INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1874. clxxxix 



new railroad completed in the United States in 1874 ; against 

 3883 reported for the year 1873, and 7340 in 1872. It is prob- 

 able, however, that when all the returns are in the figures 

 for 1874 will slightly exceed 2000 miles; showing a decrease 

 of about 50 per cent, on the figures of 1873, and nearly 75 

 per cent, on those of 1872. 



The total aggregate of the railways in Europe and the 

 United States, according to the latest reliable statistics, is 

 herewith appended as a point of incidental interest: Ger- 

 many, 12,207 miles; Austria, 5865 ; France, 10,333 ; Russia, 

 7044; Great Britain, 15,814; Belgium, 1301; Netherlands, 

 886 ; Switzerland, 820 ; Italy, 3667 ; Spain, 3401 ; Denmark, 

 420 ; Portugal, 453 ; Sweden and Norway, 1049 ; Greece, 100. 



Miles. Population. 



Railroads in Europe 63,3G0 282,456,742 



Railroads in the United States 70,G50 40,232,000 



The railway rolling stock, as given in Poor's Manual for 

 1874-75, on the roads of the United States and Canada, foots 

 up as follows : 



Passenger cars of all classes 2,990 



Baggage, mail, and express cars 4,157 



Box, merchandise, and house cars 87,009 



Platform, gondola, and flat cars 52,198 



Stock cars 14,222 



Coal cars (number of wheels not stated) G6,887 



Pour-wheel cars (mostly coal) 37,892 



Caboose cars 1 ,549 



Oil cars " 3,154 



Ore cars 2,102 



Lumber cars 193 



Preight cars (not classified) 94,694 



Total 307,047 



Locomotive engines 41,939 



Deducting from these aggregates 774 engines and 13,980 

 cars of all classes, as returned by the Canadian roads, leaves 

 for the roads in the United States a total of 14,165 engines 

 and 359,979 cars. 



The most noteworthy undertaking in railroad construc- 

 tion carried on during the past year is the pushing forward 

 of the great South American railroad connecting the Pacific 

 Ocean with the Valley of the Amazon ; and which when 

 completed will prove to be another of the marvels of en- 



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