Geography of Ohio 133 



pattern is due to the development of numerous railroad centers. 

 Cincinnati, Dayton, Springfield, Columbus, Marion, Lima, 

 Toledo, Akron and Cleveland are focal points of many roads. 

 These places lie north and west of the irregular topography of 

 that part of the state where the Pennsylvanian formations out- 

 crop. While, relatively, this part of the state has no high alti- 

 tudes, at the same time, it does form something of a barrier 

 between the lowland of the Ohio River and the lake plain on the 

 opposite side. Most of the roads which cross this high area fol- 

 low natural depressions made by river valleys. These routes 

 were cheaper from the standpoint of railroad construction, and 

 they pass through towms that give business. 



The gross railroad mileage in Ohio in 1908, including electric 

 lines, was 14,471.43. This gives an average of 0.352+ miles for 

 every square mile of area. The following table shows how we 

 compare with other states of the Mississippi vallej^ in both the 

 gross mileage of steam railways and the miles per square mile of 

 area. 



Oliio^ 



Indiana*. . 



Illinois* 



Missouri* 



Nebraska* 



Iowa* 



There are still some sections of the state that are not conveni- 

 ent to railroad routes. These lie mostly within the area of the 

 "Coal Measures." More roads are bound to be built in these 

 parts. The coal deposits in time will be worked, if not for distant 

 shipping, at least for local manufacturers. As the population of 

 the state increases, the present neglected rougher areas will be 

 occupied, and grazing or agriculture will be developed. This 

 should also occasion railroad building in these parts. Further- 

 more, still more roads will probably be constructed between the 

 lake ports and the Ohio valley steel centers. I believe, however, 

 that in time the number of steel plants along the lake front will 

 increase at the expense of those in the Ohio valley. Well estab- 



* Annual Report Ohio Railivay Commission, 190S, p. 402. 



* Railway Statistics of the United States of America for 1908, p. 21. 



