RAILROADS. 



673 



GENERAL RECAPITULATION. 



No previous annual period has been so ac- 

 tive in construction, or so successful in bringing 

 into use long lines of track, as the year 1871. 



At the commencement of 1871 there were, 

 in the whole Union, 54,435.49 miles of track, 

 and, at the close, 62,646.79 miles, showing an 

 increase, in the year, of 8,211.30 miles. This 

 length is exclusive of city passenger railroads, 

 and also of a second track, sidings, etc. As 

 great a mileage was built in 1871 as existed in 

 all the Union in 1851. 



The progress of railroad construction in the 

 United States since 1827, in which year the 

 Granite Railroad .at Quincy, Mass., was in- 

 augurated, to the present time, is shown in 

 the following table : 



In the following exhibit is given a statement 

 of the increase of mileage and cost in the year 

 1871: 



VOL. xi. 43 A 



In 1850 the United States Congress made 

 the first grant of land to aid in the construc- 

 tion of railroads. These grants were made to 

 the States, and by them conveyed to the re- 

 spective railroads. The application for the 

 first grant which was obtained was made in 

 behalf of the Illinois Central Railroad. It was 

 presented in Congress, and encountered great 

 opposition, especially in the Senate, and was- 

 finally successful through the untiring exer- 

 tions of the late Senator Stephen A. Douglass,, 

 of Illinois. 



The following is a statement showing the 

 date at which the several grants were made, 

 the companies to which they have been con- 

 veyed, the number of acres called for by each 

 grant, and the number of acres certified to 

 each company up to June 30, 1870 : 



