america's railroads and dirigist nation-building

8/11/2019 America's Railroads and Dirigist Nation-Building

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The New Federalist January 27, 1992 Pages 6-7

American Almanac

AMERICA'S RAILROADS:

Success Story for Dirigist Nation-Builing

!y Alan Le"inson

May #$% #&(: Railroa )or*ers

an officials cele!rate t+e com,le-

tion of t+e .S. transcontinental

railroa in /romontory% ta+% as a

golen s,i*e is ri"en to connect t+e

nion /acific an Central /acific

Railroas. Left: America's leaingrailroa engineer 0eorge 1as+ing-

ton 1+istler an 2rig+t3 Syl"anus

4+ayer% )+o traine leaers of t+e

Army Cor,s of Engineers at 1est

/oint.


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In eastern Europe, the Third orld, and e!en the "nited #tates itsel$ today,the poli%y o$ the "& go!ern'ent is to oppose state inter!ention $or the

purpose o$ de!eloping the e%ono'i% in$rastru%ture o$ a nation& (owe!er,%ontrary to the poli%y o$ the "nited #tates today, during the nineteenth%entury, the railroads, whi%h were the leading edge o$ the )uilding o$ ournation, were not )uilt e*%lusi!ely )y +$ree enterprise,+ )ut rather with the aido$ the $ederal go!ern'ent, or, when that was )lo%ed )y $ree enterprisers,with the aid o$ state and e!en %ity go!ern'ents& In $a%t, our own nation-

)uilding e*perien%e pro!es %on%lusi!ely that an underde!eloped nation %anonly )e de!eloped through the positi!e inter!ention o$ the pu)li% se%tor&

The e*a'ple o$ railroads in the "&& de'onstrates that state inter!entionis ne%essary )oth to $inan%e and to plan in$rastru%ture de!elop'ent& lle$$orts at )uilding the early 'eri%an railroads e*%lusi!ely )ased on pri!ate

$unding $ailed& hen $ree enterprise ideologues were in politi%al %ontrol o$the $ederal go!ern'ent in the period )eginning with the dis'antling o$ the#e%ond National .an, the railroads were $inan%ed through the rearguarde$$orts o$ the state and %ity go!ern'ents& /ater, the $ederal go!ern'entinter!ened to help $inan%e the de!elop'ent o$ the nation through the $ederalland grant syste'& Throughout the entire period o$ the de!elop'ent o$ "&railroads, it was not the pri!ate se%tor whi%h pro!ided the engineering $orthis great pro0e%t, whi%h 'ore than anything else 'ade the "& one natione%ono'i%ally, )ut rather the "& r'y orp o$ Engineers&

This arti%le will e*a'ine how the "& railroads were )uilt, to re'ind theworld that this reat Pro0e%t was not %arried out on the )asis o$ the $ree tradepoli%ies, whi%h the "& is now hypo%riti%ally i'posing upon the rest o$ theworld& I$ eastern Europe is to )e re%onstru%ted, the Third orld de!eloped,and i$ the "&& itsel$ is to re)uild its rapidly %ollapsing in$rastru%ture, itwill )e a%hie!ed only )y resorting to the dirigist 'ethods whi%h wereoriginally e'ployed in 'eri%a& In the last %entury, this $a%t was wellnown& s we shall show, in the nineteenth %entury, when 3ussia wanted to

)uild railroads, it e'ulated the "& 'odel, and it turned to the "& r'yorp o$ Engineers to get the 0o) done&

t the ti'e o$ the 'eri%an 3e!olution, the 14 %olonies produ%ed one-se!enth o$ the world5s iron despite the $a%t that the .ritish had done all they%ould to pre!ent the de!elop'ent o$ 'anu$a%turing& $ter the war, .ritain$or)ade the e*port o$ any o$ its te%hnologi%al ad!an%e'ents to the "&


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lthough the "& %ir%u'!ented this )an on te%hnology to so'e e*tent and$inan%ed !arious de!elop'ent pro0e%ts through le*ander (a'ilton5s First

National .an, it wasn5t until the presiden%y o$ John uin%y da's)eginning in 182that the nation5s de!elop'ent )egan to a%%elerate& %riti%al step in this dire%tion o%%urred in 182:, with the passage o$ the#ur!ey %t whi%h allowed the loaning o$ est Point engineers to lo%algo!ern'ents and pri!ate %o'panies )uilding %anals or railroads& This, inturn led to the esta)lish'ent o$ the .oard o$ Engineers $or InternalI'pro!e'ents sta$$ed )y est Point engineers&

4+e O,,osition

(owe!er, when ndrew Ja%son was inaugurated as President in 1828, hea)olished the .oard o$ Engineers, repealed the #ur!ey %t and re$used tore%harter the #e%ond .an o$ the "nited #tates&

This )attle )etween nation-)uilders and $ree enterprisers was re$le%ted in theearliest railroad pro0e%ts& For e*a'ple, in 1817, theBoston Courier atta%edthe idea that railroads %ould e!er )e de!eloped& In the !iew o$ the news-

paper, anyone who ad!o%ated this was %onsidered 'ad&

hen the $irst railroads were )uilt, there was a %on%erted e$$ort to sa)otagethe'& (enry illia's, a dire%tor o$ the .oston and or%ester 3ailroad, set$orth an o!er!iew o$ the )attle in a spee%h he ga!e on the o%%asion o$ theopening o$ the road on July 6, 184;

