The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-01
Railroad System of the United States-vew
York ms Its Centre.

out change of moment.
Railroad System of the United States-vew
York Its Centre.
A few days since we drew atteation to the
facilities offered for the transportation of passen-
gers and freight to remote points of the Union
by the establishment of offices in New York
representing conformity the interests of the prin-
cipal railroads and of those connecting with
them We pointed out the advantages likely to
result to the trade Of the metropolis from this
arrangement but there is another consideration
which it suggests, which merits some special
reflections.
1t is evident, from the tendency which is being
exhibited by all our principal railroad and steam
boat lines to converge to New York as com
mon centre that this city is destined to be not
only the great distributing focus of the Union,
but of the continent generally. What it may
eventually become as an aggregate of popula-
ton, extended as it will be by this enormous
traffic, it is impossible to predict. 1t is certain
that in the history Of the world there has been
no parallel to the favorable circumstances of de-
velopement in which it is placed
railroad map, and examine how far our natural
position has been improved by the extension of
our network of internal lines of communication
Ourprogress in this respect, and its bearing upon
our local interests, are so little noted, that
unless this is done many will not be in cond-
ton to appreciate their future results. Taking
first a general view of the bearings of our rail
road system, 1t will be seen that the Northern
and Eastern roads. as a means of conveyance
| for manufactured goods are supply roads to New
York. The lines running West and Southwest
from here are distributing roads, supplying
traders along their routes with imported goods
and at the same time bringing back agricultural
produce All the Atlantic termini of the
Southern railroads are connected by steamship
lines with New York, conveying manufactured
goods in small packages, but doing the bulk of
their heavy trade by coasting vessels.
Entering more into detail, we find that the
Northern routes consist of three lines, joint
rail and water, and one through railroad (the
New Haven) connecting with Boston and all
the New England lines and through them with
Quebec and Montreal. Next there is the Hudson
River Railroad, running to Albany and Troy,
and from thence continued on by another line to
Ogdensburg and Montreal. The Western routes
resolve themselves into four great iron ar
teries-the New York Central, connected with
the metropolis by the Hudson River Railroad;
the Erie Railroad; the Pennsylvania Central,
connected with New York by the East Pennsyl-
vania line; and the Baltimore and Ohio Central,
connected with it both by rail and water COM
munication. These four routes ramify into in
Vulnerable branches all through the Western and
Northwestern States, extending to 25O miles
beyond the Mississippi, where they are continually
pushing forward their iron antcnne towards the
setting sun. Competing with these lines we
have the Grand Trunk Railway Of Canada,
which connects with our New York State rail
roads at several points, running thence to De-
troit, and connecting with the Western system of
branches.
The Southern routes are--frst, tn Virginia
roads, pushing from the water line of the Poto
mac, in the James river, to the Southwest. and
connected with New York by line of seagoinp
steamers. The line Of communication between
Memphis and City Point, in Jamess river, will
soon be completed. From Memphis the rail.
way communication is already perfect through
Tennessee, Northern Alabama, and across
Georgia and South Carolina to Savannah and
Charleston, from which point lines of steamers
connect with New York. The New Orleans and
jackson Railroad, with its combinations, when
completed to connect with the Tennessee system
of railways, will bring New York within three
days mail communication of New Orleans. Be-
sides the facilities that will be afforded by these
routes, it may be assumed as certain that no rail-
way can be built to any point on the Atlantic
coast without its being Immediately placed in
connection with New York by lines of steamers.
We do not think 1t necessary to enurnerate
the various railway and canal projects which are
contemplation in Central and South America.
Thee, whenever they are executed must all
obey the same law Of conveyance which necessi-
tates direct connection by steamers with New
York.
1t will be seen from this brief survey Of orr
railway system, that our metropolis ALREADY
forms the heart of its operations, and that every
addition that is made to il in future must take
this direction. Of the immense wealth aud infu-
ence which this command Of all the lines
OF internal communication viii give us in
course of time, but little idea can as yet
be formed. None Of the great commercial
centres OF the Old World have cye1 held posi- |