quote below the comparative traffic in certain articles for 1845 and 1850. The comparison shows a rapid and extraordinary increase: These are articles carried eastwardly to Baltimore. Flour has doubled, live stock trebled, coal increased eight-fold, and iron doubled. years! All this in five The table of passengers shows some results which are of great value in exhibiting the real sources of rail-way revenue. Thus: It thus appears that on a long line of rail-road, the way passengers are 4 to 1 over the through passengers. They are, therefore, far the greatest source of revenue from passengers. The annual reports of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-road Company are of great intere in exhibiting the influence of rail-roads in the development of the country and the growth of cities, as well as the value of railroad stock. 4.-MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA RAIL-ROAD. We have the report of the President of this Company. The road will reach from Selma to Union Town, and it is thought that 260,000 dollars will finish it, exclu sively of the working stock, which may be procured on the mortgage of the road, or by leasing it out to the Selma and Tennessee River Company. The President has the assurance that this $260,000 is already provided for, (including the 2 per cent. fund,) and remarks upon the work: Suppose the road from Union Town to Selma, a distance of thirty miles, cost three hundred and fifty thousand dollars-and this estimate any one, at all acquainted with the character of the country between those points, will admit to be exceedingly liberal. Now, by certain arrangements with a line of boats, cotton can be delivered in Mobile for one dollar and a quarter per bale-the same which it now costs after being hauled to the river. This arrangement will induce, almost compel, all planters in striking distance of the road, to give it patronage, and will, therefore, secure to it at least forty thousand bales of cotton. This estimate is thought by many persons too low. This amount, however, at sixty-two and a half cents per bale, leaving an equal sum for the boats, will give twenty-five thousand dollars. All persons, at all informed on the subject, concur in representing the up freight as in excess of the down freight. On this road it will certainly be largely in excess; for every fall, goods for a large scope of country, situate on both sides of the Warrior and Upper Bigbee rivers, are landed at Selma, Cahaba, or some other point on the Alabama river. This course of trade results from the uncertain character of the Warrior and Bigbee rivers, and all these goods would necessarily pass over this road, consequently giving it a large amount of up freight for parts of the country whence it would receive no down freight. This is not speculation, but will be readily appreciated by the least visionary understanding. Then we are justified, in view of these facts, in estimating the up freight at thirty-five thousand dollars-mails and passengers at fifteen thousand dollars. This is thought by well informed persons to be entirely reasonable. Stocks, mules, &c., &c., at five thousand dollars. These items make eighty thousand dollars. Forty per cent. is generally deducted for expenses; but to be liberal, we will deduct fifty per cent., and the balance will show a dividend of near 11 per cent. on the supposed cost. 5-MONTGOMERY AND MOBILE RAIL-ROAD A writer in the "Daily Advertiser" urges the extension of the Montgomery and West Point Rail-road westward by Selma, Union Town, and across the Bigbee to the Mobile and Ohio Rail-road, He says: "New-Orleans is vitally interested in the accomplishment of this line as a means of direct communication with the North-as a highway for the travel, and as a means of connecting herself more closely with the southern interior. Neither of the other roads can so effectually accomplish this object as the one proposed. And as she takes an interest in the Memphis and Chattanooga, and the Girard and Mobile Rail-roads, as she should do, she will, of course, feel more in this, for by it she can, by a short road to Jackson, put herself in connection with the entire system of rail-roads of the United States. But Mobile is more deeply interested than any of these points, and I might, without exaggeration, say, than all of them. Complete this line and the Selma and Tennessee road, and only one hundred and twenty miles of the Mobile and Ohio road, and she is in connection by rail-way, with almost every other important point in the United States. She thus draws the travel and mail over the part of the Mobile and Ohio road completed. By these roads she develops the best cotton-growing region of Alabama and Eastern Mississippi, and the grain and mineral regions of our own state. She will then be no longer dependent on river navigation for her supplies of cotton or provisions; by this means she can be supplied at all times with provisions, without waiting for the Ohio either to rise or thew, and must then have an advantage over her competitors in that trade. S would no longer be dependent on the