Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1855-07-14
No. 10
American Railroads.


amount Of condensed labor in the form Of capital.
which is truly astonishing In 1923 there were tire.
miles IN operation at the present mGReni there
twenty thousand. In that year there was only one
railroad ON our continent, there three hun
drrd and thirty-nine. We have before ~ the
Gently printed excellent Report Of the New York
State Engineer, John Clark, ESQ.,, for las; year in
which We find il stated that there are 2723 miles
Of track in operation, With BOB miles Of double
track, making total Of 3,28 miles in the State Of
New York The whole length of railroads COM
pleted and projected is 4,436 miles. The amount
Of stocks paid in is s69 473, ,458 and the funded
debt S66, $50, ,e97 making the total amount espend-
ed sl37, ,704 ,&55-G vast SUN. There 6Go 10
comotives n use, and 6,Sl6 passenger and freight
cars. The passenger trains have run 7Ot4.lSo
miles on 2,4a miles Of road, and the number Uf
passengers carried amounted 70 about ten millions.
Out IF this number, one was killed for every $685.
600 who Travelled, and one injured ont of every
600. In 1853, one passenger vas killed out Of
every 10000, and one injured ont Of every &25,-
900. The safety to life in travelling last year,
therefore, was greater than the vesr before. This
is pleasing, and the 30, a. it Is recorded thar
not one passenger los; his life from causes beyond
his own CONTROL although the distance travaed by
each amounted to 80 10 miles This is high tea
tiuony to the safety of New York railroads aud
their mode of management during the past year.
II is certainly for their interest TO be very care
full and employ none but competent persons, for We
find that the New York and New Haven Railroad
paid no less than $297 800 for damages to persons
and property.
The greatest amount Of destruction of life was
that Of persons run over while walking on the track.
the number Of such being no less than 56, and IS
injured Railroads, we have advocated Tor years,
should all be fenced in. Although last year was
one of great depression in business, we hnd that
the increase Of passengers amounted 10 5O,ceo;
eh,,, hat rms CotJd bad
times-must be about, to push along, keep NOT
ing"
The expenditures of these roads last year, ra.i-
er battles US TO understand For maintenance OF
way the increase 90 per cent, and for repairs
of machinery 25 per cent; thus showing that there
has been lack Of economy somewhere. W e COM
menced the subject of contracting with engineers
for running the engines, making repairs, &c TINS
has been found to work economically on English
roads during the past year, and we cannot see Why
il may not on our roads.
The amount of wealth embraced in 10000 miles
of railroad, al $4,000 per mile for construction,
would be 100000, 900; yet it is fact. that much
Of this is debt, and owned in Europe. Every effort
should be made to lquidaie it. foI any public work,
deep in debt, affords sorry theme for congrstnia-
ton however grand and great the work may be-
Thus we find, that the New York and Enc Rail-
road cost S33 439 All ;S25 669 of which is debt
The character Of our railroads. so far as It relates
to their mana cement, suffered greatly last year BY
enormous frauds, perpetrated by some OF those who
had the principal management Of them. AT Tie
present moment there are but a very few in our
whole country which pay their expenses and inter-
est on stock and debt.
Our country is well adapted for the building of
railroads, at a small cost, in comparison with the
English roads, and yet numerous sums have been
thrown away for want Of skill and knowledge in
construction.
The greatest amount OF expense is incurred in
the building Of bridges, tunneing, deep cuts, and
filing Of rayines.
improvements will yet be made in machinery to
reduce the cost of constructing railroads. and also
the running expenses. The Suspended Purchase
Of w. II. Brown must greatly reduce the cost OF
many heavy works, such the building of piers IN
Golfer dams etc. We have seen a model Ut this
apparatus, weighing only FIVE ounces, transport
weight of sevenry-hve pounds, with great rapidiy.
over span of eighty one feet, and made to dePcSs
and take il up at any point in the whole span. IL
is our opinion that is of the best engineering
inventions of the age, and we have been Informed
that il is soon to be employed on the Troy and
G reenfed railroad, where the great tunnel Is to
be cut through the Green Mountains.
Our railroads must learn 10 save more IN fuel, oil
and in construction. A great expense { fuel can
be saved by substituting 1al for wood burning
gines On our railroads west Of the Alleghaniesr
especially there is no good reason whatever why
,hey should not use coke for iue there is sBc.i
an abundance of coal throughout the West.
AsrcporE or NAPoLEox-One day the First
Consul on dismounting from his horse. and travers-
ing the gallery adjoining the centre saloon at Mall
naison. stopped TO examine portfolio of engrsv-
ngs which had been placed upon table at the
park end of the gallery. Isabey is said to have en-
tered at the end next the CO 1T. The First Consul
was then slim, and the uniform of the guides,
,r horse chasseurs Of the Gnanl-thst beloved uni-
orm, the verv sight of which makes the hesrt beat
-. p..nk.--,i. ns [ h,,,a nhserved hefare