LOCOMOTION BY RIVER AND RAILWAY. 



6. The first American railway was opened for passengers on the 

 last day of 1829. It appears that in 1849, after an interval of just 

 twenty years, there were in actual operation 6565 miles of railway 

 in the States. The cost of construction and plant of this system 

 of railways, according to official reports, was 53,386885/., being 

 at the average rate of 8129Z. per mile. 



7. We have, however, before us documents which supply data 

 to a more recent period, and have computed from them the follow- 

 ing table, exhibiting the number of miles of railway which were 

 in actual operation in the United States, the capital expended in 

 their construction and plant, and the length of the lines in process 

 of construction, but not yet completed in 1851 : 



8. Of the total length of railways which overspread the territory 

 of the Union, more than the half are constructed in the States of 

 Pennsylvania, New York, and those of New England. The 

 principal centres from which these lines of communication diverge 

 are Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. 



A considerable extent, though of less importance, diverges from 

 Baltimore ; and recently lines of communication of great length 

 have been constructed, from Charleston in South Carolina, and 

 from Savannah in Georgia. 

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