, 1865-11-18
RAILROADS IN AMERICA.
Rltca.o and the Engl1ah, Railway
TouFlStx~
Correspondence OF the London star.)

Correspondence OF the London star.)
NEW ioRK, Oct 1B.
The visit Of Sir Morton Peto, III. McHcnry,
and other English capitalists interested In
American railroad enterprise is drawing to q
close; hut as It Is not finally concluded the
probable effects. That 1t will be followed by
m extension and an improvement Of the sys-
TEN In tho interests OF the public Is, however,
perfectly clear. II has satisfied the entire
party that railroading here is but In Its In
fancy, and that while the existing system is
capable, according to English Ideas, of much
improvement, 1t Is necessary to extend 1t
largely In order to provide for the daily In
cseasing trade Of This country. It has also
demonstrated to them that capital, native OK
foreign, invested in such essential improve
menta and extentions, will yield larger returns
than can be obtained upon analogous Invest
ments in Europe.
The grentesf need for an improved and az
tended system Of railways has been found In
the West. The West wants the utmost ID
ciltties that can be given for sending Its pro-
ducts to the East and to the sea. It wants
more perfect means Of communication with
New. York. Most OF the towns in the West
are increasing in population and IN resources
with rapidity for which there is no: :prcce-
dent In Europe, and it Is necessity with
them TO- find easy and quick access to the
best markets. This they can only do by
double tracking the main lines of communi-
cation with the sea, and, where necessary,
BY building new lines. The case Of the two
cities Of Chicago and Cleveland furnishes apt
numerous smaller cities whose position would
be equally illustrative, but these two will be
sufficient, as the first Is the centre Of the
grain, cattle and lumber trade Of the vast
districts surrounding Lake Michigan md OF
Illinois generally, while the othct Is the Sec
ond city Of the State Of Ohio, aud the centre
. Of the vast trade of Lake Erie. The States
ofsIllinois and Ohio arc the largest and most
enterprising States Of the West. There is a
constant stream Of emigration toward them,
while the native population Is increasing, not
withstandfng the drain occasioned BY the
war, and new towns are constantly springing
up In all directions.
!, Chicago may, without exception, be destg-
mated as the, most remarkable city in the
dian trading post. It now contains popu1a-
tion Of about 2o0, GOO souls, aud Its stores con.
tinuhlIy present q scene OF activity (which
should be seen to be appreciated. It's ware
houses can store fully ten million bushels OF
grain. In 16e4-5 there wezo shipped from its
Wharves A. IN, ,4H bushels, whereas in 1888
less than go, ,1S7 barrels Of f'our we're made,
while ,42a ,055 were sent away through IT: In
the same gear, the receipts Of wheat from
all sources were 10,ss8,43e bushels, being
rather less than in the previous year,
owing to partial failure Of the crop In
Northern Illinois and Wisconsin, but large
Quantity yet remains to be brought 1orwnEd' c
The receipts Of corn IN the year were, In 1861,
no less than 25, ,160, ,516 bushels, Of rye about
1,0o, 600 bushels. and Of barley 1,2A,ooo
bushels. These few. figures will chow the
magnitude Of the grain trade. Further, Chi
cago is foremost In the United States as pro-
vision market. Its pork and beef packing es-
tnblishments 6urpass in number aud mng1i-
vile. This arises from the same causes that
have given 1t the preponderance fn the grain
trade-the development Of the Northwest and
the concentration Of the railroad lines In the
city, Of which there are more than : dozen.
These ruilroads, while they have made chica-
go great collecting point for cattle, have ntso
made 1t great point ior r. thelT distn9n.iion
7sB head of beef cattle Werc packed aud sent
10 all parts Of the world for consumption
As to lumber Tor timbe:) the receipts Last
year we're Sol 40, 400 feet, being nn increase
Of about 100, COX, ,600 feet over the pEeTtoqs
year; and by universal assent this tradc Is
highly prosperous both for dealers and mann-
lacturers, owing to the increasing demand ios
Chicago has also latge coal, WOOL, ana Ml9e =
Of this magnitude conld only DO carried On
by IN active. population and accoralnsiy
there Is constant influx and cfiux o. peoPas
By lake and railroad. But to the East AND
towards thesea this means Of rapid communi. !
cation nre Inadequate The consequence y
that good deal Of tralic which "oalo
naturally flow In that direction has to take
circuitous routes, involving delays In trans
shipments, and consequently good deal 9
expense that might otherwise be saved to TIL
| public.
Buia}o. Toledo. and various others Of th