Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-03-22

The progress made by this country 10
,he construction Of railroads is one Of the
most striking evidences Of its limitless ca
Dsl,iliries. and the indomitabie energy o.
our people. A paper has recently been
prepared by the Superintendent OF the
Census. at the request Of the French De
par.ment Of Public Works. Astounding IN
Interesting information on the sahjec'.-
From thi. source we derive the facts which
we snail present to the reader.
The first railroad built in the U.Staies,
was finished in 1880. It was four miles
in length and ran from ono OF the small
lakes in Massachusetts 10 the coast. being
designed for the transportation OF zee. he
same year road was commenced al
Charleston South Carolina, extending to
Augusta. in Georgia a distance OF i3a.-
This work was finished in 1888. att cost
Of 81, 336,6l5 and has been in successful
operation ever since.
AT the commencement of the present
wear, there werc,as nearly ss could beascer-
tanned l0-sl41 miles Of railroad complet-
ed and in use, in the United States. AT
the same time there were l0.S9S5 sddi-
tional miles in course of construction
Nearly all Of this vast extent will be COM
pleted within the next five years. Or the
whole amount. now in operation, about
half has been finished during the last four
years BY the year 1860, it is thought
we will have 10000 miles completed.
The State of New York. has the great
est length of railroad completed, being L.
s26; Massachusetts stands next; having
2.OS9 mile: Pennsylvania stands next ,hav-
ing ,0S9 miles, greater amount in proper
ton to its area of square miles. than any
other State. Virginia has only ATS miles
completed and in operation. Massachu-
sets has $500 square miles of territory.
AMI Virginia 81 1852.
Ofrailroads in course of construction.
Ohio has the largest amount. Icing 1882
miles: Illinois ranks second, she having L.
400 miles in progress: Indiana is third.
having 9l5 miles, and Virginia is fourth,
having SlS. The only States that have no
railroad completed within their borders. ARE
Missouri and Texas Both Of these lave
works in progress of construction. The
only States that are not engaged IN adj
ding TO their lines Of railroad are Louisiana
and Michigan.
The longest railroad in the United
States, and in the world, is that which ex-
tends from the Hudson river, through the
Southern counties of New York, 10 lake
Erie. Its length is four bundled and six
ty-nine miles. Jttraverses an exceedingly
mountainous country. and encounters more
natural obstacles. it is believed. than any
other similar work. 1t has numerous vi
aducts and bridges, that are among the
nobest monuments Of power and skill 10
be fond in our country. There is one
bridge of wood, one hundred and eighty
four feet in height, having hut one arch,,h
span Of which is tw hundred and seventy
FIVE feet. One of the viaducts is 1900
feet long and ITO feet hi Oh. The execu-
ton of this roa was pursued through
nineteen years. The State advanced six
millions of dollars towards its construc
ton,
With the exception of Whitney, scheme
for a railroad from the Mississippi river 10
the Pacific ocean. which 10y most persons
is regarded impractical,le--the longest
railroad projected, and indeed in course
Of rapid construction, is the Central Rail
road Of Illinois. 1t is to extend from the
Southwestern extremity of the State. at
the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi
rivers, to lis Northern border, having two
diversing lines The total len.th of the
work. including the branches. will be six
hundred and eighty miles. Ii is cstima-
ted to cost Si3.60O.0O0, or $4,000 pr.
mile. In 1850. Congress granted to the
State about 100000 acres Of the public
lands to aid in its constructions These
lands are estimated by the Company as be-
ing worth $4,000, O0O-several millions
more than are computed as necessary to
construct and eqnip the road.
In the New England STATES, the aver
age cost Of railroads has been about Sl5.
900 per mile. In New York, Pennsyl-
vania and Maryland it has been about
$4,000. In the Southern and Western
States, $4,000 IS thought to lie an ample
estimate. The difference arises mainly
from the lifierent character Of the sur.
face Of the earth--the cost of land, tim
Der. &c.
The greatest tunnel. yet proposed in
the United States, is that through the
Huosack Mountain. which, when execu-
ted. all be four miles in length and ff
teen hundred feet below the summit ofthe
mountain. The cost is estimated at So
100000.
The railroads in operation. at the COM
mencement Of this year, may be assumed
to have cost S3lS 900 600. The cost Of
those under construction, will be consi,l-
erably less in proportion. for the reason
that, for the most part they lie in he South
and West. where, as has been stated, the
cost is materially less.
The fares or rates Of passage are not
uniform. In New England, The average
rate is under two cents per mile. From
Na,,