rise of the rivers for a supply of cotton, for by means of these roads, her market would be kept regularly supplied-sufficient for the demand. Then, I am inclined to think, we would hear no more of the over-supply by the rise in the Warrior and Bigbee; no more of the, as at present, certain and inevitable decline in the price of cotton whenever the cotton from the Warrior and Bigbee arrives. Then Mobile could commence business with the cotton season as soon as other cities commence, and could and would have a supply equal to the demand, whether the rivers were up or down. Accomplish this, and I venture the prediction, we hear nothing more of Mobile being inferior, as a coiton market, to any southern city. In my opinion, she will then be able to compete with her rivals in all these respects. Supply Mobile with constant, certain and direct means of transportation to and from the country upon which she depends for her trade and support, and all the other obstacles in her way are little to be feared. 6.-LOUISIANA AND TEXAS RAIL-ROAD. Col. Mills, of Texas, when in New-Orleans, a short time since, addressed the Executive Committee of the Opelousas Rail-road as follows: (It will be seen that Col. Mills would have the road penetrate Texas just exactly where we said it ought to, and for saying which, certain persons in Opelousas and New-Orleans undertook to read us a lesson, to wit: 32° 30, or in the vicinity of Shreveport. You ask, gentlemen, what are the views and feelings, and intentions of Texas in regard to this rail-road enterprise? Let me inform you, that by extending a road, connected with a road from this place, westward into our interior,-crossing the Sabine, Trinity, and Brazos rivers, above the point of navigation, for even three hundred miles, and pointing still west, on the parallel of 32, or 32 30, towards the Pacific,-we would develop a country, in point of area, soil, climate, and production, unsurpassed by any section of country in the United States; the land universally good, producing twenty-five to seventy-five bushels of corn per acre, thirty to forty bushels of wheat, and 1200 to 2500 bales of cotton; and a large portion of it one of the finest stock countries in the world. This part of Texas is rapidly settling up, and were there rail-road facilities to this place, would speedily pour into your storehouses from 300,000 to 500,000 bales of cotton, or an amount of flour, pork, beef, and mutton, that is incalculable. You ask what are our means of constructing a road in our own limits? I answer, we have several alternatives. In the first place, the landholders on the route could build the road by a donation of land. As interest is the mainspring of action, let us look at this mode of raising means practically. The land upon the whole contemplated route of the road, after passing thirty or forty miles from Red River, is not selling at over one dollar per acre, unimproved. You apply to Mr. A., who owns one thousand acres near the route, for a subscription; he can readily say, I will give five hundred acres of my land to accomplish the road, knowing that the remaining five hundred acres would be worth from $10 to $20 per acre, and thus render his possessions tenfold more valuable, besides the advantages of an easy communication with one of the best markets of the world, to vend his produce or furnish his supplies. Secondly, Texas has, after the discharge of her debts, a surplus of from three to five million dollars. From what knowledge I have of the views of our politicians of all parties, it will be deemed the policy of Texas to lay out this fund in internal improvements. And lastly, I learn that many of the bondholders of Texas would willingly take stock in rail-roads to the amount of the debts due them. 7.-PLANK-ROADS. Plank-roads are a new feature. It appears that the first plank-road in Canada was laid down in 1836, and in New-York in 1837, but it is only within the last four years that they have been much prosecuted. There now exists, of plankroads in operation, as follows: Canada.. Miles. New-York...... ..2,106. Cost per mile. Total cost. $ 773,500 3,860,298 Very nearly four millions of dollars have been expended in New-York upon these roads, and the resulting advantages are immense. The roads have all been subscribed for by individuals, and all pay handsome dividends. For instance: the Troy and Lansingburgh road pays 10 per cent., semi-annual; the Utica and Burlington, 20 per cent.; and we believe none in operation pay less than 10 per cent., and none of the stocks can be bought in the market. The importance of plank-roads in farming regions, becomes self-evident when it is stated, that on the Salina road a two horse team drew six tons of iron twelve miles, without unusual strain. Four and a half tons is an ordinary load, and a team will travel with it eight hours per day, four miles an hour, day after day. A farmer, in a heavy country, stated that the tolls paid saved themselves in the labor of cleaning horses. In all locations where these roads are in operation, land rises greatly in value. On the Salina road farm-land rose from $9 to $15 per acre; on the Syracuse road the increase was $10 per acre. It will be observed that an amount of property equal to $4,000,000, bearing a high rate of interest, has been created, and that that property has added, in addition, several millions to the value of the land through which it runs, and that all this property is mere saving from the old cost of transportation. 