Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-09-03
Kuropesn and American Railroads.

European ana Amofuo1u 8oiAfOSus.
lis acommoufemark that American Railroads.
q general thing. are not remunerative TO stock
holders We have built numberless roads all over
the country-ffom Maine to Texas, and from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Western border of Missouri
but there arc few Of them indeed whose stock is
quoted '.on change" at par. They have proved
themselves useful in furnishing an easy access to
market. They hive opened ways Of intercommu-
nication between distant portions Of the country.
They have subservcd the great interests OF CON-
neroe, and given a new impulse to the ennoblinc
pursuit Of agriculture-but still, mere 'inyest-
mcnts." few of them have ever paid This,
howsver, has not dampened the ardor of the
friends Of internal improvement. On the contra
~, the numberless benefits that railroads have con-
ferred upon The people have SO commended them
to popular favor, that new constantly pro-
jec4sd and made In all portions Of the country
Very frequently has this been done when there
was no prospect whatever for return OF the cap
ital invested. The collateral advantages to be
gained 80 far outweigh oil considerations of the
investment that there has been no check whatever
to the universal desire among us to extend our
railroad system throughout the length and breadth
Of the land.
But why is it that the railroads Of Europe,
though costing from three to FIVE times much
to the mie ours, are. most of them. able to de-
clare heavy dividends! 1t is due to two crcum
stances-and we will be wise to profit by the les
sons which they teach.
In the first place, when railroad is made in
Europe it Is made, not to last day or month or
a year. but for all time. Not so fast and impatient
as we are, they are content to proceed always on
the "slow and sure" principle, so that no portion
Of o work may be lett in an unfinished state or
constructed only for temporary use. In this coun-
try when we get to a hill we 60 round it. In Eu-
rope they dig through it, In this country we lay
down the rails upon heavy grades. In Europe,
the grades Of nature are overcome by the grades
Of art-and science is exhausted in making them
as light rs possible. Take Of our railroads,
twisting about like snake in motion, and run
ming uphill and down-hill like turnpike road
and compare it with Continental road, straight
as an arrow, and level as a de--and can any one
wonder at their superior durability, their greater
safety and their capacity To transport at infinitely
less cost than our'sY
1t may be answered that whatever advantage is
gained in these respects is more than countcrhal-
anced by the superior cost of the European roads.
Such was the popular belief at one time-but such
proves to be the popular error nor. The tests
which have been instituted by accomplished cngi-
neers, both in this country and Europe prove that
it is much cheaper, in the long run, to build rail
roads straight and lerei. An ordinary American
d.. - l..
structed anew every twelve years In other words.
II takes eight per cent Of the original cost, every
year. to keep the road in order This heavy ex-
pense is incurred by the wear and tear of rond
bed, rails, and machinery, in running around
curves, and in going up heavy grades. Let the
road be straight and lcvel-and much Of tho enor-
nous expense of annual repairs is avoided The
cost of such road is Of course, great deal more
in the begnning-but when it is taken into the
account that railroads are built, not for n few
years. but for all time. it may be easily what
is the dictate of true economy in the beginning
Another circumstance which adds to the profit
Of European railroads is the density of population
Of the countries through which they pass. Tie
main profit of railroads consists in the passenger
transpOrtation-noti in freights The more thick
ly-settled country is, tho more travel there will
be, as o matter of course-and consequently the
greater the profit This is illustrated by the diff
ference Of charges even in this country. IL the
New England States, where the population is
dense, the charges much less than in the South
where it is comparatively thin. A gentleman
who has been lately travelling in the North in
formed us, few days since, that the charge by
railroad from New York city to Bridgeport in Con-
necticut-a distance of sixty miles--was only cich-
ty cents.
1t will tekc many years to accomplish it-but
the future Of our American railroads will UNI
doubtedly show a change in the mode of construc-
ton. More regard will be had to the 'air-line'
in the building Of new roads-and many of those
already in operation will be gradually reduced To
the same condition. The grades, too, will Dc les
sened-and our roads, in respect Of these two very
important considerations, will approach moro
nearly to those of Europe. True economy will
demand it. Besides this. the stock will pass grad
ually from the hands Of tho original holders into
those Of new purchasers. As the country improves
in agriculture and commerce, and increases in
population, our roads will become more and more
profitable. The stockholders of the second gener-
alton will reap tho benefit, in dividends. Of the
capital expended BY their fathers.
E3gs APortrs it of Jehu.