Carried by Carried by Carried by Carried by
railroad wagon railroad wagon

At market $49.50 49.50 25.60 25.60
Carried 10 m. 49.25 48.00 24.25 23.26
do. 50 m. 48.75 42.00 24.00 17.25
do. 100 m. 48.00 34.50 23.25 9.75
do. 150 m. 47.25 27.00 22.50 2.25
do. 200 m. 46.50 19.50 21.75 0.00
do. 300 m. 45.00 4.50 20.25 0.00
do. 330 m. 44.55 0.00 19.80 0.00


Thus a ton of corn carried two hundred miles costs by wagon
transport more than it brings at market,--while, moved by
railroad, it is worth $21.75. Also wheat will not bear wagon
transport of 330 miles,--while, moved that distance by railroad
it is worth $44.55 per ton.

The social effect of railroads is seen and felt by those who live in
the neighborhood of large cities. The unhealthy density of
population is prevented, by enabling men to live five, ten, or
fifteen miles away from the city and yet do business therein. The
extent of this diffusion is as the square of the speed of transport.
To illustrate. If a person walks four miles an hour, and is allowed
one hour for passing from his home to his place of business, he can
live four miles from his work; the area, therefore, which may be
lived in is the circle of which the radius is four miles, the
diameter eight miles, and the area 501/4 square miles. If by horse he
can go eight miles an hour, the diameter of the circle becomes