$ew years ago this pro0e%t started )ut it %annot )e denied that !ery 'any great 'en, !ery'any ri%h 'en, re$used all parti%ipation, s%o$$ed at our pro0e%t,

pointed at so'e o$ us the $inger o$ s%orn and )andied su%h epithets as?hare-)rained enthusiasts,@ ?!isionaries@, who ?al'ost deser!e to )esent to the 'ad house&@

ll this was saidnay 'ore> $or when the $irst spade was stu% in theground the dire%tors were %alled ?$ools,@ ?idiots@ and ?na!es&@ Theywere de%lared guilty o$ a high %ri'e in %o''en%ing wor whi%h 'ust


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ine!ita)ly result in as total a loss as i$ the 'oney e*pended weresho!eled into the )otto'less pit&

ll this was said and 'u%h 'ore& Aeasures were a%tually taen toarrest wor and %ause an a)andon'ent o$ the enterprise& .ut, thans

to the true $riends o$ the pro0e%t, they stood $ir' and, with war'hearts and 0ust %on$iden%e in those who were %hosen to prose%ute thewor, 'an$ully and su%%ess$ully resisted all atte'pts to %rush theno)le pro0e%t&

The road had a sorry )eginning& t $irst so'e o$ our pro'inent 'enwere willing to ad!an%e a $ew dollars to 'ae e*a'inations andsur!eys> )ut when %alled upon to tae and pay $or the sto% $or whi%hthey had su)s%ri)ed, they $lin%hed and !o%i$erously %ried out it was'adness to go on> that the road would %ost three ti'es the a'ount o$the esti'ates, and e!en i$ it should )e )uilt it would )e ne*t to worth-less and %ould ne!er pay hal$ o$ one per %ent on the %ost&

(ere we are 'y $riends in the heart o$ the %o''onwealth& e %a'e)y railroad all the way $ro' .oston, $orty-two 'iles, in less than threehours& The road is $inished, )ut who a%%o'plished the worB (as it

)een done )y the ri%h 'en, the great 'en o$ the ti'esB .y ourCuarter, hal$, and whole 'illion 'enB No sirD It has )een a%%o'-

plished )y the )one and sinew o$ the %o''unity> )y the 'iddling

interest people, )y that %lass o$ 'en who ha!e war' hearts, %learheads, and who possess al'ost a 'onopoly o$ generous pu)li% spirit&

In a spee%h deli!ered in the "& (ouse o$ 3epresentati!es, a!id &i%inson, a %ongress'an $ro' Tennessee, gi!es us an idea o$ the outlooand %hara%ter o$ this opposition& (is spee%h %alled $or eli'inating theappropriation $or the "nited #tates Ailitary %ade'y at est Point& Thisrepresentati!e o$ a state where sla!ery was legal, used as one o$ his argu-'ents that an appoint'ent to est Point was dis%ri'inatory;

The $eeling o$ eCual rights is one that, in this o!ern'ent, ought to )estrengthened& The !alue o$ this $eeling was well understood 'orethan two thousand years ago& It was one o$ the 'a*i's o$ that

politi%al %ode whi%h /y%urgus, the saga%ious law-gi!er o$ /a%ede'on,i'posed upon his %ountry'en, that the son o$ hi' who sat in the'phi%tyoni% %oun%il should not )e a$$orded greater ad!antages )ythe go!ern'ent, than the son o$ the hu')lest %itien o$ #parta& This


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$eeling o$ eCuality in the en0oy'ent o$ politi%al pri!ileges is thesti'ulant whi%h 'ade her one the $irst states o$ n%ient ree%e $or thewisdo' o$ her poli%y, and the )rillian%y o$ her 'ilitary a%hie!e'ents&

GIt is %ertainly interesting that i%inson taes as his 'odel /y%urgus5s

#parta, whi%h as the er'an poet and historian Friedri%h #%hiller points outwas a sla!o%ra%y and prohi)ited s%ien%e and te%hnology&H

hat is $airly apparent $ro' these re'ars is that power$ul $or%es opposedthe de!elop'ent o$ the railroad& (ad the s%ienti$i% and engineering %apa)ili-ties )een inadeCuate, initial $ailures %ould easily ha!e doo'ed the progra'&(owe!er, su%%ess o$ these early railroads happily had the opposite e$$e%t&

4+e B5O Railroa

The earliest large-s%ale railroad pro0e%t in the %ountry.alti'ore and hio3ailroad, or ., started in 1827)e%a'e a 'odel $or !irtually theentirety o$ the rest o$ the networ )uilt up to the i!il ar& letter $ro' the#e%retary o$ ar Ja'es .ar)our to Phillip Tho'as, president o$ the railroad,unders%ores the $ederal go!ern'ent %o''it'ent;

