Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-24


From his las, letter we make the following cx-
tract: 800
tpf LONDON August 25th, 1853.
It 10 easy to see why English railroads have cost
SO much In their construction. their probable
income has exer, | no influence over the amount
expended upon them. A road is commenced.
Al engineer takes charge of it, and constructs 1t
according to his ideas Of what a road should be-
Euormaus sans are wasted in Parliamentary and
legal exfenscs, In extravagances Of one kind or
another. and in immense profits paid to contract
ors. IL often happens both in England and Amcri-
ca that the actual amount expended upon road
makes only small portion Of its capital account
II used to be thought that roads could DO made
for very smaf sum the level prairies OF Hi
noise Yet we find such roads costing twice their
original estimates. In America the great check
to engineering extravaganza has been the diihculty
Of getting meney. Another reason why American
roads have cost NO much less than English. il due
to the exercise Of a healthy popular sentiment. In
America, railroads built for the people. and an
excessive cost is regarded imposing indirectly
an excessive tux levied upon the community. If
a railroad costs $40 loo 900 whore it should cost
S. 600 600 the excess is felt 10 he n tax upon
commerce and travelling. But such oonsdera-
TONS unfortunately. exert little or no influence IN
this country. In America tho proposition for n
railroad arouses tho attention and cxcltes the m
terest Of every man in reach at 1t. Inc popular
voice. to very great degree. controls tho action
of the Disectory. In England three-tourths OF the
people look upon similar proposition with st"lid
indifference. The class that bears the burdens "i
society in this country feel very little interest IN
the public expenditure. The manner IN which
any public work is carried out IL controledby the
habits, tastcs aud sympathies OF the privileged
classss In the State Of Indiana for example
there are probably but few dwelling houses or
public bu dings that have cost more than SD ,ooo
or 800 900 Ii il not Ia he expected, therefore,
that tho cost vfkhe best station houses IN its rail
roads would faF exceed in style and cost the best
structures t. he found in the state But IN Eng
land the Lending stations come up tn the best
standards in the country for comfort and excel
lence. 1t would be thought hardly respectable
for nnbleman to be booked At n station that did
not though in Il, aerent way, display the elegance
and vie &c his own re sdcncc. The metropolitan
stations in this city ir m which the Queen ~ nc-
customed 10 star, an her tourney, have apartments
fitted in regal style. with n train To match. ie-
mark upon these things for the purpose OF showing
why railroads have necessarily cost so much more
in England than in America. As traveller do
not complain; but were n stakeholder | should
feel that much of whit is gainod in elegance and
comfort i. lost to the pocket.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Poor is right in his reasons
for the superior cost Of English Northumberland
what makes the difference marked Is, that
both labor and iron arc much cheaper in Great
Britain than with ia. Other things being equal.
an English Railroad should cost much less than an
Amorican-and the reason why they cost so much
more u.s. as Mr. Poor says account Of the OK
pensircnsss Of all their appointments, and the du-
rability and permanently with which the roads are
constructed.
But if their Railroads cost moro, they are also
worth more, Their working expenses aud the nn-
nuai wear and tear are great deal less than with
us--so that It is question whether it be not more
economicsl in the long run to build good road in
the beginning,
Further on in his letter Mr.. Poor makes
suggestions, which copy as follows:
Another great obstacle to the success Of rail
roads in Both countries, ~ the fact that they
controlled by JOINT stock Companies. We're thoy
owned and managed by individuals, they would,
have no doubt. become the most remuneratiye i'll
vsstmects for capital. We are ridden to death in
America 10y such companies. 1t is an axiom that
corporations have no souls. They certainly have
more soul than sense Now. in business, there is
no success that is not carned-that is not the pro-
duct of good sense united to sendiness of purpose,
kept alive and active by direct interest in the
result Of II persons labors efforts The ser
wants OF q joint stock company seldom bring with
them such qualities these. Their chief motives
seem to be to get the largest wages with the least
service. That our manufacturing establishments
in America are almost entirely carried ON by JOINT
stock companies, is ole of the reasons Tor their
want Of success, compared with English manuiac
turers. All, or nearly all, the great iron making
establishments in this country are the properties
of individuals. Hence they undersell American
manufa.t irass though sr ,teced by duty and
charges, equal to 50 or 80 per cent. on the cost OF
the manufacture. The same may be said Of the
cotton mills. They are mostly owned by indi,i.
uals- who arc enabled, by their superior skill and
economy, b. inparl from as oar cotton, and under
sell us m every nariet in the world. As have
before reiaarked--if we would reform railroad
management and bring it to a state of efficiency
md economy, We must supply TO every person en-
ployed, the motives and sanctions that are neces-
sary to- and achieve m, the ordinary walks
of life. TIL this can be done ON our railroads. We
may sce 1t dywn that are long way from good
management and success
There ia good deal Of ,unl 4ortrine in Mr. Poors
suggestions. h has lng been thought by sngaci
Gus 6nAnci-ra il thus rauatry, that our Railroads
will not pay as genar;l tb.nc. until they pass
into the hands ofs FEW St,4, kholde,s-of Stock
holders who have bought the stock at q heavy dis
count Then, they will I've much more econom-
cally aged; besides having SO much smaller
capital upon Nh, h - pay dividend But one
great advantage have over English Railways
is, that they have probably reached the maximum
Of their business tady-whic We as our coun-
try is developed and ",r population increases will
continue to augment oar Railroad business every
year. We will learn the lessons of experience
and, pro6ting by them in the future, will yet jus
tify, in the results of onr Railway system, tn,
highest authorizations of its projectors.
Orange and Alexandria Railrond.