8.-RAIL-ROADS IN 1811. (The Philadelphia Ledger publishes the following letter recently communicated to the National Era. It was written by Robert R. Livingston, a great man in his day, and at one time Chancellor of the State of New-York. It may excite a smile in a reader of the present time, who knows what a rail-road is, but objections to great projects are now raised equally as absurd: ALBANY, March 11, 1811. Dear Sir,-I did not till yesterday receive yours of the 25th of February: where it has loitered on the road, I am at a loss to say. I had before read of your very ingenious propositions as to the rail-way communication. I fear, however, on mature reflection, that they will be liable to serious objection, and ultimately more expensive than a canal. They must be double, so as to prevent the danger of two such heavy bodies meeting. The walls on which they are placed must be at least four feet below the surface, and three above, and must be clamped with iron, and even then would hardly sustain so heavy a weight as you propose moving at the rate of four miles an hour on wheels. As to wood, it would not last a week. They must be covered with iron, and that, too, very thick and strong. The means of stopping these heavy carriages, without great shock, and of preventing them from running upon each other-for there would be many running on the road at once-would be very difficult. In case of accidents, stops, or the necessary steps to take wood and water, &c., many accidents would happen. The carriage for condensing water would be very troublesome. Upon the whole, I fear the expense would be much greater than that of canals, without being so convenient. R. R. LIVINGSTON. 9.-THE GREAT PACIFIC RAIL-ROAD. Mr. Whitney's indomitable perseverance is deserving of all success. Hannibal when he crossed the Alps, or the Czar Peter when he raised Russia to a first class power, did not display more. We favor a road to the Pacific-believe it to be practicable and would adopt any plan to secure it which seems likely to be speediest of accomplishment. The work is adequate to the resources of the whole nation, but not beyond them, and should be determined by geographical considerations and surveys as to all questions of routes, etc. The bill which is now before Congress for Mr. Whitney's work, contains a clause, setting apart a strip of public lands sixty miles wide, running to the Pacific from a point on the Mississippi, not north of Memphis, by the Rio Del Norte and the Valley of the Gila, to be granted to any person or company who, within two years after the grant of the northern route to Mr. Whitney, shall undertake to construct a southern route through Arkansas and Texas, etc. Mr. Whitney has addressed us the following note on the subject: J. D. B. DE Bow, Esq., I have taken the liberty to enclose a slip from the Journal of Commerce, containing a copy of my address before the Royal Geographical Society of London, and my letter to the editor, which letter will show you the position of my affair in England at this time. I also enclosed a copy of the bill, which has been reported to both Houses of Congress, at the close; you will notice a proposed new section, which would have been added had the bill been taken up for action at the last session. This new section met the approbation of Southwestern members. The bill has not been published in any papers to my knowledge, and if you have room it might do good to publish the bill in your next number. This new section will give to the South the same chance as to the North to get a road, provided the lands will furnish the means to build it; and few, indeed, if any, can expect to see a road to the Pacific built from any other source of meaus. You will see from my letter to the Journal of Commerce what will be my course of action, that is, to quietly await the action of Congress. I now feel that I have done all that I can do, and all that should be expected from me. It is admitted everywhere that my plan is the only feasible one; and if Congress do not act promptly, I shall believe that the hope of getting a road to the Pacific across our territory is abandoned. Be pleased to write me and give me your views. Sincerely yours, ASA WHITNEY. MESSES. EDITORS :-While on my recent visit to London, I found that the project which I have made the object of my life, was made the subject of universal interest, as well by the Press as with the people. It was discussed and thoroughly examined in all directions, and by all classes, and in the short space of three months it became fully known and correctly appreciated throughout the Kingdom. It was looked upon as a work, not for a nation, or for a people, but as a work for the world; one in