The su%%ess$ul introdu%tion o$ 3ail-3oads into this %ountry


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Pitts)urgh and Philadelphia& !er the hills )etween the #%huylill and the#usCuehanna ri!ers and a%ross the %rest o$ the lleghenies, )etween(ollidays)urg and Johnstown, %anal %onstru%tion was not pra%ti%al& There-$ore, the legislature authoried in 1828 the %onstru%tion o$ a railroad to%onne%t Philadelphia with the eastern ter'inus o$ the %anal at olu')ia&The Philadelphia and olu')ia was not only one o$ the $irst pro0e%ts o$ itsind in the "nited #tates, )ut, a%%ording to Pennsyl!ania historian ilson,+the $irst railroad undertaen in any part o$ the world )y a go!ern'ent&+

The estern and tlanti% 3ailroad was entirely $inan%ed )y the state o$eorgia )e%ause the di$$i%ulty o$ the route dis%ouraged any pri!ate %apital&The %ity o$ tlanta was na'ed a$ter the railroad and in $a%t it owes its

position as a 'a0or %ity to the railroad&

nother e*a'ple o$ a state undertaing a di$$i%ult pro0e%t on its own withoutany pri!ate %apital was the Lirginia5s .lue 3idge /ine& laudius roet o$Fran%e5s M%ole Polyte%hniCue, who had introdu%ed tea%hing o$ pro0e%ti!egeo'etry at est Point, did the e*tre'ely di$$i%ult .lue 3idge 'ountains onthis pro0e%t&

The approa%h to the $inan%ing o$ the .alti'ore and hio %hara%teries what)e%a'e the 'ore %o''on 'ethod& The a%t to in%orporate the . waspassed )y the Aaryland legislature on Fe)ruary 28, 1827& This a%t, whi%h%onstituted the %harter o$ the %o'pany, pro!ided that the %apital o$ the

%o'pany would )e 4 'illion, in shares o$ 1OO ea%h, o$ whi%h the #tate o$Aaryland would tae 1O,OOO shares and the ity o$ .alti'ore ,OOO& There'aining 1,OOO would )e su)s%ri)ed to )y indi!iduals and %orporations&The o$$i%ers o$ this %o'pany were gi!en power to run it as they saw $it&.oth the state and %ity were gi!en seats on the )oard o$ dire%tors to prote%ttheir in!est'ent&

Thus, we ha!e a pri!ate %o'pany, $or whi%h $ully O per%ent o$ the $unding%a'e $ro' the go!ern'ent& There was no railroad pro0e%t o$ this type in theworld en!isioned at this ti'e& The attitude o$ %itiens %ould only )e %hara%-

teried as wildly enthusiasti% despite the o)!ious riss attendant with anuntested te%hnology& In only twel!e days, 22,OOO indi!iduals su)s%ri)ed to46,788 shares o$ sto% in the %o'pany&

4+e 6eeral Lan 0rant System

nother $or' o$ go!ern'ent inter!ention toe the de!elop'ent o$ a railroadwas the land grant& In the territories west o$ the llegheny Aountains, the


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Bureau of Railroad Economics, Washington, D.C.

4+eApponaug, t+e first engine to ,ull a train in t+e state of Connecticut.

$ederal go!ern'ent still owned !ast tra%ts o$ land in the early de%ades o$ thenineteenth %entury, and these were used to help $inan%e railroads 0ust as theyhad )een used to $inan%e s%hools and %anals& The states were $ree to sell thedonated $ederal a%res to $inan%e in$rastru%ture pro0e%ts, use the a%res as%apital to o)tain loans, or perhaps sell part o$ the land at low %ost to therailroads and then sell o$$ the rest o$ the land at a higher pri%e on%e the

%onstru%tion o$ the railroad raised the !alue o$ the land&The Illinois entral, the %ountry5s $irst 'a0or north-south line, was $inan%edentirely through a $ederal land grant& The land represented the se%urity $orthe sto% and )onds o$ the %o'pany& The initial perspe%ti!e $or o)taining%apital was through sale o$ )onds in Europe& hat happened illustrates theo)sta%les whi%h %ontinually stood in the way o$ o)taining %apital $ro' the'a0or )ans in Europe&

two-'an tea' 'ade up o$ 3o)ert J& aler, $or'er se%retary o$ thetreasury under President Pol, and %o'pany !i%e president a!id Neal weresent $irst to tal to ut%h )aners in 3otterda' and 'sterda' and then toEngland to tal to )aners there& aler was %hosen )e%ause he had )eenthe author o$ $ree trade legislation> this was supposed to open doors with theut%h and English )aners& espite their atte'pt at propitiation they wereturned down& The %redit rating o$ Illinois had )een )es'ir%hed )y a $ailureto pay interest on )onds taen out in the 18:Os&


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(owe!er, when the two returned ho'e they $ound that signi$i%ant %apitalhad )een raised do'esti%ally& $ter it was %lear there was strong de'and $orthe Illinois entral sto%s, the Europeans de%ided to $orget the pre!ious$ailure and 0u'p on )oard&

