The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-07-13
A GREAT RAILWAY YEAR.
Over Q 900 Miles of Track Laid in the
Last SIX Months.

Last SIX ACnLEs.
Nearly 1900 miles Of railway track have
been laid IN the United States in the last
six months. IN thirty-eight states and terri
tories and upon 1879 lines Of road.
The work by states in the south is as fol
lows: North Carolina S. South Carolina
/ lC6. Georgia l13 Florida 9, Alabama ll9,
louisiana Al, Tennessee 50, Kentucky l6.
Considering the financial conditions and
the iudispositIOn Of the great railway COM
| panies, in view Of the past experiences, 70
! indulge in large extension Of their existing
| system, the RdlLUdy Age thinks this sho rs
! rather surprising results, since the track
! laid in the trst half Of the year is always
very much less than half OF the total for the
year II is especially TO be noted that al
most all sections Of the country are still
adding to their railway mileage, track
having already been laid this year
In thrty-eight states and territories,
leaving only nine which thus far report no
additions, these being Vermont, Conneoti-
cut. Delaware, Mississippi. Kansas, Indian
Territory. Nevada, North Dakota and
Idaho. IL is probable that all these will have
some new mileage to report before the end
Of the year, while in most II not all the
other states very much larger mileage
than that reported completed Is under way
and will be finished in 1891.
The states which have tuus far shown the
greatest activity in tracklaying are as fol-
lows; Georgia, ~ lines, ia miles; Penn
sylvania, - lines 1879 miles Washington,
IL lines, 1875 miles; Alabama, lines, l20
miles; South Caroliua, lines, 107 miles;
Virginia, 6 lines 105 miles.
Considered by geographical groups the
south continues to show the greatest activ-
lty, nine southern states having added 7l3
miles on forty-six lines; while in the whole
great trans Missouri aud northwestern re.
glon TO the Pacific coast including Wiscon-
sin and Minnesota, it appears that III sixteen
states and territories the new mileage thus
far is only ST. miles, although forty four
lines are represented. The six great middle
states, including Pennsylvania and New
York, show 3l9 miles on thrty-fOur lines,
while only four of the original New EGG
land states return any additions, these
amounting TO only twenty miles on five
lines. 1t IS notable that the western states,
In which the farmers alliance movement
and the demand for restrictive railway
legislation have been most active, show
very little new construction, Iowa only
reporting five and one-half miles, Ne
braska, with a vast unoccupied area, only
twenty-five and one-half miles, and the
great state of Kansas, which in one year
built over 1900 miles, having not
mile of new road thus
far to report. In these states
also the number Of new railway projects is
extremely small compared with those in
previous years or In some of the other
states at the present time. Thus while our
flies for the past six months have recorded
only twelve new enterprises, including
mere interpretations, in Iowa, only fourteen
IN Kansas, and fourteen in Nebraska they
have SHOWN in the neighboring state Of
Missouri no less than thirty-four lines, in
Oregon thirty>one, in Washington forty
six, and in Texas, where the anti>railway
agitators have been restrained by the adj
United need of the state for more railways,
forty-two.
As for the probable mileage for the en-
tire year, it is predicted that it Will reach
about 5 900 miles. There are several enter
prises Of considerable extent on which work
has been suspended after much money had
been spent in grading, and if the financial
outlook seems to warrant investors in plac-
ing money In such undertakings it is
quite probable that the total for the
year will be considerably increased beyond
this estimate; while ON the other hand 1t Is,
Of course, possible that a financial furry
may have the effect OF delaying the compile
ton Of some lines that are already under
way. The new railway construction of
1890 reached little over 5000 miles, and in
no year since 1885. when 1t dropped
Off to about 5000 miles, has the
total been less than $3.50 miles,
while in the notable year Of 1887 1T reached
nearly 1900 miles, and in the following
year amounted to 1923. and in the proceed
ing year to S,03T miles. A total of less
than 5000 miles, therefore. would Indicate
an unusual falling of in the development
OF the country which the general appear
ance Of prosperity and progress does not
seem to indicate.