The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-31

We had occasion few days ago to refer t.
the fact that practical men constantly recognise
the principle, that the first thing to be paid by
land is transportation. They reason from it as
an admitted truth which needs no demonstra-
<tion. We gave instances in which it was thus
used, ard another has just fallen under our OBJ
servation. The Journal of Commerce, printed
at Louisville, Kentucky, contains the report OF
an address upon Railroads, delivered by Mr.
ROBINSON, at the courthouse in Lexington, on
the 9Th instant. The speaker institutes com
parison between the cost to the farmer of differ
ent modes of transportion in getting his produce
to market. For this purpose he inquiries into
the expense Of marketing fifty tons at poin,
one hundred miles distant, along turnpike
and railroad. He estimates the cost where
the latter is used, including the personal ex-
penses of the farmer in going with his crops to
dispose OF them, four times year, at il65,
having previously calculated the expense OF
marketing the same quantity by turnpike at
$50, and then proceeds:
deduct this sI65 from $3.50, the cost of the
farmer along turnpike, and we have positive
difference Of 8 6s5 In favor of the farmer along n
railroad, and against the farmer along turnpike
This sum Of S6s5 will pay the interest al six per
cent, (Which believe, is legal interest in Kentuc
ky,) upon the sum Of Sll 400; consequently, the
farm along railroad is worth Just 8 IL 400 more
than farm along turnpike, supposing all other
things to be equal
eff such ia the difference between railroads and
turnpikcs, what must be the difference between
railroads and common dirt roads where the cost
Of transportation ia double the cost of the same
work upon turnpikes. was informed few days
since by OF the wcalthicst and most intelligent
farmers in Mason county. that he paid last winter
twenty-five cents per hundred, or five dollars per
ton, for transportation Of hemp eighteen miles
This will amount TO over thirty one cents per ton
per mile, more than double the cost Of the same
service upon turnpike.
"supposing the statement have just read 10 you
TO be correct one-and believe il TO be such-then
The land Of the farmer toho has railroad and is one
hundred miles from market, Is toorn Just az much
per aorcJor agricultural pupose is land of the same
quality upon a turnpike, ninsfeen mile, from the same
market and "a toorh Just as much IL land of N,
same quality situated upon dirt road (such
az you hare IN Hentucty,) nine miles from the same
narkf. This, gentlemen, is one Of the reasons why
railroads are Of benefit to the farmer This is one
why his land IL increased in value There are
other reasons Of fully much importance. The
farmer can rcnd TO market articles by rairoad that
Il is impossible to- send by wagons and turnpikos
He can scnd bark, wood, ship timber, shingles
slaves lumber, honey, butter, &c, and great va
riety Of articles he cannot dispose of otherwise.
The ssmc benefits, in a less degree, accrue TO the
farmer. in the shape Of the decreased costs 10 him
Of the articles be mus, buy for his own usc such as
salt, sugar. iron, teas coffee, clothes, &C., and, in
fact, Of all articles he uses that he docs not raise
"sslt Is worth in Paris or Lexington fifty cents
per busbel, iron five 10 six cents per pound, coal
twenty cents per bushel These same articles can
be purchased in Maysville at thirty cents for SALT
three to four cents for ron and five to six cents per
bushel for coal. The increased cost you here il
simply transportation, as the merchant here charges
the same per ccntage in profits that the merchant
in Maysville does. With railroad communication
your salt and iron would cost you but triie NOR.
than IL would In Maysville, and your coal woull
cost you ten or eleven cents per bushe instead of
twenty to twenty-ono cents, as is at present the
case"
After making some remarks upon the adj
yaniages Of Transporting livestock by rail
road over driving it to market, Mr.. RoBrssos
proceeds:
Your counties now are forced into the stock
raising business. They cannot raise grain and
transport 1t TO market, ss IL costs you more than
you get for il. You obliged, therefore, to feed |
Il to stock and work IL of, il is the cheapest way
in which you can get the grain you now raise to
market. Build your railroads, and you will find /
grain-r raising much more profitable to you than /
stock raisng and will therefore raise grain instead
Of stock, while stock-raising will pass off to more
remote and lcss favored regions. \
Railroads create a revolution in your products,
for the simple reason that it is profitable for
you 10 raise other products after the roads are com
pletcd. than is the case before they are built In
Of this, will call your attention for a
to the workings of the great New York and
Erie railroad, in Now York State. Prior to the
Of this road the farmers In the ooun.