The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-03-16
Interesting Statistics OF Railroads In the
United States.
Census OrricE, WASHINGTON,

| United St0tes.
| CENSUS OFFICE, WASHINGTON, March I. 1852.
I'm compliance with your request, proceed to
your inquiries concerning railroads in the United States
The number Of miles of railroad in operation in the
United States january 1852 was as nearly as can be
asccrtaned 1O.S14ls At the same time there was in
course Of an extent of railroad amounting
according to the reliable estimates. to 10S9S miles.
y far the greater portion OF the lines commenced but
incomplete will be finished within the ensuing FIVE
years, The length Of railroad brought into operation
since January 1913 is 24 miles Within the last year
253 miles have been finished. Nearly all the lines in
progress have been commenced since SS 1t is supposed
that thousand to fifteen hundred miles addi-
onal to the 10S9S 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 States than at the present time
Many Of the lines projected have taken the place Of plans
for the construction of canals and turnpike roads Ac-
corngly these works Of public improvement not pro-
secuted with the ardor and energy formerly,
although much activity exists in the construction OF plank
roads The labor and capital which they would require,
absorbed in the numerous and almost colossal schemes
OF railroad building Since 1S4S the extent Of railroad
opened transportation has nearly doubled
and there believe that the increase in the
length of road brought use will be less rapid
during the next period Of four years By the year 1850
may expect that the territory of the United States
| will he tr'vcrsed by at least $4,000 miles of railroad.
Ii is very difficult to form estimate Of the
| expense per mile Of building railroads in the United
States In fact can BE- assumed applicable
to the whole country The cost of the roads III New
England is about $4,000 per mile in New York Peunsyl
vania and Maryland about $4,000 But in the interior
Of these States the surface Of the country Is broken
dcring the cost of grading very heavy; and the
vide ana deep streams interrupt the lines OF travel
l ~
In New England. and the densely inhabited parts
Of all The old upon the Atlantic in all European
countries the exngushment of private titles tn the real
estate required for railroads frequently forms large part
of the expenses included in the item of construction In
the southern States and the valley Of the Mississippi
SO per mile is onsicrcd estimate There
most all the lands necessary for the purposes
companies given to them in consideration II the ad-
vantagcs which private proprieors expect the loca
ton ot the roads in the vicinity Of their estates
In many OF the Western States the cost Of grading
long line of road does not exceed 81 900 per m.hc cost
nj im To NOT NJ
clearing it from the track For these the
pese OF building railroads in the Southern and Western
States Is much less than IL will he when the
becomes dcnsey settled as the older States Of the Union
/ The Central Railroad Of Illinois is enterprise which
furnishes remarkable example IT the energy and spirit
Il imp emcut in the Stac@ Illinois admitted
nto the confederation state in ISIS, with 10000 in
bahtants 1t has 55.Ip5 square miles Of territory
population according Z" The census Of 1850 Of Sj1470
The Central Railroad i, To extend from its southwestern
extremity at the confluence Of the Mississippi and Ohio
rivers 10 the north line al the state with two divcrsng
branches The total length Of this road including
main slcn and branches i 60 be six hundred and eighty
miles. The cost j. estimated at $4,000 per mile.
Sl3tcotuo for the entire work. without equipments for
operating it, Til. il the longest continuous line road
in cont, mration in the ntcd states Of which there
Is any probability Of speedy completion II has been
commenced with such facilities for executing the plans
OF IL projectors that there j. reasonable doubt that il
/ Will hc finished within a few years,
Mr.. Asa Whitney proposes construct Railroad from
81 Louis some other rac" the Mississippi river
the Pacific terminating either San Francisco in
California ut the mouth Of the Columbia river in
gon ilc .ocits the patronage Of the national govern
q tract Of land equal in cxtcn 10 sixt. miles in width
by thousand miles in length His plans were fir. laid
hcr, Congress in 1872 has since been ontiptally
occupied IN recommending them to the favorable ,tt.n
ton II the government and the people with great ability
and ara but with what remains yet BE- seen
Without expressing any view with reference thereto il
mas ~ said that his project i generally considered i'm
practicable. from the fact that OF the thousand miles
Of territory which his route acro.s the country must ira
verse, large portion consists o desert sterile aud
very elevated mountain districts, in which b. found
no materials Z" construction aud which would afford
lItSr flf. tN
Of building Il overcome. Many intelligent however
are convinced If it. practicaldity aud expcicncy.
