13 
The const met ion of the Pacific railways and their connecting links, 
vigorously pursued during this decade, naturally swelled the increase to 
a great extent; much activity in construction was necessary also to re- 
build and to enlarge the systems of the Southern States, greatly dam- 
aged by the chances of the war. 
The mileage in 1870 was 52,914 miles; an increase over 1800 of 
22,279. 
The mileage in 1880 was 93,349. 
The mileage at the close of 1880 was 137,615. 
From reports which have been received by the publishers of Poor's Manual of Rail- 
roads in regard to work done or in progress, it is evident that, unless some serious con- 
vulsion should appear to disarrange and defeat plans, not less than 12,000 miles of 
new road will be constructed during the present year, so that at the close of 1887 we 
shall have 150,000 miles of road or 187,000 miles of railway track. 
The public lands have been granted in aid of seventy-eight railroads, the first grant 
having been made in 1850 to the States of Illinois, Alabama, and Mississippi, for the 
purpose of aiding the construction of the Illinois Central and the Mobile and Ohio 
River roads, making a continuous line of railway from Chicago to Mobile. The 
granting of land directly to railroad companies rather than to States for the benefit 
of railroads, began with tbe grant to the Union Pacific Company in 1862. 
The grants made to all the roads are estimated by the Commissioner of Public 
Lands to involve 197,203,808 acres, being only 5,000,000 acres less than the entire area 
of the thirteen States which originally composed the Union. Of this vast amount 
of land there had been certified or patented to the aided railroads, up to the 7th of 
March of the present year (1887), 49,178,877 acres, and at the close of the last fiscal 
year (1886) selections of land by the companies amounting to 16,571,300 acres in ad- 
dition were awaiting examination and the decision of the proper officers of the Gov- 
ernment. Of the land-grant roads there were completed on the 30th of June, 1886, as 
appears on the books of the General Land Office, 17,724 miles, distributed in the 
States and Territories as follows : 
Alabama . 
Arkansas 
Arizona. . 
California 
Colorado . 
Dakota.. .. 
Florida... 
Idaho 
Illinois .. 
Miles. 
901. 43 
602. 24 
383. 00 
037. 91 
208. 60 
410. 98 
6S9. 97 
90. 00 
707. 00 
States. 
Miles. 
241. 35 
Iowa 
1, 547. 64 
Kansas 
1, 485. 65 
530. 00 
Michigan 
1, 045. 01 
2, 144. 11 
Mississippi 
384. 00 
625. 75 
Montana 
780. 00 
States. 
Nebraska ... 
Nevada 
Few Mexico 
Oregon 
Utah 
Washington. 
Wisconsin .. 
Wyoming . . . 
Total 
Miles. 
768. 52 
446. 00 
167.00 
325. 80 
225. 00 
463. 60 
973. 50 
500. 00 
*17, 724. 06 
In many cases the roads aided have received new names since the grants were made 
to them or they have lost their names by being merged in other roads, so that their 
original names do not appear in our ordinary lists of roads. In some cases projected 
roads to which lands were granted have been abandoned, and consequently the grants 
have lapsed. In other cases claims to large amounts of land have been rendered in- 
valid because of the failure to complete the roads within the time stipulated in the 
grants, and the question of the forfeiture of this land is now awaiting decision. — 
Iff. H. E. 
* Later information from the Commissioner of Railroads shows that on the 1st of May, 1887, the 
length of the land-grant roads, completed and in operation, had increased to 17,978 miles. 
