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Tous les autres exempleires originaux sont film6s en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'iliustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboies suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds A des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6. 11 est fiimd d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche h droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d"images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 \'^6^l^2T K -^ ''■^/^.-^k^^.J PHILOSOPHY Of RAILROADS, ,PUBI.IflnED BY OaDBS Ot THE DIRECTORS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE AND OTTAWA GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY, BY fffiiifl. e. Heffer, (t- 23. FOURTH EDITION. BETISBD. I MONTREAL : I'HINTKD BV JOHN LOVELL, AT HIS STKAM-PRIWTING ESTABLISHMENT, 8T NIOUOLAS STUEET. 1853. iT'TuMi inr PHILOSOPHY or RAILROADS, FCBtlSBED BY OKOBB OT THE DIRECTORS or TBI ST. LAWRENCE AND OTTAWA GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY COMPANY. BT FOURTH EDITION. SETISEO. MONTREAL : PRINTED BY JOHN tOVELt, AT HIS STEAM-PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT, BT NICHOLAS 8TBEST. 1853. ■;^? Thts Pamphlet ^oas fint publuhed ahmt three years rince in Toronto, and ^^^^ro^^ three edUione during the agitation of the Great Western ^Simcoe, and Toronto and Kingston Railways ; it, influence in the promotion of which enterprises has been generally acknowledged. It has had but a slight circulation in the I^er Province and upon the Ottawa, and therefore the Director* of the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Grand Junction Raxlway Company have determined to republish it in a revised form believing that it will be found to be a valuable exponent of the influences of the Railway System generally-and will tend to awaken a stronger interest «n the important enterprise which they have in hand ^ I* INTRODUCTION. >, and 3imcoe, 'which ion the Grand •evised ueneea %terttt Old Winter is once more upon us, and our inland seas are " dreary and inhospitable wastes" to the merchant and to the traveller; — o' r rivers are seal- ed fountains, — and an embargo which no human power can remove is laid on all our ports. Around our deserted wharves and warehouses are huddled the naked spars,— the blasted forest of trade,— from which the sails have fallen like the leaves of the autumn. The splashing wheels are silenced, — the roar of steam is hushed, — the ga} saloon, so lately- thronged with busy life, is now but an abandoned hall,— and the cold snow revels in solitary posses- sion of the untrodden deck. The animation of busi- ness is suspended, the life blood of commerce is curdled and stagnant in the St. Lawrence — the great aorta of the North. On land, the heavy stage la- bours through mingled frost and mud in the West, — or struggles through drifted snow, and slides with uncertain track over the icy hills of Eastern Canada. Far away to the South is heard the daily scream of the steam-whistle,— but from Canada there is no escape : blockaded and imprisoned by Ice and Apa- thy, we have at least ample time for reflection— and if there be comfort in Philosophy may we not profi- tably consider the PHILOSOPHY OF RAILROADS. New commercial enterprises, however well supported by dry and accurate statistics, are not often undertaken upon imperfect information— through the representations of theorists or politico-economical writers— or even when supported by bright analogies, and the most authentic records of the success of similar undertakmgs amongst similar communities. It is true, that well-established systems become the subjects of stock-jobbing and spe- culation by parties ignorant of their uses or real value ; but their origin and maturity are the work of the well- informed few, whose foresight has been rewarded frequently before it has been acknowledged. In older countries the feasibility of public projects and their value as speculations are more speedily ascertained than in our young and thinly populated Province, and any attempt to transplant a system, or found arguments for the latter from the experience of the former, is at once met with disparaging and "odious" comparisons. The intrinsic merit of the question,— the absolute instead of the com- parative value of our own projects,— are not often invea- tigated, because the nature of such investigations are not familiar to us, while they have long since become un- necessary and are therefore not canvassed in those coun- tries where an established system exists. Thus it is with the Railway System in *^anada. We see, and to our cost, feel its effects around us ; — we ac- knowledge its importance, the great results it has achiev- ed, and the substantial expression of public opinion in lis favour in the hundreds of millions which have been freely devoted to its extension in other civilized countries. We have talked about it for years— we have projected a great deal, and done very little, because the public, — the real estate owners large and small, — have not taken up the subject. Our Representatives have lately acquitted themselves nobly in this matter, but they have ratiier led than followed public opinion, and have themselves been acted upon by a " glorious" minority, to whom the •actual and efficient execution has hitherto been confined, and who have contended with the chilling influence of popular apathy, ignorance, and incredulity. An attempt to investigate the Railway System in itn applicability to new countries, — to define its limitations by shewing where and why its application becomes jus- tifiable, — to disseminate popular information upon a too unpopular subject, and turn a portion of that earnest and eager covetousness of foreign prosperity back upon our own neglected resources, — will it is hoped be received with public favour — or at least with public charily. At the outset it may be objected that there is an in- sufficiency of disposable circulating capital in Canada, to construct a tithe of the length of projected Railways, and that therefore the discussion is premature. The pre- mises will be admitted to any reasonable extent, but the conclusion, instead of the discussion is, we hope to show, premature. The population, soil, and wealth of Canada are not in- fcr.or to Vermont, New Hampshire, Michigan, Georgia awd other States which have Railways ; and the local resources of some portions of our Province, where Rail- roads are wanting, arc at least equal to those in Ohio and many other States where these advantages have been en- joyed for years. Whatever is or was the condition of the circulatmgcapitalinthe States mentioned,theyhave/ounrf a way lo build their roads. This we believe has been done through the energy and perseverance of the loca* proprietors of real estate, who have convinced capitalists that fhey could have no better security for their invest- ments, than that contingent upon the certain increase of population, wealth, and traffic, in rising countries like our own ;--.and this they have secured improvements • °'"^ come to SDv ont ,],„ ,5='''™'"''- The Engmeers who and deen -tl L 1 '"' "" ^"'' ""^"^ '"«'' '""d " aeep,— the laws of properly are diseusaed tl,. delmquen, Member for the County denouneed -un";i I handsome Rodtnan, by well-timed admS of E La Ann the rural spokesman's daughter, sueeeeds i! t^inTZtT'^r-' '"' "^^P-y wThtar '"Ooing, and washing, at las. 6d. per week The wnrL has eommeneed, the farmer is offered be Uer I eelf^ h.s hayand grain than he ever before reeve^^v!