we perceive tracks radiating into the neighbouring states, to Indianapolis in Indiana, and Lafayette, upon the Wabash; to Perrysburg upon the Maumee; and to Cleveland, upon Lake Erie the last taking in its course Columbus, the capital of the state. From the neighbouring state of Indiana, at Indianapolis, its capital, another series of railroads diverges, to Lafayette, upon the Wabash, and to the shores of the Ohio; or if we survey the peninsula of Michigan, we find no less than three tracks projected across that territory, designed to connect the shores of Lake Michigan with the rivers St. Clair and Detroit, Maumee and Sandusky, upon one of which, namely, the Detroit and St. Joseph,' the steam cars are now in operation for forty miles to Ann Arbor. Besides this, a railroad of a few miles is now in operation from La Plaisance bay to the city of Monroe, in Monroe county, of the same state. In drawing this brief sketch of the railroads in the United States, we have only given the outlines of this system, as it prevails in our own country, merely chalking out the more extended and general routes designed to connect its remote parts. We are well aware that there are numerous local works to which we have not even alluded, in successful operation in the several states; and other works, laid out but not completed, which are in number almost equal to the several settlements within our borders. They all, however, belong to one great plan, and clearly evince the character of our people, projecting, as they have done, in so short a time since railroads were introduced at all, so magnificent a system of public works, and completing so many and so important channels of intercommunication between the several parts of our territory. Whether, in fact, too many and too expensive works of this character have not been projected, considering the amount of our population and our wealth, is now a matter of question. Indeed, we have no doubt that some of these tracks may have been projected for mere purposes of speculation, and will be discarded for want of means, or as other and more valuable routes shall be developed; but we have as little doubt that the grand tracks which have been marked out to connect the remote points of the country, will ultimately be carried through as the increase of population and production shall furnish the motives for their establishment, and the augmentation of our wealth provides the means for their construction. The more important lines will, doubtless, be first finished where there are the most dense settlements, the largest amount of transportation, and the most capital to carry them through. Accordingly, we find that those have been advanced to the most successful issue which have been constructed along the Atlantic seaboard, and connecting our most important cities; while in the newer and more thinly populated states of the west, where even passable common roads have been scarcely established through the deep and damp vegetable mould of the forests, the lines of their railroads have been in most cases merely laid out, and companies for their completion chartered, not a single spade having been sunk upon their tracks." CANALS AND RAILROADS OF THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. In the separate description of these states, we have given an account of the public works and internal improvements of each (which see). In MAINE, the Cumberland and Oxford canal, fifty miles long, was completed in 1829, at an expense of about 250,000 dollars. The Bangor and Orono canal, twelve miles long, completed in 1836. The Portland, Saco, and Portsmouth railroad, communicates with the railroad to Boston. The railroad projected from Bangor to Portland would, if executed, complete the sea-coast line of railroads. This line of intercourse, north from Portland along the coast of Maine, is at present carried on by steamboats. In NEW HAMPSHIRE, the canals are chiefly cuts with locks, for the improvement of the navigation of the Merimac river. The Massachusetts railroads pass over New Hampshire to Portsmouth, fifteen miles and three-quarters, and from Lowell to Nashua, and the Boston and Maine fourteen miles to Exeter. MASSACHUSETTS.