The New York herald., 1851-10-14

R.o,,0.s 'sE 's.Sgy day 4. ,.ais; ss '"e;s4; "a
Expenses es.................. ls9 3s 5sd rs
Profits: :; :;-:;:;:. , 2ie Is n.s, SO
Average receipts per passenger booked. q od
Average distance travelled per passenger miles 1872
Average receipts per passenger per mile 147d.
Average number Of passengers per train 49,. $40
Total average receipts per passenger train per
AveIsge receipts per ton Of goods booked . 5ssJsd
Average distance carried per ton miles $50
Average receipts per ton per mile. Is 3d.
Average number OF tons per train :.....:... 6io
Total average receipts per goods train per mile 2s
The railways, Of whose traffic we have here given
a synopsis, those of the most active and profta-
! BILE description in the United States. II would,
theTefre, be great to infer from the results
here exhibited general conclusions as to the fnan-
cial condition of the American railways. It sp-
pears, on the other hand, from more complete
slyss, that the dividends the American lines,
elusive Of those contained in the preceding analysis
are in general email, and in many instances no
thing. lis, therefore, probable that in the aggre-
gate the average profits on the total amount Of
pital invested in the American railways does not
exceed, if it indeed equal, the average profits OBJ
taned ON the capital invested in English railways,
which we have in q former article shown 10 produce
little more than three per cent.
The extraordinary extent OF railway constructed
at so early period in the United States has been,
by some, ascribed to the absen OF sufficient
teri of com munication by common roads. Although
this cause has operated to some extent in certain
Districts it is by no means SO general as has been
mails circulated over length Of way amounting,
the whole, to l36,2lS miles, Of which two-thrds
were land transport, including railway well as
common roads Of the latter there must have been
about 80 900 miles in operation, Of which, however,
considerable portion vas bride roads The price
OF transport in the stage coaches was, upon ave.
rage, 3 25d per passenger per mile, the average
price by railway being about 47d per mile;
OF the entire extent Of railway constructed in the
United States, by far the greater portion, as has
been aready explained consists Of single lines, con-
structed in light and cheap manner, which in
| England would be regarded as merely serving tenn
porary purposes; uhile the contrary, the entire
extent Of the English system c,nsists not only Of
double lines, bu. Of railways constructed in the
most solid, permanent, and expensive manner,
adapted to the purposes of an immense traffic If
comparison to be instituted at all between the
two systems, its basis ought 10 be the capital
pended, and the traffic served by them, in which
case the result would be somewhat different from
that obtained by the mere consideration of the
LEI 9Th of the lines 1t is not, however, the same in
reference to the canals, in which, it must be admit
ted, America far exceeds all other countries in pro-
portion TO her population.
The American railways have been generally con-
stiucttd by joint stock companies, which, however,
the State controls much more stringently than in
England. In some cases a mai limit to the divi-
dends is imposed by the statute Of interpretations in
some the dividends allowed to augment, but
when they exceed certain limit, the surplus is
divided with the State; in some the privilege
granted TO the companies is only for a limited pc
Rod; in a sort of periodical revision and re-
stTicton Of the tariff is reserved to the State No
thing can be more simple, expeditions, and cheap,
than the me Ans Of obtaining act fer the estab-
Gsbment OF a railway company in America. A
pubic meeting is held, at which the project is dis
crssod and adopted dsputaton is appointed to
apply to the Legislature. which grants the with
out perso, delay, OFF al ,ulty. The pie-
ciple Of competition is not brought into play rs in
France, nor is there any nyes zig alton as to the
pediency Of the project, with reference to future
profit or loss, as 10 England. No other guarantee
or security is required from the company than the
pay m 1T by the sbareh oders of certain amount,
constituting the first call. ln States the
psy Of call is followed by the con6scation of
/ the previous payments in Others foe is imposed
the shareholders in others the share sold, and
| If the produce be less than the price at which it
was delivered, the surplus can be recovered from
the shareholder by proces; of law In all cases the
acts creating the companies fix time within which
the works must be com peted, under pain of forfeit
tuIe. The traffic in shares, before the definite
/ constitution Of the company. is prohibited.
Although the State itself has rarely undertaken
the execution Of railways IL holds out in most
induce in different forms to the enterprise of
companies In some cases the State takes a great
number Of shares, which is generally accompanied
by loan made to the company, consisting in State
ttock delivered at par, which the company nego-
tiate at its risk mis- loan is often converted
/ into O subvention.
| The great extent OF railway commune ition ia
! America. in proportion to its population, must
neeefarily excite much aJmi ration IL we take the
pesebt POP ulstion ofihe United STATES at i0O0,-
]
1T viii follow that in round numbers there is one
mile of railway for every 2. 400 inhabitants. Nov,
in the United Kingdom there are, at present, ia
operation 8 500 miles Of railway and il We take
the population at 30 600 600, IL will appear that
there Is mile Of railway for every 1915 inhabi-
tan,s IL appears, therefore that in proportion to
the population, the crgth Of railways in the United
States Is greater than in the Dnited Kingdom in
the ratio CT 10 to %
On the American railways passengers are not
differently classed or received at different rates of
ard ore fare. The only distinction observable
arises from color The colored population, whether
emsDcipated or not, are generally excluded from
the vehicles provided for the whites Such travel
ltrs are but few, aud are usually accommodated
either in the luggage van, or in the carriage With
the guard OF conductor. But little merchandise Is
tsnsI ported, the cost Of transport being greater
than goods in general are capable Gf paying; never
theIess, tariff regulated by weight alone, without
distinction Of classes, is fixed for merchandise.
Although Cubs IL not yet annexed to the United
tiee Of lire Of railway which traverscs that isl
and. forming q communication between the city
q Hsyana and the centre Of the island. This Is
an ,xcellently constructed road, and capitally
wofked by British engines, British eogineers, and
fritish Goals. The impression produced in pass-
rg along this line Of railway, though different from
those already noticed In the forests of the far West,
rSs s,s .mss,ss k We are here tN[anspoIssd
driven by an engineer rom Manchester, and pro-
PEELED by fuel from Liverpool, through fields yellow
With pintarIlts, through groves OF plantain and
cocoaDut, and along roads iDcosed by hedgerows Of
fiTe oranges.
To vhst extent this extraordinary rspidity Of ad.
vsnctment made by the United States in its in
lard communications, is Observable other de-
tartmtnts, will be seen by the following table,
exhibiting comparative state ment o. those data,
derived from tfhcial sources, which indicate the
social and comm ercisl condition of people through
ytriod which forms but a small stage in the life
Of q nation
1898 1851.
orulation. ................ 1899 325 24267,ls5
In ~ rte ................... G6T3p130 c3sTl3 54s
Exports ................ G5 675s69 c32367O00
robrsge. e..................... t2o7o4 3,bJ5,4jl
Lighthouses, besctns, and light
thfJt ........sss.s......s. = 63
Cot Of their m antersnee 90. $4,000 a115000
Rev, nue. committeeman. 81 10000 Ee516 600
Natiorsl expenditure ...... 9lt37ooe IS $4,000
Poet Chces s................ 2Os N,b5l
Ttst Icsds (mies) .......... b6i2 1850
"a. rfI Pei a