Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-10-26

VI Alt AAAthhMhAtN NANNhf W NNnHfNA AAN
canal Of the Delaware a Hudson Coal Com
pany with the mines. Mr. HOfatin Allen,
who imported this engine, claims. IN a
spirited and graphic account, to have MADE
alone and unnccompanied the first trip by
locomotive on the Western Hemisphere.
The first locomotive to carry passengers in
the United States was built at West Point,
New York, in is30-l fer the South Carolina
Railroad from Charleston to Hamburg
There seems, however, TO he considerable
contradiction aud confusion Of dates in these
cases of precedence. simple and precise rs
we would expect them to be- and the lore
going has been siftcd with care, In the hope
Of making II reliable, or as nearly SO as
practicable.
The miles Of railroads operated in the
United States In 1870, % in 1870, 2,slsi In
1850 g,02li In 1850, 3Oe55i in 1870, ba399i In
Increase In decade ending In 1889 2,7p5
mileH. of decade ending ln 1872 0,205 miles
ending IN 1850, l3l4 miles and In decade
ending 10 1882 2i7e4 milea the greatest ".
crease being IN tho past year lsil, OF 1888
miles, length Of railroad madc 10 one year
nearly equal 10 the diameter Of the earth.
The cost Of these 80, s52 miles Of railroad Is
estimated at $1,000 100000, about 40 per cent.
more than our entire National DEBT. The
COS Of the mileage constructed the past year
including additions to old roads, was s2ia
O0O0OO Tho earnings OF railroads ~ the "
s., IN 1851, were for passengers sle,2lf254, Tor
frclght go, 1872 l0i total e3q 3b5, or about
g, 900 TO the mile, the passenger and freight
receipts thus being nearly equal In 1851, The
total earnings for 1871 were S454D61, 900, or
about $500 per mile. the freight receipts
having in the meantime relatively gained on
the passenger receipts so as TO stand about
two-thirds for freight and one-third for pas
sengers, or two to one. The tonnage OF our
railroads in 1851 was about 81 millions, or
Say 500 tons TO the mile, In 1851 about thirty
millions, or nearly 1000 tons TO the mile, and
In 1871 about 100 millions, or nearly 100 tons
to the mile and this too, Is after an allow
ance for duplicated tonnage as passing over
more than one road, the entire value Of the
tonnage Of United states railroads in 1871
being estimated at the Enormous sum Of
sl5, 900 600 0O0 The net tonnage reduced 10
pounds In 1851 cquallcd 49, pounds TO the head
Of population valued at %3h.34 per headi IN
1851 TO 1912 pounds valued at Sli642 TO the
head, and in 1871 to 5000 pounds valued at
1915 to the head, or more than ten times a.
much pro rata aa in 1851. by report OF the
Treasurer Of Iowa, the earnings TO head OF
population ran up from ~ ~ in 1852 to $40. or
seven times as much in lS70and the earnings
per mile OF railroad from Sl,I72 in 1862 10
| s4447, or more than two and a half times as
| much In 1870. II is estimated that the rail
/ road tonnage of the country would duplicate
| itself once In each ten years, from the pro-
gress made in Its industries were there no
/ increase whatever OF miles OF road or OF
| population; that the construction Of a rail
| road Will add five times its cost TO the worth
Of the aggregate value Of the property of the
community constructing it. and that the
! commerce ana MtNlNN Milfn IT VIII CREATE
! annually. will exceed ave times Its cost. In
! all this is supposed 10 be the true solution Of
our wonderful facility for recuperntion. and
of our far superior ability over other coun-
| tries in the payment Of our National debt.
In whatever | may say, or may have said.
| concerning our enterprise, II has been my
studious desire to make no delusive promises
| to mislcad others. ! simply give what |
| believe to he reasons for tile faith that Is
within me- and have not hcsitatcd 10 second
/ that faith with means, credit and effort l
| may add with more sincerity than ask or
| expect credit for. that the construction Of
| the Wilmington and Western Railroad was
entered into after much hesitation on my
! part, and. what was unusual, against the
wishes of those nearest to me. 1t has truly
been to me y labor Of duty,Ot love and PRIDE
| rather than Of financial interest | do not
deny. however, that one Of my great plea
| surcs of life is the accomplishment OF work
! In Itself clearly proper and right, under all
! verse circumstances and opposing influences.
| | hold that building railroads is Just as legtt-
innate AZ farming, or as the erection OF rrist
OF other mills, ,nOrdu admit that the divided
responsibility Of directOrship cXempts any
one from the strictest compliance with husi-
ness equity, honorable dealing and a prompt
iulhlment Of all engagements. am aware
that 10 many residents on the line the con-
structlon of q railroad is at best attended
with unavoidable annoyances, and MS
intmuted at our opening cerC monies. we
claim the patient toihcnfance of all, in con
sideration OF the great private and public
good to be accomplished bY the completion
aud operation Of the line. We have no
reasons TO complain on this score, and Il
gives me pleasure to add, that we have ex-
perienced perhaps more than an average lib.
crafty In the eNemnfion Of land damages
and otherwise, and with rare exceptions We
? had fair. manly and honorable Treatment
If in any ease We have failed un our part i
doing what We promise with reasonable
promptuess under the pressure incident tt
| such an enterprise, or 10 comply Justly and
fully with our engagements, il hns been,
assure you, thc iafthcsi i3om my wish Or In
ieution.
