Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-11-08
WHAT THE RAILROADS DONE.

Since tho completion Of the Central
Pacific Railroad the population of Cali
fornia has increased MS near as can be
computed, not less than three hundred
and thirty thousand souls. To contrib
ute to this result, during tho period OF
nearly ten years, this road has brought
into the State, in addition to its hrst-elass
travel, emglants TO the number of one
hundred and sevonty.nine thousand.-
Upon the basis adopted in the United
States Census Department that each new
emgrant gives permanent addition to
the general commonwealth Of not less
than one thousand dollars ard admit
ting that many OF these emigrants might
otherwise have come here by sea, and
that the said railroad cannot claim the
unqua lifted credit OF their movement;
yet to certain extent, the cheap, speedy
railroad facilities offered across the con-
tinent, and to a state also in full tide Of
development through its railroad sys-
tenn, gives the managers Of the Central
Pacific Railroad and its connecting lines
and branches the right to claim share
in producing this gross contribution upon
the basis OF one hundred and seventy
nine millions of dollars.
Estimates from the Passengers Depart
ment of the Central Pacific Railroad
show ;bat for the ten years ending June
80, 1870, tho passenger movement by
railroad between the East and Calilor-
mia amounted TO six hundred and twenty
five thousand four hundred and twenty-
nine, ut an average OF ;l!nety,fve dollars
currency. This passenger travel, IL made
at the old rates charged by steamer or
stage, before the completion Of the rail-
road, would have cost in its movement
eighty nine million two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars more than it actu-
ally has cost. And from the Freight
Department for the same period, from
calculations showing tonnage and cost
OF movement that would have been, ap-
plying the schedule rates in force at the
time of and previous TO the completion Of
the railroad, a saving is shown of seven.
ty million two hundred and ninety-nne
thousand two hundred and fifty dollars
an aggregate saving, wholly due to the
existence and successful Yorking of tho
Central Pacific Railroad Of over ona
hundred and fifty million of dollars, for
transportation OF freight and passengers
alone. By the cd, Wearisome, vexatious
aud dangerous routes by sea aui by stage
Il took from three to four weeks from
New York to San Francisco, and cost
from two hundred and ffty to four hua-
dred dollars. Now the trip is safely
made In seven days between the two
places in paiatial equipagss at rates lit
Tie more than half Of those presented
above. One of tho most startling facts
in connection with the statement touch
Ing passenger transportation may be
found in the morality statistics of lne
respective modes of travel. Out of the
six hundred and twenty-five thousand
four hundred and twenty nine men,
women and children carried over the
Central Pacific Railroad as passenge $
since its completion, less than thirty have
been killed. while out of the same nuns
Der carried by steamer and stage, nearly
seven thousand persons have perished,
either from the arrow Of the savage, the
fever Of the 1sthmus, drowning at sea.
or ether accident. During tho ten years
ending June 30, 1870, upwards of forty
four millions of people have been carried
across the Oakland Ferry without single
could be held responsible.- Sacramento
Record U5aoa.