Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-14
TENNESSEE CENTRAL OR PACIFIC
RAILROAD.
Influence of Railroads fn Building up
Towns and Cities.


It can scarcely be necessary to dwell
upon proposition so obvious. The whole
experience Of America is demonstration of
il. The marvellous growth of our inland
towns often without natural advantages and
in spite of physical difficulties; the increase
in the number Of such towns; the progress
in manufactures and the arts to which no
other period Of history affords counter
part are all attributable 10 the mighty
achievements Of the railroad. Without It
where would have been Cleveland, Chicago,
Chillicothe, Buffalo, and host of similar
towns which have reached the altitude of
great cities? and even in cases where great
natural advantages are enjoyed, as at Gin
cinnati, st Louis, Memphis Boston, New
York, how small are the advantages of the
rivers and the steamboats, in comparison
with those which are derived from the iron
horse, whose swift foot has penetrated the
vast interior, and whsse strong back has
borne away the colossal burden of itswealth2
The trade and population Of cities must al
trays be determined BIZ the ease or difficulty Of en-
trance and egress, and IN he competition Of
cities those that present dc greatest adpdntges
Of this kind, 4 may be assumed IN the ioaq rum
tvH win he race. There needs no proof Of
this. The farmer whose productions, for
example, are distant one hundred miles
from one city on the railroad, and ten miles
from another on the common road or turn
pike, will not hesitate long as to his true
market, and where he sells there viii he
buy, and there will be his associa-
lions and those of his family. The city,
therefore, that fOregoes the advantages
of the railroad, will be as pOwerless in
III l.. Il
who relies upon natural endowments, to the
exclusion of education and information, and
almost in proportion as these advantages are
added TO and extended, is her pre-eminence
recognized
Every dollar that Is judiciously expended
upon railroads, terminating at a city, is so
much actual trading capital added to her.
and il as much a part of her actual wealth
as il it appeared in brick and mortar or stone
ediices. When you add a mile Of road in
a new quarter, you are in point Of fact build
ing a new store house or mansion, and some
times many such on your streets and adding
a score or more Of residents 70 your midst
The dollar may Be better expended 0lyor hun
dnod males diSiaRi than several times that much
under your eye.
may safely ohallengethe skeptic, II there
be such, to a single instance of a town or
city which has declined in population and
wealth and become bankrupt in consequence
Of expenditures upon railroads.
The very reverse is the rule everywhere,
and the examples are so numerous that it
would be idle 10 refer TO them in detail.
The pnodigious growth Of st. Louis, and
the notable progress Of Memphis, with which
we are more familiar, are grand opponents
Of the principle that / am arguing. These
cities are conversant with the grandest and
vastest conceptions, and leap from one great
enterprise TO another with an energy and in
telligence which are truly admirable. The
result Of il is that all Of Missouri is flock
ing 10 ST. Louis, and all Of Tennessee to
Memphis.
A few years ago, Mobile finding her pros
perity on the wane commenced the stupen-
dous design Of penetrating 20 the valley Of
the Ohio by railroad, and although her
wealth and population were scarcely more
than half that of Nashville to-day, she
boldly undertook work which was 20 cost
eight or ten millions Of dollars, and has ac-
tually achieved it, and been long deriving
its great results.
Between 1880 and 1910, the gain invalua-
ton Of property at Charleston was s., l60,-
500, which Col. GAnsDEN said was clearly
trseeable TO the Hamburg Railroad, which
had not expended half that sum. The gain
was more extraordinary in Boston, which
was $4,000, GOO, in the years Es4I-45, upon
an expenditure Of thirty millions in rail-
roads. In the same period New York
showed ar actual decline, which reused the
energies Of her capitalists and enabled them
in the end 70 turn the scales. In 1910 the
district around Boston had a population Of
$4,000, and in 1850, 293OO0,-an increase
20 per cent. agaiust As per cent In the pre-
vions ten years. In the same period the
valuation Of property rose from $40, 000,-
600 10 S26S, 600 eco, upon an expenditure OF
Of So, 600, 600 for railroads
But il is not my intention 30 multiply such
obvious examplesorrcfert 10 thoexperiences OF
Nashville at the present time. The cOnsid-
Grafton Of her case viii come up hereafter.
close now with remark Of DR.. LARDNER,
which Is very significant, that The saving IN
passage-moaey made by those who Travelled
over the railroads in Great Britain in the
years lS47 and 1915 alone over what they
would have had to pay 70 The stage coaches,
was &c, go, 076 sterling, "or 20 pr ccaL upon
iAe rhole oosi q those roads," I'D