#o'e o)ser!ations a)out the $unding are ne%essary to de)un other lies as tothe role played )y the pri!ate se%tor in this %ru%ial era o$ the de!elop'ent o$the transportation in$rastru%ture o$ the "nited #tates; 1H the great sour%es o$European %apital did in!est in the railroads> howe!er, they re$used to in!estin any pri!ate %o'panies unless they had go!ern'ent )a%ing> and 2H 'ore$oreign %apital %a'e $ro' Fran%e and er'any than $ro' the .ritish& (ow-e!er, this $oreign %apital was a $ar less signi$i%ant portion o$ the o!erall

pri!ate $unding, the !ast 'a0ority %o'ing $ro' indi!idual 'eri%ans&

4+e Eucation of Syl"anus 4+ayer

(a!ing de'onstrated the role o$ go!ern'ent in $a%ilitating the $unding o$the railroads, we now turn to an e*a'ination o$ the role played )y estPoint and the "& r'y orp o$ Engineers in de!eloping the e%ono'i%in$rastru%ture o$ )oth the "nited #tates and o$ 3ussia, an i'portant'eri%an ally in the period leading into the "& i!il ar&

In the history o$ the "nited #tates, the ar o$ 1812 played a deter'iningrole in what 'ight )e %hara%teried as the purest appli%ation o$ repu)li%annation-)uilding the world had e!er seen& Not only was the #e%ond .an o$

the "& a)le to o)tain a %harter in 1816 a$ter the re%hartering o$ the First.an had )een !etoed in 1811, )ut also the "& 'ilitary a%ade'y at estPoint, esta)lished in 18O2, )egan to ser!e a nation-)uilding purpose&

#yl!anus Thayer, who )e%a'e superintendent o$ est Point a$ter the ar o$1812, had internalied the pri'ary lesson o$ that war; the ne%essity o$e%ono'i% de!elop'ent to the national se%urity& Thayer played an a)solutely%ru%ial role in the su%%ess$ul de!elop'ent o$ the nation&

Thayer, )orn in 178, was truly a %hild o$ the ar o$ Independen%e& #e!en

o$ his un%les on his 'other5s side parti%ipated in the war& t the age o$ nine,he went to li!e with one o$ his un%les& It is %lear that the 3e!olutionary ware*perien%e was a %onstant su)0e%t in the household& uring this period,Thayer )e%a'e a%Cuainted with eneral .en0a'in Pier%e, the $ather o$ the$uture President& (e i'pressed Pier%e, who su%%eeded in getting anappoint'ent to est Point $or Thayer&


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Thayer, who e*%elled in s%ien%e, distinguished hi'sel$ )y graduating $irst inhis %lass& t est Point, he )elonged to a philosophi%al so%iety whi%h was'ade up o$ !ery pro'inent %itiens& It was %alled the "nited #tates AilitaryPhilosophi%al #o%iety and was $ounded )y Jonathan illia's, the $irstsuperintendent o$ est Point, and a relati!e o$ .en0a'in Franlin& Itsoriginal %onstitution pres%ri)es that the 'eetings )e held at the site o$ the'ilitary a%ade'y& It was open to +any gentle'an, whether a 'ilitary 'an ornot&+ It e'phasied the dis%ussion and deli)eration on the 'ost ad!an%eds%ienti$i% ideas o$ the day&

#o'e idea o$ the i'portan%e o$ the so%iety is gained )y re!iewing theattendan%e at a 'eeting in 18O8& Those present in%luded eitt linton,then go!ernor o$ New Kor, hie$ Justi%e John Aarshall, illia' Eaton, thehero o$ erne, To)ias /ear, later %onsul at lgiers, 3o)ert Fulton and

aptain Tho'as Tru*ton, "#N&l'ost i''ediately a$ter graduating $ro' est Point, Thayer was thrustinto the ar o$ 1812& ne o$ his early warti'e e*perien%es had an indeli)lee$$e%t& n a poorly planned e*pedition to anada, Thayer wat%hed the NewKor 'ilitia sit )a% and do nothing while regulars were de%i'ated )y theene'y& This was )y no 'eans atypi%al during the war& Thayer new thatthe %ondition o$ the 'ilitary was a disaster& (is solution was to reCuest totra!el to Fran%e to o)tain the 'ost ad!an%ed 'ilitary and s%ienti$i% nowl-edge a!aila)le& (e new that this was urgent $or the de$ense o$ li)erty& This

was %ertainly one o$ the 'ost 'o'entous de%isions in the history o$ the"nited #tates&

Thayer spent one and a hal$ years in Fran%e& (e arri!ed $i!e days a$ter the)attle o$ aterloo, $inding Fran%e o%%upied )y the allied ar'ies that hadde$eated Napoleon& hile not i''ediately a)le to attend the M%ole Poly-te%hniCue )e%ause it had )een shut down due to the de$eat o$ Napoleon,Thayer was a)le to lo%ate )oos written )y the top Fren%h s%ientists, whi%hhe was to )ring )a% to est Point&

Two in%idents whi%h o%%urred while he was in Fran%e %ouldn5t help )ut ha!ea signi$i%ant i'pa%t on Thayer& (e related one in a letter to his 'entoreneral Joseph & #wi$t& This was an in%ident in whi%h ellington attendedthe opera& Finding no )o*es uno%%upied he de%ided to sit in the ing5s

personal )o*& This was too 'u%h $or the Parisians, who )egan to shout,+Li!e le 3oi, Q )as les nglais&+ Thayer was delighted when ellington le$ti''ediately&


