The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-05
OUR RAILROAD MILEAGE.
IrreEulnrly Distributed Over the
Country and Growing UncvenIy.

Country and Growing UncvenIy.
New York is the hrst of the states in
respect of population, Pennsy lvania is
second. Texas is the largest of the
states. California is the second larg.
est. Yet neither New York. Pennsyl-
vania. Texas nor California stands first
in respect of railroad mileage; that
distinction belongs to Illinois. The
railroad mileage of Illinois exceeds TO-.
GOO. The significance of that figure
may be understood when it is known
that the railroad mileage OF Russia is
only $4,000. Second in the list of states
in railroad mileage IS Pennsylvania.
New York comes sixth. Kansas. Iowa
and Ohio being ahead of it. Kansas has
Il railroad mileage of 5000; Iowa OF
$500; Ohio, of S.7G0, and New York of
$500. The railroad mileage of New
York, small as it is by comparison with
that of some other states, is large when
compared with that of some European
countries. The mileage of Spain. ma
tion of 100000 people, is only 7,50C
and that of Portugal is but 1900,
though the population is three-quar-
tiers as large as that of the Empire
state. Montana, with an area of 146,-
600 square miles. has only 2,70O miles
of railroad, while New Jersey, with
only 1880 square miles, has 2.20O miles
Of railroad. Utah and Minnesota are
almost exactly of the same size, and the
little difference which exists between
them is i'll favor of Utah, but Minneso-
ia has only 1900 miles of railroad
while Utah has 6,0OO. Nevada and Ner-
mont have almost to a mile the same
railroad mileage. but Nevada has an
area of 10000 square, miles and Ver-
mont an area of only 9,0CO.
The total railroad mileage of Eng
land is $4,000. less than that of Illinois
and Indiana together, and the total
mileage of the United Kingdom, Eng
land, Scotland and Ireland (there is a
larger railroad mileage in Scotland
than in Ireland), is less than that of
New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The disparity between the states in the
matter of railroad building is increas-
ing, for new lines are being pushed
constantly in some sections of the
country while others are neglected. In
Connecticut, for instance. the present
railroad mileage has increased less
than 100 in the last II years. though
in the same period the railroad mile
age of Florida has increased from SIS
to 5000. Virginia has doubled its rail
road trackage since 1880: so has Ken
lucky; but Washington state has in
creased its mileage in the same period
from 2S9 miles to 1850 miles.
1t is supposed popularly that there
has been less railroad development il
the south than in many of the northern
states, but the contrary is true. From
1850 to 1895 the railroad mileage Of the
middle Atlantic states-New York
New Jersey, Pennsylvania. Delaware
and Maryland-increased so per cent
and that of the five north central
states-Ohio, Michigan, Indiana. Hi,
nois and Wisconsir-C0 per cent. But
in the same period the railroad mile
age of what are called the Mississippi
valley statcp-LoUisiana. Mississippi
Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee
increased 100 per cent. and the rail
road mileage Of the South Atlantic
states-Virgina North Carolina. South
Carolina. Georgia, West Virginia snG
Florida-increased 100 per cent. The
average cost of constructing a mile OF
railroad is 65OOO-N Y Sun