‘The navigation laws, adopted by the United States, so soon as their present constitution went into operation, are generally known. Their effect was to bring the shipping of the country into instant competition with that of foreign nations, from the state of temporary depression into which it had been thrown by the struggle of the revolution. From that hour, the superiority enjoyed by the American, in cheapness of construction, provisions and naval stores, aided by the unrivalled activity, and practical knowledge of the population, put all foreign competition at defiance. Of six hundred and six thousand tons of shipping employed in 1790, in the foreign trade of the country, not less than two hundred and fifty-one thousand tons were the property of strangers. In 1794, while the trade employed six hundred and eleven thousand tons, but eighty-four thousand tons were owned by foreigners. In 1820, (a year of great depression,) the trade gave occupation to eight hundred and eighty thousand tons, of which no more than seventy-nine thousand tons were foreign property. This estimate, however, includes the intercourse with the least, no less than that with the most maritime nation. The trade between the United States and England, which is the most important of all, in respect of the tonnage, it employs, was about three to one, in favor of the former; with other countries it varies according to the maritime character of the people, but with all and each it is altogether in favor of the United States.’
CHAPTER VI.—RAIL-ROADS.
The first rail-road attempted in the United States, was that constructed in Quincy, for the purpose of transporting granite from the quarry at that place. It extends from the quarry to the Neponset river, a distance of about three miles. It is a single track road, and the distance between the rails is five feet. The rails are of pine, covered with oak, and overlaid with thin plates of wrought iron. When first constructed, the passage from the quarry to the landing of a car carrying ten tons, with a single horse, was performed in an hour. It was completed in 1827.
The Boston and Lowell rail-road commences at Boston, near the entrance to the Warren bridge. Twenty acres of flat have been purchased at this place to accommodate the various depots of the company. The rail-road crosses Charles river by a wooden viaduct, and terminates at the basin of the canal in Lowell; whence branches extend along the several canals to the factories. It is constructed of stone and iron, in the most substantial manner.The company to form this road was incorporated in June, 1830.[74]
The Boston and Worcester rail-road was commenced in August, 1832. In this road, the greatest degree of inclination from a level will be at the rate of thirty feet a mile; the average inclination will be but ten and a half feet, the main street in Worcester being but four hundred and fifty-six feet higher than Charles street in Boston. The length of the route is forty-three and a quarter miles.
The Boston and Providence Rail-road company was incorporated in June, 1831, with a capital of a million of dollars, for the purpose of constructing a rail-road from Boston to the boundary line of Massachusetts, in the direction of Providence. A company has been formed for the continuation of this road to Stonington. Rail-roads have been projected from Boston or Lowell to Brattleborough; from West Stockbridge to the boundary line of the state of New York, to meet a rail-road from Albany; from Boston to Salem, to be continued to the northern line of the state; from Troy, in New York, at the head of navigation on the Hudson river, to Bennington, a distance of thirty miles to the town of Adams; and from Boston to Ogdensburg, in New York.
The Hudson and Mohawk rail-road extends from Albany to Schenectady, and affords a communication between the tide-water of Hudson river and the Erie canal. It is a double track road, about sixteen miles in length. It commences at the termination of the city line on the Hudson river, and about thirteen acres of land are owned by the company in the vicinity, for depots of transports. About four miles from Schenectady, there is a curve in the road of twenty-three thousand feet radius; there are six principal embankments. The descent from the Schenectady summit to the level of the Hudson, is three hundred and thirty-five feet. The soil through which the road passes is sandy. Several ravines are crossed, and some considerable elevations are cut through. Both locomotive engines and horses are used upon this route. A locomotive has travelled upon it, with a load of eight tons, at the rate of thirty miles per hour. In October, 1831, the number of daily passengers averaged nearly four hundred. The cost of this road was between six and seven hundred thousand dollars.
The Saratoga and Schenectady rail-road forms a continuation of the Mohawk and Hudson rail-road, extending from the city of Schenectady to the villages of Ballston Spa and Saratoga, and uniting these places with the line of steam navigation upon the Hudson. It is twenty miles in length; was commenced in 1831, and completed in the following year.
The Ithaca and Susquehanna rail-road is to extend from the village of Ithaca, near the south end of Cayuga lake, to Owego, on the Susquehanna. The distance is about twenty-eight miles. The Ithaca and Catskill rail-road is to extend a distance of one hundred and sixty-seven miles, from Ithaca to Catskill, on the Hudson. The Catskill and Canajoharie rail-road is to extend for the distance of seventy miles, from Catskill to Canajoharie, on the Mohawk. The company was incorporated in 1830, with a capital of six hundred thousand dollars. The Harlem rail-road is about six miles in length, extending from Twenty-third street, New York city, to Harlem river.