^ mtlk and vegetables,_thi„gs he never dreamed' of Id un^lT k"°"'™S'"'"'"; his teams, instead of eat ,t up his substance as formprlv ,'n «,• ♦ «ciung '".ployed, and his scl^ir'^ilaTen^X^tf whfn r ^ '" ""'' P""""^^ 'han before,_and -;;.heeanspa^rs:^:CrSo::i''rS- upl wJ^r "T "^ ""^ ""'^ '■°"'^" """^ »« «"d '-ke up a water privilege, orereet steam power, and commence ma«»fee.ur.ng Iron is bought, em inti nails, s"rcw and hinges. Cotton is spun and wove, and all the i 11 variety of manufactures introduced, because here motive power, rents and food are cheaper, and labour more easily controlled than in the cities, while transportation and distance have by the Railroad been reduced to a mini- mum. A town has been built and peopled by the operatives — land rises rapidly in value — the neglected swamp is cleared and the timber is converted into all sorts of wooden " notions" — tons of vegetable, grains, or grasses, are grown where none grew before — the patient click of the loom, the rushing of the shuttle, the busy hum of the spindle, the thundering of the trip-hammer, and the roaring of steam, are mingled in one continuous sound of active industry. While the physical features of our little hamlet are undergoing such a wonderful transformation, the moral influence of the iron civilizer upon the old inhabitants is bringing a rapid " change over the spirit of their dreams." The young men and the maidens, the old men and the matrons, daily collect around the cars; they wonder where so many well- dressed and rich-looking people come from and are going to, &c., — what queer machines those are which they see passing backwards and forwards. They have perhaps an old neighbour whose son had long since wandered off, and now they see him returned, a first class passenger, with all the prestige of broadcloth, gold chains, rings, gloves, and a travelled reputation : the damsels rapidly impress upon " the mind's eye" the shapes of the bonnets, visites, &c., of that superior class of beings who are flying like angels over the country, and drink in^ with wide-mouthed admiration, the trans- cendent splendour and indescribable beauty of " that 'ere shawl." All are interested, all are benefited, cuique suum. Is he a farmer } he has a practical illustration of the superior cheapness of transportation by increasing the load — the cart is abandoned for the waggon — for he sees the Railroad, notwithstanding the great cost of the 12 cuttings embankments, tunnels, bridges, engines, cars, and station., c..rying his produce for a less sum than h^ personal expenses and the feeding of his horses would arnount to. Is he a blacksmith ? he determines his son shall no longer shoe horses, but build engines. Is he a carpenter ? he is proud of his occupation as he surveys he new bridge over the old creek. Even the village tador gathers "a wrinkle," as he criticises the latest effort of Buckmaster or Gibb, whilst the unconscious advertiser is swallowing his coffee. Thus curiosity and emulation are excited and the results are discernible in a general predilection for improved modes. A snirit IS engendered which is not confined to dress or equipage but IS rapidly extended to agriculture, roads, and instrSc- ^ve societies, and finally exerts its most powerful influence where it is most needed,_in the improved character it gives to the exercise of the franchise. This right is now enjoyed by too large a class, whose chief contact with public affair has been limited to an occasional chat with ambitious retailers of dry goods, groceries, hardware, and political mysteries-orto a semi-annual sitting in a jury box, unconsciously absorbing all the virtuous indignation of some msi prius wrangler, whose " familiar face" is shortly after presented to them at the hustings, generously proffering to defend or advocate anything fSr four dollars per diem and a prospective Judgeship. He is opposed, peihaps, by the public-spirited shopkeeper, who, with mortgages, long credits, tea and tobacco,_aided bv a last call" to all doubtful supporters,-incites the noble yoemanry to assert their rights as "free and independent electors." f the "natives" can overcome these preju- dices of local associations, or if the lawyer's " collections" and notes" are sufficiently diffuse, ten chances to one the gre^atest talker is elected, and an improved judicature, instead of an improved country, is the result Nothing would be a more powerful antidote to this % IS state of primitivo, but not innocuous simplicity, than the transit of Railways through our agricultural districts. The civilizing tendency of the locomotive is one of the modern anomalies, which however inexplicable it may appear to some, is yet so fortunately patent to all, that it is admitted as readily as the action of steam, though the substance be invisible and its secret ways unknown to man. Poverty, indifference, the bigotry or jealousy of religious denominations, local dissensions or political demagogueisni may stifle or neutralize the influence of the best intended efforts of an educational system ; but that invisible power which has waged successful war with the material elements, will assuredly overcome the prejudices of mental weakness or the designs of mental tyrants. It calls for no co-operation, it waits for no con- venient season, but with a restless, rushing, roaring assi- duity, it keeps up a constant and unavoidable spirit of enquiry or comparison ; and while ministering to the material wants, and appealing to the covetous- ness of the multitude, it unconsciously, irresistibly, impels them to a more intimate union with their fellow men. Having attempted to illustrate the influence of a Rail- way upon a district supposed to have culminated, let us proceed to notice some of the general characteristics of the system before we apply the results of our investiga- tions to our own particular wants. We are not backward in importing improvements or transpUinling systems which we understand : at the same lime, those which are new to us, we have curiosity enough and distrust enough to challenge until their prin- ciples are defined — when, with the materials before him, with a particular individuality, each man arrives at his own conclusions as to the practicability of their proposed application to this country. It is to this broad principle of " common sense," judgment, or whatever you will, '^H u we prefer to appeal rather than to the " availability" or elasticity of statistics. Steam has exerted an influence over matter which can only be compared to that which the discovery of Printing has exercised upon the mind. These two great discove- ries,--pillars of cloud and fire which have brought us out oi the mental wilderness of dark and middle ages,— have combmed to supply the mind with daily food and illus- trate the value of time.