-For a detailed account of the railroads of this state, altogether 415 miles of which were completely in operation in 1843, see the separate account of Massachusetts. The whole length of the railroads of this state and of those communicating with them in other states, extending as far as Lake Erie, comprise 12031 miles; see tabular statement, under the head of Public Works of Massachusetts. The Middlesex canal, from New Lowel on the Merimac to Boston, about thirty miles long, was the first canal executed in the United States. It was completed as early as 1804. It opens a further navigation by the Merimac and several canals (in all about fifteen miles) along that river to Concord, in New Hampshire. In RHODE ISLAND the Blackstone canal extends through part of this state from Providence to Worcester in Massachusetts. The Providence and Boston railway, and the Providence and Stonington railway, forty-seven miles long, passes chiefly through this state. In CONNECTICUT, the Farmington canal, from New Haven to the north boundary of the state, fifty-six miles; thence to Northampton, Massachusetts. At Enfield, a canal of five miles passes round the falls of the Connecticut river. The Norwich and Worcester railway extends fifty-eight miles and a half north through the state. The New Hartford and New Haven railway, thirty-six miles. The Housatonic railway, from Bridport to North Canaan, seventy-three miles; thence to West Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Western (Massachusetts) railroad.-The tenth report of the directors of the Western Railroad corporation has been laid before the stockholders, and printed. It presents a very full and satisfactory account of the condition of the road and its finances, at the close of the year 1844. The capital authorised by the original charter, was 2,000,000 dollars; and it was increased 1,000,000 dollars by a subsequent act of the legislature of Massachusetts, the state subscribing for that amount-making the chartered capital 3,000,000 dollars; one-third owned by the state, and two-thirds by 1121 private stockholders. COMPARATIVE Yearly Statement of Sundry Statistics of Transportation Business. *First year of opening through to Albany. 71 19-100 67 643 + As corrected in report of January, 1843, to include damages for collision of 1841. From 1842 to 1843, the increase of receipts from passengers was 3 per cent; increase from merchandise, 21 per cent. From 1843 to 1844, the increase of receipts from passengers was 303 per cent; increase from merchandise, 34 per cent. By reference to the tables of each year, it will be seen that the number of throughpassengers is stated in 1844 less than in 1843. This is mainly owing to the fact that, in the greater part of 1843, the difference between the through and way fare was so great, that way-passengers, to a considerable extent, took through-tickets, and were thus registered as through-passengers. There was no inducement for such a practice in 1844. The whole number of tons, nett, carried one mile by the merchandise trains, was— The whole tonnage is equal to 71,581 tons carried over the whole length of the road, 156 miles. The number of miles run by merchandise trains in 1844 being 255,376, is equal to 1637 trips through, averaging 43 tons each train. The through freight from Boston to Albany, in 1843, was 5268 tons; in 1844, 6764-increase, 1496. The amount of freight received at, and sent from, Boston, in connexion with the Western road, was— in 1844, 69,842 tons; in 1843, 56,376 tons; increase, 13,474 tons. The number of barrels of flour, from Greenbush and vicinity, to Boston, was barrels. In 1844 barrels. The whole number of barrels of flour sent from Greenbush to all stations, was, in 1844, 297,403. The amount charged on all merchandise forwarded eastward, from the Greenbush station, was-in 1844, 223,572 dollars; in 1843, 167,087 dollars; increase, 56,485 dollars. The amount charged on merchandise forwarded from Greenbush eastward, in the month of January for three years, was-in 1843, 6622 dollars; 1844, 13,677 dollars; 1845, 20,216 dollars. BOSTON AND WORCESTER RAILROAD. STATEMENT of Income and Expenses, for the Year ending November 30th, 1844. The earnings on freight are given above, and not the receipts on freight. 208,191 Maine and Housatonic Railroad.