Show The Future of Railroads It was the fortune of Massachusetts to send to the Atlanta Exhibition two instructive messagesone on agriculture through Commissioner Loringand one on manufactures by Edward Atkinson The address ol Mr Atkinson says the Springfield Republicanis that of the first scholar in New England business 1fr lIe looks to see the second 1000JO miJet railroad laid in the next sixteen years Hear In the las sixteen years we have overcome the curse of paper money we have restored the specie standard we have paid more than oneibirdneaily onehalf of our national debt we have greatly increased our population we have passed through the most severe commercial crisis ever known and most important of all we have surmounted sur-mounted most of the difficulties connected con-nected with the industrial revolution revolu-tion in your Southern States Is it too much to expect to average a little lit-tle over 0000 miles of railroad a year If this is not oversanguine I and I think it is not tor we are building the yt ar nearer 10000 miles than OuuO milestheu we shall accomplish the work It looks as I have said like a very big job but I will make it appear a very little one A fair average cost of a mile of railroad rail-road is 35000 that sum of money measures the service of every man engaged in it from the Presidents of the railroads the iron worksand the mines down through the workers I work-ers in the rolling mills iron mines f and mechanic shops to the commonest com-monest laborer who digs and delves on the track At 62 a day average for the whole force each 100 miles requires the service o 5600 men for one year In order that we may build 100000 miles in sixteen years a force of laborers must be continuously employed during that period of 350000 men tflooksjlike a large force but as I have said on this chart while Europe prepares for war we prepare pre-pare for work If during these sixteen six-teen years we should sustain standing stand-ing armies equal to the present armies of France or Germany inactive in-active service in proportion to the average population of the period our standing army would numbar 700000 men Can we spare onehalf that force to build our railroads |