The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-12-15

george II. Daniels. general passenger !
agent Of the New York Central and
Hudson River railroad and president
of the American Association Of Cen
eral Passenger Agents. delivered a
notable address on our railroads and
their relation TO commercial. indus
trial and agricultural interests. Among
other things he said
"One OF our great writer's has said
Of this closing period OF the nineteenth
century. that It Ia an age Of transpor-
tatlon. Transportation undcrlles ma
terial prosperity In every department
OF commerce. without transportation
commerce would be impossible Those
states and nations are rich. powerful
and enlightened whose transportation
facilities are best aud most extended.
The dying nations are those with little
or no transportation facilities.
In this connection It will be inter-
esting to note In passing that the sec
ond American locomotive was built at
the West Point foundry. near Cold
Spring, on the Hudson river. and was
called the Best Friend" and from
that day to this the locomotive has
been one Of the best friends OF this.
republic. But II is not alone our loco
motives that have attracted the at
tentlon Of foreigners who have visited
our shores. our railway equipment gen
orally has commanded admiration and
IN now receiving the highest compli-
mcnt. namely. imitation by many OF
our sister nations.
prince Michel Hllkoff. imperial
minister Of railways OF Russia, has
since his visit to the United States
few years ago. constructed train on
much the same lines "a tho Limited
Trains" OF the New York Central and
the Pennsylvania.
AT times there have been periods
OF legislation In the United States adj
verse TO the great transportation in
terests OF the country, almost invari-
ably the result OF misunderstanding
OF the real situation. and the hasty
legislation OF such umes has usually
been repealed upon the sober second
1 thought OF the people. for In the Ian
I
fool all the people some OF the time.
some OF the people all tho time. but
you can't fool all the people all the
time
"One hundred years ago the gov
ernor OF the great state OF New York
advised his friends not to invest their
money or waste their time In aiding
the building OF railroads. expressing
the opinion. that while II was possible
that improved methods OF construction
and perfected machinery might. in the
remote future. enable the people To
move a car upon a railroad at the rate
OF Ave or six miles per hour he did not
believe that they could ever be made
OF material advantage. and that any
attempt TO transport passengers and
freight by railroad from one part Of
the country to another. must result IN
endless confusion and loss. The gov,
ernor died In the belief that the cana
was the only means OF conveyance fol
great commerce.
Notwithstanding his prediction. tn,
railroads have grown 10 such vast pro
portions. that today the worlds entlr'
stock OF money, gold. silver and paper
would not purchase one-third OF IL
railroads. The building OF the Erl'
canal. extending from Buffalo to Al
bRny, distance OF 1858 miles, wa
commenced July 4. 1917 II was com
pleted In 1926 at cost OF S7.so2OO
In 1896 the state OF Now York appro
priatod $1,000 900 for charging an,
improving this canal. and few figure
from the state report ON canals may b
OF interest In this connection: Re
liable statistics OF It's trafic are no
obtainable for the earlier years OF II
operation, but In accordance with IN
last annual report OF the superintend
, ent OF public works OF the state OF Ns'
York. we ind that the tonnage OF al
the property carried on all the canal
In both directions. In 1897, was LII
296 tons, valued at S55,s09. 2SS. Tn
tonnage and the value increased unit
1879. when II amounted to 6.G73.37
tons. valued at 122O.9l3.32i. Fror
1879. the tonnage and the value OF IN
property carried decreased, until 1
1897 there was only 3.6l7.SOi tons car
rled. with value OF S9G,O63,33S Thi
in face OF tho fact that the receipts {
grain and -four at Buffalo had In
creased from l,1S4.6S5 bushels in 49,
to 242, lac. SO6 bushels In 1897,
"In 1875 the states east OF the Nil
souri, river were sending food an
clothing to the starving people OF KaI
sas. Thanks to the facilities afforde
, by the railroads the corn crop OF Kan
sas this year IL three hundred an
forty million bushels. II seems but
very few years since made my FIR
o rim to Colorado, and stopped on N
?, way at the home OF Buffalo Bill.
!, North Platte, Neb., on the Union PI
p, clac. Al ogalalla. hfty-one mill
h west OF North Platte, the Sioux Ii
d dlans we're roaming over the prairie
ID and making more or less trouble Il
x the carly settlers who yentured so 4
u out OF the beaten paths OF ciyilizatio
h The Nebraska corn crop this year co
* era eight million acres, and the yie
! al