* Men have now virtually attain- ed antediluvian longevity ; ideas are exchanged by ightmng— readers ana their books travel together but little behind their thoughts-while actors, materials, scenes and scenery are shifted with the rapidity and variety of the kaleidoscope. The extraordinary expansion of the Railway System with^n the last twenty years, is to be ascribed to the im- pro ed appreciation of the Value of Time; since it is now universally admitted, that distances are virtually shortened in the precise ratio in which the times occupied m passing over them are diminished. Speed, Economy, REorLARiTY, Safety, and Con- VENiENCE,_an array of advantages unequalled-are com- bined in the Railway system. These we will notice separately. The importance of Speed in the transport of goods is annually increasing ; even now the more valuable des- criptions of merchandize take the rail in preference to the slower and cheaper route by canal ; and since the cost of transport upon a Railway varies in an inverse pro- portion with the business of the road, it is annually be- coming less, so that economy of time and economy of transport are becoming less and less antagonistical, and are approaching each other so rapidly, as to render the establishment of any line of demarcation exceedingly dithcuit if not impossible. • Steam Printing. w 15 Economy. — Compared with all other land communi- cations, their freighting capabilities may be inferred from the consideration that a horse usually draws from fifteen to thirty hundred weight on a good turnpike or macadamised road (exclusive of vehicle), four to six tons on a plate rail tram road, and fifteen to twenty tons on an edge rail including the waggon ; — the friction on a level Railway being only from one-tenth to one-seventh of that upon the roads above mentioned. If this be the effect of the rail alone, it is needless to enlarge upon its power when travelled by an iron horse, with which hunger and thirst are but metaphorical terms, which knows no dis- ease nor fatigue, and to which a thousand miles is but the beginning of a journey, and a thousand tons but an ordinary burden. But it is in a more extended sense than the mere cosf of transport that the economy of the Railway is vindi- cated. While upon the best roads travelled by horses, the cost and time of transportation increases rapidly with the distance, it is clear that there is a point from whence the transport of certain articles become unprofitable or impracticable. Milk, fruits, and vegetables, for im- mediate use, will not bear ten or twelve hours jolting over fifty miles of the best turnpike to reach a market ; while fresh meats, fish, eggs, cattle, pigs, and poultry, lumber, staves, shingles, and firewood, and many otLer necessaries of life, either could not afford the lime or the cost of a hundred miles transport by horse power. The production of these articles, therefore, is very limited in certain districts ; but wherever a Railway lakes its track their extensive production becomes at once a new element of wealth, and the Locomotive a public bene- factor — making " two blades of grass grow where only one grew before." Thus the essence of a Railway sys- tem is to increase its own traffic, adding twenty-five per cent, to the value of every farm within fifty miles of the 1JS 16 irack, doubling that of those near it, atid quadruplin.^ the value of „n,bered lands through which they pass. rIu! canarin'" """ 'T" T" -''"<""'-' -rriers than canals, m as much as they are both freight and loll reeetvers, and are therefore eonten. with one profit. REG„,.A„,Tv.-The superior speed and safely of Rail, way travel over the most expeditious water eotrtmuniea- .tons a.'e scarcely more important than its extraordinary regulartty; to which latter circumstance it is chiefly owing hat m every country the Railway has been select- ed for the transportation of the mails. This monopoly of mails and passengers enables them to transport good, proportionately cheaper-lhus becoming powerful rival, to the most favourable water communications. From this principle of regularity. Railways in the winter season have no competitors ; and, working the whole year round Tv w-,t ^^ u 1"'?'^''' ^'"^ "' "''«• '"S' fr^t <" rain,' Aey, wi h a full business and fair "grades," can com: pete with ordinary canals in price, while they can make two trips, to one on the canal, in less than half the time SAFETV.-The comparative safety of Railway travel with that upon steamboats is best appreciated by the re- flection, that the causes which endanger human life upon -both to be avoided by ordinary care ; whereas in the la ter explosion, fi,e, collision, or wrecking, are attended with imminent risk to all, the only choice^often b ng!^ the mode of death. Explosion of a locomotive boiler be- sides being exceedingly rare, is scarcely ever attended with any danger to the lives of the passengers. The re- markabe safety of well managed Railways may be urther illustrated by the statement of Baron Von RTden that upon the Railways of Germany only one person hi every twelve and a quarter millions of passengi s "vas killed or wounded from defective arrangemenronlhe road, one m eve^r nine million, from his oSn misconduct ■\t "1 4 apling the ss. Rail- riers than and toll ofil. y of Rail- nmunica- lordinary s chiefly 3n select- nopoly of >rt goods ul rivals 'rom this r season ir round, or rain, an com- m make 3 lime. y travel the re- fe upon le track in the ttended )eing — ier, be- tended rhe re- lay be Reden, son in s was on the nduct. i 17 and one in every twenty-five millions from his own negli- gence. The Germans are undoubtedly a prudent people. Convenience.— The convenience of the Railway Sys- tem lies chiefly in its adaptation to its peculiar traffic : — artificial navigation is restricted to favourable ground and supplies of water, but modern improvements have enabled the Locomotive to clamber over mountains and penetrate the most remote corners of the land ; there ig therefore no limit to the number of its auxiliary branches, which can be multiplied and extended until their ramifi- cations give the required facilities to every wharf and every warehouse— to the solitary mill or factory, or to the most neglected districts as an outlet to otherwise worth- less products. We have said that Railroads, with fair grades and a full business, can compete successfully with ordinary Canals. We do not mean that any Railroad can compete with canals connecting long lines of navigable waters such as we have in Canada, where the canals are of a size to prevent transhipment or the navigation so shelter- ed as to permit boats to be towed its entire length ; but we do believe, that wherever a transhipment is unavoid- able and the Railroad is called upon to transport from one end of the canal route to the other, it will, with ordinary grades, be found the most eligible. We make this comparison assuming that a paying rate of tolls be placed upon the canals as well as on the road, and we base it upon the consideration that the road can do all which the canal would do, and a great deal which the latter would never do, viz., carry passengers, mails, fruits, vegetables, milk, fish, &c., which would never take the canal ; and that it would be in operation when the canal was useless. This assertion