New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-25
AMERICAN RAILROADS.

FOR TIE DECADE OF lS50-'6O.
tAprenjiI Table No ~
The decade which terninsted in 1860 was particu-
larly distinguished by the progress of railroads 10
tho Uried States. At is comm ncement the total
extent in operation was s,5S79 miles, cos'lng
$,96, 800 l2S; at its close, 30,5jS.77 miles costing
81 l3 452 $685. the Increase in mileage having BEEN
%2,o04OS miles, aud III cost OF construction $780,
1921.
While the increase in mileage was nearly 300 per
cent and the amount invested still greater, the con-
sequences that have resulted from these 0rkf nave
been augmented 10 vastly greater ra'io. Up 10 the
commencement Of the decade Onr railroads sust'ued
only an unimportabt relation to the iDfernhi cOui-
merce OF the country. Neatly sll the lie. then IN
operation were local or isolated works, and neither
in extent nor design had begun TO be formed INTO
that vss, end connected system which, IKE a weo,
now covers every portion Of our vide DOMAIN,
e. abling each work to contribute TO the traHc ana
value OF all, and supplying means of locomotion atd
a market anl( ri at his own door, Tor nearly every
citizen of the United States.
Previous to the commend emeDt of the last decade
only one line of railroad had teen compl.ted be-
tween Underwater snd tie great interior basins OF
The country. the products Of which now perform 90
important n part in our internsl and foreign com
merce Even this line, formed by the several hoks
that now compose TIE New-iork Central road, was
sirieted 10 tie carriage of freight except on the
payment OF canal tolls, IN addition TO other charges
Tor trsr sporta' ion which restriction amounted to
virtual iruhibtion. The commerce resullng from
our railroads consequently has been, with compafa-
;jv,y Hight exceptions, erosion OF the lnt decade
The line neat opened, and connecting The W es'sfn
sysiem Of lakes and rivers with Underwater, was
that extending from Boston to Ogtensburgh, CON-
po.ed of distiuct links the last Of which was eo:l'
! e.eed during 1850. The third was tue New-fork
and Erie, which was opered on the I'D OF Aprli,
1851. The fourth, in geographical order, WAS the
Prunsvlvania, witch was compe'ed in 1852, al
though i;s mount.in division was not opened till
1884 Previous 20 this time i's summit was over
come by series Of inclined planes, with stationary
engines, constructed by the Slate. The hitb great
Ine tie Baltimore a"d Ohio, was opened, IN 1893,
still iurth,r Soulh. The Tennessee River, tributa-
~ of the Mississippi, was reached, IN 1917 by The
Western and Atlantic railroad Of Georgia, aud the
Mississippi itself by the Memphis ard Charleston
K,ilr aG, in 1889. In the extreme North the At
loutic aud ST. Lawrence now known ar the Grand
/ Trunk, was comIleted early in 1853 In ls5S, the
Viroina syeter was extended to "a connection with
tie II mp his and Charleston and with the Nashville
and Chattanooga Railroads..
The eight great works named, connecting the In
terror with the eeabvad tie Ulks or base lines
uoon which ia erected the vast syst, that now
overslreaGs the whOls country. They serve as out
let's 20 Tie interior for It's products which would
h We little or no commercial value without improved
Highways, tie cost OF transportation over wlich
does mol edual oLe-tenth that over ordinary roads
The woiks namrd, assisted by the Erie Canal how
afford ample means for the expeditions and cheap
transportation of produce seeking Eastern markets
ana could, without being overtaxed, transport thc
| sntire surplus products OF the interior.
