Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-12-19
The Influence OF Railroads upon
states.

so long enjoyed the facilities which these
afford, that we do not realize their i'm
portance and the great aid they have
been 70 us In the development OF our
resources and increase OF wealth, We
need not 60 far back TO find the time
when our quarries were unwrought and
their presence upon our farms deemed
anything but source OF profit to the
owner. 1t is an old business maxim,
that trade concentrates and capital Is
planted where the facilities for business
are best afforded.
From tables prepared a few years
since, the relative value OF each form Of
transportatlon,-rail car and wagon
to producer and consumer, was made
apparent. Estimating the cost Of 8
bushel Of wheat, the price at the time
these tables were prepared, at 81 so, and
OF corn at rs cents per bushel, and al
lowing 33 bushels OF each to the ton, it
was shown that by land carriage the
corn would "eat itself up" by trans
portation Of 165 miles, and the wheat Of
$50 miles, while by rail- these distances,
before accomplishing the same results,
would be respectively 1850 and $500
miles. To all who consume and pro.
duce such facts ought to be convincing.
As showing how Immediate is the in
fuence OF railroads upon States where
legislation is liberal and not tied down
to guardianship; and as indicating what
they may do for our State by the aid OF
wise and liberal legislation, we give the
results in Ohio, promising that other
States show similar results
"In 1929, wheat was worth twenty
five cents a bushel at Cincinnati, and
corn ten cents, but they had no access
to distant market. The State built
canals, but these were slow coaches.
Then came railroads. Ohio seized hold
of them and rose rapidly In wealth,
greatness and power, and is to day the
third State in the Union. In 1841 her
valuation was but $l28, ,353 657, and in
l845 it reached $l45, 100, ,469. In l847
she had 262 miles of railway only, in
1850, 575 miles, in 1860, 2,999 miles, and
in 1865, S,402 miles. Her valuation for
taxation rose to $4SS. 872 632 in 1850,
to $3.50 ST. ,354 in 1855, and to an actual
valuation in 1860 Of $l,l93, ,898 422, while
her 8,402 miles Of railway, cost only
sl35 23l 9T5. Ohio allowed towns, cit.
les and counties to aid railroads, and
these are the results" We trust those
members Of our last Legislature wAo
showed opposition to public improve
ments, will not be dismsyed st these re.
suits. Those members will do to stand
side by side with that conservative mem
Der OF the Massachusetts Legislature,
who, upon the Introduction in the early
days OF railroads, OF resolution to the
House, expressive of the opinion that &
railway from Boston to the Connecticut
river would be OF public advantage, de-
livered himself as follows: "Psss the
resolution, and who can predict the con-
sequences II we should say by our
acts that such a work would be Of ad-
vantage, who can say that some daring
agItator may not arise and propose to
put the idea into practice. And II such
q work should be undertaken, public
credit would be overthrown, and every
dollar OF property in the Commonwealth
would be in jeopardy" The results
have not verified the prediction. She
has built within her borders, and 1t will
Re safe to say by her capital, very
much larger number Of miles in other
States and territories since the day the
conservative member had such fearful
forebodings. 1881 miles of railroad, at
an aggregate cost of $79, 466 TIA, upon
an area of 1900 square miles, or an aver
age OF mile Of railway to every miles
OF territory, and mile Of railway to
every 925 inhabitants in the State. We
can see the results Of this enterprise In
the use of her available water power, in
the increase Of her population and In
her great wealth.
As State, Vermont Is behind in rail-
way and other enterprises. A more lib.
eral legislation, which shall by its gen.
erosity attract capital within her bor-
ders, is to be desired, and we trust will
be had another year. Something must
be done to quicken our State interests,
develop our resources, and stop the
drain OF our young men to other States,
or else we shall become like Virginia of
old, exporters Of that we can least atfJrd