involves the capacity of Railroads, and it is not difficult to prove that a Railway would transport far more in a twelvemonth than the majority of the English or American Canals and some of ^Hb 18 our own. It would be unfair to select such very imper- fect navigations as the Rideau for a comparison, because, liaving no towing path the attendance of tug boats is re- quired with every barge, oi fleet of barges the lockage of which is an additional delay while its employment is a heavy expense ; and because the absurd size of the Gren- ville locks nullifies half the capacity of those upon the Rideau. We will therefore take the best Canal and Railroad in America, and see what they have done. The number of tons which arrived at tide water by the Erie Canal, was in the years 1850—1,554,675 ) 1851—1,508,677 } Total 4,863,352 tons of 2000 lbs. 1852—1,800,000 ) On the Reading Railroad the coal alone which was brought down to tide water was, in the years 1850—1,423,977) 1851—1,605,084 VTotal 4,679,973 tons of 2240Jbs. 1852—1,650,912) The difference in estimating the tonnage gives over 300,000 tons in the three yearS^'in favor of the Railway. The length of the Erie Canal is 363 miles— opening to the Great West. The length of the Reading Railroad is 95 miles of double track— opening to a coal district. The freighting capabilities of a Railroad will be better understood, by giving a short account of the road which we have just compared with the Erie Canal. This road employs above one hundred locomotives and over five thousand freight cars ; it has six side tracks at the Delaware Terminus and seventeen wharves in that river with a double track upon each ; a storage for one hundred and ninety-five thousand tons of coal, and room for the simultaneous lading of ninety-seven vcdsels of seven hundred tons burthen each. Three or four en- gines are constantly employed in distributing cars to their 4 19 ry imper- because, ats is re- )ckage of nent is a he Gren- upon the nal and me. The the Erie )0 lbs. ich was WJbs. ves over ailway. lening to miles of be better d which ives and racks at s in that for one nd room dsels of four en- 3 to their re.speelive wharves, and the Company's principal work- shop employs several hundred men. An engine upon this road has drawn one hundred and fifty iron coal wag- gons in one train, of one thousand two hundred and sixty- eight tons weight, over a distance of eighty-ibur miles in <'ight hours and three minutes. The cost of the road has been $17,000,000 ; the gross earnings in 1852 were $2,480,026 and the net earnings $1,251,908. Of the gross earnings, $2,150,677 were for freight upon coal. The actual cost of transporting coal per ton over the whole distance of ninety-four miles, including the expense of bringing back the empty cars, was thirty-five and four- tenths cents, or about one shilling and ninepence cur- rency ; being three and three-fourth mills per ton per mile. At this rate the cost of transport of a barrel of flour the length of the Erie Canal (363 miles) would be about sevenpence halfpenny, which is about the actual cost to the carrier on that Canal. Of course no tolls to the road are included. We will not go so far as to say that a Railway could now compete with an established work having such wonderful advantages as the Erie Canal, but we feel con- fident with the present experience in these works that if the Canal were now in existence and a choice of com- munication were now to be made, the Railway would be selected. The lateral Canals of the State of New York it must be remembered, do not pay any dividends • the receipts and disbursements being about equal not- withstanding the great advantages which they derive from their connection with the Erie Canal. The extra- ordinary extent of sheltered and inland navigation in America renders the Canal system more applicable to this country than to many others, but it cannot be denied that the mania which followed the unparalleled success of the Erie Canal induced an extension of the system into dis- tricts, particularly in the more northern climates, where the Railway would have been more applicable. to It is the assertion of the best authorities and the re- suit of the best experience, that freight and travel upon pvery highway are quadrupled in a remarkably short space of time by the construction of a Railway. Canada loses every year, by the want of Railroads and a lointer nwrkct, enoxigh to construct fifty miles of Rail- way. If we look at the price of flour for the last six years, we will see that it has been highest in the winter monlhs (from October to May) ; and we have not for- gotten w.ien in 1847, we with nearly half a million of barrels of flour for exportation in Montreal alone, were regaled with accounts of winter sales at double the u«.ual rates, in Boston, New York, and other Atlantic ports from which /or the want of Railways alone we were .hut out,~not even having the privilege of paying the Ameri- can duty. As soon as the Western farmer secures his crop his whole time is required to get in the new one before the frost,— for he sows fall wheat. Necessity alone makes him thrash out and take a portion of his grain tp market The winter is his idle season-then is his most con- veniens' time for thrashing and bringing his produce to sale. The Eastern farmer sows spring wheat, but as the snow forms his best and cheapest road,— the winter IS also his proper time for coming to market. The same IS the case with the farmer in the back Townships who has no summer road— he must wait for the snow and frost to bring out his grain to the best advantage. The chief part of their produce, therefore, lie^ vi tleir hands with that on those of the miller until the ent . •.• ' eason Our mills must therefore stand still becns,^ like Vie bees wc are sealed up in the winter, idly consuming the fruits of our summer's industry. With a Railway we could make flour in winter of a better quality and cheaper pro- portionally, because we have more time, cooler weather, and cheaper transport of the wheat-while 1^ f^ m t\ nd t?ie re- ■ave! upon ably short roads and s of Rail- 2 last six he winter e not for- million of >ne, were the usual tic ports, (vere shut e Ameri- ' crop his lefore the B makes • market, lost con- jduce to t, but as e winter he same ips who low and e. The ir hands eason. ..iie bees he fruits B could per pro- cooler —while 1 our chances of high prices would bo better and risk of ;5 souring less. Nothing would tend more to the extension of Manu- factures, particularly the numerous and valuable ones of Wood, — the only description we would for some time h export, — than the existence of Railways ; — nothing would '4 more rapidly build up, what every country should have, ^; a home market — place the consumer near the producer — keep our surplus population at home — promote the growth of wool, the cultivation of hemp, — the settlement M of waste lands, — the employment of our unlimited walcj I power, — and the expansion of national enterprise. If we would now have manufactures, (cotton for in- stance,) we must lay in our winter stock of raw material in Nov Tiber and allow our manufactures to accumulate until April or May before they can be distributed : while