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The other in%ident also %on%erned the .ritish& nowing that there were anu')er o$ 'eri%ans in Paris, so'e .ritish o$$i%ers de%ided to %ele)rate theo$ the )urning o$ ashington, && during the ar o$ 1812& This pro!oedeneral in$ield #%ott, who responded at a dinner o$ allied soldiers with atoast to the !i%tory at New rleans whi%h had resulted in the de$eat o$ the.ritish& t the dinner, ount Lorontso! o$ 3ussia o$$ered to ha!e theI'perial uard prote%t #%ott i$ the .ritish retaliated& #%ott de%lined theo$$er, saying he didn5t want to get the %ount in trou)le with his %o''ander&

etting a good taste o$ the .ritish o%%upiers 'ust ha!e only intensi$iedThayer5s deter'ination that 'eri%a )e%o'e 'ilitarily se%ure& (e single-'indedly s%oured )oostores $or the writings o$ the leading s%ientists and'ilitary strategists& (e also pi%ed the )rains o$ anyone he %ould $ind to talto& (e %on!in%ed roet, a pro$essor at the M%ole Polyte%hniCue, to %o'e to

the "nited #tates to tea%h at est Point&4+ayer at 1est /oint

hen he got )a% to the "nited #tates, Thayer was appointed #uperinten-dent o$ est Point& (e trans$or'ed that institution i''ediately, introdu%ingwhat he new to )e essential $or produ%ing the leaders !ital $or the nation&Thayer5s %urri%ulu', 'odeled e*pli%itly on the M%ole Polyte%hniCue,e'phasied a %lassi%al s%ienti$i% edu%ation& ne o$ the inno!ations was toeep %lass sies s'all, so that e!ery %adet %ould parti%ipate e!ery day&

hat 'ade Thayer instru'ental in the e%ono'i% de!elop'ent o$ the nationwas the $a%t that, without the introdu%tion o$ s%ienti$i% edu%ation at estPoint, those $or%es who didn5t want this de!elop'ent to o%%ur would

pro)a)ly ha!e )een su%%ess$ul&

"ntil the Ja%sonians wre%ed the syste' put into pla%e )y President Johnuin%y da's, est Pointers wored on the hesapeae and hio anal,the Aorris anal, the elaware and 3aritan anal, the .alti'ore and hio3ailroad G.H, and the estern and tlanti% 3ailroad, to na'e only a $ew&.y 1847, out o$ a total o$ 9:O est Point graduates, 241 had wored as %i!ilengineers on at least one in$rastru%tural pro0e%t&

0eorge 1as+ington 1+istler

Fourteen ar'y engineers wored on the .& Two o$ these, & A%Neilland eorge ashington histler, )e%a'e the leading railroad engineers inthe %ountry& histler was %hosen )y the 3ussians to head up the #t& Peters-


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)urg to Aos%ow railroad pro0e%t& The 3ussian authorities %hose the 'eri-%an histler only a$ter a thorough e*a'ination o$ European railroads&Interestingly, the 3ussians, dee'ing this so i'portant to their interests, also%hose to ha!e the go!ern'ent $inan%e it&

eorge ashington histler was possi)ly the greatest railroad engineer o$his era& loo at his %areer will gi!e a ri%her understanding o$ the Cuality o$his est Point edu%ation and its i'pa%t not only on the "&& )ut on 3ussiaas well&

histler entered est Point on July 41, 181:, at the age o$ $ourteen& (ere'ained as a student $or $i!e years& ut o$ a %lass o$ 4O, he graduatednu')er one in drawing, nu')er $our in des%ripti!e geo'etry, nu')er $i!e indrill, nu')er ele!en in philosophy and engineering, nu')er twel!e in'athe'ati%s and nu')er ten in general 'erit& (e was also an a%%o'plished'usi%ian& (is reputation was that o$ a near-pro$essional on the $lute&'ong his $riends he had earned the ni%na'e +Pipes&+ (e also was ana%%o'plished artist, )ut it was le$t to his son to $ully de!elop this talent&

histler5s )iographer &/& Lose eloCuently des%ri)es this aspe%t o$histler5s %hara%ter;

These tastes in histler appeared to )e less the result o$ study on hispart than the spontaneous outgrowth o$ a re$ined and deli%ate organ-iation, and so $ar %onstitutional with hi' that they see'ed to tinge

his entire %hara%ter& They %ontinued to )e de!eloped till past the'eridian o$ li$e, and a'id all the pressure o$ gra!er duties $urnished a'ost delight$ul rela*ation&

$ter graduating on July 1, 1819, histler did topographi%al duty $or eight'onths and then returned to est Point as an assistant pro$essor o$ des%rip-ti!e geo'etry and drawing& $ter one year o$ this, he was detailed ontopographi%al duty $or the r'y and wored with the %o''ission tra%ingthe international )oundary )etween /ae #uperior and the /ae o$ theoods& signi$i%ant a'ount o$ his ti'e was spent in 'aing sur!eys,

plans, and esti'ates $or internal i'pro!e'ents&

In 1828, the . 3ailroad o'pany 'ade a spe%ial reCuest $or the ser!i%eso$ /ieutenant histler& (e, along with two other ar'y engineers, Jonathannight and illia' i))s A%Neill, was sent to England to e*a'ine therailroads o$ that %ountry& $ter returning, histler personally super!ised. %onstru%tion until it was $ar enough along so that he was $reed up to