-The length of this road, as we learn from the report of the directors, of the 20th of June, 1844, from the tide-water at Bridgeport, to the north line of the state of Connecticut, is 73 90-100 miles. In this distance there are twelve regular stations for the receipt and discharge of passengers and freight, namely: at Stepney, Botsford's, Newtown, Hawleyville, Brookfield, New Milford, Gaylord's Bridge, Kent, Cornwall Bridge, West Cornwall, Falls Village, and North Canaan. The maximum grade is forty feet to the mile, but more than half the length of the road is passed on grades of under twenty-six feet to the mile. The total expenditure, for the construction of the road and appendages, is 1,244,122 dollars 91 cents. This expenditure, for a road of seventy-four miles in length, with an ample outfit of engines and cars, will bear a favourable comparison with any other railroad in the United States, of similar construction. The capital stock, by the resolutions of the company, and in pursuance of the charter, has been extended to 1500 shares of 100 dollars each. 8167 And paid in full, and issued Should the shares liable to forfeiture be sold, and purchased by the company, it will hold for future subscription. The stock now liable to forfeiture And the unsubscribed shares. Making a total of The cash and bills receivable actually received for stock, are as follows: shares. : dollars. cts. 816,700 00 7,112 20 823,812 20 The board of directors request particular attention to the cost of the road, as stated, being This As the difference between these two amounts 420,310 71 forms the original debt of the company, and created its numerous embarrassments. deficiency of capital, and consequent indebtedness, have compelled the company to prosecute its business on the most unfavourable terms; until, at length, it became more than probable that the whole property would be sacrificed to discharge the certified debt, scarcely exceeding in amount one-fifth of the cost of the road and appendages. Hence, also, arose the impression that the business of the company did not meet its expenses; and, because the profits of current business were not adequate, in two years, to reimburse onefifth of what ought to have been capital, in addition to interest and expenses, that the whole enterprise was visionary, and the shares of no value. This disaster was, however, averted by the energy and confidence of those who, having embarked in the company with full knowledge of its resources and prospects, retained their belief in the intrinsic value of the road. The whole indebtedness of the company, with interest, to the 1st of June, 1844, amounts to 398,726 dollars 36 cents, qualified as follows: dollars. cts. 277,138 97 20,797 34 69,427 89 31,362 16 398,726 26 It will be observed, that a debt of 420,310 dollars 71 cents, bearing interest in part from 1841, and all from 1842, is thus liquidated on the 1st of June, 1844, at 398,726 dollars 26 cents. The receipts from the business of the road have, then, not only paid all current expenses of its management and repairs, and also the completion of many appendages, essential for the extended demands of trade, but have also actually discharged the interest, and reduced the principal. The following is a statement of the receipts of the road, for a period of five months, in each of the years 1842, 1843, and 1844 :-1842, 32,310 dollars 27 cents; 1843, 55,652 dollars 4 cents; 1844, 68,148 dollars 30 cents. Statistics of the Eastern railroad.-The annual report of the Eastern railroad has been distributed to the stockholders, and will be laid before the legislature of Massachusetts at its next session. From this report, we gather the following facts :-The whole cost of the road, in Massachusetts, has been 2,361,098 dollars. There has been received, from 18,000 shares, 1,800,000 dollars. State scrip, 500,000 dollars; and sundry accounts, 61,098 dollars. The Eastern, in New Hampshire, has cost 482,500 dollars. The trains of the two companies have made 8583 trips, amounting to 196,097 miles, and conveying 443,403 passengers; and on the Marblehead Branch, 34,531; making a total of 447,934 passengers transported during the past year. The receipts have been, from Marblehead Branch, 3460 dollars, and 293,401 dollars from main line of road. Of the whole receipts, 257,674 dollars were from passengers, 28,393 dollars from freight, 10,068 dollars from mails, and 124 dollars from incidental sources. The expenses have been 103,452 dollars; leaving the net earnings of both roads 193,308 dollars. To this amount, rents of real estate, and Portsmouth Bridge dividends, add 5,969 dollars; making a total of income, 199,278 dollars. The payments have been 25,000 dollars for interest on state scrip, 78,855 dollars for dividends on stock in January, and 79,887 dollars for dividends payable on and after July 3rd. The sum of payments, 183,742 dollars, when deducted, leaves a balance of 15,535 dollars to profit and loss; which, with profits on sale of state scrip, 806 dollars; Boston depôt estate, 858 dollars; Cunard wharf, 2500 dollars; East Boston lands, 5864 dollars; and sundry estates, 313 dollars, makes an addition to surplus fund, after paying interest balances of 3132 dollars, to amount of 22,744 dollars. The |