The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-05

A0eTtean RallroaAs.
The superintendent Of the census, J. C. Ken
needy, esq. having, ut the request of The French
department. OF public works, and 1t very con-
siderable labor, prepared the subjoined able and
comprehensive statistical view Of the extent Of
American railroads. as we'll those in courss Of
construction as those completed and in opera.
ton, he has kindly permitted us to tnke copy
oft for publication.
| CENSUS CFFIcE, WASHINGTON, MARCH /, 1859.
| The numbers of miles of sailro d in opera
ton in the United States, January LIST. 1852,
was, as nearly as can be asceriained, l0Si41.
AT the same time there in course OF con-
structon an extent of railroad amo uniting, ac-
cordlng to the most reliable estimates to TO-
S9SI miles. By far the greater portion Of the
lines commenced but now incomplete, will be
finished within the ensuing five years. The
length Of railroad brought into operation since
January l. lsi8, is 224 miles. Within the
last year 81 1853 miles have beeninshed Near
ly all the lines in progress haveb. en- commenced
since 1915. 1t is supposed that from one thou
sand TO fifteen hundred miles addit oaal to the
| lO,89S now known to be in progress will be
put under contract during 1852.
There never existed greater activity in the
making Of railroads in the United ST. ties than at
the present time. Many of the lines projected
have taken the place Of plans for the construc-
ton Of canals and turnpike roads. Accordingly.
these works OF public Improvement are not
prosecuted with the same ardor and energy as
formerly, although much activity exists in the
construction Of plank road. The labor and
capital which they wouli require, are absorb, d
in the numerous and almost colo sal schemes
OF railroad building. Since l84S, the extent Of
railroad opened for travel and transportation has
nearly doubled, and there is reason to believe
that the increase in the length of road brought
into use will not be less rapid during the next
period Of four years. BY the year 1860, we
may expect that the territory of the United
ates will be traversed by at least 80 900 miles
Of railroad.
1t is very difficult to form an estimate Of the
average expense per mile of building railroads
III the United States. In fact, no average can be-
assumed as applicable to the whole country
The cost of the roads in New England, is about
$4,000 per mile; in New York, Pennsyvania,
and Mary Land, about $40 900. But in the interior
OF these States, the surface of the country is
broken, rendering the cost of grading very
heavy; and nearer the sea, wide and deep
streams interrupt the lines of travel, and make
the expense of bridging serious item.
In New England, and the more deasey nha-
bited parts OF all tie old States upon the At.
'antir ns in all European countries, the ex,in-
gulshment OF private titles to the real estate re-.
CURED fer railroads, frequently forms large
part OF the expenses included in the item Of
construction. In the Southern States, and tie
valley OF the Mi-sissi pi $40 900 per mile is
considered Il safe estimate There. in most ga
ses all the lands nece ,sary for the purposes ~
the companies are given to them in cons;de,a-
ton OF the advantages which private propr,e.or.
expect from the location of the roads ia the Vi
entity Of their estates.
In many of the Western States the cost 81
grading long line of road does not exceoa
$l,oOu per mlle--the cost Of timber anonpt;pr
TO nothing more than the expense of CLEARING <
from the track, For these reasons, the exnensa
OF building railroads in the Southern and Vast
ern States Is now much less than it will be
when the country becomes as denselv settlad
as the older States of the Union.
The Central Railroad of Illinois is an e,ter
prise which furnishes a RENAL able examnla ~
The energy and spirit of Improvement in ,be
new States illinois was admitted into tba
confederation as State in 1918, with 80 600
inhabitants. 1t has 55,405 square miles of ter.
rtory' and population, according to the census
OF 1901, ct o5l, 47O The central railroad is to
extend rom It's southwestern extremity at the
confluence OF the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.
to the north line of the State, with two d;varr'
ing branches. The total length of this road is
GLIDING the main stem and branches. il to ha
ITO miles. The cost is estimated at S2O OO0
per mile, or $l4000O0 for the entire work
without equipments for operating it. This i,
the longest continuous line ofroad now in con-
temptation in the United States of which there
IS any probability of speedy completion. II ho.
been commenced with such facilities for execut.
ing the plans of its projectors that there is no
reasonable doubt that it will be finished within
few years.
Mr.. Asa Whitney proposes to construct
railroad from ST. Louis, or some other nlaca an
the Missis ppi river to tie Pacific ocean. ter.
minatng either at San Francisco in California
or at The mouth of the Columbia river, in Ore.
gon lie sollcits the patronage of the national
government for this prodigions work, and peti.
tons foi the grant of tract of land equal in
extent to sixty miles in width by two thousand
miles in length His plans were first laid before
Congress i'll 1912, and he has since been con-
iinuaily occupied in recommending them to the
favorable attention of the government and tho
people with great ability and zeal; but with
what success remains yet to be seen. Without
expressing any view with reference thereto. it
may te said that his project is generally con.
sdcred impracticabe, from the fact that of tho
two thousand miles of territory which his route
across the country must traverse, a large ppr-
ton consists Of desert or Of sterile and verv
elevated mountain districts, in which can he
found no materials of construction, and which
would afford no business for the support If the
road, were the difficulties of building it over.
come. Many intelligent men, however ae
convinced of its practicabi'ity and expediency.
The railroad system of the United States
may be considered to haye commenced in 1880.
The first one put in operation was short road
built for the transportation Of ice from small
lake to the sea, in the State Of Massachusetts.
The length Of this work was four miles II was
finished in 1880 In the same year the Slate
Of South Carolina caused TO be commenced n
railroad from Charleston, its principal port, to
Augusta, in Georgia The dstarce is l35
miles. The work was finished in 1888, at the
very remarkably small cost of $l3366l5,
which sum included also the expense of furnish.