Finally. draire to acknowledge hearth,
: my thanks to the officials of other railroads
for much information and many cOnrtesies
to the Directors. Engineers, Ohicers and
Employees Of this company, who have SO
steadily co-opeIatCd with me- aud to the
; Stockholders and friends OF the road who
have stood by the enterprise. To those who
have wfonged US, II any, and 70 All douhtors
rs to our success.l ana glad TO say that shal
eudCavur only 10 return good for ctil, and
will entertain toward them nothing hut kind
wishes. Trusting that we have striven fol
Justice to Others, may we nor reasonably
hope for charity and iricndless Infringement
of ourselves and Of our work.
The opening Of the line Of the Wilmington
and Western RailrOad,in itself an important
era i'm the progress OF this community. Il
attended with associations of peculiar and
unusual interest to the person who addresses
YOU. 1t was In farmhouse In view from
the line of this road, and near the beautiful
stream of the Red Clay. the speaker wa,
ushcrcd into this world Of labor and of trials
/ of loyca and Of charities; 1t was there that
: at the carly age of two years the death of
: father placed me under the charge OF &
widowed mother, TO whose perseverance
patience and ecif.deuial In nflOrdiug me tho
means OF moderately fair education, l owe
so much. On this same farm, ami on aut
, near the identical ground over which thl'
road passes, l performed in summer IA,
! various duties OF farm work. and In winter
. ! enuafnl the hillside Eu|Tuuif
. jumper made up from q single barrel stave
! and II was ON active farm duty met with
mlshap that, though resulting in much sui
fering and many "ups and downs in attCl
times, confirmed lesson OF life so Offer
, quoted by my good mothef, that apparen
! atliictions are oft-times ourgrentest conceal
! ed hles ings. Within sight of this road
Z received, too, the greatest part of my school
! ing. 1t was there that l formed manl
b acquaintances, pleasantly remembered
j. through intervening years, embracing severa
+ who are among us to-day aud some who hay'
j nohly co-opcrated in the furtherance of thi
l. enterprise; il was there that l listened 4
J the sweet and lingering music cf the bell
= on the horses of the ConestOga wagons "a
0 they passed on in making exchanges Of pro
4 duce by the natural channel between Ian
( caster and vii ington, trade afterWard
. diverted by the iar-seeing enterprise OF on
s | ncighhOrng county, again and now may "
j. not reasonably expect to he restored h
= means of this enterprise to its original am
n propercourse. II was there that l "whis
s pcrcd loves young dreams TO pretty girl.
J. who are now the happy wives Of respectc
i husbands, aud who are the mothers An
d grandmothers OF interesting families. i
d was near by that we played "tinkley over
e ON week daNsn and went to meeting o
d First days" and it was in the quiet and W
s embellished graveyard across the way tina
p are deposited the remains Of q father,
& mother. and Of others near aud dear to me.
g From this home and from these scenci
about the time Of the completion Of the raj
e road through Wilmington from Philadelphi
A. to Baltimore, and at the age Of but littl
.t pennies indeed In my pocket,and after takin
At ! charge OF u school ia the ncighhOring count
Ie Of Chester, for about one year, proceeded I
). Wilmington to identify myself thenceiort
a especially with that city as my future hom
" and at once, TO some extent, with the raj
'e road interests then in their infancy, by entc
V ing the counting house Of o car mauufactu
% ing establishment, since become famous
n we'll for its iron steamships.
'e Aud now, my hearers, after very hus
le subsequent life of eyentiul years, with q
,s cares and responsibilities, with Its stru
5, slngs and its yearnings, and thirty-a,
h years from the time ! left my boyhood
m home I return to-day with this goodly cor
,s pany Of interested and sympathizlng friend
Ii passing through and among the scenes OF ~
rs early days, and of the enterprises of N
Iy father, swiftly Transported IN this rumbliI
n ! train, and follow ing this grand, noble. /
nj snirinr roaring, and almost seemingly livit
X iron hOrse--grcat monument as At is to q
nj genius Of man-hcralding and echOing ~
IS ro-cchoing our approach among The hills
r- my native Red CLAY and the valleys of Ii
A. old Hockessin home. My neighbors Al
n- friends, is it not inspiriting and am I n
in entitled without infringing upon prOpricti
10 and In humble thankiulness to feel that M
Ia day 1 am satisfied and happy man, real
ID to exchange congratulations with YOU o
IN n d all.
tu l. R,,- Eeorfro A Iati,nar was ,,n,~t i,t D.