in New England, the train which takes up the wool to the water power upon Monday returns with the manu- factures of that wool in the same week. These quick returns beget small profits, with which under our system it is vain to pttempt competition. When we consider the amount of unprofitable capital " winter killed," — the loss of winter prices on the seaboard, — the cost of trans- port by waggons,— the feeding of horses, and the rate paid in the towns for a scant supply of articles, valueless in the country, we repeat again, — Canada loses by ihe want of Railroads and winter markets enough to build fifty miles of Railway every year ! It is the estimate of the most competent authorities, that a Railway of ordinary length draws 'o its support, from the inhabitants of any district through which it passes, a net income of between ten and fifteen shillings per head on the total population tributary to it. The net earnings nf the Massachusetts Railways exceed sixteen fihilling^i and threepence per head for each inhabitant of that Slate. The New York and Eric Railroad passes for ' « 22 425 miles through a grazing country, with a population of 532,000 persons, supposed to be dependant upon it, and the estimate of net c rnings per head upon this route [founded upon the experience of those portions in opera- tion) is twelve shillings and sixpence per head. The area tributary to this road is twelve million of acres, and the population twenty-eight to the square mile. The area tributary to a road from Montreal to Kemptville would be in proportion,-the population as dense, the cost of con- struction much less per mile, the line shorter, and the " grades'' lar superior, as any one familiar with the two routes will acknowledge. The articles for which the Erie Railroad is an outlet are chiefly the products of a grazing country-milk, but- ter cattle, calves, sheep and pigs. Of the former article, milk, so important is the business that a special train known as the " milk-train" is run each morning for the .^^upply of the citizens of New York, whose daily wants are thus administered to from cows feeding beyond the Sh".wangunk Mountains and drinking the waters which flow into the Delaware. The little commonwealth of Massachusetts, with an area of seven thousand five hundred square miles and a population of about eight hundred thousand, has expend- ed $50,000,000 in building one thousand miles of Rail- way, the most important of which now yield to their enterprising projectors an average of seven per cent. In July 1 847, the writer published the following remarks in a newspaper article. Montreal being then not only the Metropolis of Canada, but as she still is, the fir«^t Commercial City of British North America, the writer felt that the initiative of any great public enterprize should emanate from this quarter; and as the whole question was one of such peculiar importance to her citizens as a community, he took the liberty of criticising with no un- friendly animus their apathy upon the subject :~ %;• 23 Dpulation on it, and his route in opera- The area , and the The area tvould be t of con- and the the two n outlet illi, but- r article, al train for the y wants ond the i which with an s and a ^xpend- of Rail- to their nt. emarks 3t only le first writer should Liestion ns as a no un- ci a iC om Idc water to Huron upon the nonh side of the St. Laurence we must have, and as they will be the work of y^s wc should lose no time in commencing them. It is instruct We to view the grounds upon which these projects arc under! aken in countries where their operation is underMood Jj projecting the Petersburg, and Shirley Railroad fn Massachusetts, the "friends of the cnlerpri e" ake' „" IX-atCr^"- -''"'''--' would pit „"S " Townsend has 7,000 acres of wood and timber land plying fuel for home consumption, we estimate the actual SI "growth to be equal to one cord for every three and a " half acres, per annum, which will be 2,00U corda for " market, exclusive of sawed lumber and ship timber. " The north easterly part of Shirley, the north part of " Lunenburg and the west part of Peppercll, together "with the towns of Brookline, Mason and Ashby, have " an aggregate of wood and timber land, nearly or quite " three times as large as that in Townsend, and quite as " heavily covered. " The town of Sharon has now a steam mill that cuts " one million feet of sawed lumber annually. This town " and Temple, having large quantities of wood land, and " being too far from a dep6t at West Townsend for the " transport of wood, will therefore do the coal business " that is now done in the towns below them — and this " branch of business will furnish at least three thousand " tons of transport to the road annually. " It is a well known fact that the towns of New Ips- " wich, Temple, Mason, and Ashby, are rich in agricul- " tural resources, and will supply much tonnage of pro- " duce to the road. It is not unfrequent for farms in Mason to grow 1000 bushels of potatoes each (weighing "about 37^ tons), for the starch factory in Wilton, pre- " sent average prices about twenty-two cents per bushel. " This article could be transported to West Townsend " much easier than to their present market, and the " average price in Boston is such as to command this " business. " The manufacturing interest in this section is also well " known to be somewhat extensive. The present trans- " port of casks of all kinds from Towmsend to Boston is " $6,750 annually. Brookline has this branch of business " to nearly the same amount of freight, and both of these " towns have much unimproved water power, and great " facilities for brick making, much of which is in the " immediate line of the contemplated road." (( 9S How much unimproved water power have we in Canada ? Have we no farms which grow 1000 bushels ot potatoes each? no saw-mills cutting 1,000,000 feet per annuni? The writer tnows one establishment in Canada which cuts more than 10,000,000 feet animally There is a large growing trade along the whole extent of our Frontier in this artiele,-whieh we can produce ad hbttum^nnd the whole value of which is from labour applied here. Our exports of sawed lumber to the United States m 1852 exceeded one hundred and twenty millions of feet:-Railroads alone will bring out the distant reserves of this article. Have wp no facilities for brickmaking, or do we still continue to import bricks from England as wo did a few years since ? The truth is,-men have starved upon the richest soils and in the finest climes, as in India, Ireland or Mexico, while the children of the « Pilgrim Fathers"' have ^grown rich from their granite, their wood, and their ice :-ihey see " sermons in stones," and wealth in shoe-pegs at two dollars a bushel. The chief elements of the extraordinary success (f the Americans are such as we in a great measure possess, although we have ob- te^.ed them too recently to have yet experienced their eifects, VIZ., the control of our own trade, -eind facility of a88octaUon,-.hitheno hampered by legislative require- ments at every step. The habit ofassociation in New England, (for there it has become a habit, as we trust it will soon be here) is the prominent instrument in their prosperity. In a mistaken