The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-07-10
Signs Of Improvement.

The Baltimore American has the following
paragraph, which groups into a small space
the indications of material prosperity and
industrial enterEr Sc, that are awakening the
coantry generally: The Rasl,oay Age, the
Ame rican says, calls the wonderful activity
IN the building of railroads in the West
"a remarkable and inspiring spectacle. !"
a thousand miles of road have been comp.et-
ed, a much greater number than has been
finished during the first half of any year
since the panic, and the second half of the
year will show still greater progress The
Grand Trunk extension and Vanderbilt
schemes have infused life into Michigan
railroad enterprises. In Ohio and Indiana
many narrow gauge roads are being built,
and the nelw work Of trunk lines is being per-
fected as rapidly as possible. Illinois has al
ready greater mileage than any other state.
but a new mar row gauge is being pushed
across the whole width of the state. From
Chicago nd Milwaukee the three main roads
leading to the Northwest are pushing vigor-
ously for the Black Hills country, and con-
structing feeders 10 all important points
within reach OF their lines. In Minnesota
there is the greatest activity. The st. Paul
and Pacific system, recently organized, is
extending long arm up the Red River OF
the North, and pushing several connecting
links toward completion, and work on the
Northern Pacific does not flag. The Chica-
go and Alton have just opened 16O miles of
road to The Missouri, and west Missouri the
extreme of activity i'll railroad construction
is now 10 be witnessed. Kansas and Ne
brasha are alive with new enterprises, and
no less than a half dozen branches to the
Pacific roads, over 200 miles in length, are
in progress. In Colorado the Denver and
Bio Grande have issued bonds to construct
565 miles OF new lines to Leadville, San
Juan and Albuquerque, and no less enter
prise is shown in Utah, New Mexico, Tex
as and on the Pacific Slope. The two most
inspiring things about this new life infus-
ed into the railroad business are that the
cost Of construction is now but fraction of
what 1t WAS in 1s7l-73, Notwithstanding the
use of better material, and the lines being
built are not wild speculative schemes, but
enterprises having q solid foundation, and
promising to do a paying business. This is
certainly substantial! evidence of national
prosperity.
The evidences OF increasing activity in the
construction of channels robustness conlmu-
nications are having their effects upon the
iron interests, as shown in the fact that the
iron mills and factories about Pittsburg are
reported to have now more orders upon their
books than at any previous time for the last
six years. The Bessemer steel works have
contracts ahead for all that car be produced
for several months. This is the ca Sc with |
the rail mills in all parts OF the United States.
Pig iron has advanced from fifty cents to a |
dollar per ton. Gas pipe is from eight to !
ten per cent. higher, with d brisk demand. |
Railroad spikes have advanced three times |
since the beginning of the year. One large |
spike factory at Pittsburg is running TO its
full capacity, and on Saturday the entire
stock on hand consisted of ten kegs that
were still hot. The business signs of pros
perity pesvades all branche OF business in
Pittsburg, and unoccupied houses are filled
up with tenants, indicating greater demand
for labor and better times.