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wor on another pro0e%t, the .alti'ore and #usCuehanna 3ailroad& (e then'o!ed on to New Jersey to aid in the %onstru%tion o$ the Paterson and(udson 3i!er 3ailroad& In 1844 he 'o!ed to onne%ti%ut to tae %harge o$the lo%ation o$ the railroad $ro' Pro!iden%e, 3hode Island to #tonington,onne%ti%ut&

t the end o$ 1844, histler resigned his %o''ission, and 'o!ed to /owell,Aassa%husetts to tae a position o$ engineer to the Proprietors o$ /o%s andanals& This position ga!e hi' the dire%tion o$ the 'a%hine shops, whi%hhad )een set up prin%ipally $or the %onstru%tion o$ lo%o'oti!e engines& In1847, the %ondition o$ the #tonington railroad de'anded his %ontinual

presen%e& hile woring there he was %onsulted a)out to nu'erous otherpro0e%ts in di$$erent parts o$ the %ountry> pro'inent a'ong these was theestern 3ailroad o$ Aassa%husetts&

This was the %rowning a%hie!e'ent o$ histler5s engineering in the "nited#tates& It was to run $ro' or%ester through #pring$ield and Pitts$ield tol)any, New Kor and had to o!er%o'e the highlands )etween onne%ti%utand the (udson, thus %onne%ting .oston to what was then %alled the +reatest&+ The su%%ess o$ this pro0e%t 'ared histler as one o$ the $ore'ostengineers o$ his ti'e&

hat was realied $ro' this e*perien%e in the "nited #tates was that therailroad, to Cuote histler5s )iographer,

was not to )e %on$ined to the woring o$ an already esta)lished tra$$i%in densely populated regions, )ut it would )e o$ eCual ser!i%e inawaening the energies o$ unde!eloped %ountries, in )ringing the !astinterior regions o$ the %ontinents into %o''uni%ation with the sea-

)oard, in opening 'arets to lands whi%h )e$ore were )eyond therea%h o$ %o''er%e&

Railroas in Russia

3ussian leaders soon re%ognied the ad!antages o$ railroad %onstru%tion $or

ta'ing their !ast territory> an atte'pt to indu%e pri!ate %apitalists to%onstru%t lines o%%urred !ery early& The %ar o$$ered indu%e'ents, whi%hin%luded guaranteeing to shareholders a 'ini'u' return o$ : per%ent, and

proposed to gi!e grants o$ all the land through whi%h the lines passed and allthe ti')er and raw 'aterials& lso the rails and rolling sto% %ould )ei'ported duty $ree& hether or not the %ar had studied 'eri%an #yste'


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e%ono'i%s, his approa%h %ohered with the dirigist 'ethod )eing applied inthe "&& at the ti'e&

hile this approa%h ena)led 3ussia to )uild a nu')er o$ short railroads, aproposed line $ro' #t& Peters)urg to Aos%ow reCuired a di$$erent approa%h&

Funding would %o'e entirely $ro' the state&

ith a pro0e%t o$ this i'portan%e, it was dee'ed ne%essary that the 'ostad!an%ed nowledge )e o)tained& #o the %ar de%ided to send he!alier eerstner, who had )uilt a short railroad, to the "nited #tates to o)tainin$or'ation %on%erning its railroads& The 'ore e erstner studied, the'ore i'pressed he was with the appli%a)ility to 3ussia o$ what he ter'edthe 'eri%an syste' o$ )uilding and operating railroads& In one o$ hisletters he noted that, despite higher la)or and 'aterial %osts, the 'eri%anrailroads were %onstru%ted 'ore %heaply& (e attri)uted this to the use o$steeper grades G94 $eet to the 'ileH and sharp %ur!es G6OO $eet radiusH> tola)or-sa!ing 'a%hinery, parti%ularly to a stea' e*%a!ating 'a%hine> and tothe 'eri%an #yste' o$ wooden )ridge )uilding&

(e wrote in his letters that,

the superstru%ture o$ the railroads in 'eri%a is 'ade %on$or'a)le tothe e*pe%ted tra$$i%, and %osts 'ore or less a%%ordingly&

(e %on%ludes,

onsidering the whole, it appears the %heapness o$ the 'eri%anrailroad has its $oundation in the pra%ti%al sense whi%h predo'inatesin its %onstru%tion&

(e noted the %heap 'anage'ent o$ the 'eri%an roads, the less e*pensi!ead'inistrati!e ser!i%e, the use o$ the eight-wheeled %ars, and the $our-wheeled tru% under the engines, and %on%luded;

In 'y opinion, it would )e o$ great ad!antage $or e!ery railroad%o'pany o$ Europe to pro%ure at least one train lie those used in'eri%a& Those %o'panies, howe!er, whose wors are yet under%onstru%tion, I %an ad!ise with $ullest %on!i%tion, to pro%ure all theirlo%o'oti!e engines and tenders $ro' 'eri%a, and to %onstru%t their%ars a$ter the 'eri%an 'odel&

ue to the i'portan%e o$ the pro0e%t, e erstner5s report was not dee'edsu$$i%ient to 'ae the $inal de%ision& Further e!iden%e was needed> so it


