apply only to portions of the route, being designed for the protection of local works. The through freight will be entirely exempt, and this exemption will, in connection. with the shortness of the route, be apt to secure a great advantage for that road, o This great work, we hope, will now be prosecuted with vigor to completion; this is not the time for such a work to stand still. The best interests of Pennsylvania, the trade of the whole country demands, and the state of the money market earnestly favors its immediate completion. We shall endeavor, in a future number of our magazine, to enter more fully into the merits of this important channel of communication and trade. PROGRESS OF RAILROADS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES. MOBILE AND OHIO RAILROAD.-The agent appointed by the Governor of Alabama to select and locate the lands in that State appropriated for the Mobile and Ohio Railroad, has completed that duty. About two hundred and fifty-three thousand four hundred and forty acres, or three hundred and ninety-six sections, have been selected. Most of the selected lands lie contiguously to the waters of Mobile Bay. The lands are said to be worth an average of $3 per acre. The amount which they will yield, it is estimated, will be sufficient to build that section of the road which runs through Alabama. The grant to the road in Alabama, and other States through which the road will pass, amounts to two millions of acres. SOUTHERN RAILROAD, GEORGIA.-At a recent public meeting of the citizens of Savannah, at which the Mayor presided, the question of the subscription of $100,000 towards aiding the construction of 21 miles of road from Fort Valley, to form a connection with the South-western and Muscogee Railroads, it was unanimously voted that the Mayor and Aldermen of the city of Savannah, be requested to subscribe $100,000, in city 7 per cent bonds, towards the construction of this railroad. MEMPHIS AND CHARLESTON RAILROAD.-The estimated cost of this road is $2,800,000, the whole amount now subscribed towards the same is $2,300,000, leaving only $500,000 to be provided for. MACON AND WESTERN RAILROAD, GEORGIA-From the fifth annual report of the directors of this company, submitted to the stockholders on the second day of December last, it appears that the cost of the road up to December 1st, 1850, amounted to $630,000. The income of the road for the past year was $208,666 13, and its expenses, $108,234 69. The amounts of assets of the company on hand are stated at $103,030 93; or deducting $4,488 03 for liabilities, $98,543 90. Of the earnings of this road $96,506 92 have accrued from freight, and $100,433 79 from passengers. The available balance on hand is $38,803 90. The dividends, No. 7 and 8, amounted to $67,500. On the 5th of June last, the stockholders authorized the President of the company to contract for the iron, &c., for the relaying of the track, the cost of which was estimated at $388,500. This includes iron rails, spikes and plates, and expenses of relaying. This sum is to be raised by issuing 4,625 new shares of stock, at $84 per share, the par value of the original shares. Books have been opened for this purpose, and up to date of report all the new shares have been taken, with the exception of 1,800. These, it is anticipated, will speedily be disposed of. The earnings of the road upon completion of all the connecting lines, now in course of construction, is estimated at $250,000, or a net income of $150,000, after deducting expenses, or about 144 per cent on the whole capital. ATLANTA AND WEST POINT RAILROAD, GEORGIA.-The work upon this road is progressing rapidly. The cars have commenced running regularly from Atlanta to Palmetto, a distance of 25 miles. The cars, it is expected, will reach Newman in the early part of the present summer. It is, says the Macon Journal, one of the best structures of the kind in the State. SEABOARD AND ROANOKE RAILROAD, VIRGINIA. We learn from the Norfolk papers, that the stockholders for this company have unanimously adopted resolutions for an early survey of the line from some point on their road between Meherrin River and Weldon, to some point on the Roanoke at or near Halifax, N. C. The board of directors were invested with full power to take such course in regard to the termination of the road in North Carolina as the best interests of the company may demand. KINGS MOUNTAIN RAILROAD, SOUTH CAROLINA. We learn that the Kings Mountain Railroad. (says the Yorkville Miscellany,) is progressing as rapidly as can reasonably be hoped for. The grading contracts are all let with the exception of about a mile and a third. Many of the timber contracts are also made, and persons are almost daily applying for these sections not under contract. PACIFIC RAILWAY, MISSOURI The directors of this company have determined to put 45 miles of the road immediately under contract, leaving the remainder to be located after the next Congress have time to decide upon the proposed grant of lands in aid of the work. There being three lines surveyed, as we understand it, either of which, may be well adopted, from a point about 45 miles west of St. Louis. Missouri has agreed to loan the credit of the State to the Pacific railroad, extending from St. Louis to the Kansas river, to the amount of $2,000,000; and to the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad, to the amount of $1,500,000. The loans are to be secured by mortgage of the roads as they progress. Whenever $50,000 of private means shall be expended, the State is then to issue and deliver its bonds to the railroad companies to an equal amount. The aid extended by the State will, we presume, be increased so as to furnish one-half of the whole sum necessary to complete both lines. MASSACHUSETTS RAILROADS IN 1650. In the following tables, "interest" and "amount paid other companies for tolls, passengers, or freight," are not considered as running expenses, and 'in all cases are deducted from the total expenses; and the "amount paid other companies for tolls, &c.," "amount received for interest," and "amount received from sales of bonds," are deducted from the total receipts. For an obvious reason the Norwich and Worcester, the Cheshire, the Hartford and New Haven, and the New London, Willimantie, and Palmer Railroads are not included: a Including the Albany and West Stockbridge Road, 381 miles in length, which is owned and b Opened February 11, 1850. c Operated by operated by the Western Railroad Corporation. the Housatonic Railroad Company. d Opened January 1, 1850-operated by the Housatonic Railroad Company. e Operated by the Berkshire Railroad Company, and the Hudson and Berkshire Railroad Company. f Operated by the Boston and Providence Railroad Company. g Opened August 5, 1850. h Operated by the Nashua and Lowell Railroad Company. i Opened September 1, 1850. j The cost of Greenfield Branch is included in amount stated. k Operated by the Fitchburg Railroad Company. 1 Operated by the Fitchburg Railroad Company. m Operated by the Fitchburg Railroad Company. n Including the Eastern (New Hampshire) Railroad, which is operated by the Eastern (Massachusetts) Railroad Company. • Expenses estimated the same as last year. p Unfinished-opened to Georgetown May 23, 1850. 9 Operated by the Old Colony Railroad Corporation. r Operated by the Old Colony Railroad Corporation. 481 52,690 36... 18,083 581,792 486,585 2,020,267 3,142,945 3,341,595 6 41 2,656,078 1,337,866 284,296 4,278,240 Net per mile run.. income Total per mile run.. expenses Total per mile run.. receipts PASSENGERS FREIGHT. Carried 1 mile. Tons. trains. Tons. Total. Tons. 2. 1 78 0 78 0 99 467,086 21,941,398 252,253 9,663,386 14,218,938 13,887,916 37,770,240 261,269 25,206,308 19,772,960 46,000,500 90,979,768 3... 1 72 0 81 0 91 305,938 4,765,040 49,231 1,271,179 2,487,660 5,406,800 9,165,639 4... 1 14 0 59 0 55 186,723 2,871,123 57,547 1,558,136 2,500,224 3,429,359 7,487,719 5.. .. 0 82 0 47 0 35 41,528 421,424 13,467 158,401 158,688 229,264 546,353 6.. 1 25 0 68 0 57 305,900 3,688,900 71,824 1,492,308 4,460,280 2,764,830 8,717,418 7.... 1 29 0 53 0 76 28,485 53,992 15,699 259,806 548,500 1,014,000 1,822,306 8... 48,931 714,000 16,541 272,911 269,568 272,910 815,389 9.. 34,167 65,943 19,138 294,765 685,625 1,376,482 2,356,872 10. 4,693 9,176 2,617 28,476 89,456 159,843 277,775 591.949 8,412,205 104,203 2,222,150 10,500,000 8,500,000 21,222,150 12.... 2 87 1 66 1 21 106,886 1,134,491 39,003 400,038 824,212 903.465 2,127,715 13.... 2 31 1 24 1 07 104,591 1,734,974 32,718 463,575 1,747,840 982,900 3,194,315 14.... 0 66 0 40 0 26 64,592 1,427,418 17,527 435,036 516,736 792,797 1,744,569 15.... 6,223,278 17,346.618 161,803 2,246,557 1,379,458 1,994,237 5,620,252 7,229 19.... 0 86 0 63 0 23 11,687 187,190 10,384 90,362 233,640 357,212 318,780 766,354 94,376 111,968 439,984 20.... 21.... 1 26 0 62 0 64 1,221,071 19,788,934 143,673 22.... 0 86 0 58 028 36,624 273,100 24. 28.. 34.... 1 52 076 0 76 35.. 1 08 0 54 0 54 36.... 23.... 1 47 0 67 0 80 1,080,286 14,299,205 104 0 63 0 41 29.... 4,729 31,916 328,258 8,284,617 4,465,801 13,968,659 12,881,700 31,316,160 94,416 6,678,334 13,128,786 28,091,737 24,667 150,999 168,054 2,882,612 106,287 1,900,753 1,913,257 2,398,614 6,212,624 3,623,616 2,806,132 8,259,278 684,263 76,294 831,992 18,373 388,955 784.316 165,357 1,338,628 114,278 8,246 136,585 87,465 1,268,089 3,300,000 2,000,000 6,568,089 273,957 5,137,456 71,949 1,978,164 3,304,512 2,438,700 7,721,376 730,905 350,000 1,331,849 ........ 1 51 0 73 0 78 8,856,656 147,888,327 2,219,050 72,573,280 100,383,950 130,571,531 303,528,761 STATISTICS OF THE PROGRESS OF RAILROADS IN OHIO. We are indebted to our cotemporary of the Cincinnati Price Current, etc., for the subjoined statements and statistics of the railroad movements in the State of Ohio. The whole is prepared with the accustomed care and ability of the editor of that valuable commercial sheet, and exhibits a clear and comprehensive view of the railroads in Ohio: The State of Ohio is at present the theater of a most active, and in magnitude, unprecedented railroad competition. The immediate cause of this will be found in the local situation of the State, by which it is made the GATE, or passage way, between the Eastern Atlantic States and the Valley of the Mississippi. By examining the map, it will be seen that the long ranges of mountains and hills which lie in Western Virginia and Eastern Kentucky render the passage of a railroad in that direction difficult, if not impossible. On the other hand, with the exception of the easy valleys and groves of rivers and streams, Ohio presents but a great plain, admirably adapted, in all particulars, to the construction of railroads. Experience proves that the cost per mile of railroads in Ohio is but little more than one-third the average cost of railroads in New England. In consequence of Ohio having this gateway to the West, and also this facility for construction, this State contains the truest lines, either constructing or planned, of the great highways from Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, to the Mississippi River. Accordingly, we have four lines in construction East and West through the State. The immense commerce of the lakes and the Ohio river require connections at different points; and we have FOUR LINES, also, completed or completing, from North to South. In addition to these are several independent, lateral, or branch lines. The main lines are thus described: 1st. The Cincinnati and Sandusky line is completed. It is composed of two links -the Mad River Railroad, from Sandusky to Springfield, and the Little Miami Railroad, from Springfield to Cincinnati. This is 218 miles in length, and is in full operation. 