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 PENNSYLVANIA 261 of the Susquehanna. The shipments of lum- ber from these two points during the first half of 1873 amounted to 159,884,029 ft. On Jan. 1, 1874, the estimated amount of lumber at Williamsport comprised 220,961,922 ft. of pine and 19,872,444 of hemlock, besides large quan- tities of lath and pickets. Pennsylvania has two United States ports of entry, Philadelphia and Erie. The extent of the commerce at these ports is indicated in the articles on those cities. Pittsburgh is a port of delivery in the district of Louisiana. The vast mineral wealth of Pennsylvania has led to the development of a system of internal improvements not ex- celled by those of any other state. In 1826 the state began the construction of a line of communication between Philadelphia and Pitts- burgh, consisting of about 292 m. of canal and 126 m. of railroad. This line was completed in 1831, at a cost of $18,615,663 ; this liability was increased, in consequence of other works undertaken and aided by the state, to $41,294,- 462. After great losses had been sustained, the state about 1857 disposed of its entire in- terest and control in these works, and in that year an amendment was made to the constitu- tion prohibiting the state from constructing or being a stockholder in any canal or railroad. The constitution, as amended in 1873, prohib- its railroads and canals from making unjust discriminations in charges for freight or pas- sengers, or in facilities for transportation; railroad companies are prohibited from grant- ing free passes, or passes at a discount, to any persons except officers or employees of the company. The secretary of internal affairs has a general supervision over railroads, canals, and other transportation companies. The two most extensive railroad corporations of the state are the Philadelphia and Beading and the Pennsylvania. The former, chartered in 1833, was opened for through trains between Phila- delphia and Pottsville in 1842. This company now operates from 15 to 20 main lines and branches, comprising more than 700 m. of railroad ; also the Schuylkill and Susquehanna canals. The investments of the company in railroads, work shops, coal mines, and iron works are estimated at about $125,000,000. The chief business of the company is the trans- portation of coal from the southern anthracite coal fields to tide water in the Delaware river near Philadelphia. About 7,000,000 tons of coal are annually transported over the roads of this company. The Pennsylvania is perhaps the most powerful railroad corporation in America ; nearly 2,500 m. of railroad in Penn- sylvania are operated by it, and its investments in this state are estimated at not less than $150,000,000 ; besides which it owns or leases a large extent of road outside of the state. At the beginning of 1874 the mileage of rail- roads in Pennsylvania was reported by the au- ditor general at 5,854 m., including 4,257 m. of main track and 1,597 of branches. There were also 2,218 m. of sidings and 1,819 of double track. The entire length of main line reported by Pennsylvania companies was 8,401 m. of which 6,655 m. were laid. The capital stock authorized by law was $515,368,954; subscribed, $389,374,234; paid in, $478,711,- 873; funded debt, $378,590,370; floating debt, $37,601,157 ; cost of road and equipment, $621,312,048. The total expenses of all of these roads amounted to $95,207,139, inclu- ding $48,818,074 for operating the roads ; the total receipts were $147,995,214, of which $28,- 350,040 was from passengers and $107,533,075 from freight. The railroad system of the state at the beginning of 1874 was as follows : RAILROADS OWNED, LEASED, OR OPERATED BY THE PHILADELPHIA AND READING RAILROAD COMPANY. NAME. OBI on. A III, Ilil I! sf 1 J "3 From To o jm If Allentown .... Port Clinton Allentown 5 36 $1,078,438 $568,744 Catawissa Tamanend Williamsport 94 6,126,600 1,740,850 Chester Valley Bridgeport Downingtown 21 1,371,000 871,900 Chestnut Hill Germantown Chestnut Hill 4 120,650 120,660 Colebrookdale Pottstown Housensack 12 18 667,126 47,165 East Mahanoy East Mahanoy June. Waste House Run.. 7 892,550 892,550 East Pennsylvania.... Reading Allentown 36 1,484,290 1,809,200 Little Schuylkill Navigation and Coal j Catawissa Rail- | Port Clinton 28 1,416,187 2,646,100 Company | road Junction . . j Mine Hill and Schuylkill Haven Schuylkill Haven. -1 Locust Gap ) 42 .. 3,992,050 8,992,050 Perkiotnen Junc'n. Einans 24 86 1,888,700 88,040 Philadelphia and Reading Philadelphia Pottsville 98 45,319,348 84,270,575 42 64 65 s 53 Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norris- town Philadelphia Norristown 20 1,514,800 2,231,900 Conshohocken Oreland 9 274,495 12,500 Phcenixville 11 474,551 92,875 Reading and Columbia Lancaster branch Columbia Sinking Spring 40 8 2,292,999 608,268 Lebanon branch Schuylkill Valley Port Carbon ... Reevesdale 8 11 576,840 576,050
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