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was de%ided that two engineer-o$$i%ers would )e sent to !arious %ountries inEurope and to the "nited #tates to sele%t the )est syste' $or 3ussia& Theseindi!iduals %o'pletely %on%urred with e erstner on the %hoi%e o$ the'eri%an syste'& They also indi%ated that o$ all the engineers they spoewith they were 'ost i'pressed histler5s a)ility& This led to an in!itation$ro' the 3ussians to )e the %onsulting engineer on the #t& Peters)urg toAos%ow railroad&

t this ti'e, the 3ussian engineering ser!i%e was %onsidered se%ond to nonein the world& The syste' $or sele%tion was )ased on 'erit, without regard toso%ial standing, and the training e'phasied the 'ost ad!an%ed s%ienti$i%ideas& These were the 'en that Aa0or histler would super!ise in the%onstru%tion o$ the railroad&

n insight into how histler approa%hed this wor is e')odied in therigorous argu'ent with whi%h he %on!in%ed the 3ussians to adopt thestandard tra% gauge o$ $our $oot eight in%hes instead o$ the si* $oot gaugethey $a!ored& To Cuote Lose again;

Aa0or histler re0oined in a report whi%h is one o$ the $inest 'odelso$ an engineering argu'ent e!er written, and in whi%h we ha!e,

perhaps the )est !iew o$ the Cuality o$ his 'ind& In this do%u'ent, nopoint is o'itted> ea%h part o$ the Cuestion is handled with the 'ost%onsu''ate sill> the )earing o$ the se!eral parts upon the whole is

shown in the %learest possi)le 'anner, and in a style whi%h %ould only%o'e $ro' one who, $ro' his own nowledge was thoroughly$a'iliar with all the details, not only o$ the railroad, )ut o$ thelo%o'oti!e as well&

In this report the history o$ the gauge is gi!en, with the origin o$ thestandard o$ $our $eet eight and one hal$ in%hes& The Cuestion o$strength, sta)ility and %apa%ity o$ %ars, o$ the di'ensions, proportions,and power o$ engines, the speed o$ trains, resistan%es o$ 'otion,weight and strength o$ rails, the %ost o$ the roadway, and the re'o!al

o$ snow, are %are$ully %onsidered> the !arious %lai's o$ the ad!o%ates$or a wider gauge are $airly and %riti%ally e*a'ined> and while theerrors o$ his opponents are laid )are in the 'ost unsparing 'anner, thewhole is done in a spirit so entirely unpre0udi%ed, and so e!ident adesire $or si'ple truth, as to %arry %on!i%tion to any $air-'inded

person&


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The result was the adoption o$ the gauge re%o''ended )y histler&

nother ele'ent o$ the pro0e%t was the $urnishing o$ the rolling sto% and$i*ed 'a%hinery $or the shops )y the 'eri%an $ir' o$ inans, (arrison Eastwi% on the re%o''endation o$ histler& Through his diplo'ati%

e$$orts, large 'oney ad!an%es were pro!ided whi%h $a%ilitated this aspe%t o$the pro0e%t&

In early 18:7, ar Ni%holas !isited the 'e%hani%al wors at le*andro$$-sy, where the rolling sto% was )eing 'ade )y Aessrs& inans& The %ondi-tion o$ the operation so pleased hi' that he %on$erred the de%oration o$ therder o$ #t& nne on Aa0or histler&

histler o!ersaw !irtually the entirety o$ the pro0e%t, re$using to lea!e hispost despite e!en when he %a'e down with %holera during an epide'i% in

18:8& This weaened hi', and )y the ne*t spring his %ondition hadworsened, resulting in his death on pril 9, 18:9&

ne o$ the people who new hi' well during this period said o$ hi';

It was not only through his sill, a)ility and e*perien%e as an engineer,that Aa0or histler was parti%ularly Cuali$ied $or and e'inentlysu%%ess$ul in the i'portant tas he per$or'ed in 3ussia> his 'ilitarytraining and )earing, his polished 'anners, good hu'our, sense o$honor, nowledge o$ a language GFren%hH in whi%h he %ould %on!erse

with o$$i%ers o$ the go!ern'ent> his resolution in adhering to what hethought was right, and in 'eeting di$$i%ulties only to sur'ount the'>with other ad'ira)le personal Cualities-'ade hi' soon, and during hiswhole residen%e in 3ussia, 'u%h lied and trusted )y all persons )ywho' he was nown $ro' the E'peror down to the peasant& #u%h isthe reputation he le$t )ehind hi' and whi%h is gi!en to hi' in 3ussiato this day&

nother tri)ute to histler )y the 3ussian go!ern'ent was that go!ern'ento$$i%ials did not allow any alteration in his plans& This in%luded other pro-

