104 
COMPARISON OF THE ROUTES. 
The whole number of miles each ton of freight was moved, or the number of 
tons moved one mile, is. 246,554,492 
The capital stock of which is about. $112,038,131 45 
The capital stock paid in is about. 61,238,829 22 
The amount of funded and floating de bt is. 59,669,478 38 
The amount paid for construction and equipment is. 117,707,620 58 
COMPARISON OF THE ROUTES. 
The following table will enable a comparison to be made of the sum of ascents and descents, 
and the equivalent horizontal distances of the railroads connecting the Atlantic with the Missis¬ 
sippi, with those of the routes examined from the Pacific to the Mississippi. It will be observed, 
that in proportion to the lengths of the routes, the sums of the ascents and descents are less on 
the Pacific than on the Atlantic routes: 
Roads. 
Length in miles. 
Elevation of summit above 
the sea. 
Total rise and fall. 
Number of miles of hori¬ 
zontal road equivalent in 
the cost of working the 
road to the ascents and 
descents. 
Boston route. 
500 
1,440 
4,700 
89 
New York route, (Central). 
440 
650 
2,100 
40 
New York route, (Erie). 
460 
1,720 
6, 500 
123 
Philadelphia route. 
340 
2,400 
C 2,GOO 
5,600 
^7,000 
106 
Baltimore route.-. 
390 
< or 
( 2, 700 
132 
Charleston route. 
490 
1,400 
5,000 
95 
Savannah route.-. 
440 
1,400 
5,000 
95 
A table will be found at the conclusion of this chapter, giving some of the most important 
statistics of the several routes; following it, is a statement of the distances of the eastern termini 
of the routes to certain ports. 
The sum of the ascents and descents given for the various routes does not take into considera¬ 
tion those minor undulations which sometimes largely increase the aggregate. 
I think it probable that when detailed surveys are made, it will be found that this sum for the 
route near the 47th parallel will be more increased than those for the other routes, and that the 
sum for the route near the 32d parallel will be less increased than the others. 
The equated lengths corresponding to these sums may give erroneous impressions. If the 
loads to be habitually carried over the roads are within the power of the engines over the 
greatest grades proposed, then the sums of ascents and descents really have little meaning or 
value. The wear and tear of rail and machinery and consumption of fuel would be somewhat 
greater on the road having the largest sum, but the difference would not be worth taking into 
account, unless there was an equality in all other respects between the routes. 
If there are some grades so steep as to require the division of the loads habitually carried over 
other portions, the cost of the extra locomotives and of working them over those portions will 
show the extent of the disadvantage and yearly cost. 
So far as any estimate has been made in this report of the amount of work to be done on the 
roads, these sums of ascents and descents have little practical value, since those portions of the 
routes have been indicated where it may be considered advisable to use steep natural slopes 
with extra engines, to expedite the completion of the road and save expensive road-bed prepara- 
