Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-02-21
Railroads in ENGLAND.


They have overdonc the business in England
The capital invested is nearly total loss, and the
stockholders are combining for the purpose of saving
something from the general wreck To this end
Reform Association has been organized What luck
will attend the movement may be safely predicted.
The evil, and 1t is past remedy, is that too many
Railroads have been built They are than suf-
fceut for the trade and travel of the country they
compete with each other ut runouS rateS-which
will speedily exhaust the whole capital stock. The
following article tells the tale. Instead of public
blessings the railroads public and private bur
denS. The expenses of keeping them running are
double the income.
The example of England should not be thrown
away upon this country In our own State, we have
already witnessed partial results very much like
those ON the other side Of the water We have rival
improvements each of which is more than sufficient
for the trade Of the region penetrates-but cutting
one anoihers throats and wasting the capital of the
State and of private individuals, in the ri nous COM
petition which exists between them. But this causes
no abatement in the zeal of those who fancy that
railroads permeating every neghborhood will aug
ment the national wealth indefinitely With them,
the present loss is only temporary. Give us enough
money to complete all the lines, and then we shall
be happy, prosperous, and rich as heart can de-
sire This was the identical cry which resounded
throughout En- yland-a country which possesses ten
times the capacity in trade and travel for the support
of railroads, II the system is dead failure in Eng
land what must it be here There the land is
crow led with towns, cities and people here, We
building railroads through regions where for forty
miles at a stretch you do not the smoke of ca
bin man, who can add two and two together,
can foresec the consequence
We look upon it a. almost Fortunate that our
financial embarrassments compel 10 pause in this
ruinous career II could keep on have
been going for the last i've years-and if all the
lines Of railrosd commenced and projected, were
completed, the revenue arising from them would not
pay for the rolling stock aud TO keep them running
at all, they would be heavy burdens upon the trea-
sury.
We know such doctrine as this is exceedingly dis
agreeable to those who think that railroads
ate wealth aud population, as if by enchantment-
But, convinced of its truth, feel ii duty to in
woke the calm consideration of the country before
We become ,aidled with an immense public debt,
contracie in the construction of roads, worthless
when completed.
We ask attention TO the following from the Lon
don Times:
With the present number OF trains it Is quite evident
On January !. 10 Mr.. Min-, the capital Invested
in the rolug ,toc& OF she London aud Nurth.We-tciu
Railway Wa, S'I4+-i. aud the net earning, OF tile y,tr
1916 .lg. .Noy. The numbered -Iup- cufpte 20
2.l. Ga JmuIr, ]. ls5j. tnu capital so invested
wa 2.4p4.72SL The net earnings Only 9aI,e6iL,
although there three tiuieS many rgiuu--
65S 80 that by trplng the engines the bad
been reduced BOOSTS This excessive number OF loco
motives indicates. OF course, like servants coke
wear ani tear OF permanent Wnp aui all other cXvues
But things are, the OF each company X
matter OF necessity Most places e-prcaly in tile Mid
land Eastern, and Northern parts Of this Island, be
reached irpm the metropolis by tao more hnt-,
while the crUss-cOnmuuicitiDus almost equally rcdu
dant II there are five trains los one line There must uc
nluy by h other, the companies STRIVING
another Uy rival train, much they did by rival inns
IL will he tie object OF the Railway Reform Association 10
AuI only such trains shall pay the ,hareholief--
Tn public OF course, will nave voice ia the natter but
the railway proportion of the public numerous enough
TO deserve some consideration aud the ruin Of hundred
thousand families is rather To much % pay for the luxury
OF train every hour in the day. Mr Mains very modest
~ puts per remuneration for the share
holders aud he ass'ths Sufficient sum for that purpose
may be entered ia the biancs-,heei Ike the items
servants, permanent way, &c aud that the trains and re
be adjusted accordingly.
"The Association may or NAV not succeed but il T.,
quite certain that ia other way will the shArehlller-
ever get the per cent, 70 which long period Of aise,
" has reduced their ambition. By ult)ni agitation
they compel ;he directors uniform system of ac-
counts Invested of that mystery u which directors have
hitherto srouled their bodes strokes oi policy WHAT
suicidal rivalry 10y which the shareholder, u every rail-
way in the kingdom cutting the throats Of the rest,
You are always told when YOU remOn-tre AZ iiust I'LL
profitable extensions that # company will not
push out brauch 20 appropriate district another will
and that company which refuses Join the struggle
will hu1 IL territory reduced the width of it, own
rail. In fact things are battle Tor existence
Now IT the Association, having obtained sufficient sup
port, come 70 understanding the division
OF territory, arbitration for this purpose they
once ntcrilc the cucrJachmsnts Of company into
the district Of another and what il the present
purpOse, compel fair arrangement Of trains. But
the mere fact Oi committee .t D.rnqusHcr il
new and promising feature. Up this time the di-cc-
tors have enjoyed stability and parnlueuce enough
while the opposition bad been brought together Oh the
spur Of the moment, IT, work and feeling it, way
At every step. such standing committee a. that up
pointed AZ the London Tavern Tuesday will %, better
able to cope with oa.my in possession than the gucr
Mia bands hitherto employed L4f.ss directors IL il
notorious that the standing committee, the standing mem
bers Of committee, tbe standing body everywhere ike
the standing army VII always bsat the rest. III Par.
ment will ever listen to any body the subject iii IL
will ever apply Other principle railways than Sir
Robert Pcel idea of free trtdc-lni IL IL will ever adopt
any other theory of legislation than that of mere com
promise between conflicting -uitors, this Association will
have sOmc influence with h. a. indeed deserves % have,
out to obtain that influence it be- supported by every
shareholder WHO not only wishes for per cent but would
rescue his per ccut from further depreciation.