love of sole proprietorship, (in imitation of the wealth of the Mother Country) , we either do not move at all m a promising enterprise because the investment i8 beyond our reach, or we place our necks in the halter by borrowing to such an extent that the first "pull up" invariably produces strangulation. If we would but con- template the almost illimitable powers of association for e we in • bushels »,000 feet iment in iiiiiually. extent of )cluce ad 1 labour e United millions distant we still ;d a few pon the Ireland, athers" )d, and alth in ements •e such ive ob- l their ility of 2quire- lere it here), In a of the oveat ent is ter by up" t con- 3n for SS mannfacturing or commercial purposes, compared with the largest individual efforts, we would be forced to ac- knowledge the existence within ourselves of a mine of wealth and power, unheeded now, but which, if relieved from the pressure of indift'erence and incredulity, will expand into useful activity. In a town of but moderate population the humble mechanic may have his house lighted with gas and supplied with water—luxuries which the seigneur in his lordly country mansion cannot aspire to. Perhaps the most striking instance of great results from small contributions is the penny post ; — but everywhere examples meet us — in the news-room, — in public baths — and even in the factories of New England, many of which are owned by the operatives and small farmers. Mr. W. Harding, in his " Facts bearing on ad upon le under I'^enienne, ernment, le means J paying, for two or three years, the deficient interest on its cost. IJut it is highly desirable that weahhy individuals and corporate towns and bodies should take the lead and management. The Governmcrt stand ready under the late Act to second iheir efforts — and we have no doubt would advance a step further to meet private action, rather than see a deserving pit?ject fall to the ground. The Act of Parliament above alluded to has since been repealed. Its benefits have been confined to the Trunk Line— the County of Simcoe — and a portion of the Eastern Townships. It remains to be seen whether the " North Shore," — the Ottawa, — Peterborough and Stanstead interests, can obtain the same Provincial aid as has been accorded to Sherbrooke and Simcoe. We cannot any longer afford to do without Railroads. Their want is an actual tax upon the industry and labour of the country. Men may talk, says an eminent New Englander, about the burden of taxes to build Railroads, but the tax which the people pay lo be without them is an hundred fold more oppressive. Our unoccupied routes have in themselves a value — but until there are charters, organization, and a fitting spirit and appreciation of Railways shewn, there is nothing to attract the passing capitalist. The readiness with which the Upper Canada Munici- palities have taxed themselves within the last two years, is highly creditable to their intelligence, and a proof that self-taxation for local improvements is not considered a burden. Port Hope, with a population of 2500, has sub- scribed £50,000 to her Railway — taxing herself nearly $10 per annum on each person. Toronto has given £100,000 to the Guelph Road and £50,000 to the Simcoe and Huron Line. There must be something in a system which induces towns and counties to make SB such apparent sacrifices ;— but the truth is that taxatiorf tor Railway purposes is in every sense a highly profitable investment. A county subscribes £1000 or £1500 Jor every mile of the road within its boundaries. By this means it secures the importation of double this sum to be expended within that county. Ever> man soon feels that ot the vast expenditure of money calledforby the Railway a portion finds its way into his pocket, which is many times greater than the Railway tax he consents to pay The great bulk of the cash expended on Railways here must be imported-and by getting tlie charters-by or- ganizmg the Companies and taking stock as far as our means allow, we lay the foundation of a property destined to mcrease in value annually-and one which, while it is of inestimable benefit in a thousand direct and indirect ways to ourselves is also one which capitalists are eager to take up and complete. Lastly_we are placed beside a restless, early-rising go-a-head" people,-a people who are following the sun Westward, as if to obtain a greater portion of day- light :-we cannot hold baok-we mu.i tighten our own traces or be overrun- we must use what we have or lose what we already possess-capital, commerce, friends and children will abandon us for better furnished lands unless we at once arouse from our letiiargy ; we can no longer aftord to loiter away our winter months, or slumber through the morning hours. Every year of delay but in- creases our inequality, and will prolong the time and aggravate the labor of what, through our inertness, ha» already become a sufficiently arduous rivalry ; but when once the barriers of indifference, prejudice and ignorance are broken down,-no physical or financial obstacle can withstand the determined perseverance of intelligent, self-controlled industry. ^ ' APPENDIX. What Railroads do for the Farmers. To understand the usefulness and value of our railroads it mu.tl>e ^orne .n m.nd, that by far the greater part of our people and ^"11 greater portion of the territory of the United States is devoM to north C7h'"' ^mediately upon the sea coast, and extending north f.om Baltimore,-or in Europe ; and that consequently thr -hole surplus product of the interior has to be sent to thl La 'ia,; We hare no interior markets, which can only be supplied by Je e :stenco of large manufactories, or commercial cities'o'r commVn ties The surplus of the Southern States is cotton ; in the Northern the p oT;l° :? "•'" '' '^''''''' ^' *h« «-« ™ay be ; and where tne production ,s so enormous as it is in this country, it is easy to see Iha an immense traffic must be thrown upon allThe avenues c„ «ectmg the interior with the sea coast From the difficulty of constructing good earth roads, the economic hmit to transportation, is confined upon such, to a comparativelyTe^ tionunotfarfromlScentspertonpermile, which maybe considered aj 75 c t, .„, , ,^,^,^ J^^^l f:^rto^atn:\::tr of ho former would be cjual to its cost of transportation for 330 miles and the latter, 165 miles. At these respective distances from m"^e' neither of the above articles would have any commercial valuTwah only a common earth road as an avenue to market But we find that we can move property upon railroad at the rate of 1 , cents per ton per mile, or for one-tenth the cost upon the ordinary road. These works therefore extend the economic limit of the cost of transportat.on of the above articles to 3,300 and 1,650 miles res- pectively. At the limit of the economical movement of these article* ''^VtTT"' ^'^"''^' ^^' '^'^ "^" "^ ^^'''^''^^«' ^^-heat would be ^orihf44 50, andcor;i$22 27 per ton, which sums respectively I 38 would represent the actual increase of value created by the interpo- sition of such a work . The following table will show the amount saved per ton, by trans- portation by railroad over ttie ordinary highways of the country : Statement showing the value of a ion of wheat, and one of corn, at given pointfifrom market, as effected by cost of transportation by railroad, and over the ordinary road. TnajportatioB bf railroad. Transportation by ordinary highway. Wheat Cars VVbea*. Corn. Value at market ?49 50 $24 75 $49 50 $24 76 10 miles from market 49 35 24 60 48 00 23 25 20 " " 49 20 24 45 46 50 2175 30 " " 49 05 24 SO 45 00 20 25 40 " " 48 90 24 15 43 50 18 76 50 " '• 48 75 24 00 42 00 17 26 60 " " 48 60 23 85 40 50 15 75 70 " " 48 45 23 70 39 00 14 25 80 " '•.... 