Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-06-04
The Railway Movement.

There are probably now I'm operation at
least 81, 800 miles of railway in the United
States-abOut one mile of railway to every
thousand of inhabitants, and though this
would seem a fair amount of supply, yet
the construction movement still goes on
with unabatedaorce From the fact that
the great proportion of the gross amount
is in the Atlantic or seabOard, and in the
contiguous Central and Northwestern
States, it would be supposed that the move
ment in these localities would have about
ceased; but the facts show the contrary
In the New England States and the State
of New York there is now being con-
structed, or at least commenced, an amount
of full fifteen hundred miles, at an esti
mated cost of at least $60. 600, 600 Some
of these are extension lines, like that to
Hudson river from Boston, and the line
from Oswego 20 Rondout; Others are con-
Meeting or cross lines, and many others
spur or branch lines, for merely local con-
venience. There seems to be no limit to
the demand in the thickly settled commu-
mites, and as long as the capital can be
procured, and charters obtained, we must
expect railway construction to continue
until the entire land is gridironed into
very narrow spaces We are now
speaking of the more densely settled States
between the seaboard and the Mississippi
river, and the lakes; but, as the popula-
ton increases in the States away from
the seaboard, we shall find the same state
of things to exist. The main or through
lines, are now pretty well indicated, but
more will yet be added, and the branch or
spur lines will, in all probability, be as
thick as they are in New England. With
u population of thirty-seven millions, the
miles of railway annually constructed will
average full fifteen hundred, end rs
population increases, we see no reason
why railway construction should not in
cr,ase in about the same ratio. In all
human probability, in the year A. ID. 1900
at the present rate of increase, there will
be in operation in the United States, at
least $4,000 miles of railway, repre-
senting a gross cost, at $4,000 per mile
of 3,600000,000. To iron, equip, and re-
construct this vast network of railways,
will require vast armies of men machine
shops, iron mills, FORCES, steel works will
have to be multiplied, and we trust long
before that time arrives that the labor,
mechanical, and manufacturing skill of
the country VIII be found ample to meet
w
quired to depend upon foreign supply to
iron or equip our great national system
of highways.
We have placed the estimate of
annual progress at very low figure,
and within the actual experience of
the past two years, and have allowed
nothing for the presumed increase in the
Southern Stateg, whenever these shall re-
Cx~nr ON rNf f1,sAar
flict. In 1870 the Pacific Railway will be
running, and the shores of that ocean will
soon be covered with cities and trade
marts rivaling those on the Atlantic. AT
least two more through lines will be con-
structed, one on the north and one on the
south, and these will in time be crossed
and interlaced by numerous lines on what
is now unoccupied territory The increase
of and the virtual monopoly of the best
portion of the commerce of the East with
Europe, by the United States, will give
our railway movement great impetus,
besides incidentally fostering and develop
ing all the other great business interests
OF the country, The country should be
prepared by proper legislation, by the de-
velopment of its iron mines, its steel man
ufactories, its machine shops and skilled
labor, tosupply the demands that this great
increase of railway lines will make. In
no one of these departments of labor, if
conducted with ordinary business shrewd-
ness and common sagacity, need there be
any fear of failure in the future A proper
fostering on the part of legislation, will
in time make this country entirely indie
pendent of foreign manufactures, either i'm
iron, steel or other machinery.-1m. Rail
rdy Times.