ME. MIDGLEY S AETICLE. CONTINUED. 439 



quires a multitude of men, whose expenditures in the vicin 

 ity of their labors equals that of a large army. All classes 

 of the community benefit by their presence. Business re 

 ceives an impetus, and depots of supplies rapidly grow into 

 permanent towns. Stations are established along the lines, 

 section gangs are formed, and a host of men are given 

 profitable employment, thus adding to the taxable resources 

 of the district. Iron, however, is the principal item. To 

 lay one mile of single track averages about one hundred 

 tons of rails. At that recognized proportion, the cost of 

 iron rails alone in the roads built since 1862, based on the 

 figures published by the American Iron and Steel Associa 

 tion, has been as follows : 



Miles built. Iron per ton. Cost of iron. 



1863 1,050 $76.37 $8,071,875 



1864 738 126.00 9,298,800 



1865 1,377 98.62 12,594,412 



1866 ........ 1,882 86.75 15,892,600 



1867 2,227 83.12J 18,510,924 



1868 3,033 78.37 23,922,787 



1869 4,999 77.25 38,617,275 



1870 6,145 72.25 44,397,625 



1871 7,453 70.37J 52,450,487 



1872 6,427 85.12 J 54,709,837 



35,159 $278,466,622 



Various estimates are made of the amount of iron, other 

 than rails, that is regularly used in railroads. Correct fig- 

 gures can not be obtained ; but including spikes, chairs, fish 

 plates, locomotives, car wheels, axles, etc., it is assumed that 

 the total of iron used in railroads would not fall short of 

 two hundred tons to the mile, which would place the entire 

 cost since 1863 at over $500,000,000. When it is further 

 recited that, in 1860, the price per ton was only $48, it will 

 be seen that the iron of the roads has cost at least $ 200 ; - 



