Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-04
OR RAILROADS.,

The statistics of last years railroad-build- |
ing in this country are simply wonderful. |
Nearly ten thousand mles-in exact figures
1858 were built at cost, on an average,
of $25, 600 mile, or S233 $50 000 In adj
dition, Sl75, 600 have been expended on lines
in progress, on improvement of tracks, on
stations and other equipments. Even the
enormous activity in railroad building which
distinguished 1871 was far exceeded in 1881,
Then 1910 miles were built, while 1881 show
ed about 1000 more. Up to the first oil Ju"c,
1882, 3617 miles were opcnc !, against lI3l
for the corresponding period Of 1881; and
the Raii,ody Age puts the humber OF miles
built during the first six months OF the year
at about 5000, against 1000 miles for the half
year In 1881. In 1870 49, years OF unexam-
plcdenterprisen railroad construction, only ~
327 miles were built, against the 20, 900 miles
for 1881 and 1899 alone. II is estimated by
good authorities that the aggregate for this
year will not fall much short of 10000 miles,
and that this rate of increase will be main
tanned for long time to come
| We have now in the United States 1OI 900
miles of railroad, about one-third of it built
| in four and onc.haf years. Our railway
mileage ia now about the same us that OF all
Europe. The cirnings of all the roads in
operation, last year, were S725, 1926, 110, being
an increase over the previous year of $40. :
600, 900. or nearly 10 per cent. They were
equal 10 S13.G0 per head of our population
| The current expenses of the roads were
S4i9, SCI, OIL For interest on funded debts
| S12s, SS7 ,002 was paid, and in dividends
S93, 344, 2OO against So, l15,4l1 for 1880
Over S75O,OOO, 900 was expended in the
construction of new lines and in oper-
ating and improving old ones. The ton
mage transported on the roads, II is csti-
mated, could not have been less than $780,
OOO,O 900 tons, worth probably $4,000, 0oO,-
900, or more than 5000 per head of the popu.
lation, In 1851, the total tonnage did not
exceed 100000 tons, and thirty years ago
it did no, exceed one-siyteenth of that now
carried.
These statistics indicate in striking man.
ner the commercial and industrial growth of
the country. They point clearly enough to a
permanent revival of business and to pro-
longcd era NJ prosperity. The benciiccnt
effect of the railroads In the new States and
Territories is illustrated by the increased pro-
duets from year to year, while the enormous
increase of foreign commerce is almost
wholly due to the development Of these
States and Territories The waste places are
being luit up and the country is growing aud
prospecting at rate uneXampled in history.
On the other hand the figures we have quoted
show clearly enough that ut no distant day
the relations between the railroads and the
people must he more clearly defined than at
prcscn,-tha, the question of who is servant
and who is master must be settled at once
and forever. The boundless capital invested
in railroads aud the extraordinary political
and social power welded by their managers
and the influence the latter are enabled TO c.
ert on both producers and consumers-these
are Impressive facts, and the right way to
d, al with them must soon he devised.