PHILADELPHIA AND PITT3BUEG. 



provided for the trucks, adapted to the form of the bottom and 

 keel of the boat. In this manner the boat was carried in pieces, 

 with its load, along the railway. On arriving at the canal, the 

 pieces were united so as to form a continuous boat, which being 

 launched, the transport is continued on the water. On arriving 

 again at the railway, the boat was once more resolved into its 

 segments, which, as before, were transferred to the railway trucks, 

 and transported to the next canal station by locomotive engines. 

 Between the depot in Market Street and the locomotive station, 

 situated in the suburbs of Philadelphia, the segments of the boat 

 were drawn by horses on railways conducted through the streets. 

 At the locomotive station the trucks were formed into a continuous 

 train, and delivered over to the locomotive engine. As the body 

 of the truck rests upon a pivot, under which it is supported 

 by wheels, it is capable of revolving, and no difficulty is found in 

 turning the shortest curves ; and these enormous vehicles, with 

 their contents of merchandise and passengers, were seen daily 

 issuing from the gates of the depot in Market Street, and turning 

 with facility the corners at the entrance of each successive street. 



More recently, a continuous line of railway has been completed, 

 and is now in operation, between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. 

 Indeed, so rapid is the progress of improvement in the United 

 States, that a report of the state of inland communication, as it 

 existed a year or two ago, will be found to be full of inaccuracies 

 as applied to the present moment. 



4. By a comparison of the returns published in my work 

 already quoted, with the more recent results already given, 

 it will appear that within the last four years not less than 

 6750 miles of railway have been opened for traffic in the 

 United States. Among these are included several of the most 

 important lines, of which the most especially to be noticed is the 

 great artery of railway communication extending across the State 

 of New York to the shores of Lake Erie, the longest line which any 

 single company has yet constructed in the United States, its length 

 being 467 miles. The total cost of this line, including the working 

 stock, has been 4,500000Z. sterling, being at the average rate of 

 9636?. per mile a rate of expense about 50 per cent, above the 

 average cost of the American railways taken collectively. This is 

 explained by the fact that the line itself is one constructed for a 

 large traffic between New York and the Interior, and therefore 

 built to meet a heavy traffic. Immediately after being opened, its 

 average receipts have amounted to 11000/. per week, which gave 

 a net profit of 6^ per cent, on the capital, the working expenses 

 being taken at 50 per cent, of the gross receipts. One of the great 

 lines connects New York with Albany, following the valley of the 

 E2 51 



