adtlingJo The substantial wealth of The
alton. as this on railroads.. |,
Whenever these Improvements have c
zen made IN this country. their beneficial n
ieeilias been wonderful. Barren wastes Il
ire become cultivated fields; obscure 6;
'rners have become aourishing cities; and q
'rmsni resources. by their magical ope. al
lion. have been Transmitted into gold. II
he changes in The population, in tI,c a.
importance. in The active ge
,alih. in the productive industry Of the m
Weren't states, cities. and towns of the Of
non, by the outlay Tor railroads IN tho in
81 twenty years. will be more wonder. ils
than anything The world has vel seen. ,;o
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and III,
rAssan, are awake 10 the great value III,