The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-16
Total in thirty-eight states. 1879

Considering the financial conditions and the
1ndispositon OF the great railway companies, in
view OF past experiences, to indulge in large
extensions OF their existing systems, we think
this statement shows rather surprising results,
since the track laid in the first half of the year
IS always very much less than half of the total
Tor the year 1t Is especially to be noted that
almost all sections of the country are still
adding to their railway mileage, track having
already been laid this year in thirty eight states
and territories, leaving only nine which thus
far report no additions, these being Vermont,
Connecticut, Delaware, Mississippi, Kansas,
Indian Territory. Nevada, North Dakota and
Idaho. 1t Is probable that all OF these will have
some new mileage to report before the end OF
the year. while in most If not all the other states
very much larger mileage than that reported
completedis under way, and will be finished in
1891.
The states which thus far have shown the
greatest activity in tracklaying are as follows:
Georgia, 10 lines, ia miles; Pennsylvania, l3
lines, 1S9 miles; Washington, ii lines, 135 miles:
Alabama, lines, 40 miles; South Carolina.
lines, l07 miles: Virginia, 6 lines, 105 miles.
Considered by geographical groups the South
continues to show the greatest activity, South
ern states having added 713 miles on 46 lines:
while in the whole great trans-Missouri and
Northwestern region to the Pacific coast, in
Guiding Wisconsin and Minnesota, it appears
that in 16 states and territories the new mileage
thus far is only 571 miles, although A
lines represented. The great middle
states, including Pennsylvania and New York.
show 3l9 miles on 81 lines, while only
four OF the original New England states return
any additions, these amounting TO only 20
miles on lines. 1t is notable that the
western states III which the Farmers Alliance
movement and the demand for restrictive rail-
way legislation have been most active show
very little new construction, Iowa only report
ing 513 miles, Nebraska, with vast unoccuped
area, only 25l2 miles, and the great state of
Kansas, which in one year built over 1000
miles, having not mile of new road thus
lar to report. In these states also the num-
Der OF new railway projects is extremely
small compared with those in previous years
or in some of the other states at the present time
Ihus, while our files for the past six months
nave recorded only II new enterprises, includ-
Ing mere interpretations in Iowa, only Ia in
Kansas, ana IA in Nebraska. they have shown in
the neighborng state of Missouri no less than
"a lines, IN Oregon 81, in Washington 46, and in
/ been restrained by the admitted need Of the
state for more railways, a.
As for the probable mileage for the entire wear.
| We feel warranted in predicting, Judging from
| the number of lines under construction and
from the proportion for a term of years of the
| mileage of the first SIX months 10 that OF tho
whole year, that it will reach about 5000 miles
| There are several enterprises of considerable ex-
| tent upon which work has been suspended after
| much money had been spent in grading, and II
the financial outlook seems to warrant investors
| III placing 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 il is OF course
| possible that a financial furry may have the
effect of delaying the completion of some lines
| that are already well under way. The new
| railway construction of 1890 reached q little
| over 500 miles, and in no wear since 1855, when
| II dropped OF 10 about 5000 miles has the tota
oeen less than $3.50 miles, while i'll the notable
year OF 1897 IL reached nearly 1900 miles and in
the following year amounted to 7,02S. aud in the
| preceding year 70 S,03T miles. A total of less
than 1900 miles, therefore, would indicate ar
| unusual falling of in the DEVELOPMENT of thu
country which the general app ,aranee of pros
| perity and progress does not seem to indicate