Annual Report of the 
490 
year in which the Liverpool and Manchester railroad was opened 
in England. 
The first railroad ever constructed in the state of New York, or 
in the north, was the Mohawk and Hudson road. It was chartered 
in 1826, commenced in 1830, and finished in 1831. It was one of 
the first railroads in the United States to use locomotive engines. 
The actual contraction of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad was 
commenced on the 4th of July, 1828, at Baltimore. It is described 
as follows: u All business was suspended, and a vast crowd of citi¬ 
zens assembled near the southwestern boundary of the city, where 
the work was to commence. The day was bright and beautiful; 
strains of martial music floated through the air, and a military and 
masonic procession approached the designated spot. A carriage 
drives slowly between the opening lines ; and from it descends the 
venerable Charles Carroll, of Carrolton, then over ninety years of 
age, but still strong and vigorous. Every head is uncovered and 
bowed in respectful salutation as the honored patriot, accom¬ 
panied by the directors of the road, proceeds with the ceremony of 
inaugurating the great work. The first sod was turned, and the 
first stone laid by the distinguished revolutionary patriot, and then 
a discharge of artillery announced that the mighty enterprise was 
commenced. Then turning to the people Mr. Carroll made a very 
short and appropriate address, containing these memorable words: 
“/ consider what I have just now done to he among the most impor¬ 
tant acts of mg life , second only to my signing the Declaration of 
Independence , if indeed- it he second, to that.”—Flint on Railroads. 
Thus commenced the railroad-system of the United States. Since 
then there have been built and put in operation sixty-six thousand 
two hundred and thirty-seven miles, reaching from ocean to ocean, 
and forming a perfect net-work of roads reaching far out in every 
direction into the new and undeveloped parts of our country. Here 
in Wisconsin we have in operation two thousand three hundred and 
sixty miles; and when we reflect that all of this vast system of 
railroads was built by private enterprise, and nearly all by private 
means, we have every reason to be proud of the energy and public 
spirit of our people, and we should be very slow to cripple or des¬ 
troy the spirit and enterprise that could accomplish such vast re¬ 
sults. Yet, such legislation as will be sure to protect the people in 
their just rights, and against wrong and oppression, or from charges 