The railroad system ofthe United may be
sidcred t. lay, in 1870 The first one put in
operation short road built for The transportation Of
ice from snail lake to the in the State Of MaSsachu-
setts The length OF This work Was four mil.e II lin
ishcd IN $3.50 IN the year the Of South Caro-
Una caused to he commenced railroad from Charleston
~ principal roft 10 Augusta IN Georgia The distance Is
l3J miles. The work was flushed in 1888 At ia, very
remarkably small cost Of Sl336 Gl5 which sum included
also the expense ~ Furnishing road with ENGINES nd
passenger end freight and al other necessary equip
ments. Ihis the first railroad any considerable
length constructed in The United states aud il /, h.
Ihscd !" have been The cheapest aud Ut he
| ces-iul
The ongea continuous line II railroad In he world
aud thai IN the construction o which The reaes nal ual
obstacles have been overcome that Which eytcnds from
the Hu,on river through the southern counties OF New
YORK 10 Lake trie il length IL four hundred aud sixty
hne mile ana II has branches o. aggregate additional
length 81 sixty eight niles Nearly it, whole eours, is
throush region q moun,ons; The bridges by Which
scarried the Delaware and Susueianns rivers
other streams and tls yqlucs upon which crosses The
valleys tina, Inherent is route ar. anon, is nb.,
monuments Of power and k TO lie found our countrs
The most 81 fhese works are II heavy masonry. but one
81 them liza wooden bridge hundred and eighty four
feet in height and having but arch the en OF which
two hundred and seventy nv, feet Of tic viadcs
loo feet lona and 10 feet high The aggregate cost
II this important work s235,o COO and The expense
"a construction was SISJ per mile The road orr
ghal! suggested In isSs; company organized in
isi. surveys we're made D The year. and opera
,"ns we're begun y grading part d The in 1s3;
" "as nn~hcd ~ May iN5 and opened with great
mouy for travel and portaon in that month The
state advanced si1 millions Of dollars towards the work.
ard afterwards reIss the company from the obligation
70 pay the hon II viii thur bc seen that the execution
q TINS great improvement pursued through nineteen
years and II not accomplished without calling Into
rtquston both the VI The State aud tbs
Of her citizens
In the infancy Of the american railroad system and
ten years thereafter the rule extend to eve~,
important enterprise Of that character The assistance Of
tie state in which IL was to be built
Pennsylvania Michigan Illinois. Mississippi and sonc
other States adopted extensive systems nrroy
consisting Of railroads and cana which they pursued
I'll their credit failed; event which happened in most
esses before a The works had been completed and
Brought into profitable But the general practice wa
to chartor companee each - which charged with the
execution Of pgrcuar work and 10 aid them by
loans OF state stock Although this practice has fallen
into 20 much dfavor IN Of tho States bat the ci
7ens have incorporated In their constitutions atcr pro
hhng advance. by their Legislatures for such purposes
" Is Yet continued by others and virginia Iennc' ana
other States prosecuting expensive works. con
dercd essential 20 their prosperity ey ean 9" "Nahecs
ft m their respective treasures
10 the year 1850 Congress passed an ee after very
alut 700 600 acres of publ aid IN the
ton of the Central Railroad 10 which auson has boon be-
fore This magnificent donation il reckoned by the
company which Illinois has conded the building n
The road. 10 Dc worth SIs000000 This The fret in.
in which the aid If the national government had
been extended 10 . railroad project,
hut since the above grant innumorahe applications
have been made from oil the states for sessions of
afd Tor railrtad purposes Whether such further aid
shall DO extended is now q much agitnod question in
American politics Bills pending In Congress propos-
ing 70 cedc for these purposes about 20 100000 Of
n
OF the principal facts connected with RAILROADS ia ID.
Vs,ed Sts,e-, ~ Tho ~. yaaHnryi 1859