The Railway Library, 1909: A Collection of Noteworthy Chapters, Addresses, and Papers Relating to Railways, Mostly Published During the Year
History
The Railway Library, 1909: A Collection of Noteworthy Chapters, Addresses, and Papers Relating to Railways, Mostly Published During the Year
Railroads -- United States -- Periodicals
Both overland trade and westward migration drew attention to the
importance of good roads, both swelled the receipts of turnpike
companies, and gave encouragement to investment of local capital
in transportation improvement. By 1804 the Lancaster road had been
extended to Pittsburg, and a regular stage line established which
made a trip each way once a week. State governments lent every
encouragement to the building of turnpike roads, _even to the
extent of subscribing to their stock_. From contemporary writings
and charter grants, it is estimated that nearly eight hundred
turnpike companies were organized before the end of the war of 1812.
Pennsylvania was pre-eminent in granting liberal charters, and toll
rights, thereby encouraging the people of the more thickly settled
districts to make such improvements for themselves. The corporations
thus formed had little difficulty in obtaining capital subscriptions,
whether for the construction of turnpikes or bridges, or for the
operation of ferries. To the stock of these corporations several of
the states subscribed in varying amounts. Although a few toll roads
were constructed before that time, the turnpike movement may be said
to date from the opening of the nineteenth century. Turnpikes (so
called from the revolving, or turning bar, or pike which, when set
across a toll road, prevented passage until charges were paid) were
macadamized or otherwise improved at a cost varying from $500 to
$10,000 per mile. Almost without exception they followed in a general
way the old lines which had been worked out when travel on foot or
on horseback was the chief method of communication, but wherever
possible they were made straight, going over and not around hills
and other obstacles. When the Boston and Salem turnpike was built a
small but deep pond was encountered, but instead of going around the
road crossed on a floating bridge. The construction of bridges and
the operation of ferries were parts of this larger turnpike movement,
and like the turnpikes themselves, they were usually disappointing
to those who had invested with the hope of large dividends. At
best, this movement did but little to supply the great need for
improved transportation. To passenger service it was a great boon,
in that it added much to personal comfort, though the time and cost
of travel were little reduced. _It required five dollars and fifty
cents to pay tolls from Philadelphia to New York, besides the hotel
bills and other expenses of the road._ It took a week to go from
Philadelphia to Pittsburg. What the country most needed--a cheap
method of handling the bulky products of the interior--was not
supplied. Freight was carried upon the turnpike with great difficulty
and expense, and heavy goods were compelled to remain untouched on
account of the high tolls.
REVIVAL OF CANAL CONSTRUCTION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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