48 30 23 55 37 50 12 75 90 " " 48 15 23 40 36 00 1125 100 " " 48 00 23 25 34 50 9 75 110 " " 47 85 23 10 33 00 8 25 120 " " 47 70 22 95 3160 6 75 130 " " 47 56 22 ' ' 30 00 5 26 140 " " 47 40 22 65 28 50 3 76 15'> «« « 47 26 22 50 27 00 2 26 i60 •• " 47 10 22 35 26 50 75 170 " " 46 95 22 20 24 00 00 180 " " 46 80 22 06 22 50 190 " " 46 65 2190 2100 200 " " 46 50 2175 19 50 210 " " 46 35 2160 18 00 220 " " 46 20 2145 16 50 230 " " 46 05 21 SO 15 00 240 " " 45 90 2116 13 50 250 " " 45 75 2100 12 00 260 '• " 45 60 20 85 10 50 270 " " 45 4f> 20 70 9 00 280 " " 45 30 20 55 7 50 290 " » 45 15 20 40 6 00 300 " " 45 00 20 25 4 60 810 " " 44 85 20 10 3 00 320 " " 44 70 19 95 150 330 " " 44 56 19 80 00 The above table is chiefly valuable in this connection in showing that, from want of domestic markets, and cost of transportation upon ordinary roads, the whole surplus products of the interior must, of necessity, be thrown upon railroads, which fact sufficiently guaran- tees a large business to them. There is no other country in the world where an equal amount of labor produces an equal bulk of freight for railroad transportation. One reason is that the great mass of out products is of a coarse, bulky character, of very low comparative value, and consisting chiefly of % 39 ) $24 76 23 25 21 76 a 20 26 D 18 76 3 17 26 [) 15 75 14 26 12 76 11 25 9 76 8 25 6 76 5 26 3 76 2 26 75 00 the products of the soil and forest. We manufacture very few high priced goods, labor being more profitably employed upoa what are at present more appropriate objects of industry. The great bulk of the articles carried upon railroads, is grains, cotton, sugar, coal, iron, live stock, and articles of a similar character. The difierence between the value of a pound of raw and manufactured cotton is measured frequently by dollars, yet both may pay the same amount of freight. Wheat, corn, cattle, and lumber, all pay a very large sum for transportation in proportion to their ysi]ae.— Railway Journal. What they do for Land Owners- Not only have the railroads largely increased the radius of the country which pours its produce into the city marts, but they have diffused the city population overa larger surface, in both ways creat- ing the traffic on which the stockholders rely for profits on their investments. Boston affords a case in point ; the increase of its popu- lation in the ten years ending 'n 1851 having been sixty-five per cent., while that of seven towns, each within five miles of the city, and accessible by railroad, was eighty-one per cent. Great as is the increase of passenger traflic on all the railways, it is exceeded in proportion by the increase or freights. In this respect the experience o; Massachusetts tallies with that of South Carolina and with that of the Erie Railroad. The advance in the value of land in the vicinity of railroad lines, is another very beneficial result of their construction. This is nowhere more marked than on the Illinois Central road where lands which had so long remained unsold at the Government minimum price have realized $15 per acre, and others which have been sold at $2 and $3, now readily obtain purchasers at $6 and $9. In comparing roads running through strictly agricultural districts in this country and in England, we are struck with the immense disparity of cost. Thus, while the Southern Mich gan line, 245 miles in length, was put into operation at an expenditure of but about $20,000 per mile, the Eastern Counties line, an English road, 322 miles in length, including branches, cost the enormous amount of $200,000 per mile, or ten times as much for the English as for the American line, while the receipts of the latter in September last were $113,215 against |300,005 for the English xoenl.— Railway Times. 40 How they have Competed with the Erie Canal. Ifote. — 1852 was the first year in which Railroads were allowed to compete with the iVew York Canals. A very gratifying feature in the business of the Canal, as repre- sented by the above figuios, is the almost incredible increase in the tonnage of some of these articles of heavy freight, particularly rail- road iron, in which article there is an increase of 56,866,837 lbs. But while there is a handsome increase in heavy freight, it will be noticed that such goods as are mostly carried by railroad, exhibit a falling of from last year's ligurea. A very natural question arises here as to the cause of the annual falling off in the tonnage of that kind of property which has hitherto been one of the most prolific sources of revenue. That the quantity of high-toll goods moving westward, is rapidly increasing annually, cannot be denied. The only reason, then, that the quantity passing by the Canal is decreasing, must be that other modes of transporta- tion are deemed more favorable, as involving less expense, either in time or money, or both — Among other articles of up-freight, such as sugar, iron, steel and merchandize, there has been a slight increase from the figures of 1851, while there has been a decrease in molasses, coffee, nails, spikes, crockery and glassware to a considerable extent. In down freight, in flour, beef, butter, cheese, wool and sundries, there has been a decrease, which is, however, easily accounted for. It will be seen that the Central Railroad have transported an immense quantity of these articles of produce which have decreased on tho Canal. They have carried 75,099 bbls. of flour, nearly 10,000 bbls. of beef, and over 3,000,000 pounds of butter during the year. Buffalo and Rochester Railroad. — The following table shows the leading articles carried by the Buffalo and Rochester Railroad going beyond Rochester, and principally destined for Albany and New York, during the year 1852: — Flour, bbls. Pork " Beef " Ashes " Whiskey " L^0^ '^"'i t^e receipts Taking the saving by conveyance of cattle on Railways at 40 lbs per beast, 8 lbs. for sheep, and 20 lbs. for swine, the gross saving in 1847 wdl be 43,800,000 lbs. of animal food. Large quantities of dead meat reach the London market by Rail- way from the country :-it comes in excellent condition from Scot- land. By means of Railways, great quantities of hind quarters of mutton are sent up from the country,-as the butchers there kill lar-^e quantities of sheep and sell the fore quarters at home amon-st their own popuIation,-sending the hind quarters by Railway to London. It IS the general opinion of butchers that country killed meat is bet- ter than town killed meat. It is ordered and sold by telegraph, and IS not damaged by the journey, even in hot weather.-£mdence given in late Report on Smilhfield Market. The Ogdensburgh Railroad. Memorandum of Arrivals and Receipts of Freight at Ogdensburgh (bu water) from opening of navigation to ^FridayMst Dec.SlZ ^^ Corn Oats 413,237 bush. Wheat',." .