The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-01
RAILROADS IN THE UNITED STATES
INTERESTING STATISTICS. .

The Capitalists Guide and Railway Annual,
by F. II. Stow, contains some interesting sta
tistics concerning railroads in the United
States, from which the following is condensed
Il" 1t appears that in nine years, or from 1850
to 1859, the railways of the United States in
creased from 1855 to 1884 miles in length.
In this period, the increase in the New England
States amounted to 62 "A per cent, while in
eight Of the Western States the increase was
l,20l.H per cent. At the same time, the for
mer gained in population 1912 per cent, and
the latter 1922 The total cost of the roads,
up to 1859, amounted to 1864 ,070, of
which large sum it is supposed one-third has
been wasted in construction; yet by their in
fuence lands have been advanced in value,
and the speed of internal communication
greatly augmented, and the whole country
benefited. There are at this time $4,000
miles of finished roads in the United States,
and about 10000 miles either under construc-
ton or projected, requiring $500, 900, 900 for
their completion. 1t is estimated, however.
that many years must elapse before sufficient
capital C be diverted from other objects to
carry the through. In the mean time, many
projectC n a spirit of rivalry to other roads
will be abandoned. Iii calculated that &c, 600
miles of railway are sufficient to do all the bust
ness Of the country at the present time, and
in rivalry to other roads, which have proved
dead loss to stockholders, and in the main will
pass into the hands of the bondholders. The
average cost of railways per mile has been
$36,328. In the Middle States, $40, 9l9; in
the Southern States, $22, 9O6 ; and in the West
ern States, $36,333.
"The reason assigned for the cheapness. of
construction of railroads at the South is. that
they were built on the cash plan. Among the
net earnings, the Panama shows the largest
returns, being $29,564 per mile; and those
earning the least, or nothing to stockholders,
were found in Maine, Vermont, Mississippi
Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, New York, &c. The
list of dividend-paying roads comprise seventy
eight; among which, two pay an annual divi-
dend of IL per cent. nine, 10 per cent. two,
per cent; ten, 8 per cent; six, per cent. |;
thirty, 6 per cent; five, per cent. one, per
cent; one, q per cent; and one, per cent.
The list of delinquent companies on stock or
| bonds amounts to thirty-three. The total bonded
| debts of the American railways, all of which
mature between 1859 and 1874, amount to
| SAIL, l99,702. The total debts of the States.
including all liabilities, direct and indirect. in
Guiding loans to railroads and expenditures for
canal and banking purposes, amount, according
to MIR. Slows statement, to about 1921 1896 $50.
Many Of the liabilities incurred, however. for
| CANALS, rallrOadS, ana banks, cannot be con-
sidered in the light of any direct charge upon
the people, as they in most cases pay their in.
terest and sinking funds to the State, and in
some cases they yield surplus revenue to the
treasury. New Jersey has no direct debt, but
an indirect liability on account of canals and
railroad bonds of some seven millions, which
forms no tax upon the people Connecticut,
Delaware, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.
have no debts at all, neither direct nor indi,
rect"
THE GOoDwooD RACEs-TRIUMPH OF THE
AMERICAN HoRsE.-The London Times. sneak.
| ing of the Goodwood races, in which the Amer.
| lean horse Stark was the winner. saws:
"Mr. Ten Brock brought from America a
stud of half dozen horses. Prioress. in her
second year in England, after running in such
a manner as to make all people believe that she
would not be able to win a saddle and bride at
Barnet Fair, carried off our principal handicap,
and nearly repeated her achievement second
year in succession. Now we have to record
the victory of another American importation.
Stark, who until to-day had never shown racing
ability worthy of consideration, but who comes
and upsets the calculations of our shrewdest turf
tacticians, by winning race which the owners
of English horses have for months been plan.
ming and scheming to obtain. Mr.Ten Brock
made no secret of the confidence which he
placed in his horse, and scarcely a man In the
ring missed laying, and that success, although
attained by an outsider did not give the book
makers turn,n