New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-12
NEW RAILROAD PROJECTS.
MrsTAKEN PREDICTION OF a DULL YEAR
OVER FIFTY THOUSAND MILES coSTEhpIA1ND
THE GREAT CORPORATIONS NOT
rNTEREsTED


INTERESTED.
Chicago, April H." The Railway Age In J"
isge Tomorrow will present elaborate tables snow
ipp the number Of miles Of railway projected Cur
ing the three months of the present year to March
81. 1t will say:
Tho fact that many. and perhaps most Of tho great
n.n,es had given assurance 10 each other that they
ouid mt engage in competitive construction this year.
tina hostility toward railways indicated In sevest VI @
state Leglsatures. the great falling on IN cafnins' "
nearly all existing roads. and perhaps more IMAM -.
renoYted determination Of Eastern financial agents 70 os
courage the floating OF securtes-a seemed 70 sne
veneral public to warrant the belief that little way
building would be witnessed during the present year. bu'
those who have made deeper and moro detailed exsma
ton Of the opportunities and needs for new
this vast country that this generazaeon wa
no tainted by the demands OF nnumerao.e iocsntes oF
additional transportation facilities.
While the hands Of the great railway companies nave
not been seen often projects for covering e torr'
tories with competitive lines I'm several previous years
their absenee has not only failed put the expected
ouetus upon railway building but the number OF new en-
orprses already TO DO greater than for inc same
perod in any other year Of the countrys history Win
possibly two or three exceptions.
"The Age" then presents q table In detali, SNOW
ing that 6s6 new lines, with an aggregate con-
templated mileage of 53,4S6 miles, have peen
projected since January 1 last; that on these
lines 1888 miles are under construction o. con-
tract, e,817 are surveyed and 29Ool are IN
corporated or projected. A table also shows the
amount Of work under contemplation IN various
parts Of the country. Maine, New-hamspnre'
Vermont, Massachusetts,, Connecticut, Rhode Is
land, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Deia-
ware, Maryland and West Virginia are grouped
as the New-England aud Eastern States; Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,
s.iufa
Kentucky AS the Southern States Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin as the Central
Northern States Minnesota, Dakota, Iowa,
Nebraska, Kansas Wyoming and Montana as
the Northwestern States; Missouri Indian Terri
tory, Arkansas, Texas and Colombo as the South
western States, and Nevada, California, New
Territory as the Pacific Coast States. Under this
division the tubular showing is as follows:
Twelve New-England and Eastern States
Number Of lines, So total number OF miles con
tenn plated 1904 under construction or contract,
l,l45 surveyed, 1874; incorporated or projected
2,375.
Ten Southern States-Number of lines, 1888;
total number OF miles contemplated, 1882 unaer
construction or contract, 4,444; surveyed, 1885;
Incorporated or projected 1878.
Five Central Northern States-Number OF lines,
80: total number OF miles contemplated, o,23s
under construction or contract, l,92l surveyed,
SB6: incorporated or prOie cted 2,43l.
Seven Northwestern States-Number Of lines,
1O7 total number Of miles contemplated, 49, 92 ;
under construction contract, Q, 7S9; surveyed,
2,03l incorporated or projected, S,172.
Five Southwestern States-Number OF lines, 81
total number of miles contemplated, 11,5o2; under
construction contract, 2,72l surveyed, 2,03S :
incorporated projected, 743.
Seven Pacific Coast States-Number OF lines, 40;
total number OF miles contemplated, D. s45 under
construction contract, 1908; surveyed, 1882 ;
Incorporated or projected, 2,705.
The article continues
The fact that, in the rst three months Of the year
only. lines, representing $1,000 miles. have
brought public notice. and that their construc-
don IL urged and large extent probabe is impressive
evidence Of the enormous field for railway enterprise
which the United States still affords. Tho mieege pro-
posed In these three months Is equivalent 10 almost
third OF the entire railway mileage Of the country now
operation and yet ths projection and Inauguration OF
other lines is still going at equally rapid rate. and
the prospect that the roads projected and In various
stages OF development during 1889 will exceed IN aggre
gate mileage the entire present completed system. How
many OF these enterprises VIM fall entirely win drag
along through years Of cannot be foreod But
great remains for consideration that tho map
country shows apparent for all these enterprises
ana Tor many moro