The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-03-16
RAILROAD STATISTICS.

he superintendent OF the Census, Mr.. } p.
6. Kennedy, has transmitted to the French
Department of Public Works, statement re-
Iative to the Railroads of this country, from
which we gather the following
The number of miles of Railroad in the L..
States on the LIST of January in operation, was
IOS14a. AT the same time, there was in the
course of construction, l0,S98I miles more
The length of Railroad brought into opera
ton since January 1851, is 1924 miles,
Nearly all the lines liz progress have been COM
menced since lS4S. 1t is supposed by the year
1850, that there will be at least 10000 miles of
Railroad in the United States.
The average cost of Railroad per mile in the
New England States, is S45,000-in New
York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, about
40,000-in the Southern States and Valley of
the Mississippi, about $4,000. The difference
in cost s owing to the difference in the surface
of the country, the amount of bridging, and
the land damages. The Southern and West
ern States having the advantage in these re-
spects. In the Western States, the cost of
grading long line of Railroad does not ex-
coed $1,000 per mile, and the cost Of timber
amounts to nothing more than clearing the
track.
The longest continuous line of Railroad in
contemplation in the United States, of which
shere is any probability of a speedy compile
ton, is the Central Railroad of Illinois-ifs
sotal length, main stem and branches, is six
hundred and eighty miles. 1t will cost $40 600
per mile or $l3,600,000. Mr.. Kennedy says
1t has been commenced with such facilities that
ahere is no reasonable doubt but that it will be
completed in few years. Illinois entered the
Union as State in 1918 with 10000 nhabi-
tants. Its area is 55,4O5 square miles, and it
has now n population of ISL 40.
Dir. KENNEDY speaks of Whitney's grand
scheme for Railroad to the Pacific, which he |
does not seem to favor.
The Railroad system may be said to have |
commenced in this country in 1880. The |
South was little more prompt than the North |
m embarkng in the enterprise. South Caro-
Ina was the first 10 commence long line of |
Soad. Ia 1880 she commenced the Charles |
ton and Hamburg Road, 1856 miles long, which |
vas completed very promptly, at a cost, all |
told, OF 81 1896, 6l5-one of the cheapest and
most successful of the r ailroads in this coun-
try. Virginia, following her very soon, had her
petersburg and Roanoke Road in full opera
ton in 1888.
The longest continuous line of railroad in
operation in the world, and that in which the
greatest natural obstacles have been overcome,
Is that from the Hudson river through the low
er counties of New York to Lake Erie. It's
length is 469 miles, with branches equal to 60
miles. Itpasses through q mountainous region
nearly the whole distance. In its route it
crosses bridges that ure among the noblest
monuments of power and skill to be found in
the country. Most of them are heavy mason-
ny; but one is a wooden bridge, lS4 feet high,
with one arch, the span of which is 275 feet
One of the yinducts is 1900 feet long, and ITO
feet high. The cost Of the improvement is
$23.5S0,000 or $43.333 per mile. 1t was pro.
The State advanced $4,000, 900 towards the
work, as loan, from which it afterwards re
leased the company.
Although from the embarrassment growing
cut of expansive schemes, the system of grant
ing State aid has grown into disfavor, and been
prohibited by the amended constitutions Of
some of the States. Virginia, Tennessee, and
ether States, are now prosecuting expensive
works, considered essential TO their prosperity.
BY liberal assistance from their public treasu-
Tes.
Inlhe year 1850 the General Government.
SOr the frat time extended d;ract aid In N rail
road project in voting to the Illinois Central
Aoad 100000 acres Of public land. This has
gwen rise TO numerous applications from all
we ne" States, and bills are now. pending in
CONGRESS proposing TO cede for these purposes
$4,000 GOO Of acres.
IN p'anl'ng railroad enterprises intersec,ing
1e Appalachian mountains to connect the
s'sa' Atlantic and Western cities, inclined