Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-07-08
From the American Railroad Journal.
Are We Building too many Railroads !

In our issues of the sth and 9th May last, we
briefly considered this question and answered it,
satisfactory TO ourselves in the negative But as
our roads are becoming objects of great interest TO
foreign capitalists. oT ihe purpose OF investment,
who fearful, well class of timd capital
lists with us. lest should push these enterprises
beyond the bounds of prudence; and the articles
referred TO- gave rise to questions not fully answer
ed al the time we believe we cannot offer anything
more acceptable 10 our readers than some further
considerations upon this subject
The first points 10 be considered are the uses
that railroads serve in the United States and the
necessity tha; exists for their construction. One
of the most marked features of this country which
distinguishes il from all others, is, that we have
no market for our produce IN the vicinity of its
growth. Our domestic markets are all on the sea-
board and confined 10 a narrow belt of country
extending from Baltimore northward The great
producing regions in the south, and in the
Mississippi basin The people OF these great Gi-
visions OF the country almost entirely deyo-
ted to agriculture. Their markets are at great
distance in the eastern States, or in foreign coun-
tries, which involves the same necessity OF trans
portatiOC TO our ports OF export. Nearly every
product of our industry requires TO be transport
Ell to a great distance 10 find consumers. The
wheat, and cured provisions OF the west, the
hemp and tobacco of Kentucky aud Missouri, the
I
and the cotton, rice, and sugar of the southern
States, have all to be forwarded from 100 TO 900
miles, 10 find the great mass OF consumers. With
in the territories named there are no appropriate
and sufficient marSets--Ncither there be for
many years to come.
The lack OF the rayisy of pursuits necessary
to create domestic demand, 10 which have
advercd renders very large import trade into the
country necess Iry. The western farmer. .conhning
himself exclusively TO his own soil Is compelled
10 purchase, and import from abroad, all the ne
cessaTies 0: life which his farm does not produce
The import trade of this country, or the move
meat OF merchandise inward, becomes, as matter
OF necessity, the complement OF the export trade,
or movement outward because the capacity 10
purchase is exactly measured by the ability to
SELL Our roads become necessary, therefore, TO
furnish outlet for our products These being op-
ened, an equal volume of traffic in the opposite
direction is a result
The entire absence OF domestic markets in many
portions OF the United States, will be understood
from the fact, that at least ten of States and
some Of them The most populous, such as Tennes-
see and Indiana, each containing IN $50 100000
OF inhabitants, embraced no cities within their linn
Its having population exceeding 10000. Only
two western and southern States, Ohio and Louis
lana, had within their limits cities whose popula
ton exceeded 10000 and these were Cincinnati
and New Orleans. Even in the eastern States, we
suits only the line of tide water.
Such are the general facts IN reference 10 the in
ternal trade OF the country particular illustrations
viii readily seem TO every person acquainted with
our geography, with the distribution of our popu-
lation, and with the cost of transportation over
binary roads. 1t is we'll known that good road
bed cannot be made either in the south west
out of the soil In the west particularly, where
the soil is composed of black vegetable mould,
resting upon a cluyey subsOil, hardly any but
macadamized or railroad is passable in wet wealth
er. This explains the reason why the great mass
OF western population is found within short dis
tance fthe Gavigabe water courses, and why such
bodies of the finest land in the world in the states
east of the Mississippi river. remain without pur
chasers, at $ 2 per acre. Both corn and wheat
will pay for transportation over the ordinary road.
only for a short distance; and the only way that
the surplus beyond the immediate wants of the far
mer can be made available is to feed II out TO
stock. In many parts of the country corn Is
drug at 5 and 70 cents per bushel, which at the
same time sells for IS cents in our cities Vast
tracts OF country in the interior still remain wild
erness for the want OF access to market, which
with an outlet TO would become the most den
sely inhabited, productive and richest portions
of il.
So much for the want OF railroads. While they
are indispensable to proper development OF our
resources there Is no country IN the world so we'll
adapted 10 them nor in which they can be brought
into so immediate and profitable That por-
ton OF the United States which Is now the great
theatre of our operations IN railroads, very near
ly a rectangle, surrounded by navigable waters,
having the Atlantic ocean on the east, the Gull OF
Mexico on the SOUTH the Mississippi river on the
west, and the great lakes on the north. To this
may be added their tier OF states upon the left bank
OF the Mississippi This territory embraces an
area somewhat exceeding 100000 square miles.
A great majority, IN fact we ysays that all our
"a. a.lroads ba- el upon some one Of these great
water courses 50 that as soon they are reached.
produce comes within the sphere OF the cheapest
possible transportation. Any road Is brought into
profitable use from local business. as soon as the
irst ten miles are constructed. They will become
great through routes when they shall be EXTENDED
from one of the natural boundaries sPoSen otto the
other This great result has not yet been realized
but Will be accom- pshe1 during the coming year.
In ali of 1888 there Will exist two parallel lines
Of railroad from New York to the Mississippi
river, each nearly 1900 miles long, Numerous
other lines are in progrezs from other eastern cities
IN the same general direction. A number Of great
lines are also IN progress, designed TO connect the
guilt with the great lake each o. which Will be
about lUUg miles IN extent.
We have thus briefly. but we think clearly ex
piained the great necessity that exists for railroads
IN this country, from the absence Of domestic mar
kets the cOst Incorporation over ordinary roads,
which amount 10 practical prohibition. the reason
why the different portions Of them fast as they
proceed are brought into Immediate ana profitable
employment
Admitting the pr..vio-Is propositions, winch we
presume none viii coltrJvcrt, the man question
presents Itself Are we binding too many railroads.
or, in other words. going with the enter
prizes which have under weigh, beyond the
wants, and ability Of the country to complete and
70 supply 70 them profitable traffic lhls Is a
ltter of fact rather than argument " nave
IN some States large extent oi railroads IN others
with equal resources popuIafi5n, and wealth, pre-
senring equal facilities for their construction none
The proper way. therefore Is 70 apply the results
already obtained 10 such Sta'es where iaere are
no railroads OF bar very limited extent Of line
Take Massachusetts. for example As tais state
Is generally u.Isted TO- a. furnishing the best II