OCR Text |
Show railroad building. The Railroad Gazette's record of new railrois constructed in the Unite Sutes during 1S77, giics a total of o'JS miles, of which 106 J miles are of three-feet guago. l:ilty-four per cent, of tho whe'o mileage has been built in the two statea f California Cali-fornia and Texas. Comparisons with previous years show that thero is a decline in activity ia railroad construction con-struction this year. The Gazette looks to seo further exlcuiione of light railroads rail-roads in the country, and until some one sots the example of a really cheap aud light road of standard gaue used for mixed traffic, doubtless light roads will be built of the narrow gauge. Oar present rate of railroad building is only comparatively slow. Wo hare but about VI i:ihfth-"tit. tn each mile of railroad, and there has been no year yet since tho wr, with tho possible single exception, of 1S75, that the iucreaso in railroad mileage has not been larger ia proportion pro-portion than the increase in popula- : tion. It is now extremely difficult to get capital to conatruct a railroad which 1 oo k s f c r support to the tratBc which it may divert from other roads, now amply acccmmodM:r. it. Doubtless tho country will clls.-.c to grow, but it by no niaana fi-ncws that the railroad mileage shou'.i increase in-crease in proportion. |