St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-08-13
Our Railroad Mileage.

New York is the first Of the states in
respect of population. Pennsylvania is
second. Texas is the largest OF the states,
California is the second largest. Yet
neither New York, Pennsylvania, Texas
nor California stands first in respect OF
railroad mileage; that distinction be-
longs to Illinois. The railroad mileage
of Illinois exceeds 10 600. The signif
canoe of that figure may be understood
when it is known that the railroad mile
age 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 railroad mileage Of
5000, Iowa OF s. 500, Ohio Of ZOO, and
New York of S, 200. The railroad mileage
OF New York. small as it is by compari-
son with that of some other states is
large when compared with that OF some
European countries. The mileage OF
Spain, nation of 100000 people, is
only $500 and that of Portugal is but
1900. though the population is three
quarters as large as that of the Empire
state. Montana, with an area OF 49,
900 square miles. has only 2,7O0 miles
of railroad, while New Jersey, with only
1900 square miles, has 1920 miles of
railroad. Utah and Minnesota are al
most exactly of the same size, and the
little difference which exists between
them is in favor of Utah, but Minnesota
has only 1900 miles OF railroad while
Utah has 5000 Nevada and Vermont
have almost to mile the same railroad
mileage, but Nevada has an area OF l TO-
600 square miles and Vermont an area
of only 5000.
The total railroad mileage of England
is 1000, less than that OF Illinois and
Indiana together, and the total mileage
of the United Kingdom, England, Scot
land, and Ireland There is larger rail-
road mileage in Scotland thanh 1reland),
is less than that OF New York, Pennsy-
vania, and Ohio. The disparity between
the states in the matter OF railroad build
ing is increasing for new lines are being
pushed constantly in some sections OF
the country while Others are neglected.
In Connecticut for instant, the present
railroad mileage has increased less than
100 in the last seventeen years, though
in the same period the railroad mileage
of Florida has increased from 51S to
5000. Virginia has doubled its trackage
: since 1880; so has Kentucky; but
Washington state has increased its
mileage in the same period from 2S9 to
$3.50 miles.
1t is supposed popularity that there
has been less railroad development in
the South than in many of the Northern
states, but the contrary is true. From
1880 to 1895, the railroad mileage o
Il the Middle Atlantic states-New York
9 New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware
| and Maryland-increased so per cent,
i and that of the FIVE North Central state
' Ohio, Michigan. Indiana, Illinois, ant
=. Wisconsin-6O per cent. But in the sam
t period the railroad mileage of wha
S are called the Mississippi Valley states
$ Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Ken
lucky, and Tennessee-increased 100 pc
r cert, and the railroad mileage OF tn
t South Atlantic states-Virginia, Nortl
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
West Virginia, and Florida, increased
- 100 per cent. The average cost OF con
r. structing mile of railroad is $4,000
d New York Sun.