The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-07

the existing railways are constantly
being invited to build short branches and
extensions. and the work now in progress
is largely of this character. From the re-
turns now received at this Office, collected
with unusual care and thoroughnsss. We
find that during the six months from Janu-
airy l to July l there have been laid in the
United States 1856 miles of new main
track, on lis lines. in thirty-five OF the
states and territories. a. is shown in the fol-
lowing summary:
Maine 14.4 miles. New Hampshire 8, Mas
sachusetts p, New York 1926, New Jersey
lis. Pennsylvania 67.7, Maryland 1886.
West Virginia 81. 20. North Carolina 1916,
South Carolina ~, Georgia 1875, Florida
70.a. Alabama 9.5. Louisiana 81. Tennessee
1926, Kentucky S.5, Ohio So. Michigan 9.9,
Indiana 4, Illinois 16, Minnesota 8, Iowa 2.5,
Nebraska 6.33. Missouri &c. Ii, Indian Terri
tory So, Arkansas 4, Texas 64.9. Colorado
14.25. Wyoming "a. Montana 1913. Califor-
mia 1882. Idaho 1921, Utah 1871. Oregon I,
Washington 64.34.
Last year at this time We found that I. 1923
miles of track had been laid, SO that it
would appear that there has thus far been
a falling off of over % per cent compared
with the same period of 1891. But a re-
view Of the work in progress throughout
the country does not warrant the belief
that the falling off for the entire year will
be in any such proportion. We have on
columns this year nearly 1,1OO different
railway companies BY which construction |
is either in progress or projected, every one
of the forty-eiRht states and territories be-
ing represented in the list. OF course
many of these enterprises will not mater
ialize during the present year, but on the
other hand numerous short limos are now
under construction and others will be I'M.
dertaken. We can enumsrate extensions
a~ggregatinR over $500 miles which
s sh1" before SSod III. pf sna ., t Gf v esnpl 60
that we feel safe in estimating that the
tracklaying for 1892 will not fall short of
1000 miles, and m6y equal the total 70 r
1891. In comparison with the few years of
excessive railway building, notably 1887,
in 1882. when about 11,60O miles were
built. an addition Of 1000 miles seems
small, and yet looking over the railway his
tory Of the country it will be found that
this is q very good average, as in many
years the total fell much below this. Thus
only 2,679, in 1877 only $3.50, in 1876 only
2,712, in 1875 only /. III. in 1874 only {, III,
in 1866 only Lis. in 1865 only LIT, in 1864
only 1888, in 1868 only 1850. in 1862 only 1874,
in 1861 only 600. In the years of the great
est construction a large amount of unneo-
Now the work that 10 going OF is that of
legitimate development, and the large num-.
Der of lines in progress shows that railway
building nowadays il not that of great oom-
petinR roads. The average for the past six
months is less than twelve miles to each
road named.
1t will be seen by reference to the table
tho work of construction has been very
widely distributed, having gone on in thir-
OF the states and territories, not
withstsudiuR the unfavorable weather.
portions of the country in which no
track appears to have thus far been laid
this year are Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Z
Island, Delaware. Virginia, Mississippi, y
Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Kansas. Nevada. New Mexico. Arizona .
thirteen strtes aud territories. But in all
these some new enterprises are on foot and
most of them will show some track laid be-
fore the end Of the year. d
1t will be seen that in respect to mileage .
aid during the six months. New York
comes first, with 1925 miles. while Montana
8 second with 1918 miles, owing to the OK
Of the Great Northern line toward
he Pacific. The states showing the next
argest mileage in their order are West 9
Virginia. Michigan, Idaho, Florida, Indian q
Territory, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washing q
ion and SO on. In respect to number Of
AACn L cuLlSylFuAlA loAub, SHOWING LfdCk
aid on no less than twelve short extensions,
while our records enumerate 112 different
which have been mentioned thus
ar this year in that state alone. In Michi-
IAN track has boon laid on ten new lines,
thirty or more altogether are on the list
If that state. Ohio has extended eight
ines anu has over fifty enterprises in 4
while in Texas six ines have been OK
ended and our records show nearly seventy
ana If the legislators in that state .
re wIse and do not discourage capital by =
oppressive laws a large mileage is likely to
70 added during the next few years in the
unoccupied regions which still require
transportation facilities. .
Altogether. while 1892 will not be a year !
# great railway const, %uction, it will see
'eeded extensions made to the railway sys- ,
EN- of every part of the country. and in !
hort the condition Of things in connection
With railway building may be said to be in
very respect hsalthful and e~ncouraQin1,