The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-11-27

tween hich, olherR use Hqnl
haA e ined fores seperat kaeilitie
3hate been nished for The speedy and &
eononica rort ion Of armies to distal
points JUN & pro ction IA times Of rs
tsion: Is say nothing Of The great increase d
lfhc oafional fh These legitimate and
practical results render them political bles.
sings.
Ne afe not more astonished 1T the results
lof this system than az the almost incredi-
bic rapidity 81 is extension
although very inferior description Of
/ Railway, constructed Of wood, was used at
New Castle upon the River Tyne, in Eng
/ land as far back as The year 1915, for the
purpose Of conveying coal from the mines 70
the bank Of the river, yet no distinct rail-
way for the transportation Of merchandise
and passengers was ever successfully adopted
In Great Britain, until the completion Of the
Stockton and Darlington Rail Road, in the
year 1871 From that period new era
seems to have dawhed upon the commercial
world
Such was the success of that. Dad, and 50
great were the advantages derived from IT,
that about 5000 miles Of Rail Road have
since been constructed ID the Kingdom Of
/ Great Britain, at the enormous outlay Of
twelve hundred millions of dollars.
j The rapid progress of Railway construc-
ton has been no less astonishing in the Uni
ted States than in Great Britian The first
work of the kind ever attempted in the Uni
ted States was the Quincy Rail Road IN
Massachusetts, only three miles in extent,
and completed in the year 1897, for the sole
purpose of transporting granite. Since that
period 1902 miles of Rail Road have been
constructed, and in progress of construction,
in the various States of the Union, at an ex-
penditure of $500, 607,954. Your commits
tee have also been deeply impressed with tue
great increase of the value Of property, as
Exhibited by the late census, caused BY the
construction of Rail Roads in States posses
sing, butfew agricultural advantages, either
as tosoil or climates Weshall only mention
few out of the many facts, brought to light
on this subject The New York and Erie
Railroad in the State of New York, measur-
ing in length 467 miles, and running through
mountainous and sterile country, sparsely
inhabited, was built at eostof so, 000, 900.
/" 1t is computed that the real estate of those
counties contiguous to it, has been enhanced,
within twelve months of its completion,
100000, or two millions more than its
entire cost"
| The Railroad improvements of Massachu-
sets (perhaps more perfect than thoseOf any
of her sister States have cost $51, 884, $40.
The assessed value of property in that State,
under the census of 1910, amounted to-
| $299, 878, 900 and in the year 1850 the as
sessed value Of the same had reached the
sum Of $3.50, $50 900; thus showing the en-
ormous increase, in the short period of ten
years, Of $500 1858, 900; upwards of five times
the costs of all the Railroads in the State,
and presenting to the mind, at once, a tangi-
bic reason, why the people of the North are
so willing to invest their means in the CON
struction of Railroads. The facts we have
already presented would seem to be enough to
convince any rejecting mind of the practical
bility and utility of Railroads. Butte bring
the matter still nearer home. The State Of
Georgia, the only southern State which has,
as yet, made much progress in the construc-
ton of Railways, commenced her system o.
internal improvements, about the year 1888.
Her soil much exhausted 10y iniudicious cu!
tivatiOn and her resources diminissing hs
continued migration, she resarted to flss
j system to restore her declining prospects n
Since then she has in progress and completed
about 1000 miles of Railway at a cost a:
SD, 000,0 900, which is now netting to Ia
stockholders from to 16 per cent. per an
mum, and has increased the value Of taxabl
property in that State up to 1850 70 the sum
of $3.50 900, 900, nearly d:uble tao vI!aa-
ton before she commenced her system of is
ternal Improvement. These facts selected
from many others of asimilarchara leavi
the question of Railroad construction not one
Of experiment. only, but of actual expcrjoscc
and fully prove their beneficial effects.
Your committee in their investigator q
the history, extension and benefits q Us
Railroad system in the United States, rf4re
the apathy which has hitherto existed upon
that subject amongst the people IF TIE south
and particularly in the State of Mississippi
The enterprising spirit of the north-eas-
tGIH anu UIbI-NGStSIl DUTIES dtS u4duliSStSd
in their steadily progressing internal improve
ments, has not only enhanced individual
wealth, but has advanced sectional interests,
by increasing their commercial importance
and influence. Not only this; it has devel-l
oped national wealth, by drawingout resour-
ces; such as coal, marble, irsn, granite, &c,
&C., consequently diversifying. capital into
the varied business of agriculture, commerce.
and manufactures, making one dependent
upon the other and therefore all successful
The South has neglected all these adyanta-
ges and has vested so much of its capital in
the sole business of producing cotton, that
the supply has exceeded the demand and
thereby reduced the price below fair com
pensation for the labor necessary IN its pro-
duction. The nine northeastern States, to-
wit Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut,
/ New York, New Jersey, and PENNSYLVANIA,
1 have 1876 Railroads. 977 miles in opera
ton, and 2404 miles in course Of, construc-
ton; the seven northeastern States. 9many
/ of them in their infancy to-wit Ohio, Mich
igan, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa. and
Wisconsin, have "a Railreads- $40 miles
1 in operation and 5000miles in course Of con
struction, whilst the thirteen southeastern
and southwestern States, to-wit: Delaware.