Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-11-23

Pennsylvania ranking next with over
5000. New York State has nearly 5000.
The District Of Columbia closes the list
with thirty miles.
The first rail Of the Stockton and Oar
lington road was laid May 23. 1892, and it
required three years and four months to
complete twevty-One miles of single track.
In 1881 the Manitoba system was extend
ed through Dakota, Il distance of 545
miles, between April . and Oct. ia few
days over half Il year. From the rude be-
ginning in England less than three-quar-
tiers of II century ago has grown Il stu
penduous system that has revolutionized
the of the world-that has rev.
olutionized the world itself, annihilated
space and made subservicnt to the will of
man. There are to-day over $4,000, 000,-
O0O invested in the railroads of the world,
One-tenth of the total wealth of civilized
nations. More than 1000, 600 men are
employed in constructing, equipping and
operating the railways of the United
States. The standing armies and navies
of the world approximate in round num-
berS ~3,50O,000 men-thc wealth destroy
ers. How much more powerful is the
'''''h li''NNllS uIHiN Ol american
workingmch who have changed the whole
basis of civilization from the military to
the industrial.
When one studies the evolution of the
railway he is lost in wOndcrment at the
giant strides that have been made during
Il period so comparatively short. In the
early stages of its development it met
with the strongest opposition, in many in
stances force being employed to prevent
its progress. The stockholders of the
canal systems and the stage coach lines.
and even certain classes Of workinumcn
under the mistaken idea that the extern
sion of railroads means II decrease in the
demand for manual labor, united their
forces and fought their imaginary COM
mon enemy. Parliament took part in the
proceedings, and the promoters of the in
itiaI lines were subjected to the most scru-
tinizing croSs-eXaminations. When the
hrst road was opened II great concourse
of people assembled to witness the event.
and while Il few We're there to rejoice
II the undertaking proved successful the
majority of the spectators were anticipat-
ing the pleasure of seeing the bubble
burst This opposition continued for
many years, and was only d~issipated when
1t had been demonstrated beyond dispute
that the commercial interests of the conn
try were advancing to a state that had
never been attained before the introduce
ton Of the new traffic system.
On this small stretch of track between
Stockton and Darlington the great rail-
ways of the world had their beginning.
But even this small beginning was A long
time in coming. 1t seems strange TO us
nov at the present day, with the wonder
full development of steam and electricity
brought so wildly before us, and made n
part Of our daily lives, that men within q
period remembered by persons now living
should he SO blind to the advancement az
public and private interests as to actually
raise and organize an opposition to a sys-
tenn that has proved u greater benefit 70
the nations OF the earth than all the other
projects of civilization combined. To-day
we are familiar with the names of great
railway kings-men who have operated
millions, who have been the life or the
death OF the stock market by the rise or
the fall of n finger, We look with some
thlng OF yeneration at the careers OF John
w, Garrett and Thomas A, Scott. and
even with n mixture OF admiration at the
wealth producing powers and executive
abilities OF Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jaw
Souid. but greater, far greater, than a
Garrett, a Scott. Il Vanderbilt or a Gould,
wac George Stephenson, the poor, unedu.
Gated eoliery fireman. who worked out,
between the long and cruel hours OF man.
nal drudgery and slavish toll, the problem
OF the railway for the traffic OF the Sorld.
lie saw a half century ahead Of his tims