2d. The Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus line. This is also complete, and consists of three links, viz: The Little Miami Railroad, before mentioned, to Xenia, then the Columbus and Xenia to Columbus; the Cleveland and Columbus to Cleveland. This line is, in all, 268 miles, viz: Of this, however, the 203 miles from Xenia to Cleveland only is independent of the Sandusky line. 3d. The Sandusky, Mansfield, Newark and Portsmouth line. This is completed from Sandusky to Newark. Thence to Portsmouth it will be completed by the "Scioto and Hocking Valley Railroad Company." This line is from Sandusky to Mansfield, 56 miles. From Mansfield to Newark, about 55 miles. From Portsmouth to Newark, this road will go to Jackson, and thence by Logan and Lancaster to Newark-say 110 miles-making the whole line from Sandusky to Portsmouth about 221 miles; but little more than the line from Sandusky to Cincinnati. 4th. The Cleveland and Wellsville line. This consists of two links, viz: The Cleveland and Pittsburg line, to Alliance, and then the Wellsville road to Wellsvillemaking, in all, 88 miles. 5th. The Cincinnati and Belpre line. This is the Southern, East and West route, and is composed, in Ohio, of four links, viz: The Little Miami for 22 miles, the Hillsborough 37 miles, the Cincinnati and Belpre about 125 miles, and the Ohio and Mississippi to the Indiana line, about 20 miles The entire distance through the State will be about 204 miles. 6th. The Ohio Central line. This will be composed, also, of four links, viz: The Central Railroad from Wheeling to Columbus, 137 miles; the Columbus and Xenia, 54 miles; the Xenia and Dayton, 15 miles, and the Western, from Dayton to the Indiana line, 37 miles. This will make 243 miles through the State. 7th. The third East and West line is the Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad, and its continuation, the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad, which passes through Canton, Wooster, Mansfield, Gallion, Marion and Bellefontaine, to the Indiana line—making, in the State of Ohio, 263 miles. 8th. The fourth and most Northern (East and West) line is the Lake Shore line. This passes from Coneaut through Cleveland, Elysia, Sandusky and Toledo. A part of this line is in course of construction. By examining the map of Ohio it will be seen that railroads are either constructed or constructing, with the strongest probability of completion, in no less than FIFTY COUNTIES of the eighty-seven in the State! No equal surface of the American Union is likely to be so well traversed and connected with a net-work of railroads. The following table will give a complete view of all the railroads of Ohio, and their present condition : TABLE OF RAILROADS AND THEIR CONDITION IN THE STATE OF OHIO. NOTE. In the above list we have not given the technical title in all cases, but have indicated the line by the names of places, where we had not the corporate name. There are numerous other chartered companies, but the above, we believe, are all that are actually under way. In two or three instances, above, where the line is not actually in course of construction, such preparations are made as make it certain that work will be be very soon commenced; and all the above works will, we have reason to believe, be completed in the course of two or three years. FIVE HUNDRED and seventyTWO MILES are completed, and nearly eight hundred more under contract. It will be observed that the entire line of the Pennsylvania and Ohio line, extending through the heaviest wheat counties from Pennsylvania to Indiana, is under contract. The Cincinnati and Belpre line it is also morally certain will be completed at an early day. That part of it which lies between Hillsborough and Cincinnati, (including a part of the Little Miami,) 58 miles, will be completed this year. Forty miles more, to a point 11 miles East of Chillicothe, is just put under contract. The Central line, between Zanesville and Columbus, is also progressing. The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, will be completed in about six months. The very favorable terms on which the Ohio railroads have been able to obtain money on their bonds will attract the commercial men. Their loans have been quite as favorable as the best Eastern roads have been able to get. The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton have a loan of $500,000, in New York, at par; which, if we mistake not, has not been done by any Eastern companies. The Dayton and Greenville companies also obtained loans at rates averaging about 90. The Central Railroad also obtained $250,000 at about the same rates. Altogether, the four companies have got VOL. XXIV.NO. V. 41 |