Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-12-16

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ne former being only about two cents a mile
log each passenger. But The effects of these I'M
pfoVemenls upon the city of Boston, and the
general prosperity ot the state. in pro,notno
commerce and manufactures, are almost incredi-
| ble
1t was very evident to saracious observers
lllal Inc great advantages, natural and artificial
OF New YORK, would not only draw to that city
Inc commerce OF the West, but would likewise
render all the cities of the North tributary to her
unless something could be done TO concentrate
at other points, some Of the enormous trade
Whlch mas 9lHen to that city its gigantic proper
.iohs' Boston quickly perceived that her noble
hafloor would be OF little worth without COM
fnerce 10 I'LL 1t with ships, and that these could
only be sustained BY such products as could be
derived from much larger area than NIassa-
chussettS possessed, having no river to bring the
products OF distant and fertile regions to her
poIa. one determined at once to supply the
natural deficiencies of her position by artificial
means and ACCORDINGLY, undertook. with GREAT
vl9or system OF railroad improvements, which
eAHipl's hef III light the proudest and most en-
Vlable, and affords an invaluable example 10 eve.
ry Stale IN the Union engaged in the railroad
enterprises. Here is an exanynle of indomita.
Die energy, which would not be turned aside bv
any OBSTACLE however formidable, of a iudicous
forecast, percelvng distinctly in advance the
IL
! " when embarked an enormous treasure in an
enterprise, having for its object the glory and
ascendency OF Massachusetts, Their success
mas been complete, Tie advancement of Bos-
Ton LOT the last ten years is beyond all exam
pie The value of her property has increased
from 100, ii, 674 dollars to 266 sac. S44 dollars
over twelve per cent per. annun. or more than
double the legal interest in Virginia 1he pop
ulatlon OF the city has increased with eqilalIv
surprising rapldlty, having advanced from 1881
$40 10 292, S13 making an addition OF 144 264
or near double its numbers, The popnlation Of
the state has advanced from It's, 592 to SIS.
q. 40 an increase OF 255, 1873 Every vocation OF
lie mas Pafaken OF this prosperity and thrift
Agriculture ,manulacures, commerce all branch
es OF industry are advancing with an unparalel-
ed rapldity and the future prospects of Boston
contlnne still to be as brilliant as those of any
other city IN the Union. That this great in
crease has been the result eff her railway i'm
provements, Is denied by none-no other e]e
ment OF prosperity than this has been added 10
those always possessed by her; ans! we have
therefore right to infer that from this source
flows the extraordinary tide of wealth In
1899, Boston had 167 miles Of railway radjatino
thence IN various directions in 1850. she IS
connected with 5000 miles one-third of which
within the territory of Massachusetts,; 1850
within the borders OF other New England States:
and SIX hundred and fifty in the State of New
YORK. These great works have enlarged the
area OF country which contributes 10 her COM
merce probably tentold, and the effect is unpre
cedented, Her annual manufactures are worth
9et ,ooo,eoo and the home trade OF Boston IS
estimated to be worth annually the immense
sum of 5000, 900, oop
/ While these great results followed these i,ldi
clous ard extensive railroad improvements, the
stock invested IN the works yielded nett reve-
nue., In 1919, OF sS2,S50; $751; which was near T
per cent upon the money then Invested in their
construction. 1t Is proper TO remark that the
whole country, ever which this network of
railroads Is spread, does not eqna, in size or
fertility, the State of Virgin alone
l have dWelt somewhat at length upon the
canals Of New York and the RAILROADS of Massa-
chusetts, because they illustrate verv fully the
! benefits to be derived from either sort Of i'm
proVement; because the relative advantages and
disadvantages OF each are fully displayed by the
statistics have collated and because the facts
mere embodied clearly prove that there is not.
nor cam be, any rivalry between the two modes
OF improvement. The system of railroads. in
New York, is prosecuted with much energy.
and the extent OF them is greater than that of
the Massachusetts roads. The aggregate lenoth
OF them is about 132 miles; and the cost ,cf
them is over forty six and a half millions of dol
lars, a. an avelage cost of $4,000 per mile
The lutornatlonl have been enabled to pro-
cure, relative to these roads, has not been so de-
tailed as desirable, bat is enough to show t,,at
the travel upon them is prodigieus, the freioht
very considerable, and the profits about he
same as those OF the Massachusetts roads.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad is PROSPEROUS
and holds ont the brightest promises to the pub.
TIC spirited and enterprlslng company who con-
troll it. 1t has paid a dividend during the PAST
year OF more than ten per cent. And such has
been the effect produced by it already upon the
commercial prosperity of Baltimore that it is
SAID she is now compensated for her subscrip
ton of So, 100000 to the work.
/ Nothing can be more encouraging to Virginia
t1an these facts They afford a demonstration
perfectly conclusive, before her works are more
than begun, that they will prove immensely
profitable to the stockholders, and beneficial to
the commonwealth The country proposed TO
be reached by those great Western lines, 'sthe
Canal " the tennessee and Virginia" and "lhe
Central railroads. is more extensive and by far
more fertile, than that region penetrated by the
works OF New England and New York, put to-
gether and think ii plain to a we'll informed
man that the inducements held out to us for the
construction OF our works are very much greater
than those which have stimulated our neighbors
10 thelr enterprises.
The Virginia and Tennessee railroad will
when completed, form one link in a chain of
road from New York to Mobile and New Or
leans, most of which will pass greater amount
Of travel THAI this country has ever Witnessed.
1t is the great line which must convey the travel
TO and from California, from the Northern, Bid.
die and part CT The southern States, and over
which mGeh Ct the commerce intended tor the
Pacific by the Tehuaniepec route will be like
wise transported. 1t is worthy of all aid from
the commonwealth When ii shall be complel
ed to the Tennessee line, it will have penetrated
a country of higher capabilities and greater ex-
tent than that through which the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad now passes 10 Cumberland And
should the Central railroad decide to go to Chs
cnnati by Gllyandotteinstead of Louisville, then
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad will form ii
better stem for branch either from New river,
through Giles, Mercer and Tazewell to Licking
ton, Kentucky, or from Abingdon though the
county of Russell c the same city. The advan-
tages OF this connection developed sufficiently
l,lk ,,,NI l.