696

Co7'7'cspo7z.zlmts will oblige us by scmling in their
conmnmimliovts by Tzleszlmy morning at latest.

--3 ,, ,_g'.—;r1s),_t*,,,j1r—|n4—¢~¢-rc-

+5.

PRINCIPAL CONTENTS.

Mineral lands of lake Superior... .. .. .. .. .. ..6£l3
Railways................ . . . . . . . ...........695
English iron trade . . . . . . ..     ..695
Acity o'frailroads....    ......695
English railway capital. . . . . . . . . . . ..  .. .. .696
.Resultofrailroads....     
Richmond and Ohio railroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .096

.A1VII1}R.ICA.N RAILROAD JOUIINAL.
PUBLISHED BY D. K. MINOR, 23 Chambers street, N.Y.

Saturtluy, October 31, 184-6.

English Railtvay Capital.

The Railway Record says, the total amount of
capital authorized to be raised by the railway acts
of last session is——for England, about $70,000,000;
for Scotland, .-813,500,000; and for Ireland, £9,000,-
000. The deposits prepaid in respect of these un-
dertakings, amount in round numbers, to £5,000,000.

A calculation of the cost of French railways gives
the following results : The total expense, 2,109,114,-
’78Qf.; total dependent on the companies, 1,050,674,-
'782f.; on the state, 449,4-’l0,000l'. Out of the above
obligations on the companies, there has been alrea-
dy deposited the sum of 437,750,000f. The state has
devoted the sum of lR;2,500,000f.

Result of Rail:-omls.

The Wilmington, (N. C.,) Journal says that “the
present population of that town amounts to 9,000, an
increase of 6,000 since the 9‘ail7‘0arl was built, six
years ago, when it was only 3,000 !”

Thisis but a single case from a long catalogue
which might be quoted, when the influences which
attach to railroads, and the effect which is produced
by their establishment, is apparent. All experience
shows that wherever a track is laid, and the route is
afterwards judiciously and properly managed, new
towns and villages arise along its line, and an im-
mediate and healthy impetus is given to the business
and general prosperity of old ones. This will apply
especially to the roads upon our Atlantic borders,
and those who take the pains to watch the progress
of passing events, are aware of the correctness of
this statement.

It must be a source of high gratification to those
interested in railroads, directly or indirectly, to know
that at the present time, a deep public interest is be-
ing manifested, in all directions. There are now
more than 10,000 miles of railroad in use, and in
course of construction, in this country, and we have
constantly, the most flattering accounts. in relation
to their existing and prospcclirc success. In Eng-
land the disposition to encourage and foster these
enterprizes, is a growing feeling. All parties unite
in pushing forward this great modern improvement,
and all join their means or influences to augment
the number of railroads, wherever there is fitting op-
portunity.

Sylvauus, in his “ Pedestrian Rcminisccnces,”
grieves over the downfall of cuacltivzg in England,
and hopes that “ the day will come when their fate
shall be avenged, and when railways shall be Voted
slaw.” ln mourning the absence of the “old mail
coach,” he says, “ how short sighted were we poor
mortals when we imagined the ‘London and Devon-

port,’ or ‘ Ilalifax and London,’ fast mails were suf.
ficient for getting along. These. and many more
got over the ground at the rate of 10 or 152 miles an
hour, and were, to my notion, the very beau-ideal of
travelling. The make of the old mail was exceed-
ingly handsome, strong, and perfectly unique. The

exquisite color, royal arms, with the scarlet uniform
of both guard and coachman, gave the equipage
quite a distinguished air as you saw it opening on
your sight far over the distant hill, as you sat on the
‘ down mail’ that was so rapidly giving it the meet-
ing. VVho does not recollect the thrilling interest of
the scene '2 VVell might the greatest bard and most
exquisite judge of life exclaim, ‘what a delightful
thing’s a turnpike road 1’ for so it is, or, alas! that I
should be obliged to say it-~was.”

But the days for coaching are past, and the “ crawl-
lrzg age” of “ twelve miles the hour” teams, must
give place to the days of steam. Few men are now-
a-days satisfied with a speed of less than double the
best time ever made by the “ fast mail.” Such is
the march of improvement!

The interest felt in railroad movements in Amer-
ica is progressivc, and we observe with much satis-
faction, that the press throughout the country is alive
to the important benefits connected with this subject.
A New England paper remarks very truly, that the
feeling in favor of railroads in the United States
has by no means reached its maximum; it has ar-
rived to nothing like the pitch it has reached in Eng-
land. To that point, or near it, it certainly will ar-
rive, when not only all, or nearly all the railroad en-
terprizes now projected, will be bui1t——but many oth-
ers, some of them now thought to be absurd, and
others scarcely dreamed of, will be established.”