which the whole human family are deeply interested,—a work which the present position of mankind demands as a means to give employment, homes and comforts, to the surplus of population which are now destitute, and burdensome to their fellow-man. The subject excited but little national jealousy, nor was I anywhere treated as a foreigner or as a stranger, but all seemed willing and anxious to encourage and aid me on with the heavy load that I have borne alone, for so many years; and one and all have decided that the road must be built, but cannot be accomplished on any other plan than the one which I have proposed. Capitalists, business men, the people and the press, have declared their full confidence only in my plan, and have nobly declared their determination to sustain me in it. The Morning Chronicle, after commenting upon the subject fully, says: "Nothing must be done to deprive unfairly or ungenerously Mr. Whitney and the United States of the full benefit and credit of this great and sagacious undertaking." The Times has spoken equally decided. The Sun, which had expressed very strong views of a road across the British North American territory, in preference to the route which I had proposed through the United States territory, on the 24th June, adopts my views fully, and says: "Opportunities will very shortly, no doubt, present themselves to us for the further explanation of the masterly scheme by which Mr. Whitney proposes to carry out a railroad between the Pacific and Atlantic. Upon the present occasion we can only aver with earnestness, and at the same time with all deliberation, that the plan submitted to the public by this intelligent and enterprising citizen of the United States, appears to us to be the only one capable of developing the project to its completion, in the future railway across North America, carried through the United States or through British territories." The Globe and other papers have expressed similar views. Capitalists are ready to furnish the necessary amount of means to commence and carry out the work through the United States territory, provided the bill is made a law by Congress whilst the lands remain unoccupied and available; and so soon as it is decided that the lands are no longer available on the United States territory, then the necessary capital and lands will be furnished to carry out the work on the British territory. Everywhere a strong desire for examination and warm interest was manifested in the subject, from the crown ministers to all classes, and in no instance was there an opposition to it, after a fair examination. On the contrary, it met with universal favor and warm approbation. I was invited by the president, Sir Roderick Murchison, and the secretary, Dr. Norton Shaw, to attend the annual meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, for the purpose of explaining my project. [Herewith be pleased to receive a copy of my address delivered before a large meeting of the members of that society, which took place at King's College, on the evening of June 9th.] To many persons present the subject was new, and its magnitude, with the important results to be produced by it, startled some, and caused a disposition on the part of a very few to oppose it; but there appeared a very decided majority in its favor. It was sustained by several strong arguments, and especially so by Sir Roderick Murchison, who entered fully into the subject. Among the few who seemed disposed to oppose, were Robert Stephenson, M. P., the justly celebrated engineer, and Capt. Fitzroy, the great navigator. Mr. Stephenson, however, sustained the views and positions I had taken, in relation to a commercial route between Europe and Asia, across the Isthmus of Mexico or of Suez. He said: "The construction of a railway across Suez, to save time for mails and passengers, was a feasible project, and deserving of the attention of England; but with regard to the opening of a canal, supposing the facilities to be so great, and that in fact the money question was as much sunk as Mr. Whitney supposed it to be sunk as regarded his project, he (Mr. Stephenson) believed that if a canal were' made, the commerce between England and India would not then go by the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. In fact, he thought if the Isthmus of Suez were swept from the face of the globe, as Mr. Whitney supposed the Isthmus of Panama to be, that still the commerce of the world would not pass through it." To these two highly distinguished gentlemen I am particularly indebted. After this they devoted much time to the examination of the subject, and changed the views entertained at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society, and became my warm supporters. Immediately after this meeting, Sir Roderick Murchison made an arrangement to have my project brought before the British Association, which convened at Ipswich the first week in July. Prince Albert was present, and my project was selected by himself to be heard, as one of the leading subjects before the association. Captain Fitzroy, who had opposed me |