■.'.■; ,'*3,082 « Flour,. 151,696 " Beef 795,022 bbls. Pork"".". ^^'^^® " 4,300 " 43 itioii, the Arrival of vessels, 505 American vessels, 834 Canaflii vessels, 171 Total 606 Arrivals in 1861, 209 Increase in 1852 296 American Flour 585,022 bbls. Canadian do 210,000 " American Wheat, 410,429 bush. Canadian do 841,267 " Total amount of grain received, 1,218,018 bush. Value of Merchandize entered in bond from Canada in 1852 $771,603 From Canada in 1851 116.286 Increase in 1852, $656,317 Amount of tonnage transported over Railroad from Canada, 48,050 tons. The New York and Erie Bailroad- Statement of the principle articles received at tfie Port of Dunkirk, by Lake, in the District of Buffalo Creek during the year 1852, as reported to the Collector at this port : — Quantity. Value. Flour, bbls 182,139 $819,625 Pork 6,643 112,931 Beef 8,989 89,890 Whiske,- 1,983 19,830 Seed 1.608 16,080 Eggs 4,045 40,450 Fish 1,197 9,575 Ashes 292 6,205 Cranberries 500 5,000 Oil 229 1,185 Corn Meal 337 1,011 Hides 1,300 3,900 Leather, rolls 1,490 178,800 Whe,%t, bush 22,320 20,088 Corn 45,069 27,041 Oats 8,013 1,325 Butter, lbs 1,761,150 317,007 Cheese 727,800 44,468 Lard 248,200 24,820 TaUow 82,750 8,275 Bacon, casks 2,800 140,000 Lumber, ft 92,00 i 1,104 Staves 1,300 3,900 44 TO t u I Quantity. Value. Ep'^^!!v.:.-.v.: ^2 ''f' ii^f ^« -•'■''•'" iS Zfo hS;::::::::: *f5^" jp^« ^-•'- •••"••■.•••.•.•.•: uiS ,}S Tobacco, hhds •;.•.•.•.•.•.::: S) '''''' The Railroads of the United States. By the tabular statement annexed, it will be seen that there are H^l,>rnilesof railroad in opo'ration in the United States, and 12,- 029 m progress against 21.693 in operation and in progress in 1862, 6hovv.ng an increase of the former of 1500 miles, and the latter of 11,500 miles, viz : •IiT««, No Of milei IB No. iif mile, in Maine «i>«r.tion. p,„g„„ ^01.1 New Hamp;hi'r;: '. '. '.WW: lit ^]^ 605 Vermont... ^^^ 42 642 Massachusetts ;'.: .f^? •• 427 Rhode Island.... ^^Vl ^6 1206 Connecticut J^ ^2 82 New York ^^27 198 825 New Jersey. .. . 212^ 924 3047 Pennsylvania V. ,o^1 ^^ 339 Delaware ^^tf 903 2147 Maryland .W'.'.'. .1^, »1 27 Virginia ^r,^, *' 521 N.CaroUna ^^4 610 1234 S.Carolina 249 248 497 Georgia ^JH 296 865 Florida....... ^11 691 1548 Alaoama „:f /' 23 Mis.icsippi 236 728 1023 Loni^iana . . . '. 1 ! ^^ ^^5 970 Texas •*.* .'.'.*!.".;!; i."! i! ! .1 f?? '^^ Tennessee ' , „f " ' 83 Kentucky ^^f 609i 694^ Ohio.... ,94 H^^ '^55 Indiana.... ^2®5 1755 3140 Michigan :.■;:;.■ .■.:.•.•.•:.•;.•;;;:; '//. . f ?« ^nf- Illinois ^27 427 Missouri V. ^^^ ^'"^2 2068 Wisconsin ' ' '' 515 515 60 470 620 ^°**^ 13,815 12,029 26,843' ToUl 505 642 427 1206 82 825 3047 339 2147 27 521 1234 497 865 1548 23 1023 970 263 83 694^ 755 3140 1734 427 2068 515 520 46 Table sh >wing the population of the aoveral States, and the num- ber of inhabitants in each to one mile of railroad. S^ITu" ••••.• '^^^ ^^^'^^^ 30,280 69.9 1165 New Hamnshire 642 317.964 9,000 166 687 ^^'■'"""^••; 427 314.120 10.212 23-9 736 Massachusetts 1206 994,499 7.800 6.4 83 lihode Island 82 147,544 1.306 16 1799 £°"°^^J"'"t 825 370.791 4.674 5-6 449 S^^^o''^ 3.047 3.097,349 46,000 176.4 lOltf NewJerficy. 339 480,653 8,820 245 1417 Pennsylvannia 2147 2,311,786 46,000 21-6 1076 S^'^T'^ 27 91,6.35 2.120 78-6 83903 ?J?'"y'an'' 521 683,035 9,356 18-4 11477 J""g'"'f/-V. 1234 1,421.664 61.352 49 6 1152 « Jun'"'"-"* *^^ ^*^S'»08 46.000 90-5 1748 South Carohna 895 668,507 23.505 274 747 ^,^°fSia 1548 904,996 58,000 374 688 \Zi. 23 87,401 59,268 2576 3800 ^l*¥"?»-; 964i 771,971 60,722 5.3-6 800 Mississippi 1023 600,555 47,166 16" 587 Jl^"'^'^"'' 263 517,739 46,431 176-4 1968 4,^^'*'' 32 212,592 237,321 7416- 6643 ™«l«ee 694i 1,002,626 45,608 66-6 1443 ^entucky 755 982,405 37,680 50 1304 ",.?•. 8164 1,980,408 39,964 12-7 628 f'fi'^'g^n 427 397,654 56,243 131-7 9312 J"^'^P* 1734 988,415 83,809 196 670 i™S'; 2068 851,470 65,406 26.0 411 S-'?'""".- 515 682,033 67,380 138- 12345 "'^isconsin 520 805,091 63,924 104 689 The two statements immediately preceding will convey a pretty accurate idea of the probable extent to which the construction of rail- roads will be eventually carried in the United States. The state having the greatest number of miles in proportion to its area and population is Connecticut. This state has no large cities, and its people are either engaged in manufacturing or agriculture. There can be no reason why all portions of the eastern states, possessing an equally dense population, should not eventually have an equal number of miles of railroad in proportion. Among the western states Ohio stands pre-eminent, having one mile of railroad to a little more than twelve square miles of territory and to 638 inhabitants. This state will probably soon lead all others in the extent of railroads, if not to the ratio they will sustain to area and population.— /2at7roai Journal. On the Ist of January, 1863, there were in the United States, 13,227 miles of completed Railroad, 12,928 miles of Railroad in va- rioua stages ofprogress, and about 7000 miles in the hands of th« Mi 46 Engineers, which will be built within the next three or four years- making a total of 33,155 miles of Riilroad, which will soon traverse the country, and which at an arerago cost of $30,000— (a well ascertained average) for each mile of road, including equipments, &c., will have consumed a capital amounting to $994,650,000 as follows: — 18,227 miles completed 1396,810,000 12,928 miles in progress 887,840,000 7000 miles under survey 210,000,000 33,155 Total 1994,650,000 or in round numbers 11,000,000,000, one billion of dollars, a sum which at 6 per cent., would yield $60,000,000 annually, or more than sufficient to cover all the expenses of the United States Government, and ol the Governments of every state composing the United States ! —if administered with Republican economy. — Hunt's Magazine. What the Locomotive can do. As to the power of overcoming high grades, we claim to have tau^fht a lesson to the world. During the whole of the past summer, this company carried the United States Mail over a grade of 530 feet to the mile, without the aid of assistant power, and every bar of iron which was laid upon the track, between the Kingswood Tunnel and Fairmount, was passed over the same. The summit of the hill is about three hundred feet above the level of the permanent track at the tunnel, and the grade varies from 293 to 340 feet to the mile, permitting each engine to carry up two loaded cars or 25 tons. At Kingswood tunnel the temporary road ascended a grade of 630 feet to the mile, and only one car or 12^ tons was the load of the engine. — BaUimore and Ohio R. R. Rep. The Strawberry Trade. — During fifteen days in the month of .lune last nearly one million baskets of strawberries were brought to this city over the Ramapo and Paterson railroad, and Jersey City ferry. Most of these were gathered in a district of about eight miles square, contiguous to the Ramapo road. Estimating that they were sold at the average rate of four cents a basket, the return must have been about $40,000. 47 The Railroads of Canada. MilMwmptetod. Montreal and Lachine g Chiimplain and St. Lawrence to Rousc'b Point. . 43 Raw