Geography of Ohio 131 



often than otherwise, bankruptcy closed the venture. Each 

 road, built in the last two decades at least, shows that it was to 

 meet already existing demands for freight hauling and trans- 

 portation, or else that these demands were so obvious as to be 

 realized at once on the completion of the road. Usually objective 

 points existed, which the road entered. These were the "through 

 lines" from which, to other objective points, branch roads were 

 constructed. 



The objective points, however, of these through lines are not 

 always cities but more often regions, the business of which focuses 

 in a city. It is fortunate for Ohio that its position necessitated 

 roads being built through it, that they might connect these larger 

 objective points. We have already learned that a few short 

 segments, built by local capital, were incorporated into some of 

 these through lines; but Ohio's money went rather for building 

 roads transverse to these, acting as outlets and feeders for com- 

 munities away from the larger roads. At these junction points 

 were developed " railroad towns ; " here were the railroad shops and 

 homes for the men employed by the road. Later, if more roads 

 passed across the same community, it became a "railroad center." 



The presence of these roads usually inspired rapid growth, 

 and a city in time developed. It appears, therefore, that the 

 primary reason for the location of our larger railroad lines is 

 not found in human activities along its route preceding the rail- 

 road. The course of the railroads was determined by the cost 

 of constructing road beds; in parts of the state there were some 

 deep gorges and valleys to be bridged. The route was to some 

 extent a matter of topography. If the towns were in the way or 

 could be reached without serious change in the route, they were 

 passed through, but ordinarily the road was not being built for 

 these towns. Later, as the result of the railroad, many such 

 communities became populous centers; manufactories were 

 built; distribution points for goods from the outside were estab- 

 lished; warehouses, and storehouses for shipping of local products 

 were constructed. Thus, in a few decades, a railroad, that was 

 built through a region of scattered population, leads from city 

 to city. Later other roads are built to these same centers, but 

 not for the same reason that the initial road was constructed; 

 secondary reasons have become active. These other roads 

 represent capital that desires profitable employment. 