Previous 1850 by far the greater portion OF rsi
roads constructed III the States borde ing tie
Atlantic and before remarked, were for the Inoei
rart isolated lines, whose limited rainos were aio
gether local. Up 30 the date named, the internal
commerce of the country WAS conducted simost o -
ir,iy through otsr lines natural aud artificial and
over ordinary hi. bways. The per oil OF tie setl--
reut Of California marks really the commencement
OF The new in the phyticsi progress OF the United
al t.fslH I'D ..rI
parted new lie and activity to every portion OF the
luion y.iti, uaiiy the Western Staies the people
! of Win b, AT tic commencement Oh Io'O, were
thoroughly aroused as to the value and impoitarcc
of eairos,s. Each presented great fac ties for the
construction OF suth works, which pIomlsed 10 be
almost equally productive. EnnrpEiseS were uh-
Ger ak aud spe Oily executed witch have literally
COVERED them into q network of lines, anu Sc
cured tteis advantages to almost every farmer and
producer.
I lie progress OF these works in the aggregate,
wear by year, will DO seen by the tabular state
nepts Al The close of the report. The only import.
act liue opened in the West prev ious 70 1850,
Inc enc froto Spuduslv to Cincinbi ALL formed by the
Mad River iDj Little Miami roads. But III re pio-
iueer works were rude, uns bsiantial g, uotufes,
corupared with the finished works of the pr sent
dy aud were employed ailaos, wholly in the trans
poftaiion Of passengers WITHIN the decade, III
place Of this one hue railroads have b,eO con-
s,roctel. radistirg from Lakes Enc and Michigan,
sriaiu! the Mississippi At IN aud tie Ohio a e,ght
dlcrcnt oiut- aid serve az Trunk bnts between the
two great hydfogapic systems OF ne West. There
trunk Ines are cut every lie e miles By cross boeS,
Which il the State. east Of the Mtl,sipli are suM.
eiriih Numerous TO ueet every public and private
want aud 20 afford every nee d.ui ecOuf cement ~
The development Of the resources OF the couutry.
TIE Southern States have been behind the North
ern il TIER pGLl, enterprises though the date Of
the census, they prosecuting tbein with great
energy and vior. TIE progress inland Of the gfeat
tntk hnes 81 III. South lac beea already noted.
TIE opening OF the Mobile AID Ohio, and 'e Missr-
sipri Central. which will soon take place, will give
/ 1Ompeteuess 10 the system vi the SVut'W ostern
S,es aud leave little 10 be done 10 nase IL all thAl
i; gauted for that section o' the country.
West OF che Mississippi ess isS been done, for the
rea> on that the setl-Aenle there are Of
ceut date, and the people less able 10 provide the
nyans for their construction than those oil the older
States. Bul even upon our NerterB frontier extern
! live syrlems bave been undertaken AID very cOu-
siderable progress made in thcir execution.
4 ino,e interesting suffice; than The progrees of
our pGbiic works would be their reeults shown in
tie Increased commerce aId wealth OF the country.
Bat su'h inqUiies 10 not come within The scope Of
this report. Ii is we'll sseertaiLed, however thai
our railroads transport III the aggr gate al leot $50
tUns o. merchandise PER aunum to the mile OF road
n operation. Sucu a rate would give 70, 00J, 600
nus 40 the total oa tunnsge OF railroads for the
whole couGtIy. Ii we estIuate the value VI this
tunuage a. $40 per tun. tie aggregate value Of tie
whole would te 49, 800, 100000. Vast as this con-
u.erce is more ttan three-quar,en OF it has been
ere ated rrce 1850.
10 illustrate the correctness Of tho estimate made
the following statement is ADDED OF the tnunago
transp0rted by The railroads OF the State Of New
Y, rk Tor 1860 with tie estimated value OF the same
The olassihCaticns are mace 10y the companies:
1uus Value Total
Kind, Of Fyeiqhk Carried " Tun Value.
Products OF tie foIest....... j15i4 t2O 6If6 4YO
Products q nniuls!s.......... 6s5JlS wv IJIJ.6b
Vegetable food ............l, $40 80 IS bsyDb
CtDef a, ocultur.l pfOducs.. fj2l9 IS 2 l4a,t IS
90 i27