felt compelled to send out a similar line without delay. Pennsylvania was thus driven to carry her rails first over, and latterly through the Alleghanies, to Pittsburg and the regions beyond. Thereupon Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, in turn, pressed on to reach the Mississippi, and their lines again obliged the Gulf cities, Mobile and New Orleans, to construct lines running north and south, lest the rival towns on the Atlantic seaboard should rob them of the trade of the great valley.

"American lines have thus, like the English, been laid out and constructed without reference to any definite or comprehensive system. In many instances they have been made with the deliberate intention of thwarting, rather than facilitating, continuous communication. One among numerous evils that have ensued, has been the introduction of a great diversity of gauges, varying from four feet ten inches in Ohio and New Jersey to six feet on the New York and Erie line. Owing mainly to the cheapness of land and the great extent of level country, the capital expenses of American roads have been less, but in consequence of their inferior construction, their working expenses are greater than those of English railways. Their embankments are usually narrow, their drainage neglected, the sleepers of unseasoned wood, and the iron of very indifferent quality. Their fares are indeed less than our own, but so also are their comfort, their speed, and their safety."

CHAPTER III.

THE ORIGIN OF RAILROADS IN RUSSIA.

DURING the first few months after the opening of the first division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, in 1830, the cars were drawn by horses and mules. Locomotive engines were not yet in use in England. It was at this time that a Mr. Thomas, of Baltimore, constructed a car, of which the propelling power consisted of sails. This car was called the Eolus, and it actually ran between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, propelled by the wind alone acting upon its sails. The Eolus had the honor, from time to time, of thus wafting on scientific excursions many passengers of distinction, Europeans as well as Americans. Among these, on one occasion, was the Baron Krudener, envoy to the United States from the Emperor of Russia, who made the trip in this novel land yacht, trimming the sails himself. On his return from the animating excursion, he expressed his lively gratification. He had never, he said, travelled so agreeably. Whereupon the President of the road, Philip E. Thomas, Esq., caused another car of this construction to be built, and fitted with the friction-wheels invented by Mr. Winans, of Baltimore. This car was presented to the Russian envoy, together with the several reports that had been published by the company, to be sent

to the Emperor of Russia. In acknowledging this happy compliment, the envoy wrote: "The nature and importance of the great undertaking to which you have devoted your exertions, cannot fail of giving a high degree of interest to the documents relating to its origin and progress; and I do not doubt that his majesty will find them, as well as the ingeniously improved principle on which the railroad car is constructed, deserving of serious attention." A few days after this a letter was received from the envoy, introducing a deputation of scientific men from Russia, who had been appointed by the Emperor to visit the United States. These gentlemen at once entered upon a minute examination of the railroad from Baltimore to Ellicott's Mills, and the machinery used upon it. On the return of the deputation to St. Petersburg, they communicated to the Russian government such minute information, and of so great value, relative to the material and management of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, that the Emperor extended an invitation to Ross Winans, Esq., of Baltimore, to superintend the construction, in Russia, of machinery for the extensive railroads even then contemplated by the Russian Emperor. The invitation was accepted; and thus, says a well-informed writer, "there is no doubt that the early introduction of railroads into Russia originated in the disclosures made to his court at this time by the Baron de Krudener." In a conversation between the envoy and Mr. Thomas, the President of the Baltimore and Ohio road, concerning the effects which the railroad system, then in its infancy, would produce, Mr. Thomas is said to have remarked that

"should our present anticipations of the efficiency of railroads be realized, a total change will be brought about in commercial and social intercourse in every country where these roads may be introduced; that the experiments already made had demonstrated them to be capable of affording to an extensive continent the facilities of inter-communication now incident to a small island; and that the discovery promised greater advantages to Russia and the United States than to any other countries." He then further observed, that "should the Emperor introduce railroads into Russia, it would not be many years before a railroad would be constructed between the Baltic and the Black Sea, along the rivers Dwina and Dnieper; and that such a road would enable Russia to encircle in her arms, not only the entire northern, but also the eastern frontier of Europe, and thus to greatly extend her power and influence." The extended foresight of Mr. Thomas was here again conspicuously manifested, for the year 1853 witnessed the completion of a large portion of the great railroads that are so rapidly stretching over the Russian continent. The great railroad from St. Petersburg to Moscow was completed and opened in 1852; and its continuation to Odessa, on the Black Sea, is now in progress of construction. It will be, when finished, sixteen hundred miles long, as far as from Boston to New Orleans, and will connect the Baltic and the Black Sea. Mr. Winans remains in Russia, superintending the construction of the machinery for these great roads.

ANECDOTES OF OPPOSITION TO RAILROADS.-It is related in the annals of English railroads, that one

man sold some land to a railroad company, and was loud and long in his outcries for compensation, expatiating on the damages which the formation of the line would bring, as he said, to his property. He was assured that the construction of the road would greatly increase the value of his property; but to this he would not listen for a moment. His complaints were only stopped by the payment of his demands. A few months afterwards, a little additional land was required of the same individual, when he actually demanded a much larger price for the new land than for that which he had first sold to the company. On surprise being expressed at his conduct, he coolly replied: "Oh, I made a mistake, then, in thinking the railroad would injure my property. It has increased its value, and of course you must pay an increased price for it."

On another occasion, a trial occurred in a court of justice, before a jury, in which an eminent land valuer was put into the witness box to swell the amount of damages, and he proceeded to expatiate on the injury, committed by railroads in general, and especially by the one in question, in cutting up the properties which they invaded, &c. When he had finished the delivery of this weighty piece of evidence, the counsel for the company put a newspaper into his hand, and calling his attention to a certain advertisement therein, asked him whether he had inserted that advertisement! He was compelled to admit that he had. The counsel then proceeded to read the advertisement to the jury. Imagine the amusement of the latter, when the advertisement proved to be a declaration from the land