Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-04-16
SCIENCE AND ART.
The CROWN Of naiIwny..

\.
The Growth Of Railways.
No fact has had a wider influence
upon the business and material pro-
gress of this country than the growth |
Of railways within the last forty |
years. In 1920 there was not sin-
gle mile of railway in al. the land
and in 1880 only % miles of line were
opened. In 1S4S we had 1908 miles
Of line completed, showing an aver
age increase of 800 miles per annum
from the commencement. In 1850
the system had expanded to 30,636
miles, advancing for the previous
twelve years at the annual rate of
2,053 miles. The war greatly retar-
ded this progress, especially at the
South; and yet the aggregate addi-
ton, up to the end Of 1868, was H.
642 miles In eight years, averaging
| ,455 miles for each year, and giving
a total Of A, 255 miles for the whole !
country. In 1868 the increase was
9, 1869 miles; which, with one excep-
ton. was greater than the increase. of
any previous year. During the past
year the estimated increase Is 5000
miles. Since, and including the year
1865, the year when the war closed,
about 1900 miles of railway have
been constructed. The total mileage,
as the figures now stand, amounts to
Al, 255 miles. tn -HftF rs
On the first of January, 1869, the
New England States had 4,0l9 miles
Of railway, the six Middle States had
0, 765 miles, the ten Western States
had is, $3.50 miles, the twelve South
ern States had 1898 miles, and the
three Pacific States had $50 miles of
road. Pennsylvania was the "ban-
ner" State as to railroad milage i
having 4,39S miles on the first OF jan
uary, 1889; Illinois stood next on the
list, having 3, 440 miles, and Ohio and
New York York were. equal, each
having about S,400 miles. In pro-
portion to the number of square miles
of territory, Mississippi was far in
advance of any other State, having
l,450 miles of road to 1900 square
miles, or an average of one mile of
road to every 5i7 square miles-a IA
ito, which, If extended to the whole
United States, would give 6Cs, 900
miles of railway. The cost of all
these roads as computed at the close
of 1868, was set down in round num-
bers at 81 ,S50,000, Add the cost
of the roads completed in 1869, at all
average of S44, 900 per mile, and we
have total cost of 5000, 900, 900 =
an amount equal nearly to, the Ma
tional debt. The aggregate tonnage
of these roads in 1858, was about 75,-
900, 900 tons, valued at $40, 472, go, 900.
THIS is equal to about six times their
cost, and would pay four such Ma
ti0na debts rs the country now owes.
The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
was commenced early in 1929 and Is
completed to the Ohio River at two
points, Wheeling and Parkeisburg.
BY this gigantic enterprise the pros
perity of Baltimore has been signally
advanced, and its population hos in
creased from 1000 to $4,000.
The year 1870 opens with an ex-
ceedingly brilliant promise for rail-
way progress. The American Rail-
road Journal for Dec, 25th, 1869, in
forms us that about 300 enterprises OF
this character are now under way,
and that in the course of the next
two or three years they will be COM
pleted, adding some 15,0 900 miles more
to the railroads of the country, to say
nothing of Others to he undertaken
during this period. Some of these
roads are hundreds of miles in length,
tapping fertile aud rich districts OF
country, bringing them within easy
reach of the great markets of the
land, leading to very rapid increase
of population, and adding millions
upon millions TO the wealth OF the
mutton. Commissioner Wells, in his
recent report, says:
Gift Is assumed that q line of rail
way gives access to fifteen square
miles of country on each side of it,
or thirty square miles altogether, then
the thirteen thousand miles of rail-
way which it Is estimated have been
constructed during the five years
from 1865 to 1870 will have opened
up three hundred and ninety tholIs-
and square miles of wheat, for the
purposes of general production, may
he considered new territory--a tract
of country larger'than the whole area
of France, and nearly three and d
half times larger than the whole area
of Great Britain"
Not only in the item of mileage
hut also i'm construction nd accom-
mediation, has there been great pro.
gress in our railroad system. Much
better roads are being built than wer,
, formerly deemed necessary. Stee
rails are taking the place of iron rails
1.-THE roads are much better equipped
) than formerly. More safeguards are
provided against accidents, and fewel
! accidents occur In proportion to til,
amount Of travel. Railway capital
: lists have discovered the folly an(
. poor economy of hasty and imper
!, feet construction which, though
cheaper at first, il more costly in tn,
/ end. The multiplication of roads
I and their healthy competition will
i each other, have had a tendency {,
: reduce their rates of fare and freigh
charges, and in this way serve tn
f general interest of the community
: Indeed, all the facts and statistics O
, the great railway interest OF tn
n country greet the new year with ~
n exceedingly inviting prospect of tn
! future. The progress of the past
\ wonderful as it seems, will he entirel
a eclipsed by that of the next fort,
|. years. t
II A PENNSYLVANIA bachelor thu
y gets after lovely woman: 81 I'm
4 peach her In the name Of the grea
i whale of the ocean, whose bones az
i torn asunder 10 enable her to kee
u straight. | impcach her In the nam
G Of the peacock, whose strut, withou
: his permission, she has stealthfnll
: aud without honor assumed. / i'm
e peach her In the name of the horse
/, whose tail she has perverted from II
II use to making ofwavy tresscs to decor
?. ate the back Of her head aud neck :
| impeach her In the name of Tn
Kangaroo, whose beautiful figures h'
IL. 4.