The New Hampshire Gazette remarks that “if
the various railroad routes are executed, which are
now proposed, (and most of them will be,) the sea-
board of New England will have a much more di-
rect available connection with the interior than has

hitherto been the case.” New England has already
realized a vast amount of benefit from her internal
improvements——and the Wester1'i and Eastern roads
can be pointed to as evidence of the fact. VVithin
the past five years, the city of Boston has increased
her population in a ratio almost or quite double that
of any previous five years in her history, and for
much, very much of this augmentation to her pop-
ulation and local Wealth, is she indebted to the rail-
roads which terminate at that point. In this busi-
ness, the eastern states are decidedly in the advance;
and Massachusetts more especially, in the matter of
railroad enterprizes, has set an example worthy to
be followed.

The following from the Concord Gazette, will be
found appropriate, in connection with the other re-
marks, and we take pleasure in pointing it to the at-
tention of the readers of the Journal:

“ The route from Portland to Montreal is
urged on with great vigor by its friends, and
operations have been commenced at both ex-
tremities of the line. It will most probably
be carried on to completion in spite of its great
cost, and the lack ofcapital which it would
commandrwere it a Boston or New York en-
terprize. Salem, (Mass.,) is soon to be con-
nected with the ncw city of Andover by a
railroad, and thence to Manchester, in this
state, a road will be built in the course of a
few years. Portsmouth also cannot fail at no
very distant time to have a direct road to this
place. This will enlarge the market for do-
mcstic produce to the great advantage of our
farmers. In other parts ofthe country great
progress is now making in furnishing the in
habitants with railroad facilities. The great
New York and Eric railroad, from New
York city to lake Erie, is again put in course
of construction, being new in operation over

ARIERICAN RAILROAD JOURNAL.

60 miles. It is also contemplated to build a
railroad from New York city to Albany, :1
distance of 150 miles, which it is intended to
run over in five hours, the fastest steamboat
not being able to go it in less than eight.-
In winter, of course, it will command the
whole traffic. The only railroad communi-
cation in winter now is by means of the Hous-
atonic railroad—-a very round about and in-
convenient route. It is stated that the Wes-
tern railroad is likely to be benefitted by the
new free trade system ofthcEnglish, as much
of the produce which was formerly shipped
by way of Montreal will now come over the
Western road to Boston. This stock is now
nearly up to par, and the prospect is that in
a short time it will pay a dividend of more
than 6 per cent. A railroad is now construc-
ted some distance above Springfield, (lVlass.,)
on the Connecticut, and is said to do an im-
mense business. This road will no douhtbe
extended up the valley of the Connecticut as
far as VVells river, at which point the propo-
sed Passumpsic road will touch the river.

“ Of the southern states, Georgia seems to
have taken the lead in railroad matters, there.
being in that state over 500 miles of railroad
in successful operation. In Ohio considera-
ble has been done within the last year, but
the western states in general are doing but
little.”

Riclunond and Ohio Railroad.
In our last, we alluded to the excellent article
which follows below, and to which we direct the es-
pecial attention of the reader, at this time. It will
be found highly interesting—and contains much val-
uable information in reference to the rich valley of
the James river, through which the _Richmond and
Ohio railroad is destined to pass. The statistical
matter contained in this article will be found valua-
ble, and we give place to the article entire, believing

that it will be useful for reference liereafter.
Virginirt and ]w’)‘ Great Centml Improve-
7ne7zl.—(Fr0m Hu7Lt’s ]VIerrc/umts’ Maga-

zine for »S'ey9lember 1846.)

In the magazine of November last, an ar-
ticle appeared entitled ‘The Railroad Move-
meat in Virginia,’ presenting some general
views upon the importance of constructing a
continuous railroad from the city of Rich-
mond to Guyandotte on the Ohio,at the mouth
of the Guyandotte river, in Cabell county.

The project of connecting the valley of the
James river, with that of the great Kaua-
wha, in order to open a thoroughfare from
the Atlantic to the Mississippi valley, through
the heart of Virginia, is one of the most im-
portant schemcs ofinternal improvement in
the United States, \vhcther regarded as a great
national work, or considered only in relation
to its bearing upon the interests of Virginia.

More than half a century ago Washington
pointed out this great route as one of para-
mount importance to Virginia, as a channel
of intercommunication between the eastern
and western sections of that great state. He
actually reconnoitered the conntry,.found the
route perfectly feasible, and manifested l1lS
usual sagacity and foresight in locating seve-
ml tracts of land along the line, which have
since become estates of immense value, and
some of them sites of flourishing villages.