0e%ts he wored on, as well as the railroad& t this ti'e, with the e*%eptiono$ John uin%y da's, histler was held in the highest estee' o$ any'eri%an&

t the heart o$ the de!elop'ent o$ the railroad in the "nited #tates was the%lear re%ognition on the part o$ 'en lie John uin%y da's, #yl!anusThayer, eorge ashington histler, and 'any others that great pro0e%ts o$


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in$rastru%ture were thesine qua non $or the !ery sur!i!al o$ the repu)li%an$or' o$ go!ern'ent& Freedo' would ha!e )een without 'eaning i$ thenation was in any way %o'pelled to su)'it to the insane di%tates o$ theEuropean oligar%hy and its agents in 'eri%a&

The lessons $ro' the e*perien%e o$ the "nited #tates in the period o$appro*i'ately 1827 through the i!il ar are !alua)le )oth $or thosenations who ha!e re%ently shed the yoe o$ %o''unis' and $or those Thirdorld nations who, despite their $or'al independen%e, ha!e not yet o!er-thrown the yoe o$ en$or%ed underde!elop'ent& There is no e!iden%e thatthe "nited #tates underwent the ind o$ austerity to whi%h, $or e*a'ple, thenation o$ Poland is now )eing su)0e%ted )y the lies o$ (ar!ard $ree traderJe$$rey #a%hs& n the %ontrary, the )ene$its $or the nation were $elt Cui%lyin ter's o$ an a%ross-the-)oard in%rease in the standard o$ li!ing and o!erall

in%rease in national wealth& Pro)a)ly the 'a0or reason $or this was the $a%tthat those indi!iduals who were the dri!ing $or%e )ehind it were not as easyto su%er as people are today&

I$ the "nited #tates had not adopted what )e%a'e nown as the 'eri%an#yste' o$ politi%al e%ono'y )ut re'ained at the 'er%y o$ the .ritish, theinternal i'pro!e'ents we ha!e dis%ussed would ne!er ha!e o%%urred&Today5s newly $reed nations ha!e to see that they possess e!erythingne%essary $or de!elop'ent, as long as they are under no illusions a)out theIAF and orld .an, and other institutions that will steal e!erything that

isn5t nailed down i$ per'itted&Perhaps you are wondering how the "nited #tates %ould ha!e )e%o'e the

prin%ipal )a%er o$ this s%a' today, in light o$ what our nation a%%o'plishedearlier in its own de!elop'ent& "n$ortunately, %orrupt indi!iduals andtraitors stole the $ruits o$ the 'eri%an #yste' and are utiliing the' toaug'ent the wealth and power o$ the !ery $or%es that were de$eated in thear o$ Independen%e& The !ery sa'e $or%es that ga!e eastern Europe and3ussia %o''unis' are )ehind the $ree 'aret& It is 'y heart$elt hope, thatthose who o!erthrew %o''unis' will )ring to li$e in their %ountries the

%o''it'ent to $reedo' that was e')odied in the $ight to )uild the "nited#tates, whi%h in turn %an re!i!e that spirit in the ho'e o$ its origin&


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Early Stages of Rail)ay De"elo,ment in t+e nite States

In 184O, $ollowing the $irst de%ade o$ rail-)uilding in the "nited #tates, totaltra% 'ileage in%reased $ro' 24 to 2,8O8, with hea!y de!elop'ent along thetlanti% oast o$ the Northeast& uring the sa'e de%ade, the "& popula-tion dou)led& The de%ade o$ the 18Os saw the western and southern e*pan-sion o$ the railroad grid, and the $irst trans%ontinental rail lin was %o'-

pleted in 1869& .y 189O, all the population %enters o$ the %ountry wereser!i%ed& .etween 184O and 189O, 'eri%a5s population in%reased $i!e$old&

#&7$: 8%&$& miles #&9$: (%$8# miles


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#&$: $%8 miles

#&;$: 98%(88 miles


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#&&$: (%8; miles

#&($: #$%&($ miles

American Association of Railroads


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House Journal, 189, p& 2O:H> 17O,OOO2OO,OOO to the elaware to the .reawater and Fran$ort, and :OO,OOO to

the Jun%tion and .reawater GSenateJournal, 1891H&


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6eeral Lan 0rants to t+e States u, to #&9( 2in acres3

0rants for Internal Im,ro"e-

State or 4erritory ments 2Canals% Ri"ers3 Railroa 0rants

hio 1,2:4,OO1 & & & & & &

Indiana 1,6O9,861 & & & & & & R

Illinois OO,OOO 2,9,O4

Aissouri OO,OOO 1,81,:4

la)a'a OO,OOO 2,442,918

Aississippi OO,OOO 1,687,4O

/ouisiana OO,OOO 1,162,8O

Ai%higan 1,2O,OOO 4,O96,OOO

ransas OO,OOO 1,:6,297

Florida OO,OOO 1,81:,:OO

Iowa 1,48,O78 4,:6,OOO

is%onsin 1,O69,471 1,622,8OO

ali$ornia OO,OOO & & & & & & RR

Ainnesota Territory 4:O,OOO :,:16,OOO

4otal #$%&(;%## 89%77%$#

R Federal lands in hio and Indiana had already )een disposed o$ )e$orerailroads )e%a'e pra%ti%a)le

RR No railroads yet )uilt in ali$ornia

america's railroads and dirigist nation-building

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